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A copper-catalyzed regioselective annulation reaction, conducted without ligands or oxidants, has been developed for the preparation of multisubstituted furans from the readily available starting materials, β-keto esters and propargyl acetates. This process accommodates a wide range of functional groups, resulting in furan skeletons with diverse substitution patterns. The method’s potential synthetic utility is highlighted by its applicability in gram-scale preparations and late-stage modifications of natural products.

The connection efficiency of composite pre-tightened multi-tooth joint is low because of uneven load distribution and single load transmission path. In this paper, based on the principle of bio-tooth (suture) structure, combining soft material with fractal, a composite pre-tightened multi-hierarchy tooth joint is proposed, and the bearing performance and failure process of the joint through experiments and finite element method under tensile load. First, the ultimate bearing capacity, load distribution ratio, and failure process of different hierarchies of teeth joints are studied through experiments. Then, the progressive damage models of different hierarchies of tooth joints are established, and experiments verify the validity of the finite element model. Finally, the effects of soft material and increasing tooth hierarchy on the failure process and bearing capacity of composite pre-tightened tooth joints are analyzed by the finite element method. The following conclusions can be drawn: (1) The embedding of soft materials changed the failure process of the joint. Increasing the tooth hierarchy can give the joint more load transfer paths, but the failure process of the joint is complicated. (2) Embedding soft materials and increasing the tooth hierarchy simultaneously can effectively improve the bearing capacity of composite pre-tightened tooth joints, which is 87.8% higher than that of traditional three-tooth joints.

Network pharmacology analysis revealed 25 possible targets for Tripterygium wilfordiiHook. f.(TWHF) in the treatment of type I allergy, indicates that TWHF has potential therapeutic effect on type I allergy.TWHF can inhibit type I allergy by regulating inflammatory cytokines, anaphylaxis related pathways and the immune balance of Th1/Th2.

Ensuring global food security depends heavily on attaining and sustaining high maize yields. Effective N fertilization management and precise predictions of maize yields, however, require accurate and timely estimation of leaf chlorophyll content (LCC). In this study, we determined the optimal spectral features for predicting LCC in maize by comparing spectral indices and wavelet features. The robustness of the wavelet functions in estimating maize LCC was evaluated, and the results showed that LCC was strongly correlated with the wavelet coefficient between 400 and 800 nm, located at higher scales (9 and 10). The best wavelet function for estimating LCC was the Mexican hat (Mexh) continuous wavelet transform (CWT) (W718, S9). Compared with the currently accepted best spectral index model (mND705, ${R}^{2} = 0.80$ –0.95), the LCC estimation model based on the CWT wavelet function (Mexh, ${R}^{2} = 0.90$ –0.98) was more accurate. The newly developed model was validated using two independent datasets, from 2017 to 2018, yielding root mean squared errors of 2.35 and $2.39~\mu $ g/cm2, respectively. The relative errors of LCC estimation obtained by the new model were 3.70% and 3.62%, respectively. Validations based on the PROSPECT model confirmed the robustness and stability of the CWT Mexh function compared to the best-performing spectral indices. In conclusion, the higher estimation accuracy of the Mexh function-based wavelet transform across growth stages, leaf layers, locations, and varieties demonstrated the universality and stability of the wavelet transform approach in estimating maize LCC.

Radiotherapy displays unique antitumor synergism with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which is indicated by high pathological complete response (pCR) rates from single-arm trials of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Here we test the efficacy and safety of the radiation–immune checkpoint inhibitor combination in patients with LARC in a phase 2, randomized trial conducted in eight major colorectal cancer centers in Beijing. In total, 186 eligible all-comer (proficient mismatch repair and deficient mismatch repair) participants were enrolled. The patients were randomly assigned to receive neoadjuvant chemoradiation + concurrent/sequential PD-1 blockade (experiment groups A/B) or neoadjuvant chemoradiation alone (control group). Radical surgeries were scheduled after neoadjuvant treatments. The primary endpoint was the pCR rate. The pCR rates were 27.1%, 32.7% and 14.0% for experiment groups A and B and the control group, respectively. The difference in pCR rates between experiment group B and the control group reached statistical significance (risk ratio 2.332, 95% confidence interval 1.106–4.916; P= 0.019). No substantial differences between either one of the experiment groups and the control group were observed regarding adverse reaction, surgical complication and disease progression. Our results show that adding PD-1 blockade after neoadjuvant chemoradiation increases the pCR rate for patients with LARC and raises no substantial safety concerns. Phase 3 trials with larger sample sizes are warranted (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05245474).

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Epigenetic regulation profoundly influences the fate of cancer cells and their capacity to switch between lineages by modulating essential gene expression, thereby shaping tumor heterogeneity and therapy response. In castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the intricacies behind androgen receptor (AR)-independent lineage plasticity remain unclear, leading to a scarcity of effective clinical treatments. Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing on both human and mouse prostate cancer samples, combined with whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and multiple genetically engineered mouse models, we investigated the molecular mechanism of AR-independent lineage plasticity and uncovered a potential therapeutic strategy. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of human prostate cancers, both pre- and post-androgen deprivation therapy, revealed an association between liver kinase B1 (LKB1) pathway inactivation and AR independence. LKB1 inactivation led to AR-independent lineage plasticity and global DNA hypomethylation during prostate cancer progression. Importantly, the pharmacological inhibition of TET enzymes and supplementation with S-adenosyl methionine were found to effectively suppress AR-independent prostate cancer growth. These insights shed light on the mechanism driving AR-independent lineage plasticity and propose a potential therapeutic strategy by targeting DNA hypomethylation in AR-independent CRPC.

Adequate iodine status is crucial for children's health and normal development. However, there is a paucity of research on the iodine status of children from areas with high groundwater iodine content.

The extensive accumulation of plastic waste has given rise to severe environmental pollution issues. Contemporary conventional recycling methods, such as incineration and landfilling, contribute significantly to pollutant emissions and carbon footprints, against the principles of sustainable development. Leveraging renewable solar energy to transform plastics into high-value chemicals and green fuels offers a more promising and sustainable approach to managing plastic waste resources. This comprehensive review centers on the recent advancements in plastic photoreforming, categorizing them based on the types of end products. Particular emphasis is placed on the evolving research landscape surrounding the conversion of plastics into high-value chemicals through photoreforming, as well as the economic considerations for large-scale photoreforming production. The analysis conducted here reveals key pathways and emerging trends that are poised to shape the trajectory of enhanced photoconversion, ultimately influencing the realization of a carbon-neutral future.

The DBU-promoted three-component coupling reaction of H-phosphonates, [60]fullerene, and alkyl bromides has been developed as a facile and efficient protocol for the one-pot synthesis of various 1,4-(phosphonyl)(organo)[60]fullerenes. This method exhibits high regioselectivity at the 1,4-position on the [60]fullerene core and features a metal-free nature, easy operation, low cost, and a wide range of substrates.

This article presents a learning model predictive control (LMPC) method for nonlinear systems with additive state-dependent uncertainties. Both the residual part of the system and the observation dynamics are modeled as Gaussian process regression (GPR), respectively. First, the predicting residual part is used to complement the nominal model. Second, the Gaussian process-based extended Kalman filter (GP-EKF) is formulated by integrating the augmented system dynamics and the differentiable GPR-type observation dynamics to refine the observed states. To alleviate the computational load, the event-triggered criteria are designed to select the training data, and a hybrid warm start scheme is developed to initialize the optimization problem. Furthermore, the closed-loop stability is theoretically analyzed. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed LMPC algorithm with GP-EKF is verified by trajectory tracking of unmanned surface vehicle via simulation and hardware experiments.

Drilling motors are widely used in unconventional oil and gas exploration. Due to the increased non-productive time and drilling costs brought about by accidental damage to drilling motors, predictive maintenance for drilling motors is necessary to optimize asset utilization. However, service companies face significant challenges in achieving predictive maintenance: operational data acquisition, automated statistics analysis, and drilling state recognition. This paper presents a miniature vibration recorder, an automatic statistical analysis method, and a layered recognition algorithm to resolve these challenges and improve tool maintenance efficiency. The designed recorder can be installed in the catch of a conventional mud motor to record drilling dynamics over a drilling motor's entire operation cycle. Time-series data from the recorder can be used to automatically generate operation statistics, mitigating the costs incurred by manual data analysis. The layered recognition algorithm then enables the automatic identification of drilling operation states, i.e., surface, downhole non-drilling, downhole sliding, and downhole rotation. The solutions were validated by deploying the recorder in drilling field runs and analyzing recorded data using the associated design software, yielding a functional data collection, automatic data statistical analysis, and operation state recognition accuracy of 95%. Through achieving improved data collection and analysis, the recorder and software introduced in this work can notify motor owners of the detailed operation history of their tools and enable informed preventive maintenance.

Purpose: For improving a beam quality of the linear accelerator and decreasing the influence of failure recovery on the accelerator available time, a high-voltage pulse modulator system is required to enhance the stability of high-voltage pulses and maintain a low failure rate as well as a low failure recovery time, in order to implement a high-performance and stable operation. Methods: This paper systematically analyzes the current status and operating conditions of the modulator equipment of BEPCII linear accelerator and simulates the typical parameters of the modulator considering the high-voltage DC charging power supply, DC charging cables and components and pulsed hydrogen thyratron. The technical route and retrofit scheme are proposed to decrease the failure rate and its recovery time. Results: The stability of the high-voltage pulse modulator has increased by 1000 ppm, the failure rate has been decreased by two orders of magnitude, and the averaged recovery time from failures has been reduced by 94% as compared to the last operation period via implementing technical transformation with repeated exploration and experimental verification.

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This review discusses the issues limiting the capacity and cycling stability of layered oxide cathodes, summarizes the advancements on structure optimization, and provides perspectives on future directions for sodium-ion batteries.

Fatty acids play a putative role as second messengers of phytohormones and regulate the rice grain weight. However, the inner mechanism is still unclear and needs to be further studied. In this study, we identified that oleic acid (C18:1) negatively correlates while linoleic acid (C18:2) positively correlates with rice grain weight. Field trials showed that 1000-grain weight was significantly reduced when treated with the fatty acid synthesis inhibitor, Firsocostat S enantiomer (FSE), at the heading and flowering stages. RNA-seq analysis revealed that FSE affects grain weight by modulating processes, such as glycolysis, sucrose metabolism, and hormone signaling. Notably, FSE inhibited the expression of OsLIN6, which is responsible for transporting C18:1 to the phosphatidylcholine pool for C18:2 synthesis. Compared with the wild type (WT), the OsLIN6knockout mutant exhibited a lower grain weight, an increased C18:1 content, and a decreased C18:2 content. Importantly, OsARF12 was shown to bind to the OsLIN6promoter and activate its expression. In summary, this study highlights the crucial role of the fatty acid synthesis gene, OsLIN6, which was regulated by OsARF12, in rice grain weight determination, thus establishing the molecular link between fatty acid synthesis and auxin signaling.

Currently, biomedical event extraction has received considerable attention in various fields, including natural language processing, bioinformatics, and computational biomedicine. This has led to the emergence of numerous machine learning and deep learning models that have been proposed and applied to tackle this complex task. While existing models typically adopt an extraction-based approach, which requires breaking down the extraction of biomedical events into multiple subtasks for sequential processing, making it prone to cascading errors. This paper presents a novel approach by constructing a biomedical event generation model based on the framework of the pre-trained language model T5. We employ a sequence-to-sequence generation paradigm to obtain events, the model utilizes constrained decoding algorithm to guide sequence generation, and a curriculum learning algorithm for efficient model learning. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our model, we evaluate it on two public benchmark datasets, Genia 2011 and Genia 2013. Our model achieves superior performance, illustrating the effectiveness of generative modeling of biomedical events.

The influence of the slip mode on the microstructure evolution and compressive flow behavior at different strains in an extruded dilute Mg-0.5Bi-0.5Sn-0.5Mn alloy was analyzed through electron backscatter diffraction, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and hot compression tests. The results showed that at a low strain of 0.05, the basal 〈a〉, pyramidal 〈a〉 and 〈c+a〉 slip modes were simultaneously activated. Nevertheless, at the middle stage of deformation (strain of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5), the 〈a〉 slip mode was difficult to be activated and 〈c+a〉 slip mode became dominant. The deformation process between strains of 0.2 and 0.5 was primarily characterized by the softening effect resulting from the simultaneous occurrence of continuous dynamic recrystallization and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization. Ultimately, at strain of 0.8, a dynamic equilibrium was established, with the flow stress remaining constant due to the interplay between the dynamic softening brought about by discontinuous dynamic recrystallization and the work-hardening effect induced by the activation of the basal 〈a〉 slip mode.

In this study, we examine in detail the hot deformation mechanism and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior in a novel precipitate-free Mg-0.1Bi-0.1Sn alloy during hot compression conducted at 200–350 °C, with strain rate of 0.33–10 s−1. The obtained correlation coefficient is 0.98024, indicating that the present constitutive equation can adequately predict the hot deformation behavior of the studied alloy. The calculated average activation energy is 180.427 kJ/mol. According to the processing maps, the ideal processing areas correspond to the conditions of 325–350 °C/0.33–1 s−1. Under the low Zdeformation condition, the basal slip dominates at the initial and later stages, while the pyramidal slip is dominate at the intermediate stage. Meanwhile, the continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) processes co-occur during hot compression. More specifically, in the initial stage, DDRX dominates over the DRX mechanism, and is accompanied by twinning induced dynamic recrystallization (TDRX). In the intermediate stage, CDRX, TDRX and DDRX prevail as the dominant DRX mechanisms. Throughout the strain stage, DDRX dominates over the DRX mechanism. The occurrence of TDRX and CDRX is beneficial to weakening the texture intensity and promoting the development of CD-tilted texture.

Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs) play a crucial role in drug discovery research as C(sp3)-rich bioisosteres of benzene rings. However, the preparation of BCPs with strong alkane C(sp3)–H bonds has not been reported to date. In this study, we reported a method for light-induced benzyl alcohol functionalization of [1.1.1]propellane with aliphatic hydrocarbons (which have not previously been explored for this purpose) and aldehydes under metal- and photocatalyst-free conditions. The BCP products could be transformed into various useful derivatives, demonstrating the utility of the method. Notably, we achieved the synthesis of functionalized BCPs with simple alkanes.

Few-shot named entity recognition (NER) exploits limited annotated instances to identify named mentions. Effectively transferring the internal or external resources thus becomes the key to few-shot NER. While the existing prompt tuning methods have shown remarkable few-shot performances, they still fail to make full use of knowledge. In this work, we investigate the integration of rich knowledge to prompt tuning for stronger few-shot NER. We propose incorporating the deep prompt tuning framework with threefold knowledge (namely TKDP), including the internal 1) context knowledge and the external 2) label knowledge & 3) sememe knowledge. TKDP encodes the three feature sources and incorporates them into soft prompt embeddings, which are further injected into an existing pre-trained language model to facilitate predictions. On five benchmark datasets, the performance of our knowledge-enriched model was boosted by at most 11.53% F1 over the raw deep prompt method, and it significantly outperforms 9 strong-performing baseline systems in 5-/10-/20-shot settings, showing great potential in few-shot NER. Our TKDP framework can be broadly adapted to other few-shot tasks without much effort.

A solar steam evaporator provides a sustainable and efficient alternative water purification solution to address the global freshwater shortage. Previous efforts have made significant advances in maximizing its water evaporation rate, but no single evaporator has all the properties necessary for practical point-of-use application, including a high efficiency for generation of drinkable water, an excellent portability critical for on-site water purification, good washability for mitigating evaporator fouling, and good reusability. We report a strategy to produce a high-performance photothermal material for point-of-use water purification. By simultaneously incorporating graphene and gold particles grown from recycled electronic waste in a mechanically strong sponge, we achieved highly efficient water purification under realistic conditions. In addition to a high evaporation rate (3.55 kg/m2/h under one-sun irradiation) attributed to a control of atomic structure of graphene and the size-dependent surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles, it is portable which can be folded, vacuum compacted, dried and rehydrated without compromising performance. It also allows repeated washing to remove contaminant fouling so that it can be reused. The evaporator transforms various types of contaminated water into drinkable clean water, and can be mounted at any angle to optimize the incident solar irradiation. Furthermore, the assembled steam evaporator device could gain purified water meeting the World Health Organization drinking water standards with a high evaporation rate of 9.36 kg/m2/h under outdoor sunlight.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics and the expression of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects with or without dry eye disease. Methods: A total of 399 participants (796 eyes) aged 50–80 years were enrolled in this study. Participants were divided into 4 groups: non-diabetic without dry eye group (normal group), non-diabetic with dry eye group, diabetic without dry eye group and diabetic with dry eye group. Demographic information, fasting plasma glucose (FBG), and glycated haemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) data were collected. Additionally, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire, signs of dry eye, tear osmolarity, and meibomian glands were evaluated. Tear MUC5AC expression and conjunctival goblet cells density (GCD) were tested. Results: Compared with non-diabetic with dry eye group, diabetic with dry eye group showed significantly lower tear film osmolarity (TFO), but higher corneal fluorescein and conjunctival lissamine green staining scores. In comparison with diabetic without dry eye group, diabetic with dry eye group showed significantly higher TFO, corneal fluorescein and conjunctival lissamine green staining scorers. The MUC5AC concentration and GCD of diabetic with dry eye group was significantly lower than those of the non-diabetic with dry eye group. Diabetic subjects with higher HbA1c levels (≥7.8%) showed higher TFO and shorter fluorescein tear break time. Conclusion: Diabetics with dry eye exhibited notably higher corneal fluorescein and conjunctival lissamine green staining scores. Conjunctival goblet cells and MUC5AC were significantly reduced in diabetics. Higher TFO was associated with the duration of diabetes and HbA1c levels.

Hamartomas, as non-true tumors, are commonly found in the lungs, digestive tract, and kidneys, and there are few clinical reports on nasal cases. Nasal histiocytosis accompanied by lymphatic lesions is a common feature of nasal hamartoma. Three patients with nasal cavity hamartoma were treated in our department, including 1 male and 2 females, with nasal obstruction or epistaxis. The imaging (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) of 2 patients showed a soft tissue mass in the nasal cavity and no erosion of bone, while in 1 patient, the imaging was inconclusive. The excised material in all patients was found to be a soft mass. The 3 cases showed the same pattern under histological examination, and all 3 patients were diagnosed with nasal cavity respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (REAH). Nasal hamartoma is a rare disease with nonspecific clinical manifestations and imaging features and is often misdiagnosed. Only by a better understanding of this disease can the rate of correct clinical diagnosis be improved.

In this paper, we propose an optical image encryption based on LED-illuminated Fourier ptychography (FP) and plaintext-related chaotic random phase mask (CRPM). In this image encryption scheme, the plaintext-related CRPMs are generated by chaotic Lozi map and secure hash algorithm (SHA-256). During the encryption process, the input original image undergoes encryption, resulting in a series of noise-like low-resolution images using two CRPMs and Fourier ptychography methods. In the decryption process, the original image can be reconstructed and decrypted from a series of low-resolution encrypted images using Fourier ptychography phase retrieval algorithm with correct keys. In this proposed encryption scheme, the initial values and parameters of the chaotic system, which dependent on plaintext, replace the random phase masks as the keys. The random phase masks are used as intermediate variables, facilitating the transmission and management of secret keys. In addition, the chaotic parameter keys are linked to the plaintext image. When the plaintext image changes, the chaotic parameter keys can be dynamically updated in real-time, thereby enhancing the security of the image encryption scheme. Further analyze the feasibility, security, and robustness of the image encryption scheme through numerical simulation experiments.

•The predictive model stratified CML patients into 3 risk subgroups with significantly different cumulative incidences of TKI-therapy failure.

ABSTRACTUsually, the term ‘rising damp’ refers to capillary water rising from the ground which may damage architectural heritage. In this work, the essence of rising damp in extremely arid regions and its driving force are revealed based on experiments monitoring the relative humidity (RH) and atmospheric pressure (AP) in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. The air in the vadose zone, the unsaturated region between ground level and the top of the water table, is here referred to as ‘earth-air’. When the AP rises, the earth-air is compressed, and atmospheric air enters into the soil. Then, when the AP drops, moist earth-air expands and rises into the structure. The RH in the soil is thus negatively correlated with the AP, yielding a correlation coefficient of up to –0.94. Under the action of this long-term dry–wet alternation, the salt present in the building near ground undergoes repeated cycles of crystallization and dissolution, resulting in efflorescence and a deterioration zone. Therefore, the deterioration due to rising damp in extremely arid regions is caused by the rising of moist earth-air rather than capillarity. The height to which it rises is directly proportional to the amplitude of the daily AP fluctuation and thickness of the vadose zone, exhibiting a bimodal fluctuation pattern on a daily scale. The discovery of this mechanism of rising damp provides a scientific basis for preventive conservation interventions.

Using both the particle-in-cell (PIC) numerical simulation method and analytical results, we investigated the dynamical behavior of Kuznetsov-Ma breather (K-Mb) in a two-temperature dusty plasma system. Both numerical and analytical results show that the K-Mb can exist in the system. It may also evolve into other types of nonlinear waves, such as bright soliton (BS), continuous wave, and rogue wave (RW) due to the influence of the background wave amplitude and the other system parameters. It is found that the width of K-Mb decreases as the amplitude and the parameters a and b increase, while it slightly increases as the wavenumber increases. The speed of K-Mb decreases as both the amplitude and the wavenumber increase. The application scope of the analytical results is also given which is that both the amplitude and the wavenumber are small enough.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in children under five years of age. Between 2017 and 2021, 396 complete sequences of the RSV Fgene were obtained from 500 RSV-positive throat swabs collected from ten hospitals across nine provinces in China. In addition, 151 sequences from China were sourced from GenBank and GISAID, making a total of 549 RSV Fgene sequences subjected to analysis. Phylogenetic and genetic diversity analyses revealed that the RSV Fgenes circulating in China from 2017 to 2021 have remained relatively conserved, although some amino acids (AAs) have undergone changes. AA mutations with frequencies ≥ 10% were identified at six sites and the p27 region: V384I (site I), N276S (site II), R213S (site Ø), and K124N (p27) for RSV A; F45L (site I), M152I/L172Q/S173 ​L/I185V/K191R (site V), and R202Q/I206M/Q209R (site Ø) for RSV B. Comparing mutational frequencies in RSV-F before and after 2020 revealed minor changes for RSV A, while the K191R, I206M, and Q209R frequencies increased by over 10% in RSV B. Notably, the nirsevimab-resistant mutation, S211N in RSV B, increased in frequency from 0% to 1.15%. Both representative strains aligned with the predicted RSV-F structures of their respective prototypes exhibited similar conformations, with low root-mean-square deviation values. These results could provide foundational data from China for the development of RSV mAbs and vaccines.

The cascaded-H-bridge (CHB) type converter is widely used in grid-tied applications, such as static var generator (SVG), static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), and photovoltaic system. In these situations, the dc-link capacitor is a key component, which serves as energy buffer and determines the quality of output waveform. Thus, acquiring the health status of these capacitors is critical for the reliable operation of the whole system. In this article, a general capacitor condition monitoring approach based on improved recursive least square (RLS) for CHB-type converters is proposed. The key equations are deduced from the basic control strategies and no extra sensors are introduced. The only signal required is the dc-link voltage, which is already collected for control purpose. The RLS algorithm is modified by adding self-adapted forgetting factor, to achieve a good performance on both identification accuracy and tracking speed. The capacitance estimation error is below 1%, and shows good feasibility in various working conditions and applications. The principle, main steps, case study, and proof-of-concept of the proposed method are presented.

Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) grid-connected converters face challenges during startup, including issues such as overmodulation and inrush currents due to low dc-link voltage. In addition, the common occurrence of dc-link voltage imbalance among multiple independent submodules (SMs) of CHB exacerbates these risks. In this article, a self-excitation startup strategy based on dynamic virtual impedance is proposed, adjusting the converter's output impedance to a virtual impedance. By establishing a relationship between the modulation index and virtual impedance, the modulation index is controlled within the linear modulation range, effectively suppressing inrush currents. The design of the modulation index reduces power loss during startup and enhances the charging power of the converter, allowing the converter to complete startup within a predetermined time. Furthermore, for typical control-based methods of dc-link voltage balance, a quantitative analysis of the impact of modulation index on the range of SM active power modification is conducted to optimize the modulation index design, thereby improving the dc-link voltage balance capability during the startup. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

N-Hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) esters have emerged as powerful sources of alkyl radicals generated by single-electron transfer, but homolysis of NHPI ester to produce an alkyl radical and a phthalimide nitrogen radical is still in its infancy. In this study, we developed a light-induced method for generation of alkyl and phthalimide nitrogen radicals from NHPI esters and subsequent reactions of the radicals with [1.1.1]propellane and aryl aldehydes for rapid generation of bicycle [1.1.1]pentane ketones. This method does not require metals or photosensitizers, features a broad substrate scope (90 examples) and excellent functional group tolerance, and can be used for the functionalization of structurally complex natural products and drugs. Mechanistic investigations indicate that the reaction involves photoinduced homolytic cleavage of the Cs2CO3-NHPI ester complex to produce alkyl and phthalimide nitrogen radicals and subsequent hydrogen atom transfer between the phthalimide nitrogen radical and the aldehyde to generate an acyl radical.

•The rATG-targeted dosing strategy results in more patients falling within the optimal total AUC range of active rATG.•The distribution of rATG-AUC with the targeted dosing strategy gathered more concentrated around the optimal range.•Even patients beyond this range in the targeted dosing group can still benefit from this strategy.

In situregeneration is a promising strategy for constructing tissue engineering heart valves (TEHVs). Currently, the decellularized heart valve (DHV) is extensively employed as a TEHV scaffold. Nevertheless, DHV exhibits limited blood compatibility and notable difficulties in endothelialization, resulting in thrombosis and graft failure. The red blood cell membrane (RBCM) exhibits excellent biocompatibility and prolonged circulation stability and is extensively applied in the camouflage of nanoparticles for drug delivery; however, there is no report on its application for large-scale modification of decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM). For the first time, we utilized a layer-by-layer assembling strategy to immobilize RBCM on the surface of DHV and construct an innovative TEHV scaffold. Our findings demonstrated that the scaffold significantly improved the hemocompatibility of DHV by effectively preventing plasma protein adsorption, activated platelet adhesion, and erythrocyte aggregation, and induced macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype in vitro. Moreover, RBCM modification significantly enhanced the mechanical properties and enzymatic stability of DHV. The rat models of subcutaneous embedding and abdominal aorta implantation showed that the scaffold regulated the polarization of macrophages into the anti-inflammatory and pro-modeling M2 phenotype and promoted endothelialization and ECM remodeling in the early stage without thrombosis and calcification. The novel TEHV exhibits excellent performance and can overcome the limitations of commonly used clinical prostheses.

Compared to transient simulation, steady-state simulation of circulating fluidized bed risers is more efficient, but is also harder to perform due to the complex scale-dependency of dense gas-solid flows. In this work, steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of a riser is performed using the steady energy-minimization multi-scale (EMMS) drag. It is found that the steady state corresponds to an extremely large scale of length and time, thus the grid size required in steady-state simulation is larger than that in transient one. The time-averaged two-fluid model (TFM) coupled with the steady-state EMMS/1M drag model enables a good prediction of the S-shaped, axial solids distribution and the choking transition, whereas the two-phase turbulence and solids stress models are important in predicting the radially core-annular distribution of solids. So far as we know, this is the first time that one can predict the choking transition in a steady-state CFD simulation. Further improvement may need an EMMS modeling of the time-averaged solid stresses.

In order to reduce the regeneration energy consumption of CO2capture in the postcombustion capture process and explore the regulatory characteristics of phase separation, a series of 1-amino-2-propanol (MIPA)/sulfolane biphasic solutions were proposed to capture CO2. The effects of the molar ratio on the phase separation behavior, CO2equilibrium absorption, and desorption performances of MIPA/solfolane biphasic absorbents as well as three ternary solutions with the extra addition of ethanolamine (MEA) were investigated comprehensively in experiments. The results showed that the 4M/5M MIPA/sulfolane biphasic solution exhibited excellent performance with higher CO2loadings in the phase separation point for a CO2-rich liquid (0.4530 mol/mol), better desorption efficiency (85.53%), and relatively low regeneration energy consumption (32% lower than 30 wt % MEA). Besides, MEA has a positive effect on promoting the phase separation of the MIPA/sulfolane solution and reducing the desorption energy consumption. Furthermore, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to explore the reaction and phase separation mechanisms. The results indicated that generated carbamate salts can increase the ionic strength of the aqueous solution, leading to the accumulation of reacted MIPA or MEA in the water phase and the exclusion of sulfolane from water to form a new liquid phase. The results of this work can provide theoretical support for the future industrial application of MIPA/sulfolane biphasic absorbents and offer some guidance for the mechanism exploration of other biphasic solvent systems.

• A novel compound, La 3 Mg 2 SbO 9 (LMS), was synthesized for the first time and utilized as the host material for Mn4+-doped phosphors. The dual functionality of the phosphor in temperature and pressure sensing applications was explored. • A comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms underlying the LMS:Mn4+ phosphor's temperature response at both low and high temperatures was conducted. Utilizing a lifetime-based readout method, excellent thermometric performance was achieved, with a sensitivity of 2.52 % K−1 at 391 K. • In the application of luminescent manometry, the LMS:Mn4+ phosphor demonstrates not only high pressure sensitivity (Sr = 1.20 nm/GPa, which is about 3.3 times that of the conventional ruby probe) but also excellent resistance to pressure-induced spectral broadening (FWHM remained 37 nm at 9.48 GPa). The principle of stress-induced spectral redshift in LMS:Mn4+ phosphor has also been discussed. Photoluminescent materials, serving as optical probes, constitute a significant medium for reliable remote sensing of fundamental state parameters such as temperature and pressure. Herein, we report a novel Mn4+-activated perovskite-type La 3 Mg 2 SbO 9 phosphor (LMS:Mn4+) for bifunctional application in both thermometry and manometry. Upon excitation with 341 nm, LMS:Mn4+ (0.7 % Mn4+) emits a bright narrow-band red light peaking at 705 nm with an FWHM (full width at half maximum) of 32 nm. As a thermometer, when the temperature surpasses 298 K, non-radiative transitions from the 2E g excited state lead to a sharp decrease in decay lifetimes with increasing temperature. This allows for lifetime-based luminescence thermometry with a relative sensitivity of 2.52 % K−1 at 391 K. Moreover, LMS:Mn4+ was processed into a temperature-sensing coating and its non-contact thermometry functionality was validated. In manometry applications, the LMS:Mn4+ probe experiences substantial pressure-dependent redshift with a sensitivity of 1.20 nm GPa−1 in the testing range of 9.48 GPa, which is about 3.3 times that of conventional ruby probes. Furthermore, its FWHM consistently remains below 37 nm, which contributes to a high reliability of pressure measurements. The above results indicate that the LMS:Mn4+ constitutes a promising bifunctional luminescence probe material in thermometry and manometry. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezocatalysis is an emerging catalytic method that efficiently harnesses mechanical energy from the environment and converts it into electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. Graphitic carbon nitride (CN), as a nonmetallic piezocatalyst, offers significant cost advantages and environmental friendliness. However, enhancing the catalytic efficiency of pristine CN is hindered by its weak adsorption ability and piezoelectric response. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces dicarboxylic acid as a precursor for CN synthesis, resulting in carbon-rich CN through a self-assembly process that enables precise control over the C/N ratio at the molecular level. Compared to pristine CN, carbon-rich CN exhibits enhanced cationic substrate adsorption due to altered zeta potential and an improved piezoelectric response stemming from reduced structural symmetry. These dual enhancements facilitate stronger substrate–catalyst interactions and accelerate substrate decomposition, thereby tripling the piezocatalytic activity of CN. This research introduces a novel approach for designing efficient and environmentally friendly piezocatalysts while contributing to a deeper understanding of piezocatalytic mechanisms.

The long-term impact of drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for the treatment of patients with de novo coronary artery lesions remains uncertain. We aimed to assess the non-inferiority of DCB angioplasty with rescue stenting to intended drug-eluting stent (DES) deployment for patients with de novo, non-complex coronary artery lesions.

GH19 (glycoside hydrolase 19) chitinases play crucial roles in the enzymatic conversion of chitin and biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi. Herein, a novel multifunctional chitinase of GH19 (CaChi19A), which contains three chitin-binding domains (ChBDs), was successfully cloned from Chitinilyticum aquatileCSC-1 and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. We also generated truncated mutants of CaChi19A_ΔI, CaChi19A_ΔIΔII, and CaChi19A_CatD consisting of two ChBDs and a catalytic domain, one ChBD and a catalytic domain, and only a catalytic domain, respectively. CaChi19A, CaChi19A_ΔI, CaChi19A_ΔIΔII, and CaChi19A_CatD exhibited cold adaptation, as their relative enzyme activities at 5 °C were 40.7, 51.6, 66.2, and 82.6%, respectively. Compared with CaChi19A and other variants, CaChi19A_ΔIΔII demonstrated a higher level of stability below 50 °C and retained relatively high activity over a wide pH range of 5–12. Analysis of the hydrolysis products revealed that CaChi19A and CaChi19A_ΔIΔII exhibit exoacting, endoacting, and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase activities toward colloidal chitin. Furthermore, CaChi19A and CaChi19A_ΔIΔII exhibited inhibitory effects on the hyphal growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium redolens, Fusarium fujikuroi, Fusarium solani,and Coniothyrium diplodiella, thereby illustrating effective biocontrol activity. These results indicated that CaChi19A and CaChi19A_ΔIΔII show advantages in some applications where low temperatures were demanded in industries as well as the biocontrol of fungal diseases in agriculture.

Bacterial infections have emerged as a significant contributor to global mortality and morbidity rates. Herein, we introduce a dual fluorescence “turn-on” supramolecular sensor array composed of three assembled complexes (C1–C3), formed from three positively charged fluorophores (A1–A3) and one cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]). The ability of this three-element array to simultaneously recognize 10 bacterial species within just 30 s was remarkable, boasting an impressive 100% accuracy. Additionally, the array excelled at distinguishing among various bacterial mixtures and enabled the quantitative detection of common bacterial strains. Notably, it has been skillfully applied to differentiate 10 bacterial samples in urine, achieving excellent differentiation and showcasing promising potential for medical diagnostic applications.

A convenient and less time-consuming approach for developing an optical oxygen sensing film with excellent balance between sensing performance and operating stability is addressed in the current work. In order to achieve better mechanical strength and resistance against ultraviolet (UV) degradation, a series of oxygen sensing films were prepared by embedding Pt (II) meso-tetra (pentafluorophenyl)porphine (PtTFPP) in the hosting copolymer matrices, which comprised different blending ratios of plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) on polypropylene porous fiber membrane. The microstructure and optical properties of the sensing films were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser confocal microscopy, and fluorescence spectrometer. Phase delay measurement under different oxygen partial pressure (PO $_{{2}}\text {)}$ and temperature was conducted to evaluate the sensing performance and temperature compensation models of the sensing films for oxygen monitoring. Results show that the response time of the sensing films were all less than 10 s. The sensitivities and detecting ranges of the sensing films were increased and decreased with the reduction in PVC/PVDF-HFP ratio. When PVC/PVDF-HFP ratio reached 1:2, sensing film exhibits the best sensitivity of 0.334 kPa $^{-{1}}$ and the smallest phase reduction rate of 0.0045°/h after 24 h of continuous irradiation by UV light, presenting a promising utilization potentiality in fields of gaseous oxygen detection.

Graphical Abstract:

This paper presents an optical single-channel color image encryption scheme based on chaotic palmprint phase masks (CPPM) and Fresnel transform (FrT). The proposed method utilizes human palmprint features to construct a random phase mask key, achieving single-channel encryption of color images. In the proposed encryption scheme, the CPPM is generated using human palmprint features, chaotic Lozi mapping, and secure hash algorithms. For encryption, the color image is first decomposed into red, green, and blue channels, and the red and green channels are encoded into a complex amplitude image and encrypted in the Fresnel transform domain using a random phase mask of the palmprint to generate a noise-like diffraction intensity pattern. For decryption, the palmprint, the initial value and control parameters of the chaotic system, and the Fresnel transform parameters can be used as keys in the decryption process. In this proposed method, on the one hand, the association of palmprint features with user identities and their sharing between encryption and decryption parties enhances system security by avoiding transmission over network channels. Moreover, replacing random phase masks with palmprint features as encryption keys simplifies key management processes. On the other hand, the incorporation of chaotic Lozi mapping and Fresnel transform parameters further enhances the security of the proposed encryption scheme. Feasibility, security, and robustness of the proposed encryption scheme are validated through numerical simulations and analyses.

AbstractColorectal cancer is a serious threat to people’s life due to its high incidence and high mortality. Quercetin can effectively treat colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but its exact mechanism of action is still unclear. Then quercetin-related target genes were obtained from Swiss Target Prediction database and Similarity Ensemble Approach (SEA) database, and CRC-related target genes were obtained from GeneCards database, respectively. Common target genes were obtained by FunRich software. String software was used to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. R package was used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and post-dynamics simulation were used to explore the binding stability of quercetin to key targets. In total, 103 and 141 target information of quercetin were obtained from the Swiss Target Prediction database and SEA database, respectively. 1,649 CRC-related genes were obtained from GeneCards database. FunRich software was used to draw venny map and obtain 36 intersection targets of quercetin and CRC. String software was used to construct the PPI network. The core genes were AKT1, EGFR, MMP9, KDR, MET and PTK2. There were 532 items related to biological processes, 14 items related to cellular components, and 43 items related to molecular functions among the key target GO enrichment items. KEGG enrichment pathways of key targets involved cancer pathways, PI3K-Akt signal pathway, etc. The results of molecular docking, MD simulation and post-dynamics simulation showed they had a good affinity and formed a stable effect. So quercetin may play an important role in the treatment of CRC by acting on AKT1, EGFR, MMP9, KDR, MET and PTK2 to affect the development of CRC.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Grid-connected inverters (GCIs) operating in grid-following (GFL) mode may be unstable under weak grids with low short-circuit ratio (SCR). Improved GFL controls enhance the small-signal stability of GCIs under weak grids but result in a decrease in dynamic performance and remain unstable under very weak grids. While the small-signal stability of GCIs operating in grid-forming (GFM) mode is just the opposite: stable under weak or even very weak grids, unstable under strong grids. Both GFL and GFM modes are difficult to meet the stability requirements under large fluctuations in SCR. Therefore, this article proposes a hybrid-mode control strategy for GCIs that can adapt to large fluctuations in SCR. This control strategy weights the modulation signals output from GFL mode and GFM mode, and removes the phase-locked loop of GFL mode, improving the small-signal stability of GCIs under a wide range of SCR. The sequence impedance model of the hybrid-mode GCIs is established, and the small-signal stability is analyzed in this article. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.