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With the vigorous development of the Internet of Things, 5G technology, and artificial intelligence, flexible wearable sensors have received great attention. As a simple and low-cost power supply in wearable sensors, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has a wide range of applications in the field of flexible electronics. However, most polymers are thermally poor conductors (less than 0.1 W/(m·K)), resulting in insufficient heat dissipation performance and limiting the development of TENG. In this study, a high-performance non-woven fabric TENG with strong thermal conductivity (0.26 W/m·K) was achieved by introducing ZrB2 into the polyurethane (PU) matrix. The excellent output performance with an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 347.6 V, a short circuit current (Isc) of 3.61 μA, and an accumulated charge of 142.4 nC endows it with good sensitivity. The electrospun PU/ZrB2 composites exhibit excellent sensing performance to detect body movements in situ, such as pressing, clapping, running, and walking. Moreover, the generated power can light up 224 LED bulbs as a demonstration of self-powering ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) is a key enzyme for the process of ABA synthesis that plays key roles in a variety of biological processes. In the current investigation, genome-wide identification and comprehensive analysis of the NCED gene family in 'Kuerle Xiangli' (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yu) were conducted using the pear genomic sequence. In total, nineteen members of PbNCED genes were identified from the whole genome of pear, which are not evenly distributed over the scaffolds, and most of which were focussed in the chloroplasts. Sequence analysis of promoters showed many cis-regulatory elements, which presumably responded to phytohormones such as abscisic acid, auxin, etc. Synteny block indicated that the PbNCED genes have experienced strong purifying selection. Multiple sequence alignment demonstrated that these members are highly similar and conserved. In addition, we found that PbNCED genes were differentially expressed in various tissues, and three PbNCED genes (PbNCED1, PbNCED2, and PbNCED13) were differentially expressed in response to exogenous Gibberellin (GA3) and Paclobutrazol (PP333). PbNCED1 and PbNCED13 positively promote ABA synthesis in sepals after GA3 and PP333 treatment, whereas PbNCED2 positively regulated ABA synthesis in ovaries after GA3 treatment, and PbNCED13 positively regulated ABA synthesis in the ovaries after PP333 treatment. This study was the first genome-wide report of the pear NCED gene family, which could improve our understanding of pear NCED proteins and provide a solid foundation for future cloning and functional analyses of this gene family. Meanwhile, our results also give a better understanding of the important genes and regulation pathways related to calyx abscission in 'Kuerle Xiangli'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyzes the Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)welded joint of AZ31 magnesium alloy and the pitting corrosion stress field at different depths under tensile load via the ANSYS finite element method. The strengths of the stress and strain fields inside the corrosion pit were substantially higher than the average strength level of the matrix. Therefore, under the influence of the applied load, the corrosion pit will fail first. Based on the study of pitting corrosion, a model was developed to explain how pitting corrosion cracks propagate in magnesium alloy welded joints. Finally, the variation of residual strength was revealed to study the corrosion dynamic mechanism of the joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a low-orbit mega constellation network, we consider the large-scale inter-satellite routing problem with time windows and capacity constraints (ISRPTWC) with the goal of minimizing the total consumption cost, including transmission, resource consumption, and other environmentally impacted costs. Initially, we develop an integer linear programming model for ISRPTWC. However, a difficult issue when solving ISRPTWC is how to deal with complex time window constraints and how to reduce congestion and meet transmission capacity. Along this line, we construct a three-dimensional time-space state network aiming to comprehensively enumerate the satellite network state at any moment in time and a task transmission route at any given time and further propose a time-discretized multi-commodity network flow model for the ISRPTWC. Then, we adopt a dynamic programming algorithm to solve the single-task ISRPTWC. By utilizing a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm, the primal multi-task routing problem is decomposed into a sequence of single-task routing subproblems, with Lagrangian multipliers for individual task route nodes and links being updated by a subgradient method. Notably, we devise a novel idea for constructing the upper bound of the ISRPTWC. Finally, a case study using illustrative and real-world mega constellation networks is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hysteresis of rubber materials due to deformation and viscoelasticity is the main reason for the heat build-up (HBU) and rolling resistance (RR) of the rolling tire. It is important to realize the high precision prediction of HBU and RR of tire for the optimal design of high-performance fuel-saving tire. In this work, a thermo-mechanical coupling method based on Endurica and Abaqus co-simulation was used to predict the steady-state temperature distribution and RR of three finite element models (Lagrangian–Eulerian model, Lagrangian model, and Plane Strain model) of the solid tires under different loads and rotating speeds. The simulation results were compared with the experimental results. The Kraus self-heating model was utilized in the thermo-mechanical coupling method, which realized the quantitative relationship between the dynamic loss modulus of rubber and the loading conditions (temperature, strain, and strain rate). Special attention was paid to the determination of the material parameters in the Kraus self-heating model. The comparison between simulation results and experimental results shows that the Lagrangian model had the highest prediction accuracy, and the average prediction errors of the steady-state surface temperature and RR under three loading conditions were 3.4% and 7.9%, respectively. The Lagrangian–Eulerian model came in the second with average errors of 9.7% and 11.1%, respectively. The Plane Strain model had the worst prediction accuracy, with the average errors of 21.4% and 44.6%, respectively. In terms of the simulation time, the Plane Strain model had the lowest cost, and the average calculation time was 1143 s. The Lagrangian–Eulerian model took the second place, with an average calculation time of 2621 s. The Lagrangian model had the highest computation cost, with an average time of 5597 s. The comparison between the simulation results and the experimental results verified the effectiveness of the thermo-mechanical coupling analysis method. The methods of three finite element models of the solid tires in this work can provide some reference for the optimization design of elastomeric components (Lagrangian model), pneumatic tires (Lagrangian–Eulerian model), and non-pneumatic tires (Plane Strain model). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel type of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin was prepared by utilizing the liquefaction products liquefied by phenol under acidic conditions and then reacted with formaldehyde under alkaline conditions. The relationship between the liquefaction behavior of cassava starch and the properties of modified PF resin wood adhesive was studied. The effects of the liquid–solid ratio of phenol to cassava starch, sulfuric acid usage, and liquefaction time on the liquefaction residue rate and relative crystallinity of cassava starch were determined. The results showed that the bonding strength of modified PF resin decreased gradually with the decrease of the liquid–solid ratio. It was a great surprise that bonding strength still met the requirement of the national standard of 0.7 MPa when the liquid–solid ratio was 1.0. The detailed contents were analyzed through FT-IR, SEM, and XRD. In terms of the utilization of bio-materials for liquefaction to synthesize wood adhesive, cassava starch may be superior to the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition-metal sulfides have been considered as promising candidates for electrochemical supercapacitor and lithium ion batteries. Unfortunately, the shortcomings including large volume change, low conductivity as well as severe structural exfoliation from conductive substrate or current collector inhibit their practical application. Herein, the hydrothermal and solvothermal approach are developed for the controllable synthesis of core-shell NiCo 2 S 4 @C with three dimensional carbon frameworks. As an asymmetric supercapacitor, the NiCo 2 S 4 @C/YP-50 F displays a high energy density of 46.7 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 0.8 kW kg−1 and the good cycling stability (∼110 % of the initial capacitance retention at 16 kW kg−1 over 2000 cycles). Furthermore, the NiCo 2 S 4 @C exhibits the specific capacity of 414 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 2000 mA g−1 when evaluated as anode for lithium ion batteries. The excellent performance can be ascribed to the core-shell structure and the three dimensional carbon frameworks. The synthetic approach can be extended to fabricate other high performance metal sulfides for energy storage. [Display omitted] • Core-shell NiCo 2 S 4 @C with three dimensional carbon framework is synthesized. • The 3D carbon framework maintains the structure integrity and improves the electrical conductivity. • The chemical bonds of Co-C/Ni-C inhibits the structural exfoliation from carbon. • The core-shell NiCo 2 S 4 @C exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel–concrete (SC) composite widely used in military defensive project is due to its impressive mechanical properties, long-lived service, and low cost. However, the growing use of hypervelocity kinetic weapons in the present war puts forward higher requirements for the anti-explosion and penetration performance of military protection engineering. Here, inspired by the special 'brick-and-mortar' (BM) structural feature of natural nacre, we successfully construct a nacre-inspired steel–concrete (NISC) engineering composite with 2510 kg/m3, possessing nacre-like lamellar architecture via a bottom-up assembling technique. The NISC engineering composite exhibits nacreous BM structural similarity, high compressive strength of 68.5 MPa, compress modulus of 42.0 GPa, Mohs hardness of 5.5, Young's modulus of 41.5 GPa, and shear modulus of 18.4 GPa, higher than pure concrete. More interestingly, the hypervelocity impact tests reveal the penetration capability of our NISC target material is obviously stronger than that of pure concrete, enhanced up to about 46.8% at the striking velocity of 1 km/s and approximately 30.9% at the striking velocity of 2 km/s, respectively, by examining the damages of targets, the trajectories, penetration depths, and residual projectiles. This mechanically integrated enhancement can be attributed to the nacre-like BM structural architecture derived from assembling the special steel-bar array frame-reinforced concrete platelets. This study highlights a key role of nacre-like structure design in promoting the enhanced hypervelocity impact resistance of steel–concrete composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnets with a low-temperature coefficient of coercivity (TCC) have various applications in a varying temperature environment. Rare-earth magnets like NdFeB are widely used, but they usually have a large negative TCC. Here, it is first experimentally demonstrated that α″-Fe 16 N 2 foils, as a candidate for rare-earth-free magnets, have an ultralow positive TCC (0.4 Oe/K) from 300 K to 425 K. It is two orders of magnitude smaller than that of the commercial NdFeB magnets in this temperature range. The α″-Fe 16 N 2 foils are made from as-rolled iron foils (25 µm) by a low-temperature nitridation process (< 473 K). The microstructure of these iron foils is tuned before the nitridation by a combined oxidation and reduction process to induce pores and defects that could significantly enhance the diffusivity of nitrogen atoms in the foils. The fabricated α″-Fe 16 N 2 foils exhibit the specific saturation magnetization up to 222 emu/g at 300 K (reduced iron foils ~ 205 emu/g) and the coercivity 1.1 kOe. The synthesized α″-Fe 16 N 2 foils have an ultralow TCC and a high saturation magnetization besides its usages of low-cost and environment-friendly raw materials. These combined unique features make α″-Fe 16 N 2 a promising rare-earth-free alternative for many applications required less temperature dependence of magnetic properties. Iron foils (25 µm thick) are used the first time to prepared α″-Fe 16 N 2 , a promising candidate of rare-earth-free magnets at low temperature (<200 °C). A porous structure is obtained for the iron foils after a proper oxidation and reduction treatment, which is essential to synthesize foils with high phase ratio α″-Fe 16 N 2 at such low temperature. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CAlculation of PHAse Diagram (CALPHAD) technique is used in the critical remodeling of the Cd–Gd system. On the basis of a new experiment in literature, the excess Gibbs energies of the solution phase expression (liquid, bcc, and hcp_A3) are described using the Redlich–Kister equation. Intermetallic compounds (α-Cd2Gd, β-Cd2Gd, and Cd45Gd11), which exhibit a homogeneity range, are treated as a two-sublattice model. Four compounds (Cd3Gd, Cd58Gd13, Cd6Gd, and Cd8Gd) are treated as stoichiometric compounds. Two Calphad-type thermodynamic descriptions are developed for the CdGd and bcc. Model I is to model the compound CdGd and bcc-Gd separately. Model II is to use the formula (Cd,Gd)0.5(Cd,Gd)0.5(Va)3 to describe the compound CdGd with a CsCl-type structure (B2) and cope with the disorder–order transition from bcc-A2 to bcc-B2. The present work displays that two eutectic reactions, five peritectic reactions, one peritectoid reaction, one eutectoid reaction, one polymorphic transformation, and one congruent reaction are observed in the Cd–Gd system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The thermodynamic properties and phase stability of the Ba-Bi system are investigated computationally and experimentally in the present work. The enthalpies of formation and the finite temperature thermodynamic properties of seven compounds are predicted by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), indicating five compounds (BaBi 3 , Ba 11 Bi 10 , Ba 4 Bi 3 , Ba 5 Bi 3 , and Ba 2 Bi) to be stable. Phase relations at 773 K and 858 K with composition x Ba = 0.90 are established by isothermal annealing and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) to clarify the previously observed phase transition at 796 K. The extremely low chemical activity of Ba in liquid for a wide range of temperatures and compositions indicates very strong short-range ordering in the liquid phase which is modeled in the present work by introducing the Ba 4 Bi 3 and BaBi 3 associates in the liquid phase. Both thermodynamic and phase equilibrium data are then used to evaluate the model parameters in Gibbs energy functions of the five stable compounds and three solution phases of liquid, bcc, and rhombohedral phases by the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram) technique. The present work shows that the Ba-Bi system consists of three eutectic reactions, two peritectic reactions, one peritectoid reaction, and two congruent reactions, as well as that the concentrations of associates are very high in the liquid phase with very low concentration of atomic Ba, which provides the fundamental understanding as to why Bi can be used to remove Ba ions from molten salt solutions. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A thermodynamic model of the Ba-Bi system with applications in nuclear industry. • Powder XRD is used to clarify the previously observed phase transition. • Explain ability of Bi to remove Ba from electrorefining processes of nuclear waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel pixel structure is proposed for improving transmittance of VA-LCD. • The transmittance of LCD panel designed with new pixel is increased by 35%. • The optical efficiency of proposed pixel can be modulated with different cell gaps. A high-transmittance vertical alignment liquid crystal display (VA-LCD) using a transparent shielding and storage electrode (TSS) design is proposed. The aperture ratio of the proposed four domain TSS pixel with size of 52 × 156 μm improves approximately by 40% over the conventional pixel due to the shielding and storage metal electrode can be replaced by TSS electrode. Experimental results shown that the transmittance of TSS designed panel with 3.2 μm cell gap is 35% higher than that with conventional pixel design, whereas it is only enhanced by 21% when the cell gap is 2.6 μm. The liquid crystal dynamics simulation results revealed that both the effective birefringence and the azimuthally controlled director profile of the liquid crystal layer decreases with TSS pixel design, and these adverse impacts are magnified as the cell gap decreases. This is due to that the introduction of TSS common electrode not only weakens the vertical electric field but also affects the horizontal electric field of liquid crystal layer, which leads to a greater loss of optical efficiency under lower cell gap, resulting in the worse transmittance promotion. The proposed method is expected to be advantageously employed in enhancing transmittance of VA-LCDs for power saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of saturated coral aggregate (SCA) as practical replacement of quartz sand has been shown to effectively mitigate the autogenous shrinkage in ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC). The autogenous deformation, the compressive strength, the flexural strength, and the hydration property development of paste with different shrinkage means were tested. Three different methods were evaluated to mitigate the autogenous shrinkage: SCA, shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA), and the mixture of SCA and SRA (SRA-SCA). It was found that SCA and SRA have all the effective ways to reduce the shrinkage deformation, and SRA-SCA was the most effective in mitigating the shrinkage. The autogenous shrinkage of UHPC was restrained, when the SCA dosage was 44%, the SRA dosage was 0.8%, the SCA content was 26%, the SRA dosage was 2.4%, the SCA content was 18%, the SRA content was 2.4%, or the SCA dosage was 26%. The mechanical properties were deteriorated by the addition of SCA, while the compressive strength was still higher than 90 MPa at 28 days even though the replacement ratio of SCA was up to 50%. Furthermore, internal curing by means of SCA was proved to be a successful way to mitigate autogenous shrinkage, after the tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, natural crab-shell particles (CSP) and deacetylated crab-shell particles (dCSP) were used as crosslinking agents at the present of glucolactone to obtain high strength mono-crosslinked and bi-crosslinked sodium alginate (NaAlg) hydrogel films, respectively. The results indicated that the CSP in the system could occur Ca2+ crosslinking, and the addition of dCSP could help to form both Ca2+ crosslinking and polyelectrolytes interactions with NaAlg. The remaining unreacted CaCO 3 could enhance the thermal stability of the films due to the high thermally stable CaCO 3. The surface hydrophobicity, gel properties, mechanical strength and thermal stabilities of those bi-crosslinked NaAlg hydrogel films were better than those of neat NaAlg film and mono-crosslinked NaAlg hydrogel films, which overcome the inferior thermo-mechanical properties for traditional hydrogel films. In addition, the releasing time of those prepared hydrogel films for diclofenac sodium was higher than 36 h, which illustrated sustained drug releasing activity. The CSP modified NaAlg hydrogel film with 0.5% GDL content exhibited the highest cumulative release amount. The proposed approach is a promising green crosslinking technique to develop high performance NaAlg hydrogel films that can realize active ingredients and drugs sustained release in food packaging and medical wound dressing areas. • Sodium alginate (NaAlg) hydrogel films were prepared by green crosslinking agents. • Crab-shell particles (CSP) and deacetylated-CSPs (dCSP) were crosslinking agents. • The dCSP crosslinked NaAlg hydrogel realized Ca2+ and polyelectrolytes crosslinking. • The prepared hydrogel films presented superior mechanical strength and swelling ratio. • NaAlg/CSP/GDL 0.5 hydrogel film exhibited the highest cumulative release amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic wedge-shaped patterned surface (SSWPS) has promising application prospects in water transportation, fog harvesting, etc., and has therefore been widely prepared and studied. However, influences of micro-morphologies of the SSWPS on water transportation and fog harvesting, which may be of great significance, have rarely been reported. Here, we firstly investigated the influences of the micro-morphologies on the water transportation and fog harvesting processes. SSWPSs with different microgrooves were prepared by laser processing, and the influence mechanisms of the micro-morphologies on droplet motion behaviors were then investigated. The different micro-morphologies contributed to dissimilar capillary forces and fluid resistances during the transportation process, thus resulting in the different transport speeds and fog harvesting efficiencies. For regular microgrooves with 0° direction and larger depths, the capillary forces were relatively larger while the fluid resistances were smaller, which led to the faster water transport speeds of the SSWPS. Fog harvesting experiments on different surfaces demonstrated that the SSWPS with faster water transport speed exhibited much higher fog harvesting efficiency, and could achieve long-time continuous harvesting, which was expected to facilitate application of the SSWPS. [Display omitted] • Influences of micro-morphologies on water transport of SSWPS are firstly studied. • Different microgroove direction, spacing and depth are tailored by laser texturing. • Water transport speed is higher on SSWPS with 0°, deeper and regular microgrooves. • The SSWPS with faster water transport speed has higher fog harvesting efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is unknown. This study aimed to investigate BNP’s effect on CIN in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angiography (CAG). The patients were randomized to BNP (0.005 μg/kg/min before contrast media (CM) exposure and saline hydration, n=106) or saline hydration alone (n=103). Cystatin C, serum creatinine (SCr) levels, and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were assessed at several time points. The primary endpoint was CIN incidence; secondary endpoint included changes in cystatin C, SCr, and eGFR. CIN incidence was significantly lower in the BNP group compared to controls (6.6% versus 16.5%, P=0.025). In addition, a more significant deterioration of eGFR, cystatin C, and SCr from 48 h to 1 week (P<0.05) was observed in controls compared to the BNP group. Although eGFR gradually deteriorated in both groups, a faster recovery was achieved in the BNP group. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that using >100 mL of CM (odds ratio: 4.36, P=0.004) and BNP administration (odds ratio: 0.21, P=0.006) were independently associated with CIN. Combined with hydration, exogenous BNP administration before CM effectively decreases CIN incidence in CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the geometric point of view, the roof shape of a typical building is a polyhedral structure, a representative example of which is shown in Figure 1 (derived from reference [17], titled "A generative statistical approach to automatic 3D building roof reconstruction from laser scanning data"). According to Figure 1 (derived from reference [17], titled "A generative statistical approach to automatic 3D building roof reconstruction from laser scanning data"), it can be found that typical building roof shapes are diverse and contain flat roofs, pitched roofs, double-slope roofs, four-slope roofs, and multiwave folding slab roofs. For this reason, it is necessary to construct a unified mathematical description of building roof characteristics to accommodate the different roof geometric structures of typical buildings. [Extracted from the article]

The active recognition of interesting targets has been a vital issue for remote sensing. In this paper, a novel multi-source fusion method for ship target detection and recognition is proposed. By introducing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor images, the proposed method solves the problem of precision degradation in optical remote sensing image target detection and recognition caused by the limit of illumination and weather conditions. The proposed method obtains port slice images containing ship targets by fusing optical data with SAR data. On this basis, spectral residual saliency and region growth method are used to detect ship targets in optical image, while SAR data are introduced to improve the accuracy of ship detection based on joint shape analysis and multi-feature classification. Finally, feature point matching, contour extraction and brightness saliency are used to detect the ship parts, and the ship target types are identified according to the voting results of part information. The proposed ship detection method obtained 91.43% recognition accuracy. The results showed that this paper provides an effective and efficient ship target detection and recognition method based on multi-source remote sensing images fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silane coupling agent (SCA), a kind of organic solvent, was introduced to improve the performance of coral coarse aggregates and enhance the interfacial adhesion between the inorganic coral aggregate and the cement paste of coral concrete. The crushing indicator and water absorption of the coral aggregates over various dipping times were measured, and the slump, interface microhardness, and compressive strength of coral concrete tested. The microscopic appearances of the coral concrete before and after modification were analyzed based on SEM images. The experimental results indicate that SCA can effectively reduce the crushing indicator and water absorption of coral coarse aggregates, and the modification performance becomes better over time. SCA facilitates the generation of chemical forces between the coral aggregates and cement mortars, improves adhesion between the aggregates and mortars, augments the microhardness of the interface, and increases the compressive strength. According to the microscopic appearance of the treated and untreated coral aggregate interfaces, the aggregates and the mortars are in closer combination after modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to adapt to the actual scene of a stereo satellite observing the same area sequentially and improve the accuracy of the target-oriented 3D reconstruction, this paper proposed a building DSM fusion update method based on adaptive splines and target characteristic guidance. This method analyzed the target characteristics of surface building targets to explore their intrinsic geometric structure information, established a nonlinear fusion method guided by the target characteristics to achieve the effective fusion of multiple DSMs on the basis of maintaining the target structural characteristics, and supported the online updating of DSM to ensure the needs of practical engineering applications. This paper presented a DSM fusion method for surface building targets and finally conducted DSM fusion experiments using typical urban area images of different scenes. The experimental results showed that the proposed method can effectively constrain and improve the DSM of buildings, and the integrity of the overall construction of the target 3D model structure was significantly improved, indicating that this paper provides an effective and efficient DSM constraint method for buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Au–Ga system was critically assessed by means of CALPHAD technique. Based on the experimental data in the literature, the excess Gibbs energies of the solution phases (liquid, fcc, orthorhombic) were modeled with the Redlich–Kister equation. The intermetallic compounds αAu7Ga, βAu7Ga2, β′Au7Ga2, γAu7Ga3 and γ′Au7Ga3, which have homogeneity ranges, were treated as the formula Au7(Au,Ga), (Au,Ga)7Ga2, (Au,Ga)7(Au,Ga)2, (Au,Ga)7(Au,Ga)3 and (Au,Ga)7(Au,Ga)3, respectively, using a two-sublattice model with Au and Ga or Au on the first sublattice, Au and Ga or Ga on the second one. The two compounds AuGa and AuGa2 were treated as stochiometric compounds. A set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters of the Au–Ga system was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an ultrahigh-strength marine concrete containing coral aggregates is developed. Concrete fabricated from marine sources is considered an effective and economical alternative for marine engineering and the construction of remote islands. To protect sea coral ecosystems, the coral aggregates used for construction are only efflorescent coral debris. To achieve the expected mechanical performance from the studied concrete, an optimal mixture design is conducted to determine the optimal proportions of components, in order to optimize the compressive strength. The mechanical properties and the autogenous shrinkage, as well as the heat flow of early hydration reactions, are measured. The hydration products fill up the pores of coral aggregates, endowing our concrete with flowability and self-compacting ability. The phases in the marine concrete are identified via X-ray diffraction analysis. The 28-day compressive and flexural strength of the developed marine concrete achieve 116.76 MPa and 18.24 MPa, respectively. On account of the lower cement content and the internal curing provided by coral aggregates, the volume change resulting from autogenous shrinkage is only 63.11% of that of ordinary reactive powder concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A proposed eight-domain pixel structure is designed for improving transmittance. • The transmittance of 65 inch UHD panel with proposed pixel can be achieved to 6.0%. • The designed 65 inch UHD LCD shows little oblique gamma distortion. A proposed pixel structure named 'Sub-pixel Electrode Shielding (SES)' is developed to improve the transmittance of eight-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display (LCD). In the SES pixel, the sub pixel electrode is designed to partially overlap with data line and encircle the main pixel to shield the effects of data signal on the common signal. Therefore, the array common electrode and data signal shielding lines of conventional pixel can be removed to enhance the aperture ratio. Results show that the 65 inch ultra-high-definition (UHD) LCD panel with this proposed SES pixel design achieves a transmittance of 5.9%, which is 7.3% higher than the panel with conventional pixel design, and shows the same viewing angle characteristic as the conventional one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shaoyao Decoction (SYD) is a canonical herbal medicine prescription formulated by Liu Wan-Su in AD 1186. SYD has been widely used to treat inflammatory bowel disease by clearing heat and damp, removing stasis toxin in the intestine; however, the precise mechanisms and therapeutic material basis remain largely unclear. In the present study, we measured the effects of SYD on colitis symptom, epithelial barrier function, epithelial ferroptosis, colonic protein and mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in colitis model, and determined whether SYD restored barrier loss in colitis by modulation of GPX4-regulated ferroptosis pathway. Methods: Colitis was established by infusion with 1 mL 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) dissolved in ethanol (40% v/v) in rats at a 125 mg/kg dose. Ferroptosis in epithelial cells was determined by flow cytometer. GPX4 promoter-firefly luciferase fusion construct was transfected to Caco-2 cell to determine GPX4 transcription. MS analysis was used to identified ingredients in SYD. Results: Different doses of SYD significantly alleviated colitis, decreased ferroptosis in epithelial cells, knockout of GPX4 significantly reversed SYD-induced alleviation effects on colitis, restoration of epithelial barrier function, and epithelial ferroptosis. Wogonoside, wogonin, palmatine, paeoniflorin and liquiritin were identified as active ingredients of SYD-exerted alleviation effects of colitis based on GPX4 agonistic transcription. Conclusion: SYD alleviated chemically induced colitis by activation of GPX4, inhibition of ferroptosis in epithelial cells and further restoration of barrier function. Wogonoside, wogonin, palmatine, paeoniflorin and liquiritin were identified as the key therapeutic material basis of SYD-exerted anti-colitis effects. The findings provide a scientific basis for the therapeutic effect of SYD on colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well‐defined nanostructures are crucial for precisely understanding nano‐bio interactions. However, nanoparticles (NPs) fabricated through conventional synthesis approaches often lack poor controllability and reproducibility. Herein, a synthetic biology‐based strategy is introduced to fabricate uniformly reproducible protein‐based NPs, achieving precise control over heterogeneous components of the NPs. Specifically, a ferritin assembly toolbox system is developed that enables intracellular assembly of ferritin subunits/variants in Escherichia coli. Using this strategy, a proof‐of‐concept study is provided to explore the interplay between ligand density of NPs and their tumor targets/penetration. Various ferritin hybrid nanocages (FHn) containing human ferritin heavy chains (FH) and light chains are accurately assembled, leveraging their intrinsic binding with tumor cells and prolonged circulation time in blood, respectively. Further studies reveal that tumor cell uptake is FH density‐dependent through active binding with transferrin receptor 1, whereas in vivo tumor accumulation and tissue penetration are found to be correlated to heterogeneous assembly of FHn and vascular permeability of tumors. Densities of 3.7 FH/100 nm2 on the nanoparticle surface exhibit the highest degree of tumor accumulation and penetration, particularly in tumors with high permeability compared to those with low permeability. This study underscores the significance of nanoparticle heterogeneity in determining particle fate in biological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of anaerobic co-digestion (co-AD) feedstocks is an essential basis for optimizing ratios of materials. Given the time-consuming shortage of conventional BMP tests, a rapid estimated method was proposed for BMP of co-AD—with straw and feces as feedstocks—based on near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometrics. Partial least squares with several variable selection algorithms were used for establishing calibration models. Variable selection methods were constructed by the genetic simulated annealing algorithm (GSA) combined with interval partial least squares (iPLS), synergy iPLS, backward iPLS, and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), respectively. By comparing the modeling performances of characteristic wavelengths selected by different algorithms, it was found that the model constructed using 57 characteristic wavelengths selected by CARS-GSA had the best prediction accuracy. For the validation set, the determination coefficient, root mean square error and relative root mean square error of the CARS-GSA model were 0.984, 6.293 and 2.600, respectively. The result shows that the NIRS regression model—constructed with characteristic wavelengths, selected by CARS-GSA—can meet actual detection requirements. Based on a large number of samples collected, the method proposed in this study can realize the rapid and accurate determination of the BMP for co-AD raw materials in biogas engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach by using the γ′-Fe4N precursor was proposed to prepare a bulk magnet with high α″-Fe16N2 content, and the feasibility for high N content α′-Fe(N)/α′-Fe8N was demonstrated in ribbon samples. γ′-Fe4N decomposed when it was heated to a high temperature, and then, a supersaturated γ-Fe(N) phase formed because of N atoms diffusing out from the γ′-Fe4N lattice. The short-lived supersaturated γ-Fe(N) had the face-centered cubic lattice, and its nitrogen content is beyond 3.0 wt. %. The supersaturated γ-Fe(N) acts as a precursor of the martensite transformation for a body-centered tetragonal phase. After the cryo-treatment, which was essential to complete the martensite transformation, a mixture of α′-Fe(N) and α′-Fe8N was obtained. The N content of more than 2.5 wt. % in the samples was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time and cost are related on projects. Project managers are frequently required to make time-cost trade-offs. With the complexity of large projects and the schedule impact of time-cost modifications, decisions on time-cost optimization are usually done on a hit or miss basis. This technical note presents an innovative technique that can be used to automate and optimize the time-cost trade-off process. The technique is based on “maximum flow–minimal cut” theory. The method is an improvement over current practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is a fatal zoonotic parasitic disease that also threatens human health. The main pathological features of schistosomiasis are granulomatous inflammation and subsequent liver fibrosis, which is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from schistosome eggs are broadly involved in host-parasite communication and act as important contributors to schistosome-induced liver fibrosis. However, it remains unclear whether substances secreted by the EVs of Schistosoma japonicum, a long-term parasitic "partner" in the hepatic portal vein of the host, also participate in liver fibrosis. Here, we report that EVs derived from S. japonicum worms attenuated liver fibrosis by delivering sja-let-7 into hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Mechanistically, activation of HSCs was reduced by targeting collagen type I alpha 2 chain (Col1α2) and downregulation of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. Overall, these results contribute to further understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying host-parasite interactions and identified the sja-let-7/Col1α2/TGF-β/Smad axis as a potential target for treatment of schistosomiasis-related liver fibrosis. Author summary: Schistosomiasis is a neglected parasitic disease that affects over 250 million people in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. As common pathogenic species, the eggs of Schistosoma japonicum and S. mansoni cause hepatic schistosomiasis, which can lead to granulomatous inflammation and subsequent liver fibrosis. Hence, elucidation of the mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis and host-parasite crosstalk is essential to inhibiting the progression of schistosomiasis. Accumulating evidence supports the pivotal role of schistosome egg-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the onset and progression of schistosomiasis. However, the potential involvement of schistosome worm-derived EVs in the activation and modulation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in hepatic schistosomiasis remains largely unknown. The results of this study demonstrate that the release of sja-let-7 by S. japonicum worm-derived EVs reduced activation of HSCs by targeting Col1α2 and further attenuated the progression of liver fibrosis by mediating the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. These findings provide evidence for the application of worm-derived substances and the sja-let-7/Col1α2/TGF-β/Smad axis as a novel therapeutic target for treatment of liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cellular prion protein (PrPc) is a cell surface glycoprotein that is highly expressed in a variety of cancer tissues in addition to the nervous system, and its elevated expression is correlated to poor prognosis in many cancer patients. Our team previously found that patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) with high-level PrPc expression had significantly poorer survival than those with no or low-level PrPc expression. Mouse antibodies for PrPc inhibited tumor initiation and liver metastasis of PrPc-positive human CRC cells in mouse model experiments. PrPc is a candidate target for CRC therapy. In this study, we newly cloned a mouse anti-PrPc antibody (Clone 6) and humanized it, then affinity-matured this antibody using a CHO cell display with a peptide antigen and full-length PrPc, respectively. We obtained two humanized antibody clones with affinities toward a full-length PrPc of about 10- and 100-fold of that of the original antibody. The two humanized antibodies bound to the PrPc displayed significantly better on the cell surface than Clone 6. Used for Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, the humanized antibody with the highest affinity is superior to the two most frequently used commercial antibodies (8H4 and 3F4). The two new antibodies have the potential to be developed as useful reagents for PrPc detection and even therapeutic antibodies targeting PrPc-positive cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acids are the precursors for the production of fuels, oleochemicals and special health care products. In this study, a novel rapid method for fatty acid (FA) preparation by the enzymatic hydrolysis of Phoenix tree seed, an undeveloped woody oil seed, was developed. High-temperature GC with flame ionization detector (FID) and the hydrolysis ratio were used to monitor reaction progress. Enzyme screening and the effect of reaction variables on the hydrolysis of seeds were evaluated and optimized by response surface methodology. The results showed that among the tested enzymes, Lipozyme TLIM showed the greatest amount of hydrolysis of Phoenix tree seed. FAs can be rapidly prepared by one-step hydrolysis of Phoenix tree seeds using Lipozyme TLIM as the biocatalyst. Under the optimized conditions (6% enzyme load, 1:8 mass ratio of seed to water, 47.7 °C and 16 min), the maximum hydrolysis ratio (96.4 ± 1.1%) can be achieved. The effect of reaction variables on the hydrolysis decreased in the following order: reaction time > enzyme load > substrate ratio of seed to water > reaction temperature. This work provides a novel and rapid method for FA preparation from oil seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Liver fibrosis (LF) is a common pathologic feature of multiple liver diseases. However, there is currently no effective treatment to slow the progression of LF. In this study, sja-let-7 from Schistosoma japonicum was shown to regulate host immune responses and attenuate the progression of carbon tetrachloride-induced LF via the Col1α2 and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, thereby providing references for the application of worm-derived molecules for the treatment of LF. Liver fibrosis (LF) is a chronic progressive disease with no definitive treatment. The aim of this study was to assess helminth-derived molecules as potential therapeutic targets to prevent or reverse LF. A mouse model of carbon tetrachloride (CCL4)-induced LF was established and sja-let-7 was overexpressed by treatment with a miRNA agomir once per week. After four weeks, serum biochemistry, hepatic hydroxyproline content measurements, liver histology, mRNA expression profiling of fibrotic markers, the dual-luciferase reporter assay, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed. Administration of the sja-let-7 agomir markedly ameliorated hepatosplenomegaly and reduced the liver hydroxyproline content. Liver histological analysis showed significant reductions in collagen deposition in the sja-let-7 agomir-treated mice. Additionally, the mRNA levels of both pro-fibrotic markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines were diminished after treatment. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase reporter assay and FISH identified the α2 chain of collagen type 1 (Col1α2) as the direct target of sja-let-7. Accordingly, the progression of LF was attenuated by targeting Col1α2 and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium/water transport through Na+-K+-Cl- cotransporter-1 (NKCC1) and sodium/hydrogen exchanger-1 (NHE1) in both astrocytes and endothelial cells is critical to cytotoxic and ionic edema following spinal cord injury (SCI). High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) promotes spinal cord edema after SCI. Accordingly, we sought to identify both the role of HMGB1 and the mechanism of its effect on NKCC1 and NHE1 expression in astrocytes and endothelial cells as well as the role of the regulation of spinal cord edema after SCI. An SCI model was generated in adult female rats using a heavy falling object, and an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model was generated in rat spinal cord astrocytes and microvascular endothelial cells. The inhibition of HMGB1 reduced NKCC1 and NHE1 expression in the spinal cord of SCI rats, in cultured spinal cord astrocytes, and in cultured microvascular endothelial cells. The effects of HMGB1 on NKCC1 and NHE1 expression were mediated—at least in part—by activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)–Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-β (TRIF)–nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. The inhibition of NKCC1 or NHE1 decreased the spinal cord water content in rats following SCI, increased the Na+ concentration in the medium of cultured astrocytes after OGD/R, and reduced the astrocytic cell volume and AQP4 expression. These results imply that HMGB1 inhibition results in a reduction in NKCC1 and NHE1 expression in both astrocytes and microvascular endothelial cells and thus decreases spinal cord edema after SCI in rats and that these effects occur through the HMGB1–TLR4–TRIF–NF-κB signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tablet flow dynamics in a pan coater is thoroughly explored and classified. • DEM coupled with ray-tracing algorithm is used to model the tablet flow dynamics and coating spray. • Correlation between the tablet flow dynamics and the coating uniformity is defined and identified. • Internal baffles is utilized as a case to modulate the tablet flow dynamics and the coating uniformity. Coating uniformity is crucial for pharmaceutical solid dosages to ensure sufficient stability and to program drug release behavior. The present study aims to thoroughly investigate the correlation between the coating uniformity and the tablet flow dynamics with a novel computational model. The model was developed on discrete element method (DEM) coupled with the ray-tracing algorithm and was validated with experiments. Firstly, tablet flow dynamics and patterns were fully recorded and clearly categorized. By increasing the peripheral speed of the coating pan, the tablet flow pattern distinctly transited from slumping, rolling, cascading to cataracting, and the coefficient of variation to inter-tablet coating weight (CVI) was significantly reduced from 1.9 to 1.0, indicating the coating uniformity dramatically increased. But further increasing the peripheral speed, the tablet pattern approached the centrifuging status and the CVI value was reversely increased to 2.0, suggesting a reduction in uniformity. Interestingly, huge speed variations of the individual tablet (0–100 cm/s) occurred even in the same tablet pattern, this allowed an active tablet region for guiding the location of the coating nozzles. These results were consistent within the scale-up pan coaters with different transition values. Additionally, the case study showed that properly adjusting the shape and location of baffles could effectively accomplish the coating pattern (rolling and cascading) at a slower peripheral speed. These findings suggest that tablet flow dynamics has a strong impact on the coating uniformity and needs to be carefully manipulated with useful strategies such as tuning the operating parameters or applying internal baffles. The mathematic model developed by the current study has paved a new way to comprehensively understand the tablet coating mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Molecular diagnostic methods based on nucleic acid detection possess more advantages in high sensitivity and specificity, and low cross-reactivity with other pathogens. We assessed the detection efficacy of a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR assay for schistosomiasis japonica in mice, before and after treatment with praziquantel. The sensitivity of the method was 99.3% (152/153, 95% CI: 96.41–99.98%) and its specificity was 100% (77/77, 95% CI: 95.32–100%). The results showed that the method exhibited good sensitivity and specificity, and its sensitivity correlated with the infection intensity in mice. After the oral administration of praziquantel, mice infected with 10 cercariae or 40 cercariae were all Schistosoma japonicum-negative via this method 6 weeks after treatment. This method had advantages over a soluble-egg-antigen-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and possessed better potential utility for evaluating the treatment efficacy of praziquantel in schistosome-infected mice. The prevalence of schistosomiasis japonica in China is now characterized by a low epidemic rate and low-intensity infections. Some diagnostic methods with high sensitivity and specificity are urgently needed to better monitor this disease in the current situation. In this study, the detection efficacy of a real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was assessed for schistosomiasis japonica in mice, and before and after treatment with praziquantel (PZQ). Our results showed that the sensitivity of the qPCR was 99.3% (152/153, 95% CI: 96.41–99.98%) and its specificity was 100% (77/77, 95% CI: 95.32–100%) in mice infected with different numbers of Schistosoma japonicum. After the oral administration of PZQ, mice infected with 10 cercariae or 40 cercariae were all Schistosoma japonicum-negative 6 weeks after treatment. However, the negativity rates on a soluble egg antigen (SEA)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were only 34.8% (8/23, 10 cercariae group) and 6.7% (1/15, 40 cercariae group) at the sixth week after PZQ treatment. These results demonstrated that the qPCR method had good sensitivity and specificity, and suggested that its sensitivity correlated with the infection intensity in mice. Moreover, this method had better potential utility for evaluating the treatment efficacy of PZQ in schistosome-infected mice than SEA-based ELISA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to determine whether lipid molecules can be used as potential biomarkers for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), providing important reference value for early diagnosis and treatment. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based lipidomic assays allow for the simultaneous detection of a large number of lipids. In this study, lipid profiling was performed on plasma samples from 69 IPAH patients and 30 healthy controls to compare the levels of lipid molecules in the 2 groups of patients, and Cox regression analysis was used to identify meaningful metrics, along with receiver operator characteristic curves to assess the ability of the lipid molecules to predict the risk of disease in patients. Among the 14 lipid subclasses tested, 12 lipid levels were significantly higher in IPAH patients than in healthy controls. Free fatty acids (FFA) and monoacylglycerol (MAG) were significantly different between IPAH patients and healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis showed that FFA (OR: 1.239, 95%CI: 1.101, 1.394, p < 0.0001) and MAG (OR: 3.711, 95%CI: 2.214, 6.221, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of IPAH development. Among the lipid subclasses, FFA and MAG have potential as biomarkers for predicting the pathogenesis of IPAH, which may improve the early diagnosis of IPAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate a post-operative delirium (POD) nomogram in a population of elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery. Patients and Methods: A predictive model was developed based on a training dataset of 474 elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery from March 2021 to May 2022. POD was identified using the Confusion Assessment Methods (CAM). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method was used to screen risk factors, and prediction models were created by combining the outcomes with logistic regression analysis. We employ bootstrap validation for internal validation to examine the model's repeatability. The results were validated using a prospective study on 153 patients operated on from January 2022 to May 2022 at another institution. Results: The predictors in the POD nomogram included age, the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE), sleep disorder, neurological disorders, preoperative serum creatinine (Pre-SCR), and ASA classification. The c-index of the model was 0.928 (95% confidence interval 0.898 ~ 0.957) and the bootstrap validation still achieved a high c-index of 0.912. The c-index of the external validation was 0.921. The calibration curve for the diagnostic probability showed good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation. Conclusion: By combining preoperative and intraoperative clinical risk factors, we created a POD risk nomogram to predict the probability of POD in elderly patients who undergo elective orthopedic surgery. It could be a tool for guiding individualized interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the world's leading causes of death and a major chronic respiratory disease. Aerobic exercise, the cornerstone of pulmonary rehabilitation, improves prognosis of COPD patients; however, few studies have comprehensively examined the changes in RNA transcript levels and the crosstalk between various transcripts in this context. This study identified the expression of RNA transcripts in COPD patients who engaged in aerobic exercise training for 12 weeks, and further constructions of the possible RNAs networks were made. Methods: Peripheral blood samples for all four COPD patients who benefited from 12 weeks of PR were collected pre- and post-aerobic exercises and evaluated for the expression of mRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA with high-throughput RNA sequencing followed by GEO date validation. In addition, enrichment analyses were conducted on different expressed mRNAs. LncRNA-mRNA and circRNA-mRNA coexpression networks, as well as lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing expression networks (ceRNAs) in COPD were constructed. Results: We identified and analyzed the differentially expressed mRNAs and noncoding RNAs in the peripheral blood of COPD patients' post-exercise. Eighty-six mRNAs, 570 lncRNAs, 8 miRNAs, and 2087 circRNAs were differentially expressed. Direct function enrichment analysis and Gene Set Variation Analysis showed that differentially expressed RNAs(DE-RNAs) correlated with several critical biological processes such as chemotaxis, DNA replication, anti-infection humoral response, oxidative phosphorylation, and immunometabolism, which might affect the progression of COPD. Some DE-RNAs were validated by Geo databases and RT-PCR, and the results were highly correlated with RNA sequencing. We constructed ceRNA networks of DE-RNAs in COPD. Conclusions: The systematic understanding of the impact of aerobic exercise on COPD was achieved using transcriptomic profiling. This research offers a number of potential candidates for clarifying the regulatory mechanisms that exercise has on COPD, which could ultimately help in understanding the pathophysiology of COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persulfate-based advanced oxidation process has been an effective method for refractory organic pollutants' degradation in aqueous phase. Herein, α-MnO2 with nanowire morphology was facially fabricated via a one-step hydrothermal method and successfully activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. Influencing factors, including the hydrothermal parameter, PMS concentration, α-MnO2 dosage, RhB concentration, initial pH, and anions, were systematically investigated. The corresponding reaction kinetics were further fitted by the pseudo-first-order kinetic. The RhB degradation mechanism via α-MnO2 activating PMS was proposed according to a series of quenching experiments and the UV-vis scanning spectrum. Results showed that α-MnO2 could effectively activate PMS to degrade RhB and has good repeatability. The catalytic RhB degradation reaction was accelerated by increasing the catalyst dosage and the PMS concentration. The effective RhB degradation performance can be attributed to the high content of surface hydroxyl groups and the greater reducibility of α-MnO2, and the contribution of different ROS (reactive oxygen species) was 1O2 > O 2 · − > SO 4 · − > ·OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease, which is associated with significant mortality and costs. The molecular mechanisms underlying the roles of cigarette smoke (an accepted risk factor for COPD) and growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11), which is reduced in patients with COPD, in the occurrence of COPD are unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the function of GDF11 in the progression of COPD. Western blotting analysis was used to determine the expression levels of GDF11 in serum and primary lung mesenchymal cells from patients with COPD and the healthy people, and the effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on the expression of AKT, p-AKT (Ser473), p-AKT (Thr308) and GDF11 was examined. The correlations between the expression level of GDF11 and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC), as well as GDF11 and p-AKT (Ser473 and Thr308) in vivo and in vitro were examined. GDF11 expression was decreased in COPD patients’ serum and cells when compared with that from the healthy people, and it was positively correlated with the FEV1/FVC ratio. Exposure to CSE reduced the expression of GDF11 but increased the expression of p-AKT (Ser473 and Thr308). Together, the results suggested that CSE promoted the progression of COPD by downregulating the expression of GDF11, which then activated the AKT signaling pathway. This study suggests that GDF11 may be a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare‐earth (RE)‐doped yttrium aluminosilicate (YAS) glass fibers have demonstrated their unique advantages in single‐frequency lasers due to their high solubility of RE ions and high gain per unit length. However, the RE‐doped YAS fiber is usually fabricated by RE:YAG crystal or ceramic rods and melting‐in‐tube method, which depend heavily on RE:YAG crystal or ceramic rods and, thus, cannot adjust the fiber compositions effectively; there is little research on the multiple RE ions co‐doped YAS fiber deriving from RE:YAG crystal or ceramic rods. In present work, we developed a novel method to fabricate Er/Yb co‐doped YAS fibers efficiently. The Er:YAG and Yb:YAG nanopowders were fabricated by the coprecipitation method, and then the nanopowders were dispersed into liquid organic resin to form a novel UV‐curable nanocomposite, after curing, debinding, purifying, and drawing process, an Er/Yb co‐doped YAS fibers was fabricated, the absorption coefficients of the fiber was measured to be 17 dB/cm at 976 nm (2F7/2 ground level to 2F5/2 level of Yb and 4I15/2 ground level to 4I11/2 level of Er) and 3.2 dB/cm at 1530 nm (4I15/2 ground level to the high states of 4I13/2 of Er). A 1.5‐µm single‐frequency laser was constructed with the 2‐cm Er/Yb co‐doped YAS fiber. The longitudinal mode spacing was calculated to be 2.2 GHz with an effective cavity length of 4.5 cm, and the spectral signal‐to‐noise ratio was higher than 60 dB. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that Er/Yb co‐doped YAS fibers are fabricated using the UV‐curable nanocomposites. It indicates that this proposed technology is critical for the fabrication of various types of RE ions co‐doped YAS fibers and their applications in single‐frequency fiber lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Our previous study showed that circular RNA-gamma-secretase-activating protein (circGSAP) was down-regulated in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMECs) in response to hypoxia, and regulated the cell cycle of PMECs via miR-942-5p sponge in pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the mechanism whether circGSAP affects the dysfunction of PEMCs through other microRNAs (miRNAs) remains largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate the underlying mechanisms of circGSAP regulating PMECs dysfunction by absorbing other miRNAs to regulate target genes in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH).Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, Cell Counting Kit-8, Calcein-AM/PI staining, Transwell assay, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and ELISA were used to elucidate the roles of circGSAP.Results: Here we showed that plasma circGSAP levels were significantly decreased in patients with IPAH and associated with poor outcomes. In vivo, circGSAP overexpression improved survival, and alleviated pulmonary vascular remodeling of monocrotaline-induced PH (MCT-PH) rats. In vitro, circGSAP overexpression inhibited hypoxia-induced PMECs proliferation, migration and increased mortality by absorbing miR-27a-3p. BMPR2 was identified as a miR-27a-3p target gene. BMPR2 silencing ameliorated the effect of the miR-27a-3p inhibitor on PMECs proliferation,migration and mortality. The levels of BMPR2 were upregulated in circGSAP-overexpressed PMECs and lung tissues of MCT-PH rats.Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that circGSAP alleviated the dysfunction of PMECs via the increase of BMPR2 by competitively binding with miR-27a-3p, and mitigated pulmonary vascular remodeling of MCT-PH rats, providing potential therapeutic strategies for IPAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GRF gene family plays an important role in plant growth and development as regulators involved in plant hormone signaling and metabolism. However, the Juglandaceae GRF gene family remains to be studied. Here, we identified 15, 15, 19, and 20 GRF genes in J. regia, C. illinoinensis, J. sigillata, and J. mandshurica, respectively. The phylogeny shows that the Juglandaceae family GRF is divided into two subfamilies, the ε-group and the non-ε-group, and that selection pressure analysis did not detect amino acid loci subject to positive selection pressure. In addition, we found that the duplications of the Juglandaceae family GRF genes were all segmental duplication events, and a total of 79 orthologous gene pairs and one paralogous homologous gene pair were identified in four Juglandaceae families. The Ka/KS ratios between these homologous gene pairs were further analyzed, and the Ka/KS values were all less than 1, indicating that purifying selection plays an important role in the evolution of the Juglandaceae family GRF genes. The codon bias of genes in the GRF family of Juglandaceae species is weak, and is affected by both natural selection pressure and base mutation, and translation selection plays a dominant role in the mutation pressure in codon usage. Finally, expression analysis showed that GRF genes play important roles in pecan embryo development and walnut male and female flower bud development, but with different expression patterns. In conclusion, this study will serve as a rich genetic resource for exploring the molecular mechanisms of flower bud differentiation and embryo development in Juglandaceae. In addition, this is the first study to report the GRF gene family in the Juglandaceae family; therefore, our study will provide guidance for future comparative and functional genomic studies of the GRF gene family in the Juglandaceae specie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the dynamic compressive strength and dissipated energy of rocks were investigated under hydrostatic pressure after different freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs). A split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) with a lateral confining pressure chamber was used for the dynamic testing of sandstone specimens. The results indicated that under a certain loading rate and hydrostatic pressure, both the dissipative energy and dynamic compression strength of rocks decreased with the increase in the number of FTCs. The hydrostatic pressure significantly increased the dissipated energy and dynamic compression strength of rocks, and the enhancement became more pronounced as the number of FTCs increased. By analyzing the energy and damage characteristics of the specimens, after 40 FTCs, the internal damage of the specimens became critical and desensitized the dissipated energy to the loading rate. Based on the testing results, an empirical function was proposed to describe how the dissipated energy was related to the number of FTCs, hydrostatic pressure, and loading rate. It was demonstrated that the dissipated energy had a negative linear relation with FTC, which was enhanced by confinement. The dissipated energy of the specimen corresponded to the dynamic compression strength according to a quadratic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To analyse the clinical efficacy of biofeedback electrical stimulation combined with doxycycline in the treatment of type IIIA chronic prostatitis. Methods. Eighty patients who met the diagnostic criteria of type IIIA chronic prostatitis in our hospital between February 2020 and February 2022 were selected and equally divided into the drug group and electrical stimulation group according to the random number table method. The drug group was treated with medication alone for 4 weeks; the electrostimulation group was treated with biofeedback electrostimulation on top of medication for 12 weeks. The expressed prostatic secretious (EPS) routine (lecithin bodies, white blood cells) and the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and mean urinary flow rate (Qave) were measured before and after treatment in both groups, and the National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI) was used to score the urinary symptom, pain or discomfort, and quality of life and determine the efficacy of the treatment in both groups. Results. After treatment, the number of lecithin bodies and white blood cells in EPS improved significantly in both groups compared to before, and both the electrical stimulation group was better than the drug group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the Qmax and Qave were significantly higher in both groups than before, and both the electrical stimulation groups were higher than the drug group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the urinary symptom scores, pain or discomfort scores, quality of life scores, and total NIH-CPSI scores were significantly lower in both groups than before, and all were lower in the electrical stimulation group than in the drug group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the overall efficiency of patients in the electrical stimulation group was significantly higher than that of the drug group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Biofeedback electrical stimulation combined with doxycycline in the treatment of type IIIA chronic prostatitis can synergistically improve the patient's inflammation level, urinary dysfunction, relieve pelvic floor tension myalgia, and improve their quality of life, opening up new avenues for the rehabilitation of patients with type IIIA chronic prostatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute, chronic myocarditis as myocardial localized or diffuse inflammation lesions is usually involving cardiac function in patients with severe adverse outcomes such as heart failure, sudden death, and no unified, but its pathogenesis clinical is mainly composed of a number of factors including infection and autoimmune defects, such as physical and chemical factors; therefore, it is of great significance to explore the regulation mechanism of myocarditis-related miRNA network connectivity and temperament for in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of myocarditis and the direction of targeted therapy. Based on this, this study explored the miRNA network related to the pathogenesis of myocarditis through deep learning medical data association rules and analyzed its specific mechanism. The results showed that 39 upregulated miRNAs, 88 downregulated miRNAs, 109 upregulated differentially expressed miRNAs, and 589 downregulated mRNAs were obtained by data association through GSE126677 and GSE4172 databases. GO enrichment and KRGG enrichment analysis showed that the differentially expressed mRNAs were involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. At the same time, the miRNA with differentially expressed miRNAs and their corresponding mRNAs were connected to further clarify the specific molecular mechanism of the pathological changes of myocarditis by constructing miRNA-mRNA network. It provides effective potential molecular targets for subsequent treatment and diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While optimizing spirometry is a challenge for lung function labs, long-term variability if any between IOS (impulse oscillometry) parameters and spirometry is not clearly known in stable COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and chronic asthma. The forced oscillation technique is increasingly employed in routine lung function testing. Our aim in this study was to determine the variability in oscillometric parameters between clinic visits over weeks or months in two patient groups during a period of clinical stability. Moreover, the research assessed relationships between IOS parameters long-term variability and COPD severity.Methods: We used data from 73 patients with stable COPD and 119 patients with stable asthma at the Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University. Patients were included if they had three or more clinic visits where spirometry and IOS were performed during a clinically stable period. Data recorded from the first three visits were used. The standard deviation (SDbv), the coefficient of variation (COV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the coefficient of repeatability (COR) were calculated, Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test was used for data that did not conform to normality of distributions, Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare with multiple groups, post hoc comparison was analyzed by Bonferroni, Spearman correlation coefficients for non-parametric data, the multiple regression analyses to determine the relationship between long-term variability and airflow obstruction.Results: (1) The repeatability of IOS resistance parameters with ICC values > 0.8 was high in COPD and asthma. ICC values of IOS resistance parameters were higher than IOS reactance parameters; (2) the repeatability of spirometry parameters with ICC values < 0.8 was lower than IOS resistance parameters in different GOLD (the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) stages, the higher the stage the worse the repeatability; (3) the severity of airflow obstruction was correlated with long-term variability of R5 (R at 5 Hz) (P < 0.05) in GOLD4, not with long-term variability of R20 (R at 20 Hz) (P > 0.05) and R5-R20 (P > 0.05).Conclusion: IOS resistance parameters have good long-term repeatability in asthma and COPD. Additionally, repeatability of spirometry parameters is lower than IOS resistance parameters in different GOLD stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a Brownian relaxation-based mixing-frequency method to test sample viscosities. This method uses excitatory and detection coils and Brownian relaxation-dominated superparamagnetic nanoparticles, which are sensitive to the characteristics of the liquid environment such as viscosity. Oscillating magnetic fields can induce harmonics through the nonlinear magnetization curve of superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Phase lag of the third-harmonic signal and the induced voltage ratio of the fifth over the third harmonic signals are collected. We build up standard graphs by plotting collected data from eight magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) mixtures with different viscosities. For any unknown liquids mixed with MNPs, we can collect phase lag and voltage ratio information and insert these data into the aforementioned standard graphs. This in vitro viscosity test can be done in 1 min. Our experimental result showed a 0.3% error rate for the liquid viscosity test. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hydrophobic "palm" was stable in the continuous oil phase, and the hydrophilic "fingers" could attract dispersed water droplets to aggregate, facilitating demulsification. [Display omitted] • Design and preparation of demulsifiers based on molecular dynamics simulation. • Propose a "hand-shaped" demulsification mechanism model. • Block isomers and molecular size were the key factors affecting demulsification. • The development of new demulsifiers can be significantly expedited by combining MDS and experiment. Demulsifiers are crucial for enhancing crude oil extraction and transportation efficiency by facilitating the separation of oil–water emulsions. However, research conducted on the design and synthesis of demulsifiers based on the results of molecular dynamics simulation remains scarce. Herein, we designed eight block polyethers, and explored their interfacial behaviors at the oil–water interface via molecular dynamics simulation. Correspondingly, eight block polyether demulsifiers were synthesized, and their interface properties were tested. The simulation results were consistent with the experimental results, indicating that the energy of simulation systems could be efficiently reduced by designed molecules, and that the prepared demulsifiers with the same structure could achieve effective demulsification correspondingly. Based on the simulation and experimental results, a "hand-shaped" demulsification mechanism model was proposed. The demulsifiers with hydrophobic "palm" and hydrophilic "fingers" demonstrated a more efficient performance in demulsification. The hydrophobic "palm" was stable in the continuous oil phase, and the hydrophilic "fingers" could attract dispersed water droplets to aggregate, facilitating demulsification. The study also finds that longer hydrophilic "fingers" exert stronger molecular force. Combining molecular dynamics simulation and experiment significantly accelerates the development of new demulsifiers, highlighting the utility of this approach in the research on demulsifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inevitably, both unblocking of the COVID-19 (UNCOV) and uncertainty in the clean heating policy (2017–2021) in winter 2022 imposed complex impacts on PM 2.5 variations. Together, the urban-rural and rural-rural disparities in these impacts remain unclear. To address this gap, we conducted a synchronous observation at urban (UA)/suburban rural (SRA)/remote rural (RRA) areas to probe PM 2.5 evolutions in the post COVID-19/clean-heating (PCOV/PCH) period for further site-specific policy implications. Similar meteorological conditions among sites benefited examining the effects of emission variations. On average, PM 2.5 presented a decline order as RRA > UA > SRA. Invoking the positive matrix factorization (PMF) results, specially, the primary emissions (PE) rebounded again after experiencing a continuous decline since the stringent emission-control polices initiated in 2013. PE contributions were up to 80.2 %–83.0 % for three points. SRA benefited most from coal-to-gas and coal combustion (CC) has become its minimum contributor (10.8 %). Concurrently, subsidy reduction and natural-gas (NG) shortage compelled biomass burning (BB) to be the largest origin (21.9 %) marked by the highest K+, Cl− and OC/EC. Regarding RRA, CC (26.5 %) and BB (19.6 %) have been the first and second largest origins despite that the coal-to-electricity policy, indicating the slowdown of policy enforcement. The highest SO 4 2−, As, Sb, Tl, OC, EC and the lowest NO 3 −/SO 4 2− further verified the dominant CC. Production recovery made industrial emissions (IE) become the largest source (26.8 %) at UA. The metal associated health risks peaked at RRA due to large impacts of CC, though the most of metals related to small-scale industries peaked at UA. This is the first work to highlight that more targeted site-specific strategies in prevention/control of dominant primary sources should be formulated in the PCOV/CH period. [Display omitted] • Examined urban-rural/rural-rural disparities in winter-PM 2.5 evolutions in the post COVID-19/clean-heating period. • Primary emissions rebounded at urban (UA)/suburban rural (SRA)/remote rural (RRA) areas. • UA, SRA, and RRA witnessed peak contributions of industrial emissions, biomass-burning, and coal-combustion, respectively. • SRA benefits most from coal-to-gas transition, RRA saw the highest PM 2.5 and health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]