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Removal of imidacloprid and acetamiprid in tea infusions by microfiltration membrane using dead-end model was investigated in the present study. The results showed that microfiltration significantly promoted the removal of both pesticides ( P < 0.05) in tea infusions. Furthermore, the extent of removal was strongly influenced by the pore size of membrane, operational pressure and the concentrations of tea infusions. The initial concentration of imidacloprid and acetamiprid showed no significant effect on their removal rates. The maximum removal rates were 79.7% for imidacloprid and 81.9% acetamiprid. The changes in major chemical components of tea infusions after microfiltration were evaluated. The results indicated that microfiltration caused no considerable changes in total polyphenols and total free amino acids, and small but statistically significant losses (6.3-18.0%) of eight catechins and three methylxanthines when filtration volume reached to 200 mL. The present study validated the application of microfiltration as a potentially feasible and promising method for the removal of imidacloprid and acetamiprid residues from tea infusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the effects of transport infrastructure on regional development have been widely discussed, the relationship between transport infrastructure and urban–rural income disparities has scarcely been examined. This study provides new evidence of those disparities by looking at 227 prefectural-level cities in China in 2016. We found that national, provincial and municipal roads played a positive role in narrowing the urban–rural income gap by facilitating rural labour mobility. The high coefficient of provincial and municipal roads indicates that they provide access to local and regional job markets for migrant farmers. The impact of roads is most remarkable in China's southwestern and middle regions, demonstrating that road infrastructure is more important for rural residents in these regions to increase their income. The least significant impact of road infrastructure was found in the northeast region, where road infrastructure is not the main restriction factor for its development. Policymakers should consider the impact of road infrastructure in different regions to reduce the urban–rural income gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Ti substrate was coated by three different mixed oxides (SnO-SbO, RuO-TiO, IrO-TaO), then PbO was electrodeposited on them to prepare PbO electrode. The microstructure of the solid solution interlayers and PbO coatings was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results indicated that the above oxides interlayer exited in the form of solid solution and the interlayer covered the Ti substrate largely. Accelerated life test proved that the presence of solid solution interlayer can increase the stability of PbO electrodes in electrolysis. Cyclic voltammogram indicated that the PbO electrode with the solid solution interlayer have more active surface area in sulfuric acid solution. Linear scanning voltammograms showed that the over potentials of the oxygen evolution are decreased with the addition of the solid solution interlayer. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the presence of interlayer can increase the electrochemical activity of oxygen evolution reaction and electrical conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconductor (HTS) bulks have demonstrated extremely intriguing potential for industrial and commercial applications due to their capability to trap significantly larger magnetic fields than conventional permanent magnets. The magnetic field in electrical rotating machines is a combination of alternating and rotational fields. In contrast, all previous research on the characterization of electromagnetic properties of HTS have solely engrossed on the alternating AC magnetic fields and the associated AC loss. This research paper gives a thorough examination of the AC loss measurement under various conditions. The obtained results are compared to the finite element-based H-formulation. The AC loss is measured at various amplitudes of circular flux density patterns and compared with the AC loss under one-dimensional alternating flux density. The loss variation has also been studied at other frequencies. The findings in this research paper provide more insights into material characterization, which will be useful in the design of future large-scale HTS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over time, high-temperature superconductor (HTS)-coated conductors (CCs) have proven to be promising candidates for future high-efficiency and high-power density electrical machines. However, their commercialization is handicapped due to the AC dissipative loss that occurs upon exposure to external magnetic fields. In rotating electromagnetic devices, the external magnetic field is a combination of alternating and rotating magnetic fields. Most of the research is devoted to the effect of exposure of the superconductors to alternating magnetic fields only. This article presents an investigation to observe the behavior of HTSCCs under rotating magnetic fields, particularly the AC loss, using a finite-element-based homogeneous H-formulation technique. Our investigation shows that the AC loss could be considerably high when HTSCCs are exposed to rotating magnetic fields and, ultimately, could affect the cooling efficiency of future high-efficiency and high-power density electrical machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymol is a plant-derived natural compound with antimicrobial activity. However, we have little knowledge about the application of thymol in agriculture. One of the limitations is the high volatility and low aqueous solubility of thymol. Tomato gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is one of the most devastating postharvest diseases. In this study, we prepared a nano-emulsion of thymol (named as Nano-Thy) to form a stable O/W (oil in water) microemulsion. In vitro experiments showed that Nano-Thy had antifungal activity against B. cinerea by inhibiting mycelial growth and spore germination. Nano-Thy induced ROS accumulation in mycelia, further leading to lipid peroxidation, cell membrane damage, and subsequent cell death. Nano-Thy significantly prevented the infection of B. cinerea on fresh tomato fruits. Finally, we discussed the mechanisms and their significance in controlling postharvest disease of fruit crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconducting materials have shown great potential for the design of large-scale industry applications. However, they are complicated under AC conditions, resulting in penalties such as power loss or AC loss. This loss has to be considered in order to design reliable and efficient superconducting devices. Furthermore, when superconductors are used in rotating machines, they may be exposed to rotating magnetic fields, which is critical for the design of such machines. Existing AC loss measuring techniques are limited to measuring under one-dimensional AC magnetic fields or transport currents. Therefore, it is essential to develop and investigate robust experimental techniques to investigate the loss mechanism in HTS machines. In this paper, a new and novel experimental technique has been presented to measure AC loss in rotating magnetic field conditions. The loss under rotating magnetic fields is measured and compared by numerical modeling methods, and the results show a strong correlation with the numerical modeling and show the effectiveness of the experimental setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A subset of patients with a pre-operative diagnosis of ulcerative colitis can develop Crohn's disease (CD) of the pouch after restorative proctocolectomy. While appendectomy has been implicated to be associated with an increased risk for CD, its impact on the development of de novo CD of the pouch in patients' ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has not been studied. The aims of the study were to assess the prevalence of CD of the pouch in patients with pre-colectomy appendectomy and to investigate the impact of appendectomy on the development of de novo CD of the pouch. Methods: All eligible patients with restorative proctocolectomy and IPAA for IBD who had available information on pre-colectomy appendectomy were studied. Demographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated. Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: The study included 434 patients (44.9 % male) with a mean age of 45.2 ± 14.4 years and follow-up of 4.6 ± 2.3 years. Forty patients (9.2 %) had had appendectomy prior to colectomy. Appendectomy was not shown to be associated with CD of the pouch or its phenotypes in both univariable and multivariable analyses. In the Cox model, independent risk factors associated with CD of the pouch were active smoking (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.58; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.43) and family history of CD (HR = 1.82; 95 % CI, 0.99-3.32). Conclusions: While this study has shown no association between previous appendectomy and the development of CD of pouch, active smoking was an independent risk factor for development of CD of the pouch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The high quality boron-doped diamond (BDD) film electrodes deposited on titanium (Ti) substrate have been prepared by a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (MP-CVD) method. The products consist of high quality dense grains characterized by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) employed. The BDD electrodes have wide electrochemical window (approximate 4.0V) and low background current (near zero) and the oxidation peak of phenol appears before the discharge of water, examined by cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry. Compared with the fluorine-doped lead dioxide anodes (Ti/F-PbO2), the Ti/BDD anodes showed higher current efficiency and lower power consumption with degradation of low concentration phenol. The experimental results demonstrated that the BDD electrode on the Ti substrate possesses the excellent electrocatalytic activity in dilute solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Within a competitive electric power market, electricity price is one of the core elements, which is crucial to all the market participants. Accurately forecasting of electricity price becomes highly desirable. This paper propose a forecasting model of electricity price using chaotic sequences for forecasting of short term electricity price in the Australian power market. One modified model is applies seasonal adjustment and another modified model is employed seasonal adjustment and adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) that determines the parameters for the chaotic system. The experimental results show that the proposed methods performs noticeably better than the traditional chaotic algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neonicotinoid insecticides, such as imidacloprid, are selective agonists of the insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) with –NO2 or –CN group in trans-configuration. Previously we reported the excellent insecticidal activity of a series of nitroconjugated neonicotinoids with –NO2 or –CN group in cis-configuration by replacing nitromethylene pharmacophore with a nitroconjugated system. To understand the action mode of these nitroconjugated neonicotinoids, a representative member IPPA152201 was chosen to perform toxicity and pharmacology studies. IPPA152201 showed a comparable toxicity with imidacloprid against Nilaparvata lugens in a susceptible strain and had no significant cross-resistance in an imidacloprid resistant strain. IPPA152201 showed good efficacies on the isolated cockroach neurons (pEC50 = 5.91 ± 0.14) and the evoked responses by IPPA152201 could be blocked by the typical nAChRs antagonists methyllycaconitine citrate (MLA) and dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE), with pIC50 of 6.56 ± 0.07 and 6.89 ± 0.12. The efficacy of IPPA152201 on hybrid receptors Nlα1/β2 in Xenopus oocytes and response inhibition by MLA and DHβE were also observed. These data demonstrate that IPPA152201 acts on insect nAChRs as an agonist. In addition, the influence of a Nlα1 mutation (Y151S), which has been linked to the lab-generated neonicotinoid resistance in N. lugens, has been examined. Compared to the wildtype Nlα1/β2, this mutation reduced I max for IPPA152201 to 63.2% and caused a 1.5-fold increase in EC50, which is much smaller than the effects on imidacloprid. The high insecticidal activity and little influence by Y151S mutation make IPPA152201 to be a potential insecticide to manage N. lugens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The boron-doped diamond (BDD) thin-film electrode with high quality using industrially titanium plate (Ti/BDD) as substrate has been prepared and firstly used in the oxidation of anthraquinone dye Alizarin Red S (ARS) in wastewaters. The Ti/BDD electrodes are shown to have high concentration of sp3-bonded carbon and wide electrochemical window. The results of the cyclic voltammetries show that BDD has unique properties such as high anodic stability and the production of active intermediates at the high potential. The oxidation regions of ARS and water are significantly separated at the Ti/BDD electrode, and the peak current increases linearly with increasing ARS concentration. The bulk electrolysis shows that removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color can be completely reached and the electrooxidation of ARS behaves as a mass-transfer-controlled process at the Ti/BDD electrode. It is demonstrated that the performances of the Ti/BDD electrode for anodic oxidation ARS have been significantly improved with respect to the traditional electrodes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ti/PbO2 + nano-Co3O4 composite electrode materials with different compositions were prepared by anodic composite electrodeposition on Ti substrate, with a SnO2–Sb2O5 intermediate layer in Pb2+ plating solution containing suspended nano-Co3O4 particles. The composition, structure, and morphology of the composite materials were investigated by XRD, XPS, and SEM analyses. The composite electrodes were studied as anodes for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 mol/L NaOH solution. The activities for the OER of the composites were explained by recording linear scanning voltammograms and Tafel plots. Results indicate that the onset potential of oxygen evolution at the composite electrode was lowered by approximately 160 mV compared to the PbO2 electrode without nano-Co3O4. The catalytic activity of the composite electrode towards OER was improved significantly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a population-based evolutionary technique. Advancements in the PSO development over the last decade have made it one of the most promising optimization algorithms for a wide range of complex engineering optimization problems which traditional derivative-based optimization techniques cannot handle. The most attractive features of PSO are its algorithmic simplicity and fast convergence. However, PSO tends to suffer from premature convergence when applied to strongly multi-modal optimization problems. This paper proposes a method of incorporating a real-valued mutation (RVM) operator into the PSO algorithms, aimed at enhancing global search capability. Three variants of PSO algorithms are considered. The resultant hybrid PSO-RVM algorithms are experimentally investigated along with the PSO variants and an existing PSO with Gaussian mutation using six typical benchmark functions. It is interesting to see that the effectiveness of RVM varies for different PSO variants as well as different kinds of functions. It has been found that one of the hybrid algorithms, CBPSO-RVM, which is an integration of the PSO with the constriction factor and inertia weight (CBPSO) and the RVM operator, exhibits significantly better performance in most of the test cases compared to the other algorithms under consideration. Furthermore, this algorithm is superior to most of the existing algorithms used in this study when applied to two practical ED problems with non-smooth cost function considering the multiple fuel type and/or valve-point loading effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct molecular analysis of tissue samples is a promising approach to increase the accuracy, speed and molecular specificity of cancer diagnosis. Herein, alterations of amino acids between human lung cancer tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues were profiled by internal extraction electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (iEESI-MS). The results indicated that the levels of 11 detected amino acids (including serine, proline, valine, threonine, asparagine, aspartic acid, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, arginine and tyrosine) in the cancerous tissues were lower than that in the adjacent normal tissues. Based on the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model, cancerous and adjacent normal tissues were clearly discriminated, and the amino acids that played the major role in the differentiation between cancerous and adjacent normal tissues were identified. Moreover, metabolic pathway analysis revealed alterations of differential amino acids in several metabolic pathways upon lung cancer. The current study extends the power of iEESI-MS as a promising tool for quantitative characterization of amino acids in tissues, and allows the study of alterations in amino acids metabolism associated with the development of lung cancer. [Display omitted] • Direct quantitative and qualitative analysis of amino acids in lung cancer tissues was achieved by iEESI-MS. • The levels of determined 11 amino acids in the cancerous tissues were lower than that in the adjacent normal tissues. • Alterations of differential amino acids in several metabolic pathways upon lung cancer were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on the heterobimetallic system, Tb[Ag x Au1−x (CN)2]3 (x =0→1), in which sensitization of terbium luminescence occurs by energy transfer from [Ag x Au1−x (CN)2]− donor excited states. The donor states have energies which are tunable and dependent on the Ag/Au stoichiometric ratio. We report on their use as donor systems with Tb(III) ions as acceptor ions in energy transfer studies. Luminescence results show that the mixed metal dicyanides with the higher silver loading have a better energy transfer efficiency than the pure and donors. The better energy transfer efficiency is due to the greater overlap between the donor emission and acceptor excitation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have examined the absorption and resonance Raman spectrum of mass-selected transition metal tetramers sputtered from a Ti–Cu alloy and deposited in an Ar matrix at 10 K. For the tetramers Ti4−nCun, we observed only a single Raman progression in approximately 300 cm−1. This progression is most likely the totally symmetric stretch. The resolution of our mass-selection filter is insufficient to separate the tetramers, but from the isotopic Raman intensities we infer that the species observed in the Raman spectrum is TiCu3. Since only one progression was observed, sufficient information to determine the structure was not obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on the resonance Raman spectroscopy of mass-selected CrFe. The molecule is isolated by sputtering a CrFe metal target, followed by mass-separation through a Wien filter. Samples are deposited in an argon matrix at 14 K. Raman spectra are obtained at several excitation wavelengths (476.5, 488.0, 496.5, 501.7, 514.5 nm) and a clear progression up to ν″=6 is obtained. Analysis results in values of ωe=166.6±0.8 cm−1 and ωexe=1.1±0.1 cm−1. This rather low frequency gives a force constant of 0.44 mdyne/A˚, indicating considerably weaker bonding than observed in either Cr2 or Fe2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on an observation of the luminescence spectrum of mass-selected CuAg in an argon matrix. Although no Raman spectrum is obtained, an emission progression up to ν″=5 is observed, corresponding to the A0+–X1Σ+ transition observed in the gas phase. The origin of the transition is determined to be 20 262 (10) cm−1. We obtain a value of ωe″=223.8(4.9) cm−1, which is consistent with the gas-phase observations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Representative phosphoryl and thiophosphoryl derivatives of (S)glutamic or (S)-2-hydroxyglutaric acid were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory potency against the glutamate carboxypeptidase, carboxypeptidase G (CPG). It was observed that the inhibition of CPG was highly sensitive to the individual phosphorus ligands. The most potent inhibitors were the dibasic phosphoryl and thiophosphoryl derivatives of glutamic acid and the monobasic thiophosporyl derivatives of 2-hydroxyglutaric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the absorption and resonance Raman spectra of mass-selected Sc clusters, and obtain the spectra of tetramers of Sc. Tetramers are produced in a sputtering source and mass filtered with a Wien filter, then neutralized and deposited in an Ar matrix. The absorption spectrum indicates several new optical transitions at 350, 451, 538, and 563 nm. Raman resonances were excited at 488 nm with transitions at 222, 166, and 103 cm−1. These indicate a tetrahedral (Td) geometry, and we assign the observed frequencies to a singly degenerate totally symmetric stretch ω1(a1), a triply degenerate mode ω2(t) and a doubly degenerate ω3(e) mode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most common hepatic malignancy and has a poor prognosis. Surgical resection is the standard of care for patients with resectable disease, representing 30-40% of cases. Increasingly, neoadjuvant systemic therapy is being utilized in patients due to high-risk anatomic or biologic considerations. However, data on the clinical effect of this approach are limited. We performed a cohort study to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with oncologically high-risk iCCA. iCCA patients (n = 181) between the years 2014-2020 were reviewed for clinical, histopathologic, treatment, and outcome-related data. Tumor regression grade was scored per CAP criteria for gastrointestinal carcinomas. 47 iCCA patients received neoadjuvant therapy and 72 did not. Neoadjuvant treatment led to objective response and tumor regression by CAP score. After adjustment for age, clinical stage, and tumor size, the outcomes of patients who had neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery were not significantly different from those patients who had surgery first. In conclusion, neoadjuvant therapy in iCCA facilitated surgical care. The progression-free and overall survival for surgical patients with and without neoadjuvant therapy were not significantly different suggesting this approach needs further exploration as an effective treatment paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the role of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) in the changes of cardiac structures in OSA rabbits treated by mandibular advancement device (MAD). Methods: Eighteen male New Zealand white rabbits aged 6 months were randomly divided into three groups: control group, group OSA and group MAD. Hyaluronate gel was injected into the soft palate of the rabbits in group OSA and group MAD to induce OSA. The cone beam computer tomography (CBCT) of the upper airway and polysomnography (PSG) was performed to ensure successful modelling. CBCT and PSG were applied again to detect the effects of MAD treatment. All animals were induced to sleep in a supine position for 4–6 h a day for 8 weeks. Then the levels of NF‐κB, Interleukin 6 (IL‐6), Interleukin 10 (IL‐10) and the proportion of myocardial fibrosis (MF) were detected. Results: The higher activation of NF‐κB, IL‐6 and IL‐10 were found in the OSA group than in the control group, leading to the increase of collagen fibres compared with the control group. Furthermore, the apnoea‐hypopnea index (AHI) was positively correlated with the above factors. There were no significant differences between group MAD and the control group. Conclusion: The NF‐κB pathway was activated in the myocardium of OSA rabbits, which accelerated the development of MF. Early application of MAD could reduce the activation of NF‐κB in the myocardium and prevent the development of MF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Methods Results Conclusion Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a serious and potentially life‐threatening disease. Mandibular advancement device (MAD) has the characteristics of non‐invasive, comfortable, portable and low‐cost, making it the preferred treatment for mild‐to‐moderate OSAHS. Our previous studies found that abnormal contractility and fibre type distribution of the genioglossus could be caused by OSAHS. However, whether the mitochondria participate in these tissue changes is unclear. The effect of MAD treatment on the mitochondria of the genioglossus in OSAHS is also uncertain.To examine the morphology and function of mitochondria from the genioglossus in a rabbit model of obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), as well as these factors after insertion of a mandibular advancement device (MAD).Thirty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomised into three groups: control, OSAHS and MAD, with 10 rabbits in each group. Animals in Group OSAHS and Group MAD were induced to develop OSAHS by injection of gel into the submucosal muscular layer of the soft palate. The rabbits in Group MAD were fitted with a MAD. The animals in the control group were not treated. Further, polysomnography (PSG) and cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan were used to measure MAD effectiveness. CBCT of the upper airway and PSG suggested that MAD was effective. Rabbits in the three groups were induced to sleep for 4–6 h per day for eight consecutive weeks. The genioglossus was harvested and detected by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The mitochondrial membrane potential was determined by laser confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Mitochondrial complex I and IV activities were detected by mitochondrial complex assay kits.OSAHS‐like symptoms were induced successfully in Group OSAHS and rescued by MAD treatment. The relative values of the mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial complex I activity and complex IV activity were significantly lower in Group OSAHS than in the control group; however, there was no significant difference between Group MAD and the control group. The OSAHS‐induced injury and the dysfunctional mitochondria of the genioglossus muscle were reduced by MAD treatment.Damaged mitochondrial structure and function were induced by OSAHS and could be attenuated by MAD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconductor (HTS) bulks have shown very promising potential for industrial applications due to the ability to trap much higher magnetic fields compared to traditional permanent magnets. In rotating electrical machines, the magnetic field is a combination of alternating and rotating fields. On the contrary, all studies on electromagnetic characterization of HTS presented in the literature so far have only focused on alternating AC magnetic fields and alternating AC loss due to the unavailability of robust experimental techniques and analytical models. This paper presents a numerical investigation on the characterization of HTS bulks subjected to rotating magnetic fields showing AC loss, current density distribution in three-dimensional axes, and trapped field analysis. A three-dimensional numerical model has been developed using H-formulation based on finite element analysis. An HTS cubic sample is magnetized and demagnetized with two-dimensional magnetic flux density vectors rotating in circular orientation around the XOY, XOZ, and YOZ planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is recommended diagnosing and monitoring connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Quantitative computed tomography has the potential to precisely assess the radiological severity of CTD-ILD, but has still been under study.Objective: To investigate whether dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), a novel quantitative technique, can be used for quantitative severity assessment in CTD-ILD.Methods: This cross sectional study recruited adult CTD-ILD patients who underwent DECT scans from the ICE study between October 2019 and November 2021. DECT parameters, including effective atomic number (Zeff), lung (lobe) volume, and monochromatic CT number (MCTN) of each lung lobe, were evaluated. CTD-ILD was classified into extensive CTD-ILD and limited CTD-ILD by staging algorithm using combined forced vital capacity (FVC)%predicted and total extent of ILD (TEI) on CT. Dyspnea, cough, and life quality were scored by Borg dyspnea score, Leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ), and short-form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36), respectively.Results: There was a total of 147 patients with DECT scans enrolled. Higher Zeff value (3.104 vs 2.256, p < 0.001), higher MCTN (- 722.87 HU vs - 802.20 HU, p < 0.001), and lower lung volume (2309.51cm3 vs 3475.21cm3, p < 0.001) were found in extensive CTD-ILD compared with limited CTD-ILD. DECT parameters had significant moderate correlations with FVC%predicted (|r|= 0.542-0.667, p < 0.01), DLCO%predicted (|r|= 0.371-0.427, p < 0.01), and TEI (|r|= 0.485-0.742, p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated MCTN averaged over the whole lung had the best performance for extensive CTD-ILD discrimination (AUC = 0.901, cut-off: - 762.30 HU, p < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 82.1% and a specificity of 85.4%. The Zeff value was the independent risk factor for dyspnea (OR = 3.644, 95% CI: 1.846-7.192, p < 0.001) and cough (OR = 3.101, 95% CI: 1.528-6.294, p = 0.002), and lung volume significantly contributed to the mental component summary (MCS) in SF-36 (standardized β = 0.198, p < 0.05).Conclusions: DECT can be applied to evaluate the severity of CTD-ILD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes were fabricated as a novel type of porous conductive diamond by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. The challenge for the composite material is the stability, and diamond growth parameters should be optimized in order to cover entirely the substrate surface. The high-quality porous BDD electrodes were prepared by added high concentration of boron in the reaction compartment at the initial stage to inhibit the formation of TiC interlayer. With the characterization of SEM and XRD, it can be found that the substrate surface including the bottom, surface and wall in the pores was entirely covered by boron doped diamond film, and the crystalline type of diamond almost was crystal plane (111). The electrochemical characteristics of the BDD electrodes were investigated by the CV and large potential windows could be observed. Boron element influences the interlayer formation, the high concentration of doped boron can inhibit the formation of TiC, and addition of boron is favored for adhesion enhancement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The emergence and expansion of clusters of large metropolitan areas also known as Mega City Regions (MCRs) is a worldwide phenomenon. In China, governmental attempts are made to develop so-called regional brand identities for them. Regional brand identities, as a subspecies of place brand identities, differ from regional identities in the sense that they are the result of conscious branding efforts on the part of public authorities rather than more historically evolved regional identities as experienced by citizens. In this study, the establishment of regional brand identities for three MCRs in China is examined, as these are constituted through and institutionally embedded in intergovernmental relations. We map the perceptions of national, provincial and municipal governments of regional brand identities based on planning documents and relevant interviews. The emergence and stabilization of the regional profiles for China's largest MCRs Pearl River Delta (PRD), Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ) are featured in their dynamic territorial boundaries, centralized institutionalization and various symbolic meanings. The national government promotes the regional brands to reinforce the strategic awareness and future direction of the region, and these profiles are diffused at the provincial and municipal level. • Defines regional brand identity as an attractive description or shared understanding of what the region represents. • Examined how territorial, symbolic and institutional shapes evolved in the regional brand identity formulation process. • Demonstrates how regional brand identity were proposed at the national level and accepted or modified at the lower level. • Discusses the transfer possibility for governments to formulate their regional brand identities in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid movement to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gases, there is an increasing trend to use more electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources (RES). With more EVs integration into electricity grid, this raises many challenges for the distribution service operators (DSOs) to integrate such RES-based, distributed generation (DG) and EV-like distributed loads into distribution grids. Effective management of distribution network imbalance is one of the challenges. The distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) techniques are promising to address the issue of imbalance along with other techniques such as the optimal distributed generation placement and allocation (OPDGA) method. This paper presents a systematic and thorough review of DNR techniques for mitigating unbalance of distribution networks, based on papers published in peer-reviewed journals in the last three decades. It puts more focus on how the DNR techniques have been used to manage network imbalance due to distributed loads and DG units. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to review the research works in the field using DNR techniques to mitigate unbalanced distribution networks. Therefore, this paper will serve as a prime source of the guidance for mitigating network imbalance using the DNR techniques to the new researchers in this field. • Distribution network reconfiguration techniques (DFR, and DPR) have been explored in detail. • Different unbalance indices for mitigating unbalance has been discussed. • Optimization methods for unbalance mitigation with different objective functions have been surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the challenge to reach targets of carbon emission reduction at the regional level, it is necessary to analyze the regional differences and influencing factors on China's carbon emission efficiency. Based on statistics from 2005 to 2015, carbon emission efficiency and the differences in 30 provinces of China were rated by the Modified Undesirable Epsilon-based measure (EBM) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Model. Additionally, we further analyzed the influencing factors of carbon emission efficiency's differences in the Tobit model. We found that the overall carbon emission efficiency was relatively low in China. The level of carbon emission efficiency is the highest in the East region, followed by the Central and West regions. As for the influencing factors, industrial structure, external development, and science and technology level had a significant positive relationship with carbon emission efficiency, whereas government intervention and energy intensity demonstrated a negative correlation with carbon emission efficiency. The contributions of this paper include two aspects. First, we used the Modified Undesirable EBM DEA Model, which is more accurate than traditional methods. Secondly, based on the data's unit root testing and cointegration, the paper verified the influencing factors of carbon emission efficiency by the Tobit model, which avoids the spurious regression. Based on the results, we also provide several policy implications for policymakers to improve carbon emission efficiency in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A dual-target fluorescence sensor was designed by post-synthetic modification of MIL-53(Fe). • The sensor enables dual target detection of H 2 O 2 and ACP. • The sensor shows good selectivity, anti-interference ability, and practical application potential for targets. The development of fluorescence-based multi-target sensing sensors has great potential for applications in food safety monitoring and biomedical analysis. Nevertheless, the intricate design remains a hurdle in the construction of these sensors. Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) are suitable materials for the construction of multi-target fluorescent sensors due to their ability to introduce multiple luminescent centers and specific reaction sites through post-synthetic modification (PSM). In this study, a dual-target fluorescent sensor was fabricated via PSM of MIL-53(Fe) with Tb3+ and guanosine monophosphate (GMP). The Tb-GMP@MIL-53(Fe) sensor, with multiple luminescent centers and specific recognition sites, successfully achieved the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and acid phosphatase (ACP) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.18 μM and 0.73 U/L, respectively. More significantly, this study demonstrates the potential of post-synthetic modified LMOFs in developing dual/multiple-target fluorescent sensors, expanding the scope of sensor designs for various analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, wind power generation has gradually become an important source in the global energy market, which effectively meets the energy demand of human production activities. However, the instability and diffusion of wind speed bring difficulties to the wind energy development and promotion. For improving the predictive accuracy of original sequence, scholars have proposed a variety of prediction models, but many current forecasting models often neglect the importance of data processing and can be easily limited by a single model, which causes poor performances. Therefore, a combined model is built that mainly includes the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise, several single models, and multi‐objective ant lion optimization algorithm. This combined model not only reduces the impact of high‐frequency noise, but also extracts original sequences features as much as possible, combines the advantages of multiple single models, and greatly improves forecasting accuracy and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The original MOFs exhibit poor electrochemical performance when used as electrode materials for supercapacitors. To improve their conductivity and stability, in situ growth of high specific capacitance and conductivity layered double hydroxide (LDH) on the MOFs surface is an ideal approach. In this study, we employed the MOF as a template and employed a secondary hydrothermal synthesis method to enable in situ growth of NiCo-LDH on the surface of the MOF. The utilization of the MOF template enhances the stability of NiCo-LDH, while the flower-like structure of LDH exposes more active sites. By optimizing the Ni:Co molar ratio to 1:2 and the urea:NH4F molar ratio to 2:1, the resulting material exhibits higher specific capacitance and improved cycle stability. Specifically, at a current density of 1 A g−1, the specific capacitance reaches 1674 F g−1. At a current density of 5 A g−1, the capacity retention rate after 2000 cycles is 80%. When NiCo-LDH/HKUST-1 is assembled with activated carbon as a supercapacitor, it exhibits a significant energy density of 33.96 Wh kg−1 and a power density of 745.4 W kg−1. This work provides a novel approach for utilizing MOF-based composite materials as positive electrode materials for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dormant estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer micrometastases in the bone marrow survive adjuvant chemotherapy and recur stochastically for more than 20 years. We hypothesized that inflammatory cytokines produced by stromal injury can re-awaken dormant breast cancer cells. Methods: We used an established in vitro dormancy model of Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) breast cancer cells incubated at clonogenic density on fibronectin-coated plates to determine the effects of inflammatory cytokines on reactivation of dormant ER+ breast cancer cells. We measured induction of a mesenchymal phenotype, motility and the capacity to re-enter dormancy. We induced secretory senescence in murine stromal monolayers by oxidation, hypoxia and estrogen deprivation with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), carbonyl-cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazzone (CCCP) and Fulvestrant (ICI 182780), respectively, and determined the effects on growth of co-cultivated breast cancer cells. Results: Exogenous recombinant human (rh) interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 or transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) induced regrowth of dormant MCF-7 cells on fibronectin-coated plates. Dormant cells had decreased expression of E-cadherin and estrogen receptor α (ERα) and increased expression of N-cadherin and SNAI2 (SLUG). Cytokine or TGFβ1 treatment of dormant clones induced formation of growing clones, a mesenchymal appearance, increased motility and an impaired capacity to re-enter dormancy. Stromal injury induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, upregulated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), activated TGFβ and stimulated the growth of co-cultivated MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 cells induced secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 by stroma in co-culture. Conclusions: Dormant ER+ breast cancer cells have activated epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) gene expression programs and downregulated ERα but maintain a dormant epithelial phenotype. Stromal inflammation reactivates these cells, induces growth and a mesenchymal phenotype. Reactivated, growing cells have an impaired ability to re-enter dormancy. In turn, breast cancer cells co-cultured with stroma induce secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 by the stroma, creating a positive feedback loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a human lung carcinogen with widespread exposure risks. Cr(VI) causes DNA double strand breaks that if unrepaired, progress into chromosomal instability (CIN), a key driving outcome in Cr(VI)-induced tumors. The ability of Cr(VI) to cause DNA breaks and inhibit repair is poorly understood in human lung epithelial cells, which are extremely relevant since pathology data show Cr(VI)-induced tumors originate from bronchial epithelial cells. In the present study, we considered immortalized and primary human bronchial epithelial cells. Cells were treated with zinc chromate at concentrations ranging 0.05 to 0.4μg/cm2 for acute (24 h) and prolonged (120 h) exposures. DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) were measured by neutral comet assay and the status of homologous recombination repair, the main pathway to fix Cr(VI)-induced DSBs, was measured by RAD51 foci formation with immunofluorescence, RAD51 localization with confocal microscopy and sister chromatid exchanges. We found acute and prolonged Cr(VI) exposure induced DSBs. Acute exposure induced homologous recombination repair, but prolonged exposure inhibited it resulting in chromosome instability in immortalized and primary human bronchial epithelial cells. [Display omitted] • Cr(VI) is genotoxic to primary and immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells. • Acute Cr(VI) induces DNA breaks and their repair in human lung epithelial cells. • Prolonged Cr(VI) exposure induces DNA breaks in human bronchial epithelial cells. • Prolonged Cr(VI) exposure inhibits repair in human bronchial epithelial cells. • Particulate Cr(VI) induces chromosome instability in human bronchial epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known human lung carcinogen with widespread exposure in environmental and occupational settings. Despite well-known cancer risks, the molecular mechanisms of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis are not well understood, but a major driver of Cr(VI) carcinogenesis is chromosome instability. Previously, we reported Cr(VI) induced numerical chromosome instability, premature centriole disengagement, centrosome amplification, premature centromere division, and spindle assembly checkpoint bypass. A key regulator of these events is securin, which acts by regulating the cleavage ability of separase. Thus, in this study we investigated securin disruption by Cr(VI) exposure. We exposed human lung cells to a particulate Cr(VI) compound, zinc chromate, for acute (24 h) and prolonged (120 h) time points. We found prolonged Cr(VI) exposure caused marked decrease in securin levels and function. After prolonged exposure at the highest concentration, securin protein levels were decreased to 15.3% of control cells, while securin mRNA quantification was 7.9% relative to control cells. Additionally, loss of securin function led to increased separase activity manifested as enhanced cleavage of separase substrates; separase, kendrin, and SCC1. These data show securin is targeted by prolonged Cr(VI) exposure in human lung cells. Thus, a new mechanistic model for Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis emerges with centrosome and centromere disruption as key components of numerical chromosome instability, a key driver in Cr(VI) carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnO 2 stands out as a highly promising material for electrochemical capacitors due to its impressive theoretical capacitance, cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, and abundant natural availability. Yet, its inherent low conductivity and structural fragility result in restricted specific capacitance and a shortened cycle life, posing a notable obstacle to its advancement. Through the introduction of CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide), we successfully tailored the surface morphology of the electrode material, yielding a robust and highly conductive layered MnO 2 electrode material. The MnO 2 /CTAB composite synthesized through a simple electrodeposition method exhibits outstanding performance, achieving a specific capacitance of 665 ​F ​g−1 ​at 1 ​A ​g−1. Even after 30,000 cycles, it maintains 92.13% capacitance. The performance improvement is primarily attributed to increased conductivity, and additional electrochemically active sites. Additionally, the assembled MnO 2 /CTAB//AC capacitor (ACs) achieves a specific capacitance of 70.06 ​F ​g−1 ​at 1 ​A ​g−1, operating at a voltage of 1.8 ​V. At a power density of 563.36 ​W ​kg-1, it reaches an energy density of 35.21 ​Wh kg-1. This work provides an effective approach for high-performance electrode of supercapacitor. • The preparation of MnO 2 was accomplished through a straightforward method, and the introduction of CTAB was employed to modify both its morphology and specific surface area. • In comparison to the pristine MnO 2 material, this composite exhibits a 77.8% improvement in specific capacitance. • An impressive energy density of 35.21 ​Wh Kg-1 (563.36 ​W ​kg-1) is achievable at room temperature. • Capacitance retention rate of 92.13% observed after 30000 charge-discharge cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard carbons are deemed to be promising anodes for commercialized sodium-ion batteries due to their abundant resources, low cost, and low-plateau potential (∼0.1 V versus Na+/Na). However, the practical application of hard carbon anodes has been hindered by their unstable long-time cycling performance. Herein, a hard carbon anode derived from a camellia (TS1300) seed shell exhibits a high reversible capacity of 299.1 mA h g−1 together with a superior stable capacity retention of 93.8% over 1000 cycles. Further experimental results reveal that the proper graphene interlayer spacing (0.375 nm) and graphitic-like nanodomain structure are critical to excellent electrochemical performance. Therefore, this hard carbon material derived from the camellia seed shell is a promising anode for high-performance sodium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging complex circumstances caused by economy, technology, and government policy and the requirement of low-carbon development of power grid lead to many challenges in the power system coordination and operation. However, the real-time scheduling of electricity generation needs accurate modeling of electricity demand forecasting for a range of lead times. In order to better capture the nonlinear and non-stationary characteristics and the seasonal cycles of future electricity demand data, a new concept of the integrated model is developed and successfully applied to research the forecast of electricity demand in this paper. The proposed model combines adaptive Fourier decomposition method, a new signal preprocessing technology, for extracting useful element from the original electricity demand series through filtering the noise factors. Considering the seasonal term existing in the decomposed series, it should be eliminated through the seasonal adjustment method, in which the seasonal indexes are calculated and should multiply the forecasts back to restore the final forecast. Besides, a newly proposed moth-flame optimization algorithm is used to ensure the suitable parameters of the least square support vector machine which can generate the forecasts. Finally, the case studies of Australia demonstrated the efficacy and feasibility of the proposed integrated model. Simultaneously, it can provide a better concept of modeling for electricity demand prediction over different forecasting horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem service value (ESV) is increasingly influenced by land use/land cover (LULC). At the same time, China's extensive urbanization over the past 40 years has reduced ESV, highlighting a pressing need for spatial studies. However, few studies on the spatial relationship between LULC, urbanization, and ESV, especially at the national level, represent a significant gap in this field. In this research aims, we aim to fill this gap by examining their spatial relationships by studying 279 prefecture-level cities in China. Furthermore, to understand the changing dynamics, we studied the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of the effects of LULC and urbanization on ESV in 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 using a multiscale geographically weighted regression model. Regarding LULC, the results show that the impact of land use intensity on ESV is significantly negative nationwide, and the trend continued to strengthen from 2005 to 2020. There was significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the effects of land use diversity on ESV, with negative effects in the north and a positive impact in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Concerning urbanization, the association between ESV and different types of urbanization varied greatly over space and time. Our findings suggest that policymakers should pay attention to compact land development, optimize land use structure, and promote the mixed use of land on the basis of rational planning in urban layouts, to mitigate the negative impacts of urbanization and LULC changes on ESV. [Display omitted] • Complex temporal and spatial relationships between Urbanization, Land Use/Cover, and ESV in China. • The association between ESV and different types of urbanization varied greatly over space and time. • Land use intensity negatively impacts ESV nationwide, trend strengthens 2005-2020. • Land use diversity effects on ESV show spatio-temporal heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Wind energy, acknowledged as a promising form of renewable energy and the fastest-growing clean method for electricity generation, has attracted considerable attention from many scientists and researchers in recent decades. However, wind energy forecasting is still a challenging task owing to its inherent features of non-linearity and randomness. Therefore, this study develops a hybrid wind energy forecasting and analysis system including a deterministic forecasting module and an uncertainty analysis module to mitigate the challenges in existing studies. In particular, these challenges are as follows: (1) It is difficult to guarantee that the data characteristics underlying the time series are effectively extracted; (2) in the modeling of each subseries, i.e., when the original data is decomposed into some time series, forecasting accuracy and stability are not simultaneously considered, and thus, they are not properly modeled; and (3) the best function to perform a deterministic forecasting and uncertainty analysis based on the forecaster of each subseries is unknown. The developed hybrid system consists of three steps: First, data preprocessing is conducted to capture and mine the main feature of the wind energy time series and weaken the noises' negative effects; second, multi-objective optimization is proposed to achieve the forecasting of each subseries with improvements in accuracy and stability; finally, search for the best function, which obtains the deterministic forecasting and uncertainty analysis results using an optimized extreme learning machine based on different modeling objectives, is conducted. Experimental simulations are performed using data from three sites in a real wind farm, which indicate that the developed system has a better performance in engineering applications than that of other methods. Furthermore, this system could not only be used as an effective tool for wind energy deterministic forecasting and uncertainty analysis, but also for other engineering application areas in the future. Highlights • A hybrid forecasting and analysis system is developed for wind energy. • Effectiveness and applicability are satisfactorily validated in a real wind farm. • A new integration method is developed to obtain the final forecasting results. • Focus is placed on both deterministic forecasting and uncertainty analysis. • Suggestions for potential future research on EMD family based methods are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study described the diagnosis of a fetus with sex chromosome mosaicism in three cell lines and two marker chromosomes. A 24-year-old woman underwent amniocentesis at 21 weeks and 4 days of gestation due to noninvasive prenatal testing identifying that the fetus had sex chromosome abnormalities. Amniotic cell culture revealed a karyotype of 45,X[13]/46,X,+mar1[6]/46,X,+mar2[9], and prenatal ultrasound was unremarkable. The woman underwent repeat amniocentesis at 23 weeks and 4 days of gestation for molecular detection. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray analysis on uncultured amniocytes revealed that the fetus had two Y chromosomes and 7.8-Mb deletions in Yq11.222q12. The deletion regions included DAZ, RBMY and PRY genes, which could cause spermatogenesis obstacle and sterility. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using centromeric probes DXZ1/DYZ3/D18Z1 was performed on uncultured amniocytes to verify the two marker chromosomes to be Y chromosome derivatives. According to these examinations, the mar1 was identified as a derivative of the Y chromosome with a deletion in Yq11.222q12, and the mar2 was identified as a dicentric derivative of the Y chromosome. The molecular karyotype was therefore 45,X,ish(DXZ1+, DYZ3-,D18Z1++)[5]/46,X,del(Y)(q11.222),ish(DXZ1+,DYZ3+,D18Z1++)[11]/46, X,idic(Y)(q11.222),ish(DXZ1+,DYZ3++,D18Z1++)[14]. The comprehensive use of cytogenetic, SNP array and FISH detections was advantageous for accurately identifying the karyotype, identifying the origin of the marker chromosome and preparing effective genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel linear combination model based on data preprocessing is designed. • Forecasting performance is validated by two experiments from the real wind farm. • The developed framework outperforms other comparison models for forecasting. • Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and stability of the proposed model. Abstract The absence of accurate and stable prediction of wind speed remains a major obstacle to the rational planning, scheduling, and maintenance of wind power generation. Currently, an extensive body of methods that aim to enhance the accuracy of wind speed prediction have been proposed. However, the majority of previous studies have tended to emphasize the structural improvement of individual forecasting models without considering the validity of data preprocessing. This can result in poor forecasting accuracy due to their failure to fully capture the effective information of the wind speed data. A new approach is proposed in this paper that successfully combines a data preprocessing technique with a linear combination method. Further, a new neural network framework is employed to determine the required combination weights to ensure improved prediction performance, thereby overcoming the drawback of the low accuracy of individual prediction models. Six wind speed datasets from Penglai are regarded as expository cases to analyze the forecasting validity and stability of the developed model. It can be concluded from the experiments that the combined forecasting system outperforms the individual models and the traditional linear combination models with higher accuracy and stronger stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind speed forecasting is important for high-efficiency utilization of wind energy. Correspondingly, numerous researchers have always focused on the development of reliable forecasting models of wind speed, which is often noisy, unstable and irregular. Current approaches could adapt to various wind speed data. However, many of these usually ignore the importance of the selection of the modeling sample, which often results in poor forecasting performance. In this study, a hybrid forecasting system is proposed that contains three modules: data preprocessing, data clustering, and forecasting modules. In this system, the decomposing technique is applied to reduce the influence of noise within the raw data series to obtain a more stable sequence that is conducive to extract traits from the original data. To extract the characteristic of similarity within wind speed data, a kernel-based fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm is used in data clustering module. In the forecasting module, a sample with a highly similar fluctuation pattern is selected as training dataset, and which could reduce the training requirement of model to improve the forecasting accuracy. The experimental results indicate that the developed system outperforms the discussed traditional forecasting models with respect to forecasting accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for smaller, lighter, and more affordable electromagnetic devices, there is a growing trend toward developing high-power-density transformers and electrical machines. While increasing the operating frequency is a straightforward approach to achieving high power density, it can lead to significant power loss within a limited volume, resulting in excessive temperature rise and device degradation. Therefore, it is crucial to design high-power-density electromagnetic devices that exhibit low power loss and efficient thermal dissipation to address these challenges. Advanced techniques, such as the utilization of novel and advanced electromagnetic materials, hold great promise for overcoming these issues. Specifically, nanocrystalline and amorphous magnetic materials have emerged as highly effective solutions for reducing power loss and increasing efficiency in electromagnetic devices. This paper aims to provide an overview of the application of nanocrystalline and amorphous magnetic materials in transformers and electrical machines, along with key technologies and the major challenges involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Whether the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is associated with a long‐term negative impact on acute stroke care remains uncertain. This study aims to compare the timing of key aspects of stroke codes between patients before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic hospital in Shanghai, China and included all adult patients with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized via the emergency department (ED) stroke pathway during the 24 months since the COVID‐19 outbreak (COVID‐19: January 1, 2020–December 31, 2021). The comparison cohort included patients with ED stroke pathway visits and hospitalizations during the same period (pre‐COVID‐19: January 1, 2018–December 31, 2019). We compared critical time points of prehospital and intrahospital acute stroke care between patients during the COVID‐19 era and patients during the pre‐COVID‐19 era using t test, χ2, and Mann–Whitney U test where appropriate. Results: A total of 1194 acute ischemic stroke cases were enrolled, including 606 patients in COVID‐19 and 588 patients in pre‐COVID‐19. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the median onset‐to‐hospital time was about 108 min longer compared with the same period of pre‐COVID‐19 (300 vs 192 min, p = 0.01). Accordingly, the median onset‐to‐needle time was 169 min in COVID‐19 and 113 min in pre‐COVID‐19 (p = 0.0001), and the proportion of patients with onset‐to‐hospital time within 4.5 h was lower (292/606 [48.2%] vs 328/558 [58.8%], p = 0.0003) during the pandemic period. Furthermore, the median door‐to‐inpatient admission and door‐to‐inpatient rehabilitation times increased from 28 to 37 h and from 3 to 4 days (p = 0.014 and 0.0001). Conclusions: During the 24 months of COVID‐19, a prolongation of stroke onset to hospital arrival and to intravenous rt‐PA administration times were noted. Meanwhile, acute stroke patients needed to stay in the ED for a longer time before hospitalization. Educational system support and process optimization should be pursued in order to acquire timely delivery of stroke care during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To establish a prognostic model to predict the overall survival (OS) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods: The unresectable HCC patients treated with IMRT were retrospectively analyzed and randomized into development cohort (n = 237) and validation cohort (n = 103) in a 7:3 ratio. We developed a prognosis model with the multivariate Cox regression analysis in the development cohort to derive the predictive nomogram, which was then validated in the validation cohort. Model performance was evaluated by the c-index, the area under curve(AUC) and the calibration plot. Results: A total of 340 patients were enrolled. Tumor numbers > 3 (HR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.21–2.37), AFP ≥ 400 ng/ml (HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.10–2.10), PLT < 100 × 10^9(HR = 1.7495% CI = 1.11–2.73), ALP > 150U/L (HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.15–2.37) and prior surgery (HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.43–0.93) were independent prognostic factors. The nomogram based on independent factors was constructed. The c-index for OS prediction was 0.658 (95% CI, 0.647–0.804) and 0.683 (95% CI, 0.580–0.785) in the development and validation cohort, respectively. The nomogram demonstrated good discriminative ability with AUC rates of 0.726, 0.739 and 0.753 at 1-year, 2-year and 3-year models in the development cohort, and 0.715, 0.756 and 0.780 in the validation cohort, respectively. Additionally, good prognostic discrimination of the nomogram is also reflected in stratifying patients into two subgroups with distinct prognosis. Conclusions: We constructed a prognostic nomogram for predicting the survival of patients with unresectable HCC treated with IMRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Letter presents an irregular pentagonal patch array antenna with a multilayer structure for dual‐band and multimode orbital angular momentum (OAM) generation. An irregular pentagonal patch antenna with U‐shaped slots resonating at different frequencies is designed as the array's element. The proposed antenna array consists of two uniform circular microstrip antenna arrays and two phase‐shifting feeding networks. It can be used to generate OAM mode l = − 1, 1 at 3 GHz and OAM mode l = −2, 2 at 6 GHz. The simulated near‐field phase distributions images of different OAM modes are obtained, which have verified the OAM generation. This proposed array antenna has the possibility to generate a total of six different OAMs in three frequency bands, by changing the number of array elements and optimising the irregular pentagonal patch antenna. This design may provide a new idea for the generation multimode vortex electromagnetic wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]