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[Display omitted] • Single atom catalyst with Fe-N 4 sites anchored on hollow carbon cage is synthesized. • Hollow carbon cage structure facilitates exposure of the active Fe-N 4 sites. • Synergistic effect of Fe-N 4 site and hollow carbon cage improves reversibility of MoS 2 anode. • Fe- N -HCN can effectively adsorb and catalyze the rapid decomposition of Li 2 S. • The MoS 2 /Fe- N -HCN anode exhibit superior electrochemical performance. Although the single atom electrocatalysts have been demonstrated as efficient catalysts for promoting Li 2 S/Na 2 S formation and decomposition in Li-S/Na-S batteries, the functional morphological and structural engineering capable of exposing more active sites is regarded as an essential factor to further enhance the catalytic activity. Here, we have synthesized a single atomically dispersed Fe sites embedded within hollow nitrogen doped carbon cages (Fe- N -HCN) using Fe 3 O 4 spheres as an oxidant and sacrificial template, which is used as a high-efficiency catalyst for boosting the reversible capacity of MoS 2 anode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). As expected, the electrochemical reaction of MoS 2 /Fe- N -HCN anode exhibits higher reversibility than pure MoS 2 electrodes. Moreover, density functional theory is also employed to reveal that Fe- N -HCN can be effectively adsorbed and catalyze the rapid decomposition of Li 2 S. The hollow carbon cage structure can facilitate the exposure of the active Fe-N 4 sites and favor the mass transfer during the electrochemical reactions, thus the synergistic effect of the Fe-N 4 site and the hollow carbon cage structure together improve the catalytic activity for the conversion reaction of MoS 2 anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurologic Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare type of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis that affects the central nervous system. Most neurologic RDDs grow like meningiomas, have clear boundaries, and can be completely resected. However, a few RDDs are invasive and aggressive, and no effective treatment options are available because the molecular mechanisms involved remain unknown. Here, we report a case of deadly and glucocorticoid-resistant neurologic RDD and explore its possible pathogenic mechanisms via single-cell RNA sequencing. First, we identified two distinct but evolutionarily related histiocyte subpopulations (the C1Q+ and SPP1+ histiocytes) that accumulated in the biopsy sample. The expression of genes in the KRAS signaling pathway was upregulated, indicating gain-of-function of KRAS mutations. The C1Q+ and SPP1+ histiocytes were highly differentiated and arrested in the G1 phase, excluding the idea that RDD is a lympho-histio-proliferative disorder. Second, although C1Q+ histiocytes were the primary RDD cell type, SPP1+ histiocytes highly expressed several severe inflammation-related and invasive factors, such as WNT5A, IL-6, and MMP12, suggesting that SPP1+ histiocytes plays a central role in driving the progression of this disease. Third, oligodendrocytes were found to be the prominent cell type that initiates RDD via MIF and may resist glucocorticoid treatment via the MDK and PTN signaling pathways. In summary, in this case, we report a rare presentation of neurologic RDD and provided new insight into the pathogenic mechanisms of progressive neurologic RDD. This study will also offer evidence for developing precision therapies targeting this complex disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) technology and the complex network theory can be used to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of brain diseases. The successful application of functional brain hypernetworks provides new perspectives for the diagnosis and evaluation of clinical brain diseases; however, many studies have not assessed the attribute information of hyperedges and could not retain the high‐order topology of hypergraphs. In addition, the study of multi‐scale and multi‐layered organizational properties of the human brain can provide richer and more accurate data features for classification models of depression.This work aims to establish a more accurate classification framework for the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) using the high‐order line graph algorithm. And accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score are used to validate its classification performance.Based on rs‐fMRI data from 38 MDD subjects and 28 controls, we constructed a human brain hypernetwork and introduced a line graph model, followed by the construction of a high‐order line graph model. The topological properties under each order line graph were calculated to measure the classification performance of the model. Finally, intergroup features that showed significant differences under each order line graph model were fused, and a support vector machine classifier was constructed using multi‐kernel learning. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov nonparametric permutation test was used as the feature selection method and the classification performance was measured with the leave‐one‐out cross‐validation method.The high‐order line graph achieved a better classification performance compared with other traditional hypernetworks (accuracy = 92.42%, sensitivity = 92.86%, specificity = 92.11%, precision = 89.66%, F1 = 91.23%). Furthermore, the brain regions found in the present study have been previously shown to be associated with the pathology of depression.This work validated the classification model based on the high‐order line graph, which can better express the topological features of the hypernetwork by comprehensively considering the hyperedge information under different connection strengths, thereby significantly improving the classification accuracy of MDD. Therefore, this method has potential for use in the clinical diagnosis of MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we demonstrate the robustness of a synergistic chiral Pd/organoboron system in tackling a challenging suite of site‐, regio‐, enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity issues across a considerable palette of biologically relevant carbohydrate polyols, when prochiral alkoxyallenes were employed as electrophiles. In view of the burgeoning role of noncovalent interactions (NCIs) in stereoselective carbohydrate synthesis, our mechanistic experiments and DFT modeling of the reaction path unexpectedly revealed that NCIs such as hydrogen bonding and CH‐π interactions between the resting states of the Pd‐π‐allyl complex and the borinate saccharide are critically involved in the stereoselectivity control. Our strategy thus illuminates the untapped potential of harnessing NCIs in the context of transition metal catalysis to tackle stereoselectivity challenges in carbohydrate functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we demonstrate the robustness of a synergistic chiral Pd/organoboron system in tackling a challenging suite of site‐, regio‐, enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity issues across a considerable palette of biologically relevant carbohydrate polyols, when prochiral alkoxyallenes were employed as electrophiles. In view of the burgeoning role of noncovalent interactions (NCIs) in stereoselective carbohydrate synthesis, our mechanistic experiments and DFT modeling of the reaction path unexpectedly revealed that NCIs such as hydrogen bonding and CH‐π interactions between the resting states of the Pd‐π‐allyl complex and the borinate saccharide are critically involved in the stereoselectivity control. Our strategy thus illuminates the untapped potential of harnessing NCIs in the context of transition metal catalysis to tackle stereoselectivity challenges in carbohydrate functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distance cartogram is a deformed map where the distance between points conforms to a specific proximity indicator. Its readability is crucial, requiring a similar spatial arrangement of points between the original map and cartogram. Previous studies mainly incorporated angle changes of point pairs into the optimization objective. However, this soft constraint fails to provide high readability for spatial interaction data with numerous points and links. This study emphasizes the significance of maintaining Delaunay triangulation during deformation. To achieve this, topology‐constrained particle swarm optimization (TC‐PSO) is proposed, in which triangle intersections and flipping are prevented during optimization. Additionally, a topology error is introduced to evaluate the difference in triangulation between the original and deformed maps. TC‐PSO outperforms previous approaches by exhibiting the smallest topology error and producing more readable cartograms in simulation experiments and Baidu index data. These show TC‐PSO's advantage as a cartographic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study compared the biomechanical characteristics of proximal femur bionic nail (PFBN) and proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) in treating osteoporotic femoral intertrochanteric fractures using finite element analysis. Under similar bone density, the PFBN outperforms the PFNA in maximum femoral displacement, internal fixation displacement, stress distribution in the femoral head and internal fixation components, and femoral neck varus angle. As the bone density decreases, the PFBN’s biomechanical advantages over PFNA become more pronounced. This finding suggests that the PFBN is superior for treating osteoporotic intertrochanteric femoral fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use AlphaFold2 (AF2) to model the monomer and dimer structures of an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), Nvjp-1, assisted by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We observe relatively rigid dimeric structures of Nvjp-1 when compared with the monomer structures. We suggest that protein conformations from multiple AF2 models and those from MD trajectories exhibit a coherent trend: the conformations of an IDP are deviated from each other and the conformations of a well-folded protein are consistent with each other. We use a residue-residue interaction network (RIN) derived from the contact map which show that the residue-residue interactions in Nvjp-1 are mainly transient; however, those in a well-folded protein are mainly persistent. Despite the variation in 3D shapes, we show that the AF2 models of both disordered and ordered proteins exhibit highly consistent profiles of the pLDDT (predicted local distance difference test) scores. These results indicate a potential protocol to justify the IDPs based on multiple AF2 models and MD simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lacustrine fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the Dongying Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin in China exhibit significant potential for hydrocarbon exploration. This study investigates the lithofacies types and sedimentary evolution of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation's lower third member (Es3l) and upper fourth member (Es4u), integrating petrological and geochemical analyses to explore the relationship between lithofacies characteristics and sedimentary environments. The results show that the fine-grained sedimentary rocks in the study area can be classified into 18 lithofacies, with seven principal ones, including organic-rich laminated carbonate fine-grained mixed sedimentary rock lithofacies and organic-rich laminated limestone lithofacies. In conjunction with analyses of vertical changes in geochemical proxies such as paleoclimate (e.g., CIA, Na/Al), paleoproductivity (e.g., Ba), paleosalinity (e.g., Sr/Ba), paleo-redox conditions (e.g., V/Sc, V/V + Ni), and terrigenous detrital influx (e.g., Al, Ti), five stages are delineated from bottom to top. These stages demonstrate a general transition from an arid to humid paleoclimate, a steady increase in paleoproductivity, a gradual decrease in paleosalinity, an overall reducing water body environment, and an increasing trend of terrestrial detrital input. This study demonstrates that the abundance of organic matter is primarily influenced by paleoproductivity and paleo-redox conditions. The variations in rock components are predominantly influenced by paleoclimate, and sedimentary structures are affected by the depth of the lake basin. Special depositional events, such as storm events in Stage II, have significantly impacted the abundance of organic matter, rock components, and sedimentary structures by disturbing the water column and disrupting the reducing conditions at the lake bottom. The present study offers crucial insights into the genesis mechanisms of continental lacustrine fine-grained sedimentary rocks, facilitates the prediction of lithofacies distribution, and advances the exploration of China's shale oil resources in lacustrine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technique is used to fabricate the gas sensor, which is developed for the visualization of the spatial distribution of gas evaporating from odor source. The 3 × 3 SERS sensor array is put on the odor source and then scanned by the home‐made detection system to obtain the Raman spectra of the odor. The intensities of the characteristic peaks from the collected spectra are used to draw a heatmap graph. After the heatmap graph is processed by the noise reduction, the localization of the odor source can be clearly identified through the resulting graph. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe thermal–mechanical–electrical-diffusion strongly coupled equations are established, and the phase field method is employed to investigate the dynamic simulation of intermetallic compound (IMC) evolution at the Cu/Sn/Cu micro-solder joint interface. By comparing with experimental results on IMC evolution in micro-solder joints, this study explores the evolution law of IMCs under the influence of current, temperature, and applied load coupling. Both simulation and experimental findings indicate that higher current density promotes IMC formation, with the largest average thickness observed at a current density of 5000 A/m2. When the analog current density is 5000 A/m2, the anode IMC has a rapid growth period at 62 h, and the corresponding cathode has a rapid consumption period; when the analog current density is 4000 A/m2, the anode has the same phenomenon in 95 h; when the analog current density is 3000 A/m2, this phenomenon is not evident. The observed phenomena are consistent with the evolutionary trend of IMC from the fourth to the fifth day of the experiment, considering it may be affected by ‘electronic wind stress’ which makes the cathode IMC migrate to the anode. The average thickness of IMCs with an analog ambient temperature of 323–353 K is the largest, which is most suitable for the growth of IMCs. The experimental results also indicate that IMC growth is the fastest at 353 K. The anode IMC was inhibited by tensile stress and shear stress, but the effect on cathode was not obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multilevel encoding (MLE) scheme is an effective method for improving the anticounterfeiting encryption capabilities of physically unclonable functions (PUFs). However, owing to the correlation between encoding layers, the encoding capacity (EC) is difficult to improve by orders of magnitude. Herein, four noncorrelated structures in the diamond crystal structure (carbon–carbon single bond, defect luminescence structures, spin structures, and electron energy distribution structures) are considered for MLE. First, the microdiamonds containing nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) color centers are embedded into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate PUFs. Using an optical imaging system, four codable images of four noncorrelated structures are read. The noncorrelation of the four‐level encoding structure is verified by calculating the Hamming distance (0.496 ± 0.02). The results show that EC exponentially improves to 24×10 000/(100 pixels)2. Furthermore, the encoding method based on the energy level does not depend on physical structure parameters, such as the size and position of the spin structure. Thus, it is protected from structural modeling attacks, resulting in high security. Moreover, PUF labels based on PDMS flexible substrates can be employed for various flexible applications. In the proposed scheme, the information is encrypted by a four‐level two‐dimensional (2D) barcode and decoded by self‐developed PUF authentication software. The proposed scheme presents a way for developing next‐generation PUFs with super‐high EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jumbo drill is a commonly used driving equipment in tunnel engineering. One of the key decision-making issues for reducing tunnel construction costs is to optimize the main driving parameters to increase the feed speed of the jumbo drill. The optimization of the driving parameters is supposed to meet the requirements of high reliability and efficiency due to the high risk and complex working conditions in tunnel engineering. The flaws of the existing optimization algorithms for driving parameter optimization lie in the low accuracy of the evaluation functions under complex working conditions and the low efficiency of the algorithms. To address the above problems, a driving parameter optimization method based on the XGBoost-DRWIACO framework with high accuracy and efficiency is proposed. A data-driven prediction model for feed speed based on XGBoost is established as the evaluation function, which has high accuracy under complex working conditions and ensures the high reliability of the optimized results. Meanwhile, an improved ant colony algorithm based on dimension reduction while iterating strategy (DRWIACO) is proposed. DRWIACO is supposed to improve efficiency by resolving inefficient iterations of the ant colony algorithm (ACO), which is manifested as falling into local optimum, converging slowly and converging with a slight fluctuation in a certain dimension. Experimental results show that the error by the proposed framework is less than 10%, and the efficiency is increased by over 30% compared with the comparison methods, which meets the requirements of high reliability and efficiency for tunnel construction. More importantly, the construction cost is reduced by 19% compared with the actual feed speed, which improves the economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salsola laricifolia is a typical C3–C4 typical desert plant, belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. An efficient single-cell system is crucial to study the gene function of this plant. In this study, we optimized the experimental conditions by using Box-Behnken experimental design and Response Surface Methodology (RSM)-Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model based on the previous studies. Results: Among the 17 experiment groups designed by Box-Behnken experimental design, the maximum yield (1.566 × 106/100 mg) and the maximum number of viable cells (1.367 × 106/100 mg) were obtained in group 12, and the maximum viability (90.81%) was obtained in group 5. Based on these results, both the RSM and ANN models were employed for evaluating the impact of experimental factors. By RSM model, cellulase R-10 content was the most influential factor on protoplast yield, followed by macerozyme R-10 content and mannitol concentration. For protoplast viability, the macerozyme R-10 content had the highest influence, followed by cellulase R-10 content and mannitol concentration. The RSM model performed better than the ANN model in predicting yield and viability. However, the ANN model showed significant improvement in predicting the number of viable cells. After comprehensive evaluation of the protoplast yield, the viability and number of viable cells, the optimal results was predicted by ANN yield model and tested. The amount of protoplast yield was 1.550 × 106/100 mg, with viability of 90.65% and the number of viable cells of 1.405 × 106/100 mg. The corresponding conditions were 1.98% cellulase R-10, 1.00% macerozyme R-10, and 0.50 mol L−1 mannitol. Using the obtained protoplasts, the reference genes (18SrRNA, β-actin and EF1-α) were screened for expression, and transformed with PEG-mediated pBI121-SaNADP-ME2-GFP plasmid vector. There was no significant difference in the expression of β-actin and EF1-α before and after treatment, suggesting that they can be used as internal reference genes in protoplast experiments. And SaNADP-ME2 localized in chloroplasts. Conclusion: The current study validated and evaluated the effectiveness and results of RSM and ANN in optimizing the conditions for protoplast preparation using S. laricifolia as materials. These two methods can be used independently of experimental materials, making them suitable for isolating protoplasts from other plant materials. The selection of the number of viable cells as an evaluation index for protoplast experiments is based on its ability to consider both protoplast yield and viability. The findings of this study provide an efficient single-cell system for future genetic experiments in S. laricifolia and can serve as a reference method for preparing protoplasts from other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the short-term and long-term outcomes of preserving the celiac branch of the vagus nerve during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. Methods: A total of 149 patients with prospective diagnosis of gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) combined with Billroth-II anastomosis and D2 lymph node dissection between 2017 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the preserved LADG group (P-LADG, n = 56) and the resected LADG group (R-LADG, n = 93) according to whether the vagus nerve celiac branch was preserved. We selected 56 patients (P-LADG, n = 56) with preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve and 56 patients (R-LADG, n = 56) with removal of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve by propensity-matched score method. Postoperative nutritional status, weight change, short-term and long-term postoperative complications, and gallstone formation were evaluated in both groups at 5 years of postoperative follow-up. The status of residual gastritis and bile reflux was assessed endoscopically at 12 months postoperatively. Results: The incidence of diarrhea at 5 years postoperatively was lower in the P-LADG group than in the R-LADG group (p < 0.05). In the multivariate logistic analysis, the removal of vagus nerve celiac branch was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative diarrhea (odds ratio = 3.389, 95% confidential interval = 1.143-10.049, p = 0.028). In the multivariate logistic analysis, the removal of vagus nerve celiac branch was an independent risk factor for the occurrence of postoperative diarrhea (odds ratio = 4.371, 95% confidential interval = 1.418-13.479, p = 0.010). Conclusions: Preservation of the celiac branch of the vagus nerve in LADG reduced the incidence of postoperative diarrhea postoperatively in gastric cancer. Trial registration: This study was registered with the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University in 2014 under the registration number: LCKY2014-04(X). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preclinical and epidemiological studies suggest that proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) had a potential effect on the development of SLE, but it was unclear whether a causal relationship exists. We aimed to investigate the association between genetically proxied inhibition of PCSK9 and the risk of SLE using a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PCSK9 were extracted from pooled data obtained from the Global Lipid Genetics Consortium (GLGC) Genome‐wide Association Study (GWAS) related to LDL‐c levels, which was used as a proxy for PCSK9 inhibition. Pooled statistics for SLE were obtained from an independent GWAS dataset including 5201 SLE patients and 9066 controls. Inverse variance‐weighted random‐effects models were used to examine the association between genetically proxied inhibition of PCSK9 and the risk of SLE. MR‐Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, Simple mode, and co‐location analyses were used as sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of the analyses. Results: Genetically proxied inhibition of PCSK9 was associated with a reduced risk of SLE (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.77, p =.001). This finding was replicated in an earlier GLGC GWAS analysis (OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.40 to 0.87, p =.007). Sensitivity analysis ensured that the results were robust. Co‐localization analysis did not find evidence of shared causal variation between PCSK9 and SLE. Conclusions: This Mendelian randomization study showed that PCSK9 was associated with SLE pathogenesis, and its inhibition was associated with a reduced risk of SLE. This study has offered a prospective therapeutic avenue for intervening in the progression of SLE by inhibiting PCSK9 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent article in the journal Insect Science discusses the development of a new CRISPR-dCas9-METTL4 epigenome editing tool that can methylate target regions to achieve site-specific DNA 6mA methylation in the silkworm Bombyx mori. The study investigates the role of 6mA DNA modification in regulating gene expression and explores the molecular mechanism of 6mA in target gene expression. The researchers successfully constructed a dCas9-METTL4 fusion protein and demonstrated its ability to induce site-specific methylation on DNA adenines. The study provides valuable insights into the epigenetic regulation of gene expression through site-specific 6mA modification in cultured silkworm cells. [Extracted from the article]

The authors developed a simple extensible external fixator, which has the advantages of easy application and inexpensiveness. The present study aimed to make a comparison between this external fixator and calcaneal traction in preoperative temporary fixation for malaligned ankle fractures and pilon fractures. From May 2020 to February 2022, patients with malaligned ankle fractures or Rüedi-Allgöwer type 2 or 3 pilon fractures with obvious soft tissue swelling were retrospectively reviewed and divided into the calcaneal traction group and the external fixation group. The two groups of patients were matched 1:1 before making comparisons. A total of 38 patients were included. Higher General Comfort Questionnaire score and lower visual analog scale score were noticed in the external fixation group during hospitalization (p < 0.05), while the operation latency time, total cost, patient satisfaction, and functional outcomes one year after surgery were not significantly different between the two groups. No wound complications were observed. Preoperative temporary fixation for fractures around the ankle using this simple extensible external fixator significantly improves patient comfort when compared to calcaneal traction. III, retrospective comparative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A high crystallinity, large surface area and stable imine COF was synthesized. • TADM COF grows in situ on the surface of oxide NPs to form core–shell composites. • Synergistic effect of Co 3 O 4 , TADM COF and MWCNT facilitates sensing of DNA purine bases. • The sensor is successfully used to determine G and A in thermally denatured herring sperm DNA. • In situ grown COF endows high conductivity, stability and final sensing performance. In this work, a covalent organic framework (TADM-COF) with high crystallinity and large specific surface area (2597 m2 g−1) has been successfully synthesized using 1,3,5-(4-aminophenyl) benzene (TAPB) and 2,5-dimethoxy-p-phenyldiformaldehyde (DMTP). The COF was grown in situ on oxide particles to form core–shell nanocomposites (SiO 2 @TADM COF, Fe 3 O 4 @TADM COF and Co 3 O 4 @TADM COF) to realize its function as a shell material. Among them, the Co 3 O 4 @TADM COF with the highest electrochemical response to purine bases was further cross-linked with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to construct a novel electrochemical sensor (Co 3 O 4 @TADM COF/MWCNT/GCE) for detection of purine bases. In this nanocomposite, Co 3 O 4 possesses rich catalytic active sites, MWCNT ensures superior electrical conductivity and COF provides a stable environment for electrocatalytic reactions as the shell. At the same time, regular pore structure of the COFs also offers smooth channels for the transfer of analytes to the catalytic site. The synergistic effect among the three components showed remarkable sensing performance for the simultaneous detection of guanine (G) and adenine (A) with a wide linear range of 0.6–180 μM and low limits of detection (LODs) of 0.020 μM for G and 0.024 μM for A (S/N = 3), respectively. The developed sensor platform was also successfully applied in the detection of purine bases in thermally denatured herring DNA extract. The work provided a general strategy for amplifying signal of COF and its composite in the electrochemical sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have found wide applications in the field of supercapacitors due to their highly controllable porous structure, big specific surface area, and abundant chemical functional groups. MOF-on-MOF hybrids not only enhance the composition of MOFs (such as ligands and/or metal centers) but also provide greater structural diversity. By utilizing MOFs as precursors for preparing sulfides, the unique characteristics and inherent structure of MOFs are preserved but their conductivity and capacitance are enhanced. This study successfully synthesized hollow-structured Ni3S4@Co3S4 derived from an Ni-MOF@ZIF-67 hybrid structure, where the Ni-MOF serves as the core and ZIF-67 as the satellite. The Ni3S4@Co3S4 electrode demonstrated a specific capacity as high as 747.3 C g−1 at 1 A g−1, and it could still maintain 77% of its initial capacity at 10 A g−1. Furthermore, the assembled Ni3S4@Co3S4//AC hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) device achieved a maximum energy density of 30.8 W h kg−1 when the power density was 750 W kg−1. The device exhibited remarkable cycling durability, retaining 85.4% of its initial capacitance after 5000 cycles. Therefore, the derived functional materials based on MOF-on-MOF provide a more scalable and promising approach for the preparation of efficient electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the bond behavior of glass aggregate–reinforced concrete (GARC) after freeze–thaw cycles, considering a number of freeze–thaw cycles (10, 20, and 30) and fine aggregate replacement rates (25%, 50%, and 75%) as variable parameters. Sixteen groups of specimens were designed to conduct central pullout tests after freeze–thaw cycles, and the bond–slip curves of each group were plotted. The bond performance of the GARC and its failure mechanism after freeze–thaw cycles were examined by analyzing the failure mode, ultimate bond strength, peak displacement, and bond stiffness. The results indicated that freeze–thaw cycles had a deteriorating effect on the bond performance of GARC. However, under the effect of the same number of freeze–thaw cycles, in comparison with the bonding performance of natural aggregate–reinforced concrete, GARC exhibited a higher resistance to the deterioration effect of freeze–thaw cycles, which was enhanced by increasing the replacement rate. In addition, the optimization effect of glass sand on the bonding properties became increasingly prominent as the freeze–thaw cycle deepened. Therefore, after freeze–thaw cycles, GARC exhibited excellent bonding behavior, and 75% GARC exhibited the best bonding performance. Based on the experimental data, considering the number of freeze–thaw cycles and aggregate replacement rate, the bond–slip constitutive equation of GARC after freeze–thaw conditions was established. Glass aggregate–reinforced concrete has excellent resistance to freeze–thaw cycle damage. After freeze–thaw cycles, glass aggregate concrete has better bonding performance with reinforcement than natural aggregate concrete, and the degree of improvement is related to the replacement rate of glass sand. The bond mechanism between the glass aggregate concrete and reinforcement was explained after freeze–thaw cycles. The research results proved the potential capacity and advantages of glass aggregate concrete under a complex environment and demonstrated the research potential of glass aggregate concrete. In addition, this study provided a new approach to improving the resistance of conventional concrete materials to complex environments. By replacing part of the river sand in concrete with glass sand, the resistance of concrete to freeze–thaw cyclic damage could be significantly improved without affecting the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete. This could also effectively address the problem of recycling waste glass and increasing shortage of river sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been increasing application of autologous costal chondral/osteochondral transplantation (ACCT/ACOT) and costa‐derived chondrocyte implantation (ACCI) for articular cartilage repair over the past three decades. This review presents the major evidence on the properties of costal cartilage and bone and their qualifications as grafts for articular cartilage repair, the major clinical applications, and the risks and strategies for costal chondral/osteochondral graft(s) harvest. First, costal cartilage has many specific properties that help restore the articular surface. Costa, which can provide abundant cartilage and cylindrical corticocancellous bone, preserves permanent chondrocyte and is the largest source of hyaline cartilage. Second, in the past three decades, autologous costal cartilage‐derived grafts, including cartilage, osteochondral graft(s), and chondrocyte, have expanded their indications in trauma and orthopaedic therapy from small to large joints, from the upper to lower limbs, and from non‐weight‐bearing to weight‐bearing joints. Third, the rate of donor‐site complications of ACCT or ACOT is low, acceptable, and controllable, and some skills and accumulated experience can help reduce the risks of ACCT and ACOT. Costal cartilage‐derived autografting is a promising technique and could be an ideal option for articular chondral lesions with or without subchondral cysts. More high‐quality clinical studies are urgently needed to help us further understand the clinical value of such technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical adhesives are crucial for achieving rapid hemostasis and immediate wound management during clinical interventions. However, developing a tissue adhesive that combines instant adhesive strength with biodegradability in dynamic, wet, or hemorrhagic biological environments remains a persistent challenge. Here, a biodegradable supramolecular tissue adhesive with robust instant adhesion to wet tissue surfaces within 5 s is presented. The distinctive synergy of surface‐rich adhesive groups and the hydrophobic main chain enables the adhesive to surmount the hydration layer on the tissue surface, ensuring rapid adhesion. Importantly, the internal structure of this supramolecular adhesive significantly contributes to its exceptional holding adhesion strength. Additionally, in vivo experiments using a rat liver incision model and a skin injury model are conducted. These experiments demonstrate its effectiveness in emergency hemostasis and wound management. Consequently, this supramolecular tissue adhesive exhibits significant potential in surgical applications, addressing critical needs in urgent clinical scenarios and potentially making valuable contributions to the medical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, dual-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been employed in the management of hematological malignancies to mitigate treatment failure, particularly in cases of antigen escape. The most widely used approaches include CD19/CD20, CD20/CD22, and BCMA/CD19 CAR T-cells. Alternative immune cells, including natural killer T cells and invariant natural killer T cells, exhibit innate anti-tumor activity and reduced toxicity. This review summarizes several recent clinical trial reports and preclinical studies from the 2023 American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting on dual-targeted CAR T-cell immunotherapy for hematological malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The duality of cyberloafing is a topic that has always been debated. Considering this, the purpose of this paper is to classify cyberloafing and explore the antecedents of different degrees of cyberloafing and their different effects on job satisfaction. Using the Technology-Organisation-Environment Framework and the conservation of resources theory, this paper proposes a research model to investigate the mediation mechanism of cyberloafing. Using the partial least square method (PLS) SEM method to analyze 294 employees’ data, the results show that: (1) Work-related enterprise social media usage only negatively affects serious cyberloafing, while social-related enterprise social media usage only positively affects minor cyberloafing. (2) The impact of perceived IT control policy on minor cyberloafing was not statistically significant, while negatively affected serious cyberloafing. In terms of environment factors, the study shows that prescriptive norms and work overload have opposite effects on cyberloafing, with work overload having no significant effect on minor cyberloafing. Significantly, policy satisfaction plays a significant moderating role between environment factors and cyberloafing. (3) Minor cyberloafing positively affects job satisfaction, while serious cyberloafing negatively affects job satisfaction. Our findings provide instrumental insights into how enterprise managers manage employees to improve employees’ job satisfaction, control different degrees of cyberloafing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harnessing unconventional noncovalent interactions (NCIs) is emerging as a formidable synthetic approach in difficult‐to‐access glycosidic chemical space. C‐Glycosylation, in particular, has gained a flurry of recent attention. However, most reported methods are restricted to the relatively facile access to α‐C‐glycosides. Herein, we disclose a β‐stereoselective glycosylation of indoles by employing a phosphonoselenide catalyst. The robustness of this protocol is exemplified by its amenability for reaction at both the indolyl C‐ and N‐ reactivity sites. In contrast to previous reports, in which the chalcogens were solely involved in Lewis acidic activation, our mechanistic investigation unraveled that the often neglected flanking aromatic substituents of phosphonoselenides can substantially contribute to catalysis by engaging in π‐interactions. Computations and NMR spectroscopy indicated that the chalcogenic and aromatic components of the catalyst can be collectively exploited to foster conformational distortion of the glycal away from the usual half‐chair to the boat conformation, which liberates the convex β‐face for nucleophilic attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harnessing unconventional noncovalent interactions (NCIs) is emerging as a formidable synthetic approach in difficult‐to‐access glycosidic chemical space. C‐Glycosylation, in particular, has gained a flurry of recent attention. However, most reported methods are restricted to the relatively facile access to α‐C‐glycosides. Herein, we disclose a β‐stereoselective glycosylation of indoles by employing a phosphonoselenide catalyst. The robustness of this protocol is exemplified by its amenability for reaction at both the indolyl C‐ and N‐ reactivity sites. In contrast to previous reports, in which the chalcogens were solely involved in Lewis acidic activation, our mechanistic investigation unraveled that the often neglected flanking aromatic substituents of phosphonoselenides can substantially contribute to catalysis by engaging in π‐interactions. Computations and NMR spectroscopy indicated that the chalcogenic and aromatic components of the catalyst can be collectively exploited to foster conformational distortion of the glycal away from the usual half‐chair to the boat conformation, which liberates the convex β‐face for nucleophilic attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentacyclic triterpenoids exhibit a wide range of biological activities which have wide applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. High-performance chassis strains have been developed for the production of various pentacyclic triterpenoids, e.g., lupane-type and oleanane-type triterpenoids. The production of common pentacyclic triterpenes and their derivatives is limited by the poor activity of typical pentacyclic triterpene synthases (PTSs). However, a general strategy applicable to typical PTSs is still lacking. As typical pentacyclic triterpenes are derived from the baccharenyl cation, engineering the non-active-site residues in the MXXXXR motif might be beneficial for the catalytic efficiencies of typical PTSs by the stabilization of the baccharenyl cation. Here, we develop a general strategy for improving the activity of typical PTSs. As a proof of concept, the activity of three PTSs such as lupeol synthase, β-amyrin synthase, and α-amyrin synthases was significantly increased up to 7.3-fold by site-directed saturation mutagenesis. This strategy could be applied to improve the activity of various typical PTSs. Key points: • The strategy could be applied to typical PTSs for improving the activity. • The catalytic activity of typical PTSs was significantly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation within asymmetric populations has garnered significant attention in evolutionary games. This paper explores cooperation evolution in populations with weak and strong players, using a game model where players choose between cooperation and defection. Asymmetry stems from different benefits for strong and weak cooperators, with their benefit ratio indicating the degree of asymmetry. Varied rankings of parameters including the asymmetry degree, cooperation costs, and benefits brought by weak players give rise to scenarios including the prisoner's dilemma (P D G) for both player types, the snowdrift game (S D G), and mixed P D G – S D G interactions. Our results indicate that in an infinite well-mixed population, defection remains the dominant strategy when strong players engage in the prisoner's dilemma game. However, if strong players play snowdrift games, global cooperation increases with the proportion of strong players. In this scenario, strong cooperators can prevail over strong defectors when the proportion of strong players is low, but the prevalence of cooperation among strong players decreases as their proportion increases. In contrast, within a square lattice, the optimum global cooperation emerges at intermediate proportions of strong players with moderate degrees of asymmetry. Additionally, weak players protect cooperative clusters from exploitation by strong defectors. This study highlights the complex dynamics of cooperation in asymmetric interactions, contributing to the theory of cooperation in asymmetric games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of gas emitted from an odor source provides valuable information regarding the composition, size, and localization of the odor source. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) gas sensors exhibit ultra-high sensitivity, molecular specificity, rapid response, and large-area detection. In this paper, a SERS gas sensor array was developed for visualizing the spatial distribution of gas evaporated from benzaldehyde and 4-ethylbenzaldehyde odor sources. The SERS spectra of the gas were collected by scanning the sensor array using an automatic detection system. The non-negative matrix factorization algorithm was employed to extract feature and concentration information at each spot on the sensor array. A heatmap image was generated for visualizing the gas spatial distribution using concentration information. Gaussian fitting was applied to process the image for localizing the odor source. The size of the odor source was estimated using the processed image. Moreover, the spectra of benzaldehyde, 4-ethylbenzaldehyde, and their gas mixture were simultaneously detected using one SERS sensor array. The feature information was recognized using a convolutional neural network with an accuracy of 98.21%. As a result, the benzaldehyde and 4-ethylbenzaldehyde odor sources were identified and visualized. Our research findings have various potential applications, including odor source localization, environmental monitoring, and healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 47-year-old man with pneumonia, skin lesions, and fever refractory to antibiotics. It mentions the diagnosis of Disseminated Mycobacterium kansasii infection, highlighting the challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Topics discussed include clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, and treatment regimens for this uncommon infection.

A thorough evaluation of the recently released Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) is critical for both end-users and algorithm developers. In this study, six products from three versions of GSMaP version 8, including real time (NOW-R and NOW-C), near real time (NRT-R and NRT-C), and post-real time (MVK-R and MVK-C), are systematically and quantitatively evaluated based on time-by-time observations from 2167 stations in mainland China. Among each version, both products with and without gauge correction are adopted to detect the gauge correction effect. Error quantification is carried out on an hourly timescale. Three common statistical indices (i.e., correlation coefficient (CC), relative bias (RB), and root mean square error (RMSE)) and three event detection capability indices (i.e., probability of detection (POD), false alarm ratio (FAR), and critical success index (CSI)) were adopted to analyze the inversion errors in precipitation amount and precipitation event frequency across the various products. Additionally, in this study, we examine the dependence of GSMaP errors on rainfall intensity and elevation. The following main results can be concluded: (1) MVK-C exhibits the best ability to retrieve rainfall on the hourly timescale, with higher CC values (0.31 in XJ to 0.47 in SC), smaller RMSE values (0.14 mm/h in XJ to 0.99 mm/h in SC), and lower RB values (−4.78% in XJ to 16.03% in NC). (2) Among these three versions, the gauge correction procedure plays a crucial role in reducing errors, especially in the post-real-time version. After being corrected, MVK-C demonstrates an obvious CC value improvement (>0.3 on the hourly timescale) in various sub-regions, increasing the percentage of sites with CC values above 0.5 from 0.03% (MVK-R) to 28.47% (MVK-C). (3) GSMaP products generally exhibit error dependencies on precipitation intensity and elevation, particularly in areas with drastic elevation changes (such as 1200–1500 m and 3000–3300 m), where the accuracy of satellite precipitation estimates is significantly affected. (4) CC values decreased with an increasing rainfall intensity; RB and RMSE values increased with an increasing rainfall intensity. The results of this study may be helpful for algorithm developers and end-users and provide a scientific reference for different hydrological applications and disaster risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pentacyclic triterpenoids exhibit a wide range of biological activities which have wide applications in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. High-performance chassis strains have been developed for the production of various pentacyclic triterpenoids, e.g., lupane-type and oleanane-type triterpenoids. The production of common pentacyclic triterpenes and their derivatives is limited by the poor activity of typical pentacyclic triterpene synthases (PTSs). However, a general strategy applicable to typical PTSs is still lacking. As typical pentacyclic triterpenes are derived from the baccharenyl cation, engineering the non-active-site residues in the MXXXXR motif might be beneficial for the catalytic efficiencies of typical PTSs by the stabilization of the baccharenyl cation. Here, we develop a general strategy for improving the activity of typical PTSs. As a proof of concept, the activity of three PTSs such as lupeol synthase, β-amyrin synthase, and α-amyrin synthases was significantly increased up to 7.3-fold by site-directed saturation mutagenesis. This strategy could be applied to improve the activity of various typical PTSs. Key points: • The strategy could be applied to typical PTSs for improving the activity. • The catalytic activity of typical PTSs was significantly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-nitro type reagents have been demonstrated as mild nitration tools in recent years. This work presents an exploration of direct nitration of aryl alkenes mediated by DNDMH, a novel N-nitro type reagent developed in our previous study. It exhibits herein a new property of DNDMH as an effective direct nitration reagent for aryl alkenes, through probably the delivery of nitro radicals with the aid of TEMPO and Cu(OAc)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ratiometric electrochemical biosensor Cu(II)-TADH COF/MB/GCE is constructed for detection of glutathione. • Cu(II) modification improves the conductivity and electrochemical sensing performance of TADH COF. • This electrochemical platform realizes specific and ultra-sensitive detection of GSH. • The sensor is successfully used to determine GSH in real human fluid samples. • This work provides a novel strategy for constructing COF-based electrochemical biosensors. As a vital biological polypeptide molecule, glutathione (GSH) is involved in the regulation of various life activities. Accurate and sensitive detection of GSH in human body is of great significance for the preliminary diagnosis of related diseases. In this research, Cu(II) modified TADH COF, which has been prepared by Cu2+ post-synthesis modification of the COF obtained through a condensation reaction of 1,3,5-(4-aminophenyl) benzene (TAPB) and 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzenedicarboxaldehyde (DHTP), and methylene blue (MB) molecules are combined to construct a ratiometric electrochemical sensor for achieving specific and ultra-sensitive detection of GSH. As a stable and active covalent organic framework material, TADH COF possesses the special O(–OH) and N(C N) binding sites, which can load and coordinate with Cu2+ effectively. The obtained Cu(II)-TADH COF serves as a sensitive electrode material for sensing GSH due to "extrusion effect" caused CuCl solid-state electrochemical signal degeneration by the specific binding of Cu and GSH while MB provides a stable electrical signal in the electrochemical sensing process as an internal reference for eliminating errors and making the detection results more accurate. The constructed electrochemical sensing platform Cu(II)-TADH COF/MB/GCE exhibited an ultrahigh sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0093 nM (S/N = 3), wide linear range of 0.05 nM–40 μM and high accuracy. For the detection of GSH in real samples including human blood, serum and urine samples, the sensor also showed excellent sensing performance. This is the first research on ratiometric electrochemical sensing platform for the ultra-sensitive detection of glutathione based on covalent organic frameworks, which provides an original and novel strategy for the electrochemical detection of GSH with COF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygonal deposition through evaporation of the suspension droplets holds promise for printing applications. The distinctive edges present in polygonal droplets offer the potential to enhance printing resolution and enable the fabrication of diverse thin depositions. Prior investigations revolve one dimensional control with the types of wetting geometries and deposition patterns initiate from different driving factors. The current study delves into the synergistic interplay between a bi-dispersed suspension mixing ratio and particle concentration, as they collectively influence the deposition pattern of octagonal droplets formed using a micropyramid cavity patterned substrate. The investigation culminates in the development of a comprehensive phase diagram categorizing four distinct types of deposition: octagonal outer-ring deposition, octagonal ring with irregular features, octagonal uniform deposition, and central deposition. Specifically, octagonal outer-ring deposition is observed when droplets consist predominantly of 3 μ m particles at lower concentrations. In cases where a suspension contains 10 μ m particles, an intermediate concentration exceeding 50% gives a rise to the octagonal outer-ring deposition intermingled with irregular features. The octagonal uniform deposition emerges when 3 μ m particles, co-aggregated with 10 μ m particles, are compelled to settle at the deposition center within the mixture at the 3:1 ratio at 1.0 wt% and 2.6 wt%. Notably, the "curvature effect", exhibited by the aggregates adhering to the liquid–air interface, counter-intuitively suppresses octagonal deposition despite the presence of octagonal wetting geometry and forms the central deposition. In summary, the study introduces a robust method to achieve the uniform deposition and proposes a scalable and flexible strategy for generating diverse deposition types through the judicious mixing of two suspension solutions at distinct weight ratios. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internally threaded tubes, renowned for their exceptional heat transfer capabilities, are extensively used in heat exchangers. However, directly identifying two-phase flow patterns within internally threaded tubes poses a formidable challenge. To address this, this study conducted two-phase flow experiments with R600a within an internally threaded tube, encompassing a range of mass fluxes spanning from 40 to 130 kg m−2 s−1. The experimental observations unveiled three distinct flow patterns: plug, slug, and annular flow. To validate the accuracy of these observed flow patterns, they were compared with an empirical flow pattern map. Meanwhile, pressure drop signals corresponding to various flow patterns were recorded under different experimental conditions using a high-frequency data acquisition card. The experimental findings indicated that the pressure drop signals fluctuate because of the difference in gas-liquid phase compressibility, while the fluctuation period and flow pattern change simultaneously with the flow rate. Specifically, plug flow exhibited the longest pressure drop fluctuation periods and the sharpest probability density function (PDF) curve. In contrast, annular flow exhibited the shortest fluctuation periods and the least sharp PDF curve. Based on the distinctive characteristics of the PDF curve, a novel parameter, K , was introduced primarily derived from the sharpness of the curve. This led to the formulation of innovative transition criteria, which achieved a prediction accuracy of 86.99% across all datasets in this study. This work furnishes a straightforward methodology for distinguishing flow patterns. The advantages of the proposed criteria include the requirement of measuring only pressure drop fluctuations to identify flow patterns without direct observation. • A flow pattern recognition method based on pressure drop fluctuation was proposed. • New flow pattern transition criteria for internally threaded tubes were developed. • Plug, slug, and annular flow were observed in internally threaded tubes for R600a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising adsorbents for legacy per-/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), but they are being replaced by emerging PFASs. The effects of varying carbon chains and functional groups of emerging PFASs on their adsorption behavior on MOFs require attention. This study systematically revealed the structure-adsorption relationships and interaction mechanisms of legacy and emerging PFASs on a typical MOF MIL-101(Cr). It also presented an approach reflecting the average electronegativity of PFAS moieties for adsorption prediction. We demonstrated that short-chain or sulfonate PFASs showed higher adsorption capacities (μmol/g) on MIL-101(Cr) than their long-chain or carboxylate counterparts, respectively. Compared with linear PFASs, their branched isomers were found to exhibit a higher adsorption potential on MIL-101(Cr). In addition, the introduction of ether bond into PFAS molecule (e.g., hexafluoropropylene oxide dimeric acid, GenX) increased the adsorption capacity, while the replacement of CF 2 moieties in PFAS molecule with CH 2 moieties (e.g., 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate, 6:2 FTS) caused a decrease in adsorption. Divalent ions (such as Ca2+ and SO 4 2−) and solution pH have a greater effect on the adsorption of PFASs containing ether bonds or more CF 2 moieties. PFAS adsorption on MIL-101(Cr) was governed by electrostatic interaction, complexation, hydrogen bonding, π-CF interaction, and π-anion interaction as well as steric effects, which were associated with the molecular electronegativity and chain length of each PFAS. The average electronegativity of individual moieties (named M e) for each PFAS was estimated and found to show a significantly positive correlation with the corresponding adsorption capacity on MIL-101(Cr). The removal rates of major PFASs in contaminated groundwater by MIL-101(Cr) were also correlated with the corresponding M e values. These findings will assist with the adsorption prediction for a wide range of PFASs and contribute to tailoring efficient MOF materials. [Display omitted] • Short-chain, branched, or sulfonate PFAS show a higher adsorption on MIL-101(Cr). • In PFAS, ether bond aids its adsorption on MIL-101(Cr), but H/F exchanges weaken it. • Divalent ions and pH have a greater effect on more electronegative PFAS adsorption. • Electrostatic, complex, π-CF interactions, and steric effects govern PFAS adsorption. • Moiety electronegativity of each PFAS can be used for adsorption prediction on MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A guided wave-based inspection method is developed to detect the defects of the epoxy layer in the steel-epoxy-steel sandwich structure. • Piezoelectric transducers are designed to excite and receive the selected wave modes. • Simulations and experiments validate the performances of the proposed transducers. • The selected SSH 0 wave can effectively detect cavity defects of the epoxy layer in the sandwich structure. Steel-epoxy sleeves are widely used in the repair of pipelines. The integrity of the epoxy layer between the sleeve and pipeline directly determines the repair quality. However, there is a lack of effective nondestructive testing methods for inspecting the integrity of the epoxy layer. In this work, a guided wave-based inspection method is developed to detect the defects of the epoxy layer in the steel-epoxy-steel sandwich structure. Firstly, the dispersion characteristics of guided waves in the sandwich are analyzed. Two wave modes (ASH 1 and SSH 0) are selected for defect detection. Then, piezoelectric transducers are designed to excite and receive ASH 1 and SSH 0 waves. The sensitivities of the two waves to defects are further explored by simulations and experiments. Results indicate that the SSH 0 wave can detect defects in the adhesive layer, while the ASH 1 wave presents difficulties. This work can provide a feasible way to detect epoxy defects in steel-epoxy-steel sandwich structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivorous insects utilize intricate olfactory mechanisms to locate food plants. The chemical communication of insect-plant in primitive lineage offers insights into evolutionary milestones of divergent olfactory modalities. Here, we focus on a system endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to unravel the chemical and molecular basis of food preference in ancestral Lepidoptera. We conducted volatile profiling, neural electrophysiology, and chemotaxis assays with a panel of host plant organs to identify attractants for Himalaya ghost moth Thitarodes xiaojinensis larvae, the primitive host of medicinal Ophiocordyceps sinensis fungus. Using a DREAM approach based on odorant induced transcriptomes and subsequent deorphanization tests, we elucidated the odorant receptors responsible for coding bioactive volatiles. Contrary to allocation signals in most plant-feeding insects, T. xiaojinensis larvae utilize tricosane from the bulbil as the main attractant for locating native host plant. We deorphanized a TxiaOR17b, an indispensable odorant receptor resulting from tandem duplication of OR17, for transducing olfactory signals in response to tricosane. The discovery of this ligand-receptor pair suggests a survival strategy based on food location via olfaction in ancestral Lepidoptera, which synchronizes both plant asexual reproduction and peak hatch periods of insect larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel-cobalt sulfides (NiCo 2 S 4) with abundant valence states are promising electrode materials for multiple faradaic reactions in hybrid supercapacitors. However, the slow electron transfer kinetics and lack of active sites restrict its electrochemical activity. Herein, an effective synthesis strategy was proposed to synergistically improve the electrochemical performance of NiCo 2 S 4 through one-step in-situ carbonization-vulcanization method of metal-organic frameworks (MOF). Through rational selection and optimization of the Ni:Co ratio, the fibre-assembled urchin-like 3D nanoflowers (denoted as NCSC) possess abundant sulfur vacancies and appropriate porosity. Interestingly, the S vacancies can expose more redox active sites, while the expandable 3D carbon conductive network can accelerate electron transport. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity and interfacial activity is synergistically enhanced by strong electronic coupling effects. Experimental results reveal that the NiCo 2 S 4 /C exhibit excellent electrochemical performance as a battery-type electrode material. The specific capacitance is 1934 F·g−1 (967 C·g−1) at 1 A·g−1 and the capacitance retention is 93.2% after 5000 cycles at 5 A·g−1. The assembled hybrid supercapacitor device (NiCo 2 S 4 /C//AC) exhibits an exceptionally high energy density of 50.24 Wh·kg−1 at power density of 800 W·kg−1. These results have significant implications for the optimization of the transition metal compounds for electrochemical energy-storage devices. [Display omitted] • The sulfur vacancy-rich 3D fibrous nanoflowers is synthesized successfully. • The in situ generated carbon network modulates the intrinsic electronic/surface structure. • One-step vulcanization-carbonization achieves highly dispersive S vacancies-rich NiCo 2 S 4. • Highly graphitized 3D nanostructures shows high specific capacitance of 1934 F·g−1 at 1 A·g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although peroxidase-like nano-enzymes have been widely utilized in biosensors, nano-enzyme based biosensors are seldom used for both quantitative analysis of H 2 O 2 and differentiation of isomers of organic compounds simultaneously. In this study, a dual-functional mimetic enzyme-based fluorescent sensor was constructed using metal-organic frameworks (Bi-MOFs) with exceptional oxidase activity and fluorescence properties. This mimetic enzyme sensor facilitated quantitative analysis of H 2 O 2 and accurate discrimination of phenylenediamine isomers. The sensor exhibited a wide linear range (0.5–400 μM) and low detection limit (0.16 μM) for the detection of H 2 O 2. Moreover, the sensor can also be used for the discrimination of phenylenediamine isomers, in which the presence of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) leads to the appearance of a new fluorescence emission peak at 555 nm, while the presence of p-phenylenediamine (PPD) significantly quenched its fluorescence due to the internal filtration effect. The proposed strategy exhibited a commendable capability in distinguishing phenylenediamine isomers, thereby paving the way for novel applications of MOFs in the field of environmental science. [Display omitted] • A mimic enzyme fluorescent probe realized detection of H 2 O 2 and distinction of phenylenediamine isomers, simultaneously. • A green, simple and eco-friendly method is used to visual analysis. • H 2 O 2 in real samples was detected by the proposed fluorescent probe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the charging performance of the latent heat storage units, this paper performs a numerical simulation study of the melting of phase change material under various gradient straight fins employing the enthalpy-porous medium model. Based on the evolution of phase interface and temperature distribution, along with the variation of liquid phase fraction and Nusselt number, we analyze the sole effects of gradient-length and gradient-angle on the melting of the phase change material. Further, we gain the optimized-gradient fins by cooperatively adjusting the geometrical parameters of both the gradient-length and gradient-angle using response surface methodology. The introduction of natural convection of the formed liquid divides the melting process into three stages. Optimizing the geometrical parameters of straight fins could facilitate the fast second stage containing natural convection, leaving no (or less) room for the slow third stage without natural convection. Compared with the uniform fin structure, gradient-length and gradient-angle could reduce the total melting time at most by 48.9% and 8%, respectively. The largest reduction (56.6%) exists in the optimized straight fin structure with the gradient-length of 5.56 mm and the gradient-angle of 5.36°, involving only the first two melting stages without the third stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Retraction Note: A porous Cu(II)-based metal-organic framework with one-dimensional hexagonal channels for solvent-free cyanosilylation and anti-ovarian cancer activity" has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher of the Journal of Polymer Research. The retraction was prompted by evidence of systematic manipulation of the publication process, including citations that do not support claims made in the text, non-standard phrasing, anomalies in the figures, and discrepancies in ethics approval statements. The Editor-in-Chief no longer has confidence in the results and conclusions of the article. Some of the authors have agreed to the retraction, while others have not responded to correspondence from the Publisher. Springer Nature, the publisher, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

The misuse of antibiotics, such as tetracycline (TC), can seriously harm human health so it is of great practical importance to sensitively and rapidly detect TC. In this paper, an Eu3+-functionalized Zr-MOF (Eu3+@UiO-66-(OH) 2) was successfully prepared by a post-synthetic modification strategy as a ratiometric fluorescent sensor for ultrasensitive and specific detection of TC in aqueous medium. The proposed Eu3+@UiO-66-(OH) 2 sensor possessed remarkable fluorescence enhancement properties besides high specific surface area and excellent stability. In the quantitative analysis of TC, the sensor exhibited fast response (<60 s), wide linear range (0–160 μM), high sensitivity (detection limit as low as 1.33 nM) and high selectivity for TC. Furthermore, it has been successfully utilized in determination of TC in real samples, demonstrating its application potential in complex environmental water system. [Display omitted] • Eu3+@UiO-66-(OH) 2 was prepared by a post-synthetic modification strategy for tetracycline detection. • The fluorescence sensor with self-calibration function realizes the color change from green to red for easy visual detection. • The sensor has a low detection limit, high selectivity and strong anti-interference ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, anthocyanin from Garcinia mangostana shell extract (Mse) was used as pH indicator to prepare intelligent carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) based composite films. The structure and properties of the CMC-based composite films were characterized and discussed in detail. Results showed that the CMC-based composite films with Mse had excellent mechanical, antibacterial and antioxidant abilities. Especially, the carboxymethyl cellulose/corn starch/ Garcinia mangostana shell extract (CMC/Cst/Mse) composite film had best mechanical properties (20.62 MPa, 4.06 % EB), lowest water vapor permeability (1.80 × 10−12 g·cm/(cm2·s·Pa)), excellent ultraviolet (UV) blocking performance, and the best antibacterial and antioxidant abilities. The pH sensitivity of composite films which had Mse obviously changed with time when the fish freshness was monitored at 25 °C. Given the good pH sensitivity of the composite films, it had significant potential for application of intelligent packaging film as a food packaging material to indicate the freshness of fish. [Display omitted] • The anthocyanin in Garcinia mangostana shell extract (Mse) had various bright color changes in pH solution. • The addition of Mse did not affect the thermal stability and crystallinity of the CMC-based films. • The CMC-based composite films with Mse had excellent optical and mechanical properties. • The CMC-based composite films with Mse had excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activity. • The CMC-based intelligent packaging film with Mse could be used as pH indicator of fish freshness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral diseases, such as brain tumors, are intricately linked to the mechanical properties of brain tissues. Estimating the mechanical properties of brain tumors using transcranial ultrasound is a promising approach. However, the complexity of cranial features introduces challenges, such as ultrasound attenuation and interference from multidirectional transcranial shear waves induced by impact vibrations. To address these issues, this study proposes a transcranial ultrasound estimation method assisted by transcranial shear vibrations. Transcranial vibrations apply shear forces on the parietal bone, inducing unidirectional transcranial shear waves within brain tissue, as validated through simulations. Shear waves at different frequencies were captured via transcranial ultrasound, which were used to assess the viscoelasticity and fluidity of brain tumors. Transcranial experimental validations were conducted in 3D-printed models with tumor phantoms and ex vivo animal tumors. Vibration safety assessments were also performed. The results demonstrate that transcranial ultrasound can detect micron displacements induced by transcranial shear waves. In phantom and ex vivo animal experiments, speed distribution maps were employed to determine the size and location of one or two tumors enclosed in the skull model. The results revealed that the proposed approach could detect tumors with a minimum diameter of 0.8 cm and an inter-tumor distance of 0.8 cm. Notably, significant differences in viscoelasticity and fluidity between normal brain tissue and brain tumors were found (p < 0. 001). The maximum assessment errors for the elasticity, viscosity, and fluidity using transcranial ultrasound were 11.90%, 4.82%, and 0.73%, respectively, indicating that fluidity was more robust than viscoelasticity. The maximum accelerations of the skull were only 3.21 m s − 2 . • Viscoelasticity and fluidity estimation of tumor enclosed in skull model. • Capture the micron displacement of transcranial shear waves. • Minimum tumor diameter and inter-tumor distance resolution of 0.8 cm. • Low errors for estimation, especially fluidity is less than 1%. • Low energy with a maximum cranial acceleration of only 3.21 m/s 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to propose simple methods to detect DNA bases sensitively for biological analysis and medical diagnosis. Herein, a highly crystalline polyimide covalent organic framework (TAPM-COF) has been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal route using pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and tris(4-aminophenyl) amine (TAPA), which possessed large specific surface area (2286 m2 g−1) and excellent thermal stability. Intriguingly, the crystallinity of the TAPM-COF improved significantly with the increase of water content in the reaction medium. To verify this phenomenon, we synthesized TPPM-COF with two pores by pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and N,N,N′,N'-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine (TPDA), which bonding was similar to TAPM-COF. Furthermore, the prepared TAPM–COF–0.3 was used to construct a novel and independent electrochemical biosensor on glassy carbon electrode for simultaneously determination of adenine (A) and guanine (G) without other additives. However, to further improve signal of TAPM-COF in electrochemical sensing, the crystalline TAPM–COF–0.3 can be readily integrated with amino-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NH 2 -MWCNT) to form core-shell TAPM–COF–0.3@NH 2 -MWCNT driven by a π–π stacking interaction for more sensitive electrochemical sensing toward purine bases. In comparison to TAPM-COF/GCE, the TAPM-COF@NH 2 -MWCNT/GCE exhibited more favorable linear range and lower limit of detection. The work provided a new strategy for amplifying signal of COF in the field of electrochemical sensors. [Display omitted] • Two highly crystalline polyimide COFs were successfully synthesized. • A novel electrochemical sensor was fabricated by TAPM-COF alone. • In situ integration of TAPM-COF with NH 2 -MWCNT formed the core-shell structure. • The TAPM–COF–0.3@NH2-MWCNT allowed preparation of a novel electrochemical sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Mn-Ni solid solutions were obtained by doping Ni into MnO x via solution combustion synthesis and the resulting catalysts were then applied to benzene oxidation. Various characterizations revealed that Ni doping changed the metal oxygen bond parameters, such as coordination numbers (CNs) and bond length. Both Mn-O and Ni-O bonds in Mn-Ni solid solutions exerted reduced CNs, while the bond length of Mn-O bonds was extended, making the oxygen species more chemically reactive., which further improved physicochemical properties (such as reducibility, oxygen mobility, surface active oxygen species etc.) and catalytic performance. Remarkably, the solid solutions with a Mn/Ni molar ratio of 4:1 (named Mn4Ni1) showed Mn-O and Ni-O bonds with lower CNs and longer bond lengths, which enhanced the activity and mobility of oxygen species, reducibility and chemisorption capacity of benzene. Therefore, Mn4Ni1 demonstrated optimal benzene oxidation activity and showed the lowest T 90 (192 °C). The potential reaction mechanism was proposed according to the analysis results of C 6 H 6 -TPSR and in-situ FTIR. Furthermore, promoted oxidation of benzene and phenolate species on Mn4Ni1 could inhibit accumulation of intermediates and avoid catalyst poisoning and deactivation. This strategy shed light to the design of catalysts in environmental catalysis and thermal catalysis. [Display omitted] ● Ni-doping altered coordination environment of MnO x , leading to reduced CNs but extended bond length of Mn-O bonds. ● The lower CNs but longer bond lengths of Mn-O bonds promoted reducibility and oxygen mobility of Mn-Ni solid solutions. ● The deep oxidation of phenolate intermediates was faster on catalyst with a Mn/Ni molar ratio of 4:1. ● The solid solutions with a Mn/Ni molar ratio of 4:1 exhibited a lowest T 90 (192 °C) of benzene oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]