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This paper experimentally investigated the heat transfer performance of two internal helically finned tubes covering low Reynolds number in turbulent flow. A water-ethylene glycol mixture flowed inside and R134a boiled outside. The numbers of fin, the helix angles, and the ratios of fin height to diameter for the two test tubes were 38 and 60, 60° and 45°, and 0.0534 and 0.0222, respectively. The experimental Reynolds number was lower to 5400, covering the critical Reynolds number Recr for turbulent flow. The data was divided into good and poor linearity regions by the modified Wilson plot method, which was much suitable for this case than that the data was treated as one region. The j factors showed ascending trend for Re below Recr and descending trend for Re above Recr. Enhancement factors of friction factor or j factor of the test tubes increased with increasing Reynolds number and eventually approached at the maximum for the Reynolds number above Recr. The test tubes exhibited maximum efficiency indexes of 2.1 and 1.88, indicating superior overall performance compared to the majority of existing tubes. By utilizing the experimental data, a correlation was established basing on the critical Reynolds number, resulting in over 96% of the predicted errors falling within the range of ± 8%. This study has the potential to provide valuable insights for industrial implementation and the advancement of general correlation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asia has a dry climate, scarce water resources, extremely fragile ecosystems, and frequent extreme precipitation events. Using the data of 22 global climate models in the CMIP6 plan, the trend of the extreme precipitation index under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) was estimated by calculating eight extreme precipitation indices in Central Asia and optimizing the best multi-model set using the Taylor evaluation and comprehensive score. The results showed that in Central Asia, the CMIP6 mode and multi-mode collection can reasonably reproduce the regional differences of various severe precipitation indices. However, these results only performed well for consecutive dry days (CDD) and annual total precipitation (PRCPTOT), but poorly for the replication of extreme high- and low-value regions. We found that the simulation effect of the multi-mode ensemble results was better than that of a single mode, and that CMIP6 can roughly depict the evolving characteristics of extreme precipitation events. However, the CMIP6 data performed poorly in terms of spatial divergence ability characteristics. According to the estimated results, mountainous regions have experienced considerable changes, and a significant increase in the range of change was observed for severe precipitation (consecutive wet days (CWD), single day maximum precipitation (Rx1day), and PRCPTOT) in wet and dry regions during the twenty-first century. Simultaneously, the humidification trend accelerated after 2050, and four shared socioeconomic paths showed similar trends; however, the extreme precipitation rate was higher under the high forcing path. Consecutive dry days (CDD) in Central Asia decreased by 90% under SSP5-8.5 relative to SSP1-2.6, whereas CWD, Rx1day, and PRCPTOT increased by 20%, 150%, and 118%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructures and mechanical properties of a γ′-strengthened nickel-based superalloy, GH4099, produced by laser powder bed fusion, at room temperature and 900 °C are investigated, followed by three various heat treatments. The as-built (AB) alloy consists of cellular/dendrite substructures within columnar grains aligning in <100> crystal orientation. No γ′ phase is observed in the AB sample due to the relatively low content of Al +Ti. Following the standard solid solution treatment, the molten pool boundaries and cellular/dendrite substructures disappear, whilst the columnar grains remain. The transformation of columnar grains to equiaxed grains occurs through the primary solid solution treatment due to the recovery and recrystallization process. After aging at 850 °C for 480 min, the carbides in the three samples distributed at grain boundaries and within grains and the spherical γ′ phase whose size is about 43 nm ± 16 nm develop in the standard solid solution + aging and primary solid solution + aging samples (SA and PA samples) while the bimodal size of cubic (181 nm ± 85 nm) and spherical (43 nm ± 16 nm) γ′ precipitates is presented in the primary solid solution + secondary solid solution + aging sample (PSA samples). The uniaxial tensile tests are carried out at room temperature (RT) and 900 °C. The AB sample has the best RT ductility (~51% of elongation and ~67% of area reduction). Following the three heat treatments, the samples all acquire excellent RT tensile properties (>750 MPa of yield strengths and >32% of elongations). However, clear ductility dips and intergranular fracture modes occur during the 900 °C tensile tests, which could be related to carbide distribution and a change in the deformation mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a Finite Element (FE) model of locally strengthened high-strength stainless-steel tube subjected to lateral impact loads is established using LS-DYNA to investigate its dynamic behaviours. The accuracy of the FE results is verified by comparing with the test results. The impact force, bending moment, stress and strain responses as well as the internal energy dissipation histories of the strengthened tube are analysed during the entire impact process. The results indicate that the impact resistance of the strengthened tube is obviously enhanced as compared to hollow stainless-steel tube. Furthermore, parametric studies are conducted to reveal the influence of axial compressive force, impact position, impact velocity and material strength on the impact behaviour of the strengthened tube. The results show that the application of axial compressive force reduced the impact force and increased the deformations of the strengthened tube. The impact resistance of the strengthened tube performed an increasing trend when moving the impact position towards the support and increasing the material strength. In addition, the increase of impact velocity significantly reduced the impact duration. Finally, design recommendations and process were proposed to facilitate the application of locally strengthened tube. • The impact response of locally strengthened stainless-steel tube was numerically studied. • The impact force, bending moment, stress and strain response and energy dissipation were analysed. • Concrete was found to dissipate more impact energy than the other parts. • The effects of variant parameters on impact performances of the strengthened tubes were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) is involved in the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the specific regulatory role needs further exploration. This study showed that the expression of NEAT1 was upregulated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood of patients with different stages of PD. 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP)-treated PC 12 cells were transfected with si-NEAT1, and MPP treatment promoted cell apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammatory factor secretion. Si-NEAT1 reversed the effects of MPP. NEAT1 silencing eliminated the effect of MPP on the protein expression levels of LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1. By using an online bioinformatics database, Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) was confirmed to be an RNA binding protein of NEAT1, and it was highly expressed in the CSF and peripheral blood of patients with PD. Si-FUS was transfected into MPP-treated PC 12 cells to detect cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammatory factor secretion and autophagy, and the results were the same as those of transfection of si-NEAT1. Furthermore, MPP treatment reduced the phosphorylation levels of PI3K, Akt and mTOR, whereas si-FUS reversed the effects of MPP. In vivo , compared with the model group, the PD mice showed reduced NEAT1 and FUS expression levels and activated PI3K pathway after being injected with si-NEAT1. The brain tissue of NEAT1-silenced PD mice had decreased inflammatory infiltration and apoptosis and increased neurological scores. In conclusion, NEAT1 is involved in PD progression through FUS-mediated inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. • LncRNA NEAT1 promotes PD progression. • FUS is an RNA binding protein of NEAT1. • NEAT1 promotes FUS expression. • NEAT1 inhibits PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel 3D N-doped carbon microspheres supported NiMo bimetallic catalyst was constructed. • Ni metal was uniformly dispersed with fine nanoparticles size (about 5.7 nm). • Synergistic effect of Ni, NiN x and MoO x sites endowed excellent nitrobenzene hydrogenation performance of the catalyst. • The catalyst showed a robust stability for no less than 6 cycles. • The catalyst exhibited outstanding universality for the hydrogenation of substituted nitroarenes. Reasonable modification of Ni-based catalysts is crucial for improving their catalytic activity in the nitroarenes hydrogenation but remaining a major challenge. Herein, a MoO x -promoted Ni-based bimetallic catalyst with fine Ni nanoparticles (only about 5.7 nm) anchored on N-doped carbon microspheres (NiMo 1 @NC-500) was prepared for the first time by a simple one-pot hydrothermal strategy and exhibits excellent catalytic activity for the probe reaction of nitrobenzene hydrogenation. The characterization and DFT calculations results elucidated that Ni and MoO 2 sites promoted the activation and adsorption of H 2 ; while the NiN x sites significantly enhanced the adsorption of the reaction substrate nitrobenzene. This synergistic adsorption mode endowed the catalyst with excellent nitrobenzene hydrogenation performance under mild conditions (80 °C, 1 MPa H 2 , 3 h). Moreover, the as-prepared catalyst exhibited robust stability for no less than 6 cycles and outstanding generality for the hydrogenation of other substituted nitroarenes, which provide a profound insight for the preparation of efficient and economical catalysts for the reduction of nitroarenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel itaconic acid-derived green hyperbranched macromers with polymerizable C=C bonds both in the internal skeleton and periphery were synthesized under mild synthetic conditions. The addition of hyperbranched polymers can make the cured cross-linked network denser and more uniform, and thus, leading to a significant improvement in performance of the coatings. [Display omitted] • Novel itaconic acid-based hyperbranched macromers with C = C bonds both in framework and periphery were designed and synthesized. • Esterification was catalyzed by tetramethylguanidine under mild reaction conditions with simple operations. • The new hyperbranched macromers can effectively promote the photopolymerization performance. • Addition of the hyperbranched macromers leads to a significant improvement in the performance of coatings. A series of hyperbranched polymers derived from biomass itaconic acid was prepared via aliphatic nucleophilic substitution polycondensation reaction under mild conditions by using bis(2-bromoethyl) itaconate and trimeric acid as A 2 and B 3 monomers, respectively, and tetramethylguanidine as catalyst. On this basis, the hyperbranched macromers that contained C = C double bonds in the internal skeleton and the periphery were obtained by further adding A 1 monomer (2-bromoethyl acrylate) directly into the reaction system. The successful synthesis of these macromers were confirmed via proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared and gel permeation chromatography. The results of photo-differential scanning calorimetry and rheological experiments showed that these macromers exerted a positive effect on the ultraviolet (UV) curing of commercial resin. The properties of cured splines and coatings, such as mechanical properties, pencil hardness, and thermal stability, were considerably improved with the addition of hyperbranched macromers. They were significantly better than those of linear macromers and macromers that contained polymerizable groups only in the inner framework or their terminal units. The results show that both the inner and terminal C = C double bonds of hyperbranched macromers can participate in UV cross-linking. Thus, such macromers may be used as potential additives for high-performance UV curable coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five novel iodonium salts (acceptors) and two amines (donors) can effectively form CTCs for photochemical/thermal initiators for single/two-photon photopolymerization. [Display omitted] • Iodonium salts and amines can effectively form CTC as novel long wavelength photoinitiators. • The newly photoinitiators are highly sensitive to UV–Vis LEDs @395–425 nm. • The optimized CTC can initiate radical polymerization as well as two-photon polymerization. • CTC have good performance as PIs and application prospects in the single/two-photon photopolymerization. Charge transfer complexes (CTCs), as a new type of photoinitiator system, exhibit excellent initiating abilities and are widely used in free radical polymerization. The reason is that it has safe photo or photo/thermal or dual initiator properties, which cannot be achieved by classical initiators. Thus, five novel iodonium salts (acceptors) and two amines (donors) capable of initiating thermal and photochemical polymerizations were investigated. The formations of the CTCs were assessed through their UV–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectra. The theoretical model study also attempted to show the relationship among the structure, reactivity, and efficiency of CTCs. Further explanation of the cause of this mechanism was provided by 1H NMR. The UV–vis photoinitiation ability of radical photopolymerization was also studied by real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and photo-DSC under LED@395–425 nm. The application of the newly developed initiating system in laser direct writing experiments at two-photon polymerization (780 nm) shows excellent spatial resolution performance. Such characteristic demonstrates that potential versatility can be applied in single/two-photon polymerization to manufacture high-precision materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new locally-strengthened method was developed for steel tube. • Impact tests were conducted on the locally-strengthened steel tube. • The failure mode, impact force, displacement and energy absorption were studied. • Analytical model was proposed to predict impact force and displacement responses. This paper proposes a novel stainless-steel tube locally strengthened by a concrete-filled steel tube to resist impact loads. A drop hammer impact test system was used to determine the failure modes, impact forces, and displacement responses of the strengthened tubes under an impact load. The effects of the strengthening length and thickness of the concrete and outer steel tubes on the impact responses of the strengthened tubes were investigated. The impact resistance was found to improve with an increase in the thickness of the concrete and outer steel thickness. The test results also indicated that the strengthened tubes exhibited a flexural failure mode with a combination of local and global deformations. An analytical model for predicting the dynamic responses of the locally strengthened tubes was established based on an equivalent two-degree-of-freedom (TDOF) model. The analytically predicted results were compared with the experimental results, and the good consistency between these two results demonstrated the accuracy of the established analytical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaryliodonium salts play an important role as highly efficient photoinitiators in the field of photopolymerizations. They can rapidly photodecompose to produce free radicals and super acids; thus, can initiate highly efficient photocuring of acrylic and epoxy monomers and resins. However, the absorption of commercialized diphenyliodonium salts is poorly matched with popular LED light sources, and the participation of sensitizers is usually required to achieve efficient photoexcitation. Here, we synthesized five new phenyl biphenyl iodonium salts with different electron-pushing and electron-withdrawing substituents, e.g., methoxy and CN, at the biphenyl substituent. Our results demonstrate that all synthesized iodonium salts have strong absorption in the range (λ max = 258–352 nm; ε max = 21,300–29,900 M−1 cm−1). The photochemistry of these synthesized iodonium salt is strongly influenced by substituents on the biphenyl ring. All iodonium salts can undergo rapid photolysis under light excitation, with higher quantum yield of photoacid generation reaching 0.25 and can quickly initiate cationic photopolymerization of epoxy monomers. Furthermore, free radicals are generated during photolysis, which can successfully trigger free radical polymerization. These iodonium salts with good absorbance in the UVA band demonstrate their potential as excellent photoinitiators under 365–405 nm LED excitation. Five long-wavelength LED sensitive iodonium salts with different substituents were designed and synthesized as photoinitiators for the photopolymerization process. [Display omitted] • Five push–pull biphenyl–based iodonium salts were designed and synthesized. • The photophysical and photochemical properties of iodonium salts are strongly influenced by substituents on the biphenyl ring. • The optimized iodonium salts are highly sensitive to UV–Vis LEDs @365–405 nm. • The iodonium salts can effectively initiate cationic/radical photopolymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multilayer energy absorbing panel was proposed for impact resisting. • The deformation process and energy absorption behaviour were revealed. • Key parameters affecting responses of the energy absorbing panel were studied. • An analytical model was developed to calculate the displacement response. The enhancement of structural protection can be achieved by using energy absorbing structures as sacrificial layers. In this study, a new steel-PU foam-concrete-tube multilayer energy absorbing panel (SFCTMEAP) is developed to improve the impact resistance of buildings and infrastructures, and its behaviour under impact loading is numerically and analytically studied. A Finite Element (FE) model is established using LS-DYNA to further study the behaviours of SFCTMEAP, and its results (including the failure mode, displacement–time and impact force–time curves) agree well with the test data. The SFCTMEAP presents a deformation mode of local indentation of the front energy absorbing layer, flexure of the steel-concrete-steel panel and collapse of PU foam-filled steel tubes (PUFSTs). The energy dissipations of variant components of the SFCTMEAP are obtained through the FE model and the PUFSTs is the main energy absorbing component. In addition, parametric studies are performed to obtain the influences of the impact location, initial momentum of impactor and thickness of PU foam panel on the response of SFCTMEAP. The results indicates that the specimen with larger impact eccentric distance dissipates less impact energy, and raising the initial momentum of the impactor is benefit to the energy dissipation by the PUFSTs. Moreover, an analytical model is developed to calculate the displacement history of SFCTMEAP under the impact loading. The displacement responses predicted by the analytical model are found to be in good agreement with the test results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to utilize the monascus pigments (MPs) for the production of functional wheat noodles. The cooking properties, texture characteristics, and microstructure of dried noodles containing MPs were investigated. The underlying mechanisms of the impact of MPs on noodles were studied. After adding MPs, noodles' water absorption, broken rate, and cooking loss increased, while the optimal cooking time and textural characteristics were reduced. SEM demonstrated that MPs weakened the gluten network, leading to uneven exposure of starch to the network. Moreover, thermal qualities (endset temperature and enthalpies) increased while pasting characteristics (setback, peak, trough, and final) decreased after incorporating MPs with wheat flour. The short-range ordered structure (R 1047/1017 : 0.616 to 0.750 and R 994/1017 : 2.229 to 2.435) and the long-range ordered structure (crystallinity: 11.87%–13.59%) of starch showed an increase with the MPs addition. Additionally, MPs decreased the gluten's β-sheet and α-helix but increased the random coil. The structural alterations in the starch and protein of the noodles were correlated with textural properties. Therefore, noodles with 0.5%∼1.0% MPs exhibited acceptable qualities. This study provided references for the development of functional wheat-related products. [Display omitted] • Monascus pigments reduced the cooking and texture quality of wheat noodles. • Monascus pigments improved the ordered structure of wheat starch. • Monascus pigments altered the protein secondary structure of noodles. • Monascus pigments weakened the wheat gluten network. • Wheat noodles with 0.5%∼1.0% monascus pigments had acceptable qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the controllability of the pore structure of perforated cenospheres (PCs), this study utilized PCs with different etching concentrations for the internal curing of alkali-activated slag (AAS), aiming to achieve the optimal etching parameters for efficient internal curing. Three etching concentrations (0.3 M, 0.7 M, 1.0 M) were set to investigate the effects of water-filled PCs on the performance of internal curing of AAS mortars. The results indicated that the water released from the PCs delayed the hydration of AAS and maintained high internal relative humidity. The chemical shrinkage of AAS could be reduced. Water-filled PCs internal curing promoted the generation of hydration products around the PCs and increased their packing density, leading to a reduction in mesopores and a 12.7—27.7% increase in elastic modulus at 28 d. With the optimal etching concentration of 0.7 M, water-filled PCs significantly mitigate the autogenous shrinkage by 75.8% while enhancing the compressive strength of AAS mortars. • Three etching concentrations of perforated cenospheres (PCs) were investigated for the internal curing efficiency of AAS. • PCs internal curing increased the internal relative humidity and reduced the chemical shrinkage. • PCs internal curing enhanced the packing density and elastic modulus of hydration products. • The optimal 0.7 M etching concentration reduced autogenous shrinkage by 75.8% and enhanced compressive strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central Asia (CA) is one of the major sources of global dust aerosols. They pose a serious threat to regional climate change and environmental health and also make a significant contribution to the global dust load. However, there is still a gap in our understanding of dust transport in this region. Therefore, this study utilizes Cloud–Aerosol LiDAR with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data from 2007 to 2022 to depict the three-dimensional spatiotemporal distribution of dust aerosols over CA and to analyze their transport processes. In addition, the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) was employed to assist in monitoring the movement of typical dust events, and the trajectory model was utilized to simulate the forward and backward trajectories of a dust incident. Additionally, a random forest (RF) model was employed to rank the contributions of various environmental factors. The findings demonstrate that high extinction values (0.6 km−1) are mostly concentrated within the Tarim Basin of Xinjiang, China, maintaining high values up to 2 km in altitude, with a noticeable decrease as the altitude increases. The frequency of dust occurrences is especially pronounced in the spring and summer seasons, with dust frequencies in the Tarim Basin and the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts exceeding 80%, indicating significant seasonal and regional differences. The high values of dust optical depth (DOD) in CA are primarily concentrated in the summer, concurrent with the presence of a stable aerosol layer of dust in the atmosphere with a thickness of 0.62 km. Furthermore, dust from CA can traverse the Tianshan mountains via the westerlies, transporting it eastward. Additionally, skin temperature can mitigate regional air pollution. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic processes of dust in CA and provide scientific support for the development of regional climate regulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the clinical effects of a unilateral external fixator combined with bone transport and tibio-talar fusion in the treatment of severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures. Methods: The clinical data of 32 patients (22 men and 10 women) with severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures were retrospectively analyzed. Patients' age ranged from 26 to 62 (mean, 42 ± 9.5) years old. The types of fractures were distal tibia fracture (25 cases), distal tibia and fibula fracture (5 cases), and talus fracture (2 cases). All patients underwent treatment with unilateral external fixation combined with bone transport and tibio-talar fusion. 6 patients with severe infection received two-stage treatment involving focal debridement and external fixation, osteotomy, and bone transport. The remaining 26 patients underwent debridement, external fixation, and osteotomy simultaneously. The length of bone transport, total fixation time of the external fixator, and postoperative complications were recorded for all patients. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed using the American Association of Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle–hindfoot score. Results: Patients were followed up for 16–36 months, with an average follow-up time of 24 months. The length of tibia bone transport ranged from 5 to 15 cm, with a mean length of 8.5 cm. The external fixator was applied for 12–24 months, with an average duration of 16 months. One patient suffered from refracture at tibio-talar fusion site, and one patient had external fixation pin-tract infection. No complications, such as recurrent infections (especially the MRSA infection), poor mineralization, refracture, iatrogenic nerve damage or fusion failure, were found in the remaining patients. The preoperative AOFAS ankle–hindfoot function score was 40.0 ± 3.8 (range, 30–52) points, and it increased to 75.0 ± 3.0 (range, 67–78) points at the last follow-up. Conclusion: A unilateral external fixator combined with bone transport and tibio-talar fusion is an effective method for treating severe postoperative infection of peri-ankle fractures. This approach is capable of reconstructing large bone defects that remain after clearing the infected lesion. Additionally, it provides stability to the ankle, enhances ankle–hindfoot function, and improves the patient's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The small signal modeling, design, fabrication, and measurement about monolithic millimeter‐wave integrated circuit (MMIC) using gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier (PA) on silicon carbide (SiC) working at the E band are proposed in this paper. The two stage PA used customized 4 × 75 μm transistor with 100 nm T gate technology. The extraction and optimization of small signal model are based on single GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT)'s measurement. Balanced structure and new method are used by low impedance matching, which can simplify circuits prominently and benefit for die size reduction. Radial stub and LC stub are made the whole circuit in absolute stable status; the in‐series DC block metal–insulator–metal capacitor from the matching circuit ensure the process is within small tolerances. From the 61–66 GHz bandwidth, a peak 10.7 dB small signal gain is obtained from the designed MMIC GaN PA, and also, the maximum output power can reach 29.7 to 30.4 dBm from 61 to 66 GHz, with an associated the peak drain efficiency of 18.8%. The final die size without dicing slot is 3.0 × 1.74 mm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A speckle Ag-doped core–shell nanohybrids (Ag@CSNH) was developed as dual-mode probe. • A facile naked-eye and the fluorescence dual-mode immunosensor was developed. • The immunosensor was used for detection of OTA with LOD 0.9921 pg/mL. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a potent carcinogen, and is among the most dangerous mycotoxins in agricultural products. In this study, an ultrasensitive dual-mode immunosensor was developed for naked-eye and fluorescence detection of OTA based on Ag-doped core–shell nanohybrids (Ag@CSNH). Complete antigen-labeled Ag@CSNH (CA-Ag@CSNH) were used as a competitive bind and dual-mode probe. The diffused doping structure of CA-Ag@CSNH provided improved stability, color and fluorescence quencher performance. Antibodies modified magnetic beads were used as a capture probe. The competitive binding between OTA and CA-Ag@CSNH produced both color change and fluorescence quenching. Ultraviolet and fluorescence intensitie correlated linearly with OTA concentration ranges of 0.03–3 ng/mL and 10–10000 pg/mL, and limits of detection of 0.0235 ng/mL and 0.9921 pg/mL, respectively. The practical applicability of proposed strategy was demonstrated by analysis of OTA in spiked corn, soybean and flour samples. This study offers a new insight on multi-mode platforms for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have revealed the effect of locus of control on academic engagement and achievement motivation, but the role that achievement motivation plays in the relationship between the other two variables for Chinese adolescents has remained unclear. We conducted two studies to explore this issue. In Study 1 we used standardized scales to measure locus of control (Internal–External Control Scale), academic engagement (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale–Student), and achievement motivation (Achievement Motivation Scale) among 1,811 middle school students. In Study 2 we intervened in the participants' achievement motivation by way of group counseling to further check the effect on their academic engagement. We randomly recruited 64 students from the same school for control and experimental groups and constructed a relationship model among the three variables of locus of control, academic engagement, and achievement motivation. Results demonstrated that intervention in achievement motivation can effectively enhance the academic engagement of middle school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the impact resistance of sandwich panels under low-velocity impact, the lotus leaf vein is selected as a biological prototype to design a bio-inspired honeycomb (BIH) sandwich panel. ABAQUS is used to establish and effectively verify the finite element (FE) model of the BIH sandwich panel. To systematically compare and study the mechanical properties of BIH and conventional hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panels under low-velocity impact, the maximum displacement of face-sheets, the deformation mode, the plastic energy consumption and the dynamic response curve of the impact end are presented. At the same time, the performance differences between them are revealed from the perspective of an energy absorption mechanism. Furthermore, the influence of the circumscribed circle diameter ratio of the BIH trunk to branch (γ), the thickness ratio of the trunk to branch (K) and the impact angle (θ) on impact resistance is studied. Finally, the BIH sandwich panel is further optimized by using the response surface method. It can be concluded that, compared to conventional hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panels, the addition of walls in the BIH sandwich panel reduces the maximum deformation of the rear face-sheet by 10.29% and increases plastic energy consumption by 8.02%. Properly adjusting the structural parameters can effectively enhance the impact resistance of the BIH sandwich panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six novel carbazolyl double benzylidene ketones derivatives (CZs) with different electronic effect substituents distributed at the terminal and side positions of π-conjugated structures were designed and synthesized. As Norrish II photoinitiators, combined with MDEA, significant double bond conversions along with photobleaching and deep curing abilities of acrylates were achieved under visible light LEDs excitation. In addition, structurally stable 3D microarchitectures were rapidly constructed by two-photon polymerization under 780 nm fs laser. [Display omitted] • Novel N-carbazolyl double benzylidene ketones derivatives (CZs) were designed and synthesized. • CZs have substituents both on terminal and side positions of π-conjugated structures. • CZs shows excellent photoinitiating abilities in free radical polymerization under 405–475 nm LEDs irradiation. • Introduction of electron withdrawing F atom on side position endows impressive photobleaching properties and deep curing abilities. • Two-photon lithography of CZs in PETA exhibited considerable applications in 3D microfabrication technologies. Developing high-performance photoinitiation systems with high sensitivity is of great significance in one/two-photon polymerization. Especially, photoinitiators with rapid photobleaching effects, deep curing abilities and potential for two-photon lithography have great commercial prospects. However, such photoinitiators often require complex organic synthesis, thus having relatively limited varieties. Double benzylidene ketone is widely used as a high-performance dye and can be constructed through a one-step classical aldol condensation reaction. The optimization of its structure often involves introducing extended conjugated structures or different terminal substituents. However, the synergistic impacts of side substituents with different electron effects are rarely studied. Here, six novel carbazolyl double benzylidene ketones with tert -butyl on the terminal position and F atom or N , N -dimethylamino groups substituted at the side position on conjugated structures are designed and prepared to explore the structure–activity relationships. Notably, results show that introducing electron-donating groups at both positions can effectively induce a redshift in the absorption spectra of molecules, and the introduction of an electron-withdrawing F atom on the side position induces impressive photobleaching during photopolymerization under visible LED irradiation. Moreover, CZs/MDEA with PETA exhibit fast writing speed and excellent nano-patterning capability under 780 nm laser in two-photon polymerization (TPP) and have potential applications in 3D microfabrication technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pathological features of inflammatory pain are briefly described. • Optogenetics is an emerging tool for studying pain. • The fundamentals of optogenetics are considered. • The application s of optogenetic neuromodulation in inflammatory pain is summarized. Inflammatory pain is one of the most prevalent forms of pain and negatively influences the quality of life. Neuromodulation has been an expanding field of pain medicine and is accepted by patients who have failed to respond to several conservative treatments. Despite its effectiveness, neuromodulation still lacks clinically robust evidence on inflammatory pain management. Optogenetics, which controls particular neurons or brain circuits with high spatiotemporal accuracy, has recently been an emerging area for inflammatory pain management and studying its mechanism. This review considers the fundamentals of optogenetics, including using opsins, targeting gene expression, and wavelength-specific light delivery techniques. The recent evidence on application and development of optogenetic neuromodulation in inflammatory pain is also summarised. The current limitations and challenges restricting the progression and clinical transformation of optogenetics in pain are addressed. Optogenetic neuromodulation in inflammatory pain has many potential targets, and developing strategies enabling clinical application is a desirable therapeutic approach and outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) easily contaminates grain, oil, and their products, and is strongly carcinogenic. Therefore, rapid, efficient and sensitive detection of aflatoxin plays a key role in the food industry. Here, we prepared a lanthanide metal-organic framework termed Eu-TCPP, in which the ligand can effectively sensitize Eu3+ with excellent photoluminescence properties. It is worth mentioning that the fluorescence intensity of Eu-TCPP is at 617 nm, which can avoid the interferences of AFB1 self-fluorescence emitting in the range of 400 nm–500 nm. Eu-TCPP can efficiently detect AFB1 without using antibody or biomolecular modifications, exhibiting a rapid response of 60 seconds and a limit of detection (LOD) at 11.63 ppb. The Eu-TCPP sensor also has satisfactory performance for determining AFB1 sensitively in real oil samples. In addition, the mechanism of the excellent detection performance of Eu-TCPP has been investigated using density-functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with experimental analysis. The results show that the LUMO energy level of the ligand is higher than that of the aflatoxin, which causes the electrons transfer toward the targets, and results in the reduction of the fluorescence intensity. Therefore, our proposed Eu-MOF materials based on the "antenna effect" have great potential for the development of simple, fast, and sensitive small-molecule sensors, and offer a promising prospect in POCT applications. [Display omitted] • A novel Eu3+-based luminescent MOF (Eu-TCPP) was synthesized for aflatoxin sensing. • Eu-TCPP can selectively detect aflatoxin B1 without using antibody or biomolecular modifications. • Eu-TCPP showed rapid and efficient quenching response toward aflatoxin B1. • Eu-TCPP can avoid the interferences of aflatoxin B1 self-fluorescence. • The Eu-TCPP sensor was successfully applied to detect aflatoxin B1 in oil samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reward has been known to render the reward-associated stimulus more salient to block effective attentional orienting in space. However, whether and how reward influences goal-directed attention in time remains unclear. Here, we used a modified attentional cueing paradigm to explore the effect of reward on temporal attention, in which the valid targets were given a low monetary reward and invalid targets were given a high monetary reward. The results showed that the temporal cue validity effect was significantly smaller when the competitive reward structure was employed (Experiment 1), and we ruled out the possibility that the results were due to the practice effect (Experiment 2a) or a reward-promoting effect (Experiment 2b). When further strengthening the intensity of the reward from 1:10 to 1:100 (Experiment 3), we found a similar pattern of results to those in Experiment 1. These results suggest that reward information which was based on relative instead of absolute values can weaken, but not reverse, the orienting attention in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) showed promising potentials in structural protection against quasi-static and dynamic tension due to their superior tensile ductility. To facilitate its application as reinforcement layer of existing reinforced concrete structures, the thickness effect of ECC in terms of ultimate tensile strength and tensile strain capacity was experimentally investigated. The influence of the strain rate effect, the specimen thickness, and their coupling were examined and discussed in detail. It was found that ECC exhibited significant strain rate effect when subjected to uni-axial tension of strain rate ranging from 10−5 /s to 100 /s. Compared to those obtained from standard specimens under quasi-static loading, the ultimate tensile strength increased by 338%, and the tensile strain capacity decreased by 62%, respectively, under strain rate 100 /s. Particularly, the strain rate effect was observed more remarkable under relatively higher strain rates, i.e. from 10 /s to 100 /s. Moreover, subjected to a certain tensile loading rate, both the ultimate tensile strength and tensile strain capacity decreased with increasing specimen thickness. The degradation of strength was relatively slower under a higher strain rate, i.e. 50 /s and 100 /s, than under a lower strain rate. To facilitate the design of the ECC reinforcement layer, a formula was proposed capable of predicting the ECC ultimate tensile strength simultaneously considering both the strain rate effect and specimen thickness effect. • ECC exhibits significant strain rate effect under uni-axial dynamic tension. • Ultimate tensile strength and tensile strain capacity decrease with thickness. • The increased constraint in thickness direction degrades ECC tensile property. • Proposes a formula for ECC tensile strength considering strain rate and thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrophobicity nature of the waste carbon fiber felt (WCF) surface results in the formation of a weak interface with the paste during the curing process of WCF concrete, which seriously affects the performance of WCF concrete and the reuse of WCF. To address this problem, this paper utilized polydopamine (PDA) for the functionalization of WCF to enhance bonding between WCF and paste. The wettability, Ca2+ complexation, and functional groups of PDA coating on WCF were analyzed by contact angle, ICP-OES, and XPS, respectively. Additionally, the effects of incorporating PDA-functionalized WCF on the flowability, compressive strength, hydration kinetics, pore structure, water absorption capillary, and SEM of mortars were tested. Experimental results showed that the PDA coating improved the wettability of WCF and enhanced the flowability of WCF mortar. What's more, the PDA coating could chelate Ca2+ and promote the formation and deposition of hydration products on the WCF surface, resulting in a denser interfacial transition zone (ITZ). Compared with ordinary WCF mortar, the compressive strength of the PDA-modified WCF mortar was increased by 18% at 28d. Furthermore, the capillary water absorption of the modified group mortar was also decreased by up to 13%, significantly enhancing the durability of mortars. This paper presents a green and simple bio-inspired method to strengthen the ITZ between WCF and paste, which is fundamentally different from the traditional modification methods, and also offers a theoretical basis and technical foundation for the sustainable utilization of WCF. • Introducing hydroxyl and amino groups on WCF using PDA. • The contact angle of WCF was maximum decreased to 40.49°. • The interface gap of WCF/paste was enhanced owing to the chelation of PDA with Ca2+. • The compressive strength of WCF mortars modified by PDA was improved from 39.43 MPa to 46.52 MPa at 28d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance electrocatalyst for sustainable hydrogen production is a necessary prerequisite for rapid progress of hydrogen economy. The integration of multi-interfaces in binary-component heterostructures for robust HER electrocatalysts has been proved to be a feasible strategy for optimizing the electronic structure and H adsorption/desorption of active sites and facilitate their HER kinetic. Herein, a series of N-doped carbon coated binary-phase Ni/WC heterostructure (Ni/WC@C) were prepared by annealing a mixture of Ni-substituted POMs with serial atomic ratio of Ni:W (2:3, 4:9 and 1:11) and dicyandiamide. By virtue of abundant and homogeneously distributed dual-phase Ni/WC interface with high intrinsic activity, Ni 4 W 9 @C originated from the precursor with Ni:W atomic ratio of 4:9 delivers ultralow overpotential of 38 mV to reach the current density of 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slope of 43 mV/dec in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 electrolyte. This prominent performance can be achieved in all-pH eletrolytes. By virtue of the ultra-stable Ni/WC interfaces and the wrapping effect in N-doped carbon shell, Ni 4 W 9 @C shows robust electrochemical durability and structural stability in all acidic, neutral, and alkaline media. This work provides a potentially powerful interface engineering strategy for the design and performance improvement of multi-component HER electrocatalysts. • Ni/WC interfaces with optimal ΔG H* trigger the remarkable HER performance. • The abundant Ni/WC interfaces in heterostructures benefit its activity improvement. • Homogeneous Ni/W interfaces are constructed by applying definite POMs precursors. • Ni 4 W 9 @C delivers conspicuous HER activity in all pH electrolyte, comparable to Pt/C. • Benefited from stable dual-phase structure and wrapping effect of N-doped carbon shell, Ni 4 W 9 @C shows great durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]