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A series of copper(II)‐Schiff bases‐functionalized polyacrylonitrile fiber catalysts were successfully prepared using copper acetate as copper source and characterized by elemental analysis, fourier‐transfer infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma analysis. Excellent physical strength and thermal stability of the fiber catalysts were demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry analysis and mechanical strength measurements. Furthermore, these catalysts were successfully applied to one‐pot multicomponent copper‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction and aldehyde, alkyne, amine (A3) coupling reaction in which the influences of different substituent groups on the catalytic activities of fiber catalysts were investigated in detail. Among them, the bis[N‐ethyl‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐salicylideneiminato]copper(II)‐functionalized polyacrylonitrile fiber (PANS2F−Cu) as a green, efficient catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity for its high hydrophobic micro‐environment can aggregate the reactants to the catalytic sites and accelerate the reaction. In addition, the PANS2F−Cu has performed well in scaled‐up experiment and shown excellent recyclability (at least ten times), and these enable it to have great potential for further applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid industrialization and urbanization in the nineteenth century, the activated sludge process (ASP) has experienced significant steps forward in the face of greater awareness of and sensitivity toward water-related environmental problems. Compared with conventional flocculent ASP, the major advantages of granular sludge are characterized by space saving and resource recovery, where the methane and hydrogen recovery in anaerobic granular and 50% more space saving, 30-50% of energy consumption reduction, 75% of footprint cutting, and even alginate recovery in aerobic granular. Numerous engineers and scientists have made great efforts to explore the superiority over the last 40 years. Therefore, a bibliometric analysis was desired to trace the global trends of granular sludge research from 1992 to 2016 indexed in the SCI-EXPANDED. Articles were published in 276 journals across 44 subject categories spanning 1420 institutes across 68 countries. Bioresource Technology (293, 11.9%), Water Research (235, 9.6%), and Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (127, 5.2%) dominated in top three journals. The Engineering (991, 40.3%), China (906, 36.9%), and Harbin Inst Technol, China (114, 4.6%) were the most productive subject category, country, and institution, respectively. The hotspot is the emerging techniques depended on granular reactors in response to the desired removal requirements and bio-energy production (primarily in anaerobic granular sludge). In view of advanced and novel bio-analytical methods, the characteristics, functions, and mechanisms for microbial granular were further revealed in improving and innovating the granulation techniques. Therefore, a promising technique armed with strengthened treatment efficiency and efficient resource and bio-energy recovery can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The l-lysine functionalized polyacrylonitrile fiber (PANLF) was prepared by grafting the l-lysine into a commercially available polyacrylonitrile fiber and showed highly catalytic activity for Knoevenagel condensation reaction. With low temperature (45 °C) and short reaction time (1 h), the fiber catalyst was well applicable to Knoevenagel condensation of a wide range of aldehydes and the yields could reach up to 99%. Interestingly, only in water could the reaction take place smoothly (with a yield of 88%) and a polar micro-environment promoted reaction process had been proposed to explain this phenomenon. Besides, the fiber catalyst has advantages of easy preparation, high functional degree, strong mechanical strength and thermal stability, etc. And it can be reused at least 5 times without further treatment and performed well in scaled-up experiment (amplified 50 times) and flow chemistry experiment (no loss of catalytic activity after 48 h), which indicates its potential application in industry application.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyacrylonitrile fibers were functionalized with different amines to construct special tridimensional catalytic microenvironments at the surface. The polarity of the microenvironments at the surface of the fiber catalyst was tuned by changing the ratio of hydrophobic and hydrophilic amines. The catalytic performances of these microenvironments were examined for a cyanation reaction in water. Among these fiber catalysts with different microenvironments, the one modified with more hydrophobic benzylamine groups (PANBTF) shows much higher catalytic activity than that modified by hydrophilic ethanolamine groups. PANBTF can efficiently and rapidly catalyze the cyanation reaction of benzaldehyde and ethyl cyanoformate in water with a yield of 94 % at room temperature within 40 min. Moreover, a mechanism promoted by the hydrophobic microenvironment has been proposed to explain the high and specific catalytic activity of PANBTF. In addition, this fiber catalyst exhibited excellent recyclability and reusability (8 times) without further treatment, and it also performed well in flow-chemistry tests and scaled-up experiments, which indicated potential for the application of PANBTF in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Constructing heterostructures of two-dimensional (2D) materials is critical for boosting their photoelectric performances, enabling a promising route to meet the harsh requirement of next-generation optoelectronic devices. However, the practical application of currently-studied lateral and vertical heterostructures is usually limited by poor photocarrier generation and transport abilities, primarily due to their inherent imbalance of depletion region and interface area. To solve this obstacle, we herein report a novel 2D hybrid heterostructure of bismuth selenide/oxyselenide with the coexistence of lateral and vertical interfaces. The unique hybrid structure provides the heterostructure with a huge interface area and a wide depletion region for sufficient photocarrier generation and separation, significantly improving the overall optoelectronic performances of the device. Specifically, the resultant photodetectors exhibit a remarkably decreased dark current and ultrafast photoresponse rate (τ rise = 50 μs and τ decay = 20 μs). Moreover, our photodetector demonstrates outstanding image sensing capability for recording various complex patterns with high resolution over a wide spectral range from ultraviolet, visible to near-infrared regions. Our research provides a highly promising route for designing and fabricating novel geometries of 2D heterostructures to realize diverse photoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Bulk piezoceramics are widely used and functional materials, but they are hard to be shaped to adapt to complex 3D surfaces. Most existing ceramic shaping techniques, like 3D printing, come at the cost of physical properties such as piezoelectricity and thermal stability. Here to fabricate 3D piezoceramic sheets, we report a mold-assisted sintering (MAS) method that can replicate 3D surfaces with nonzero Gaussian curvatures while maintaining the intrinsic properties. Assisted with supporting molds, the MAS exploits elastic-to-viscous transition of piezoceramic powder compacts during sintering, bypassing the boundaries of deformation and surface development in an elastic continuum. We successfully replicate shapes to sintered lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics from designed molds with saddle, sine and spherical surfaces, respectively. The PZT ceramic replicas show high piezoelectricity and excellent conformability towards nonplanar surfaces (maximum deviation 90 μm). We further demonstrate the advantage of the conformal curved piezoceramics by using them for wirelessly transferring power over a pipeline. The MAS method is low-cost, simple, scalable and applicable to various 3D energy transducers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the acoustic and micro seism signal feature of the projectile launching, flight and landing explosion in range test, and puts forward a Landing Point Location method which based on the asynchronous time difference of arrival (ATDOA) method. This method can effectively filter away the signals in launching and flight process, meanwhile get the acoustic and micro seism signal of projectile explosion accurately, and then the explosion location and velocity can be obtained by iterative equations. Comparing with the existing projectile point positioning method, this method can find the arrival time of explosion signal accurately, and establish the composition equations by iterative calculation equation of the respective location without precise synchronization of each sensor. Accordingly, the complexity of the application system is reduced, and positioning precision is improved effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill sites are sources of gaseous volatile compounds. The dumping area (LDA) and leachate storage pool (LSP) of two typical rural domestic waste landfill sites in north China (NLF) and southwest China (SLF) were investigated. We found that 45, 46, 61 and 68 volatile organic compounds (VOC) were present in the air of NLF-LDA, NLF-LSP, SLF-LDA, and SLF-LSP, respectively. And there were 27, 29, 35 and 37 kinds of odorous compounds being detected. Oxygenated compounds (>48.88%), chlorinated compounds (>6.85%), and aromatics (>5.46%), such as organic acid, 1-chlorobutane, and benzene, were the most abundant compounds in both landfills. The SLF-LDA had the highest olfactory effect, with a corresponding total odor activity value of 29,635.39. The ozone-formation potential analysis showed that VOCs emitted from SLF landfills had significantly higher potential for ozone formation than those from NLF landfills, with ozone generation potentials of 166.02, 225.86, 2511.82, and 1615.99 mg/m3 for the NLF-LDA, NLF-LSP, SLF-LDA, and SLF-LSP, respectively. Higher chronic toxicity and cancer risk of VOCs were found in the SLF according to method of Risk Assessment Information System. Based on the sensitivity analysis by the Monte Carlo method, concentrations of benzene, propylene oxide, propylene, trichloroethylene, and N -nitrosodiethylamine, along with exposure duration, daily exposure time, and annual exposure frequency, significantly impacted the risk levels. We provide a scientific basis, which reflects the need for controlling and reducing gaseous pollutants from landfills, particularly rural residential landfills, which may improve rural sanitation. [Display omitted] • Identification and impact assessment of VOCs generated from two landfill sites. • Main VOCs types that escaped from two landfills are oxygenated compounds. • Types and relative abundance of VOCs released presented regional variations. • Olfactory effects are significant in the northern landfill. • Higher chronic toxicity and cancer risk of VOCs were found in southern landfill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) has been widely used as an effective solubilizing agent in pharmaceutical industry for many years. However, the effect of degree of substitution (D.S.) of HP-β-CD on solubilizing capacity and toxicity has not been concerned. In this study, solubilizing capacity of HP-β-CDs with three different D.S. (4.55, 6.16 and 7.76) for 16 drugs were measured and their toxicities were compared by a 7-day i.v. administration ( q.d. ) study in rats. Generally, HP-β-CD with high D.S. (7.76) showed weaker solubilizing capacity for steroids and BCS class II drugs, but lower hemolytic activity, compared with that of HP-β-CD with low (4.55) or medium (6.16) D.S. HP-β-CD with low D.S. resulted in more changes in hematological and biochemical parameters, but the effects were reversible after a 7-day recovery. Moreover, HP-β-CD with medium D.S. may have slightly greater nephrotoxicity than the other two HP-β-CDs. HP-β-CDs with different D.S. had similar urine excretion percentage after i.v. administration and none of them was found to affect glomerular filtration function of rats. The results suggest that HP-β-CD with low D.S. would be a better choice considering both the solubilizing capacity and toxicity. However, comparison in toxicity of HP-β-CDs with different D.S. should be carried out in human in view of its species-dependence property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we focus on the impact of external electric fields on the light-induced charge transfer process in porphyrin–oligothiophene–fullerene triads. Density functional theory and visualization techniques were used to analyze the nature of the charge transfer excited states and to calculate the electronic coupling matrix, reorganization energy, free energy change, and other related data. Our simulated results reveal that, for this system, the efficiency of charge transfer is controlled by the external electric field. And the external electric field mainly affects the charge transfer integral. The mechanism of this ultrafast charge separation still needs for more in-depth researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed wetland systems, as an engineered ecological system, are being increasingly employed for wastewater treatment. However, owing to the complex incentives for pollutant removal in ecological treatment systems, it is challenging to simulate and optimize the operation of constructed wetlands to advance ecological wastewater treatment systems. In this study, a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSCW) system was constructed and applied to a rural wastewater treatment system. Reeds (Phragmites australis) were planted in the HSCW to remove pollutants from the wastewater. Further, a fully connected neural network (FCNN) was designed based on the Adam optimization algorithm with weather conditions, quality, and quantity of influent and effluent as input to simulate and predict the performance of the HSCW. The results of the FCNN simulation analysis showed that the relative errors of the simulated concentrations of COD cr , NH 4 +-N, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) for the FCNN model were 8.07 ± 10.73%, 18.34 ± 17.75%, 9.90 ± 11.91%, and 9.47 ± 10.98%, respectively. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) of COD cr , NH 4 +-N, TN, and TP for the FCNN model were 2.17, 1.06, 1.21, and 0.54, respectively. The root-mean-squared errors (RMSEs) of COD cr , NH 4 +-N, TN, and TP for the FCNN model were 3.91, 2.05, 2.22, and 0.80, respectively. The correlation coefficients (R2) of COD cr , NH 4 +-N, TN, and TP for the model were 0.99, 0.91, 0.92, and 0.82, respectively. These results indicate that the model performed well. Sensitivity analysis results also showed that temperature, solar radiation intensity, and rainfall had a strong impact on the model accuracy. This study verifies that an artificial neural network can effectively reflect the nonlinear function of each factor and is suitable for simulating HSCW treatment for wastewater under various conditions, providing a new optimization method for wastewater ecological treatment systems. [Display omitted] • A model is established for horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HSCW). • A fully connected neural network (FCNN) was used for prediction and optimization. • Weather conditions, influent loading, and dissolved oxygen were used as input. • No significant difference was found between the simulated and HSCW measured results. • The model can support decision-making in constructed wetlands operation optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground space in the Starting Area in the Guangzhou International Financial City is being developed to save resources and improve land benefits. However, high-density development has increased the likelihood of fires. Therefore, PyroSim and Pathfinder were used in this study to investigate the fire smoke flow and personnel evacuation in the underground space in the Starting Area. Firstly, the 2D temperature cloud map and the temperature and visibility recorded by sensor A over time of Zone I in the Starting Area were analyzed. Then, the 3D smoke diffusion, the 3D temperature diffusion map, and the value of thermocouple and smoke obscuration recorded by sensors of Zone II were analyzed. Next, smoke flow of Zones III to V in the Starting Area under different fire source positions was simulated. Finally, the personnel evacuation model was established to simulate the personnel flow rate and density. The simulation results show that the available safe evacuation time for people is 530 s when all the firefighting facilities fail and fire breaks out in Zone I. For large public spaces, the overall spread speed of fire is fast, which requires the use of the fire control system in time to control the spread of fire. Fortunately, the space of evacuation time is relatively sufficient; it only takes 143 s to evacuate personnel safely in Zone II, which is sufficient compared to the time for the fire to completely spread. Suggestions were made for fire safety management, such as evacuating personnel to the safety exits of other adjacent areas during a fire and installing linkage fire alarm systems in large public space s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of autonomous driving sensing systems impacts the overall safety of the driving system. However, perception system fault diagnosis is currently a weak area of research, with limited attention and solutions. In this paper, we present an information-fusion-based fault-diagnosis method for autonomous driving perception systems. To begin, we built an autonomous driving simulation scenario using PreScan software, which collects information from a single millimeter wave (MMW) radar and a single camera sensor. The photos are then identified and labeled via the convolutional neural network (CNN). Then, we fused the sensory inputs from a single MMW radar sensor and a single camera sensor in space and time and mapped the MMW radar points onto the camera image to obtain the region of interest (ROI). Lastly, we developed a method to use information from a single MMW radar to aid in diagnosing defects in a single camera sensor. As the simulation results show, for missing row/column pixel failure, the deviation typically falls between 34.11% and 99.84%, with a response time of 0.02 s to 1.6 s; for pixel shift faults, the deviation range is between 0.32% and 9.92%, with a response time of 0 s to 0.16 s; for target color loss, faults have a deviation range of 0.26% to 2.88% and a response time of 0 s to 0.05 s. These results prove the technology is effective in detecting sensor faults and issuing real-time fault alerts, providing a basis for designing and developing simpler and more user-friendly autonomous driving systems. Furthermore, this method illustrates the principles and methods of information fusion between camera and MMW radar sensors, establishing the foundation for creating more complicated autonomous driving systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study investigated altered functional connectivity (FC) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG) subregions in CD patients with and without abdominal pain. • This study found that FC between PAG and certain regions had correlation relationship with the pain degree. • This study revealed the disrupt communication between the PAG and default mode network (DMN) in CD patients with abdominal pain. Abdominal pain in Crohn's disease (CD) has been known to be associated with changes in the central nervous system. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a well-established role in pain processing. However, the role of PAG-related network and the effect of pain on the network in CD remain unclear.Resting-state functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 24 CD patients in remission with abdominal pain, 24 CD patients without abdominal pain and 28 healthy controls (HCs). Using the subregions of PAG (dorsomedial (dmPAG), dorsolateral (dlPAG), lateral (lPAG) and ventrolateral (vlPAG)) as seeds, the seed-based FC maps were calculated and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to investigate the differences among the three groups.Results showed that the group differences were mainly involved in the FC of the vlPAG with the precuneus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and the FC of the right lateral PAG (lPAG) with the precuneus, inferior parietal lobule (IPL), angular gyrus and premotor cortex. The FC values of all these regions decreased successively in the order of HCs, CD without abdominal pain and CD with abdominal pain. The pain score was negatively correlated with the FC of the l/vlPAG with the precuneus, angular gyrus and mPFC in CD patients with abdominal pain.This study implicated the disrupt communication between the PAG and the default mode network (DMN). These findings complemented neuroimaging evidence for the pathophysiology of visceral pain in CD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of odorous gases emitted from refuse transfer stations has always been a concern raised by the surrounding residents. The emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors were investigated in a rural solid waste transfer station (RSWTS) located in Southwest China. A total of 70 VOCs were identified and quantified. The total VOCs (TVOCs) concentrations varied from 848.38 to 31193.24 μg/m3. Inorganic odor and greenhouse gases concentrations ranged from 39.11 to 470.14 μg/m3 and 1.03–525.42 μg/m3, respectively. Oxygenated compounds contributed the most (58.25%) to the VOCs. Among the oxygenated compounds, ketones, esters, and ethers were the dominant categories, accounting for 67.5%, 12.70%, and 11.85%, respectively. The key odorants included propionaldehyde, hexanaldehyde, propionic acid, acetaldehyde, and disopropyl ether. N-nitrosodiethylamine, acrylonitrile, and 1,3-Butadiene were the three main carcinogens that pose considerable risk to human health. Allyl chloride was the most non-carcinogenic pathogen among the VOCs detected in RSWTS. With diffusion in the downwind direction, the concentration of VOCs decreased gradually, and their risks weakened accordingly. At the sampling site of RSWTS-10, located 100 m away from RSWTS, acrylonitrile and 1,3-Butadiene still presented an unacceptable carcinogenic risk to human health. This study provides new data for assessing the emission characteristics, olfactory effects, and health risks of trace VOCs, especially those released from RSWTS. • Characteristics, olfactory effect, and health risks of VOCs were analyzed in RSWTS. • Oxygenated compounds were the main components in VOCs accounting for 58.25%. • Olfactory effect was the most significant with OAV value of 381.44 in the RSWTS. • Allyl chloride was the most non-carcinogenic pathogenic VOCs. • Dominant carcinogens were N-nitrosodiethylamine, acrylonitrile and 1,3-butadiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water environment has its unique charm as a part of traditional setdement space. This paper took water environment in Zhangguying Village, Yueyang Gty, Hunan Province for example, analyzed dot, linear and planar elements of village water environment, and water environment in courtyards[1], and tried to put forward valuable suggestions for the waterscape design of modern residential areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate the effect of SnapShot Freeze (SSF) reconstruction at an intermediate heart-rate (HR) range (65–75 bpm) and compare this method with single-sector reconstruction and bi-sector reconstruction on segmental and vessel bases in retrospective coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Materials and methods Retrospective electrocardiogram-gated CCTA was performed on 37 consecutive patients with HR between 65 and 75 bpm using a 64-row CT scanner. Retrospective single-sector reconstruction, bi-sector reconstruction, and SSF were performed for each patient. Multi-phase single-sector reconstruction was performed to select the optimal phase. SSF and bi-sector images were also reconstructed at the optimal phase. The images were interpreted in an intent-to-diagnose fashion by two experienced readers using a 5-point scale, with 3 points as diagnostically acceptable. Image quality among the three reconstruction groups were compared on per-patient, per-vessel, and per-segment bases. Results The average HR of the enrolled patients was 69.4 ± 2.7 bpm. A total of 111 vessels and 481 coronary segments were assessed. SSF provided significantly higher interpretability of the coronary segments than bi-sector reconstructions. The qualified and excellent rates of SSF (97.9% and 82.3%) were significantly higher than those of single-sector (92.9% and 66.3%) and bi-sector (90.9% and 64.7%) reconstructions. The image quality score (IQS) using SSF was also significantly higher than those of single-sector and bi-sector reconstructions both on per-patient and per-vessel bases. On per-segment analysis, IQS was improved in most segments (9/14). Conclusion The SSF algorithm can provide acceptable diagnostic image quality in coronary CTA for patients with intermediate HR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Transient interruption characteristics of mechanical DCCB with current commutation drive circuit (CCDC) are revealed. Its mathematical model is deduced, and verified by simulation and experiment. • With investment as optimization goal, parameters design methodology for DCCB is proposed, in which, the coordination between high-voltage capacitor and CCDC is considered. • The modularized serial topology and integrated serial topology, for high-voltage mechanical DCCB with CCDC are introduced. By discussing performances of the two topologies, modularized serial topology is recommended for high-voltage DCCB with CCDC. With rated voltage of multi-terminal direct current (MTDC) power transmission system varying from ±160 kV to ±500 kV and even ±800 kV, high-voltage direct current circuit breaker (DCCB) is in urgent demand. With remarkable features of low operating losses, free-maintenance, and relative small investment, DCCBs based on mechanical vacuum switch (MVS) and current commutation drive circuit (CCDC) are recognized to have bright prospects in practical engineering. However, parameters design and serial topology selection for high-voltage mechanical DCCB with CCDC are still open problems. Motived by this, parameter design method for a modularized DCCB with CCDC is proposed. Then, parameters of 500 kV DCCBs with two typical serial topologies, namely, modularized serial topology and integrated serial topology, are optimized, and simulations are conducted in PSCAD/EMTDC for verification. In the end, performances of the two serial topologies, including dynamic voltage balancing, fault-tolerance capability and cost, are discussed. According to research results, modularized design methodology is recommended for high-voltage DCCB with CCDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrier‐free nanodrugs that integrate chemodrugs and other therapeutic agents demonstrate good efficacy and minimized side effects, showing promise for combined therapy. However, a key challenge lies in enhancing the bioavailability and therapeutic potential of the nanodrugs through a controllable assembly process. Herein, a carrier‐free photothermal nanodrug (ZPQ NPs) is constructed through flavonol‐driven assembly with amine‐substituted perylene diimide for enhanced chemo‐photothermal combined cancer therapy. The flavonol, particularly quercetin, facilitates J‐aggregation of perylene diimide derivatives within the nanodrug and contributes to multiple improvements, including red‐shifted absorption, enhanced fluorescence intensity, improved photothermal conversion efficiency as well as excellent photostability. Moreover, the nanodrug also demonstrates enhanced cellular uptake and intracellular reactive oxygen species scavenging capability. The combination of quercetin and photothermal effect effectively kills cancer cells, as well as alleviates inflammation following photothermal therapy. Guided by in vivo fluorescence imaging, the application of ZPQ NPs results in complete tumor elimination and effectively inhibits tumor recurrence through chemo‐photothermal combined therapy. This work presents a straightforward strategy for constructing carrier‐free nanodrugs that exhibit simultaneous enhancements in both photophysical properties and biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioaerosols containing pathogens released from waste and wastewater treatment facilities pose potential health risks to workers on-site and residents downwind. In this study, sampling sites were set up at rural garbage stations (GS-1 and GS-2) and sewage treatment station (STS) to investigate the emission and diffusion characteristics of bioaerosols. High-throughput sequencing was utilized to assay the intestinal bacteria population, while the health risks associated with bioaerosols exposure were estimated based on average daily dose rates (DD). Traceability analysis was used to determine the percentages of intestinal bacteria from GS-1, GS-2 and STS. The recorded emission levels of bioaerosols in the air surrounding GS-1, GS-2, and STS were 5053, 6299, and 4795 CFU/m3, containing 1599, 2244, and 2233 CFU/m3 of intestinal bacteria, respectively. Most of the bioaerosols were coarse particles with size larger than 4.7 μm. Methylobacterium, Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae , and Brucella presented in the air were originally in rural waste and wastewater. STS and GS-2 were potential sources of intestinal bacteria. With increasing distance from the sources, the concentration of bioaerosols decreased gradually. On-site workers and residents were predominantly affected by bioaerosols through inhalation. The exposure risks via inhalation and skin contact for children were much higher than that for adults. The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary data for bioaerosols control and their risks reduction released from rural sanitation facilities. • Most of the airborne bacteria from rural sanitation facilities was coarse particles. • Intestinal bacteria presented in the air surrounding the facilities. • Waste and wastewater were main sources of bioaerosols dispersion downwind. • Bioaerosols level in the air was inversely proportional to the distance from source. • Bioaerosols from rural sanitation facilities pose potential risks to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioaerosols containing pathogens released from wastewater will pose potential health risks to workers on site. The emission of airborne bacteria from a rural wastewater treatment station and their inactivation by ultraviolet were investigated in this study. High-throughput sequencing technique was utilized to assay airborne bacterial population while the health risks associated with airborne bacteria exposure were estimated based on average daily dose rates. The recorded emission level of airborne bacteria in the air surrounding the multi-point inlet contact oxidation bioreactor (MTB) was 4795 ± 1475 CFU/m3, containing 2233 ± 471 CFU/m3 of intestinal bacteria, and most of them (70.3%) was coarse particles with size over 2.1 μm. Wind disturbance had significant effects on the diffusion and particle size distribution of the bioaerosols emitted from MTB. The identified opportunistic pathogens in bioaerosols were Enterobacter sp., Acinetobacter sp., Pantoea sp., Achromobacter sp., and Curtobacterium sp. They were originated in the water and active sludge in MTB. Inhalation was one of the main ways through which onsite workers were exposed to airborne bacteria. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation caused an apparent decrease in the level of bioaerosols in the air, thereby indicating that it can be utilized as an effective method for the reducing of bioaerosols. This study aims to provide preliminary data for the bioaerosols control in rural wastewater treatment process. Unlabelled Image • Most of the airborne bacteria from rural wastewater treatment was coarse particles. • Intestinal bacteria presented in the air surrounding the treatment facility. • Airborne bacteria mainly from those originated in water be treated and sludge. • Wind speed affected the level and particle size distribution of airborne bacteria. • Over 60% of the airborne bacteria can be reduced by ultraviolet-light radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most rural wastewater treatment facilities require aeration equipment to ensure sufficient dissolved oxygen (DO) during processing. Operation and maintenance are costly, and cannot be met in many areas with poor economic levels. This has led to further deterioration of the rural water environment and aroused much attention. This work reports a plug-flow step feed system utilizing wind and solar hybrid energy for rural wastewater treatment. Under certain climatic conditions, the wind energy and solar energy provided complimentary power generation, and an automatic control system (without batteries) was constructed. The corresponding control logic for multi-energy level operation was developed. Furthermore, the power generation efficiency of the system, the pollutant removal, and its mechanism on the bioreactor were also analyzed. According to the monitoring of meteorological conditions, wind and solar resources at the test site were abundant, and the electricity generated by the power generation was sufficient to meet the operational needs of the equipment. Energy efficiency can reach 80.0%. The characteristics of pollutant removal in each process section were studied on spatial and temporal dimensions. Results showed that the wastewater treatment process reached mean removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD cr), NH 4 +-N, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were 90.2%, 94.3%, 61.4% and 63.1%, respectively. Analyses of microbial community richness and group changes in each anoxic/aerobic reaction chamber in the biofilm reactor showed that the population structure was relatively stable and that there were abundant functional bacteria capable of degrading pollutants in each aerobic and anoxic unit. This system can thus be a more sustainable treatment process than traditional techniques used for rural wastewater treatment, providing a new design approach for low-energy consumption and unattended rural wastewater treatment. • An automated, decentralized rural wastewater treatment system was designed. • The system is considered by energy efficient, stable operation, and no maintenance. • The hybrid wind-solar power unit is available to catch the unattended system. • Three-stage A/O plug-flow step feed bioreactor was effective for pollutant remove. • Functional microbial community was analyzed during anoxic/aerobic zones of system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian detection has achieved significant progress in recent years. Though promising results have been obtained on standard pedestrians, it remains challenging to detect pedestrians in various occlusion situations. In this paper, we propose Progressive Refinement Network (PRNet) , a novel single-stage detector for occluded pedestrian detection. Inspired by human's progressive process on annotating occluded pedestrians, PRNet perform sequential refinement in a single-stage detection framework by three phases: finding anchors of visible parts with high confidence, calibrating these anchors with a full body template derived from occlusion statistics, and adjusting the calibrated anchors to target full-body regions. Unlike conventional methods that utilize predefined anchors directly for full-body estimation, the proposed confidence-aware anchor calibration offers an adaptive anchor initialization for detection with occlusions, while helps reduce the gap between visible-part and full-body detection. We also propose an occlusion loss, which automatically up-weights heavily occluded pedestrian samples. In addition, a Receptive Field Backfeed (RFB) module is introduced to diversify receptive fields in early layers that commonly fire only on visible parts or small-size full-body regions. To further learn generalized representations of pedestrians in different occlusion states, we propose to establish a new single-stage detector with dual-stream architecture namely PRNet++. An Easy-branch and a Hard-branch are designed to learn complementary representation that are more robust to various occlusions. Moreover, the generalization ability of models for other domains are critical in real-world applications, but it has not attracted too much attention. To address this issue, we introduce the unsupervised domain adaptation setting. To handle occlusion situations in unknown domain better, we especially design a Dynamic Iterative adaptation strategy and a Multi-experts adaptation strategy for our occlusion-aware detectors PRNet and PRNet++. Extensive supervised within-dataset experiments and unsupervised domain adaptation experiments were performed on CityPersons, Caltech, ECP-night, KITTI and INRIA datasets, which can validate the effectiveness of our proposed methods in occluded pedestrian detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gear-bearing system is the most important part of integrally centrifugal compressors. According to statistics, the majority of integrally geared compressor accidents are caused by excessive vibration of the geared rotor. However, its complicated dynamic characteristics and inevitable vibration faults in actual operation present significant challenges throughout the analysis and design stages. In this paper, the coupled self-excited vibration of the gear system characterized by multipoint meshing and oil film bearing supporting is investigated. Firstly, the structure of the gear system in an integrally geared compressor is used as a research object. The modeling approach of meshing excitation, including time-varying mesh stiffness, gear meshing error, and tooth backlash are introduced. However, the variable stiffness and damping coefficient equations of journal bearing and oil film thrust bearing are modeled and utilized to approximate the variable bearing force and simplify the vibration computation under the assumption of Newtonian fluid. Then, a dimensionless modeling method of the gear system considering gyroscopic moment of gear disk, variable meshing force, as well as variable stiffness and damping coefficient is proposed. Based on the dynamic model, the influence of the bearing dynamic coefficients and load on the vibration of the entire gear system is studied. Among which, the vibration displacement and meshing force are examined using frequency-domain and time-domain analysis methods. The results suggest that the flexible support can restrain the system's nonlinear motion, whilst increasing load on the gear system can improve gear operation stability and reduce load fluctuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) has been proved as a promising tool for industrial design, but the traditional VR interface of first-person perspective (1PP) is not efficient to support assemblability assessment in narrow assembly spaces. In this paper, we proposed the multi-perspectives interface (MPI) which integrates the 1PP and the third-person perspective (3PP) using the handheld world-in-miniature (WIM). The MPI allows users to simulate the assembly operations in a natural manner similar to 1PP, while providing users with an overview of the assembly status through the WIM to assess the assemblability with superior spatial awareness. Two studies were conducted to test the performance of the proposed MPI. The first study tested user's interaction performance in MPI using a common interaction task, which reveals stronger spatial awareness in MPI than in 1PP without the cost of losing natural interaction. Based on the results of the first study, the second study tested the performance, usability, and workload of MPI in an assemblability assessment task. The results show the advantages of MPI in the reachability evaluation in the narrow spaces. The main contribution of this paper is improving the interface and user-interface interaction in VR-aided assembly assessment system to improve user's interaction performance and assessment ability in narrow assembly spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pelvic ring fractures associated with vaginal injuries were rarely reported due to low incidence. The displaced segments of pelvic ring may increase the risk of vaginal injury. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the correlation between pelvic fracture and vaginal injury.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 25 patients with pelvic fractures associated with vaginal injury treated at our institution. The medical records of these patients were collected and 24 patients were followed-up for 10-36 months.Results: All patients suffered anterior pelvic ring fracture. Young-Burgess fracture classification and compromised pubic symphysis were related to severity of vaginal injury. Gauze packing was done in 6 patients and 18 patients received surgical repair. Infection occurred in 6 patients, among them 4 were due to delayed diagnosis. Factors associated with pelvic outcome were age, urethral injury, and infection. Four patients suffered pain in sexual intercourse but no influence factor found correlated to sexual function.Conclusion: VS type pelvic fracture and compromised pubic symphysis were related to higher severity of vaginal injury. Disruption of anterior ring and an unstable pelvic ring caused by forces on coronary and axial plane may increase the risk of vaginal injury.Trial Registration: ChiCTR1900020540 . Registered 28 January 2019. Retrospectively registered.Trial Registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores static experiments and dynamic tests, along with structural analysis of certain glubam (glued laminated bamboo) dome models. A self-balancing lever system was employed for the static experiment, revealing mechanical performance details such as load-displacement relationships and internal axial forces in glubam dome structures. Dynamic behaviors were assessed through triaxial accelerometers on specific joints, employing the Bayesian FFT modal identification method to calculate structural modal parameters, including natural frequency and mode shape. Experimental outcomes closely aligned with results from the analytical approach using the finite element method. Overall, the paper contributes valuable insights into the static and dynamic characteristics of glubam dome structures, bridging experimental findings with analytical predictions. • An innovative glubam dome model was built by digital-twins parametrically. • A static experiment was conducted with a self-balancing lever system. • Dynamic properties of dome were investigated using Bayesian FFT modal ID method. • The finite element model was validated by static and dynamic test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hollow CoVO x /Ag heterojunction was synthesized for OER. • The interaction of CoVO x and Ag nanoparticles regulated the electronic structure. • The extrinsic catalytic activity of CoVO x /Ag is enhanced due to the hollow structure. • The OER overpotential for CoVO x /Ag-5 at 10 mA cm−2 is only 247 mV. • The catalyst can enable full water splitting with 100% Faraday efficiency. Developing high-active and inexpensive electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is very important in the field of water splitting. The catalytic performance of electrocatalysts can be significantly improved by optimizing the electronic structure and designing suitable nanostructure. In this work, we represent the synthesis of hollow CoVO x /Ag-5 for OER. Due to the interaction of CoVO x and Ag nanoparticles, the electronic structure is optimized to improve the intrinsic catalytic activity. Additionally, the extrinsic catalytic activity of CoVO x /Ag is enhanced by the abundant active sites from the hollow structure. As a result, the CoVO x /Ag-5 demonstrates significantly enhanced OER catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 247 mV at 10 mA cm−2. In addition, it also exhibits excellent durability, without obvious attenuation in performance after continuous operation for 60 h. Furthermore, the catalyst can enable full water splitting with appropriate 100 % Faraday efficiency, demonstrating its practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between different surgical treatments and quality of life remains uncertain for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). The aim of this study is to compare the gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy trans-axillary approach (ET) and traditional open thyroidectomy (OT) through a prospective cohort study focusing on the rate of the efficacy, and quality of life (QoL). Methods: This prospective observational longitudinal cohort study enrolled 134 female patients diagnosed with DTC from December 01/2021 to December 31/2022. Multiple scales were applicated to evaluate the differences in quality of life, effectiveness, safety, etc. between the two groups during preoperative and postoperative follow-up periods, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, version 3.0 (QOL-C30), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90), Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating (SCAR-Q), voice impairment score (VIS), swallowing impairment score (SIS), and neck impairment score (NIS). Results: Among them, 68 accepted ET and 66 patients underwent OT. To enhance comparability between the two groups, the patients enrolled in this study are female. Compared with the OT group, the ET group performed significantly better postoperative physical quality of life, including sound (p = 0.036), swallowing (p < 0.001), and neck function (p = 0.010). The ET group was also associated with significantly better cosmetic satisfaction (p < 0.001), and relatively faster recovery in psychological and emotional situation. Conclusions: Gasless endoscopic thyroidectomy through an axillary approach leads to good cosmetic and psychological effects, improves postoperative QoL, and could be recommended for rapid postoperative recovery and involvement in daily and social activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the possible covariation of grey matter volume (GMV) and white matter fractional anisotropy in infants with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and periventricular white matter injury. Method: Thirty‐nine infants with spastic CP and 25 typically developing controls underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Multimodal canonical correlation analysis with joint independent component analysis were used to capture differences in GMV and fractional anisotropy between groups. Correlation analysis was performed between imaging findings and clinical features. Results: Infants with spastic CP showed one joint group‐discriminating component (i.e. GMV‐fractional anisotropy) associated with regions in the cortico‐basal ganglia‐thalamo‐cortical loop and in the corpus callosum compared to typically developing controls and one modality‐specific group‐discriminating component (i.e. GMV). Significant negative correlations were found between loadings in certain regions and the motor function score in spastic CP. Interpretation: In infants with spastic CP, covarying GMV‐fractional anisotropy and altered GMV in specific regions were implicated in motor dysfunction, which confirmed that simultaneous GMV and fractional anisotropy changes underly motor deficits, but might also extend to sensory, cognitive, or visual dysfunction. These findings also suggest that multimodal fusion analysis allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the relevance between grey and white matter structures and its crucial role in the neuropathological mechanisms of spastic CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel CoMoO 4 -RuO 2 heterogeneous catalyst with flower-liked morphology was developed as a highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for Zn-air battery. [Display omitted] Constructing heterogeneous catalysts can significantly boost the electrocatalytic activity due to the improved intrinsic catalytic activity induced by tailored electronic structure and optimized chemisorption to the reaction intermediates. RuO 2 based electrocatalysts are especially attractive due to the high catalytic activity of RuO 2. To reduce the usage of noble metal and improve the catalytic activity of catalyst, CoMoO 4 -RuO 2 micro-flower was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal-calcination method in this work. CoMoO 4 -RuO 2 exhibits a low overpotential of 177 mV at 10 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and a high half-wave potential of 0.858 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Moreover, the Zn-air battery assembled using CoMoO 4 -RuO 2 exhibit shows a high maximum discharge power density of 149 mW cm−2 and a large open circuit voltage of 1.38 V. The good performance can be attributed to the incorporation of RuO 2 , which not only induces extra catalytic active sites, but also forms heterojunction with CoMoO 4 to optimize the electronic structure of CoMoO 4 -RuO 2 , thereby achieving a better equilibrium of absorption and desorption of intermediates. The work provides insights into designing RuO 2 based electrocatalysts for advanced electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To merge the gap between the low-power output of piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) and the high-power demand of sensors of Internet of Things, researchers recently start to explore PEHs arrays. However, few circuits have been developed to manage the multiple ac inputs from PEHs arrays. This article presents a self-powered PEH array interface circuit based on the synchronized switching and discharging to a storage capacitor through an inductor (SSDCI) technique. The array interface can output a maximum total power greater than the sum of each individual peak power, and achieve a high efficiency when multiple PEHs connect to the SSDCI array circuit. Simulation and experiment are performed to demonstrate the advantages of the SSDCI array interface. The tested results show that the designed SSDCI array circuit achieves an efficiency of 82.3% with three input sources, and allows a gain up to 300% in terms of maximal output power compared to the full-bridge rectifier. In addition, only the peak detection is utilized for the switching control; therefore, the SSDCI array circuit is realized more easily and with fewer components compared to the existing synchronous electric charge extraction array interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photoresponsive host–guest supramolecular complex (WP5⊃G) constructed by water‐soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5) and spiropyran derivative (G) is presented. The spontaneous isomerization of G from spiropyran (SP) form to ring‐opened merocyanine (MC) form happens either alone or in WP5⊃G in aqueous media. Irradiated by visible light, G can be converted into SP form completely and the hydrophilicity will be changed. G and WP5⊃G are both verified to self‐assemble into nanospheres. Upon exposure to visible light, WP5⊃G reassemble into nanovesicles due to the change of supra‐amphiphilicity, while G alone does not have this transition. Obviously, WP5 takes the key role that activates the photoinduced morphological transition. A pillar[5]arene‐based host–guest supramolecular system (WP5⊃G) is designed and constructed. The photoresponsive feature of supramolecular assemblies is investigated. WP5 takes the key role that activates the photoinduced morphologic transition, so that morphological changes from nanospheres to nanovesicles are observed only in the system of WP5⊃G upon visible light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the rural domestic water consumption (RDWS, L/person-day) and rural sewage production (RSP, L/person-day) of rural residents at the county scale can provide decision support for rural domestic sewage treatment. However, methods for predicting county-scale RDWS and RSP based on geographical, social, and governance factors are rarely reported. This paper proposes an RDWS and RSP prediction method based on Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) for the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The RDWS and RSP in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were successfully predicted from multi-source data. The AutoML model accurately predicted RDWS (mean absolute error = 1.7072, R2 = 0.7759) and RSP (mean absolute error = 0.6580, R2 = 0.65107). Average years of education (AYOS), proportion of resident population, and proportion of elderly and children (POEAC) were key driving factors related to RDWS prediction. The most important factors associated with RSP prediction were AYOS, POEAC, and annual average precipitation (AAP). An explanatory analysis further revealed dependence between the input variables, RDWS, and RSP. The framework was demonstrated to be a practical tool for qualitative and quantitative analyses of rural domestic water consumption and domestic sewage production in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Overall, this study provides a solution for predicting county-level RDWS and RSP, providing a reference for the design of rural domestic sewage treatment. [Display omitted] • Less than 24% of rural domestic sewage is currently treated in Inner Mongolia. • Planning needs county-scale domestic water consumption and sewage production data. • Best of many models based on data from multiple sources were selected automatically. • Nonlinear relationships between input output variables were quickly revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aimed to analyze the etiology, clinical and imaging features, treatment, and prognosis of VAD with CVJM. Methods: Four new cases of VAD with congenital CVJM and 28 similar cases found in the literature were included. Detailed clinical data from all cases were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 32 patients (28 men, four women; mean age 19.01± 12.53 years) were included. Seventeen of 32 cases (53.1%) had had multiple ischemic episodes. The most common neurological symptoms were limb numbness/weakness (20/32), ataxia (15/32), and dizziness/vertigo (12/32). In sum, 31 of 32 cases had multiple infarcts scattered throughout the posterior circulation area on cranial computed tomography or resonance imaging. Dissection had occurred in the V3 segment of the VA in 29/31 cases (93.5%). The most common congenital CVJMs were atlantoaxial dislocation and atlantoaxial subluxation (found in 20/32 cases [62.5%]), while 27/32 cases (84.3%) had multiple combined abnormalities. Seven of eleven cases (63.6%) with initial antiplatelet treatment and one of eleven (9.1%) with initial anticoagulation treatment experienced stoke recurrence. Fusion or vertebral fixation was performed in 16 patients and aneurysm resection in one patient. There was no reported recurrence after surgery in 13 patients with follow-up data. Conclusion: Underlying CVJM is a rare but overlooked etiology in VAD, and is prone to induce recurrent ischemic stroke. Patients with VAD, especially that localized in the V3 segment, should be examined for CVJM. Timely assessment is critical for determining the specific cause and to provide targeted intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hybrid control strategy combining vector control and current continuous conduction is proposed in this paper to improve the performance of a hybrid-excitation switched reluctance motor (HESRM). Vector control, widely used in ac machines, is redefined in HESRM based on static torque characteristic to simplify an HESRM controller and reduce torque ripple. However, at a high-speed and heavy-load operation, current tracking accuracy deteriorates and torque ripple reduction effect gets worse. Current continuous conduction is combined with vector control to improve current tracking accuracy and maintain smooth torque ripple. In the HESRM, the power generally falls nearly in proportion to the square of speed over based speed, and a traditional control technique can maintain only a narrow constant power range. This novel vector control is easy to achieve phase advance and current continuous conduction simultaneously. By combining these two together, the HESRM can extend the constant power in a wider speed range and efficiency is also improved. Simulations and experiments in different conditions are carried out to verify the effectiveness of a hybrid control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Solid-state electrolytes have been widely investigated for lithium batteries since they provide a high degree of safety. However, their low ionic conductivity and substantial growth of lithium dendrites hamper their commercial applications. Garnet-type Li 6.4 La 3 Zr 1.4 Ta 0.6 O 12 (LLZTO) is one of the most promising active fillers to advance the performance of the solid polymer electrolyte. Nevertheless, their performance is still limited due to their large interfacial resistance. Herein, we embedded the amorphous Li 2 O 2 (LO) into LLZTO particles via the quenching process and successfully achieved an interfacial layer of Li 2 O 2 around LLZTO particles (LLZTO@LO). Amorphous Li 2 O 2 acts as a binder and showed an excellent affinity for Li+ ions which promotes their fast transference. Moreover, the stable and dense interfacial Li 2 O 2 layer enhances interfacial contact and suppresses the lithium dendrite growth during the long operation cycling process. The PEO/10LLZTO@2LO solid composite polymer electrolyte (SCPE) showed the highest ionic conductivity of 3.2 × 10-4 S cm−1 at 40 °C as compared to pristine LLZTO-based SCPE. Moreover, the Li│(PEO/10LLZTO@2LO) │Li symmetric cell showed a stable and smooth long lifespan up to 1100 h at 40 °C. Furthermore, the LiFePO 4 //Li full battery with PEO/10LLZTO@2LO SCPE demonstrated stable cycling performance for 400 cycles. These results constitute a significant step toward the practical application of solid-state lithium metal batteries (SS-LMBs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Freestanding lead-free piezoceramic thin films can be derived via water peeling. The d33 value of the freestanding BCZT thin film reaches 209 pm V−1. The freestanding piezoceramic films obtain versatile application scenarios such as energy harvest and virus detection. Most electronics such as sensors, actuators and energy harvesters need piezoceramic films to interconvert mechanical and electrical energy. Transferring the ceramic films from their growth substrates for assembling electronic devices commonly requires chemical or physical etching, which comes at the sacrifice of the substrate materials, film cracks, and environmental contamination. Here, we introduce a van der Waals stripping method to fabricate large-area and freestanding piezoceramic thin films in a simple, green, and cost-effective manner. The introduction of the quasi van der Waals epitaxial platinum layer enables the capillary force of water to drive the separation process of the film and substrate interface. The fabricated lead-free film, Ba 0.85 Ca 0.15 Zr 0.1 Ti 0.9 O 3 (BCZT), shows a high piezoelectric coefficient d33 = 209 ± 10 pm V−1 and outstanding flexibility of maximum strain 2%. The freestanding feature enables a wide application scenario, including micro energy harvesting, and covid-19 spike protein detection. We further conduct a life cycle analysis and quantify the low energy consumption and low pollution of the water-based stripping film method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop and apply a novel shape optimization exemplified for a two-blade rotor with respect to the figure of merit. This topologically assisted optimization contains two steps. First, a global evolutionary optimization is performed for the shape parameters, and then a topological analysis reveals the local and global extrema of the objective function directly from the data. This non-dimensional objective function compares the achieved thrust with the required torque. Rotor blades have a decisive contribution to the performance of quadcopters. A two-blade rotor with pre-defined chord length distribution is chosen as the baseline model. The simulation is performed in a moving reference frame with a k − ω turbulence model for the hovering condition. The rotor shape is parameterized by the twist angle distribution. The optimization of this distribution employs a genetic algorithm. The local maxima are distilled from the data using a novel topological analysis inspired by discrete scalar-field topology. We identify one global maximum to be located in the interior of the data and five further local maxima related to errors from non-converged simulations. The interior location of the global optimum suggests that small improvements can be gained from further optimization. The local maxima have a small persistence, i.e., disappear under a small ε perturbation of the figure of merit values. In other words, the data may be approximated by a smooth mono-modal surrogate model. Thus, the topological data analysis provides valuable insight for optimization and surrogate modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular self-assembly has attracted increasing attention as a breakthrough methodology in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Herein, a perylene dianhydride derivative (TP-PDA) self-assembles into well-defined nanospheres through a nucleation-growth process. The mechanisms of this process were explored by using spectral analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In situ DLS and in situ SEM both revealed that the size of the aggregated nanospheres increases with time until the formation of equilibrium H-aggregates. This shows that TP-PDA undergoes a kinetically trapped assembly with a rapid transformation into the thermodynamically favored form, and this process can be finely tuned by reducing the concentration and increasing the temperature. Weak intermolecular forces, such as π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and solvophobic interactions, play an important role in the formation of nanostructures. This work inspired us to explore other kinetically trapped supramolecular assemblies that might be easily ignored due to the short trapping time of commonly used experimental timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There are optimal SDS concentrations that promote CO 2 hydrate formation in porous media below the freezing point. • The synergistic effect of porous media and SDS significantly enhanced the gas storage capacity of hydrates below freezing point. • The higher the sub-freezing temperature was, the less time it brought to reach 90% of the CO 2 gas absorption (t 90). • This work provides a theoretical guidance for solidification and sequestration of CO 2 gas in permafrost region. Hydrate-based technology is considered to be a promising approach widely applied in the areas of industrial natural gas storage and transportation, CO 2 capture and storage. The major technical issues related to this technology are enhancing the formation rate and gas storage capacity under different conditions. In this work, the formation characteristics of CO 2 hydrate were investigated in porous media below the freezing point in the presence of SDS (Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate). The influence of cooperative effect of surfactant and porous media on hydrate formation was investigated at different concentration of SDS. The results indicated that surfactant could obviously promote the formation process of CO 2 hydrate in porous media when the concentration of SDS was in the range of 0–1240 ppm and the temperature ranged from 268.15 K to 272.15 K. However, there was an optimal SDS concentration to promote the formation process of CO 2 hydrate in porous media below the freezing point. When the SDS concentration was 240 ppm, the highest conversion rate of ice to hydrate and the largest gas storage capacity were obtained, which were 43.05% and 80.06 L/L, respectively. The results also indicated that, with or without SDS in porous media system, the higher the temperature was, the less time it brought to reach 90% of the CO 2 gas absorption (t 90). But the maximum gas storage capacity of CO 2 hydrate was obtained at 270.15 K in porous media in the presence of SDS. In addition, the results demonstrated that the SDS concentration of 0.24 g/L could increase the gas storage capacity of hydrate and shorten the value of t 90 at different temperature conditions. These results are helpful for comprehensively understanding the rapid formation of CO 2 hydrate in industrial areas and providing an important theoretical guidance and reference for the CO 2 capture and storage in the form of hydrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed a low-cost expandable current profiler (XCP) including software and hardware. An XCP is an observation instrument that rapidly measures currents based on the principle that currents cut the geomagnetic field to induce electric fields. The cost of an XCP must be reduced because it is a single-use device. The digitization of the previously developed XCP is carried out underwater, which requires the probe to contain not only analogue circuits for acquiring signals but also digital circuits and digital chips, which are relatively expensive. In this study, an XCP was developed that adopts signal modulation and demodulation to transmit analogue signals on an enamelled wire, and the signal digitization occurs above the surface of the water. The cost of the instrument was effectively reduced by half while maintaining its ability to measure parameters such as sea current and temperature in real time. After comparison with data processed from laboratory tests, the acquisition circuit showed an accuracy within 0.1 % and the XCP analogue circuit developed for the overall system was stable and reliable. The system exhibited an acquisition accuracy higher than 50 nV for 16 Hz, and the quality of the acquired signal satisfied the requirements for an XCP instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) is regarded as one of the most common male sexual dysfunction. We aimed to detect whether insula-related brain functional networks are altered in lifelong PE patients and whether such alterations are "normalised" after selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) administration. Methods: Twenty-three drug-naive lifelong PE patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in current study. All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan at first. One hour after dapoxetine administration, all patients underwent fMRI scanning again. The degree centrality (DC), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis, and ROI-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis were applied to calculate the abnormalities in insula-related functions among three groups. Results: Compared to HC group, PE patients at baseline showed significantly altered DC, ALFF, and ReHo value of the bilateral insula, which subsequently showed a "normalised" trend after dapoxetine administration. Additionally, compared to HC group, PE patients at baseline showed significantly decreased FC between insula and precentral gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, middle/inferior temporal gyrus, and caudate, while patients after dapoxetine administration showed increased insula-related FC in anterior cingulate cortex and decreased FC in thalamus and middle/inferior temporal gyrus. The main effects of dapoxetine were located in precentral gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, caudate, and limbic system. Conclusions: Our findings report altered brain mechanism of insula in lifelong PE patients and also indicate that dapoxetine can "normalise" the abnormal function of the insula to certain extent in lifelong PE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using glucosamine hydrochloride as the starting material, 4‐(methoxycarbonyl)‐5‐methyl‐1‐propyl‐1H‐pyrrole‐2‐carboxylic acid (3) was initially created as an intermediate compound by cyclization and oxidation in order to create novel high temperature stable pyrrole compounds. Furthermore, Steglich esterification was used to produce N‐substituted pyrrole esters (4 a–4 t). All the new compounds were verified using nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13CNMR), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and pyrolysis‐gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py‐GC/MS) techniques were used to examine the thermal behaviors of the compounds 4 f, 4 g, 4 i, and 4 q. Ester bonds from the pyrolysis products 4 g, 4 i, and 4 q might be severed which were consisted of the raw materials as well as the substrates, such as menthol, phenethyl and pyrrole derivatives which are commonly utilized in the sector of spices in foods and cigarette. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the preoperative diagnostic value of telomerase activity for breast cancer. Correlation between biological characteristics of breast tumor and telomerase activity; Use of telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay.

Biofilms and intracellular survival tremendously help Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) escape from antibacterial agents attacking, therefore issuing extreme challenges to clinical therapies. Herein, we constructed fucoidan (FU)-coated nanoparticles (FU/ML-LA/EB NPs) via simple self-assembly of biguanide derivative (metformin-linoleic acid, ML) and linoleic acid (LA), encapsulating urease inhibitor ebselen (EB) instead of antibiotics to take antibacterial effect. Negatively charged FU/ML-LA/EB NPs easily penetrated through the gastric mucus layer to arrive at infection sites, then eradicated extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) to destroy H. pylori biofilms structure. After strengthening bacterial membrane permeability, the nanoparticles could enter H. pylori and kill bacteria by inhibiting the activity of urease. FU/ML-LA/EB NPs also entered H. pylori -infected host cells through receptor-mediated internalization, in which they activated AMPK to recover lysosomal acidification for killing intracellular H. pylori. Additionally, FU/ML-LA/EB NPs alleviated oxidative stress, hence reducing gastric mucosal damage and cutting off the pathways of carcinogenesis. Notably, H. pylori burden after FU/ML-LA/EB NPs treatment was reduced to a great extent in vivo , which was significantly lower than that after treatment with clinical therapy. Antibiotics-free FU/ML-LA/EB NPs improving bacterial eradication and alleviating oxidation stress made it a powerful approach against H. pylori. [Display omitted] • FU/ML-LA/EB NPs are self-assembled from metformin derivative, linolenic acid with fucoidan shell coated outside and ebselen loaded inside. • FU/ML-LA/EB NPs treat Helicobacter pylori persistent infection through biofilms eradication tetralogy, intracellular bacteria killing and oxidative stress alleviation. • In mice model, the antibiotics-free strategy apparently outperforms traditional triple therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), as key regulators of mRNA fate, are abundantly expressed in the testis. However, RBPs associated with human male infertility remain largely unknown. Through bioinformatic analyses, we identified 62 such RBPs, including an evolutionarily conserved RBP, DEAD-box helicase 20 (DDX20). Male germ-cell-specific inactivation of Ddx20 at E15.5 caused T1-propsermatogonia (T1-ProSG) to fail to reenter cell cycle during the first week of testicular development in mice. Consequently, neither the foundational spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) pool nor progenitor spermatogonia were ever formed in the knockout testes. Mechanistically, DDX20 functions to control the translation of its target mRNAs, many of which encode cell-cycle-related regulators, by interacting with key components of the translational machinery in prospermatogonia. Our data demonstrate a previously unreported function of DDX20 as a translational regulator of critical cell-cycle-related genes, which is essential for cell-cycle reentry of T1-ProSG and formation of the SSC pool. [Display omitted] • DDX20 controls the cell-cycle reentry of T1 prospermatogonia and SSC formation • Prospermatogonial migration to the SSC niche is independent of cell-cycle reentry • DDX20 interacts with ribosomes to control cell-cycle-related protein translation Zou et al. report that DDX20 is crucial for T1 prospermatogonia to reenter the cell cycle and form the foundational spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) pool by controlling the translation of its target mRNAs. This study helps gain more insight into the establishment of foundational SSCs and male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FBXO43 is a member of the FBXO subfamily of F-box proteins, known to be a regulatory hub during meiosis. A body of data showed that FBXO43 is overexpressed in a number of human cancers. However, whether and how FBXO43 affects cell cycle progression and growth of cancer cells remain elusive. In this study, we provide first piece of evidence, showing a pivotal role of FBXO43 in cell cycle progression and growth of cancer cells. Specifically, FBXO43 acts as a positive cell cycle regulator with an oncogenic activity in variety types of human cancer, including non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and sarcoma. Mechanistically, FBXO43 interacts with phosphorylated SKP2 induced by AKT1, leading to reduced SKP2 auto-ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasome degradation. Taken together, our study demonstrates that FBXO43 promotes cell cycle progression by stabilizing SKP2, and FBXO43 could serve as a potential anti-cancer target. • FBXO43 promotes cell cycle progression in multiple cancer cell lines. • FBXO43 interacts with and stabilizes SKP2 protein. • FBXO43 attenuates SKP2 degradation through inhibiting its self-ubiquitylation. • The pan-oncogenic function of FBXO43 is mediated by SKP2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]