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Objective: This study examined associations between marital adjustment and children's learning behaviors, as well as the potential mediation effects of maternal involvement and parenting on these associations in Chinese contexts. Background: The family is a vital setting for children's early learning behaviors, encompassing self‐efficacy in learning and approaches to learning. Marital adjustment, as well as maternal involvement and maternal parenting, are crucial factors in the family setting. However, there is a paucity of research on the pathway mechanism between these three family factors and children's early learning behaviors. Method: There were 750 mothers of Chinese preschoolers (48.24% girls, Mage = 5.94 years, SD = 1.43) in three provinces—Fujian, Sichuan, and Xinjiang—who participated in the study. Mothers completed questionnaires related to marital adjustment, maternal involvement, maternal parenting, and children's learning behaviors. Structural equation models were estimated to test the hypothesized paths. Results: The results revealed a positive association between higher marital adjustment and improved children's self‐efficacy in learning (β =.10, p =.004) and approaches to learning (β =.15, p <.001), with maternal involvement (for self‐efficacy, β =.25, p <.001; for approaches to learning, β =.23, p <.001) and parenting (for self‐efficacy, β =.25, p <.001; for approaches to learning, β =.31, p <.001) recognized as significant mediators in this relationship. Conclusions: The study indicated that marital adjustment, maternal involvement, and parenting have significant direct and indirect effects on children's early learning behaviors. Implications: Given the research findings, marital adjustment is worth considering when recognizing children's early learning. Furthermore, parents may be encouraged to understand proper involvement and parenting practices with their children. Briefly, these findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge on how family variables are related to children's learning behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of hypersonic vehicles has raised higher requirements for thermal protection materials, which have become the focus of research on how to meet the lightweight and less ablative. Herein, a yttrium silicate‐coated carbon fiber felts (YS‐CFs) reinforced phenolic aerogel‐like (PR) composites were prepared. The YS‐CFs/PR with the addition of 12 % hexamethylenetetramine exhibited low density (0.540 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity (0.145 W/(m⋅K)), and good thermal stability. Specifically, under an oxyacetylene flame examination with 2.44 MW/m2 heated for 120 s, its mass ablation rates (9.833 mg/s) and line ablation rates (5 μm/s) were decreased by 40.8 % and 32.6 %, respectively, compared to others. The results show that the composites with these combined properties can meet the requirements for thermal protection materials in the field of hypersonic vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great efforts have been made to boost the performance of electrochemical catalysts by regulating the electronic and geometric structures. However, the electrochemical catalytic properties have entered the bottleneck stage only depend on these methods, especially in alkaline or neutral conditions. It is highly desired to develop new strategy to make robust electrocatalysts. In this study, an atomic Co‐N4 catalyst embedded on nitrogen‐doped 3D hierarchically porous carbon has been prepared via a facile method of calcining the coordination compound. Benefiting from the unique properties of Co single‐atoms, they are coordinated with the heteroatom nitrogen of o‐phenylenediamine and melamine and anchored on the nitrogen‐doped porous carbon carriers. The as‐synthesized Co‐N‐LPC with a maximum Co single‐atom loading of 3.82 wt % features a high specific surface area of 196.6 m2 g−1 and exhibits decently high hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution and alcohol oxidation catalytic activities in 1.0 mol L−1 KOH electrolyte with competitive overpotentials of 131, 318 and 124 mV at 10 mA cm−2 current density respectively. This study offers a cost‐effective electrocatalyst for water splitting or alcohol oxidation that can be used instead of noble metals in various renewable energy storage and conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the shortcoming of fiber oxidation in a high‐temperature environment and improve the antiablative performance, yttrium silicate is coated on the carbon fibers' surface by the sol‐gel process. In the present work, investigations of the ablation resistance of carbon fiber composites with yttrium silicate coatings (YS‐CFs) prepared by different sol contents and sintering temperatures are reported. The results show that YS‐CFs exhibit excellent ablation resistance in the oxyacetylene test with a heat flow of 1.5 MW/m2. The surface coating of carbon fiber is composed of a mixture of cristobalite, yttrium monosilicate, and yttrium disilicate. The best ceramic coating could be obtained by dipping 20% silica sol and 14% yttrium sol in turn and sintering at 1300°C. In this case, the linear and mass ablation rates reach the minimum values of.667 μm/s and 2.975 mg/s, respectively. YS‐CFs could be used as reinforcements for thermal protection materials in high‐temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the variability in the Hadley circulation (HC) changes is crucial for understanding ocean‐atmosphere interactions. In this study, the variability in the boreal winter HC in the last 4 decades is explored using multiple reanalyzes and model simulations. The results show that regime shift occurred in the leading mode of HC variability. The primary mode of the recent HC is dominated by an equatorially symmetrical pattern, which was considered the second mode in previous studies. The regime shift in HC variability is mainly due to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which explains both the spatiotemporal variation and formation of HC variability. Moreover, the abilities of the models to reproduce HC variability is subject to their ability to simulate ENSO variability, suggesting that the ENSO has become a more important modulator of the HC variability in recent decades, and additional research is warranted to evaluate future climate changes and potential effects on the HC. Plain Language Summary: The Hadley circulation (HC) has significant regulatory impacts on tropical and extratropical interactions. As a thermal‐dynamical circulation, the variability in the HC exhibits a substantial correlation with the underlying thermal conditions. However, strong interdecadal variations have been observed in the tropical sea surface temperature (SST) around 1976/1977, particularly in the SST related to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The HC variability after 1977 is still unknown. We investigate the spatial‐temporal variation in the boreal winter HC during the period of 1980–2020. The results show that the primary dominant mode (EOF1) of the HC presents an equatorially symmetrical structure with ascension around the equator. This pattern corresponds to the second dominant mode in preceding studies. The different result indicates that a regime shift in HC variability has occurred. We find that the formation of EOF1 is due to the enhanced variation in ENSO, which explains the spatial‐temporal variations in EOF1. This result is further confirmed in model simulations, highlighting a more important role of the ENSO on the HC in recent decades. These results deepen our understanding of HC variability and emphasize the important climatic effects of the ENSO, which is of great interest because more severe ENSO events are projected for the future. Key Points: The principal mode of boreal winter Hadley circulation (HC) during recent 4 decades shows a regime shift and is dominated by an equatorially symmetrical patternThe strengthened El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) explains the spatiotemporal variation and regime shift of the HC variabilityModel simulations indicate that their ability to reproduce the ENSO variability is a key factor in determining HC variability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is concerned with the spatiotemporal propagation phenomena for a time‐periodic reaction‐diffusion susceptible‐infectious (SI) epidemic model with treatment in terms of the asymptotic speed of spread and periodic traveling waves. First, the asymptotic speed of spread c∗$c^*$ is characterized and the spreading properties of the model are analyzed by combining the periodic principal eigenvalue problem, comparison method, and the uniform persistence idea for a dynamical system. Second, by constructing suitable super‐ and subsolutions for truncation problems corresponding to the traveling wave system, the existence of periodic traveling waves is established via the fixed point theorem twice. It turned out that the asymptotic speed of spread coincides with the minimum wave speed of periodic traveling waves. Finally, via numerical simulation, the effects of some important parameters (such as diffusion rate, treatment rate, etc.) on the spreading speed are discussed, and the asymptotic properties of the periodic traveling waves are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pandemic era, social media has provided the public with a platform to make their voice heard. One of the most important public opinions online during a pandemic is blame. Blame can lead to stigma towards patients as well as potential patients and decrease social cooperation, which might impede prevention and control measures during epidemics. Thus, studying online blame during the early days of COVID‐19 can facilitate the management and control of future pandemics. By analyzing 3791 posts from one of the most popular social media sites in China (Weibo) over the 10 days immediately after COVID‐19 was declared to be a communicable disease, we found that there were four main agents blamed online: Individuals, corporations, institutions, and the media. Most of the blame targeted individual agents. We also found that there were regional‐cultural differences in the detailed types of blamed individual agents, that is, between rice‐ and wheat‐farming areas in China. After controlling influence of distance from the epicenter of Wuhan, there were still stable differences between regions: people in wheat areas had a higher probability of blaming agentic, harmful individuals, and people in rice areas had a higher probability of blaming individuals with low awareness of social norms for preventive health behavior. Findings have implications for preventing and predicting blame across cultures in future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative all‐metal self‐support microwave metamaterial absorber (MMA) based on a continuous complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) array frequency selective surface (FSS) is constructed. The CSRR‐based FSS has a selected frequency of 23 GHz and is proved to be polarization insensitive. And the all‐metal MMA has the same response frequency as the FSS, showing convenience in the geometrical scaling process. Additionally, in both transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes, the all‐metal MMA shows stable response at oblique incidences with an incident angle as large as 50°. Along with lightweight, easy fabrication and high cost‐performance ratio, the new proposed all‐metal FSS‐based MMA has good potential to serve in many practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After China's economy entered a “new normal,” their economic development model shifted from an energy‐intensive to an energy‐saving, given that China's electricity and heating industry accounts for about half of the country's energy consumption and carbon emissions. Based on the sample data from 2005 to 2020, this paper adopts the energy consumption method and the extended index decomposition model to explore carbon emissions of the electricity and heating industry in the early and late period of the economic new normal. The results show that: (1) carbon emissions from the electricity and heating industry showed a growing direction in the economic new normal period. However, compared with the early period of economic new normal, the increasing speed of carbon emissions from the electricity and heating industry slowed down significantly in the late period. This point also directly reflects that the extensive development mode of energy utilization has been alleviated after the electricity and heating industry entered the economic new normal. (2) Compared with the early period, the energy structure effect on the emission reduction was enhanced after entering the economic new normal. Meanwhile, the investment efficiency effect has changed from promoting to inhibiting. (3) Compared with the early period, the promotion impact of the investment scale effect on carbon emissions in the electricity and heating industry has no significant change after entering the economic new normal. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the emission reduction impact of the energy intensity effect is weak. This paper not only provides empirical evidence for evaluating the emission reduction effects of the Chinese electricity and heating industry before and after the economic new normal but also shares policy insights for precise emission reduction in the electricity and heating industry in the later stage of the economic new normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mucormycosis is a rare form of invasive, rapidly progressive and lethal opportunistic fungal infection caused by Mucorales. Although Rhizopus arrhizus (R. arrhizus) is the most commonly isolated Mucorales worldwide, infections caused by Apophysomyces variabilis (A. variabilis) are increasing. Objectives and Methods: We present a case of necrotizing fasciitis caused by A. variabilis in an immunocompetent woman. In order to further understand the characteristics of the strain isolated from the patient, we identified the strain through ITS sequencing, assessed the ability to tolerate salt concentrations and temperature conditions, in addition to performing in vitro drug susceptibility testing against common antifungal agents. Results: The strain showed 98.76% identity with A. variabilis in the NCBI database, and it was found to tolerate higher temperatures and salt concentrations than previously reported strains. The strain was sensitive to amphotericin B and posaconazole, but not to voriconazole, itraconazole, 5‐fluorocytosine and echinocandins. Conclusions: This case indicates that Mucorales caused by A. variabilis should be recognised as an emerging pathogen that can cause a high mortality rate in the absence of prompt diagnosis and proper treatment in China, aggressive surgical debridement combined with prompt and appropriate antifungal treatment may improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receptor‐interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) mediates necroptosis and inflammation in various pathophysiologies, emerging as a pharmacological target for neurodegenerative and inflammatory indications. This phase I, first‐in‐human, placebo‐controlled study evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics (PKs), and pharmacodynamics (PDs) of GFH312, an RIPK1 inhibitor, in healthy adults. Subjects received GFH312 as a single ascending dose up to 500 mg (part I) or once‐daily repeated doses up to 200 mg for 14 days (part II). PKs were assessed using plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); PDs were assessed by phospho‐RIPK1 levels. Seventy‐six subjects were enrolled between April 2021 and June 2022: 38 (part I) and 19 (part II) received GFH312; 14 and five received placebo, respectively. At least one treatment‐emergent adverse event (TEAE) occurred in 42.1% (part I) and 63.2% (part II) of subjects receiving GFH312, compared with 42.9% and 40.0% of subjects receiving placebo, respectively. The most common TEAE was headache (21.1%). Two treatment‐related TEAEs were reported in part I and four in part II. No serious TEAEs were reported. Systemic absorption was rapid; exposure (area under the concentration‐time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration and maximum plasma concentration) increased with dose level. The GFH312 CSF concentration post 100 mg single dose was approximately fourfold higher than the half maximal inhibitory concentration of human monocyte‐derived macrophages necroptosis with expected central nervous system penetration. Subjects receiving GFH312 had decreased phospho‐RIPK1 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells postdose. In conclusion, GFH312 was well‐tolerated and demonstrated RIPK1 inhibition in healthy subjects. Ongoing studies will inform the use of GFH312 in potential indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the factors that influence attitudes toward the COVID‐19 vaccine by testing 1872 people across 29 provinces in China. We investigated an individual trait (responsibilism) and two situational factors (a descriptive norm and an injunctive norm). Responsibilism is a version of collectivism that emphasizes tight social ties and responsibilities in close relationships. Responsibilism and perceptions of strong social norms predicted acceptance of the COVID‐19 vaccine. The data also revealed an interplay between responsibilism and social norms. People high in responsibilism accepted the vaccine regardless of social norms. But people low in responsibilism were wary of the vaccine, unless they perceived strong injunctive norms. These findings contribute to the research on psychological factors behind vaccine hesitancy. The findings could help provide a roadmap for public health efforts to encourage vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new inhibition method was proposed for the problem of harmonic of radial electromagnetic force during the operation of the composite magnetic coupler. In order to suppress its radial electromagnetic force, a radial permanent magnet rotor eccentricity method is proposed, and a three‐dimensional finite element model is established. Based on the Maxwell tensor method, the radial electromagnetic force of the composite magnetic coupler is analysed, and the mathematical expression of its radial electromagnetic force is established, Maxwell stress tensor was used to analyse the radial electromagnetic force in a composite magnetic coupler and to establish the mathematical equation for the radial electromagnetic force. In order to suppress the radial electromagnetic force, a method based on rotor eccentricity in a radial permanent magnet was proposed. A prototype of a composite magnetic coupler with a rated power of 5 kW was designed to test its output torque under load. The results showed that the simulated curve was consistent with the tested curve, with a maximum numerical error of 8.9%. The tested values of the output torque before and after eccentricity were compared, and the results showed that the output torque remained basically unchanged after the eccentric structure was adopted and that the torque pulsation was significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoredox‐mediated iridium(III)/nickel(II)/3‐acetoxyquinuclidine triple‐synergistic catalysis was comprehensively investigated by taking a C(sp3)−C(sp2) bond cross‐coupling as a reaction model using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The synergistic mechanism of the triple catalytic system includes a reductive quenching cycle (IrIII−*IrIII−IrII−IrIII), an organocatalytic cycle, and a nickel catalytic cycle (NiII−NiI−NiIII−[NiIII]⊖−NiII). Electronic process analysis shows that 3‐acetoxyquinuclidine acts as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalyst to regioselectively provide α‐carbon centered radical. Due to more favorable oxidative addition of C−Br to Ni(I) than HAT to avoid the formation of stable Ni(II) species, the generated α‐carbon centered radical prefers to be captured by oxidative addition product Ni(III) to form an unusual [NiIII]⊖C⊕ species when 3‐acetoxyquinuclidine was employed. These theoretical insights not only provide deep electronic process understanding of the photoredox‐mediated iridium(III)/nickel(II) synergistic catalysis, but also clarify the electron‐withdrawing group effect of quinuclidine, which has a potential guiding role for further development of new cross‐coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and convenient synthesis of 2‐substituted benzimidazoles catalyzed by magnetic Fe3O4 supported by modified bentonite (MB) was developed. Herein, a separable, magnetic catalyst Fe3O4/MB was successfully prepared on the basis of exploring Fe3O4 synthesis by co‐precipitation method. Fe3O4 was obtained in 96.09 % yield using sweet orange oil as a reducing and protecting agent. The result showed that the sweet orange oil played a crucial role in the preparation of Fe3O4. Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/MB were characterized by powder XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS and BET, and were further applied to catalyze the synthesis of 2‐substituted benzimidazoles. The applicability of the substrate was investigated on the basis of optimizing the reaction conditions. As a consequence, 2‐substituted benzimidazoles were obtained in 37.01–91.68 % yield. It suggested that Fe3O4/MB was an environmentally friendly and low‐cost catalyst possessing good catalytic activity, broader substrate adaptability and excellent recyclability. It is a promising catalyst in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the exponential input‐to‐state stabilization of semilinear systems via aperiodically intermittent control and aperiodically intermittent sampled‐data control, respectively. The aperiodically intermittent control is characterized from the average sense. By designing an auxiliary timer to make a compromise between control activation intervals and control rest intervals and employing the piecewise Lyapunov function method, novel sufficient criteria are obtained to guarantee the exponential input‐to‐state stability of considered systems. As for the aperiodically intermittent sampled‐data control, the sampling instants can also be aperiodic. Especially, if the sampling instants are periodic, we employ a mixed piecewise Lyapunov functional method to obtain a relatively less conservative condition to guarantee the exponential input‐to‐state stability. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider an indefinite planar system z′=f(t,z)$$ {z}^{\prime }=f\left(t,z\right) $$ under asymmetric non‐resonance conditions and obtain the existence of 2π$$ 2\pi $$‐periodic solutions by combining a rotation number approach together with the Poincaré‐Bohl theorem. We allow that the angular velocity of solutions of z′=f(t,z)$$ {z}^{\prime }=f\left(t,z\right) $$ is controlled by the angular velocity of solutions of two positively homogeneous systems z′=Li(t,z),i=1,2$$ {z}^{\prime }={L}_i\left(t,z\right),i=1,2 $$ and then characterize the rotation behavior of solutions of the planar system by the rotation numbers of the positively homogeneous systems. Because the system under consideration is strongly asymmetric and controlled by two positively homogeneous systems on the left half‐plane, the time that solutions stay in the left half‐plane in 2π$$ 2\pi $$‐period is intermittent; therefore, we estimate the angle difference of the dwell time of solution orbits in the half phase plane and develop a system method of "tracking" the angle difference of solutions of system z′=f(t,z)$$ {z}^{\prime }=f\left(t,z\right) $$ on each small interval on the given side under the sign‐varying conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self‐attention has been successfully leveraged for long‐range feature‐wise similarities in deep learning super‐resolution (SR) methods. However, most of the SR methods only explore the features on the original scale, but do not take full advantage of self‐similarities features on different scales especially in generative adversarial networks (GAN). In this paper, self‐similarity generative adversarial networks (SSGAN) are proposed as the SR framework. The framework establishes the multi‐scale feature correlation by adding two modules to the generative network: downscale attention block (DAB) and upscale attention block (UAB). Specifically, DAB is designed to restore the repetitive details from the corresponding downsampled image, which achieves multi‐scale feature restoration through self‐similarity. And UAB improves the baseline up‐sampling operations and captures low‐resolution to high‐resolution feature mapping, which enhances the cross‐scale repetitive features to reconstruct the high‐resolution image. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed SSGAN achieve better visual performance especially in the similar pattern details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article constructs the hierarchical model of multicolor‐emotion generation network (MCEG‐Net) to investigate human emotional responses to multiple colors based on the research of multicolor perceptual features modeling, which reveals the generation mechanism of multicolor emotion from the perspective of hierarchy of visual features. First, the 164 multicolor samples were evaluated by 30 subjects based on PAD emotion space. On this basis, the correlation analysis was carried out among color basic attributes, multicolor physical features, multicolor perceptual features and emotion. Then, a mathematical model of multicolor emotion was constructed by using multiple linear regression (MLR) algorithm. It was observed that, the multiple colors was strongly correlated with emotion. Finally, the MCEG‐Net was constructed, which reveals the generation mechanism of the process the "the basic attributes of color stimulate human's perceptual reflex and then generate emotion" under the interaction of multiple colors from the perspective of information science. The results showed that the mathematical model could predict color emotion well. In addition, the MCEG‐Net provides a new way to reveal the generation mechanism of color‐emotion associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the increasingly prominent environmental pollution caused by heavy metals, nanoscale zero‐valent iron was modified by polyethylene glycol and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (PS‐nZVI) and used to treat Cr(VI). The removal rate of Cr(VI) and equilibrium adsorption capacity of PS‐nZVI can reached 92 % and 122.3 mg ⋅ g−1, respectively, under the conditions of PS‐nZVI 1.0 g ⋅ L−1, initial Cr(VI) concentration 50 mg ⋅ L−1, initial pH 5.5, and reaction temperature 298 K. The adsorption process can be described by quasi‐second‐order kinetics and Langmuir isothermal model, and it is characterized by spontaneous endothermy and monolayer surface chemisorption. The mechanism of Cr (VI) removal by PS‐nZVI can be summarized as follows: First, Cr(VI) is adsorbed on the surface of PS‐nZVI by electrostatic attraction. Then, nZVI and Fe(II) reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III), and themselves are oxidized to Fe(III). Finally, Cr(III) and Fe(III) form (CrXFe1‐X)(OH)3 or CrXFe1‐XOOH co‐precipitation, which is attached to the PS‐nZVI surface and removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health administrative data are oftentimes of limited use in epidemiological study on drug safety in pregnancy, due to lacking information on gestational age at birth (GAB). Although several studies have proposed algorithms to estimate GAB using claims database, failing to incorporate the unique distributional shape of GAB, can introduce bias in estimates and subsequent modeling. Hence, we develop a Bayesian latent class model to predict GAB. The model employs a mixture of Gaussian distributions with linear covariates within each class. This approach allows modeling heterogeneity in the population by identifying latent subgroups and estimating class‐specific regression coefficients. We fit this model in a Bayesian framework conducting posterior computation with Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. The method is illustrated with a dataset of 10,043 Rhode Island Medicaid mother–child pairs. We found that the three‐class and six‐class mixture specifications maximized prediction accuracy. Based on our results, Medicaid women were partitioned into three classes, featured by extreme preterm or preterm birth, preterm or" early" term birth, and" late" term birth. Obstetrical complications appeared to pose a significant influence on class‐membership. Altogether, compared to traditional linear models our approach shows an advantage in predictive accuracy, because of superior flexibility in modeling a skewed response and population heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐atom‐alloys (SAAs), as an emerging kind of materials, combine the advantages of alloy and single‐atom catalysts. The full atomic utilization of active sites and well‐defined bonding environments in SAAs lead to superior electrocatalytic performance and give a deep insight into the structural–activity relationship. In this review, the recent advances of SAAs in various electrochemical reactions are highlighted for further designing of highly effective electrocatalysts. This review starts with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of several effects, which influence the electrocatalytic activities. Then the preparation and characterization methods on SAAs are listed and compared. Next, the recent advances of SAAs in hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, alcohol/hydrogen/formic acid oxidation reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, etc. are illustrated and discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and suggestions for the future development of SAAs in energy‐conversion electrocatalysis are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought and high salinity affect plant growth, development, yield, and quality. MYB transcription factors (TFs) in plants play an indispensable regulatory role in resisting adverse stress. In this study, screening and functional validation of the TF FtMYB30, which can respond extensively to abiotic stress and abscisic acid (ABA), was achieved in Tartary buckwheat. FtMYB30, one of the SG22 (sub‐group 22) family of R2R3‐MYB TFs, localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity. Under drought and salt stress, FtMYB30 overexpression reduced the oxidative damage in transgenic plants by increasing the activity of proline content and antioxidant enzymes and significantly upregulate the expression of RD29A, RD29B, and Cu/ZnSOD, thereby enhancing drought/salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Additionally, overexpression of FtMYB30 can reduce the sensitivity of transgenic plants to ABA. Moreover, AtRCAR1/2/3 and AtMPK6 directly interact with the FtMYB30 TF, possibly through the crosstalk between MAPKs (mitogen‐activated protein kinases) and the ABA signaling pathway. Taken together, these results suggest that FtMYB30, as a positive regulator, mediates plant tolerance to salt and drought through an ABA‐dependent signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we report the complete genome sequencing of Haloterrigena daqingensis species. The genome of H. daqingensis JX313T consisted of a circular chromosome with three plasmids. The genome size and G+C content were estimated to be 3835796 bp and 61.7%, respectively. A total of 4158 genes were predicted with six rRNAs and 45 tRNAs. Metabolic pathway analysis suggests that H. daqingensis JX313T codes for all the necessary genes responsible to sustain its life at saline environment. The pan‐genome analysis suggests that the number of singleton‐gene between H. daqingensis and other Haloterrigena species varied. The study not only helps us understand H. daqingensis strategy for dealing with high stress, but it also provides an overview of its genomic makeup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysin (CHR) is a flavonoid with extensive pharmacological activity. The molecular formula of CHR is C15H10O4. CHR is reported to have antioxidative, antitumour and antiviral functions. To evaluate its potential function as a vaccine adjuvant, we prepared a melanoma vaccine using a soluble protein extract of B16F10 melanoma cells as antigen and CHR as an adjuvant. The melanoma model was developed after two immunizations, and it was discovered that combining B16F10 soluble protein antigen‐mixed CHR vaccine could inhibit tumour growth in the mouse model, and the overall survival rate was higher than that of the B16F10 antigen vaccine alone. In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to determine whether CHR functioned as an adjuvant by activating antigen‐presenting cells (APCs). We discovered that CHR activated APCs both in vivo and in vitro and may enhance Th1 cell function by activating the IL12‐STAT4 signal pathway, thereby enhancing the antitumour response of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in vivo. Next, to verify the critical role of CD8+ T cells in suppressing melanoma development, we transplanted CD8+ T cells from immunized mice to B16F10 tumour‐bearing mice and discovered that the survival rate of tumour‐bearing mice was significantly prolonged. In summary, our experimental results indicate that CHR can be used as a potential adjuvant to enhance antigen immunogenicity, inhibit B16F10 tumour growth in mice and improve tumour immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and construction of Ag2S heterostructures capable of significantly separating photocarriers is a significant challenge in photocatalysis. In this study, CdS/Ag2S heterojunction composite photocatalyst is fabricated through a simple one‐step hydrothermal method. The composite structure is characterized by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV‐visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy. Under visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of the sample is evaluated by degradation of methyl orange. The photoelectric chemical performance of the CdS nanoparticles modified by Ag2S is closely related to the ratio of Cd/Ag cation. The experimental results show that the sample ACS‐2 (CdS‐Ag2S = 1:1) composite has higher charge transfer/separation efficiency and longer carrier life. The degradation efficiency reaches 74.4% within 30 min, and the degradation rate constant is 0.047 min−1. After four cycles, the degradation efficiency of the catalyst only decreases slightly, indicating that the CdS/Ag2S catalyst has good stability and repeatability. Meanwhile, the study of the photocatalytic mechanism shows that •O1− is the primary active substance in the catalytic process, and h+ and •OH play a secondary role. This work provides a great significance for constructing efficient Ag2S‐based heterojunction photocatalyst systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoredox‐mediated dual metal catalysis has been considered as a more efficient method for cross‐coupling reactions than single metal catalysis, however, the nature of the significant difference is still unclear. In this work, theoretical research into the decarboxylative C(sp3)−N couplings by IrIII/CuI metallaphotoredox catalysis has been performed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A cooperative catalysis mechanism merging the photocatalytic cycle (IrIII−*IrIII−IrII−IrIII) and the copper catalytic cycle (CuI−CuII−CuIII−CuI) has more advantages. For the dual catalysis, the photocatalyst plays a "springboard" role in matching better the energy levels of IrIII/CuI and CuI/substrates, which could improve the single electron transfer rate. Moreover, exogenous bases could adjust the proton transfer process and decrease the energy barrier of the rate‐determining step to achieve the regioselective monofunctionalization. These theoretical insights could contribute to a deeper understanding of the nature of the photocatalytic decarboxylation reaction and to further developing new cross‐coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acid‐catalyzed, biomimetic cascades strategy for the synthesis of proanthocyanidin analogues is reported. The method lays in the structural transformations of 2‐hydroxychalcone strongly affecting by pH and in situ generated flavylium salt intermediate could facile couping with π‐nucleophile to form the proanthocyanidin‐type product. A proposed bioinspired cascade reaction pathway based on control experiments were also provided. These results are of interest for developing the total synthesis of proanthocyanidin natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The model predictive current control (MPCC) technique has been an effective alternative for motor drive applications requiring fast dynamic response. However, the conventional MPCC suffers from high switching losses due to high switching frequency of the inverter. This study proposes a low average switching frequency MPCC method based on boundary‐constrained quadratically extrapolated current trajectory for a permanent magnet synchronous motor drive. First, a quadratic function‐based current prediction model is constructed to obtain the current trajectory in the long‐term future. Second, the boundary constraint is designed to obtain the prediction horizon which is changing in real‐time in order to ensure the validity of the predicted current trajectory. Finally, the cost function established according to the value of the prediction horizon is used to reduce the average switching frequency. In comparison with the conventional MPCC method, the proposed method can significantly reduce the switching frequency of the inverter. In the meantime, fast dynamic response and high steady‐state performance of the conventional MPCC method are preserved. Both simulation and experimental results of the proposed method and the conventional MPCC method are presented to verify the feasibility and advantages of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Failure to effectively organize and manage learning time is an important factor influencing online learners' performance. Investigation of time‐investment patterns for online learning will provide educators with useful knowledge of how learners engage in and regulate their online learning and support them in tailoring online course design and teaching. However, understanding of how learners invest and manage their time during online learning remains limited. Objectives: This study aims to discover the typical time‐investment patterns of MOOC learners and their temporal‐learning characteristics based on a systematic time‐investment analysis framework and their relationship with learning performance. Methods: Based on a proposed time‐investment‐analysis framework, this study applied statistical, cluster and lag sequential analyses to investigate learners' time‐investment patterns and their relationships with learning performance, session time allocation, and learning sequences by analysing the learning data from 12,463 participants of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in China. Results and Conclusions: Seven time‐investment patterns of MOOC learners were defined, and learning performance was found to differ among them. Further analysis shows that high performers invested time throughout the whole course and allocated time to multiple activities, exam‐takers performed better in time management and produced more behavioural sequences related to cognitive strategy and recourse use, and learners' motivation and prior knowledge affected the management and effectiveness of their time investment. Implications: The results support the recognition and evaluation of online learning time‐investment patterns and suggest relevant cues for improving MOOC design and teaching. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Insufficient learning time affects learning persistence and effectiveness in open and online education programs.Learning time investment and management regarded as an element of self‐regulated learning is a predictor of learning performance.Some proxy behavioural variables or characteristics of online learning time management have been found in previous studies.Learning analysis can be used to dig the knowledge implicit in learning data for online teaching evaluation and improvement. What is paper adds to the subject: Based on a comprehensive analytic framework, seven time‐investment patterns of MOOC learners and their relationship with achievement are identified.Under different time frames, learners' time allocation and learning behaviour pattern are different.Learners performing better in time management across course learning allocate more time to multiple activities in session learning.Exam‐takers perform better in time management across MOOC learning, and produce more behaviour sequences related to cognitive strategy and course recourse use. The implications of study findings for practitioners: The recognition of time investment pattern can support online course design and teaching improvement.MOOC design and teaching need to consider the differences in learners' time resources and their ability of time management.MOOC design and teaching need to encourage learners lacking of performance motivation to engage in various learning activities instead of just watching videos.MOOC design need consider the differences in learners' prior knowledge, and offer personalized learning path based on assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient methodology for the synthesis of a variety of chromeno[3,4‐c]pyrrol‐4(2H)‐ones from 2‐hydroxychalcones and N‐substituted β‐enamine esters via I2/base promoted Michael addition/cyclization/lactonization/aromatization sequence have been developed, affording the coumarin heterocyclic derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. This approach is a highly efficient and convenient way to get derivatives of chromeno[3,4‐c]pyrrol‐4(2H)‐ones from readily accessible substrates under green reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the anatomical variations of V3 and V2 segments of the vertebral artery in the Chinese population. Methods: The current retrospective study was an observational, anatomical, radiological research. Between 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019, the data of 589 continuous head‐and‐neck three‐dimensional computed tomography angiography were observed and analyzed using the open‐source software of Horos. There were 415 males and 174 females with an average age of 44.63 ± 2.5(18–74) years. The variations of the V3 segment were defined as persistent first intersegmental artery (PFIA) and paracondylar processes (PP). The variations of V2 segments were unusual vertebral artery entrance transverse foreman (UE‐V2S) and midline migration (MM). The incidences of all variations were summarized and the gender, side characters were compared. Results: Among the patients, 4.34% (18/415) males and 4.60% (8/174) females were with the variation of PFIA. Meanwhile, 12.29% (51/415) males and 10.92% (19/174) females were with the variation of PP. Then 18.80% (78/415) males and 16.67% (29/174) females were with UE‐V2S. All the variations above were not different in genders. As for the variation of MM, 3.86% (16/415) males and 8.62% (15/174) females were identified, and the difference of genders was significant for this type of variation (P < 0.05). The differences between each side were also observed and analyzed for all variations and no differences were found. Conclusion: There are several variations of V3 and V2 segments of the vertebral artery are associated with the cervical surgeries, most were without differences in genders and sides, except the variation of MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first example of macroscalar helices co‐assembled from temperature‐responsive carbohydrate‐based bolaamphiphiles (CHO‐Bolas) and 1,4‐benzenediboronic acid (BDBA). The CHO‐Bolas contained hydrophilic glucose or mannose moieties and a hydrophobic coumarin dimer. They showed temperature‐responsive reversible micelle‐to‐vesicle transition (MVT) in aqueous solutions. After the binding of carbohydrate moieties with boronic acids of BDBA in their alkaline solutions, right‐handed helices were formed via the temperature‐driven chirality transfer of d‐glucose or d‐mannose from the molecular to supramolecular level. These helices were co‐assembled by unreacted BDBA, boronate esters (B−O−C bonds) between CHO‐Bolas and BDBA, as well as boroxine anhydrides (B−O−B bonds) of self‐condensed BDBA. After heating at 300 °C under nitrogen, the helices displayed excellent morphological stability. Moreover, they emitted bright blue luminescence caused by strong self‐condensation of BDBA and decomposition of coumarin dimers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wir zeigen das erste Beispiel von Helices, die durch temperaturresponsive, Kohlenhydrat‐basierte Bolaamphiphile (CHO‐Bolas) und 1,4‐Phenylenbisboronsäure (BDBA) auf der Makroskala coassembliert wurden. Die CHO‐Bolas enthielten hydrophile Glucose‐ oder Mannose‐Einheiten und ein hydrophobes Cumarin‐Dimer. Sie zeigten in wässriger Lösung einen reversiblen, temperaturresponsiven Mizellen‐zu‐Vesikel‐Übergang (MVT). Nach dem Binden der Kohlenhydrat‐Einheiten mit den Boronsäure‐Gruppen des BDBA in alkalischer Lösung wurden rechtshändige Helices über einen temperaturgetriebenen Chiralitätstransfer der d‐Glucose oder d‐Mannose von der molekularen auf die supramolekularen Ebene gebildet. Diese Helices wurden durch nicht umgesetztes BDBA, aus CHO‐Bolas und BDBA gebildete Boronsäureester (B‐O‐C‐Bindungen) sowie Boroxinanhydride (B‐O‐B) aus der Selbstkondensation von BDBA coassembliert. Nach Erhitzen bei 300 °C unter Stickstoff zeigten die Helices eine exzellente morphologische Stabilität. Darüber hinaus emittierten sie helle, blaue Lumineszenz infolge von starker Selbstkondensation des BDBA und Zerfall des Cumarin‐Dimers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, highly efficient oil/water separation materials have brought much attention. It requests superhydrophobic surfaces with a rapid and facile separation process, excellent durability, and large‐scale fabrication. Herein, a facile vapor‐liquid sol‐gel, and free radical polymerization reaction method to prepare the durable and robust superhydrophobic cotton fabric is proposed. Moreover, the fabric can be used for highly efficient and various oil/water separation. It is prepared via a simple two‐step process, including a vapor‐liquid sol‐gel process to deposit with thiols particles, and then followed a free radical polymerization reaction to graft 2,2,3,4,4,4‐hexafluorobutyl methacrylate. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry prove that the rough structures are generated from the hydrolysis condensation reaction between tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3‐mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane. As a result, the synthetic chemical composition provided by the natural fabric and silica nanoparticles synergistically construct a superhydrophobic surface with water contact angles and shedding angle of 158° and 9°, respectively. Additionally, the treated fabric exhibits excellent chemical resistance and self‐cleaning ability. Remarkably, the fabric still retains superhydrophobic and excellent mechanical robustness after 30 cycles of various oil/water separation. In summary, the resultant fabrics with excellent chemical resistance, remarkable mechanical robustness, and versatile separation abilities have potential applications in various oil/water separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tandem Bischler–Napieralski/semipinacol rearrangement reaction has been developed for the purpose of assembling a bis(spirocyclic) indole framework, a privileged structural unit of aspidofractinine‐type monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, and was used in combination with a subsequent Mannich reaction to expeditiously construct the central bridged bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ring system of these molecules with contiguous quaternary centers. The development of this novel strategy culminated in the collective total synthesis of four aspidofractinine alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A tandem Bischler–Napieralski/semipinacol rearrangement reaction has been developed for the purpose of assembling a bis(spirocyclic) indole framework, a privileged structural unit of aspidofractinine‐type monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, and was used in combination with a subsequent Mannich reaction to expeditiously construct the central bridged bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane ring system of these molecules with contiguous quaternary centers. The development of this novel strategy culminated in the collective total synthesis of four aspidofractinine alkaloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a typical layered inorganic cationic material, have been widely studied as ion‐exchanger, catalyst and polymer additives. The past few decades have seen rapidly increasing interest in non‐LDH type 2‐dimensional inorganic cationic frameworks. Their novel properties derived from structural and compositional diversity cast a light on the field where LDHs show limited performance. This minireview will discuss the structure, synthesis and applications including anion‐exchange and catalysis of non‐LDH type 2‐dimensional inorganic cationic frameworks and present the prospective for researchers working on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanovaccines have attracted booming interests in vaccinology studies, but the profound impacts of their delivery mode on immune response remain unrealized. Herein, immunostimulatory CpG‐modified tumor‐derived nanovesicles (CNVs) are used as a nanovaccine testbed to initially evaluate the impacts of three distinct delivery modes, including mono‐pulse CNVs, staggered‐pulse CNVs, and gel‐confined CNVs. Fundamentally, delivery mode has enormous impacts on the immunomodulatory effects, altering the spatiotemporal distribution of nanovaccine residence and dendritic cell–T cell interaction in lymph nodes, and finally affecting subsequent T cell‐mediated immune performance. As a result, the gel‐confined delivery mode offers the best therapeutic performance in multiple tumor models. When extending evaluation to examine how the various delivery modes impact the performance of liposome‐based nanovaccines, similar trends in intralymph node distribution and antitumor effect are observed. This work provides a strong empirical foundation that nanovaccine researchers should position delivery mode near the top of their considerations for the experimental design, which should speed up nanovaccine development and facilitate efficient selection of appropriate delivery modes in the clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is reported for making hollow channels within hydrogels decorated with cell‐adhesion peptides exclusively at the channel surface. Sacrificial fibers of different diameters are used to introduce channels within poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels crosslinked with maleimide‐thiol chemistry, which are backfilled with a cysteine‐containing peptide solution which is conjugated to the lumen with good spatial efficiency. This allows for peptide patterning in only the areas of the hydrogel where they are needed when used as cell‐guides, reducing the amount of required peptide 20‐fold when compared to bulk functionalization. The power of this approach is highlighted by successfully using these patterned hydrogels without active perfusion to guide fibroblasts and olfactory ensheathing cells—the latter having unique potential in neural repair therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article models multicolor perceptual features to investigate human perceptual responses to multiple colors based on a subjective evaluation experiment. First, an image set containing 164 multicolor samples was constructed, and multicolor objective features containing two categories with 60 dimensions were designed and quantified. Based on this, the 164 samples were evaluated by 30 subjects based on nine perceptual descriptive variables, including "swell‐shrink," "light‐dark," and "far‐near." Then, a mathematical model of multicolor perceptual features (nine descriptive variables) was established by support vector regression. Finally, this article conducted model evaluation and factor analysis, and the results showed that the model could predict multicolor perceptual features well. It was also observed that, unlike single‐color perception, space perception was produced when applying multiple colors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hesperetin (HES) is a dihydroflavone with the molecular formula of C16H14O6. It has been reported that Hesperetin has antioxidant and anticancer effects. Recent studies showed that it can also regulate immune responses. To assess its potential function as a vaccine adjuvant, we formulated HES with inactivated B16F10 melanoma cells and determined whether it would enhance the activation of antigen‐presenting cells by experiments in vivo and in vitro. We found that HES activated the PI3K‐Akt signalling pathway in antigen‐presenting cells (APCs), enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and deactivated tolerogenic T cells. We also observed that inactivated B16F10 cells in combination with HES vaccine inhibited the growth of mice tumours, resulting in improved overall survival compared to the effects of inactivated B16F10 cell vaccine. To verify that CD8+T cells play a key role in inhibiting the development of melanoma, we transferred the sorted CD8+T cells from immunized mice to B16F10 challenged models and found that the survival rate of tumour‐bearing mice was significantly prolonged. Taken together, these results suggest that hesperetin can be used as a potential adjuvant to improve tumour immune responses and antigen immunogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the ability of three culture strategies of static culture, intermittent centrifugal culture and dynamic bioreactor culture in promoting the infiltration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) throughout electrospun nanoporous aligned nanoyarn scaffold (AYS). Methods: AYS was constructed by the method of conjugated electrospinning, using the blended solution of poly (L‐lactide‐co‐caprolactone) (P (LLA‐CL)) and gelatin. Then the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were transplanted on the scaffolds. Culture the scaffold‐cells using three methods of static culture, intermittent centrifugal culture and dynamic bioreactor culture. After 7 and 14 days in culture, the infiltration depth of the cells were observed and measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) or 4′, 6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) staining. Result: In the current study, on the 7th day, the BMSCs in the scaffolds of static culture group, intermittent centrifugal culture group, and dynamic bioreactor culture group infiltrated to an average depth of 11.88 ± 1.82 μm, 21.17 ± 13.17 μm, and 26.27 ± 7.42 μm, respectively. There were differences between the bioreactor culture group with the static culture group and the intermittent centrifugal culture group. On the time point of 14 days, the depth of infiltration of BMSCs in dynamic bioreactor culture was the most (115.13 ± 25.44 μm, P < 0.05), and the infiltration of the cells in the intermittent centrifugal culture group was 42.53 ± 13.07 μm, deeper than that of the static culture group (24.53 ± 6.06, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Dynamic bioreactor culture may be a preferred method for tissue engineering approaches involving scaffolds with a low porosity, such as those needed for repair of the annulus fibrosus (AF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaCeO3‐a and BaCeO3‐b, with strong basic sites, were synthesized by using a co‐precipitation method at different calcination temperatures, and used as supports to evaluate their performance in ammonia synthesis. The ammonia synthesis rate with the 1.25 % Ru/BaCeO3‐a catalyst is 24 mmol g−1 h−1, which is higher than that of 1.25 % Ru/BaCeO3‐b catalyst (18 mmol g−1 h−1) at 3 MPa and 450 °C. Moreover, the performance of the 4 % Cs‐1.25 % Ru/BaCeO3‐a catalyst was further improved to 28 mmol g−1 h−1, and no sign of deactivation was observed after a reaction time of 120 h. The XPS and H2 temperature‐programmed reduction analyses indicated that the Ru/BaCeO3‐a catalyst has more oxygen vacancies than the Ru/BaCeO3‐b catalyst. In addition, the average Ru particle size of the Ru/BaCeO3‐a catalyst is closer to 2 nm than the Ru/BaCeO3‐b catalyst, which promotes the generation of B5‐type sites (the active site for N2 dissociation). The CO2 temperature‐programmed desorption analysis indicates that BaCeO3‐a has a high basic density, which is beneficial for electron transfer to Ru and further facilitates the dissociation of N≡N bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies are carried out on the equilibrium structural, mechanical properties, and melting points of NbSi2 with four ground‐state crystal structures (C40, C11b, C54, and C49) using first‐principles approach. By means of the calculated formation enthalpies and phonon dispersion, it is found that these NbSi2 phases are thermodynamically and dynamically stable. C54‐NbSi2 is uncovered to possess the lowest energy and formation enthalpy, implying that it is expected to be the most favorite structure for NbSi2. The results of the calculated elastic constants reveal that four NbSi2 phases are mechanically stable. We further find that the mechanical properties of C54‐NbSi2 are superior to those of the other NbSi2 phases. The melting points of these NbSi2 phases are calculated to examine their thermal stability. The elastic anisotropy is calculated and discussed using three patterns. The results prove that C54‐ and C40‐NbSi2 have good elastic isotropy, as confirmed by the given three‐dimensional plots of elastic moduli. Analyzing the difference charge density and Mulliken overlap population provides the explanation about the relationship between bonding characteristics and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal belt conveyors transfer materials by utilising the friction force between driving rollers and the conveyor, resulting in sag resistance and friction. In order to overcome this shortcoming, this study presents a new permanent magnet low resistance belt conveyor, which is used to replace the original mechanical contact with the permanent magnetic support system. The simplified mechanical three‐dimensional model of its permanent magnet support system was established. The mathematical expressions of suspension force, reluctance force and lateral force were deduced with Maxwell equations based on reasonable assumptions. The approximate relationship among air gap length, magnetic flux density and magnetic force was derived from the analysis of air gap characteristics of the permanent magnet support system and the finite‐element simulation of the permanent magnet support system under different air gap conditions. A self‐designed test device of the permanent magnet low‐resistance belt conveyor was used to apply different sets of loads and carry out the experimental research on the permanent magnet support system under different air gap lengths, so as to obtain the pressure distribution of the magnetic conveyor belt. The findings provide theoretical references for further research on the permanent magnet low‐resistance belt conveyor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, a novel hydrogel patterning approach using 3D covalent transfer stamping from a fugitive ink is introduced. A model transfer molecule (7‐diethylamino‐3‐(4′maleimidylphenyl)‐4‐methylcoumarin (CPM)) is absorbed into a 3D fugitive ink stamp made from poly(caprolactone), and then encapsulated in a poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel. As the CPM diffuses from the fugitive ink to the curing hydrogel it is selectively covalently bound at the boundary of the ink and the hydrogel. Removal of the fugitive ink by solvent exchange leads to a negative copy of interconnected channels patterned with the localized transfer of the molecules at the hydrogel interface. The results suggest that small molecules can be patterned in porous hydrogels in a spatially controllable manner and that the transferred amount can be tuned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone sialoprotein (BSP) is a glycoprotein associated with mineralized tissues. In this study, we investigated the regulation of Bsp transcription by calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] in rat osteosarcoma‐derived osteoblast‐like ROS 17/2.8 cells and stromal bone marrow cells. Application of Ca(OH)2 (0.4 mM) increased the levels of runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and BspmRNAs at 3 and 6 h and the level of BSP protein at 12 h. Transient transfection analyses were performed using chimeric constructs encompassing different regions of the rat Bsp gene promoter ligated to a luciferase reporter gene. It was found that Ca(OH)2 increased the luciferase activities of the pLUC3 and pLUC4 constructs. Introduction of 2‐bp mutations to the luciferase construct showed that the effects of Ca(OH)2 were mediated by cAMP response‐element (CRE) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) response element (FRE). Luciferase activities induced by Ca(OH)2 were blocked by protein kinase C (PKC), protein kinase A (PKA), phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase (PI3‐K), and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) inhibitors and by calcium‐sensing receptor (CASR) antagonists. Gel‐shift analyses showed that Ca(OH)2 increased binding of nuclear protein to CRE and FRE. Dexamethasone‐induced mineralization in stromal bone marrow cells was abrogated by CASR antagonists. These studies demonstrate that Ca(OH)2 regulates Bsp transcription via the CASR by targeting CRE and FRE in the rat Bsp gene promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To study the retinal oxygen saturation in normal eyes of Chinese adolescents. Methods Performing retinal oximetry with the Oxymap T1 Retinal Oximeter in healthy children and adolescents (aged 5-18 years old), we measured the arterial (SaO2) and venular (SvO2) oxygen saturation and the arteriovenous difference in oxygen saturation (Sa- vO2). Results The study included 122 individuals with a mean age of 13.0 ± 2.9 years (range: 5-18 years) and a mean refractive error of −3.25 ± 2.49 dioptres (range:−8.88 to +3.13 dioptres). Mean SaO2, SvO2 and Sa- vO2 was 85.5 ± 7.1%, 48.2 ± 5.5% and 37.3 ± 6.5%, respectively. Mean SaO2 was significantly (p < 0.001) the lowest in the inferotemporal quadrant (79.1 ± 9.0%), followed by the superotemporal quadrant (83.4 ± 9.7%), the inferonasal quadrant (90.4 ± 10.6%) and the superonasal quadrant (93.4 ± 10.8%). In a similar manner, the values of the SvO2 were the lowest (p < 0.001) in the inferotemporal quadrant (42.1 ± 8.3%), followed by the superotemporal quadrant (47.8 ± 7.2%), the inferonasal quadrant (52.3 ± 8.4%) and the superonasal quadrant (55.1 ± 7.6%). Arteriovenous difference in oxygen saturation (Sa-vO2) did not differ significantly (all p > 0.05) between the fundus quadrants. In multiple linear regression analysis, SaO2 increased (regression coefficient r2 = 0.28) with older age (standardized regression coefficient β: 0.23; p = 0.01) and more myopic refractive error ( β: −0.39; p < 0.001). Higher SvO2 was significantly correlated with more myopic refractive error ( β: −0.46; p < 0.001; r2 = 0.20), while Sa- vO2 increased significantly only with older age in the multivariate analysis ( β: 0.26; p = 0.01; r2 = 0.07). Conclusions Our study provides normative data for Chinese children and adolescents who showed lower values than adults for SaO2 and SvO2. SaO2 increased with older age and higher myopic refractive error, SvO2 increased with higher myopic refractive error, and Sa- vO2 increased with older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessing and integrating human genomic data with phenotypes are important for biomedical research. Making genomic data accessible for research purposes, however, must be handled carefully to avoid leakage of sensitive individual information to unauthorized parties and improper use of data. In this article, we focus on data sharing within the scope of data accessibility for research. Current common practices to gain biomedical data access are strictly rule based, without a clear and quantitative measurement of the risk of privacy breaches. In addition, several types of studies require privacy-preserving linkage of genotype and phenotype information across different locations (e.g., genotypes stored in a sequencing facility and phenotypes stored in an electronic health record) to accelerate discoveries. The computer science community has developed a spectrum of techniques for data privacy and confidentiality protection, many of which have yet to be tested on real-world problems. In this article, we discuss clinical, technical, and ethical aspects of genome data privacy and confidentiality in the United States, as well as potential solutions for privacy-preserving genotype-phenotype linkage in biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]