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A novel swarm intelligence algorithm, discretized grey wolf optimizer (GWO), was introduced as a variable selection tool in edible blend oil analysis for the first time. In the approach, positions of wolves were updated and then discretized by logical function. The performance of a wolf pack, the iteration number and the number of wolves were investigated. The partial least squares (PLS) method was used to establish and predict single oil contents in samples. To validate the method, 102 edible blend oil samples containing soybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and sesame oil were measured by an ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The results demonstrated that GWO-PLS models can provide best prediction accuracy with least variables compared with full-spectrum PLS, Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination-PLS (MCUVE-PLS) and randomization test-PLS (RT-PLS). The determination coefficients (R2) of GWO-PLS were all above 0.95. Therefore, the research indicates the feasibility of using discretized GWO for variable selection in rapid determination of quaternary edible blend oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a variable domain hybrid decision-based friction optimization control strategy for train multi-wheelsets. This strategy aims to achieve the stable operation of creep speed for train on both flat and ramped railway lines. Firstly, a transfer factor-based creep speed prediction model is proposed. The model integrates the axle load transfer mechanism in the prediction process of creep speed by the transfer factor. Then, an adaptive hybrid decision (AHD)-based weight mechanism is proposed. The AHD incorporates a dual adaptive mechanism of the axle load transfer and slipping fault to make weight decisions. Finally, a variable domain transfer search(VDTS)-based friction coefficient allocation method is proposed. The VDTS designs a finite gradient learning to correct the search domain and establishes the transfer search equation based on domain boundaries. The proposed strategy is verified on the hardware-in-the-loop(HIL)-based platform. The detailed comparative analyses are conducted with three other relevant strategies to evaluate the optimization effectiveness of the creep speed for the wheelsets, which encompass the comparison of creep speed differentials as well as the power losses in the train. The test results show that the proposed method can maintain consistent speeds of different wheelsets within the stable domain, while reducing the slipping power loss of wheelsets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a common environmental pollutant, microwave can cause great harms to human health. The development of high-performance microwave absorber with lightweight is indeed necessary. Herein, "rattan-like" graphene-based composite aerogels, having macroscopic pores surrounded by plenty of small pores, were designed and fabricated via an in-situ foaming then carbonized approach. Firstly, graphene oxide (GO), nanocellulose and ferrous ions were integrated into an aerogel with uniform large pores via a freeze-casting method. Then, the aerogel was immersed into a H 2 O 2 solution, during which bubble clusters generated in situ. These bubbles were driven into the stacked GO sheets and formed small pores. With the increase of the H 2 O 2 concentration from 0.5 to 10 wt%, the count percentage of the small pores in the aerogel increased from 81.5 to 95.2%. After the final carbonization, the graphene sheets were dually interconnected with magnetic nanoparticles and carbonized nanocellulose. The unique porous structure and dual-connected networks endowed the aerogel with enhanced conductive loss and optimized impedance matching capacity, and thus an excellent microwave absorption performance, whose maximum reflection loss achieves −68.5 dB. Further, the aerogel also exhibited superior sound absorption performance (noise reduction coefficient up to 0.91 in 1000–6300 Hz), and good mechanical stability. [Display omitted] • An in-situ foaming then carbonized process was developed to controllably fabricate "rattan-like" RGO-based aerogel. • By increasing C H2O2 from 0.5 to 10 wt%, the count percentage of small pores in aerogel increased from 81.5 to 95.2%. • "Rattan-like" structure and dual-connected networks endowed the aerogel with excellent microwave absorption capacity. • The aerogel also exhibited superior sound absorption capacity and good mechanical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease marked by inflammatory cell infiltration and joint damage. The Chinese government has approved the prescription medication sinomenine (SIN), an effective anti-inflammation drug, for treating RA. This study evaluated the possible anti-inflammatory actions of SIN in RA based on bioinformatics analysis and experiments. Six microarray datasets were acquired from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. We used R software to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and perform function evaluations. The CIBERSORT was used to calculate the abundance of 22 infiltrating immune cells. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to discover genes associated with M1 macrophages. Four public datasets were used to predict the genes of SIN. Following that, function enrichment analysis for hub genes was performed. The cytoHubba and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were employed to select hub genes, and their diagnostic effectiveness was predicted using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Molecular docking was undertaken to confirm the affinity between the SIN and hub gene. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of SIN was validated in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells line using Western blot and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) was identified as the hub M1 macrophages-related biomarker in RA using bioinformatic analysis and molecular docking. Our study indicated that MMP9 took part in IL-17 and TNF signaling pathways. Furthermore, we found that SIN suppresses the MMP9 protein overexpression and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell line. In conclusion, our work sheds new light on the pathophysiology of RA and identifies MMP9 as a possible RA key gene. In conclusion, the above findings demonstrate that SIN, from an emerging research perspective, might be a potential cost-effective anti-inflammatory medication for treating RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients have no obvious hematoma lesions but exhibit blood–brain barrier dysfunction and vasogenic brain edema. However, there is a few days between blood‒brain barrier dysfunction and vasogenic brain edema. The present study sought to investigate whether this phenomenon is caused by endothelial injury induced by the acute astrocytic barrier, also known as the glial limitans. Methods: Bioinformatics analyses of human endothelial cells and astrocytes under hypoxia were performed based on the GEO database. Wild-type, EGLN3 and PKM2 conditional knock-in mice were used to confirm glial limitan formation after SAH. Then, the effect of endothelial EGLN3-PKM2 signaling on temporal and spatial changes in glial limitans was evaluated in both in vivo and in vitro models of SAH. Results: The data indicate that in the acute phase after SAH, astrocytes can form a temporary protective barrier, the glia limitans, around blood vessels that helps maintain barrier function and improve neurological prognosis. Molecular docking studies have shown that endothelial cells and astrocytes can promote glial limitans-based protection against early brain injury through EGLN3/PKM2 signaling and further activation of the PKC/ERK/MAPK signaling pathway in astrocytes after SAH. Conclusion: Improving the ability to maintain glial limitans may be a new therapeutic strategy for improving the prognosis of SAH patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel and simple method for treating high-As-CuSO 4 flue dusts was investigated. • >92% As was volatilized as As 2 O 3 and >95% Cu was retained in the calcine. • FeS 2 promoting As release mechanism of high-As-CuSO 4 flue dusts has been proposed. Arsenic is the most important hazardous trace element in copper concentrates. In order to separate arsenic from the smelting processes, a pyrometallurgical treatment with additives was developed to deal with high-arsenic copper smelter flue dust high in copper sulfate. Under the optimized conditions of mixing 30 wt% pyrite and roasting at 550 °C under an inert atmosphere for 30 min, more than 92% arsenic was volatilized as a high purity arsenic trioxide by-product while most copper was retained in the calcine to be returned to smelting as a high-copper feed. The high separation of arsenic is due to the transformation from the limited vaporization of arsenate to volatile arsenic trioxide by pyrite at above 460 °C. Two reaction paths of pyrite were identified as follows: one followed the pattern FeS 2 → Fe 2 O 3 → FeAsO 4 → Fe 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3 and the other was FeS 2 → FeS + S 2 (g) → Fe 3 O 4 /Fe 2 O 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel thiol-grafted magnetic polymer (MPPs-SH) was synthesized by "click reaction" between 1,2-ethanedithiol and Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @poly (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate -co- glycidyl methacrylate). The resultant MPPs-SH had high S content (5.4 wt%) and exhibited large specific surface area (156.8 m2 g−1) as well as high adsorption capacity of 254, 64.2, 56.6 mg g−1 for mercury, cadmium and lead ions, respectively. With the prepared MPPs-SH as sorbent, a method of magnetic solid phase extraction combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was developed for the quantification of trace mercury, cadmium and lead in environmental water samples. The extraction conditions including sample pH, sample volume, sorbent amount, adsorption/desorption time and elution volume were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, three heavy metal ions were extracted from 150 mL aqueous solution in 10 min and eluted by 0.2 mol L−1 HNO 3 containing 2% thiourea in 5 min. The method presented low limits of detection (0.21, 0.82 and 2.9 ng L−1) for target ions. The accuracy of the method was validated by using Certified Reference Materials of Environmental Water including GSB 07–1185–2000 (201435), GSB 07–1183–2000 (201239) and GSB 07–3173–2014 (202046). The application potential was further validated by the determination of trace mercury, cadmium and lead in Yangtze river and East lake water samples. The content of target heavy metal ions in tested water sample was found to be in the range of 6.40–195 ng L−1, and the recoveries of 86.4–109% were obtained at three spiking concentration levels for mercury, cadmium and lead ions. Unlabelled Image • Thiol modified magnetic polymer (MPPs-SH) was prepared by click reaction. • MPPs-SH exhibited high S content (5.4%) and good selectivity for Cd, Hg and Pb. • A method of MSPE-ICPMS was developed for trace Cd, Hg and Pb analysis. • It is simple and sensitive with a fast adsorption/desorption kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative planning, along with the socioeconomic transition of China, has considerable potential in transforming Chinese planning practice. However, given the strong government and limited public participation in Chinese planning practice, introducing the third sector (TS), which can play a crucial role in the collaborative planning process, is necessary. In this study, we first briefly review the connotation of collaborative planning with particular focus on its discussion in China and clarify the characteristics of the TS. We then analyze TS participation and mechanism in collaborative planning practice. A case study of a local TS, Counseling Supervision Committee (CSC) in Tongdejie, a low-income residential area in Guangzhou, China, is applied to interpret the TS's role. Data are gathered from text analysis, virtual ethnography, in-depth interview, and questionnaire survey with a total of 775 valid samples on the field and online through our participation of the two rounds of Tongdejie community planning and our four surveys within thirteen years. Our observation through the empirical study are as follows. First, a diverse-in-member and neutral TS is the foundation for connection bridging and consensus building, although multi-stakeholders had participated in the plan-making process. Second, CSC had built relationships among stakeholders and performed supervisory and evaluation roles throughout the collaborative planning process and the late-stage management of Tongdejie area. Third, CSC had helped implement a fair collaborative planning to complete the institutional design of the local planning. On the basis of these findings, we argue that institutionalizing TS participation can further promote collaborative planning practice. • Scant attention has been paid to the third sector (TS) which is crucial in Chinese collaborative planning process. • A diverse-in-member and neutral TS is the foundation for connection bridging and consensus building. • The TS had built relationships among stakeholders. • The TS performed supervisory and evaluation roles throughout the planning and management process. • The TS had helped implement a fair collaborative planning to complete the local planning's institutional design. • Institutionalizing TS participation can further promote collaborative planning practice in Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaporation process is closely related to industrial production. By adding foreign particles to the single liquid to facilitate the evaporation process, and the effect of foreign particles is studied via molecular dynamics simulation. In this paper, the effects of the energy parameter and volume fraction are investigated absolutely. Firstly, the foreign particles with an energy parameter coefficient of 0.50–1.00 can enhance the evaporation. Then, when the energy parameter coefficient is less than 1.00, increasing the volume fraction can enhance the evaporation. In contrast, when the energy parameter is greater than 1.00, increasing the volume fraction will suppress the evaporation. The decrease in the latent heat of evaporation caused by the increase of potential energy among liquid atoms is the main reason for the enhancement of the evaporation process. The self-diffusion coefficient and radial distribution function can also reveal the mechanism of evaporation enhancement caused by energy parameters and volume fractions to a certain extent. Moreover, the energy parameter and volume fraction can only change within a specific range; otherwise, the vapor film will be generated, which significantly weakens the evaporation and ultimately changes the phase transition mode. Finally, to maximize the evaporation process by adding foreign particles in this study, the optimal energy parameter coefficient and volume fraction are chosen as 0.50 and 30%, respectively. • The evaporation processes of the liquid film with foreign particles are performed. • The effects of the energy parameter and volume fraction are investigated. • The potential energy distributions of liquid atoms are studied. • The self-diffusion coefficient and radial distribution function are studied. • The optimal energy parameter coefficient and volume fraction are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using gas chromatography and HPLC–MS/MS, 28 fatty acids and 74 molecular species of phospholipid were identified in 90 mature (96–180 days) human milk samples from three regions of China (Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Harbin). There were obvious differences in the content of some phospholipid fatty acids from three regions. The differences in fatty acid composition of human milk phospholipids in different individuals were mainly reflected in the contents of unsaturated fatty acids. The molecular species with the highest content of glycerophospholipids in human milk samples tested were 36:2. The molecular species of sphingomyelin in human milk from the three regions differed greatly, but the glycerophospholipid composition did not differ significantly. Compared with glycerophospholipid, the contents of molecular species in human milk sphingomyelin from different individuals had a higher coefficient of variation (33.14%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape-memory materials are smart materials that can remember an original shape and return to their unique state from a deformed secondary shape in the presence of an appropriate stimulus. This property allows these materials to be used as shape-memory artificial muscles, which form a subclass of artificial muscles. The shape-memory artificial muscles are fabricated from shape-memory polymers (SMPs) by twist insertion, shape fixation via Tm or Tg, or by liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). The prepared SMP artificial muscles can be used in a wide range of applications, from biomimetic and soft robotics to actuators, because they can be operated without sophisticated linkage design and can achieve complex final shapes. Recently, significant achievements have been made in fabrication, modelling, and manipulation of SMP-based artificial muscles. This paper presents a review of the recent progress in shape-memory polymer-based artificial muscles. Here we focus on the mechanisms of SMPs, applications of SMPs as artificial muscles, and the challenges they face concerning actuation. While shape-memory behavior has been demonstrated in several stimulated environments, our focus is on thermal-, photo-, and electrical-actuated SMP artificial muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For miniaturized portable energy storage devices with limited space, electrode materials are needed to be developed in the direction of reducing the occupied volume without compromising high specific capacitance and stable cycling ability. Herein, a facile strategy was developed to fabricate a free-standing binder-free holey graphene film as a supercapacitor electrode. In this material mechanism, holey structure in graphene sheets provides abundant ion transport channels and accelerates ion diffusion efficiency, which could guarantee that this film performs a high packing density without compromising electrochemical performance. After being properly optimized on the amount of H2O2 added and the mechanical pressure while preparing, this electrode film could consequently perform a high volumetric capacitance of 406 F cm−3 and excellent cycle stability with a packing density of 1.34 g cm−3. Therefore, this kind of densely packed electrode film with excellent electrochemical performance is of great significance for the development of miniaturized portable energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By fabricating a submicron-scale grating structure on a bendable polymer substrate, we demonstrate a flexible distributed-feedback colloidal quantum dot laser. This laser uses cadmium selenide/zinc sulfide core-shell nanostructures, operating in transverse electric polarized multiple-modes, and has a typical threshold pump fluence of ∼4 mJ/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal ZnO nanodisks were grown on silicon-on-insulator substrates by vapor-transport method without catalysts. The resulting nanodisks possess ultrathin thickness (10–20 nm) and most of them present vertical orientation on the substrate surface. Under optical excitation, these ultrathin nanodisks exhibit ultraviolet lasing emission with the excitation threshold of 205 μJ/cm2 and emission lifetime of 2 ps at room temperature. The detailed lasing analysis indicates that whispering-gallery-mode lasing may occur in the ZnO nanodisks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PbS quantum dots/multiwalled carbon nanotube (PbS/MWCNT) heterostructures were fabricated via a simple wet-chemical method. The structural and optical properties of as-prepared samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, micro-Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. It was found that the size, shape, and coverage density of the PbS quantum dots on the MWCNT can be controlled through varying synthesis conditions. Photoluminescence spectrum revealed that the emission of the PbS quantum dots was partially quenched when they were coupled to the MWCNT. This suggests that the photoinduced charge transfer may occur between the PbS and the MWCNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injectable hydrogels have attracted growing interests as promising biomaterials for clinical applications, due to their minimum invasive implanting approach and easy-handling performance. Nevertheless, natural biomaterials-based injectable hydrogels with desirable nontoxicity are suffering from limited functions, failing to fulfill the requirements of clinical biomaterials. The development of novel injectable biomaterials with a combination of biocompatibility and adequate functional properties is a growing urgency toward biomedical applications. In this contribution, we report a simple and effective approach to fabricate multi-functional CMC-OSA-DTP hydrogels. Two kinds of natural polysaccharide derived polymers, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and oxidized alginate (OSA) along with 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid dihydrazide (DTP) were utilized to introduce three dynamic covalent bonds. Owing to the existence of triple dynamic bonds, this unique CMC-OSA-DTP hydrogel possessed smart redox and pH stimuli-responsive property, injectability as well as self-healing ability. In addition, the CCK-8 and live/dead assays demonstrated satisfying cytocompatibility of the CMC-OSA-DTP hydrogel in vitro. Based on its attractive properties, this easy-fabricated and multi-functional hydrogel demonstrated the great potential as an injectable biomaterial in a variety of biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the urban setting, blue space refers to all visible surface waters, including lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. Exposure to the natural environment, especially blue space, has been consistently linked to better mental health. While previous studies have disentangled the positive relationship between neighborhood blue space and mental health, scant attention has been paid to pathways through which neighborhood blue space affects mental health among Chinese urban elderly individuals. Based on questionnaire data collected from Guangzhou in 2018, remote sensing images, street-scapes, and other such sources, we extracted various blue space indicators. We employed multilevel linear regression modeling, mediating effect modeling to examine bio-psychosocial pathways and mechanisms linking exposure to blue space and elderly individuals' mental health. Propensity score matching method was employed to deal with selection bias. According to this empirical analysis, firstly, neighborhood exposure to blue space was significantly associated with elderly individuals' mental health. Secondly, environmental harm reduction, stress reduction, and social contact facilitation played a separate role in mediating the effect of blue space exposure on elderly individuals' mental health. These findings confirm the mediation pathways in the context of Chinese cities. Our research enriches the empirical research on blue space and public health from the perspective of health geography, and suggests the need for "healthy neighborhood" and "health aging" planning in Chinese settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the development of a high-efficiency and high-resolution subgrid model for simulating surface water and groundwater interaction in coastal regions. The governing equations are derived based on an assumption of the fully-saturated subsurface flow and a phase-averaging method, in which two phase functions are defined respectively for the surface phase and subsurface phase at the subgrid level. Both the surface water and groundwater processes are modeled by solving the phase-averaged equations on a coarse grid, taking into account the subgrid effects. Model validation with laboratory data indicates that the subgrid model is capable of simulating flow processes within permeable structures. The model was applied to simulating flooding and draining processes and the interaction of surface flows and groundwater flows in a meso-tidal salt marsh. The model results demonstrate that the subgrid model can be used in a complex salt marsh system with numerous narrow channels, creeks and artificial ditches, with accuracy similar to that of the full model running directly on the high-resolution grid, but computational costs can be two orders of magnitude smaller than for the full grid model. Tidal influence on the phreatic surface of the groundwater in the marsh system was discussed. • A subgrid model is developed for simulating surface wave and groundwater interaction. • High-resolution subgrid effects are accounted for in the coarse grid computations. • The model is validated against laboratory experiment. • Simulate the interaction of surface and groundwater flows in a meso-tidal marsh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The latest development of anammox-based processes was summarized. • Nitritation is the rate-limiting step in the anammox-based process application. • One-stage anammox process has obvious advantages over the two-stage anammox process. • The HAP crystallization and denitratation bring novel ideas in anammox research. • A simultaneous nitrogen removal and phosphorus recovery process were proposed. Over the past forty years, anammox-based processes have been extensively researched and applied to some extent. However, some of the long-standing problems present serious impediments to wide application of these processes, and knowledge gap between lab-scale research and full-scale operations is still considerable. In recent years, anammox-based research has developed rapidly and some emerging concepts have been proposed. The focus of this review is on the critical problems facing actual application of anammox processes. The latest developments in anammox-based processes are summarized, and particular consideration is given to the following aspects: (1) the evolution of the chemical stoichiometry of anammox reaction; (2) the status of several main anammox-based processes; (3) the critical problems and countermeasures; (4) the emerging anammox-based processes; and (5) the suggested optimal process integrating partial nitritation, anammox, hydroxyapatite crystallization and denitratation for digestion effluent treatment towards more efficient nitrogen removal and phosphorus recovery in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic nanowires have been synthesized by hydrothermal method. The functional groups in chemical structure of the organic nanowire have been characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectrum. Optical properties of organic nanowires have been demonstrated by linear absorption, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Two emission peaks at 3.91 and 3.3 eV have been revealed by fluorescence spectrum at room temperature. For the emission peak at 3.3 eV, a blueshift occurred when the temperature rises. Two time components have been observed in fluorescence dynamic process of the nanowire by time-resolved decay curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermo-responsive polymer materials are appealing in emerging fields including soft robotics, artificial muscles, and actuators. However, realising a single smart polymer material that can achieve immense strain, fast actuation, and high loading remains a challenge. We attempted to address these limitations by fabricating a thermo-responsive copolymer network structure of poly(urethane–caprolactone–siloxane). The relative concentrations of these precursors were adjusted to realise a high mechanical strength of ≥17 MPa, 100% shape fixation, and a quick shape recovery time of ≤15 s. Experimental results revealed that the soft segments largely determines the extensibility and crystallinity of the copolymer material. The thermal gradient of the soft part enables the copolymer to self-heal during shape recovery. The copolymer network was applied to a load lifting device as an artificial muscle and was able to lift 200 times its weight with a short response time of <5 s and maximum power density that was half that of mammalian skeletal muscles. With its fast actuation, high loading, and self-healing abilities, the developed thermo-activated smart copolymer material is potentially applicable to a wide range of fields such as soft robotics, biomimetic devices, and prosthetics. Unlabelled Image • The selective addition of polycaprolactone and polydimethylsiloxane to polyurethane increases the strength and elongation of the copolymer network. • The crack recovery during the shape memory process increases the cycle life of the copolymer network. • The temperature-dependent soft segment self-heals the material during shape recovery. • The shape recovery effect allows the material to be applied to load lifting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape memory assisted self-healing polymeric networks have been numerously explored due to their multi-functionality and sustainability. In this study, we prepare a kind of electrical and thermal dual-responsive shape memory assisted self-healing polymeric composites fabricated with polycaprolactone/thermoplastic polyurethane (PCL/TPU) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) via a facile method. The CNTs/PCL/TPU composites use PCL/TPU blend as shape memory polymer matrix, PCL as healing agent and CNTs as reinforcement networks. CNTs greatly enhance mechanical strength of the composites with good electrical and thermal conductivity. Interestingly, the CNTs/PCL/TPU composites can be healed via electricity and heating respectively in tens of seconds with corresponding optimal healing efficiencies about 96% and 94%. Meanwhile, the composites can exhibit remarkable electro-active shape recovery property that assist to diminish the crack openings and then the healing agent would be molten to fill in the crack. Therefore, the proposed materials can offer great potential applications in biomedical, aerospace and microelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape memory and self‐healing stimuli‐responsive polymeric materials have aroused extensive research interests due to their special functionality. In this work, a kind of novel and fast electric‐triggered self‐healing shape memory polymeric composite, based on polycaprolactone‐polylactic acid (PCLPLA) copolymer and reduced graphene oxide with embedded carbon nanotubes (CNTs@rGO), are prepared via a facile method. Interestingly, the CNTs@rGO‐PCLPLA composites show improved mechanical properties, excellent electrical conductivity, and could recover their original shape within 60 s by applying 1.42 V mm−1 electric field. Meanwhile, the proposed networks can be self‐heal rapidly and efficiently under electrothermal effect. These offer for the new material promising practical applications in aerospace, artificial skins, and electronic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread usage of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites imposes serious challenges in disposing of end-of-life and wasted products. Pyrolysis recycling has become an efficient strategy to decompose the resin matrix and extract the fiber, while the bottleneck lies in maintaining the structural integrity and physicochemical properties of the recycled fibers, along with reconstructing corresponding composites with performance efficiency. In this work, a two-step pyrolysis strategy is demonstrated to decompose the resin matrix and remove the carbon residues without damaging the internal structure of the recycled carbon fiber felts (rCFFs), followed by surface modification to facilitate the reconstruction of rCFFs-reinforced phenolic resin composites. The composites achieve remarkable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance in the X band with maximum EMI shielding effectiveness value of 70.5 dB, along with impressive flame-retardant performance under a high heat flux of 50 kW/m2. Besides, more than 80 % EMI shielding effectiveness is maintained after 10 pyrolyzing cycles by optimizing the pyrolysis parameters. Catering to maintaining the intrinsic properties of the recycled carbon fibers by proposing comprehensive recycling strategy, the synthesis of rCFFs-based materials is of great significance for promoting the substitution of pristine EMI shielding counterparts and the practical reutilization of carbon fiber resources. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The HAP-based one-stage PNA was used for high-solid AnMBR permeate treatment. • The average nitrogen removal efficiency was 81.6 % during the operational period. • The maximum phosphorus removal efficiency was achieved when the Ca/P ratio was 2.7. • The nitrogen removal was not influenced for the 90.9 mg-P/L permeate treatment. • Denitrification favored 25.7 % COD removal and led to enhanced nitrogen removal. High-solid anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) are widely applied in solid waste treatment; however, the nutrient removal of the permeate, which possesses high mineral content, nitrogen, and COD concentration, is challenging. In this study, a hydroxyapatite-based one-stage partial nitritation/anammox (HAP-PNA) process was combined with an AnMBR treating concentrated organic sludge for permeate polishing, focusing on the enhancement of phosphorus recovery by influent Ca/P ratio optimization, alkalinity control and the effect of HAP formation on nitrogen removal. The total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of high-solid AnMBR permeate were 737 ± 5 mg/L and 90.9 ± 1.9 mg/L, respectively. The reactor operated at the nitrogen loading rate of 0.73 kg-N/m3/d and realized 81.6% nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) and 0.6 kg-N/m3/d nitrogen removal rate. Denitrification reduced the nitrate produced during the anammox reaction, promoting a 25.7% COD removal and improving the NRE. The phosphorus removal efficiency (PRE) and sludge settleability were significantly enhanced by the addition of calcium, and a maximum PRE of 73.2% was achieved when the influent Ca/P ratio was 2.7. The reactor showed high stability and nitrogen removal performance, even when the phosphorus removal rate/nitrogen removal rate ratio was as high as 0.12. This study demonstrates the excellent capability of the one-stage HAP-PNA process for permeate treatment with high phosphorus content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating how cellulose, xylan, and lignin affect nitrogen's migration and transformation during pyrolysis is valuable, as lignocellulose pyrolysis can markedly alter these processes. This paper studied the co-pyrolysis of cellulose/xylan/lignin with urea formaldehyde (UF) using a thermogravimetric (TG) analyzer to assess their interactions. Furthermore, co-pyrolysis experiments of cellulose/xylan/lignin with UF at different temperatures were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor. TG analysis indicated that UF co-pyrolyzing with cellulose/xylan enhanced lower-temperature reactions, while it inhibited reactions when co-pyrolyzed with lignin. Co-pyrolysis studies showed xylan addition significantly enhanced char nitrogen retention, whereas lignin promoted nitrogen volatilization. Cellulose, xylan, or lignin incorporation yielded chars with more stable heterocyclic-N. Nitrogen preferentially migrated into the tars within a temperature range of 400 °C to 600 °C, and heterocyclic-N synthesis was efficient between 400 °C and 500 °C. The addition of cellulose or xylan significantly affected the transformation of nitrogenous compounds in tars, while lignin exhibited a relatively weaker influence on this process. • Addition of xylan improved N retention in chars during co-pyrolysis with urea formaldehyde. • Incorporation of lignocellulose resulted in more stable heterocyclic-N in chars during co-pyrolysis. • N preferentially migrated into tars within the 400 °C to 600 °C range during co-pyrolysis. • Addition of cellulose or xylan demonstrated an influence on the N transformation in tars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of three-dimensional networks in graphene-based aerogels is an effective strategy for fabricating a lightweight microwave absorber with strong absorption and broad effective bandwidth. Herein, a multi-functional aerogel with bi-continuous interpenetrating networks comprised of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) was developed via an "ice-dissolving" (freezing and solvent exchange) and subsequent annealing strategy. Different from the conventional step-by-step construction of two independent networks, the bi-continuous interpenetrating networks were simultaneously built in a one-step freezing process. Notably, the network structure of the aerogel can be tuned by adjusting the concentration of CNF (C CNF) during the freezing stage. When the C CNF increased from 2 to 8 wt%, the network structure transitioned from a single three-dimensional RGO skeleton to ordered bi-continuous interpenetrating networks, and then to a disordered CNF/RGO mixed network. The mutual contributions from the RGO skeleton and CNF network endowed the aerogel (14.96 mg cm−3) with improved conduct loss and optimized characteristic impedance, leading to an excellent microwave absorption capacity. Consequently, the aerogel achieved a maximum reflection loss of −68.3 dB and an effective bandwidth of 6.9 GHz, respectively. Moreover, the unique network structure also enabled the sample to have superior noise absorbing performance (normalized absorption coefficient of 0.894 in 250–6300 Hz) and good structural stability. This strategy provides a facile avenue for constructing multi-functional aerogels with bi-continuous interpenetrating networks for both microwave absorption and noise absorption applications. [Display omitted] • Different from step-by-step strategies, the interpenetrating networks can be simultaneously built in a one-step process. • As the C CNF increased, the network structure transitioned from a single RGO skeleton to ordered bi-continuous networks. • The mutual contributions from the RGO skeleton and CNF network endowed the aerogel with good microwave absorption capacity. • The bi-continuous networks also endowed the sample with superior noise absorbing property and structural stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) is widely adopted for simulating fluid flow in fractured porous media, but it faces limitations when dealing with blocking fractures due to its assumption of symmetric and linear pressure distribution around fractures. To improve this, our work presents a novel numerical framework named the enriched-embedded discrete fracture model (nEDFM). This framework, based on a non-conforming grid and discretized using the mass-conservative finite volume method, offers significant advancements. An attractive feature of the nEDFM is its applicability to both conductive and blocking fractures, as well as isotropic and anisotropic matrix permeability, all while maintaining a low computational cost. The local shape function, which introduces two enriched degrees of freedom for every fracture cell, is developed to model the discontinuities of pressure and its gradient on two sides of the fracture. Additionally, two equations for coupling the matrix and reduced fracture are supplemented to close the system and improve the accuracy of mass exchange between the matrix and fracture. Comparative assessments between the nEDFM, classical EDFM, and projection-based EDFM (pEDFM) demonstrate the superior performance of nEDFM. Specifically, the nEDFM outperforms the EDFM for conductive fractures and can obtain better pressure distribution inside blocking fractures than the pEDFM. In scenarios involving anisotropic matrix permeability with either conductive or blocking fractures, the nEDFM can get solutions comparable to those obtained by the reference solution. Hence, the nEDFM emerges as an accurate and flexible method for simulating fluid flow in fractured porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, solar and wind energy have been increasingly abandoned due to the blind expansion of the new energy industry. Due to the competitive relationships between different types of new energy, reasonable industrial development planning needs to be implemented to not only save the cost of government subsidies but also clarify the investment direction of social capital. Based on the panel data of OECD countries between 2006 and 2018, the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) was used to measure the efficiency of new energy generation (NEG) and the influencing factors were analyzed in this paper. Results were as follows: the efficiency of NEG in OECD countries is improving; the efficiency of NEG is positively correlated with technical innovation, government policies, economic level, and education level and negatively correlated with urbanization. Based on the empirical results of this study, problems in the development of the new energy industry have been discussed and suggestions to improve the efficiency of NEG have been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical coordinate transformation based on the ray model can flexibly and efficiently complete the manipulation of complex light fields through a pair of phase plates, and is successfully used to sort orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light. Generally, the phase modulation required by the optical coordinate transformation is derived analytically under the paraxial approximation, however, this would induce the phase modulation error, and thus worsen the quality of the transformed beam. Here, a non‐paraxial design for the spiral coordinate transformation is proposed, where the phase of the unwrapper is obtained by numerically solving the partial differential equations on the coordinate mapping and the phase corrector is obtained by the angular spectrum diffraction integral method. Due to more accurate phase modulation, the non‐paraxial spiral transformation effectively improves the beam quality, and realizes the demultiplexing of OAM modes with higher efficiency and lower cross‐talk. The proposed approach is verified with a compact metasurface‐based optical vortex mode sorter, which is extensible toward OAM‐based multi‐mode systems involving classical and quantum optical information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of depression among people with chronic pain remains unclear due to the heterogeneity of study samples and definitions of depression. We aimed to identify sources of variation in the prevalence of depression among people with chronic pain and generate clinical prediction models to estimate the probability of depression among individuals with chronic pain. Methods: Participants were from the UK Biobank. The primary outcome was a "lifetime" history of depression. The model's performance was evaluated using discrimination (optimism-corrected C statistic) and calibration (calibration plot). Results: Analyses included 24,405 patients with chronic pain (mean age 64.1 years). Among participants with chronic widespread pain, the prevalence of having a "lifetime" history of depression was 45.7% and varied (25.0–66.7%) depending on patient characteristics. The final clinical prediction model (optimism-corrected C statistic: 0.66; good calibration on the calibration plot) included age, BMI, smoking status, physical activity, socioeconomic status, gender, history of asthma, history of heart failure, and history of peripheral artery disease. Among participants with chronic regional pain, the prevalence of having a "lifetime" history of depression was 30.2% and varied (21.4–70.6%) depending on patient characteristics. The final clinical prediction model (optimism-corrected C statistic: 0.65; good calibration on the calibration plot) included age, gender, nature of pain, smoking status, regular opioid use, history of asthma, pain location that bothers you most, and BMI. Conclusions: There was substantial variability in the prevalence of depression among patients with chronic pain. Clinically relevant factors were selected to develop prediction models. Clinicians can use these models to assess patients' treatment needs. These predictors are convenient to collect during daily practice, making it easy for busy clinicians to use them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Great environmental and economic benefits can be achieved by utilizing the agricultural residue corn stover (CS) to prepare the biodegradable poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) composites. However, CS contains polarized hydroxyl groups from its main component cellulose, thus leading to its poor wetting by hydrophobic PBAT. It is of great significance to promote the compatibility between CS and PBAT for the improvement of interfacial interactions and composite performance, but the compatibilizer modified CS/PBAT biocomposites have been rarely mentioned until now. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycidyl methacylate (GMA), and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) were chosen to investigate the compatibilizer effect on the morphology, microstructure, thermal properties, mechanical strength, and water absorption capacity of the biodegradable CS/PBAT composites. The results reveal that the incorporated compatibilizers obviously improve the interface adhesion between CS and PBAT by reducing the hydrophilicity of CS surface. The enhanced interfacial bonding interactions effectively promote the crystallinity and mechanical strength of the CS/PBAT composites, but the initial degradation temperature and hydrophilicity of compatibilizers themselves also remarkably influence the composites' thermostability and water absorption. Highlights: The agricultural residue corn stover (CS) was used to reinforce PBAT.Effects of three different compatibilizers on the composites were studied.Compatibilizer improves the interface adhesion between CS and PBAT.Compatibilizer promotes crystallinity and mechanical strength of composites.The stability and hydrophilicity of compatibilizer affect those of composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: No evidence has established a direct causal relationship between early microcirculation disturbance after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and neurological function prognosis, which is the key pathophysiological mechanism of early brain injury (EBI) in patients with aSAH. Methods: A total of 252 patients with aSAH were enrolled in the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit of Southwest Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022 and divided into the no neurological deterioration, early neurological deterioration, and delayed neurological deterioration groups. Indicators of microcirculation disorders in EBI included regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), brain oxygen monitoring, and other clinical parameters for evaluating neurological function and determining the prognosis of patients with aSAH. Results: Our data suggest that the rSO2 is generally lower in patients who develop neurological deterioration than in those who do not and that there is at least one time point in the population of patients who develop neurological deterioration where left and right cerebral hemisphere differences can be significantly monitored by NIRS. An unordered multiple-classification logistic regression model was constructed, and the results revealed that multiple factors were effective predictors of early neurological deterioration: reoperation, history of brain surgery, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grade 4–5, Fisher grade 3–4, SAFIRE grade 3–5, abnormal serum sodium and potassium levels, and reduced rSO2 during the perioperative period. However, for delayed neurological deterioration in patients with aSAH, only a history of brain surgery and perioperative RBC count were predictive indicators. Conclusions: The rSO2 concentration in patients with neurological deterioration is generally lower than that in patients without neurological deterioration, and at least one time point in the population with neurological deterioration can be significantly monitored via NIRS. However, further studies are needed to determine the role of microcirculation and other predictive factors in the neurocritical management of EBI after aSAH, as these factors can reduce the incidence of adverse outcomes and mortality during hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) faces challenges due to its sluggish kinetics, development of efficient and robust OER catalytic electrodes is critical for reducing the cost of hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting. In this study, a biphasic CoNi/Zn(Fe,Al,Cr)2O4 coating, characterized by a densely organized stalagmite‐like microarray structure, is deposited on a commercial pure titanium plate, creating an exceptionally effective OER catalytic electrode. The formation of numerous metal/spinel oxide heterogeneous interfaces is demonstrated to enhance its electron transfer ability and conductivity. At high potentials, aluminum leaching and lattice oxygen consumption can facilitate deep surface reconstruction of highly active Fe‐doped CoNiOOH phase inducing electrochemical activation, further optimizing thermodynamic barrier of the fundamental reaction step. Ultimately, this electrode showcases exceptional OER catalytic performance (low overpotential of 248 and 335 mV to deliver the current density of 10 and 100 mA cm−2) compared to commercial IrO2 catalyst (overpotential of ≈310 mV at 10 mA cm−2). Moreover, it demonstrates high current stability sustaining a current density of 500 mA cm−2 for 100 h. This work deepens the comprehension of the surface reconstruction process in OER and, more broadly, introduces a new avenue for designing and enhancing the performance of catalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying stroke recovery is critical to determine effective interventions for stroke rehabilitation. This study aims to systematically explore how recovery mechanisms post‐stroke differ between individuals with different levels of functional integrity of the ipsilesional corticomotor pathway and motor function. Methods: Eighty‐one stroke survivors and 15 age‐matched healthy adults participated in this study. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), and concurrent TMS‐EEG to investigate longitudinal neurophysiological changes post‐stroke, and their relationship with behavioral changes. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the presence of paretic motor evoked potentials and motor function. Results: Functional connectivity was increased dramatically in low‐functioning individuals without elicitable motor evoked potentials (MEPs), which showed a positive effect on motor recovery. Functional connectivity was increased gradually in higher‐functioning individuals without elicitable MEP during stroke recovery and influence from the contralesional hemisphere played a key role in motor recovery. In individuals with elicitable MEPs, negative correlations between interhemispheric functional connectivity and motor function suggest that the influence from the contralesional hemisphere may be detrimental to motor recovery. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate prominent clinical implications for individualized stroke rehabilitation based on both functional integrity of the ipsilesional corticomotor pathway and motor function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low utilization of solar energy remains a challenge that limits photocatalytic efficiency. To address this issue, this work proposes a bionic solar photocatalytic reactor (BSPR) for efficient selective oxidation of aromatic alcohols. A biomimetic phototropic hydrogel is prepared by coupling chlorine‐doped polypyrrole (Cl‐PPy) and poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm) to maximize light‐harvesting efficiency automatically, allowing the BSPR to maintain high catalytic levels throughout the day. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to unveil the understanding of the fast photoresponsive behavior of Cl‐PPy/PNIPAm from a molecular level, while COMSOL simulations are conducted to follow the macroscopically phototropic mechanism of BSPR. Attributing to the existence of PdS/S vacancies riched ZnIn2S4 nanocomposite in the top flower‐shaped hydrogel, the BSPR displays a special function for efficiently photocatalytic oxidation of aromatic alcohols under solar illumination (yield of 4‐methoxybenzaldehyde: 479.5 µmol g−1 h−1; selectivity: 68.8%). Two possible reaction pathways are identified as follows: photogenerated holes can attract aromatic alcohols directly and generate aromatic aldehydes; photoexcited electrons oxidize O2 to ·O2− can also react with the adsorbed aromatic alcohol. This study presents a promising paradigm that explores opportunities for enhanced utilization of light energy, offering a novel approach to maximize its efficiency in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric cantilever beams, which have simple structures and excellent mechanical/electrical coupling characteristics, are widely applied in energy harvesting. When the piezoelectric cantilever beam is in a wind field, we should consider not only the influence of the wind field on piezoelectric beam but also the electromechanical coupling effect on it. In this paper, we design and test a wind-induced flag-swing piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH). The piezoelectric cantilever beam may vibrate in the wind field by affixing a flexible ribbon to the free end as the windward structure. To fulfill the goal of producing electricity, the flexible ribbon can swing the piezoelectric cantilever in a wind-induced unstable condition. The experimental findings demonstrate that the flag-swing PEH performs well in energy harvesting when the wind field is excited. When the wind speed is 15 m/s, the peak-to-peak output AC voltage may reach 13.88 V. In addition, the voltage at both ends of the closed-loop circuit's external resistance is examined. The maximum electric power of the PEH may reach 43.4 μW with an external resistance of 650 kΩ. After passing through the AC-DC conversion circuit, the flag-swing PEH has a steady DC voltage output of 1.67 V. The proposed energy harvester transforms wind energy from a wind farm into electrical energy for supply to low-power electronic devices, allowing for the creation and use of green energy to efficiently address the issue of inadequate energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with traditional paper relying on cellulose, the polymeric paper written by light can satisfy more multi‐environmental stability and reusability for sustainable development. Herein, proposed for the first time, a novel multifunctional polymeric paper with a patch‐sewing structure is designed, presenting the reversible writing/re‐writing performance. Meanwhile, a series of Fe‐based oxides with various submicron structures inherited from metal–organic framework templates are reported, in which the optimum one exhibited 95.04% absorbance from the finite difference time domain simulation and realized photothermal conversion instantaneously (soaring to 300 °C within 38 s). Given the distinguished mechanical properties (the tensile strength of 21.34 MPa and elongation at break of 546.06%), shape‐memory ability, and multi‐environmental stability, the composites are perfect for information recording. Due to the addition of the liquid crystal phase serving as the ink on the paper, the stress concentration and destruction can be recorded on the surface while it can recover to the initial situation by near‐infrared irradiation. Moreover, the remote writing with precision triggered by a focused light source can be achieved in multiple situations (air, water, and ice), which paved the way for the next generation of paper, especially in extreme conditions like deep‐water or aerospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the association between the DNA methylation of specific genes and sperm DNA integrity status in human sperm samples. Methods: A total of 166 semen samples were evaluated (86 controls and 80 cases with impaired sperm DNA integrity). We detected the methylation status of 257 CpG sites among two imprinted genes (H19 and SNRPN) and four non-imprinted genes related to male infertility (MTHFR, GSTM1, DAZL, and CREM) by using a targeted next-generation sequencing method. Results: Differential methylation was found in 43 CpG sites of the promoters of the six candidate genes. H19, SNRPN, MTHFR, DAZL, GSTM1, and CREM contained 22, 12, 1, 4, 0, and 4 differentially methylated CpG sites (P<0.05), respectively. The imprinting genes were associated with relatively higher rates of differentially methylated CpG sites (28.21% in H19 and 41.38% in SNRPN) than the non-imprinting genes. One CpG site in H19 remained significant after performing strict Bonferroni correction. Conclusion: In this study, we found that different site-specific DNA methylation signatures were correlated with sperm DNA integrity status. Further studies are needed to investigate the specific mechanisms leading to the epigenetic modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐environmental tolerant hydrogels have received significant attention and are promising for application as smart materials in multiple environments (e.g., water, oil, freezing, and dry). However, the macroscopic change and anti‐swelling mechanisms of organohydrogels in different solvents and their corresponding applications have not been adequately harnessed. Herein, an ionic organohydrogel with excellent mechanical properties and unique behaviors (information identification and encryption) and mechanical sensing in multiple environments is prepared. The prepared organohydrogel shows an obvious transparent change in different solvents owing to the microphase separation in poor solvents and swelling in suitable solvents, and can be treated as a dynamic information memory device for recording and encrypting information. Furthermore, owing to the interaction between water and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), the organohydrogel demonstrates a prominent freezing resistance (−90 to 20 °C) and moisturizing retention properties (76% after 15 days). In addition, the ionic conductive hydrogel exhibits outstanding human motion detection and physiological signal response and displays a stable mechanical sensing performance in freezing, dry conditions, and oil or water environments. It is envisioned that the design strategies and mechanistic investigation of organohydrogels may be promising for application as bio‐sensors and information‐recognition platforms in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the rapid development of urbanization, the urban public emergency management faces increasing challenges, and the number of fire incidents has increased largely. For mitigating injury risk and reducing property loss, fire station locations need to be optimized to provide efficient fire emergency services. However, the locations of fire facilities in China are mainly determined according to administrative divisions, lacking effective data-driven applications. In addition, existing location models are designed for general purpose, and few have taken into account the unique characteristics of fire services with multiple objectives, i.e., maximum coverage, minimum overlapping coverage and balanced workloads. With the recent development of geospatial big data, lots of fire risk related data (e.g. fire incidents data and travel time data) can be obtained, which provides an unprecedented opportunity for urban fire emergency facilities planning. In this paper, we propose to establish the multi-objective maximal covering location model by accurately estimating fire rescuing demands and travel cost from geospatial big data. A case study was carried out in Nanjing, China, and the result shows that our method is effective in optimizing the locations of fire stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Labor pain during childbirth can have devastating effects on the progress of labor, mother, and fetus. Consequently, the management of labor pain is crucial for the well-being of the mother and fetus. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non -pharmacological analgesic technique. It uses a low-voltage electrical current to activate descending inhibitory systems in the central nervous system to relieve pain. This study aimed to determine the effects of TENS therapy in the first stage of labor.Methods: In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, we screened low-risk pregnant women who anticipated spontaneous vaginal delivery. Women were assigned (1:1) to either the experimental group (received TENS therapy in the first stage of labor) or the control group (received routine obstetric care). The women, midwives, and researchers working in the gynecology and obstetric department were aware of the treatment group, but statisticians analysis the data were blinded. The primary outcome was labor pain intensity, assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) immediately after the randomization, at 30, 60, and 120 min after TENS therapy, and 2-24 h post-delivery. We used SPSS 21.0 software in data analysis. An independent sample t-test compared the mean VAS scores and labor duration between groups. A Chi-square test was employed to compare categorical variables between the groups. A significant level of ≤0.05 was statistically significant.Results: A total of 326 pregnant women were eligible: experimental group (n = 161) and control group (n = 165). The experimental group had statistically significantly lower mean VAS scores at a different time (30, 60, and 120 min post-intervention and 2-24 h post-delivery) than the control group (p < 0.001). The experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant shorter duration of the active labor phase than the control group (p < 0.001).Conclusion: This study indicates that TENS can be used as a non-pharmacological therapy to reduce pain and shorten the active labor phase.Trial Registration: ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN23857995 . Registered on 11/12/2020, 'retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modeling research plays a crucial role in grasping the reaction mechanisms and forecasting the performance of lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries. A transient Li–S battery model including continuity, transportation, and reaction kinetics by simultaneously considering the discontinuous deposit of discharge product Li 2 S and the transport limitation in the concentrated electrolyte, is developed to reveal the discharge phenomena. The effects of operating conditions and electrolyte and electrode properties on the discharge behaviors including voltage-capacity curve, energy density, profiles of solid product (ɛ Li2S) and porosity (ɛ) at the cathode are quantitatively studied. It is found that low discharge rate is beneficial to the discharge capacity and utilization of cathode sulfur. Enhancing precipitate (S 8) solubility K sp, S8 and ionic diffusivity D i improves voltage plateau and specific energy to varying degrees; the promotion of voltage plateau will be inconspicuous as electrode conductivity σ is enlarged over 0.1 S/m. With the rise of ɛ from 0.5 to 0.9, the specific capacity and the specific energy are expanded by around 5 times. When lengthening L ca from 20 μm to 60 μm, the specific capacity ascends from 944.5 to 991.5 mAh/g -S , whereas the growth rate of specific capacity and specific energy decreases gradually; the practical total energy almost increases linearly with thickness, yielding a 218.75% enhancement. With a certain period of relaxation, the recovered cell capacity after the high discharge rate is higher than that after the low discharge rate. This work may guide in designing electrodes and electrolytes and provide performance regulation strategies for Li–S batteries. • Numerical model including discontinuous deposit of Li 2 S and the transport limitation is developed. • Effects of electrode and electrolyte properties on Li–S cell discharge behaviors are studied. • Lengthening cathode thickness from 20 μm to 60 μm yields a 218.75% rise in energy capacity. • Recovered capacities are 0.35 Ah, 0.28 Ah, and 0.23 Ah for first discharges at 1C, 0.5C, and 0.2C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A mesophilic high-solid AnMBR was used to treat concentrated organic sludge. • SRT extension overcame the hydrolysis limitation and improved process efficacy. • Biogas yield increased by 37.8 % when SRT increased from 30 to 60 days. • Long SRT was characterized by a high MLTS, fine particle size and high EPS content. • The sustainable operating condition identified was 0.21–5.7 LMH at 25–50 g/L MLTS. The improvement of organic sludge destruction efficiency and methanogenic performance is a key concern during anaerobic digestion toward maximum energy recovery. In this study, a high-solid anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) was operated continuously for the treatment of organic sludge from Japanese small-scale collective wastewater treatment facility (Johkasou), and digestion efficiency was enhanced by the optimizing solid retention time (SRT). Degradation efficiency of the substrate improved from 36 % to 52 % and the biogas yield was enhanced from 0.37 to 0.51 L/g-VS fed when the SRT was extended from 30 to 60 d. The net energy yield of AnMBR at SRT 60 days was 9.83 kJ/g-VS fed , and the corresponding energy sufficiency ratio was 181 %, indicating that SRT extension could enhance substrate destruction with significant energy recovery potential. However, a long SRT is characterized by high mixed liquor total solids (MLTS), small particle size, high extracellular polymeric substances content, and poor filterability, which exert detrimental effects on membrane operation. Membrane fouling was effectively controlled by regulating the flux at a sustainable rate. The low fouling region and transition region of operating flux were determined as 0.21–4.6 L/m2/h (LMH) and 1.5–5.7 LMH, respectively, when MLTS was 25–50 g/L, and the main contributors to membrane fouling were high protein fractions and small sludge flocs. The current study proposes a promising method to promote digestion efficiency and provided adequate guidance for membrane operation at super-high MLTS by presenting practical engineering applications of AnMBRs in solid waste treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veillonella spp. are Gram-negative opportunistic pathogens present in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive tracts of mammals. An abnormal increase in Veillonella relative abundance in the body is closely associated with periodontitis, inflammatory bowel disease, urinary tract infections, and many other diseases. We designed a pair of primers and a probe based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Veillonella and conducted real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to quantify the abundance of Veillonella in fecal samples. These two methods were tested for specificity and sensitivity using simulated clinical samples. The sensitivity of qPCR was 100 copies/μL, allowing for the accurate detection of a wide range of Veillonella concentrations from 103 to 108 CFU/mL. The sensitivity of ddPCR was 11.3 copies/μL, only allowing for the accurate detection of Veillonella concentrations from 101 to 104 CFU/mL because of the limited number of droplets generated by ddPCR. ddPCR is therefore more suitable for the detection of low-abundance Veillonella samples. To characterize the validity of the assay system, clinical samples from children with inflammatory bowel disease were collected and analyzed, and the results were verified using isolation methods. We conclude that molecular assays targeting the 16S rRNA gene provides an important tool for the rapid diagnosis of chronic and infectious diseases caused by Veillonella and also supports the isolation and identification of Veillonella for research purposes. Key points: • With suitable primer sets, the qPCR has a wider detection range than ddPCR. • ddPCR is suitable for the detection of low-abundance samples. • Methods successfully guided the isolation of Veillonella in clinical sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with high mortality and disability rates, and secondary white matter injury is an important cause of poor prognosis. However, whether brain capillary pericytes can directly affect the differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and subsequently affect white matter injury repair has still been revealed. This study was designed to investigate the effect of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) for OPC differentiation and maturation. PDGFRβret/ret and wild-type C57B6J male mice were used to construct a mouse model of SAH via endovascular perforation in this study. Mice were also treated with vehicle, TIMP-3 RNAi or TIMP-3 RNAi + TIMP-3 after SAH. The effect of TIMP-3 on the differentiation and maturation of OPCs was determined using behavioral score, ELISA, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence staining and cell culture. We found that TIMP-3 was secreted mainly by pericytes and that SAH and TIMP-3 RNAi caused a significant decrease in the TIMP-3 content, reaching a nadir at 24 h, followed by gradual recovery. In vitro, the myelin basic protein content of oligodendrocytes after oxyhemoglobin treatment was increased by TIMP-3 overexpression. The data indicates TIMP-3 could promote the differentiation and maturation of OPCs and subsequently improve neurological outcomes after SAH. Therefore, TIMP-3 could be beneficial for repair after white matter injury and could be a potential therapeutic target in SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]