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• 29 serum metabolites were characterised as biomarkers for primary dysmenorrhoea. • Potential mechanism of Danggui Jianzhong Decoction in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea involved in arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism and the synthesis of steroid hormones. • 20 prototype ingredients and 4 metabolites of Danggui Jianzhong Decoction were found in vivo, five of which were mostly related with the efficacy of primary dysmenorrhoea, namely, ferulic acid, zizyphusin, cinnamic acid, protocatechuic acid-3-glucoside, and azelaic acid. They were the potential pharmacodynamic constituents for treating primary dysmenorrhoea, and they could be regarded as the quality markers of Danggui Jianzhong Decoction. • The efficacy, mechanism and active ingredients of Danggui Jianzhong Decoction for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea were innovatively elucidated for the first time on the basis of the chinmedomics strategy. Danggui Jianzhong Decoction (DGJZD) has been proven as an effective classical prescription for clinically treating primary dysmenorrhoea (PD). However, the industrialisation development and drug innovation of DGJZD remain limited due to its undefined effective constituents and quality markers (Q-markers). Elucidating the Q-markers of DGJZD, which is related to clinical efficacy. In accordance with chinmedomics strategy, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of DGJZD on the basis of the metabolomic profile and biomarker of a PD rat model to further identify the constituents of DGJZD in vivo that originated from the formula under the acting condition of DGJZD. The potential effective constituents and Q-markers were identified by mining the dynamic relation between the constituents in vivo and the biomarkers. Subsequently, 29 serum metabolites were characterized as biomarkers for PD, and DGJZD adjusted the levels of the primary biomarkers involved in arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism as well as the synthesis of steroid hormones. Under the active condition of DGJZD, 20 prototype ingredients and 4 metabolites of DGJZD were found in vivo , five of which were mostly related with the efficacy of PD, namely, ferulic acid, zizyphusin, cinnamic acid, protocatechuic acid-3-glucoside, and azelaic acid. They were the potential pharmacodynamic constituents for treating PD, and they could be regarded as the Q-markers of DGJZD. Taken together, the Q-markers of DGJZD identified in this research are credible and assist in solving problems related to quality control and drug innovation, accelerating industrialisation development. Besides, the efficacy, mechanism and active ingredients of DGJZD for the treatment of PD were innovatively elucidated for the first time on the basis of the chinmedomics strategy for uncovering the Q-markers of drugs from the system perspective. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a synthetic pigment, Sudan red is commonly used as a food additive and is harmful to the human kidney and can even cause cancer. In this work, we developed a one-step strategy to synthesize lignin-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (LHDES), which were fabricated via methyltrioctylammonium chloride (TAC) as hydrogen bond acceptor and alkali lignin as hydrogen bond donor. LHDES with different mass ratios were synthesized and the mechanism of formation was determined by different characterization techniques. The synthetic LHDES was used as the extraction solvent to establish a vortex-assisted dispersion-liquid microextraction method for the determination of Sudan red dyes. The practicality of LHDES was evaluated by applying it to the detection of Sudan Red I in real water samples (seawater, river water) and duck blood in foodstuffs, and the obtained extraction rate reached up to 98.62 %. The method is simple and effective for the determination of Sudan Red in food. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology advancements directed towards Internet-of-Things (IoT) and wearable computing electronics applications are booming in low-power devices, which requires downscaling of power supply voltage without sacrificing the performance of the device. A negative capacitance junctionless gate-all-around field-effect transistor (NC-JL-GAAFET) is investigated using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations to further suppress the short-channel effects and reduce power consumption. Lateral Gaussian doping (LGD), proposed for the NC-JL-GAAFET, is considered its main doping mode. An asymmetric structure with varying lengths of source/drain extension regions is introduced into non-local LGD NC-JL-GAAFET. The results reveal that the proposed device with a larger length ratio for drain extension region has a higher switching current ratio and lower subthreshold swing. Furthermore, the TCAD simulations validate that the electrical characteristics can be easily optimized by adjusting the ferroelectric (FE) layer thickness on the gate stack. Therefore, an asymmetric non-local LGD NC-JL-GAAFET provides a potential scaling solution for the next-generation low-power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of differential chemical weathering intensity on the contents and spatial distribution of highly reactive iron (Fe HR) in the marginal sea sediments is not well documented. Here, we used sequential extractions to quantify various Fe pools in offshore surface sediments of the northern South China Sea (nSCS), which receives multiple fluvial sediments with distinct chemical weathering intensity, and then to unravel whether and if so, to what extent, the contents and spatial distributions of Fe HR are linked to chemical index of alternation (CIA) of the sediments. Our results show that, despite the inputs of Fe HR -rich, highly chemically weathered fluvial sediments, Fe HR contents in offshore sediments of the nSCS are almost independent of the CIA values, and Fe HR was not enriched relative to the global average of Fe HR in oxic sediments, probably due to effective trapping of Fe HR in the estuary and dilution by moderately chemically weathered Taiwan-sourced sediments. Our results indicate that the signature of Fe HR enrichment previously observed in the offshore sediments, which are discharged from a highly chemically weathered mountainous island (Hainan Island) of the nSCS, becomes lost beyond the local zone around the island. Relative to the marginal sediments of the nSCS (water depth <1000 m), the higher Fe HR contents in the deep-water sediments (water depth larger than 1000 m) can be attributed to higher smectite contents, lower inorganic carbon contents, and low dilution by Taiwan-sourced fluvial material in the deep-water area. A comparison of the subtropical nSCS and the temperate East China Sea indicates that chemical weathering intensity is not the overarching factor governing Fe HR /Fe T ratios in the two climatically different regions, though chemical weathering intensity along with depositional/diagenetic regimes is an important factor controlling the sizes and transformation of some specific Fe HR pools. • Reactive Fe (Fe HR) enriched by chemical weathering is restricted to local zone. • Chemical weathering intensity has minor effect on Fe HR content in offshore sediment. • Sediment sources, sorting, and depositional/diagenetic regimes impact Fe HR and CIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological innovation and low-carbon economy are significant for the high-quality development of China's industrial sectors. However, few scholars combine the two stages closely and discuss their coordinated development. This paper establishes an evaluation index system of technological innovation and low-carbon economy in China's industrial sectors. The technological innovation efficiency, low-carbon economy efficiency, and comprehensive efficiency of technological innovation and low-carbon economy are dynamically investigated by the two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and the DEA window analysis with 35 subsectors panel data during 1996–2018. The inter-industrial differences in the technological innovation efficiency and low-carbon economy efficiency are considered, and the influencing factors of the comprehensive efficiency of technological innovation and low-carbon economy are studied by the bootstrap truncation regression. The results show that: (1) The development of the technological innovation and low-carbon economy is uncoordinated, and the low-carbon economy efficiency needs improvement; (2) There is heterogeneous of the technological innovation efficiency and low-carbon economy efficiency in the 35 subsectors; (3) The density of science and technology institutions, and the average enterprises scale are positive to the comprehensive efficiency of technological innovation and low-carbon economy, while excessive reliance on technology introduction has a negative impaction. The corresponding suggestions are provided for promoting technological innovation efficiency and low-carbon economy efficiency of industrial sectors. • Establishing an evaluation index system of technological innovation and low-carbon economy in China's industrial sectors. • The coordinated development of technological innovation and low-carbon economy is noticeable. • The affecting factors of comprehensive efficiency of technological innovation and low-carbon economy are studied. • Exploring the win-win path of industrial growth and energy conservation and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Surrogate data generation method IAAFT solves the issue of EEG data shortage. • BiLSTM obtains better classification result than other traditional methods. • The SampEn extraction method retaining the high temporal resolution of EEG. The early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a essential prevention of further development of MCI into Alzheimer's disease (AD). Electroencephalogram (EEG) has many advantages compared to other methods in the analysis of AD in an early stage, but there are some limitations of EEG such as small size of datasets caused by difficulty in clinical data collection and too many other interfering signals are contained. Recent years, deep learning (DL) have overcome these limitations relatively. In this study, a novel model which aims to classify MCI and healthy control (HC) was constructed based on iterative amplitude adjusted Fourier transform (IAAFT) and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM). IAAFT is used to overcome the problems caused by small datasets; sample entropy (SampEn) feature extraction is used to further reduce computational time and obtain better classification results; BiLSTM for better capture of EEG temporal connections. The performance of the model was evaluated on a clinical dataset containing 10 MCI and 10 HC. Compared with the traditional EEG classification method, the result shows that BiLSTM is more suitable for the EEG classification task, and the classification accuracy is significantly improved by data augmentation. After performing 10-fold cross-validation and 10-fold data augmentation, the model achieved a maximum classification accuracy of 97.20 ± 1.74 %. The results indicate that the model can be used to diagnose MCI patients with the EEG small datasets. Meanwhile, The data augmentation used in this study has a high reference value for other resting-state EEG classification tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric biomaterials are advantageous in terms of easy generation of transduced bioelectrical signals to skeleton systems in response to body movements or external stimulations. In the bone formation process, the coupling of angiogenesis-osteogenesis is crucial but the effect of piezoelectric biomaterials on angiogenesis and mechanism of stress-transformed electrical signals affecting vascular cells remain elusive. In this work, hierarchically architected polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) foam fabricated by solid-state shearing milling was further decorated with ZIF-8 nanocrystals. The unique hierarchical porous structure realizes stable voltage outputs up to 10 V without polarization. The electric potential of piezoelectric PVDF affected molecular trajectory of Zn2+ released from ZIF-8, leading to Zn2+ enrichment around the PVDF surface. Under piezoelectric condition, PVDF/ZIF-8 foams promoted in-vitro angiogenic and osteogenic activity as well as antibacterial effect. Upon calvarium and femur defect repair, PVDF/ZIF-8 piezoelectric foams also guided vascularized bone regeneration through micro-current stimulation and Zn2+ enrichment. RNA-seq demonstrated PVDF/ZIF-8 piezoelectric foam mainly up-regulated ATP coupled cation transmembrane transportation in vascular endothelial cells, which enhanced cellular uptake of Zn2+, indicating the synergistic effect of piezoelectric PVDF and bioactive ZIF-8. This work offers a preliminary explanation for mechanism of angiogenesis-osteogenesis coupling of PVDF/ZIF-8 foam nanogenerator and provides a valuable complement to clinical treatment strategies for bone defect repair. [Display omitted] • Hierarchically architected PVDF foams affect the molecular trajectory of Zn2+. • PVDF/ZIF-8 foams reconstruct the physiological potential of bone defect sites and promote angiogenesis and osteogenesis. • PVDF/ZIF-8 piezoelectric foams up-regulate ATP coupled cation transmembrane transportation in vascular endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) are a new member of the nanomaterial family, and they have good development potential in electrochemistry, electronics, optoelectronics, environmental protection, biomedical, and other fields because of their bandgap width, high anisotropy, broad optical absorption, high carrier mobility and many other features. Although many articles have been published about the preparation and application of BPNSs, these aspects have not been elucidated, and we aimed to fill this knowledge gap in this review. First, we used VOSviewer software to sort out articles published in the past 5 years and drew a literature map, which allowed us to sort out the relationship between various studies related to BPNSs, and reflect on the research focus in recent years. Because BPNSs must be made from black phosphorus (BP), and BPNSs are a nano form of BP, the collation of the BP preparation scheme was also helpful for the related research on BPNSs. This paper introduces the preparation of bulk BP and BPNSs, analyzes and compares the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and points out the most promising methods in the future. Then, we propose improvement directions for this method. We also introduce the characterization of BPNSs and combine it with the subsequent photocatalytic application of BPNSs. As a new material, the effect of BPNSs on the environment is still unknown; thus, an end treatment scheme for BPNSs is summarized according to existing methods. Based on the experience of nanomaterial treatment, this paper proposes a research focus for the end treatment of BPNSs in the future, providing a reference scheme for the end treatment of other nanomaterials. Finally, we summarize the full text and propose recommended methods and improvement plans. [Display omitted] • Introduce the preparation of bulk BP and BPNSs. • Summarize the research progress of BP itself. • Introduce the research progress of hydrogen evolution and degradation of BPNSs photocatalyst. • The recovery and reuse of BP are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve sustainable development, ecosystem strategy has gradually become an inevitable trend of contemporary organizations in the digital era. Thus, ecosystem strategy has been an enduring research topic in recent years. Since ecosystem strategy advocates symbiosis with partners, this strategy highlights the importance of internal and external resource of focal enterprises. However, the prior literature has largely overlooked the utilization process of resources internally and externally in ecosystem strategy from a resource orchestration perspective, this study explores how a focal enterprise implement resource orchestration in the ecosystem strategy for sustainability in the digital era. Using a Chinese case study of TY, which successfully developed its own business ecosystem, this study unveils the important role of resource orchestration in ecosystem strategy, identifies two resource orchestration mechanisms: the bricolage of external resources and the activation of internal resources respectively This study also highlights the importance of interaction between the two mechanisms for sustaining continuous resource orchestration and enabling the organization to adapt to the dynamic ecosystem environment. This study also identifies the corresponding dynamic capabilities in the process of implementing resource orchestration. The enterprise needs to build the boundary-spanning capability while using resource bricolage mechanism to obtain external resources，meanwhile，the enterprise needed to build the reconfiguration capabilities while using the resource activation mechanism to maximize the utility of internal resources. These findings contributes to the ecosystem strategy and resource orchestration theory, and also providing significant actionable paradigm to implement ecosystem strategy for sustainability. • This study unveils two resource orchestration mechanisms in ecosystem strategy. • This study highlights the interaction between the two mechanisms for sustaining continuous resource orchestration. • This study also identifies the corresponding dynamic capabilities in the process of implementing resource orchestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pickering emulsions stabilized by unmodified CNCs and CNF were investigated. • Oil droplet sizes decrease and stabilize with CNF loading. • The stabilization mechanism of Pickering emulsions had been clarified. • CNF plays a more important role in improving the viscosity of emulsion. Nanocellulose is a promising stabilizer for industrial emulsions that offers the advantages of sustainability, biodegradability and nontoxicity. Emulsions prepared using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and nanocrystals (CNCs) in mildly acidic lithium bromide trihydrate (MALBTH) were characterized in this study. At fixed CNCs concentration (0.3 wt%), increasing the CNF content from 0 to 0.9 wt% clearly influenced the stability and microstructure of Pickering emulsions. The Oil droplets size decreased and stabilized with increasing CNF loading. This emulsification behavior was attributed to the irreversible adsorption of CNCs on the surface of the oil droplets and the formation of a dense CNF network in the aqueous phase, thereby improving the emulsion stability. The universal applicability of the proposed method was verified using cyclohexane and edible olive oil as oil phases. Overall, this study may provide a novel means of producing all-natural, low-oil, food-grade emulsions with adjustable stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically investigated a novel refractive index (RI) sensor based on a liquid-filled and Au-coated hollow-core negative-curvature fiber (HC-NCF). In the design, the cladding area of the HC-NCF was composed of only one ring of six silica tubes, all the air holes in the fiber were filled with analytic liquids. The fiber bent in either the x or y -axis direction and Au-coated inside the single cladding tube in the corresponding bending direction. The influences of Au-coated HC-NCF structure parameters on the propagation characteristics under different bending directions were investigated using the finite element method (FEM). Moreover, the sensing performances in the RI range of 1.30–1.35 were evaluated through analyzing the position of the confinement loss peak. The simulation results showed that the HC-NCF RI sensor in the y -axis bending direction showed higher sensitivity, and the maximum sensitivity was 6.974 µm/RIU. The sensor shows high sensitivity and provides an effective method for measuring the RI of liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of green, efficient, and conveniently recyclable biomass-based adsorbents is of great importance, but little has been reported. Therefore, magnetic Fe 3 O 4 doped lignin-chitosan based microspheres (CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4) was prepared by emulsion crosslinking for phosphate removal in water. The prepared CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 shows a spherical structure with a diameter of 5–40 µm. Benefiting from its unique morphological structure and the abundant functional groups on the surface, CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 exhibits excellent phosphate adsorption capacity and is applicable in environments with a pH of 2–10. More importantly, the CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 retains excellent adsorption capacity after 6 adsorption/desorption cycles, demonstrating remarkable recyclability and stability. The adsorption isotherm was well described by the Langmuir model, the adsorption kinetics accords with the pseudo-first order kinetic model, which indicates that the adsorption process is monolayer chemisorption. Hence, CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 holds promising future for water remediation owing to its green raw material and excellent phosphate capture properties. [Display omitted] • CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 with spherical structures of micron dimensions is developed. • The maximum P element adsorption capacity of CS-Li@Fe 3 O 4 reaches 98 mg/g. • The adsorbents can be easily manipulated by external magnetic fields to achieve simple and efficient solid-liquid separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emission trading achieves both economic and environmental benefits. The imbalance between quota supply and demand restricts the development of the carbon market. The key to solving the issue is to set a reasonable intertemporal trading ratio. Currently, the study of carbon trading ignores the influence of environmental externalities, which leads to the deviation of market participants' behavior choices and government policy making. Considering the influence of non-price factors, taking environmental externalities as the cut-in point, use the optimal control method to analyze the issue of carbon quota conversion, and to make clear the driving factors and mechanism of the intertemporal trading ratio. Results show that the condition of choosing an optimal intertemporal trading ratio is when the value path of per-unit carbon emissions is equal to the marginal cost path of emission reduction. The intertemporal trading ratio depends on the firm discount rate, the natural attenuation rate of carbon emissions, the ratio of the social marginal damage value to the social marginal cost of emission reduction, and the combination effect among marginal cost of emission reduction, marginal profit of production from purchasing carbon quota and price of carbon transaction. The effect of different driving factors on the intertemporal trading ratio is heterogeneous in different situations. The results provide a reference for setting reasonable parameters of carbon trading policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep is a complex physiological process and is a critical determinant of physical and mental health. In the past decades, significant progress has been made in understanding the neural mechanisms of sleep and awakening. However, the initiation and maintenance of the sleep-wake cycle is regulated not only by the central system but is also affected by signals from peripheral tissues. Growing evidence shows that the microbiota-gut-brain axis contributes to the regulation of sleep behavior both directly and indirectly and may play a critical role in the etiology and pathogenesis of sleep disorders. Sleep deprivation leads to dysfunction of gut microbiota and sleep disorders are accompanied by altered gut microbiota composition. In this review, we describe the bidirectional relationships between sleep and gut microbiota and summarize the abnormal characteristics of gut bacteria in distinct conditions including sleep disturbances, sleep disorders and sleep disorders comorbid with neuropsychiatric disorders. We also examine the potential routes of microbiota-gut-brain axis in sleep and gut microbiome interactions, including metabolic, immune, and neural pathways, and propose microbiota-targeted interventions for improving sleep. Manipulating gut microbiota may be a promising avenue for the development of novel interventions for sleep disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mono-to octa-chlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in pooled blood from the general population living near a typical industrialized area were investigated. Less chlorinated PCDD/Fs (mean: 2602 pg L−1) were 7.5 times those of highly chlorinated ones (mean: 349 pg L−1). The average ΣPCBs and Σdl-PCBs concentrations in human (cord) blood were 2741 (117) and 18 (0.31) ng L−1, respectively. Higher concentrations of highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs were found in females than in males across different ages. The mean concentrations (and toxic equivalents (TEQs)) of PCDD/Fs were 282 (27) pg L−1 in males and 312 (32) pg L−1 in females. The concentrations of the PCDD/Fs and PCBs increased with age for both males and females, which might be caused by the long half-lives of these compounds and decreases in metabolic rates with age as the metabolic of nutrients, food, and also PCDD/Fs and PCBs would trend to slow. The TEQ of total PCDD/Fs and PCBs was higher in blood from orthopedics patients (107 pg L−1) than other patients. This result may be associated with the bone density and pollutant bioaccumulation. In addition, total concentration of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in blood of women at reproductive age were 6.6 and 37 times the cord blood of newborns, respectively. Positive correlation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs especially for the higher chlorinated compounds between female and cord blood were discovered, which might be caused by the transplacental transfer characteristics and blood barrier for macromolecules and reduce the chemical exposure risks for newborns. [Display omitted] • Mono-to octa-chlorinated PCDD/Fs and PCBs in blood are determined. • Less chlorinated PCDD/Fs are 7.5 times highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs. • Highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs and PCBs increase with age for both males and females. • PCDD/Fs and PCBs TEQ is the highest in blood from orthopedics patients. • PCDD/Fs and PCBs in blood of women were 6.6 and 37 times the cord blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The addition of Al increases the nucleation rate of the Cu-rich phase. • The addition of Al can increase the coarsening rate of the Cu-rich phase. • The addition of Al changes the crystal structure of the Cu-rich phase. • The addition of Al hinders the coarsening of the Cu-rich phase into a rod shape. • The Al-containing Cu-rich nanoprecipitates are rich in high-density edge dislocations. In this article, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the precipitation behaviour of the Cu-rich phase in Al-free and 1Al Cu-bearing ferrite stainless steels; and further, the effects of Al addition on the precipitation and coarsening of the Cu-rich phase and its mechanism were analysed. The results show that Al increases the nucleation rate of the Cu-rich phase, and refines Cu-rich nanoprecipitates after ageing for 1 min. The Cu-rich phase with four crystal structures-BCC, 9R, twin FCC, and non-twin FCC were found in the Al-free sample during ageing. However, only Cu-rich phase with BCC and BCT structures were observed after Al addition. There are high-density edge dislocations in Al-containing Cu-rich nanoprecipitates. These dislocations can be used as a diffusion channel for solute atoms, increasing the coarsening rate of the Cu-rich phase. However, with the extension of the ageing time, dislocations in the Cu-rich phase will be annihilated owing to the thermal activation and the decrease of the Al concentration in the Cu-rich phase, which will lead to a decrease in the dislocation density in Al-containing Cu-rich phase. Finally, the promotion effect of Al on the coarsening of the Cu-rich phase is weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antiepileptic medication vigabatrin has been associated with ocular toxicity, and close ophthalmic monitoring has been recommended; however, there is no clear consensus regarding the value and feasibility of such monitoring in children. We describe ophthalmic assessments in children in a real-world clinical setting, the incidence of vigabatrin-related ocular toxicity, and the utility of regular screening or ancillary testing in children taking vigabatrin. The medical records of children taking vigabatrin with one or more ophthalmic assessments at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia or University of California, San Francisco, between May 2010 and May 2021, were reviewed retrospectively. Abnormalities on ophthalmic examination, visual field (VF), electroretinogram (ERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were reviewed and categorized as attributable to vigabatrin, possibly attributable to vigabatrin, or not attributable to vigabatrin. A total of 1,281 assessments of 284 children (mean age, 2.09 years) were included. Of these, 283 (99.6%) had funduscopic examination(s), 37 (13.0%) had ERG, 19 (6.7%) had OCT, and 6 (2.1%) had formal VF. Rate of examinations and ERGs per child decreased over the 10-year study period. Two children (0.7%) had definite vigabatrin-related ocular toxicity, both identified on ERG. An additional 4 children (1.4%) had optic atrophy of unclear relation to vigabatrin, categorized as possible toxicity. The remaining 278 children did not have abnormal examination or testing findings attributable to vigabatrin. The incidence of vigabatrin-related ocular toxicity in children was low in our cohort. Ocular and neurologic comorbidities and limited examinations in children make identification of such toxicity challenging and the value of screening is unclear.▪ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by introducing bisphenol A into rare earth-Eu3+ and 1,10-Phenanthroline, Eu(BPA)Phen complex was prepared by the solvothermal reaction. Then, a novel Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber with high luminescence efficiency and heat stability was prepared by the melt spinning method successfully. The intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding, crystalline structure, orientation behavior and surface morphology of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber were characterized by FT-IR, XRD and SEM respectively. Meanwhile, rheological behavior, thermal-stability, mechanical performance and photoluminescence properties of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber were investigated systematically. It is found that there is a strong hydrogen bonding interaction inside Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 composite system. The incorporation of Eu(BPA)Phen complex has no effect on the crystalline structure, viscosity and mechanical properties of the Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber, and these properties are basically the same as the original PA6 fiber. And the Eu(BPA)Phen complex has good dispersibility in the PA6 matrix, and the surface of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber is smooth and uniform. Compared with the original Eu(BPA)Phen complex, the photoluminescence efficiency of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber increased by about 14 times, and the decomposition temperature of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber increases by about 20 °C in the comparation of pure PA6. It means that the prepared Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber possesses outstanding luminous efficiency and thermal stability without reducing processing and mechanical performance. Thus, it has potential applications in color displays and sensor systems. [Display omitted] • The luminescent PA6/Eu(BPA)Phen fiber was successfully prepared using the melt spinning method. • Compared with the Eu(BPA)Phen complex, the photoluminescence efficiency of Eu(BPA)Phen/PA6 fiber rises by about 14 times. • The thermal decomposition temperature of PA6/Eu(BPA)Phen fiber reaches 420 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a practice of campaign-style pollution control, the central environmental inspection has great guiding significance for China's environmental management system reform. This paper analyzes the operational mechanism of central environmental protection inspection from the perspective of multi-governance and tests its effectiveness from both theory and empirical evidence. We find that the central environmental protection inspection can improve environmental quality. However, the air quality improvement of non-key cities of environmental protection is better than that of key cities of environmental protection. Besides, the effectiveness of the central environmental protection inspection is unsustainable. The results show that the direct intervention of the power of the Party Central Committee and the central government is a significant driving force to realize the improvement of the environmental quality by playing the role of the multi-governance model in the environment. The continuous environmental participation of the Party Central Committee and the central government is the guarantee for achieving the continuous operation of the multi-government model and maintaining the effect of environmental quality improvement. • We analyze the operating mechanism of the CEPI from the perspective of multi-governance. • A differential game is constructed to explain why the CEPI can reduce pollution. • The CEPI can improve air quality, but its effectiveness is unsustainable. • The air quality improvement of non-key cities is better than that of key cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano metal oxides synthesized in surfactant-free microemulsion (SFME) exhibit excellent visible light catalytic performance while its growth process and catalytic mechanism are unclear. In this work, α-Fe 2 O 3 synthesized in SFME was taken as a representative to investigate its growth process and the related mechanism. Rhodamine B (RhB) was selected as a typical pollutant, degraded by heterogeneous Fenton reaction system composed of the synthesized α-Fe 2 O 3 and H 2 O 2. Results reveal that under the controlled temperature and time, water in oil structure in SFME plays a critical role of micro-reactor, resulting in the formation of monodisperse spherical α-Fe 2 O 3 with high surface area. Excess reaction temperature or time leads to Oswald ripening and other structures can be obtained. There are a large amount of free Fe3+ on the surface of the synthesized α-Fe 2 O 3 and RhB can be efficiently degraded by 96.0% in 60 min. Simulation elucidates that free Fe3+ captures the electrons and catalyzes to form hydroxyl (·OH) and superoxide anion (O 2 ·-) radicals. The variations of Gibbs free energy of the formation of ·OH and O 2 ·- radicals are −320.8 and −164.4 kJ·mol−1, respectively, indicating that their generation on the surface of the synthesized α-Fe 2 O 3 is spontaneous on thermodynamics. In addition, the stability, viability and versatility of this nanomaterial for the remediation of diverse organic pollutants are demonstrated. It is expected that this work would provide important information and inspiration for the synthesis of nanomaterials using SFME as a template. [Display omitted] • SFME can play the role of template under proper reaction temperature and time. • The enhanced catalytic activity of metal oxide is due to the free ions on surface. • The formation of free radicals on the material synthesized in SFME are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A mathematical model of the heat generation and dissipation was developed in the low-frequency vibration-assisted drilling. • The influence of parameters (feed rate, rotational speed, vibration frequency and amplitude) on the drilling temperature rise and the chips morphology was conducted. • The chip formation process was observed by the high-speed capture technology. In orthopedics and surgery, bone drilling is an important operation for inserting screws and fixing prostheses. A nonnegligible problem which can affect post-operative recovery is the thermal necrosis. For this problem, the method of low-frequency vibration-assisted drilling (LFVAD) was applied in the process of bone drilling in this paper. The influences of parameters (feed rate, rotational speed, vibration frequency and amplitude) on the cutting performances (cutting temperature and chip morphology) were investigated. The results indicate that LFVAD can produce lower temperature compared with conventional drilling (CD). In LFVAD, rotational speed and vibration amplitude are more important parameters on the drilling temperature and chip morphology compared to feed rate and vibration frequency. In addition, according to the trajectories of the cutting edge of drill bit, a mathematical model of heat generation and dissipation was developed in LFVAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glaucoma drainage devices (GDD) are increasingly utilized in the management of childhood glaucoma. This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the efficacy of first-time Ahmed or Baerveldt implantation in children. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant English-language, peer-reviewed literature. Postoperative outcomes were pooled using random effects regression models with restricted maximum likelihood estimation. Thirty-two studies (1,221 eyes, 885 children) were included. Mean ± standard deviation preoperative IOP was 31.8 ± 3.4 mm Hg. Pooled mean IOP at 12 and 24 months postoperatively were 16.5 mm Hg (95% CI, 15.5–17.6) and 17.6 mm Hg (95% CI, 16.4–18.7), respectively. Pooled proportions of success were 0.87 (95% CI, 0.83–0.91) at 12 months, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.71–0.83) at 24 months, 0.54 (95% CI, 0.44–0.65) at 48 months, 0.60 (95% CI, 0.48–0.71) at 60 months, and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.32–0.42) at 120 months. There were no differences in proportion of success at 12 and 24 months among eyes that received Ahmed and Baerveldt tube shunts, nor between eyes with primary glaucoma, glaucoma following cataract surgery, or other secondary glaucoma. Our findings show that Ahmed and Baerveldt shunts substantially reduced IOP for at least 24 months in childhood glaucoma, with similar findings among device types and glaucoma etiologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5(S)-5-carboxystrictosidine (5-CS) is a compound found in Mappianthus iodoides Hand.-Mazz., root, a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of coronary artery disease. In this study, we investigated whether 5-CS protects heart against I/R injury. Sprague–Dawley rats were treated with 5-CS intraperitoneally for 7 days before the experiment. Hearts were perfused for 20 min global ischemia and 180 min reperfusion. 5-CS significantly inhibited an increase in the post-ischemic left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and improved the post-ischemic left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), dP/dt maximum and dP/dt minimum rates of pressure change, and coronary flow as compared with sham group. Pretreatment with 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5-HD), an inhibitor of mitochondrial K ATP channel, for 10 min before ischemia attenuated the improvement of LVEDP, LVDP, dP/dt maximum and dP/dt minimum rates of pressure change, and coronary flow induced by 5-CS. 5-CS markedly decreased the infarct size and attenuated the increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level in effluent during reperfusion. Pretreatment with 5-HD also blocked these protective effects of 5-CS. 5-CS increased Mn-SOD, catalase, and HO-1 levels decreased by I/R injury and pretreatment of 5-HD blocked the 5-CS effects. Increases in Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cytochrome c levels, caspase-3 and caspase-9 activity, and decrease in Bcl-2 level by I/R injury were attenuated by 5-CS treatment and pretreatment of 5-HD blocked its effects. These results suggest that the protective effects of 5-CS against myocardial I/R injury may be partly related to activating antioxidant enzymes and suppressing apoptosis through opening mitochondrial K ATP channels. [Display omitted] • 5(S)-5-carboxystrictosidine pretreatment could alleviate myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. • The mechanism is related to activating antioxidant enzymes and inhibiting apoptosis. • Mitochondrial K ATP channel is involved in the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soliton pulsation with time shift caused by soliton explosion. • Creeping vibrating soliton molecules. • Soliton pulsation with obvious Kelly sideband. • Soliton pulsation with soliton splitting. In this paper, we studied the effects of the output ratio and small-signal gain on soliton pulsation by modeling the anomalous dispersion carbon nanotube mode-locked fiber laser. Under different parameters, in addition to the conventional soliton pulsation, we also observed the soliton pulsation with obvious Kelly sideband and the soliton pulsation with soliton splitting. And we found the explosive-like soliton pulsation, which exhibits the time shift caused by soliton explosion. Specially, we observed the novel creeping vibrating soliton molecules that has creeping behavior in time-domain but vibrating behavior in spectral evolution. These findings can shed new insights into the soliton complex nonlinear behavior in dissipative systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A full understanding of the Asian dust cycle can help with evaluation of the profound impact of mineral dust on human health, the ecosystem, the terrestrial and oceanic biogeochemical cycles, and the weather and climate. The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP)-based 3-D dust detection and routine sampling capability, with the accurate dust mass extinction efficiency from Dust Constraints from joint Observational-Modelling-experimental analysis (DustCOMM) dataset, has made it possible to estimate the climatology of Asian dust mass loading (DML) and its transport flux. This study draws on this to provide new insights into the Asian dust cycle, especially the variability of its mass-weighted dust transport central axis (TCA), the contribution of different desert sources to its downstream effects, and the resulting dust budgets in terrestrial and oceanic regions. Dust aerosols emitted from the East Asian and Central Asian deserts together form a heavy dust transport belt stretching from the Taklimakan Desert (TD) and Gobi Desert (GD) to the Pacific Ocean. South Asian dust from the Thar Desert (ThD) can also affect southern China by crossing the Hengduan Mountains and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The dust TCA is controlled by the terrain of northwest inland China, but shifts in remote regions in the range of 35-50°N due to the western Pacific subtropical high and Aleutian low, and it trend towards a zonal straight line as the altitude increases. The dust transport contribution of the East Asian deserts to the mainland of China and adjacent sea is about 7 times than that of South Asia, with the annual transport fluxes being 214.28 and 30.43 Tg, respectively. The GD dominates the contribution of Asian deserts to the downstream effects and accounts for about 60% of the dust. This can be attributed to its maximum transport flux being near the surface, while the dust transport of the TD and ThD is above 3 km because of the blocking effect of the surrounding terrain. The deposition of Asian dust in the adjacent seas decreases significantly along the dust TCA, with the annual deposition rates being about 40.12, 20.41, and 4.01 g m-2 in the Yellow Sea, Japan Sea and the Northwest Pacific Ocean, respectively. These new findings and quantification of the Asian dust cycle will help with validation of the simulations provided by global and regional climate models and enable further evaluation of the impact of Asian dust on various related Earth systems. • Asian dust transport flux and its contributor are firstly estimated using satellite. • East Asian deserts produce 88% of dust in mainland China and adjacent seas. • Gobi Desert is the largest downstream contributor of dust aerosol at 145.88 Tg y-1. • Dust transport flux from South Asia to the southern China is about 30.43 Tg y-1. • Asian dust outflow settles most in the Yellow Sea, with a value of 40 g m-2 y-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Self-supported GaZnON nanowires were in-situ synthesized on graphite layer. • Nanowire/graphite layer electrode delivers enhanced capacity and cycling stability. • Reversible intercalation lithium-ion storage mechanism were demonstrated. In this work, (Ga 1− x Zn x)(N 1− x O x) (GaZnON) nanowire were in-situ synthesized on a graphite layer to generate a morphology for improved electrochemical performance in lithium-ion storage. This hybrid structure exhibited a large surface-to-volume ratio with fast electron and ion transport. The electrical conductivity of GaZnON nanowire was revealed by Hall Effect measurements. The GaZnON nanowire anode delivered a high capacity of 878.2 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 200 cycles, increased by 144% relative to a GaZnON powder anode. After 2000 cycles at 2.0 A g−1, the discharge capacity was maintained at 326.6 mA h g−1. The nanowire-based morphology was demonstrated as the origin of the fast charge transfer kinetic and improved pseudocapacitive. The ex-situ XRD and XPS measurements demonstrated the structural stability and reversible lithium-ion intercalation mechanism of GaZnON nanowire. This work provides a simple strategy for controllable GaZnON nanowire preparation, and also a deeper mechanism analysis to understand the lithium-ion storage process of GaZnON nanowire. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct rebound effect offsets part of energy savings brought about by energy efficiency, causing academics and governments to re-examine the relationship between energy efficiency and conservation. Although suppressing the rebound effect contributes to energy conservation, how to implement it is debatable. This paper puts forward a framework to character the direct rebound effect, and develops non-linear models to explore the impacts of urbanization on the direct rebound effect based on a panel dataset of 30 Chinese provinces. The results show that, first, the magnitude of the direct rebound effect is much smaller in urban areas than that in rural areas. Second, urbanization could restrain the direct rebound effect in urban areas, where employment and environmental consciousness play important roles while the impact of agglomeration is relatively weak. The impacts of urbanization on direct rebound effect are not substantial in rural areas. In addition, our findings reject the saturation effect caused by income. Income promotes the direct rebound effect in rural areas while it could not restrain the direct rebound effect in urban areas. Therefore, the reason that the average direct rebound effect tends to decline with income growth seems to be the urbanization rather than the saturation effect. • This paper puts forward a framework to character the RE and explore its evolution. • A new urbanization that looks at its quality rather than its growth is conducted in this paper. • The relationship between income and the RE is re-examined and it has the urban-rural heterogeneity. • The RE of urban areas decreases with urbanization mainly in the employment and environment dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-flavor Baijiu often obtained using mixed Daqu - Houhuo (HH), Hongxin (HX), and Qingcha (QC) as starter culture for fermentation. These three types of low-temperature Daqu were incubated by traditional manual temperature control procedures. However, differences in their microbial communities and metabolite profiles remain largely unknown. Herein, microbial communities and metabolites in the three types of Daqu were compared using high-throughput sequencing and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. Furthermore, the correlation between microbes and metabolites was constructed. Lactobacillus , Weissella were the dominant bacteria, whereas Pichia and Saccharomycopsis were the dominant fungi in all the three types of Daqu. The abundance of Lactobacillus was highest in HH (72.56%) and Weissella was highest in QC (32.62%). The abundance of Pichia was similar among three types of Daqu , while Saccharomycopsis and Lichtheimia showed the highest abundance in QC individually. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) Effect Size (LEfSe) revealed that Lactobacillus , Acetobacter , and Bacillus were the main biomarkers in the three types of Daqu. Ethanol, glucose, proline, and lactate were identified as the most abundant metabolites. Furthermore, the metabolic functions of microbes were predicted, and amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism were identified as the major metabolic pathways in Daqu. Correlation analysis indicated that lactate and acetate were negatively correlated with Lactobacillus , Acetobacter , and Bacillus. Antimicrobial compounds (i.e., betaine and choline) were negatively correlated with Brachybacterium , Corynebacterium , and Brevibacterium. The results shed light on the manual temperature control techniques for Daqu microbiome formation and provide new insights into managing the traditional fermentation process. • Temperature-induced Daqu microbiome variations were investigated. • Lactic acid bacteria were main differential bacteria among three Daqu starters. • Ethanol, glucose, proline, and lactate were abundant metabolites in the Daqu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Steric effect of key electron-donating substituents is comprehensively studied. • Steric effect plays an important role on tuning molecular weight in ethylene polymerization. • Steric effect affects incorporation in ethylene copolymerization with polar monomer. • Flexible cyclohexyl/rigid aromatic phosphine-sulfonate palladium and nickel catalysts. • Study on number, position, and size of alkoxy groups on aromatic substituents of phosphine. The influence of steric effect of electron-donating substituents on the phosphine-sulfonate palladium and nickel catalysts was rarely studied in olefin (co)polymerizations. In this contribution, a family of flexible cyclohexyl/rigid aromatic phosphine-sulfonate palladium and nickel catalysts was designed, synthesized, and comprehensively identified by varying number, position, and size of alkoxy groups on aromatic substituents of phosphine. In ethylene polymerization, the steric effect of alkoxy substituents in palladium and nickel catalysts plays an important role on tuning polymer molecular weight, which gives the high molecular weight of 380 kg mol−1 at 80 °C in the palladium system and also provides very high catalytic activity of 16000 kg mol-1 h−1 at 70 °C in the nickel system. In ethylene copolymerization with polar monomers, the decrease of steric bulk leads to an increase on the co-monomer incorporation in the obtained copolymers. As a result, the copolymerization of ethylene with methyl acrylate, and acrylic acid using palladium catalysts affords the high incorporation of 9.5 mol% and 8.3 mol%, respectively; and the nickel promoted ethylene copolymerization with vinyl trimethoxysilane, and 6-chloro-1-hexene gives the incorporation of 3.7 mol% and 5.0 mol%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The influence of the pore structure on the adsorption of iodine vapor and iodine in aqueous was investigated. • The LFC expressed excellent absorption capability for iodine vapor (4060 mg g−1) and iodine in water (1295 mg g−1). • The adsorbent showed superior adsorption cycle stability for iodine adsorption. Developing an efficient adsorbent for adsorbing and capture radioactive iodine as a fission product in air and aqueous solution during the nuclear disposal process and in the event of a nuclear accident is of great importance. In this work, lignin-based porous flower-like carbon nanosheets have been developed by using lignin as a carbon precursor, MgO as a template coupled with KOH-activation (LFC-K), and KOH/NaOH eutectic activation (LFC-KN), which were tested for the adsorption of iodine molecules in iodine vapor and in solution. The combination of nanosheets structure and abundant pores makes LFC-K, and LFC-KN excellent absorbability for iodine. The LFC-K with both micropores and mesopores had a higher adsorption capacity for I 2 vapor (4060 mg g−1); in comparison, LFC-KN with both micropores, mesopores and macropores had a higher adsorption capacity for I 2 in water (1295 mg g−1). After several iodine adsorption and release cycles, the two adsorbents still exhibit excellent reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the optimal method for simulating impact welding, we compared detailedly the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and structured arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (S-ALE) methods in predicting bonding interface. Based on the experimental results of Cu-Q235 steel atmospheric explosive welding, an in-depth analysis was presented. The results show that the SPH and S-ALE methods converged at element sizes of 2.5 and 2 μm, respectively. When the element size was further reduced to 0.5 % of the wavelength, the errors of both methods were less than 5 %. Benefiting from the gradient mesh, the efficiency of the S-ALE method was 2–4 times that of the SPH method at the same element size. With the addition of the gas medium, the S-ALE method derived the formation mechanism of the gap gas shockwave and indicated that the pressure distribution is not uniform. Furthermore, the local high pressure of the gas shockwave prevents the vortex closure during the wave formation, generating the pore. The calculated pressure and velocity of the wavefront were 20 MPa and 3500 m s−1, respectively. In conclusion, the SPH is suitable for fast previewing waveform interfaces, while the S-ALE method has the advantage of capturing fine waveform structures under various environmental conditions. [Display omitted] • Independent analyses of the impact welding process was carried out by the SPH and S-ALE methods. • The SPH and S-ALE methods revealed different reasons for describing the initial disturbance. • The two methods present their own advantages in facing different problems. • The S-ALE method can capture some defects generated by explosive welding in the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For improving the mechanical properties of MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic and maintaining its wide band transparency, the sapphire/MgAl 2 O 4 /sapphire laminated transparent composites with thin sapphire layers were fabricated by brazing with BaO–B 2 O 3 –SiO 2 (BBS) glass filler. The BBS glass filler had an appropriate CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) value and good wettability on the surface of sapphire and MgAl 2 O 4 ceramics. Joining experiments were first carried out to optimize the preparation process parameters of laminated composites. The results indicated that high bonding temperature promoted mutual dissolution and diffusion of BBS glass and MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic, but led to the intergranular infiltration of glass filler and the formation of pores due to volatilization of B 2 O 3. When the bonding temperature was 1000 °C, the sapphire/MgAl 2 O 4 joints with the best transparency and acceptable shear strength could be obtained. On this basis, the laminated composites with 0.15 mm thick sapphire layers were fabricated by brazing using BBS glass at 1000 °C. The flexural strength of the laminated composite reached 320 ± 10 MPa, which was higher than that of MgAl 2 O 4 (195 ± 15 MPa). The in-line transmittance of laminated composite was 80.9 % at 1000 nm, which was slightly lower than that of MgAl 2 O 4 (82.2 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3) nanoparticles have critical applications in many industries, including ceramics, optics, and biomedicine. However, conventional synthesis methods are typically cumbersome and time-consuming. Herein, a novel emulsion detonation method successfully achieved the one-step synthesis of Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles. In this method, yttrium nitrate hexahydrate was uniformly dispersed in the emulsion explosive as a precursor and an auxiliary oxidizer. After the emulsion explosive was detonated in a detonation chamber, the detonation products were collected, purified and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, Raman spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, field emission transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The results show that the as-synthesized powders are high-purity cubic phase yttrium oxide nanoparticles with a spherical-like morphology and an average particle size of approximately 30 nm. These Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles have a wide (5.53 eV) energy band gap, close to the conventional methods. Based on detonation theory, thermochemical theory, and characterization results, this text discussed the mechanism of the Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles synthesized by the emulsion detonation method. During detonation, the formation of the Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles underwent three stages: the formation of the Y 2 O 3 molecules by the collision of Y and O ions, the formation of the crystal nucleus at supersaturation concentration, and crystal growth. This study provides a novel, cost-effective method for efficiently synthesizing Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxide nanofibers are widely used in several applications, including thermal insulation, fuel cells, flexible sensors, and catalyst support. Fiber morphology significantly affects their application performance. In this work, alumina-based nanofibers were successfully prepared using a sol-gel combined with an electrospinning method. The electrostatic polarity effects on fiber morphology were investigated. When fibers were electrospun by negative polarity at elevated voltages, the fibers retained uniform and smooth morphology, with a slightly increased average diameter and diameter uniformity. In contrast, ultra-thin nanofibers were generated when electrospinning was done under positive polarity. The strong charge repulsion by the agminated cations in the precursor caused bifurcations, finally forming ultra-thin nanofibers. At increased voltages, the electrospun fibers with positive polarity exhibited a distinctly increased average diameter and decreased diameter uniformity. This was attributed to the increased fiber whip scope, increasingly robust nonaxisymmetric whip behaviors, and fiber bifurcation during the jet whipping process. The results showed that the electrostatic polarities can affect the morphology of oxide fibers. This study provides guidance to prepare oxide nanofibers with desired morphology and specific requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recessed-source (RS) negative capacitance (NC) gate-all-around (GAA) tunneling field effect transistor (RS-NCGAATFET) was proposed to achieve low power consumption and high performance. An additional RS allowed easy control of the operation of the NCGAATFET by both lateral and vertical band-to-band tunneling. Furthermore, the RS enhanced the driving ability and capacitance characteristics of the transistor. A silicon–germanium (Si/Ge) heterojunction was used to further improve the driving ability. The direct current (DC) and capacitance characteristics of the RS-NCGAATFET were regulated and optimized by adjusting the volume of RS and the thickness of the ferroelectric layer. Sentaurus technology computer-aided (TCAD) design simulations demonstrated that at a subthreshold slope of 31.37 mV/decade, the RS-NCGAATFET achieved a switching current ratio of 107, along with a driving current of 8.31 μA, a transconductance of 3.76 × 10−5 S, and a threshold voltage of 0.30 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 2.2Cr heat resistant steel samples that fatigue fractured at 550 °C and 650 °C are used to study the initiation mechanism of fatigue cracks. • Fatigue cracks are mainly progress within the grain boundary oxides (Cr 2 MnO 4) while not its interface with neighbouring matrix. • Atomic structures at the most tip of fatigue cracks are revealed and intriguing grain boundary sliding waves are reported. • Atomic strain fields at the crack tips is quantitatively presented and different crack initiation mechanisms are discussed. Two 2.2Cr heat resistant steel samples that had been fatigue tested respectively at 550 °C and 650 °C are analyzed on the atomic scale to reveal the different crack initiation mechanisms. Cracks formed along prior austenite grain boundaries (PAGBs) are selected and manufactured into foil specimens with the aid of focused ion beam (FIB). Hence the interior crack progressing routes are illustrated and the atomic structure particularly at the most tip of cracks are characterized by using the high resolution TEM. It is revealed that the cracks mainly progress within a spinel phase (Cr 2 MnO 4) while not its interface with neighbouring martensitic matrix. Moreover, geometric phase analysis (GPA) and lattice misfit at the most tip of cracks further manifest a elastic dominated and a plastic dominated mechanism corresponding to the two specimens, respectively. Cracking of the 650 °C specimen is mainly attributes to the accumulation of plastic strain that caused by the viscoelastic transformation of PAGBs, which causes intriguing periodic grain boundary sliding (GBS) waves ahead of the crack tip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protein structure-dependent probe (OTB) for human serum albumin (HSA) was designed. Molecular simulation were used to assist probe design. OTB exhibited favorable selective HSA sensitivity and strong HSA binding ability. As a cationic molecule, OTB could form a stable amphipathic complex with water-soluble pillar [5]arene (WP5). More interestingly, the WP5-OTB complex possessed better HSA responsiveness and stronger HSA binding ability than OTB. The detection limit (3σ/k) of WP5-OTB towards HSA was determined to be 0.33 μM. WP5-OTB complex possessed excellent anti-interference ability in the selective recognition of HSA. Common commercial drugs, fluorescent amino acids, and fatty acids had almost negligible effect on the HSA responsiveness of the complex. The WP5-OTB complex self-assembled into supramolecular fluorescent probe in aqueous solution, and the supramolecular probe possessed favorable HSA-induced bioimaging property, pH-sensitive drug delivery property, and photodynamic activity. [Display omitted] • A cationic ICT probe OTB was designed by fully considering its interaction with HSA. • OTB exhibited favorable serum albumin sensitivity and strong HSA binding ability. • The WP5-OTB complex possessed better HSA responsiveness and binding ability than OTB. • The WP5-OTB complex self-assembled into supramolecular fluorescent probe in solution. • The supramolecular probe had good bioimaging and chemo-photodynamic therapy properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ski resorts have been growing explosively in China and various issues have emerged regarding their sustainability. To improve the sustainable development of ski tourism, the main objective of this study is to systematically explore the coordinated relationships and mechanisms of the economic development, ecological environment and the tourism industry (EET) in ski resorts. The entropy weighting method and the weighted TOPSIS method were used to construct a coordinated evaluation system of the EET of ski resorts. The comprehensive evaluation indices and coupling coordination degree (CCD) of four typical ski resorts from 2012 to 2020 were calculated, and the factors acting as obstacles were unearthed by applying the obstacle model. At the destination level, the comprehensive evaluation indices of four places are steadily rising, but with varying levels of development and different increases. At the level of chronological evolutionary trends, the dominant trends are the two major shifts from ecological environment lag to economic development lag, and from relative disorder to relative harmony. At the obstacle level, the main obstacles vary somewhat among the resorts in terms of system type, temporal distribution and the magnitude of the obstacles, but ski resource endowment is the main factor. This article introduces the coupling coordination theory, and puts forward policy suggestions to enhance its CCD through the evaluation and comparison of regional coupling status. This approach is used to seek the sustainable and high-quality development of ski resorts in China. • The dominant trend in the coordinated development of ski resorts is ecological environment lag to economic development lag. • The coupling coordination degree and sustainability of ski resorts still need to be enhanced. • The tourism industry is the biggest obstacle to coupling coordination in the development of ski resorts. • Ski resource endowment is fundamental to the coordinated development of ski resorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-stack fuel cell system (MFCS) comprises multiple individual fuel cell systems (FCSs). The allocation of power among these FCSs significantly impacts the overall system performance, which is influenced by various factors, including ambient conditions. To effectively distribute power and enhance the efficiency and fuel economy of the Multi-Fuel Cell System (MFCS) at high altitudes, this work presents a coordinated optimal distribution strategy based on the concept of the maximum efficiency range (MER) of the MFCS. The configuration of the MFCS includes three fuel cell systems, and a model is developed to account for the altitude effect on the MFCS. In addition, an efficiency analysis of the MFCS is conducted for various altitudes. In this study, the coordinated optimal distribution strategy, based on the MER, is employed to achieve optimal power allocation among the various fuel cell systems within the MFCS. The results demonstrate that the proposed strategy yields higher average efficiency of the MFCS and consumes less hydrogen compared to the equal distribution strategy at three altitude levels: 0 m, 3000 m, and 4000 m. Furthermore, the proposed strategy effectively improves the efficiency of the MFCS at different altitudes by adjusting the MER, yielding satisfactory outcomes, particularly in high-altitude regions. • A coordinated optimal power distribution strategy based on maximum efficiency range is proposed. • The maximum efficiency range of multi-stack fuel cell system at different altitudes is proposed. • The proposed strategy could improve multi-stack fuel cell system efficiency and fuel economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent sapphire and magnesium aluminum spinel (MgAl 2 O 4) ceramic was first brazed using La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 (LSBN) or La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 -MgO (LSBNM) glass filler. The Al 2 O 3 layer was formed at MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBN interface or sapphire/LSBNM interface, which caused the decrease of light transmission of joints. To avoid the formation of this interface layer, sapphire/LSBN/LSBNM/MgAl 2 O 4 joints with double glass interlayers were fabricated by using a two-step joining method consisting of high-temperature coating and low-temperature bonding. After the first step of high-temperature coating, no interfacial layer was observed in sapphire/LSBN glass and MgAl 2 O 4 /LSBNM glass samples. During the bonding process, low bonding temperature (750 °C) resulted in cracks and unbonding, while high bonding temperature (950 °C) caused the crystallization of glass interlayers. However, when the bonding temperature was 850 °C, the in-line transmission and shear strength of the sapphire/MgAl 2 O 4 joints reached 78.3% and 52 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apolipoprotein E-ε4 (APOE-ε4) carriers had elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) presynaptic protein growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We investigated how the APOE-ε4 genotype affects the baseline and longitudinal changes in CSF GAP-43 and their associations with β-amyloid positron emission tomography (Aβ PET), CSF phosphorylated tau 181 (p-Tau 181), neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline. Compared to APOE-ε4 non-carriers, APOE-ε4 carriers had higher baseline levels and faster rates of increases in Aβ PET, CSF p-Tau 181 , and CSF GAP-43. Both higher baseline levels and faster rates of increase in CSF GAP-43 were associated with greater baseline Aβ PET and CSF p-Tau 181 , which fully mediated the APOE-ε4 effect on CSF GAP-43 elevations. Independent of Aβ PET and CSF p-Tau 181 , APOE-ε4 carriage was associated with exacerbated GAP-43-related longitudinal hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline, especially in Aβ+ participants (GAP-43 × time × APOE-ε4). These findings suggest that the APOE-ε4 effect on GAP-43-related presynaptic dysfunction is mediated by primary Alzheimer's pathologies and independently correlates to hippocampal atrophy and cognitive decline in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A data-driven Performance Digital Twin is developed just based on the gas turbine operational data rather than the physics-based performance model, which is generally unavailable for the airline operator. • The derived multi-dimensional health features based on PDT improved the RUL prediction accuracy by enhancing the input feature space of the CNN- based prognostics network. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed framework outperforms the state-of-art approaches evaluated on the N CMAPSS data set. • This purely data-driven framework is developed from an airline operator perspective, where only operating conditions descriptors and physical sensor measurements are available in practical application. Therefore, the signals from virtual sensors and health status parameters or other information derived from the physics-based models are excluded from the analysis. Various expert knowledge is incorporated into the framework to improve the prognostics performance. Digital twin technology has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of intelligent operation and maintenance of gas turbines. This paper proposes a data-driven Digital Twin approach for gas turbine performance monitoring and degradation prognostics from an airline operator perspective. The framework adopts a semi-supervised deep learning method to construct a data-driven Performance Digital Twin (PDT) rather than a physics-based performance model. The PDT-derived multi-dimensional health features is used to characterize the performance degradation and enhance the input features for the prognostics network. Specifically, domain knowledge from the asset operator perspective is incorporated into the prognostics model to improve the performance. The proposed approach is evaluated on real-world turbofan engines and the N CMAPSS dataset, achieving promising results compared to the state-of-art approaches. The developed data-driven prognostics framework provides a low-cost alternative to an expensive physics-based prognostics approach for gas turbine operators. It enables asset users to implement their own data-driven prognostics and maintenance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Microbial communities and their correlation with flavor compound formation during the mechanized production of light-flavor Baijiu were first recognized. • The physicochemical characteristics and microbial community succession of mechanized and traditional fermentation process are different, especially during the soaking process. • Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus were found to be the most important fungal and bacterial groups during both the mechanized and traditional fermentation process. • Saccharomyces , Naumovozyma , Hanseniaspora , Kazachstania , Lactobacillus , and Acetilactobacillus were found to be the main contributors to the formation of alcohol, acidity and other flavor compounds. Light-flavor Baijiu fermentation is a typical spontaneous solid-state fermentation process fueled by a variety of microorganisms. Mechanized processes have been increasingly employed in Baijiu production to replace traditional manual operation processes, however, the microbiological and physicochemical dynamics in mechanized processes remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the microbial community succession and flavor compound formation during a whole mechanized fermentation process of light-flavor Baijiu using the conventional dilution plating method, PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that largely different fungal and bacterial communities were involved in the soaking and fermentation processes. A clear succession from Pantoea agglomerans to Bacillus (B.) smithii and B. coagulans in dominant bacterial species and from Cladosporium exasperatum to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lichtheimia ramosa in dominant fungal species occurred in the soaking processes. In the fermentation process, the most dominant bacterial species was shifted from Pantoea agglomerans to Lactobacillus (La.) acetotolerans and the most dominant fungal species were shifted from Lichtheimia ramose and Rhizopus arrhizus to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The bacterial and fungal species positively associated with acidity and the formation of ethanol and different flavor compounds were specified. The microbial species exhibited strong co-occurrence or co-exclusion relationships were also identified. The results are helpful for the improvement of mechanized fermentation process of light-flavor Baijiu production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lipid and glucose metabolism are critical for human activities, and their disorders can cause diabetes and obesity, two prevalent metabolic diseases. Studies suggest that the bone involved in lipid and glucose metabolism is emerging as an endocrine organ that regulates systemic metabolism through bone-derived molecules. Sclerostin, a protein mainly produced by osteocytes, has been therapeutically targeted by antibodies for treating osteoporosis owing to its ability to inhibit bone formation. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that sclerostin plays a role in lipid and glucose metabolism disorders. Although the effects of sclerostin on bone have been extensively examined and reviewed, its effects on systemic metabolism have not yet been well summarized. In this paper, we provide a systemic review of the effects of sclerostin on lipid and glucose metabolism based on in vitro and in vivo evidence, summarize the research progress on sclerostin, and prospect its potential manipulation for obesity and diabetes treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, crystallization, thermal expansion and wetting behavior of ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 (ZAS) glass were first investigated. The results showed that ZnAl 2 O 4 was precipitated from ZAS glass after crystallization treatment. Crystallization increased the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of ZAS glass ceramic due to the high CTE of ZnAl 2 O 4. In addition, ZAS glass exhibited good wettability on the surface of MgAl 2 O 4 substrate. On this basis, ZAS glass was used to join MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic, and the microstructure and mechanical properties of joints obtained with different cooling methods were investigated. The flexural strength of joints was related to the content of ZnAl 2 O 4 crystals in the brazing seams. Additional nucleation and crystallization treatment during cooling process improved the crystallinity of brazing seam, resulting in better matching of the CTE of brazing seam with that of MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic. The maximum flexural strength of joints reached 201 MPa, which was equivalent to the strength of MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 (LSB) glass filler with high softening temperature was first used to join MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic. An interfacial layer composed of Al 2 O 3 was formed due to the solubility difference of MgO and Al 2 O 3 in the LSB glass filler. As a result, the addition of Al 2 O 3 into the LSB glass filler caused the increase of interfacial layer thickness. On the contrary, the addition of MgO into the LSB glass filler led to the decrease of interfacial layer thickness. When the adding content of MgO was 6 wt%, the interfacial layer disappeared and completely amorphous brazing seam was obtained. The in-line transmittance of joints decreased with the increase of the thickness of interfacial layer. The optimal in-line transmittance of joint bonded with La 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -B 2 O 3 -MgO (LSB6M) glass filler reached 82.9% at 1000 nm. Meanwhile, the average flexural strength of joints was about 196.2 MPa, which was equal to the strength of MgAl 2 O 4 substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy can seriously affect children's cognitive and behavioral development. The mechanistic target of rapamycin(mTOR) pathway plays an important role in neurodevelopment and epilepsy, but the mechanism of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) in epilepsy is still unclear. Here, we compared the similarities and differences of the mechanisms of action of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2 complex in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Our research results show that the levels of apoptosis in cortical and hippocampal neurons were upregulated in epileptic rats (F = 32.15, 30.96; both P < 0.01), and epilepsy caused neuronal damage (F = 8.13, 9.43; both P < 0.01). The mTORC2-Akt pathway was activated in the cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats. Inhibition of mTORC2 resulted in decreased levels of apoptosis and reduced neuronal damage in the cortex and hippocampus of epileptic rats. In the hippocampus, selective inhibition of mTORC2 increased lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 A (LAMP2A) protein expression compared with the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (F = 3.02, P < 0.05). Finally, we concluded that in the hippocampus, selective inhibition of mTORC2 can improve epileptic brain injury in rats by increasing chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) levels. • Selective inhibition of mTORC2 improves epileptic brain injury in rats. • Inhibiting mTORC2 may activate chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) levels in epileptic rats. • mTORC1 and mTORC2 participate in epilepsy through different autophagy pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]