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A set of experimental platforms with widths of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm was established to explore the mechanism of flow boiling bubble dynamics in microchannels, focusing on heat transfer characteristics, pressure loss, and two-phase flow pattern identification. Bubble flow, restricted bubble flow, and dry area were observed in all four channels. The appearance of flow pattern was related to flow rate and channel width. Under the condition of the same channel width, the initial heat flux of subcooled boiling gradually increased with increase in flow rate, and this change trend was close to the linear trend. Under the same flow rate, the initial heat flux of subcooled boiling increased with decrease in channel width. This condition was due to the faster flow rate of the working medium in the narrow channel, resulting in decrease of heating time. The increase in bubble generation frequency directly led to the increase in the wall heat transfer coefficient and the decrease in the bubble separation diameter. Mathematical analysis showed that under the condition of small flow, reduction of channel size led to reduction of the total wall heat transfer coefficient. In this condition, reduction of channel size cannot enhance heat transfer. With increasing volume flow rate, the range of hydrodynamic control area increased and the index decreased. When the flow rate was large, the total heat transfer coefficient increased greatly with the decrease in channel size. The theoretical values were in good agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between online media exposure and disordered eating symptoms has been reported in western regions. Though the prevalence of eating disorders and access to the Internet increased substantially in recent years, relevant evidence is rare in mainland China. This study aims to evaluate the association between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating symptoms in Chinese mainland young adults, and the mediation effect of disordered eating cognition. Methods: 353 Chinese mainland female and 142 male young adults completed online questionnaires consisting of demographic information, Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire 6.0 (EDE-Q 6.0), and items relating to online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use. Through correlation analysis, the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating symptoms was examined, separately by sex. The mediation effect of disordered eating cognition on the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use on disordered eating behaviors was investigated with two moderated mediation models. Results: Young female adults in the Chinese mainland presented higher disordered eating symptoms and were more engaged in online media and weight and fitness management app use than males. Online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use showed a significant correlation with disordered eating behaviors in males and females. Disordered eating cognition mediated the relationship between online media exposure or weight and fitness management app use and disordered eating behaviors. This effect was significantly higher in females. Conclusion: Online media exposure and weight and fitness management app use play a crucial role in the generation of disordered eating symptoms in Chinese mainland young adults, especially in females. The mediation analysis suggested the importance of prevention and intervention of disordered eating cognition. Monitoring and scientific guidance of online media are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE) technology is of interest in the context of electrocatalytic hydrogen generation from renewable energies. It has the benefits of immediate response, higher proton conductivity, lower ohmic losses, and gas crossover rate. One key step toward to large‐scale application, is the development of highly efficient, durable, and compatible anodic oxygen evolution electrocatalysts in acidic media to decrease the usage of expensive and scarce precious metals. Within this scenario, an in‐depth understanding of oxygen evolution reaction mechanisms including the adsorption evolution mechanism and lattice oxygen evolution mechanism is first provided to aid development of innovative materials and elucidate the origin of catalyst degradation. Second, recent progress in the development of oxygen evolution electrocatalysts in acid media is reviewed with an emphasis on the underlying structure–performance relationships. Third, the current application status and research progress in PEMWEs along with representative examples are discussed. Last, the remaining challenges and promising insights are proposed to inspire future studies on the development of hydrogen production technology from renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The turtle carapace has a high level of protection, due to its unique biological structure, and there is great potential to use the turtle carapace structure to improve the impact resistance of composite materials using bionic theory. In this paper, the chemical elements of the turtle carapace structure, as well as its mechanical properties, were investigated by studying the composition of the compounds in each part. In addition, the bionic sandwich structure, composed of the plate, core, and backplate, was designed using modeling software based on the microstructure of the keratin scutes, spongy bone, and the spine of the turtle carapace. Additionally, finite element analysis and drop-weight experiments were utilized to validate the impact-resistant performance of the bionic structures. The numerical results show that all of the bionic structures had improved impact resistance to varying degrees when compared with the control group. The experimental results show that the split plate, the core with changing pore gradients, and the backplate with stiffener all have a considerable effect on the impact-resistance performance of overall composite structures. This preliminary study provides theoretical support for composite material optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the arrival time data and waveform cross-correlation data recorded by permanent seismic stations and the third phase ChinArray temporary seismic stations in the Tangshan area from January 2010 to July 2020, the high-resolution three-dimensional seismicity and velocity structure of the 2020 Ms 5.1 Tangshan earthquake are inversed by double-difference seismic tomography (tomoDD). The relocation of the earthquake sequence is more concentrated with a more linear distribution. In the east of the Tangshan-Guye fault zone, there is a dense zone of NNE trending small earthquakes with high dip angles. They are deeper than those in the Tangshan-Guye fault, and their distribution coincides with the Xujialou bedrock fault. The results of the P- and S-wave velocity in the study area show strong lateral heterogeneity, and the abnormal change of velocity is related to the main faults in the area. The seismogenic location of the Ms 5.1 Tangshan earthquake is at the junction of high and low velocity of the P wave and S wave, which is located above the low-velocity body. The low-velocity anomaly may be related to the existence of fluid. The fluid in the lower crust is easy to cause the weakening of the seismogenic layer in the middle and upper crust, which makes the seismogenic fault easy to rupture, resulting in large earthquakes. Based on the results of velocity structure in the study area, the relationship between the Ms 5.1 Tangshan earthquake sequence and the distribution characteristics of moderate earthquakes in the Tangshan area in recent years is analyzed. It is considered that the unique velocity structure and fault distribution in the Tangshan area play an important role in the generation of moderate earthquakes, as well as serve as the fundamental control on the sequence of aftershock propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coal‐based flash ironmaking furnace is designed to industrialize the novel flash ironmaking technology (FIT), which is recognized as a cleaner and efficient alternative ironmaking process. To realize gas‐particle contact, researchers use the cocurrent downer to reduce bonding, and the reactor structure has a significant effect on the flow pattern. Herein, a 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to obtain an in‐depth understanding of the geometry parameters, including ore feeding position (r/R), shaft diameter (D), and height‐to‐diameter ratio (L/D). The simulation results show that the secondary gas flow caused by the dropping hematite particles might enhance or destroy the primary turbulence structure when r/R was below or above 0.6. The increased shaft diameter D expanded the recirculation zone, which helps to prolong the residence time and improve the species exchange. The particles' reduction degrees first rise and then fell, and the highest value (90.89%) is attained at D = 2.2 m. On the contrary, the increased L/D ratio does not change the turbulence structure but prolongs the length of the plug zone. It also shows a positive but declining effect on the reduction degree from 89.7% to 99.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SAPO-34 molecular sieves with various special morphologies were successfully synthesized using mixed templates and by varying the silicon content in the gel. The synthesized SAPO-34s were well characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM, N2 adsorption–desorption, solid state NMR and NH3–TPD measurements. It is found that a different silicon content not only affects the acidity of the synthesized SAPO-34s, but also changes the morphology dramatically. With the increase of the starting silicon content, the morphology of the synthesized SAPO-34s changes from nanoparticles to regular spherical aggregates. For the methanol to olefin (MTO) reaction, the nanoparticles SAPO-34 S-0.3 with suitable acidity and hierarchical structures exhibit higher selectivity to ethylene plus propylene and longer catalyst lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classification of seabed soil in the Yellow River Subaquatic Delta can be obtained more accurately by cone penetration test (CPT). The Soil behavior type index (Ic), over-consolidation ratio (OCR), sensitivity (St) and the relationship between them were clarified. The cyclic stress ratio (CSR) of seabed soil in the Yellow River Delta was calculated based on the wave elements in the 5-year recurrence period, and the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) was further obtained by calculating the shear wave velocity. The liquefaction analysis was carried out. The analysis of the structure and liquefaction of the seabed soil in the Yellow River Delta is mainly from the following aspects: the seabed soil in the Yellow River Delta is mainly composed of silty soil, sandy soil and cohesive soil. Most areas are in the state of over-consolidation, with the OCR between 20 and 60, and the over-consolidation ratio decreases with the increase of offshore distance. It belongs to the highly sensitive soil layer with poor structure, and the sensitivity is linearly correlated with the over-consolidation ratio. The degree of liquefaction of soil layer is higher than that of offshore soil layer, and the liquefaction of sensitive fine-grained soil layer occurs easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Corrosion inhibition of carbon steel by N -doped carbon dots was investigated. • Inhibition properties were evaluated by EIS and PDP techniques. • Surface characterizations were performed by SEM, FTIR, XPS, and contact angle test. • The adsorption behavior obeyed Langmuir adsorption isotherms. N -doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using folic acid and o-phenylenediamine as precursors. The inhibition behaviour of the NCQDs on Q235 steel in 1 M HCl solution was appraised through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization curves (PDP), and surface analysis. The results demonstrated that the synthesized NCQDs had an effective anticorrosion effect on Q235 steel, and the corrosion inhibition efficiency of 150 mg/L NCQDs reached 95.4%. Additionally, the analysis of the PDP corrosion potential changes indicated that the NCQDs acted as a mixed corrosion inhibitor. Moreover, the NCQDs adsorbed onto the surface of steel by coordinating its electron-rich atoms with the iron metal to form a protective film, which slowed the dissolution reaction of the anodic metal to achieve corrosion inhibition. The adsorption mechanism of the NCQDs was consistent with Langmuir adsorption, including physical and chemical adsorption. Therefore, this work can inspire and facilitate, to a certain extent, the future application of doped carbon quantum dots as efficient corrosion inhibitors in pickling solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Hydroxybutyl acid (βOHB), the most prevalent type of ketone in the human body, is involved in the pathogenesis of cognitive disorders, especially Alzheimer's dementia (AD), through a variety of mechanisms, such as enhancing mitochondrial metabolism, regulating signaling molecule, increasing histone acetylation, affecting the metabolism of Aβ and Tau proteins, inhibiting inflammation and lipid metabolism, and regulating intestinal microbes. Based on the above findings, clinical drug development in AD has begun to focus on βOHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical calculations confirmed that the adsorption of the benzimidazolium salt inhibitor molecules on iron surface was produced in multiple active sites, and the bonds between the N, C atoms in the inhibitor molecule and the metal Fe atom is relatively stable. The objective of the special issue is to report on the advances in experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects including (i) Organic and plant extract corrosion inhibitors; (ii) Metal coating formulations and techniques; (iii) I In situ i real-time monitoring of corrosion. The corrosion inhibition efficiency of I Ganoderma lucidum i crude extract was better by more than 10% than that of triterpenoid extract, and the carboxyl oxygen, hydroxyl, and electrons in triterpenoids have high binding energies to Fe atoms. [Extracted from the article]

Partial destructive disassembly (PDD) is a crucial tool for enhancing efficiency and reducing disassembly costs when recycling complex end-of-life (EOL) products. Evaluating the feasibility of PDD is crucial for determining its implementation. However, the existing partial destructive disassembly line balancing (PDDLB) problem prioritizes profitability and randomly selects components for destructive, disregarding the feasibility of PDD and the noise pollution resulting from destructive operations. To address this concern, this paper introduces the integration of feasibility evaluation and noise considerations into the PDDLB problem for the first time. Subsequently, a mathematical model is established for the PDDLB problem, aiming to minimize disassembly costs, achieve smoothness balance, minimize the number of stations, and mitigate the adverse effects of noise. Then, an improved grey wolf optimization algorithm (IGWOA) considering feasibility evaluation and noise limitations is developed. It non-linearizes the convergence factor to enhance accuracy in the search for optimality, introduces a Lévy flight operation to further expand the search solution space, and incorporates an interference factor to prevent local optimality. In addition, the superiority of the proposed algorithm in solving different cases is verified by comparing five algorithms for the 25-task example and seven algorithms for the 52-task example in the latest literature. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a real engine case. The obtained results are compared with several classical Swarm Intelligence methods. The comparison results show that IGWOA has advantages due to other group intelligence methods in solving small, medium, and large-scale example. Moreover, the disassembly cost is comparatively low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the extensive use of antibiotics, resulting in increasingly serious problems of bacterial resistance, antimicrobial therapy has become a global concern. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are low-density porous coordination materials composed of metal ions and organic ligands, which can form composite materials with biomacromolecules such as proteins and polysaccharides. In recent years, MOFs and their derivatives have been widely used in the antibacterial field as efficient antibacterial agents. This review offers a detailed summary of the antibacterial applications of MOFs and their composites, and the different synthesis methods and antibacterial mechanisms of MOFs and MOF-based composites are briefly introduced. Finally, the challenges and prospects of MOFs-based antibacterial materials in the rapidly developing medical field were briefly discussed. We hope this review will provide new strategies for the medical application of MOFs-based antibacterial materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) technique producing thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with high porosity and good thermal shock resistance has great potential to improve the thermal efficiency of internal combustion (IC) engines. However, its wide usage is limited by the immature fabrication technology and low spraying efficiency. Therefore, this study optimized the SPS process with high solid loading and characterized the properties of the coating to obtain TBCs suitable for IC engines. Suspension composition optimization revealed that polyethylenimide (PEI) has the best dispersion effect, and a suspension with high solid loading of 35 wt% was obtained. Furthermore, the effects of the spraying distance, feeding speed and spraying power on the coating microstructure were investigated, and the porosity and thermal shock resistance of the coatings were characterized to determine the optimal spraying process. Thermal shock failure of SPS coatings primarily arises from the propagation of horizontal cracks originating from vertical intercolumn cracks. The SPS coating with a feathery columnar structure has the best thermal shock resistance. By optimizing the spraying process, a coating with porosity up to 24.16 %, bonding strength of 41.69 MPa, and good thermal shock resistance is successfully achieved. [Display omitted] • PEI has an excellent dispersion effect contributing to suspension solid loading up to 35 wt%. • High current and low feeding speed benefit the formation of porous columnar structure. • Spraying distance has a conflicting effect on coatings porosity and spraying efficiency. • Thermal shock failure of coating arises from the propagation of horizontal cracks. • The SPS parameters for fabricating porous IC TBCs using high solid loading suspension were optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alpha-herpesvirus capable of infecting a range of animal species, particularly its natural host, pigs, resulting in substantial economic losses for the swine industry. Recent research has shed light on the significant role of cholesterol metabolism in the replication of various viruses. However, the specific role of cholesterol metabolism in PRV infection remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that the expression of 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) is upregulated following PRV infection, as evidenced by the proteomic analysis. Subsequently, we showed that DHCR7 plays a crucial role in promoting PRV replication by converting 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) into cholesterol, leading to increased cellular cholesterol levels. Importantly, DHCR7 inhibits the phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), resulting in reduced levels of interferon-beta (IFN-β) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Finally, we revealed that the DHCR7 inhibitor, trans-1,4-bis(2-chlorobenzylaminomethyl) cyclohexane dihydrochloride (AY9944), significantly suppresses PRV replication both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, the study has established a connection between cholesterol metabolism and PRV replication, offering novel insights that may guide future approaches to the prevention and treatment of PRV infections. • DHCR7 promotes PRV replication by increasing cholesterol synthesis. • DHCR7 inhibits the interferon signaling pathway thereby promoting PRV replication. • DHCR7 inhibitor AY9944 protects against PRV infection in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable diversity of leaf forms allows plants to adapt to their living environment. In general, leaf diversity is shaped by leaf complexity (compound or simple) and leaf margin pattern (entire, serrated, or lobed). Prior studies in multiple species have uncovered a conserved module of CUC2 -auxin that regulates both leaf complexity and margin serration. How this module is regulated in different species to contribute to the species-specific leaf form is unclear. Furthermore, the mechanistic connection between leaf complexity and leaf serration regulation is not well studied. Strawberry has trifoliate compound leaves with serrations at the margin. In the wild strawberry Fragaria vesca , a mutant named salad was isolated that showed deeper leaf serrations but normal leaf complexity. SALAD encodes a single-Myb domain protein and is expressed at the leaf margin. Genetic analysis showed that cuc2a is epistatic to salad , indicating that SALAD normally limits leaf serration depth by repressing CUC2a expression. When both Arabidopsis homologs of SALAD were knocked out, deeper serrations were observed in Arabidopsis rosette leaves, supporting a conserved function of SALAD in leaf serration regulation. We incorporated the analysis of a third strawberry mutant simple leaf 1 (sl1) with reduced leaf complexity but normal leaf serration. We showed that SL1 and SALAD independently regulate CUC2a at different stages of leaf development to, respectively, regulate leaf complexity and leaf serration. Our results provide a clear and simple mechanism of how leaf complexity and leaf serration are coordinately as well as independently regulated to achieve diverse leaf forms. [Display omitted] • Leaf serration is regulated by SALAD , a single-Myb domain protein in strawberry • CUC2a regulates leaf complexity and serration at different stages of leaf primordia • SIMPLE LEAF1 (SL1) and SALAD regulate CUC2a independently at leaf primordia • Knockouts of both SALAD homologs in Arabidopsis also lead to deeper leaf serration Using the wild strawberry as a model, Luo et al. illustrate how two transcription factors, SIMPLE LEAF1 and SALAD , regulate leaf complexity and leaf margin serration, respectively, through modulating CUC2a expression in distinct temporal and spatial domains of leaf primordia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NH 4 +-N in 2000 mg/L got the highest nitrogen-removal rates and enzymatic activities. • Abundance of HN-AD bacteria was 50 %, 62 %, 82 % in 500, 1000, 2000 mg/L NH 4 +-N. • High-strength NH 4 +-N availed to Acinetobacter's contribution to nitrogen removal. • The mechanism of HN-AD bacteria with high NH 4 +-N tolerance were firstly depicted. This work aimed to elucidate the metabolic mechanism of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacteria influenced by varying concentrations of ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 +-N) in high-strength synthetic wastewater treatment. The results showed that the removal rates of NH 4 +-N and total nitrogen, along with enzymatic activities related to nitrification and denitrification, increased with rising NH 4 +-N concentrations (N 500 :500 mg/L, N 1000 :1000 mg/L and N 2000 :2000 mg/L). The relative abundances of HN-AD bacteria were 50 %, 62 % and 82 % in the three groups. In the N 2000 group, the cAMP signaling pathway, glycerophospholipid metabolites, purines and pyrimidines related to DNA/RNA synthesis, electron donor NAD+-related energy, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glutamate metabolism were upregulated. Therefore, influent NH 4 +-N at 2000 mg/L promoted glutamate metabolism to accelerate the TCA cycle, and enhanced cellular energy and advanced denitrification activity of bacteria for HN-AD. This mechanism, in turn, enhanced microbial growth and the carbon and nitrogen metabolism of bacteria for HN-AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nanostructured AgNWs@MoS 2 was applied to thiabendazole (TBZ) determination. • The integrated cladding AgNWs@MoS 2 materials showed good analytical performance. • Electrochemical sensor using AgNWs@MoS 2 was highly sensitive in pesticide detection. Thiabendazole (TBZ), a highly toxic phosphorothioate insecticide commonly used in postharvest fruit management, has the potential to cause detrimental effects on human health as an endocrine disruptor. In this study, an electrochemical sensor was developed to detect TBZ by modifying MoS 2 on silver nanowires (Ag NWs@MoS 2) and integrating them onto a glassy carbon surface. Cyclic voltammetry revealed that TBZ underwent an irreversible, diffusion-controlled process on Ag NWs@MoS 2 , leading to a two-fold increase in peak current compared to unmodified MoS 2. Square wave voltammetry facilitated TBZ detection, and the sensor exhibited a linear range of 0.05–10 μM with a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.9958) and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.75 nM (signal-to-noise ratio = 3). The sensor's applicability for food safety monitoring was verified through TBZ analysis in pear and apple samples, achieving recoveries of 95.5–103.6% with RSDs in the range of 1.98–3.25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological and vascular characteristics of the optic nerve head (ONH) of normal guinea pigs have not been fully recognized. Therefore, we aimed to investigate them using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). We measured the refractive error, axial length, and intraocular pressure (IOP) and performed OCT and OCTA of the ONH of 3- and 4-week-old tricolour guinea pigs. A total of 208 right eyes from 208 normal guinea pigs were examined. The refractive error (both myopic and hyperopic) of the 3-week group was significantly higher than that of the 4-week group (p < 0.001), the IOP of the 3-week group was significantly lower than that of the 4-week group (p = 0.014), and the circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (cpRNFL) of the 3-week group was significantly thicker than that of the 4-week group (p = 0.048). There were no significant differences in the average vessel area, vascular density, total number of junctions, total vessel length, total number of endpoints, and vascular diameter between the two groups. However, an age-adjusted linear regression analysis revealed that the total vessel length was positively associated with the cpRNFL thickness (p = 0.024) and negatively associated with IOP (p = 0.016). This is the first report on morphological and vascular characteristics of the ONH in normal guinea pigs based on in vivo OCT and OCTA imaging and quantification of ONH parameters. These results may contribute to further research on myopia using guinea pig models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has complex etiologies, and the impact of sex on AD varies over the course of disease development. The literature provides some evidence of sex-specific contributions to AD. However, molecular mechanisms of sex-biased differences in AD remain elusive. Multiomics data in tandem with systems biology approaches offer a new avenue to dissect sex-stratified molecular mechanisms of AD and to develop sex-specific diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for AD. Single-cell transcriptomic datasets and cell deconvolution of bulk tissue transcriptomic data provide additional insights into brain cell type–specific impact on sex-biased differences in AD. In this review, we summarize the impact of sex chromosomes and sex hormones on AD, the impact of sex-biased differences during AD development, and the interplay between sex and a major AD genetic risk factor, the APOE ε4 genotype, through the multiomics landscape. Several sex-biased molecular pathways such as neuroinflammation and bioenergetic metabolism have been identified. The importance of sex chromosome and sex hormones, as well as the associated pathways in AD pathogenesis, is further strengthened by findings from omics studies. Future research efforts should integrate the multiomics data from different brain regions and different cell types using systems biology approaches, and leverage the knowledge into a holistic examination of sex differences in AD. Advances in systems biology technologies and increasingly available large-scale multiomics datasets will facilitate future studies dissecting such complex signaling mechanisms to better understand AD pathogenesis in both sexes, with the ultimate goals of developing efficacious sex- and APOE -stratified preventive and therapeutic interventions for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic structure and optical properties of inverse-spinel Zn2TiO4 nanowires and bulk material were investigated for hydrogen generation from water by visible-light photocatalysis using first-principles density calculations. In our theoretical studies, the bandgap of the Zn2TiO4 nanowires was much smaller than that of the bulk material. New intermediate states appeared in the mid-bandgap as a result of Zn and Ti atoms on the surface of ZnO-terminated and ZnTiO-terminated nanowires. These deep-level states could become recombination centers for photogenerated electron–hole pairs, indicating that these two types of nanowires would no longer meet the requirements for photocatalytic water splitting. In contrast, the electronic states arising from oxygen elements on the surface of the TiO-terminated nanowires resulted in an upward movement of the edge of the valence band, whereas the surface electronic states made no difference to the edge of the conduction band. Moreover, the optical property calculations showed that the optical absorption edge of the nanowire would be red-shifted. These calculations revealed that inverse-spinel Zn2TiO4 nanowires were appropriate for visible-light photocatalytic water splitting reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac hemangiomas are rare in all kinds of benign cardiac tumors. Although cardiac hemangiomas affect all ages and may occur anywhere within the heart, right ventricular hemangiomas are extremely uncommon.Case Presentation: We report a 56-year-old woman presented with chest tightness and breath shortness for 3 months. Transthoracic echocardiography and coronary computed tomography angiography showed a mass located adjacent to the apex of the right ventricle but both failed to figure out where the mass originated from, remaining a diagnostic mystery preoperatively. The mass was removed successfully and the histopathological examination confirmed it was hemangioma.Conclusions: Cardiac magnetic resonance should be the ultimate diagnostic tool of cardiac tumors. Surgical removal, associated with a low recurrence rate and long-term survival benefits, should be the first choice of therapy for cardiac hemangiomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Lie symmetry method and taking the generalized time‐fractional Burgers equations involving the Riemann–Liouville derivative for example, we propose a new similarity transformation which converts the time‐fractional Burgers equation into a fractional ordinary differential equation without containing the Erdélyi–Kober fractional differential operator. Such type of reduced equations facilitates us to study the properties as well as construct analytical solutions. Consequently, we obtain an exact solution and a new power series solution of the time‐fractional Burgers equation via the reduced equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyantraniliprole is the first diamide insecticide to have cross‐spectrum activity against a broad range of insect orders. The insecticide, like other diamides, selectively acts on ryanodine receptor, destroys Ca2+ homeostasis, and ultimately causes insect death. Although expression regulations of genes associated with calcium signaling pathways are known to be involved in the response to diamides, little is known regarding the function of calmodulin (CaM), a typical Ca2+ sensor central in regulating Ca2+ homeostasis, in the stress response of insects to the insecticide. In this study, we cloned and identified the full‐length complementary DNA of CaM in the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), named BtCaM. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction‐based analyses showed that the messenger RNA level of BtCaM was rapidly induced from 1.51‐ to 2.43‐fold by cyantraniliprole during 24 h. Knockdown of BtCaM by RNA interference increased the toxicity of cyantraniliprole in whiteflies by 42.85%. In contrast, BtCaM expression in Sf9 cells significantly increased the cells' tolerance to cyantraniliprole as much as 2.91‐fold. In addition, the expression of BtCaM in Sf9 cells suppressed the rapid increase of intracellular Ca2+ after exposure to cyantraniliprole, and the maximum amplitude in the Sf9‐BtCaM cells was only 34.9% of that in control cells (Sf9‐PIZ/V5). These results demonstrate that overexpression of BtCaM is involved in the stress response of B. tabaci to cyantraniliprole through regulation of Ca2+ concentration. As CaM is one of the most evolutionarily conserved Ca2+ sensors in insects, outcomes of this study may provide the first details of a universal insect response to diamide insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous carbon fiber reinforced SiOC composites (C/SiOC) show promise for high-temperature application. Whereas, the high temperature resistances of SiOC ceramic matrix and carbon fiber are mismatched, which significantly restricts the long-term application of C/SiOC composites at high temperatures above 1250 °C. In this paper, heterogeneous element Y was introduced in C/SiOC composite by taking Y-doped MK resin as raw material to modify the structure of the SiOC ceramic matrix. Characteristics and high temperature evolution behaviors of SiYOC ceramic matrix in the inert environment were investigated. The microstructure, mechanical properties and high-temperature evolution of C/SiYOC composites were analyzed. The density, flexural strength and fracture toughness of the as-fabricated C/SiYOC composites were 1.89 g/cm3, 261.7 MPa and 13.54 MPa•m1/2, respectively. In the process of high-temperature treatment, the mechanical properties of C/SiYOC composites decreased obviously at 1500 °C due to the decomposition of SiYOC ceramics matrix and the carbothermal reductions between matrix and fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a robust particle filtering (PF) approach for a generic class of nonlinear systems with both additive time-varying uncertainty (ATVU) in the state transition equation and inaccurate process noise covariance matrices. To avoid sampling efficiency degradation of the PF approach caused by ATVU, we employ the disturbance observer-based PF (DOBPF) approach where the effect of ATVU is compensated in the particle generation stage. Different from the existing DOBPF method where disturbance estimation is achieved via the Kalman filter, the disturbance observer adopted in this article is in the form of variational Bayesian adaptive Kalman filter (VBAKF) which deals with the inaccurate process noise covariance matrices in both the dynamic models of the state and the ATVU. Compared with conventional PF approaches, the proposed method, named VBAKF-PF, exhibits enhanced robustness against both the ATVU in the state transition equation and the uncertainties of process noise covariance matrices. The simulation results demonstrate the superiority of VBAKF-PF over both the VBAKF and DOBPF methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of traditional reduced order modeling methods (ROMs), time and parameter extrapolation tasks remain a formidable challenge. To this end, we propose a hybrid projection/data-driven framework that leverages two subspaces to improve the prediction accuracy of traditional ROMs. We first obtain inaccurate mode coefficients from traditional ROMs in the reduced order subspace. Then, in the prior dimensionality reduced subspace, we correct the inaccurate mode coefficients and restore the discarded mode coefficients through neural network. Finally, we approximate the solutions with these mode coefficients in the prior dimensionality reduced subspace. To reduce the computational cost during the offline training stage, we propose a training data sampling strategy based on dynamic mode decomposition (DMD). The effectiveness of the proposed method is investigated with the parameterized Navier–Stokes equations in stream-vorticity formulation. In addition, two additional time extrapolation methods based on DMD are also proposed and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

8-17 DNAzymes (8-17, 17E, Mg5, and 17EV1) are in vitro-selected catalytic DNA molecules that are capable of cleaving complementary RNAs. The conserved residues in their similar catalytic cores, together with the metal ions, were suggested to contribute to the catalytic reaction. Based on the contribution of the less conserved residues in the bulge loop residues (W12, A15, A15.0) and the internal stem, new catalytic cores of 8-17 DNAzymes were programmed. The internal stem CTC-GAG seems to be more favorable for the DNAzymes than CCG-GGC, while an extra W12.0 led to a significant loss of activity of DNAzymes, which is contrary to the positive effect of A15.0, by which a new active DNAzyme 17EM was derived. It conducts a faster reaction than 17E. It is most active in the presence of Pb2+, with the metal ion preference of Pb2+ >> Zn2+ > Mn2+ > Ca2+ ≈ Mg2+. In the Pb2+ and Zn2+-mediated reactions of 17EM and 17E, the same Na+- and pH dependence were also observed as what was observed for 17E and other 8-17 DNAzymes. Therefore, 17EM is another member of the 8-17 DNAzymes, and it could be applied as a potential biosensor for RNA and metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-like intelligence is to simulate the structure and function of the biological brain as much as possible based on the latest findings in brain science. The biological brain has strong robustness under external attacks. In this study, two complex spiking neural networks (CSNNs) are constructed: a spiking neural network (SNN) with small-world topology and a SNN with scale-free topology, in which the nodes are Izhikevich neuron model, and the edges are the synaptic plasticity model including excitatory and inhibitory synapses. For the targeted attack, the anti-injury function of two CSNNs is comparatively analyzed. On this basis, the anti-injury mechanism of CSNN is explored. The experimental results show that: (1) Small-world SNN (SWSNN) has better performance than scale-free SNN (SFSNN) in the anti-injury ability under targeted attack on high-degree nodes, and they are similar in the anti-injury ability under targeted attack on intermediate and low-degree nodes; the results of the robustness of topology are consistent with the results of anti-injury function of CSNNs, which indicates that the anti-injury ability of two kinds of CSNNs is affected by topology. (2) The dynamic evolutions of neuron firing, synaptic weight, and topological characteristic in the information processing of CSNN have a linkage effect under targeted attack; the dynamic evolution of synaptic weight is significantly related to the anti-injury ability of CSNNs, which clues synaptic plasticity is the intrinsic factor of the anti-injury function of CSNNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) exhibit the advantages of high mechanical strength, good conductivity, easy production, and low cost, which have shown wide applications in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, biomedicine, tissue engineering, sensors, wearable electronics, and other aspects. To promote the applications of CNF-based nanomaterials in wearable devices, the flexibility, electronic conductivity, thickness, weight, and bio-safety of CNF-based films/membranes are crucial. In this review, we present recent advances in the fabrication of CNF-based composite nanomaterials for flexible wearable devices. For this aim, firstly we introduce the synthesis and functionalization of CNFs, which promote the optimization of physical, chemical, and biological properties of CNFs. Then, the fabrication of two-dimensional and three-dimensional CNF-based materials are demonstrated. In addition, enhanced electric, mechanical, optical, magnetic, and biological properties of CNFs through the hybridization with other functional nanomaterials by synergistic effects are presented and discussed. Finally, wearable applications of CNF-based materials for flexible batteries, supercapacitors, strain/piezoresistive sensors, bio-signal detectors, and electromagnetic interference shielding devices are introduced and discussed in detail. We believe that this work will be beneficial for readers and researchers to understand both structural and functional tailoring of CNFs, and to design and fabricate novel CNF-based flexible and wearable devices for advanced applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial destructive disassembly (PDD) is essential for end-of-life products to improve their automatic disassembly efficiency and reduce disassembly cost. A feasibility evaluation of the PDD is the key step to evaluate whether the PDD can be implemented. However, it has not been studied previously to our knowledge. To deal with this problem, a multi-granularity feasibility evaluation method is proposed. A multi-granularity feasibility evaluation model of the PDD was constructed based on the complex product's hierarchical structure, which not only described the evaluation indices from the product level to the component level but also presented methods and rules to quantify them. Thus, disassembly entropy was introduced into the target group's coarse granularity evaluation. The feasibility of the fine-grained index of the PDD for the component layer was constructed based on the product's failure characteristic. The fine-grained index was calculated by the fuzzy trigonometric function, and its weighting was obtained based on the structure entropy weight method. Thus, the results of the evaluation were used as feedback to guide the PDD process. Finally, a Passat engine case study illustrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parathyroid hormone‐related protein (PTHrP), the main cause of humoral hypercalcemia in malignancies, promotes cell proliferation and delays terminal cell maturation during embryonic development. Our previous study reported that PTHrP plays important roles in blastocyst formation, pluripotency gene expression, and histone acetylation during mouse preimplantation embryonic development. In this study, we further investigated the mechanism of preimplantation embryonic development regulated by PTHrP. Our results showed that Pthrp depletion decreased both the developmental rate of embryos at the cleavage stage and the cell number of morula‐stage embryos. Pthrp‐depleted embryos had significantly decreased levels of cyclin D1, phospho (p)‐AKT (Thr308) and E2F1. However, Pthrp depletion did not cause significant changes in CDK4, β‐catenin or RUNX2 expression. In addition, our results indicated that Pthrp depletion promoted HDAC4 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in cleavage‐stage embryos by stimulating the activity of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which resulted in dephosphorylation of HDAC4. Taken together, these results suggest that PTHrP regulates cleavage division progression and blastocyst formation through the AKT/cyclin D1 pathway and that PTHrP modulates histone acetylation patterns through nuclear translocation of HDAC4 via PP2A‐dependent HDAC4 dephosphorylation during preimplantation embryonic development in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain exposure to ionizing radiation during the radiotherapy of brain tumor or metastasis of peripheral cancer cells to the brain has resulted in cognitive dysfunction by reducing neurogenesis in hippocampus. The water extract of Lycium barbarum berry (Lyc), containing water-soluble Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and flavonoids, can protect the neuronal injury by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing neuroinflammation. Reseach Design: To demonstrate the long-term radioprotective effect of Lyc, we evaluated the neurobehavioral alterations and the numbers of NeuN, calbindin (CB), and parvalbumin (PV) immunopositive hippocampal neurons in BALB/c mice after acute 5.5 Gy radiation with/without oral administration of Lyc at the dosage of 10 g/kg daily for 4 weeks. Results: The results showed that Lyc could improve irradiation-induced animal weight loss, depressive behaviors, spatial memory impairment, and hippocampal neuron loss. Immunohistochemistry study demonstrated that the loss of NeuN-immunopositive neuron in the hilus of the dentate gyrus, CB-immunopositive neuron in CA1 strata radiatum, lacunosum moleculare and oriens, and PV-positive neuron in CA1 stratum pyramidum and stratum granulosum of the dentate gyrus after irradiation were significantly improved by Lyc treatment. Conclusion: The neuroprotective effect of Lyc on those hippocampal neurons may benefit the configuration of learning related neuronal networks and then improve radiation induced neurobehavioral changes such as cognitive impairment and depression. It suggests that Lycium barbarum berry may be an alternative food supplement to prevent radiation-induced neuron loss and neuropsychological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A formal ethylene alkylarylation reaction with aryl halides and alkyl oxalates enabled by synergistic photoredox/nickel catalysis is reported. This protocol takes advantage of borates as a traceless activation group, achieving the formal ethylene difunctionalized products via a catalytic three-component 1,2-alkylarylation of vinyl borate followed by a base-assisted deborylation process. The mild conditions allow for excellent functional groups compatibility and broad substrate scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) infectious diseases are common diseases in emergency rooms and neurology departments. CNS pathogen identification methods are time consuming and expensive and have low sensitivity and poor specificity. Some studies have shown that bacteria and viruses can produce specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The aim of this study is to find potential biomarkers by VOC analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with bacterial and viral meningitis/encephalitis (ME). Methods: CSF samples from 16 patients with bacterial ME and 42 patients with viral ME were collected, and solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the metabolites in the CSF. Results: There are 2 substances (ethylene oxide and phenol) that were found to be different between the 2 groups. Ethylene oxide was significantly greater in the group of bacterial ME patients than in the viral ME group of patients (p < 0.05). In addition, phenol was remarkably increased in the group of ME patients compared with the bacterial ME patients (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Ethylene oxide and phenol may be potential biomarkers to distinguish bacterial ME and viral ME. VOC analysis of CSF may be used as a supporting tool for clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work attempts to investigate the dielectric properties and microwave drying characteristics of Yunnan lignite, so as to upgrade it. The effect of drying temperature, moisture content and microwave heating frequency on dielectric properties was measured using resonant cavity method. Results indicate that both the values of ε′ and ε″ presented two stage at the investigated temperatures. Bulk water was found to be the main factor contributing to an increase in the ε′ and ε″. Microwave drying kinetics of lignite were carried out. The Page model was the best model reflecting the drying kinetics, and the effective diffusion coefficient and active energy at different drying stages were obtained. In addition, the microwave drying mechanism has been proposed based on the study of dielectric and drying properties of lignite. The SEM images indicated that microchannels were formed within the lignite particle by the microwave pumping effect. FT-IR spectra showed that the oxygen-containing functional groups and hydrogen bonds between them were break by microwave drying. Based on the achieved results, the microwave treatment at 150 °C is helpful to upgrade the lignite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The promising photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 into valuable fuel promotes the development of photocatalyst through various methods. In this work, TiO 2 nanoparticle was composited with covalent porphyrin polymers (COP-Ps) to fabricate composite photocatalysts. The resultant COP-Ps/TiO 2 composites by in situ hydrothermal method exhibit much improved photocatalytic activity for the conversion of CO 2 into CO relative to two components, and it is attributable to improved charge transfer between two moieties led by strong interaction. Especially, TiO 2 is composited more evenly with the sulfonated hollow COP-P (sh-COP-P). The resultant composite sh-COP-P/TiO 2 performs best with a CO production rate of 5.70 μmol·g−1·h−1, which is approximately 20.4 times as high as that of pure TiO 2 and 2.3 times of sh-COP-P polymer. For comparison, the simple physical mixture of sh-COP-P and TiO 2 (sm -sh-COP-P/TiO 2) was fabricated, and it performs more badly due to poor mixing uniformity. A Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism was proposed for sh-COP-P/TiO 2 composite on the basis of energy band analysis and hydroxyl radical test. This study provides a new in situ strategy to fabricate organic polymer/metal oxide composites of high photocatalytic activity for CO 2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using detection markers in serum has the advantages of simplicity, repeatability and the capability. This study combined the use of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B protein (S100B) with imaging tools to confirm the role of serum biomarkers in evaluating the cerebral vessel reactivity after carotid artery stenting (CAS). After CAS, the serum concentrations of GFAP and S100B increased to the peak at 24 h after operation, and then gradually decreased. The mean flow velocity (MFV) (pre-operation, post-operation, 30 days follow-up: 47.65 ± 17.24 cm/s, 62.37 ± 18.25 cm/s, 70.29 ± 16.89 cm/s; P < 0.05) and pulsatility index (PI) (pre-operation, post-operation, 30 days follow-up: 0.78 ± 0.21, 0.98 ± 0.19, 1.02 ± 0.20; P < 0.05) increased significantly in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery after CAS. At the 30-day follow-up, the cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) (post-operation, 30 days follow-up: 27.47 ± 12.13 cm/s, 31.92 ± 10.94 cm/s; P < 0.05) improved significantly. In patients with different degrees of stenosis, the more severe the stenosis in the carotid artery, the more obvious the improvement of CVR at the 30 days of follow-up (CVR changes: 11.08 ± 7.95 cm/s, Kendall's tau-b = 0.645, P < 0.001). And the serum concentrations of GFAP (r = − 0.629, P < 0.0001) and S100B (r = − 0.604, P < 0.0001) correlated negatively with CVR at 30 days after CAS. Therefore, we recommend using the biomarkers GFAP and S100B associated with imaging tools such as transcranial Doppler (TCD) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the cerebral vessel reactivity following CAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) ceramics has been prepared by polymethylsilsesquioxane (MK silicon resin) under inert environment at 1000 °C in the present work. The evolution behavior of compositions and structures of MK silicon resin derived SiOC ceramics at high temperatures in different environments were studied systematically. It was found that in inert environment, the rearrangement of Si–C and Si–O bonds took place at 1200 °C–1500 °C and the carobothermal reductions of SiOC ceramics were activated at 1500 °C. While in reduced pressure environment, lower pressure reduced the activation temperature of carbothermal reductions to 1400 °C. In air environment, partial Si[(O,C) 4 ] network oxidation and free carbon oxidation occurred at high temperatures, which would generate a large amount of SiO 2 and played a protective role in the interior of SiOC ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Serum phospholipids were assessed as biomarkers to identify early gastric cancer (EGC). • Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine levels were increased in EGC. • Serum sphingomyelin (d18:0/18:1(9Z)) of patients with EGC was also more abundant. • Decreased serum levels of the phospholipids was observed after tumor resection. • Serum phospholipids may serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of EGC. Early diagnosis is key to improving the prognosis of gastric cancer. Altered phospholipid metabolism has been observed in different types of cancer. This study assessed serum phospholipid levels of patients with gastric cancer to explore biomarkers for its early diagnosis. A total of 199 participants were enrolled, including patients with early gastric cancer or precancerous gastric lesions and healthy controls. Serum phospholipids were extracted and identified using mass spectrometry. The relative abundances of these phospholipids were compared among patients at different disease stages. Twenty-four patients with early gastric cancer were followed up, and their serum phospholipid levels were compared beween before and after resection. Fifty-four phospholipids were identified. Phosphatidylethanolamine (36:3), phosphatidylethanolamine (36:2), phosphatidylcholine (32:0), and sphingomyelin (d18:0/18:1(9Z)) were more abundant in patients with early gastric cancer than in healthy controls. The area under the receiver operating curve of sphingomyelin (d18:0/18:1(9Z)) reached 0.883 in the training set (sensitivity 81.08%, specificity 78.82%) and 0.874 in the validation set. The levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (36:2), phosphatidylcholine (32:0), and sphingomyelin (d18:0/18:1(9Z)) significantly declined after the cancerous lesions were resected. Serum phospholipids can serve as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the critical challenges in spacecraft attitude estimation is the handling nonlinear non-Gaussian noisy conditions originating from measurement errors, model drifts, and incorrect models. In this article, we propose a new, adaptive and robust nonlinear Kalman filter to address this issue. The proposed filter is derived by casting the problem as a nonlinear regression problem and then realized by building on the robust filter, based on multiple strong tracking with multiple fading factors. In particular, the optimal filter gain is achieved by minimizing the constrained cost function that combines the minimum mean square error and the norm constraint. The resulting algorithm, referred to as the adaptive Huber filter based on the multiple strong tracking (AHFMST), shows promising results. Several simulation scenarios considering the realistic initial errors for a low-orbiting spacecraft attitude estimation are studied to compare the performance of the new algorithm and the state-of-the-art algorithms. The proposed algorithm has demonstrated better performance in terms of robustness and estimation accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver metastases can occur even in CRC patients who underwent curative surgery. While evidence suggested that adjuvant chemotherapy can help to reduce the occurrence of liver metastases for certain patients, it is not a recommended routine as the side effects outweigh the potential benefits, especially in Stage II CRC patients. This study aims to construct a model for predicting liver metastasis risk using differential methylation signals in primary CRC tumors, which can facilitate the decision for adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: Fifty-nine stage I/II and IV CRC patients were enrolled. Primary tumor, adjacent normal tissue, and metastatic tumor tissues were subject to targeted bisulfite sequencing for DNA methylation. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) algorithm was used to identify potential DMRs for predicting liver metastasis of CRC. Results: We identified a total of 241,573 DMRs by comparing the DNA methylation profile of primary tumors of stage II patients who developed metastasis to those who were metastasis-free during the follow up period. 213 DMRs were associated with poor prognosis, among which 182 DMRS were found to be hypermethylated in the primary tumor of patients with metastases. Furthermore, by using the LASSO regression model, we identified 23 DMRs that contributed to a high probability of liver metastasis of CRC. The leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) was used to evaluate model predictive performance at an AUC of 0.701. In particular, 7 out of those 23 DMRs were found to be in the promoter region of genes that were previously reported prognostic biomarkers in diverse tumor types, including TNNI2, PAX8, GUF1, KLF4, EVI2B, CEP112, and long non-coding RNA AC011298. In addition, the model was also able to distinguish metastases of different sites (liver or lung) at an AUC of 0.933. Conclusion: We have identified DNA methylation biomarkers associated with the risk of cancer liver metastasis in early-stage CRC patients. A risk prediction model based on those epigenetic markers was proposed for outcome assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of different hot air drying temperature on the physical properties, chemical components, and bioactive components of dried Boletus edulis were studied. The results showed that higher drying temperature had negative influences on the physical properties and chemical compounds of dried B. edulis, such as dim color, low rehydration ratio, and protein content. There were not significant influences on the content of polysaccharides, polyphenols, and total flavonoids compounds at 50, 60, and 70°C. In addition, the chemical structure of polysaccharide, polyphenol, and total flavonids could be damaged when the drying temperature was over 70°C. At the same time, the antioxidant activities of the three extracts were all decreased. This study indicated that 70°C was the appropriate temperature for hot air drying considering the drying efficiency and quality of B. edulis. Therefore, the results in this paper could provide technical guidance for the practical application of the drying of B. edulis. Practical applications: Hot air drying is the most common processing technology in edible mushrooms industry, and it has the advantages of simple operation and low investment. It has some negative effects on the sensory quality and nutritive value of dried edible mushrooms at high drying temperature. Therefore, the results provided a technical reference for the commercial process of dried Boletus edulis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate the seismic performance of concrete filled double-skin steel tubular (CFDST) frame structures. An experimental investigation on internal joints to CFDST columns was conducted to assess their seismic behavior, in which non-welding connection method was employed to avoid possible premature welding fracture. Experimental results declared that this type of joint behaved in a semi-rigid manner. Numerical models were then established to simulate the seismic performance of the joints. The moment–rotation relationship and shear behavior of panel zone were both accounted according to the component method and strut model, respectively. Subsequently, a CFDST moment resisting frame with non-welding connections (NWF) was numerically analyzed to detect its seismic response under design-based and maximum considered earthquakes. The numerical results confirmed that the NWF could lower the seismic response in terms of base shear force and joint moment compared with namely rigid frame (NRF). It also verified that the maximum story drift ratios of the NWF were higher than those of the NWF. Increment dynamic analyses (IDA) were also performed to evaluate the collapse behavior. Furthermore, a detailed discussion was conducted to analyze the influence of joint stiffness on global behavior of the NWF. The analytical results verified that this type of NWF had satisfied seismic behavior and excellent anti-collapse performance. More importantly, the NWF could conveniently adjust the stiffness of each story by varying the stiffness of the non-welding connection to decrease the story drift and to achieve a uniform story drift distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis is an efficient and eco‐friendly method of solving the environmental problems, but the low charge separation efficiency of photocatalysts limits their application. Herein, we report the fabrication of CeO2/g−C3N4 composites via an in‐situ growth of CeO2 on the dispersed g−C3N4 sheets (CN−OH) in an strong KOH condition, and the resultant CeO2/CN−OH composites set up a new interface structure, which demonstrate a dramatically boosted the photocatalytic activity compared with CeO2/g−C3N4 composites by conventional two‐step combination method. The decomposition efficiency of CeO2/CN−OH for 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP) degradation comes up to 6 times of bare CeO2 or g−C3N4. Compared to conventional CeO2/g−C3N4, the CeO2/CN−OH showed 65.9 % and 23.2 % improvement for 2,4‐DCP and Cr(VI) removal, respectively. The significantly enhanced photodegradation ascribe to the alkaline modified CN−OH and the fabrication of CeO2/CN−OH n–n type heterojunction, both can improve the charge separation efficiency and increase the reaction active sites. Furthermore, the probable pathway and concreted photocatalytic mechanism for 2,4‐DCP degradation are proposed based on the detected intermediate products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The shoot apical meristems (SAMs) of land plants are crucial for plant growth and organ formation. In several angiosperms, the HAIRY MERISTEM (HAM) genes function as key regulators that control meristem development and stem cell homeostasis. To date, the origin and evolutionary history of the HAM family in land plants remains unclear. Potentially shared and divergent functions of HAM family members from angiosperms and non‐angiosperms are also not known. In constructing a comprehensive phylogeny of the HAM family, we show that HAM proteins are widely present in land plants and that HAM proteins originated prior to the divergence of bryophytes. The HAM family was duplicated in a common ancestor of angiosperms, leading to two distinct groups: type I and type II. Type‐II HAM members are widely present in angiosperms, whereas type‐I HAM members were independently lost in different orders of monocots. Furthermore, HAM members from angiosperms and non‐angiosperms (including bryophytes, lycophytes, ferns and gymnosperms) are able to replace the role of the type‐II HAM genes in Arabidopsis, maintaining established SAMs and promoting the initiation of new stem cell niches. Our results uncover the conserved functions of HAM family members and reveal the conserved regulatory mechanisms underlying HAM expression patterning in meristems, providing insight into the evolution of key stem cell regulators in land plants. Significance Statement: Meristems are crucial for organ development and plant architecture, and therefore how the key meristem regulators originated and evolved in land plants is an important question. In this work, we uncovered the mechanisms underlying the innovation, conservation and diversification of the HAM family – an important family of meristem regulators – in land plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total triterpenoids are a significant bioactive substance in Boletus edulis; however, suitable extract and purification method used to prepare total triterpenoid has rarely been reported. In this study, the total triterpenoid from Boletus edulis was extracted, and the optimal extract parameter was determined by response surface methodology. The optimal extraction parameters were as follows: liquid–solid ratio of 20 ml/g, ethanol concentration of 70%, extraction temperature of 70°C, and extraction time of 60 min. Under these conditions, the extraction yield of total triterpenoid was 1.85%. The crude extract was further purified by AB‐8 macroporous resin. The optimum adsorption conditions were: sample concentration of 3.5 mg/ml, pH of 5, and adsorption flow rate of 1.5 ml/min. The optimum desorption conditions were: ethanol concentration of 70%, and desorption flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. After purification, the content of total triterpenoid reached 8.71%, which was 2.49 times higher than that before purification. Novelty impact statement: Studies on the extraction and purification of total triterpenoid from macrofungi have important research value. Up to now, there has been little information on the extraction and purification technologies to prepare total triterpenoid from Boletus edulis. Therefore, this study lays a theoretical foundation for the industrial production of total triterpenoid and also facilitates the further utilization of total triterpenoid from Boletus edulis as a functional food and drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent the interferences between radiofrequency (RF) coils and other components in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system such as gradient coils, it is essential to place an RF shield between the RF coils and gradient coils. However, the induced currents on conventional RF shields have negative influences on the RF coil performance. To reduce these influences, metamaterial absorbers (MA), a class of metamaterials exhibiting nearly unity absorption rate for the incident electromagnetic fields, can be employed for the design of a novel RF shield. However, the adoption of metamaterials in MRI systems is usually problematic because of the bulkiness of the metamaterial structure. In this work, capacitors and metallic interconnectors are used to miniaturize the MA so that the unit MA cell can operate at the Larmor frequencies of 7T and 9.4T MRI and stay compact. This MA-RF shield is used to improve the transmit efficiency of RF surface coils and reduce the specific absorption rate (SAR) in the region of interest (ROI). It is successfully demonstrated by simulations and experiments that, compared with conventional RF shield structure, the transmit efficiency can be enhanced by more than 32% and the peak SAR value can be reduced by 22% using the MA-RF shield. Moreover, it is observed that the transmit field penetration is improved when the surface coil is used with the MA-RF shield. This proof-of-concept study suggests a new practical way for the utilization of metamaterials in ultra-high field MRI applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]