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SAR-to-optical (S2O) translation is able to covert SAR into optical images, which help the interpreter to extract information efficiently. In the absence of strictly matched datasets, it is difficult for existing methods to complete training on unpaired data with a minimum amount of data. By employing the recent Schrödinger bridge-based transformation framework, a multiscale axial residual module (MARM) based on the concept of multi-scale feature fusion has been proposed in this paper. To enable efficient translation of SAR to optical images, the generator and discriminator of the model have been designed. Extensive experiments on the SEN1-2 dataset conducted, and the results show the superiority of the proposed method in terms of the generation quality. Compared with the classical CycleGAN, the proposed method can improve the FID metrics by 42.05%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cascade of correlated topological quantum states in the newly discovered vanadium-based kagome superconductors, AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, and Cs), with a Z2 topological band structure has sparked immense interest. Here, we report the discovery of superconductivity and electronic nematic order in high-quality single-crystals of a new titanium-based kagome metal, CsTi3Bi5, that preserves the translation symmetry, in stark contrast to the charge density wave superconductor AV3Sb5. Transport and magnetic susceptibility measurements show superconductivity with an onset superconducting transition temperature Tc of approximately 4.8 K. Using the scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and Josephson scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the single crystals of CsTi3Bi5 exhibit two distinct superconducting gaps. Furthermore, the superconducting gaps break the six-fold crystal rotational symmetry down to two-fold. At low energies, we find that the quasiparticle interference patterns exhibit rotational-symmetry-breaking C2 patterns, revealing a nematic ordered normal state with the same nematic direction as in the superconducting state. Our findings uncover a novel superconducting state in CsTi3Bi5 and provide new insights for the intrinsic electron liquid crystal phases in kagome superconductors. The new kagome metals can exhibit unconventional electron correlated states beyond recently discovered kagome superconductors AV3Sb5. Here, the authors report discovery of superconductivity and intrinsic nematic order in a new titanium-based kagome metal CsTi3Bi5 without charge density wave order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the impact of the CD4 count on ESAT6-CFP10 (EC) skin test, QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube test (QFT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) in a large prison and communities in Jiangsu Province among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Participants in communities were tested with the QFT and EC skin test and in prison were tested with the QFT, TST and EC skin test. A 4-knotted restricted cubic spline fitted for Logistic models was used to explore the cutoff point of CD4 count and the associations between changes in CD4 count and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection. Among 1,815 PLHIV included, 19.3% (350) were from prisons and 80.7% (1465) were identified through community screenings. M.tb infection rates were 12.2% and 8.3% through QFT and EC tests, respectively. Odd Ratios (ORs) for infection increased with CD4 counts, peaking at 618 cells/mm3 for EC, 392 cells/mm3 for QFT, then plateaued. However, the pattern differed for EC between prison and screening scenarios. In prison settings, M.tb infection increased with CD4 count from 0 to 350 cells/mm3, plateaued until 500 cells/mm3, and then persistently increased. Conversely, for community, ORs decreased until 300 cells/mm3, followed by an increase between 300 and 729 cells/mm3, after which they continued to rise persistently. Our cross-sectional study among PLHIV revealed a higher rate of M.tb infection in prison compared to the community. The relationship between CD4 count and infection became negative after a certain threshold. This pivotal point differed with detection methods, with QFT showing lower CD4 thresholds than EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanism exploration is an important part of toxicological studies. However, traditional cell and animal models can no longer meet the current needs for in-depth studies of toxicological mechanisms. The three-dimensional (3D) organoid derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) or induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) is an ideal experimental model for the study of toxicological effects and mechanisms, which further recapitulates the human tissue microenvironment and provides a reliable method for studying complex cell–cell interactions. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the 3D organoid technology in toxicological studies, including a bibliometric analysis of the existing literature and an exploration of the latest advances in toxicological mechanisms. The use of 3D organoids in toxicology research is growing rapidly, with applications in disease modeling, organ-on-chips, and drug toxicity screening being emphasized, but academic communications among countries/regions, institutions, and research scholars need to be further strengthened. Attempts to study the toxicological mechanisms of exogenous chemicals such as heavy metals, nanoparticles, drugs and organic pollutants are also increasing. It can be expected that 3D organoids can be better applied to the safety evaluation of exogenous chemicals by establishing a standardized methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avermectin is a commonly used insect repellent for aquaculture and crops, but it is easy to remain in the aquatic environment, causing organism disorders, inflammation, and even death. This resulted in significant economic losses to the carp aquaculture industry. Silybin has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. However, it is unclear whether Silybin counteracts gill damage caused by avermectin exposure. Therefore, we modeled avermectin exposure and Silybin intervention by adding 2.404 μg/L avermectin to water and 400 mg/kg of Silybin to feed. Gill tissue was collected and analyzed in depth during a 30-day experimental period. The results showed that avermectin exposure induced structural disorganization of gill filaments and led to increased reactive oxygen species, inhibition of antioxidant functions, induction of inflammatory responses, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in addition to the endogenous apoptotic pathway. In contrast, Silybin effectively alleviated pathological changes and reduced reactive oxygen species levels, thereby attenuating oxidative stress and endogenous apoptosis and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. In addition, Silybin reduced avermectin-induced gill tissue inflammation in carp, and it is considered that it might modulate the cGAS-STING pathway. In summary, Silybin alleviates avermectin-induced oxidative damage within the carp's respiratory system by modulating the cGAS-STING pathway and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The main goal is to understand how Silybin reduces oxidative damage caused by avermectin in carp gills, offering management strategies. Concurrently, the current study proposes that Silybin can serve as a dietary supplement to reduce the risks brought on by repellent buildup in freshwater aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence suggests that tumor-specific neoantigens are ideal targets for cancer immunotherapy. However, how to predict tumor neoantigens based on translatome data remains obscure. Through the extraction of ribosome-nascent chain complexes (RNCs) from LLC cells, followed by RNC-mRNA extraction, RNC-mRNA sequencing, and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, we successfully identified proteins undergoing translatome and exhibiting mutations in the cells. Subsequently, novel antigens identification was analyzed by the interaction between their high affinity and the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). Neoantigens immunogenicity was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISpot). Finally, in vivo experiments in mice were conducted to evaluate the antitumor effects of translatome-derived neoantigen peptides on lung cancer. The results showed that ten neoantigen peptides were identified and synthesized by translatome data from LLC cells; 8 out of the 10 neoantigens had strong immunogenicity. The neoantigen peptide vaccine group exhibited significant tumor growth inhibition effect. In conclusion, neoantigen peptide vaccine derived from the translatome of lung cancer exhibited significant tumor growth inhibition effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of increasingly serious climate change, researchers are attempting to extend macroscale carbon reduction research to smaller scales. With the rapid development and widespread application of electric vehicles (EVs), an effective approach for carbon reduction based on EVs has the potential to be developed. To coordinate and manage the EV platform in diverse application scenarios, the concept of an on-board nanogrid (OBNG), in which a nanogrid is combined with the EV, is proposed and defined, and the characteristics summarized. A configuration that includes a physical layer with the on-board hardware system; an information layer for logical control, energy management, and communication coordination; and an application layer that can cope with different working environments is proposed. A detailed introduction to the basic architecture and management mode of each layer is provided along with information concerning the relevant technologies for coordinated operation. New ideas and approaches to improve the existing performance are proposed, and finally, combined with a background of smart and low-carbon cities, major application scenarios are envisioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the anatomic risk factors of knee in patients with acute non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (aACL) ruptures to develop ramp lesions. Methods: A total of 202 subjects were retrospectively divided into three groups: (1) aACL ruptures combined with ramp lesions group (n = 76); (2) isolated ACL ruptures group (n = 56) and (3) normal controls group (n = 70). Quantitative morphological parameters on MRI were measured including: diameter of medial femoral condyle (MFC), anterior-posterior length and depth of medial tibial plateau (MTP AP length and depth), lateral posterior tibial slope (LPTS) and medial posterior tibial slope (MTPS), asymmetry of LPTS and MPTS (LMPTS), lateral meniscal slope (LMS), and medial meniscal slope (MMS). Results: The MTP AP length, MTP AP length/MFC diameter ratio, MTP depth, LPTS and the asymmetry of LMPTS showed significant differences among the three groups (p < 0.001). The risk factors associated with the ramp lesions including a longer MTP AP length (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.00–1.44, p = 0.044), increased MTP depth (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.22–3.00, p = 0.005) and lager ratio (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01–1.22, p = 0.036). The highest AUC was the MTP AP length/MFC diameter ratio (0.74; 95% CI, 0.66–0.82). The combination model increased higher accuracy (0.80; 95% CI, 0.72–0.88). Conclusion: Several bony anatomic characteristics of the knee, especially the morphology of medial tibia plateau, are additional risk factors for aACL ruptures to develop ramp lesions. Critical relevance statement: Predictive anatomic risk factors of the knee for patients with acute non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (aACL) ruptures to develop ramp lesions, especially the morphology of medial tibia plateau, are detectable by MRI. Key Points: Ramp lesion development can complicate aACL ruptures and requires specific treatment. Longer AP length and increased MTP depth are risk factors for concurrent ramp lesions. Identification of ramp lesions allows for the most appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylanase inhibitor proteins (XIP) are widely distributed in the plant kingdom, and also exist in rice. However, a systematic bioinformatics analysis of this gene family in rice (OsXIP) has not been conducted to date. In this study, we identified 32 members of the OsXIP gene family and analyzed their physicochemical properties, chromosomal localization, gene structure, protein structure, expression profiles, and interaction networks. Our results indicated that OsXIP genes exhibit an uneven distribution across eight rice chromosomes. These genes generally feature a low number of introns or are intronless, all family members, except for OsXIP20, contain two highly conserved motifs, namely Motif 8 and Motif 9. In addition, it is worth noting that the promoter regions of OsXIP gene family members feature a widespread presence of abscisic acid response elements (ABRE) and gibberellin response elements (GARE-motif and TATC-box). Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis unveiled that the expression of OsXIP genes exhibited higher levels in leaves and roots, with considerable variation in the expression of each gene in these tissues both prior to and following treatments with abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA3). Protein interaction studies and microRNA (miRNA) target prediction showed that OsXIP engages with key elements within the hormone-responsive and drought signaling pathways. The qRT-PCR suggested osa-miR2927 as a potential key regulator in the rice responding to drought stress, functioning as tissue-specific and temporally regulation. This study provides a theoretical foundation for further analysis of the functions within the OsXIP gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation promotes the degradation of the extracellular matrix, which contributes to the development of osteoarthritis (OA). Adipocyte enhancer binding protein 1 (AEBP1) participates in multiple pathological processes related to inflammatory diseases. However, the role of AEBP1 in OA development is unknown. We found a higher AEBP1 expression in articular cartilage of OA patients (n = 20) compared to their normal controls (n = 10). Thus, we inferred that AEBP1 might affect OA progression. Then mice with destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery and chondrocytes with IL‐1β treatment (10 ng/mL) were used to mimic OA. The increased AEBP1 expression was observed in models of OA. AEBP1 knockdown in chondrocytes reversed IL‐1β‐induced inflammation and extracellular matrix degradation, which was mediated by the inactivation of NF‐κB signaling pathway and the increased IκBα activity. Co‐immunoprecipitation assay indicated the interaction between AEBP1 and IκBα. Importantly, IκBα knockdown depleted the protective role of AEBP1 knockdown in OA. Moreover, AEBP1 knockdown in mice with OA showed similar results to those in chondrocytes. Collectively, our findings suggest that AEBP1 knockdown alleviates the development of OA, providing a novel strategy for OA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater plays a pivotal role in the water resources of Shicheng County; however, the issue of excessive fluoride content in groundwater and its associated health risks often goes unnoticed. Groundwater assumes a crucial role in the hydrological dynamics of Shicheng County; nevertheless, the matter concerning elevated levels of fluoride within groundwater and its accompanying health hazards frequently evades attention. The hydrogeochemical analysis, obscure comprehensive water quality assessment based on cloud model, and probabilistic human health risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulation were conducted on 34 collected water samples. The findings indicate that the predominant groundwater hydrochemical types are SO4·Cl-Na and HCO3-Na. The processes of rock weathering and cation exchange play crucial roles in influencing water chemistry. Groundwater samples generally exhibit elevated concentrations of F−, surpassing the drinking water standard, primarily attributed to mineral dissolution. The concentrations of F− in more than 52.94% and 23.53% of the groundwater samples exceeded the acceptable non-carcinogenic risk limits for children and adults, respectively. Considering the inherent uncertainty in model parameters, it is anticipated that both children and adults will have a probability exceeding 49.36% and 30.50%, respectively, of being exposed to elevated levels of F ions in groundwater. The utilization of stochastic simulations, in contrast to deterministic methods, enables a more precise depiction of health risks. The outcomes derived from this investigation possess the potential to assist policymakers in formulating strategies aimed at ensuring the provision of secure domestic water supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is a heterogeneous disease driven by complex molecular alterations. Cancer subtypes determined from multi-omics data can provide novel insight into personalised precision treatment. It is recognised that incorporating prior weight knowledge into multi-omics data integration can improve disease subtyping. Methods: We develop a weighted method, termed weight-boosted Multi-Kernel Learning (wMKL) which incorporates heterogeneous data types as well as flexible weight functions, to boost subtype identification. Given a series of weight functions, we propose an omnibus combination strategy to integrate different weight-related P-values to improve subtyping precision. Results: wMKL models each data type with multiple kernel choices, thus alleviating the sensitivity and robustness issue due to selecting kernel parameters. Furthermore, wMKL integrates different data types by learning weights of different kernels derived from each data type, recognising the heterogeneous contribution of different data types to the final subtyping performance. The proposed wMKL outperforms existing weighted and non-weighted methods. The utility and advantage of wMKL are illustrated through extensive simulations and applications to two TCGA datasets. Novel subtypes are identified followed by extensive downstream bioinformatics analysis to understand the molecular mechanisms differentiating different subtypes. Conclusions: The proposed wMKL method provides a novel strategy for disease subtyping. The wMKL is freely available at https://github.com/biostatcao/wMKL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change can increase the frequency of extreme weather events and thus have a profound effect on the water flow, leading to occurrences such as floods and other natural disasters. Therefore, streamflow prediction under climate change is critical for regional risk management. This study introduces the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), the Short and Long-term Memory (LSTM), the Gated Cycle Unit (GRU) and coupled Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) with LSTM/GRU, to investigate the feasibility of runoff forecast in the Dagu River basin, Jiaozhou Bay. The EMD technique breaks down the initial signal into multiple intrinsic modal functions that aid in capturing distinct data characteristics. These functions, when coupled with the robust mapping and learning capability of LSTM/GRU models, facilitate the prediction of runoff for time series data. In the prediction performance evaluation of the five models above, EMD-LSTM has the best performance with an R2 of 0.74 and RMSE 14.5 lower than the other models. Based on five GCMs in CMIP6, under three discharge scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5), the best-performed EMD-LSTM model is used to predict runoff changes of the study area under future climate change. The forecast results show significant increases in average annual runoff. Whether in mid or late of the century, the extreme streamflow will decrease from November to January and increase from February to May with the maximum amplitude of 41.96%, which implies the probability of spring floods. To some extents, this study proposes a method for improving the accuracy of runoff prediction and provides an early warning for possible regional flood disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Membrane (ion membrane) electrolysis technology has gained a lot of attention and development because of its function and advantage of making full use of the two-stage reaction and separating the products of the two poles. In particular, the membrane electrolysis industry has a great potential to grow in the context of the transformation from "carbon-driven" to "electrically driven." There are many systems that require membrane or ion membrane electrolysis. Typical ones are electrolytic water to hydrogen, chlor-alkali, electrodialysis, electrometallurgy, etc. In this paper, several typical membrane (ion membrane) electrolysis scenarios are selected and analyzed in detail with respect to their principles, development history, characteristics, problems faced, and development prospects. A theoretical basis is laid for the development and application of efficient industrialized membrane electrolysis technology, which will be beneficial to the technological progress in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compliant strain sensors are crucial for soft robots’ perception and autonomy. However, their deformable bodies and dynamic actuation pose challenges in predictive sensor manufacturing and long-term robustness. This necessitates accurate sensor modelling and well-controlled sensor structural changes under strain. Here, we present a computational sensor design featuring a programmed crack array within micro-crumples strategy. By controlling the user-defined structure, the sensing performance becomes highly tunable and can be accurately modelled by physical models. Moreover, they maintain robust responsiveness under various demanding conditions including noise interruptions (50% strain), intermittent cyclic loadings (100,000 cycles), and dynamic frequencies (0–23 Hz), satisfying soft robots of diverse scaling from macro to micro. Finally, machine intelligence is applied to a sensor-integrated origami robot, enabling robotic trajectory prediction (<4% error) and topographical altitude awareness (<10% error). This strategy holds promise for advancing soft robotic capabilities in exploration, rescue operations, and swarming behaviors in complex environments.Due to the deformable nature of soft robots, developing robust sensors that can sustain stability and performance is a challenge. Here, the authors report a computational strain sensor design based on a programmed crack array for predictable, tunable, and stable sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically precise defect engineering is essential to manipulate the properties of emerging topological quantum materials for practical quantum applications. However, this remains challenging due to the obstacles in modifying the typically complex crystal lattice with atomic precision. Here, we report the atomically precise engineering of the vacancy-localized spin–orbit polarons in a kagome magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2, using scanning tunneling microscope. We achieve the step-by-step repair of the selected vacancies, leading to the formation of artificial sulfur vacancies with elaborate geometry. We find that that the bound states localized around these vacancies undergo a symmetry dependent energy shift towards Fermi level with increasing vacancy size. As the vacancy size increases, the localized magnetic moments of spin–orbit polarons become tunable and eventually become itinerantly negative due to spin–orbit coupling in the kagome flat band. These findings provide a platform for engineering atomic quantum states in topological quantum materials at the atomic scale.Defect engineering in topological materials is a frontier that promises tunable physical properties with rich applications. Here, the authors demonstrate the atomically precise engineering of vacancies in a topological semimetal, which locally tunes the magnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to test the effects and feasibility of a mindfulness-based Guqin music intervention (MBGI), administered during pregnancy, on postpartum anxiety and depression. Method: Eighty-seven pregnant women, each identified with anxiety and depression, were randomly allocated to one of three groups: 4-week MBGI, Guqin music intervention, or a control group. The participants completed questionnaires on mindfulness, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality at baseline, postintervention, and 6 weeks after delivery. We assessed the feasibility of the intervention by evaluating participant adherence, satisfaction, and any potential difficulties post-intervention. Results: The results of the linear mixed model showed that there was a significant treatment-by-time interaction effect in mindfulness (F = 15.658, p < 0.001), anxiety (F = 14.883, p < 0.001), and depression (F = 27.795, p < 0.001) but no significant effects on sleep quality (F = 1.239, p = 0.297). Moreover, decreases in anxiety (b = -0.426, p < 0.001) and depression (b = -0.134, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with the improvement in mindfulness. Conclusions: MBGI, applied during pregnancy, contributes to a decrease in postpartum anxiety and depression, potentially by enhancing mindful attention and awareness. Feasibility outcomes illustrate that MBGI as an intervention for postpartum negative emotions is feasible and well accepted. This study thus proposes a brief, clinically applicable, mindfulness-based music intervention. Preregistration: The pilot trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000035242; 4/8/2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: To investigate the optimal parameters of spectral CT for preferably visualizing the periprosthetic vasculature and metal artifact reduction (MAR) in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: A total of 34 THA of 30 patients were retrospectively included. Image reconstructions included conventional image (CI), CI combined with MAR (CIMAR), and virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) combined with MAR (VMIMAR) at 50–120 keV. The attenuation and standard deviation of the vessel and artifact, and the width of artifact were measured. Qualitative scoring was evaluated including the vascular contour, the extent of artifact, and overall diagnostic evaluation. Results: The attenuation, noise of the vessel and artifact, and the width of artifact decreased as the energy level increased (p < 0.001). The downtrend was relatively flat at 80–120 keV, and the vascular attenuation dropped to 200 HU at 90 keV. The qualitative rating of vascular contour was significantly higher at CIMAR (3.47) and VMIMAR 60–80 keV (2.82–3.65) compared with CI (2.03) (p ≤ 0.029), and the highest score occurred at 70 and 80 keV (3.65 and 3.56). The score of the extent of artifact was higher at VMIMAR 80 keV than CIMAR (3.53 VS 3.12, p = 0.003). The score of the overall diagnostic evaluation was higher at VMIMAR 70 and 80 keV (3.32 and 3.53, respectively) than CIMAR (3.12) (p ≤ 0.035). Conclusion: Eighty kiloelectron volts on VMIMAR, providing satisfactorily reduced metal artifacts and improved vascular visualization, can be an optimal recommended parameter of spectrum CT for the assessment of periprosthetic vasculature in THA patients. Critical relevance statement: The metal artifact is gradually reducing with increasing energy level; however, the vascular visualization is worsening. The vascular visualization is terrible above 100 keV, while the vessel is disturbed by artifacts below 70 keV. The best performance is found at 80 keV. Key points: • VMIMAR can provide both reduced metal artifacts and improved vascular visualization. • Eighty kiloelectron volts on VMIMAR performs best in vascular visualization of total hip arthroplasty patients. • Energy spectrum CT is recommended for routine use in patients with total hip arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kagome-lattice materials possess attractive properties for quantum computing applications, but their synthesis remains challenging. Herein, based on the compelling identification of the two cleavable surfaces of Co3Sn2S2, we show surface kagome electronic states (SKESs) on a Sn-terminated triangular Co3Sn2S2 surface. Such SKESs are imprinted by vertical p-d electronic hybridization between the surface Sn (subsurface S) atoms and the buried Co kagome-lattice network in the Co3Sn layer under the surface. Owing to the subsequent lateral hybridization of the Sn and S atoms in a corner-sharing manner, the kagome symmetry and topological electronic properties of the Co3Sn layer is proximate to the Sn surface. The SKESs and both hybridizations were verified via qPlus non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) and density functional theory calculations. The construction of SKESs with tunable properties can be achieved by the atomic substitution of surface Sn (subsurface S) with other group III-V elements (Se or Te), which was demonstrated theoretically. This work exhibits the powerful capacity of nc-AFM in characterizing localized topological states and reveals the strategy for synthesis of large-area transition-metal-based kagome-lattice materials using conventional surface deposition techniques. Kagome materials host 2D planes which give rise to kagome physics, but these are typically embedded in the bulk. Huang et al. demonstrate a strategy for generating surface kagome electronic states by vertical p-d electronic hybridization between surface atoms and the buried Co kagome network in Co3Sn2S2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, the steel production industry has been one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions, accounting for 7% of global CO2 emissions, of which 70% is emitted in the iron-making process. Currently, the main low-carbon iron production route is hydrogen metallurgy, which uses renewable energy to generate electricity, electrolyze water to produce hydrogen, and reduce iron with hydrogen. Thus, hydrogen metallurgy is also electrometallurgy. In this context, using the green electric energy one-step electrowinning of iron (ERI) will achieve technical route superiority. Developments in new energy generation technologies have led to renewed interest in ERI because of its green and low-carbon properties. In this study, progress in research into ERI was reviewed, and ERI categories, including molten salts, alkaline aqueous solutions, acidic aqueous solutions, and ionic liquids systems, were discussed. On this basis, ERI methods for various systems, including molten oxide electrolysis (MOE), Cambridge process (FFC), electrowinning, and ionic liquids-based methods, were introduced. Finally, the main challenges and possible solutions were summarized, and the development prospects and opportunities were prospected. The present research work will be beneficial to the development of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 poses an unprecedented threat to the world as the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among a handful of therapeutics developed for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection, ensitrelvir is the first noncovalent and nonpeptide oral inhibitor targeting the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, which recently received emergency regulatory approval in Japan. Here we determined a 1.8-Å structure of Mpro in complex with ensitrelvir, which revealed that ensitrelvir targets the substrate-binding pocket of Mpro, specifically recognizing its S1, S2, and S1' subsites. Further, our comprehensive biochemical and structural data have demonstrated that even though ensitrelvir and nirmatrelvir (an FDA-approved drug) belong to different types of Mpro inhibitors, both of them remain to be effective against Mpros from all five SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, suggesting Mpro is a bona fide broad-spectrum target. The molecular mechanisms uncovered in this study provide basis for future inhibitor design. Structural and biochemical characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease in complex with inhibitor ensitrelvir or nirmatrelvir reveals the mechanisms of inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic metamaterials are popularly sought to realize numerous special functions such as vibration control and wave manipulation among which sound absorption is a typical task fulfilled by acoustic metamaterials. Inverse designing metamaterials with machine learning approaches has been under the spotlight thanks to the data-driven experience-free advantages and become one of the important design paradigms. Nevertheless, the existing works mostly concentrate on validating the reproduction accuracy of the neural networks on trained data and very few have explored their ability on designing for enhanced properties. To this end, our work studies the competence of the proposed inverse design framework in enhancing the acoustic performance of a three-dimensional mixed-size cavity-based waterborne sound absorptive metamaterial. With forward and inverse networks in the framework, the target sound absorption spectra (100-10000 Hz) are taken as inputs into the inverse network during training and a corresponding structure is output with the best matching spectra which is subsequently fed into the forward network for acoustic property evaluation and loss calculation. The trained forward network is shown to possess excellent generalization capabilities by highly accurately predicting for structures with “unseen” beyond-range parameters compared to the training set. Most importantly, the inverse network is delightfully capable of spontaneously adopting beyond-range structural parameters to ensure meeting the acoustic target whose mean sound absorption coefficient is higher than any of the data in the training set, hence inverse designing for enhanced performance. The inverse design accuracy is dramatically improved from only 9.2% of mean squared errors being <0.0001 to 99.6% with beyond-range exploration. A case study is presented to demonstrate the significant difference beyond-range exploration makes for inverse designing aiming at enhanced performance. It is hoped that this work will serve as an inspiration for the design and optimization of elastic metamaterials with enhanced performance for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant evades most currently approved neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and caused drastic decrease of plasma neutralizing activity elicited by vaccination or prior infection, urging the need for the development of pan-variant antivirals. Breakthrough infection induces a hybrid immunological response with potentially broad, potent and durable protection against variants, therefore, convalescent plasma from breakthrough infection may provide a broadened repertoire for identifying elite nAbs. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and BCR sequencing (scBCR-seq) of B cells from BA.1 breakthrough-infected patients who received 2 or 3 previous doses of inactivated vaccine. Elite nAbs, mainly derived from the IGHV2–5 and IGHV3-66/53 germlines, showed potent neutralizing activity across Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta, Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2 at picomolar NT50 values. Cryo-EM analysis revealed diverse modes of spike recognition and guides the design of cocktail therapy. A single injection of paired antibodies cocktail provided potent protection in the K18-hACE2 transgenic female mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, the authors isolated and characterized neutralizing antibodies from vaccinated individuals with SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 breakthrough infection and show that elite antibodies derived from specific germlines provide potent pan-variant neutralization capacity and in vivo protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, with the country's rapid development, water pollution has become a significant problem many countries face. Most of the existing water quality evaluation uses a single time-invariant model to simulate the evolution process, which cannot directly describe the complex behavior of long-term water quality evolution. In addition, the traditional comprehensive index method, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, and gray pattern recognition have more subjective factors. It can lead to an inevitable subjectivity of the results and weak applicability. Given these shortcomings, this paper proposes a deep learning-improved comprehensive pollution index method to predict future water quality development. As a first processing step, the historical data is normalized. Three deep learning models, multilayer perceptron (MLP), recurrent neural network (RNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM), are used to train historical data. The optimal data prediction model is selected through simulation and comparative analysis of relevant measured data, and the improved entropy weight comprehensive pollution index method is applied to evaluate future water quality changes. Compared with the traditional time-invariant evaluation model, the feature of this model is that it can effectively reflect the development of water quality in the future. Moreover, the entropy weight method is introduced to balance the errors caused by subjective weight. The result shows that LSTM performs well in accurately identifying and predicting water quality. And the deep learning–improved comprehensive pollution index method can provide helpful information and enlightenment for water quality change, which can help improve the water quality prediction and scientific management of coastal water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical family of volatile toxic compounds, benzene derivatives are massive emission in industrial production and the automobile field, causing serious threat to human and environment. The reliable and convenient detection of low concentration benzene derivatives based on intelligent gas sensor is urgent and of great significance for environmental protection. Herein, through heteroatomic doping engineering, rare-earth gadolinium (Gd) doped mesoporous WO3 with uniform mesopores (15.7–18.1 nm), tunable high specific surface area (52–55 m2·g−1), and customized crystalline pore walls, was designed and utilized to fabricate highly sensitive gas sensors toward benzene derivatives, such as ethylbenzene. Thanks to the high-density oxygen vacancies (OV) and significantly increased defects (W5+) produced by Gd atoms doping into the lattice of WO3 octahedron, Gd-doped mesoporous WO3 exhibited excellent ethylbenzene sensing performance, including high response (237 vs. 50 ppm), rapid response—recovery dynamic (13 s/25 s vs. 50 ppm), and extremely low theoretical detection limit of 24 ppb. The in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry results revealed the gas sensing process underwent a catalytic oxidation conversion of ethylbenzene into alcohol species, benzaldehyde, acetophenone, and carboxylate species along with the resistance change of the Gd-doped mesoporous WO3 based sensor. Moreover, a portable smart gas sensing module was fabricated and demonstrated for real-time detecting ethylbenzene, which provided new ideas to design heteroatom doped mesoporous materials for intelligent sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetization promoted activity of magnetic catalysts towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has attracted great attention, but remains a puzzle where the increment comes from. Magnetization of a ferromagnetic material only changes its magnetic domain structure. It does not directly change the spin orientation of unpaired electrons in the material. The confusion is that each magnetic domain is a small magnet and theoretically the spin-polarization promoted OER already occurs on these magnetic domains, and thus the enhancement should have been achieved without magnetization. Here, we demonstrate that the enhancement comes from the disappeared domain wall upon magnetization. Magnetization leads to the evolution of the magnetic domain structure, from a multi-domain one to a single domain one, in which the domain wall disappears. The surface occupied by the domain wall is reformatted into one by a single domain, on which the OER follows the spin-facilitated pathways and thus the overall increment on the electrode occurs. This study fills the missing gap for understanding the spin-polarized OER and it further explains the type of ferromagnetic catalysts which can give increment by magnetization. Magnetic field has been observed to promote oxygen evolution at some circumstance, however the reason for the enhancement remains unclear. Here, the authors show that enhancement is due to the disappearance of magnetic domain walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the Omicron variant has emerged and exhibits severe immune evasion. The high number of mutations at key antigenic sites on the spike protein has made a large number of existing antibodies and vaccines ineffective against this variant. Therefore, it is urgent to develop efficient broad-spectrum neutralizing therapeutic drugs. Here we characterize a rabbit monoclonal antibody (RmAb) 1H1 with broad-spectrum neutralizing potency against Omicron sublineages including BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.2.75, BA.3 and BA.4/5. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure determination of the BA.1 spike-1H1 Fab complexes shows that 1H1 targets a highly conserved region of RBD and avoids most of the circulating Omicron mutations, explaining its broad-spectrum neutralization potency. Our findings indicate 1H1 as a promising RmAb model for designing broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies and shed light on the development of therapeutic agents as well as effective vaccines against newly emerging variants in the future. The molecular mechanism of broad-spectrum neutralization of a rabbit monoclonal antibody 1H1 against Omicron sublineages is revealed by cryo-EM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for detecting early damage at the steel-concrete interface due to external loading based on AC impedance spectroscopy technology was proposed. Firstly, alkali pretreatment was introduced to ensure the accuracy and repeatability of the AC impedance test. Secondly, the AC impedance spectroscopy between the steel bar and concrete surface of different bonding positions was tested, and then the physical quantities reflecting the bonding damage condition were obtained by equivalent circuit fitting. Theoretical debonding position calculation and AC conductive structure analysis indicate that the change of interface resistance and interface capacitance can seize the development of bonding damage during the loading process. As the interface damage develops, obvious changes in interface resistance and interface capacitance are observed, and they cannot be recovered after unloading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nirmatrelvir, an oral antiviral targeting the 3CL protease of SARS-CoV-2, has been demonstrated to be clinically useful against COVID-19 (refs. 1,2). However, because SARS-CoV-2 has evolved to become resistant to other therapeutic modalities3–9, there is a concern that the same could occur for nirmatrelvir. Here we examined this possibility by in vitro passaging of SARS-CoV-2 in nirmatrelvir using two independent approaches, including one on a large scale. Indeed, highly resistant viruses emerged from both and their sequences showed a multitude of 3CL protease mutations. In the experiment peformed with many replicates, 53 independent viral lineages were selected with mutations observed at 23 different residues of the enzyme. Nevertheless, several common mutational pathways to nirmatrelvir resistance were preferred, with a majority of the viruses descending from T21I, P252L or T304I as precursor mutations. Construction and analysis of 13 recombinant SARS-CoV-2 clones showed that these mutations mediated only low-level resistance, whereas greater resistance required accumulation of additional mutations. E166V mutation conferred the strongest resistance (around 100-fold), but this mutation resulted in a loss of viral replicative fitness that was restored by compensatory changes such as L50F and T21I. Our findings indicate that SARS-CoV-2 resistance to nirmatrelvir does readily arise via multiple pathways in vitro, and the specific mutations observed herein form a strong foundation from which to study the mechanism of resistance in detail and to inform the design of next-generation protease inhibitors.Nirmatrelvir, an oral antiviral targeting the 3CL protease of SARS-CoV-2, has been demonstrated to be clinically useful against COVID-19, but viral resistance to the drug was found to arise readily via multiple pathways in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator–prey interactions are critical for understanding species composition and community assembly; however, there is still limited research on whether and how the prey species composition or community assembly in natural communities are mediated by predators. To address this question, we performed a field investigation to examine the influence of the presence of Lutra lutra on the diversity of fish communities of the Hunchun River Basin, Jilin Province, China. Our results indicate that L. lutra, as a potential umbrella species and generalist predator in the stream ecosystem, promotes the coexistence of a vast variety of fish taxa, which emphasizes the importance of top-down control in the ecological community. We suggest that L. lutra regulates the fish community assembly likely through the stochastic process. Although this was a pilot study regarding predator–prey interactions, the results highlight the effects of predators on the prey community assembly, and emphasize the role of predators on the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem function. Future conservation decisions involving ecosystem biodiversity should require the inclusion of predation intensity. The inclusion of scientific research and protection of umbrella species would thus constitute an additional and important step in biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To verify tibial tubercle-Roman arch (TT-RA) distance is superior to tibial tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance in preoperative assessment of patellofemoral joints in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis from 2016 to 2020 were considered eligible for inclusion in this study. We divided the patients into valgus group and varus group and did 1:1 matching for the two groups. We measured the TT-TG distance, TT-RA distance, patellar height, patella tilt, hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, and Iwano's classification of patellofemoral osteoarthritis (PFOA) by computed tomography images or radiographs. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of each measurement, the correlations and differences among the parameters, and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted. Results: Each group in this study included 75 knees. The inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of the TT-TG distance decreased with the increasing degree of PFOA (ICC < 0.75). The reliability of the TT-RA distance showed excellent agreement in different stages of Iwano's classification. The HKA angle was poorly correlated with the TT-TG distance (r = 0.34, p = 0.003) and the TT-RA distance (r = 0.39, p = 0.001) in valgus knees. As the HKA angle increased by 1 degree, the TT-TG and TT-RA distance increased by nearly 0.45 mm and 0.61 mm, respectively. Valgus malalignment and severe PFOA revealed significant ORs of 3.26 (95% CI [1.06–10.03], p = 0.036) and 3.10 (95% CI [1.01–9.54], p = 0.048) with regard to pathological TT-RA distance, respectively. Conclusion: The TT-RA distance was more reliable than the TT-TG distance in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Valgus malalignment and severe PFOA were risk factors for pathological TT-RA distance. Key Points: • The TT-RA distance is a reliable and repeatable alternative to the TT-TG distance in evaluating coronal malalignment, especially in patients with severe PFOA. • We validated the significant relationships between TT-TG distance or TT-RA distance and HKA angle in valgus knees, while the correlations among such parameters were not significant in varus knees. • Pathological lateralization of the tibial tubercle was prone to be traced in patients with valgus malalignment or severe PFOA, which could contribute to the patellofemoral malalignment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diagnosing partial subscapularis (SSC) tendon tears still faces challenges. A failure rate of massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tear repair will be highly increased when extending more than one-third of SSC tendon. This study aims to investigate the quantitative indicators and features of partial SSC tears on conventional shoulder MRI and improve the preoperative diagnostic accuracy. Materials and methods: Four hundred and thirty-seven patients underwent MRI and arthroscopy were retrospectively reviewed; 89 patients with partial SSC tears in case group and 50 patients with normal SSC in control group were included. Six MRI features with the explicit definition of some quantitative indicators were evaluated. Results: Fissure sign showed the highest diagnostic efficiency for the partial SSC tears, with a specificity of 92%, sensitivity of 75.3%, and accuracy of 81.3%. Thinning of SSC, fluid collection under the coraco-glenoid arch (CGA), and combined SSP complete tear also showed high specificity of 86%, 80%, and 80%, respectively, while the sensitivity and accuracy were moderate, with a sensitivity of 38.2%, 50.6%, and 48.3%, respectively, an accuracy of 55.4%, 61.2%, and 59.7%, respectively. The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of lesser tuberosity cysts were all moderate with values of 68%, 56.2%, and 60%, respectively. However, fat accumulation under the CGA showed no significant difference between the partial SSC tears group and the control group. Conclusion: Several specific MRI features with quantitative indicators defined in this study can be used to improve the accuracy of preoperative MRI diagnosis of partial SSC tears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a global concern, the issue of groundwater salinization refers to the phenomenon of an increase in the overall chemical content over background levels in the groundwater. It involves a long-term process that could degrade groundwater quality and restrict its availability for drinking, irrigation and industry. For the effective protection and further research of groundwater resources, policy strongly depends on understanding the development, hotspots and trend directions of groundwater salinization research, which involves the degree, sources and processes of global groundwater salinization. However, such a comprehensive and systematic analysis has not been performed, and it is difficult to have a deeper understanding of groundwater salinization. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the knowledge structure, hot topics and trends in the field of groundwater salinization based on 6651 Web of Science (WoS) publications combined with CiteSpace for in-depth bibliometric and visual analysis. The results showed that 292 institutions in 125 countries have published articles in this field from 1970 to 2021. The USA was one of the most prolific contributors, with the largest number of publications and active institutions. Cooperation among authors has become frequent in recent years, and they tend to cooperate in groups. According to the analysis of co-occurrence keywords and co-cited articles, "water resources", "sea level rise" and "variable density flow" were identified as three hot topics. A keyword burst analysis revealed the emerging trends of concerns about global climate change and the sustainable utilization of water resources. In addition, the possible opportunities and challenges were explored that may be faced in groundwater salinization research. The outcomes of this study are significant for future research on groundwater management and pollution control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to evaluate the seawater intrusion degree and predict the change of water quality for coastal groundwater resources. This study takes Dagu River in Jiaodong Peninsula of North China as the target area and combines the relevant theoretical research results to build a seawater intrusion fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) evaluation model. Five sensitive indicators of water quality, such as Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, TH, and TDS, were selected to evaluate the seawater intrusion level of the long series monitoring data in Xilaiwan, Guanzhuang, and Ligezhuang of Dagu River Basin by using the basic fuzzy mathematics principles and the improved hierarchical analysis method. In this study, the cubic exponential smoothing method was applied to predict groundwater quality change in Dagu River Basin. In order to evaluate the change of seawater intrusion in detail and make timely prediction, this paper innovatively divided the classification standard of seawater intrusion degree based on relevant norms and scholars' research and predicted the evaluation level of seawater intrusion by using long series historical observation data combined with fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. The cubic exponential smoothing method which has the characteristics of simple and fast was introduced to fit the observation elements, and the historical data were used to verify the prediction of the future development trend. Compared with the evaluation results of seawater intrusion by traditional methods, this study can reflect the whole development trend of seawater intrusion in detail and has the characteristics of more reasonable, accurate, and practical. It also provides a certain reference for the future seawater intrusion prevention. In addition to this case, the method proposed in this study will be applicable to a wider range of coastal zones, providing a new idea for the rational management and control of coastal groundwater resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some parameters in previous studies did not better reflect the vertical position of the patella relative to the femoral trochlear. This study aimed to assess the value of the most superior point of patella-entrance of femoral trochlea distance ratio (SP-ET index) as a newer index in defining the vertical position of patella relative to the trochlea, correlate it with the Insall–Salvati ratio, and investigate the effect of the new index on patellar cartilage lesions. Methods: A total of 99 knees of 77 patients with patellar cartilage lesions were retrospectively analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The Insall–Salvati ratio and SP-ET index were measured on MR images. Ninety-nine knees just with meniscus rupture were enrolled as the control group. The two parameters of the patellar cartilage lesions were compared with those of the control group. Results: The Insall–Salvati ratio and SP-ET index in the patellar cartilage lesions group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.001). The SP-ET index showed a moderate positive correlation with the Insall–Salvati ratio (r = 0.307, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the diagnostic efficiency of the SP-ET index was better than that of the Insall–Salvati ratio in patients with patellar cartilage lesions. Conclusion: The SP-ET index may be a useful complement parameter to define the vertical position of the patella relative to the femoral trochlear. Increased SP-ET index may be an important risk factor for patellar cartilage lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable strain sensors that detect joint/muscle strain changes become prevalent at human–machine interfaces for full-body motion monitoring. However, most wearable devices cannot offer customizable opportunities to match the sensor characteristics with specific deformation ranges of joints/muscles, resulting in suboptimal performance. Adequate wearable strain sensor design is highly required to achieve user-designated working windows without sacrificing high sensitivity, accompanied with real-time data processing. Herein, wearable Ti3C2Tx MXene sensor modules are fabricated with in-sensor machine learning (ML) models, either functioning via wireless streaming or edge computing, for full-body motion classifications and avatar reconstruction. Through topographic design on piezoresistive nanolayers, the wearable strain sensor modules exhibited ultrahigh sensitivities within the working windows that meet all joint deformation ranges. By integrating the wearable sensors with a ML chip, an edge sensor module is fabricated, enabling in-sensor reconstruction of high-precision avatar animations that mimic continuous full-body motions with an average avatar determination error of 3.5 cm, without additional computing devices. Wearable sensors with edge computing are desired for human motion monitoring. Here, the authors demonstrate a topographic design for wearable MXene sensor modules with wireless streaming or in-sensor computing models for avatar reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives: To evaluate quantitative parameters to identify the anatomic variation lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) and compare them with the landmarks commonly used at present. Methods: A total of 2,845 PET/CT scans were reviewed, and the patients with 23 and 25 presacral vertebrae were included. The quantitative parameters, including the anterior-edge vertebral angle (AVA) of the lowest lumbar-type vertebra, the ratio of the length of the inferior endplate to that of the superior endplate (RISE) of the uppermost sacral-type vertebra and the lumbosacral intervertebral disc angle (LSIVDA), and the anatomical landmarks, including the iliac crest tangent (ICT) level, the iliolumbar ligament (ILL) origin level and psoas proximal insertion, were all evaluated to determine their ability to identify LSTV. Results: The values of AVA and RISE were significantly different between the LSTV group and the control group, and between subgroups of LSTV. The cutoff value for AVA was 73.0°, with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 91.1%, 77.5%, and 88.3%, and that for RISE was 0.79, with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 90.3%, 77.5%, and 94.2%, while that for LSIVDA was 14.15°, with an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 75.9%, 65.7%, and 78.3%, to differentiate L5 sacralization from S1 lumbarization. For differentiating the controls from LSTV, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the ICT level and proximal psoas insertion were 78.0%, 70.2%, and 95.0%, versus 71.7%, 61.7%, and 94.0%. Conclusions: Compared with the anatomical landmarks, the quantitative measurements at the lumbosacral junction, including AVA and RISE, may be more helpful for differentiating subgroups of LSTV especially if only lumbar spine imaging is available. Key Points: • The quantitative parameters, the anterior-edge vertebral angle (AVA) of the lowest lumbar-type vertebra and the ratio of the length of the inferior endplate to that of the superior endplate (RISE) of the uppermost sacral-type vertebra, are more helpful for distinguishing L5 sacralization from S1 lumbarization than the previously proposed anatomic landmarks. • AVA and RISE represent relevant changes in the curvature at the lumbosacral region and the shape of the transitional vertebral body, respectively. • AVA and RISE are easily assessed, with high intra- and inter-reader reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFET) with nondestructive readout capability have emerged as an attractive candidate for next-generation nonvolatile memory technology. Herein, we demonstrate ferroelectric-gated nonvolatile memory featuring a top gate architecture by combining multi-layer ReS2 with ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymer films. The ReS2 FeFET using hBN as substrate shows a large memory window of ∼ 30 V. Repeated write/erase operations are successfully performed by applying pulse voltage of ±25 V with 1 ms width to the ferroelectric P(VDF-TrFE), and an ultra-high write/erase ratio of ∼ 107 can be achieved. Furthermore, the ReS2 FeFET shows stable data retention capability of longer than 2,000 s and reliable endurance of greater than 2,000 cycles. These characteristics highlight that such ferroelectric-gated nonvolatile memory has great potential in future non-volatile memory applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Weyl semimetals, charge density wave (CDW) order can spontaneously break the chiral symmetry, gap out the Weyl nodes, and drive the material into the axion insulating phase. Investigations have however been limited since CDWs are rarely seen in Weyl semimetals. Here, using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S), we report the discovery of a novel unidirectional CDW order on the (001) surface of chiral crystal CoSi – a unique Weyl semimetal with unconventional chiral fermions. The CDW is incommensurate with both lattice momentum and crystalline symmetry directions, and exhibits an intra unit cell π phase shift in the layer stacking direction. The tunneling spectrum shows a particle-hole asymmetric V-shaped energy gap around the Fermi level that modulates spatially with the CDW wave vector. Combined with first-principle calculations, we identify that the CDW is locked to the crystal chirality and is related by a mirror reflection between the two enantiomers of the chiral crystal. Our findings reveal a novel correlated topological quantum state in chiral CoSi crystals and raise the potential for exploring the unprecedented physical behaviors of unconventional chiral fermions. The interplay between electron correlation and topological properties remains less understood. Here, the authors report a charge density wave (CDW) order on the (001) surface of a Weyl semimetal CoSi, where an energy gap modulates spatially with the CDW wave vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the LDL receptor gene LDLR cause familial hypercholesterolemia (FH); however, the pharmacogenomics of specific LDLR mutations remains poorly understood. The goals of this study were to identify the genetic cause of a three-generation Chinese family affected with autosomal dominant FH, and to investigate the response of FH patients in the family to statin and evolocumab. Whole exome sequencing of the FH family with four patients and six unaffected members identified a heterozygous splicing mutation (c.1187-2A>G) in LDLR. The mutation co-segregated with FH in the family, providing strong genetic evidence to support its pathogenicity. The proband was a 48-year-old male FH patient who had an acute myocardial infarction (MI) and ventricular fibrillation (VF), and showed LDL-C of 5.23 mmol/L. A combination of life style modifications on food and exercise and treatment with rosuvastatin reduced his LDL-C to 2.05–2.80 mmol/L. Addition of ezetimibe did not improve rosuvastatin therapy, but addition of evolocumab further reduced LDL-C by 70% to 0.7 mmol/L at the first time and by 67% to 1.31 mmol/L at the second time. Rosuvastatin also reduced LDL-C for proband's father and sister by 40% and 43–63%, respectively. Lovastatin alone or addition to rosuvastatin treatment did not have any effect on LDL-C for the proband and his son. Both patients carry ApoE 3/4 genotype and SLCO1B1 rs4149056 TT genotype. These results suggest that combined treatment with rosuvastatin (but not lovastatin or ezetimibe) and evolocumab can control LDL-C to meet the LDL-C treatment goal for patients with LDLR splicing mutation c.1187-2A>G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The movement presented by chaos is violent oscillation, making the system unstable, which often is harmful in engineering. Therefore, how to suppress chaotic state quickly is a research hotspot in the field of control. Compared with integer-order system, fractional-order chaotic system has more complex dynamic characteristics, and it is often difficult to control the dynamic system into a stable periodic motion. In this paper, a new sliding mode controller was proposed after newly constructing a fractional-order chaotic system, to make the chaotic system enter a predetermined motion state quickly and maintain stability. Firstly, a new five-dimensional fractional-order chaotic system was constructed, analyzing its dynamic characteristics through the 0–1 test. Then, a sliding mode controller was designed, with proved stability to regulate the motion state of chaotic system. Finally, the circuit realization and control process simulation of the five-dimensional fractional-order chaotic system were carried out. The experimental results show that the proposed sliding mode controller has simple structure, but fast response and excellent control effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When free-floating space robots perform space tasks, the satellite base attitude is disturbed by the dynamic coupling. The disturbance of the base orientation may affect the communication between the space robot and the control center on earth. In this paper, the enhanced bidirectional approach is proposed to plan the manipulator trajectory and eliminate the final base attitude variation. A novel acceleration level state equation for the nonholonomic problem is proposed, and a new intermediate variable-based Lyapunov function is derived and solved for smooth joint trajectory and restorable base trajectories. In the method, the state equation is first proposed for dual-arm robots with and without end constraints, and the system stability is analyzed to obtain the system input. The input modification further increases the system stability and simplifies the calculation complexity. Simulations are carried out in the end, and the proposed method is validated in minimizing final base attitude change and trajectory smoothness. Moreover, the minute internal force during the coordinated operation and the considerable computing efficiency increases the feasibility of the method during space tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]