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The metal cross-linking fluorinated polyacrylate colloid has a high cross-linking density, high transparency, high heat resistance and hydrophobicity. In this paper, the metal cross-linking fluorinated polyacrylate colloid is synthesized via the semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization technology, which uses the self-made magnesium acrylate, calcium acrylate and zinc acrylate as metal crosslinker and dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate as a fluorine monomer. In this study, the ablation effect of the metal ions is weakened by the increased amount of environmentally friendly and polymerizable anion emulsifier DNS-86. The demulsification phenomenon of emulsion is successfully overcome through destroying the double layer structure of micelles or colloid particles by polyvalent metal ions. The colloidal particle size is smaller and the particle size distribution of the colloid is more uniform. Colloidal film has a good hydrophobicity and the glass transition temperature and the thermal decomposition temperature are high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have achieved the first total synthesis of pallamolides A−E. Of these compounds, pallamolides B−E possess intriguing tetracyclic skeletons with novel intramolecular transesterifications. Key transformations include highly diastereoselective sequential Michael addition reactions to construct the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane core with the simultaneous generation of two quaternary carbon centers, a one‐pot SmI2‐mediated intramolecular ketyl–enoate cyclization/ketone reduction to generate the key oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane moiety, and an acid‐mediated deprotection/oxa‐Michael addition/β‐hydroxy elimination cascade sequence to assemble the tetracyclic pallamolide skeleton. Kinetic resolution of ketone 14 through Corey–Bakshi–Shibata reduction enabled the asymmetric synthesis of pallamolides A−E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have achieved the first total synthesis of pallamolides A−E. Of these compounds, pallamolides B−E possess intriguing tetracyclic skeletons with novel intramolecular transesterifications. Key transformations include highly diastereoselective sequential Michael addition reactions to construct the bicyclo[2.2.2]octane core with the simultaneous generation of two quaternary carbon centers, a one‐pot SmI2‐mediated intramolecular ketyl–enoate cyclization/ketone reduction to generate the key oxabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane moiety, and an acid‐mediated deprotection/oxa‐Michael addition/β‐hydroxy elimination cascade sequence to assemble the tetracyclic pallamolide skeleton. Kinetic resolution of ketone 14 through Corey–Bakshi–Shibata reduction enabled the asymmetric synthesis of pallamolides A−E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, the traditional acrylate polymer latex, which is used as the binder of the coatings, is a linear polymer and properties of the latex film cannot meet with the demand of the high-grade coatings. Presently, there are few reports on the polyacrylate latex modified by diallyl malate, i.e. butanedioic acid,2-hydroxy-, 1,4-di-2-propen-1-yl ester (BAHD) and long fluorocarbon acrylate monomer such as dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) in the open literatures. The purpose of this work is that the cross-linked acrylate latex is prepared which DFMA and BAHD are used as the functional monomer and as a cross-linking monomer, respectively. The cross-linked acrylate latex is prepared which methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) is used as the main monomers and the non-ionic emulsifier isomeric alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (X-407) and the anionic emulsifier sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) are used as emulsifiers. DFMA and BAHD are used as the functional monomer and as a cross-linking monomer, respectively. Factors which have an influence on the properties of the resultant latex and the emulsion polymerization are investigated in detail. The optimal recipe of preparing the latex is obtained as follows: the amount of mixed emulsifiers is 6% and mass ratio of X-470 to SDS is 2:1. When the amount of BAHD is 4.47%, the water absorption rate is reduced greatly. The glass transition temperature is 10 °C. In compassion with the conventional latex, the thermal decomposition temperature is increased by 10 °C. The resultant latex has good stability and small particle size. The latex film exhibits hydrophobicity and the water contact angle is more than 90°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incomplete real-valued data often misses some labels due to the high cost of labeling data. This paper investigates for partially labeled incomplete real-valued data and considers its application in semi-supervised attribute reduction. There are two decision information systems (DISs) in a partially labeled incomplete real-valued data DIS (p-IRVDIS): a labeled incomplete real-valued data DIS (l-IRVDIS) and a unlabeled incomplete real-valued data DIS (u-IRVDIS). The degree of importance on an attribute subset in a p-IRVDIS are defined using an indistinguishable relation and conditional information entropy. It is the weighted sum of l-IRVDIS and u-IRVDIS using the missing rate of label to measure p-IRVDIS uncertainty. Based on the degree of importance, an adaptive semi-supervised attribute reduction algorithm in a p-IRVDIS is proposed. This algorithm can automatically adapt to various missing rates of label. The experimental results on 8 datasets reveal that the proposed algorithm performs statistically better than some state-of-the-art algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiAl alloy is a new kind of lightweight high temperature resistant structural material. Its density is only about half of that of nickel-based superalloy. It is an excellent substitute material for nickel-based superalloy. TiAl alloy is a brittle material that needs to be processed in the plastic domain on the nanoscale. Due to the influence of humidity, a thin water film will inevitably condenses on the processed surface. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the role of humidity in nanofabrication. The results show that when the water layer thickness is 0, 4 Å and 8 Å, the maximum tangential grinding force is 165 nN, 266 nN and 386 nN, and the maximum normal grinding force is 517 nN, 521 nN and 528 nN, respectively. Compared with the normal grinding force, the stress value of tangential grinding force changes more obviously. The variation of the peak value of radial distribution function (RDF) around Al atoms before and after grinding is smaller than that of Ti. From the second peak to the sixth peak, with the increasing of the water layer thickness, the peak of the wave crest gradually decreases. When the grinding wheel is rotating forward, the maximum tangential grinding force is 266 nN and the maximum normal grinding force is 521 nN, when the wheel is rotating backward, the maximum tangential grinding force is 497 nN and the maximum normal grinding force is 451 nN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the excavation and unloading of deep-buried soft rock tunnels, support structures often experience deformation-related disasters such as concrete cracking, steel frame bending and twisting, and primary support instability under different forms of load. Accurately calculating the load borne by the primary support structure is the key to ensuring design rationality and construction safety. Especially in layered soft surrounding rock formations, the magnitude and distribution of the loads are different from those of conventional rock and soil masses, resulting in limited applicability of existing load calculation methods to similar formations. Therefore, based on the measured deformation of the tunnel structure, while considering the different geometric forms of the primary support structure during partial excavation, this paper proposes a deformation-structure (D-S) load calculation method. By comparing the calculation results of this method and a large number of sample data for typical deep-buried layered soft rock tunnels, the reliability of the D-S load calculation method is verified. In addition, the variation law of the loads during the tunnel construction period is enunciated, and the magnitude and distribution of the loads acting on the primary support are clarified. The D-S load calculation method provides a theoretical basis for load calculation in deep-buried layered soft rock tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the comprehension and production of long passives (i.e. bei-constructions with an overt agent) in Mandarin-speaking children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Seventeen preschool children with DLD (1 female; mean age: 61 months old) and 23 typically developing (TD) children (6 females; mean age: 62 months old) participated in a sentence-picture matching task (for comprehension) and an elicited production task. Their nonverbal working memory (NVWM) was measured with the fourth edition of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Results showed that children with DLD were less accurate and more likely to choose the picture with reversed thematic roles than their TD peers on passives in the sentence-picture matching task; in the elicited production task, they produced fewer target responses than TD children in passives. For NVWM, although that of the DLD group was lower than that of TD children, most children in the DLD group were within the average range. Furthermore, their performance on passives in the comprehension and production tasks was significantly correlated with their NVWM, which adds to the body of work suggesting links between complex syntax and working memory. However, the fact that NVWM could be preserved in the face of difficulties with passives suggests that this link may be due to NVWM enhancing performance during tasks with a high visual component, while it may not be underlyingly responsible for syntactic impairments in children with DLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Self-crosslinked long fluorocarbon acrylate polymer latex has good hydrophobic and oleophobicity, weather resistance, aging resistance, stability and other excellent properties, which make the polymer be widely used in coatings, dyes, adhesives and other products. The purpose of this study is to prepare self-crosslinked long fluorocarbon acrylate polymer latex via semi-continuous seeded emulsion technology and carry out comparative study on two different cross-linked monomers. Design/methodology/approach: Methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) were used as the main monomers, dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) as the fluoromonomer, hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) and N-methylol acrylamide (NMA) as cross-linked monomers, and 1-allyloxy-3–(4-nonylphenol)-2-propanol polyoxyethylene (10) ether (ANPEO10) and 1-allyloxy-3–(4-nonylphenol)-2-propanol polyoxyethylene (10) ether ammonium sulfate (DNS-86) as compound emulsifiers via the semicontinuous-seeded emulsion polymerization. Findings: The properties of the polymer emulsions, which are prepared with two different cross-linked monomers, are compared and discussed, and it is concluded that HPMA is more suitable for the preparation of self-crosslinked polymer emulsions. The formula of the polymer latex is ANPEO10: DNS-86 = 1:1, and the mass ratio of the monomers used in the polymer is MMA: BA: DFMA: HPMA = 14.40:14.40:0.60:0.60. Practical implications: Self-crosslinked long fluorocarbon acrylate polymer latex can be used in many fields such as coatings, dyes, adhesives and other products. Originality/value: The self-crosslinked long fluorocarbon acrylate polymer latex is prepared by mixing the nonionic emulsifier ANPEO10 and the anionic emulsifier DNS-86 when potassium persulfate is used as the thermal decomposition initiator and the semicontinuous-seeded emulsion technology is adopted and the comparative study on two different cross-linked monomer is carried out, which is not reported in the open literatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, grid workers have increasingly become an indispensable and important force in basic social governance. They not only undertake several tasks, such as gaining publicity, collecting information, resolving conflicts, and assisting in management, but they also actively serve the grid residents enthusiastically and engage in proactive service behaviors. In order to better cultivate this important force, we hope to have a better understanding of the factors contributing to the behavioral performance of grid workers, especially the impact of organizational and personal factors. In this study, we sought to establish what factors influence the proactive service behaviors of grid workers. Based on a theoretical consideration of factors such as public service motivation, occupational identity, and organizational climate, a multi-factor influence hypothesis model was constructed to explain the proactive service behaviors of these workers. By analyzing data based on 348 paired survey samples received in two stages in eastern China, these hypotheses were then tested. The results reflect that grid workers' public service motivation can stimulate proactive service behaviors. Furthermore, occupational identity plays a mediating role, while organizational support and organizational service climate play a positive moderating role between public service motivation and occupational identity. This finding clarifies the important influencing factors of proactive service behaviors among grassroots workers, such as grid workers, and has important implications for how to effectively motivate these groups to provide more proactive services, promoting their sustainable development and improve the effectiveness of grassroots governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This article proposes an enhanced adaptive disturbance rejection control strategy for sensorless control of permanent magnet synchronous motor. The traditional fixed bandwidth quadrature phase‐locked loop (Q‐PLL) is insufficient to meet system dynamics in the event of sudden speed changes or motor disturbances, resulting in a significant decrease in control performance. Meanwhile, conventional extended state observers usually rely on a fixed high gain for fast convergence, which raises concerns about their sensitivity to noise. To overcome these challenges, the proposed method introduces a third‐order adaptive cascaded linear extended state observer (ACLESO) in place of the conventional PLL to accurately estimate the speed, phase, and overall disturbances, ensuring timely and accurate estimation of the total disturbance. Then, a speed controller based on linear state error feedback control law (LSEFCL) was designed to enhance the dynamic performance of the system. Based on the stability analysis using the Lyapunov function, finally, extensive experimental tests were carried out to verify the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two terminal passive devices are regarded as one of the promising candidates to solve the processor‐memory bottleneck in the Von Neumann computing architectures. Many different materials are used to fabricate memory devices, which have the potential to act as synapses in future neuromorphic electronics. Metal halide perovskites are attractive for memory devices as they display high density of defects with a low migration barrier. However, to become promising for a future neuromorphic technology, attention should be paid on non‐toxic materials and scalable deposition processes. Herein, it is reported for the first time the successful fabrication of resistive memory devices using quasi‐2D tin–lead perovskite of composition (BA)2MA4(Pb0.5Sn0.5)5I16 by blade coating. The devices show typical memory characteristics with excellent endurance (2000 cycles), retention (105 s), and storage stability (3 months). Importantly, the memory devices successfully emulate synaptic behaviors such as spike‐timing‐dependent plasticity, paired‐pulse facilitation, short‐term potentiation, and long‐term potentiation. A mix of slow (ionic) transport and fast (electronic) transport (charge trapping and de‐trapping) is proven to be responsible for the observed resistive switching behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified latex is prepared via the soap-free emulsion polymerization of ethyl acetate (VAc) and vinyl versatate (VeoVa10). DFHMA is used as modified monomers. The composite surfactants of SR-10 and ANPEO-10 are used as the composite emulsifiers. The polymerization is initiated by potassium sulfate (KPS). The structure of latex film was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The latex films were tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and contact angle (CA) determinator. The particle size of the latex emulsion particle size is determined by the Zetatrac dynamic light scatter. Results show that the optimum condition of preparing the modified latex can be obtained, i.e. the amount of emulsifier is 4.0%; the mass ratio of SR-10 to ANPEO-10 is 1:1; the amount of initiator is 0.5%; the mass ratio ofVAc to VeoVa10 is 1:1; the amount of DFHMA is 5.0%. The appearance of the latex is blue and translucent with a small particle size. The conversion rate is more than 98%. Compared with the conventional latex, the hydrophobicity and heat resistance of the film have been improved. Moreover, the latex has good chemical stability and mechanical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information amount has been shown to be one of the most efficient methods for measuring uncertainty. However, there has been little research on outlier detection using information amount. To fill this void, this paper provides a new unsupervised outlier detection method based on the amount of information. First, the information amount in a given information system is determined, which offers a thorough estimate of the uncertainty of this information system. Then, the relative information amount and the relative cardinality are proposed. Following that, the degree of outlierness and weight function are shown. Furthermore, the information amount-based outlier factor is constructed, which determines whether an object is an outlier by its rank. Finally, a new unsupervised outlier detection method called the information amount-based outlier factor (IAOF) is developed. To validate the effectiveness and advantages of IAOF, it is compared to five existing outlier identification methods. The experimental results on real-world data sets show that this method is capable of addressing the problem of outlier detection in categorical information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria and fungi are core microorganisms in diverse ecosystems, and their cross‐kingdom interactions are considered key determinants of microbiome structure and ecosystem functioning. However, how bacterial‐fungal interactions mediate soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics remains largely unexplored in the context of artificial forest ecosystems.Here, we characterised soil bacterial and fungal communities in four successive planting of Eucalyptus and compared them to a neighbouring evergreen broadleaf forest. Carbon (C) mineralisation combined with five C‐degrading enzymatic activities was investigated to determine the effects of successive planting of Eucalyptus on SOC dynamics.Our results indicated that successive planting of Eucalyptus significantly altered the diversity and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities and increased the negative bacterial‐fungal associations. The bacterial diversity significantly decreased in all Eucalyptus plantations compared to the evergreen forest, while the fungal diversity showed the opposite trend. The ratio of negative bacterial‐fungal associations increased with successive planting of Eucalyptus due to the decrease in SOC, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+‐N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−‐N) and available phosphorus (AP). Structural equation modelling indicated that the potential cross‐kingdom competition, based on the ratio of negative bacterial‐fungal correlations, was significantly negatively associated with the diversity of total bacteria and keystone bacteria, thereby increasing C‐degrading enzymatic activities and C mineralisation.Synthesis and applications: Our results highlight the regulatory role of the negative bacterial‐fungal association in enhancing the correlation between bacterial diversity and C mineralisation. This suggests that promoting short‐term successive planting in the management of Eucalyptus plantations can mitigate the impact of this association on SOC decomposition. Taken together, our study advances the understanding of bacterial‐fungal negative associations to mediate carbon mineralisation in Eucalyptus plantations, giving us a new insight into SOC cycling dynamics in artificial forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation mechanism of high-concentration dwarf galaxies is still a mystery. We perform a comparative study of the intrinsic shape of nearby low-mass galaxies with different stellar concentration. The intrinsic shape is parameterized by the intermediate-to-major axis ratios B/A and the minor-to-major axis ratios C/A of triaxial ellipsoidal models. Our galaxies (107.5 M ⊙ < M ⋆ < 1010.0 M ⊙) are selected to have spectroscopic redshift from SDSS or GAMA and have broadband optical images from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP) wide-layer survey. The deep HSC-SSP images allow to measure the apparent axis ratios q at galactic radii beyond the central star-forming area of our galaxies. We infer the intrinsic axis ratios based on the q distributions. We find that (1) our galaxies have typical intrinsic shape similarly close to be oblate (μ B/A ∼ 0.9–1), regardless of the concentration, stellar mass, star formation activity, and local environment (being central or satellite); (2) galaxies with the highest concentration tend to have intrinsic thickness similar to or (in virtually all cases) slightly thinner (i.e., smaller mean μ C/A or equivalently lower triaxiality) than ordinary galaxies, regardless of other properties explored here. This appears to be in contrast with the expectation of the classic merger scenario for high-concentration galaxies. Given the lack of a complete understanding of dwarf–dwarf merger, we cannot draw a definite conclusion about the relevance of mergers in the formation of high-concentration dwarfs. Other mechanisms such as halo spin may also play important roles in the formation of high-concentration dwarf galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), as one-dimensional nanomaterials, exhibit extraordinary mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. In this research endeavor, atomic models of armchair CNTs (7, 7) and zigzag CNTs (12, 0) with the radii of 9.49 Å and 9.39 Å, respectively, and the lengths of 50 angs are established by molecular dynamics method and analyze their fracture behavior. Findings demonstrate that CNTs undergo notable elastic deformation and plastic deformation during stretching. When the CNTs with those containing 0, 4, 8, and 16 random vacancy defects, the strains of the zigzag CNTs when they break are 0.416, 0.346, 0.345, and 0.331, respectively. For the armchair CNTs, the strains of CNTs when they break are 0.494, 0.442, 0.411, and 0.384, respectively. So the strain value of the CNTs with more vacancy defects is smaller when they break. In addition, the zigzag CNT is disconnected along cross section, while the armchair CNT is disconnected along 45° cross section. When comparing non-defect CNTs with those containing 4, 8, and 16 random vacancy defects, the ultimate strength of the zigzag CNTs decreased by 7.56%, 18.24%, and 38.19%, respectively. For the armchair CNTs, the ultimate strength decreased by 25.64%, 30.21%, and 45.84%, respectively. The ultimate strain of the zigzag CNTs decreases by 11.55%, 15.58%, and 23.81% for 4, 8, and 16 vacancy defects, respectively. As for the armchair CNTs, the ultimate strain decreased by 12.54%, 14.32%, and 19.31% for the corresponding defect quantities. Consequently, the presence of vacancy defects considerably weakens the tensile mechanical properties of CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver diseases impose a huge burden worldwide. Although hepatocyte transplantation has long been considered as a potential strategy for treating liver diseases, its clinical implementation has created some obvious limitations. As an alternative strategy, cell therapy, particularly mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation, is widely used in treating different liver diseases, including acute liver disease, acute-on-chronic liver failure, hepatitis B/C virus, autoimmune hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we summarize the status of MSC transplantation in treating liver diseases, focusing on the therapeutic mechanisms, including differentiation into hepatocyte-like cells, immunomodulating function with a variety of immune cells, paracrine effects via the secretion of various cytokines and extracellular vesicles, and facilitation of homing and engraftment. Some improved perspectives and current challenges are also addressed. In summary, MSCs have great potential in the treatment of liver diseases based on their multi-faceted characteristics, and more accurate mechanisms and novel therapeutic strategies stemming from MSCs will facilitate clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of artificial intelligence technology and the exponential growth in the number of images, image detection and recognition technology is becoming more widely used. Image knowledge management is extremely urgent. The data source of a knowledge graph is not only the text and structured data but also the visual or auditory data such as images, video, and audio. How to use multimodal information to build an information management platform is a difficult problem. In this paper, a method is proposed to construct the result of image recognition as a knowledge graph. First of all, based on the improvement in the BlendMASK algorithm, the hollow convolution kernel is added. Secondly, the effect of image recognition and the relationships between all kinds of information are analyzed. Finally, the image knowledge graph is constructed by using the relationship between the image entities. The contributions of this paper are as follows. (1) The hollow convolution kernel is added to reduce the loss from extracting feature information from high-level feature images. (2) In this paper, a method is proposed to determine the relationship between entities by dividing the recognition results of entities in an image with a threshold, which makes it possible for the relationships between images to be interconnected. The experimental results show that this method improves the accuracy and F1 value of the image recognition algorithm. At the same time, the method achieves integrity in the construction of a multimodal knowledge graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives Methods Results Conclusions This study aimed to investigate the moderating role of sexual attitudes in the association between online sexual activity (OSA) and problematic pornography use (PPU) in the Chinese context. Specifically, we examined whether incongruence stemming from attitudes (i.e., disapproval of nonmarital and casual sex but engaging in OSA) amplifies the perception of PPU.We recruited two samples of Chinese men, one from the community (N 1 = 525) and the other comprising help-seeking individuals (N 2 = 578).Sexual attitudes moderate the relationship between OSA and PPU in both samples, with the predictive influence of OSA on PPU weakening among individuals with a relatively permissive attitude (scored one SD above the mean of sexual attitudes), and strengthened among individuals with a relatively conservative attitude (scored one SD below the mean of sexual attitudes).In the conservative sexual cultural context of China, a relatively conservative sexual attitude might strengthen the association between OSA and PPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent micro-level research on government institutional reform emphasizes the importance of taking charge behavior in the context of institutional reform. This study constructs a structural equation model from survey data of 823 civil servants in Longgang, China, based on the theory of planned behavior, to examine the impact of workload and non-economic rewards on civil servants' taking charge behaviors in the context of institutional reform. Results confirm the difference paths of workload and non-economic rewards on taking charge behavior and the embeddedness of community mechanisms in government internal governance. The findings of this study are theoretically and practically relevant as they offer new perspectives into the triggers of continuous reform and the psychological mechanisms underlying the effects of workload and non-economic rewards on taking charge behavior in the context of institutional reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mandarin‐speaking children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties producing aspect markers. The difficulties were explained in terms of pragmatic deficits since these children demonstrated strength in the comprehension of aspect markers using the Intermodal Preferential Looking (IPL) task. Aims: To verify whether this dissociation between production and comprehension could be replicated using another technique to the IPL, and if all children with ASD show difficulties in the production of aspect markers. Methods & Procedures: A total of 34 children with ASD without cognitive delay, half with language impairment (ALI; mean age = 61.25 months old) and half with normal language (ALN, mean age = 61.52 months old), as well as 17 age‐matched typically developing (TD) children (mean age = 61.38 months old) participated in a sentence–picture‐matching task and a priming picture‐description task to investigate their comprehension and production of Mandarin aspect markers zai‐, ‐le and ‐zhe. Outcomes & Results: In the comprehension task, children in the ALN group performed similarly to their TD peers, but those in the ALI group were less accurate on zai‐ and ‐le than TD children; children in all groups received higher accuracy when zai‐ was combined with Activity rather than Accomplishment verbs, and those in the ALI group was also more accurate when ‐le occurred with Achievement verbs, in contrast to Activity verbs. In the production task, children in the ALI group produced fewer targets and more irrelevant sentences with zai‐ than their TD peers, and they tended to produce bare verbs for ‐le and ‐zhe than TD children; children in all groups tended to combine zai‐ with Activity verbs, and those in the ALN group also tended to combine ‐le with Achievement verbs. Conclusions & Implications: The comprehension and production of Mandarin aspect markers by children with ASD are linked to general language abilities, and interactions between lexical and grammatical aspect. Patterns of performance are similar to those of TD peers only for the subgroup with spared global language, while pragmatic deficits are pervasive throughout the spectrum. Therefore, training on formal language, with a specific emphasis on aspectual rather than pragmatic abilities, may be more effective at enhancing the production of aspect markers. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Mandarin‐speaking children with ASD have difficulties producing aspect markers but demonstrate strengths in aspectual comprehension via the IPL task. Therefore, it has been proposed that their 'specific' difficulties in aspectual production should be ascribed to their pragmatic deficits. However, pragmatic deficits are highly pervasive in children with ASD while only a subgroup of children with ASD who are impaired in language development (children with ALI) show difficulties in producing tense/aspect morphology. Pursuing this reasoning, pragmatic deficits might not be the critical factor impacting the performance of children with ASD in aspectual production. What this study adds: Children with ASD were divided into one group with ALI and the other with normal language (ALN). Results of a sentence–picture‐matching and a priming picture‐description task illustrated that both groups preserved the comprehension of Mandarin aspect markers zai‐, ‐le and ‐zhe. However, children with ALI performed worse than age‐matched TD children, while children with ALN demonstrated similar performance to TD children in aspectual production. These findings, coupled with the fact that pragmatic challenges affect individuals throughout the spectrum, suggest that general language abilities rather than pragmatics better explain the performance of children with ASD on aspectual production. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Since general language abilities rather than pragmatic deficits of children with ASD determine their performance on the production of aspect markers, direct training on the use of aspect markers or more global language therapy could benefit children with ASD in the production of aspect markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent consumption of sexually explicit material (SEM) on the internet may influence attitudes toward sex (e.g., sociosexuality), and sociosexuality may influence people's preferences for potential partners' facial dimorphism. However, few studies have focused on the association between dimorphism preference and pornography consumption, and fewer have examined it in heterosexual‐identifying and homosexual‐identifying men. A total of 234 heterosexual‐identifying and 133 homosexual‐identifying men were asked to respond to questions regarding their preferences toward facial dimorphism, sociosexual orientation, and frequency of viewing SEM. Frequency of SEM consumption was related to sociosexuality and preference for potential partners' sex‐typical facial features, sociosexuality worked as a full mediator in this relationship, and similar mediating associations were found among heterosexual‐identifying and homosexual‐identifying men. The results identified associations between consumption of pornographic material and sexual dimorphic preference for the first time. Findings suggest not only that homosexual‐identifying men prefer masculinity in same‐sex partners but also that the sexual script theory that pornographic material consumption may influence men's short‐term relationship orientation among sexual minorities and under a conservative sexual culture. This study contributes to the understanding of the preference for facial dimorphism from a perspective on social learning and mate choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Letter to the editor: b Epidemiology data reveals a fourfold increase in the global number of diabetes patients over the past three decades, with projections indicating a reach of 642 million by 2040 [[1]]. 2Evaluation ChatGPT's answers' scores and suggestions The findings indicate that ChatGPT generally provides reasonably accurate information regarding misconceptions about diabetes. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, a trace amount of copper was successfully introduced to anatase titania nanotubes (ANTs) through a one-step solvothermal method, also generating more oxygen vacancies in the lattice. The spatial separation efficiency of the photogenerated carriers was enhanced by the synergistic effect of Cu doping and oxygen vacancies while retaining the strong redox capability of titanium dioxide. Consequently, Cu@ANTs exhibit impressive performance in degrading pollutants. Especially 0.1 wt% Cu@ANTs could remove 90% of RhB in 60 min and its performance is more than three times that of pure ANTs. The morphology and structure of the samples were analyzed comprehensively using XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, and BET techniques. The results show that the sample has a rich porous structure and a large specific surface area. XPS analysis showed that the content of oxygen vacancies in the prepared sample increased from 13.9% to 17.87%, demonstrating the successful introduction of oxygen vacancies. The study of UV-Vis DRS, PL, and XPS valence band spectra showed that the trace amounts of copper and oxygen vacancies can regulate the band structure and facilitate the separation of photo-generated charge carriers. EPR and free radical capture experiments confirmed that ⋅OH is the main active species in the degradation of pollutants. These findings provide a reasonable explanation for the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of Cu@ANTs and a schematic of the photocatalytic mechanism is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the triboelectric nanogenerator developing in recent years, it has gradually become a promising alternative to fossil energy and batteries. Its rapid advancements also promote the combination of triboelectric nanogenerators and textiles. However, the limited stretchability of fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerators hindered their development in wearable electronic devices. Here, in combination with the polyamide (PA) conductive yarn, polyester multifilament, and polyurethane yarn, a highly stretchable woven fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerator (SWF-TENG) with the three elementary weaves is developed. Different from the normal woven fabric without elasticity, the loom tension of the elastic warp yarn is much larger than non-elastic warp yarn in the weaving process, which results in the high elasticity of the woven fabric coming from the loom. Based on the unique and creative woven method, SWF-TENGs are qualified with excellent stretchability (up to 300%), flexibility, comfortability, and excellent mechanical stability. It also exhibits good sensitivity and fast responsibility to the external tensile strain, which can be used as a bend–stretch sensor to detect and identify human gait. Its collected power under pressure mode is capable of lighting up 34 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by only hand-tapping the fabric. SWF-TENG can be mass-manufactured by using the weaving machine, which decreases fabricating costs and accelerates industrialization. Based on these merits, this work provides a promising direction toward stretchable fabric-based TENGs with wide applications in wearable electronics, including energy harvesting and self-powered sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To analyse the status quo and influencing factors of self‐care ability in breast cancer‐related lymphedema (BCRL) patients and explore the moderating role of social support between self‐efficacy and self‐care ability, to provide references for clinical intervention. Background: The 'gold standard' for the treatment of lymphedema is two‐stage Complete Decongestion Therapy (CDT). Due to the high frequency of patients seeking treatment and CDT is not covered by medical insurance, resulting the medical cost is high, and a set integrated course of edema treatment cannot be completed. Nevertheless, with sufficient self‐care ability, patients can reduce the frequency of outpatient and inpatient treatments, and initiate detumescence procedures with affordable home care. Accordingly, it is necessary to pay attention to the self‐care ability of BCRL patients. Design: A descriptive and cross‐sectional study following the STROBE guideline checklist. Methods: From June 2021 to January 2022, 156 BCRL patients were selected as convenience samples. Questionnaires were administered to the patients using the sociodemographic information questionnaire, the exercise of self‐care agency scale, Chinese version of strategies used by people to promote health, and social support rating scale. Spearman rank correlation was used to analyse the relationship among the three, and univariate and multiple linear regression were used for factor analysis and process to explore the moderating role of social support. Results: The total score of self‐care ability of BCRL patients was 41.00 (32.50, 51.00). The self‐efficacy and social support of BCRL patients were positively correlated with the total score and its dimensions of self‐care ability. Disease duration, severity and difficulty raising limbs were negative correlation factors influencing the self‐care ability of BCRL patients, and self‐efficacy and social support were positive correlation factors, which could explain 77.8% of the total variation. The moderating role of social support between self‐efficacy and self‐care ability was significant, and its moderating role boundary value was 15.70. Conclusions: The self‐care ability of BCRL patients is at a low level. The longer duration of lymphedema, the more serious degree of edema, the more difficulty raising limbs, the lower self‐efficacy and the less social support, the poorer self‐care ability of BCRL patients. Self‐efficacy has a greater impact on the self‐care ability of patients with high levels of social support. Relevance to clinical practice: Factors and moderator‐based models are the first to identify predictors of self‐care ability and the moderating role of social support in Chinese BCRL patients, which may facilitate healthcare practitioners to develop appropriate interventions to manage self‐care ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we adopt the human capital formation framework to understand the association of the various risk and protective factors in the family settings of rural children with their cognitive performance as measured by vocabulary and math test scores. We examine the role of caregiver reading or storytelling to children at younger age and the deprivation of parental care due to labor migration at different stages of childhood on child performance in vocabulary and math tests when they are over 10 years old. Our findings confirm the crucial role of parental presence in child's cognitive development both during early childhood and later ages. Extended periods of parental absence during early and later years of childhood are most pernicious for child cognitive performance. Our analysis also reveals significantly positive effect of caregiver reading and storytelling on children's vocabulary test performance. This study provides strong evidence for the benefits of programs that promote good parenting practice and caregiver involvement in child cognitive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the start of the intelligent age, textiles are no longer limited to safety protection, warmth, and aesthetic purposes. They have become intelligent textiles, which combine functionality, intelligence, and information technology to adapt to the era and enrich our lives, such as wearable textiles and energy harvesting electronics. However, the limited stretchable smart textiles and complex fabrication methods have largely hindered their development. Here, a mass-manufactured 3D stitching double weave fabric-based elastic triboelectric nanogenerator (3DWE-TENG) is developed. Based on its stable electrical output performances and rapid response to external tensile strain, it can be used for energy harvesting and self-powered sensing simultaneously through both the lining layer and the exterior layer. With an advanced 3D structural design and using the improved woven method, 3DWE-TENG can be stretched to 300% and achieves a stable mechanical structure, breathability, and excellent flexibility. Furthermore, it also has low costs, wearable comfortability, and high fabricating efficiency due to the mature woven technique and the common yarns used in the fabric. This work provides more opportunities for stretchable power sources and self-powered sensors with applications in wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordinated development of township and city transportation is expected to reach new heights in the global sustainable transport plans of emerging economies. However, few studies have focused on the transport hub features considering marginal administrative division. This study examines the correlation between township development and hub level by using remote sensing of nightlight imagery. Systematically corrected satellite images of Global NPP-VIIRS Nighttime lights were selected as experimental data. Furthermore, the township hub level model and nighttime light indices were established to demonstrate the correlation characteristics of 6671 townships. Results show that the development level of road transport for a considerable number of townships is positively correlated with the hub level. The positively correlated townships show a spatial clustering distribution. In contrast, several negative correlations and random townships are related to the radiation of adjacent city growth poles and township special industrial characteristics. Nighttime light data can compensate for the difficulty in obtaining socioeconomic data below the prefecture level from a multiscale micro perspective and statistical caliber differences. These findings can be proven to be valuable to planners and designers of township development and regional transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hypercube is a graph whose nodes can be labeled by binary vectors such that the distance between the binary addresses in the graph is the Hamming distance. Due to the symmetry of the hypercube, one usually considers the graph embedded in the hypercube proportionally in distance, meaning that the l 1 -graphs. In this paper, we determine the l 1 -embeddability of hypertrees and unicyclic hypergraphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replication protein A 3 (RPA3) is a significant component of replication protein A and has been documented to function as an oncogene in several types of cancers. However, the role and underlying mechanism of RPA3 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown. In this study, messenger expression of RPA3 and survival probability in LUAD were predicted by the UALCAN database. The combination of RPA3 with cyclin‐dependent kinases regulatory subunit 2 (CKS2) were characterized by the humanbase and STRING databases and verified by co‐immunoprecipitation. Cell viability was assessed by Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay and colony formation assay. Flow cytometric analysis and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick‐end labeling assay were used to determine cell cycle and cell apoptosis, respectively. The expressions of protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (AKT/mTOR) pathway and autophagy‐related proteins were examined by western blot assay. Significantly, we revealed that RPA3 expression was upregulated in LUAD and is associated with poor prognosis in LUAD patients. RPA3 and CKS2 expression was highly expressed in LUAD cell lines and the interaction between RPA3 and CKS2 was confirmed. RPA3 silencing inhibited A549 cell viability, blocked cell cycle and promoted cell apoptosis, as well as induction of autophagy and inhibition of AKT/mTOR signaling. CKS2 overexpression reversed the effects of RPA3 silencing on A549 cells. In addition, RPA3 knockdown enhanced cisplatin sensitivity of A549 cells through blocking the AKT/mTOR signaling. These results suggested that RPA3 might control LUAD cell autophagy and enhance cisplatin sensitivity by regulation of AKT/mTOR signaling via targeting CKS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite direct reprogramming of human cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocytes (iCM) holds great potential for heart regeneration, the mechanisms are poorly understood. Whether other human somatic cells could be reprogrammed into cardiomyocytes is also unknown. Here, we report human urine cells (hUCs) could be converted into CM-like cells from different donors and the related chromatin accessibility dynamics (CAD) by assay for transposase accessible chromatin(ATAC)-seq. hUCs transduced by MEF2C, TBX5, MESP1 and MYOCD but without GATA4 expressed multiple cardiac specific genes, exhibited Ca2+ oscillation potential and sarcomeric structures, and contracted synchronously in coculture with mouse CM. Additionally, we found that MYOCD is required for both closing and opening critical loci, mainly by hindering the opening of loci enriched with motifs for the TEAD and AP1 family and promoting the closing of loci enriched with ETS motifs. These changes differ partially from CAD observed during iCM induction from human fibroblasts. Collectively, our study offers one practical platform for iCM generation and insights into mechanisms for iCM fate determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage and poor soil fertility are two main limiting factors for crop production in semiarid region. We evaluated the effect of five irrigation times (0, 2, 3, 4 and 5 times with 50 mm per time) and four phosphorus fertilizer rates (0, 60, 90 and 120 kg/ha) on chasmogamous (CH) and cleistogamous (CL) part of Lespedeza potaninii on seed yield, total seed yield, seed yield components and agronomic traits from the year 2022 to 2023. The CH and CL seed yield, total seed yield of L. potaninii was significantly (p <0.001) affected by the year, irrigation, phosphorus fertilizer, and irrigation×phosphorus. The maximum average total seed yield over 2 years (1,126 kg/ha) occurred at the 5 times irrigation (250 mm) and 90 kg/ha phosphorus fertilizer rate (P). The CL seed yield exceeded the CH seed yield under the no irrigation and I2. Conversely, the CH seed yield was higher than the CL seed yield under the I3, I4, and I5 treatments. All the seed yield components were significantly (p <0.01) correlated with CH and CL seed yield. Correlation and structural equation model analyses were used to determine the contribution of yield components to seed yield. Increasing irrigation times and fertilization indirectly boosted CH and CL seed yield by raising the number of CH and CL racemes per stem, respectively. We found that the maximum water use efficiency was achieved with 4 times irrigation (200 mm) and 90 kg/ha P. At each irrigation level, the partial phosphorus fertilizer productivity at 60 kg/ha P was significantly (p <0.05) higher than that at other phosphorus application levels. Economic analysis showed that a considerable net profit was achieved after 5 times irrigation (250 mm) and 90 kg/ha P. Our findings enable further understanding of the mechanism of dimorphic seed yield response to irrigation and P in L. potaninii and provide a reference for appropriate agronomic measures to improve its dimorphic seed yield. • Improving L. potaninii seed yield can be obtained by optimum irrigation times and phosphate fertilization. • CH and CL seed yields respond to different irrigation times. • Increasing irrigation times and fertilization increased CH and CL racemes/stem per plant. • Increasing L. potaninii seed yield can promote its application in ecological environment improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sintered tubes as heat transfer elements have a porous surface structure enabling them to transfer heat better than smooth tubes. Sintered tubes are prepared by sintering aluminium alloy powder with particle diameters of 20–40 μm on the outer surface of smooth round tubes. In this study, the heat transfer performance of a liquid film located outside horizontal sintering tube evaporators with annular flow is investigated using numerical simulations and experiments. The influence of porosity (n = 45.9%, 55.8%, 60.2%, and 65.0%) and sintered layer thickness (t = 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mm) on the local heat transfer coefficient of sintered tubes is analysed. The study findings indicate the following. (1) Under columnar flow, alternating column and crest sections exist in the flow around the tube. (2) For different porosities and sintered layer thicknesses, the local heat transfer coefficient decreases as the circumferential angle, θ, varies from 0° to 180°. (3) At the column and crest sections, the experimental value of the heat transfer ratio coefficients are 1.16–1.34 and 1.04–1.28, respectively; the experimental value of heat transfer enhancements are 1.27–4.79 and 2.25–4.78 times, respectively. Results show that the average local heat transfer coefficient is maximum when the porosity, n , is 55.8% or the sintered layer thickness is t = 0.1 mm. Finally, the study summarises the Nu equations for the column and crest sections of the sintered tube based on experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lespedeza potaninii Vass is a highly drought-resistant China native legume plant, which plays an important role in animal husbandry and ecological restoration. However, there are few reports on the agricultural practices of its seed production. We evaluated the effect of four plant densities (33,333, 44,444, 66,666, and 133,333 plants ha−1) and five phosphate fertilizer rates (0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg ha−1) on seed yield, seed yield components and agronomic traits from the year 2020–2022. Correlation and structural equation model (SEM) analyses were used to determine the contribution of yield components to seed yield per plant. Year, plant density, phosphorus fertilizer rate and their interaction (P <0.05) significantly influenced the seed yield of L. potaninii Vass. The maximum average seed yield over 3 years (570 kg ha−1) occurred at the plant density of 44,444 plants ha−1 and phosphate fertilizer rate of 90 kg/ha. All the yield components, except 1000-seed weight, were significantly correlated with seed yield per plant. The racemes per stem, florets per raceme and pods per raceme had significant positive correlation, and stems per square meter and biomass had significant negative correlation with seed yield per plant. Increasing phosphorus fertilizer increased seed yield per plant. However, increasing plant density decreased seed yield per plant. Our findings enable further understanding of the mechanism of seed yield response to plant density and phosphorus fertilization in L. potaninii Vass and provide a reference for appropriate agronomic measures to improve seed yield of L. potaninii Vass and similar shrubs. • Increasing L. potaninii production promote its further utilization. • Optimum plant density and phosphate fertilizer improving L. potaninii seed yield. • Plant density and phosphate fertilization affect yield components. • Racemes and florets positively correlated with seed yield of L. potaninii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the quantity of pornography use (QPU, i.e., frequency/time spent on pornography use) has been positively associated with the severity of pornography use (i.e., problematic pornography use, PPU), the magnitudes of relationships have varied across studies. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the overall relationships and identify potential moderating variables to explain the variation in these associations between QPU and PPU. We performed a literature search for all published and unpublished studies from 1995 to 2020 in major online scientific databases up until December 2020. Sixty-one studies were identified with 82 independent samples involving 74,880 participants. Results indicated that there was a positive, moderate relationship between QPU and PPU (r = 0.34, p <.001). The strength of relationship significantly varied across measures of PPU based on different theoretical frameworks, indicators of QPU, and sexual cultural contexts (conservative vs. permissive sexual values). Frequency was a more robust quantitative indicator of PPU than time spent on pornography use. In conservative countries, QPU showed more robust association with self-perceived PPU. Future studies are encouraged to select the measurement of PPU according to research aims and use multi-item measures with demonstrated content validity to assess pornography use. Cross-cultural (conservative/permissive) comparisons also warrant further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although self-healing hydrogels have attracted widespread attention in many fields, it remains a challenge for hydrogel simultaneously achieving toughness, self-healing, and self-healing capabilities. Thus, we introduced GO and borate ions into the PVA chain and successfully constructed a physical-chemical double-crosslinked PVA/Borax/GO hydrogel with excellent mechanical properties, self-recovery, self-healing ability at room temperature, and conductivity. Among them, the hydrogen bond and borate ion jointly stimulate the strong interaction between the PVA chain and each component, making the PVA/Borax/GO hydrogel network closer, providing a solid pressure-resistant platform with excellent anti-fatigue performance, in which dynamic PVA/Borax networks endow hydrogel with self-healing ability. The prepared PVA/Borax/GO hydrogel has high stability, elasticity and electrical conductivity, and can be suitable for the preparation of preparing sensing materials. This work provides a design strategy for the preparation of hydrogels with high mechanical properties, fatigue resistance and good self-healing capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral infections can alter host transcriptomes by manipulating host splicing machinery. Despite intensive transcriptomic studies on SARS-CoV-2, a systematic analysis of alternative splicing (AS) in severe COVID-19 patients remains largely elusive. Here we integrated proteomic and transcriptomic sequencing data to study AS changes in COVID-19 patients. We discovered that RNA splicing is among the major down-regulated proteomic signatures in COVID-19 patients. The transcriptome analysis showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces widespread dysregulation of transcript usage and expression, affecting blood coagulation, neutrophil activation, and cytokine production. Notably, CD74 and LRRFIP1 had increased skipping of an exon in COVID-19 patients that disrupts a functional domain, which correlated with reduced antiviral immunity. Furthermore, the dysregulation of transcripts was strongly correlated with clinical severity of COVID-19, and splice-variants may contribute to unexpected therapeutic activity. In summary, our data highlight that a better understanding of the AS landscape may aid in COVID-19 diagnosis and therapy. Author summary: Despite intensive studies on the transcriptional signatures of COVID-19 patients, how SARS-CoV-2 affects AS landscape and the contribution of AS to the pathogenesis of COVID-19 remain largely elusive. By profiling the lung transcriptome and lung proteome of nine patients who died of COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in Wuhan, China, we obtained molecular insights into the AS of cellular transcripts upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interestingly, SARS-CoV-2 proteins directly engage host spliceosome to dysregulate essential steps of mature mRNA production and result in widespread dysregulation of cellular function. Taken together, our findings shed light on COVID-19 molecular mechanism and offer potential therapeutic targets for severe COVID-19 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approximation space (A-space) is the base of rough set theory and a fuzzy approximation space (FA-space) can be seen as an A-space under the fuzzy environment. A fuzzy probability approximation space (FPA-space) is obtained by putting probability distribution into an FA-space. In this way, it combines three types of uncertainty (i.e., fuzziness, probability and roughness). This article is devoted to measuring the uncertainty for an FPA-space. A fuzzy relation matrix is first proposed by introducing the probability into a given fuzzy relation matrix, and on this basis, it is expanded to an FA-space. Then, granularity measurement for an FPA-space is investigated. Next, information entropy measurement and rough entropy measurement for an FPA-space are proposed. Moreover, information amount in an FPA-space is considered. Finally, a numerical example is given to verify the feasibility of the proposed measures, and the effectiveness analysis is carried out from the point of view of statistics. Since three types of important theories (i.e., fuzzy set theory, probability theory and rough set theory) are clustered in an FPA-space, the obtained results may be useful for dealing with practice problems with a sort of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the U.S. e-commerce sector has expanded steadily since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Topics include examines in 2020, this sector accounted for several percentage of total retail sales nearing the global average of several percentage and represent increase over 2019; and considered a significant component underpinning this momentum is the growth of online food retailers and ordering services.

Herein, we report a catalytic enantioselective addition of C-alkynyl imines with hydroperoxides catalyzed by chiral BINOL calcium phosphate, affording a broad range of enantioenriched α-peroxy propargylamines in good yields (80–99%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 94% ee). The protocol is characterized by mild conditions, easy accessibility and good practicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of cross-species transmission in December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) became a serious endangerment to human health and the causal agent of a global pandemic. Although the number of infected people has decreased due to effective management, novel methods to treat critical COVID-19 patients are still urgently required. This review describes the origins, pathogenesis, and clinical features of COVID-19 and the potential uses of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in therapeutic treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients. MSCs have previously been shown to have positive effects in the treatment of lung diseases, such as acute lung injury, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, lung cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. MSC mechanisms of action involve differentiation potentials, immune regulation, secretion of anti-inflammatory factors, migration and homing, anti-apoptotic properties, antiviral effects, and extracellular vesicles. Currently, 74 clinical trials are investigating the use of MSCs (predominately from the umbilical cord, bone marrow, and adipose tissue) to treat COVID-19. Although most of these trials are still in their early stages, the preliminary data are promising. However, long-term safety evaluations are still lacking, and large-scale and controlled trials are required for more conclusive judgments regarding MSC-based therapies. The main challenges and prospective directions for the use of MSCs in clinical applications are discussed herein. In summary, while the clinical use of MSCs to treat COVID-19 is still in the preliminary stages of investigation, promising results indicate that they could potentially be utilized in future treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted advertising equipped with a recommendation algorithm can achieve accurate matching between users and recommended content, but overly precise recommendations may exacerbate negative audience reactions or behaviors. Improving the transparency of algorithm recommendation is one of the ways to address audience concerns or skepticism, and transparency guarantees the audience's right to know and thus brings more trust, which will reduce the audience's negative behavior. But increased transparency may also make the audience feel pressured or threatened, and requiring more cognitive and behavioral effort, which was called coping behavior. In order to clarify the relationship between the transparency of the algorithm recommendation and the audience's coping behavior, based on the persuasion theory, this study discusses the mechanism of the influence of the characteristics of the algorithm recommendation information flow on the audience's coping behavior of targeted advertising from the perspective of the flow mode and transmission principle of information. Based on the data of 120 online pretests and 297 formal tests, the results show that the perceived trust and perceived threat caused by the information flow characteristics of the algorithm recommendation jointly determine the possible coping behaviors of targeted advertising audiences. Additionally, users' self-efficacy regulates the relationship between mental process and coping behavior. Different from previous studies on audience coping behaviors of targeted ads, which mainly start from the perspective of participants and advertising content, this research tries to start from the perspective of information flow. The research results demystify the relationship between recommendation algorithm information flow and the audience's coping behavior, and enrich the algorithmic persuasion framework. The research results have reference value for the improvement of personalized recommendation effect, and provide a new way to further study the transparency of algorithm recommendation in the field of consumer behavior. Meanwhile, it also provides suggestions for the practices of platforms and advertisers in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide-based materials treat wastewater contaminated by organic pollutants. However, the wide band gap and the ease of agglomeration limit its photocatalytic activity. PDA/PEI@TiO 2 @P-HSM composites were synthesized using PDA/PEI as an interfacial bonding modifier via polymerization reaction. Phase and chemical bonding analysis confirmed the modifiedTiO 2 coated P-HSM, which can effectively reduce the band gap and control the agglomeration of titanium dioxide, i.e., suitable to degrade RhB. Under UV irradiation, PDA/PEI @TiO 2 @P-HSM can remove RhB up to 90 % in 100 min. The photocatalytic degradation process conforms to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood quasi-primary equation. The composite exhibited excellent stability and recycling i.e., a high removal effect, with a removal rate of up to 60 % after seven cycles of reaction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to provide a basis for understand the potential of nisin and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) single use on replace or reduce nitrite in dry cured meat products, this study evaluated the effect of nisin and ε-PL on the microbial communities, biogenic amine (BA) formation, and lipid oxidation during storage in Chinese dry sausages not packaged. Our results revealed that the total proportion of the potentially beneficial bacteria (Lactococcus, Pediococcus, and Staphylococcus) were 22.6%-34.8% in the control, 19.5%-48.2% in the nisin treatment, and 16.2% −22.4% in the ε-PL treatment. The ε-PL had significantly lower total biogenic amine concentrations before 10 days. Putrescine (67.1–275 mg/kg) and tyramine (30.4–216 mg/kg) are the two main BAs in all treatments of dry sausages. Staphylococcus, Proteus, Enterococcus, and Klebsiella were the main bacteria genera that had a significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation to BAs accumulations. Except for day 10, nisin and ε-PL treatments could significantly reduce lipid oxidation during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For people with lower-limb amputations, wearing a prosthetic limb helps restore their motor abilities for daily activities. However, the prosthesis's potential benefits are hindered by limited somatosensory feedback from the affected limb and its prosthesis. Previous studies have examined various sensory substitution systems to alleviate this problem; the prominent approach is to convert foot-ground interaction to tactile stimulations. However, positive outcomes for improving their postural stability are still rare. We hypothesized that the sensory substiution system based on surrogated tactile stimulus is capable of improving the standing stability among people with lower-limb amputations.Methods: We designed a wearable device consisting of four pressure sensors and two vibrators and tested it among people with unilateral transtibial amputations (n = 7) and non-disabled participants (n = 8). The real-time measurements of foot pressure were fused into a single representation of foot-ground interaction force, which was encoded by varying vibration intensity of the two vibrators attached to the participants' forearm. The vibration intensity followed a logarithmic function of the force representation, in keeping with principles of tactile psychophysics. The participants were tested with a classical postural stability task in which visual disturbances perturbed their quiet standing.Results: With a brief familiarization of the system, the participants exhibited better postural stability against visual disturbances when switching on sensory substitution than without. The body sway was substantially reduced, as shown in head movements and excursions of the center of pressure. The improvement was present for both groups of participants and was particularly pronounced in more challenging conditions with larger visual disturbances.Conclusions: Substituting otherwise missing foot pressure feedback with vibrotactile signals can improve postural stability for people with lower-limb amputations. The design of the mapping between the foot-ground interaction force and the tactile signals is essential for the user to utilize the surrogated tactile signals for postural control, especially for situations that their postural control is challenged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a composite, composed of MnCo‐sulfide heterojunction on the surface of rGO, is prepared via a facile one‐step hydrothermal vulcanization reaction. The physicochemical properties of the material are characterized using X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The as‐prepared composite is able to deliver a high specific capacitance of 2274.6 C g−1 at a scan rate of 1 mV s−1, and it is also able to exhibit good rate capability (retaining 1738.8 C g−1 at 10 mv s−1). A cell (MCS/rGO//activated carbon) is assembled, and it is able to achieve an energy density of 76.7 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1. Furthermore, a remarkable cyclic performance is recorded for cell, as it is able to achieve almost 100 % capacitance retention after cycling for 6000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs) have great potential in regenerative medicine. MenSC has received increasing attention owing to its impressive therapeutic effects in both preclinical and clinical trials. However, the study of MenSC-derived small extracellular vesicles (EVs) is still in its initial stages, in contrast to some common MSC sources (e.g., bone marrow, umbilical cord, and adipose tissue). We describe the basic characteristics and biological functions of MenSC-derived small EVs. We also demonstrate the therapeutic potential of small EVs in fulminant hepatic failure, myocardial infarction, pulmonary fibrosis, prostate cancer, cutaneous wound, type-1 diabetes mellitus, aged fertility, and potential diseases. Subsequently, novel hotspots with respect to MenSC EV-based therapy are proposed to overcome current challenges. While complexities regarding the therapeutic potential of MenSC EVs continue to be unraveled, advances are rapidly emerging in both basic science and clinical medicine. MenSC EV-based treatment has great potential for treating a series of diseases as a novel therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel cross-linked fluorinated acrylate latex was successfully synthesized via the semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization, in which methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) were used as the main monomers, and dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) and N–N methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) were used as the fluorine monomer and the cross-linked monomer, respectively. Potassium persulfate (KPS) and mixed surfactants of sodium lauryl sulfate and alkyl alcohol polyether (EFS-470) were used as the initiator and emulsifier, respectively. The structure of resultant latex film was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The latex films were tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), contact angle (CA), cross-linked degree and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The particle size and its distribution of the latex were measured by the nanoparticle size analyzer and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The factors that have an influence on the properties of the latex and the film are investigated in detail. The stability of the resultant latex was good. The average particles of the latex and its distribution were small and uniform, respectively. In comparison with the conventional latex film, the thermal stability and hydrophobicity of the novel latex film were improved obviously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]