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To enhance the application range of flexible films, it is crucial to rationally design composite films with high stretchability, excellent thermal conductivity, and water resistance. Flexible composite films with nanocellulose (CNF)-modified expanded graphite and spun fibers loaded with phase change materials as the backbone were obtained by electrospinning method. The prepared materials were characterized by good tensile properties (328.32%), high latent heat (107.0 J/g), good thermal stability, high photo-thermal conversion efficiency, good reusability, flame retardant properties, UV resistance and visible light absorption properties. What's more, the performance of the flexible composite membrane is adjustable. The prepared flexible composite membranes are promising in the fields of solar thermal energy conversion, wearable flexible materials and renewable energy utilization.

By using cyclic (vinyl triflate)iodonium salts, a novel triple Suzuki–Miyaura reaction was accomplished for the synthesis of polyaromatic ethylene derivatives in the presence of palladium catalysts. The reaction exhibits extensive compatibility with a wide range of readily available arylboronic acids, giving triaryl-substituted ethylenes in good yields.

ABSTRACTGastric cancer is a highly immunogenic malignancy. Immune tolerance facilitated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) has been implicated in gastric cancer resistance mechanisms. The potential role of APE1 in regulating gastric cancer metastasis by targeting MDSCs remains uncertain. In this study, the plasmid Plxpsp-mGM-CSF was used to induce high expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in GES-1 cells. For tumor transplantation experiments, AGS, AGS+GM-CSF and AGS+GM-CSF-siAPE1 cell lines were established by transfection, followed by subcutaneous implantation of tumor cells. MDSCs, Treg cells, IgG, CD3 and CD8 levels were assessed. Transfection with siAPE1 significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to the AGS+GM-CSF group. APE1 gene knockdown modulated the immune system in gastric cancer mice, characterized by a decrease in MDSCs and an increase in Treg cells, IgG, CD3 and CD8. In addition, APE1 gene knockdown resulted in decreased levels of pro-MDSC cytokines (HGF, CCL5, IL-6, CCL12). Furthermore, APE1 gene knockdown inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of AGS and MKN45 cells. AGS-GM-CSF cell transplantation increased MDSC levels and accelerated tumor growth, whereas APE1 knockdown reduced MDSC levels, inhibited tumor growth and attenuated inflammatory infiltration in gastric cancer tissues. Strategies targeting the APE1/MDSC axis offer a promising approach to the prevention and treatment of gastric cancer, providing new insights into its management.

Herein, we described a copper(I)-catalyzed dearomatization of benzofurans with 2-(chloromethyl)anilines to prepare various tetrahydrobenzofuro[3,2-b]quinolines and 2-(quinolin-2-yl)phenols in good to excellent yields through radical addition and an intramolecular cyclization process. Mechanistic studies revealed that 2-(chloromethyl)anilines served as radical precursors. The present method features broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, quinoline scaffold diversity, and radical addition dearomatization of benzofurans.

The Darboux-like functions represent a group of maps that are continuous in a generalized sense. The algebra of subsets of RR(i.e., maps from Rto R) generated by these classes has nine atoms, that is, the smallest non-empty elements of the algebra. The subject of this work is to study the intersections of these atoms with the class SZof Sierpinski–Zygmund functions—the maps that have as little of the standard continuity as possible. Specifically, we will show that it is independent of the standard axioms of set theory that each of these atoms has a non-empty intersection with SZ. For seven of the nine atoms this has been unknown, and the constructions of the examples provide answers to the problems stated in a recent survey A century of Sierpinski–Zygmund functionsof K. C. Ciesielski and J. Seoane-Sepúlveda. Notice that lineability of the main classes of Darboux-like functions, as well as of Sierpinski–Zygmund functions, has been intensively studied. The presented work opens a possibility to study also the lineability of the nine smaller classes we discuss here.

The purpose of this study was to create a platform for conducting small animal proton FLASH irradiation at a research-specific therapy center using an auxiliary proton beam line. A dose monitoring system was implemented to provide real-time irradiation dose and dose rate time structure information, utilizing a transmission ionization chamber (TIC), a plastic scintillator-based beam position monitor, and a poor man faraday cup (PMFC). Both the TIC and PMFC were equipped with a custom-made fast-reading current integral electronics device, allowing for real-time dose monitoring with a resolution of 0.5 ms. Experimental testing showed that the maximum dose that could be delivered to the target in a single pulse of 230-MeV protons was approximately 20 Gy, during a pulse period of 199 ms, at a dose rate of 100 Gy/s. The establishment of a dedicated proton research platform at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has enabled investigation of the biological effects of FLASH irradiation on small animals. The final setup data serves as a useful reference for both planning future experiments and improving the facility for beam users. This study’s achievement provides a valuable foundation for further research on proton FLASH irradiation, potentially offering new insights into its applications for cancer treatment.

Azomethine imines, broadly known as 1,3-dipoles, efficiently produce synthetically and biologically significant dinitrogen-fused heterocycles via predominantly concerted or ionic pathways. Herein, we describe a radical-based annulation of azomethine imines utilizing visible-light photoredox catalysis for the first time. This strategy enables the synthesis of dinitrogen-fused saturated six-membered cyclic products that have traditionally been difficult to access. Notably, our process exhibits exceptional cisdiastereoselectivity, controlled by the anomeric effect. Initial mechanistic investigations reveal a tandem process comprising intermolecular radical addition and intramolecular 6-exo-trig cyclization. This work illustrates potential within the realm of visible-light-driven radical cyclization reactions involving azomethine imines.

The 1,2-iminylalkylation of diazenes using alkyl iodides in combination with an O-benzoyl oxime is reported. In this transformation, O-benzoyl oxime acted as a radical precursor and XAT mediator. In addition to common alkyl iodides, other alkyl iodides such as iodomethane, iodomethane-d3, trifluoroiodomethane, ethyl difluoroiodoacetate, and iodoalkanes containing unprotected hydroxyl and amide groups can also serve as C-radical precursors in the 1,2-iminylalkylation with electrophilic diazenes as radical acceptors.

Transformer oil is inevitably contaminated by metallic particles during manufacturing and operation, which will accumulate in the oil gap and poses a serious threat to the oil insulation in the power transformer. However, the distributed characteristics of particles in oil channels will be influenced by oil flow. In this article, a circulation flow device of transformer oil was established, and the distributed characteristics of metallic particles in flowing oil were obtained under direct current (dc) and alternative current (ac) voltages, respectively. It was found that particle counts between parallel plate electrodes and rod–plane electrodes would decrease monotonously with increasing flow velocities under dc application, whereas the concentration between spherically capped electrodes would increase slightly first and then decline. When the electrodes were energized by ac voltage, the reduction of the particle concentration was more significant with the addition of flow velocities. What’s more, the temporal changes of particle amount under different conditions were obtained. Then the impacts of flow velocities and applied voltages on particle distribution were discussed based on the force analysis on metallic particles.

The phthalate esters (PAEs) have become ubiquitous pollutants. In the present work, we investigated their pollution on teas. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and di-(2-ethyl) hexyl phthalate (DEHP) were detected in all fresh tea leaves with DBP being the major congener of PAEs in teas followed by DiBP and DEHP. Seasonal variation, spatial distribution difference, correlationship of environmental factors, and potential health risks of PAEs were analyzed. The PAEs content in one bud and two leaves was lower than that in upper mature leaves in tea plants. The PAEs content in fresh tea leaves was the lowest in spring, while it was high in autumn and winter. The correlation analysis results showed that PAEs had significantly negative correlation with ambient air temperature, while it was positively correlated with the air quality index. PAEs analysis of spring tea in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces further indicated that the factor of provincial regions had little impact on the PAEs pollution level in tea. By contrast, the different environmental areas significantly affected PAE pollution, especially the agricultural areas. The human daily intake-based (13 g/day) risk assessment indicated that both the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks (1.76 × 10–7-6.12 × 10–7) of PAEs via tea consumption were acceptable, with the estrogen equivalence (1.60–6.29 ng E2/kg) being at a medium level. This study provides significant information for pollution control and risk assessment of PAEs in Chinese tea production.

As an important strategic metal, vanadium is generally used to prepare special steels, titanium alloys, and hydrogen storage materials. A new method of producing vanadium (metal) powder from V2O3using block Mg is presented herein. Using an auxiliary molten salt, V2O3was successfully transformed into V by Mg reduction. The by-product, MgO, was transformed into MgCl2by adding ZrCl4, which prevented the generation of MgV2O4and allowed the reaction to proceed smoothly. The rod-like alloy phases, Zr0.03V1.97, which formed in the presence of excess Mg, may hinder the diffusion of oxygen from the product. The recovery rate of vanadium after separation and purification was approximately 45%–50%, where the main loss occurred during ball milling. Under the optimal conditions (Mg content of 48.3%, reduction time of 1.5 h, and temperature of 850 °C), the purity of vanadium exceeded 99 wt.%, and the O content decreased to 0.34 wt.%.

The surface charge accumulation at a gas-solid interface distorts the local electric field and in turn leads to surface flashover, which restricts the development and application of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) gas-insulated switchgear (GIS)/gas-insulated transmission line (GIL). Surface charge inversion is the premise of studying surface charge accumulation because it provides a tool to obtain surface charge distribution after measuring surface potential distribution. In this article, on the basis of an iterative regularization technique, a surface charge inversion algorithm based on hybrid Lanczos bi-diagonalization (LBD) and Tikhonov regularization was constructed for a shift-variant system. After constructing the least squares (LS) problem for charge inversion, the LS problem was projected to a Krylov subspace with a smaller dimension by the LBD method and Tikhonov regularization was applied to solve the projected problem at each iteration. Moreover, the adaptive weighted generalized cross-validation (A-WGCV) method was adopted to choose the regularization parameters automatically for the projected problem. The implementation progress and performance of the hybrid LBD-Tikhonov algorithm were discussed in detail with the simulated examples, and the efficiency and accuracy were compared with the charge simulation method and Wiener filter method. At last, the effectiveness and reliability of the algorithm were verified by the experiment and dust figure. This methodology improves the computational efficiency of surface charge inversion and the selection of regularization parameters, which is beneficial to the development of surface charge measurement technology.

We developed a highly selective and efficient multicomponent transformation by utilizing alkynes and olefins/(hetero)arenes through photoinduced energy-transfer catalysis. The reaction involves the formation of three distinct chemical bonds, namely C(sp3)–C(sp2), C(sp2)–C(sp3), and C(sp3)–N, in a single coordinated manner. The strategy used a vinyl radical-mediated radical relay approach under mild conditions, exhibiting a broad substrate scope (>70 examples), excellent functional-group tolerance, and remarkable regio- and anti-stereoselectivity. Through the utilization of a combination of experimental techniques and density functional theory (DFT), we delved deeper into the mechanistic intricacies of this distinctive system. Results revealed that the selective radical addition to electron-deficient alkynes, rather than olefins, was governed by the inherent reactivity of alkyl radicals. This discovery presented a highly effective approach for the synthesis of stereodefined multisubstituted alkenes.

The flow of contaminated transformer oil has a significant influence on the formation of bridges composed of impurity particles and in turn affects its breakdown progress, but the relevant phenomenon may be not well interpreted by the classical suspended solid particle mechanism. In this article, an oil circulation device was built, and the development of cellulosic bridges in slightly nonuniform electric field at different flow velocities was recorded by a high-speed camera. The results show that, when dc voltage was applied, the time required to form cellulosic bridges across the oil gap (named complete bridge) first decreased and then increased with the rise of flow velocity. It indicates that the low-speed oil flow could accelerate the formation of complete bridge in the dc field, while the high-speed oil flow delays or prevents it. When ac voltage was applied, the length of the longest partial bridge (it did not bridge two electrodes) and the number of cellulose particles accumulated in the gap both increased first and then decreased with the rise of flow velocity. Finally, the results were analyzed according to the force conditions of particles. This article contributes to understand the effect of oil flow on bridging characteristics of cellulose particles and lays the foundation for the subsequent studies of breakdown mechanism about flowing contaminated liquid dielectrics.

The excellent reactivity of diaryliodonium salts has primarily been attributed to the efficient departure of the iodoarene unit, facilitating a variety of arylation reactions. However, one equivalent of iodoarene as a side‐product is a chemical waste in these reactions, which was criticized by chemists for hindering its popularity. Recently, the development of synthetic methodology that preserve the aryl iodine moiety received increasing attention. Oxidative rearrangement reactions involving aryliodonium reagents have significantly addressed the atom‐economic issue, thereby broadening the reaction scope. The resulting intricate aryliodine products are viewed as valuable synthons for the synthesis of natural products, pharmaceutical intermediates and other fine chemicals. The unique reactivity of aryliodonium salts primarily stems from the excellent leaving ability of aryliodine moiety. Traditional arylations with aryliodonium reagents have rarely involves retaining the iodine group in the final products. Recently, rearrangement reactions that preserve the aryliodine moiety have significantly broadened the scope of aryliodonium applications, opening a way for the preparing synthetically important aryliodide synthons. These synthons have been extensively employed in the synthesis of natural products and pharmaceutical intermediates.

The manipulation and detection of antiferromagnetic (AFM) in exchange bias (EB)-based MRAM using spin-orbit torque (SOT) holds promise for developing highly reliable and ultrafast spintronic memory devices. However, the high switching current induced by the SOT-induced EB field remains a major drawback. Additionally, the mechanism behind the interaction between the EB field and the SOT remains unclear. To address this issue, we have introduced a thin layer of Mo between the AFM and ferromagnetic-free layers to tune the EB field and study the SOT-induced switching properties. Our findings indicate that when the SOT is dominant during short pulses of a few nanoseconds, Mo insertion can significantly reduce the EB field and decrease the SOT switching current, leading to a reduction in power consumption of these memories. This approach could open up new possibilities for optimizing EB-MRAM and improving our understanding of AFM electronics.

ABSTRACTColorectal cancer presents high rates of recurrence and metastasis, and the occurrence and progression and mechanism of its invasion and metastasis are not fully understood. The expression of miR-656-3p in patient samples and 10 cell lines were measured. Bioinformatic databases were used to predict miRNAs. Protein expressions were examined using Western blot. Transwell assay was used to measure cell migration and invasion. Transplanted tumor model in nude mice was established. Removal of the miR-656-3p by specific knocking-down of this gene promoted the chemo-resistance of colorectal cancer cells. Critically, we identified sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SGPP1) as a downsteam target of the miR-656-3p, which we first obtained from 199 potential target genes from Targetscan, 200 genes from miRDB and 200 genes from DIANA, respectively. Then, we identified the interaction between SGPP1 and the miR-656-3p on 3’ UTR of SGPP1 gene. Knockdown of SGPP1 greatly suppressed the tumor growth in vivo and epithelial mesenchymal transition process. miR-656-3p could regulate cell proliferation and chemoresistance in the colorectal cancer that associate to downstream target with SGPP1. Along with its downstream molecule, we would like to predict that the SGPP1 associated miR-656-3p could be used to develop early for early diagnostics for CRC oncogenesis.

The integrated processing of chromizing and austempering (termed chro-austempering) treatments was proposed. The microstructure and properties of a medium-carbon high-strength bainitic steel treated by chro-austempering treatments were investigated by metallography, scanning vibrating electrode technique, electrochemical workstation, and microhardness test. The results show that the high-strength bainitic steel with carbide-free bainite as matrix and the chromized layers on surfaces was successfully fabricated by chro-austempering treatment. The hardness of surface layers was about 3.5 times that of the bainite matrix. Meanwhile, the corrosion started from exposed bainitic matrix and proceeded along the depth direction, testifying that the surface corrosion resistance was significantly improved by chro-austempering treatment due to the formation of Cr7C3and (Cr, Fe)7C3on the surface.

Purpose: This paper reviews the recent developments of two newly developed intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of metallic glasses (MGs) and high-entropy alloys (HEAs) as potential implantable biomaterials. Methods: The paper commences by summarizing the fundamental properties of recently developed MGs and high-entropy alloys (HEAs). A systematic review is presented of the recent literature about the use of AM technology in fabricating MG and HEA components for biological implant applications. Results: The high strength, low Young’s modulus, and excellent corrosion resistance make these IMCs good candidates as bio-implantable materials. Recent studies have shown that additive manufacturing (AM) techniques provide an advantageous route for the preparation of glassy metallic components due to their intrinsically rapid cooling rates and ability to fabricate parts with virtually no size or complexity constraints. A practical example is conducted by AM producing a porous gradient Ti-based MG spinal cage. The produced MG powders and the in vivo test results on an 18 M-old Lanyu pig confirm the feasibility of the AM technique for producing implantable IMC-based prosthesis. Conclusion: The non-crystalline structure of MGs alloy and the random crystalline composition of HEAs provide unique material properties that will substantially impact the development of future implantable prostheses.

Background: In this study, Near-field electrospinning (NFES) technique is used with acylindrical collector to fabricate a large area permanent piezoelectric micro and nanofibers by aprepared solution. NFES requires a small electric field to fabricate fibers Objective: The objective of this paper to investigate silver nanoparticle (Ag-NP)/ Polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) composite as the best piezoelectric material with improved properties to producedtremendously flexible and sensitive piezoelectric material with pertinent conductance Methods: In this paper, we used controllable electrospinning technique based on Near-fieldelectrospinning (NFES). The process parameter for Ag-NP/PVDF composite electrospun fiberbased on pure PVDF fiber. A PVDF solution concentration of 18 wt.% and 6 wt.% silver nitrate,which is relative to the weight of PVDF wt.% with 1058 μS conductivity fibers, have been directlywritten on a rotating cylindrical collector for aligned fiber PVDF/Ag-NP fibers are patterned onfabricated copper (Cu) interdigitated electrodes were implemented on a thin flexible polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) substrate and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) used as a package to enhance thedurability of the PVDF/ Ag-NP device. Results: A notable effect on the piezoelectric response has been observed after Ag-NP addition,confirmed by XRD characterization and tapping test of Ag-NP/PVDF composite fiber. Themorphology of the PVDF/Ag-NP fibers and measure diameter by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and Optical micrograph (OM), of fiber. Finally, a diameter of PVDF/Ag-NP fibers up to 7μm. The high diffraction peak at 2θ = 20.5˚ was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in thepiezoelectric crystal β-phase structure. Further addition of silver nanoparticles (Ag- NPs) in thePVDF solution resulted in enhancing the electromechanical conversion of the fibers from 0.1 V to 1 V. Conclusion: In conclusion, we can say that confirmed and validated the addition of Ag-NP inPVDF could enhance the piezoelectric property by using NFES technique with improvedcrystalline phase content can be useful for a wide range of power and sensing applications likebiomedical devices and energy harvesting, among others.

The nuclear receptor farnesoid-X-receptor (FXR) plays an essential role in bile acid, glucose, and lipid homeostasis. In the last two decades, several diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cholestasis, and chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver and intestine, have been revealed to be associated with alterations in FXR functions. FXR has become a promising therapeutic drug target, particularly for enterohepatic diseases. Despite the large number of FXR modulators reported, only obeticholic acid (OCA) has been approved for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) therapy as FXR modulator. In this review, we summarize the structure and function of FXR, the development of FXR modulators, and the structure–activity relationships of FXR modulators. Based on the structural analysis, we discuss potential strategies for developing future therapeutic FXR modulators to overcome current limitations, providing new perspectives for enterohepatic and metabolic diseases treatment.

In this work, a sialic acid (SA)-imprinted thermo-responsive hydrogel layer was prepared for selective capture and release of cancer cells. The SA-imprinting process was performed at 37 °C using thermo-responsive functional monomer, thus generating switchable SA-recognition sites with potent SA binding at 37 °C and weak binding at a lower temperature (e.g., 25 °C). Since SA is often overexpressed at the glycan terminals of cell membrane proteins or lipids, the SA-imprinted hydrogel layer could be used for selective cancer cell recognition. Our results confirmed that the hydrogel layer could efficiently capture cancer cells from not only the culture medium but also the real blood samples. In addition, the captured cells could be non-invasively released by lowing the temperature. Considering the non-invasive processing mode, considerable capture efficiency, good cell selectivity, as well as the more stable and durable SA-imprinted sites compared to natural antibodies or receptors, this thermo-responsive hydrogel layer could be used as a promising and general platform for cell-based cancer diagnosis.

For achievement of more energy, this work proposes an idea that using high temperature physic heat in a steelmaking converter to carbonise and combust pine timber generates more CO. By establishing the various pine injection systems, the calorific value of gas generated is evaluated and discussed based on heat balance. Results show that the best time for pine injection is at the middle stage of gas recovery. Under a heat supplement of 50 K, the masses of carbon consumed and CO generated in steelmaking systems with pine injection are respectively 61 to 610 kg and 142 to 1442 kg, and the increased percentage of calorific value of CO is 6.59% to 65.9%. To sum up, this novel process is promising for tackling waste timber to generate gas.

The electrification and intelligentization trends of aeroengine systems present new challenges for the diagnostics of traditionally centralized control architectures. Scientific and practical fault diagnosis is of great significance for reducing aeroengine failures, improving operation efficiency, and ensuring safety. To realize accurate fault diagnosis, an aeroengine fault diagnosis method based on an improved fingerprint map is proposed in this paper. Based on aeroengine data analysis, ISTOA-SVM diagnostic model that embeds improved fingerprint map data as a priori knowledge is adopted to identify the fault sets. Data based on the statistics of the fingerprint map are processed with a ratio coefficient, and the feature parameters are appended through Floyd-principal component analysis (Floyd-PCA) to increase the identification data dimension. On the other hand, to improve the diagnostic performance of the classifier, the sooty terns optimization algorithm algorithm combined with chaotic maps, a variable helix mechanism and a separating operator is designed, and the ISTOA-SVM is constructed. The fault diagnosis method was validated by using a real-world dataset of aeroengines. Comparison experiments show that the proposed method is superior in performance over the state-of-the-art approaches in diagnostic precision under the constraint of limited data. The ISTOA-SVM addresses the issue that similar features may be confused in traditional fingerprint maps. The results are presented through 5 practical cases. The study demonstrates that the proposed method achieves superior performance and can be applied to aeroengine fault diagnosis.

Communication is always a top priority in an online learning environment. A course management system (CMS) will typically promote communication and interaction by using a discussion board, chat, and course […]

This paper investigates the feasibility of using an active dynamic vibration absorber (ADVA) for active vibration control of a flexible missile system through simulation. Based on the principles of a dynamic vibration absorber (DVA), a ring-type ADVA is first designed to attenuate the elastic vibration of the flexible missile, and the design of the active controller adopts the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm. The motion equations of a flexible missile with an ADVA, which is subjected to follower thrust at its aft end, are derived using the Lagrangian approach. Taking the minimum of the root mean square (RMS) of the lateral displacement response of the center of mass as the objective function, a genetic algorithm (GA) is used to optimize the parameter of the DVA and PID controller. The numerical calculations show that the ADVA and DVA are effective in suppressing the vibration and provide approximately 41.2% and 17.6% improvement, respectively, compared with the case of no DVA. The ADVA has better performance than the DVA. When the missile is subjected to follower thrust, the effect of vibration reduction is more effective than the case without follower thrust. It is feasible to reduce vibration and improve the stability of flexible missiles by means of the ADVA.

By using 2-fluoro-substituted diaryliodonium salts, a novel benzocylization has been accomplished for the synthesis of 3,4-benzocoumarin derivatives via a cascade of ortho-arylation and defluorination in the presence of palladium catalysts. The reaction exhibits a broad compatibility of readily available aromatic acids with an excellent level of site-selectivity. Mechanistic investigations revealed a unique reactivity of carboxylic acid directed arylation by followed nucleophilic substitution of aromatic fluoride in the present system.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish a control system with multi-axis motors for a lower limb robotic exoskeleton (LLRE). Methods: This LLRE structure was built by using an aluminum alloy designed with an adjustable mechanism. A four-motor control system with four Maxon brushless direct current motors was developed and installed in the hips and knees of the LLRE, respectively. In addition, four harmonic reducers were connected to the motors to increase the torque. A master controller which commands the four-axis motors was developed by using Texas Instruments (TI) embedded chip (TMS320F28069). The walking gait parameters were established to support the LLRE movement. The controller local area network protocol was used to communicate between the master and slave motor controllers. The slave motor controllers were developed by using TI embedded chip (DRV8301/TMS320F28069) for each joint by a high bandwidth control strategy. A high dynamic response system was obtained by considering the LLRE inertia, external variable load induced by the LLRE and delay in a digital control system. Results: The result showed that this high bandwidth control with the experimental ones, the trajectory of each joint demonstrated a high response bandwidth and the tracking gait errors were significantly eliminated. Conclusions: This study indicated that the development of this LLRE with a master controller/the slave motor controllers strategy through controller local area network protocol was feasible for healthcare applications.

An atom-economical and practical method for the efficient synthesis of various pyrazino[1,2-a]indole-2-oxides was developed through a nickel(II)-catalyzed [5 + 1] annulation of 2-carbonyl-1-propargylindoles with hydroxylamine in water without using an organic solvent. The reaction involved an initial condensation of 2-carbonyl-1-propargylindoles with hydroxylamine to afford oxime intermediates, which then underwent a nickel(II)-catalyzed 6-exo-dig cyclization. Preliminary studies showed that (n-Bu)4NI served as a phase transfer catalyst and promoted the formation of active nickel(II) species. More importantly, the nickel(II) salt and phase transfer catalyst-in-water could be recycled seven times, and a gram scalable product was easily obtained in good yields through a filtration and washing protocol.

ObjectivesSelf-description research on athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID) is under investigated. The specific aims in this paper are (a) to identify the differences in physical self-concept and body image by Unified Sports experiences, and (b) to investigate predictors of physical self-concept.MethodsParticipants included 89 Special Olympics athletes who had Unified Sports experiences (USE, n = 43) and those without USE (n = 46). Demographic, anthropometric, self-description data were collected during the questionnaire interview and physical examination. Analyses included descriptive and regression modeling to determine differences in the psychological attributes by USE and best subsets of predictors of each physical self-concept construct.ResultsThe findings suggest that the participation of USE facilitated greater sport competence and there is no single predictor across the six physical self-concept constructs.ConclusionThe findings provide evidence that sports participation may have positive impacts on physical self-concept toward athletes with ID.

Background: Multimodal imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of brain disorders. Neurological disorders need to be diagnosed at an early stage for their effective treatment as later, it is very difficult to treat them. If possible, diagnosing at an early stage can be much helpful in curing the disease with less harm to the body. There is a need for advanced and multimodal imaging techniques for the same. This paper provides an overview of conventional as well as modern imaging techniques for brain diseases, specifically for tumor imaging. In this paper, different imaging modalities are discussed for tumor detection in the brain along with their advantages and disadvantages. Conjugation of two and more than two modalities provides more accurate information rather than a single modality. They can monitor and differentiate the cellular processes of normal and diseased condition with more clarity. The advent of molecular imaging, including reporter gene imaging, has opened the door of more advanced noninvasive detection of brain tumors. Due to specific optical properties, semiconducting polymer-based nanoparticles also play a pivotal role in imaging tumors. Objective: The objective of this paper is to review nanoparticles-mediated brain imaging and disease prognosis by conventional as well as modern modal imaging techniques. Conclusion: We reviewed in detail various medical imaging techniques. This paper covers recent developments in detail and elaborates a possible research aspect for the readers in the field.

We study dual-gated graphene bilayer/hBN moiré superlattices. Under zero magnetic field, we observe additional resistance peaks as the charge density varies. The peaks’ resistivities vary approximately quadratically with an applied perpendicular displacement field D. Data fit to a continuum model yield a bilayer/hBN interaction energy scale ∼30 ± 10 meV. Under a perpendicular magnetic field, we observe Hofstadter butterfly spectra as well as symmetry-broken and fractional Chern insulator states. Their topology and lattice symmetry breaking is D-tunable, enabling the realization of new topological states in this system.

ABSTRACTApoplastic ascorbate oxidase (AO) plays a major role in cell growth. Although AO genes have been studied in depth, some articles have mistakenly identified AO homologues as AO genes. Overall, the divergence between AO genes and AO homologues has not been explored. Meanwhile, there is little information concerning AO and the AO homologue with respect to Camellia sinensis. In the present study, one CsAO homologue and three CsAOs were confirmed by RT-PCR amplification, cloning and sequencing. Multicopper oxidase type 1 (PF00394), type 2 (PF07731) or type 3 (PF07732) domains and one transmembrane helix were the key domains for each member of the cupredoxin family. The CsAOs with their counterparts from seven dicotyledonous plants and three monocotyledonous plants were used to build phylogenetic tree and compare the deduced polypeptides. CsAO may be strongly expressed in the stretch expanded tissues, including bud and root. The abiotic stress-induced expression pattern of the CsAO homologue (CsAO2) is similar to those of CsAO1, CsAO3 and CsAO4. A new and very large group of AO homologues, which may function as AO genes, was present in both dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants. Our study may help in identifying stress-responsive AO genes of plants.

An efficient one-pot synthesis of polysubstituted pyrrolizines from N-vinyl-α,β-unsaturated nitrones and activated alkynes through iron(III)/copper(II)-cocatalyzed [3 + 2] cycloaddition/[3,3]-rearrangement and sequential N–O bond cleavage was developed. The reaction first underwent [3 + 2] cycloaddition and [3,3]-rearrangement to afford nine-membered N-heterocycles, and then a controlled N–O bond cleavage of nine-membered rings by iron(III)/copper(II) cocatalysts delivered pyrrolizine scaffolds. A kinetic resolution of nine-membered ring compounds was achieved for the first time by using copper(II) acetate combined with a chiral PyBox ligand.

Key node identification in command and control (C2) networks is an appealing problem that has attracted increasing attention. Due to the particular nature of C2 networks, the traditional algorithms for key nodes identification have problems with high complexity and unsatisfactory adaptability. A new method of key node identification based on level flow betweenness (LFB) is proposed, which is suitable for C2 networks. The proposed method first proves the definition of LFB by analysing the characteristics of a C2 network. Then, this method designs algorithms for key node identification based on LFB and theoretically derives the complexity of this algorithm. Finally, a number of numerical simulation experiments are carried out, and the results demonstrate that this method reduces algorithm complexity, improves identification accuracy and enhances adaptability for C2 networks.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA) is a novel technique with better cosmetic results. However, extraction of a large malignant thyroid nodule from the central incision of TOETVA necessitates breaking it into pieces to avoid mental nerve injury, a situation that may violate a proper oncological surgery. In this study, we sought the appropriate nodular diameter in thyroid cancer to be removed in an intact status through the central incision of the TOETVA technique. A total of 27 cases of thyroid nodules were operated using the TOETVA technique from Aug 2016 to July 2017. Excluding 10 benign goiters, the specimens of 17 thyroid cancer cases were divided into intact (group T, n=7) and fragmented (group F, n=10), with a median nodular diameter of 18.35 and 30.30 mm, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the safest nodular diameter is 20 mm, with 100% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity.

Background: Cancer is one of the most debilitating diseases worldwide; even though advances in molecular and cellular biology have contributed to the decline of mortality associated with cancer, the procedure of drug discovery and development of cancer are time-consuming and expensive. However, with computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) techniques, pharmaceutical firms can save production costs and reduce the time of introducing effective anticancer drugs for clinical trials. CADD strategies like structure-based drug designing, ligandbased drug designing, and combined structure-based and ligand-based approaches also have the advantage of identifying target sites and discovering active compounds with high affinity for the target sites. In this article, research carried out on cancer biology aspect of the computational approaches in drug discovery technology have been reviewed. Objective: The main objective of the study is to identify the potential causes and the development of the cancer. In addition to this, its recovery has been discussed briefly. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that only a few studies have been carried out regarding this area. Hence, it is recommended that further researches should be conducted on the computational methods for identifying candidate drugs for breast, pancreatic, colon, prostate, and other types of cancer.

The authors propose a predictive algorithm and a protective strategy to avoid prolong ascites after living donor liver transplantation.

Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is critical for diabetic chronic wounds involved in the refractory wound healing process. We aimed to develop a strategy through RNAi to decrease MMP-9 expression and improve diabetic wound healing. We had explored β-CD-(D3)7as a gene carrier to take siRNA and effectively interfere with MMP-9 expression. It has been proven that β-CD-(D3)7could be used as an effective siRNA delivery system. In this study, we want to know about the efficiency and safety of β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA for improving wound healing in diabetic rats. β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA treated animals show lower levels of MMP-9 expression, which induce faster wound-close rates. Histological evaluation indicates that β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA significantly increases the content of collagen around the injured tissues. The number of neutrophilic ganulocytes was significantly decreased through treatment of β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA. In vivo fluorescence imaging assessment shows that β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA could not cause organ damage and organ accumulation. The results suggest that β-CD-(D3)7/MMP-9 siRNA might be developed as a novel topical agent for the diabetic wounds treatment.

A vinyl radical-mediated 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer strategy for remote C(sp3)–H imination under visible-light-induced photochemical metal-free conditions afforded diverse γ-imino alkenes with excellent stereoselectivity. Oxime ester-based bifunctional reagents provided not only nucleophilic alkyl radicals for radical addition reactions with electron-deficient alkynes but also long-lived steady-state imine radicals for trapping alkyl radicals following the intramolecular 1,5-hydrogen migration of unstable olefin radicals.

The purpose of this study was to predict the carcass characteristics of broilers using support vector regression (SVR) and artificial neural network (ANN) model methods. Data were obtained from 176 yellow feather broilers aged 100-day-old (90 males and 86 females). The input variables were live body measurements, including external measurements and B-ultrasound measurements. The predictors of the model were the weight of abdominal fat and breast muscle in male and female broilers, respectively. After descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, the datasets were randomly divided into train set and test set according to the ratio of 7:3 to establish the model. The results of this study demonstrated that it is feasible to use machine learning methods to predict carcass characteristics of broilers based on live body measurements. Compared with the ANN method, the SVR method achieved better prediction results, for predicting breast muscle (male: R2 = 0.950; female: R2 = 0.955) and abdominal fat (male: R2 = 0.802; female: R2 = 0.944) in the test set. Consequently, the SVR method can be considered to predict breast muscle and abdominal fat of broiler chickens, except for abdominal fat in male broilers. However, further revaluation of the SVR method is suggested.

Caveolin-1, the scaffolding protein of cholesterol-rich invaginations, plays an important role in store-operated Ca2+influx and its phosphorylation at Tyr14 (p-caveolin-1) is vital to mobilize protection against myocardial ischemia (MI) injury. SOCE, comprising STIM1, ORAI1 and TRPC1, contributes to intracellular Ca2+([Ca2+]i) accumulation in cardiomyocytes. The purified extract of steamed Panax ginseng(EPG) attenuated [Ca2+]ioverload against MI injury. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of EPG affecting p-caveolin-1 to further mediate SOCE/[Ca2+]iagainst MI injury in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and a rat model.

Spin orbit torque magnetic tunnel junction (SOT-MTJ) has been widely used for designing nonvolatile flip-flop (NVFF), thanks to its ultrafast switching speed, zero static power consumption, nearly unlimited endurance, etc. However, in the space environment, the write pulse width of the SOT-MTJ is comparable to radiation-induced current duration. Thus, the SOT-MTJ-based NVFF may suffer from soft error induced by the nonvolatile single event upset (NVSEU) in the backup mode. In this paper, we analyze the sensitive nodes in different work modes and propose the radiation hardening circuits for master–slave NVFF (MS-NVFF) to solve the NVSEUs. Based on a physics-based SOT-MTJ compact model and a 40nm CMOS design kit, the reliability of MS-NVFF is verified by simulation with 2pC charge, which could be reliably integrated into aerospace and avionics electronics in hostile environments.

The melting behaviors of silver nanowires (AgNWs) were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using the 2nn-modified embedded-atom method potential (2nn-MEAM) during a temperature elevation process from 0 to 1500 K. Four AgNWs with diameters of 1.6, 2.4, 4.8, and 10 nm were considered, and these nanowire structures with 5-fold twinned boundaries were constructed according to the experimental observations. The melting point of bulk Ag predicted by the two-phase method is about 1280 K, which is very close to the experimental result of 1234 K, indicating the 2nn-MEAM potential can accurately reflect the thermal behavior of Ag material. For AgNWs, the melting points will significantly decrease from 1250 to 790 K as the AgNW diameters decrease from 10 to 1.6 nm. According to the variations of surface atom square displacement (SD) profiles at different temperatures, it is found that the premelting behaviors could be efficiently investigated for all 5-fold twinned AgNWs before their melting temperatures. In addition, this phenomenon is very different from those of Ag single-crystal nanoparticles with diameters smaller than 8 nm, which melt at their melting temperatures without passing a surface premelting stage. The difference in thermal behaviors between the AgNWs and Ag single-crystal nanoparticles can be attributed to the twinned boundaries (TBs) within AgNWs.

Li[NixCoyMnz]O2(0.6≤x≤0.8) cathode materials with a typical hexagonal α-NaFeO2structure were prepared utilizing a co-precipitation method. It is found that the ratio of peak intensities of (003) to (104) observed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) increases with decreasing the Ni content or increasing the Co content. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal that the small primary particles are agglomerated to form the secondary ones. As the Mn content increases, the primary and secondary particles become larger and the resulted particle size for the Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2is uniformly distributed in the range of 100–300 nm. Although the initial discharge capacity of the Li/Li[NixCoyMnz]O2cells reduces with decreasing the Ni content, the cyclic performance and rate capability are improved with higher Mn or Co content. The Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2can deliver excellent cyclability with a capacity retention of 97.1% after 50 cycles.

Wearables and on-skin triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) highly desire intrinsic stretchability, favorable permeability and waterproofness, fibers/textiles as one of the ideal substrates could meet the requirements. However, realizing the versatile integration of hydrophobic elastic fibers with electrodes remains a huge challenge. Herein, inspired by the sericin-bundled silk with outstanding stretchability, we develop a microfibers-membrane with omnidirectional superelasticity, permeability and superhydrophobicity (SPSM) by synchronous electrospinning of styrene-isoprene (SIS) block copolymers and electrospraying of the fluorinated SiO2nanoparticles. Co-solvent welding effect free of extra binders is proposed for the generation of in-situ anchored junctions between the SIS fibers, as well as achieving the anchoring effect for enhanced integration of SIS fiber-membranes with a variety of conductors such as sputtered gold (Au) layer, vacuum filtrated liquid metal-silver nanowires (LM-AgNWs) network and printed liquid metal-silver flakes-SIS (LM-AgFKs-SIS) ink, creating diverse elastic conductors and triboelectric-active-materials with optional advantages in mechanical stability, electrical robustness, triboelectric output and permeability. A self-cleaning SPSM-based single-electrode stretchable TENG (STENG) is demonstrated adaptive for tapping, stretching, bending and humidity, realizing a breathable self-powered sensor for materials identifying and hand posture monitoring. This work proposes a versatile superelastic fiber material competent for permeable STENGs and wearables with environment adaptivity.

To the Editor: A 30-year-old female was admitted to the Emergency Department because of left abdominal, dull, ill-defined pain for 2 days. She did not have any prior history of [...]