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Background: Arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) is a chronic arterial disease that can lead to critical limb ischemia. Endovascular therapy is increasingly used for limb salvage in ASO patients, but the outcomes vary. The development of prediction models using unsupervised machine learning may lead to the identification of novel subtypes to guide patient prognosis and treatment. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed clinical data from 448 patients with ASOs who underwent endovascular therapy. Unsupervised machine learning algorithms were employed to identify subgroups. To validate the precision of the clustering outcomes, an analysis of the postoperative results of the clusters was conducted. A prediction model was constructed using binary logistic regression. Results: Two distinct subgroups were identified by unsupervised machine learning and characterized by differing patterns of clinical features. Patients in Cluster 2 had significantly worse conditions and prognoses than those in Cluster 1. For the novel ASO subtypes, a nomogram was developed using six predictive factors, namely, platelet count, ankle brachial index, Rutherford category, operation method, hypertension, and diabetes status. The nomogram achieved excellent discrimination for predicting membership in the two identified clusters, with an area under the curve of 0.96 and 0.95 in training cohort and internal test cohort. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that unsupervised machine learning can reveal novel phenotypic subgroups of patients with varying prognostic risk who underwent endovascular therapy. The prediction model developed could support clinical decision-making and risk counseling for this complex patient population. Further external validation is warranted to assess the generalizability of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural interfaces for stable access to the spinal cord (SC) electrical activity can benefit patients with motor dysfunctions. Invasive high‐density electrodes can directly extract signals from SC neuronal populations that can be used for the facilitation, adjustment, and reconstruction of motor actions. However, developing neural interfaces that can achieve high channel counts and long‐term intraspinal recording remains technically challenging. Here, a biocompatible SC hyperflexible electrode array (SHEA) with an ultrathin structure that minimizes mechanical mismatch between the interface and SC tissue and enables stable single‐unit recording for more than 2 months in mice is demonstrated. These results show that SHEA maintains stable impedance, signal‐to‐noise ratio, single‐unit yield, and spike amplitude after implantation into mouse SC. Gait analysis and histology show that SHEA implantation induces negligible behavioral effects and Inflammation. Additionally, multi‐unit signals recorded from the SC ventral horn can predict the mouse's movement trajectory with a high decoding coefficient of up to 0.95. Moreover, during step cycles, it is found that the neural trajectory of spikes and low‐frequency local field potential (LFP) signal exhibits periodic geometry patterns. Thus, SHEA can offer an efficient and reliable SC neural interface for monitoring and potentially modulating SC neuronal activity associated with motor dysfunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dec@PLGA@aMM could enhance the tumor suppression through restoration of TSGs. • The Dec@PLGA@aMM group showed the higher CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, indicating the enhanced immunotherapy. • The decitabine could enhance aPD-L1-mediated immunotherapy of HCC via epigenetic alteration. • This novel targeted PLGA NPs are aimed to treat HCC by decreasing DNA methylation and blocking PD-L1. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor represents the first clinical breakthrough via targeting aberrant cancer epigenomes. Demethylation drugs such as decitabine can restore tumor suppressor gene (TSG) expression and function to achieve anti-tumor effect. Despite DNMT inhibitors have shown significant efficacy for treating leukemia, their application in solid tumor such as HCC is limited due to short in vivo half-lives. In this study, the DNMT1 inhibitor decitabine was first loaded into the Polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) spherical nanoparticles (Dec@PLGA). The vesicle of PD-L1 antibody and macrophage membrane (aMM) was further coated onto the surface of Dec@PLGA to finally synthesize Dec@PLGA@aMM. Dec@PLGA@aMM was in uniformed spherical structure with hydrodynamic particle size of 95.7 ± 9.1 nm and surface zeta potential of −15.1 ± 3.3 mV. Dec@PLGA@aMM significantly increased the expression of both p14 and p16 in a concentration-dependent manner. Dec@PLGA@aMM could enhance the tumor suppression through restoration of TSGs, which were epigenetically silenced by DNA hypermethylation. The Dec@PLGA@aMM group showed significantly (P < 0.05) less tumor volume than PBS group, PLGA@MM group, aPD-L1 group, PLGA@aMM group, decitabine group, Dec + aPD-L1 group, and Dec@PLGA@MM group. The decitabine could enhance aPD-L1-mediated immunotherapy of HCC via epigenetic alteration. This novel targeted PLGA NPs are aimed to treat HCC by decreasing DNA methylation and blocking PD-L1, thus providing new ideas for effective treatments via epigenetic alteration for HCC patients clinically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a global issue to set up a practical, sensitive, and useful model to eradicate or mitigate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Taking Central China's Hubei Province for example, three models were established. Firstly, a susceptible-probable-infectious-recovered (SPIR) model was proposed to predict the monthly number of confirmed and susceptible cases in each city. Next, an epidemic prefecture clustering model was set up to find proper vaccine delivery sites, according to the distance of each city. Finally, a dynamic material delivery optimization model was established for multiple epidemic prefectures, aiming to speed up vaccine production and storage in each delivery site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rolling bearing is widely used in rotating machinery and, at the same time, it is easy to be damaged due to harsh operating environments and conditions. As a result, rolling bearing is critical to the safe operation of the machinery devices. Compound fault of rolling bearing is not a simple superimposition of multiple single faults, but the coupling of multiple fault features, making the vibration signal, becomes complicated. In our study, sparsity-oriented nonconvex nonseparable regularization (SONNR) method is proposed to rolling bearing compound fault diagnosis under noisy environment. Firstly, a theoretical model of rolling bearing compound fault is established, and the vibration characteristics of rolling bearing compound fault are analyzed. Secondly, four-layer structure of the SONNR method is proposed: input layer, nonconvex sparse regularization layer, signal reconstruction layer, and compound faults isolation layer. Finally, the validity of the method is verified by simulation data and actual data, and it is compared with the traditional time domain diagnostic methods and artificial intelligence methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical simulation is an effective way to study roof strata movement induced by progressive excavation in longwall mining. However, establishing an effective and plausible numerical model is still of great difficulty, as the roof strata movement involves a complex geomechanical process. In this study, we develop a numerical tool based on the material point method (MPM) and strain softening constitutive model. Using this tool, numerical examples are conducted to demonstrate the capability of the numerical tool to simulate the roof strata movement. According to the numerical results, we obtain the following conclusion: 1) through comparison of the physical simulation experiment, the developed numerical tool is proved to be capable to simulate the complex physic processes involved in the roof strata movement, including roof deformation, shear and tensile fracture initiation and arbitrary propagation, roof fragmentation, caving and collapse, roof subsidence and contact with gob fragmentation; 2) the developed numerical tool can simulate the extremely large deformation (plastic flow) of the backfill under the same numerical framework, which is advantageous to study the mechanical interaction between the large deformation of the backfill and the roof subsidence; 3) both cross joints and layer interfaces have a significant effect on the extent of the roof collapse. The caving height is mainly affected by the layer thickness, while the vertical cross joints have a certain influence on the roof collapse in the horizontal direction. According to this study, we believe that the developed numerical tool is also beneficial for studying other excavation problems in underground, e.g., various mining methods, tunneling, cave construction, etc. Extending the numerical tool to 3D is straightforward. However, the computational efficiency should be enhanced. • A numerical tool was developed based on the material point method and strain softening model. • The numerical tool can effectively simulate the complex roof strata movement. • The numerical tool is capable to model the extremely large deformation of the backfill. • The numerical simulated roof strata movement shows a good agreement with the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies (PR) is an acute and severe infectious disease caused by pseudorabies virus (PRV). Once the virus infects pigs, it is difficult to eliminate, resulting in major economic losses to the global pig industry. In addition, reports of human infection with PRV suggest that the virus is a potential threat to human health; thus, its significance to public health should be considered. In this paper, the anti-PRV activities of emodin in vitro and in vivo, and its mechanism of action were studied. The results showed that emodin inhibited the proliferation of PRV in PK15 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 of 0.127 mg/mL and a selection index of 5.52. The addition of emodin at different stages of viral infection showed that emodin inhibited intracellular replication. Emodin significantly inhibited the expression of the IE180, EP0, UL29, UL44, US6, and UL27 genes of PRV within 48 h. Emodin also significantly inhibited the expression of PRV gB and gD proteins. The molecular docking results suggested that emodin might form hydrogen bonds with PRV gB and gD proteins and affect the structure of viral proteins. Emodin effectively inhibited the apoptosis induced by PRV infection. Moreover, emodin showed a good protective effect on PRV-infected mice. During the experimental period, all the control PRV-infected mice died resulting in a survival rate of 0%, while the survival rate of emodin-treated mice was 28.5%. Emodin also significantly inhibited the replication of PRV in the heart, liver, brain, kidneys and lungs of mice and alleviated tissue and organ damage caused by PRV infection. Emodin was able to combat viral infection by regulating the levels of the cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-4 in the sera of infected mice. These results indicate that emodin has good anti-PRV activity in vitro and in vivo, and is expected to be a new agent for the prevention and control of PRV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the modulation of various metabolic processes in the liver, yet little is known about the liver microRNAome (miRNAome) of the Tibetan pig. Here we used the Yorkshire pig as a control to analyze the Tibetan pig-specific liver miRNAome, and for preliminary investigation of differentially expressed miRNAs participating in metabolism. A comprehensive analysis of Tibetan and Yorkshire pig liver miRNAomes by small RNA sequencing identified 362 unique miRNAs. Among these, 304 were co-expressed in both libraries, and 10 and 48 miRNAs were specifically expressed. Differential expression analysis of miRNAs, miRNA target prediction and KEGG analysis revealed that differentially expressed miRNAs were associated mainly with the metabolism of glucose, lipid and protein. Six differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-34a, miR-326, miR-1, miR-335, miR-185 and miR-378) participating in the metabolism of glucose and lipid were identified. Additionally, qPCR results revealed that a lower expression of miR-34a in Tibetan pig liver may promote gluconeogenesis by increasing the expression of Sirtuin type 1 (Sirt1); a lower expression of miR-1 in Tibetan pig liver may promote the synthesis and accumulation of lipid by increasing the expression of Liver X receptor α (LXRα); and a lower expression of miR-185 in Tibetan pig liver may promote the uptake of cholesterol from blood and secretion of bile by increasing the expression of the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Our results provide new information and understanding of porcine miRNA profiles, which may help explain the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in the metabolic functions of Tibetan pig liver, and provide new biomarkers to assist in the development of Tibetan pig breeding characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quadrilateral with pseudo-four characteristic temperatures as vertices is established based on four aspects (1. The onset crystallization temperature T x : resistance to crystallization; 2. The liquid temperature T l : liquid stability; 3. The supercooled liquid region of glass (SLR glass) ΔT x = T x -T g , where T g is the glass transition temperature: stability of SLR glass ; 4. The supercooled liquid region of melt (SLR melt) ΔT g = T l -T g : glass-forming ability/tendency of glass itself) from two perspectives of the glass-forming ability (GFA) in cooling process and glass stability (GS) in heating process. According to pseudo-four characteristic temperatures, a glass-forming ability and stability criterion (G-FAS criterion) is derived and modified: G-FAS = T x /T l +(T x -T g)/(T l -T g) and G-FAS m = T x /T l +(T x -T g)/(1.5T x -T g). The validity and feasibility of the newly proposed criterion are elaborated and discussed through evaluating the correlation between criterion and R c and the consistency with the boundary conditions. Comparison with other currently existing 23 characteristic temperature-based criteria shows that the presently proposed criterion has excellent performance both correlation with R c and consistency with boundary conditions. • Pseudo-four characteristic temperatures (CTs) T x , T l , T x -T g and T l -T g evaluating GFA & GS are derived from three CTs. • A quadrilateral of GFA & GS is established. • A new G-FAS criterion is derived and modified: G-FAS = T x /T l +(T x -T g)/(T l -T g) and G-FAS m = T x /T l +(T x -T g)/(1.5T x -T g). • In criterion, the CTs T x , T l and T g appear the same times, indicating that the contribution of each CT is equal without bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal carbides or nitride (MXene) have attracted wide attention due to their unique properties and promising applications in batteries, sensors, and catalysis. Due to its good hydrophilicity and abundant groups, it is also favored in environmental remediation. In this work, a cage-like octa(aminopropyl) silsesquioxane (POSS-NH 2) was chosen as the modifier to decorate the Ti 3 C 2 T x and an amino-rich lamellar material, Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 , was prepared successfully via a dehydration condensation reaction. Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 shows excellent adsorption capability toward Pb (II) ions within a wide pH range with an optimal adsorption capacity of 552.31 mg·g–1 at the pH value of 6. Even at strong acidic conditions (pH=2), the value is still as high as 283.65 mg·g–1. The Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 also shows preferential selectivity for lead ions in lead-containing wastewaters containing Cu (II), Zn (II), Fe (II) and Mg (II) ions. The kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamic analyses were also studied. It is found that the adsorption process is an endothermic one and complies with the Langmuir isothermal adsorption model. The experimental data of Pb (II） ions adsorption by Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 can be well simulated with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. XPS and FTIR results showed that the Pb (II) ions were captured by a synergistic effect of coordination of -NH 2 on the Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 surface and the oxidation of oxygenated moieties in the layered structure of Ti 3 C 2 T x. The excellent properties of Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 allow it to occupy an important position in the treatment of lead-containing wastewater. [Display omitted] • A novel 2D materials Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 was prepared. • The maximum adsorption capacity of the material for Pb (II) ions is 552.31 mg·g–1. • The adsorption capacity of the material can reach 283.65 mg·g–1 at pH of 2. • The material will preferentially adsorb Pb (II) ions. • The adsorption of Pb (II) ions is dominated by a synergistic effect of coordination of-NH 2 on the Ti 3 C 2 T x /POSS-NH 2 surface and the oxidation of oxygenated moieties in the layered structure of Ti 3 C 2 T x [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Al-Si matrix foam sandwich (AFS) with 6063 Al alloy cover sheets was fabricated by hot rolling combined with melt foaming. A foamable AlSiMg1/SiCp matrix precursor was prepared by the melting route. Hot rolling at 480 °C was carried out to obtain a mechanical bonding interface between the cover sheet and the foamable precursor. Meanwhile, the pore structure of the AFS was deeply affected by the foaming temperature and foaming time during the foaming process. Different pore growth mechanics of the crack-like pore disappearance mechanism (CDM) and pore active expansion mechanism (AEM) were concluded based on the pressure difference in pores inside and outside. Three bending tests were applied to three types of AFSs with different pore structures to evaluate the relation between pore structures and AFS mechanical properties. The bending property of the AFS with fewer layers of pores is like that of a dense material. The bending property of the AFS with a pore size in the range of 0~1 mm presents a typical sandwich shear failure mode. The AFS with a uniform pore structure, in which the shapes of the pores are predominately polygons and the pore diameter is concentrated in the range of 0.5~3 mm, processes a good energy absorption capacity, and the bending stress–strain curve fluctuates greatly after the first stress drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For Si/C anodes, achieving excellent performance with a simple fabrication process is still an ongoing challenge. Herein, we report a green, facile and scalable approach for the in situ synthesis of Si@C anodes during the electrode manufacturing process by partially carbonizing Si nanoparticles (Si NPs) and dual polymers at a relatively low temperature. Due to the proper mass ratio of the two polymer precursors and proper carbonization temperature, the resultant Si-based anode demonstrates a typical Si@C core–shell structure and has strong mechanical properties with the aid of dual-interfacial bonding between the Si NPs core and carbon shell layer, as well as between the C matrix and the underlying Cu foil. Consequently, the resultant Si@C anode shows a high specific capacity (3458.1 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1), good rate capability (1039 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1) and excellent cyclability (77.94% of capacity retention at a high current density of 1 A g−1 after 200 cycles). More importantly, the synthesis of the Si@C anode is integrated in situ into the electrode manufacturing process and, thus, significantly decreases the cost of the lithium-ion battery but without sacrificing the electrochemical performance of the Si@C anode. Our results provide a new strategy for designing next-generation, high-capacity and cost-effective batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on the growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum biochemical indices and microflora of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period. Twenty-four healthy Simmental beef cattle with an average body weight of 358.54 ± 65.63 kg were randomly divided into four treatment groups, with 6 replicates. The dietary treatments were as follows: I: basal diet; II, III and IV: 10% corn husk in the diet was replaced by Chinese herb residue, enzyme-fermented residue, and enzyme bacteria co-fermented residue, respectively. The experimental period was 49 days. There was no significant difference in the growth performance of beef cattle (p > 0.05). The ether extract (EE) apparent digestibility of groups III and IV was significantly higher than that of group I (p < 0.05); the apparent digestibility values of nitrogen free extract (NFE) and total phosphorus (P) in group IV were significantly lower than those in the other groups (p < 0.05). The maleic dialdehyde (MDA) contents in groups I and II were significantly higher than those in groups III and IV (p < 0.05). The ACE and Chao1 indices of groups I and III were significantly higher than those of groups II and IV (p < 0.05). The Shannon indices of groups I and III were significantly higher than that of group II (p < 0.05). The abundance of Firmicutes in group III was significantly lower than that in group II (p < 0.05). In conclusion, fermented Chinese herb residues could replace 10% corn husk and be used in beef cattle breeding. Dietary replacement of 10% corn husk with Chineseherb residue can improve nutrient digestibility of fattening cattle. Concentrate containing 10% fermented Chinese herb residues as a corn husk replacement can be used for feedlot cattle without adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harm of Salmonella typhimurium ( S. typhimurium ) to public health mainly by the consumption of contaminated agricultural products or water stresses an urgent need for rapid detection methods to help control the spread of S. typhimurium . In this work, an intelligently designed sensor system took creative advantage of triple trigger sequences-regenerated strand displacement amplification and self-protective hairpin template-generated-scaffolded silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) for the first time. In the presence of live S. typhimurium , single-stranded trigger sequences were released from aptamer-trigger sequences complex, initiating a branch migration to open the hairpin template I containing complementary scaffolds of AgNCs. Then the first strand displacement amplification was induced to produce numerous scaffolds of AgNCs and reporter strands which initiated a branch migration to open the hairpin template II containing complementary scaffolds of AgNCs. Then the second strand displacement amplification was induced to generate numerous scaffolds of AgNCs and trigger sequences which initiated the third branch migration and strand displacement amplification to produce numerous scaffolds of AgNCs and reporter strands in succession. Cyclically, the reproduction of the trigger sequences and cascade successive production of scaffolds were achieved successfully, forming highly fluorescent AgNCs, thus providing significantly enhanced fluorescent signals to achieve ultrasensitive detection of live S. typhimurium down to 50 CFU/mL with a linear range from 10 2 to 10 7 CFU/mL. It is the first report on a fluorescent biosensor for detecting viable S. typhimurium directly, which can distinguish from heat denatured S. typhimurium . And it develops a new strategy to generate the DNA-scaffolds for forming AgNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The research object of this paper is waste incineration waste heat boiler, the failure mechanism of superheater tubes was conducted by visual observation, micro-zone analysis, stress calculation, the on-site operation and shutdown of the boiler. • The damge model of of superheater tubes is corrosion thinning, the failure mechanism is including high temperature oxidation corrosion, high temperature sulfide corrosion, high temperature chloride corrosion, low temperature dew point corrosion. The corrosion mechanism is that the corrosive medium, over-temperature operation, severe fouling deposits are simultaneously available. • The innovation is to analyze the failure problem in complex environment by using the idea of mechanical thermophysical joint action, and obtain the damage mode and the alternating corrosion mechanism of sulfur and chlorine, put forward three conditions for corrosion. • These measures which can slow down corrosion thinning are suggested and put forward. The important significance is to prevent the failure of heating surface tube of waste heat boiler and reduce the abnormal shutdown time. In order to further understand the failure mechanism of superheater tubes of waste heat boiler in a complex environment, sample sections cut down from the failed and non-failed tubes had been investigated by using visual observation, micro-zone analysis and Stress calculation check. Results showed that S content of 15MoG slightly exceeded the standard, and the main composition of corrosion products were related to the oxygen, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, potassium, calcium. Ash samples on the failed tube and at the bottom of the furnace were analyzed by EDS and XRD. The on-site operation and shutdown of the boiler were also considered. The failure mechanism was corrosion thinning raised by high temperature oxidation corrosion, sulfide corrosion, chloride corrosion, and dew point corrosion. The prerequisite of corrosion was that corrosive medium, over-temperature operation, severe fouling deposits were present simultaneously. Measures to limit these factors which can alleviate corrosion thinning are suggested and put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ultra-firm homogeneous COF with ∼7 nm of tetragonal structure layers was prepared on the silicon nanoparticles surface. • The PMDA-NiPc@Si electrode shows only ∼44% of expansion rate, which is only 27.3% of that of the Si electrode. • The reversible capacity of 654 mAh g-1 with retention rate of 80.4% can still be maintained after 2000 cycles at 5 A g-1. • PMDA-NiPc@Si exhibits excellent Li+ conductivity after pre-lithiation, significantly improving initial coulombic efficiency. • The PMDA-NiPc@Si/NCM811 full battery can still preserve 175.8 mAh g-1 and 85.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 0.2 C. The enormous volume change of silicon (Si) leads to pulverization of Si electrodes and continuous growth of solid-electrolyte-interphase (SEI) layers on the Si surface, for which we report a new Si anode material (PMDA-NiPc@Si) with a homogeneous and tetragonal covalent organic frameworks (COFs) coating on the surface of nano-Si particles. COFs with tetragonal structures have higher stability than other structures, which helps to increase the long cycle life of the electrodes. The strong constraining buffering effect of the coating layer can fully inhibit and buffer the volume change of Si nanoparticles during charging-discharging, reduce the consumption of electrolytes and form a homogeneous, stable and robust, LiF- and LiN-rich SEI film, and ultimately improve the rate performance and long-cycle performance. The pre-lithiation of PMDA-NiPc@Si shows a superior lithium ion conductivity that can enhance the lithium ion transport kinetics of silicon electrodes and significantly improve the initial coulomb efficiency (ICE). PMDA-NiPc@Si exhibits excellent specific capacity and cycling performance, with a capacity retention rate of 93.8 % after 100 cycles, which is 2.7 times higher than that of nano-Si. It also offers a high reversible capacity of 654 mAh/g and a capacity retention rate of 80.4 % after 2000 cycles at 5 A/g. The assembled full battery with PMDA-NiPc@Si anode and NCM811 cathode displayed a specific capacity of 175.8 mAh/g with a retention rate of 85.8 % after 100 cycles at 0.2C. The PMDA-NiPc@Si electrode shows only about 44 % of the expansion rate (21.6 to 31.1 μm), which is only 27.3 % of that of the Si electrode. PMDA-NiPc@Si anodes show significantly enhanced electrochemical performance, which will provide novel ideas for the development of high-performance Li-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. We aimed to develop a predictive model constituted with the ALBI grade, the ascites, and tumor burden related parameters in patients with BCLC stage B HCC. Methods. Patients diagnosed as the BCLC stage B HCC were collected from a retrospective database. Construction and validation of the predictive model were performed based on multivariate Cox regression analysis. Predictive accuracy, discrimination (c-index), and fitness performance (calibration curve) of the model were compared with the other eight models. The decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the clinical utility. Results. A total of 1773 patients diagnosed as BCLC stage B HCC between 2007 and 2016 were included in the present study. The ALBI-AS grade, the AFP level, and the 8-and-14 grade were used for the development of a prognostic prediction model after multivariate analysis. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) for overall survival at 1, 2, and 3 years predicted by the present model were 0.73, 0.69, and 0.67 in the training cohort. The concordance index (c-index) and the Aiken information criterion (AIC) were 0.68 and 6216.3, respectively. In the internal and external validation cohorts, the present model still revealed excellent predictive accuracy, discrimination, and fitness performance. Then the ALBI-AS based model was evaluated to be superior to other prognostic models with the highest AUROC, c-index, and lowest AIC values. Moreover, DCA also demonstrated that the present model was clinically beneficial. Conclusion. The ALBI-AS grade is a novel predictor of survival for patients with BCLC stage B HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous silicon (PSi) has become one of the current hotspots in lithium-ion anode materials research. However, due to their large volume change in the charge and discharge processes, which results in poor electrochemical performance, the material's practical value is significantly impacted. In this study, PSi@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PSi@PEDOT) composites were prepared by coating porous micron Si etched from the commercial Al–Si alloy with a conductive polymer synthesized via the in situ polymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT). The PEDOT shell not only ensures the conductive network in the composite material but also inhibits Si volume expansion. In addition, the pores inside the PSi material's core layer provide space gaps to buffer Si volume expansion, which can effectively improve its cycling stability and rate performance. Electrochemical test results show that the PSi@PEDOT-2 composite with mass ratio of 1.5:1 exhibits the best cycling stability. The initial discharge capacity is 1338.62 mAh g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, and the postcapacity retention rate is 70.3% after 200 cycles. Further, the preparation method may be used as an approach for preparing high-performance Si-based anode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel layered metal sulfide (K1.87Zn0.13Sn6.4S12.67, KZTS) with high adsorption capacity was synthesized by hydrothermal method for selective removal of Pb2+ ions from wastewater. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and BET were used to characterize the synthesized materials. The removal efficiency of KZTS for Pb2+ and effects of various factors including the solution pH, adsorption time and initial concentration on the adsorption behavior were evaluated. Under an optimal condition, the maximum adsorption capacity is as high as 431.26 mg·g−1. Moreover, the KZTS exhibited excellent adsorption selectivity against competitive ions such as Ca2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Al3+ and Mn2+. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were also studied. The adsorption process is in good agreement with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and conforms to the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that the adsorption of Pb2+ by KZTS is a monolayer chemisorption process. Namely, the adsorption of Pb2+ is mainly caused by the chemical bonding interaction between S2− and Pb2+, accompanying the exchange of K+ ion with Pb2+ ion. The excellent properties of KZTS enable it to be a promising adsorbent for the removal of Pb2+ from heavy metal wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We previously developed GA-HA nanoparticles as liver-targeting drug carriers. • Adenine inhibits hepatic carcinoma cell proliferation time- and dose-dependently. • GA-HA NPs enhanced Ade liver-targeting and cellular uptake in vitro and in vivo. • Ade/GA-HA NPs showed good anti-tumor effects against HCC with good biocompatibility. • Ade/GA-HA NPs may serve as a liver-targeting drug delivery system for clinical use. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a common malignancy in China and globally, is primarily treated through surgical resection and liver transplantation, with chemotherapy as a significant synergistic option. Adenine (Ade), a nucleobase, exhibits antitumor effects by blocking human hepatic carcinoma cells in S phase and inhibiting tumor cell proliferation. However, its use is limited owing to its low solubility, poor targeting ability, and nephrotoxicity. Therefore, liver-targeting drug delivery systems have attracted considerable attention for the treatment of HCC. In this study, we explored the liver-targeting efficacy and antitumor effect of adenine-loaded glycyrrhetinic acid-modified hyaluronic acid (Ade/GA-HA) nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. The GA-HA nanoparticles possessed obvious targeting specificity toward liver cancer cells, which was mainly achieved by the specific binding of the GA ligand to the GA receptor that was highly expressed on the liver cell membrane. In vitro and in vivo results showed that Ade/GA-HA nanoparticles could inhibit liver cancer cell proliferation and migration, promote apoptosis, and significantly inhibit the growth of tumor tissues. Altogether, this study is the first to successfully demonstrate that the targeting activity and antitumor effect of Ade against HCC are enhanced by using GA-HA nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The voltage-gated chloride channel (CLC) superfamily is one of the most important anion channels that is widely distributed in bacteria and plants. CLC is involved in transporting various anions such as chloride (Cl-) and fluoride (F-) in and out of cells. Although Camellia sinensis is a hyper-accumulated F plant, there is no studies on the CLC gene superfamily in the tea plant. Here, 8 CLC genes were identified from C. sinensis and they were named CsCLC1-8. The structure of CsCLC genes and the proteins were not conserved; the number of exons varied from 3 to 24, and the number of transmembrane domains contained 2 to 10. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis revealed that CsCLC4-8 in subclass I contained the typical conserved domains GxGIPE (I), GKxGPxxH (II) and PxxGxLF (III), and CsCLC1-3 in subclass II did not contain any of the three conserved residues. We measured the expression levels of CsCLCs in roots, stems and leaves to assess the responses to different concentrations of Cl- and F-. The result indicated that CsCLCs participated in subfunctionalization in response to Cl- and F-, and CsCLC1-3 was more sensitive to F- treatments than CsCLC4-8, CsCLC6 and CsCLC7 may participate in absorption and long-distance transport of Cl-. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagrammatic sketch of reverse separation of Nd(III) and Dy(III) from 70 vol% PEG 200 solution by using neutral extractant P350. [Display omitted] • A non-aqueous solvent extraction system (P350-PEG 200) was used for highly efficient separation of Nd(III) and Dy(III). • Under optimal extraction conditions, maximum separation factor can reached. • This solvent extraction system shows a good application prospect in recycling of Nd(III) and Dy(III) from end-of-life NdFeB. Recycling of Nd(III) and Dy(III) from waste NdFeB magnets is increasingly critical in the sustainable development of rare-earth elements (REEs) industry. The efficient separation of Nd(III) and Dy(III) from conventional aqueous solution by solvent extraction (SX) is facing huge challenge due to the high activity, high interfacial tension and the high dielectric constants of water that affect the coordination of REEs with the extractant. Herein, a novel non-aqueous solvent extraction (NASX) system based on neutral extractant P350 was developed to extract Nd(III) and Dy(III) with high extraction efficiency and separation factor. In this extraction system, the majority of water in the aqueous phase was replaced by different low-dielectric-constant polar molecular organic solvents (PMOSs) to reduce the influence of water during extraction. The effect of the type and content of PMOSs, P350 concentration, extract equilibration time and temperature on the separation performance were systematically investigated. It was encouraging to find that the favorable separation factor of Nd(III) and Dy(III) elements (β Nd/Dy) was determined to be 201 when extracted from 70 vol% PEG 200 with 0.2 mol/L P350, which was higher than that in traditional extraction from aqueous phase. Slope analysis method was used to determine the extractant stoichiometry and the main species of extraction complex was identified as DyCl 3 ·2L which was verified by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Furthermore, in the simulation of recovery of NdFeB magnetic immersion solution experiment, the extraction efficiency (E%) of Dy(III) can reach 85 %, while co-extraction of Nd(III) was only 6 % and the β Dy/Nd was as high as 83.4. According to the McCabe-Thiele diagram, 3-stages counter-current solvent extraction was needed to completely extract Dy(III). Moreover, 97.11 % of Nd(III) and 98.5 % of Dy(III) in the loaded organic phase can be sequentially stripped by 0.04 mol/L and 0.4 mol/L HCl, respectively. These results indicated that the developed processes in this work have superior extraction efficiency, large separation factors and excellent stripping stability. Eventually, a P350-PEG 200 extraction system-based separation process was proposed in the hope of providing a novel and low-cost alternative to the efficient recycle of Nd(III) and Dy(III) from end-of-life NdFeB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tibetan chickens living at high altitudes show specific adaptations to high-altitude conditions, but the epigenetic modifications associated with these adaptations have not been characterized. Results: We investigated the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in Tibetan chicken blood by using whole genome bisulfite sequencing. Generally, Tibetan chickens exhibited analogous methylation patterns to that of lowland chickens. A total of 3.92% of genomic cytosines were methylcytosines and 51.22% of cytosines in CG contexts were methylated, which was less than those in lowland chicken (55.69%). Moreover, the base adjacent to the methylcytosines of mCHGs in Tibetan chickens had a preference for T, which was different from that in lowland chickens. In Tibetan chickens, the methylation levels in the promoter were relatively low, while the gene body was also maintained in a hypomethylated state. DNA methylation levels in regions upstream of the transcription start site of genes were negatively correlated with the level of gene expression, and DNA methylation of gene body regions was also negatively related to gene expression. Conclusions: We generated the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in Tibetan chickens and our results will be helpful for future epigenetic studies related to adaptations to high-altitude conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous hard carbons are synthesized via carbonizing lotus stems with naturally hierarchical structures. The hard carbon carbonized at 1400 °C (LS1400) delivers a total capacity 350 mAh g −1 in the current density of 100 mA g −1 and a plateau capacity of 250 mAh g −1 . Even cycled at 100 mA g −1 after 450 cycles, the capacity still retains 94%. Further investigation shows that the sodium storage of LS carbons involves Na + adsorption in the defect sites, Na + insertion and Na metal deposition in the closed pores. However, the Na metal deposition in closed pores mainly contribute to the plateau capacity, leading to the excellent sodium storage performance of LS1400 with a large closed pore ratio of 66%. The results show that the intrinsic structure of natural biomass can inspire us to design hard carbon with large closed pore ratio as excellent anode for sodium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Poly-dioxolane solid polymer electrolyte (PSiDOL) with network structure was in situ prepared. • The PSiDOL exhibit high thermal stability, superior ionic conductance, and outstanding electrolyte/electrode interfacial stability. • The PSiDOL-based cells show high safety and excellent cycling performance. Rechargeable batteries paired with polyether-based solid-state electrolytes is a promising system to solve the safety problem of lithium metal (Li-metal) batteries, and stable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer between electrolyte and anode is highly required for their long-term stability. Here we propose a novel thermal-stable polymerized 1,3-dioxolane electrolyte (PSiDOL), which is in situ formed via a multifunctional 1,3-bis(3-glycidoxypropyl) tetramethyl disiloxane crosslinker. This network structural PSiDOL not only achieves good flame retardancy, significantly increased operating temperature and improved oxidative stability, but also induces the formation of stable and robust SEI layer with rich Li x SiO y /LiF on the surface of Li-metal anode. Moreover, the three-dimensional polymer skeleton with abundant polar groups is beneficial to improve the ionic conductance and cationic transference number. As a result, the PSiDOL electrolyte enable ultralong-term (over 4000 h) reversible and stable lithium plating/stripping in Li symmetrical cell for lithium anode. In addition, the assembled full cells based on such electrolyte display desirable cycling stability at high temperature and high voltage with suppressed electrolyte degradation. This work affords a facile and practical approach to develop advanced electrolytes for solid-state Li-metal batteries with high safety and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a global cooperative control framework to address leader-follower consensus of constraints subsystems of industrial plants, in which each subsystem is modeled as an agent and all the subsystems and networks of information flow construct a multiagent system. The focus of this paper is to solve the global leader-follower consensus for multiagent systems with input saturation via low-high gain feedback approach and parametric algebraic Riccati equation approach, in which the feedback gain design is distributed and decoupled from network topologies. By introducing appropriate assumptions, a class of low-high gain feedback protocol is designed based on the states of local neighbors to reach the global stability. It is proved in the sense of Lyapunov that, if the dwell time is larger than a positive threshold, the global leader-follower consensus for the closed-loop linear multiagent systems with input saturation under the derived topology containing a directed spanning tree can be achieved. The results are further extended to leader-follower consensus for nonlinear multiagent systems with the design of nonlinear low-high gain feedback protocol. As industrial applications of the proposed low-high gain scheduling approaches, the controller design of vibration in mechanical systems and satellite formation systems are revisited. Numerical simulations with cooperative control of industries subsystems show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel ZnMoO 4 /reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrid was synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal method followed by a thermal annealing process for the first time. The plate-like ZnMoO 4 with diameter of 50–200 nm were uniformly distributed on the basal plane of two-dimensional rGO. As a novel anode material, ZnMoO 4 /rGO hybrid exhibited high reversible capacity (maximum capacity of 923.4 mAh g −1 at 0.1 A g −1 ), good rate capability (354.1 mAh g −1 at 2 A g −1 ), and excellent cycling stability over 500 cycles (0.064% capacity loss per cycle) overwhelmingly superior to those of bare ZnMoO 4 -based anode. The enhanced electrochemical performance of ZnMoO 4 /rGO hybrid is due to the unique composite structure with improved electronic conductivity, shortened lithium ion transport pathways, decreased lithium ions diffusion resistance, and the synergistic effect between the crystalline ZnMoO 4 and the conductive rGO matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium iron hexacyanoferrate (Fe-HCF) is regarded as a potential cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its high specific capacity, low cost, facile synthesis and environmentally friendly. However, Fe-HCF always suffers from poor electronic conductivity, low crystallinity and side reactions with electrolyte, leading to poor rate performance, low coulombic efficiency and deterioration of cycling stability. Herein, we report a green and facile synthesis to encapsulate Fe-HCF microcubes with potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate (Ni-HCF). The core-shell Fe-HCF@Ni-HCF composite delivers a reversible capacity of 79.7 mAh g −1 at 200 mA g −1 after 800 cycles and a high coulombic efficiency of 99.3%. In addition, Fe-HCF@Ni-HCF exhibits excellent rate performance, retaining 60 mAh g −1 at 2000 mA g −1 . The results show that Fe-HCF@Ni-HCF integrates the advantages of both Fe-HCF and Ni-HCF, making it electrochemically stable as cathode material for SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A neural network model is established to predict hydraulic fracture initiation pressure. • The model considers the effect of the physic-based plastic critical distance. • The model is capable of predicting the abnormal high fracture initiation pressure. • An analytical solution for laboratory determination of the plastic critical distance is derived. • The effect of the plastic critical distance is experimentally and theoretically studied. Prediction of the hydraulic fracture initiation pressure is essential for in-situ hydraulic fracturing design and stress measurement. The prediction models based on the theory of critical distance have been proofed to fit the abnormal initiation pressure caused by the bore size. However, the critical distance used by the previous models is not physics-based, which may result in errors for prediction. In addition, the laboratory determination of the critical distance neglected the boundary loading effect, causing an underestimating of the critical distance. This work aims to provide an efficient and accurate model for predicting the in-situ hydraulic fracture initiation pressure with consideration of a physic-based plastic critical distance. We first establish a universal analytical solution for stress distribution and plastic zone around a borehole in a cylindrical sample through ideal elastoplastic theory. Using the analytical solution, the plastic critical distance of shale rock is analyzed based on a hydraulic fracturing experiment, and compared with the one estimated by the previous methods. Then, a set of numerical simulation are carried out to build a data set of hydraulic fracture initiation pressure under different stresses, tensile strength, and ratio of plastic critical distance to borehole radius. Finally, the nonlinear relationship between these parameters is mapped by a deep neural network model. According to this study, the following conclusions are obtained: 1) The plastic critical distance increases as the loading stress increases. 2) The established neural network trained by numerical simulation results is plausible, meanwhile, with high precision and high efficiency. 3) Increase in stresses and tensile strength can strengthen the influence of critical plastic distance. 4) Kirsch's approximate stress solution can bring an error for determination of the critical distance in lab-scale experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted increasing interest in large-scale energy storage systems due to their low cost, high safety, and high volumetric energy density. Manganese-based materials are one of most promising aqueous zinc ion battery cathode materials while their practical applications in ZIBs are limited by their low electrical conductivity, poor cycling stability and controversial energy storage mechanism. In this work, Ag 0.8 Mn 8 O 16 , a kind of manganese-based cathode material with combination displacement/intercalation reaction was prepared by using a hydrothermal method. Due to combination displacement/intercalation reaction mechanism, the generation of metallic silver during the discharge process greatly enhances the electronic conductivity of the material and thus the Ag 0.8 Mn 8 O 16 exhibits excellent rate performance and a reversible capacity of 198 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 1000 cycles. In addition, Ag 0.8 Mn 8 O 16 shows an interesting capacity rise at low current density and through a series of comparative experiments, the existence of deposition dissolution mechanism in Zn/Ag 0.8 Mn 8 O 16 battery was confirmed to be a critical factor of capacity increase. • High rate capability manganese-based cathode was prepared by hydrothermal method. • Combination displacement/intercalation reaction was observed in electrode. • Metallic silver conductive network can enhance the conductivity of the electrode. • High discharge capacity of electrode was due to the deposition-dissolution mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of material damping is ignored in the current membrane structure design. Based on the damping characteristics of coated fabric obtained by the dynamic mechanical analyzer, the applicability of classical Maxwell model, generalized Maxwell model, three-parameter liquid model, fractional derivative Maxwell model, and fractional derivative Kelvin model to describe the viscoelastic properties of coated fabric were discussed. The free-falling body excitation vibration test of plane tensioned membrane structure is carried out and the dynamic response of plane membrane structure under impact load was studied. The reasonable viscoelastic damping constitutive model is obtained through a systematic comparison of the existing models then implemented in Abaqus software and subsequently validated with the data obtained from the vibration test. Taking saddle-shaped and umbrella-shaped membrane structures as research objectives, the dynamic response of membrane structures under dynamic wind load considering material damping performance is discussed. The results show that the damping property of the coated fabric significantly affects the dynamic characteristics of the membrane structure. Due to the existence of material damping, the modal frequency of the overall structure is greater than the result of the elastic model. The reduction factor of maximum vertical displacement can reach 67.14%, and the reduction factor of maximum principal stress can reach 68.93%, which makes the structural design safety factor high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and poses a serious threat to human health. The most important treatment method, liver cancer chemotherapy, is limited due to its high toxicity and poor specificity. Targeted drug delivery systems have emerged as novel therapeutic strategies that deliver precise, substantial drug doses to target sites via targeting vectors and enhance the therapeutic efficacy. In the present study, glycyrrhetinic acid-modified hyaluronic acid (GA-HA) was used as a carrier for the model drug docetaxel (DTX) to prepare DTX-loaded GA-HA nanoparticles (DTX/GA-HA-NPs). The results indicated that the DTX/GA-HA-NPs exhibited high monodispersity (particle dispersity index, 0.209±0.116) and desirable particle size (208.73±5.0 nm) and zeta potential (-27.83±3.14 mV). The drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of the NPs were 12.59±0.68 and 85.38±4.62%, respectively. Furthermore, it was determined that FITC-GA-HA was taken up by cells and distributed in the cytoplasm. DTX and DTX/GA-HA (just the DTX delivered by the nanoparticle) aggregated and altered the structure of cellular microtubules. Compared with DTX alone, DTX/GA-HA-NPs had a stronger inhibitory effect on HepG2 cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis of HepG2 cells. All experimental results indicated that DTX/GA-HA-NPs were successfully prepared and had liver-targeting and antitumor activities in vitro, which provided a foundation for future in vivo studies of the antitumor effects of DTX/GA-HA-NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mediocre capacitive performance of carbon cathode has seriously hampered the advancement of lithium ion capacitors (LICs). The guideline for high-performance capacitive carbon cathode is still lacking. In this study, the desired microstructure of carbon cathode that suitable for LiPF 6 -contained electrolyte is calculated by using density functional theory. Results suggest that only the pore sizes more than 2.18 nm can accommodate the solvated P F 6 - ions. Experimental results confirm that the capacitive performance of the synthesized activated polyaniline-derived carbon (APDC) can be significantly promoted as the pore size was more than 2 nm. Especially, the APDC-700-based electrode demonstrates outstanding electrochemical performance with high capacitance (247 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1) and good rate capability (156 F g-1 at 10 A g-1), owing to the appropriate pore size and high N content in carbon matrix. The APDC-700-based LIC device can deliver an ultra-high energy density of 300.3 Wh kg-1 at 318 W kg-1, as well as good cycling stability over 10 000 cycles. This well-designed work will be conducive to deeply understand the performance improvement of capacitive carbon cathode in LiPF 6 electrolyte and provides guidelines for designing advanced LIC devices. [Display omitted] • P F 6 - ion mainly exists in the form of P F 6 - E C 6 in EC/DMC/DEC solvents. • The carbon with pore size more than 2.18 nm can accommodate the P F 6 - E C 6 species. • APDC-700 cathode delivers a high capacitance of 247 F g-1 in LiPF 6 electrolyte. • Good performance of APDC-700 is due to the suitable pore size and high N content. • APDC-700-based LIC device deliver an ultra-high energy density of 300.3 Wh kg-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TRPV1 shows targeting potential in hepatocellular carcinoma. • TRPV1 gives rise to phenotypic plasticity in hepatocarcinogenesis. • Tumor initiating cells and biliary cells were cellular origins in TRPV1 induced HCC. • TRPV 1 exert its role via transcription factors Ovol 2 and Zeb 1 mediated by SOX 10. The landscape of cellular plasticity and sources with relevant niche signals in hepatocellular carcinoma is still obscure. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a non-selective cation channel, is involved in a variety of malignancies and overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have investigated the role of TRPV1 in HCC from different angles by various experimental techniques, such as in vivo and in vitro experiments, and by bioinformatics analysis of data from genetic models induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), mice samples and human HCC samples. We find that TRPV1 knockout promotes to hepatocarcinogenesis and deconstructs the portal triad adjacent to tumor border that is contributed by originations of tumor initiating cells and biliary cells. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved and transcription factors Ovol2 and Zeb1 coordinated with Sox 10 drive gene expression in the event which is also confirmed by the expression of these proteins in human HCC samples. Treatment with TRPV1 agonist Capsaicin inhibits the growth of HCC cells in xenograft models. Our findings demonstrate that TRPV1 is a potential therapeutic target in human HCC and exerts effects on cellular plasticity with modulation of Ovol2, Zeb1 and Sox10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]