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Hierarchical nanofiber mat (polyacrylonitrile/polypyrrole/manganese dioxide, PAN/PPy/MnO 2 ) was prepared by electrospinning and followed by in situ polymerization of pyrrole monomer, and subsequently treated with KMnO 4 solution to deposit MnO 2 . The obtained nanofiber mats were used as adsorbent for Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results confirmed the presence of polypyrrole (PPy) and manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) layers on the surface of PAN nanofiber. The morphology and structure of the PAN/PPy/MnO 2 nanofiber mat were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The hierarchical structures can be clearly seen from the SEM and TEM results. Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that MnO 2 accounts for about 9.25 wt.% in the PAN/PPy/MnO 2 nanofiber. Adsorption results indicated that the adsorption performance for Pb(II) increased as the initial solution pH increased. The adsorption equilibrium reached within 120 min, and the process can be better described using the pseudo-second-order model. Isotherm data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic study revealed that the adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Desorption results showed that the adsorption performance can remain up to 80% after 5 times usage. The adsorption mechanism was also studied by XPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highlyenantioselective [4 + 2] cycloaddition of allenoates with2-olefinic benzofuran-3-ones catalyzed by (DHQD)2AQN, whichallowed the synthesis of optically active dihydropyran-fused benzofurans,was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation of dissolved 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in the Yangtze River is poorly documented compared to other Tibetan-sourced rivers. Here, we trace the Sr isotopic composition in space and time across the Yangtze River basin using a systematic sampling strategy. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values of samples collected at different depths within the water column at three gauge stations located in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the river are very similar, indicating a well-mixed water body at a given location. Data from basin wide-samples shows low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values in the upper reaches while higher 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values in the middle-lower reaches which mainly reflect the controls of source rocks. A time series record at the lowermost reaches of the river indicates a temporal variation of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values from 0.7101 to 0.7109, with a discharge weighted value of 0.7106. We suggest that temporal variations of the isotopic composition result from changes in the relative contributions from different terrains associated with spatial variability of rainfall within the basin. A mixing model based on Sr values deduced from basin-wide sampling from different seasons yields similar temporal variations of Sr isotopic composition compared to experimental data. Calculation of Sr fluxes indicates that the upper reaches contribute 3 times as much as the middle and lower reaches to total Sr flux. The annual Sr flux of the Yangtze River to the East China Sea is estimated to be 1.9 × 10 9 mol · a − 1 , which is one magnitude higher than that of the Brahmaputra and Ganges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyacrylonitrile/polypyrrole (PAN/PPy) core/shell nanofiber mat was prepared through electrospinning followed by a simple chemical oxidation method. The polypyrrole-functionalized nanofiber mats showed selective adsorption performance for anions. The interaction between heavy metal anions and polypyrrole (especially the interaction between Cr 2 O 7 2− and polypyrrole) during the adsorption process was studied. The results showed that the adsorption process included two steps: one was the anion exchange process between the Cl − and Cr(VI), and the other was the redox process for the Cr(VI) ions. The adsorption amount was related to the protonation time of the PAN/PPy nanofiber mat and increased as protonation time increased. Meanwhile, the Cr(VI) ions were reduced to Cr(III) through the reaction with amino groups of polypyrrole (from secondary amines to tertiary amines). PAN/PPy nanofiber mat showed high selectivity for Cr(VI), and the adsorption performance was nearly unaffected by other co-existing anions (Cl − , NO 3 − , and SO 4 2− ) except for PO 4 3− for the pH change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analyzing the mechanism the relevant physical and mechanical formula that Manning's relationship with the first draw frame size were derived, and then permeable frame length was positively correlated with the rate of deceleration was gotten by the transitive, and their relationship expression was η = Aa² + Ba + C(A, B, C coefficients are constants) was finally gotten. Through the relevant tank test, the experimental data could be measured, which was obtained for the experimental data fitting, and the same results and conclusions of the analysis mechanism were found. Advantage of this model was a mathematical method of analysis and data fitting mechanism,which improved the accuracy of the original analysis of the results of the experiment, and therefore could be used in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance yarns are widely used to produce protective fabrics, including stab-resistant materials. The most common approach to studying the mechanism of puncture prevention is to use simulation to assist analysis. However, the anisotropy of the yarn is often overlooked during simulation owing to various factors. In fact, there is a marked difference between the axial and radial properties of a yarn. This may lead to large errors in research. In the present study, a composite material with a grid structure for puncture analysis was designed to investigate the influence of yarn anisotropy on the accuracy of simulation results. The present study combined an actual experiment with a simulation. In the actual experiment, Kevlar yarn/epoxy resin was used to prepare a mesh composite with a spacing of 1 mm. In the simulation, a 1:1 simulation model of composite material was established using finite element software. A simulated puncture experiment was conducted based on the actual experimental conditions and material parameters. After considering yarn anisotropy, the simulation results were closer to the actual experimental results. The simulation revealed that the main failure modes of the mesh material were the fracture of the resin and the bending deformation of the yarns at the junctions, while the surrounding areas were almost unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large lateral deformation in almost level liquefiable ground has been observed during past strong earthquakes, which cannot be explained by the same driving force as that in sloping ground. This study proposes a Rayleigh wave-shear wave coupling mechanism for this phenomenon, which is evaluated on the element and site levels. A simple element level elasto-plastic force–displacement model reveals that the combination of the symmetrical shear force with the asymmetrical shear resistance under Rayleigh wave-shear wave coupling can be a major contributor for the accumulation of lateral soil deformation. Finite element method numerical results for a site level ground model shows that Rayleigh wave-shear wave coupling can induce significantly greater lateral displacement compared to pure shear wave input, and further highlight the importance of soil liquefaction for this phenomenon. The amplitudes and frequencies of the shear wave and the Rayleigh wave and their phase difference are shown to affect the accumulation of lateral deformation. The findings of Rayleigh wave-shear wave coupling induced lateral deformation are consistent with observations in past earthquakes, and should be considered in geotechnical earthquake engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile synthesis of selenium sulfide (SeSx)/carbonized polyacrylonitrile (CPAN) composites is achieved by annealing the mixture of SeS2 and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) at 600 °C under vacuum. The SeSx molecules are confined by N-containing carbon (ring) structures in the carbonized PAN to mitigate the dissolution of polysulfide and polyselenide intermediates in carbonate-based electrolyte. In addition, formation of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of SeSx/CPAN electrode in the first cycle further prevents polysulfide and polyselenide intermediates from dissolution. The synergic restriction of SeSx by both CPAN matrix and SEI layer allows SeSx/CPAN composites to be charged and discharged in a low-cost carbonate-based electrolyte (LiPF6 in EC/DEC) with long cycling stability and high rate capability. At a current density of 600 mA g−1, it maintains a reversible capacity of 780 mAh g−1 for 1200 cycles. Moreover, it retains 50% of the capacity at 60 mA g−1 even when the current density increases to 6 A g−1. The superior electrochemical performance of SeSx/CPAN composite demonstrates that it is a promising cathode material for long cycle life and high power density lithium ion batteries. This is the first report on long cycling stability and high rate capability of selenium sulfide-based cathode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Croconic acid disodium salt (CADS), a renewable or recyclable organic compound, is investigated as an anode material in sodium ion battery for the first time. The pristine micro-sized CADS delivers a high capacity of 246.7 mAh g−1, but it suffers from fast capacity decay during charge/discharge cycles. The detailed investigation reveals that the severe capacity loss is mainly attributed to the pulverization of CADS particles induced by the large volume change during sodiation/desodiation rather than the generally believed dissolution of CADS in the organic electrolyte. Minimizing the particle size can effectively suppress the pulverization, thus improving the cycling stability. Wrapping CADS with graphene oxide by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis can enhance the integration and conductivity of CADS electrodes, thus providing a high capacity of 293 mAh g−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The electroactive organic materialsare promising alternativesto inorganic electrode materials for the new generation of green Li-ionbatteries due to their sustainability, environmental benignity, andlow cost. Croconic acid disodium salt (CADS) was used as Li-ion batteryelectrode, and CADS organic wires with different diameters were fabricatedthrough a facile synthetic route using antisolvent crystallizationmethod to overcome the challenges of low electronic conductivity ofCADS and lithiation induced strain. The CADS nanowire exhibits muchbetter electrochemical performance than its crystal bulk materialand microwire counterpart. CADS nanowire with a diameter of 150 nmdelivers a reversible capability of 177 mAh g–1ata current density of 0.2 C and retains capacity of 170 mAh g–1after 110 charge/discharge cycles. The nanowire structure also remarkablyenhances the kinetics of croconic acid disodium salt. The CADS nanowireretains 50% of the 0.1 C capacity even when the current density increasesto 6 C. In contrast, the crystal bulk and microwire material completelylose their capacities when the current density merely increases to2 C. Such a high rate performance of CADS nanowire is attributed toits short ion diffusion pathway and large surface area, which enablefast ion and electron transport in the electrode. The theoreticalcalculation suggests that lithiation of CADS experiences an ion exchangeprocess. The sodium ions in CADS will be gradually replaced by lithiumions during the lithiation and delithiation of CADS electrode, whichis confirmed by inductively coupled plasma test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The angioarchitecture of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) of cerebral arteriovenous malformation (CAVM) after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to report the angiographic change of AVF components of CAVMs after SRS and outcomes of endovascular embolisation. Methods: From 2002 to 2012, a total of 523 CAVMs had been treated primarily by SRS with more than 3-year latency. Among these databases, there were 19 patients with 21 AVFs undergoing embolization after SRS. We retrospectively analyzed the angioarchitecture of the CAVM to identify AVFs, morphologic change and outcomes of AVFs after SRS and embolisation. Results: Eight AVFs were in the periphery of CAVMs, the other 13 were in a central location. Eighteen of 21 AVFs remained constant in morphology after SRS, while three feeders of AVFs were associated with radiation arteritis. The causes of failure to identify AVFs before SRS were overlooked (n = 7) or there was superimposition with feeders, nidus and/or venous drains of CAVMs ( n = 14). Total fistula occlusion was achieved in all 21 AVFs; residual CAVMs was totally obliterated by embolisation and/or additional SRS in 12 patients. One patient had a small procedure-related intracerebral hemorrhage. Mean follow-up period was 26 months. Conclusions: Early detection of AVF components of CAVMs prior to SRS may be difficult, particularly those in a central location. However, most AVFs became evident and showed consistency in angiographic morphology after obliteration of the majority nidus parts of CAVMs. Endovascular embolisation is effective in managing these AVF components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel synchronization scheme is proposed to achieve hybrid modulus-phase synchronization in hyperchaotic complex systems, which means different synchronization schemes can be achieved simultaneously in modulus and phase spaces of complex systems. A general controller is designed to implement modified projective synchronization in modulus space and anti-synchronization in phase space. And the theoretical proof is given based on the Lyapunov stability theory. By utilizing the proposed synchronization scheme, an improved digital secure communication scheme is presented, the main advantage of which is to develop the transmission efficiency and reduce the design complexity. Numerical simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] MnO2/Fe3O4/o-MWCNTs were prepared and well characterized. [•] Chromium removal using MnO2/Fe3O4/o-MWCNTs was studied for the first time. [•] The adsorption process for chromium removal was studied in detail. [•] The maximum adsorption capacity was 186.9mgg−1. [•] The reusability of MnO2/Fe3O4/o-MWCNTs was high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical management of pediatric hypervascular brain tumors is challenging because of the risk of bleeding. We sought to evaluate the technical factors associated with safety and outcome of preoperative embolization of pediatric hypervascular brain tumors. Materials and methods: Eight pediatric brain tumor patients received preoperative endovascular embolization during the past 8 years. The cases included four choroid plexus papillomas, one yolk sac tumor, one intraventricular meningioma, one astrocytoma, and one hemangioblastoma. Embolization was done by superselection of the feeding arteries with microcatheters followed by slow injection of either n-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) or tris-acryl gelatin microspheres (Embosphere). Surgery for tumor removal was done in the same session right after embolization in all but one patient. Blood loss during surgery and clinical outcome were recorded. Results: Preoperative embolization was successfully done in all patients. Technical complication was noted in two patients. One patient developed bleeding while embolizing the tumor with Embospheres but was immediately embolized with NBCA without sequel. The other patient experienced tumor bleeding 4 h after embolization with Embospheres, and suffered left hemiparesis despite an emergency surgery. Surgical intervention was successfully done in all patients without procedure-related complication. Surgical blood loss ranged from 50 to 1,600 ml. Conclusion: Though associated with the risk of procedure-related bleeding, preoperative embolization of pediatric hypervascular brain tumors has high technical success rates and can enhance the surgical management. We suggest to perform the embolization and surgery in a single session and to use NBCA as the embolic agent to minimize the procedure-related risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutrition plays a critical role in energy metabolism of offspring. We aim to elucidate the effect of long-term intermittent fasting (IF) before pregnancy on health outcomes of offspring. Here we show long-term IF before pregnancy disrupts intestinal homeostasis of offspring with subsequent disorder of glucose and lipid metabolism. This occurs through the reduction in beneficial microbiota such as Lactobacillus_intestinalis. Our observations further support the concept that intestinal microbiota in offspring is vulnerable to maternal nutrition, and its homeostasis is critical for the integrity of intestinal barrier and metabolic homeostasis. Long-term intermediate fasting before pregnancy in mice disrupts intestinal homeostasis of offspring with subsequent glucose and lipid metabolism disorder, mediated by a reduction in beneficial microbiota such as Lactobacillus intestinalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An unmanned aerial vehicles assisted height transmission method is proposed. • The uncertainty sources of the proposed method are analyzed. • Experiments show it can achieve an accuracy comparable with third-level levelling. • Higher efficiency can be obtained between obstructed benchmarks. When benchmarks are blocked by obstacles such as buildings, woods, hills, etc., it is time- and energy-consuming to acquire the height differences between them through classical geometric levelling because of the detour. Therefore, this paper proposes the combination of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and robotic total stations in determining height differences across obstacles. Carrying a 360° prism as the target and hovering in the air, the UAV can be sighted by both calibrated and synchronized robotic total stations near two benchmarks to conduct synchronous observations with the help of the automatic target recognition (ATR) and tracking systems. And the height difference between them can be calculated based on the principle of trigonometric levelling. The uncertainty sources that affect the accuracy of the proposed method are analyzed and the main observation procedures for practical use are provided. The results of experiments verify the feasibility, effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal carotid artery is the most commonly affected artery in pseudoaneurysm presenting with epistaxis. Basilar arterial pseudoaneurysm is usually associated with intracranial haemorrhage. We report a basilar artery pseudoaneurysm after endoscopic surgery for clival chordoma, leading to epistaxis. The mechanism of epistaxis and strategy of embolisation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The removal of cadmium using MnO2/o-MWCNTs was studied for the first time. [•] The MnO2/o-MWCNTs which synthesized at pH=5 is the most effective adsorbent. [•] A detailed study for the adsorption process on cadmium removal was obtained. [•] The maximum adsorption capacity was 41.6mgg−1. [•] Adsorption mechanisms were revealed and elucidated in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel algebraic approach is proposed to study dynamics of asynchronous random Boolean networks where a random number of nodes can be updated at each time step (ARBNs). In this article, the logical equations of ARBNs are converted into the discrete-time linear representation and dynamical behaviors of systems are investigated. We provide a general formula of network transition matrices of ARBNs as well as a necessary and sufficient algebraic criterion to determine whether a group of given states compose an attractor of length in ARBNs. Consequently, algorithms are achieved to find all of the attractors and basins in ARBNs. Examples are showed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel dynamic system, the fractional-order complex Chen system, is presented for the first time. Dynamic behaviors of system are studied analytically and numerically. Different routes to chaos are shown, and diverse kinds of motions are identified and exhibited by means of bifurcation diagram, portrait phase and the largest Lyapunov exponent. Secondly, an application to digital secure communication based on the novel system is proposed, in which security is enhanced by continually switching different orders of derivative in an irregular pattern. Furthermore, making full use of the advantage of high-capacity transmission of complex system, the improved digital secure communication scheme is achieved based on hybrid synchronization in coupled fractional-order complex Chen system, that means anti-synchronization in real part of state variables and projective synchronization in imaginary part, respectively. The corresponding numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antibacterial peptide Cecropin B (CB), isolated from the giant silk moth, has been shown to effectively eliminate bacteria. In this study, the effects of transgenic CB on dairy goat mammary epithelial cells (DGMECs) and dairy goat mammary gland were investigated. The DNA of CB from silkworm was amplified by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and then fused to the eukaryotic expression vector pECFP-C1. The recombinant plasmid pECFP-Cecropin B (pECFP-CB) was used for the transfection of DGMECs, and the expression of transgenic CB and the antibacterial activity of it were confirmed by western blot and agar diffusion reaction respectively. The stable DGMEC line transfected by pECFP-CB was obtained by screening with G418. In vivo experiment, pECFP-CB was injected into dairy goat mammary gland, and also the expression and antibacterial activity of transgenic CB were confirmed. Results of this study: transgenic CB can be expressed in DGMECs and dairy goat mammary gland, and inhibit the mastitis caused byStaphylococcus aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: One of the greatest problems in using renewable energy sources is the great variability of energy level, both in the short and long term. Geothermal energy, by nature, has high availability because the source is not dependent on weather conditions, so it is among the most stable renewable energy sources. In China, urban populations are provided with their electricity requirements, but rural areas need guaranteed electricity for socio-economic development. Fortunately, mid-low temperature geothermal resources are located proximal to rural areas without access to grid electricity in China. Small-scale geothermal power plants can support electricity demand as well as create employment opportunities for the rural public. Therefore, geothermal energy has the potential to play an important role in the future energy supply of China. Based on mid-low temperature geothermal resource and waste heat resource, the paper introduces the energy efficiency of single-flash and binary cycle geothermal power plant. The result shows that binary cycle plant is favorable for power generation when water temperature is below 130 °C, otherwise, flash steam power plant is a better choice. Furthermore, two project cases were analyzed in the end, focusing on the operating parameters and thermal efficiency. The single-flash and binary cycle geothermal power plants could be improved energy efficiency of low-grade resources and both widely utilized in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examines the effects of hydrologic sorting and mixing of sources on the Sr-Nd isotopic compositions of suspended sediments at different water depths. The samples were collected from three layers (surface, middle and bottom) at Datong hydrological station of Yangtze River during the flood season of 2010. Our results show that, Sr/Sr values decrease from surface to bottom, ranging from 0.730332 to 0.720857. ɛ(0) values range from −14.75 to −10.09, with surface sediments being the most negative. The isotope composition at the middle layer can best represent the mean isotopic composition of the total suspended sediments transported by a river. It is believed that the stratification of Sr-Nd isotope is attributable to mixing of sediments from different sources due to hydrological sorting. Sediments from the upper stream are found to be coarser, and tend to contribute more to the lower water column. Although Sr-Nd isotope is a well acknowledged tool to trace sediment provenance, the current study suggests that the grain size of the samples and the sampling locations should be taken into consideration when applying this method to provenance study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We evaluate the simulations of SO2 and sulfate using the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) version 4.6 with the observations over the United States in 2002. MM5 was used for meteorological simulations. While the general seasonal cycles of SO2 and sulfate are simulated well by the model, we find significant systematic biases in the summer. The model low bias in sulfate is considerably more severe than the model bias in SO2. Both ACM and RADM schemes are used in the model to test the sensitivities of simulated sulfate to cloud processing. We carry out detailed modeling analysis and diagnostics for July 2002. Compared to satellite observations of cloud liquid water path, CMAQ cloud modules greatly overestimates convective (sub-grid) precipitating clouds, leading to large overestimation of sulfate wet scavenging. Limiting convective precipitating cloud fraction in the cloud modules to <10% and hence significantly reducing wet scavenging lead to much improved agreement between simulated and observed sulfate. The average lifetime of sulfate in the model increases from 1–2 days to 3–4 days for July. We show that a potential model problem of excessive wet scavenging of sulfate does not necessarily lead to apparent problems in model simulations of sulfate wet deposition rate compared to surface observations. In general, there is still a lack of direct observational constraints from air quality monitoring measurements on model simulated cloud processing of SO2 and sulfate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new unsymmetrical aniline-based squaraine (SQ2) bearing binding unit of Hg2+ion was designed and synthesised. SQ2 can form 1:2 inclusion complex with ?-cyclodextrin, and the resulting complex, which undergoes absorption and fluorescence bleaching upon binding Hg2+, can serve as a turn-on colorimetric or fluorescent chemosensor in organic solvent-free aqueous solution for thiol-containing amino acids with high selectivity and tunable measuring range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides are important tools to control preharvest and postharvest brown rot of stone fruits. In this study we determined the mycelial growth rate of Monilinia fructicola isolates on various media and picked the three that allowed the fastest growth to assess the sensitivity of mycelium to SDHI fungicides boscalid, fluopyram, and penthiopyrad. Minimal medium (MM) supported mycelial growth the best and yielded lowest EC50 values for three SDHI fungicides. EC50 values corresponded with disease incidence data obtained from detached fruit assays. Penthiopyrad had significantly greater intrinsic activity in vitro compared to fluopyram at the α = 0.05 level and compared to boscalid at the α = 0.1 level. However, detached fruit assays revealed that this 'advantage' did not carry over in vivo. In conclusion, MM appears to be the best medium currently available to assess the sensitivity of M. fructicola mycelium in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The photocatalytic H2 production efficiency of a multi-component system, containing [Ir(ppy)2(bpy)]+ as photosensitizer, [Co(bpy)3]2+ as H2-evolving catalyst, and triethanolamine (TEOA) as sacrificial electron donor, was investigated in water/acetonitrile (8:2, v/v) solution in the presence of different kinds of surfactants, such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), Triton X-100, and sodium lauryl sulfonate (NaLS). The H2 evolution rate is found to follow the order of cationic micellar media > nonionic micellar media > anionic micellar media > water/acetonitrile solution. The underlying mechanism was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: TNF-α -308 G/A, TNF-α -238 G/A, IL-1B-31 T/C, IL-1B-511 C/T, and IL-10-1082 G/A polymorphisms have been reported to influence the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in many studies; however, the results still remains controversial and ambiguous. The aim of this study was to determine more precise estimations for the relationship between TNF-α, IL-1B, and IL-10 polymorphisms and the risk for HCC by meta-analysis. Methods: Electronic searches for all publications were conducted on associations between these variants and HCC in several databases through September 2010. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to estimate the strength of this association in a random-effect model. Twenty studies were identified, involving 2,763 HCC patients and 4,152 controls. Results: This meta-analysis showed significant association between TNF-α-308 polymorphism and HCC (AA + GA vs. GG: OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.12-2.72). In Caucasian and Asian subgroups, OR values (95% CI) were 1.49 (0.58-3.82) and 1.84 (1.06-3.20), respectively. While the ORs for TNF-α-238 G/A, IL-1B-31 T/C, -511 C/T and IL-10-1082 G/A polymorphisms and HCC were 1.37 (0.95-2.00), 1.24 (0.99-1.55), 1.12 (0.66-1.88) and 0.91 (0.74-1.12), respectively. The sensitivity analysis further strengthened the overall strong positive correlations. No publication bias was observed in this study. Conclusions: TNF-α -308 G/A polymorphism is assumed to confer a higher risk for HCC, especially in Asian population. TNF-α-238 G/A, IL-1B-31 T/C, -511 C/T, and IL-10-1082 G/A polymorphisms were not detected to be related to the risk for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The halogenated (brominated or iodinated) squaraines have promising potential in the application of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Though aniline-based squaraines are the most classical squaraine dyes, no halogenated derivatives with the halogen atoms directly incorporated in the conjugation skeleton of the squaraine chromophore have been reported so far. In this work, a stepwise synthetic approach, i.e.by way of the halogenated semi-squaraines, was applied successfully to prepare halogenated asymmetric aniline-based squaraines. Such a structure makes iodine atoms be able to exert significant heavy atom effect on the intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiency of the squaraine dye. As a result, the iodinated asymmetric squaraine (SQ–OH–I) exhibits a singlet oxygen (1O2) quantum yield as high as 0.54. In contrast, the 1O2quantum yield of the non-halogenated squaraine analogue (SQ–OH) is only 0.02. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Biodegradable chitosan hollow nanospheres were fabricated by employing uniform poly-d,l-lactide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PELA) nanoparticles as templates. Chitosan was adsorbed onto the surface of PELA nanoparticle templates through the electrostatic interaction between the sulphuric acid groups from sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the templates and the amino groups of the chitosan. Subsequently, the core-coated structure of chitosan–PELA nanospheres was obtained with the adsorbed chitosan layer being further crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. After the removal of the templates, PELA cores, chitosan hollow nanospheres were achieved. The mean size and size distribution of these nanospheres were measured with dynamic light scattering. The hollow structure was identified by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and laser confocal scanning microscope. The antitumor drug model, adriamycin hydrochloride, was adsorbed on/into the chitosan hollow nanospheres. The drug release behaviors were investigated in phosphate buffered solution (PBS) at pH 7.4 and acetate buffered solution (ABS) at pH 4.5, respectively, at 37°C, and in vitro tumor cell growth inhibition assay was also evaluated. The biodegradable hollow nanospheres possess great potential applications in nanomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The angioarchitectures of traumatic indirect CCFs and the effectiveness and safety of transarterial liquid adhesive embolization for these fistulas remain to be evaluated. Methods: A total of 276 consecutive patients with traumatic craniofacial arteriovenous fistula were referred for embolization in the past 15 years. Eleven had traumatic indirect CCFs and were managed with transarterial liquid adhesive embolization. This group was composed of 8 men and 3 women ranging from 15 to 46 years of age. The most frequently observed symptoms were neuro-ophthalmic, followed by bruit and headache. All lesions were single fistula and fed exclusively by meningeal artery. The accessory meningeal artery was involved most often (n = 7), followed by the middle meningeal artery (n = 4). Venous drains were the ophthalmic vein (n = 11) and/or inferior petrous sinus (n = 8). No cortical vein drainage was observed. Liquid adhesives (60%) were used to obliterate all fistulas; 2 patients were also treated with detachable coils. Results: All fistulas were totally occluded with resolutive fistula-related symptoms. Asymptomatic migration of liquid adhesives into the nearby arterial branch was observed in 1 patient. One patient had partial ocular choroidal infarction. No recurrent or residual fistula was found upon clinical follow-up. Conclusions: Angioarchitecture and treatment of traumatic indirect CCFs differed from the spontaneous type of fistulas. By transarterial liquid adhesive embolization, treatment of all fistulas was safe, with effective occlusion and associated low peri-procedural risk. This procedure may be considered as the primary treatment for these traumatic fistulas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Systematic evaluation of the safety of del Nido cardioplegia compared to cold blood cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized clinical trials (published by 14 January 2024) comparing del Nido cardioplegia to cold blood cardioplegia in adult. Our main endpoints were myocardial injury markers and clinical outcomes. We assessed pooled data by use of a random-effects model or a fixed-effects model. Results: A total of 10 studies were identified, incorporating 889 patients who received del Nido cardioplegia and 907 patients who received cold blood cardioplegia. The meta-analysis results showed that compared with the cold blood cardioplegia, the del Nido cardioplegia had less volume of cardioplegia, higher rate of spontaneous rhythm recovery after cross clamp release, lower levels of postoperative cardiac troponin T and creatinine kinase-myocardial band, all of which were statistically significant. However, there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative troponin I and postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction. The clinical outcomes including mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit stay time, hospital stay time, postoperative stroke, postoperative new-onset atrial fibrillation, postoperative heart failure requiring intra-aortic balloon pump mechanical circulation support, and in-hospital mortality of both are comparable. Conclusion: Existing evidence suggests that del Nido cardioplegia reduced volume of cardioplegia administration and attempts of defibrillation. The superior postoperative results in CTnT and CK-MB may provide a direction for further research on improvement of the composition of cardioplegia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a conceptual framework for finite element analysis of generalized Maxwell viscoelastic materials based on the initial stress approach. The proposed method facilitates the explicit and convenient determination of mechanical parameters for viscoelastic materials by directly utilizing relaxation test data. Each time step's viscoelastic relaxation stress is treated as the initial stress, and a recursive calculation formula for the material's initial stress is established, relying solely on the relaxation stress and strain from the previous time step. Based on this, the study outlines the computational steps for initial-stress-based finite element analysis of elastic materials. The proposed algorithm's accuracy and efficiency are validated through a classical one-dimensional axial rod example. Results demonstrate that the introduced initial stress-type finite element analysis maintains the stiffness matrix equal to the initial stiffness matrix throughout the calculation process, significantly enhancing the efficiency of finite element analysis for viscoelastic materials while reducing the computational resource required. The conceptual framework improves the efficiency and accuracy of analyzing the mechanical parameters of viscoelastic materials using relaxation test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, jamming strategies for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) pertaining to target detection and identification, such as the creation of false targets, electromagnetic (EM) deception, and signal spoofing, have been increasingly emphasized. Distinct from traditional SAR jamming approaches, the introduction of an innovative artificial material cloak in SAR target jamming presents augmented capabilities. These methods demonstrate a proficient redirection of incident EM waves in specific or arbitrary directions, effectively masking the vital information linked to critical targets. This study introduces a broadband SAR target jamming system employing an information metasurface that incorporates intelligent information processing algorithms in conjunction with a space-time-coding digital metasurface, endowing it with the capacity to adeptly modulate incident EM waves. This integration facilitates a versatile approach to jamming, enabling the deployment of multi-mode protective measures against critical targets. The conducted simulation and experiment results validate the system's ability to adjustably produce EM deception and generate multiple false targets independently of the SAR system. The outcomes of this research significantly advance the practicality of SAR protection strategies, pushing the boundaries toward more dynamic, broadband, and controllable scenarios, thereby substantially improving the concealment of critical targets in highly sensitive conflict areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) as a kind of intelligent soft computing method, by combining the advantages of neural network and fuzzy logic, can be used to mine the causal relationships between concepts and make reasoning. However, how to effectively learn the large-scale FCMs is still an open problem. In this article, by means of structured sparsity learning, a robust learning method for large-scale FCMs based on iterative smoothing algorithm is proposed. Firstly, in terms of sparse signal reconstruction, the objective function of learning method is constructed by using elastic and total variation (TV) penalties, which can be conducive to capture the sparse structure information of FCM and improve the robustness of network reconstruction. Due to the non-smoothness of the TV penalty, Nesterov's smoothing technique is used to solve the non-smooth problem, thus transforming the problem into a convex optimization problem. Subsequently, in order to quickly solve the convex optimization, the algorithm based on proximal gradient descent is applied. In the experiment part, synthetic FCM models with different densities, sizes and noises are used to evaluate the proposed method, and the experimental results demonstrate the proposed method can make full use of the observations to learn the structural information of FCM. Moreover, the real-world data from the gene regulatory networks (GRNs) are further used to evaluate the effect of network reconstruction, and a higher reconstruction accuracy can be verified. • A robust learning method for large-scale FCMs with structured sparsity. • Three regularizations are introduced to improve robustness against insufficient data and high noise. • An efficient algorithm with the Nesterov's smoothing technique is utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, shale cores from 20 wells in the S1l11-1 sublayer of Longmaxi Formation buried in shallow shale (<3500 m) and deep shale (>3500 m) in the southern Sichuan Basin, China were collected to compare their pore structures and gas-bearing properties using multiple experiments. Results showed that the deep layer has relatively lower brittle mineral content, which is disadvantageous in terms of the higher requirements it imposes on hydraulic fracturing. Results also showed that the most important factor controlling the differential enrichment of S1l11-1 shale gas in southern Sichuan Basin is porosity. Moreover, the porosity composition of shallow shale and deep shale has significant differences: the porosity of shallow shale is dominated by organic pores, while for deep shale, both organic and inorganic pores are important. The inorganic pores provide significant storage space for free gas in deep shale; their contribution warrants more attention. We also found that the difference in organic porosity of the shallow and deep shale samples resulted from large differences in pore development ability, while the highest inorganic porosity was concentrated near the optimal mineral composition when the content of quartz plus feldspar plus pyrite was about 70%. This study revealed the primary factor controlling the difference in gas content between shallow and deep shale and detailed the characteristics of microscopic pore structure, providing a basis for the exploration and development of deep shale gas in the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in the southern Sichuan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the fixed points of the coupled Logistic map is researched, and the boundary equation of the first bifurcation of the coupled Logistic map in the parameter space is given out. Using the quantitative criterion and rule of system chaos, i.e., phase graph, bifurcation graph, power spectra, the computation of the fractal dimension, and the Lyapunov exponent, the paper reveals the general characteristics of the coupled Logistic map transforming from regularity to chaos, the following conclusions are shown: (1) chaotic patterns of the coupled Logistic map may emerge out of double-periodic bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation, respectively; (2) during the process of double-period bifurcation, the system exhibits self-similarity and scale transform invariability in both the parameter space and the phase space. From the research of the attraction basin and Mandelbrot–Julia set of the coupled Logistic map, the following conclusions are indicated: (1) the boundary between periodic and quasiperiodic regions is fractal, and that indicates the impossibility to predict the moving result of the points in the phase plane; (2) the structures of the Mandelbrot–Julia sets are determined by the control parameters, and their boundaries have the fractal characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 10.35-m-long sediment core from the Luobei depression in Lop-Nur, Xinjiang, Northwest China, provides detailed information about environmental changes during the Late Pleistocene. The samples taken every 5 cm of the core were analyzed for 10 environmental proxies, including magnetic susceptibility, granularity, chroma, carbonate and loss on ignition (LOI), and pH value. The chronology data are provided by the uranium/thorium disequilibrium dates. The sediments of the section were deposited during the last 32000 years. The results of analysis of 10 proxies were examined using multivariate statistical analysis, and the principal components were calculated. According to the results, the Late Pleistocene sequence contains four climatic and environmental stages appearing in the cycles of cold-wet and warm-dry changes. During 10-9 ka BP, it was the earliest warm episode in the Holocene. Environmental changes in this district were restricted by global change, as suggested by the analysis of glacial-interglacial cycles. But it was different from the mutative trend of a monsoon region in East China because of its own characteristics, which was the situation of cold-wet and warm-dry climate-environment change. The candidate reason may be the uplift of the Tibet Plateau and the westerly wind circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic behavior of a slope site has a critical impact on its stability and the seismic response of structures located on or near the slope. In this paper, a hybrid boundary method(HBM) is proposed for the site response analysis of slopes. Viscous and viscous-spring boundaries are applied in the HBM and equivalent loads are calculated separately on the bottom and the lateral boundary. A horizontally extended model is used to verify the HBM. The results show that the maximum error of the HBM is only 2.010%. On the ground surface of the slope site, amplification occurs at the crest side and de-amplification occurs at the toe side under various cases. The ratio of the maximum and minimum PGA on the ground surface could exceed 2. Therefore, great attention should be paid to the spatial variability of ground motion on slope sites. The HBM is also compared with four conventional approaches. The maximum errors of all the conventional approaches exceed 70%. These examples demonstrate that the HBM has much higher accuracy in practice than conventional approaches. • A hybrid boundary method(HBM) is proposed for the site response analysis of slopes. • The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method has been verified. • The computational accuracy of the HBM and four conventional approaches are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hierarchical porous SiO 2 @C host derived from waste rice husks was fabricated. • Improved performance was achieved in the SiO 2 @C-2.5S cathode for Li-S cells. • The cathode combined the physical confinement and chemical affinity toward LPSs. The serious shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics hinder the practical implementation of Li-S batteries. Here, we proposed a general method for large-scale synthesis of hierarchical porous SiO 2 @C host derived from waste rice husks. The prepared SiO 2 @C-2.5S cathode exhibits superior electrochemical properties, which can be attributed to the physical adsorption of porous carbon shell and chemical anchoring effect of SiO 2 nanoparticles. Moreover, the hierarchical porous carbon matrix provides a highly conductive channel for rapid electron and ion transport, and offers enough space for the volume expansion of elemental S during the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uniform dispersed Sn 4 P 3 NPs on the surface of MWCNTs allows a synergetic effect to occur between Sn 4 P 3 NPs and MWCNTs, which can further enhance the Li ion storage performance. [Display omitted] • The Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs composite were successfully synthesized by a facile in-situ route. • The electrode material delivers superior long cycle stability and rate performance. • The good synergic effects promote electrochemical performance of the electrodes. The development and design of the anode materials has become one of research hotspots for high-performance Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) currently. Sn 4 P 3 has a layer crystal structure, and its special crystal structure endow it superior electrochemical performance, such as high theory capacity, better electron conductivity etc, which is thought to be a promising anode material for LIBs. But the rapid capacity attenuation caused by the huge volume change and tin nanoparticles (NPs) agglomeration during the cycling process greatly limits its application. Herein, tin phosphide/ multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs) is synthesized successfully by a facile in-situ solvothermal method. As the anode for LIBs, the Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs composite shows a discharge capacity of 783 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at the current density of 100 mA g−1. Even at a current density of 1 A g−1 for 500 cycles, the reversible specific capacity still could be remained at 403 mAh g−1. The cycling performance of Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs at 100 and 500 mAg−1 after 100 cycles, which are far superior to that of bare Sn 4 P 3 and MWCNTs. These excellent electrochemical performances are originated from the synergistic effect between MWCNTs and Sn 4 P 3. MWCNTs is help to enhance the conductivity and serve as a framework to disperse Sn 4 P 3 NPs, further it can alleviate the large volume change to improve cycle stability during the charge/discharge process, while Sn 4 P 3 NPs can contribute high specific capacity. In addition, the pseudocapacitance capacity contribution can explain the stable Li+ storage and good rate performance of Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs composite. Hence, Sn 4 P 3 /MWCNTs suggests a huge potential as anode materials for low cost and high- performance LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use an inorganic aerosol thermodynamic equilibrium model in a three-dimensional chemical transport model to understand the roles of ammonia chemistry and natural aerosols on the global distribution of aerosols. The thermodynamic equilibrium model partitions gas-phase precursors among modeled aerosol species self-consistently with ambient relative humidity and natural and anthropogenic aerosol emissions during the 1990s. Model simulations show that accounting for aerosol inorganic thermodynamic equilibrium, ammonia chemistry and dust and sea-salt aerosols improve agreement with observed SO4, NO3, and NH4 aerosols especially at North American sites. This study shows that the presence of sea salt, dust aerosol and ammonia chemistry significantly increases sulfate over polluted continental regions. In all regions and seasons, representation of ammonia chemistry is required to obtain reasonable agreement between modeled and observed sulfate and nitrate concentrations. Observed and modeled correlations of sulfate and nitrate with ammonium confirm that the sulfate and nitrate are strongly coupled with ammonium. SO4 concentrations over East China peak in winter, while North American SO4 peaks in summer. Seasonal variations of NO3 and SO4 are the same in East China. In North America, the seasonal variation is much stronger for NO3 than SO4 and peaks in winter. Natural sea salt and dust aerosol significantly alter the regional distributions of other aerosols in three main ways. First, they increase sulfate formation by 10–70% in polluted areas. Second, they increase modeled nitrate over oceans and reduce nitrate over Northern hemisphere continents. Third, they reduce ammonium formation over oceans and increase ammonium over Northern Hemisphere continents. Comparisons of SO4, NO3 and NH4 deposition between pre-industrial, present, and year 2100 scenarios show that the present NO3 and NH4 deposition are twice pre-industrial deposition and present SO4 deposition is almost five times pre-industrial deposition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A genetic map was constructed previously from a cross between Magnaporthe oryzae isolates 84R-62B and Y93-245c-2, and genetic markers closely linked to the cultivar-specific avirulence (Avr) gene, AvrPik, were assigned to a 1.6Mb small chromosome of 84R-62B that is absent from Y93-245c-2. In the present study, the 1.6Mb chromosome was characterized by using contour-clamped homogeneous electric fields (CHEF) electrophoresis and hybridization analysis. CHEF electrophoresis analysis showed that the 1.6Mb chromosome was inherited in Mendelian fashion, and co-segregated with AvrPik. Southern hybridization analysis revealed that the 1.6Mb chromosome carried sequences only distributed to the supernumerary chromosome in M. oryzae isolates, as well as sequences corresponding to those in the supercontig 17 of chromosome 1 in the M. grisea database. Thus, we conclude that the Mendelian 1.6Mb chromosome is a chimera containing sequences from chromosome 1 and from supernumerary chromosomes in M. oryzae. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The method constructing the Julia sets from a simple non-analytic complex mapping developed by Michelitsch and Rössler was expanded. According to the complex mapping expanded by the author, a series of the generalized Julia sets for real index number were constructed. Using the experimental mathematics method combining the theory of analytic function of one complex variable with computer aided drawing, the fractal features and evolutions of the generalized Julia sets are studied. The results show: (1) the geometry structure of the generalized Julia sets depends on the parameters α, R and c; (2) the generalized Julia sets have symmetry and fractal feature; (3) the generalized Julia sets for decimal index number have discontinuity and collapse, and their evolutions depend on the choice of the principal range of the phase angle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Currently researchers expect to control the internal noise of an enclosure by controlling the relative structural vibration. The method is called ANC (Active Noise Control). Sound pressure response and velocity response of the structure are two significant factors to evaluate the performance of the ANC. But previous researches have to depend on a three-dimensional model with regular shape. Based on the Green’s function theorem this paper proposed two formulas to describe the contributions of acoustic modes and structural modes. These two formulas are the essential basis for the analysis of structural-acoustic coupling of an enclosure. From them compact matrix formulas are deduced and a numerical simulation method is presented to calculate the responses of sound pressure and velocity. The numerical simulation method is verified by comparing the numerical result with the theoretical one based on a regular model. And the application of the method in an irregular model shows this method can be used to analyze any model with arbitrary shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feature extraction method based on projection learning has been widely studied and achieved good results in practical application. However, most current methods often have the following limitations: (1) No simultaneous attention to global and local structural information between samples; (2) When dealing with complex noise in the data, the feature extraction performance may be affected. In view of this, a global and local structure projection learning (GALSPL) for image feature extraction is proposed in this article. First, we use the nuclear norm to reveal the global structure information from the samples, while we can explore the low-rank structure of the feature spatial data. In addition, we design a local structure constraint to extract the local feature information of the data to ensure the sparsity of the low-rank matrix. Specifically, we construct an additional matrix for data reconstruction, so that the projection matrix can more effectively learn the main features of the data. Finally, we conduct a great many comparative experiments on different datasets and verify that GALSPL has better feature extraction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel twisted annulus between two counter-twisted oval tubes is proposed for a double-tube heat exchanger. The oval tubes of the annuli have same twist pitch, but twist with opposite twisting directions. The thermohydraulic performance of the annuli with different aspect ratios and twist ratios is numerically presented. The results indicate that strong secondary flow is generated in the twisted annulus, which can significantly promote the heat transfer. The maximum Nu and f of the twisted annuli are separately 157% and 118% larger than those of the corresponding straight annuli. The largest value of the thermal performance factor is 1.98 in the studied range of geometrical parameters. Correlations of Nu and f as a function of Re , twist ratio and aspect ratio are proposed with the deviations within ±10% and ±8%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Intravenous injection of berberine (BBR) can be metabolized to a new oxymetabolite (OBB). • Both of BBR and OBB exert much stronger interaction with hemoglobin than plasma, thus affect the pharmacokinetics. • BBR and OBB could change conformation of bovine hemoglobin with non-covalent bond. Berberine (BBR), isolated from Coptis chinensis , is one type of isoquinoline alkaloids. BBR exerts numerous of bioactivities but the plasma concentration is really low. In our previous study, a new oxymetabolite (OBB) has been discovered and showed superior anti-inflammatory effect comparing with BBR. The aim of this study is to investigate the interaction, metabolite and pharmacokinetics of BBR with hemoglobin. Sprague-Dawley rats were used to carry out the interaction, metabolite and pharmacokinetics of BBR and OBB in vivo. Fluorescence spectra were used to analyse the interaction in vitro. Results showed that OBB could be generated after intravenous injection or incubating with BBR in vitro and in vivo ; Both BBR and OBB exerted much stronger binding interaction with hemoglobin than plasma and affect the conformation of bovine hemoglobin and change the fluorescence spectral properties; BBR and OBB were mainly presented and transported in the proteins-bound form. These results provide a new insight to understand the dynamic equilibrium of BBR and OBB within body from the perspective of new metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]