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SMART is a low-latency solution that transmits nonconflicting flits to remote routers, enabling traversal of multi-hop paths within a single cycle. It reduces packet latency but ignores high power consumption in idle components. Additionally, SMART's low latency is highly dependent on HPC Max , which represents the maximum number of hops traversed within a cycle. Therefore, this paper presents SMART-PG, a power gating method based on SMART that reduces network power consumption by shutting down idle components such as router buffers under low-load conditions. We also extend the router architecture to enable the continuous establishment of single-cycle multi-hop bypass paths. Compared to SMART routers, our method eliminates packet buffering even when a packet reaches the last router of a single-cycle multi-hop path, reducing packet latency and sensitivity to HPC Max . Finally, we propose a routing algorithm that enables efficient packet transmission in one-dimensional and two-dimensional networks even when routers are powered off. Experimental results show that our method reduces packet latency and static power consumption by an average of 7.5% and 46.4%, respectively, compared to the baseline router. Compared to SMART routers, our method demonstrates significant superiority in terms of packet latency and the impact of multi-hop length on packet latency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous reduction in transistor size, the power consumption issue associated with the adoption of Network-on-Chips (NoCs) in multicore systems has become increasingly prominent and severe, particularly in terms of static power consumption. Currently, the techniques employed to address the issue of static power consumption in NoCs can be broadly categorized into two forms: power gating and simplified router architecture. However, these designs face critical bottlenecks in maintaining network performance stability and flexibility. In this paper, we propose a power gating approach utilizing double buffering to conserve power. Firstly, we introduce the DBU-PG router architecture, which effectively reduces network power consumption by sharing an input buffer between every two input ports when the network load is low. Secondly, through improved arbitration and flow control mechanisms, packets can be efficiently transmitted between shared buffers. Finally, we propose an improved router architecture, DBU-PG2, which enables packets in different virtual channels of the same buffer to be executed concurrently. Based on evaluation in real application, our DBU-PG and DBU-PG2 routers achieved reductions of 69% and 66%, respectively, in static power consumption compared to the baseline. Additionally, DBU-PG2 reduced packet latency by 7.5% while incurring only a 2.3% increase in area overhead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high recurrence rate of renal uric acid stone (UAS) poses a significant challenge for urologists, and potassium sodium hydrogen citrate (PSHC) has been proven to be an effective oral dissolution drug. However, no studies have investigated the impact of PSHC on gut microbiota and its metabolites during stone dissolution therapy. We prospectively recruited 37 UAS patients and 40 healthy subjects, of which 12 patients completed a 3-month pharmacological intervention. Fasting vein blood was extracted and mid-stream urine was retained for biochemical testing. Fecal samples were collected for 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content determination. UAS patients exhibited comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, gout, and dyslipidemia. The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota were significantly decreased in UAS patients, Bacteroides and Fusobacterium were dominant genera while Subdoligranulum and Bifidobacterium were poorly enriched. After PSHC intervention, there was a significant reduction in stone size accompanied by decreased serum uric acid and increased urinary pH levels. The abundance of pathogenic bacterium Fusobacterium was significantly downregulated following the intervention, whereas there was an upregulation observed in SCFA-producing bacteria Lachnoclostridium and Parasutterella, leading to a significant elevation in butyric acid content. Functions related to fatty acid synthesis and amino acid metabolism within the microbiota showed upregulation following PSHC intervention. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association between stone pathogenic bacteria abundance and clinical factors for stone formation, while a negative correlation with SCFAs contents. Our preliminary study revealed that alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites were the crucial physiological adaptation to PSHC intervention. Targeted regulation of microbiota and SCFA holds promise for enhancing drug therapy efficacy and preventing stone recurrence. Key points: • Bacteroides and Fusobacterium were identified as dominant genera for UAS patients • After PSHC intervention, Fusobacterium decreased and butyric acid content increased • The microbiota increased capacity for fatty acid synthesis after PSHC intervention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high recurrence rate of renal uric acid stone (UAS) poses a significant challenge for urologists, and potassium sodium hydrogen citrate (PSHC) has been proven to be an effective oral dissolution drug. However, no studies have investigated the impact of PSHC on gut microbiota and its metabolites during stone dissolution therapy. We prospectively recruited 37 UAS patients and 40 healthy subjects, of which 12 patients completed a 3-month pharmacological intervention. Fasting vein blood was extracted and mid-stream urine was retained for biochemical testing. Fecal samples were collected for 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content determination. UAS patients exhibited comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, gout, and dyslipidemia. The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota were significantly decreased in UAS patients, Bacteroides and Fusobacterium were dominant genera while Subdoligranulum and Bifidobacterium were poorly enriched. After PSHC intervention, there was a significant reduction in stone size accompanied by decreased serum uric acid and increased urinary pH levels. The abundance of pathogenic bacterium Fusobacterium was significantly downregulated following the intervention, whereas there was an upregulation observed in SCFA-producing bacteria Lachnoclostridium and Parasutterella, leading to a significant elevation in butyric acid content. Functions related to fatty acid synthesis and amino acid metabolism within the microbiota showed upregulation following PSHC intervention. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association between stone pathogenic bacteria abundance and clinical factors for stone formation, while a negative correlation with SCFAs contents. Our preliminary study revealed that alterations in gut microbiota and metabolites were the crucial physiological adaptation to PSHC intervention. Targeted regulation of microbiota and SCFA holds promise for enhancing drug therapy efficacy and preventing stone recurrence. Key points: • Bacteroides and Fusobacterium were identified as dominant genera for UAS patients • After PSHC intervention, Fusobacterium decreased and butyric acid content increased • The microbiota increased capacity for fatty acid synthesis after PSHC intervention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are implicated with tumorigenesis and the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Previous studies suggested that long non-coding RNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) exerted oncogenic roles in various cancers. However, the function and molecular mechanism of SNHG4 in NPC have not been investigated. In our study, it was confirmed that the SNHG4 level was enriched in NPC tissues and cells. Functional assays indicated that SNHG4 depletion inhibited the proliferation and metastasis but promoted apoptosis of NPC cells. Furthermore, we identified miR-510-5p as a downstream gene of SNHG4 in NPC cells and SNHG4 upregulated CENPF expression by binding to miR-510-5p. Moreover, there was a positive (or negative) association between CENPF and SNHG4 (or miR-510-5p) expression in NPC. In addition, rescue experiments verified that CENPF overexpression or miR-510-5p silencing abrogated inhibitory effects on NPC tumorigenesis caused by SNHG4 deficiency. The study demonstrated that SNHG4 promoted NPC progression via miR-510-5p/CENPF axis, providing a novel potential therapeutic target for NPC treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, there has been a growing interest in using lithium (Li) isotopes in marine carbonates to trace chemical weathering and clay formation in the Earth's history. Yet it remains technically challenging to precisely and efficiently determine the Li isotope composition in carbonate samples due to the imperfect Li separation led by the matrix effect and the extremely low Li concentration in carbonates relative to the analytical threshold of sample size. For such high matrix and low-Li samples, here we present an efficient dual-column chromatography system for Li purification. The dual-column system has a large loading capacity, fixed Li elution range of merely 12 mL, complete Li recovery (>99.5%) and relatively efficient total elution time (7 hours). The procedural blank is 0.036 ± 0.002 ng accounting for sample dissolution and chemical purification, and the Na/Li mass ratio of the Li cut is below 0.5. High precision and accurate Li isotope measurement is performed efficiently with a small sample-sized protocol developed on a MC-ICP-MS (Neptune plus) connected with an APEX 2-IR desolvator. The whole procedure is validated by analyzing a series of certified reference materials. The long-term external precision of δ7Li determined based on L-SVEC and a high-purity Li solution is 0.6‰ (2SD) and 0.9‰ (2SD) for a minimum sample size of 7.5 ng. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correlation among gut microbiota, biochemical features, and dietary patterns in recurrent stone formers has been inadequately investigated in the Chinese population. Forty-two patients with calcium oxalate stones (CaOxS group), including 34 recurrent stone formers (RS group), and 40 nonstone healthy subjects (NS group) from Changshu Hospital Affiliated with Soochow University, were prospectively recruited. Food frequency questionnaires were completed by participants, fasting vein blood was extracted, 24-h urine was collected for biochemical detection, and fecal samples were gathered for 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. BMI; serum levels of triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), magnesium, and creatinine; and urine levels of magnesium in stone formers were significantly different from those of controls, and RS patients showed significantly low serum phosphate and high urine phosphate levels. Celery, bamboo shoots, and pickled food were the favored foods of local stone formers. Patients with recurrent stones had altered microbiota composition, with Escherichia, Fusobacterium, and Epulopiscium being the predominant pathogenic genera. The gut microbiota in RS patients had stronger functions in fatty acid and amino acid degradation but weaker functions in their biosynthesis. The pathogenic genera were positively correlated with BMI; serum levels of TGs and creatinine; urine levels of calcium, phosphate, and uric acid (UA); and celery, bamboo shoots, and pickled food intake. The abundance of Escherichia and Fusobacterium and the levels of serum magnesium and creatinine were the most relevant factors associated with stone recurrence and could be validated as biomarkers of recurrence. Our research provides a novel prevention strategy for the recurrence of renal calcium oxalate stones in the Han Chinese population of southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The classical colon substitution procedure is open surgery. Still, technological developments could allow a minimally invasive procedure that might improve patient outcomes. To present the efficacy and safety of esophagocolonic OrVil anastomosis after minimally invasive esophagectomy. Methods: This retrospective study included 10 patients with esophageal cancer treated with OrVil anastomosis (OA) between August 2017 and May 2021 at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Nanjing Lishui People's Hospital, Zhongda Hospital Lishui Branch, Southeast University, Nanjing, China and the Fourth Associated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. The patient's characteristic information and related perioperative indexes were collected from the hospital's electronic medical record system and the patients were followed up. Results: The mean operative time and median intraoperative blood loss were 530 ± 88 minutes and 200 (range: 100–300) mL, respectively. A median of 26 (range: 13–30) lymph nodes was dissected per patient. The median total duration of hospitalization and postoperative hospitalization was 32 (range: 24–64) and 15 (range: 12–42) days, respectively. Seven (70%) patients had postoperative pulmonary infections. Two (20%) patients had postoperative respiratory failure. No esophagocolonic anastomotic leakage was observed in all cases. One patient was complicated with postoperative colonicoduodenal anastomotic leakage after the operation and was cured. However, 1 (10%) of the remaining 9 patients died from colonicolonic anastomotic leakage during hospitalization. The living 9 cases were followed up, and the median overall survival time was 36 months. Conclusion: Colonic interposition for esophageal cancer is effective and safe using the minimally invasive OA technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prefilming air-blast atomizers are widely used in modern gas turbine combustors. Due to insufficient awareness of the coupling mechanism of multi-stage swirling flow in gas turbines, there is a lack of effective methods for flow field optimization in combustor. In this study, the effect of some critical parameters on the flow field of a prefilming air-blast atomizer was analyzed with CFD. The parameters include the angle and number of the first swirler blades, the angle of the second swirler blades and the angle of sleeve. Furthermore, the coupling mechanism of two-stage swirling airflows of prefilming air-blast atomizer was discussed. Moreover, the influence of the interaction between two-stage counter swirling airflows on the characteristics of flow field was explained. The results show that with the increase in SNi, the axial length of the primary recirculation zone decreased, while the radial width increased. The starting position of primary recirculation zone (PRZ) moves forward with the increase in SNo. Reducing the sleeve angle β helps to form the primary recirculation zone. The results indicate that it is the transition of tangential velocity of airflow to radial velocity that promotes the formation of the PRZ. These results provide theoretical support for optimization of the flow field in swirl combustor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis‐mediated cell death is an important mechanism in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)‐induced secondary brain injury (SBI). Our previous study has demonstrated that receptor‐interacting protein 1 (RIP1) mediated necroptosis in SBI after ICH. However, further mechanisms, such as the roles of receptor‐interacting protein 3 (RIP3), mixed lineage kinase domain‐like protein (MLKL), and Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II), remain unclear. We hypothesized that RIP3, MLKL, and CaMK II might participate in necroptosis after ICH, including their phosphorylation. The ICH model was induced by autologous blood injection. First, we found the activation of necroptosis after ICH in brain tissues surrounding the hematoma (propidium iodide staining). Meanwhile, the phosphorylation and expression of RIP3, MLKL, and CaMK II were differently up‐regulated (western blotting and immunofluorescent staining). The specific inhibitors could suppress RIP3, MLKL, and CaMK II (GSK'872 for RIP3, necrosulfonamide for MLKL, and KN‐93 for CaMK II). We found the necroptosis surrounding the hematoma and the concrete interactions in RIP3‐MLKL/RIP3‐CaMK II also both decreased after the specific intervention (co‐immunoprecipitation). Then we conducted the short‐/long‐term neurobehavioral tests, and the rats with specific inhibition mostly had better performance. We also found less blood–brain barrier (BBB) injury, and less neuron loss (Nissl staining) in intervention groups, which supported the neurobehavioral tests. Besides, oxidative stress and inflammation were also alleviated with intervention, which had significant less reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Iba1, and GFAP surrounding the hematoma. These results confirmed that RIP3‐phosphorylated MLKL and CaMK II participate in ICH‐induced necroptosis and could provide potential targets for the treatment of ICH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yungang Grottoes, with over 1500 years of history, have been subjected to air pollution since the last century. Field investigations have indicated that acid gases, particularly sulfur dioxide (SO2), have accumulated on the surface of the sculptures and caused various types of decay that reduce their artistic value. To shed new light on the gas–stone interaction process, artificially accelerated weathering was performed on local sandstone in the laboratory. In a specially developed test device, fresh specimens were exposed to gaseous SO2 under different relative humidity and temperature conditions. The physical, mineralogical, and chemical changes of Yungang sandstone were evaluated conjointly using destructive and non-destructive methods. The results show that after weathering, the luminosity of all specimens changed, with a slight alteration in hue toward yellow. The weight increased to various degrees during the aging cycles, which depended on both the accumulation of matter and the detachment of particles. Higher relative humidity and cyclic temperature fluctuations favored the dissolution of carbonates and the hydrolysis of feldspar in sandstone. The concentration of ions, especially dissolved Ca2+ and SO42−, increased considerably over time in the near-surface region of the specimens. A trace of newly formed gypsum was detected in some specimens at the end of the test. Knowing the synergistic impact of different climatic variables will make it possible to identify the mechanisms of the deterioration of sandstone in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric micelles are widely used as multifunctional drug carriers of poorly water‐soluble drugs, but the role of drug loading content is often overlooked. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cellular uptake and penetration of polymeric micelles with different drug loading contents and their effects on biological activities. In this study, poly(N‐(2‐hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide‐co‐methacrylic acid)‐block‐poly methyl methacrylate P(HPMA‐co‐MAA)‐b‐PMMA micelles are used as a nanocarrier for the encapsulation of the potent anticancer agent ellipticine (EPT). The micelles are loaded with various amounts of EPT and the physicochemical characteristics such as particle size, morphology, and zeta potential of blank and EPT loaded nanoparticles are studied. Moreover, fluorescent lifetime studies confirm that hydrophobic EPT is indeed in the PMMA micelle core. In vitro cytotoxicity tests using the glioma cell line U87MG reveal lower IC50 values when the cells are incubated with micelle with high drug loading content. The higher toxicity in micelles with higher drug loading content is associated with higher cellular uptake, which is monitored using laser scanning confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Moreover, higher activity of micelles with higher drug loading is also observed in U87MG multicellular tumor spheroids although the difference is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate and analyze the anatomic characteristics of the retromaxillary cell (RMC) by using computed tomography (CT) images of paranasal sinuses and to improve its identification with ethmomaxillary sinus (EMS). Methods: The paranasal sinus CT scans of 441 outpatients or inpatients in our hospital from January 2018 to October 2018 were analyzed. The incidence of RMC, EMS, Haller cell, imaging anatomical characteristics, and morphological manifestations were observed via sinus CTs. The relationship of RMC and ipsilateral maxillary sinusitis was analyzed. Results: The incidence of RMC is 83.90% (740/882). The incidence of males and females was 83.81% (414/494) and 84.02% (326/388), respectively. The incidence of bilateral (72.79%, 321/441) was much higher than that of unilateral (22.22%, 98/441). The lateral extension of the RMC ranged from 1.18 to 13.31 mm, with an average of 6.10 ± 2.03 mm. The incidence of ipsilateral maxillary sinus opacification on the RMC sides and non-RMC sides has no significance difference (χ2 =.054, P =.459). The incidence of Haller cell and EMS decreased significantly in the presence of RMC (P <.01). Conclusion: The RMC is an anatomical variation originating from posterior ethmoid cells, which is commonly encountered in the clinic. The pneumatization of RMC is highly variable, and a bilateral is common. During endoscopic sinus surgery, it is necessary to carefully identify such an air cell to ensure the complete opening of the paranasal sinus during surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Graphene oxide-based hybrid networks were fabricated via introducing multi-amino molecule with triple roles (i.e., cross-linker, fire retardant and reducing agent). The optimized hybrid network with mechanically robust, exceptional intumescent effect and ultra-sensitive fire alarm response (~ 0.6 s) can be used as desirable smart fire alarm sensor materials. Exceptional fire shielding performances, e.g., ~ 60% reduction in peak heat release rate and limiting oxygen index of ~ 36.5%, are achieved, when coated such hybrid network onto combustible polymer foam. Smart fire alarm sensor (FAS) materials with mechanically robust, excellent flame retardancy as well as ultra-sensitive temperature-responsive capability are highly attractive platforms for fire safety application. However, most reported FAS materials can hardly provide sensitive, continuous and reliable alarm signal output due to their undesirable temperature-responsive, flame-resistant and mechanical performances. To overcome these hurdles, herein, we utilize the multi-amino molecule, named HCPA, that can serve as triple-roles including cross-linker, fire retardant and reducing agent for decorating graphene oxide (GO) sheets and obtaining the GO/HCPA hybrid networks. Benefiting from the formation of multi-interactions in hybrid network, the optimized GO/HCPA network exhibits significant increment in mechanical strength, e.g., tensile strength and toughness increase of ~ 2.3 and ~ 5.7 times, respectively, compared to the control one. More importantly, based on P and N doping and promoting thermal reduction effect on GO network, the excellent flame retardancy (withstanding ~ 1200 °C flame attack), ultra-fast fire alarm response time (~ 0.6 s) and ultra-long alarming period (> 600 s) are obtained, representing the best comprehensive performance of GO-based FAS counterparts. Furthermore, based on GO/HCPA network, the fireproof coating is constructed and applied in polymer foam and exhibited exceptional fire shielding performance. This work provides a new idea for designing and fabricating desirable FAS materials and fireproof coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disasters caused by groundwater during underground cavern excavation, are inevitable and difficult to predict. In this study, transient seepage analysis was performed during the excavation of Qingyuan power station's underground caverns and drainage hole arrays. The drainage hole arrays around the caverns were simulated using a new method, and the groundwater surface during transient seepage analysis was confirmed with the hydraulic conductivity adjustment method, by using ABAQUS user subroutines USDFLD and GETVRM. By simplifying the drainage hole into face geometry, the proposed drainage hole simulation method could reach the accuracy of the widely used substructure method with half nodes of the computational boundary, and reflect the influence of drainage hole diameter on seepage analysis results. Moreover, a sensibility analysis of the diameter and space of drainage hole arrays could be conducted using one simulation model with the proposed finite element mesh type. Transient seepage analysis showed the evolutions of the groundwater level, flow rate and maximum hydraulic gradient of drainage holes and underground caverns, during the construction of Qingyuan power station. Such results could provide a reference for the creation of design and construction schemes. The previous excavation of the drainage hole arrays could control the seepage field, and reduce the flow rate and maximum hydraulic gradient of the underground caverns. This study may provide valuable reference to the design and construction of similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with high electron mobility is highly desired to study the emergent properties and to enhance future device performance. Here we report the formation of 2DEG with high mobility at the interface between rock-salt BaO and perovskite SrTiO3. The interface consists of the ionically compensated BaO1 â€" δ layer and the electronically compensated TiO2 layer, which is demonstrated as a perfect interface without lattice mismatch. The so-formed interface features metallic conductivity with ultralow square resistance of 7.3 Ă— 10âˆ'4 Ω/â—» at 2 K and high residual resistance ratios R 300 K/ R 2 K up to 4200. The electron mobility reaches 69000 cm2â‹...Vâˆ'1â‹...sâˆ'1 at 2 K, leading to Shubnikovâ€"de Haas oscillations of resistance. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the effective charge transfers from BaO to the Ti 3 dxy orbital occur at the interface, leading to the conducting TiO2 layer. Our work unravels that BaO can adapt itself by removing oxygen to minimize the lattice mismatch and to provide substantial carriers to SrTiO3, which is the key to forming 2DEGs with high mobility at the interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions Lung cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in adults. Circular RNA (circRNA) circCPA4 (hsa_circ_0082374) is highly expressed in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The purpose of this study was to explore the role and mechanism of circCPA4 in lung cancer.CircCPA4, linear CPA4, TGF‐β‐induced factor homeobox 2 (TGIF2), and microRNA‐214‐3p (miR‐214‐3p) levels were measured by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The protein levels of TGIF2, Beclin1, and p62 were assessed by western blot assay. Colony numbers, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression were examined by colony formation, wound‐healing, transwell, and flow cytometry assays, respectively. The binding relationship between miR‐214‐3p and circCPA4 or TGIF2 was predicted by StarBase or TargetScan and then verified by a dual‐luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pulldown assays. The biological role of circCPA4 on lung tumor growth was assessed by a xenograft tumor model in vivo, and TGIF2 and ki‐67 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry.We determined that CircCPA4 and TGIF2 were increased, and miR‐214‐3p was decreased in lung cancer tissues and cells. Functionally, circCPA4 knockdown could suppress colony formation, migration, invasion, cell cycle progression, and expedite apoptosis of lung cancer cells in vitro. Mechanically, circCPA4 could regulate TGIF2 expression by sponging miR‐214‐3p. In addition, circCPA4 deficiency inhibited the tumor growth in lung cancer in the mouse model.CircCPA4 could act as a sponge of miR‐214‐3p to upregulate TGIF2 expression, thereby promoting the progression of lung cancer cells. These findings suggested underlying therapeutic targets for the treatment of lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence confirmed that miRNA plays a critical role in the occurrence and development of ischemic stroke. Here, the aim of this study was to examine the function and mechanisms of miR-195 in vascular endothelial cell apoptosis induced by oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD). This study intended to use OGD to simulate ischemia in vitro. The mRNA expression of miR-195, IKKα and NF-κB in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were detected by RT-qPCR. The proliferation and apoptosis ability of HUVECs were evaluated using MTT assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Western blot was applied to examine related protein expression. The interaction between miR-195 and IKKα was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. OGD significantly inhibited cell viability and induced cell apoptosis in HUVECs. Meanwhile, OGD treatment notably decreased the expression of miR-195, as well as enhanced NF-κB expression. Moreover, miR-195 directly interacted with IKKα and suppressed its expression. Mechanically, overexpression of miR-195 exhibited pro-proliferation and anti-apoptotic effect on HUVECs treated with OGD through targeting IKKα-mediated NF-κB pathway. At the molecular level, through suppressing IKKα/NF-κB pathway, miR-195 inhibited the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax and active caspase-3, but increased the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in HUVECs. Our finding uncovers the protective effect of miR-195 on the biological behavior of HUVECs via suppression of the NF-κB pathway induced by IKKα, which may provide a new potential strategy for ischemic stroke clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of water inrush disasters severely affects tunnel construction, lives, and property. As a result, accurate forecasting of the danger of water inrush during construction is critical. This paper aims to create a progressive evaluation model for assessing water inrush risk during two stages: pre-construction and construction. The proposed model provides a static pre-construction estimation and allows dynamic updates based on previous predictions for unexcavated sections during construction. Initially, comprehensive multi-water inrush information was presented by analyzing 65 tunnel accidents of water during construction, including 12 evaluation indexes encompassing hydrogeology and excavation monitoring. Subsequently, the assessment model was constructed using a combined weighting method and non-linear attribute recognition theory. The information from dynamic monitoring on surrounding rock and seepage pressure is integrated, and feedback site data is used to dynamically modify the weighting of the indicators and update the projected predictions. This approach has been employed as a case study to evaluate the water inrush risk during the Qinling water transmission tunnel. The results demonstrate that the prediction outcomes of dynamic weights align well with on-site holes, exhibiting higher forecasting accuracy than other methods. This approach offers a novel perspective for accurately evaluating water inrush risk in tunnel construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene‐based thermal camouflage materials have gained increasing attention due to their low emissivity, however, the poor anti‐oxidation restricts their potential applications under complex environments. Various modification methods and strategies, e.g., the addition of antioxidant molecules and fillers have been developed to overcome this, but the realization of long‐term, reliable thermal camouflage using MXene network (coating) with excellent comprehensive performance remains a great challenge. Here, a MXene‐based hybrid network comodified with hyaluronic acid (HA) and hyperbranched polysiloxane (HSi) molecules is designed and fabricated. Notably, the presence of appreciated HA molecules restricts the oxidation of MXene sheets without altering infrared stealth performance, superior to other water‐soluble polymers; while the HSi molecules can act as efficient cross‐linking agents to generate strong interactions between MXene sheets and HA molecules. The optimized MXene/HA/HSi composites exhibit excellent mechanical flexibility (folded into crane structure), good water/solvent resistance, and long‐term stable thermal camouflage capability (with low infrared emissivity of ≈0.29). The long‐term thermal camouflage reliability (≈8 months) under various outdoor weathers and the scalable coating capability of the MXene‐coated textile enable them to disguise the IR signal of various targets in complex environments, indicating the great promise of achieved material for thermal camouflage, IR stealth, and counter surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 1. Experimental SAH resulted in xCT deficiency and impaired System xc- activity. • 2. xCT overexpression ameliorated System xc- dysfunction after experimental SAH. • 3. xCT overexpression inhibited neuronal ferroptosis and alleviated EBI after experimental SAH. • 4. Restoring System xc- activity by xCT overexpression improved neurobehavioral deficits after experimental SAH. Ferroptosis is an important therapeutic target to alleviate early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), yet the mechanism of neuronal ferroptosis after SAH remains unclear. System xc- dysfunction is one of the key pathways to induce ferroptosis. System xc- activity is mainly regulated by the expression of xCT. This study was designed to investigate the effect of xCT expression and System xc- activity on ferroptosis and EBI in an experimental SAH model both in vitro and in vivo. SAH was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by injecting autologous blood into the prechiasmatic cistern. Primary neurons treated with oxyhemoglobin (10 µM) were used to mimic SAH in vitro. Plasmid transfection was used to induce xCT overexpression. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, measurement of cystine uptake, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, transmission electron microscopy, Nissl staining, and a series of neurobehavioral tests were conducted to explore the role of xCT and System xc- activity in ferroptosis and EBI after SAH. We found that System xc- dysfunction induced ferroptosis and exacerbated EBI after SAH in rats. xCT deficiency after SAH resulted in System xc- dysfunction, weakened neuronal antioxidant capacity and activated neuronal ferroptosis. xCT overexpression improved neuronal antioxidant capacity and inhibited neuronal ferroptosis by restoring System xc- activity. Rats with xCT overexpression after SAH presented with attenuated brain edema and inflammation, increased neuronal survival, and ameliorated neurological deficits. Our study revealed that restoring System xc- activity by xCT overexpression inhibited neuronal ferroptosis and EBI and improved neurological deficits after SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reflect both fuzziness and hesitation in the evaluation of interactivity between attributes in the identification process of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, this work uses the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (HFLTS) to describe and depict the interactivity between attributes. Firstly, the interactivity between attributes is defined by the supermodular game theory. According to this definition, a linguistic term set is established to characterize the interactivity between attributes. Under the linguistic term set, the experts employ linguistic expressions generated by context-free grammar to qualitatively describe the interactivity between attributes. Secondly, through the conversion function, the linguistic expressions are transformed into the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets (HFLTSs). The individual evaluation results of all experts were further aggregated with the defined hesitant fuzzy linguistic weighted power average operator (HFLWPA). Thirdly, based on the standard Euclidean distance formula of the hesitant fuzzy linguistic elements (HFLEs), the hesitant fuzzy linguistic interaction degree (HFLID) between attributes is defined and calculated by constructing a piecewise function. As a result, a 2-order additive fuzzy measure identification method based on HFLID is proposed. Based on the proposed method, using the Choquet fuzzy integral as nonlinear integration operator, a multi-attribute decision making (MADM) process is then presented. Taking the credit assessment of the big data listed companies in China as an application example, the analysis results of application example prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method. This work successfully reflects both the fuzziness and hesitation in evaluating the interactivity between attributes in the identification process of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, enriches the theoretical framework of 2-order additive fuzzy measure, and expands the applicability and methodology of 2-order additive fuzzy measure in multi-attribute decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low exothermic polyurethane grouting material, as a new type of material, is used for road reinforcement and repair engineering in frozen earth areas. This study investigates the mechanical properties of this grouting material under different ambient temperatures. The effects of temperature and density on the expansion pressure, compressive strength, and tensile strength of the materials were determined in this study. The characteristics of the material's stress–strain curves were analyzed microscopically. The results demonstrate that temperature significantly influenced the material properties. The expansion properties of the material decreased with decreasing temperature. In contrast, the tensile and compression properties of the material increased with decreasing temperature, which is shown in the tensile and compressive strengths. From the view of failure mode, lower temperature makes the material more brittle. Moreover, the constitutive model based on the temperature variation was established according to the experimental results. This provides a basis for a simple evaluation of the compressive strength and elastic modulus of materials. Finally, the mechanical response of road cavitation in cold areas before and after repair was analyzed through finite-element numerical simulation and full-scale model test. The low exothermic polyurethane grouting material effectively reduced the vertical deformation of the wheel load in the distressed area. This study provides a reference for road reinforcement and repair projects in cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of novel green lubricants that meet low viscosity and effective anti-wear requirements is a tireless pursuit to improve fuel economy and reduce exhaust emissions, as well as enhance reliability. Herein a series of hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (HDESs) with ultra-low viscosity were successfully synthesized by combining eco-friendly economical DL-menthol (DL) with fatty acids of various alkyl chain lengths. According to quantum chemistry method, weak hydrogen bond interaction between DL and fatty acid was calculated. The as-prepared DL-based HDESs lubricants present prominent physicochemical properties and lubrication functions. Thereinto, DL+Dodecanoic acid HDES with a low viscosity of 8.73 mm2/s (40 °C) achieves a 23.05 % reduction in friction and a 44.22 % reduction in wear compared to the PEG 200 base oil at 491N. According to experimental characterizations and first-principles calculations to reveal their anti-wear mechanism, the excellent wetting and ultra-low viscosity of the HDESs fluid facilitates rapid physisorption and chemisorption. Meanwhile, the absorbed film contributes to the formation of the long alkyl chains flow layer and the tribo-chemical film composed of hydrocarbon (C x H y), oxy hydrocarbon (C x H y O z) fragments and iron oxide/hydroxide-rich layer, which endows HDESs with excellent lubrication properties. This founding furnishes a new strategy to design green low-viscosity and high-performance anti-wear HDESs lubricants in sustainable lubrication applications. [Display omitted] • The DL-menthol (DL)-based HDESs incorporate desired physicochemical properties. • HDES possess prominent lubrication performance compared with PEG 200. • (iii) Hydrogen bond and chemisorbed molecules contribute to lubrication. • (iv) C x H y and C x H y O z ions and iron oxide/hydroxide tribochemical film further lubricate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past variations in lithium concentration and isotope ratio of seawater recorded in marine carbonates have shown great potential in tracing carbon cycles during critical climate transitions, especially coupled with the radiogenic strontium isotope system. However, acquiring reliable seawater Li isotope compositions from marine carbonates can be technically challenging because non‑carbonate phases co-existed in ancient marine carbonates can easily contaminate carbonate Li signal during inappropriate sample dissolution. Each contaminant phase, including Mn oxides, clays, and silicate minerals, can have different Li isotope compositions than that preserved in the carbonate lattice. More importantly, a significant portion of Li is adsorbed on the Mn oxides and clay minerals. This fraction is considered exchangeable and can be liberated using weak acid without destruction of mineral structure. Cleaning procedures and partial digestion have been applied to remove the exchangeable Li fraction in contaminative phases and selectively dissolve the carbonates. However, previous methods cannot be directly applied to ancient marine carbonates of various carbonate purity, which lack systematic testing on the threshold of sample purity to maintain the efficiency of the precleaning and partial digestion. Here we report an efficient sequential leaching protocol to extract primary seawater Li and Sr isotope compositions from bulk marine carbonates. The procedure consists of pre-cleaning steps using 1 M ammonium acetate and 1 M ammonium carbonate to completely remove the exchangeable fraction, followed by partial digestion using 0.3 M acetic acid to selectively target carbonate-bounded Li. We validate this method by mixing carbonate and contaminant endmembers in different weight percentages. We found this protocol works effectively for carbonates of >80% purity. Additionally, we demonstrate filtration is necessary when separating leachates from the solids to quantitatively avoid contaminations from non‑carbonate phases. We also suggest NIST-SRM-1d to be a cross-lab carbonate standard for Li isotope analyses and report its long-term external precision (two years). To sum, we propose an effective community standard procedure to reconstruct δ7Li sw records using ancient bulk carbonate samples. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modulation of neuroinflammation is a new direction that may alleviate the early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Brain resident microglia/macrophages (Mi/MΦ) are the key drivers of neuroinflammation. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) has been reported to play a neuroprotective role by activating phagocytosis and suspending inflammatory response in experimental ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage. This study was designed to investigate the role of TREM2 on neuroinflammation and neuroprotective effects in a rat SAH model. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were induced SAH through endovascular perforation. Lentivirus vectors were administered by i.c.v. to induce TREM2 overexpression or knockdown 7 days before SAH induction. Short- and long-term neurobehavioral tests, western blotting, immunofluorescence, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Nissl staining were performed to explore the neuroprotective role of TREM2 after SAH. The expression of TREM2 elevated in a rat SAH model with a peak at 48 h after SAH and mainly expressed in Mi/MΦ in brain. TREM2 overexpression improved short- and long-term neurological deficits induced by SAH in rats, while TREM2 knockdown worsened neurological dysfunction. The rats with TREM2 overexpressed presented less neuronal apoptosis and more neuronal survival at 48 h after SAH, while the rats with TREM2 knockdown presented on the contrary. TREM2 overexpression manifested activated phagocytosis and suppressed inflammatory response, with the increase of CD206+/CD11b+ cells and IL-10 expression as well as the decrease of the infiltration of MPO+ cells and the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β. While TREM2 knockdown abolished these effects. The protein level of IRAK3, a negative regulatory factor of inflammation, was significantly elevated after TREM2 overexpression and declined after TREM2 knockdown. Our research suggested TREM2 played a neuroprotective role and improved the short- and long-term neurological deficits by modulating neuroinflammation after SAH. The modulation on neuroinflammation of TREM2 after SAH was related with the elevated protein level of IRAK3. [Display omitted] • The expression of TREM2 elevated in a rat SAH model and mainly expressed in microglia/macrophages in brain. • TREM2 overexpression improved short- and long-term neurological dysfunctions after SAH. • TREM2 overexpression manifested activated phagocytosis and suppressed inflammatory response. • The modulation on neuroinflammation of TREM2 after SAH was related with the elevated protein level of IRAK3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire safety and prevention of combustible materials are of paramount importance in modern society but have been a global challenge. Frequent fire disasters cause massive casualties and irreparable property losses and negatively impact the global environment. A recent increasing concern is to develop smart fire warning materials and sensors that combine traditional passive flame retardant strategies and active fire alarm response. However, there still lacks an incisive and comparative overview of such fire warning systems. This review comprehensively discusses passive flame retardant materials, traditional active fire warning sensors, and next-generation smart fire warning materials and sensors, in addition to the flammability of combustible materials. The conceptual design, synthesis, characterizations, and fabrication strategies of smart warning materials are systematically reviewed. Subsequently, the performance and applications of different fire warning sensor systems, including resistance-type, phase/shape change, thermoelectric responsive and colour-change observation, were reviewed and compared to understand their features and working mechanisms better. Finally, some key challenges associated with fire warning materials/sensors are highlighted, following which future perspectives and opportunities are proposed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A smart dual-responsive DDDS based on the hydrogel of OxAlg and CMCS is developed. • The DDDS can be used for co-delivery of MTX and Nar for treatment of osteosarcoma. • The –N=C– bond between OxAlg and CMCS is prone to be hydrolyzed in an acidic medium. • GO in this DDDS is an outstanding photothermal agent. • The therapeutic efficacy is improved via the chemo-photothermal synergistic mode. A dual-drug delivery system (DDDS) based on oxidized alginate (OxAlg) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) is developed, which can be used for dual-responsive delivery of methotrexate (MTX) and naringin (Nar) for efficient treatment of osteosarcoma. Nar is first loaded onto graphene oxide (GO) through π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding, and then the Nar loaded GO (GO/Nar) is co-encapsulated with MTX by the hydrogel of OxAlg and CMCS generated through Schiff base reaction. The acylhydrazone (–N = C–) bonds between OxAlg and CMCS are prone to be hydrolyzed in an acidic medium, speeding the delivery of the two drugs; meanwhile, GO in this DDDS is an outstanding photothermal agent, leading to near-infrared light (NIR)-responsive delivery of the two drugs. The cumulative release of MTX and Nar can reach 91.09% and 85.69%, respectively, at pH 5.0 with NIR irradiation. The produced hyperthermia under NIR irradiation can result in the ablation of the osteosarcoma cells, and thus the therapeutic efficacy of the DDDS against osteosarcoma is significantly improved via the chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy mode, which can be further confirmed by the cytotoxicity test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two natural biomass derivatives i.e., tannic acid (TA) and phosphorylated-cellulose nanofibrils (P-CNFs) were employed to decorate graphene oxide network and the as-prepared flame-retardant GTP paper with ultrasensitive fire alarm response can be applied as desirable smart fire alarm sensor material. [Display omitted] • Biomass-derivatives decorated graphene oxide networks were fabricated via a facile strategy. • The synergistic reinforcing effect was formed in the hybrid networks based on bionic design. • The bio-based hybrid networks showed excellent flame resistance and structural stability. • Ultrasensitive fire alarm time of < 1 s and desirable fire early warning responses were achieved. • Such hybrid networks can be used as sustainable fireproof and fire alarm sensor materials. Effective utilization of natural biomass-derivatives for developing sustainable, mechanically robust, and fireproof materials remains a huge challenge in fire safety and prevention field. Herein, based on bionic design, the hybrid interconnected networks composed of two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, renewable one-dimensional (1D) phosphorylated-cellulose nanofibrils (P-CNFs) and tannic acid molecules (TA) were prepared via a green and facile evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy. Through construction of the multiple synergistic interactions among the TA, P-CNFs and GO, the optimized 1D/2D interconnected networks with hierarchical nacre-like structure were achieved and exhibited improved mechanical properties (tensile strength and Young's modulus up to ∼ 132 MPa and ∼ 7 GPa, i.e. ∼ 3.6 and ∼ 14 times higher than that of the pure GO paper), good structural stability in various environments (aqueous solutions with different pH values), excellent flame retardancy (keeping structural integrity after flame attack), and ultrasensitive fire alarm functions (e.g., ultrafast flame alarm time of < 1 s and sensitive fire warning responses). Further, such 1D/2D interconnected networks can act as effective flame-retardant nanocoatings to significantly improve the flame retardancy of combustible PU foam materials (e.g., ∼48% decrease in peak heat release rate at only 10 wt% content). Based on the structure observation and analysis, the related synergistic reinforcing and flame-retardant mechanisms were proposed and clarified. Clearly, this work provides a new route for design and development of environmentally friendly fireproof and fire alarm materials based on utilization of natural biomass-derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In seepage analysis, the value of the boundary conditions primarily determines the accuracy of the calculation results. The reservoir impoundment causes a redistribution of the underground seepage field and a change in the groundwater level. At present, the commonly used finite element simulation methods rarely consider the influence of boundary water level changes. To explore the influence mechanism of reservoir impoundment on the boundary water level, based on the Dupuit theory and numerical simulation experiment, the change in groundwater level at the boundary on the mountainsides after impoundment was investigated when the model range was 1400 m, and a correction method for the boundary water level was proposed. The results showed that the distribution of the seepage field before and after the correction was significantly different and cannot be ignored. Subsequently, a large-scale slope model was established. Comparing the numerical solution of the boundary water level with the corrected solution indicated that the maximum relative difference was only 1.4%, proving the reliability of the proposed method. Moreover, the calculation results of the discharge and groundwater levels were underestimated, as the groundwater level rise at the calculation boundary was ignored. The proposed method can correct the water level at the boundary of the model and effectively improve the calculation accuracy of seepage analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low‐power consuming amplitude‐shift keying (ASK) modulator designed in 130 nm CMOS technology and operating at 10.5 GHz frequency is presented in this work. The modulator is based on current‐reuse voltage‐controlled oscillator (VCO) which uses the effects of adaptive body‐biasing and injection locking (IL) to achieve low‐phase noise and low‐power operation. The VCO has a phase noise of −106 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. The ASK modulator consumes 790 μW with a 1.1 V voltage supply and draws an average current of 719 μA. For applying the bulk‐biasing signal, a deep n‐well NMOS is used in the PMOS‐NMOS oscillator pair which isolates the substrate and avoids the current path through it. The post‐layout simulation results of the 0.5 × 0.5 mm2 modulator IC verify its low‐power, low‐phase noise operation. It is intended for use in self‐powered active high data rate radio‐frequency identification (RFID) tags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • LPCAT3 levels are significantly elevated in rat brain tissue after SAH. • LPCAT3 aggravates ferroptosis after SAH. • Reduction in LPCAT3 expression enhances neurological function following SAH in rats. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 (LPCAT3) is known to play a pivotal role in lipid metabolism, but its role in the early brain injury (EBI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains unclear. This study provides insights into LPCAT3 expression alterations and functional implications in EBI following SAH. SAH models of adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were established by intravascular perforation. Lentivirus vectors were administered by intracerebroventricular injection (i.c.v.) to either induce LPCAT3 overexpression or knockdown 14 days before SAH induction. Western blot, immunofluorescence, Nissl staining, MDA detection, ROS detection, iron content detection, and short-term and long-term neurobehavioral tests were performed to investigate the effects of regulated-LPCAT3 after SAH. LPCAT3 levels were found to be significantly elevated in SAH. Suppression of LPCAT3 expression via shRNA improved oxidative stress, reduced brain edema, alleviated behavioral and cognitive deficits following SAH and decreased neuronal death, while upregulating LPCAT3 expression showed opposing effects. LPCAT3 is involved in SAH-induced EBI and associated with ferroptosis. Our findings provide a referential basis for potential therapeutic interventions aimed at alleviating EBI following SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The swirl cup airblast fuel injector is widely used in modern low-emission gas turbine combustors. It is important to understand the underlying physics in the interaction between fuel spray and complex swirling airflow. The present study investigates a swirl cup airblast fuel injector's swirling flow and spray atomization characteristics. Various laser-based diagnostics, including planar Mie scattering, phase-Doppler particle analyzer, and high-speed particle imaging velocimetry, were employed for this purpose. The swirl cup airblast fuel injectors, featuring different outer swirler swirl numbers (0.8 < S N < 1.8) and inner–outer relative swirling directions, were investigated in an air Reynolds number ranging from 0.77 × 106 to 1.16 × 106 and a 2 kg/h constant kerosene mass flow rate. The results showed that, since the swirler relative direction showed a significant influence on the inner swirler induced central toroidal recirculation zone and outer swirler induced swirling jet zone, the interaction between spray and swirling airflow was changed. Therefore, spray angle, Sauter mean diameter, and droplet velocity were changed by the swirler relative direction. Moreover, the effect of swirl number on the spray characteristics was found to be different for co- and counter-direction swirler configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcium isotope composition of seawater (δ44/40Ca sw) records important information on the evolution of the calcium and carbon cycles over geologic time. Over the past two decades, many attempts have been made to reconstruct the Neogene δ44/40Ca sw variation using various calcium isotope records of seawater or seawater-like pore fluids. Nonetheless, large discrepancies still exist among these Neogene δ44/40Ca sw records. Here we report δ44/40Ca values in a suite of Neogene island dolomites (20.8–3.4 Ma, n = 18) from the South China Sea. Combining multiple geochemical proxies (δ44/40Ca, δ13C, and δ18O, this study; Sr/Ca, ∑REY, δ7Li, δ26Mg, 87Sr/86Sr, and Δ 47 , previous studies) and evidence from petrography, fluid inclusions, and magnetostratigraphy, we suggest that the dolomitization for these dolomites was buffered by seawater-like fluids in the shallow marine burial domain or even marine diagenetic domain (<180 m) over a considerable period of time (<2 Myr). Then, we apply the equilibrium calcium isotope fractionation factor between dolomite and seawater of −0.52 ± 0.20 ‰ (2SD, n = 13) estimated from the literature to these fluid-buffered dolomites and reconstruct a new Neogene δ44/40Ca sw record. After using the Locally Weighted Regression (LOWESS) curve fitting method, our dolomite-based δ44/40Ca sw record is consistent with the reconciled seawater record from other calcium isotope archives, including shark teeth, corals, foraminifera, brachiopods, barites, phosphates, and bulk pelagic carbonates. Our results support the use of fabric-retentive early marine diagenetic dolomites to trace the evolution of δ44/40Ca sw through Earth's history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a disease with high rates of disability and mortality. The role of epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (ERBB1) in ICH was elucidated in this study. Methods: ICH model was constructed by injecting autologous arterial blood into the right basal ganglia. The protein level of ERBB1 was detected by western blot analysis. To up‐ and downregulation of ERBB1 in rats, intraventricular injection of a lentivirus overexpression vector of ERBB1 and AG1478 (a specific inhibitor of ERBB1) was used. The cell apoptosis, neuronal loss, and pro‐inflammatory cytokines were assessed by TUNEL, Nissl staining, and ELISA. Meanwhile, behavioral cognitive impairment of ICH rats was evaluated after ERBB1‐targeted interventions. Results: ERBB1 increased significantly in brain tissue of ICH rats. Overexpression of ERBB1 remarkably reduced cell apoptosis and neuronal loss induced by ICH, as well as pro‐inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, the behavioral and cognitive impairment of ICH rats were alleviated after upregulation of ERBB1; however, the secondary brain injury (SBI) was aggravated by AG1478 treatment. Furthermore, the upregulation of PLC‐γ and PKC in ICH rats was reversed by AG1478 treatment. Conclusions: ERBB1 can improve SBI and has a neuroprotective effect in experimental ICH rats via PLC‐γ/PKC pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lipid-based lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) face stability challenges in biological fluids during clinical translation. Ionic Liquids (ILs) have emerged as effective solvent additives for tuning the structure of LCNP's and enhancing their stability. We investigated the effect of a library of 21 choline-based biocompatible ILs with 9 amino acid anions as well as 10 other organic/inorganic anions during the preparation of phytantriol (PHY)-based LCNPs, followed by incubation in human serum and serum proteins. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results show that the phase behaviour of the LCNPs depends on the IL concentration and anion structure. Incubation with human serum led to a phase transition from the inverse bicontinuous cubic (Q 2) to the inverse hexagonal (H 2) mesophase, influenced by the specific IL present. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and proteomics analysis of selected samples, including PHY control and those with choline glutamate, choline hexanoate, and choline geranate, identified abundant proteins in the protein corona, including albumin, apolipoproteins, and serotransferrin. The composition of the protein corona varied among samples, shedding light on the intricate interplay between ILs, internal structure and surface chemistry of LCNPs, and biological fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low power consumption Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) modulator employing current reuse cross‐coupled (CRC) LC‐VCO topology and direct injection locking (IL) technique at 10.5‐GHz frequency is presented in this paper. The modulator consumes 864 μW with a DC supply of 1.2 V drawing an average current of 720 μA. The differential VCO is composed of a PMOS‐NMOS pair in stacked series cross‐coupled connection enabling current reuse which results in reduction of the average current drawn from the power source. For comparison, the ASK modulator is also realized with conventional cross‐coupled (CC) topology using NMOS pair. Both circuit approaches are carried out in GF 130‐nm CMOS technology and the post‐layout simulation results of 0.5 × 0.5 mm2 integrated circuits (ICs) show that the CRC topology consumes less power and half of the average current compared to CC topology. Owing to low power requirements, the CRC ASK modulator can be used in self‐powered active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag transmitters for higher data rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, fire disasters have killed numerous human lives, and caused tremendous property loss. Fire warning systems play a vital role in predicting fire risks, and are strongly desired to effectively prevent the disaster occurrence and significantly reduce the loss. Among the developed fire warning systems, thermoelectrics (TEs) and thermocells (TECs)-based fire warning materials are extremely important and indispensable in future research, owing to their unique capability of direct conversion between heat and electricity. Here, we present this review of the recent progress of TEs and TECs in fire warning field. Firstly, a brief introduction of existing fire warning systems is provided, including the mechanisms and features of various types. Then, the mechanisms of electronic TE (eTE), ionic TE (iTE) and TEC are elucidated. Next, the basic principles for the material preparation and device fabrication are discussed in their dimension sequence. Subsequently, some important advances or examples of TE fire warnings are highlighted in details. Finally, the challenges and prospects are outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) foam as one of next-generation polymer foam materials shows poor surface adhesion and limited functionality, which greatly restricts its potential applications. Fabrication of advanced PDMS foam materials with multiple functionalities remains a critical challenge. In this study, unprecedented self-adhesive PDMS foam materials are reported with worm-like rough structure and reactive groups for fabricating multifunctional PDMS foam nanocomposites decorated with MXene/cellulose nanofiber (MXene/CNF) interconnected network by a facile silicone foaming and dip-coating strategy followed by silane surface modification. Interestingly, such self-adhesive PDMS foam produces strong interfacial adhesion with the hybrid MXene/CNF nano-coatings. Consequently, the optimized PDMS foam nanocomposites have excellent surface super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle of ≈159o), tunable electrical conductivity (from 10-8 to 10 S m-1), stable compressive cyclic reliability in both wide-temperature range (from -20 to 200 °C) and complex environments (acid, sodium, and alkali conditions), outstanding flame resistance (LOI value of >27% and low smoke production rate), good thermal insulating performance and reliable strain sensing in various stress modes and complex environmental conditions. It provides a new route for the rational design and development of advanced PDMS foam nanocomposites with versatile multifunctionalities for various promising applications such as intelligent healthcare monitoring and fire-safe thermal insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing surface roughness theoretical predictive models exhibit high parameter sensitivity and complexity, resulting in low reliability. Moreover, machine learning-based predictive models are constrained by the training parameter range, limiting their precision and generalization. In response to these limitations and from the frequency domain perspective, this paper proposes an innovative surface roughness (Ra) predictive model for silicon nitride ceramics grinding based on the dynamic grinding force model. First, a dynamic grinding force model was established using single grain scratch test results from both ductile and brittle removal stages, with model parameter estimation assisted by Genetic Algorithm. The results demonstrated a Mean Relative Error (MRE) of 19.51% between experimental and theoretical dynamic grinding force values, and a Relative Error (RE) of 9.37% for average grinding force. Subsequently, the frequency domain characteristics of both experimental grinding force signals and surface topography texture curves were extracted, which exhibited a significant correlation based on cosine similarity and Kendall's tau. Finally, leveraging the frequency domain characteristics of grinding force, the surface roughness predictive model was developed through the Convolutional Neural Network. The predictive model achieved an MRE of 12.79%, with random grinding experiments further confirming the model's accuracy with an MRE of 13.65%. These findings indicate that the proposed surface roughness predictive model offers high generalization capability and accurate prediction across a broader parameter range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: A transition‐metal free three‐component coupling reaction of azaindoles, C60, and bromoalkanes/triphenylamines has been developed to provide an efficient access to diverse azaindole functionalized 1,4‐C60 adducts. This protocol exhibits low cost, operational simplicity, wide substrate scope, and mild and convenient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BiS2‐based layered superconductors with structures similar to those of cuprates and iron‐based superconductors have stimulated much research interest. Here, a new quaternary compound is reported, Bi5O4S3Cl, which crystalizes in a tetragonal structure with P4/mmm (No. 123) space group having alternately stacking unique BiS3 layers and Bi2O2 layers along the c‐axis with a Cl atom located at the center of the unit cell. A superconducting transition above 3 K is observed for both electrical transport and magnetic measurements. Hall resistivity measurements show its multiband character with a conduction dominated by electron‐like charge carriers. The first‐principles calculations exhibit that the semiconducting parent phase Bi5O4S3Cl becomes metallic when sulfur vacancies are introduced, which hints the origin of superconductivity in Bi5O4S3Cl. The findings will inspire the exploration of new BiS‐based superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] An abundance of early warning graphene-based nano-materials and sensors have been developed to avoid and prevent the critical fire risk of combustible materials. However, there are still some limitations that should be addressed, such as the black color, high-cost and single fire warning response of graphene-based fire warning materials. Herein, we report an unexpected montmorillonite (MMT)-based intelligent fire warning materials that have excellent fire cyclic warning performance and reliable flame retardancy. Combining phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) molecules, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) nanofiber (PBONF), and layers of MMT to form a silane crosslinked 3D nanonetwork system, the homologous PTES decorated MMT-PBONF nanocomposites are designed and fabricated via a sol–gel process and low temperature self-assembly method. The optimized nanocomposite paper shows good mechanical flexibility (good recovery after kneading or bending process), high tensile strength of ∼81 MPa and good water resistance. Furthermore, the nanocomposite paper exhibits high-temperature flame resistance (almost unchanged structure and size after 120 s combustion), sensitive flame alarm response (∼0.3 s response once exposure onto a flame), cyclic fire warning performance (>40 cycles), and adaptability to complex fire situations (several fire attack and evacuation scenarios), showing promising applications for monitoring the critical fire risk of combustible materials. Therefore, this work paves a rational way for design and fabrication of MMT-based smart fire warning materials that combine excellent flame shielding and sensitive fire alarm functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of underground engineering, the problem of sudden surge water has become one of the main problems that restrict engineering safety. Grouting method is commonly used to seal the fracture water flow. However, grouting in flowing water streams still faces many challenges. In this study, a rough fracture model is established based on the Barton curve, and the effects of fracture roughness, water flow rate, fracture inclination, and grouting pressure are considered, and orthogonal tests are used to study the diffusion pattern of slurry under the four factors. According to the observed phenomena, there are four main diffusion patterns of the slurry: (1) full slurry coverage with no water passing through; (2) little coverage with watercourses and cavity areas along both sides of the fracture; (3) partial slurry coverage with no obvious watercourses but some cavity areas; and (4) less coverage with larger watercourses and cavity areas. The reduction rate of flow rate at the outlet before and after grouting was used to express the sealing effect. The results show that the degree of influence on the slurry sealing effect from strong to weak is fracture roughness, water flow velocity, grouting pressure, and fracture angle in order. A method to characterize the sealing effect by slurry coverage is proposed based on the final distribution of residual slurry. Considering the mutual influence between different factors, the sealing effect of two factors is analyzed in order to provide reference for engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapeutic drug for various cancers. Yet, the cardiotoxic side effects limit its application in clinical uses, in which ferroptosis serves as a crucial pathological mechanism in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). A reduction of Na+/K + ATPase (NKA) activity is closely associated with DIC progression. However, whether abnormal NKA function was involved in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and ferroptosis remains unknown. Here, we aim to decipher the cellular and molecular mechanisms of dysfunctional NKA in DOX-induced ferroptosis and investigate NKA as a potential therapeutic target for DIC. A decrease activity of NKA further aggravated DOX-triggered cardiac dysfunction and ferroptosis in NKAα1 haploinsufficiency mice. In contrast, antibodies against the DR-region of NKAα-subunit (DR-Ab) attenuated the cardiac dysfunction and ferroptosis induced by DOX. Mechanistically, NKAα1 interacted with SLC7A11 to form a novel protein complex, which was directly implicated in the disease progression of DIC. Furthermore, the therapeutic effect of DR-Ab on DIC was mediated by reducing ferroptosis by promoting the association of NKAα1/SLC7A11 complex and maintaining the stability of SLC7A11 on the cell surface. These results indicate that antibodies targeting the DR-region of NKA may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to alleviate DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. [Display omitted] • NKAα1 deficiency aggravates doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction and ferroptosis. • Antibodies targeting the DR-region of the NKAα-subunit suppress doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction and ferroptosis. • The inhibitory effect of DR-Ab on doxorubicin-induced ferroptosis is by promoting the association of NKAα1/SLC7A11 complex and maintaining the stability of SLC7A11 on the cell surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the stroke subtypes with the highest mortality. Secondary brain injury is associated with neurological dysfunction and poor prognosis after ICH. Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is the key protein of Caveolae. Previous studies have shown that CAV1 plays an important role in central nervous system diseases, and pointed out that in a collagenase-induced ICH model in vivo, CAV1 is associated with neuroinflammatory activation and poor neurological prognosis. In this study, we explore the role and the molecular mechanism of CAV1 in brain injury via a rat autologous whole blood injection model and an in vitro model of ICH. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ICH model was induced through autologous whole blood injecting into the right basal ganglia. The changes in protein levels of CAV1 in brain tissues of ICH rats were detected by western blot analysis. The immunofluorescent staining was used to explore the changes of CAV1 in microglia/macrophages (Iba1+ cells). Lentivirus vectors were administered by intracerebroventricular injection to induce CAV1 overexpression and knockdown respectively. The western blot analysis, immunofluorescence staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and Nissl staining were performed to explore the role of CAV1 in secondary brain injury after ICH. Meanwhile, the rotarod test, foot fault test, adhesive-removal test, and Modified Garcia Test, as well as Morris Water Maze test, were performed to evaluate the behavioral cognitive impairment of ICH rats after genetic intervention. Additionally, BV-2 cells treated with oxygen hemoglobin for 24 h, were used as an in vitro model of ICH in this study to explore the molecular mechanism of CAV1 in brain injury; we performed western blot analysis after precise regulation of CAV1 in BV2 cells to observe changes in protein levels and phosphorylated levels of C-Src, IKK-β, and NF-κB. The expression of CAV1 in microglia/macrophages (Iba1+ cells) was elevated and reached the peak at 24 h after ICH. CAV1 knockdown ameliorated ICH-induced neurological deficits, while CAV1 overexpression significantly worsened neurological dysfunction of ICH rats. CAV1 knockdown attenuated cellular apoptosis and promoted neuronal survival in brain tissues of ICH rats, while the ICH rats with CAV1 overexpression presented more cellular apoptosis and neuronal loss. Meanwhile, CAV1 knockdown inhibited the microglia activation and neuroinflammatory response, while CAV1 overexpression abolished these effects and aggravated neuroinflammation in brain tissues of ICH rats. Additionally, by inducing to CAV1 knockdown in BV2 cells in an in vitro model of ICH, the levels of p-C-Src, CAV-1, p-CAV-1, and p-IKK-β in cytoplasm and the level of NF-κB p65 in nucleus of BV2 cells were significantly decreased, while they were increased by inducing to CAV1 overexpression. Our research revealed CAV1 aggravated neurological dysfunction in a rat ICH model. CAV1 knockdown exerted neuroprotective effect by suppressing microglia activation and neuroinflammation after ICH might via the C-Src/CAV1/IKK-β/NF-κB signaling pathway. • The expression of CAV1 in microglia was elevated after ICH. • CAV1 knockdown inhibited the activation of microglia and neuroinflammatory response on ICH. • CAV1 knockdown exerted neuroprotective effect on ICH might via the C-Src/CAV1/IKK-β/NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water has a significant impact on the dielectric constant of materials. As a multiphase composite material, the effect of water content must be taken into account when modeling the composite dielectric of cement concrete. Cement concrete traditionally has been thought of as a three-phase mixed material consisting of mortar, aggregate (limestone), and pores (air). Water was used as a constituent material of cement concrete in this paper, and its content was described in terms of water saturation. By abstracting the components of cement concrete into independent medium units and arranging them according to certain rules, the four-phase mixing model of cement concrete can be established. To investigate the effect of water, the dielectric constant of cement concrete was measured using a network analyzer at various water saturation levels. The experimental results show that water significantly can enhance the dielectric constant of cement concrete, and this effect is related to porosity: the higher the water saturation, the faster the dielectric constant increases. According to the established concrete four-phase mixed model, combined with the parallel plate capacitor theory, a composite dielectric model considering water saturation was developed which can improve the prediction accuracy under different water saturation conditions and provide a foundation for the application of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in the quality inspection of cement concrete pavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut seeds are susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection, which has a severe impact on the peanut industry and human health. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this defense remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differential metabolites during A. flavus infection between Zhonghua 6 and Yuanza 9102 by transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. A total of 5768 DEGs were detected in the transcriptomic study. Further functional analysis showed that some DEGs were significantly enriched in pectinase catabolism, hydrogen peroxide decomposition and cell wall tissues of resistant varieties at the early stage of infection, while these genes were differentially enriched in the middle and late stages of infection in the nonresponsive variety Yuanza 9102. Some DEGs, such as those encoding transcription factors, disease course-related proteins, peroxidase (POD), chitinase and phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), were highly expressed in the infection stage. Metabolomic analysis yielded 349 differential metabolites. Resveratrol, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid, ferulic acid in phenylalanine metabolism and 13S-HPODE in the linolenic acid metabolism pathway play major and active roles in peanut resistance to A. flavus. Combined analysis of the differential metabolites and DEGs showed that they were mainly enriched in phenylpropane metabolism and the linolenic acid metabolism pathway. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses further confirmed that peanuts infected with A. flavus activates various defense mechanisms, and the response to A. flavus is more rapid in resistant materials. These results can be used to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of peanut resistance to A. flavus infection and provide directions for early detection of infection and for breeding peanut varieties resistant to aflatoxin contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetically induced self-assembled graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) method is reported to synthesize MFe2O4/GNRs (M = Co,Ni). It is found that MFe2O4 compounds not only locate on the surface of GNRs but anchor on the interlayers of GNRs in the diameter of less than 5 nm as well. The in situ growth of MFe2O4 and magnetic aggregation at the joints of GNRs act as crosslinking agents to solder GNRs to build a nest structure. Additionally, combining GNRs with MFe2O4 helps to improve the magnetism of the MFe2O4. As an anode material for Li+ ion batteries, MFe2O4/GNRs can provide high reversible capacity and cyclic stability (1432 mAh g−1 for CoFe2O4/GNRs and 1058 mAh g−1 for NiFe2O4 at 0.1 A g−1 over 80 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]