Search

We investigate the repeated averaging model for money exchanges: two agents picked uniformly at random share half of their wealth to each other. It is intuitively convincing that a Dirac distribution of wealth (centered at the initial average wealth) will be the long time equilibrium for this dynamics. In other words, the Gini index should converge to zero. To better understand this dynamics, we investigate its limit as the number of agents goes to infinity by proving the so‐called propagation of chaos, which links the stochastic agent‐based dynamics to a (limiting) nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE). This deterministic description has a flavor of the classical Boltzmann equation arising from statistical mechanics of dilute gases. We prove its convergence towards its Dirac equilibrium distribution by showing that the associated Gini index of the wealth distribution converges to zero with an explicit rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient biosynthesis of microbial bioactive natural products (NPs) is beneficial for the survival of producers, while self‐protection is necessary to avoid self‐harm resulting from over‐accumulation of NPs. The underlying mechanisms for the effective but tolerable production of bioactive NPs are not well understood. Herein, in the biosynthesis of two fungal polyketide mycotoxins aurovertin E (1) and asteltoxin, we show that the cyclases in the gene clusters promote the release of the polyketide backbone, and reveal that a signal peptide is crucial for their subcellular localization and full activity. Meanwhile, the fungus adopts enzymatic acetylation as the major detoxification pathway of 1. If intermediates are over‐produced, the non‐enzymatic shunt pathways work as salvage pathways to avoid excessive accumulation of the toxic metabolites for self‐protection. These findings provided new insight into the interplay of efficient backbone release and multiple detoxification strategies for the production of fungal bioactive NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient biosynthesis of microbial bioactive natural products (NPs) is beneficial for the survival of producers, while self‐protection is necessary to avoid self‐harm resulting from over‐accumulation of NPs. The underlying mechanisms for the effective but tolerable production of bioactive NPs are not well understood. Herein, in the biosynthesis of two fungal polyketide mycotoxins aurovertin E (1) and asteltoxin, we show that the cyclases in the gene clusters promote the release of the polyketide backbone, and reveal that a signal peptide is crucial for their subcellular localization and full activity. Meanwhile, the fungus adopts enzymatic acetylation as the major detoxification pathway of 1. If intermediates are over‐produced, the non‐enzymatic shunt pathways work as salvage pathways to avoid excessive accumulation of the toxic metabolites for self‐protection. These findings provided new insight into the interplay of efficient backbone release and multiple detoxification strategies for the production of fungal bioactive NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of the mismatch of the wideband underdetermined direction of arrival (DOA) estimation under the condition of the On‐grid model, this paper extends the narrowband Off‐Grid model to wideband and proposes a new DOA estimation algorithm for Off‐Grid sources based on group sparsity. The proposed algorithm first obtains the preliminary estimation result under the current predefined discrete grid through the group sparsity wideband DOA estimation algorithm. Then, the Off‐Grid optimisation problem is adopted to calculate the Off‐Grid deviation vector. It is also assumed that the off‐grid deviation vectors of each frequency subband are exactly the same, thereby reducing the number of parameters to be estimated. Therefore, the proposed algorithm can not only maintain similar or even better estimation accuracy but also greatly reduce the computational complexity. Finally, simulation is conducted and the results verify the effectiveness and performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the problem of the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of quasi‐stationary signals, a sparse reconstruction algorithm based on the sparse array is proposed in this study to improve the DOA estimation performance. Specifically, the quasi‐stationary signal is modelled based on the interleaved array (IA), where the algorithm makes full use of the high degree of freedom (DOF) and large array aperture of the interleaved array in the virtual domain. Then, the angle parameters are estimated depending on sparse reconstruction and the Khatri‐Rao transform, which can achieve a higher number of DOF. Compared with the angle measurement algorithm based on uniform linear array and nested linear array, the algorithm proposed in this study not only increases the DOF of angle measurement significantly, but also improves the accuracy of angle measurement. Finally, numerical simulations demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the mutual coupling ratio of sparse linear array, a new linear array structure with two sparse uniform linear arrays interleaved nested, is proposed in this paper. The new sparse linear array structure is consisted of two subarrays which have N and M physical sensors, respectively. By setting appropriate interelement spacing and interleaving, the degrees‐of‐freedom, uniform degrees‐of‐freedom and array aperture of the proposed sparse array can reach 2NM+2N, 2(N+2M)+1 and max{(N−1)R1,(M−1)R2+d}, respectively. On one hand, the proposed sparse array has closed‐form expressions for the sensor locations. On the other hand, through comparative analysis, although the proposed array structure has lower uniform degrees‐of‐freedom, it can greatly increase the degrees‐of‐freedom, extend the array aperture, and reduce the mutual coupling ratio between physical sensors, which means better estimation performance of direction‐of‐arrival estimation can be achieved. Finally, the direction‐of‐arrival estimation performance of the proposed array structure is verified by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HOOH+CH3, CH3OOH+CH3 and CH3CH2OOH+CH3 reactions were characterized using accurate ab initio methods with reliable basis sets. The reaction rate constants were calculated by canonical variational transition state theory as applied to a complex mechanism involving the formation of reactant complexes. The formation of aldehyde or formaldehyde was observed when the CH3 radical attacks on the CH2 group in CH3CH2OOH or on the CH3 group in CH3OOH. The results showed that the channels of H‐abstraction from OH group are dominant channels at low temperature, while the channels of OH‐transfer to CH3 become predominant with increasing temperature. For the CH3OOH+CH3 reaction, the channel producing CH2O+OH and the OH‐transfer channel have a similar rate coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of localized injection of polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (PEI)‐EGFR‐small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanocomposites as a treatment for residual lung cancer after incomplete microwave ablation (MWA). Methods: Human lung cancer cell lines with high and low EGFR expression were selected for the study. The effects of PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA nanocomposite transfection on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of lung cancer cells were verified. Sixteen healthy ICR mice were injected into the lung to test the biological safety of the nanocomposites. In addition, 24 subcutaneous xenograft BALB/C nude mice with high EGFR expression were separated into four groups and then treated with an intratumoral injection of PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA, PEG‐PEI‐normal control (NC)‐siRNA, PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA after MWA, or PEG‐PEI‐NC‐siRNA after MWA. Tumor growth, pathological changes, and EGFR expression in each group were observed. Results: PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA nanocomposites were transfected to HCC 827 cells showing high EGFR expression and to H23 cells showing low EGFR expression. In HCC827 cells, downregulation of EGFR gene expression reduced cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, whereas cell apoptosis increased. In contrast, in H23 cells, no significant differences in those parameters were detected. No acute toxicity occurred in the ICR mice during the biosafety test. Localized injection of PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA nanocomposites significantly inhibited the growth of human lung xenografts in mice and the growth of residual tumors after MWA. Conclusion: PEG‐PEI‐EGFR‐siRNA nanocomposites may be a supplemental therapy strategy to treat residual lung cancer after incomplete MWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of thermal ablation for the treatment of subpleural lung cancer. Methods: Eighty‐nine patients with 101 subpleural lung cancers were identified between January 2012 and July 2018 in our database and included in this study. Tumors were classified as adhering to cervical, costal, diaphragmatic, and mediastinal pleurae. Lesions were categorized based on their relationship to the pleura: close to the pleura, causing pleural indentation, and involving the pleura. The complete ablation rate, local progression‐free survival, complications, and associated factors were analyzed. Results: Subpleural lung cancers included lesions located under costal (n = 69), mediastinal (n = 17), cervical (n = 8), and diaphragmatic (n = 7) pleurae. The rate of complete ablation was 87.1% and the local progression‐free survival rates at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months were 86%, 77%, 75%, and 64%, respectively. Tumor size was the most important factor influencing technique efficacy (P < 0.05), with a complete ablation rate of only 55.6% in lung cancers measuring > 30 mm. There were nine (10.11%) major complications, including one chest abscess, five cases of pneumothorax, and three cases of hemothorax. The occurrence of major complications was associated with increased levels of pain within 48 hours post‐procedure (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Local thermal ablation is a safe and effective treatment for subpleural lung cancers. Tumor size was the most significant factor affecting technique efficacy. Post‐procedure pain indicated the possibility of major complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel L‐cysteine (CysH) electrochemical sensor based on CeO2 nanofibers (NFs) modified screen printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) was developed. The morphology and the structure of the as‐prepared CeO2 NFs were first characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction pattern (XRD), respectively. The electrochemical and electrocatalytic performances of the CeO2 NFs modified SPCEs were then evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry. Experimental results showed that the CeO2 NFs modified SPCEs possess excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the detection of CysH. Specifically, the developed electrochemical sensor demonstrated a high sensitivity of 120 μA mM−1 cm−2, a low detection limit of 20 nM (signal to noise ratio of 3) and a wide linear range up to 200 μM for the determination of CysH, which are among the best values reported in literature. In addition, good selectivity and outstanding intra‐ and inter‐electrode reproducibility have also been observed. Furthermore, the developed CysH sensor was applied to detect CysH spiked into human serum samples with remarkable accuracy. All these features indicate that CeO2 NFs hold great promise in the development of high performance electrochemical sensor for CysH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Delicate engineering of chromaticity is required to faithfully reproduce colors in a backlit display, this is extremely difficult for green downconverters because the human eye is highly sensitive to green colors. The central challenge is to achieve finely tunable green emissions in the narrow range of 525–535 nm while keeping the full width at half maximum (FWHM) <25 nm at the same time. Here, a room‐temperature ion‐exchange‐mediated self‐assembly strategy for preparing FAPbBr3 (FA = CH(NH2)2+) nanoplates (NPs) to fulfill this goal is introduced. 2D layered OA2PbBr4 (OA is octadecylamine) NPs are first synthesized by spontaneous reprecipitation, and are then transformed into FAPbBr3 NPs through a OA+‐to‐FA+ exchange induced self‐assembly of HP monolayers. A c‐axis contraction in this process makes a relative large thickness variation in OA2PbBr4 NPs, which can be realized by simply varying the precursor concentration, only result in a small thickness change in subsequent FAPbBr3 NPs, thereby enabling finely tunable emissions in the range of 525–535 nm along with FWHM <25 nm and a quantum yield up to 85%. As a downconverter, the FAPbBr3 NPs realize an ultrapure green backlight that covers ≈95% Rec. 2020 standard in the CIE 1931 color space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PZT95/5 ferroelectric ceramics are widely utilized in pulsed power devices and the remanent polarization Pr of poled PZT95/5 can characterize the shock-driven energy density. However, this remanent polarization is difficult to be measured nondestructively. In this article, a series of pyroelectric tests of poled PZT95/5 ceramics were conducted near room temperature, from 25°C to 20°C. A linear relation between Pr and pyroelectric coefficient p was found, that is, Pr=1190.5( K)× p, which provides an effective way to nondestructively estimate the value of Pr of the poled PZT95/5 ceramics by measuring the pyroelectric coefficient p at room temperature. According to Devonshire's phenomenological theory, this result could be explained by a modified equation: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new polyhydroxylated sterols, named verumbsteroids A and B ( 1 and 2, resp.), along with seven known analog, 3- 9, were isolated from the gorgonian Verrucella umbraculum collected from the South China Sea. The structures and relative configurations of the new compounds were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic investigations. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by using modified Mosher method with the acetonide derivative of 1. Compounds 1 and 3- 5 were found to show cytotoxicities against five human tumor cell lines (HL-60, K562, HeLa, A-549, and HCT-116) with the IC50 values ranging from 2.76 to 9.62 μ M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystal titanium nitride powder was used to fabricate titanium nitride films using a vacuum kinetic spray (VKS) process. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (FETEM) were used to investigate the microstructure of the as-fabricated films under different process conditions. Plastic deformation features (i.e., amorphization, rotated grain, slip bands, and distorted lattices in the transition structure) revealed an elastic-to-inelastic transition of titanium nitride particles at high strain rate and high pressure induced by hypervelocity impact, which was considered vital for grain refinement and film growth during the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of dynamic hysteresis of lead zirconate titanate stannate antiferroelectric bulk ceramics at various frequencies ( f) and field amplitudes ( E0) has been investigated systematically. A series of asymmetrical minor loops were observed when the working fields were slightly lower than the forward switching field EAF. As E0 increased above EAF, symmetrical double loops appeared and their energy densities w against f and E0 were found to be fit the scaling behavior as w [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary An efficient and highly stereoselective synthetic method to access polycyclic chromanes has been achieved through organocatalyzed one‐pot step‐wise reactions involving 2‐hydroxycinnamaldehydes, 2‐aminochalcones, and malononitrile as substrates. The reactions underwent a quintuple process by aza‐Michael/Michael/Knoevenagel/oxa‐Michael/aldol‐type reaction in sequence to give products bearing 3 new generated rings and 5 chiral centers in moderate to quantitative yields with excellent stereoselectivities. A novel retro‐reaction mechanism was discovered in the synthetic transformations of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White light‐emitting diodes have attracted much attention as indoor solid‐state light‐emitting devices and full‐color displays. The high cost of epitaxial semiconductors for three‐primary‐color multichips compels commercial universality. For traditional yellow downconverters, like YAG and silicates, rare earth element (Ce3+ or Eu2+) incorporation and high‐temperature manufacture processes impede further development in cost saving. In this work, by an innovative water‐assisted synthesis approach, a series of manganese (Mn)‐doped 2D halide perovskites (HPs) with dual emissions are developed. Systematic experiments elucidate that water in the synthesis process can assist the formation of an intermediate state of HPbI3, which further reacts with the alkylamine for HPs. Significantly, HPs with green‐red dual emissions are achieved for the first time, in which the green emission comes from the 2D HP matrix, and the red emission is owing to exciton transfer from the matrix to Mn (II) centers. By controlling the Mn doping level, the exciton transferring efficiency can be tailored to modulate the overall chromaticity of the emitter. As a result, perfect yellow emission is developed for white light with (0.33, 0.33) color coordinate. It is believed that this work paves the way for the real use of HPs in lighting and display technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of different atmospheric mercury (Hg) species into oceans determines the atmospheric Hg lifetime and the production of neurotoxin methylmercury. Yet, the relative contribution of atmospheric Hg(II) and Hg(0) is largely unconstrained. Here, we report the concentrations of total Hg and methylmercury, as well as Hg isotope composition in living corals collected from the tropical South China Sea (SCS). The results show that the Hg in corals is mainly present as inorganic Hg, exhibiting slightly negative δ202Hg and small yet significant Δ199Hg and Δ200Hg. These isotope features closely resemble those of pelagic waters, suggesting that shallow‐water corals that are widely distributed in oligotrophic waters could be used to trace atmospheric Hg deposition pathways. A mixture model based on coral Δ200Hg indicates that approximately 49% of the seawater Hg in the tropical SCS, a region characterized by high rainfall, originates from atmospheric gaseous Hg(0), much larger than previous estimates. Plain Language Summary: Mercury (Hg) is a toxic heavy metal pollutant that has significant impacts on the environment. The ocean plays a crucial role in the global Hg cycle, with atmospheric Hg deposition being a major source of Hg in seawater. By elucidating the sources, transport, and transformations of Hg in the marine environment, we can develop effective strategies for its mitigation and environmental management. However, our current understanding of how atmospheric mercury enters the open sea is limited, due to challenges in directly measuring trace amounts of mercury in seawater. The widely distributed shallow‐water coral could be an important supplement. Here we present the first‐ever examination of mercury isotope compositions in coral polyps and their symbiotic zooxanthellae from the tropical South China Sea to investigate atmospheric Hg sources into the open ocean. The result shows that the ratio of atmospheric divalent Hg(II) to elemental Hg(0) deposition derived from coral isotopes is only about one quarter of the estimate based on current observations. Our study presents a novel approach to constrain atmospheric Hg deposition pathways into the ocean and challenges the prevailing viewpoint that Hg in tropical oceans mainly originates from precipitation. Key Points: First study of Hg isotope compositions in coral polyps and their symbiotic zooxanthellaeShallow‐water coral tissue can serve as an archive for Hg isotopic compositions of the surface seawaterCoral Δ200Hg reveals that ∼49% of seawater Hg in the tropical South China Sea is derived from atmospheric gaseous elemental Hg [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a lethal clinical syndrome characterized by damage of the epithelial barriers and accumulation of pulmonary edema fluid. Protectin conjugates in tissue regeneration 1 (PCTR1), an endogenously produced lipid mediator, are believed to exert anti‐inflammatory and pro‐resolution effects. PCTR1 (1 µg/kg) was injected at 8 hr after lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 14 mg/kg) administration, and the rate of pulmonary fluid clearance was measured in live rats at 1 hr after PCTR1 treatment. The primary type II alveolar epithelial cells were cultured with PCTR1 (10 nmol/ml) and LPS (1 μg/ml) for 8 hr. PCTR1 effectively improved pulmonary fluid clearance and ameliorated morphological damage and reduced inflammation of lung tissue, as well as improved the survival rate in the LPS‐induced acute lung injury (ALI) model. Moreover, PCTR1 markedly increased sodium channel expression as well as Na, K‐ATPase expression and activity in vivo and in vitro. In addition, PCTR1i also upregulated the expression of LYVE‐1 in vivo. Besides that, BOC‐2, HK7, and LY294002 blocked the promoted effect of PCTR1 on pulmonary fluid clearance. Taken together, PCTR1 upregulates sodium channels' expression via activating the ALX/cAMP/P‐Akt/Nedd4‐2 pathway and increases Na, K‐ATPase expression and activity to promote alveolar fluid clearance. Moreover, PCTR1 also promotes the expression of LYVE‐1 to recover the lymphatic drainage resulting in the increase of lung interstitial fluid clearance. In summary, these results highlight a novel systematic mechanism for PCTR1 in pulmonary edema fluid clearance after ALI/ARDS, suggesting its potential role in a therapeutic approach for ALI/ARDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delicate engineering of chromaticity is required to faithfully reproduce colors in a backlit display, this is extremely difficult for green downconverters because the human eye is highly sensitive to green colors. The central challenge is to achieve finely tunable green emissions in the narrow range of 525–535 nm while keeping the full width at half maximum (FWHM) <25 nm at the same time. Here, a room‐temperature ion‐exchange‐mediated self‐assembly strategy for preparing FAPbBr3 (FA = CH(NH2)2+) nanoplates (NPs) to fulfill this goal is introduced. 2D layered OA2PbBr4 (OA is octadecylamine) NPs are first synthesized by spontaneous reprecipitation, and are then transformed into FAPbBr3 NPs through a OA+‐to‐FA+ exchange induced self‐assembly of HP monolayers. A c‐axis contraction in this process makes a relative large thickness variation in OA2PbBr4 NPs, which can be realized by simply varying the precursor concentration, only result in a small thickness change in subsequent FAPbBr3 NPs, thereby enabling finely tunable emissions in the range of 525–535 nm along with FWHM <25 nm and a quantum yield up to 85%. As a downconverter, the FAPbBr3 NPs realize an ultrapure green backlight that covers ≈95% Rec. 2020 standard in the CIE 1931 color space. A room‐temperature ion‐exchange‐mediated self‐assembly strategy is developed to prepare FAPbBr3 nanoplates. This strategy enables finely tunable, ultrapure green emissions in the highly desirable narrow range of 525–535 nm along with narrow linewidths and high photoluminescence quantum yields, therefore enabling the "greenest" backlight for displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled electron/ion transport is a decisive feature of Li plating/stripping, wherein the compatibility of electron/ion transport rates determines the morphology of deposited Li. Local Li+ hotspots form due to inhomogeneous interfacial charge transfer and lead to uncontrolled Li deposition, which decreases the Li utilization rate and safety of Li metal anodes. Herein, we report a method to obtain dendrite‐free Li metal anodes by driving electron pumping and accumulating and boosting Li ion diffusion by tuning the work function of a carbon host using cobalt‐containing catalysts. The results reveal that increasing the work function provides an electron deviation from C to Co, and electron‐rich Co shows favorable binding to Li+. The Co catalysts boost Li+ diffusion on the carbon fiber scaffolds without local aggregation by reducing the Li+ migration barrier. The as‐obtained dendrite‐free Li metal anode exhibits a Coulombic efficiency of 99.0 %, a cycle life of over 2000 h, a Li utilization rate of 50 %, and a capacity retention of 83.4 % after 130 cycles in pouch cells at a negative/positive capacity ratio of 2.5. These findings provide a novel strategy to stabilize Li metal by regulating the work function of materials using electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupled electron/ion transport is a decisive feature of Li plating/stripping, wherein the compatibility of electron/ion transport rates determines the morphology of deposited Li. Local Li+ hotspots form due to inhomogeneous interfacial charge transfer and lead to uncontrolled Li deposition, which decreases the Li utilization rate and safety of Li metal anodes. Herein, we report a method to obtain dendrite‐free Li metal anodes by driving electron pumping and accumulating and boosting Li ion diffusion by tuning the work function of a carbon host using cobalt‐containing catalysts. The results reveal that increasing the work function provides an electron deviation from C to Co, and electron‐rich Co shows favorable binding to Li+. The Co catalysts boost Li+ diffusion on the carbon fiber scaffolds without local aggregation by reducing the Li+ migration barrier. The as‐obtained dendrite‐free Li metal anode exhibits a Coulombic efficiency of 99.0 %, a cycle life of over 2000 h, a Li utilization rate of 50 %, and a capacity retention of 83.4 % after 130 cycles in pouch cells at a negative/positive capacity ratio of 2.5. These findings provide a novel strategy to stabilize Li metal by regulating the work function of materials using electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single metal atom isolated in nitrogen‐doped carbon materials (MNC) are effective electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which produces H2O2 or H2O via 2‐electron or 4‐electron process. However, most of MNC catalysts can only present high selectivity for one product, and the selectivity is usually regulated by complicated structure design. Herein, a carbon black‐supported CoNC catalyst (CB@CoNC) is synthesized. Tunable 2‐electron/4‐electron behavior is realized on CB@Co‐N‐C by utilizing its H2O2 yield dependence on electrolyte pH and catalyst loading. In acidic media with low catalyst loading, CB@CoNC presents excellent mass activity and high selectivity for H2O2 production. In flow cell with gas diffusion electrode, a H2O2 production rate of 5.04 mol h−1 g−1 is achieved by CB@CoNC on electrolyte circulation mode, and a long‐term H2O2 production of 200 h is demonstrated on electrolyte non‐circulation mode. Meanwhile, CB@CoNC exhibits a dominant 4‐electron ORR pathway with high activity and durability in pH neutral media with high catalyst loading. The microbial fuel cell using CB@CoNC as the cathode catalyst shows a peak power density close to that of benchmark Pt/C catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isolation and structure elucidation of carteriofenones A - K is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have liberated substantial amounts of biologically active metals into oceans. However, identifying the sources and migration processes of these metals is challenging. Here we present first century‐long records of concentrations and isotope compositions of Zn and Cu (δ66Zn and δ65Cu) in two corals from the northern South China Sea. The results show dramatic enrichment in coral Zn and Cu concentrations since the 1980s, which coincide with δ66Zn and δ65Cu increases. Coupled with concurrent land use/cover changes, we suggest that the enrichment trends of Cu and Zn in corals are best explained by human‐induced rock weathering and soil erosion, which transferred isotopically heavy Zn and Cu fluxes into the coastal ocean. The metal releases due to land use/cover changes relative to direct anthropogenic sources could be even more significant in the future given that anthropogenic releases have been legally controlled and started to decline in recent decades. Plain Language Summary: Substantial amounts of biologically active but potentially toxic metals such as zinc and copper have been released into the Earth's surface due to increasing human activities. Most previous studies linked marine zinc and copper enrichment to direct human‐related releases that are transferred into oceans via atmospheric deposition and river discharge, but neglected natural releases that have been augmented by human activities. Here, we found that zinc and copper levels in annually banded corals from South China Sea coastal areas are increasing since the early 1980s, and these increasing trends are best explained by human‐induced rock weathering and soil erosion based on evidence from first measured isotope signatures and land use/cover changes. This pathway was largely overlooked before, but might be a predominant pathway accounting for marine metal enrichment in future given more and more strict environmental laws targeted at curbing metal releases by human activities. Key Points: The coral Zn and Cu isotopic compositions indicate progressive changes of Zn and Cu sources into the ocean through the timeUnprecedented enrichment of coastal Zn and Cu since the 1980s is associated with increases in δ66Zn and δ65CuHuman‐induced rock weathering and soil erosion mainly contributed increased fluxes of dissolved Zn and Cu [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catechin (EC) is a natural plant extract and has great health benefits. EC interacts with the starch isolated from Chinese chestnut to form complexes. The effect of EC addition on the structure and retrogradation properties of chestnut starch (CS) is investigated in this study. Compared with CS, when the addition of EC is 10%, the peak viscosity (PV), trough viscosity(TV), and setback (SB) of CS decreased by 45.65%, 39.95%, and 47.38% (2185.62, 922.35, and 445.42 cp), respectively. Thermogravimetric shows that the EC addition can decrease the degradation temperature of starch. Scanning electron microscope shows that EC can cause a looser gel structure of CS. The results of Fourier transform infrared show that the absorption peak of the complex at 3000–3600 cm−1 is enhanced to a high wavenumber. X‐ray diffraction results in a reduction in the relative crystallinity with the increase of EC addition. In summary, the overall results suggest CS interacted with EC to form the non‐inclusive complex, resulting in changes in starch structure. These results indicate that EC is a promising ingredient to restrain the retrogradation of starchy food and provides new insights for the application of other starch and polyphenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strong ionic character endows all-inorganic CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with different chemical features from classical Cd-based NCs, especially when considering their interaction with polar solvents and surfactants. This has aroused intensive interest, but is still short of comprehensive understanding. More significantly, above characteristic may be used to improve the quality of perovskite thin films, which is crucial for the carrier transport inside optoelectronic devices. Here, an interesting recyclable dissolution-recyrstallization phenomenon of all-inorganic pervoskite, as well as its application on room temperature (RT) self-healing of compact and smooth carrier channels in ambient atmosphere for high-performance PDs with high stability is reported. First, according to solubility equilibrium principle, the size of CsPbBr3 crystals can be reversibly tuned in the range of 10 nm-1 μm through washing with polar solvent or stirring with assistance of surfactants at RT. Second, such phenomenon is applied for significant film quality improvement by forming a liquid circumstance within films, which can transport matter at surface and sharp parts into the gaps, healing themselves at RT. This strategy results in large-area, crack-free, low-roughness perovskite thin films. Obviously, such improvement facilitates transport and extraction of carriers in the channels of devices, which has been evidenced by the improvement of performances of the corresponding PDs at ambient condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the choice of different simplified models used in computations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra and other chiroptical characteristics used to determine the absolute configuration (AC) of the complex natural product sibiricumin A. Sections of molecules containing one chiral center with one near an aromatic group have large effects on the ECD spectra. Conversely, when the phenyl group is present on a substituent without a nonstereogenic center, removal of this section will have little effect on ECD spectra. However, these nonstereogenic-center-containing sections have large effects on calculated optical rotations (OR) values since the OR value is more sensitive to the geometries of sections in a molecule. In this study, the wrong AC of sibiricumin A was reassigned as (7R,8S,1'R,7'R,8'S)- 11. Chirality 28:612-617, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic hysteresis scaling behaviors of Nb-doped Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ceramics have been investigated as a function of electric field amplitude ( E0) and frequency ( f) at different temperatures ( T). The loop area of saturated loops is found to follow various power laws as ∝ E00.3065 at fixed f and ∝ f 0.0120 at fixed E0. Furthermore, the linear scaling relation = k3 fα E0β + b3 is estimated under various temperatures. The exponents α (=0.01) and β (=0.10) are T-independent, whereas the slopes k3 and y-intercepts b3 are T-dependent because the increasing temperature in the same phase range only decreases the threshold field of the reversal rather than change the dynamic reversal process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a new reaction pathway to produce hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from cellulose under mild reaction conditions (140-190 °C; 5 m M H2SO4) in polar aprotic solvents (i.e. THF) without the presence of water. In this system, levoglucosan is the major decomposition product of cellulose, followed by dehydration to produce HMF. Glucose, levulinic acid, and formic acid are also produced as a result of side reactions with water, which is a by-product of dehydration. The turnover frequency for cellulose conversion increases as the water content in the solvent decreases, with conversion rates in THF being more than twenty times higher than those in water. The highest HMF yield from cellulose was 44 % and the highest combined yield of HMF and levulinic from cellulose was 53 %, which are nearly comparable to yields obtained in ionic liquids or biphasic systems. Moreover, the use of a low boiling point solvent, such as THF, facilitates recovery of HMF in downstream processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optogenetics has become a widely used technique in neuroscience research, capable of controlling neuronal activity with high spatiotemporal precision and cell‐type specificity. Expressing exogenous opsins in the selected cells can induce neuronal activation upon light irradiation, and the activation depends on the power of incident light. However, high optical power can also lead to off‐target neuronal activation or even cell damage. Limiting the incident power, but enhancing power distribution to the targeted neurons, can improve optogenetic efficiency and reduce off‐target effects. Here, the use of optical lenses made of polystyrene microspheres is demonstrated to achieve effective focusing of the incident light of relatively low power to neighboring neurons via photonic jets. The presence of microspheres significantly localizes and enhances the power density to the target neurons both in vitro and ex vivo, resulting in increased inward current and evoked action potentials. In vivo results show optogenetic stimulation with microspheres that can evoke significantly more motor behavior and neuronal activation at lowered power density. In all, a proof‐of‐concept of a strategy is demonstrated to increase the efficacy of optogenetic neuromodulation using pulses of reduced optical power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we propose a facile method for converting N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine (NAG) into the N‐containing chemical 3‐acetamido‐5‐acetylfuran (3A5AF) using chloride salt as a catalyst. Screening of various chloride salts showed that NH4Cl possessed the optimal catalytic performance. The catalyst NH4Cl led to a 3A5AF yield of 43 mol % with LiCl as an additive in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent at 160 °C for 5 min. Moreover, the solvent, catalyst and additive could be reused at least five times with residual catalytic activity of 94.42 %. Additionally, scaling up of the 3A5AF preparation could be easily realized and the purity of the product 3A5AF reached >99 % purity with 45 mol % isolated yield after a simple isolation procedure. This work provides an environmentally friendly and mild method for converting NAG into 3A5AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic hysteresis of Nb-doped Pb( Zr1− x Ti x) O3 ( PZT, 0.20 ≤ x ≤ 0.60) ceramics were studied systemically at different field ( E) and frequency ( f). The hysteresis loops were strongly dependent on E and f. The measured coercive fields ( Ec0) were far lower than the calculated values based on the Landau-Ginzburg theory, and increased dramatically from the rhombohedral phase to the tetragonal phase while had less variation with composition in the same phase. With increasing E or f for each composition, three types of loops were observed: linear, minor, and saturated loops. The cross fields ( E0), cross polarizations ( P0), and hysteresis areas ( ) showed different variation regularities with f. Similar varying curves were observed for all PZT ceramic samples by normalizing E0, P0, and with E/Ec0, which indicated the same polarization switching for different domain structures. Further analyses revealed that the switching processes can be divided into three stages: space charge polarization, domain switching, and steady state. The first and second stage occurred at ~0.5 and ~1.5 E/ Ec0, respectively. These results would be very helpful to further understand the polarization switching of ferroelectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plating/stripping of Li dendrites can fracture the static solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and cause significant dynamic volume variations in the Li anode, which give rise to poor cyclability and severe safety hazards. Herein, a tough polymer with a slide‐ring structure was designed as a self‐adaptive interfacial layer for Li anodes. The slide‐ring polymer with a dynamically crosslinked network moves freely while maintaining its toughness and fracture resistance, which allows it can to dissipate the tension induced by Li dendrites on the interphase layer. Moreover, the slide‐ring polymer is highly stretchable, elastic, and displays an ultrafast self‐healing ability, which allows even pulverized Li to remain coalesced without disintegrating upon consecutive cycling. The Li anodes demonstrate greatly improved suppression of Li dendrite formation, as evidenced by the high critical current density (6 mA cm−2) and stable cycling for the full cells with high‐areal capacity LiFePO4, high‐voltage NCM, and S cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plating/stripping of Li dendrites can fracture the static solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and cause significant dynamic volume variations in the Li anode, which give rise to poor cyclability and severe safety hazards. Herein, a tough polymer with a slide‐ring structure was designed as a self‐adaptive interfacial layer for Li anodes. The slide‐ring polymer with a dynamically crosslinked network moves freely while maintaining its toughness and fracture resistance, which allows it can to dissipate the tension induced by Li dendrites on the interphase layer. Moreover, the slide‐ring polymer is highly stretchable, elastic, and displays an ultrafast self‐healing ability, which allows even pulverized Li to remain coalesced without disintegrating upon consecutive cycling. The Li anodes demonstrate greatly improved suppression of Li dendrite formation, as evidenced by the high critical current density (6 mA cm−2) and stable cycling for the full cells with high‐areal capacity LiFePO4, high‐voltage NCM, and S cathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In acetone solution, uniform polyaniline (PANI) nanospheres have been successfully synthesized by using cellulose acetate (CA) as a single template, which provides the first example of uniform PANI nanospheres synthesized in nonaqueous system. Our result exhibits that the CA micelle in nonaqueous medium plays a unique role in controlling size and uniformity of PANI nanospheres. A detail formation mechanism for the uniform PANI nanospheres has been proposed. In addition, the gas sensitivity and time response of the PANI nanospheres to NH3 gas have been investigated, which shows superior gas sensing performance even at 1 ppm of NH3 gas. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur‐containing scaffold, as a ubiquitous structural motif, has been frequently used in natural products, bioactive chemicals and pharmaceuticals, particularly C−S/N−S bonds are indispensable in many biological important compounds and pharmaceuticals. Development of mild and general methods for C−S/N−S bonds formation has great significance in modern research. Iodine and its derivatives have been recognized as inexpensive, environmentally benign and easy‐handled catalysts or reagents to promote the construction of C−S/N−S bonds under mild reaction conditions, with good regioselectivities and broad substrate scope. Especially based on this, several new strategies, such as oxidation relay strategy, have been greatly developed and accelerated the advancement of this field. This review focuses on recent advances in iodine and its derivatives promoted hybridized C−S/N−S bonds formation. The features and mechanisms of corresponding reactions are summarized and the results of some cases are compared with those of previous reports. In addition, the future of this domain is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a great challenge to fabricate electrode with simultaneous high activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a high‐performance bifunctional electrode formed by vertically depositing a porous nanoplate array on the surface of nickel foam is provided, where the nanoplate is made up by the interconnection of trinary Ni–Fe–Mo suboxides and Ni nanoparticles. The amorphous Ni–Fe–Mo suboxide and its in situ transformed amorphous Ni–Fe–Mo (oxy)hydroxide acts as the main active species for HER and OER, respectively. The conductive network built by Ni nanoparticles provides rapid electron transfer to active sites. Moreover, the hydrophilic and aerophobic electrode surface together with the hierarchical pore structure facilitate mass transfer. The corresponding water electrolyzer demonstrates low cell voltage (1.50 V @ 10 mA cm−2 and 1.63 V @ 100 mA cm−2) with high durability at 500 mA cm−2 for at least 100 h in 1 m KOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Axial N‐O alcohols, which have two large carboline moieties connected to the axis were synthesized and used in catalytic enantioselective 1,2‐ and 1,4‐transfer hydrogenations of total 26 ketimines and β‐enamino esters. Excellent levels of enantioselectivity ranging from 91% to 99% were achieved by using catalyst (aS)‐(S)‐3,3′‐bis((S)‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine‐1‐carbonyl)‐9,9′‐dimethyl‐9H,9′H‐[1,1′‐bipyrido[3,4‐b]indole] 2‐oxide. Interestingly, a mixture of (aS)‐(S)‐3,3′‐bis((S)‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine‐1‐carbonyl)‐9,9′‐dimethyl‐9H,9′H‐[1,1′‐bipyrido[3,4‐b]indole] 2‐oxide and (aR)‐(S)‐3,3′‐bis((S)‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine‐1‐carbonyl)‐9,9′‐dimethyl‐9H,9′H‐[1,1′‐bipyrido[3,4‐b]indole] 2‐oxide was also able to provide high enantioselectivities up to 95% that is the same as that using pure (aS)‐(S)‐3,3′‐bis((S)‐2‐(hydroxymethyl)pyrrolidine‐1‐carbonyl)‐9,9′‐dimethyl‐9H,9′H‐[1,1′‐bipyrido[3,4‐b]indole] 2‐oxide. A plausible catalytic mechanism was suggested and total four kinds of transition states (TS) including almost 60 TS structures were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) with different basis sets such as 6‐311G(2d,p). The predicted activation energy data are consistent with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid solutions of (1−x)PbZrO3‐xBa(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZ‐xBMN, x = 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, and 0.05) were prepared, and their microstructures, electrical properties, and phase transition behaviors under hydrostatic pressure were investigated. It was found that the incorporation of BMN into PZ can provide improved ferroelectric properties, leading to the formation of antiferroelectric/ferroelectric phase boundaries in PZ‐xBMN ceramics when the value of x is between 0.02 and 0.03. It was also demonstrated that the ferroelectric phases exhibit excellent temperature stability in the remanent polarization. Importantly, complete depolarization was observed in the PZ‐xBMN solid solution due to the hydrostatic pressure‐induced ferroelectric‐antiferroelectric phase transition. The resultant properties and phase transition behaviors of PZ‐xBMN ceramics under pressure will benefit their application in pulsed power supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of composition, temperature, and poling on the phase transition behavior under hydrostatic pressure of lead‐free (1‐x)[(0.98Bi0.5Na0.5Ti0.995Mn0.005O3‐0.02BiAlO3)]‐xNaNbO3 (BNT‐BA‐xNN) ceramics were investigated. It was found that hydrostatic pressure can induce a phase transformation from ferroelectric (FE) to relaxor (RE). Meanwhile, the FE‐RE phase transition pressure (PFR) tends to decrease as the NN addition increases. Moreover, increasing temperature exhibits a similar effect that is, reducing PFR. The reduced PFR were considered to result from the reduced FE stability and increasing proportion of RE phase. However, PFR was obviously enhanced after poling, which can be attributed to the induced FE phase and the formation of macrodomains with application of an electric field. These results will aid in understanding the phase transition behavior of BNT‐based relaxor ferroelectrics for applications under hydrostatic pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites upon cycling might result in low coulombic efficiency and severe safety hazards. Herein, a lithiophilic binary lithium–aluminum alloy layer, which was generated through an in situ electrochemical process, was utilized to guide the uniform metallic Li nucleation and growth, free from the formation of dendrites. Moreover, the formed LiAl alloy layer can function as a Li reservoir to compensate the irreversible Li loss, enabling long‐term stability. The protected Li electrode shows superior cycling over 1700 h in a Li|Li symmetric cell. Dendrite‐free anodes: An efficient lithium–aluminum alloy medium with increased affinity for Li and generated through an in situ electrochemical process is engineered to guide uniform Li nucleation and suppress the growth of Li dendrites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites upon cycling might result in low coulombic efficiency and severe safety hazards. Herein, a lithiophilic binary lithium–aluminum alloy layer, which was generated through an in situ electrochemical process, was utilized to guide the uniform metallic Li nucleation and growth, free from the formation of dendrites. Moreover, the formed LiAl alloy layer can function as a Li reservoir to compensate the irreversible Li loss, enabling long‐term stability. The protected Li electrode shows superior cycling over 1700 h in a Li|Li symmetric cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Sedation is often required for young children during transthoracic echocardiography. Dexmedetomidine and ketamine are two sedatives that are commonly used in children for procedural sedation, but they have some disadvantages when they are used alone. Aims: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the effects and safety of intranasal sedation with a combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine during transthoracic echocardiography in young children and to analyze risk factors for sedation failure. Methods: After IRB approval, we retrospectively evaluated data on patients who underwent echocardiography between May 2016 and August 2017 utilizing a combination of dexmedetomidine 2 μg/kg and ketamine 1 mg/kg. We collected information including heart rate, pulse oxygen saturation, sedation onset time, exam time, recovery time, and adverse reactions. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the risk factors for sedation failure. Results: Sedation was successful in 2212 patients (96%) and took effect in 15.7 (IQR: 10‐23) min, while sedation failed in 92 patients. Cyanotic heart disease, history of sedation failure, history of congenital heart disease surgery, and fever were independent risk factors for sedation failure. Most of the patients in this study had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade of II to III, but no severe adverse reactions were observed. Conclusion: Intranasal sedation with a combination of dexmedetomidine and ketamine is effective and appears to have an acceptable safety profile for young children during transthoracic echocardiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: (1−x)Bi1/2Na1/2TiO3‐xPbMg1/3Nb2/3O3[(1−x)BNT‐xPMN] ceramics have been fabricated via a conventional solid‐state method for compositions x ≤ 0.3. The microstructure, phase structure, ferroelectric, and dielectric properties of ceramics were systematically studied as high‐temperature capacitor materials. XRD pattern certified perovskite phase with no secondary phase in all compositions. As PMN concentration increased, the phase of (1−x)BNT‐xPMN ceramics transformed from ferroelectric to relaxor gradually at room temperature, with prominent enhancement of dielectric temperature stability. For the composition x = 0.2, the temperature coefficient of capacitance (TCC) was <15% in a wide temperature range from 56 to 350°C with high relative permittivity (>3300) and low dielectric loss (<0.02) at 150°C, which indicated promising future for (1−x)BNT‐xPMN system as high‐temperature stable capacitor materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High pyroelectric performance and good thermal stability of pyroelectric materials are desirable for the application of infrared thermal detectors. In this work, enhanced pyroelectric properties were achieved in a new ternary (1−x)(0.98(Bi0.5Na0.5)(Ti0.995Mn0.005)O3–0.02BiAlO3)–xNaNbO3 (BNT–BA–xNN) lead‐free ceramics. The effect of NN addition on the microstructure, phase transition, ferroelectric, and pyroelectric properties of BNT–BA–xNN ceramics were investigated. It was found that the average grain size decreased as x increased to 0.03, whereas increased with further NN addition. The pyroelectric coefficient p at room temperature (RT) was significantly increased from 3.87 × 10−8Ccm−2K−1 at x = 0 to 8.45 × 10−8Ccm−2K−1 at x = 0.03. The figures of merit (FOMs), Fi, Fv and Fd, were also enhanced with addition of NN. Because of high p (7.48 × 10−8Ccm−2K−1) as well as relatively low dielectric permittivity (~370) and low dielectric loss (~0.011), the optimal FOMs at RT were obtained at x = 0.02 with Fi = 2.66 × 10−10 m/V, Fv = 8.07 × 10−2 m2/C, and Fd = 4.22 × 10−5 Pa−1/2, which are superior to other reported lead‐free ceramics. Furthermore, the compositions with x ≤ 0.03 exhibited excellent temperature stability in a wide temperature range from 20 to 80°C because of high depolarization temperature (≥110°C). Those results unveil the potential of BNT–BA–xNN ceramics for infrared detector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of lanthanum (La) content on the phase transformation of Pb1−3x/2Lax(Zr0.42Sn0.40Ti0.18)O3 (PLZST 100x/42/40/18, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) ceramics was investigated by the dielectric and ferroelectric properties. The base composition PLZST 0/42/40/18 located in the ferroelectric (FE) rhombohedral phase region. As x increased, the compositions showed successively FE and antiferroelectric (AFE) state at room temperature, and their peak temperatures (Tmax) decreased gradually in line as Tmax = 162.21‐1507x. Evidence was presented that there were two dielectric anomalies in PLZST 2/42/40/18, which were corresponding to the FE‐AFE and AFE‐paraelectric (PE) phase transformations, respectively. With increasing the dc bias fields, the two phases merged into one. PLZST 3/42/40/18 showed AFE characteristics with the first loop outside of the second loop and there was only one dielectric inflection. The critical lanthanum content occurred at x = 0.03 from the dielectric temperature spectra and hysteresis loops. Furthermore increase in La above 0.03, these compositions showed typical antiferroelectric behaviors with double hysteresis loops. The stored energy properties of the three compositions (PLZST 4/42/40/18, 5/42/40/18 and 6/42/40/18) displayed different temperature dependencies from room temperature to 140°C (over their respective Tmax). Comparing the above results with previous investigations on PLZSTs, some questions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although patients with EGFR‐mutant non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) benefit from treatment with EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), outcomes are limited by the eventual development of acquired resistance. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of EGFR‐TKI therapy beyond focal progression, associated with microwave ablation. Methods: Patients with metastatic EGFR‐mutant NSCLC treated with EGFR‐TKIs at our institutions from May 2012 to December 2017 were identified. Patients with single lesion progression, treated with MWA, and continually administered EGFR‐TKI therapy until further progression, were included in the study. Initial response to target therapy, median progression‐free survival (PFS1), and first progression site were recorded. The median time to progression after local therapy (PFS2) was also assessed. Overall survival was calculated from the initiation of EGFR‐TKIs to the date of final follow‐up or death. Results: Fifteen out of 205 patients (10%) satisfied the inclusion criteria. Local therapy was well tolerated, and complete ablation was performed in 11 (73.3%) patients. The median PFS1 was 9.5 months (range 6–41), and the median PFS2 was 8 months (range 3–24). The corresponding 6 and 12 month PFS rates were 73.3% and 26.7%, respectively. Median overall survival was 23 months (range 15–64). Conclusion: The longer disease control observed in our patients suggests that continuation of EGFR‐TKI beyond focal progression associated to microwave ablation is an efficacious therapeutic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]