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Summary: Aerosols could significantly influence ecosystem carbon and water fluxes, potentially altering their interconnected dynamics, typically characterized by water‐use efficiency (WUE). However, our understanding of the underlying ecophysiological mechanisms remains limited due to insufficient field observations.We conducted 4‐yr measurements of leaf photosynthesis and transpiration, as well as 3‐yr measurements of stem growth (SG) and sap flow of poplar trees exposed to natural aerosol fluctuation, to elucidate aerosol's impact on plant WUE.We found that aerosol improved sun leaf WUE mainly because a sharp decline in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) inhibited its transpiration, while photosynthesis was less affected, as the negative effect induced by declined PAR was offset by the positive effect induced by low leaf vapor pressure deficit (VPDleaf). Conversely, diffuse radiation fertilization (DRF) effect stimulated shade leaf photosynthesis with minimal impact on transpiration, leading to an improved WUE. The responses were further verified by a strong DRF on SG and a decrease in sap flow due to the suppresses in total radiation and VPD.Our field observations indicate that, contrary to the commonly assumed coupling response, carbon uptake and water use exhibited dissimilar reactions to aerosol pollution, ultimately enhancing WUE at the leaf and canopy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of Tension-free laparoscopic lateral suspension with mesh for pelvic organ prolapse. Methods A total of 85 patients who underwent pelvic organ prolapse were selected as the study group, and 40 patients underwent Laparoscopic sacral fixation surgery(LSC) as the control group in Henan Provincial People's Hospital from March 1, 2021 to October 31, 2023. The patients were divided into two subgroups' uterine preservation group and uterine resection group and followed up until April 30, 2024. The intraoperative conditions and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed. POP quantitative staging(POP-Q) scores were used for evaluation. Preoperative and postoperative quality of life and therapeutic effect were evaluated using the pelvic floor distress inventory short form-20(PFDI-20), urinary distress inventory-6 (UDI-6), colorectalanal distress inventory-8 (CRADI-8), pelvic organ prolapse distress inventory-6(POPDI-6), pelvic floor impact questionnaire-7(PFIQ-7), prolapse and Incontinence sexual function questionnaire short form(PISQ-12). Results The median follow-up time for patients in the study group is 13.13 months, with an objective cure rate of 96.47% and a reoperation rate of 1.18%. The perioperative complication rates are 6.45% for uterine resection and 4.35% for uterine preservation, while the mesh exposure rate is 1.61% for uterine resection. In comparison, the median follow-up time for patients in the control group is slightly longer at 13.76 months, with an objective cure rate of 92.5% and a reoperation rate of 2.5%. The perioperative complication rates are higher at 14.71% for uterine resection and as high as 33.33% for uterine preservation, while the mesh exposure rate is also elevated at 8.82% for uterine resection. Despite these differences, there was no significant disparity in objective cure rates or reoperation rates between the study group and the control group. Furthermore, it was observed that the study group experienced shorter operation times, less bleeding, faster postoperative recovery, shorter hospitalization periods, lower perioperative complications, and reduced mesh exposure rates -especially among patients with uterine preservation. Additionally, intra-group comparisons revealed significant improvements in all POP-Q indicators one year after surgery (P < 0.05), along with significantly lower scores on PFDI-20, UDI-6, CRADI-8, POPDI-6, PFIQ-7, and PISQ-12 scales compared to pre-surgery levels (P < 0.05). However, no significant inter-group differences were noted. Conclusions Tension-free laparoscopic lateral suspension with mesh proves to be an effective surgical approach for treating anteriorand middle pelvic organ prolapse. It demonstrates few perioperative complications while significantly improving prolapse symptoms and enhancing patient qualityof life. It stands as a viable alternative to sacrocolpopexy, particularly beneficial for patients with a preserved uterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of existing natural gas pipelines for the transport of hydrogen/natural gas mixtures can achieve large-scale, long-distance and low-cost hydrogen transportation. A jet fire induced by the leakage of high-pressure pure hydrogen and hydrogen-blended natural gas pipelines may pose a severe threat to life and property. Based on the Abel–Nobel equation of state and a notional nozzle model, an equivalent pipe leakage model is established to simulate high-pressure pipeline gas leakage jet fire accidents. Large-scale high-pressure hydrogen and natural gas/hydrogen mixture jet fires are simulated, showing the jet impingement process and obtaining an accurate and effective simulation framework. This framework is validated by comparing the simulated and experimental measured results of flame height, flame appearance and thermal radiation. Several combustion models are compared, and the simulated data show that the non-premixed chemical equilibrium combustion model is superior to other combustion models. The influence of the pipe pressure and the hydrogen blending ratio on the consequences of natural gas/hydrogen mixture pipeline leakage jet fire accidents is explored. It is found that when the hydrogen blending ratio is lower than 22%, the increase in the hydrogen blending ratio has little effect on the decrease in the thermal radiation hazard distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the omnipresence of the Internet has fostered a subculture that congregates around the contemporary milieu. The subculture artfully articulates the intricacies of human feelings by ardently pursuing the allure of novelty, a fact that cannot be disregarded in the sentiment analysis. This paper aims to enrich data through the lens of subculture, to address the insufficient training data faced by sentiment analysis. To this end, a new approach of subculture‐based data augmentation (SCDA) is proposed, which engenders enhanced texts for each training text by leveraging the creation of specific subcultural expression generators. The extensive experiments attest to the effectiveness and potential of SCDA. The results also shed light on the phenomenon that disparate subcultural expressions elicit varying degrees of sentiment stimulation. Moreover, an intriguing conjecture arises, suggesting the linear reversibility of certain subcultural expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a two‐step interval estimation method for continuous‐time linear time‐invariant systems with unknown but bounded disturbances and measurement noise. In the first step, H∞$$ {H}_{\infty } $$ method is used to design a robust reduced‐order observer that attenuates the impact of the system uncertainties on the estimation error. In the second step, a non‐conservative interval prediction of the estimation error is achieved by applying a symmetric set‐integration approach. The resulting tight set‐valued state estimation is obtained by combining the point estimation from the reduced‐order observer with the predicted estimation error set provided by the set‐integration method. Compared to the conventional methods, the proposed method is built on less‐restrictive design conditions, that allow one to deal with a large range of applications. On the other hand, numerical simulations show that the proposed method offers more precise interval estimation compared to an optimal reduced‐order interval observer selected from recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: During the neonatal stage, the cardiomyocyte undergoes a constellation of molecular, cytoarchitectural, and functional changes known collectively as cardiomyocyte maturation to increase myocardial contractility and cardiac output. Despite the importance of cardiomyocyte maturation, the molecular mechanisms governing this critical process remain largely unexplored. METHODS: We leveraged an in vivo mosaic knockout system to characterize the role of Carm1 , the founding member of protein arginine methyltransferase, in cardiomyocyte maturation. Using a battery of assays, including immunohistochemistry, immuno-electron microscopy imaging, and action potential recording, we assessed the effect of loss of Carm1 function on cardiomyocyte cell growth, myofibril expansion, T-tubule formation, and electrophysiological maturation. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling, H3R17me2a chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing, and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing were used to investigate the mechanisms by which CARM1 (coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1) regulates cardiomyocyte maturation. Finally, we interrogated the human syntenic region to the H3R17me2a chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing peaks for single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with human heart diseases. RESULTS: We report that mosaic ablation of Carm1 disrupts multiple aspects of cardiomyocyte maturation cell autonomously, leading to reduced cardiomyocyte size and sarcomere thickness, severe loss and disorganization of T tubules, and compromised electrophysiological maturation. Genomics study demonstrates that CARM1 directly activates genes that underlie cardiomyocyte cytoarchitectural and electrophysiological maturation. Moreover, our study reveals significant enrichment of human heart disease–associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human genomic region syntenic to the H3R17me2a chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing peaks. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes a critical and multifaceted role for CARM1 in regulating cardiomyocyte maturation and demonstrates that deregulation of CARM1-dependent cardiomyocyte maturation gene expression may contribute to human heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine tungsten carbide (WC)–cobalt (Co) and WC–(Ti,W)C–Co end mills were produced via spark plasma sintering. The wear mechanism of these end mills during machining of AISI H13 steel was investigated. WC–Co exhibits good mechanical properties (HV30: 2110 kg/mm2, KIC: 10.4 MPa/m1/2, TRS: 1990 MPa). Although the high hardness of WC–Co makes it show excellent resistance to abrasive wear, it suffers from a significant adhesion problem. As the cutting temperature increases, the oxidation of the WC–Co causes damage to the microstructure of tool materials, which deteriorates the grain boundary strength and promotes adhesive wear. This phenomenon causes large areas of tool materials to chip off and eventually results in cutting‐edge breakage. The high brittleness of (Ti,W)C causes cracks to propagate at low‐stress levels, reducing the mechanical properties of WC–(Ti,W)C–Co (KIC: 8.8 MPa/m1/2, TRS: 1090 MPa). However, (Ti,W)C addition enhances the resistance to oxidation and workpiece adhesion, which reduces the tool material loss caused by adhesive wear. The tool life of WC–(Ti,W)C–Co is three times longer than that of WC–Co in milling of AISI H13 at the same cutting speed. The key to maximizing the mechanical properties of ultrafine cemented carbide tools when machining AISI H13 is the modification of anti‐adhesive wear of surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are highly associated with inflammatory response and vascular injury after ischemic stroke. As the primary degrader of NETs, DNase 1 is limited by easy deactivation and low efficiency of crossing the blood‐brain barrier (BBB). Here, CD206+ M2‐like macrophages‐derived exosomal (M2exo) system is developed for DNase 1 delivery to achieve enhanced ischemic stroke therapy. The nanoplatform can cross the BBB through transcytosis of exosomes, subsequently clearing NETs by DNase 1 to inhibit inflammatory factors release and prevent vascular injury. Moreover, M2exo induces the polarization of M1 microglia to M2 phenotype, alleviating neuroinflammation via producing anti‐inflammatory cytokines. This nanoplatform exhibits significant efficiency in reducing brain infarct area, improving long‐term neurologic outcomes, and promoting BBB remodeling. The mechanism for the synergistic effect from M2exo and DNase 1 is unveiled at the genetic level through transcriptome analysis. This work provides a paradigm for improving the effectiveness of ischemic stroke therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in situ methodology was devised to refine the annealing parameters for a soft magnetic high-entropy alloy, Al 0.7 NiCoFe 1.5 Cr 1.5 . Anomalous Hall measurements were employed to elucidate the magnetic characteristics in real time during annealing. This approach facilitates the determination of an optimal annealing temperature range, centered approximately at 500 ° C , within a single annealing process. After annealing, a notable 51.5% enhancement in the saturation magnetization was observed, accompanied by a significant 80.5% reduction in coercivity. Moreover, the methodology enables the acquisition of intricate insights into phase transitions occurring throughout the annealing process. The findings affirm the efficacy of the in situ technique for refining the annealing parameters and underscore its potential applicability in the exploration of microstructural and phase transformations in materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of soil particle composition and salt dynamics is essential for promoting the sustainable development of oasis agriculture in arid regions under long-term mulched drip irrigation (MDI). In this study, we employed the space-for-time substitution method to investigate the long-term effects of MDI on soil particle composition and salinity. Additionally, seven fields, with MDI durations ranging from 0 to 16 years, were selected to represent the primary successional sequence though time in Northwest China. Soil samples were collected from three soil depths (0–30 cm, 30–60 cm, and 60–100 cm) and then analyzed in the laboratory for soil particle composition and salt content. Our findings demonstrated that influenced by the depth of mechanical cultivation and the maximum wetting front depth, the long-term application of MDI significantly altered both the structure of soil layers and the composition of soil particles after 8 years. Soil sand content and soil salinity gradually decreased, whereas the content of soil silt and clay increased with increasing MDI duration throughout 0–100 cm soil depth. Furthermore, the rates of soil desalination stabilized after 10 years of MDI application, with desalination levels exceeding 90% in the 0–100 cm soil layer. Additionally, the soil mass fractal dimension (Dm) exhibited an upward trend across 0–100 cm soil depth. The changes in soil particle composition indirectly influenced the variations in Dm and salt content. Our study demonstrated that long-term application of MDI effectively mitigated soil salinity, changed soil structure, and ultimately enhanced soil quality and cotton yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents multistability mechanisms that can enhance the energy harvesting performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) with geometrical nonlinearities. To configure triple potential wells, static bifurcation diagrams in the structural parameter plane are depicted. On this basis, the key structural parameter is considered, of which three reasonable values are then chosen for comparing and evaluating the performances of the triple-well PEH under them. Then, intra-well responses and the corresponding voltages of the system are investigated qualitatively. A preliminary analysis of the suitable energy-harvesting conditions is carried out, which is then validated by numerical simulations of the evolution of coexisting attractors and their basins of attraction with variations in the excitation level and frequency. It follows that, under a low-level ambient excitation, the intra-well responses around the trivial equilibrium dominate the energy-harvesting performance. When the level of the environmental excitation is very low, which one of the three values of the key structural parameter is the best for improving the performance of the PEH system depends on the range of the excitation frequency; when the excitation level increases sufficiently to induce inter-well responses, the maximum one is the best for improving the performance of the PEH. The findings provide valuable insights for researchers working in the structure optimization and practical applications of geometrically nonlinear PEHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of large hydropower stations in the main stream poses a threat to fish habitats. Selecting suitable tributaries as alternative habitats is a practical measure for ecological environment protection during large hydropower station's construction. The small dams constructed on certain tributaries need to be removed in order to restore river connectivity. The removal of dams will activate hydro-sedimentary dynamics and change the original habitat in terms of topography and hydrodynamics. To explore the evolution of fish habitats following the removal of small dams, a dam-removed reach of a habitat-alternative tributary was selected as the research object, and the model of water-sediment transport and riverbed evolution in strongly disturbed dam-removed reaches and the model of fish habitat suitability evaluation were established. The key parameters calibration and model verification were completed by field monitoring results. The simulation results showed dramatic evolution in the reservoir riverbed in the initial stage after dam removal and during the high discharge period. One year after dam removal, there was a noticeable 4.0 m incision in front of the dam, along with a decrease in channel slope at the dam site from about 4.8% to approximately 1.5%. Downstream of the dam, alterations to the riverbed were mainly concentrated near the dam, and sedimentary bodies with a height of around 2.0 m have formed on the left bank following the high discharge period. The fish habitat in most areas of the dam-removed reach was suitable, except for the downstream high-velocity area. To compare the evolution process of fish habitat under two dam removal periods in wet and dry seasons, two dam removal schemes were implemented in March and June. The results showed that the riverbed evolved more gradually in the March scheme, creating a larger and continuous suitable habitat for fish. Therefore, the March scheme was recommended. By revealing the evolutionary pattern of fish habitat after dam removal, this research provides a reliable model for assessing and restoring habitats in dam-removed reaches, and enjoys significant implications for protecting river ecology in hydropower development reaches. [Display omitted] • The feasibility of establishing fish alternative habitats in tributaries was discussed. • A model of fish habitat evolution in strongly disturbed reach after dam removal was established. • Different dam removal schemes were compared based on the evolution of terrain and habitat suitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two innovative ultrafine cemented carbide end mills, denoted C1 and C2, were synthesized through spark plasma sintering, featuring compositions of WC-8Co-0.4VC-0.4Cr 3 C 2 and WC-40(Ti,W)–8Co-0.4VC-0.4Cr 3 C 2 , respectively. Their wear behaviors were delved into during the precision machining of Inconel 718, and distinct disparities in wear evolution and tool longevity were unveiled. C1 exhibits exceptional wear resistance, surpassing C2 by a striking margin of 7.4–9.5, depending on the cutting speed employed. The sharp cutting edge of C1, characterized by a single hard phase of WC, minimal grain size, and high hardness, demonstrates excellent wear resistance and deformation resistance, thereby minimizing the onset of notch wear. In contrast, C2 experiences severe adhesive and diffusive wear phenomena, which culminate in substantial flank wear and cutting edge chipping. The addition of 40 wt% of (Ti,W)C exacerbates adhesion, flaking, and notch wear during machining. The prolonged and intensified adhesive wear witnessed in C2 leads to the deterioration of the tool surface and the formation of deep wear craters on the flank face. A comparison evaluation involving the prepared novel tools and commercially available end mills reveals that C1 boasts a longer tool life that outstrip those of its commercial counterparts by approximately 1.7–3.5 times under identical cutting conditions. • (Ti,W)C exacerbates adhesive wear, notch wear, and edge chipping of ultrafine WC-Co. • Unitary ultrafine WC is efficacious in sustaining geometry and sharpness of cutting edge. • Wear crater of flank face results from a combination of adhesive and diffusion wear. • Ultrafine WC-Co has superior performance than normal tools for milling Inconel 718. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-principal-element alloys (MPEAs) have attracted considerable attention due to their enhanced possibilities of obtaining superior properties by tailoring chemical compositions in an enormous space. This work developed a series of novel soft-magnetic MPEAs via the cluster formula approach of Al 3 (Co,Fe,Cr) 14. Through deliberately manipulating their microstructures, ultrafine ferromagnetic body-centered-cubic (BCC) nanoparticles (3 ∼ 8 nm in diameter) are coherently precipitated in a B2 matrix. These alloys exhibit a high saturation magnetization of 107.4 ∼ 167.5 Am2/kg and a low coercivity of 143 ∼ 303 A/m in the as-homogenized and aged states. Even after aging for 480 h at 873 ∼ 1073 K, the prominent soft-magnetic properties can still be retained, which can be ascribed to the excellent stability of the coherent BCC/B2 microstructure. Importantly, these materials also show excellent soft-magnetic properties at high temperatures. The Al 3 Co 7 Fe 7 alloy exhibits a saturation magnetization of 134.7 Am2/kg and a coercivity of 167.2 A/m at 973 K. Moreover, they have high Curie temperatures (1254 K for Al 3 Co 7 Fe 7 and 1052 K for Al 3 Co 6 Fe 6 Cr 2) and electrical resistivity (262 ∼ 285 μΩ·cm). The outstanding high-temperature magnetic properties of the presently developed alloys is discussed in light of the microstructural stability and evolution with chemical composition and temperature and the coercivity is found to be closely related to the particle size of BCC nanoprecipitates. With the advantages of the currently developed BCC/B2 MPEAs over conventional soft-magnetic alloys, the coherent precipitation approach opens a new way to design novel high-temperature soft-magnetic materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary water, serving as a crucial intermediary between groundwater and crop root layer moisture, is important for both soil retention and crop utilization. To investigate the effect of mulched drip irrigation (MDI) on upward capillary water in cotton fields with different application years (0, 10, 14, 18, 20, and 24 years) in the saline–sodic region of Northwest China, an indoor soil column test (one-dimensional capillary water rise experiment) was conducted. The results showed that the wetting front transport law, capillary water recharge, and wetting front transport rate over time exhibited an increasing trend in the early stages of MDI application (10 and 14 years), peaking at 18 years of application, followed by a decreasing trend. The relationship between the capillary water recharge and rising height was fitted based on the Green–Ampt model, and their slopes reveal that 14 and 18 years of MDI application required the largest amount of water per unit distance, indicating an excellent water-holding capacity beneficial for plant growth. Conversely, 0 years required the smallest amount of water per unit distance. Based on the movement characteristics of upper capillary water, we confirmed that the MDI application years (0–18 years) improves soil infiltration capacity, while the long-term application years (18–24 years) reduces groundwater replenishment to the soil. Furthermore, the HYDRUS-1D model was employed to simulate the capillary water rise process and soil moisture distribution under different MDl application years. The results showed an excellent consistency with the soil column experiments, confirming the accuracy of HYDRUS-1D in simulating the capillary water dynamics in saline–sodic areas. The results would provide suggestions to achieve the sustainable development of long-term drip-irrigated cotton fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice stands as the paramount food crop worldwide, catering to more than half of the global populace as staple sustenance. Accurately and non-destructively predicting rice yield on a large scale assumes paramount importance for assessing rice growth, market planning and food security monitoring. Nonetheless, the pivotal factors that influence the final yield remain inadequately understood. In this study, we evaluated the variation patterns of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index, Ratio Vegetation Index, Red Edge Ratio Vegetation Index and Normalized Difference Red Edge during crucial growth stages of long, medium and short-grain rice cultivars (YX054, DF018 and LF203) from 2019 to 2021. We investigated the correlation between vegetation index (VI) combinations at different growth stages and rice yield for these three cultivars. To establish predictive models, we deployed multi-seasonal VIs from multi-year dataset and three regression algorithms: partial least squares regression (PLSR), random forest regression (RFR) and support vector regression (SVR). The outcomes evinced a lack of significant correlation between single-season VIs and rice yield. The PLSR algorithm was deemed optimal for YX054, while the RFR was adjudged most suitable for DF018 and LF203. Moreover, the triple-growth and quadruple-growth period VIs models evinced superior robustness compared to the penta-growth period VIs models for all three cultivars, attaining the highest R2 value of 0.86 and the lowest RMSE of 88.17 kg/ha. This paper underscores the criticality of multi-seasonal VIs in bolstering the performance of rice yield prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric error is one of the important factors for evaluating the performance of a machine tool, which should be seriously regulated through appropriate accuracy design. This paper proposes a rapid precision design method for horizontal machining center based on Sobol sensitivity analysis method and improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO). Firstly, the geometric error models are established using multi-body system theory and homogenous transformation matrix method. Subsequently, the Sobol method is taken to analyze the sensitivity of geometric errors and their coupling effects, and the sensitivity coefficients are substituted into the objective function of cost-tolerance model. Finally, a multi-objective optimization approach with nonlinear constraints is proposed by comprehensively considering the trade-off between cost and accuracy. An improved particle swarm optimization is applied for the optimization, which can effectively and rapidly obtain the optimal allocation of geometric errors by varying parameters in each iteration and judging the constrains after iteration process. This method provides valuable guidance for accuracy design of machine tools in the manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress are the major pathologies encountered after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Inositol‐requiring enzyme‐1 alpha (IRE1α) is the most evolutionarily conserved ER stress sensor, which plays a role in monitoring and responding to the accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the ER lumen. Recent studies have shown that ER stress is profoundly related to oxidative stress in physiological or pathological conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of IRE1α in oxidative stress and the potential mechanism. Methods: A mouse model of ICH was established by autologous blood injection. The IRE1α phosphokinase inhibitor KIRA6 was administrated intranasally at 1 h after ICH, antagomiR‐25 and agomiR‐25 were injected intraventricularly at 24 h before ICH. Western blot analysis, RT‐qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, hematoma volume, neurobehavioral tests, dihydroethidium (DHE) staining, H2O2 content, brain water content, body weight, Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining, Nissl staining, Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) were performed. Results: Endogenous phosphorylated IRE1α (p‐IRE1α), miR‐25‐3p, and Nox4 were increased in the ICH model. Administration of KIRA6 downregulated miR‐25‐3p expression, upregulated Nox4 expression, promoted the level of oxidative stress, increased hematoma volume, exacerbated brain edema and neurological deficits, reduced body weight, aggravated spatial learning and memory deficits, and increased anxiety levels. Then antagomiR‐25 further upregulated the expression of Nox4, promoted the level of oxidative stress, increased hematoma volume, exacerbated brain edema and neurological deficits, whereas agomiR‐25 reversed the effects promoted by KIRA6. Conclusion: The IRE1α phosphokinase activity is involved in the oxidative stress response through miR‐25/Nox4 pathway in the mouse ICH brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tix+ in-situ intercalation strategy via titanium foil/vanadium ion solution interface for long cycle LSB. • Inserted Tix+ can strengthen interlayer interaction so as to enhance lithium-ion mobility rate. • Mixed valence of V5+/V4+ reduces the stress and strain of lithium-ion intercalation. • Ti-VO 2.375 /S cathode delivers lower capacity decay with a stable coulombic efficiency. Lithium sulfur battery (LSB) has great potential as a promising next-generation energy storage system owing to ultra-high theoretical specific capacity and energy density. However, the polysulfide shuttle effect and slow redox kinetics are recognized the most stumbling blocks on the way of commercializing LSB. On this account, for the first time, we use Tix+ in-situ intercalation strategy via titanium foil/vanadium ion (V5+) solution interface to modify the layer of vanadium oxide for long cycle LSB. The inserted Tix+ strengthens interlayer interaction and enhances lithium-ion mobility rate. Meanwhile, based on density functional theory (DFT) calculation, the mixed valence of V5+/V4+ in the vanadium oxide structure reduces the stress and strain of lithium-ion intercalation through the interlayer support of titanium ions (Tix+). Also, Tix+ refines the structural stability of the sulfur wrapped composite matrix so as to facilitate the LiPSs transformation, and improve the electrochemical performances. Consequently, the Ti-VO 2.375 /S cathode delivers a lower capacity decay of 0.037 % per cycle over 1500 cycles with a stable coulombic efficiency around 100 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of biomaterials with antimicrobial and wound healing properties continues to present challenges. Macrophages are recognized for their significant role in the repair of infection-related wounds. However, the interaction between biomaterials and macrophages remains complex and requires further investigation. In this research, we propose a new sequential immunomodulation method to enhance and expedite wound healing by leveraging the immune properties of bacteria-related wounds, utilizing a novel mixed hydrogel dressing. The hydrogel matrix is derived from porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) and is loaded with a new type of bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBG) doped with magnesium (Mg-MBG) and loaded with Curcumin (Cur). This hybrid hydrogel demonstrates controlled release of Cur, effectively eradicating bacterial infection in the early stage of wound infection, and the subsequent release of Mg ions (Mg2+) synergistically inhibits the activation of inflammation-related pathways (such as MAPK pathway, NF-κB pathway, TNF-α pathway, etc.), suppressing the inflammatory response caused by infection. Therefore, this innovative hydrogel can safely and effectively expedite wound healing during infection. Our design strategy explores novel immunomodulatory biomaterials, offering a fresh approach to tackle current clinical challenges associated with wound infection treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lie-Trotter-Suzuki product formulas are ubiquitous in quantum mechanics, computing, and simulations. Approximating exponentiated sums with such formulas are investigated in the JB-algebraic setting. We show that the Suzuki type approximation for exponentiated sums holds in JB-algebras, we give explicit estimation formulas, and we deduce three generalizations of Lie-Trotter formulas for arbitrary number elements in such algebras. We also extended the Lie-Trotter formulas in a Jordan Banach algebra from three elements to an arbitrary number of elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated with deep learning algorithms, machine vision techniques have emerged as a robust method for the swift and non-destructive assessment of crop moisture status across extensive agricultural landscapes. Within the agricultural sector, where water serves as a crucial resource, especially for cash crops such as cotton, precise monitoring of water status in fields is paramount. This study presents a novel approach for the evaluation of thermal imagery of cotton crops to predict their water status. The research focused on the application of a methodology that harnesses deep learning architectures in tandem with extant local irrigation practices. A considerable dataset, comprising approximately 5200 images, was collected under conditions of submembrane drip irrigation conditions. Cross-validation was employed to evaluate five deep learning models: VGG16, ResNet-18, MobilenetV3, DenseNet-201, and CSPdarknet53 for training and testing purposes. Experimental outcomes indicated that the MobilenetV3 model outperformed other deep learning architectures. It demonstrated exceptional capability in identifying cotton water stress classes, achieving an F1 value of 0.9990, with an average processing time of 44.85 ms. These results underscore the effectiveness of utilizing deep learning algorithms for accurately assessing water stress in cotton under mulched drip irrigation. This establishes a foundational basis for the development of a precise, cost-effective, and real-time monitoring system for the management of water in cotton fields. • The effects of five CNN models for cotton water deficit recognition were compared. • The identification of cotton water deficit under real conditions was realized. • The analysis obtained the most suitable CNN model for actual field use. • This study is helpful to develop a precise irrigation system by machine vision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel cationic lipoic acid grafted low molecular weight chitosan (LCNE-LA) conjugate was constructed and further self-assembled into GSH-responsive cationic nanocarrier to achieve better antitumor effect by combining encapsulated chemotherapy and oxidative damage induced by ROS. The resultant LCNE-LA cationic micelle exhibited favorable physicochemical properties (low CMC, small size, positively zeta potential and good stability), excellent biosafety and desired redox sensitivity. Next, doxorubicin (Dox) was embedded into hydrophobic core to form stable Dox/LCNE-LA micelle that had superior loading capacity. The GSH-induced release behavior, cellular uptake ability, ROS generation and GSH consumption capacity and in vitro antitumor activity of Dox/LCNE-LA micelle were systematically evaluated. Consequently, Dox/LCNE-LA cationic micelle with positively charged could efficiently enter into cancer cell and redox-sensitive release Dox via disulfide-thiol exchange reaction, which usually expend abundant GSH and disrupt redox homeostasis. Studies further confirmed that Dox/LCNE-LA micelle could increase ROS and reduced GSH content which might cause oxidative damage to tumor cell. Antitumor activity indicated that Dox/LCNE-LA micelle achieved an excellent cancer-killing effect, which might be attributed to combination treatment of Dox and ROS induce oxidative damage. Overall, this research was expected to provide a platform for antitumor treatment by triggering Dox release and promoting ROS generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) have attracted significant attention as a promising technology for green hydrogen production and conversion. However, traditional PCECs oxygen electrodes exhibit poor electrochemical performance because of their limited hydration ability and lack of intrinsic protonic conductivity. In this study, a W-doped perovskite oxide, Sr 2 Fe 1.5 Mo 0.4 W 0.1 O 6-δ (SFMW), with a strong hydration capacity and an accelerated proton mobility, was designed to serve as the oxygen electrode in PCECs. The results indicate that W doping enhances the concentration of oxygen vacancies in Sr 2 Fe 1.5 Mo 0.5 O 6-δ (SFM) and facilitates the adsorption of H 2 O onto the oxygen electrode, thereby significantly accelerating proton mobility. The bulk diffusion coefficient of protons (D H) in SFMW, estimated through electrical conductivity relaxation measurement, can reach up to 2.86 × 10−5 cm∙s−1 at 750 °C, which is significantly higher than that of SFM (7.96 × 10−6 cm∙s−1). Consequently, SFMW exhibited impressive electrochemical performance, as evidenced by its lower polarization resistance (0.072 Ω⋅cm2, 700 °C in air) and higher current density (945 mA/cm2 with a voltage of 1.3 V at 650 °C) in PCECs. These results suggest that accelerating bulk proton transfer by W doping is highly feasible and holds great potential for the development of oxygen electrodes for high-activity PCECs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, a new approach to design interval observer for continuous-time linear systems is introduced. First, a more general structure than the classical Luenberger observer is proposed and extended to the interval case based on an explicit set integration method. Then, to obtain tight state enclosures, the computation of the design matrices involved in this new structure is formulated as a nonlinear constrained optimisation problem. In addition, using the symmetric property of interval vectors, a less complex form of the proposed interval observer is presented. On the other hand, compared to the conventional interval observers, no preserving order property on the dynamics of the estimation error is required to apply the introduced method. A numerical case study example is considered to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and to compare its performance to that of a former method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beetle, of the order Coleoptera, possesses outstanding flight capabilities. After completing flight, they can fold their hindwings under the elytra and swiftly unfold them again when they take off. This sophisticated hindwing structure is a result of biological evolution, showcasing the strong environmental adaptability of this species. The beetle's hindwings can provide biomimetic inspiration for the design of flapping-wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs). In this study, the Asian ladybird (Harmonia axyridis Pallas) was chosen as the bionic research object. Various kinematic parameters of its flapping flight were analyzed, including the flight characteristics of the hindwings, wing tip motion trajectories, and aerodynamic characteristics. Based on these results, a flapping kinematic model of the Asian ladybird was established. Then, three bionic deployable wing models were designed and their structural mechanical properties were analyzed. The results show that the structure of wing vein bars determined the mechanical properties of the bionic wing. This study can provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for further bionic wing design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Seaweed aquaculture plays an important role in global food supply, but single-species intensive seaweed aquaculture has problems related to simple industrial structure and risk susceptibility. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish a series of large-scale seaweed rotational culture models to address the current industrial challenges in algae culture. The culture of macroalgae is mainly affected by environmental factors such as water temperature and light. In this study, we constructed a rotational culture model by carrying out experiments with three species of macroalgae, observing in situ their photosynthetic activity responses to different temperature and light conditions. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of large-scale rotational aquaculture, which can effectively improve the ecological and economic value of macroalgae aquaculture. Seaweed farming has made outstanding contributions to food supply and the restoration of the ecological environment despite the limitations in production and ecological effects due to the current intensive farming of single algae species. These limitations can be overcome by selecting suitable algal species based on their physiological characteristics and by constructing a large-scale seaweed rotation model. This study carried out a trial culture in aquaculture sea areas, and performed in situ monitoring of the environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of Saccharina japonica, Hizikia fusiformis, and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the three macroalgae at different times was conducted to determine their response characteristics to environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The three macroalgae had varying light tolerance. The effective quantum yield of Hizikia fusiformis and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis remained unchanged during the changes in light environment, while that of Saccharina japonica first decreased and then recovered. (2) The relative electron transport rates of the three macroalgae were significantly different under different temperature conditions. Hizikia fusiformis and Saccharina japonica exhibited the highest relative electron transport rates (70.45 and 106.75, respectively) in May (20.3 °C). Notably, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis demonstrated good growth and exhibited the highest relative electron transport rate (93.07) in September (27.5 °C). These findings collectively support the feasibility of establishing a macroalgae rotation model. Based on the combined environmental conditions of the seas in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian, a macroalgae rotation model was proposed. The application of this model in the construction of artificial seaweed farms in marine ranches can provide a stable output of large-scale seaweed production and ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulching is a widely used agricultural water conservation measure in the semiarid regions of Northwest China. In order to explore the response process of different film mulching methods to soil microorganisms, we characterized the effect of different film mulching methods on soil microbial diversity and community structure characteristics in the root zone of drip-irrigated maize during the heading and maturity stages using high-throughput sequencing of 16SrDNA and ITS amplicons combined with bioinformatics analysis. Full mulching (FM) was contrasted to controls of no mulching (NM) and half-mulching (HM), yielding an order of microbial diversity, abundance, and evenness scores of HM > FM > NM. The HM and FM treatments reduced the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria (the most abundant bacteria) in the bacterial community structure but increased that of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi. In the fungal community structure, HM decreased the abundance of Sordariomycetes but increased that of Eurotiomycetes (the most abundant fungi). The abundance and community structure of bacteria were significantly correlated with soil temperature and those of fungi with pH. HM improved network complexity and competitive relationships among bacteria, while FM increased the relationship between fungal groups and the symbiosis of fungal communities. HM significantly increased maize yield (20.37% and 6.01% above NM and FM, respectively). In summary, full mulching was more favorable than no mulching for soil microbial diversity and community structure composition, but soil microbial diversity and yield responded better to half-mulching. These results provide a background for improving the yield of drip-irrigated maize and protecting the microbial ecosystems of farmland soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing blood lipid and bile acid profile changes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Evaluating the integrated model's diagnostic significance for CRC. Ninety-one individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC group) and 120 healthy volunteers (HC group) were selected for comparison. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoproteins (Apo) A1, ApoA2, ApoB, ApoC2, and ApoC3 were measured using immunoturbidimetric and colorimetric methods. Additionally, LC–MS/MS was employed to detect fifteen bile acids in the serum, along with six tumor markers: carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigens (CA) 125, CA19-9, CA242, CA50, and CA72-4. Group comparisons utilized independent sample t-tests and Mann–Whitney U tests. A binary logistic regression algorithm was applied to fit the indicators and establish a screening model; the diagnostic accuracy of individual Indicators and the model was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The CRC group showed significantly lower levels in eight serum lipid indicators and eleven bile acids compared to the HC group (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum levels of TG, CA19-9, and CEA were elevated (P < 0.05). Among the measured parameters, ApoA2 stands out for its strong correlation with the presence of CRC, showcasing exceptional screening efficacy with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.957, a sensitivity of 85.71%, and a specificity of 93.33%. The screening model, integrating ApoA1, ApoA2, lithocholic acid (LCA), and CEA, attained an impressive AUC of 0.995, surpassing the diagnostic accuracy of individual lipids, bile acids, and tumor markers. CRC patients manifest noteworthy alterations in both blood lipids and bile acid profiles. A screening model incorporating ApoA1, ApoA2, LCA, and CEA provides valuable insights for detecting CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For photocatalytic CO2 reduction, traditional amorphous polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) has suffered from fast photoexcited electron‐hole recombination and low specific surface area, resulting in low photocatalytic activity. Herein, starting from thermally polymerized PCN, cayanamide groups (─CN) functionalized crystalline carbon nitride (CCN) self‐supporting aerogels are obtained through a molten‐salt and self‐assembly two‐step strategy, which realized efficient photocatalytic CO2 reduction into CO as the main reduction products and O2 as the oxidation product, with CO evolution rate and selectivity reaching 25.7 µmol g−1 h−1 and 93.8%, respectively. It is revealed that the self‐supporting porous aerogel structure can enhance the mass transport of reactants and products, and increase the light absorption ability via multiple photon reflection. With charge carrier separation greatly enhanced in CCN aerogels with high crystallinity as revealed by charge carrier dynamics investigations, theoretical calculations and in situ spectral characterizations evidence that the introduced ─CN groups would act as the active sites for photoreduction of CO2 into CO, with energy barrier greatly reduced for the formation of COOH* intermediates, the rate‐determining step for CO2─to─CO reduction. This work demonstrates a novel and controllable strategy to develop semiconducting polymers with crystal, molecular and morphological structures synergistically modulated for highly efficient and selective photocatalytic CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma represents a malignant neoplasm originating from the hepatobiliary tree, with a subset of tumors developing inside the liver. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICC) commonly exhibit an asymptomatic presentation, rendering both diagnosis and treatment challenging. Cuproptosis, an emerging regulated cell death pathway induced by copper ions, has garnered attention recently. As cancer cells show altered copper metabolism and comparatively higher copper needs, cuproptosis may play a role in the development of ICC. However, studies investigating this possibility are currently lacking. Methods: Single-cell and bulk RNA sequence data were analyzed, and correlations were established between the expression of cuproptosis-related molecules and ICC patient survival. Genes with predicting survival were used to create a CUPT score using Cox and LASSO regression and tumor mutation burden (TMB) analysis. The CIBERSORT software was employed to characterize immune cell infiltration within the tumors. Furthermore, immune infiltration prediction, biological function enrichment, and drug sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore the potential implications of the cuproptosis-related signature. The effects of silencing solute carrier family 39 member 4 gene (SLC39A4) expression using siRNA were investigated using assays measuring cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Key genes of cuproptosis were detected by western blotting. Results: The developed CUPT score divided patients into high and low CUPT score groups. Those with a low score had significantly better prognosis and longer survival. In contrast, high CUPT scores were associated with worse clinical outcomes and significantly higher TMB. Comparisons of the two groups also indicated differences in the immune infiltrate present in the tumors. Finally, we were able to identify 95 drugs potentially affecting the cuproptosis pathway. Some of these might be effective in the treatment of ICC. The in vitro experiments revealed that suppressing the expression of SLC39A4 in ICC cell lines resulted in reduced cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. It also led to an increase in cell death and the upregulation of key genes associated with cuproptosis, namely ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) and dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (DLAT). These findings strongly suggest that this cuproptosis-associated molecule may play a pivotal role in the development and metastasis of ICC. Conclusions: Changes in the expression of a cuproptosis-related gene signature can predict the clinical prognosis of ICC with considerable accuracy. This supports the notion that cuproptosis influences the diversity and complexity of the immune microenvironment, mutational landscape, and biological behavior of ICC. Understanding this pathway better may hold promise for the development of innovative strategies in the management of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low remnant polarization and high coercive field are the main factors limiting the practical application of Ca 3 Ti 2 O 7 -based hybrid improper ferroelectric ceramics. Based on sol-gel method and soft doping effect, (Ca 1- x Nd x) 3 Ti 2 O 7 (x= 0.003) ceramics with higher remnant polarization of ∼3.53 μC/cm2 and lower coercive field of ∼91 kV/cm were obtained. More interestingly, thanks to the large distortion amplitude of TiO 6 octahedron and effective suppression of defects such as oxygen vacancies caused by Nd3+ as a donor dopant, the remnant polarization of (Ca 1- x Nd x) 3 Ti 2 O 7 (x = 0.003 and 0.006) ceramics measured at 10 Hz using the DHM mode were as high as 7.33 μC/cm2 and 5.85 μC/cm2. These findings prove that the soft doping at A sites of Ca 3 Ti 2 O 7 material is a simple and effective strategy to enhance its hybrid improper ferroelectricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pilot study was designed to investigate the antidepressant effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The antidepressant effects of dexmedetomidine was compared with ECT, which is widely used in clinical practice for treatment of patients with TRD. Seventy six patients with TRD were randomly assigned to receive 10 sessions of DEX infusions or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment. The primary outcome was the changes of depression severity determined by the improvement of 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-24). The second outcomes were the rates of therapeutic response (reduction in HDRS-24 ≥ 50 %) and remission (HDRS-24 ≤ 10 and reduction in HDRS-24 ≥ 60 %) at posttreatment and after 3 months of follow-up visits. We found that 10 sessions of DEX infusions or ECT treatments significantly improved HDRS-24 scores at posttreatment and after 3 months of follow-up visits compared with the baseline. In addition, there was no significant difference between DEX infusions and ECT treatments regarding HDRS-24 at these evaluating points. Furthermore, the depression severity dropped to mild after 2 sessions of DEX infusion. In contrast, at least 6 sessions of ECT treatment were needed to achieve a same level. Finally, the rates of therapeutic response and remission were comparable between the two groups. No serious adverse events were observed. Based on current published evidence, we conclude that DEX exhibits rapid and durable antidepressant properties similar to ECT but with fewer side effects. • Ten sessions of DEX infusions or ECT treatments significantly improved HDRS-24 scores. • DEX infusion displays a fast onset of action in antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. • The rates of therapeutic response and remission are similar between the two groups. • The TRD patients receiving 10 sessions of DEX treatment are safety and well tolerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple Fe element substitution strategy is developed to regulate the surface reconstruction of spinel oxide NiCr 2 O 4 by accelerating the consumption of lattice oxygen and the leaching of soluble Cr cations. Consequently, the electrochemically activated Fe-doped NiCr 2 O 4 (Act-Fe-NCO) exhibits outstanding OER performance. [Display omitted] The low-cost transition metal oxides have drawn widespread interest as alternatives to noble metal-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Transition metal oxides usually undergo surface reconstruction during electrochemical reaction to form the actual active species. However, in-depth understanding and regulating of the surface reconstruction of active phases for oxides in OER remains an onerous challenge. Herein, we report a simple Fe element substitution strategy to facilitate the surface reconstruction of spinel oxide NiCr 2 O 4 to generate active (oxy)hydroxides. The activated Fe-doped NiCr 2 O 4 (Act-Fe-NCO) exhibits a lower OER overpotential of 259 mV at 10 mA cm−2 than activated NiCr 2 O 4 (Act-NCO, 428 mV), and shows excellent stability for 120 h. The electrochemically activated CV measurement and nanostructure characterizations reveal that Fe substitution could promote the consumption of lattice oxygen during electrochemical activation to induce the leaching of soluble Cr cations, thereby facilitating the reconstruction of remaining Ni cations on the surface into (oxy)hydroxide active species. Moreover, theoretical calculations further demonstrate that the O 2p band center of NiCr 2 O 4 moves towards the Fermi level due to Fe substitution, thus promoting lattice oxygen oxidation and providing greater structural flexibility for surface reconstruction. This work shows a promising way to regulate the surface reconstruction kinetics and OER electrocatalytic activity of transition metal oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) cluster coordination, communication obstruction may cause situational misjudgement and increase the risk of decision‐making errors. Therefore, based on evolutionary game theory, this research aimed to study the behaviour decision‐making selection problem in the process of UAV swarm missions in limited communication networks. First, the evolution process of the UAV swarm confrontation game is analyzed and the decision‐making risks associated with the communication network of the UAV swarm during coordination, which are caused by the complex confrontation environment are identified. Second, the decision‐making risks and mechanisms of UAV swarm communication is discussed and an evolutionary game mathematical model for the cooperative strategy of a UAV swarm under communication constraints is established. Finally, the influence of various key parameters is simulated and analyzed, such as the initial strategy probability of both parties, amount of platform information data, information analysis and utilization ability, and information interaction coefficient, on the evolution of the UAV swarm strategy. This research provides a theoretical basis and feasible reference for the improvement of UAV mission decision response mechanisms and system model construction, which have important theoretical value and practical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limitation to enhancing photocatalytic performance in photocatalysts lies in the rapid recombination of photo‐induced electrons and holes. Herein, AgNbO3 photocatalysts were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The effects of hydrothermal temperature on the microstructure and photocatalytic/piezo‐photocatalytic performances of AgNbO3 have been systematically investigated. The AgNbO3 cubes synthesized at 180 °C for 24 h exhibited the best photocatalytic/piezo‐photocatalytic performances among all samples. The corona poling as an important method of polarization engineering is applied to promote further the separation and migration of charge carriers in AgNbO3. The polarized AgNbO3 synthesized at 170 °C exhibited outstanding piezo‐photocatalytic performance, and a degradation rate of 95 % for RhB within 90 min and a high apparent rate constant of 0.02978 min−1 were achieved. On the one hand, the alternating piezoelectric field caused by ultrasonic‐assisted illumination destroyed the shielding effect and enhanced the separation of electron‐hole pairs. On the other hand, polarization engineering induced by corona poling promoted the separation and migration of photo‐induced carriers, thereby realizing more efficient utilization of these charges during the photocatalytic decomposition process. This work presents a facile way to achieve superior piezo‐photocatalytic performances of AgNbO3‐based photocatalyst via polarization engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dianthus superbus L. has been extensively studied for its potential medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine and is often consumed as a tea by traditional folk. It has the potential to be exploited in the treatment of inflammation, immunological disorders, and diabetic nephropathy. Based on previous studies, this study continued the separation of another subfraction of Dianthus superbus and established reversed-phase/reversed-phase and reversed-phase/hydrophilic (RPLC) two-dimensional (2D) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) modes, quickly separating two C-glycosylflavones, among which 2″-O-rhamnosyllutonarin was a new compound and isomer with 6‴-O-rhamnosyllutonarin. This is the first study to investigate the effects of 2″-O-rhamnosyllutonarin and 6‴-O-rhamnosyllutonarin on cellular glucose metabolism in vitro. First, molecular docking was used to examine the effects of 2″-O-rhamnosyllutonarin and 6″-O-rhamnosyllutonarin on AKT and AMPK; these two compounds exhibited relatively high activity. Following this, based on the HepG2 cell model of insulin resistance, it was proved that both of the 2″-O-rhamnosyllutonarin and 6‴-O-rhamnosyllutonarin demonstrated substantial efficacy in ameliorating insulin resistance and were found to be non-toxic. Simultaneously, it is expected that the methods developed in this study will provide a basis for future studies concerning the separation and pharmacological effects of C-glycosyl flavonoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excellent properties of nanowire arrays are retained in the shell-core structured nanowire arrays, and the contact area between the core and shell is increased. However, perovskite layers are prone to a variety of defects during the covering process. A large number of explorations for perovskite interfacial defects have revealed that the use of complexing agents to modify the surface of the transport layer can eliminate or ameliorate these defects. Potassium sodium tartrate (PSTA) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) are commonly used complexing agents because of their strong complexing ability and stable nature. In this paper, the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells was improved by modifying TiO 2 core nanowire arrays with different complexing agents. When TiO 2 was modified by PTSA and EDTA, the PCE of the devices reached 8.23 % and 8.76 %, respectively, which is 14.5 % and 21.8 % higher than that of the unmodified device (7.19 %). The complexing agent modification resulted in a higher degree of crystallization, larger grain size, and higher light absorption of the light-absorbing layer. As EDTA has a strong complexing ability, it can form stable coordination bonds with uncoordinated ions, resulting in an effective reduction of defective states in the device, which is conducive to carrier extraction and collection. It is shown that the photovoltaic performance and the carrier transport property of shell-core structured nanowire arrays can be optimized by complexing agent modification, which will provide some guidance for improving the photovoltaic performance of core-shell structured solar cells. • In TiO 2 /MAPbI 3 /NiO sandwich shell-core structured nanowire array solar cells, modification of TiO 2 core nanowire arrays with different complexing agents improves the crystallinity of hybridized chalcogenides and reduces their defects. The carrier transport and extraction capacities of the devices were enhanced, and the photovoltaic conversion line efficiency was increased by 21.8 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The obstacles of lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) and the important role of catalysts were introduced. • The research progress of phosphides doped with different cations in LSBs was elaborated. • The current synthesis methods of metal phosphides were summarized. • The applications of different metal phosphides were comprehensively introduced in the design of cathode sulfur carrier materials, modification of separator, and Li anode protection. • The challenges of using metal phosphide catalysts in commercial LSBs and design strategies to promote their commercialization were proposed. Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are widely acknowledged as the most promising energy storage systems for the future, primarily due to their remarkably high theoretical energy density. Nonetheless, the advancement of LSBs encounters various hurdles, including the substantial expansion of the cathode material, inadequate conductivity of the active material S and discharge product Li 2 S, the evident shuttle effect of lithium polysulfide (LiPS), and the sluggish sulfur conversion kinetics. These challenges become particularly evident when handling high sulfur loading. The issue of uneven Li dendrite growth at the anode significantly affects the long-term functionality and safety of batteries. Consequently, there is a pressing requirement for battery designs that effectively tackle these challenges. Metal phosphide, owing to its remarkable catalytic activity and distinctive physicochemical properties, has been extensively investigated and is anticipated to serve as a bifunctional material in LSBs systems. By manipulating the composition of cations, it is possible to obtain monometallic phosphide, bimetallic phosphide, and trimetallic phosphide through tailored design approaches. It has been found that metal phosphide catalysts can effectively adsorb soluble LiPS and catalyze its rapid conversion. Moreover, the synthesis of composite materials by incorporating metal phosphides with other compounds results in a synergistic effect that significantly improves catalytic performance. This study offers a thorough overview of the diverse applications of metal phosphides in enhancing cathode sulfur support materials, modifying separators, and protecting lithium anodes. The significance of metal phosphides in facilitating the anchoring of lithium polysulfides, improving electrochemical reaction rates, facilitating the nucleation and dissolution of lithium sulfide, enhancing electron and ion transport, and promoting uniform lithium deposition was underscored. Additionally, the obstacles and potential opportunities for metal phosphides in future lithium-sulfur batteries are examined, along with their practical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable film (BF), as a superior substitute for traditional polyethylene film (PF), has experienced a consistent increase in China. However, a significant research gap persists regarding the utilization of BF in assessing farmland carbon balance. This experiment examined the responses of maize growth, yield, irrigation water productivity (IWP), CO 2 emissions, and field net carbon sequestration (NCS) to two BF types (BF 1 , 100-day induction period, and BF 2 , 80-day induction period), and PF, and three irrigation amounts (I 1 , I 2 , I 3 : 5250, 5625, and 6000 m3 ha–1), by conducting a two-year (2019–2020) field trial in a typical arid and semi-arid region of China. The results indicated that biodegradable film mulching (BFM) negatively affected maize growth, resulting in reduced yield and IWP. Especially under the I 1 irrigation level, the biodegradable film reduced maize yield by 6.26%–13.99% and IWP by 6.64–13.85%. Notably, in the I 2 irrigation level, BF 1 mulching had a comparable impact on maize yield and IWP to that of PF. Additionally, the increase in irrigation amounts exerted a more pronounced promoting effect on maize total biomass than on yield and IWP. Concerning carbon balance, short-term BF application resulted in reduced CO 2 emissions (5.74–6.30% under BF 1 and 9.27–12.37% under BF 2), without any significant impact on NCS in cropland. Taking into account the economic value of maize and farmland ecology, we recommended utilizing irrigation amounts of 5625 m3 ha–1 for BF application in arid areas, while opting for a BF with a longer induction period whenever feasible. • Biodegradable film mulching reduces maize yield and irrigation water productivity. • Biodegradable film mulching significantly decreases soil CO 2 emissions. • Increasing irrigation compensates for yield loss due to biodegradable film mulching. • Biodegradable film with a 100-day induction period is an ideal covering material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of electronic information technology, the miniaturization of lightweight devices and their integration have increased the requirements for materials, and two-dimensional composite multiferroic materials have become a major research hotspot in recent years. However, it is difficult for traditional solid multiferroic material to directly switch the magnetic/polarization direction under the action of an applied electric/magnetic field, limiting the improvement of the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient. In this study, a series of BiFeO 3 (BFO)/CoFe 2 O 4 (CFO) composite film multiferroic materials were prepared by changing the annealing routes and annealing atmosphere, the microstructure, ferroelectric properties, dielectric properties, photovoltaic properties, magnetic properties, and magnetoelectric coupling properties of composite films were routeatically studied. The results showed that under the slow annealing route, the composite film has obvious ellipsoidal grains with distinct grain boundaries and better crystallinity. Moreover, the performance of the film after annealing in different atmospheres of the slow annealing route was improved compared with that of the rapid annealing route after annealing in different atmospheres. Simultaneously, by changing the annealing atmosphere of the composite film, the film exhibited better magnetic optical properties and coupling properties after annealing in oxygen. In addition, this study showed that the dielectric constant and residual polarization value of the film increase under the action of magnetic field and illumination, and the maximum photomagnetic dielectric response (3.19%) and photomagnetic response (1.58%) are observed in the annealed film under the oxygen atmosphere of the slow annealing regime, indicating that the magnetoelectric coupling effect of the film is improved under the action of applied light. • Under the slow annealing system, the composite films have grain boundaries and better crystallinity. • The properties of the films annealed under the slow annealing regime are good under different atmospheres. • Films show better magnetic, optical and coupling properties after annealing in oxygen. • The dielectric constant and residual polarization of the film increase under the action of magnetic field and illumination. • Large photomagneto-dielectric responses (3.19%) and photomagneto-electric responses (1.58%) were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been widely employed for metal ion adsorption owing to their inherent advantages, encompassing low crystal density, well-organized organic unit structures, adjustable pore size, and remarkable structural stability. However, it is still a great challenge to design excellent COFs with high adsorption and advanced purification capabilities for Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions. Herein, hydrazine-linked COFs (COF-TCH) were prepared for effective adsorption and advanced purification of metal ions. The adsorption capacity of COF-TCH for Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions are 395.3 and 153.5 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions in water can be treated from 75 and 30 mg L−1 to less than 0.01 and 0.003 mg L−1, respectively, indicating the excellent adsorption and advanced purification capability of COF-TCH. This is a rare example of COFs adsorbent that deeply purify water to meet the guideline values in drinking water for the World Health Organization. FT-IR, XPS and quantum mechanics calculation were performed to understand the adsorption mechanism. The remarkable adsorption and advanced purification capability of COF-TCH for Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions can be attributed to the synergistic interaction between the amine and thione groups, which can easily complex with Pb2+ and Cd2+ ions to form stable five-membered ring structure in COF-TCH. In addition, COF-TCH still remains an adsorption capacity of over 90% after ten adsorption-desorption cycles, indicating its excellent reusability and stability. COF-TCH with high adsorption and advanced purification capability, high stability, low cost and reusability has enormous practical application potential in high-performance remediation of Pb2+ and Cd2+ contaminated water. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-walled parts with low stiffness and poor machinability are prone to chatter during milling. Chatter can adversely affect machined surface quality and workpiece performance. Most existing chatter monitoring models require training and test data from workpieces with the same stiffness as well as large amounts of training data. In this paper, force signals from workpieces with different stiffnesses are obtained through a series of experiments as source and target domain data. Autoencoders are utilized for feature extraction and support vector machines for chatter recognition. Model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML) optimizes the global model parameters, and transfer learning reduces the demand for target domain samples. The model can monitor the chatter of two types of workpieces at the same time through one training. Compared with common transfer learning models visual geometry group network-16 (VGG-16), this paper decomposes force signals using ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and extracts intrinsic mode function (IMF) components as features. VGG-16 model is optimized by adding fully-connected layers, dropout, L2 regularization for chatter recognition. The proposed method achieves 99% accuracy on source domain and 98% on target domain. The target domain accuracy is 6% higher than without using MAML optimization, and 8% higher than the VGG-16 method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trace levels of organic and inorganic lead and mercury species in the environment, including divalent lead (Pb2+), trimethyllead (TML), divalent mercury (Hg2+), monomethylmercury (MeHg), and ethylmercury (EtHg), are highly toxic to humans and ecology. It is of great importance for speciation of lead and mercury to evaluate the toxicity of lead and mercury and their biogeochemistry in the environment. However, simultaneous multi-elemental enrichment and speciation at trace level remains a challenge. There are few reports of simultaneous magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of organic and inorganic lead and mercury species at trace level in the real water. In this work, a novel core-shell magnetic hydrazine-linked covalent organic frameworks (Fe 3 O 4 @COF-TCH) was prepared for the first time by grafting hydrazine-linked COFs on the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Fe 3 O 4 @COF-TCH with abundant thione and imino groups has strong adsorption for lead and mercury species. Based on it, a simple and practical magnetic solid-phase extraction high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MSPE-HPLC-ICP-MS) method was developed for extraction and determination of trace lead and mercury species, including Hg2+, MeHg, EtHg, Pb2+ and TML. The limits of detection (3δ) of the developed method were 0.08, 0.81, 0.90, 0.56 and 0.88 ng L−1 with the enrichment factors (EFs) of 384, 376, 379, 389 and 360-fold for Pb2+, TML, Hg2+, MeHg and EtHg, respectively. The high accuracy and reproducibility have been proved by the spiked recoveries (94.4–103 %) in real samples. The proposed method with simple operation and high sensitivity has been successfully applied to simultaneous speciation of lead and mercury at trace levels in the water samples with complicated matrices, including underground water, surface water, sea water. Meanwhile, it has the advantages of cost-saving, labor-saving and time-saving and is suitable for the investigation and risk assessment in water. The development of MSPE-HPLC-ICP-MS method provides ideas and guidance for the simultaneous multi-elemental enrichment and speciation. [Display omitted] • A core-shell magnetic hydrazine-linked COFs was prepared for the first time. • A MSPE-HPLC-ICP-MS method was developed for simultaneous enrichment and speciation of organic and inorganic lead and mercury. • Figures of merit: LODs (0.08–0.90 ng L−1), Linearity ranges (0.26–1000 ng L−1), RSD (<4.5 %). • The proposed method has excellent anti-interference ability. • The proposed method can be applied in the samples with complex matrix, such as seawater, surface water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Litter decomposition is a major determinant of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) formation. Ongoing global changes are exacerbating biodiversity loss, potentially elevating foliar fungal pathogen infections and consequently impacting litter quality and quantity. However, the potential interplay between biodiversity loss and fungal pathogen infection on litter decomposition and SOC formation remains largely unknown.We collected leaf litter with different fungal pathogen infection levels across various tree species richness (TSR) stands within a subtropical forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in China. We conducted a 383-day incubation experiment using these litter samples and measured initial litter quality, litter mass loss, and incubation-induced changes in mineral-associated soil C and nitrogen (N).We found that litter from higher richness plots exhibited lower N concentration and higher carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Moreover, TSR exerted control over the effects of fungal pathogen infection on litter quality, decomposition, and N turnover. Under higher richness, litter with higher fungal infection levels tended to have higher N concentration and lower C:N, thus leading to faster decomposition rates and more soil N loss. Meanwhile, litter with elevated fungal infection levels contributed more to litter C retained in soil.Our findings indicate that changes in litter chemistry and fungal pathogen infection rates induced by biodiversity loss could affect decomposition and the extent of C stabilized in soil, highlighting the significance of considering fungal pathogen infection in studies related to biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles.Methods: Litter decomposition is a major determinant of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) formation. Ongoing global changes are exacerbating biodiversity loss, potentially elevating foliar fungal pathogen infections and consequently impacting litter quality and quantity. However, the potential interplay between biodiversity loss and fungal pathogen infection on litter decomposition and SOC formation remains largely unknown.We collected leaf litter with different fungal pathogen infection levels across various tree species richness (TSR) stands within a subtropical forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in China. We conducted a 383-day incubation experiment using these litter samples and measured initial litter quality, litter mass loss, and incubation-induced changes in mineral-associated soil C and nitrogen (N).We found that litter from higher richness plots exhibited lower N concentration and higher carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Moreover, TSR exerted control over the effects of fungal pathogen infection on litter quality, decomposition, and N turnover. Under higher richness, litter with higher fungal infection levels tended to have higher N concentration and lower C:N, thus leading to faster decomposition rates and more soil N loss. Meanwhile, litter with elevated fungal infection levels contributed more to litter C retained in soil.Our findings indicate that changes in litter chemistry and fungal pathogen infection rates induced by biodiversity loss could affect decomposition and the extent of C stabilized in soil, highlighting the significance of considering fungal pathogen infection in studies related to biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles.Results: Litter decomposition is a major determinant of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) formation. Ongoing global changes are exacerbating biodiversity loss, potentially elevating foliar fungal pathogen infections and consequently impacting litter quality and quantity. However, the potential interplay between biodiversity loss and fungal pathogen infection on litter decomposition and SOC formation remains largely unknown.We collected leaf litter with different fungal pathogen infection levels across various tree species richness (TSR) stands within a subtropical forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in China. We conducted a 383-day incubation experiment using these litter samples and measured initial litter quality, litter mass loss, and incubation-induced changes in mineral-associated soil C and nitrogen (N).We found that litter from higher richness plots exhibited lower N concentration and higher carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Moreover, TSR exerted control over the effects of fungal pathogen infection on litter quality, decomposition, and N turnover. Under higher richness, litter with higher fungal infection levels tended to have higher N concentration and lower C:N, thus leading to faster decomposition rates and more soil N loss. Meanwhile, litter with elevated fungal infection levels contributed more to litter C retained in soil.Our findings indicate that changes in litter chemistry and fungal pathogen infection rates induced by biodiversity loss could affect decomposition and the extent of C stabilized in soil, highlighting the significance of considering fungal pathogen infection in studies related to biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles.Conclusions: Litter decomposition is a major determinant of carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) formation. Ongoing global changes are exacerbating biodiversity loss, potentially elevating foliar fungal pathogen infections and consequently impacting litter quality and quantity. However, the potential interplay between biodiversity loss and fungal pathogen infection on litter decomposition and SOC formation remains largely unknown.We collected leaf litter with different fungal pathogen infection levels across various tree species richness (TSR) stands within a subtropical forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiment in China. We conducted a 383-day incubation experiment using these litter samples and measured initial litter quality, litter mass loss, and incubation-induced changes in mineral-associated soil C and nitrogen (N).We found that litter from higher richness plots exhibited lower N concentration and higher carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N). Moreover, TSR exerted control over the effects of fungal pathogen infection on litter quality, decomposition, and N turnover. Under higher richness, litter with higher fungal infection levels tended to have higher N concentration and lower C:N, thus leading to faster decomposition rates and more soil N loss. Meanwhile, litter with elevated fungal infection levels contributed more to litter C retained in soil.Our findings indicate that changes in litter chemistry and fungal pathogen infection rates induced by biodiversity loss could affect decomposition and the extent of C stabilized in soil, highlighting the significance of considering fungal pathogen infection in studies related to biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel leakage and spill fires often occur during storage and transportation of liquid fuels. And the spread and burning processes of spill fires are susceptible to cross-air flows. In this paper, spill fire experiments were conducted on a fireproof glass (with or without ignition) under different wind speeds (0–2 m/s). The effects of wind on the spread process and burning behaviors were analyzed. Results showed that, for the cases without ignition, the spread length could vary in a non-linear manner with wind speed. And a spread length model was developed based on force analysis. For spill fires under small wind speeds, the burning area increased firstly, followed by a decrease before stabilization. When the wind speed exceeded a critical value, the fuel layer spread rapidly in the upwind direction after the shrinking phase. The steady stage was observed for all tests. With the wind speed increase, the quasi-steady burning area changes from being circular to elliptic first, before it gradually became circular in the end. To explain this process, a detailed heat transfer analysis was conducted. Considering the fuel layer shape and the heat transfer characteristics of spill fires, an analytical burning rate model was developed. • Wind drag force shows a significant effect on the spreading process for non-ignition continuous leakage tests. • Three typical spill fire spreading behaviors can be observed under different wind speeds. • The variation of the convective feedback with wind speed is primarily responsible for the change in the fuel layer shape. • An analytical model is developed based on the stagnant layer theory to calculate the burning rate of liquid fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mn 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 -PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 multiferroic fluids were prepared by the ball milling method. • The polarization intensity of PbZr y Ti 1- y O 3 particles reaches its maximum of 2.55 μC cm−2. • Aa high dielectric constant of 4.6 and a saturation polarization intensity of 15.69 nC cm-2 were obtained. • All specimens present obvious magnetodielectric response. • The maximum longitudinal magnetoelectric coupling coefficient α E33 is 11.49 V cm−1 Oe-1. The Mn 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 -PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 multiferroic fluids were prepared by the ball milling method, and the polarization intensities of PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 particles on the magnetoelectric coupling (ME) effect were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) results indicate that the pure phase Mn 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 and PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 particles (y = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1) were successfully prepared. When y = 0.5, the polarization intensity of PbZr y Ti 1- y O 3 particles reaches its maximum of 2.55 μC cm−2. At this time, the Mn 0.5 Zn 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 -PbZr y Ti 1-y O 3 multiferroic fluids possess a high dielectric constant of 4.6 and a saturation polarization intensity of 15.69 nC cm−2. After applying the magnetic field, it shows a better magnetodielectric response (56.12 %), while the ferroelectric properties are also significantly improved. When the polarization intensity reaches its maximum value, the maximum longitudinal magnetoelectric coupling coefficient α E33 is 11.49 V cm−1 Oe-1. It provides a new approach to achieving the strong magnetoelectric coupling effect in multiferroic fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mikania micrantha is a perennial liana of the genus Mikania of the Asteraceae family. It is a commonly used medicine in South America for treating fever, malaria, dysentery, snake bites, etc. Because of its strong adaptability and ability to inhibit the growth of its associated plants, Mikania micrantha is considered an invasive species in China and is known as a plant killer. Preliminary studies have shown that Mikania micrantha has an antipruritic effect, but the antipruritic active substance is not yet clear. In this study, a 4-aminopyridine-induced itching model in mice was used to determine the antipruritic effects of petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol extraction site, and Mikania micrantha volatile oil. GC–MS was used to analyze the components of the antipruritic fractions, combined with mice itch-causing models to study the antipruritic effects of β-caryophyllene and humulene. The safety of β-caryophyllene was preliminarily evaluated through the acute toxicity test of mice skin. The ethyl acetate and volatile oil of Mikania micrantha have apparent antipruritic effects. Humulene and β-caryophyllene have a quantitative-effective relationship to inhibit itching in mice. The acute toxicity test of mouse skin showed that β-caryophyllene has no acute toxicity. This study indicated that the main antipruritic active ingredients of Mikania micrantha are β-caryophyllene and humulene. [Display omitted] • The antipruritic active ingredient of Mikania micrantha is screened. • The new medicinal value of Mikania micrantha is obtained. • Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer is used to screen the active ingredients. • 4-aminopyridine induces itching in mice as an animal model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]