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Highlights: [•] A geothermal–solar chimney power plant (GSCPP) is designed and analyzed. [•] Three different models, viz. full solar model, full geothermal model and geothermal–solar mode are compared. [•] Power generation under GSM is larger than the sum of FSM and FGM. [•] GSCPP can effectively solve the continuous operation problem of the SCPP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Using texture features derived from contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) combined with general imaging features as well as clinical information to predict treatment response and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. Methods: From January 2014 to November 2022, 289 patients with HCC who underwent TACE were retrospectively reviewed. Their clinical information was documented. Their treatment-naïve contrast-enhanced CTs were retrieved and reviewed by two independent radiologists. Four general imaging features were evaluated. Texture features were extracted based on the regions of interest (ROIs) drawn on the slice with the largest axial diameter of all lesions using Pyradiomics v3.0.1. After excluding features with low reproducibility and low predictive value, the remaining features were selected for further analyses. The data were randomly divided in a ratio of 8:2 for model training and testing. Random forest classifiers were built to predict patient response to TACE treatment. Random survival forest models were constructed to predict overall survival (OS) and progress-free survival (PFS). Results: We retrospectively evaluated 289 patients (55.4 ± 12.4 years old) with HCC treated with TACE. Twenty features, including 2 clinical features (ALT and AFP levels), 1 general imaging feature (presence or absence of portal vein thrombus) and 17 texture features, were included in model construction. The random forest classifier achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.947 with an accuracy of 89.5% for predicting treatment response. The random survival forest showed good predictive performance with out-of-bag error rate of 0.347 (0.374) and a continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) of 0.170 (0.067) for the prediction of OS (PFS). Conclusions: Random forest algorithm based on texture features combined with general imaging features and clinical information is a robust method for predicting prognosis in patients with HCC treated with TACE, which may help avoid additional examinations and assist in treatment planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we studied the electrical and structural properties of Cu/Ti/Al Ohmic contacts to p-type 4 H-SiC with different annealing temperatures and Cu layer thicknesses. Compared with Ti/Al contact annealed at 900–1000 ℃ to form ohmic contact, Cu/Ti/Al contact forms ohmic contact (1.0 ×10−4 Ω·cm2) after annealing at 800 °C. When the annealing temperature is 850 ℃ and 900 ℃, the contact resistivity of Cu/Ti/Al contact is about 5.4 × 10−5 Ω·cm2. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is used to observe the surface morphology of the sample. With the increase of annealing temperature, the roughness of the sample surface and the number of pits continue to increase. X-ray spectra shows that the addition of Cu makes the contact form Ti 3 SiC 2 at a lower annealing temperature which is the key to low contact resistivity. • The thickness of Cu affects the characteristics of Cu/Ti/Al ohmic contact. • Cu/Ti/Al contact forms ohmic contact after annealing at 800 ℃. • The Ti3SiC2 phase is the key to the formation of Cu/Ti/Al ohmic contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugs have been largely inspired from natural products, while enzymes underlying their biosynthesis have enabled complex structures and diverse bioactivities. Nevertheless, the high enzyme specificity and limited in vivo precursor types have restricted the natural product reservoir, but Nature has imprinted natural products with active sites, which can be readily modified by chemosynthesis with various functional groups for more favorable druggability. Here in the less exploited fungal natural products, we introduced CtvA, a polyketide synthase for a mycotoxin citreoviridin biosynthesis in Aspergillus , into an endophytic fungus Calcarisporium arbuscula to expand tetrahydrofuran (THF) into a dioxabicyclo-octane (DBO) ring moiety based on versatility and promiscuity of the aurovertin biosynthetic enzyme. Alternative acylations on the hydroxyl groups essential for cell toxicity by chemosynthesis produced compounds with improved anti-tumor activities and pharmacokinetics. Thus, we showed an effective strategic way to optimize the fungal natural product efficiently for more promising drug development. We artificially developed mycotoxin biosynthesis to expand tetrahydrofuran into a dioxabicyclo-octane ring moiety, followed by targeted alternative acylations for a series of semi-synthesized compounds. A 4-Cl-Benzoylation product showed best favorable bioactivity. [Display omitted] • Combinatorial biosynthesis expanded citreoviridin to dioxabicyclo-octane moiety. • Target chemical modifications yielded analogous with alternative acyl moieties. • A 4-Cl-Benzoylation derivative showed best favorable bioactivity and PK profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid reinforced (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites were prepared via the double-beam mixed casting method. In order to improve the tensile strength of the composites, 0.04 wt% rare earths (La, Ce and Y) were separately added to the composites. The size, distribution and morphology of the reinforcements and the tensile strength of composites were studied, and the strengthening mechanism and failure behavior of the composites were discussed. Results indicate that the TiB 2 particles with rare earths are refined and rounded, the average size are refined from 654 nm (without) to 515 nm (Ce), 567 nm (Y), 596 nm (La), respectively. TiB whiskers with rare earths also show different refinement effects in length and diameter directions. The effect of rare earths on the size and morphology of the reinforcements are mainly due to the promotion of the nucleation stage and the inhibition of segregation in the growth stage. After heat treatment and rolling, the tensile strength of the samples increased from 524 MPa without rare earth to 624 MPa (Ce), 606 MPa (La), and 595 MPa (Y). In particular, a remarkable change in the tensile strength appeared with 0.04 wt% Ce. The microcracks initiate at the interface between the reinforcements and the matrix, then propagate along the interface, and finally the reinforcements debond from the matrix. • (TiB 2p + TiB w)/Cu composites with La, Ce and Y were fabricated by in situ reaction. • The size and morphology of hybrid reinforcements were optimized with rare earths. • Four strengthening mechanisms contribute to the improvement of composites properties. • Stress concentration occurs around reinforcements and lead to interface debonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyhydroxylated sterols, named verumbsteroids A and B ( 1 and 2, resp.), along with seven known analog, 3- 9, were isolated from the gorgonian Verrucella umbraculum collected from the South China Sea. The structures and relative configurations of the new compounds were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic investigations. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by using modified Mosher method with the acetonide derivative of 1. Compounds 1 and 3- 5 were found to show cytotoxicities against five human tumor cell lines (HL-60, K562, HeLa, A-549, and HCT-116) with the IC50 values ranging from 2.76 to 9.62 μ M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a solar water heating system (SWHS) is designed to substitute for a gas geyser system (GGS). First, a mathematical model for the SWHS is built according to the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic theories; then the transient performances of the system are analyzed using the TRNSYS (Transient System Simulation) program; and finally, the techno-economics of the SWHS are evaluated. The annually mean solar fraction of the SWHS is 0.56. TRNSYS simulation results show that the water temperatures at the solar collector outlet and in the tanks are much higher in summer than in winter because of the solar radiation and ambient temperature effects, and auxiliary heat is frequently required in winter. Comparing with the original GGS, the SWHS is cost-effective and its payback period is 7.4 years. The redesign work is of high value for northwest China, considering the abundant solar radiation, the underdeveloping economics, and the environmental conservation in such regions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Highlights: [•] An ejector-expansion refrigeration cycle using R1234yf as refrigerant is analyzed. [•] The cycle outperforms the standard one, especially under extreme working conditions. [•] The performance of R1234yf and R134a in the cycle is compared. [•] The ejector design parameters have considerable influences on the cycle performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A distributed scientific workflow mapping algorithm for maximized reliability under certain end-to-end delay (EED) bound is proposed. It is studied in a heterogeneous distributed computing environment, where computing node and communication link failures are inevitable. The mapping decision and the stored table information is distributed among various nodes in order to achieve scalability and robustness, which are especially important for large-scale distributed systems. This Distributed Reliability Maximization workflow mapping algorithm under End-to-end Delay constraint ( dis-DRMED) considers both the maximum reliability and the minimum EED objectives in a two-step procedure. In the first step, a mapping algorithm combining iterative Critical Path search and Layer-based priority assigning techniques (CPL) is adopted to minimize the EED by focusing on the optimal allocation of tasks on the critical path. In the second step, tasks on noncritical paths are remapped to improve the overall execution reliability. Simulation results under various system setups demonstrated that dis-DRMED achieved considerably higher reliability values under the same EED constraint compared with some representative workflow mapping algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A TRNSYS program is built to simulate the solar chimney power plant performance. [•] The program can define the plant configuration sizes of different power capacities. [•] The SCPP power generation is highly relevant to the local solar irradiation. [•] The SCPP with higher power capacity holds better cost-benefit characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiN films were fabricated on glass substrate by a vacuum kinetic spray method to investigate the effect of process gas flow rate, which determines particle velocity, on coating microstructure, and the mechanical properties of the resultant films. The as-fabricated microstructure of the films was studied by x-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high resolution TEM. Furthermore, nanoindentation and scratch tests were conducted to measure microhardness and adhesion strength, respectively. As the gas flow rate increased, damage, including lattice collapse and distortion, internal dislocation activation, and amorphization of the coating layer, increased. Simultaneously, the film not only become more compact with relatively finer grains, but also showed high hardness and great adhesive strength, which we attributed to consolidation during the deposition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is an important cell necrosis and has been a focus in cancer related research.Increcsing studies have focused on the phenotype and function of ferroptosis in tumorigenesis, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we used bioinformatics approaches to identify differentially expressed genes associated with HCC and ferroptosis. We found that G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) was highly expressed in HCC and was associated with poor prognosis. G6PD promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as inhibited ferroptosis in HCC cells. Pathway and functional enrichment analyses revealed that G6PD was related to the P450 metabolic pathway. POR (cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase) was downregulated in HCC and was significantly correlated with the prognosis. G6PD inhibited ferroptosis inin HCC cells through POR. Knockdown of G6PD reduced the tumor volume and tumor weight in vivo. Our study demonstrated that G6PD deficiency suppresses cell growth, metastasis, and tumorigenesis via upregulating POR, suggesting that G6PD may be used as a biomarker for the treatment of HCC in the future. • G6PD was overexpressed in HCC and associated with poor survival. • G6PD was the only gene in the intersection of four different datasets. • G6PD positively regulated cell viability and metastasis in HCC cells. • G6PD suppressed ferroptosis through the cytochrome P450 metabolic pathway in HCC cells. • G6PD and its associated genes were mainly enriched for a function in lipid metabolism, especially the cytochrome P450 metabolic pathway. • POR expression was positively related with survival rates, in which high POR expression indicated a better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05492-9 B Correction to: Neurological Sciences (2020) b https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05492-9 The above article was published online with missing figure 1. Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

• Mo-C alloys with different atomic ratios are used as Schottky contact materials. • Excessive reaction between the metal and the SiC interface should be avoided to form a uniform Schottky contact interface. • Improve the interface homogeneity and electrical characteristics of SBD at high annealing temperature. In this work, we studied different proportions of Mo-C alloy Schottky contacts. Compare the electrical characteristics and SiC interface with the Mo/4H-SiC based diodes. The Schottky interface obtained was studied at different annealing temperatures and its electrical properties were analyzed. Analyze electrical performance through temperature-related current–voltage (I-V) and capacitance–voltage (C-V) measurements. The experimental results showed that the metallic Mo-C alloy (9:1) Schottky contact had good stability and interface characteristics at high annealing temperatures. When annealing at 900 °C, its ideality factor approached 1 and the barrier height reached 1.04 eV. The TEM images also indicated that the Mo-C alloy reduced the solid-state reaction, which improved the inhomogeneity of the Schottky interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been many studies on the dense theorem of approximation by radial basis feedforword neural networks, and some approximation problems by Gaussian radial basis feedforward neural networks (GRBFNs) in some special function space have also been investigated. This paper considers the approximation by the GRBFNs in continuous function space. It is proved that the rate of approximation by GRNFNs with n neurons to any continuous function f defined on a compact subset K ⊂ ℝ can be controlled by ω( f, n), where ω( f, t) is the modulus of continuity of the function f. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystal titanium nitride powder was used to fabricate titanium nitride films using a vacuum kinetic spray (VKS) process. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (FETEM) were used to investigate the microstructure of the as-fabricated films under different process conditions. Plastic deformation features (i.e., amorphization, rotated grain, slip bands, and distorted lattices in the transition structure) revealed an elastic-to-inelastic transition of titanium nitride particles at high strain rate and high pressure induced by hypervelocity impact, which was considered vital for grain refinement and film growth during the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covariance of proposal distribution and the acceptance rate of SCEM-UA algorithm are modified based on the principle of adaptive Metropolis. The modified SCEM-UA algorithm can effectively ensure the diversity of the population and capability of the global search capability as well as computational efficiency, avoiding the premature convergence. The efficiency and effectiveness of modified SCEM-UA algorithm for sampling the posterior distribution of model parameters is discussed based on the ease study of the Min River Basin. The results show that modified SCEM-UA algorithm is consistent, effective and efficient in inferring the parameter posterior distribution, and is much better than the original algorithm in the aspects of computation efficiency and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fluorine tin oxide (FTO) electrode modified by copper oxide microfibers (CuO-MFs) composed of numerous interconnected CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) for nonenzymatic glucose sensor was prepared by electrospinning precursor containing high percentage content of copper nitrate with subsequent calcination. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the size of CuO particles composing CuO-MFs depended on the percentage content of copper nitrate in precursor solution. With increasing the percentage content of copper nitrate, the interconnected CuO-NPs would gradually replace the large-size CuO particles to accumulate the CuO-MFs, which have the potential to provide larger surface area and more reaction sites for electrocatalytic activity toward glucose. As a glucose sensor, the CuO-MFs modified FTO electrode prepared by 40wt.% of copper nitrate exhibited a high sensitivity of 2321μAmM−1 cm−2 with a low detection limit of 2.2nM (signal/noise ratio (S/N)=3). Additionally, the application of the CuO-MFs modified FTO electrode as a glucose sensor for biological samples was demonstrated with satisfactory results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The evolution of dynamic hysteresis of lead zirconate titanate stannate antiferroelectric bulk ceramics at various frequencies ( f) and field amplitudes ( E0) has been investigated systematically. A series of asymmetrical minor loops were observed when the working fields were slightly lower than the forward switching field EAF. As E0 increased above EAF, symmetrical double loops appeared and their energy densities w against f and E0 were found to be fit the scaling behavior as w [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical entropy of Dirac field in Reissner-Nordstrom black hole space-time is computed by state density equation corrected by the generalized uncertainty principle to all orders in Planck length and WKB approximation. The result shows that the statistical entropy is proportional to the horizon area but the present result is convergent without any artificial cutoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: While self-replicating, non-infectious subgenomic flavivirus replicons have been described, most of them are RNA transcripts under the control of an Sp6 or T7 promoter. In this study, using West Nile virus (WNV) as a model, a series of DNA-based reporter replicons under the control of a minimal cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early promoter were constructed, and functional analysis showed that these reporter replicons replicate efficiently in mammalian cells. When the DNA-based WNV replicon was used to immunize mice, NS1-specific IgG antibodies and anti-WNV neutralizing antibodies were both induced. Additionally, immunization with this DNA-based WNV replicon induced high levels of lymphocyte proliferation and enhanced the secretion of IFN-γ. These results suggest that this type of DNA-based replicon can induce humoral and cellular immune responses in mice, indicating that this type of DNA-based replicon may serve as a useful platform for vaccine development and protein expression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first goal of this paper is to establish some properties of the ridge function representation for multivariate polynomials, and the second one is to apply these results to the problem of approximation by neural networks. We find that for continuous functions, the rate of approximation obtained by a neural network with one hidden layer is no slower than that of an algebraic polynomial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An improved nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on copper oxide-doped nickel oxide composite microfibers (CuO-NiO-MFs) modified fluorine tin oxide (FTO) electrode was prepared by electrospinning and calcination technologies without using any immobilization. The results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry demonstrated that the CuO-NiO-MFs modified electrode displayed much higher electrocatalytic activity than the nickel oxide microfibers (NiO-MFs) modified electrode toward glucose. The nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on CuO-NiO-MFs showed the highest sensitivity of 3165.53μAmM−1 cm−2 with the lowest detection limit of 1×10−9 M (signal/noise ratio (S/N)=3) in the nonenzymatic glucose sensors that have been reported in the literature. Additionally, its application for detecting glucose concentration of human serum sample showed good agreement with the results obtained from automatic biochemical analyzer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Solar chimney power system is one large-scale utilization style of solar energy, which has drawn high attentions worldwide. Though scholars all over the world have made many researches on the solar chimney power system, reports of sloped solar chimney power system are still few. A sloped solar chimney power plant, which is expected to provide electric power for remote villages in Northwest China, has been designed for Lanzhou City in this paper. The designed plant, in which the height and radius of the chimney are 252.2m and 14m respectively, the radius and angle of the solar collector are 607.2m and 31° respectively, is designed to produce 5MW electric power on a monthly average all year. The performances, such as the airflow temperature increase, pressure, the airflow speed, system efficiency and solar collector efficiency, of the built sloped solar chimney power plant are simulated and presented. Simulation results show that parameters of the sloped solar chimney power plant are symmetrical and stable; the power plant has better performances in spring and autumn days; the overall efficiency of the power plant is low. Considering the abundant solar radiation, environmental friendliness, easy management and low population density, the sloped solar chimney power system is of high value to Northwest China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The properties of Cu–Zr and Cu–Ru alloy films were comparatively studied to evaluate their potential use as alloying elements. Cu alloy films were deposited on SiO2/Si substrates by magnetron sputtering. Samples were subsequently annealed and analyzed by four-point probe measurement, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction data suggest that Cu film has preferential (111) crystal orientation and no extra peak corresponding to any compound of Cu, Zr, Ru, and Si. According to transmission electron microscopy results, Cu grains grow in size for both systems but the grain sizes of the Cu alloy films are smaller than that of pure Cu films. These results indicate that Cu–Zr film is suitable for advanced barrier-free metallization in terms of interfacial stability and lower resistivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A barrierless metallization scheme was proposed using Cu-based materials with enhanced thermal stability. Cu(Zr–N) films were deposited on Si substrates by magnetron sputtering and annealed at temperature up to 500°C in vacuum. The beneficial effects of a minor insoluble Zr–N on the grain refinement and thermal stability improvement were confirmed. By doping insoluble Zr–N into pure copper, some of the additive atoms precipitate at the grain boundaries, which can block the path of diffusion between copper and silicon, and inhibit the interaction between copper and silicon. In addition, ZrO2 or Zr(N,O) development near the Cu(Zr–N)/Si interface during annealing also contributes to the thermal stability of Cu(Zr–N)/Si samples. The results of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and sheet resistance measurement show that Cu(Zr–N) seed layers has better thermal stability after 500°C annealing and is suitable for advanced barrierless metallization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nickel oxide microfibers (NiO-MFs) were directly immobilized onto the surface of fluorine tin oxide (FTO) electrode by electrospinning and calcination without using any immobilization matrix for nonenzymatic glucose sensor. Morphology and structure of NiO-MFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD). The electrochemical and electrocatalytic performances of the NiO-MFs modified electrodes prepared at different calcination temperatures ranging from 300 to 500°C were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The CV results have demonstrated that NiO-MFs modified electrode prepared at 300°C displayed distinct increase in electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of glucose, which is explored to develop an amperometric nonenzymatic glucose sensor. The NiO-MFs prepared at 300°C based amperometric nonenzymatic glucose sensor has ultrasensitive current (1785.41μAmM−1 cm−2) response and low detection limit of 3.3×10−8 M (signal/noise ratio (S/N)=3), which are among the best values reported in literature. Additionally, excellent selectivity and stability have also been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Films of Cu–Ru–Zr and Cu–Zr were deposited on SiO2/Si substrates by magnetron sputtering. Samples were subsequently annealed at temperatures of up to 500°C for 1h and analyzed by four-point probe measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy. The XRD data suggest that the Cu film has a preferential (111) crystal orientation. According to the TEM results the grain size of the alloy Cu film is smaller than that of a pure Cu film. XPS indicates that a ZrO x layer has formed at the Cu alloy/SiO2 interface and that its thickness in the annealed Cu–Ru–Zr/SiO2/Si sample becomes larger due to Ru incorporation. After annealing the resistivity values of the annealed Cu alloy films are a little higher than that of annealed pure Cu film. These results indicate that Cu–Ru–Zr films are suitable for advanced barrier-free metallization from the view of interfacial stability and low resistivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cancer induced bone pain (CIBP) is a major clinical problem. Although opioids remain the principal axis in drug therapies for CIBP, their sustained application is known to induce cellular and molecular adaptations including enhanced neuroimmune reactivity. This is generally characterized by glial activation and proinflammatory cytokine production which frequently results in pharmacological tolerance. This research was performed to investigate spinal neuroimmune responses after prolonged systemic morphine treatment in a rat model of CIBP. The model was established using a unilateral intra-tibia injection of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells. Subcutaneous morphine was repeatedly administered from postoperative days 14 to 19. Mechanical allodynia to von Frey filaments and ambulatory pain scores were recorded to investigate changes of nociceptive behaviors. Spinal glial activation was detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR; the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) was examined through real-time PCR and ELISA. Results showed that chronic morphine use failed to elicit analgesic tolerance in the rat CIBP model. Moreover, the treatment had no significant influence on the activated spinal glia morphology, cell density and expression of special cytomembrane markers, whereas it significantly down-regulated the local proinflammatory cytokine production at the mRNA and protein level. Collectively, these data suggest that chronic morphine treatment in CIBP is not concomitant with pharmacological tolerance, at least partially because the treatment fails to amplify spinal neuroimmune responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It has been demonstrated that hydrogen can selectively reduce hydroxyl and peroxynitrite in vitro. Since most of the ionizing radiation-induced cellular damage is caused by hydroxyl radicals, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that hydrogen may be an effective radioprotective agent. This paper demonstrates that treating cells with hydrogen before irradiation could significantly inhibit ionizing irradiation(IR)-induced Human Lymphocyte AHH-1 cells apoptosis and increase cells viability in vitro. This paper also shows that hydrogen can protect gastrointestinal endothelia from radiation-induced injury, decrease plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) intestinal 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) levels and increase plasma endogenous antioxidants in vivo. It is suggested that hydrogen has a potential as an effective and safe radioprotective agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Non-crystalline Zr–Si diffusion barrier in Cu/Si contact systems has been investigated. Zr–Si diffusion barriers were deposited on the silicon substrates by radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering under different sputtering power. The Cu/Zr–Si/Si structures were manufactured and the diffusion barrier properties were investigated by heat-treating the structure in Ar ambient at temperatures ranging from 500 to 650°C for an hour. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique were applied to characterize the diffusion barrier performance for Zr–Si in Cu/Zr–Si/Si structures. It is indicated from the comparison analysis results that the Zr–Si film showed a better diffusion barrier performance with the larger sputtering power. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Descending facilitation from the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) contributes to some pathological pain states. The intra-RVM microinjection with dermorphin–saporin could specifically abolish this facilitation in rodent models by selectively ablating the RVM neurons expressing mu opioid receptors. Thus, this targeted lesion may be an alternative mechanism-based approach for intractable pain. This research was performed to investigate potential side effects after a single intra-RVM application of dermorphin–saporin in rats. Results showed though some acute cardiovascular signs were observed with dermorphin–saporin, the treatment exhibited no long-lasting significant influence on some physiological functions for up to 3-month observation period, including normal sensory function, locomotor activity, ingestive behaviors, body weight, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, cardiac structure and function. Moreover, there were only mild microglial responses on day 7 post-microinjection, while no significant increase in the immunostaining of astrocytes and no noticeable up-regulation in the production of proinflammatory cytokines were detected in the RVM treated with dermorphin–saporin. Taken together, these data would suggest that this selective ablation of mu opioid receptor bearing descending facilitatory neurons in the RVM with dermorphin–saporin did not elicit the long-standing evident adverse toxicity in terms of some physiological parameters and neurochemical alterations we determined, plausibly providing us a safe and reliable approach to treat some intractable pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Zr–Ti–N film prepared by sputtering deposition has been employed as a potential diffusion barrier for Cu metallization. It is thought that the existing states of Ti and Zr in the films are Ti–N and Zr–N phase in Zr–Ti–N films. Material analysis by XRD, XPS and sheet resistance measurement reveal that the failure of Zr–N film is mainly due to the formation of Cu3Si precipitates at the Zr–N/Si interface by Cu diffusion through the grain boundaries or local defects of the Zr–N barrier layer into Si substrate. In conjunction with sheet resistance measurement, XRD and XPS analyses, the Cu/Zr–Ti–N/Si contact system has high thermal stability at least up to 700°C. The incorporation of Ti atoms into Zr–N barrier layer was shown to be beneficial in improving the thermal stability of the Cu/barrier/Si contact system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Efficiency of Zr–Si diffusion barriers in Cu metallization has been investigated. Amorphous Zr–Si diffusion barriers were deposited on the Si substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering with different negative substrate bias. The mass density of Zr–Si films increases with substrate bias voltage up to −150 V. The deposition rate decreased with the negative substrate bias from 5.4 nm/min to 1.8 nm/min. XRD measurements show that the Zr–Si barriers have amorphous structure in the as-deposited state. The FE-SEM images show that the sizes of spherical granules on the Zr–Si film surface increase with increasing the substrate bias. The Cu/Zr–Si/Si structures were prepared and annealed in Ar ambient at temperatures varying from 500 to 650 °C for an hour. It is shown from the comparison study that the Zr–Si film deposited with −150 V is better at maintaining good performance in Cu/Zr–Si/Si contact system than that of Zr–Si film deposited with −50 V. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Barrier capability of Zr–Si diffusion barriers in Cu metallization has been investigated. Amorphous Zr–Si diffusion barriers were deposited on the Si substrates by RF reactive magnetron sputtering under various substrate temperatures. An increase in substrate temperature results in a slightly decreased deposition rate together with an increase in mass density. An increase in substrate temperature also results in grain growth as deduced from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) micrographs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) depth profiles for Cu/Zr–Si(RT)/Si and Cu/Zr–Si(300°C)/Si samples subjected to anneal at various temperatures show that the thermal stability was strongly correlated with the deposition temperature (consequently different density and chemical composition etc.) of the Zr–Si barrier layers. ZrSi(300°C) with higher mass density make the Cu/Zr–Si(300°C)/Si sample more stable. The appearance of Cu3Si in the Cu/Zr–Si/Si sample is attributed to the failure mechanism which may be associated with the diffusion of Cu and Si via the grain boundaries of the Zr–Si barriers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Zr–N/Zr bilayered film as a diffusion barrier between Cu and Si is evaluated. The thermal stability of the diffusion barrier is investigated by annealing the Cu/Zr–N/Zr/Si samples in N2 for an hour. XRD, SEM and AES results for the above contact systems after annealing at 700°C show that Cu film has preferential (111) crystal orientation and no diffraction peaks of Cu3Si and a Cu–Zr–Si ternary compound are observed for all Cu/Zr–N/Zr/Si contact systems. In addition, the atomic distribution of Zr and Si is evident and grows with increasing temperature up to 700°C, which corresponds to the Zr–Si phase having low contact resistivity. Low contact resistivity and high thermal stability diffusion barrier can be expected by the application of the Zr–N/Zr bilayered film as a diffusion barrier between Cu and Si. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Zr–N thin films as a barrier in Cu/Si contact were investigated. The Cu/Zr–N/Si specimens were prepared and annealed at temperatures up to 700°C in N2 ambient for an hour. Characterization of phase composition and crystallite structure of the barriers was performed by XRD, the film morphology was examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the composition profiles of the as-deposited and annealed samples of Cu/Zr–N/Si were identified by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). It is evident that the Zr–N film structure is very sensitive to the deposition conditions. Cu/Zr–N/Si contact systems showed better thermal stability so that the Cu3Si phase could not be detected. It is indicated from the comparison analysis results that the Zr–N film showed better thermal stability with increasing N2 flow ratio and/or negative substrate bias. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Simultaneous approximation of a function and its derivatives are required in many science and engineering applications. There have been many studies on the simultaneous approximation capability of feedforward neural networks (FNNs). Most of the studies are, however, only concerned with density or feasibility of performing simultaneous approximation with FNNs, and no quantitative estimation on approximation accuracy of the simultaneous approximation is given. Moreover, all existing density or feasibility results are established in the uniform metric only, and provide no solution to topology specification of the FNNs used. In this paper, by means of the Bernstein–Durrmeyer operator, a class of FNNs is constructed which realize the simultaneous approximation of any smooth multivariate function and all its existing partial derivatives. We present, by making use of multivariate approximation tools, a quantitative upper bound estimation on approximation accuracy of the simultaneous approximation of the FNNs in terms of the modulus of smoothness of the functions to be approximated. The obtained results reveals that the approximation speed of the constructed FNNs depends not only on the number of hidden units used, but also on the smoothness of functions to be approximated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Novel Electrostatic Spray Deposition (ESD) technique was used to fabricate LiMn2O4 spinel thin-films. Cyclic voltammograms of both the ESD and porous laminate films show the double peaks in the 4.0 V range characteristic of the LiMn2O4 spinel materials. The porous laminates exhibit two semicircles in the impedance spectra while the ESD films show only one single semicircle. The diffusion time constant in the laminate films was typically one order of magnitude larger than that in the ESD thin-films. The apparent lithium-ion chemical diffusion coefficient in LiMn2O4 was found to be of the order of 10−9 cm2/s for both the porous laminate film and the ESD films despite the difference in the diffusion time constants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Flavonoids are crucial secondary metabolites that possess the ability to mitigate UV damage and withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, it is of immense significance to investigate the flavonoid content as a pivotal indicator for a comprehensive assessment of chestnut's drought tolerance. This study aimed to determine the flavonoid content and drought tolerance-related physiological and biochemical indices of six chestnut varieties (clones) grafted trees—Qianxi 42 (QX42), Qinglong 45 (QL45), Yanshanzaofeng (YSZF), Yanzi (YZ), Yanqiu (YQ), and Yanlong (YL)-under natural drought stress. The results were used to comprehensively analyze the drought tolerance ability of these varieties. The study revealed that the ranking of drought tolerance indices in terms of their ability to reflect drought tolerance was as follows: superoxide (oxide) dismutase (SOD) activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, flavone content, catalase (CAT) activity, proline (PRO) content, soluble sugar content, peroxidase (POD) activity, betaine content, flavonol content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, soluble protein content, superoxide ion (OFR) content, superoxide (ion OFR) production rate, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, chlorophyll content. Through principal component analysis, the contents of flavonoids and flavonols can be used as indicators for comprehensive evaluation of drought tolerance of chestnut. The comprehensive evaluation order of drought tolerance of grafted trees of 6 chestnut varieties (Clones) was: QL45 > QX42 > YQ > YZ > YSZF > YL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels and liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with immune-tolerant phase remains unclear. We explored the association between liver fibrosis and HBV DNA levels in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with normal alanine transaminase (ALT) with relatively high HBV DNA. Methods: Six hundred and twenty-two HBeAg-positive CHB patients with normal ALT were included. Patients were divided into three categories: low (6 log10 IU/mL ≤ HBV DNA < 7 log10 IU/mL), moderate (7 log10 IU/mL ≤ HBV DNA < 8 log10 IU/mL), and high (HBV DNA ≥ 8 log10 IU/mL). APRI, FIB-4, transient elastography, or liver biopsy were used to assess liver fibrosis. Results: The median age of patients was 33.0 years and 57.9% patients were male. 18.8%, 52.1%, and 29.1% of patients had low, moderate, and high HBV DNA levels, respectively. The APRI (0.33 vs. 0.26 vs. 0.26, P < 0.001), FIB-4 (1.03 vs. 0.71 vs. 0.68, P < 0.001), and LSM values (7.6 kPa vs. 5.6 kPa vs. 5.5 kPa, P = 0.086) were higher in low HBV DNA group than other two groups. Low HBV DNA group had higher proportions of significant fibrosis (24.8% vs. 9.9% vs. 3.3%, P < 0.001) and cirrhosis (7.7% vs. 2.5% vs. 1.1%, P = 0.004) than moderate and high HBV DNA groups. Moderate (OR 3.095, P = 0.023) and low (OR 4.968, P = 0.003) HBV DNA were independent risk factors of significant fibrosis. Conclusion: Lower HBV DNA level was associated with more severe liver fibrosis in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with ALT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary An efficient and highly stereoselective synthetic method to access polycyclic chromanes has been achieved through organocatalyzed one‐pot step‐wise reactions involving 2‐hydroxycinnamaldehydes, 2‐aminochalcones, and malononitrile as substrates. The reactions underwent a quintuple process by aza‐Michael/Michael/Knoevenagel/oxa‐Michael/aldol‐type reaction in sequence to give products bearing 3 new generated rings and 5 chiral centers in moderate to quantitative yields with excellent stereoselectivities. A novel retro‐reaction mechanism was discovered in the synthetic transformations of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical pyroelectric materials require excellent pyroelectric performance, high depolarization temperature, and good temperature stability. In this work, the microstructure, ferroelectric, dielectric, and pyroelectric properties were studied systematically in (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3–0.1%MnCO3 (BNT–Mn) lead-free ceramics. It is observed that the pyroelectric coefficient p reaches 2.90 × 10−4 C m−2 K−1 at room temperature in the samples. Due to the low dielectric constant (291) and dielectric loss (0.010), the figures of merit (FoMs) Fi, Fv, and FD are as high as 1.03 × 10−10 m/V, 4.05 × 10−2 m2/C, and 1.86 × 10−5 Pa−1/2, measured at 1 kHz. With the increase in temperature, the p and FoMs change slightly, showing good temperature stability. More importantly, a relatively high depolarization temperature of 205 °C is achieved, which should help deliver reliable operation in practice. In general, all performances reveal that BNT–Mn ceramics are expected to pave the way for uncooled infrared detector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of second-phase particles is crucial to the mechanical properties of particulate reinforced copper matrix composites (PRCMCs). Ultrasonic vibration treatment (UVT), as an effective technique to disperse second-phase particles in metallic melts, has been extended to treat PRCMCs using a SiAlON sonotrode. In this study, systematic experiments have been conducted to explore the effect of UVT on the microstructures and mechanical properties of in situ Cu-TiB 2 composites. The results indicated an optimal duration of UVT for 3 min, featured by an improved distribution of TiB 2 particles and superior mechanical properties of the as-cast composite. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation exhibited significant increases of 15.7%, 18.1%, and 36.1%, respectively, compared to the as-cast Cu-TiB 2 composite without UVT. Furthermore, these experimental composites were subject to rolling deformation. The results once again demonstrated that the as-rolled Cu-TiB 2 composite, treated with UVT for 3 min, stood out as the best. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of the as-rolled Cu-TiB 2 composite were 459 MPa, 422 MPa, and 7.0%, respectively. Based on the microstructural observation, the mechanism underlying the UVT-induced enhancement of mechanical properties was discussed in terms of the non-linear effects of ultrasound cavitation on liquid metals. This work can provide a strategy for producing high-performance PRCMCs through UVT. • Cu-1 wt% TiB 2 composites are successfully prepared by combining UVT and in-situ synthesis. • UVT can eliminate TiB 2 particles from agglomerating and obtain homogeneous microstructure. • Ultrasonic-assisted in situ casting improves both the strength and ductility of Cu-TiB 2 composites. • The effect of UVT is positively related to time only in some time ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The intra-articularly injected miR-140-5p rapidly enters the chondrocytes. • The earlier a SIAJ of miR-140-5p is administrated, the better the therapeutic effect. • MIAJ of miR-140-5p exhibits better therapeutic effect than SIAJ on EOA. MicroRNAs (miRs) receive extensive attention in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis in recent years, and our previous study confirmed that an intra-articular injection (IAJ) of miR-140-5p alleviates early-stage OA (EOA) progression in rats. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanisms of single IAJ (SIAJ) of miR-140-5p on different stage OA and multiple IAJs (MIAJ) of miR-140-5p on EOA. Firstly, the OA model was surgically induced in rats, nine were treated with IAJ of Cy5-miR-140-5p at one week after surgery, and fluorescence distribution was analyzed at different times. Then, 72 rats were treated with SIAJ of miR-140-5p at different stages or MIAJ of miR-140-5p at one week after surgery, and OA progression was evaluated macroscopically and histologically at different times. Finally, the downstream targets and underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-140-5p were predicted by bioinformatics and partially validated. As a result, the intra-articularly injected miR-140-5p entered cartilage and could be taken up by chondrocytes rapidly. IAJ(s) of miR-140-5p improved the behavioral scores, chondrocyte number, cartilage thickness, and pathological scores to varying degrees. Specifically, the earlier a SIAJ of miR-140-5p was administrated, the better the therapeutic effect; meanwhile, MIAJ of miR-140-5p exhibited a better therapeutic effect than SIAJ on EOA. Eighty-four potential target genes and mechanisms of rno-miR-140-5p were predicted, and the effect of miR-140-5p on the potential target genes VEGFA and JAG1 was experimentally validated. Collectively, IAJs of miR-140-5p effectively alleviate EOA progression by modulating multiple biological processes and pathways in rats, representing a promising therapeutic for EOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis is a genetically regulated form of necrotic cell death that has emerged as an important pathway in cancers. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key regulators of breast cancer development. Nevertheless, few studies are reporting the effect of lncRNAs in necroptosis processes and the role of necroptosis-related lncRNAs (NRLs). The present study aimed to construct a prognostic model based on NRLs in breast cancer. NRLs were identified by combining expression profiling data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) with necroptosis-related genes. The non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) clustering analysis was conducted to identify molecular subtypes of BC, and the clinical outcome and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in the different molecular subtypes were analyzed. Four molecular subtypes based on NRLs were identified, and these four molecular subtypes could predict clinical features, prognosis, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). A 4-NRLs signature and nomogram were established and validated its predictive capability of overall survival (OS) in breast cancer patients. Analyses of clinicopathological features, prognosis, TIICs, tumor microenvironment (TME), somatic mutations, and drug response revealed significant differences between the two risk groups. In addition, we found that low-risk patients exhibited higher levels of immune checkpoints and showed higher immunogenicity in immunophenoscore (IPS) analysis. In conclusion, we constructed a prognostic model based on the expression profile of NRLs, which may facilitate the assessment of patient prognosis, immunotherapeutic responses, and maybe a promising therapeutic target in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optimized silicon carbide (SiC) trench metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) structure with side-wall p-type pillar (p-pillar) and wrap n-type pillar (n-pillar) in the n-drain was investigated by utilizing Silvaco TCAD simulations. The optimized structure mainly includes a p+ buried region, a light n-type current spreading layer (CSL), a p-type pillar region, and a wrapping n-type pillar region at the right and bottom of the p-pillar. The improved structure is named as SNPPT-MOS. The side-wall p-pillar region could better relieve the high electric field around the p+ shielding region and the gate oxide in the off-state mode. The wrapping n-pillar region and CSL can also effectively reduce the specific on-resistance (R on,sp). As a result, the SNPPT-MOS structure exhibits that the figure of merit (FoM) related to the breakdown voltage (V BR) and R on,sp ( V BR 2 R on , sp ) of the SNPPT-MOS is improved by 44.5%, in comparison to that of the conventional trench gate SJ MOSFET (full-SJ-MOS). In addition, the SNPPT-MOS structure achieves a much faster-witching speed than the full-SJ-MOS, and the result indicates an appreciable reduction in the switching energy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Heterogeneous pyrazoly-pyridinyl-triazole Ru complexes on γAl 2 O 3. • High catalytic activity for deoxygenative homocoupling of 2-arylethanols. • The first example for deoxygenative homocoupling of 2-arylethanols by using a recyclable catalyst. A pyrazolyl-pyridinyl-triazole Ru complex was synthesized from unsymmetrical pyrazolyl-pyridinyl-triazole (PPT) skeleton ligand and characterized through X-ray crystallography. The corresponding heterogeneous pyrazolyl-pyridinyl-triazole Ru complexes on γ-Al 2 O 3 were characterized through SEM, TEM, XRD and XPS. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous Ru catalysts revealed high activity for deoxygenative homocoupling of 2-arylethanols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wuda coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China, has been suffering from serious coal fire disaster for more than half a century. In the past decade, the central and local governments have carried out many fire-fighting projects to put out the coal fires, but coal fires still sporadically occur in the coalfield. Previous studies showed that coal fires could release large amounts of mercury (Hg) into the environment. Meanwhile, the rapid industrial development in recent years in Wuda area has also discharged a certain amount of Hg. Identification and quantification of the Hg emitted from coal fires and industrial sources is critical to formulate appropriate environmental policies. This study determined Hg isotope compositions in different types of coals from Wuda coal fire area and surface soils with different distances to the coal fire area, with an aim of anchoring the potential Hg sources in soils. The results showed that the coals had moderately negative δ202Hg (−2.02∼-1.21‰) and slightly negative Δ199Hg (−0.14–0.00‰), while the soils generally had more positive δ202Hg (−1.97∼-0.26‰) and Δ199Hg (−0.07–0.04‰) with distinct isotope ranges among different sampling sites. According to characteristic Hg isotope compositions of different sources, we concluded that the Hg in Wuda soils mainly sourced from cement plants and coal fires, and coal fires were still an important Hg contamination source in Wuda area. Image 1 • Wuda coals have moderately negative δ202Hg and slightly negative Δ199Hg. • Wuda soils have distinct mercury isotope ranges among sites. • Mercury in Wuda soils mainly sourced from cement plants and coal fires. • Coal fires are still an important mercury contamination source in Wuda area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is considered the most malignant and devastating intracranial tumor without effective treatment. Autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis, three classically known cell death pathways, can provide novel clinical and immunological insights, which may assist in designing personalized therapeutics. In this study, we developed and validated an effective signature based on autophagy-, apoptosis- and necrosis-related genes for prognostic implications in GBM patients.Methods: Variations in the expression of genes involved in autophagy, apoptosis and necrosis were explored in 518 GBM patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Univariate Cox analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis, and multivariate Cox analysis were performed to construct a combined prognostic signature. Kaplan-Meier survival, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Cox regression analyses based on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were conducted to estimate the independent prognostic performance of the gene signature. The Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) dataset was used for external validation. Finally, we investigated the differences in the immune microenvironment between different prognostic groups and predicted potential compounds targeting each group.Results: A 16-gene cell death index (CDI) was established. Patients were clustered into either the high risk or the low risk groups according to the CDI score, and those in the low risk group presented significantly longer OS and PFS than the high CDI group. ROC curves demonstrated outstanding performance of the gene signature in both the training and validation groups. Furthermore, immune cell analysis identified higher infiltration of neutrophils, macrophages, Treg, T helper cells, and aDCs, and lower infiltration of B cells in the high CDI group. Interestingly, this group also showed lower expression levels of immune checkpoint molecules PDCD1 and CD200, and higher expression levels of PDCD1LG2, CD86, CD48 and IDO1.Conclusion: Our study proposes that the CDI signature can be utilized as a prognostic predictor and may guide patients' selection for preferential use of immunotherapy in GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]