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AbstractQuality education is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and tourism has been identified as an effective means of learning. However, few studies have explored tourism’s role in achieving the goal of quality education (SDG 4). The Chinese government’s practice of realizing quality education through educational tourism is a case worthy of investigation. Yet collaboration between the education and tourism sectors in this country comes with challenges, which can be addressed through effective partnerships (SDG 17). Interaction among stakeholders in educational tourism has developed under the impetus of administrative power; power-based operations thus affect how stakeholders work together. This paper accordingly introduces Foucault’s power theory to explore partnerships in educational tourism in China. Three partnerships are found to drive educational tourism development: horizontal intersectoral partnerships, vertical public-sector partnerships, and public–private partnerships. We further analyze how power operates within these categories, identifying the factors that influence partnership formation and the reasons behind power imbalances. Targeted suggestions and areas for improvement are also offered with the expectation that tourism is an effective means of advancing the goal of quality education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and phase flows of electrons in the plasma of a positive column of a glow discharge in a model gas with strong vibrational excitation, similar to molecular nitrogen, is analyzed in a wide pressure range. It is found that the traditional local approximation for calculating the EEDF can only be used at medium gas pressures, when the characteristic size of the plasma volume exceeds electron energy relaxation length in the entire range of electron energies. With a decrease in gas pressure, a new phenomenon is discovered—merging the phase flow streamlines into a single line on the coordinate-energy phase plane in the energy region of the of vibrational excitation threshold. It is shown that the combination of a strong electron sink at the threshold of vibrational excitation and the deceleration of electrons in an ambipolar field lead to a practical 'vanishing' of the component of the phase electron flux upward in energy. As a result, the streamlines of electron phase flow approach to some approximately straight line of constant kinetic energy close to the threshold energy of vibrational excitation. The formation of this feature on the phase plane correlates with the predominant escape to the walls of electrons with kinetic energy equal to the threshold of vibrational excitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Multiple organizations have published guidelines for the screening and treatment of obesity and related comorbidities in youth, including the use of anti‐obesity medications (AOM). This study aimed to determine which paediatric patients: (1) receive a diagnostic code for obesity; (2) are most likely to be screened for hyperlipidaemia, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus; and (3) are most likely to be prescribed AOM. Methods: A cohort of 35 898 patients 9 years 4 months to 17 years 6 months of age with a BMI > 30 or greater than the 95th% on three separate outpatient encounters was generated using the TriNetX database. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between demographics in the study population and the likelihood of diagnosis of obesity, screening for comorbidities, and prescription of AOMs. Results: Asian, Black, and Hispanic youths had increased odds of having a diagnosis of obesity and being screened for all three comorbidities. Documentation of obesity was associated with increased odds of screening for all comorbidities. Female sex, documentation of obesity, and higher BMIs were associated with increased odds of being prescribed AOMs. Black and Native American races decreased the likelihood of being prescribed AOM. Conclusions: Management of obesity in terms of documentation of disease, screening for comorbidities, and initiation of AOM continues to fall short of the guidelines put forth by multiple organizations. Race/ethnicity, sex, and BMI correlate with differences in care provided to obese paediatric patients. Further research is needed to identify the barriers to and causes of these disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problems of whale optimization algorithm, such as low precision, slow convergence speed and ease of falling into local optimal, a multi-strategy collaborative improved whale optimization algorithm (MSWOA) is proposed. Firstly, the population information guidance mechanism is used to improve the mining efficiency of the global optimal position, so as to avoid that the algorithm falls into the local optimal position in the late iteration. Secondly, the improved golden sine algorithm is combined with the process of whale encircling prey to enlarge the search range of the population in the solution space. Finally, the inertial weight and nonlinear parameter adjustment strategy are used to improve the global exploration and local development ability of the algorithm. Through the effectiveness analysis of different improved strategies, comparison analysis with other intelligent algorithms, optimization performance analysis in high-dimensional cases, and Wilcoxon rank sum test, it is proved that MSWOA algorithm has better optimization accuracy and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, women continue to have less economic decision-making power and face gender-unequal norms at work. Little is known about the impact of national public policies on norms surrounding equality. We examined the impact of extending paid maternity leave policy on decision making in the household and gender norms in the workplace, specifically whether women have sole or joint decision-making power with respect to large household purchases and whether women are perceived as having an equal right to jobs when jobs are scarce. We used difference-in-differences models to analyze the impact of increasing paid maternity leave on outcomes measured in the Demographic Health Surveys and World Values Surveys collected in 31 low- and middle-income countries. A one-month increase in the legislated duration of paid maternity leave increased the odds that women and their partners/spouses reported that women had more decision-making power by 40% (95% CI 1.14, 1.70) and 66% (95% CI 1.36, 2.03), respectively. A one-month increase in the legislated duration of paid maternity leave was associated with 41.5 percentage-point increase in the prevalence of individuals disagreeing with the statement that "when jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women." More generous maternity leave increases gender equality in economic decision making in the household and improves gender norms related to work. Future studies should examine the impact of paternity leave and non-discrimination policy, as well as other large-scale policies aiming to improve gender equality at work and at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The TiN coating increased the fatigue strength of TC4 substrate by 35%. • In high-cycle loading, fatigue cracks initiation dominates in coating/metal substrate system. • Enhancing coating plasticity boosts fatigue resistance in coating/metal substrate system. This paper investigates the enhancement mechanism of mono- and multilayer coatings on the high-cycle fatigue behavior of TC4 under tension–tension. The morphology, phase composition, mechanical properties were measured by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer and nanoindentation. Electron back scatter diffraction was employed to investigate the fatigue failure mechanism. Median fatigue limits obtained by stair case method of TC4 with TiN coating, TiN/Ti (7:1), TiN/Ti (3:1), and uncoated TC4 after 1 × 107 cycles are 553 MPa, 422 MPa, 480 MPa, and 411 MPa, respectively. Under high-cycle loading, the hard-coating/TC4 substrate experiences fatigue failure through two mechanisms: coating cracking hastens the substrate's fatigue failure, or the fatigue source within the substrate creates sliding steps, ultimately resulting in failure. After 1 × 107 cycles under fatigue strength, the average dislocation density on TC4 as well as coated TC4 is similar. The plastic deformation resistant of TC4 under cyclic load was enhanced with nanoscale hard TiN coatings. This finding underscored that the hard coating significantly improves fatigue resistance by inhibiting crack initiation and accommodating substantial cyclic plastic strain. Furthermore, our research provides strong support for the application of hard ceramic coating on the surface strengthening of titanium alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) is a popular light-absorbing layer in the perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the poor thermal stability of MAPbI3 has inhibited the direct annealing of low-temperature processed (≤ 150 °C) metal oxide sols as a charge transport layer (CTL) on top of it. In this work, caffeine as a nonvolatile and low-cost additive was added into the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-encapsulated MAPbI3 film to enhance its thermal stability at 150 °C. The caffeine-added MAPbI3 (C-MAPbI3) film was prepared using antisolvent-assisted one-step spin-coating. With caffeine additive, the thermal degradation of the C-MAPbI3 film was significantly reduced, and the film still retained dominating MAPbI3 phase after 24 h of annealing. In addition, the caffeine additive improved the film morphology by promoting seamless grain boundary formation. The thickness of the PMMA encapsulation layer deposited on top of the C-MAPbI3 film could be reduced from ~ 1550 nm (charge insulating layer) to ~ 60 nm (ultrathin charge tunneling layer) without sacrificing the thermal stability of the C-MAPbI3 film. The vanadium oxide (VOx) sol was spin-coated on the ~ 60 nm PMMA-encapsulated C-MAPbI3 film and annealed at 150 °C for 20 min to act as a hole transport layer (HTL). The VOx sol could be annealed without causing thermal degradation to the C-MAPbI3 film. With this discovery, the VOx may replace the thermally unstable organic HTLs in n–i–p PSCs. This low-cost and facile metal oxide sol route would lead to economic and scalable production of all-metal oxide CTL-based PSCs with significantly improved device operational stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of electron–electron collisions on the formation of inverse electron distribution function (EDF) and absolute negative conductivity (ANC) in nonlocal plasma of a direct current (dc) glow discharge is investigated. The numerical model was created in the COMSOL Multiphysics software environment and includes a kinetic equation for electrons in energy and coordinate variables, drift-diffusion fluid balance equations for heavy particles, and a Poisson equation for finding a self-consistent electric field. It is shown that the Maxwellization of the EDF due to an increase in the role of electron–electron collisions can significantly limit the possibility of the appearance of a reverse EDF and ANC in a nonlocal plasma of rare gases with a Ramsauer minimum of the elastic scattering cross section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is demonstrated that the phenomenon of absolute negative electron mobility (ANG) in the homogeneous stationary plasma has a subtle effect when the solution of the Boltzmann kinetic equation is exclusively reduced to the local plasma-chemical balance of electron production and loss. Even if strong electron attachment allows to realize an inverse electron distribution function (EDF), the sign of the electron mobility depends on whether the contribution of the electronegative impurity is also taken into account or not in the increase of the electron scattering transport frequency. In an example of a typical argon–fluorine mixture, it is shown that when real electron collision cross sections are used, the ANG of electrons is not realized even for an inverse EDF. A similar result is obtained when solving a model problem with strong electron attachment: even EDF inversion near-zero energies does not ensure the creation of an ANG. Since a real laboratory plasma is spatially inhomogeneous, in order to find the EDF, it is necessary to solve the complete kinetic equation, which depends on both energy and space variables. Under these conditions, the divergence of the spatial flow is an additional source (or sink), which can thereby ensure the formation of a stationary absolute negative conductivity (ANC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana fruit rot is a common postharvest disease of the banana fruit. The appearance of rot symptoms on the surface of the fruits reduces the quality and marketability of banana. From rot lesions on banana fruits, three Aspergillus isolates were isolated. Based on morphological characteristics and sequences of Internal Transcribed Spacer, β-tubulin and calmodulin, the isolates were identified as A. tamarii. Pathogenicity tests of the isolates, conducted using mycelial plugs with wounded and unwounded treatments, showed A. tamarii as the pathogen of banana fruit rot. Rot symptoms were highly severe on wounded banana fruits compared to unwounded fruits, and therefore, wounded banana fruits are more susceptible to A. tamarii infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of A. tamarii as a causal pathogen of banana fruit rot. This study indicated A. tamarii is one of postharvest rot pathogens of banana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) can be used as a charge tunneling interlayer or as an encapsulating layer in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Its incorporation into the PSCs can enhance the hysteresis behavior, performance, and operational stability of the device. This work shows that the choice of solvents to prepare PMMA interlayers on the ambient air-prepared methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3) films can significantly affect the thermal stability of MAPbI 3 films. The solvents used were chlorobenzene (CB), ethyl acetate (EA), (1-methoxy-2-propyl) acetate (PGMEA), and CB with 6 vol% isopropanol (IPA) (CB/IPA). Their corresponding PMMA interlayers are designated as CB-PMMA, EA-PMMA, PGMEA-PMMA, and CB/IPA-PMMA, respectively. The CB-PMMA interlayers had the least thermal stability enhancement effect on the MAPbI 3 films, as the films suffered severe thermal degradation after annealing at 150 °C for 9 h. In contrast, the EA-PMMA, PGMEA-PMMA, and CB/IPA-PMMA interlayers effectively enhanced the thermal stability of the MAPbI 3 films, with only mild thermal degradation observed after the same annealing process. This significant thermal stability enhancement behavior is attributed to the ability of the solvents to extract moisture from the MAPbI 3 films during the PMMA spin coating process, thus preventing the entrapped moisture from accelerating the thermal degradation of MAPbI 3 films. Therefore, the choice of solvents for PMMA plays a crucial role in enhancing the thermal stability of the MAPbI 3 films. • Solvent for preparing PMMA interlayer affects thermal stability of MAPbI 3 film. • Entrapped moisture at interface accelerates the thermal degradation of MAPbI 3 film. • Water-miscible solvent can remove entrapped moisture at interface. • EA, PGMEA, and CB/IPA significantly enhanced the thermal stability of MAPbI 3 film. • CB had the least thermal stability enhancement effect on MAPbI 3 film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical formula to define an azimuthally inhomogeneous metasurface (AIM) cloak for cylindrical objects is presented. The inhomogeneity of the metasurface is modeled by Fourier decomposing the azimuthally varying susceptibility distribution. The AIM cloak provides weighted control on each scattering mode to enhance the scattering reduction capability for prescribed incident angles of interest. With an AIM cloaking layer, the scattering reduction of a 0.15-wavelength radius metallic cylinder can be enhanced by more than 6 dB compared to a conventional homogenous metasurface cloak. Accuracy of the formulation is proven with full-wave simulations. The design of the AIM cloak is experimentally validated at four bistatic angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppose L is a nonnegative, self-adjoint differential operator. In this paper, we introduce the Herz-type Hardy spaces associated with operator L. Then, similar to the atomic and molecular decompositions of classical Herz-type Hardy spaces and the Hardy space associated with operators, we prove the atomic and molecular decompositions of the Herz-type Hardy spaces associated with operator L. As applications, the boundedness of some singular integral operators on Herz-type Hardy spaces associated with operators is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nanoporous WO 3 was formed by anodization in oxalic acid. Various oxalic acid concentrations (0.01–0.4 M) and anodization times (1–240 min) on the formation of nanoporous WO 3 were investigated. Uniform nanoporous WO 3 with pore diameter size of 70 nm and pore wall thickness of 19 nm was produced by using 0.05 M oxalic acid and 120 min anodization time. Meanwhile, a partially porous structure or film dissolution occurred on the samples prepared using other oxalic acid concentrations and anodization times. In addition to the nanoporous layer, a compact layer embedded with nanobubbles was formed underneath the nanoporous layer. The as-anodized nanoporous film was amorphous and it transformed to monoclinic WO 3 after annealing in argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N 2 ) gases. N was doped into WO 3 after annealing in N 2 and it suppressed the grain growth. The N-doped WO 3 which possesses thinner pore wall showed higher electrochromic current density value than the film annealed in Ar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) appear to be involved in sepsis-induced immune dysfunction; neuropilin-1 (Nrp-1) was identified as a surface marker for CD4+CD25+Tregs. In the current study, we investigated the negative immunoregulation of Nrp-1highCD4+CD25+Tregs and the potential therapeutic value of Nrp-1 in sepsis. Splenic CD4+CD25+Tregs from cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse models were further segregated into Nrp-1highTregs and Nrp-1lowTregs; they were cocultured with CD4+CD25−  T cells. The expression of forkhead/winged helix transcription factor-3 (Foxp-3), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), membrane associated transforming growth factor-β (TGF-βm+), apoptotic rate, and secretive ability [including TGF-β and interleukin-10 (IL-10)] for various types of Tregs, as well as the immunosuppressive ability of Tregs on CD4+CD25−  T cells, were determined. Meanwhile, the impact of recombinant Nrp-1 polyclonal antibody on the demethylation of Foxp-3-TSDR (Treg-specific demethylated region) was measured in in vitro study. Sepsis per se markedly promoted the expression of Nrp-1 of CD4+CD25+Tregs. Foxp-3/CTLA-4/TGF-βm+ of Nrp-1highTregs were upregulated by septic challenge. Nrp-1highTregs showed strong resilience to apoptosis and secretive ability and the strongest immunosuppressive ability on CD4+CD25−  T cells. In the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the recombinant Nrp-1 polyclonal antibody reduced the demethylation of Foxp-3-TSDR. Nrp-1highTregs might reveal primary negative immunoregulation in sepsis; Nrp-1 could represent a new potential therapeutic target for the study of immune regulation in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports a simple seed formation method for the hydrothermal growth of tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) nanorods. A WO 3 seed layer was prepared by thermal oxidation, where a W-sputtered substrate was heated and oxidized in a furnace. Oxidation temperatures and periods were varied at 400–550 °C and 5–60 min, respectively, to determine an appropriate seed layer for nanorod growth. Thermal oxidation at 500 °C for 15 min was found to produce a seed layer with sufficient crystallinity and good adhesion to the substrate. These properties prevented the seed from peeling off during the hydrothermal process, thereby allowing nanorod growth on the seed. The nanorod film showed better electrochromic behavior (higher current density of − 1.11 and + 0.65 mA cm − 2 ) than compact film (lower current density of − 0.54 and + 0.28 mA cm − 2 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of annealing temperature on the electrochromic properties of acid-treated hydrated tungsten oxide (WO 3 ·H 2 O) nanoplates is reported for the first time. Nanoplates were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrate using nitric acid, and annealing temperature was varied from 100–400 °C. The as-prepared nanoplates were WO 3 ·H 2 O, and these nanoplates transformed into tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) after annealing at ≥200 °C. Nanoplate thickness decreased with increasing annealing temperature from 12–55 nm for the as-prepared sample to 12–40 nm for the sample annealed at 400 °C. WO 3 nanoplates annealed at 200 °C showed the best electrochromic properties with coloration efficiency of 28.64 cm 2 C −1 , high optical modulation (58%), good electrochromic cycling stability, as well as short ion insertion and extraction times of ∼9.6 and ∼5.1 s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CpcB (cross pathway control B) encodes a yeast Cpc2 and mammalian RACK1 (receptor for activated protein kinase C) ortholog, which is a WD repeat protein with functional homology to the β subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins in Aspergillus fumigatus . Previous study has reported that CpcB governs growth and development in both A. fumigatus and Aspergillus nidulans . However, little is known about the functional identities of CpcB orthologs and their relationships with G protein complexes. In this study, we verified that cytoplasmic AfCpcB acts as a Gβ-like protein ortholog and plays important roles in hyphal growth, conidiophore morphology, cell wall integrity, and virulence in A. fumigatus . Furthermore, double deletion of AfcpcB and AfgpaB (Gα) causes a similar phenotype to AfgpaB mutant with abnormal multiple septa conidiophores but exhibits sparse conidiation with white and fluffy colonies. Thus, the exacerbated conidiation defect suggests that AfcpcB has its own specific function compared to the Gα subunit of AfgpaB or the G-protein complex. In addition, complementation assays using AfcpcB orthologs of A. nidulans and yeasts ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Schizosaccharomyces pombe , Candida albicans ) suggest that all tested fungal AfcpcB orthologs under the A. fumigatus native promoter can largely restore hyphal growth defects in AfcpcB deletion mutant, but only the A. nidulans cpcB ortholog completely rescues the ΔAfcpcB conidiation defect, suggesting that CpcB acts as a Gβ-like protein ortholog in the Aspergilli , but may have unique and important unexplored functions that required for conidiation, which is absent in yeast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal anode attracts great attention because of its high specific capacity and low redox potential. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth and its infinite volume expansion during cycling are extremely detrimental to the practical application. The formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a decisive role in the behavior of lithium deposition/dissolution during electrochemical processing. Clarifying the essential relationship between SEI and battery performance is a priority. Research in SEI is accelerated in recent years by the use of advanced simulation tools and characterization techniques. The chemical composition and micromorphology of SEIs with various electrolytes are analyzed to clarify the effects of SEI on the Coulombic efficiency and cycle life. In this review, the recent research progress focused on the composition and structure of SEI is summarized, and various advanced characterization techniques applied to the investigation of SEI are discussed. The comparisons of the representative experimental results and theoretical models of SEI in lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are exhibited, and the underneath mechanisms of interaction between SEI and the electrochemical properties of the cell are highlighted. This work offers new insights into the development of safe LMBs with higher energy density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, the SOFA score was proposed as the main evaluation system for diagnosis in the definition of sepsis 3.0, and the SOFA score has become a new research focus in sepsis. Some people are skeptical about diagnosing sepsis using the SOFA score. Experts and scholars from different regions have proposed different, modified versions of SOFA score to make up for the related problems with the use of the SOFA score in the diagnosis of sepsis. While synthesizing the different improved versions of SOFA proposed by experts and scholars in various regions, this paper also summarizes the relevant definitions of sepsis put forward in recent years to build a clear, improved application framework of SOFA score. In addition, the comparison between machine learning and SOFA scores related to sepsis is described and discussed in the article. Taken together, by summarizing the application of the improved SOFA score proposed in recent years in the related definition of sepsis, we believe that the SOFA score is still an effective means of diagnosing sepsis, but in the process of the continuous refinement and development of sepsis in the future, the SOFA score needs to be further refined and improved to provide more accurate coping strategies for different patient populations or application directions regarding sepsis. Against the big data background, machine learning has immeasurable value and significance, but its future applications should add more humanistic references and assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide insights into the influence of Cr content on the microstructure and corresponding properties of (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 , the effects of 10 at.% to 30 at.% Cr contents on texture development, phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 , which were prepared via a combination of boro/carbothermal reduction and SPS, were investigated in this study. The results showed that (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 added with 15 at.% Cr content samples formed a textured microstructure due to the formation of CrB in the (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 high-entropy boride powder. With the increase of Cr content up to 30 at.%, the density, grain size, and fracture toughness of (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 high entropy boride ceramics increased, then for higher content, they decreased, and tended to remain constant. The hardness of (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 decreased with the increase of Cr content. The (Hf, Zr, Ta, Cr, Ti)B 2 with 15 at.% Cr content possessed the best comprehensive mechanical performance (H v 0.2 : TS:26.9 ± 0.8 GPa, SS: 26.5 ± 0.6 GPa; K Ic : TS:4.21 ± 0.46 MPa·m1/2, SS: 3.16 ± 0.18 MPa·m1/2) due to a combination of high relative density and unique textured structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the predictive value of common genetic alterations of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Ras/Raf/MAPK pathways in patients with locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma (LACSCC) treated with cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods Patients with LACSCC, treated at a single institution with CCRT were eligible for this retrospective study. A total of sixty pre-treatment tumor biopsies were retrieved. Somatic mutations were detected by pyrosequencing and CNV was determined by quantitative realtime PCR. The association of genetic alterations with clinicopathological characteristics and treatment response were analyzed. Results Patients without genetic alterations (mutations or amplification) of PIK3CA had a significantly higher response rate than patients with these alterations ( p = 0.006). In the logistic regression analysis, PIK3CA genetic alterations retained an independent factor in predicting response to CCRT. Conclusions Somatic mutations and copy number amplification of PIK3CA were associated with response to CCRT in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum dots and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) play an important role in the performance of the third-generation solar cell. In this work, the performance of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) with rGO/TiO2 composite photoanode is presented. Mixing of rGO was performed with a facile preparation technique by varying the ratio of rGO (0.1–1.0 wt%) to TiO2. The prepared electrode samples were characterized in order to understand the effect of rGO to the surface morphology, chemical composition and electron lifetime effect. It was observed that the addition of rGO increased the efficiency of QDSSC with maximum efficiency observed for sample having 0.5 wt% of rGO-added TiO2 electrodes. However, more rGO content did not contribute to the improved performance due to increased charge recombination rate. The internal resistance and electron lifetime of the samples are further discussed in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] WO3 nanorods with 5–10nm diameter were grown directly on seeded tungsten foil. [•] WO3 nanorods were successfully grown at low temperature of 80°C. [•] WO3 nanorods were grown on the entire surface of the seed layer after 24h. [•] Annealed nanorods showed better electrochromic properties than as-made nanorods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclinic tungsten oxide (WO3) nanorods were grown using the hydrothermal method on a seeded W foil. The seed layer was formed by thermal oxidation of W foil at 400°C for 30 min. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or hexamethylamine (HMT) was used in the reactive hydrothermal bath, along with sodium tungstate dihydrate (Na2WO4.2H2O) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The concentration of CTAB was varied from 0.01 M to 0.07 M and the concentration of HMT was varied from 0.01 M and 0.05 M. The result showed that CTAB-assisted hydrothermal reaction produced WO3nanorods with 4–7 nm diameter, and provided that CTAB concentration was less than 0.07 M. WO3nanorods could not be obtained when CTAB concentration was 0.07 M. Columnar structured WO3was produced with the presence of HMT in the hydrothermal bath. This was due to decomposition of HMT to form hydroxyl ions (OH−) that inhibited the growth of nanorods. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis showed better electrochromic property of WO3nanorods compared to columnar structured WO3. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Prussian blue (PB)-multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) were used to immobilize enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) for carbamate insecticide sensing. The synthesized hybrid PB-MWCNTs had high stability at pH values in the range of 5–10 and presented a porous and homogeneous microenvironment to entrap enzyme molecules. The generated hybrids not only acted as carriers of acetyl cholinesterase, but also promoted electron-transfer reactions because of the synergistic effects between MWCNTs and PB. Under the optimal conditions, the response of the sensor was proportional to acetylthiocholine (ATCh) concentrations ranging from 0.1 mM to 0.6 mM, with a sensitivity of 21.97 µA · mM−1 · cm−2. The sensors were further used to detect pesticides, and the inhibition rate of pirimicarb was proportional to the logarithm of its concentration ranging from 1.0 × 10−6to 1.0 g · L−1, with a limit of detection (LOD) equal to 5.32 × 10−8 g · L−1. In order to evaluate the performance of the detection system, the sensors were applied to determine pirimicarb in water samples and exhibited high sensitivity and good stability. The detection system is fast, simple for analysis of pirimicarb in environmental samples, and could provide a semi-automated analytical system through further improvement in biosensor arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Two billion people are affected by anemia globally, mostly including women of reproductive age (WRA) and those residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Large national population-representative studies examining the impact of national grain fortification policies on the prevalence of anemia among WRA are lacking from recent years. Objectives We aimed to determine whether mandatory national grain fortification policies reduce the prevalence of anemia among nonpregnant WRA. Methods We examined national food fortification policy characteristics from the Global Fortification Data Exchange (GFDx) database and anemia prevalence data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs). In total, 21 LMICs, with and without national grain fortification policies, completing ≥2 DHSs between 2000 and 2018, met study eligibility. We applied the difference-in-differences approach to compare changes in the prevalence of anemia among WRA in 10 countries with and 11 countries without fortification between each DHS year. Odds ratios (ORs) and average marginal effects, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, adjusting for individual-, household-, and country-level factors. Results Our analytic study sample included 96,334 and 874,984 WRA in countries with and without fortification, respectively. Overall, countries with fortification showed 27% decreased odds of anemia (adjusted OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.85) and a 7.47-percentage-point decrease in the mean anemia prevalence (average marginal effect: −7.47; 95% CI: −11.03, −3.92) from the pre- to the postfortification period, compared with countries without fortification, after controlling for selected individual-, household-, and country-level factors. Conclusions Our findings, using nationally representative DHS data and applying a recommended analytic method to measure policy effectiveness, suggest significant reductions in anemia prevalence in WRA in countries with mandatory grain fortification compared with those without. Implementing national mandatory grain fortification in LMICs would effectively reduce anemia resulting from micronutrient deficiencies among WRA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bismuth potassium titanate (Bi0.5K0.5TiO3; BKT) and praseodymium-doped BKT (Bi0.5(1−x)Pr x K0.5TiO3; BPKT) powders were synthesised using the soft combustion technique. Fine particles of 10–100nm of BKT and BPKT were produced. A single phase BKT was obtained with a minimum of 0.5mol of glycine. Various compounds of Bi0.5(1−x)Pr x K0.5TiO3 where x =0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 were prepared. Pure BKT and BPKT powders were obtained after calcination at 800°C for 3h. After sintering at 1050°C for 5h, pure BKT and BPKT pellets were obtained for x =0 and 0.01. However, for BPKT with x =0.03, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20, a minor amount of Bi4Ti3O12 (BIT) secondary phase was present after sintering at 1050°C for 5h. The crystallite size and grain size of all the samples followed similar trends, first increasing from x =0 (undoped BKT) to x =0.05 and then decreasing above x =0.05. Among the undoped and doped samples, BPKT with x =0.05 had the highest dielectric properties (ɛ r =713.87) due to its large crystallite size (68.66nm), large grain size (∼435nm) and high relative density (93.39%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: All cells of animals and plants contain complex transport systems based on molecular motors which walk along cytoskeletal filaments. These motors are rather small and have a size of 20–100nm but are able to pull vesicles, organelles and other types of cargo over large distances, from micrometers up to meters. There are several families of motors: kinesins, dyneins, and myosins. Most of these motors have two heads which are used as legs and perform discrete steps along the filaments. Several aspects of the motor behavior will be discussed: motor cycles of two-headed motors; walks of single motors or cargo particles which consist of directed movements interrupted by random, diffusive motion; cargo transport through tube-like compartments; active diffusion of cargo particles in slab-like compartments; cooperative transport of cargo by several motors which may be uni- or bi-directional; and systems with many interacting motors that exhibit traffic jams, self-organized density and flux patterns, and traffic phase transitions far from equilibrium. It is necessary to understand these traffic phenomena in a quantitative manner in order to construct and optimize biomimetic transport systems based on motors and filaments with many possible applications in bioengineering, pharmacology, and medicine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We introduce the fermion non-universality into the little Higgs models SU(5)/SO(5), SU(6)/Sp(6) and study the phenomenology of the new models. We find that if we change the transform property of the observed fermions under the extended [SU(2)×U(1)]2, the cancellation of the one-loop quadratically divergent correction to the Higgs mass arising from gauge bosons will not be changed, whereas the phenomenology at W-pole, Z-pole and low q2 will be changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aim to familiarize the application status of metagenomic sequencing in diagnosing pulmonary infections, to compare metagenomic sequencing with traditional diagnostic methods, to conclude the advantages and limitations of metagenomic sequencing, and to provide some advice for clinical practice and some inspiration for associated researches. Data Sources: The data were obtained from peer‐reviewed literature, white papers, and meeting reports. Results: This review focused on the applications of untargeted metagenomic sequencing in lungs infected by bacteria, viruses, fungi, chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, parasites, and other pathogens. Compared with conventional diagnostic methods, metagenomic sequencing is better in detecting novel, rare, and unexpected pathogens and being applied in co‐infections. Meanwhile, it can also provide more comprehensive information about pathogens. However, metagenomic sequencing still has limitations. Also, the situations that should be applied in and how the results should be interpreted are discussed in this review. Conclusion: Metagenomic sequencing improves efficiency to identify pathogens compared with traditional diagnostic methods and can be applied in clinical diagnosis. However, the technology of metagenomic sequencing still needs to be improved. Also, clinicians should learn more about when to use metagenomic sequencing and how to interpret its results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitive skin is hypersensitive to various external stimuli and a defective epidermal permeability barrier is an important clinical feature of sensitive skin. Claudin‐5 (CLDN5) expression levels decrease in sensitive skin. This study aimed to explore the impact of CLDN5 deficiency on the permeability barrier in sensitive skin and the regulatory role of miRNAs in CLDN5 expression. Materials and methods: A total of 26 patients were retrospectively enrolled, and the CLDN5 expression and permeability barrier dysfunction in vitro were assessed. Then miRNA‐224‐5p expression was also assessed in sensitive skin. Results: Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy revealed reduced CLDN5 expression, increased miR‐224‐5p expression, and disrupted intercellular junctions in sensitive skin. CLDN5 knockdown was associated with lower transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and Lucifer yellow penetration in keratinocytes and organotypic skin models. The RNA‐seq and qRT‐PCR results indicated elevated miR‐224‐5p expression in sensitive skin; MiR‐224‐5p directly interacted with the 3'UTR of CLDN5, resulting in CLDN5 deficiency in the luciferase reporter assay. Finally, miR‐224‐5p reduced TEER in keratinocyte cultures. Conclusion: These results suggest that the miR‐224‐5p‐induced reduction in CLDN5 expression leads to impaired permeability barrier function, and that miR‐224‐5p could be a potential therapeutic target for sensitive skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a life-threatening syndrome with a high incidence and a weighty economic burden. The cytokines storm in the early stage and the state of immunosuppression in the late stage contribute to the mortality of sepsis. Immune checkpoints expressed on lymphocytes and APCs, including CD28, CTLA-4, CD80, CD86, PD-1 and PD-L1, CD40 and CD40L, OX40 and OX40L, 4-1BB and 4-1BBL, BTLA, TIM family, play significant roles in the pathogenesis of sepsis through regulating the immune disorder. The specific therapies targeting immune checkpoints exhibit great potentials in the animal and preclinical studies, and further clinical trials are planning to implement. Here, we review the current literature on the roles played by immune checkpoints in the pathogenesis and treatment of sepsis. We hope to provide further insights into this novel immunomodulatory strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Yin-Jing" medicine (YJM) has been widely used by both ancient and modern Chinese medicine practitioners during long-term clinical practice. However, it remains unclear how to best guide other medicines to the targeted organs in a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription. Here, in an attempt to explain the scientific connotation of the YJM property (YJMP) attributed to a basic TCM theory, Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) was chosen as a case study to reveal the mystery of YJMP theory. The main purpose of this study is to employ modern chemical and molecular biology methods to confirm the "Yin-Jing" effect of PG, and further clarify its material basis and related possible mechanism. The ammonia-induced lung injury rat model was utilized to determine the optimal dosage of traditional prescription Hui Yan Zhu Yu decoction (HYZYD) using Wright Giemsa staining, HE staining, Masson staining, and TUNEL analysis. With the same way, PG was confirmed to have potentiating therapeutic effect (PTE) by comparison with HYZYD and [HYZYD-PG]. TMT proteomics was used to reveal the "Yin-Jing" mechanism of action. Western blot assay (WB) was employed for verification of differentially expressed proteins. Additionally, four non-crossing fragmentations (Fr. A-D) were characterized by RPLC/SEC-ELSD and HILIC-ESI–-Q-OT-IT-MS techniques. The PTE and guidance property assays were utilized to evaluate "Yin-Jing" functions by a compatible combination of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HYA) using qPCR, FCM, WB, HPLC, high content cell imaging (HCI) and high-resolution live-cell imaging (HRLCI) techniques. The HYZYD-M (medium dose group) significantly improved the lung injury level in a pneumonia model of rats. PG enhanced the therapeutic effect of HYZYD ascribed to Yin-Jing PTE functions. TMT proteomics revealed a category of differentially expressed proteins ascribed to Golgi-ER between HYZYD and [HYZYD-PG]. Fr. C (i.e., saponins) and Fr. D (i.e., lipids) were determined as therapeutic fragmentations via the LPS-induced A549 cell injury model; however, Fr. B (fructooligosaccharides and small M w fructans) had no therapeutic effect. Further compatibility PTE assays confirmed Fr. B significantly improved efficiency by a combination of HYA. The guidance assays showed Fr. B could significantly increase the uptake and distribution of HYA into lung cells and tissues. HCI assays showed that Fr. B increased uptake of HYA accompanied by significant activation of Golgi-ER. Unlike Fr. B, HRLCI showed that Fr. A, C and D were not only unobvious activations of Golgi-ER but also insignificant facilitation of colocalizations between HYA and Golgi-ER. Fr. B is believed to be a key YJMP material basis of PG attributed to Yin-Jing PTE with characteristic of lung-oriented guidance property, whereas another abound Fr. C was determined to have synergistic effects rather than Yin-Jing material basis. [Display omitted] • A new hypothesis is proposed for evaluation of Yin-Jing effects for the first time. • The Yin-Jing three elements is defined as PTE, guidance and targetability. • Yin-Jing PTE function is co-effects generated from both guidance and targetability. • Yin-Jing material basis and potential action mechanism are clarified for PG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing number of vehicles in cities brings new challenges to urban traffic management. Analyzing and modeling traffic is of great practical significance to urban intelligent traffic management. In this paper, the existing traffic simulation research is reviewed and summarized. Firstly, the crowd modeling and crowd animation are analyzed by referring to the idea of crowd simulation. Secondly, it compares and analyzes various existing car following technologies, and points out that animated traffic simulation is a hotspot in traffic simulation research. And then the concept of affective computing is integrated into the traffic simulation, considering the impacts of drivers' emotion on vehicle driving and it is pointed out that the emotion-driven traffic flow is more authentic. Finally, combined with the status quo, the existing research drawbacks are analyzed, and the direction of future traffic simulation is pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Synthesis of noble metal phosphides for aqueous phase hydrodechlorination. • Pd phosphide shows excellent activity in hydrodechlorination of 4-cholorophenol. • Pd phosphide possesses strong resistance to Cl− and S2− deactivation. • Hydrodechlorination rate is a strong function of metal and phosphide particle size. Abstract We report the synthesis of noble metal phosphides by a temperature-programmed reduction method for aqueous phase hydrodechlorination (HDC) of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 , Rh 2 P/SiO 2 and PtP 2 /SiO 2 catalysts were prepared and showed higher 4-CP HDC rates than their corresponding noble metal catalysts. Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 sample exhibited a higher HDC rate than the other phosphide catalysts and Pd/SiO 2 catalysts. The XPS spectra show the surface interaction reactions of the Pd and P species that occur via the electron transfer from Pd to P. Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 was synthesized with different phosphide particle size (1.1–13.5 nm based on hydrogen chemisorptions) via changing the metal loading from 1 to 10 wt%. The 4-CP HDC reaction is sensitive to the size of the Pd and Pd 3 P 0.95 particles, and the optimum sizes for Pd/SiO 2 and Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 were ∼8 and ∼5 nm, respectively. The effects of the initial 4-CP and Cl− ion concentration and the S to Pd surf (surface active Pd metal sites determined by hydrogen chemisorptions) ratio on the 4-CP HDC activity were examined for both catalysts. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model that was developed considering the surface reaction as the rate-determining step suggests P has an enhancing effect on sorption in the 4-CP HDC reaction and an inhibiting effect on chloride sorption for Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2. Moreover, Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 possesses better sulfide resistance than Pd/SiO 2 because P can prevent the conversion of Pd metallic sites into inactive Pd 4 S compounds with a sulfide treatment. As a result, Pd 3 P 0.95 /SiO 2 shows better HDC stability than those of Pd/SiO 2 catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The fatigue working environment of rotor and inner cylinder of the Wankel engine was simulated accurately. • To improve the contact fatigue performance of the engine, excellent compatibility and stability of the Cr 3 C 2 hard phase and NiCr alloy was introduced. • Fatigue failure mechanism of the NiCrCr 3 C 2 coating was revealed. NiCrCr 3 C 2 and AlSi coatings were prepared using supersonic plasma equipment. The contact fatigue properties of the coatings were evaluated under dry friction, fuel oil, and lubricating oil conditions. The fatigue life of the NiCrCr 3 C 2 coating was much longer than that of the AlSi coating at the same pressure. Under the same conditions, the NiCrCr 3 C 2 coating had better contact fatigue performance than the AlSi coating, and due to the wettability of Cr 3 C 2 and NiCr alloys, the Cr 3 C 2 hard phase was firmly embedded in the NiCr alloy to ensure hardness and wear resistance at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is recognized as a life-threatening organ dysfunctional disease that is caused by dysregulated host responses to infection. Up to now, sepsis still remains a dominant cause of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and death among severe condition patients. Pyroptosis, originally named after the Greek words “pyro” and “ptosis” in 2001, has been defined as a specific programmed cell death characterized by release of inflammatory cytokines. During sepsis, pyroptosis is required for defense against bacterial infection because appropriate pyroptosis can minimize tissue damage. Even so, pyroptosis when overactivated can result in septic shock, MODS, or increased risk of secondary infection. Proteolytic cleavage of gasdermin D (GSDMD) by caspase-1, caspase-4, caspase-5, and caspase-11 is an essential step for the execution of pyroptosis in activated innate immune cells and endothelial cells stimulated by cytosolic lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cleaved GSDMD also triggers NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein (NLRP) 3-mediated activation of caspase-1 via an intrinsic pathway, while the precise mechanism underlying GSDMD-induced NLRP 3 activation remains unclear. Hence, this study provides an overview of the recent advances in the molecular mechanisms underlying pyroptosis in sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoencapsulated phase change materials (NePCMs) are promising thermal energy storage (TES) and heat transfer materials that show great potential in battery thermal management systems (BTMSs). In this work, nanocapsules with a paraffin core and silica shell were prepared using an optimized sol-gel method. The samples were characterized by different methods regarding chemical composition, thermal properties, etc. Then, the nanocapsules were used as the coolant by mixing with insulation oil in the immersion cooling of a simulative battery. The sample doped with Ag on the shell with a core-to-shell ratio of 1:1 showed the best performance. Compared to the sample without doping material, the thermal conductivity increased by 49%, while the supercooling degree was reduced by 35.6%. The average temperature of the simulative battery cooled by nanocapsule slurries decreased by up to 3.95 °C compared to the test performed with pure insulation oil as the coolant. These novel nanocapsules show great potential in the immersion cooling of a battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal tropopause represents the region of the atmosphere where the environmental lapse rate changes from tropospheric positive to stratospheric negative. It also defines the altitude of the atmosphere beneath which significant weather perturbations occur except occasional overshooting thunderstorms in the tropical regions. Accordingly, how the temporal and spatial variability of thermal tropopause behaves is of great concern in atmospheric research and, hence, investigated in this study by using radio occultation (RO) observations obtained from seven space missions during the period from May 2001 to April 2013 (with a total of 6,075,359 occultations). While RO observations have been demonstrated to provide precise measurements of temperature profiles of the atmosphere, their results are inter-compared before further use in our analysis, showing expected high-precision observations with mean differences < 0.06 K and standard deviations < 1.6 K in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Given a rather large data set of multi- space-mission RO measurements taken globally, a very detailed description of spatial structure and variability of the tropopause is revealed, and monthly mean zonal mean tropopause parameters in each 2° latitude band from 90°S to 90°N can be obtained. Many interesting features of seasonal cycle, spatial distribution, interannual variation, and diurnal variation of the thermal tropopause are observed. For examples, except for the primary minimum in January, the equatorial tropopause temperature exhibits a secondary minimum in April, possibly caused by the strongly combined wave forcing from two hemispheres; During the boreal winter over the tropics, the distribution of tropopause temperature extrema do not totally coincide with the altitude extrema spatially, and the former has a better agreement with the locations of strong tropical convection systems; Notable zonal asymmetries in interannual characteristics are observed in both tropical and extratropical regions. In both the tropics and Arctic, close correlation of the interannual variations is revealed between tropopause parameters and stratospheric temperatures in localized regions as well as zonal mean results while no such relationship is observed in the middle latitudes; and Diurnal variation of the equatorial tropopause shows warmer temperature in the morning and cooler value at midnight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to verify the correlation between medium and low radiation doses of the pelvic-bone marrow and the incidence of lymphocytic toxicity during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer. Materials and methods: This research included 117 cervical cancer patients, who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Radiotherapy included external-beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy. The dosimetry parameters include the Volume receiving 5 Gy (V5), 10 Gy (V10), 20 Gy (V20), 30 Gy (V30), 40 Gy (V40), 50 Gy (V50), and the mean dose (D mean) of the bone marrow. Lymphocytic toxicity was calculated from lowest lymphocytic count after two cycles of concurrent chemotherapy. Results: During concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the incidence of lymphocytic toxicity is 94.88%. The incidence of grade 3–4 toxicity is 68.38%. Multivariate analysis findings show that the dosimetry parameters V5, V10, V20, and V30 are significantly correlated with lymphocytic toxicity. The patients are divided into small-volume subgroups and large-volume subgroups based on the cutoff values. The relative risk of both grade 1–4 and grade 3–4 lymphocytic toxicity is significantly lower in the small-volume subgroups than in the large-volume subgroups (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis shows that the incidence of both grade 1–4 and grade 3–4 lymphocytic toxicity of the small-volume subgroups is significantly lower than that of the large-volume subgroups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between a medium and low dose of pelvic-bone-marrow radiation and incidence of lymphocytic toxicity. Reducing the volume of medium and low radiation doses could effectively reduce incidence of lymphocytic toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is no available viable treatment for Sepsis-Induced Cardiomyopathy (SIC), a common sepsis complication with a higher fatality risk. The septic patients showed an abnormal activation of the renin angiotensin (Ang) aldosterone system (RAAS). However, it is not known how the Ang II and Ang-(1–7) affect SIC. Methods: Peripheral plasma was collected from the Healthy Control (HC) and septic patients and Ang II and Ang-(1–7) protein concentrations were measured. The in vitro and in vivo models of SIC were developed using Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to preliminarily explore the relationship between the SIC state, Ang II, and Ang-(1–7) levels, along with the protective function of exogenous Ang-(1–7) on SIC. Results: Peripheral plasma Ang II and the Ang II/Ang-(1–7) levels in SIC-affected patients were elevated compared to the levels in HC and non-SIC patients, however, the HC showed higher Ang-(1–7) levels. Furthermore, peripheral plasma Ang II, Ang II/Ang-(1–7), and Ang-(1–7) levels in SIC patients were significantly correlated with the degree of myocardial injury. Additionally, exogenous Ang-(1–7) can attenuate inflammatory response, reduce oxidative stress, maintain mitochondrial dynamics homeostasis, and alleviate mitochondrial structural and functional damage by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, thus alleviating SIC. Conclusions: Plasma Ang-(1–7), Ang II, and Ang II/Ang-(1–7) levels were regarded as significant SIC biomarkers. In SIC, therapeutic targeting of RAAS, for example with Ang-(1–7), may exert protective roles against myocardial damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Both sepsis acute lung injury (SALI) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are life-threatening diseases caused by immune response disorders and inflammation, but the underlining linking mechanisms are still not clear. This study aimed to detect the shared gene signature and potential molecular process between SALI and NSCLC. (2) Methods: RNA sequences and patient information on sepsis and NSCLC were acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to build a co-expression network associated with sepsis and NSCLC. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis of shared genes was intuitively performed by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database. The involvement of EZH2 in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and sepsis immune microenvironment (IME) was assessed by R software. Western blot, flow cytometry, and other in vitro assays were performed to further confirm the function and mechanism of EZH2 in NSCLC and SALI. (3) Results: WGCNA recognized three major modules for sepsis and two major modules for NSCLC, and there were seven shared genes identified for the two diseases. Additionally, the hub gene EZH2 was screened out. It was shown that EZH2 was closely related to the IME in the two diseases. In the validation assay, our data showed that EZH2 was expressed at a higher level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of septic patients than those of healthy donors (HDs), and EZH2 was also expressed at a higher level in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PBMCs and non-small cell lung cancer (A549) cells. EZH2 inhibitor (GSK343) downregulated the proliferation ability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, parallel with the decreased expression level of PD-L1. Similarly, GSK343 inhibited PD-L1 protein expression and downregulated the level of proinflammatory factors in LPS-induced PBMCs. In the co-culture system of PBMCs and human type II alveolar epithelial cells (ATIIs), the addition of GSK343 to PBMCs significantly downregulated the apoptosis of LPS-induced ATIIs. (4) Conclusions: This study illustrated that EZH2 inhibition could ameliorate A549 cell proliferation and LPS-induced ATII apoptosis in parallel with downregulation of PD-L1 protein expression, which provided new insights into molecular signaling networks involved in the pathogenetics of SALI and NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The molten MgCl 2 -KCl-NaCl salt was purified with an optimized Mg-additive method. • The corrosion rates of Fe-based alloys were controlled under 15 µm/year in molten chloride salt at 700 °C. • The corrosion development of Fe-based alloy was displayed during the 2000 h exposure test. Molten chlorides, such as MgCl 2 -KCl-NaCl, are promising advanced high-temperature (up to 800 °C) thermal energy storage (TES) materials in next-generation concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. However, their high corrosivity to commercial Fe-Cr-Ni alloys impedes the commercial applications of chloride-TES. In this work, we investigated the corrosion of two selected commercial Fe-based alloys (SS 310 and In 800H) in molten MgCl 2 -KCl-NaCl salt, aiming to study the feasibility of affordable Fe-based alloys instead of expensive Ni-based alloys in the chloride-TES system. The alloy samples were immersed in the liquid-Mg-purified molten salt at 700 °C for 2000 h under a protective inert gas atmosphere. After the corrosion test, SEM-EDX microstructural analysis and mass loss analysis showed that corrosion rates of the immersed alloy samples were lower than 15 µm/year, and the corrosion rates had a decreasing tendency with increasing immersion time during the 2000-hour test. To our best knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration that corrosion rates of the Fe-based alloys in molten MgCl 2 -KCl-NaCl salt at 700 °C can be controlled below the target (15 µm/year) proposed by the US Department of Energy (DOE). Using affordable Fe-based alloys as main structural materials, the cost of chloride-TES (27 USD/kWh) could be comparable to that of commercial nitrate-TES (20–33 USD/kWh). Taking advantage of chloride-TES with higher operating temperature, the next-generation CSP plant could use an advanced power cycle (e.g., sCO 2 Brayton) to have a much higher energy conversion efficiency, leading to a significantly lower Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) than the current commercial CSP plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation is an important mediator of secondary injury pathogenesis that exerts dual beneficial and detrimental effects on pathophysiology of the central nervous system (CNS) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fluvoxamine is a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and has been reported to have the anti-inflammatory properties. However, the mechanisms and therapeutic effects of fluvoxamine in neuroinflammation after TBI have not be defined. In this study, we showed that fluvoxamine inhibited peripheral immune cell infiltration and glia activation at 3 days in mice subjected to TBI. Fluvoxamine treatment promoted microglial/macrophage phenotypic transformation from pro-inflammatory M1-phenotype to anti-inflammatory M2-phenotype in in vivo and in vitro experiments. In addition, fluvoxamine treatment attenuated neuronal apoptosis, blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption, cerebrovascular damage, and post-traumatic edema formation, thereby improving neurological function of mice subjected to TBI. These findings support the clinical evaluation of fluvoxamine as a neuroprotective therapy for TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms in DNA repair genes as potential predictive factors among Chinese cervical cancer patients. Methods A total of 72 patients with cervical carcinoma, who received cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy and whose responses were evaluated by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, were included. The association between response to chemoradiotherapy and the genotypes for 29 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 25 DNA repair genes were analyzed. Results A minor allele of SNP rs9350 in the exonuclease 1 gene was associated with a better response rate, regardless of age and tumor stage (odds ratio, 8.316; p = 0.002). Conclusion SNP rs9350 in the exonuclease 1 gene is involved in inter-individual differences in the response to cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy, in patients with cervical carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction induced by infection, is a major public health problem. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and mortality of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock in China.Methods: We Searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library from 1 January 1992 to 1 June 2020 for studies that reported on the frequency and mortality of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock conducted in China. Random effects models were performed to estimate the pooled frequency and mortality of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.Results: Our search yielded 846 results, of which 29 studies were included in this review. The pooled frequency of sepsis was estimated at 33.6% (95% CI 25.9% to 41.3%, I2 = 99.2%; p < 0.001), and the pooled mortality of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were 29.0% (95% CI 25.3%-32.8%, I2 = 92.1%; p = 0), 31.1% (95% CI 25.3% to 36.9%, I2 = 85.8%; p < 0.001) and 37.3% (95% CI 28.6%-46.0%, I2 = 93.5%; p < 0.001). There was significant heterogeneity between studies. With a small number of included studies and the changing definition of sepsis, trends in sepsis frequency and mortality were not sufficient for analysis. Epidemiological data on sepsis in the emergency department (ED) are severely lacking, and more research is urgently needed in this area is urgently needed.Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the frequency and mortality of sepsis and septic shock in China were much higher than North America and Europe countries. Based on our results, an extremely high incidence and mortality of sepsis and septic shock in China's mainland requires more healthcare budget support. Epidemiological data on sepsis and septic shock in ED are severely lacking, and more research is urgently needed in this area. Trial registration This systematic review was conducted according to the statement of the preferred reporting items for systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42021243325) and the meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) is associated with neuroinflammation and subsequent cell death following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) acts as a dynamic pluripotent modulator of fundamental cellular processes at the mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs). The activation of Sig-1R is neuroprotective in a variety of central nervous system diseases, but its impact on ER stress induced by traumatic brain injury is not known. This study investigated the role of Sig-1R in regulating the ER stress-mediated microglial activation and programmed cell death (apoptosis and pyroptosis) induced by TBI. Methods: Ten human brain tissues were obtained from The Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. Four normal brain tissues were obtained from patients who underwent surgery for cerebral vascular malformation, through which peripheral brain tissues were isolated. Six severe TBI tissues were from patients with brain injury caused by accidents. None of the patients had any other known neurological disorders. Mice with Sig-1R deletion using CRISPR technology were subjected to controlled cortical impact-induced injury. In parallel, wild type C57BL/6J mice were analyzed for outcomes after they were exposed to TBI and received the Sig-1R agonist PRE-084 (10 mg/kg daily for three days) either alone or in combination with the Sig-1R antagonist BD-1047 (10 mg/kg). Results: The expression of Sig-1R and the 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein, a known UPR marker, were significantly elevated in the injured cerebral tissues from TBI patients and mice subjected to TBI. PRE-084 improved neurological function, restored the cerebral cortical perfusion, and ameliorated and brain edema in C57BL/6J mice subjected to TBI by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis, pyroptosis, and microglia activation. The effect of PRE-084 was abolished in mice receiving Sig-1R antagonist BD-1047. Conclusions: ER stress and UPR were upregulated in TBI patients and mice subjected to TBI. Sig-1R activation by the exogenous activator PRE-084 attenuated microglial cells activation, reduced ER stress-associated programmed cell death, and restored cerebrovascular and neurological function in TBI mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand erosion is a major factor that shortens the service life of aircraft in desert regions. The anti‐erosion performance of titanium alloys may be improved using TiN coatings. However, few studies have employed Ti sputtering on Ti transition layers to improve the erosion resistance of the coatings. Herein, TiN coatings with a sputtering layer between the Ti transition layer and the TiN layer were deposited on a Ti–6Al–4V alloy by filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition. For comparison, another group of TiN coatings without a Ti sputtering layer but processed using the same deposition parameters were prepared. The effects of the nanoscale sputtering layer on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and anti‐erosion performance of the coatings were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and nanoindentation. The results show that the introduction of a Ti sputtering layer promoted the growth of TiN grains, leading to the formation of finer and denser TiN columnar grains. The preferred orientation of the coatings with the sputtering layer is (111) plane, whereas that of the coatings without the sputtering layer is (200) plane. The TiN coatings containing a sputtering layer exhibit higher hardness, elastic modulus, and H3/E2 ratio, which enhances the anti‐erosion performance of the coatings. The coatings with a sputtering layer exhibited better erosion resistance (erosion rate reduced by 75%) than the coatings without a sputtering layer. The underlying mechanism to understand the effect of the sputtering layer on the erosion resistance was discussed based on variations in the microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings with and without the Ti sputtering layer. Ti sputtering layer was finally proved to be an effective method to improve the erosion resistance of TiN coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xuebijing (XBJ) injection, a concoction of several Chinese herbs, has been widely used as an immunomodulator for the treatment of severe sepsis in China. However, the precise mechanisms responsible for its efficacy have not been fully elucidated. In our study, we determined the flow cytometry markers (F4/80, CD11c, and CD206), the levels of secreted cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10), and the expression of specific proteins of M2 (Ym1, Fizz1, and Arg1) to assess macrophage polarization. Treatment with XBJ lowered M1 associated cytokine levels and increased the level of M2 associated cytokine level. The percentage of M2 phenotype cells of XBJ group was much higher than that of the control group. Expressions of phosphorylated Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) were markedly enhanced after the administration of XBJ; on the other hand, the M2 associated cytokines and proteins were decreased following treatment with JAK1 or STAT6 inhibitor. In addition, the treatment of XBJ significantly improved the survival rate of septic mice. These studies demonstrate that XBJ can markedly promote M2 polarization and improve the survival rate of septic mice, thereby contributing to therapeutic effect in the treatment of septic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]