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With the consumption of fossil fuels and the deterioration of the ecological environment, the need for developing new, efficient, and sustainable sources of clean energy is urgent. The importance of “green hydrogen” in electrolytic water splitting has attracted worldwide attention not only from the scientific community but also from governments and industries. Hydrogen energy is considered an ideal alternative to fossil fuels because of its high energy density, environmental friendliness, and low pollution level. Hydrogen production from renewable energy sources using the electrolysis of water is the lowest carbon emission process of the many current hydrogen source options. The electrolytic water reaction is subdivided into two half-reactions, namely, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. The HER is a relatively simple two-electron reaction. Compared to the HER at the cathode, the OER at the anode is a four-electron transfer process with slower kinetics and higher energy barriers. It is the decisive step in the electrolytic water reaction, receiving considerable attention from scholars. Recently, considerable developments in the research of high-performance electrolytic water catalysts have been reported as successful; however, the catalysts have been tested on a very small scale, usually under laboratory conditions, and can rarely operate continuously for hundreds of hours, far from meeting the needs of practical applications. Industrial-level electrocatalytic hydrogen production requires catalysts that are highly active, cost-effective, and stable at high current densities; thus, a great deal of work has explored efficient and highly durable active electrocatalysts to overcome the kinetic barriers that inhibit the reaction, particularly for the complex four-electron reaction of the OER. In summary, catalysts for oxygen precipitation reactions at high current densities will be the focus of future research. This paper reviews the current status of hydrogen energy development and various hydrogen production methods at home and abroad, focusing on an analysis of electrolytic water hydrogen production technology and proposing the requirements under large-scale industrial applications. Studying the OER mechanism has revealed that the activity of catalysts at high current densities can be enhanced by the following strategies: heteroatom doping, defect engineering, interface engineering, in situ self-growth, etc. Finally, the challenges in the field of high-current oxygen analysis at this stage of industrial development and the future direction of development are presented.

An ordinary double steel plate–concrete composite wall (ODSC wall) is composed of core concrete, the faceplates, and shear connectors such as studs, etc. Based on an ODSC wall, a new type of stiffened double steel plate–concrete composite wall (SDSC wall) is conceived by incorporating additional stiffeners and tie plates on the internal surface, which aims to improve the local stability of the faceplates. In the authors’ previous study, a series of axial compression tests were conducted on the SDSC walls. The SDSC walls in the test showed better mechanical performance, as the presence of stiffeners changed the buckling deformation mode and significantly improved the corresponding local buckling stress and ultimate strength. In this paper, a comprehensive summary of the prior research on SDSC walls is provided, and the effect of the constructive parameters on the local stability is discussed. The results reveal that the modified formula of the critical stress can degrade to the Euler formula when the stiffener-to-stud spacing ratio (i.e., a/B ratio) approaches infinity. What is more, the analysis model is also applicable for DSC walls with enclosed side plates, and the proposed formula can predict the buckling stress of the SDSC walls with different a/B ratios. In addition, according to the analysis of the numerical simulation, a design approach for SDSC walls to prevent local buckling is provided, which is applicable in practical engineering applications.

Genetic diversity, population structure, and population expansion of goats worldwide (4 165 individuals from 196 breeds) were analyzed using published mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D_loop hypervariable region sequences. Results showed that 2 409 haplotypes and 301 polymorphic sites were present within the 401-bp length D_loop region, the nucleotide diversity (Pi) was 0.03471, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.9983. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 98.92% of haplotypes were divided into six obvious clusters, consistent with the classification of the known mitochondrial haplogroups of goats. Haplogroup A accounted for the largest proportion (86%). Interestingly, two unknown divisions (Unknown I and Unknown II) were discovered from goats in Southwest China, suggesting that Southwest China has unique maternal haplogroups. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and the average number of pairwise differences between populations (PiXY) indicated that geographical variation was small but significant. Neutrality tests (Tajima's D and Fu's FS tests) and mismatch distribution showed that haplogroups B, C, and G had expansion histories. In addition, the phylogenetic relationship between domestic and wild goats suggested that Capra aegagrus is the most likely wild ancestor and may have participated in the domestication of ancestral populations of A, B, C, and F haplogroups. A meta-analysis on the mtDNA sequences of goats from international databases was conducted to analyze goats’ genetic diversity, population structure, and matrilineal system evolution worldwide. The results may help further understand the domestication history and gene flow of goats worldwide.

Abstract The ecotype population of goats (Capra hircus) was created by long‐term artificial selection and natural adaptation. Mile red‐bone goat is an indigenous breed with visible red bones, and its special bone structure has received extensive attention. This study aimed to identify genetic variants and candidate genes associated with specific bone phenotypes using next‐generation sequencing technology (NGS). The results revealed that 31,828,206 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained from 72 goats (20 Mile red‐bone goats and 52 common goats) by NGS. A total of 100 candidate genes were identified on the basis top 1% window interaction from nucleotide diversity (π), π ratio (πA/πB), and pairwise fixation index (FST). Exactly 77 known signaling pathways were enriched. Specifically, three coding genes (NMNAT2, LOC102172983, and PNLIP) were annotated in the vitamin metabolism signaling pathways, and NCF2 was annotated to the osteoclast (OC) differentiation pathway. Furthermore, 5862 reliable copy number variations (CNVs) were obtained, and 14 and 24 genes were annotated with the top 1‰ CNV based on FST (>0.490) and VST (>0.527), respectively. Several pathways related to bone development and metabolism of exogenous substances in vivo, including calcium signaling pathway, OC differentiation, and glycerophospholipid metabolism, were annotated. Specifically, six genes from 19 candidate CNVs, which were obtained by interaction of the top 1‰ CNVs with FST and VST, were annotated to mucin‐type O‐glycan biosynthesis and metabolic pathways. Briefly, the results implied that pseudopurpurin and specific genetic variants work together to contribute to the red‐bone color and specific bone structure of Mile red‐bone goat. This study is helpful to understanding the genetic basis of the unique bone phenotype of Mile red‐bone goats.

Abstract Background The relationship between the type of anesthesia and the survival outcomes of gastric cancer patients is uncertain. This study compared the overall outcome of gastric cancer patients after surgery with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or inhalation anesthesia (IHA). Methods Clinicopathological variables of gastric cancer patients were retrieved from the database of the Surgical Gastric Cancer Patient Registry in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Patients were grouped according to whether they received TIVA or IHA during the operation. Propensity score (PS) matching was used to balance the baseline variables, and survival outcomes were compared between these two groups. In addition, studies comparing survival outcomes between TIVA and IHA used for gastric cancer surgery and published before April 20th, 2020, were identified, and their data were pooled. Results A total of 2827 patients who underwent surgical treatment from Jan 2009 to Dec 2016 were included. There were 323 patients in the TIVA group and 645 patients in the IHA group, with 1:2 PS matching. There was no significant difference in overall survival outcomes between the TIVA and IHA groups before matching the cohort (p = 0.566) or after matching the cohort (p = 0.679) by log-rank tests. In the Cox hazard regression model, there was no significant difference between the TIVA and IHA groups before (HR: 1.054, 95% CI: 0.881–1.262, p = 0.566) or after (HR: 0.957, 95% CI: 0.779–1.177, p = 0.679) PS matching. The meta-analysis of survival outcomes between the TIVA and IHA groups found critical statistical value in the before PS matching cohort (HR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57–0.96 p

An intracardiac thrombus may develop as a consequence of myocarditis, and in rare cases, a dominantly right ventricular thrombus develops, which may impair cardiac function and even cause life-threatening cardiovascular events. We report a 24-year-old man presented with recurrent episodes of palpitation and precordial discomfort after catching a cold 2 months ago. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) revealed a mass attached to the apex of the right ventricle and extensive bilateral pulmonary artery emboli. There was no indication where the thrombi originated from in this young patient without any underlying disease except myocarditis. Pulmonary endarterectomy and embolectomy of pulmonary arteries and right ventricle were performed. Postoperative pathological results confirmed the presence of fibrinous necrosis and hemosiderin deposition. The formation of an intraventricular thrombus is closely related to myocarditis, which can affect individuals of all ages, but especially young people. Thus, patients with myocarditis should be closely monitored and followed up because of the increased risk of extensive thrombosis.

A fast, simple, sensitive, and selective colorimetric method for the detection of Cu2+ was developed using Prussian blue/Turnbull’s blue nanoparticles (PBNPs/TBNPs) as the probe. The colorimetric sensor is based on the following principle. Cu2+ can induce the aggregation of L-cysteine (L-cys) modified-PBNPs/TBNPs (L-cys-PBNPs/TBNPs), resulting in an obvious red shift of its maximum absorption peak. Thus, the concentration of Cu2+ can be determined based on the peak shift in the UV–Vis spectra. The optimal pH, concentration of L-cys, reaction temperature between L-cys-PBNPs/TBNPs and Cu2+, the formation time of L-cys-PBNPs/TBNPs, and the reaction time between L-cys-PBNPs/TBNPs and Cu2+ of the method were determined to be pH 4.5, 2.0 mM, 20 °C, 5.0 min, and 2.0 min, respectively. A good linearity for the colorimetric determination of Cu2+ at the range of 0.25–2.5 μM (R2 = 0.986) was obtained, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.12 μM. Moreover, the negligible response of other metal ions demonstrates good selectivity and specificity of the sensor. In addition, the method was employed in the detection of Cu2+ in lake water samples, and the spiked recoveries are in the range of 96.7–106.6% with a relative standard deviation less than 7.4%. Therefore, the colorimetric method is applicable for Cu2+ detection in real water samples of high sensitivity and selectivity.

Small-molecule enzyme mimics as biocatalysts have been extensively applied in diverse colorimetric sensors fabrication. However, excavating potential organic enzyme mimics with high catalytic activity still remains challenging. In this study, the peroxidase mimicking activity of nicotinic acid (VB3) was demonstrated for the first time through chromogenic substrate 3, 3′, 5, 5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) at the existence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The catalytic activity of VB3 kept more than 80% of its optimum activity in a broad pH range of 3.0–9.0. In addition, the kinetic parameter (Michaelis constant, Km = 0.037 mM) of VB3 catalysis to H2O2 is smaller than natural horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and previously reported peroxidase mimics. The catalytic mechanism of VB3 is mainly attributed to the active species of hydroxyl radical (·OH) and partially attributed to the superoxide free radicals (·O2−). A convenient and sensitive colorimetric method based on VB3-H2O2-TMB chromogenic system for H2O2 and glutathione detection was fabricated with the linear ranges of 5.0–100.0 μM and 5.0–50.0 μM, respectively. In short, this work will not only bring new enlightenment on the physiological functions and practical applications in the analytical field of VB3, but also provide a new type of structural reference for small-molecule enzyme mimics.

Background: Fospropofol disodium for injection (FospropofolFD) is a prodrug that is metabolized into propofol to produce a general anesthesia effect when administered intravenously.Objective: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of FospropofolFD in comparison with propofol medium/long-chain fat emulsion injections (propofol-MCT/LCT) for general anesthesia induction in adult patients undergoing elective surgeries.Setting: Nine academic medical centers in China.Method: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-simulated, controlled, and non-inferiority trial evaluated 540 eligible adult patients randomly assigned (2:1) to the intervention (20 mg/kg FospropofolFD) or control (2 mg/kg propofol-MCT/LCT) groups.Main Outcome Measure: The primary efficacy endpoint was the success rate, defined as a Modified Observer’s Assessment of Alertness/Sedation Scale score of 1 within 5 min after study drug administration. The safety endpoints consisted of adverse events (AEs) related to consciousness, cognitive function, hemodynamic status, liver and kidney function, and blood tests.Results: A total of 347 (96.3%) and 175 (97.2%) patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively, completed the study. The success rate for the primary outcome was 97.7% for both study drugs. The most frequent AEs in the intervention group were abnormal feeling (62.0%), blood pressure reduction (13.5%), and injection site pain (13.3%). No AEs related to consciousness and mental and cognitive functions or serious adverse events were reported.Conclusion: FospropofolFD (20 mg/kg) is not inferior to propofol-MCT/LCT (2 mg/kg) in general anesthesia induction for American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-II adult patients undergoing elective surgeries. It is safe and effective for clinical use under anesthesiologist monitoring.Impact on Practice Statement: FospropofolFD can produce a general anesthesia effect and reduce the incidence of pain at the site of injection.

In this study, the personal glucose meter (PGM) was first used as a fast and user-friendly meter for analyzing catechol (CA) based on the reduction of the mediator K3[Fe(CN)6] to K4[Fe(CN)6] in the glucose test strip. Then, an easy, low-cost, and convenient PGM-based method for detecting tyrosinase (TYR) activity and sodium benzoate (SBA) was developed on the basis of the TYR-catalyzed reaction. In this method, CA is oxidized to form o-benzoquinone by TYR, thereby reducing the residual amount of CA and the PGM readout. On the other hand, SBA can inhibit the oxidation of CA catalyzed by TYR and increase the residual amount of CA after the enzymatic reaction. Therefore, the activity of TYR is proportional to the difference in the PGM readout of CA, and the concentration of SBA is positively correlated with the residual amount of CA. After the relevant experimental conditions were systematically optimized, the proposed PGM-based method for the detection of TYR and SBA was successfully validated. The liner ranges are 1.0–103.3 U/mL and 6.25–1000 ppm, and the quantification limits are 1.0 U/mL and 6.25 ppm for TYR and SBA, respectively. Moreover, the spiked recovery tests in normal human serum and carbonate beverages (i.e., Cola, Sprite, and Fanta) were performed, and the recoveries (91.6–106.8%) further confirm the applicability of the PGM-based method in real sample analysis.

In this work, indoxyl-glucoside was used as the substrate to develop a cost-effective, paper-based analytical device for the fluorescent and colorimetric dual-mode detection of β-glucosidase activity through a smartphone. The β-glucosidase can hydrolyze the colorless substrate indoxyl-glucoside to release indoxyl, which will be self-oxidized to generate green products in the presence of oxygen. Meanwhile, the green products emit bright blue-green fluorescence under ultraviolet–visible light irradiation at 365 nm. Fluorescent or colorimetric images were obtained by a smartphone, and the red-green-blue channels were analyzed by the Adobe Photoshop to quantify the β-glucosidase activity. Under the optimum conditions, the relative fluorescent and colorimetric signals have a good linear relationship with the activity of β-glucosidase, in the range of 0.01–1.00 U/mL and 0.25–5.00 U/mL, and the limits of detection are 0.005 U/mL and 0.0668 U/mL, respectively. The activities of β-glucosidase in a crude almond sample measured by the fluorescent and colorimetric methods were 23.62 ± 0.53 U/mL and 23.86 ± 0.25 U/mL, respectively. In addition, the spiked recoveries of normal human serum and crude almond samples were between 87.5% and 118.0%. In short, the paper-based device, combined with a smartphone, can provide a simple, environmentally friendly, and low-cost method for the fluorescent and colorimetric dual-mode detection of β-glucosidase activity.

In this study, a paper-based sensor was developed for the detection of hydrogen-peroxide-related biomarkers, with glucose oxidase catalyzing as an example. Potassium iodide can catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to colorize the paper-based biosensor detection area, which was imaged by a scanner, and the color intensity was analyzed by the Adobe Photoshop. Under the optimal conditions, the color intensity shows a good linear relationship with hydrogen peroxide and glucose concentrations in the ranges of 0.1–5.0 mM and 0.5–6.0 mM, respectively. The detection limit of hydrogen peroxide is 0.03 mM and the limit of quantification of glucose is 0.5 mM. Besides, the method was employed in measuring glucose concentration in fruit samples, and the spiked recoveries are in the range of 95.4–106.1%. This method is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and easy to be operated, which is expected to realize the point-of-care testing of more hydrogen-peroxide-related biomarkers.

The distribution of SiC particles in Al-SiC composite can greatly influence the mechanical performances of Al-SiC composite. To realize the homogeneous distribution of SiC particles in stir-casting Al-SiC composite, semisolid stir casting of Al-4.25vol.%SiC composite was conducted using a special electromagneticmechanical stirring equipment made by our team, in which there are three uniformly-distributed blades with a horizontal tilt angle of 25 ° to mechanically raise the SiC particles by creating an upward movement of slurry under electromagnetic stirring. The microstructure of the as-cast Al-SiC composites was observed by Scanning Electron Mcroscopy (SEM). The volume fraction of SiC particles was measured by image analysis using the Quantimet 520 Image Processing and Analysis System. The tensile strength of the Al-4.25vol.%SiC composites was measured by tensile testing. Results show that the Al-4.25vol.%SiC composites with the homogeneous distrbutin of SiC particles can be obtained by the electromagnetic-mechanical stirring casting with the speed of 300 and 600 r·min−1 at 620 °C. The differences between the volume fraction of SiC particles at the top of ingot and that at the bottom are both ~0.04vol.% with the stirring speed of 300 and 600 r·min−1, which are so small that the distribution of SiC particles can be seen as the homogeneous. The tensile strength of the Al matrix is enhanced by 51.2% due to the uniformly distributed SiC particles. The porosity of the composite mainly results from the solidifi cation shrinkage of slurry and it is less than 0.04vol.%.

During isothermal sintering at 820°C, the transformation mechanism of fluormica to fluoramphibole in powder compacts of fluormica and soda-lime glass was investigated using differential thermal analysis, infrared reflection spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and so forth. Results show that an interaction between fluormica and glass occurred during isothermal heating; O2−, Na+, and Ca2+ ions were diffused from glass to fluormica. This diffusion facilitates the transformation of the sheet structures of fluormica crystals to double-chain structures by the breakage of bridge oxygen bonds in the sheet. Subsequently, the broken two parallel double chains were rearranged by relative displacement along the c-axis direction of the fluormica crystal and were linked by Na+ and Ca2+ ions to form fluoramphibole. A crystallography model of fluormica-fluoramphibole transformation was established in this study.

The three molecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C3H4N2O2S, are connected via N—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming layers normal to [001]. The rings of the molecules are approximately planar, with r.m.s. deviations of 0.0051 (1), 0.0044 (1) and 0.0111 (1) Å.

The crystal structure of the title complex, {(C2H8N)[CuCl2(N3)]}n, exhibits inorganic chains consisting of Cu(II) cations as well azide and chloride anions. The chains, made up from Cu—Cl—Cu—N—Cu linkages, are aligned parallel to the c axis. This architecture is further stabilized by a number of N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds involving the protonated charge-compensating dimethylamine cations and chloride atoms.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C26H28BrN, contains two independent molecules in which the carbazole rings are almost planar, with r.m.s. deviations of 0.0212 (1) and 0.0229 (1) Å. The dihedral angles between the carbazole ring system and the pendent benzene ring are 60.5 (1) and 56.3 (1)° in the two molecules. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chains along the b axis by C—H...π interactions.

The Boer goat is one of the top meat breeds in modern animal husbandry and has attracted widespread attention for its unique growth performance. However, the genetic basis of muscle development in the Boer goat remains obscure. In this study, we identified specific structural variants in the Boer goat based on genome-wide selection signals and analyzed the basis of the molecular heredity of related candidate genes in muscle development. A total of 9 959 autosomal copy number variations (CNVs) were identified through selection signal analysis in 127 goat genomes. Specifically, we confirmed that the highest signal CNV (HSV) was a chromosomal arrangement containing an approximately 1.11 Mb (CHIR17: 60062304–61171840 bp) duplicated fragment inserted in reverse orientation and a 5 362 bp deleted region (CHIR17:60145940–60151302 bp) with overlapping genes (e.g., ARHGAP10, NR3C2, EDNRA, PRMT9, and TMEM184C). The homozygous duplicated HSV genotype (+/+) was found in 96% of Boer goats but was not detected in Eurasian goats and was only detected in 4% of indigenous African goats. The expression network of three candidate genes (ARHGAP10, NR3C2, and EDNRA) regulating dose transcription was constructed by RNA sequencing. Results indicated that these genes were involved in the proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs) and their overexpression significantly increased the expression of SAA3. The HSV of the Boer goat contributed to superior skeletal muscle growth via the dose effects of overlapping genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]