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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) are emerging as promising light emitters to be actively explored for high color purity and efficient light-emitting diodes. However, the most reported lead halide perovskite nanocrystal light-emitting diodes (PNCLEDs) encountered issues of emission line width broadening and operation voltage elevating caused by the quantum confinement effect. Here, we report a new type of PNCLED using large-size CsPbBr3PNCs overly exceeding the Bohr exciton diameter, achieving ultranarrow emission line width and rapid brightness rise around the turn-on voltage. We adopt calcium-tributylphosphine oxide hybrid ligand passivation to produce highly dispersed large-size colloidal CsPbBr3PNCs with a weak size confinement effect and also high photoluminescence quantum yield (∼85%). Utilizing these large-size PNCs as emitters, we manifest that the detrimental effects caused by the quantum confinement effect can be avoided in the device, thereby realizing the highest color purity in green PNCLED, with a narrow full width at half-maximum of 16.4 nm and a high corrected maximum external quantum efficiency of 17.85%. Moreover, the operation half-life time of the large-size PNCLED is 5-fold of that based on smaller-size PNCs. Our work provides a new avenue for improving the performance of PNCLEDs based on unconventional large-size effects.

Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide and impose a tremendous socioeconomic burden on individuals as well as the healthcare system. Fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) is a widely distributed transmembrane glycoprotein that can be proteolytically cleaved and secreted as irisin to regulate glycolipid metabolism and cardiovascular homeostasis. In this review, we present the current knowledge on the predictive and therapeutic role of FNDC5 in a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia, metabolic cardiomyopathy, cardiac remodeling, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and obesity.

Based on mechanism of ECH (Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation),the Pa/PPy/Foam-Ni (Pd/PPY/Ni) prepared by electrical depositing was used as cathode to detoxifythree kinds of dichlorophenol (DCP) and improve their biodegradability. According to the dechloridation ability of electrodes prepared under different conditions, the factors were optimized. The removal efficiency of 2,4-dichlorophenol（2,4-DCP）reaches 64.45% when the supporting electrolyte is p-toluenesulfonic acid and the voltage is 0.6V and polymerizing time is 20mins. Analyzing the photograph from SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), it shows that PPy (PolyPyrrole) changes depositing properties of Pa on foam-Ni substrate, which increases specific surface area and special ductility so as to benefit Pd to deposite on Ni substrate and improve ECH.

Pathological cardiac fibrosis is a common feature in multiple cardiovascular diseases that contributes to the occurrence of heart failure and life-threatening arrhythmias. Our previous study demonstrated that matrine could attenuate doxorubicin-induced oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of matrine on cardiac fibrosis. Mice received aortic banding (AB) operation or continuous injection of isoprenaline (ISO) to generate pathological cardiac fibrosis and then were exposed to matrine lavage (200 mg·kg−1·d−1) or an equal volume of vehicle as the control. We found that matrine lavage significantly attenuated AB or ISO-induced fibrotic remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. We also showed that matrine (200 μmol/L) significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, collagen production, and phenotypic transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts. Mechanistically, matrine suppressed p38 activation in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of constitutively active p38 completely abolished the protective effects of matrine. We also demonstrated that ribosomal protein S5 (RPS5) upregulation was responsible for matrine-mediated inhibition on p38 and fibrogenesis. More importantly, matrine was capable of ameliorating preexisting cardiac fibrosis in mice. In conclusion, matrine treatment attenuates cardiac fibrosis by regulating RPS5/p38 signaling in mice, and it might be a promising therapeutic agent for treating pathological cardiac fibrosis.

The rail corrugation will lead to noise pollution and abnormal vibration in the railway operation process which greatly influences the safety, comfort, and stability of the train operation. However, although the advantages of abrasive belt rail grinding in repairing rail diseases have been verified, there is still no relative grinding control strategy for rail corrugation repair process due to its characteristics of regionality and no grinding benchmark. Therefore, this paper analyzed the difference between the grinding process of rail corrugation and ideal rail surface, and established material removal model for repairing of rail corrugation. By comparing the average valid value of moving wave amplitude and the improvement degree of rail corrugation, the most suitable grinding control strategies for repairing different types of corrugation diseases were obtained, which can further improve the grinding quality and efficiency of abrasive belt rail grinding in repairing rail corrugation.

The conventional polyethylene (PE) separators used in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have demonstrated poor compatibility with the polar solvents, and the flammability of the separator and the electrolyte solvents also pose safety risks for SIBs. To address these challenges, a composite separator (PE@BSO) with a barium sulfate (BSO) nano-coating, prepared using a colloid of ultrafine BSO nanoparticles, has been developed to synergistically enhance the flame retardancy with a designed electrolyte. The designed electrolyte consists of high boiling point and high flash point solvents with only 5 % trimethyl phosphate (TMP). When combined with the designed electrolyte, the PE@BSO composite separator shows excellent flame retardancy due to the high compatibility and synergy between the BSO nano-coatings and the high flash point electrolyte. Additionally, the PE@BSO separator has improved ionic conductivity (0.52 mS cm−1) and Na+transfer number (0.65). The Na3V2(PO4)3half-cell assembled with PE@BSO shows an enhanced discharge capacity of 109.2 mAh g−1at 0.5C with 97.9 % capacity retention after 300 cycles and a C-rate capacity of 95.4 mAh g−1at 5C. These results demonstrate that the as-prepared separator has promising potential for the application in SIBs.

Caries is the most common chronic disease among children. In Pennsylvania, a comprehensive oral health Basic Screening Survey and assessment of the association between caries and community water fluoridation (CWF) among children have not been conducted.

Lumenogenesis within the epiblast represents a critical step in early human development, priming the embryo for future specification and patterning events. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms that drive this process due to the inability to study the early embryo in vivo. While human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based models recapitulate many aspects of the human epiblast, most approaches for generating these 3D structures rely on ill-defined, reconstituted basement membrane matrices. Here, we designed synthetic, nonadhesive polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel matrices to better understand the role of matrix mechanical cues in iPSC morphogenesis, specifically elastic modulus. First, we identified a narrow range of hydrogel moduli that were conducive to the hPSC viability, pluripotency, and differentiation. We then used this platform to investigate the effects of the hydrogel modulus on lumenogenesis, finding that matrices of intermediate stiffness yielded the most epiblast-like aggregates. Conversely, stiffer matrices impeded lumen formation and apico-basal polarization, while the softest matrices yielded polarized but aberrant structures. Our approach offers a simple, modular platform for modeling the human epiblast and investigating the role of matrix cues in its morphogenesis.

Tolylene-2, 4-diisocyanate (TDI) is developed as an H2O/HF eliminating additive to enhance the long cycling performance of graphite/NCM811 LIBs, which provides a strategy for the development of novel electrolyte additives.

CePO4(in particular, monoclinic CePO4) has been rarely used to make supported catalysts. Herein, monoclinic CePO4nanoparticles were prepared by calcining hexagonal CePO4nanorods (prepared by precipitation) in air at 900°C. Monoclinic CePO4nanowires were prepared by calcining hexagonal CePO4nanowires (prepared by hydrothermal synthesis at 150°C) in air at 900°C. Both monoclinic CePO4materials were used to support Rh2O3by impregnation using Rh(NO3)3as a precursor (followed by calcination). The catalytic performance of Rh2O3/monoclinic CePO4composite materials in N2O decomposition and CO oxidation was investigated. It was found that Rh2O3supported on monoclinic CePO4nanowires was much more active than Rh2O3supported on monoclinic CePO4nanoparticles. The stability of catalysts as a function of reaction time on stream was studied in both reactions. The influence of co-fed CO2, O2, and H2O on the catalytic activity in N2O decomposition was also studied. These catalysts were characterized by employing N2adsorption–desorption, ICP-OES, XRD, TEM, XPS, H2-TPR, O2-TPD, and CO2-TPD. The correlation between physicochemical properties and catalytic properties was discussed.

Chiral perovskites play a pivotal role in spintronics and optoelectronic systems attributed to their chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. Specifically, they allow for spin-polarized charge transport in spin light-emitting diodes (LEDs), yielding circularly polarized electroluminescence at room temperature without external magnetic fields. However, chiral lead bromide-based perovskites have yet to achieve high-performance green emissive spin-LEDs, owing to limited CISS effects and charge transport. Herein, we employ dimensional regulation and Sn2+-doping to optimize chiral bromide-based perovskite architecture for green emissive spin-LEDs. The optimized (PEA)x(S/R-PRDA)2–xSn0.1Pb0.9Br4chiral perovskite film exhibits an enhanced CISS effect, higher hole mobility, and better energy level alignment with the emissive layer. These improvements allow us to fabricate green emissive spin-LEDs with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.7% and an asymmetry factor |gCP-EL| of 1.1 × 10–3. This work highlights the importance of tailored perovskite architectures and doping strategies in advancing spintronics for optoelectronic applications.

A commentary on “Humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in Iceland”.

To elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying seizures according to electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, a neurophysiologically-based neural mass model that can produce EEG-like signals was adopted to simulate ictal and interictal EEG signals. A delay unit and a gain unit were added to the Wendling model to fit EEG signals in the time domain. An optimal parameter set minimising the error between observed and simulated EEG was identified using a genetic algorithm. To compare the inhibition and excitation during the ictal and interictal periods, the model parameters were determined for two sets of EEG signals using the proposed method. The results show that the model with identified parameters can simulate the real EEG signal well, with a mean square error of 0.0315-0.2138. Fifty repetitions for every selected EEG signal showed that the dispersion of the identified parameters was small in most cases, and the identification procedure generally showed similar values. Comparison of the model parameters of seizure and non-seizure EEG signals showed enhanced excitability, attenuated inhibition, and a more concentrated energy distribution in the frequency domain during the ictal periods. The experimental results for long-term EEG signals revealed continuous changes in the model parameters during epileptic seizures.

This study aims to develop a model to characterize the inhomogeneous material deformation behavior in micro-forming. First, the influence of individual grain heterogeneity on the deformation behavior of CuZn20 foils was investigated via tensile and micro-hardness tests. The results showed that different from thick sheets, the hardening behavior of grains in the deformation area of thin foils is not uniform. The flow stress of thin foils actually only reflects the average hardening behavior of several easy-deformation-grains, which is the reason that thinner foils own smaller flow stress. Then, a composite modeling method under consideration of individual grain heterogeneity was developed, where the effects of grain orientation and shape are quantitatively represented by the method of flow stress classification and Voronoi tessellation, respectively. This model provides an accurate and effective method to analyze the influence of individual grain heterogeneity on the deformation behavior of the micro-sized material.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death worldwide and results in a high societal economic burden associated with newborn care. Recent studies have shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in fetal development during pregnancy. Lipids in EVs related to preterm birth remain undefined. Here, we fully investigated differences in lipids in plasma, microvesicles (MVs), and exosomes (Exos) between 27 preterm and 66 full-term pregnant women in the early second trimester (12–24 weeks) using an untargeted lipidomics approach. Independent of other characteristics of samples, we detected 97, 58, and 10 differential features (retention time (RT) and m/z) with identification in plasma, MVs, and Exos, respectively. A panel of five lipids from MVs has an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.87 for the prediction of preterm birth. One lipid of the panel (PS (34:0)) was validated in an additional 83 plasma samples (41 preterm and 42 full-term deliveries) by the pseudotargeted lipidomics method (AUC = 0.71). Our results provide useful information about the early prediction of preterm birth, as well as a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and intervention of preterm birth. The MS data have been deposited in the CNSA (https://db.cngb.org/cnsa/) of CNGBdb with accession code CNP0001076.

Cardiomyocyte (CM) alignment with striated myofibril organization is developed during early cardiac organogenesis. Previous work has successfully achieved in vitroCM alignment using a variety of biomaterial scaffolds and substrates with static topographic features. However, the cellular processes that occur during the response of CMs to dynamic surface topographic changes, which may provide a model of in vivodevelopmental progress of CM alignment within embryonic myocardium, remains poorly understood. To gain insights into these cellular processes involved in the response of CMs to dynamic topographic changes, we developed a dynamic topographic substrate that employs a shape memory polymer coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers to produce a flat-to-wrinkle surface transition when triggered by a change in incubation temperature. Using this system, we investigated cellular morphological alignment and intracellular myofibril reorganization in response to the dynamic wrinkle formation. Hence, we identified the progressive cellular processes of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-CMs in a time-dependent manner, which could provide a foundation for a mechanistic model of cardiac myofibril reorganization in response to extracellular microenvironment changes.

The novel 3D microfluidic concept of “lab-on-hollow fiber membrane (HFM)” was presented for multifunctional and rapid biological assays, integrating sample size sieving and colorimetric quantification in an HFM. Herein, microporous HFMs with a gradient pore size and high hydrophilic flux were used as microfluidic device substrates. The membrane pores selectively trapped macromolecules within the inner surface, while allowing free diffusion of smaller molecules, including glucose and protein. The microfluidic flow rate in HFM closely followed the Lucas–Washburn and Laplace’s models, indicating that the microfluidics facilitated the upward flow of the fluid by microcapillary action without external pumping. Subsequently, for sensing of different biomolecules, a highly sensitive fluorescent or optical chromogenic reagent was immobilized in HFM by an electrostatic interaction. Pyronin G fluorescence reagent was quenched by blood glucose, and the quenching efficiency showed a good linear correlation with glucose concentration (1–22 mM, R2= 0.997). Moreover, this sensing platform was then further applied for the analysis of urine protein or glucose in the visible spectrum, with a wide testing range. Compared to traditional 2D flat membrane devices, this 3D-HFM microfluidic device exhibited excellent sensing versatility and color rendering uniformity with enhanced sensitivity. Target molecules screening, conditioning, enzymatic recognition, and signal readout of biomolecules have all been implemented on this device, which has paved the way to highly sensitive assays on point-of-care testing (POCT).

Increasing the weld deposition rate invariably increases the welding heat input in monofilament arc welding or high efficiency twin wire arc welding and hence cannot be easily optimized to satisfy the needs of special applications requiring high weld deposition. Tri-arc twin wire welding using direct current pulse power supply and variable polarity power supply is proposed. This helps reduce the welding heat input in the work-piece and increase the deposition rate. With increasing the main arc voltage, the droplet transition changed from an unstable mixing transition to a stable repulsion particle transition. In addition, the main arc voltage was increased to 35V, three arcs could be observed simultaneously. The main arc pulse, when switched on, changed the M arc, arc force, spot force, and plasma flow force. These changes hampered the balance of the original force system and promoted the generation of welding spatter. It may be noted that a sufficient main arc welding voltage can provide appropriate process stability. The third arc provided an additional separation force for the wire droplets and promoted the droplet transfer.

AbstractAnthocyanins bound with proteins have influence on the digestibility of proteins. In this study, the interaction between cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and ovalbumin (OVA) was investigated through multi-spectroscopy and molecular docking. The interactive effect of C3G on OVA digestibility was estimated by an in vitrodigestion model. Fluorescence studies indicated that C3G quenched the fluorescence of OVA in a static mode, where the binding constants (Ka) at 298, 308 and 318 K were above 105M–1, indicating a strong binding affinity of C3G with OVA. The negative values of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔHand ΔS) revealed a spontaneous binding process, where hydrogen and van der Waals forces were involved in stabilizing the OVA-C3G complex. The secondary structure of OVA was modified by C3G binding, with augmented β-sheet (21.5%–25.1%) and diminished α-helix (23.3%–21.6%). Besides, C3G substantially inhibited the digestion of OVA in pancreatin solution whereas it had negligible effect on pepsin. Furthermore, molecular docking and cleavage site prediction studies showed that the hydrogen binding sites of C3G are not near to the cleavage sites of pepsin but partially overlap trypsin cleavages sites in OVA, which might lead to an inhibited effect on pancreatic digestion. These results provide a better understanding of the anthocyanin-protein interactions and their effect on the protein digestibility.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma