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The present study aims to clarify the role of ball pitch in Al 2 O 3 –SiC–C (ASC) refractory castables and investigate the influence of low temperature treatment on the composition, microstructural evolution, and properties of ASC refractory castables. By utilizing the expansion properties of ball pitch during heating, the castables undergo a low temperature treatment to induce the flow and expansion of ball pitch within the castables. This, in turn, fills the surrounding pores and enhances the physical properties of the castables. The results of this study demonstrate that low-temperature heat treatment of the castables at temperatures at 350 °C significantly improves the hot modulus of rupture, oxidation resistance, and slag resistance after sintering. This improvement is attributed to the optimized microstructure. In comparison to the corresponding samples without low temperature treatment, the high temperature modulus of rupture (HMOR) of the calcined castables treated at 350 °C increases by 33.3%. Additionally, the oxidation index and slag corrosion index after sintering at 1500 °C decrease by 39.6% and 87.31% respectively for the samples low temperature treated at 350 °C, as compared to the samples low temperature treated at 110 °C. This study provides a fresh perspective on the production of ASC castables with exceptional high temperature performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to mortality rates, with family income being a quantifiable marker of SES. However, the precise association between the family income-to-poverty ratio (PIR) and all-cause mortality in adults aged 40 and older remains unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from NHANES III, including 20,497 individuals. The PIR was used to assess financial status, and various demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors were considered. Mortality data were collected from the NHANES III linked mortality file. The study revealed a non-linear association between PIR and all-cause mortality. The piecewise Cox proportional hazards regression model showed an inflection point at PIR 3.5. Below this threshold, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79–0.91), while above 3.5, the HR decreased to 0.66 (95% CI 0.57–0.76). Participants with lower income had a higher probability of all-cause mortality, with middle-income and high-income groups showing lower multivariate-adjusted HRs compared to the low-income group. This study provides evidence of a non-linear association between PIR and all-cause mortality in adults aged 40 and older, with an inflection point at PIR 3.5. These findings emphasize the importance of considering the non-linear relationship between family income and mortality when addressing socioeconomic health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning to recognize novel visual classes from few samples is challenging but promising. Previous studies have shown that few-shot model tends to overfit and lead to poor generalization performance, which is because it finds a biased distribution based on a few samples. In addition, in agriculture-specific domains, there are more serious research challenges such as imbalanced disease distribution, one-shot representation biases, fine-grained recognition, and granularity shift. As far as we know, this study is the first work on the fine-grained "Coarse-to-Fine" few-shot plant disease classification, which classifies "fine-grained novel classes" (specific to disease severity) based on "coarse-grained base classes" (specific to plant species). A complete two-stage in-use calibration strategy is presented in this paper. Firstly, we propose an attention-based inverse Mahalanobis distance weighted prototype calibration module (AIPCM). By transferring statistics from sample-rich coarse-grained base classes to sample-scarce fine-grained novel classes, we achieve prototype calibration for 1-shot sample and obtain an unbiased distribution in the feature space. Secondly, to generate more reasonable decision boundaries, we propose a prior-driven task-adapted decision boundary calibration module (TDBCM) based on class-covariance metric. The original Euclidean/Cosine distance is updated to the Mahalanobis distance by introducing the prior mean and covariance of the high-dimensional features. Experimental results on several datasets demonstrate that our model outperforms the state-of-the-art (SOTA) models. It can be said that our work is a valuable supplement to the domain-specific agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine factors, healthcare utilization, and medical costs associated with potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines in persons living with HIV (PLWH). We used big data from Medicare claims in 2017. Potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines was defined as having any benzodiazepine claims in individuals 65+ years or having benzodiazepine claims for more than four weeks in individuals 18–64 years. Logistic regressions, zero-inflated negative binomial regressions, and generalized linear models were used. This study included 1,211 PLWH and 235 (19.41%) had potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines. PLWH who were 65+ years (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.96), non-Hispanic blacks (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.41), or Hispanics (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.88) were less likely to use benzodiazepines inappropriately. PLWH who had potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines had more inpatient (IRR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.94), outpatient (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI 1.02, 1.28), and emergency room (IRR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.68) visits. Potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines was associated with higher total (β: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.25), Medicare (β: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.28), and out-of-pocket (β: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.36) costs. This study provides real-world evidence to support deprescribing benzodiazepines in PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of excited‐state charge transfer (CT) in second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) fluorophore proceeds with conformational change that govern fluorescence. Unveiling the relationship between CT dynamics and conformational change in excited state is of great fundamental significance in optimizing NIR‐II fluorescence but remains less explored. This study unveils the pivotal role of large conformational change in promoting the evolution of emissive CT state into nonemissive CT state in NIR‐II fluorophore (CA‐BBT). Spectroscopic and computational results reveal that large conformational rotation/twisting leads to a pronounced increase in the CT character in excited state. This heightened CT character in CA‐BBT enables a rapid evolution of emissive CT state into a nonemissive CT state within 1.4 ps, as observed by ultrafast spectroscopy. Subsequently, this nonemissive state dominates nonradiative decay, resulting in very low NIR‐II fluorescence. Preventing such detrimental evolution by constraining the conformational dynamics of CA‐BBT results in a 10‐fold enhancement of NIR‐II fluorescence, enabling high‐resolution dynamic visualization of vasculature within osteosarcoma. This study offers a profound understanding of the relationship between CT dynamics and conformational changes in NIR‐II fluorescence, presenting innovative perspectives to develop bright NIR‐II fluorophores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing technology with horizontal wells is a highly efficient approach to stimulate the unconventional reservoir by creating lots of fractures to increase the oil and gas recovery rate. However, some field monitoring data indicate that multiple fractures could not propagate uniformly due to stress interference, which leads to a lower stimulation volume and production capacity. Therefore, investigating the stress interference mechanism between multiple fractures is important to obtain a higher production capacity for unconventional reservoirs. In this study, a two-dimensional XFEM (expanded finite element method) model was established to investigate the influence of stress interference on the fracture propagation of multiple fractures in horizontal wells. The different injection parameters, completion parameters, and fracturing patterns were investigated by sixteen simulation cases. The results show that first the influencing degree of stress interference from different parameters is fracture spacing, injection flow rate, number of fractures, and fluid viscosity, respectively. Second, compared to the simultaneous fracturing and sequential fracturing, the zip fracturing pattern (sides fractures created first and then mid-fracture) could create more uniform fractures in the reservoir. Third, a small fracture spacing and a higher injection flow rate could lead to a faster stress interference, but the fluid viscosity and the number of fractures have little effect on the occur timing of stress interference. This study could provide some meaningful perspective on the field fracturing design in horizontal wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of drug-target interactions (DTI) is a valuable step in the drug discovery and repositioning process. However, traditional laboratory experiments are time-consuming and expensive. Computational methods have streamlined research to determine DTIs. The application of deep learning methods has significantly improved the prediction performance for DTIs. Modern deep learning methods can leverage multiple sources of information, including sequence data that contains biological structural information, and interaction data. While useful, these methods cannot be effectively applied to each type of information individually (e.g., chemical structure and interaction network) and do not take into account the specificity of DTI data such as low- or zero-interaction biological entities. To overcome these limitations, we propose a method called MFA-DTI (Multi-feature Fusion Adopted framework for DTI). MFA-DTI consists of three modules: an interaction graph learning module that processes the interaction network to generate interaction vectors, a chemical structure learning module that extracts features from the chemical structure, and a fusion module that combines these features for the final prediction. To validate the performance of MFA-DTI, we conducted experiments on six public datasets under different settings. The results indicate that the proposed method is highly effective in various settings and outperforms state-of-the-art methods. • A novel DTI prediction model that explores both the graph and structural features of drugs and proteins is proposed. • A graph processing algorithm for biological networks is designed. • A module for generating sequence structure vectors is developed. • The results on 6 public datasets show it outperforms existing methods in all observed metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-cluster fracturing technology with horizontal wells is significant for the production enhancement of unconventional reservoirs. However, affected by the natural fracture distribution in the reservoir, stress shadowing between multi-fractures and perforation erosion has non-negligible influence on the multi-fracture uniform propagation, which results in uneven reservoir stimulation and lower production capacity. In this study, a multi-field coupled stress-seepage-fracture model for hydraulic fracturing of fractured reservoirs based on the continuum–discontinuum method was developed, adequately simulating the full scenario of stress disturbances, perforation erosion, and fracture interactions during the fracturing process. The effect of different geological and engineering parameters on the competing propagation of multi-fractures was investigated in detail, and the results show: Different geological and engineering parameters have significant influence on the competitive propagation of multi-fractures; among the geological parameters, the elastic modulus has the highest impact on the uniform fluid intake of multi-fractures, while the horizontal stress difference has the least impact on the uniform fluid intake of multi-fractures. Among the engineering parameters, the effect of natural fracture angle on the standard deviation of the fluid injection volume is gradually reduced with the increase in perforation number, flow rate, and fluid viscosity. For a low number of perforations and high fluid viscosity, both have great influence on promoting uniform fluid entry in multiple fractures. In addition, geological parameters have a significantly greater influence on the merging of multi-fractures than engineering parameters, and the probability of merging of multi-fractures increases significantly under low stress differentials and long natural fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTo evaluate the co-transplantation efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) as a novel approach for refractory or relapsed severe aplastic anemia (R/R SAA) in children and adolescents, thirty-two children and adolescents diagnosed with R/R SAA underwent a retrospective chart review. The patients were categorized into two groups based on the source of PBSCs: the matched sibling donor (MSD) group and the unrelated donor (UD) group. No adverse events related to UC-MSC infusion occurred in any of the patients. The median time for neutrophil engraftment was 13 days (range: 10–23 days), and for platelets, it was 15 days (range: 11–28 days). Acute GVHD of Grade I–II and moderate chronic GVHD were observed in 21.8 and 12.5% of cases, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the MSD and UD groups in terms of engraftment, GVHD, and complications, including infection and hemorrhagic cystitis. The median follow-up time was 38.6 months (range: 1.4–140.8 months). As of October 31, 2021, five patients had succumbed, while 27 (84.4%) survived. The 5-year OS rate showed no statistically significant difference between the MSD and UD groups (84.8 ± 10.0 vs. 82.4 ± 9.2%, p = 0.674). In conclusion, the application of UC-MSCs in the treatment of R/R SAA in PBSC transplantation is reliable and safe, they had no graft rejection, low incidence of severe GVHD which may have been contributed by the co-infusion of MSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to adjust the pore structures and improve the thermal insulation property and mechanical strength of fly ash‐based insulation materials prepared by a foaming gel‐casting technique, the rheological behaviors of foaming slurries were adjusted. Furthermore, the effects of heating temperatures on the properties and microstructure of the insulation materials were investigated. The results showed that as the content of the dispersant increased, the viscosity of slurries increased first and then decreased. When the content of the dispersant reached 0.2 wt.%, the slurries showed excellent flow ability, which caused a lot of big pores to generate in the matrix. Moreover, the thickening agent, binder and solid content had a great influence on the thixotropy of the slurries. As the content of the thickening agent and binder were 0.25 wt % and 5.0 wt.%, respectively, the slurries with 45 wt.% solid content exhibited outstanding thixotropy, which was beneficial to improve the stability of generated closed pores. After treating at 1300°C for 2 h, the bulk density, compressive strengths, and thermal conductivity of the insulation materials prepared using the optimized slurries were 0.44 g cm−3, 3.27 MPa, and 0.13 W·m−1·K−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we successfully applied an external magnetic field for the first time in preparing oriented steel fiber reinforced mullite castable (OSFRMC). The impact of the castable's rheology, duration of exposure to the magnetic field and strength of the magnetic field on the orientation of steel fibers and the properties of the refractory castable was investigated. When the duration of exposure to the magnetic field was set at 60 seconds and the strength of the magnetic field was 2.5 mT, an orientation index of steel fibers in the refractory castable of 0.96 was achieved. This specific castable contained 6 wt% of microsilica. Moreover, the castable with a high orientation index (0.96) of steel fibers exhibited significant improvement in mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance compared to the untreated castable. In order to investigate the fracture behavior of steel fiber-reinforced refractory castables with different fiber orientations, a comparative study was conducted using force-displacement curves and digital image correlation techniques. The primary factor behind this improvement is the directional alignment of steel fibers, which enhances the bridging effect and crack deflection toughness within the material. • Optimization of castables' rheology was a key step to prepare the castables. • The orientation of steel fiber had a great influence on the properties of castables. • Magnetic field was applied to prepare the castable with oriented steel fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-stages in-fracture temporary plugging and diverting fracturing technology (ITPDF) is significant for the stimulation of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. However, the propagation pattern of hydraulic fracture and the pressure response law after temporary plugging still lacks some understanding affected by many factors. Hence, to deeply understand the fracture diverting propagation mechanism and pressure response law after in-fracture temporary plugging, the study developed first a numerical model of cohesive zone considering in-fracture temporary plugging, seepage and fracture propagation based on the effective viscosity characterization method and the USDFLD (user defined field) subroutine. In addition, the accuracy of the numerical model is verified by comparing with laboratory results. The effect of different parameters such as temporary plugging body permeability, temporary plugging body length, temporary plugging location, temporary plugging times, and stress difference on the temporary plugging and diverting behavior of hydraulic fractures and natural fractures are deeply investigated. The fracture diverting pattern, fracture initiation sequence, and pressure response mechanism are clarified for different in-fracture plugging conditions. The results show that the physical properties of the temporary plugging body are vital to the effectiveness of the in-fracture temporary plugging fracturing. The lower the permeability of the temporary plugging body, the longer the length of the temporary plugging body, and the closer the position of the temporary plugging body, the easier it is to activate the natural fractures. In addition, when there are many natural fractures, the more times of temporary plugging, the more range and number of natural fractures are activated. This study can provide a new method to further understand the fracture behavior after in-fracture temporary plugging fracturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic hetero-aggregates are stable forms of microplastics in the aqueous environment. However, when disinfecting water containing microplastic hetero-aggregates, the response of them in water to different oxidizing agents and the effect on water quality have not been reported. Our results showed that Ca(ClO) 2 , K 2 S 2 O 8 , and sodium percarbonate (SPC) treatment could lead to the disaggregation of microplastic hetero-aggregates as well as a rise in cell membrane permeability, which caused a large amount of organic matter to be released. When the amount of oxidant dosing is insufficient, the oxidant cannot completely degrade the released organic matter, resulting in DOC, DTN, DTP and other indicators being higher than before oxidation, thus causing secondary pollution of the water body. In comparison, K 2 FeO 4 can purify the water body stably without destroying the microplastic hetero-aggregates, but it only weakly inhibits the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis and Pseudanabaena , which may cause cyanobacterial bloom as well as algal toxin and odorant contamination in practical application. Compared with the other oxidizers, K 2 S 2 O 8 provides better inhibition of toxic cyanobacteria and has better ecological safety. Therefore, when treating microplastic-containing water bodies, we should consider both water purification and ecological safety, and select appropriate oxidant types and dosages to optimize the water treatment. [Display omitted] • Microplastics adsorb organics and microorganisms to raise water quality. • Ca(ClO) 2 , K 2 S 2 O 8 and SPC destroy hetero-aggregates, leading to secondary pollution. • K 2 FeO 4 does not cause the release of organics adsorbed by hetero-aggregates. • K 2 FeO 4 is not effective in controlling the proliferation of toxic cyanobacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In deep underground geotechnical engineering, water–rock interaction emerges as a critical factor influencing the stability of engineering rock masses. This study delves into the macroscopic nonlinear mechanical behavior and fracture characteristics of natural water-bearing and saturated sandstone samples under various true triaxial stress states. The objective is to systematically elucidate the impact of actual three-dimensional stress conditions and water content on the mechanical behavior and fracture mechanisms of sandstone formations. The findings reveal significant anisotropic deformation in sandstone under 3D stress, while saturated sandstone exhibits robust plastic deformation capacity. Moreover, changes in the strain ratio coefficient are identified as precursors to rock fracture. The dilatation behavior of sandstone weakens progressively with increasing σ2, indicating reduced expansion in saturated sandstone. To account for the influence of σ2, a novel dilation index is proposed. The true triaxial strength of sandstone demonstrates a close relationship with both σ2 and water content, with strength initially increasing before declining as σ2 rises. In addition, water significantly undermines sandstone strength, although this weakening trend moderates with increasing σ2. Morphological analysis and SEM observations unveil three-dimensional volume fracturing characteristics in rock fractures, primarily characterized by shear accompanied by tensile fractures. Saturated sandstone samples, in contrast, exhibit numerous tensile and intergranular fractures. Overall, this study holds paramount practical significance for the evaluation of rock stability and the design of water-bearing engineering rock masses, encompassing domains, such as geology, water conservancy, and mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latent heat fluids (LHFs) suffer suspension stability challenges when used in cooling fields. Herein, hectorite with natural stable suspension are used to encapsulate paraffin and prepare microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCM), which were dispersed into liquid water to prepare microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS) with preferable suspension stability. It was found that the hectorite was electrostatic adsorbed onto the paraffin surface and formed a core-shell structure microcapsule. SEM (scanning electronic microscope) identified that MPCM exhibited a well-defined, core−shell structure with spherical morphology. DSC (differential scanning calorimeter) analysis demonstrated that phase change enthalpy of MPCM is 144.74 J/g with encapsulation efficiency of 61.45%. TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) revealed that hectorite contributed in improving the thermal stability of MPCM. It was observed that the MPCS could maintain stable suspension at least 30 days. The heat dissipation experiment showed that the MPCS with 5%, 8%, and 10% MPCM concentrations increased heat dissipation by 8.7%, 11.1%, and 13.7%, respectively, compared to pure water. This work reports a new strategy through introducing hectorite into phase change fluids to enhance suspension stability. The MPCS, with its preferable suspension stability and heat dissipation performance, has promising potential for applications in energy storage, cooling, and heat dissipation. [Display omitted] • Core-shell Paraffin@Hectorite MPCM were synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly. • Hectorite is used to improve the stability of microcapsules. • The MPCM had a high latent heat value (144.74 J/g) and preferable thermal stability. • Paraffin@Hectorite/water LHF is stable in suspension for 30 days. • Compared with pure water, the heat dissipation effect of the LHF can be increased by 13.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing and water/nanoemulsion flooding technology are effective stimulation measures for tight oil production. The complex pore structure of ultra-low permeability sandstone greatly affects oil recovery. At present, scholars have done a lot of research on the characteristics of oil-water flow in micro-nano pores of ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs. However, few scholars have comprehensively studied the whole process of ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs from hydraulic fracturing to enhanced oil recovery. In this paper, the whole process from fracturing to production of ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs is comprehensively studied at the laboratory scale by combining triaxial fracturing, CT scanning, online LF-NMR and other technologies, aiming to promote the understanding of tight oil development. The results show that the high confining pressure (45 MPa) inhibits the propagation of fractures in the rock samples more than the low confining pressure (15 MPa) during the triaxial fracturing process. The oil recovery of the rock sample with high fracture volume (1213.42 mm3) is 16.32 % higher than that of the rock sample with low fracture volume (674.22 mm3). Whether it is fractured rock or non-fractured rock, nanoemulsion can further improve the oil recovery of micropores on the basis of water flooding, with a maximum increase of 28.21 %. The oil recovery of the nanoemulsion with a concentration of 0.3 wt% was 25.34 % higher than that of the nanoemulsion with a concentration of 0.05 wt%. Confining pressure conditions have an important impact on oil recovery. The oil recovery of non-fractured rock samples with initial confining pressure of 5 MPa is 8.15 % lower than that of non-fractured rock samples with initial confining pressure of 30 MPa. At the same time, we propose a new T 1 -T 2 map region division scheme based on sandstone to better characterize oil displacement behavior at the pore scale. The research results can guide the exploitation of ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs. • A systematic experimental process from hydraulic fracturing to enhancing oil recovery was presented. • The fluid dynamics and flooding behavior at the pore scale were revealed. • MRI and 2D NMR techniques can easily distinguish oil signals from different pores. • A T 1 -T 2 map region division scheme based on sandstone is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly infectious pathogen with a high mortality rate, which poses a serious threat to newborn piglets. A rapid, safe and effective vaccine is necessary for protecting pigs from PED infection. Nanoparticles have become molecular scaffolds for displaying soluble antigens due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Here, a vaccine candidate was based on the display of PEDV S1 protein on a mi3 nanoparticle platform using SpyTag/SpyCatcher technology. The size, zeta potential and microstructure of the S1-mi3 NPs were investigated, and their effects on the uptake of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) were analyzed. Mice were immunized via muscular and intranasal administrations, and the levels of humoral, cellular and mucosal immune responses were analyzed. As a result, S1 proteins were surface-displayed on NPs successfully, which self-assembled into nanoparticles composed of 60 subunits and showed superior safety and stability. In addition, mi3 NPs promoted antigen internalization and dendritic cell (DCs) maturation. In the mouse model, S1-mi3 NPs significantly increased the PEDV-specific antibody including serum IgG, secretory IgA (SIgA) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). Furthermore, S1-mi3 NPs elicited more CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T cell and cellular immune-related cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-4) compared to monomeric S1. In particular, it can induce an effective germinal center-specific (GC) B cell response, which is closely related to the production of neutralizing antibodies. Overall, S1-mi3 NPs are a promising subunit vaccine candidate against PEDV, and this self-assembly NPs also provide an attractive platform for improving vaccine efficacy against emerging pathogens. ● S1-mi3 nanoparticles significantly enhance humoral, mucosal and cellular immune responses. ● Nanoparticle-based S1 vaccine induces high-level neutralizing antibodies. ● S1-mi3 NPs elicit potent GC B cell responses in vivo. ● mi3 NPs promote the internalization and retention of S1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of mullite porous ceramics with high strength and low thermal conductivity was achieved through foam gel-casting processes using fly ash coated with alumina sol layers. This research aimed to investigate the effect of alumina sol concentration on foaming slurry rheology, as well as the influence of alumina sol coating layers on the microstructure, phase compositions and properties of the resulting mullite porous ceramics. Increasing the alumina sol concentration from 5 to 20 wt% improved both the viscosity and thixotropy of the foaming slurries while enhanced the shear thinning behavior. Porous ceramics prepared with fly ash coated with alumina sol exhibited smaller pore size compared to the untreated fly ash porous ceramics. Moreover, the distribution of pores gradually became more homogenous in the porous ceramics with treated fly ash. Meanwhile, the weight-reduction, compressive strength and thermal insulation properties of the porous ceramics were improved significantly. The use of fly ash coated with alumina sol (with a concentration of 20 wt%) in the preparation of porous ceramics resulted in the formation of mullite whiskers within the pore walls. This created micron-size gaps between the whiskers, greatly enhancing the thermal insulation of the porous ceramics. Finally, the porous ceramics that were prepared using fly ash coated with alumina sol (with a concentration of 20 wt%) and sintered at a temperature of 1400 °C had a bulk density of 0.45 g/cm3, a compressive strength of 8 MPa, and a thermal conductivity of 0.15 W/m·k. • Fly ash coated with alumina sol for optimizes the rheology of foaming slurry. • Pore distribution became more homogenous in porous ceramics with treated fly ash. • Alumina sol layer can improve strength and thermal insulation of porous ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Given the high prevalence of hypertension among Chinese adults, this population is at a significantly increased risk of severe COVID-19 complications. The purpose of this study is to assess the willingness of Chinese hypertensive adults to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and to identify the diverse factors that shape their vaccination decisions. Methods: Sampling was conducted utilizing multistage stratified random sampling, and ultimately, a total of 886 adult hypertensive patients from Luzhou City in Southwest China were included in this study. The questionnaire design was based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and was used to investigate their willingness to be vaccinated with COVID-19. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. Results: The results showed that 75.6% of hypertensive individuals were willing to receive COVID-19 vaccination. The structural equation modeling revealed that Subjective Norms (path coefficient = 0.361, CR = 8.049, P < 0.001) and Attitudes (path coefficient = 0.253, CR = 4.447, P < 0.001) had positive effects on vaccination willingness, while Perceived Behavioral Control (path coefficient=-0.004, CR=-0.127, P = 0.899) had no significant impact on Behavioral Attitudes. Mediation analysis indicated that Knowledge (indirect path coefficient = 0.032, LLCI = 0.014, ULCI = 0.058), Risk Perception (indirect path coefficient = 0.077, LLCI = 0.038, ULCI = 0.124), and Subjective Norms (indirect path coefficient = 0.044, LLCI = 0.019, ULCI = 0.087) significantly influenced vaccination willingness through Attitudes as a mediating factor. Conclusion: The willingness of hypertensive individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is not satisfactory. The Theory of Planned Behavior provides valuable insights into understanding their vaccination intentions. Efforts should be concentrated on enhancing the subjective norms, attitudes, and knowledge about vaccination of hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Circular RNA SLC26A4 (circSLC26A4) functions as an oncogene in the initiation and progression of cervical cancer (CC). However, the clinical role of plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 in CC is poorly known. This study aims to develop an accurate diagnostic method based on circulating exosomal circSLC26A4. Methods: In this study, exosomal circSLC26A4 derived from CC cell lines (CaSki, SiHa, and HeLa) and human cervical epithelial cells (HcerEpic) was measured and compared using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Additionally, 56 volunteers, including 18 CC patients, 18 cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) patients, and 20 healthy volunteers, were enrolled. qRT-PCR was also performed to measure the plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 levels in all participants. Results: The exosomal circSLC26A4 expression level derived from CC cells was significantly elevated compared to it derived from HcerEpic cells. Plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 levels in CC patients were significantly higher than in healthy women and HSIL patients (P < 0.05). In addition, high plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 expression was positively associated with lymph node metastasis and FIGO stage (all P < 0.05). However, no significant correlation was found between plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 expression and age, intravascular cancerous embolus, and perineural invasion (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The high exosomal circSLC26A4 expression is closely related to the occurrence of CC. Plasma exosomal circSLC26A4 can be used as a diagnostic marker for CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe–Si3N4 was introduced to improve the service performance of corundum‐based dry vibratable refractories in the casting industry, specifically enhancing their thermal shock resistance and resistance to slag corrosion. The study analyzed the effects of Fe–Si3N4 powder content on the refractories' mechanical properties, phase compositions, slag corrosion resistance, and microstructures. The addition of Fe–Si3N4 facilitated the production of magnesium aluminate spinel in the refractory matrix, while also decreasing the wettability between the molten slag and refractory. Increasing the Fe–Si3N4 content resulted in accelerating the replacing Mg2+ (0.072 nm) with Al3+ (0.053 nm) in the spinel. Simultaneously, Fe3+ (0.055 nm) was effectively dissolved into the alumina crystals. The bulk density, compressive strength, and slag corrosion resistance of the refractories were improved. However, the thermal shock resistance initially increased but then decreased. In industrial tests, a corundum‐based dry vibratable refractory with a 1 wt.% Fe–Si3N4 content effectively prolonged the lifespan of an induction melting furnace when used as a lining refractory. Importantly, the refractory did not spall or generate cracks in the matrix after induction melt furnace industrial test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two polymers derived from bio-based anethole and isoeugenol display good thermostability with T g of higher than 390 °C and T 5d of more than 440 °C and good hydrophobicity, as well as exhibit low dielectric constants and low dielectric loss. [Display omitted] • Two bio-based polymers derived from anethole and isoeugenol exhibit good low dielectric properties with D k of less than 2.70, and D f of lower than 2.1 × 10−3 at 10 GHz. • The polymers exhibit good thermostability with T g of higher than 390 °C and T 5d of more than 440 °C and the char yield of up to 64%. • The polymers also show good hydrophobicity with water uptake of lower than 0.4% after immersing them in boiling water for 96 h. Starting from the natural products anethole and isoeugenol, two functional monomers with thermocrosslinkable benzocyclobutene units have been synthesized and converted into the cross-linked resins. Both of the two resins exhibit good thermostability with T g of more than 380 °C and T 5d of exceeded 440 °C and storage modulus of higher 1 GPa, as well as good dielectric constants of lower than 2.68 and dielectric loss of less than 2.1 × 10−3. Moreover, the resins also exhibit good hydrophobicity. These data indicate that the two bio-based monomers are suitable as the precursors for the application in the microelectronic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Establishment of gene editing technologies in tilapia enhances our knowledges on fish reproductive endocrinoogy. • Transcription factors Dmrt1 and Foxl3 are key factors involved in germ cell fate decision and sexual plasticity. • Blockage of estrogen synthesis rescues the male to female sex reversal of amhy and gsdf but not dmrt1 mutants. • The deficiency of steroid hormones, such as androgen, DHP and cortisol, impairs reproduction as revealed by gene editing. The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), with a system of XX/XY sex determination, is a worldwide farmed fish with a shorter sexual maturation time than that of most cultured fish. Tilapia show a spawning cycle of approximately 14 days and can be artificially propagated in the laboratory all year round to obtain genetically all female (XX) and all male (XY) fry. Its genome sequence has been opened, and a perfect gene editing platform has been established. With a moderate body size, it is convenient for taking enough blood to measure hormone level. In recent years, using tilapia as animal model, we have confirmed that estrogen is crucial for female development because 1) mutation of star2 , cyp17a1 or cyp19a1a (encoding aromatase, the key enzyme for estrogen synthesis) results in sex reversal (SR) due to estrogen deficiency in XX tilapia, while mutation of star1 , cyp11a1 , cyp17a2 , cyp19a1b or cyp11c1 affects fertility due to abnormal androgen, cortisol and DHP levels in XY tilapia; 2) when the estrogen receptors (esr2a / esr2b) are mutated, the sex is reversed from female to male, while when the androgen receptors are mutated, the sex cannot be reversed; 3) the differentiated ovary can be transdifferentiated into functional testis by inhibition of estrogen synthesis, and the differentiated testis can be transdifferentiated into ovary by simultaneous addition of exogenous estrogen and androgen synthase inhibitor; 4) loss of male pathway genes amhy , dmrt1 , gsdf causes SR with upregulation of cyp19a1a in XY tilapia. Disruption of estrogen synthesis rescues the male to female SR of amhy and gsdf but not dmrt1 mutants; 5) mutation of female pathway genes foxl2 and sf-1 causes SR with downregulation of cyp19a1a in XX tilapia; 6) the germ cell SR of foxl3 mutants fails to be rescued by estrogen treatment, indicating that estrogen determines female germ cell fate through foxl3. This review also summarized the effects of deficiency of other steroid hormones, such as androgen, DHP and cortisol, on fish reproduction. Overall, these studies demonstrate that tilapia is an excellent animal model for studying reproductive endocrinology of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high incidence of restenosis after angioplasty has been the leading reason for the recurrence of coronary heart disease, substantially increasing the mortality risk for patients. However, current anti‐stenosis drug‐eluting stents face challenges due to their limited functions and long‐term safety concerns, significantly compromising their therapeutic effect. Herein, a stent‐free anti‐stenosis drug coating (denoted as Cur‐NO‐Gel) based on a peptide hydrogel is proposed. This hydrogel is formed by assembling a nitric oxide (NO) donor‐peptide conjugate as a hydrogelator and encapsulating curcumin (Cur) during the assembly process. Cur‐NO‐Gel has the capability to release NO upon β‐galactosidase stimulation and gradually release Cur through hydrogel hydrolysis. The in vitro experiments confirmed that Cur‐NO‐Gel protects vascular endothelial cells against oxidative stress injury, inhibits cellular activation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and suppresses adventitial fibroblasts. Moreover, periadventitial administration of Cur‐NO‐Gel in the angioplasty model demonstrate its ability to inhibit vascular stenosis by promoting reendothelialization, suppressing neointima hyperplasia, and preventing constrictive remodeling. Therefore, the study provides proof of concept for designing a new generation of clinical drugs in angioplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human chromosomes carry genetic information about our life. Chromosome classification is crucial for karyotype analysis. Existing chromosome classification methods do not take into account reasoning, such as: analyzing the relationship between variables, modeling uncertainty, and performing causal reasoning. In this paper, we introduce a knowledge engine for reasoning-based human chromosome classification that stores knowledge of chromosomes via a novel representation structure, the Chromosome Part Description (CPD), and reasons over CPDs by utilizing the probability tree model (PTM) for classification. Each CPD keeps information on a particular feature of chromosomes, while the PTM provides causal reasoning capability taking CPDs as nodes and dependencies between CPDs and types as edges. Experimental results show that the proposed knowledge engine's performance increases when providing more CPDs and achieves 100% classification accuracy with more than three CPDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the harmony search algorithm (HS) with the local search algorithm (LS) can prevent the HS from falling into a local optimum. However, how LS affects the performance of HS has not yet been studied systematically. Therefore, in this paper, it is first proposed to combine four frequently used LS with HS to obtain several search algorithms (HSLSs). Then, by taking the flexible job-shop scheduling problem (FJSP) as an example and considering decoding times, study how the parameters of HSLSs affect their performance, where the performance is evaluated by the difference rate based on the decoding times. The simulation results mainly show that (I) as the harmony memory size (HMS) gradually increases, the performance of HSLSs first increases rapidly and then tends to remain unchanged, and HMS is not the larger the better; (II) as harmony memory considering rate increases, the performance continues to improve, while the performance of pitch adjusting rate on HSLSs goes to the opposite; Finally, more benchmark instances are also used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. The results of this paper have a certain guiding significance on how to choose LS and other parameters to improve HS for solving FJSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseased animal models play an extremely important role in preclinical research. Lacking the corresponding animal models, many basic research studies cannot be carried out, and the conclusions obtained are incomplete or even incorrect. Right ventricular (RV) outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction leads to RV pressure overload (PO) and reduced pulmonary blood flow (RPF), which are 2 of the most important pathophysiological characteristics in pediatric cardiovascular diseases and seriously affect the survival rate and long-term quality of life of many children. Due to the lack of a neonatal mouse model for RVOT obstruction, it is largely unknown how RV PO and RPF regulate postnatal RV and pulmonary development. The aim of this study was to construct a neonatal RVOT obstruction mouse model. Here, we first introduced a neonatal mouse model of RVOT obstruction by pulmonary artery banding (PAB) on postnatal day 1. PAB induced neonatal RVOT obstruction, RV PO, and RPF. Neonatal RV PO induced cardiomyocyte proliferation, and neonatal RPF induced pulmonary dysplasia, the 2 features that are not observed in adult RVOT obstruction. As a result, PAB neonates exhibited overall developmental dysplasia, a sign similar to that of children with RVOT obstruction. Because many pediatric cardiovascular diseases are associated with RV PO and RPF, the introduction of a neonatal mouse model of RVOT obstruction may greatly enhance our understanding of these diseases and eventually improve or save the lives of many children. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the routine surveillance, we isolated nine H4N6 subtype avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in Jiangsu Province, China, in March 2023. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that nine H4N6 viruses belonged to the Eurasian lineage and underwent complex genetic recombination among Asian countries during their evolution. It is particularly noteworthy that the PB2 and PB1 genes of our representative virus were descended from clade 2.3.4.4b H5 high-pathogenic AIVs in Japan. Mutations of D3V and D622G in PB1, N66S in PB1-F2, N30D, I43M, and T215A in M1, and P42S and I106M in NS1 were observed in nine isolates, which may increase the pathogenicity of the viruses in mice. The receptor binding analysis showed that the tested H4N6 virus could bind to both avian-type and human-type receptors. Vitro infection kinetics revealed that the representative virus could efficiently replicate in mammalian cells, including MDCK and 293T cells. Pathogenicity tests in mice indicated that the representative virus could replicate in nasal turbinates and lungs without prior adaptation. Our data reveal the potential public health issues represented by H4N6 viruses from wild birds and highlight the need to strengthen routine surveillance of wild birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study on the use of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) within different time windows. The study analyzed data from the National Stroke Registry in China and found that EVT within 24 hours of stroke onset was associated with early neurological improvement. However, the proportion of functional improvement was lower compared to EVT within 6 hours. The study suggests the importance of shortening prehospital delay time and considering EVT beyond the recommended time window for better neurological outcomes. The document is a data availability statement for the study, indicating that the data can be obtained from the corresponding author upon request. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, we designed and synthesized three conformation-adaptive Pd2L4- and Pd3L6-type coordination cages based on three dihydrophenazine-based ligands with different lengths. Interestingly, the shorter ligands L1 and L2 self-assembled into Pd2L4-type coordination cages while the longer ligand L3 formed Pd3L6-type one, mainly driven by the anion template effect. All coordination cages were confirmed through single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and their structural conformations underwent great changes compared with those of their corresponding ligands. Moreover, the conformational changes also significantly affected their photophysical and electrochemical properties which were distinct from their parent ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sphaeropteris brunoniana and Alsophila latebrosa are both old relict and rare tree ferns, which have experienced the constant changes of climate and environment. However, little is known about their high-quality genetic information and related research on environmental adaptation mechanisms of them. In this study, combined with PacBio and Illumina platforms, transcriptomic analysis was conducted on the roots, rachis, and pinna of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa to identify genes and pathways involved in environmental adaptation. Additionally, based on the transcriptomic data of tree ferns, chloroplast genes were mined to analyze their gene expression levels and RNA editing events. Results: In the study, we obtained 11,625, 14,391 and 10,099 unigenes of S. brunoniana root, rachis, and pinna, respectively. Similarly, a total of 13,028, 11,431 and 12,144 unigenes were obtained of A. latebrosa root, rachis, and pinna, respectively. According to the enrichment results of differentially expressed genes, a large number of differentially expressed genes were enriched in photosynthesis and secondary metabolic pathways of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa. Based on gene annotation results and phenylpropanoid synthesis pathways, two lignin synthesis pathways (H-lignin and G-lignin) were characterized of S. brunoniana. Among secondary metabolic pathways of A. latebrosa, three types of WRKY transcription factors were identified. Additionally, based on transcriptome data obtained in this study, reported transcriptome data, and laboratory available transcriptome data, positive selection sites were identified from 18 chloroplast protein-coding genes of four tree ferns. Among them, RNA editing was found in positive selection sites of four tree ferns. RNA editing affected the protein secondary structure of the rbcL gene. Furthermore, the expression level of chloroplast genes indicated high expression of genes related to the chloroplast photosynthetic system in all four species. Conclusions: Overall, this work provides a comprehensive transcriptome resource of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa, laying the foundation for future tree fern research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sphaeropteris brunoniana and Alsophila latebrosa are both old relict and rare tree ferns, which have experienced the constant changes of climate and environment. However, little is known about their high-quality genetic information and related research on environmental adaptation mechanisms of them. In this study, combined with PacBio and Illumina platforms, transcriptomic analysis was conducted on the roots, rachis, and pinna of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa to identify genes and pathways involved in environmental adaptation. Additionally, based on the transcriptomic data of tree ferns, chloroplast genes were mined to analyze their gene expression levels and RNA editing events. Results: In the study, we obtained 11,625, 14,391 and 10,099 unigenes of S. brunoniana root, rachis, and pinna, respectively. Similarly, a total of 13,028, 11,431 and 12,144 unigenes were obtained of A. latebrosa root, rachis, and pinna, respectively. According to the enrichment results of differentially expressed genes, a large number of differentially expressed genes were enriched in photosynthesis and secondary metabolic pathways of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa. Based on gene annotation results and phenylpropanoid synthesis pathways, two lignin synthesis pathways (H-lignin and G-lignin) were characterized of S. brunoniana. Among secondary metabolic pathways of A. latebrosa, three types of WRKY transcription factors were identified. Additionally, based on transcriptome data obtained in this study, reported transcriptome data, and laboratory available transcriptome data, positive selection sites were identified from 18 chloroplast protein-coding genes of four tree ferns. Among them, RNA editing was found in positive selection sites of four tree ferns. RNA editing affected the protein secondary structure of the rbcL gene. Furthermore, the expression level of chloroplast genes indicated high expression of genes related to the chloroplast photosynthetic system in all four species. Conclusions: Overall, this work provides a comprehensive transcriptome resource of S. brunoniana and A. latebrosa, laying the foundation for future tree fern research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High-pressure microfluidization can affect CS structure and its EGCG grafting. • 80 MPa-PCS-EGCG has the best emulsifying activity and antioxidant activities. • PCS-EGCG can form a thicker adsorption layer on surface of fish oil droplets. • PCS-EGCG can significantly enhance environmental tolerance of fish oil emulsion. • PCS-EGCG can significantly delay release of free fatty acids in in vitro digestion. Improving the emulsion-stabilizing effect of protein by chemical or physical modification has been paid much attention recently. Here, sodium caseinate (CS) was treated by high-pressure-microfluidization (HPM) under 0–100 MPa, and was further complexed with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to form an excellent emulsifier that stabilized fish oil emulsions. Results showed that HPM treatment (especially 80 MPa) significantly changed the secondary structure of CS, and 80 MPa-PCS-EGCG had the best emulsifying and antioxidant activities. In addition, after HPM treatment and EGCG bonding, CS formed a thicker interface layer on the surface of oil droplets, which could better protect the fish oil from the influence by oxygen, temperature and ion concentration. Moreover, the fish oil emulsion stabilized by PCS-EGCG complex significantly delayed the release of free fatty acids subjected to in vitro digestion. Conclusively, HPM-treated CS-EGCG complex could be a potential emulsifier to improve the stability of fish oil emulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mounting evidence supports a significant correlation between the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and both short- and long-term prognoses in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Nevertheless, research examining the association between the SHR and the complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between the SHR and CAD complexity, as assessed by the SYNTAX score, in patients with ACS. Methods: A total of 4715 patients diagnosed with ACS were enrolled and divided into five groups according to the quintiles of the SHR. CAD complexity was assessed using the SYNTAX score and categorized as low (≤ 22) or mid/high (> 22) levels. Logistic regression was utilized to examine the association between the SHR and CAD severity (mid-/high SYNTAX score). Restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves were generated to assess the association between the SHR and CAD severity. Subgroup analyses were conducted to stratify outcomes based on age, sex, diabetes mellitus (DM) status, and clinical presentation. Results: Among the total ACS population, 503 (10.7%) patients had mid/high SYNTAX scores. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the SHR was an independent risk factor for mid/high SYNTAX scores in a U-shaped pattern. After adjusting for confounding variables, Q1 and Q5 demonstrated elevated odds ratios (ORs) relative to the reference category Q3, with ORs of 1.61 (95% CI: 1.19 ∼ 2.19) and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.24 ∼ 2.29), respectively. Moreover, the ORs for Q2 (1.02, 95% CI: 0.73 ∼ 1.42) and Q4 (1.18, 95% CI: 0.85 ∼ 1.63) resembled that of Q3. Compared with the merged Q2-4 group, the ORs were 1.52 (95% CI: 1.21 ∼ 1.92) for Q1 group and 1.58 (95% CI: 1.25 ∼ 2) for the Q5 group. Subgroup analysis revealed that the U-shaped association between the SHR and mid/high SYNTAX score was attenuated in DM patients (P for interaction = 0.045). Conclusions: There were U-shaped associations between the SHR and CAD complexity in ACS patients, with an SHR ranging from 0.68 to 0.875 indicating a relatively lower OR for mid/high SYNTAX scores. Further studies are necessary to both evaluate the predictive value of the SHR in ACS patients and explore the underlying mechanisms of the observed U-shaped associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Acyl‐CoA‐Binding Proteins (ACBPs) bind acyl‐CoA esters and function in lipid metabolism. Although acbp3‐1, the ACBP3 mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Col‐0, displays normal floral development, the acbp3‐2 mutant from ecotype Ler‐0 characterized herein exhibits defective adaxial anther lobes and improper sporocyte formation. To understand these differences and identify the role of ERECTA in ACBP3 function, the acbp3 mutants and acbp3‐erecta (er) lines were analyzed by microscopy for anther morphology and high‐performance liquid chromatography for lipid composition. Defects in Landsberg anther development were related to the ERECTA‐mediated pathway because the progenies of acbp3‐2 × La‐0 and acbp3‐1 × er‐1 in Col‐0 showed normal anthers, contrasting to that of acbp3‐2 in Ler‐0. Polymorphism in the regulatory region of ACBP3 enabled its function in anther development in Ler‐0 but not Col‐0 which harbored an AT‐repeat insertion. ACBP3 expression and anther development in acbp3‐2 were restored using ACBP3pro (Ler)::ACBP3 not ACBP3pro (Col)::ACBP3. SPOROCYTELESS (SPL), a sporocyte formation regulator activated ACBP3 transcription in Ler‐0 but not Col‐0. For anther development, the ERECTA‐related role of ACBP3 is required in Ler‐0, but not Col‐0. The disrupted promoter regulatory region for SPL binding in Col‐0 eliminates the role of ACBP3 in anther development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in serum has been shown as a biomarker of traumatic brain injury (TBI) which is a significant global public health concern. Accurate and rapid detection of serum GFAP is critical for TBI diagnosis. In this study, a time-resolved fluorescence immunochromatographic test strip (TRFIS) was proposed for the quantitative detection of serum GFAP. This TRFIS possessed excellent linearity ranging from 0.05 to 2.5 ng/mL for the detection of serum GFAP and displayed good linearity (Y = 598723X + 797198, R2 = 0.99), with the lowest detection limit of 16 pg/mL. This TRFIS allowed for quantitative detection of serum GFAP within 15 min and showed high specificity. The intra-batch coefficient of variation (CV) and the inter-batch CV were both < 4.0%. Additionally, this TRFIS was applied to detect GFAP in the serum samples from healthy donors and patients with cerebral hemorrhage, and the results of TRFIS could efficiently discern the patients with cerebral hemorrhage from the healthy donors. Our developed TRFIS has the characteristics of high sensitivity, high accuracy, and a wide linear range and is suitable for rapid and quantitative determination of serum GFAP on-site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wide‐bandgap (WBG) perovskite solar cell (PSC) plays a pivotal role as the top subcell in all‐perovskite tandem solar cells (TSCs), facilitating the absorption of high‐energy photons and affording a large open‐circuit voltage (VOC). Nonetheless, the stability and efficiency of WBG PSCs are constrained by light‐induced halide segregation and non‐radiative recombination losses. In this study, this work presents an approach of utilizing 2‐methylpiperazinium bromide (2‐MePBr) via interfacial engineering to realize high‐efficiency WBG (1.77 eV) PSCs. The C─NH─C functional group in 2‐MePBr, serving as an electron donor, can interact with under‐coordinated lead defects at the perovskite surface. Consequently, the treatment with 2‐MePBr mitigates interfacial non‐radiative recombination, enhances charge transport, inhibits ion migration, and thus delivers an improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.30% with a VOC of 1.29 V, and a fill factor of 83.08%. Notably, the WBG PSCs manifest enhanced stability, preserving 80% of the initial PCE after 337 h of continuous operation under 1 sun illumination at the maximum power point. Furthermore, the all‐perovskite TSCs based on this WBG subcell achieve a PCE of 27.47%, showing its promising application in perovskite‐based tandem solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonradiative recombination losses occurring at the interface pose a significant obstacle to achieve high‐efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs), particularly in inverted PSCs. Passivating surface defects using molecules with different functional groups represents one of the key strategies for enhancing PSCs efficiency. However, a lack of insight into the passivation orientation of molecules on the surface is a challenge for rational molecular design. In this study, aminothiol hydrochlorides with different alkyl chains but identical electron‐donating (−SH) and electron‐withdrawing (−NH3+) groups were employed to investigate the interplay between molecular structure, orientation, and interaction on perovskite surface. The 2‐Aminoethane‐1‐thiol hydrochloride with shorter alkyl chains exhibited a preference of parallel orientations, which facilitating stronger interactions with the surface defects through strong coordination and hydrogen bonding. The resultant perovskite films following defect passivation demonstrate reduced ion migration, inhibition of nonradiative recombination, and more n‐type characteristics for efficient electron transfer. Consequently, an impressive power conversion efficiency of 25 % was achieved, maintaining 95 % of its initial efficiency after 500 hours of continuous maximum power point tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex is determined by multiple factors derived from somatic and germ cells in vertebrates. We have identified amhy, dmrt1, gsdf as male and foxl2, foxl3, cyp19a1a as female sex determination pathway genes in Nile tilapia. However, the relationship among these genes is largely unclear. Here, we found that the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as ovaries or underdeveloped testes with no germ cells irrespective of their genetic sex. In addition, the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants still developed as ovaries. The gonads of foxl3;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as testes, while the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;foxl3 triple mutants eventually developed as ovaries. In contrast, the gonads of amhy;cyp19a1a, gsdf;cyp19a1a, amhy;foxl2, gsdf;foxl2 double and amhy;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b, gsdf;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants developed as testes with spermatogenesis via up-regulation of dmrt1 in both somatic and germ cells. The gonads of amhy;foxl3 and gsdf;foxl3 double mutants developed as ovaries but with germ cells in spermatogenesis due to up-regulation of dmrt1. Taking the respective ovary and underdeveloped testis of dmrt1;foxl3 and dmrt1;foxl2 double mutants reported previously into consideration, we demonstrated that once dmrt1 mutated, the gonad could not be rescued to functional testis by mutating any female pathway gene. The sex reversal caused by mutation of male pathway genes other than dmrt1, including its upstream amhy and downstream gsdf, could be rescued by mutating female pathway gene. Overall, our data suggested that dmrt1 is the only male pathway gene tested indispensable for sex determination and functional testis development in tilapia. Author summary: In vertebrates, the antagonistic effect between male and female pathway genes determines the development of gonads towards ovaries or testes and maintains the final gonadal phenotype. Using tilapia as animal model, we found that the dmrt1 mutant gonad could not be rescued to a functional testis by mutation of female pathway genes foxl2, foxl3 and cyp19a1a. In contrast, the amhy and gsdf mutant gonad can be rescued to functional testis by mutating female pathway genes via up-regulation of dmrt1. Our data strongly highlight the indispensable role of dmrt1 in male sex determination and testicular development. The possible reason is that it is the only sex determining pathway gene identified so far expressing in both germ cells and somatic cells, while others were exclusively expressed in somatic cells or germ cells. This might be why dmrt1 is commonly used as the key male pathway gene in vertebrates and even in some invertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated Raman microlasers, particularly discrete multi‐color lasers which are crucial for extending the emission wavelength range of chip‐scale laser sources to much shorter wavelengths, are highly in demand for various spectroscopy, microscopy analysis, and biological detection applications. However, integrated multi‐color Raman microlasers have yet to be demonstrated because of the requirement of high‐Q microresonators possessing large χ(2) nonlinearity, strong Raman phonon branches, and the challenge in the cavity‐enhanced multi‐photon hyper‐Raman scattering parametric process. In this work, integrated multi‐color Raman lasers have been demonstrated for the first time at weak pump levels, via the excitation of high‐Q (> 6 × 106) phase‐matched modes in single thin‐film lithium niobate (TFLN) microresonators by dispersion engineering. Raman lasing is observed at 1712 nm for a 1547‐nm pump threshold power of only 620 µW, representing the state of the art in the TFLN platform. Furthermore, multi‐color Raman lasers are realized at discrete wavelengths of 1712, 813, 533, and 406 nm with pump levels as low as 1.60 mW, which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than the current records (i.e., 200 mW) in bulk resonators, allowed by the fulfillment of the requisite conditions consisting of broadband natural phase match, multiple‐resonance, and high‐Q factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raman microlasers form on-chip versatile light sources by optical pumping, enabling numerical applications ranging from telecommunications to biological detection. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) lasing has been demonstrated in optical microresonators, leveraging high Q factors and small mode volume to generate downconverted photons based on the interaction of light with the Stokes vibrational mode. Unlike redshifted SRS, stimulated anti-Stokes Raman scattering (SARS) further involves the interplay between the pump photon and the SRS photon to generate an upconverted photon, depending on a highly efficient SRS signal as an essential prerequisite. Therefore, achieving SARS in microresonators is challenging due to the low lasing efficiencies of integrated Raman lasers caused by intrinsically low Raman gain. In this work, high-Q whispering gallery microresonators were fabricated by femtosecond laser photolithography assisted chemo-mechanical etching on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), which is a strong Raman-gain photonic platform. The high Q factor reached 4.42 × 106, which dramatically increased the circulating light intensity within a small volume. And a strong Stokes vibrational frequency of 264 cm−1 of lithium niobate was selectively excited, leading to a highly efficient SRS lasing signal with a conversion efficiency of 40.6%. And the threshold for SRS was only 0.33 mW, which is about half the best record previously reported on a TFLN platform. The combination of high Q factors, a small cavity size of 120 μm, and the excitation of a strong Raman mode allowed the formation of SARS lasing with only a 0.46 mW pump threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate rock chemical weathering carbon sinks reduce the rate of increase of the atmospheric CO2 concentration and global warming. However, uncertainty still exists in the estimation results of carbonate rock chemical weathering carbon sink fluxes (CCSF), and the contributions of climate change and ecological restoration to the CCSF are not clear. To this end, we compiled published site data on ion concentrations in different watersheds in China and used a classical thermodynamic dissolution model to reassess the potential and spatial and temporal patterns of the CCSF in China from 1991 to 2020. We quantified the contributions of temperature (MAT), precipitation (MAP), evapotranspiration (ET), soil water (SM), and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to the CCSF. The results revealed that (1) China's CCSF was 22.76 t CO2 km−2 yr−1, which was higher than the global average (15.771CO2 km−2 yr−1). The total carbonate rock chemical weathering carbon sink (CCS) was 4772.67×104 t CO2, contributing 14.91% of the global CCS through a carbonate rock area of 252.98×104 km−2. (2) China's CCSF decreased gradually from southeast to northwest, with values of 33.14, 12.93, and 7.27 t CO2 km−2 yr−1 in the southern karst, Qinghai-Tibetan karst, and northern karst regions, respectively. (3) The overall CCSF in China exhibited an increasing trend from 1991 to 2020, with a rate of increase of 0.16 t CO2 km−2 yr−1. (4) The contributions of the MAP, MAT, ET, SM, and NDVI to the CCSF were 63.3%, 3.02%, 27.5%, 3.1%, and 3.05%, respectively. Among them, the increase in precipitation was the main contributor to the increase in the CCSF in China over the last 30 years, while the enhancement of ET offset part of the positive contribution of the increase in precipitation to the CCSF. In conclusion, the results of this study provide a systematic quantification of the magnitude, the patterns, and the influencing factors of CCS over a long time series in China. The results are of great significance and provide a reference for the diagnosis and gap analysis of the national and global carbon neutrality capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of workpieces production, surface defects are prone to occur, and these defects come in a wide variety and are often intermixed, making defect detection and classification exceptionally challenging. With the development of artificial intelligence and deep learning, to tackle this problem, this paper introduces an enhanced single shot multibox detector algorithm based on MobileNetV2 for the detection of surface defects. The method utilizes MobileNetv2 as the backbone of the feature extraction network to obtain six feature layers with different detection scales from the baseline network, that is, the original 1 × 1 feature prediction layer is deleted and a 75 × 75 feature prediction layer is added, which is closer to the specific features of the defects on the surface of the workpiece. In the additional feature layer, two parallel dilated convolution structures are connected, introducing depth‐separable convolution and dilated convolution, combining skip connections and pixel‐wise addition operations. A special feature fusion structure is proposed to perform feature fusion for small, medium and large target detection layers, which effectively solves the problem of missed and false detection. Moreover, it refines candidate bounding box aspect ratios within the training set through the utilization of the K‐means clustering algorithm, ensuring a better match with real boxes. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the enhanced model, and the mean average precision value reaches 88.72%. Compared to other state‐of‐the‐art detection methods, it exhibits superior capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the surface modification of perovskite by wide band‐gap insulating materials has been one of the main strategies to achieve efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Unfortunately, a significant hurdle in this approach is the dilemma surrounding the quality of passivation and the transport of charges. Here, this trade‐off is overcome by introducing self‐assembled diphenylphosphinic acid (DPPA) porous layer. Applying highly concentrated DPPA solution on the perovskite surface not only provides excellent passivation of entire surface, but also the excess DPPA will form a self‐assembled porous insulating layer (PIL), which forms random submicron‐sized openings at the interface of the insulating layer for accelerated charge transport. In addition, the energy level of the perovskite surface can be modulated by this insulating material to facilitate carrier transport. As a result, an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) over 24% has been achieved in methylammonium‐free p‐i‐n devices with an ultrahigh fill factor (FF) of 84.7%. The unencapsulated devices exhibit excellent thermal and operational stability. This work paves a way for establishment of an effective passivation and facilitated transport simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circular RNAs are highly stable regulatory RNAs that have been increasingly associated with tumorigenesis and progression. However, the role of many circRNAs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the related mechanisms have not been elucidated. Methods: In this study, we screened circRNAs with significant expression differences in the RNA sequencing datasets of TNBC and normal breast tissues and then detected the expression level of circRPPH1 by qRT‒PCR. The biological role of circRPPH1 in TNBC was then verified by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Mechanistically, we verified the regulatory effects between circRPPH1 and ZNF460 and between circRPPH1 and miR-326 by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), fluorescence in situ hybridization assay, dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. In addition, to determine the expression of associated proteins, we performed immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting. Results: The upregulation of circRPPH1 in TNBC was positively linked with a poor prognosis. Additionally, both in vivo and in vitro, circRPPH1 promoted the biologically malignant behavior of TNBC cells. Additionally, circRPPH1 may function as a molecular sponge for miR-326 to control integrin subunit alpha 5 (ITGA5) expression and activate the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusion: Our research showed that ZNF460 could promote circRPPH1 expression and that the circRPPH1/miR-326/ITGA5 axis could activate the FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway to promote the progression of TNBC. Therefore, circRPPH1 can be used as a therapeutic or diagnostic target for TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the damage evolution and time-dependent property of rock creep is of great significance for predicting geohazards and evaluating the long-term stability of geotechnical structures. In this study, a three-dimensional digital image correlation system was adopted to investigate the creep behavior of sandstone under the coupling action of stress and pore water pressure. The apparent strain fields, deformation characteristics of the localization zone, and micromorphology of the fracture surface were analyzed. The results demonstrated that when the applied deviatoric stress level was above σci (crack initial stress) or σcd (crack damage stress), the increase in pore water pressure promoted creep deformation evidently, improved the creep rate significantly and shortened the time-to-failure of the rock obviously. In the radial strain field, the localized development of substantial microcracks on the rock surface was concentrated in the steady-state creep, while the microcracks interconnected to form macroscopic shear cracks that dominated the accelerating creep, and this damage evolution characteristic can be used as a precursor and early warning of rock creep failure. Besides, increasing the pore water pressure also would cause the divergence point of strain curves inside and outside the localization zone to appear earlier at the secondary creep, and produce a wider localization zone at the tertiary creep. The creep fracture surface of the rock was dominated by intergranular microcracks. Increasing the pore water pressure would result in the deterioration of the cemented structure and breakage of the cemented matrix more seriously, thus stimulating the generation of more microcracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spread of SARS-CoV-2 led to a global pandemic, and there remains unmet medical needs in the treatment of Omicron infections. VV116, an oral antiviral agent that has potent activity against SARS-CoV-2, was compared with a placebo in this phase 3 study to investigate its efficacy and safety in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. This multicentre, double-blind, phase 3, randomised controlled study enrolled adults in hospitals for infectious diseases and tertiary general hospitals in China. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using permuted block randomisation to receive oral VV116 (0·6 g every 12 h on day 1 and 0·3 g every 12 h on days 2–5) or oral placebo (on the same schedule as VV116) for 5 days. Randomisation stratification factors included SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status and the presence of high-risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19. Inclusion criteria were a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, an initial onset of COVID-19 symptoms 3 days or less before the first study dose, and a score of 2 or more for any target COVID-19-related symptoms in the 24 h before the first dose. Patients who had severe or critical COVID-19 or who had taken any antiviral drugs were excluded from the study. The primary endpoint was the time to clinical symptom resolution for 2 consecutive days. Efficacy analyses were performed on a modified intention-to-treat population, comprising all patients who received at least one dose of VV116 or placebo, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, and did not test positive for influenza virus before the first dose. Safety analyses were done on all participants who received at least one dose of VV116 or placebo. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT05582629 , and has been completed. A total of 1369 patients were randomly assigned to treatment groups and 1347 received either VV116 (n=674) or placebo (n=673). At the interim analysis, VV116 was superior to placebo in reducing the time to sustained clinical symptom resolution among 1229 patients (hazard ratio [HR] 1·21, 95% CI 1·04–1·40; p=0·0023). At the final analysis, a substantial reduction in time to sustained clinical symptom resolution was observed for VV116 compared with placebo among 1296 patients (HR 1·17, 95% CI 1·04–1·33; p=0·0009), consistent with the interim analysis. The incidence of adverse events was similar between groups (242 [35·9%] of 674 patients vs 283 [42·1%] of 673 patients). Among patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, VV116 significantly reduced the time to sustained clinical symptom resolution compared with placebo, with no observed safety concerns. Shanghai Vinnerna Biosciences, Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, and the National Key Research and Development Program of China. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a persistent global threat to public health. As for the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, it is necessary to develop vaccines that can induce broader immune responses, particularly vaccines with weak cellular immunity. Methods: In this study, we generated a double-layered N-S1 protein nanoparticle (N-S1 PNp) that was formed by desolvating N protein into a protein nanoparticle as the core and crosslinking S1 protein onto the core surface against SARS-CoV-2. Results: Vaccination with N-S1 PNp elicited robust humoral and vigorous cellular immune responses specific to SARS-CoV-2 in mice. Compared to soluble protein groups, the N-S1 PNp induced a higher level of humoral response, as evidenced by the ability of S1-specific antibodies to block hACE2 receptor binding and neutralize pseudovirus. Critically, N-S1 PNp induced Th1-biased, long-lasting, and cross-neutralizing antibodies, which neutralized the variants of SARS-CoV-2 with minimal loss of activity. N-S1 PNp induced strong responses of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, mDCs, Tfh cells, and GCs B cells in spleens. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that N-S1 PNp vaccination is a practical approach for promoting protection, which has the potential to counteract the waning immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants and confer broad efficacy against future new variants. This study provides a new idea for the design of next-generation SARS-CoV-2 vaccines based on the B and T cells response coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]