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Increasing the urban tree cover percentage (TCP) is widely recognized as an efficient way to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The cooling efficiency of urban trees can be either enhanced or attenuated on hotter days, depending on the physiological response of urban trees to rising ambient temperature. However, the response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature remains poorly quantified for China's cities. In this study, we quantify the response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature at noontime [∼1330 LT (local time), LT=UTC+8] in 17 summers (June, July, and August) from 2003–19 in 70 economically developed cities of China based on satellite observations. The results show that urban trees have stronger cooling efficiency with increasing temperature, suggesting additional cooling benefits provided by urban trees on hotter days. The enhanced cooling efficiency values of urban trees range from 0.002 to 0.055°C %−1 per 1°C increase in temperature across the selected cities, with larger values for the low-TCP-level cities. The response is also regulated by background temperature and precipitation, as the additional cooling benefit tends to be larger in warmer and wetter cities at the same TCP level. The positive response of urban trees' cooling efficiency to rising urban temperature is explained mainly by the stronger evapotranspiration of urban trees on hotter days. These results have important implications for alleviating urban heat risk by utilizing urban trees, particularly considering that extreme hot days are becoming more frequent in cities under global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a subgraph G of a complete graph K n , the K n -complement of G, denoted by K n - G , is the graph obtained from K n - G by removing all the edges of G. In this paper, we express the number of spanning trees of the K n -complement K n - G of a bipartite graph G in terms of the determinant of the biadjcency matrices of all induced balanced bipartite subgraphs of G, which are nonsingular, and we derive formulas of the number of spanning trees of K n - G for various important classes of bipartite graphs G, some of which generalize some previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring multi-dimensional optical information, such as intensity, spectrum, polarization, and phase, can significantly enhance the performance of photodetectors. Incorporating these dimensions allows for improved image contrast, enhanced recognition capabilities, reduced interference, and better adaptation to complex environments. However, the challenge lies in obtaining these dimensions on a single photodetector. Here we propose a misaligned unipolar barrier photodetector based on van der Waals heterojunction to address this issue. This structure enables spectral detection by switching between two absorbing layers with different cut-off wavelengths for dual-band detection. For polarization detection, anisotropic semiconductors like black phosphorus and black arsenic phosphorus inherently possess polarization-detection capabilities without additional complex elements. By manipulating the crystal direction of these materials during heterojunction fabrication, the device becomes sensitive to incident light at different polarization angles. This research showcases the potential of the misaligned unipolar barrier photodetector in capturing multi-dimensional optical information, paving the way for next-generation photodetectors. Multi-dimensional detection of optical information with a single device enables energy- and area-efficient sensing capabilities. Here, the authors report dual-band infrared detectors based on misaligned 2D black phosphorus and black arsenic phosphorus, sensitive to light intensity, spectrum and polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid expansion of the mobile Internet has led to online social networks becoming an increasingly integral part of our daily lives, this offers a new perspective in the study of human behavior. Existing methods can not effectively monitor the real-time evolution of user interests based on the previous diffusion behavior of influence disseminators and to anticipate future diffusion behavior of users. In order to address these challenges, this study proposes a knowledge-infused deep learning-based event tracking model named DIEET (Diffusion and Interest Evolution behavior modeling for Event Tracking). This model accurately predicts the propagation and interest evolution behavior in event tracking by considering both propagation and interest evolution behavior. Specifically, the DIEET model incorporates the interval time, the number of times, the sequence interval time, and finally user preference for the event of interest, greatly improving the accuracy and efficiency of event evolution prediction. The experiments conducted on real Twitter datasets detail the proposed DIEET models' ability to greatly improve the tracking of the state of user interest alongside the popularity of event propagation, and DIEET also has superior prediction performance compared to state-of-the-art models in terms of identifying user dynamic interest. Therefore, the aforementioned model offers promising potential in the ability for predicting and tracking the evolution of user interest and event propagation behavior on online social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modulation of whole-cell activity presents a considerable challenge in biocatalysis. Conventional approaches to whole-cell catalysis, while having their strengths, often rely on complex and deliberate enzyme designs, which could result in difficulties in activity modulation and prolonged response times. Additionally, the activity of intracellular enzymes in whole-cell catalysis is influenced by temperature. To address these limitations, we introduced a relationally designed nanobiohybrid system that utilized light to modulate whole-cell catalysis for chiral alcohol production. By incorporating platinum nanoparticles onto Rhodotorula sp. cell surfaces, the nanobiohybrid capitalized on the photothermal properties of the nanoparticles to regulate the overall cell activity. When exposed to light, the Pt nanoparticles generate heat through the photothermal effect, consequently leading to an increase in the catalytic activity of the whole cells. This innovative approach facilitates control over whole-cell production and provides an efficient method for regulating biocatalytic processes. The findings of this study demonstrate the significant potential of switchable control strategies in biomanufacturing across a wide range of industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg), a potent neurotoxin posing risks to human health, is cycled through vegetation uptake, which is susceptible to climate change impacts. However, the extent and pattern of these impacts are largely unknown, obstructing predictions of Hg's fate in terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we evaluate the effects of climate change on vegetation elemental Hg [Hg(0)] uptake using a state-of-the-art global terrestrial Hg model (CLM5-Hg) that incorporates plant physiology. In a business-as-usual scenario, the terrestrial Hg(0) sink is predicted to decrease by 1870 Mg yr−1 in 2100, that is ~60% lower than the present-day condition. We find a potential decoupling between the trends of CO2 assimilation and Hg(0) uptake process by vegetation in the 21st century, caused by the decreased stomatal conductance with increasing CO2. This implies a substantial influx of Hg into aquatic ecosystems, posing an elevated threat that warrants consideration during the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Minamata Convention. The uptake of gaseous elementary mercury by terrestrial vegetation in 2100 is likely to decrease by more than half compared to present-day conditions. This decrease is caused by the reduced stomatal conductance associated with increasing CO2 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau vortices (TPVs) are mesoscale weather systems active at the near-surface of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), which are one of the major precipitation-producing systems over the TP and its surrounding areas. TPVs mainly occur in the warm season from May to September. In this paper, we investigated the interdecadal change of TPVs in the warm seasons of 1979–2020 with the six widely used reanalysis datasets. A significant change of the TPVs frequency appears around the mid-1990s, associated with less TPVs during 1979–1995 and more TPVs during 1996–2020, which is constant among the multiple reanalysis datasets. The abrupt change of TPVs is caused by a transition of the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) from a cold phase to a warm phase in the mid-1990s. The shift of AMO leads to a silk-road pattern-like wave train and a spatially asymmetric change of tropospheric temperature. It modifies the intensity of the subtropical westerly jet and the TP heating, leading to the interdecadal change of TPV activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vertebral augmentation, such as vertebroplasty (VP) or kyphoplasty (KP), has been utilized for decades to treat OVCFs; however, the precise impact of this procedure on reducing mortality risk remains a topic of controversy. This study aimed to explore the potential protective effects of vertebral augmentation on mortality in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) using a large-scale meta-analysis. Materials and methods: Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed and Web of Science databases were employed for literature exploration until May 2023. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized as a summary statistic via random-effect models. Statistical analysis was executed using Review Manager 5.3 software. Results: After rigorous screening, a total of five studies with substantial sample sizes were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. The total number of participants included in the study was an 2,421,178, comprising of 42,934 cases of vertebral augmentation and 1,991,244 instances of non-operative management. The surgical intervention was found to be significantly associated with an 18% reduction in the risk of mortality (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.78, 0.85). Subgroup analysis revealed a remarkable 71% reduction in mortality risk following surgical intervention during short-term follow-up (HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.26, 0.32). Furthermore, KP exhibited a superior and more credible decrease in the risk of mortality when compared to VP treatment. Conclusions: Based on a comprehensive analysis of large samples, vertebral augmentation has been shown to significantly reduce the mortality risk associated with OVCFs, particularly in the early stages following fractures. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that KP is more reliable and effective than VP in terms of mitigating mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Danlou tablet (Dan) is an effective traditional Chinese medicine for cardiac protection, although the underlying mechanism was not fully understood. In this study, we used a murine MI model and demonstrated that Dan administration effectively attenuated myocardial apoptosis, cardiac remodeling, and heart failure post MI. Dan increased CD31-positive capillaries in MI hearts, and reduced the apoptosis and oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells after oxygen–glucose deprivation stress, simultaneously with the activated HIF-1α/VEGFA/eNOS signaling. Moreover, inhibition of eNOS by L-NAME attenuated Dan-induced protection against MI, and abolished its effect in promoting angiogenesis and reducing endothelial apoptosis and oxidative stress. Collectively, Dan is beneficial to promote eNOS-dependent endothelial protection and angiogenesis thus protecting against MI. A deep understanding of Dan-induced protection might help promote clinical usage of Dan in MI treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a previous study, we proposed a novel anatomy-based five-settlement method for transaxillary endoscopic thyroidectomy (fs-TAT) for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. The safety of this new method has been reported in a retrospective study of a single cohort. The safety and short-term oncological outcome of this method was confirmed by comparing it with conventional open surgery (COT) in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Methods: The medical records of patients who underwent fs-TAT or COT by a single surgeon from February 2019 to December 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients were diagnosed with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma and underwent lobectomy and ipsilateral central compartment neck dissection. Propensity score matching was used to compare the technical safety and short-term oncologic outcomes of fs-TAT and COT for the purpose of reducing potential selection bias. Reporting was consistent with the STROCSS 2021 guidelines. Result: After propensity score matching, 460 (fs-TAT: 230; COT: 230) patients remained in the study population. There were no significant differences in sex, age, tumor size, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, or tumor multifocality between the groups. The operative time was longer [104.5 (90.3, 120.0) vs. 62.0 (52.0, 76.0), P < 0.001] and the total postoperative drainage volume [135(90, 210) vs. 75 (55, 115), P < 0.001] was greater in the fs-TAT group than in the COT group. However, intraoperative bleeding [3.0 (2.0, 5.0) vs. 5.0 (5.0, 7.5), P < 0.001] was greater, and the median number of lymph nodes yielded [5.0 (2.3, 8.0) vs. 7.0 (5.0, 11.0), P < 0.001] was greater in the COT group than in the fs-TAT group. The groups exhibited no significant difference in the rate of complications (fs-TAT: 2.2% vs. COT: 2.6%, P = 0.856), rate of positive lymph nodes (fs-TAT: 32.2% vs. COT: 36.5%, P = 0.377), length of postoperative hospital stay (3 days vs. 3 days, P = 0.305) or total medical costs (26,936 vs. 26,549, P = 0.144). Conclusion: Compared to conventional open surgery, fs-TAT offered excellent safety and acceptable short-term oncological outcomes in a selected cohort of patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Itinerant kagome lattice magnets exhibit many novel correlated and topological quantum electronic states with broken time-reversal symmetry. Superconductivity, however, has not been observed in this class of materials, presenting a roadblock in a promising path toward topological superconductivity. Here, we report that novel superconductivity can emerge at the interface of kagome Chern magnet TbMn6Sn6 and metal heterostructures when elemental metallic thin films are deposited on either the top (001) surface or the side surfaces. Superconductivity is also successfully induced and systematically studied by using various types of metallic tips on different TbMn6Sn6 surfaces in point-contact measurements. The anisotropy of the superconducting upper critical field suggests that the emergent superconductivity is quasi-two-dimensional. Remarkably, the interface superconductor couples to the magnetic order of the kagome metal and exhibits a hysteretic magnetoresistance in the superconducting states. Taking into account the spin-orbit coupling, the observed interface superconductivity can be a surprising and more realistic realization of the p-wave topological superconductors theoretically proposed for two-dimensional semiconductors proximity-coupled to s-wave superconductors and insulating ferromagnets. Our findings of robust superconductivity in topological-Chern-magnet/metal heterostructures offer a new direction for investigating spin-triplet pairing and topological superconductivity. The authors deposit non-superconducting metallic thin films on surfaces of the kagome Chern magnet TbMn6Sn6 and observe emergent superconductivity even though neither component is a superconductor. Furthermore, the superconducting state is quasi-two-dimensional and coexists with ferromagnetism, consistent with possible spin-triplet pairing and topological superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UT-Austin's Devine Fracture Pilot Site, 50 miles southwest of San Antonio, Texas, has been targeted for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary development of fracture diagnostic techniques that are cross-validated by ground-truth data acquisition near a recently created, 175-ft-deep, horizontal hydraulic fracture (Ahmadian et al. 2018 Demonstration of proof of concept of electromagnetic geophysical methods for high resolution illumination of induced fracture networks. In Proceedings of the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition, The Woodlands, Texas, USA, 23–25 January 2018. SPE-189858-MS.). To evaluate the fracture diagnostic methods at this site, we conducted injection tests with a predefined volumetric flow-rate profile, resembling a diagnostic fracture injection test on September 2020. Subsequently, we developed hydrogeological and geomechanical models based on flow-rate and bottomhole-pressure measurements. History-matching efforts using a simplified layer-cake hydrogeological model resulted in the field-scale formation permeability of 9.87 × 10–15 m2 (10 mD) and Darcy-scale fracture permeability. The analysis of the bottomhole pressure and injection-rate history showed that (1) the newly created horizontal fracture was closed adjacent to the injection well pre-injection and (2) the initial pump-pressure increase at a nominal volumetric injection rate led to near-well fracture reopening, fluid conductivity increase, and abrupt injection-rate increase. To overcome hydrogeological-model limitations of predicting fracture reopening throughout injection, we extended the modeling to a finite-element, poroelastic analysis of horizontal-fracture growth using a cohesive-zone model. Using this fracture-reopening model, we improved the history match of the transient-pressure response during the experiment by adjusting the hydromechanical properties. Post-injection pressure transient analyses helped reduce uncertainty in the overburden-stress gradient, and the initial hydraulic-fracturing simulation verified the plausibility of achieving the surveyed propped fracture area. Highlights: We proposed a procedure for developing a hydrogeological model to improve the history matching of the bottomhole pressure during a hydraulic-fracture reopening. We compared the outcomes of this hydrogeological model with a calibrated poroelastic model, showing the advantage of the later model for fracture reopening and re-closure. We suggest using a spatiotemporally variable fracture permeability obtained from a poroelastic model in a hydrogeological model to simulate fracture reopening. We estimated an almost similar overburden-stress gradient using G-function pressure transient analysis of post-shut-in bottomhole pressure data from two short and long injection tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have raised considerable interest in the past decades for both fundamental physics and low-dimensional nanodevice applications. Recently, intriguing phenomena of Ising superconductivity and quantum metallic state have been reported in two-dimensional (2D) 4Ha-TaSe2 nanodevices. Here, we report the magnetic field induced superconductor–metal transition (SMT) in mechanical exfoliated 4Ha-TaSe2 nanodevices with thickness down to 2.5 nm. We observe the quantum Griffiths singularity (QGS) of SMT in thin 4Ha-TaSe2 nanodevices by performing ultralow temperature transport measurements and activated scaling analysis. With increasing the thickness of TaSe2 nanodevice to 10.6 nm, the signature of magnetoresistance crossing region can hardly be detected, revealing the thickness dependence of SMT. In this procedure, the disorder strength plays a dominant role. This work enriches the platform for studying QGS and may stimulate further investigations on the correlation between different novel quantum phenomena in the same 2D superconducting system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding materials exhibiting superconductivity at room temperature has long been one of the ultimate goals in physics and material science. Recently, room-temperature superconducting properties have been claimed in a copper substituted lead phosphate apatite (Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O, or called LK-99) (Lee et al. in J. Korean Cryst. Growth Cryst. Technol. 33:61, 2023; Lee et al. in The first room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductor, 2023; Lee et al. in Superconductor Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O showing levitation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and mechanism, 2023). Using a similar approach, we have prepared LK-99 like samples and confirmed the half-levitation behaviors in some small specimens under the influence of a magnet at room temperature. To examine the magnetic properties of our samples, we have performed systematic magnetization measurements on the as-grown LK-99 like samples, including the half-levitated and non-levitated samples. The magnetization measurements show the coexistence of soft-ferromagnetic and diamagnetic signals in both half-levitated and non-levitated samples. The electrical transport measurements on the as-grown LK-99 like samples including both half-levitated and non-levitated samples show an insulating behavior characterized by the increasing resistivity with the decreasing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarizes the recent research progress on the post-processing techniques to improve the as-built metallic structure fabricated by additive manufacturing. The comprehensive comparison reveals that hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is the only one of few that can eliminate the internal porosity (< 0.01%) with high efficiency and availability. Traditional heat treatments (HTs) are still the best approach to improve or alter the microstructure for the overall bulk properties. Various surface post-processes are presented that are more flexible and cost-effective than common machining and polishing. Laser-based techniques are the most popular treatment for surface modification to induce compressive stress, remove the surface pores, reduce the surface roughness, or apply coatings for functionality. Other mechanical methods like shot peening (SP), laser shock peening (LSP), ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM), and abrasive-based treatments facilitate plastic deformation to impact surface beneficially for hardness, fatigue, or corrosion resistance. In addition, impact-type surface treatments (SP, LSP, and UNSM) are more effective on enhancing the mechanical properties due to greater energy imparted to the surface than abrasive-type treatments. Electrochemical polishing is capable to achieve the best surface smoothness ( R a < 0.1 μ m ), while friction stir processing shows the best effectiveness on homogenize the structure without significant grain growth at nanoscale. Advanced but costly surface techniques are only suitable to satisfy specific requirement and application of high value metallic component. By optimizing the process parameters and adopting in situ tools, the as-built structure can be enhanced with minimized necessity for post-processing. Overall, a complete solution of post-treatment includes HIP, HTs, surface modification, and/or special process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vessels with semi-closed tanks (i.e., well docks) are widely applied in the military operation and maritime engineering. The water is bound by the semi-closed floating tank and forced by both the incident waves and ship's motions. The free surface oscillations inside the flooded well dock is thus distinctive and very complicated. So far, the natural modes of semi-closed floating tanks have not yet been studied. This paper investigates the characteristics of natural modes of a floating semi-closed tank by combining a mode-resolving model based on mild-slope equations and a hydrodynamic model based on computational fluid dynamics. Results show that the first three natural periods (i.e., 74, 23.6, and 14 s) of the tank fall into the band of swell and infragravity waves and they could be triggered under certain circumstance. Multi-period free surface oscillations are observed inside the tank, including the longest natural period (i.e., 74 s), though the incident waves are monochromatic. A possible generation mechanism for the long-period mode is explained on the basis of liquid sloshing and harbor oscillations. Moreover, a long-period component with a period close to the natural mode of well dock is observed in the ship motions, which is generated by the interaction between the waves and ship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy has an established role in improving environmental quality and economic growth. However, the nexus between renewable energy, education, and employment have yet to be disclosed in detail. Therefore, our primary focus in this analysis is to investigate the impact of renewable energy investment and education on the employment level in China. The empirical analysis is based on the novel quantile autoregressive distributed lag (QARDL) technique that can measure the estimates across quantiles. From the estimates of the QARDL model, we confer that renewable energy investment and education significantly and positively impact the employment level in China in the long run. In short-run, renewable energy investment does not have any noticeable impact on the employment level, while the rise in the education level help increases the employment rate in China. Moreover, the long-term positive impact of economic growth and information and communications technology (ICT) is more pronounced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performing CO2 reduction in acidic conditions enables high single-pass CO2 conversion efficiency. However, a faster kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction compared to CO2 reduction limits the selectivity toward multicarbon products. Prior studies have shown that adsorbed hydroxide on the Cu surface promotes CO2 reduction in neutral and alkaline conditions. We posited that limited adsorbed hydroxide species in acidic CO2 reduction could contribute to a low selectivity to multicarbon products. Here we report an electrodeposited Cu catalyst that suppresses hydrogen formation and promotes selective CO2 reduction in acidic conditions. Using in situ time-resolved Raman spectroscopy, we show that a high concentration of CO and OH on the catalyst surface promotes C-C coupling, a finding that we correlate with evidence of increased CO residence time. The optimized electrodeposited Cu catalyst achieves a 60% faradaic efficiency for ethylene and 90% for multicarbon products. When deployed in a slim flow cell, the catalyst attains a 20% energy efficiency to ethylene, and 30% to multicarbon products. Performing CO2 reduction in acidic conditions enables high CO2 utilization. Here, the authors report an electrodeposited Cu catalyst which achieves a 60% faradaic efficiency for ethylene and 90% for multicarbon products–both records for acidic CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymes achieve high catalytic activity with their elaborate arrangements of amino acid residues in confined optimized spaces. Nevertheless, when exposed to complicated environmental implementation scenarios, including high acidity, organic solvent and high ionic strength, enzymes exhibit low operational stability and poor activity. Here, we report a metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based artificial enzyme system via second coordination sphere engineering to achieve high hydrolytic activity under mild conditions. Experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that amide cleavage catalyzed by MOFs follows two distinct catalytic mechanisms, Lewis acid- and hydrogen bonding-mediated hydrolytic processes. The hydrogen bond formed in the secondary coordination sphere exhibits 11-fold higher hydrolytic activity than the Lewis acidic zinc ions. The MOFs exhibit satisfactory degradation performance of toxins and high stability under extreme working conditions, including complicated fermentation broth and high ethanol environments, and display broad substrate specificity. These findings hold great promise for designing artificial enzymes for environmental remediation.Enzymatic degradation of pollutants under mild conditions is promising for efficient degradation of environmental contaminants under facile operation conditions, but natural enzymes tend to lose enzymatic activity in environmental application scenarios. Here, the authors report a metal-organic frameworks-based artificial enzyme system to achieve high hydrolytic activity under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 11 series of the iron chalcogenide has the simplest structure among all the iron-based superconductors, yet rather rich physical properties. In this way, the study on the 11 series has been one of the hottest topics in the iron-based superconductors. In this research, we have successfully synthesized Fe1-xNixS (x = 0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2) single crystals with P4/nmm using a hydrothermal method and self-flux method, and then studied their magnetic properties. Ni doping on FeS superconductor would suddenly suppress superconductivity. Meanwhile, it introduces a short-range antiferromagnetism and weak ferromagnetism, the coexistence of which induces an exchange bias. Our study further proves that superconductivity in 11 series is rather sensitive to the impurity on the Fe site, which is close to the short-range antiferromagnetism. Besides, their exchange bias would have potential application on information storage, spin valves, magnetic tunnel junction, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the biogeophysical effects of deforestation on average and extreme temperatures are broadly documented, how deforestation influences temperature variability remains largely unknown. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigate the biogeophysical effects of idealized deforestation on daily temperature variability at the global scale based on multiple earth system models and in situ observations. Here, we show that deforestation can intensify daily temperature variability (by up to 20%) in the northern extratropics, particularly in winter, leading to more frequent rapid extreme warming and cooling events. The higher temperature variability can be attributed to the enhanced near-surface horizontal temperature advection and simultaneously is partly offset by the lower variability in surface sensible heat flux. We also show responses of daily temperature variability to historical deforestation and future potential afforestation. This study reveals the overlooked effects of deforestation or afforestation on temperature variability and has implications for large-scale afforestation in northern extratropic countries.A new study finds that deforestation in the northern extratropics can enhance horizontal temperature advection through biogeophysical processes, leading to higher local daily temperature variability, particularly in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies proposed the two-band effect and the related type-1.5 superconductivity in ZrB12 single crystal. Here, by combining both macroscopic and microscopic measurements, the superconducting properties and the intricate vortex matter of ZrB12 are studied in detail. The vortex phase diagram is constructed, where the temperature dependence of the upper critical field can be well reproduced using a two-band Werthamer-Helfand-Hohenberg (WHH) model. A pronounced surface superconductivity is also found in the same temperature range, where the semi-Meissner state is observed. Both phenomena are attributed to the weakly coupled two-band effect. The direct visualization of the semi-Meissner state exhibits an inhomogeneous distribution of vortex clusters, vortex chains and large Meissner areas. With the increase of magnetic field, a transition from the semi-Meissner state to the mixed state is revealed and further supported by statistical analysis of the vortex pattern. Our results provide direct experimental evidence for the type-1.5 superconductivity in ZrB12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The combination of metal-catalyzed reactions and enzyme catalysis has been an essential tool for synthesizing chiral pharmaceutical intermediates in the field of drug synthesis. Metal catalysis commonly enables the highly efficient synthesis of molecular scaffolds under harsh organic conditions, whereas enzymes usually catalyze reactions in mild aqueous medium to obtain high selectivity. Since the incompatibility between metal and enzyme catalysis, there are limitations on the compatibility of reaction conditions that must be overcome. Findings: We report a chemoenzymatic cascade reaction involved Palladium (Pd) catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and whole-cell catalyzed C = O asymmetric reduction for enantioselective synthesis of value-added chiral alcohol. The cell membrane serves as a natural barrier can protect intracellular enzymes from organic solvents. Conclusions: With dual advantages of cascade catalysis and biocompatibility, our work provides a rational strategy to harvest chiral alcohols in high yield and excellent enantioselectivity, as a channel to establish chemoenzymatic catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are booming, the development of learning videos has become a crucial work. The designing of learning videos for learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) depends much on experience and lacks adequate theoretical guidance, which results in unsatisfactory learning outcomes. This study investigates the design of EFL learning videos from the perspective of social presence and proposes a few technology-incorporated design strategies, namely embedding instructor image, establishing visual social context and improving learner-video interactivity on both mental and operational levels. These strategies were adopted in the development of three EFL MOOCs. A quasi-experiment was conducted with the experimental group using videos from those MOOCs. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey measuring social presence, a group interview and a post-test. Results show that the experimental group perceived significantly higher social presence than the control group yet did not achieve better learning outcomes. Configuration of subtitles and arrangement of visual elements are considered as possible factors for not obtaining better learning outcomes, and suggestions are offered to improve the strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme—metal hybrid catalysts bridge the gap between enzymatic and heterogeneous catalysis, which is significant for expanding biocatalysis to a broader scope. Previous studies have demonstrated that the enzyme—metal hybrid catalysts exhibited considerably higher catalytic efficiency in cascade reactions, compared with that of the combination of separated enzyme and metal catalysts. However, the precise mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear. Here, we investigated the diffusion process in enzyme—metal hybrid catalysts using Pd/lipase-Pluronic conjugates and the combination of immobilized lipase (Novozyme 435) and Pd/C as models. With reference to experimental data in previous studies, the Weisz—Prater parameter and efficiency factor of internal diffusion were calculated to evaluate the internal diffusion limitations in these catalysts. Thereafter, a kinetic model was developed and fitted to describe the proximity effect in hybrid catalysts. Results indicated that the enhanced catalytic efficiency of hybrid catalysts may arise from the decreased internal diffusion limitation, size effect of Pd clusters and proximity of the enzyme and metal active sites, which provides a theoretical foundation for the rational design of enzyme-metal hybrid catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise and diet are treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and prediabetes, however, how exercise and diet interventions impact gut microbiota in patients is incompletely understood. We previously reported a 8.6-month, four-arm (Aerobic exercise, n = 29; Diet, n = 28; Aerobic exercise + Diet, n = 29; No intervention, n = 29) randomized, singe blinded (for researchers), and controlled intervention in patients with NAFLD and prediabetes to assess the effect of interventions on the primary outcomes of liver fat content and glucose metabolism. Here we report the third primary outcome of the trial—gut microbiota composition—in participants who completed the trial (22 in Aerobic exercise, 22 in Diet, 23 in Aerobic exercise + Diet, 18 in No Intervention). We show that combined aerobic exercise and diet intervention are associated with diversified and stabilized keystone taxa, while exercise and diet interventions alone increase network connectivity and robustness between taxa. No adverse effects were observed with the interventions. In addition, in exploratory ad-hoc analyses we find that not all subjects responded to the intervention in a similar manner, when using differentially altered gut microbe amplicon sequence variants abundance to classify the responders and low/non-responders. A personalized gut microbial network at baseline could predict the individual responses in liver fat to exercise intervention. Our findings suggest an avenue for developing personalized intervention strategies for treatment of NAFLD based on host-gut microbiome ecosystem interactions, however, future studies with large sample size are needed to validate these discoveries. The Trial Registration Number is ISRCTN 42622771. Exercise and diet interventions are treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here the authors report that in randomized, controlled trial in patients with NAFLD exercise and diet intervention were associated with diversified gut microbiome keystone taxa. Exploratory analysis suggests gut microbial network may be used to predict the individual liver fat response to exercise intervention, if validated in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchoring single metal atoms on enzymes has great potential to generate hybrid catalysts with high activity and selectivity for reactions that cannot be driven by traditional metal catalysts. Herein, we develop a photochemical method to construct a stable single-atom enzyme-metal complex by binding single metal atoms to the carbon radicals generated on an enzyme-polymer conjugate. The metal mass loading of Pd-anchored enzyme is up to 4.0% while maintaining the atomic dispersion of Pd. The cooperative catalysis between lipase-active site and single Pd atom accelerates alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reaction between 1-bromohexane and B-n-hexyl-9-BBN with high efficiency (TOF is 540 h−1), exceeding that of the traditional catalyst Pd(OAc)2 by a factor of 300 under ambient conditions. Single atom catalysts have been described for efficient and selective metal catalysis, while enzymes have been known for their recognition and binding. In this manuscript, the authors develop a photochemical method to combine the two platforms in one, and demonstrate it by anchoring Pd atoms on Candida Antarctic lipase B, for highly efficient alkyl-alkyl cross-coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, the structure, magnetic properties, and cryogenic magnetocaloric effect of weberite-type oxides Gd3MO7 (M = Nb, Sb, and Ta) are reported through powder X-ray diffraction, bulk susceptibility, and heat capacity measurements, as well as scaling law analysis and a mean-field approach. A remarkably large isothermal magnetic entropy change of 354.0 mJ K−1 cm−3 is observed for Gd3SbO7 under an external field of 9 T at 2.0 K. The relative cooling power is estimated to be 618.9 J kg−1 (4.8 J cm−3) for an applied field of 8.9 T, with the largest adiabatic temperature change being 22.4 K at 6.3 K. The magnetocaloric performance of these oxides is quite impressive when compared with the benchmark magnetic refrigerant, gadolinium gallium garnet (Gd3Ga5O12, GGG). Therefore, Gd3MO7 (M = Nb, Sb, and Ta) are promising alternatives for cryogenic cooling techniques, especially for the magnetic liquefaction of helium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homo sapiens was present in northern Asia by around 40,000 years ago, having replaced archaic populations across Eurasia after episodes of earlier population expansions and interbreeding1–4. Cultural adaptations of the last Neanderthals, the Denisovans and the incoming populations of H. sapiens into Asia remain unknown1,5–7. Here we describe Xiamabei, a well-preserved, approximately 40,000-year-old archaeological site in northern China, which includes the earliest known ochre-processing feature in east Asia, a distinctive miniaturized lithic assemblage with bladelet-like tools bearing traces of hafting, and a bone tool. The cultural assembly of traits at Xiamabei is unique for Eastern Asia and does not correspond with those found at other archaeological site assemblages inhabited by archaic populations or those generally associated with the expansion of H. sapiens, such as the Initial Upper Palaeolithic8–10. The record of northern Asia supports a process of technological innovations and cultural diversification emerging in a period of hominin hybridization and admixture2,3,6,11.A cultural assembly of traits at a 40,000-year-old archaeological site at Xiamabei, China supports a model of repeated early human expansions, cultural exchange and innovation in east Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper analogue of Prussian blue incorporated multienzyme system was successfully established via a biomimetic mineralization process, whereas CPB with peroxidase-like activity provided protecting effect for encapsulated glucose oxidase from attack in hostile conditions. The hybrid composite was developed as a colorimetric biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of glucose, with a low detection limit (0.48 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vital role of insulin resistance (IR) in the pathogenesis of isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) has been expounded at the theoretical level. However, research on the correlation between some specific IR indicators and ISH is still rare, especially at different glycemic statuses. We conducted this study to explore the association between three IR indicators and ISH among young and middle-aged adults with normal fasting plasma glucose (NFG). This large cross-sectional study included 8246 young and middle-aged men with NFG and diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg. The homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) index, triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, and the metabolic score for IR (METS-IR) were calculated with the corresponding formula. The proportions of ISH among young and middle-aged men were 6.7% and 4.4%, respectively. After fully adjusting, only HOMA-IR rather than TyG and METS-IR was significantly associated with ISH. Moreover, fully adjusted smooth curve fitting showed that the association between HOMA-IR and ISH were approximately linear in both two age groups (P for non-linearity were 0.047 and 0.430 in young and middle-aged men, respectively). Among young and middle-aged men with NFG, using HOMA-IR instead of noninsulin-dependent IR indicators may have advantages in the hierarchical management of ISH. Further longitudinal research may be needed to determine their potential causal relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The latest European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Lung Cancer 29 (QLQ-LC29) has been translated and validated in several languages but not yet in simplified Chinese. This study aimed to translate this questionnaire into simplified Chinese and adapt it for use in Chinese patients with lung cancer. Methods: The translation and adaptation process followed the EORTC translation procedure, and consisted of eight steps, namely, translation preparation, forward translations, reconciled translation, back translations, a back translation report, proofreading, pilot testing, and finalisation. The pilot testing included 10 patients with lung cancer. Results: We obtained the permission to perform the EORTC QLQ-LC29 translation work on November 17, 2020. Thereafter, it took 3 weeks to complete the forward translations, reconciled translation, and back translations. After several rounds of discussion with the EORTC Translation Unit, 19 items used the existing translations from the EORTC Item Library (a database of EORTC questionnaire items and their translations), and 10 items were translated from scratch. The 10 patients included in the pilot testing phase had a median age of 64 years (range 31–69 years); five were male, five had an educational level of high school or above, and six had undergone surgery. Eight items received comments from patients (six items by one patient alone and the other two items by three patients). No patients commented on the instructions or the format used for responses. After discussion with the EORTC Translation Unit, we modified the Chinese wording in item 50 to ensure that the meaning of "lifeless" was clear. No changes were made to the remaining items. Conclusions: The simplified Chinese version of the EORTC QLQ-LC29 is now available on the EORTC website. This translation may contribute to the application of the EORTC QLQ-LC29 scale in both research and clinical practice in the Chinese population with lung cancer. Further evaluation of the psychometric properties of the translated EORTC QLQ-LC29 is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface processes are vital to the performance of regional climate models in dynamic downscaling application. In this study, we investigate the sensitivity of the simulation by using the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model at 10-km resolution to the land surface schemes over Central Asia. The WRF model was run for 19 summers from 2000 to 2018 configured with four different land surface schemes including CLM4, Noah-MP, Pleim-Xiu and SSiB, hereafter referred as Exp-CLM4, Exp-Noah-MP, Exp-PX and Exp-SSiB respectively. The initial and boundary conditions for the WRF model simulations were provided by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Final (NCEP-FNL) Operational Global Analysis data. The ERA-Interim reanalysis (ERAI), the GHCN-CAMS and the CRU gridded data were used to comprehensively evaluate the WRF simulations. Compared with the reanalysis and observational data, the WRF model can reasonably reproduce the spatial patterns of summer mean 2-m temperature, precipitation, and large- scale atmospheric circulation. The simulations, however, are sensitive to the option of land surface scheme. The performance of Exp-CLM4 and Exp-SSiB are better than that of Exp-Noah-MP and Exp-PX assessed by Multivariable Integrated Evaluation (MVIE) method. To comprehensively understand the dynamic and physical mechanisms for the WRF model's sensitivity to land surface schemes, the differences in the surface energy balance between Ave-CLM4-SSiB (the ensemble average of Exp-CLM4 and Exp-SSiB) and Ave-NoanMP-PX (the ensemble average of Exp-Noah-MP and Exp-PX) are analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that the sensible and latent heat fluxes are respectively lower by 30.42 W·m−2 and higher by 14.86 W·m−2 in Ave-CLM4-SSiB than that in Ave-NoahMP-PX. As a result, large differences in geopotential height occur over the simulation domain. The simulated wind fields are subsequently influenced by the geostrophic adjustment process, thus the simulations of 2-m temperature, surface skin temperature and precipitation are respectively lower by about 2.08 ℃, 2.23 ℃ and 18.56 mm·month−1 in Ave-CLM4-SSiB than that in Ave-NoahMP-PX over Central Asia continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have investigated the annealing effects on FeTe0.55Se0.45 single crystals in S and Te atmospheres. FeTe0.55Se0.45 single crystals were prepared by self-flux method. The as-grown sample shows a rather broad superconducting transition temperature around 6 K and low superconducting volume fraction, which is due to the relatively low proportion of superconducting phase. After being annealed in different vapor atmospheres, their superconducting properties, such as superconducting transition temperature, critical current density Jc, and superconducting volume fraction, could be greatly improved. All experimental results suggest that the bulk superconductivity of FeTe0.55Se0.45 single crystals can be obtained after annealing and thus present another option to remove the excess Fe, which paves the way for further practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anguillid herpesvirus 1 (AngHV) is one of the vital pathogenic agents found in the wild and cultured eel populations, which has brought significant losses to eel culture industry in China. In this study, AngHV ORF95 was characterized. Bioinformatics analysis showed that ORF95 putatively encodes a structural protein that is homologous to hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) protein of infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV). Temporal transcription and expression analysis indicated that ORF95 is a viral late gene. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that ORF95 was predominantly localized in the cytoplasm. Further, western blot analysis indicated that ORF95 is a structural protein of virion envelope. These results provide a novel basis to make further efforts to clarify the function of ORF95 in the process of AngHV infection and the possibility to use ORF95 as antigen to develop AngHV subunit vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we introduce the concept of high-entropy into high-temperature superconductors and report the successful synthesis of a series of high-entropy oxides, REBa2Cu3O7-δ (REBCO), with superconducting critical temperature (Tc) around 92 K. The superconductivity transition temperatures of these compounds are very close to that of the parent superconductor, YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO). The temperatures of the zero-resistance appearing (Tczero), the critical current density (Jc) calculated from the hysteresis loop, and the irreversible fields (Hirr) of REBCO are not improved compared to that of YBCO. Our results indicate that the introduction of high-entropy elements with strong magnetic moments at RE site does not affect Tc, but may decrease other superconducting properties such as Jc, Tczero, and Hirr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials have received significant attention owing to their unique crystal structures as well as outstanding optical and electric properties in photoelectric detection. However, most 2D materials are very sensitive to the environment. Adsorbates and traps introduced during the preparation process have a negative effect on the performance of devices based on these materials. Here, we focus on a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) phototransistor gated by ferroelectrics, and insert a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) layer between MoS2 and the ferroelectric film to improve the interface. To clarify the role of h-BN in this device, two parallel devices are prepared on the same MoS2 flake. One device is covered with h-BN, while the other is in direct contact with the ferroelectric film. The electronic and optoelectronic properties of these two devices are then measured and compared. Experimental results reveal that, compared to device without h-BN, the MoS2 phototransistor with h-BN exhibits higher carrier mobility (average value: 85 cm2·V−1·s−1 and highest value: 185 cm2·V−1·s−1), larger responsivity (85 A·W−1), and larger detectivity (1.76 × 1013 Jones). Thus, this strategy is significant for the interface engineering and performance improvement of devices based on 2D materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the connection with the genus of the corresponding link and its application on DNA polyhedral links, in this paper, we introduce a parameter smax(G), which is the maximum number of circles of states of the link diagram D(G) corresponding to a plane (positive) graph G. We show that smax(G) does not depend on the embedding of G and if G is a 4-edge-connected plane graph then smax(G) is equal to the number of faces of G, which cover the results of S. Y. Liu and H. P. Zhang as special cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines were widely used since 1940s. The exceptional success of childhood vaccination is undisputed. However, the anti-diphtheria and tetanus antibody will decrease with the increase of age in human body. A boosting vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria in adult is recommended by WHO. Recombinant protein vaccine has the advantages of single component and high safety, which is one of the directions to develop boosting vaccines. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated a recombinant TTc and CRM197 combination vaccine (RTCV) that uses the fragment C (TTc) of tetanus toxin and the cross-reacting material 197 (CRM197) of the diphtheria toxin mutant. Our results displayed that RTCV (composed of 10 μg/mL TTc, 20 μg/mL CRM197 antigens, and 500 μg/mL aluminum adjuvants) could induce high levels of IgG and IgG1 antibody in mice, which were similar as those induced by DTaP. These results will provide technical support for a novel boosting vaccine against diphtheria and tetanus. Key points: • We successfully expressed CRM197 protein in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using pET26b (+) vector. • The anti-TTc and anti-CRM197 antibody titer (IgG) of RTCV was similar with DTaP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Log-periodic quantum oscillations discovered in transition-metal pentatelluride give a clear demonstration of discrete scale invariance (DSI) in solid-state materials. The peculiar phenomenon is convincingly interpreted as the presence of two-body quasi-bound states in a Coulomb potential. However, the modifications of the Coulomb interactions in many-body systems having a Dirac-like spectrum are not fully understood. Here, we report the observation of tunable log-periodic oscillations and DSI in ZrTe5 and HfTe5 flakes. By reducing the flakes thickness, the characteristic scale factor is tuned to a much smaller value due to the reduction of the vacuum polarization effect. The decreasing of the scale factor demonstrates the many-body effect on the DSI, which has rarely been discussed hitherto. Furthermore, the cut-offs of oscillations are quantitatively explained by considering the Thomas-Fermi screening effect. Our work clarifies the many-body effect on DSI and paves a way to tune the DSI in quantum materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing morbidity and mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has become one of the major causes of human death, leading to heavy burdens to individuals, families and society. Previous researches have found that though large amount of resources and great effort were devoted, no significant improvements were achieved in reducing the in-hospital mortality of AMI patients. Meanwhile, extensive studies about Chinese medicine (CM) have found that CM has special advantages in treating AMI patients. However, there is no standardized and unified clinical practice guideline (CPG) of CM for AMI. Therefore, a CPG with strict standard and generally acknowledgement is urgent to be established. This guideline was developed following the methodological process established by the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development. Extensive search on clinical evidences including systematic review (SR), randomized controlled trial (RCT), observational study and case reports was launched, covering evidence of CM for AMI on several aspects, such as diagnosis, CM patterns, CM interventions on AMI and complications, cardiac rehabilitation and clinical pathway management. Besides, the application of Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach enabled the evaluation of evidence and formulation of grade of recommendation (GOR) and level of evidence (LOE). With the help of GOR and LOE, this CPG recommends the integrative CM and WM treatment method in AMI patients and provides useful information on medical decision for clinical physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a high throughput colorimetric biosensor for detection of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) based on specific aptamer and catalysis of dsDNA-SYBR Green I (SG I) complex. SA specific aptamer was immobilized on a 96-well plate by hybridization with the capture probe anchored on the plate surface through streptavidin-biotin binding. In presence of SA, the aptamer was dissociated from the capture probe-aptamer duplex due to the stronger interaction between the aptamer and SA. The consequent single-strand capture probe could be hybridized with a three-way junction (TWJ) probe. With the presence of SG I, the dsDNA-SG I complex catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) under photo-irradiation, producing sensitive photo-catalyzed colorimetric response to SA. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method could directly detect SA with the limit of detection (LOD) at 81 CFU mL−1 in PBS buffer in 5.5 hours, which demonstrated the sensitive and fast quantification of target pathogenic bacteria. The method showed weak colorimetric signal to Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, indicating the high specificity for SA. In addition, the method can simultaneously detect 96 samples which can be used for high throughput analysis. The designed method may become a powerful tool for pathogenic microorganisms screening in clinical diagnostics, food safety and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex–vortex interaction plays an important role in determining the magnetic properties in different types of superconductors, among which rich phenomenons have been observed in superconductors with Ginzburg–Landau (GL) parameter κ close to the critical regime (between traditional type-I and type-II superconductors). Here, by using the flux method, we have grown a high-quality SrBi3 single crystal. The GL parameter has been determined to be 1.01 close to the phase transition temperature, making SrBi3 an ideal platform to study the nontrivial magnetic properties in relatively low-κ superconductors. The counterintuitive paramagnetic Meissner effect (PME) has been studied in our sample, and no giant PME is observed. Our results may suggest that vortex–vortex interaction plays a less dominant role in determining the PME compared with, for example, pinning and surface configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To explore the relationship between serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and the presence and severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).Methods: A total of 177 patients with PAH and 103 patients without pulmonary hypertension (PH) were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) for diagnosing and assessing the severity of PAH. Demographics, comorbidities, and laboratory data including serum HDL-C levels were collected.Results: Plasma HDL-C levels in patients with PAH were significantly lower compared with patients without PH (1.08 ± 0.36 vs 1.49 ± 0.36, p < 0.001). HDL-C levels positively correlated with cardiac output (r = 0.360, p < 0.001), cardiac index (r = 0.337, p < 0.001), and mixed venous oxygen saturation (r = 0.426, p < 0.001), and negatively with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = - 0.529, p < 0.001), right atrial pressure (r = - 0.421, p < 0.001), and pulmonary vascular resistance (r = - 0.583, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that HDL-C was a significant independent predictor of PAH (OR 0.042, 95% CI 0.006-0.304, p = 0.002). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the optimal cutoff value of the serum HDL-C concentration for predicting PAH was 1.32 mmol/L, with a sensitivity of 83.6% and a specificity of 72.8% (area under the curve 0.803, 95% confidence interval 0.750-0.856, p < 0.001).Conclusions: Serum HDL-C is a simple biomarker that might be used for prediction and assessment of PAH in Chinese Han ethnicity, and the mechanism underlying the association needs further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), which is correlated with changes in the gut microbiota, is a risk factor for neonatal inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs). Maternal hyperglycemia exerts epigenetic effects on genes that encode IEM-associated enzymes, resulting in changes in the neonatal blood metabolome. However, the relationship between maternal gut microbiota and the neonatal blood metabolome remains poorly understood. This study aimed at understanding the connections between maternal gut microbiota and the neonatal blood metabolome in GDM. 1H-NMR-based untargeted metabolomics was performed on maternal fecal samples and targeted metabolomics on the matched neonatal dry blood spots from a cohort of 40 pregnant women, including 22 with GDM and 18 controls. Multi-omic association methods (including Co-Inertia Analysis and Procrustes Analysis) were applied to investigate the relationship between maternal fecal metabolome and the neonatal blood metabolome. Both maternal fecal metabolome and the matched neonatal blood metabolome could be separated along the vector of maternal hyperglycemia. A close relationship between the maternal and neonatal metabolomes was observed by multi-omic association approaches. Twelve out of thirty-two maternal fecal metabolites with altered abundances from 872 1H- NMR features (Bonferroni-adjusted P < 0.05) in women with GDM and the controls were identified, among which 8 metabolites contribute (P < 0.05 in a 999-step permutation test) to the close connection between maternal and the neonatal metabolomes in GDM. Four of these eight maternal fecal metabolites, including lysine, putrescine, guanidinoacetate, and hexadecanedioate, were negatively associated (Spearman rank correlation, coefficient value < −0.6, P < 0.05) with maternal hyperglycemia. Biotin metabolism was enriched (Bonferroni-adjusted P < 0.05 in the hypergeometric test) with the four-hyperglycemia associated fecal metabolites. The results of this study suggested that maternal fecal metabolites contribute to the connections between maternal fecal metabolome and the neonatal blood metabolome and may further affect the risk of IEMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic catalysis in living cells enables the in-situ detection of cellular metabolites in single cells, which could contribute to early diagnosis of diseases. In this study, enzyme is packaged in amorphous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) via a one-pot co-precipitation process under ambient conditions, exhibiting 5–20 times higher apparent activity than when the enzyme is encapsulated in corresponding crystalline MOFs. Molecular simulation and cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) combined with other techniques demonstrate that the mesopores generated in this disordered and fuzzy structure endow the packaged enzyme with high enzyme activity. The highly active glucose oxidase delivered by the amorphous MOF nanoparticles allows the noninvasive and facile measurement of glucose in single living cells, which can be used to distinguish between cancerous and normal cells. For packaging enzymes into metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), crystalline MOFs are usually used. Here, the authors encapsulated enzymes in amorphous MOFs a via one-pot co-precipitation process under ambient condition, which led to higher enzymatic activity than in a corresponding crystalline MOF composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the distribution of Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on admission and its impact on prognosis. Methods: A total of 525 AMI patients were prospectively recruited and classifified into 4 groups based on their clinical characteristics: excess-heat, excess-cold, deficiency-heat and deficiency-cold syndromes. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were followed up. Results: The excess syndrome was more common than deficiency syndrome (72.95% vs. 27.05%; P<0.05). Totally 495 (94.29%) of 525 AMI patients were followed up (median 277 days). There were 59 (11.92%) MACEs. After adjusted with confounding factors in Cox regression models, the hazard ratio (95% confifidence interval) of excess-heat, excess-cold, defificiency-heat and defificiency-cold syndrome groups were 1, 1.25 (0.63, 2.49; P<0.05), 2.37 (1.14, 4.94; P<0.05), 3.76 (1.71, 8.28; P<0.05), respectively. Conclusions: Excess syndrome was more common in AMI patients and had better prognosis, while defificiency-cold syndrome had the poorest prognosis. CM syndrome was of value in predicting long-term outcomes in AMI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this second part of the two-part article, a laboratory-scale core box, which is originally designed and built with a center wedge and slotted base, is adopted to validate the correlation tested in Part I between coefficient of restitution (COR) and flow performance of granular sand materials on a laboratory core shooter. A series of experiment is conducted as parametric study on the collision effect and fluid behavior by blown granular material of sand and resin mixture under air pressure with variation in binder and additive levels. Corresponding simulations are examined using numerical method of two-fluid modeling or two-phase flow. The result of sand distribution in the slots of the core box base after collision on the wedge is measured and analyzed through the "collision ratio." The factorial analysis indicates a negative relationship between collision ratio and binder level, while the content of powder additive is highly possible to promote the flow-ability of binder-coated wet sand. The regression analysis also shows that a relationship between collision ratio and COR follows an exponential law. Similarly, the comparison of typical cores from simulation and experiment demonstrates a negative effect on the travel distance of the sand granule when COR decreases. Therefore, the final packing of the sand in the cavity decreases when sand flow-ability is reduced. Practically, for resin-mixed wet sand, it is more difficult to fill the core cavity to achieve full compaction over thin section and sharp corner in the cavity of the core box compared to that of dry resin-coated sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]