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Many regions or countries seek to transition to a low-carbon economy, but there is ambiguity about how carbon emissions change with economic growth. This paper captures characteristics of carbon emissions in China using the Tapio Method. To detect driving factors of carbon emissions in economic growth, we adopt the Log-Mean Divisia Index decomposition method. The results of the paper are as follows: (1) Economic growth in most regions of China has outpaced the growth rate of carbon emissions, showing the characteristics of decoupling. (2) Metropolitan cities have a greater impact on the level of decoupling in neighboring provinces and municipalities. (3) The decoupling of carbon emissions from economic growth is caused by declining energy intensity in China. (4) The energy mix and industrial structure have little impact on the growth rate of carbon emissions. In addition, some policy implications are summarized according to the findings of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the unflavored Schur indices in the N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory for the Bn, Cn, Dn, G2 gauge groups. We explore two methods, namely the character expansion method and the Fermi gas method, to efficiently compute the q-series expansion of the Schur indices to some high orders. Using the available data and the modular properties, we are able to fix the exact formulas for the general gauge groups up to some high ranks and discover some interesting new features. We also identify some empirical modular anomaly equations, but unlike the case of An groups, they are quite complicated and not sufficiently useful to fix exact formulas for gauge groups of arbitrary rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the discovery of clinical pathways (CPs) from electronic medical records (EMRs) data has received increasing attention because it can directly support clinical doctors with explicit treatment knowledge, which is one of the key challenges in the development of intelligent healthcare services. However, the existing work has focused on topic probabilistic models, which usually produce treatment patterns with similar treatment activities, and such discovered treatment patterns do not take into account the temporal process of patient treatment which does not meet the needs of practical medical applications. Methods: Based on the assumption that CPs can be derived from the data of EMRs which usually record the treatment process of patients, this paper proposes a new CPs mining method from EMRs, an extended form of the traditional topic model - the temporal topic model (TTM). The method can capture the treatment topics and the corresponding treatment timestamps for each treatment day. Results: Experimental research conducted on a real-world dataset of patients' hospitalization processes, and the achieved results demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed methodology for CPs mining. Compared to existing benchmarks, our model shows significant improvement and robustness. Conclusion: Our TTM provides a more competitive way to mine potential CPs considering the temporal features of the EMR data, providing a very prospective tool to support clinical diagnostic decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the associations of corneal biomechanical properties as measured by the Corvis ST with refractive errors and ocular biometry in an unselected sample of young adults. Methods: A total of 1645 healthy university students underwent corneal biomechanical parameters measurement by the Corvis ST. The refractive status of the participants was measured using an autorefractor without cycloplegia. Ocular biometric parameters were measured using the IOL Master. Results: After adjusting for the effect of age, sex, biomechanical-corrected intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness, axial length was significantly associated with A1 velocity (A1v, β = -10.47), A2 velocity (A2v, β = 4.66), A2 deflection amplitude (A2DeflA, β = -6.02), HC deflection amplitude (HC-DeflA, β = 5.95), HC peak distance (HC-PD, β = 2.57), deformation amplitude ratio max (DA Rmax, β = -0.36), Ambrósio′s relational thickness to the horizontal profile (ARTh, β = 0.002). For axial length / corneal radius ratio, only A1v (β = -2.01), A1 deflection amplitude (A1DeflA, β = 2.30), HC-DeflA (β = 1.49), HC-PD (β = -0.21), DA Rmax (β = 0.07), stress–strain index (SSI, β = -0.29), ARTh (β < 0.001) were significant associates. A1v (β = 23.18), HC-DeflA (β = -15.36), HC-PD (β = 1.27), DA Rmax (β = -0.66), SSI (β = 3.53), ARTh (β = -0.02) were significantly associated with spherical equivalent. Conclusion: Myopic eyes were more likely to have more deformable corneas and corneas in high myopia were easier to deform and were even softer compared with those in the mild/moderate myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most prevalent acquired sensorineural hearing loss etiologies and is characterized by the loss of cochlear hair cells, synapses, and nerve terminals. Currently, there are no agents available for the treatment of NIHL because drug delivery to the inner ear is greatly limited by the blood–labyrinth barrier. In this study, we used mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) as nanoscale vehicles to deliver brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and evaluated their protective effects in a mouse model of NIHL. Following intravenous administration, BDNF-loaded sEVs (BDNF-sEVs) efficiently increased the expression of BDNF protein in the cochlea. Systemic application of sEVs and BDNF-sEVs significantly attenuated noise-induced cochlear hair cell loss and NIHL in CBA/J mice. BDNF-sEVs also alleviated noise-induced loss of inner hair cell ribbon synapses and cochlear nerve terminals. In cochlear explants, sEVs and BDNF-sEVs effectively protected hair cells against H 2 O 2 -induced cell loss. Additionally, BDNF-sEVs remarkably ameliorated H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress, cell apoptosis, and cochlear nerve terminal degeneration. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that many mRNAs and miRNAs were involved in the protective actions of BDNF-sEVs against oxidative stress. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel therapeutic strategy of MSC-sEVs-mediated BDNF delivery for the treatment of NIHL. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria are essential organelles for cellular metabolism and physiology in eukaryotic cells. Human mitochondria have their own genome (mtDNA), which is maternally inherited with 37 genes, encoding 13 polypeptides for oxidative phosphorylation, and 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs for translation. mtDNA mutations are associated with a wide spectrum of degenerative and neuromuscular diseases. However, the pathophysiology of mitochondrial diseases, especially for threshold effect and tissue specificity, is not well understood and there is no effective treatment for these disorders. Especially, the lack of appropriate cell and animal disease models has been significant obstacles for deep elucidating the pathophysiology of maternally transmitted diseases and developing the effective therapy approach. The use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients to obtain terminally differentiated specific lineages such as inner ear hair cells is a revolutionary approach to deeply understand pathogenic mechanisms and develop the therapeutic interventions of mitochondrial disorders. Here, we review the recent advances in patients-derived iPSCs as ex vivo models for mitochondrial diseases. Those patients-derived iPSCs have been differentiated into specific targeting cells such as retinal ganglion cells and eventually organoid for the disease modeling. These disease models have advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology of maternally inherited diseases and stepped toward therapeutic interventions for these diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) and lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) for benign predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, 85 patients with predominantly cystic thyroid nodules (PCTNs) who underwent microwave ablation (MWA) or lauromacrogol injection for ablation (LIA) between June 2019 and August 2022 at three hospitals were included in our research. Forty-six patients were treated with microwave ablation, and thirty-nine patients were treated with lauromacrogol injection for ablation. The baseline characteristics, nodal volume, volume reduction rate (VRR), and incidence of postoperative complications were compared between these two groups. Results: After treatment, there were significant differences in the thyroid nodule volume and the volume reduction rate (VRR) at different follow-up times between the groups (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the nodal volume or the volume reduction rate (VRR) between the MWA group and the LIA group at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p > 0.05). Of note, no serious intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred in the corresponding group. Conclusion: MWA and LIA are very effective and safe strategies for the treatment of predominantly cystic thyroid nodules. However, LIA is more advantageous in that it is less expensive and has a shorter length of hospital stay than MWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a novel measure for the complexity of operator growth is proposed based on Lanczos algorithm and Krylov recursion method. We study this Krylov complexity in quantum mechanical systems derived from some well-known local toric Calabi–Yau geometries, as well as some nonrelativistic models. We find that for the Calabi–Yau models, the Lanczos coefficients grow slower than linearly for small n 's, consistent with the behavior of integrable models. On the other hand, for the nonrelativistic models, the Lanczos coefficients initially grow linearly for small n 's, then reach a plateau. Although this looks like the behavior of a chaotic system, it is mostly likely due to saddle-dominated scrambling effects instead, as argued in the literature. In our cases, the slopes of linearly growing Lanczos coefficients almost saturate a bound by the temperature. During our study, we also provide an alternative general derivation of the bound for the slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria, organelles that harbor their own circular genomes, are critical for energy production and homeostasis maintenance in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies discovered hundreds of mitochondria-encoded noncoding RNAs (mt-ncRNAs), including novel subtypes of mitochondria-encoded circular RNAs (mecciRNAs) and mitochondria-encoded double-stranded RNAs (mt-dsRNAs). Here, we discuss the emerging field of mt-ncRNAs by reviewing their expression patterns, biogenesis, metabolism, regulatory roles, and functional mechanisms. Many mt-ncRNAs have regulatory roles in cellular physiology, and some are associated with, or even act as, causal factors in human diseases. We also highlight developments in technologies and methodologies and further insights into future perspectives and challenges in studying these noncoding RNAs, as well as their potential biomedical applications. The mitochondrial genome encodes hundreds of noncoding RNAs (mt-ncRNAs). Mt-rRNAs, mt-tRNAs, mt-lncRNAs, mitosRNAs, along with recently identified mecciRNAs and mt-dsRNAs, are major species of mt-ncRNAs. A variety of mt-ncRNAs have been shown to have critical roles in physiology and pathology, through diverse regulatory mechanisms. Mutations in mt-tRNAs are known genetic causes of several human hereditary diseases. Members of other mt-ncRNA species also participate in key regulatory events and disorders, such as metabolic diseases and cancers. Major advancements have been made in the toolbox for studying mitochondrial biology. Technologies such as those that allow mitochondrial genome editing will continue to drive further understandings of mt-ncRNAs in terms of their biogenesis, metabolism, functions, and functional mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-ion batteries are known for their high efficiency for storing electrical energy, especially for hybrid vehicles. In this research, the development of mixture composites in the cathode electrode of LIBs has been discussed and designed based on ternary solid solutions. We have given a novel synthesis and method preparation of cathode electrode materials to reduce costs while increasing the efficiency and simultaneity for the future of these technologies. The major problem in the LIBs is related to LiCoO2 as a popular cathode material that, although it has a high efficiency, is expensive and very toxic. Therefore, the usage of a lower weight of cobalt compared to the LiCoO2 cathode material is economically advantageous for this research. Several samples of the (1-x-y) LiCo1/3Ti1/3Fe1/3PO4 xLi2MnPO4 and yLiFePO4 system were synthesized via sol–gel experiments. Various stoichiometric amounts of the LiNO3, Li2MnPO4, Mn (Ac)2. 4H2O, Co (Ac)2.4H2O, Ti(NO3)2.6H2O and LiFePO4 have been used for several compositions of chrome, manganese, cobalt and titanium in 28 samples of (1-x-y) LiCo1/3Ti1/3Fe1/3PO4. By using thermal characterization, five samples have been selected due to their conditions in viewpoints of capacity and cyclability as well as activation energy, which is one of the major factors. These composites exhibited fairly consistent charge/discharge curves during the electrochemical testing. From the viewpoint of the physical and chemical properties, among these samples, the Li1.501Co0.389Ti0.055Fe0.055Mn0.501PO4 structure has a high efficiency compared to other compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical need to enhance the quality of indoor air leads to the improvement of catalyst activity for the removal of formaldehyde. Sepiolite can be utilized in catalytic reactions for its unique structure, composition and high surface area. The adhesion between sepiolite fibers and the blocked microporous channel (by impurities) demands the activation of natural sepiolite through acid treatment. This treatment successfully produces acid-modified sepiolite Pt-supported samples. The impacts of different acid concentrations, Pt loading content and calcination temperature on catalytic activity for formaldehyde (HCHO) oxidation are studied. The catalytic activity of HCHO is characterized and evaluated by techniques including specific surface area, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results show the maximum specific area of sepiolite at the optimized 0.06 M acid concentration. Among all the prepared samples, the 0.02Pt/Sep catalyst calcined at 500 °C exhibits the highest catalytic activity for the oxidation of HCHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoreclamation is the intervention of plants to improve degraded soil quality, changing soil biotic and abiotic properties. Many studies have focused on microbial composition and bioactivity, but few explored the changes in phylogenetic assemblages of soil microbiota after phytoreclamation. This study compared microbiomes of bare land to those of planted soils and investigated how the rhizosphere environment affects microbial assemblages from monocot Poa pratensis and eudicot Dianthus plumarius plantings using 16S rRNA metabarcoding. The results showed that the biotic susceptibility of soil to the rhizosphere environment was higher than that of the abiotic. A noticeable change was in some soil physicochemical properties like Na, P, Zn, Cu, C, and sand-to-silt proportion before and after phytoreclamation, but not between the rhizosphere and bulk soil of plantings. Contrastingly, microbial composition and diversity were significantly affected by both turfing and rhizosphere effects and were more susceptible to differences in turfing or not than in planting species. In the turfgrass, the microbiome differences between plants were greater in the rhizosphere than in the surrounding bulk soil, indicating the proximal influence of root exudates. We also found that the main abiotic factors that influenced microbial composition were Na, Zn, NOx, N, and S; as for the phylogenetic assemblages, were by K levels and the increase of silt. Turfgrass decomposes soil aggregates and changes the physicochemical properties, thereby evens the phylogenetic clustering of the soil microbial community. We demonstrated that the deterministic process affects the microbial assemblage and acts as a selective agent of the soil microbiota in fundamental and realized niches. Phytoreclamation may lead to abiotic soil changes that reallocate resources to microbes. This could affect the phylogeny of the microbial assemblages and increase microbial richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case assignment system is an essential system of case management and assignment within the procuratorate and is an important aspect of judicial fairness and efficiency. However, existing methods mostly use manual or random case assignment, which leads to unbalanced case distribution. Moreover, the relationship between prosecutors and case categories usually shows a power-law distribution in real-world data. Therefore, in this paper, we describe the case rationality assignment as a recommendation problem under the power-law distributed data. To solve the above problems, we propose an end-to-end Self-supervised Graph neural network model with Pre-training Generative learning for Recommendation (SGPGRec), the main idea of which is to capture self-supervised signals using intra-node features and inter-node correlations in the data, and generate the data representation by pre-training to improve the recommendation results. To be specific, we designed three auxiliary self-supervised tasks based on the prosecutor-case category interaction graph and the data distribution to obtain feature representations of prosecutors, case categories, and the interaction information between them. Then we constructed an end-to-end graph neural network recommendation model by the interaction information based on the data characteristics of the power-law distribution. Finally, extensive experimental consistency on a real-world dataset from three procuratorates shows that our method is effective compared to several yet competing baseline methods and further supports the development of an intelligent case assignment system with adequate performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a novel modular anomaly equation for the unflavored Schur index in the N = 4 SU(N) super-Yang-Mills theory. The vanishing conditions overdetermine the modular ambiguity ansatz from the equation, thus together they are sufficient to recursively compute the exact Schur indices for all SU(N) gauge groups. Using the representations as MacMahon's generalized sum-of-divisors functions and Jacobi forms, we then prove our proposal as well as elucidate a general formula conjectured by Pan and Peelaers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high price of noble metal resources limits its commercial application and stimulates the potential for developing new catalysts that can replace noble metal catalysts. Tungsten-based catalysts have become the most important substitutes for noble metal catalysts because of their rich resources, friendly environment, rich valence and better adsorption enthalpy. However, some challenges still hinder the development of tungsten-based catalysts, such as limited catalytic activity, instability, difficult recovery, and so on. At present, the focus of tungsten-based catalyst research is to develop a satisfactory material with high catalytic performance, excellent stability and green environmental protection, mainly including tungsten atomic catalysts, tungsten metal nanocatalysts, tungsten-based compound nanocatalysts, and so on. In this work, we first present the research status of these tungsten-based catalysts with different sizes, existing forms, and chemical compositions, and further provide a basis for future perspectives on tungsten-based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries for large energy storage systems due to their abundant potassium resources and low cost. However, the electrochemical properties of cathode materials, specifically the layered transition-metal oxides, hinder the practical application and development of PIBs. To overcome this challenge, further research is needed to improve the performance of cathode materials. This work presents the preparation of a series of K 0.5 Mn 1-x Co x O 2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) materials by doping with Co ions. As cathode materials, P3–K 0.5 Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 O 2 shows better rate capacity and cycle performance, delivering a higher initial discharge capacity of 108.4 and 44 mAh g−1 at current rate of 20 and 200 mA g−1, respectively, compared to K 0 · 5 MnO 2. Furthermore, the as-obtained P3–K 0.5 Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 O 2 delivers a capacity of 62 mAh g−1 even at 400 mA g−1 and maintains the discharge capacity of 34.2 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. The addition of suitable cobalt content enhances structural stability and ion transportation kinetics, ultimately improving the rate performance and cyclic stability during K+ insertion/extraction. These results could provide a new idea for the design and development of cathode materials for potassium ion batteries. • A novel K 0.5 Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 O 2 cathode material is successfully prepared. • Suitable Co content enhances structural stability and ion transportation kinetics. • It delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 108.4 mAh g−1 at 20 mA g−1. • It has a capacity retention of 55% after 200 cycles at 400 mA g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel and stringent automotive exhaust gas emissions standards are urgently needed to counter the problems posed by the worsening global climate and environment. However, the traditional cordierite‐based honeycomb ceramics substrates with ultimate pore density have seriously restricted the establishment of new emission standards. Herein, we introduce a novel robust substrate with tailored volume‐specific surface area and low heat capacity. This substrate employs the synergy of high‐strength ceramic fibers and ultrathin TiO2 nanosheets. The micro‐sized fibers provide support to ensure structural strength during the catalytic reaction, while the nanosheets play the dual role of connecting the fibers and providing a high surface area for catalyst immobilization. The new three‐dimensional (3D) microarchitecture exhibits a high volume‐specific surface area of 3.59×104 cm2/cm3, a compressive strength of 2.01 MPa, and remarkable stability after high‐speed air erosion at 800 °C. The honeycomb‐like structure exhibit low resistance to gas flow. Furthermore, after loading with Pt and Pd nanoparticles, the composite 3D microarchitecture delivered an excellent catalytic performance and prominent structural stability, with a super low light‐off temperature of 150 °C. The outstanding mechanical and thermal stability and the high surface area and light‐off temperature of the new substrate indicate its potential for use as a highly efficient catalytic carrier to meet the next‐generation auto emissions standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic and climatic differences between islands and continents may affect the evolution of their biota, and promote divergent selection in species distributed in both landscapes. To assess spatial‐genetic structure, we genotyped 18 expressed sequence tag‐simple sequence repeat (EST‐SSR) loci and sequenced two mtDNA markers (ND5 and COI) and one nuclear marker (EF1α) in two subspecies of the butterfly Parantica sita. Compared with nuclear markers, mtDNA had a stronger signal of population structure. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) suggested that a continuous‐gene‐flow model best described the data. According to this model, the two subspecies diverged approximately 23.1 kya, with 10 times more introgression from the continental (ssp. sita) to the insular subspecies (ssp. niphonica) than vice versa. Ecological niche modelling was performed to predict the paleo‐ and current potential distributions and elucidate the geohistorical process, which revealed a northeastern, insular origin. Winter precipitation and annual temperature range were the main determinants of the subspecies distributions. Maximum‐likelihood population‐effects models showed that the population differentiation of the insular and continental subspecies was primarily affected by environmental resistance and local climate. Sex‐biased migration capacity and long‐term precipitation‐driven divergence between the continental and insular lineages shaped the current genetic structure of P. sita. Evidence from the nuclear markers confirmed intersubspecific gene flow despite adaptive divergence between the subspecies. These results imply that the continental subspecies is still capable of returning to the island and introgressing with the insular subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (pc-wLEDs) are drawing ever-increasing attention towards electronic applications. However, thermal quenching, the intensity decay with increasing temperature, presents a significant challenge for high power operation. We reverse the effect with a negative-thermal-quenching property based on energy transfer from one luminescent center to another center. The LaMgAl 11 O 19 : Er3+, Sm3+ (LMA: LaMgAl 11 O 19 : Er3+, Sm3+) phosphor has been designed, which shows a positive relationship between emission intensity and operating temperature up to 573 K (300 °C). As the temperature rises, energy transfer from Er3+ to Sm3+ occurs with higher efficiency because of stronger ionic vibration. As a result, the phosphor luminescence intensity at elevated temperatures is enhanced. Our design for negative-thermal quenching phosphor laid the foundation for the research of high-power pc-wLEDs or lasers at higher temperatures. It also has potential for wide-temperature-sensing-range radiometric optical thermometry applications. • A negative thermal-quenching phosphor LaMgAl 11 O 19 : Er3+, Sm3+ was achieved by energy transfer. • The emission intensity of the phosphor increased continuously with temperature from 298 K to 573K. • The phosphor was promising for high power wLED operations and high temperature radiometric optical thermometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the research on materials science is rapidly entering a phase of data‐driven age. Machine learning, one of the most powerful data‐driven methods, have been being applied to materials discovery and performances prediction with undoubtedly tremendous application foreground. Herein, the challenges and current progress of machine learning are summarized in materials science, the design strategies are classified and highlighted, and possible perspectives are proposed for the future development. It is hoped this review can provide important scientific guidance for innovating materials science and technology via machine learning in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, we proposed a novel entry of the pp-wave holographic dictionary, which equated the Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase (BMN) two-point functions in free N = 4 super-Yang-Mills theory with the norm squares of the quantum unitary transition amplitudes between the corresponding tensionless strings in the infinite curvature limit, for the cases with no more than three string modes in different transverse directions. A seemingly highly non-trivial conjectural consequence, particularly in the case of three string modes, is the non-negativity of the BMN two-point functions at any higher genus for any mode numbers. In this paper, we further perform the detailed calculations of the BMN two-point functions with three string modes at genus two, and explicitly verify that they are always non-negative through mostly extensive numerical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Okuyama and Sakai proposed a novel holomorphic anomaly equation for the partition function of 2d Yang-Mills theory on a torus, based on an anholomorphic deformation of the propagator in the bosonic formulation. Using the boson-fermion correspondence, we derive the formula for the deformed partition function in fermionic description and give a proof of the holomorphic anomaly equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The Massenerhebung effect (Mass elevation effect) refers to heat‐ or wind‐driven altitudinal distribution patterns of temperature‐dependent parameters among massifs with narrower range and lower elevation around peripheral and isolated mountains compared to core and continuous ones. Although common in ecology, this effect is rarely discussed in population genetics. Here, we use genetic markers to reveal population genetic patterns and also test the mountain‐ and sky‐barrier hypotheses relevant to the Massenerhebung distribution pattern of Acer morrisonense in Taiwan's rugged topography and varied local climates. Location: The alpine and cloud forest of Taiwan. Taxon: Acer morrisonense Hayata. Methods: Two chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments and 17 expressed sequence tag‐simple sequence repeat (EST‐SSR) loci, respectively, from 200 to 286 individuals were used to elucidate the phylogeographic pattern of pollen and seed dispersal of A. morrisonense. These data were combined with ecological niche modeling (ENM) to infer distribution range shifts and refugia. We also correlated the genetic‐divergence indices with spatial factors to clarify latitudinal and altitudinal effects on genetic diversity. Results: The incongruent phylogeographic patterns of genetic distributions between nuclear and cpDNA markers indicate unhindered pollen flow but spatially constrained seed dispersal. Taken together with ENM, the genetic pattern further reflects historical colonization from central‐mountain refugia to edges since the Holocene. The Massenerhebung reduces the gene flow by the surrounding mountains and also causes lower genetic diversity compared to central alpine populations. Main conclusions: This study is the first to reveal the influence of Massenerhebung effect on cpDNA genetic structure of montane trees and reflect the spatial trends of seed dispersal. This population genetic pattern can also be attributed to the demography‐related range shifts with paleoclimate fluctuations under complex mountain topography, supporting the mountain‐barrier hypothesis. The results have important implications for conserving the genetic diversity of species with a wide altitudinal distribution range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mn-Fe oxides are in-situ prepared using K 2 FeO 4 and MnSO 4. • Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni performs the best catalytic ability of toluene oxidation. • Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni exhibits better physical–chemical properties. In this work, a series of manganese-based multi oxide (Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3) was in-situ synthesized using K 2 FeO 4 and MnSO 4 as the precursor via one-step hydrothermal method. Catalytic evaluation shows that Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni performs the best activity among the prepared catalysts. T 90% and T 50% of toluene conversion on Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni are 257 and 223 °C, respectively, which are 59 and 28 °C lower than those of Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -140. XRD analysis proves that the prepared catalysts are composed of Mn 3 O 4 and Fe 2 O 3 ; N 2 -BET indicates that Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni has a higher specific surface area; HRTEM analysis implies that the (1 0 3) and (1 1 2) of Mn 3 O 4 (PDF #18–0803) crystal planes are exposed on Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -140 and Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni, respectively, implying that the introduction of Ni can result in the change of exposed plane. Raman, XPS and O 2 -TPD analysis implies that there are abundant lattice defects and abundant surface adsorbed oxygen. DFT calculations suggests that the oxygen vacancies are more likely to be formed on the (1 1 2) plane in Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni than that of (1 0 3) plane in Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -140, which is consistent with the analysis result of Raman spectra and O 2 -TPD. At last, the possible degradation route of toluene oxidation on Mn 3 O 4 -Fe 2 O 3 -Ni is induced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the von Neumann entropy of a thermal mixed state in quantum systems derived from mirror curves, where the kinetic terms are exponential functions of the momentum operators. Using the mathematical results on the asymptotics of the energy eigenvalues, we compute the asymptotic entropy in high temperature limit and compare with that of the conventional models. We discuss the connections with some folklores in quantum gravity, particularly on the finiteness of entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change is expected to alter the factors that drive changes in adaptive variation. This is especially true for species with long life spans and limited dispersal capabilities. Rapid climate changes may disrupt the migration of beneficial genetic variations, making it challenging for them to keep up with changing environments. Understanding adaptive genetic variations in tree species is crucial for conservation and effective forest management. Our study used landscape genomic analyses and phenotypic traits from a thorough sampling across the entire range of Quercus longinux, an oak species native to Taiwan, to investigate the signals of adaptation within this species. Results: Using ecological data, phenotypic traits, and 1,933 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 205 individuals, we classified three genetic groups, which were also phenotypically and ecologically divergent. Thirty-five genes related to drought and freeze resistance displayed signatures of natural selection. The adaptive variation was driven by diverse environmental pressures such as low spring precipitation, low annual temperature, and soil grid sizes. Using linear-regression-based methods, we identified isolation by environment (IBE) as the optimal model for adaptive SNPs. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further revealed a substantial joint influence of demography, geology, and environments, suggesting a covariation between environmental gradients and colonization history. Lastly, we utilized adaptive signals to estimate the genetic offset for each individual under diverse climate change scenarios. The required genetic changes and migration distance are larger in severe climates. Our prediction also reveals potential threats to edge populations in northern and southeastern Taiwan due to escalating temperatures and precipitation reallocation. Conclusions: We demonstrate the intricate influence of ecological heterogeneity on genetic and phenotypic adaptation of an oak species. The adaptation is also driven by some rarely studied environmental factors, including wind speed and soil features. Furthermore, the genetic offset analysis predicted that the edge populations of Q. longinux in lower elevations might face higher risks of local extinctions under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers play a crucial role in promoting the progress of high‐performance inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, few polymers have simultaneously achieved defect passivation and device encapsulation in PSCs. Herein, a telechelic silicone polymer (poly(dimethylsiloxane‐co‐methylsiloxane acrylate) [PDMA]) is introduced, which possesses crosslinking capability to enable structure regulation through a condensation reaction. By leveraging the advantages of the polymers before and after crosslinking, a synergistic strategy of defect healing and device encapsulation for PSCs is developed via the application of the targeted polymer. PDMA as additives anchors tightly at the grain boundaries (GBs) and bridges the perovskite grains, achieving defect passivation and GBs crosslinking, increasing the efficiency of inverted PSCs from 22.32% to 24.41%. Crosslinked PDMA (CPDMA) is used as an encapsulant to encapsulate the entire device, enabling non‐destructive encapsulation at room temperature and inhibiting perovskite degradation under photothermal aging. Remarkably, the PDMA‐modified device with CPDMA encapsulation maintains 98% of its initial efficiency after 1200 h under continuous illumination at 55 ± 5 °C and retains 95% of its original efficiency after 1000 h of damp heat testing, meeting one of the IEC61215:2016 standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N‐alkyl anilines are a series of common and versatile compounds which not only have been used as reaction solvents, acid‐accepters, and organic‐bases, but also in synthesis of dyes, pharmaceuticals, and anti‐colodal. The N‐methyl and/or N,N‐dimethyl anilines are the most representative ones among these. Due to their widespread uses, numerous works have been reported on synthetic strategies in the past decades. The studies on N−H methylations of anilines mainly focus on selection of reagents, selection of catalysts, or ligands design. Different transition‐metals, e. g., Ir, Ru, Pd, and et. al, with different ligands have been used in the methylation protocols. Methanol (CH3OH), carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde (HCHO), or dimethyl carbonate ((CH3)2CO3) was used as C source, and hydrogen (H2) or silanes as H source. In this work, we would like to summarize the latest advances on the synthesis of N‐methyl (N,N‐dimethyl included) anilines and derivatives. This review provides an overview of reactants and catalyst, as well as an emphasis on the scope of substrates and proposed reaction mechanism for each work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) has been widely used in the petroleum industry, chemical industry, etc. The massive storage required by solid waste has become a serious problem. Due to their chemical composition, bauxite tailings as raw materials for high-temperature thermal storage ceramics show enormous potential in the fields of research and application. In this study, we propose a method for preparing ferric-rich and high specific storage capacity by adding Fe2O3 powder to bauxite tailings. Based on a 7:3 mass ratio of bauxite tailings to lepidolite, Fe2O3 powder with different mass fractions (7 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, and 40 wt%) was added to the ceramic material to improve the physical properties and thermal storage capacity of thermal storage ceramics. The results showed that ferric-rich thermal storage ceramics with optimal performance were obtained by holding them at a sintering temperature of 1000 °C for 2 h. When the Fe2O3 content was 15 wt%, the bulk density of the thermal storage ceramic reached 2.53 g/cm3, the compressive strength was 120.81 MPa, and the specific heat capacity was 1.06 J/(g·K). This study has practical guidance significance in the preparation of high thermal storage ceramics at low temperatures and low costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proper disposals of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) both have a significant impact on the environment and human health. In this work, different morphologies of α-MnO 2 catalysts are synthesized using a manganese-based compound as the precursor which is high-selectively recovered from spent lithium-ion ternary batteries. Different synthesis methods including the co-precipitation method, hydrothermal method, and impregnation method are used to prepare different morphologies of α-MnO 2 catalysts and their catalytic activities of toluene oxidation are investigated. Experimental results show that MnO 2 -HM-140 with stacked nanorods synthesized using the hydrothermal method exhibits the best catalytic performance of toluene oxidation (T 90 of 226 °C under the WHSV of 60,000 mL g−1·h−1), which could be attributed to its better redox ability at low temperature and much more abundant adsorbed oxygen species at low temperature. The adsorption abilities of toluene and the replenish rate of surface lattice oxygen can be enhanced due to the increase of oxygen vacancies on the surface of MnO 2 -HM-140. Furthermore, the results of in-situ DRIFTS and TD/GC-MS imply that benzoate species are the main intermediate groups and then the reaction pathway of toluene oxidation on the surface of MnO 2 -HM-140 is proposed. • Manganese-based compound was high-selectively recovered from spent LIBs. • Different morphologies of α-MnO 2 catalysts were synthesized. • MnO 2 -HM-140 with stacked nanorods exhibits better catalytic performance. • The catalytic mechanism of toluene oxidation was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Manganese-based compound is high-selectively recovered from spent LIBs. • α-MnO 2 catalysts are prepared using the manganese-based compound as metal precursor. • SLMB-MnO 2 -2 exhibits better catalytic performance compared to other catalysts. • The copper dopant and acid treatment play a synergistic role in the catalytic activity. Spent lithium-ion batteries and VOCs both pose a significant threat to the environment and human health. In this work, a series of high-performance α-MnO 2 catalysts with metal dopant and acid treatment are synthesized from acid leaching solution of cathode materials, which were separated from spent lithium-ion manganese battery (SLMB). Compared with pure α-MnO 2 , all SLMB-MnO 2 (α-MnO 2 prepared from SLMB) exhibit better catalytic activities of VOCs oxidation. Among them, SLMB-MnO 2 -2, with a molar ratio value of KMnO 4 to Mn2+ of 2, exhibits the best catalytic activity (T 90 = 224 °C and 297 °C for toluene and chlorobenzene oxidation, respectively). By comparison of their physicochemical properties, it can be found that SLMB-MnO 2 -2 possesses a larger specific surface and abundant mesopores, better redox ability at low temperature, much more generation of oxygen vacancies, and abundant adsorbed oxygen species. Moreover, the suitable dopant of copper and appropriate concentration of acid treatment play a synergistic role in enhancing the catalytic performance of VOCs oxidation on SLMB-MnO 2 -2. Furthermore, combined with in-situ DRIFTS and TD/GC–MS, the catalytic mechanism of toluene oxidation is explored on SLMB-MnO 2 -2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspidistra Ker Gawl. is one of the the most diverse and fastest-growing genera of angiosperm. Most Aspidistra species have been discovered in a limited area or a single site through morphological comparison. Because of the lack of population studies, morphological variation within species and the boundaries of some species remain unclear. In recent years, combining genetic and morphological markers has become a powerful approach for species delimitation. In this study, we performed population sampling and integrated morphometrics and microsatellite genetic diversity analyses to determine the species diversity of Aspidistra in Taiwan. We identified three species, namely Aspidistra attenuata Hayata; A. daibuensis Hayata var. daibuensis; A. mushaensis Hayata var. mushaensis; and reduced A. longiconnectiva C.T.Lu, K.C.Chuang & J.C. Wang to the variety level, and described a new variety, A. daibuensis Hayata var. longkiauensis. The description, diagnosis, distribution, and photographs of this new variety as well as a key to the known Taiwanese Aspidistra are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pleistocene was characterized by climate fluctuations with rapid transitions between glacial and interglacial periods. East Asia's land bridge dynamics and monsoon system during the Middle Pleistocene transition (MPT) further constrained species distributions and dispersals, which promoted local adaptation and species diversification, making East Asia an excellent location to study species biogeography. Cypripedium macranthos Sw. a terrestrial orchid, diverged in the Pleistocene and became widespread in Russia, China, Korea, and Japan. Many populations are now at risk due to illegal harvesting or habitat loss. With comprehensive sampling including 171 individuals among 22 populations across the entire distribution range, together with plastid DNA sequencing, we have explored the origin and impact of palaeoclimate on its spatial genetic structure and historical biogeography. Regression-based analyses commonly used in landscape genetics were also applied to investigate the effects of precipitation, temperature, and wind on gene flow. The results revealed northeastern China as the probable cradle of C. macranthos , with northeastward divergence and range expansion during the MPT, aided by monsoon shifts and wind-driven seed dispersal. Isolation by environment was detected with winter temperature as a driver for north–south divergence controlling for an effect of isolation by distance, revealing cold adaptation of the northern populations or temperature-driven genetic differentiation. We also emphasize the founder speciation of an unique variety on Rebun Island of Japan. The widespread but genetically and ecologically divergent C. macranthos populations highlight the need for more conservation attention on northern populations under global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the severe erosion of kiln refractories for the high‐temperature treatment used during the process of recovering valuable metal elements from waste lithium batteries, this study investigates the low‐cost, no‐firing preparation technology of erosion‐resistant SiC–C–t‐ZrO2 composites with self‐prepared t‐ZrO2–SiC–C powder, as well as silicon carbide and flake graphite as the main raw materials, and phenolic resin as the binding agent. (1) The effects of different t‐ZrO2–SiC–C powder additions and heat treatment temperatures on the properties of SiC–C–t‐ZrO2 composites were studied in details. (2) The erosion resistance of SiC–C–t‐ZrO2 composites to after‐use lithium battery waste was evaluated using the static crucible method. The mechanical properties of the t‐ZrO2–SiC–C composites was the best that its cold modulus of rupture (CMOR) was 11.37 MPa and cold crush strength (CCS) was 41.96 MPa when heat treatment temperature was 600°C and content of t‐ZrO2–SiC–C powder was 10 wt%. At that condition, the bulk density of samples reached to 3.15 g/cm3 and apparent porosity of it was only at 11.09% which means that the samples designed in this work are compacted enough. In the erosion test, the t‐ZrO2–SiC–C composites had an excellent resistance to erosion of lithium battery waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is an essential modulator for neuroplasticity in sensory and emotional domains. Here, we investigated the role of CCK in motor learning using a single pellet reaching task in mice. Mice with a knockout of Cck gene (Cck-/-) or blockade of CCK-B receptor (CCKBR) showed defective motor learning ability; the success rate of retrieving reward remained at the baseline level compared to the wildtype mice with significantly increased success rate. We observed no long-term potentiation upon high-frequency stimulation in the motor cortex of Cck-/-mice, indicating a possible association between motor learning deficiency and neuroplasticity in the motor cortex. In vivo calcium imaging demonstrated that the deficiency of CCK signaling disrupted the refinement of population neuronal activity in the motor cortex during motor skill training. Anatomical tracing revealed direct projections from CCK-expressing neurons in the rhinal cortex to the motor cortex. Inactivation of the CCK neurons in the rhinal cortex that project to the motor cortex bilaterally using chemogenetic methods significantly suppressed motor learning, and intraperitoneal application of CCK4, a tetrapeptide CCK agonist, rescued the motor learning deficits of Cck-/- mice. In summary, our results suggest that CCK, which could be provided from the rhinal cortex, may surpport motor skill learning by modulating neuroplasticity in the motor cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defects in mitochondrial RNA metabolism have been linked to sensorineural deafness that often occurs as a consequence of damaged or deficient inner ear hair cells. In this report, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying a deafnessassociated tRNAPhe 593T > C mutation that changed a highly conserved uracil to cytosine at position 17 of the DHU-loop. The m.593T > C mutation altered tRNAPhe structure and function, including increased melting temperature, resistance to S1 nuclease-mediated digestion, and conformational changes. The aberrant tRNA metabolism impaired mitochondrial translation, which was especially pronounced by decreases in levels of ND1, ND5, CYTB, CO1, and CO3 harboring higher numbers of phenylalanine. These alterations resulted in aberrant assembly, instability, and reduced activities of respiratory chain enzyme complexes I, III, IV, and intact supercomplexes overall. Furthermore, we found that the m.593T > C mutation caused markedly diminished membrane potential, and increased the production of reactive oxygen species in the mutant cell lines carrying the m.593T > C mutation. These mitochondrial dysfunctions led to the mitochondrial dynamic imbalance via increasing fission with abnormal mitochondrial morphology. Excessive fission impaired the process of autophagy including the initiation phase, formation, and maturation of the autophagosome. In particular, the m.593T > C mutation upregulated the PARKIN-dependent mitophagy pathway. These alterations promoted an intrinsic apoptotic process for the removal of damaged cells. Our findings provide critical insights into the pathophysiology of maternally inherited deafness arising from tRNA mutation-induced defects in mitochondrial and cellular integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • α@δ MnO 2 with α and δ phase are in situ synthesized via one-pot. • α@δ MnO 2 exhibits better catalytic performance compared to pure α-MnO 2 and δ-MnO 2. • α@δ-2 with the closest two-phase proportion owns the best catalytic activity. • α@δ-2 has excellent physicochemical properties compared to other prepared catalysts. The construction of composite crystal structure is an effective strategy for developing enhanced functionality and can generally be constructed via two steps. Herein, a series of α@δ-MnO 2 catalysts with different α/δ phase ratios are one-pot synthesized using a hydrothermal method; their molar ratio of KMnO 4 to MnSO 4 ·H 2 O was accurately controlled from 2.9 to 3.7. The catalytic results show that all α@δ-MnO 2 catalysts exhibit significantly better catalytic performance in oxidizing toluene than single α-MnO 2 and δ-MnO 2 due to a synergistic effect, in which α@δ-2 with the closest two-phase proportion has the highest activity (T 90 = 238 °C under a WHSV of 60,000 mL·g−1·h−1). Various characterization results indicate that α@δ-2 has the largest specific surface area, highest defects, oxygen vacancies, and best low-temperature reducibility among α-MnO 2 , δ-MnO 2 , and α@δ-2. Also, the possible reaction pathway for oxidizing toluene over the prepared catalysts is speculated using both TD/GC–MS and in-situ DRIFTS experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resonance spectrum system established by gold nanorods was used for analyzing the production process of MC-LR(Microcystin-LR) to explain the distribution, binding mode, and migration process of MC-LR in different microstructures during the growth of microalgae. The accuracy of the nanoanalytical system was verified by combining with the MC-LR standard curve detected by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry at the concentration of 0.5–8000 nM. Comparing the concentration of MC-LR extracted from different microstructures of microalgae by modified gold nanorods with by LC-MS during the complete growth cycle, the average recovery was 95.6%–101.6%, with error less than 10%. Based on this nano-system investigation, it was found that MC-LR migrated from thylakoid membrane to phycobiliprotein and then to the outer membrane and cell wall through the early growth to stable phase. The -COOH group in Glu combined with -CH in uranic acid, Me-Asp structure in MC-LR combined with -NH in protein, and = N-CH 3 in the Mdha structure combined with -OH in polysaccharide, respectively. [Display omitted] • MC-LR migrated from thylakoid membrane to phycobiliprotein, then the outer membrane. • -COOH in Glu, Me-Asp structure, N-CH 3 in the Mdha combined with -CH, -NH. • Deeply analysis ultrastructural localization and migration of intracellular MC-LR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• miR-34a inhibits TFEB nuclear translocation in HEI-OC1 cells. • TFEB interacts with ATG9A in HEI-OC1 cells. • Rapamycin attenuates AHL in C57BL/6 mice. Our previous studies revealed that miR-34a suppresses autophagy in the ageing cochlea, which correlates with cochlear hair cell loss and age-related hearing loss (AHL). However, the mechanisms underlying miR-34a regulation of autophagy in the cochlea remain unclear. Here, we show that nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of autophagy, was regulated by miR-34a in HEI-OC1 cells. Moreover, ATG9A, one of the main targets of miR-34a, was shown to interact with TFEB and thus promote its nuclear translocation in HEI-OC1 cells. Rapamycin rescued the inhibition of TFEB nuclear translocation induced by miR-34a/ATG9A activation, restored autophagic flux and consequently prevented HEI-OC1 cell death. Long-term supplementation with rapamycin attenuated outer hair cells (OHCs) and inner hair cell synaptic ribbons, and delayed AHL in C57BL/6 mice. Most importantly, rapamycin partially restored TFEB's nuclear localization and autophagic flux in OHCs of the ageing cochlea. These findings open new avenues for protection against AHL through miR-34a/ATG9a/TFEB modulation of autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • GSH plays an important role in reducing the external oxidative damage of microalgae cells. • Interaction existed in GSH synthesis, GSH/GSSG, peptide (PC) and ASA-GSH cycle. • GSH and phycocyanin, SOD enzyme could regulated redox-sensitive signaling. Based on the use of CQDs as fluorescent probe and covalent coupling method to detect biological molecules with amino groups, to deeply analysis and detect the metabolism of Microcystis aeruginosa. The metabolic changes of carboxyl biomolecules in Microcystis aeruginosa were analyzed by covalent coupling method, including GSH, phycocyanin and SOD enzyme. The changes of GSH content and its correlation between phycocyanin, SOD were analyzed. The content of phycocyanin and SOD reached the maximum on the 65th day, and GSH was more sensitive to the growth and metabolism of microalgae. GSH plays an important role in reducing the external oxidative damage of microalgae cells. The synthesis of glutathione (GSH), GSH/GSSG mutual transformation, the production of phytochelating peptide (PC), the ASA-GSH cycle, and other physiological processes are interconnected. These interactions are crucial for preserving the antioxidant properties of microalgae and regulating redox-sensitive signal transduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin bioglass (BG) layer or diffusion zone has been used to enhance interfacial bonding between co-sintered scaffold-like micro-porous hydroxyapatite (HA) coating over dense zirconia substrate. However, there still have problems such as low fracture toughness and low wear resistance. Therefore, while meeting the basic requirements of degradability and biocompatibility, how to improve the mechanical properties of the scaffold, endow it with osteoinductivity and build a low-density porous structure has become the focus of bone scaffold research. The tri-layer bio-ceramic composites, consisting of porous HA, BG diffusion zone, and strong zirconia substrate, are designed with superior loading-bearing capability to the scaffold. Surface handling properties of the scaffold-like HA coating are further enhanced by incorporating wollastonite. The gradient in material compositions across the coating and substrate interface is further minimized by adding HA into the zirconia substrate. Benefiting from these special design and the thin BG diffusion zone, the tri-layer bio-ceramics present excellent interfacial strength, which ensures good structural strength and machinability. The results could provide the feasible options for bio-ceramic scaffolds design and manufacturing process, thus advance the practical clinical applications of HA-based scaffolds for bone repair and regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College freshmen are special populations facing great challenges in adapting to the brand new environment, and their lifestyle and emotional states are worthy of attention. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, their screen time and prevalence of negative emotions were significantly increased, but few studies have focused on such situation of college freshmen and illustrated relevant mechanisms. Thus, based on a sample of Chinese college freshmen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the current study aimed to investigate the association between their screen time and negative emotions (depression, anxiety and stress), and further explore the mediating effects of sleep quality. Data from 2,014 college freshmen was analyzed. The screen time was self-reported by participants using predesigned questionnaires. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Chinese Version of Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were used to assess sleep quality and emotional states, respectively. The mediation analysis was conducted to examine the meditation effect. Results indicated that participants with negative emotions tended to have longer daily screen time and worse sleep quality, sleep quality partially mediated the association between screen time and negative emotions.The critical role of sleep quality and related intervention measures should be recognized and implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase change materials are thermal energy storage materials with high heat storage density, low temperature loss and long cycle life. However, they also show a weak light absorption ability and low thermal conductivity, limiting their applicability for solar thermal conversion and storage technologies. In this paper, in order to improve the relatively low thermal conductivity of stearic acid and enhance its thermal conductivity, SGC-T composites with enhanced thermal conductivity were prepared using metallurgical slag, via the melt blending method. The SEM and EDS, surface scanning tests, were used to determine the morphology characteristics of the composite phase change materials and verify the addition of metallurgical slag. The physical phase composition, structure, and absorption coefficients were analyzed by XRD, FT-IR, and UV-Vis-NIR analyses. The thermophysical properties were analyzed by DSC. The thermal stability was explored using TG testing. The thermal conductivity was explored by measuring the thermal conductivity coefficient value of the samples at the testing temperature of 25 ℃ using the hot disk method/transient flat plate heat source method. The heat storage and exothermic capabilities of the samples were evaluated by the photo-thermal warming system/infrared thermography test. The results showed that the thermal conductivity of SGC was 0.663 W·(m·K)−1, and that of SGC-2 T, SGC-6 T, SGC-10 T, SGC-14 T, were 0.695 W·(m·K)−1, 0.758 W·(m·K)−1, 0.824 W·(m·K)−1 and 0.872 W·(m·K)−1, respectively, which are comparable to SGC. Compared with SGC, the thermal conductivity values of the four composite phase change materials increased by 4.8%, 14.3%, 24.3%, and 31.5%, respectively. SGC-14 T has the best heat transfer performance, which significantly improves the heat transfer performance during latent heat storage and release. Therefore, the SGC-14 T material reported in this work is a promising candidate in the field of energy-saving conversion, and further expands the applicability of phase change materials. • Metallurgical slag was used to the preparation of PCMs with high thermal conductivity. • Composites with high light absorption and high thermal conductivity were prepared. • Composites have great potential for future applications in solar collector devices. • The support provided by the support of national development project (No. 2021YFC1910603). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with lymph node involvement (LNI) constitute a single-risk group with varied prognoses. Existing studies on this group have focused solely on those who underwent prostatectomy (RP), using statistical models to predict prognosis. This study aimed to develop an easily accessible individual survival prediction tool based on multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict survival probability for PCa patients with LNI. A total of 3280 PCa patients with LNI were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, covering the years 2000–2019. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Gradient Boosting Survival Analysis (GBSA), Random Survival Forest (RSF), and Extra Survival Trees (EST) were used to develop prognosis models, which were compared to Cox regression. Discrimination was evaluated using the time-dependent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (time-dependent AUC) and the concordance index (c-index). Calibration was assessed using the time-dependent Brier score (time-dependent BS) and the integrated Brier score (IBS). Moreover, the beeswarm summary plot in SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) was used to display the contribution of variables to the results. The 3280 patients were randomly split into a training cohort (n = 2624) and a validation cohort (n = 656). Nine variables including age at diagnosis, race, marital status, clinical T stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at diagnosis, Gleason Score (GS), number of positive lymph nodes, radical prostatectomy (RP), and radiotherapy (RT) were used to develop models. The mean time-dependent AUC for GBSA, RSF, and EST was 0.782 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.779–0.783), 0.779 (95% CI 0.776–0.780), and 0.781 (95% CI 0.778–0.782), respectively, which were higher than the Cox regression model of 0.770 (95% CI 0.769–0.773). Additionally, all models demonstrated almost similar calibration, with low IBS. A web-based prediction tool was developed using the best-performing GBSA, which is accessible at https://pengzihexjtu-pca-n1.streamlit.app/. ML algorithms showed better performance compared with Cox regression and we developed a web-based tool, which may help to guide patient treatment and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, it is critical to find materials and methods that can help reduce the human impact on the environment. Regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) have a wide range of applications owing to their effective energy saving. Among the different RTOs, thermal-storage RTO ceramics have basic heat storage and release capability. The main objective of this work is to study the preparation of thermal-storage RTO ceramics for the treatment of exhaust gas using bauxite tailings and Bayer red mud from Jiaozuo City (Henan Province) with different mass fractions of magnetite as substitutes for the traditional raw materials (quartz and clay). The effect of the magnetite addition on the performance of the thermal-storage RTO ceramics prepared from the bauxite tailings and red mud was investigated. The raw materials were pressed into cylinder shape and then sintered at 950 °C, 1000 °C, 1050 °C, and 1100 °C. The developed materials were analyzed and characterized via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and specific heat capacity tests (differential scanning calorimetry using the sapphire method) were conducted on the thermal-storage RTO ceramics prepared at the optimal sintering temperature (1050 °C). The ceramics exhibit the best overall performance for magnetite content of 25% and sintering temperature of 1050 °C, with compressive strength of 134.96 MPa, volume density of 3.00 g/cm3, and linear shrinkage of 14.68%. The product also has a remarkably low water absorption rate and apparent porosity, water absorption of 0.02%, apparent porosity of 0.06%. Furthermore, the specific heat capacity is sufficiently high to meet the requirements of high-thermal-storage RTO ceramics. This study provides a new, low-cost solution for the preparation of high-thermal-storage RTO ceramics, which is helpful for reducing the exploitation of natural mineral resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient I2/AgNO3 co‐promoted one‐pot annulation of alkynes with 1,2‐arylenediamines into quinoxalines is reported. The reaction proceeded smoothly under mild conditions and rapidly generated quinoxalines (37 examples) in good to excellent yields (up to 83 %) with a good tolerance of functional groups. Moreover, π‐conjugated polycyclic quinoxaline derivatives could also be successfully synthesized by this one‐pot strategy. Furthermore, a gram‐scale reaction of the one‐pot reaction is also investigated. Finally, a plausible mechanism for the one‐pot reaction is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution and the energy crisis have promoted the development of clean energy as well as new‐generation energy storage systems. Potassium ion batteries (PIBs) have emerged as a possible alternative to lithium‐ion batteries due to their abundant reserves, low cost, and impressive electrochemical performance. However, the search for suitable cathode materials has become particularly crucial. Recently, Prussian blue (PB) has been investigated as a potential cathode material for PIBs, which has an open three‐dimensional framework to accommodate a large volume of potassium ions and adjustable composition for different applications. In this review, Prussian blue and its analogues (PBAs) and their application in PIBs were summarized detailly. We presented the composition, structure, potassium ion storage mechanism, preparation process of PBAs, and then focus on the performance optimization methods of the PBAs, including transition metal doping and conductive material adding into PBAs. Finally, the challenges as well as the outlook on the future development of PBAs were proposed for further application in this battery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A range of Eu3+-doped AMoO 4 (A = Ca and Ba) phosphors were successfully synthetized, and their crystal structures, optical performance, and temperature measurement sensitivities were investigated in detail. Peak doping concentration of CaMoO 4 :Eu3+ phosphor was 0.18, while peak doping concentration of BaMoO 4 :Eu3+ phosphor may be greater than 0.18. Then, temperature-dependent photoluminescence emission spectra of representative CaMoO 4 :0.09Eu3+ and BaMoO 4 :0.03Eu3+ phosphors were recorded. CaMoO 4 :0.09Eu3+ phosphor exhibited abnormal thermal quenching, which was attributed to defects caused by heterovalent substitution of ions and increase in the temperature, and good thermal stability. Finally, the possibility of using both phosphors as optical thermometers was discussed, which exhibited good temperature sensitivity. However, CaMoO 4 :0.09Eu3+ phosphor exhibited two peak absolute (Sa, 1.28 %K−1 and 1.39 %K−1) and relative sensitivities (Sr, 1.21 %K−1 and 1.20 %K−1). In addition, variation trend of Sr value with temperature was considerably peculiar. Two optimum Sa and Sr values were attributed to abnormal thermal quenching of CaMoO 4 :0.09Eu3+ phosphor. Peak Sa and Sr values of BaMoO 4 :0.03Eu3+ phosphor was 12.39 %K−1 and 0.89 %K−1, respectively. In addition, Sa of AMoO 4 :Eu3+ phosphor was negatively related to Eu3+ central asymmetry, while peak Sr value was more inclined to appropriate ionic central asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]