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This article discusses the seismic isolation design and analysis of a complex medical building in China. The study aims to reduce seismic damage and improve the post-earthquake resilience of the building. The building adopts a frame-shear wall structural system and utilizes various types of seismic isolation bearings. The effectiveness of the seismic design is verified through calculations of natural vibration periods and seismic response. The study concludes that the seismic isolation design can significantly reduce the seismic response of the building and meet current code requirements. [Extracted from the article]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION The application of egg white powder (EWP) was subject to its off‐flavor. In the present study, flavourzyme and lactic acid bacteria were used to treat egg white powder (EWP) and the mechanism effects of enzymolysis–fermentation were explored.Compared with the control group, enzymolysis combined with fermentation treatment group (EW‐EF) reduced the four‐representative off‐flavor compounds (geranyl acetone, 1‐octen‐3‐ol, octanal and nonanal) by more than 62.66%. Fermentation produced esters with good flavor, and enzymolysis produced fresh amino acids. Characterization of protein structure indicated that fermentation decreased both fluorescence intensity and surface negative charges, accelerating the aggregation of proteins; enzymolysis promoted aggregation and degradation, improving the stability of the egg white proteins. Meanwhile, enzymolysis broke down the hydrophobic cavities bound to off‐flavor compounds, releasing protein‐bound off‐flavor compounds and removing them through fermentation.EW‐EF had the best effect of off‐flavor removal on EWP. The results of the present study could provide a green and effective method for improving the flavor of EWP. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) is a classic neurotoxin that has been widely used in Parkinson's disease research. 6-OHDA can increase intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can cause cell damage, which can be attenuated with (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) treatment. However, the mechanism by which EGCG alters the 6-OHDA toxicity remains unclear; In this study, we found 6-OHDA (25 μM) alone increased intracellular ROS concentration in N27 cells, which was attenuated by pretreating with EGCG (100 μM). We evaluated the intracellular oxidative damage by determining the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyl content. 6-OHDA significantly increased TBARS by 82.7% (P <.05) and protein carbonyl content by 47.8 (P <.05), compared to the control. Pretreatment of EGCG decreased TBARS and protein carbonyls by 36.4% (P <.001) and 27.7% (P <.05), respectively, compared to 6-OHDA alone treatment. Antioxidant effect was tested with E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and peroxisome-proliferator activator receptor γ (PPARγ) expression. 6-OHDA increased Nrf2 expression by 69.6% (P <.001), HO-1 by 173.3% (P <.001), and PPARγ by 122.7% (P <.001), compared with untreatment. EGCG pretreatment stabilized these alterations induced by 6-OHDA. Our results suggested that the neurotoxicity of 6-OHDA in N27 cells was associated with ROS pathway, whereas pretreatment of EGCG suppressed the ROS generation and deactivated the Nrf2/HO-1 and PPARγ expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the yarn end from the package surface is integral to the textile process. Using the automatic method based on negative pressure adsorption instead of the traditional manual method to capture the yarn end is an excellent solution to the time-consuming and inefficient problems caused by the latter. To clarify the influence of process parameters on the process of the yarn end being adsorbed to break away from the package surface by the suction nozzle, this paper first establishes a kinetic model of the yarn attached to the package surface. Next, the air-yarn interaction is solved using the momentum exchanged-based immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM). Then, the effect of the distance between the suction nozzle and the package, the rotational speed of the package, and the airflow velocity in the suction nozzle duct on the movement of the yarn end with the airflow field are studied. Further, the regression model for the depth of the yarn end sucked into the suction nozzle duct when the package turns through a fixed angle is solved. Finally, with the goal of a high success rate, large distance, high efficiency, and energy saving, a multi-parameter optimization is performed using the Central Composite Design-based response surface methodology. The work has been proven effective through experimental validation and practical production applications. It provides a theoretical basis for the automatic process of yarn-end-capturing from the package in the textile field. • The kinetic model of the yarn end being adsorbed to break away from the package surface by airflow is established. • The air-yarn interaction is solved using the momentum exchanged-based immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method (IB-LBM). • The effects of several process parameters on the movement of the yarn end with the airflow field are studied emphatically. • Multi-parameter and multi-objective optimization are performed by the Central Composite Design-based response surface method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) are emerging as a cutting‐edge technology that revolutionizes displays and lighting panels to be lightweight, bendable, foldable, and even stretchable. However, they suffer from the poor light outcoupling efficiency due to the presence of various optical losses. Herein, a novel method of optical manipulation is proposed, which involves incorporating light‐scattering titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) into flexible substrates, along with imprinting random micro‐lens arrays (RMLA) at the bottom of the substrates. Adopting the light outcoupling structures, the flexible single white OLEDs demonstrate a substantial improvement of 95.6% in the external quantum efficiency (EQE) compared to conventional flexible OLEDs, while maintaining a desirable spectral profile without any distortion. To further improve the optoelectronic performance, the light outcoupling structures are adopted in flexible tandem white OLEDs with two emission units, the maximum current efficiency is 147.8 cd A−1, and the maximum EQE comes to 46.2%, which is 1.74 times higher than that of the flexible single OLEDs with the same light outcoupling structures. This work offers a convenient way to design flexible light extraction substrates for efficient wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Anode-free sodium batteries (AFSBs) with high energy density and cost-efficiency are practically promising for the transition to clean-energy society. However, application is limited because of low coulombic efficiency (CE) and limited cycle-life, together with a lack of understanding in device energy density and cost. Here we report a critical assessment of selected AFSBs with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) from energy density and cost perspectives, based on commercial 4680 cylindrical construction. We establish reasons for low cycle-life of AFSBs and summarize current research in AFSBs. We confirm energy density range, materials cost, and potential demand for AFSBs via computation based on 4680 battery devices. We show the impact of active sodium ions and cathode active sites on cycle life. We compare the improvements in cycle-life achieved though electrolyte innovation, artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) engineering, current collector modification, and pre-sodiation, along with the resulting energy density. We provide perspectives on likely future research to boost practical application of AFSBs. We conclude that findings will be of benefit in design for anode-free sodium batteries for clean energy storage and of interest therefore to a range of researchers in electrochemistry, materials and device engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface tends to behave as a circular shape under the effect of surface tension in the two-dimensional two-phase fluid flow. In this study, based on the coupled volume-of-fluid and level set (VOSET) method, an accurate circle-based interface reconstruction (CIR) algorithm for structured meshes is proposed, which features a straightforward implementation procedure. A portion of the standard circle is employed to approximate the curve interface, without the need for complex classification, coordinate transformation, and equation transformation. The radius of this circle is computed simply by the curvature and signed distance at the mixed cell center, and the center of this circle is determined using a straightforward dichotomy method under the mass conservation constraints. Results indicate that the coupled VOSET and CIR (VOSET-CIR) method maintains superior computational accuracy in the signed distance, interface curvature, and dynamic interface reconstruction compared to the coupled VOSET and piecewise linear interface calculation (VOSET-PLIC) method, with accuracy improvements ranging from 34% to 1490% across different test cases. Furthermore, the VOSET-CIR method outperforms the efficient least squares volume-of-fluid interface reconstruction (ELVIRA) and PLIC algorithms in reconstructing random circles and surpasses the quadratic spline based interface reconstruction (QUASI) algorithm in reconstructing random squares. In terms of computational efficiency, except for the initial PLIC algorithm, the time costs of the VOSET-CIR method are substantially lower than those of the ELVIRA and QUASI algorithms, as well as the VOSET-PLIC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death in China, but its mechanism has not been thoroughly elucidated. As an important class of cells in maintaining neurological homeostasis, the intracellular calcium signaling of glial cells plays a dual role in mitigating and exacerbating neuronal damage in stroke and largely determines the progression and outcome of stroke. In this review of the literature, focusing on astrocytes, which account for the largest proportion of glial cells, we review the mechanism of glial calcium signaling after stroke and its effect on post-stroke neurological function, to provide reference for post-stroke neuroprotection and repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major perioperative complications of stent‐assisted embolization treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients include the formation of thromboembolic events (TEs) and hemorrhagic events (HEs), for which antiplatelet protocols play a key role. Methods: We conducted a single‐center retrospective analysis to compare the differences between arteriovenous tirofiban administration with traditional oral dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). A total of 417 consecutive patients were enrolled. General clinical characteristics, as well as the perioperative ischemic and hemorrhagic events, were retracted in digital documents. Logistic regression was conducted to identify both risk and protective factors of perioperative TEs and HEs. Results: Perioperative TEs occurred in 21 patients, with an overall perioperative TEs rate of approximately 5.04%; among these patients, the incidence of perioperative TEs in the tirofiban group was less than that in the DAPT group. Additionally, 66 patients developed perioperative HEs, with an incidence of approximately 15.83%; among these patients, the incidence of perioperative HEs was less than that in the DAPT group. No significant differences were seen between the two groups in terms of the mRS score at the time of discharge. Conclusion: This study indicated that an improved perioperative antiplatelet drug tirofiban was an independent protective factor for perioperative TEs in stent‐assisted embolization of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, but it did not impart an elevated risk of perioperative HEs and had no significant effects on the near‐term prognosis of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the high theoretical capacity, Co3O4 has been regarded as one of the popular candidates for new anode materials in lithium-ion batteries recent years. However, the poor conductivity and cycling performance hinder its further development. In this work, Co3O4/C three-dimensional conductive networks with carbon nanotubes and graphene as conducive bridges and shells were prepared through carbornization and oxidation treatment using melamine and g-C3N4 as carbon sources and ZIF-8@ZIF-67 as self templates. The strategy of nanosizing particles and the evaporation and pore formation of zinc at high temperature result in the specific capacity of 1 139.7 mAh/g and 1 002.1 mAh/g after cycling for 200 and 800 cycles at current densities of 0.5 A/g and 2 A/g. Gradually increasing the current density of charging and discharging from 0.2 A/g to 10 A/g and then returning to 0.2 A/g, the material still reaches 94.9% of the initial capacity. This network structure exhibits superior cycling and rate performance compared to similar materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The length of internodes plays a crucial role in determining the height of the castor plant (Ricinus communis L.). However, the specific mechanisms underlying internode elongation, particularly in the main stem of the castor plant, remain uncertain. To further investigate this, we conducted a study focusing on the internode tissue of the dwarf castor variety 071113, comparing it with the control high-stalk Zhuansihao. Our study included a cytological observation, physiological measurement, transcriptome sequencing, and metabolic determination. Our integrated findings reveal that the dwarf variety 071113 undergoes an earlier lignification development in the main stem and has a more active lignin synthesis pathway during internode intermediate development. In addition, the dwarf variety exhibited lower levels of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which had an impact on the development process. Furthermore, we identified specific enzymes and regulators that were enriched in the pathways of the cell cycle, auxin signal transduction, and secondary cell wall synthesis. Using these findings, we developed a model that explained the intermediate secondary growth observed in castor internode elongation and enhanced our comprehension of the dwarfing mechanism of the 071113 variety. This research provides a theoretical groundwork for the future breeding of dwarf castor varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bubble nucleation is the initial stage of flow boiling and plays an important role in boiling heat transfer. However, bubble nucleation occurs at a microscopic scale, rendering it challenging for the macroscopic computational fluid dynamics method to realistically simulate this intricate process. In this paper, based on the coupled volume-of-fluid and level set method, a heterogeneous nucleation model is improved and conducted to simulate the subcooled flow boiling in a rectangular mini-channel, considering these conditions both in the presence and absence of a microlayer. The coefficient of the original heterogeneous nucleation model is adjusted across a range from 0.1 to 10.0 times its previous value to establish multiple new nucleation models for illustrating their effects on flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics. For flow boiling without a microlayer, when the coefficient of the original heterogeneous nucleation model is halved, the nucleate boiling intensity upstream of the channel diminishes, resulting in a reduction in the heat transfer coefficient. Nevertheless, this alteration mitigates the formation of slug flow and the appearance of dry patches near the channel outlet, consequently averting a sharp increase in outlet wall superheat. Quantitatively, relative differences of 23.83% and 90.48% in average and local maximum wall superheat are observed, respectively. In contrast, the presence of a very thin microlayer beneath the growing and slipping bubble in flow boiling with a microlayer is notable. This microlayer quickly evaporates, dissipating more than 77% of the input heat flux and substantially expanding the bubble volume. Consequently, under identical wall superheat conditions, the influence of variations in the number of activated bubbles induced by different heterogeneous nucleation models on heat transfer and flow patterns in flow boiling is significantly attenuated. Specifically, when the difference in nucleus site density remains within a tenfold range, the differences in the average and maximum wall superheat are limited to just 16.78% and 33.86%, respectively. Concerning flow boiling in a mini-channel featuring a microlayer, the simulation results verify that large deviations in the activated bubble number have few effects on the flow pattern and wall superheat, greatly reducing heterogeneous nucleation model requirement and promoting the numerical study of flow boiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an application of bond-associated non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (PD) and the corresponding fatigue theory to predict fatigue crack growth in hydrogel. The constitutive model of the hydrogel is assumed to be the neo-Hookean material. Fatigue process is viewed as a series of quasi-static crack growth and solved by the explicit method. The applied strain energy-based fatigue criterion is obtained from hydrogel fatigue experiments. The fidelity of this model is established by simulating the relevant experiment. Due to the limitation of the test data, only crack growth phase of fatigue life of hydrogel is focused on. The progressive damage predictions by PD agree with that of experiment and capture the general characteristics of the experimentally observed damage patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete is vital for the development of modern buildings. However, they suffer from the high viscosity problem in their application process due to the use of a low water–cement ratio in order to maintain their high strength. Developing PCEs with the presence of ester functional groups in their molecular structure is one of the most effective measures to improve the flowability of concrete. Here, three PCEs with different alkyl densities of acrylic acid ester: PCE-M, PCE-E, and PCE-B were designed to explore their viscosity-reducing effect on the performance of cement and concrete. The structures of the three PCEs were characterized via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Their properties were also determined via zeta potential, surface tension, and rheological experiments. It was found that PCE-M had the best performance, with the lowest surface tension, highest zeta potential, and therefore highest charge density on the cement particles, lowest viscosity, and highest flowability of cement paste, and exhibited the best performance of concrete in terms of workability. The best performance of PCE-M in reducing the viscosity of cement and concrete can be ascribed to the smallest amount of water-repellent alkyl groups, enhancing the electrostatic repulsion and reducing the viscosity, thereby boosting the dispersion and stabilization of cement pastes and concrete. This study shed lights on designing other PCEs with high viscosity-reducing effects via an ester group control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiological characteristics, risk factors, optimal treatment options, and survival outcomes of breast cancer patients with isolated liver metastasis (BCILM). Methods: Patients with breast cancer (BC) were selected from Incidence‐Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Research Plus Data, 17 registries between 2010 and 2019. The Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test were used to compare survival rates between patients who received or did not receive surgery for the primary and liver metastatic sites. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using Cox regression analysis. Results: This study included 17 743 stage IV BC patients, with 3604 (20.3%) patients experiencing liver metastasis at initial diagnosis. Of 3604 liver metastasis patients, 951 were diagnosed with BCILM. The median survival time of patients with BCILM who underwent surgery at the primary site (52.0 months) or distant sites (85.0 months) was significantly longer than that of patients who did not undergo surgery at the primary site (23.0 months) or distant sites (32.0 months). Univariate analysis indicated that age, race, histological grade, molecular subtype, T stage, N stage, surgery of the primary site, surgery to other regional/distant sites, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were prognostic factors affecting the overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) of patients with BCILM (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis suggested that age, race, molecular subtype, T stage, surgery of the primary site, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors. In the BCILM cohort, HR+/HER2+ patients exhibited the best OS and CSS, followed by HR−/HER2+, HR+/HER2−, and HR−/HER2− patients (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Surgery at the primary and metastatic sites was associated with better survival in patients with BCILM. HER2+ patients with BCILM had a significantly better prognosis than HER2− patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the role of GLI1 on skin proliferation and neovascularization during skin expansion in mice. We constructed GLI1‐cre/R26‐Tdtomato and GLI1‐cre/R26‐mtmg gene‐tagged skin expansion mouse models. Using a two‐photon in vivo imaging instrument to observe the changes in the number and distribution of GLI1(+) cells during the expansion process and to clarify the spatial relationship between GLI1(+) cells and blood vessels during the expansion process. In vitro proliferation assays were performed to further validate the effects of SHH (sonic hedgehog) and its downstream component GLI1 on cell proliferation viability. Finally, qRT‐PCR was used to verify the changes in proliferation, angiogenesis‐related factors, SHH signalling pathway‐related factors, and the role of GLI1 cells in the process of skin expansion in mice. The number of GLI1(+) cells increased during dilation and were attached to the outer membrane of the vessel. The epidermis was thickened and the dermis thinned after the dilated skin was taken, while the epidermal thickening was suppressed and the dermis became thinner after the GLI1 cells were inhibited. The non‐inhibited group showed a significant increase in PCNA positivity with prolonged dilation compared to the GANT61(GLI specificity inhibitor) inhibited group; CD31 immunofluorescence showed a significant increase in the number of dilated skin vessels and a significant decrease in the number of vessels after treatment with GANT61 inhibitor. In vitro proliferation results showed that SHH signalling activator significantly increased the proliferation viability of GLI1(+) hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells, while GNAT61 significantly inhibited the proliferation viability of GLI1(+) hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells. GLI1 is necessary for proliferation and neovascularization in expansion skin of mice through activation of the SHH signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of first aid healthcare service, emergency medical services (EMSs) present high spatiotemporal sensitivity due to significant changes in the time-dependent urban environment. Taking full advantage of big spatiotemporal data to realize multiperiod relocation optimization of EMSs can reduce idle resources and improve service utilization efficiency and fairness. First, we established the dynamic time-dependent accessibility and equality model to formulate the multiperiod maximization objective of global equality. Second, we proposed a capacitated integer evolution algorithm that relocates emergency medical vehicles to optimize the scheduling scheme. Based on multiperiod mobile phone records and multiperiod online route planner data, the equality of EMSs in the research metropolis, Nanjing, China, rose by 41.5% on average, which has an incentivizing effect on alleviating the tension of prehospital service and minimizes accessibility disparities without constructing more infrastructure. We also created maps to visualize the changes in equality patterns over time. This relocation optimization approach can be regarded as a trade-off approach to dispatch time-dependent sensitive services and provide a practical tool for healthcare decision-makers to evaluate public healthcare systems and improve strategic urban service planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, great progress has been achieved in improving the activity of nanozymes, nevertheless there are still huge challenges to skillfully modulate the catalytic functions of nanozymes. Herein, a nanozyme (CZIF/Au) is synthesized by chemically depositing Au nanoparticles (NPs) on a pyrolyzed zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (CZIF). Surprisingly, the CZIF/Au presents enhanced peroxidase-like activity when irradiated with a 655 nm laser and improved catalase-like properties under 808 nm laser irradiation. The catalytic mechanisms of the CZIF/Au were investigated. Energy levels reveal that the 655 nm laser triggers the collective oscillation of the electrons in the 6sp band of Au NPs, called the intraband transition, whereas the 808 nm laser excites the valence electrons in the 5d band of the Au NPs into the 6sp band, named the interband transition, associated with a photothermal effect. The different electron transitions result in the two different photocatalytic functions. CZIF/Au with peroxidase-like performance to detect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exhibits an excellent detection limit (0.35 μM) and a wide detection range (2.5–500 μM). The molecular-level insights into the photocatalytic reactions provide a strategy to regulate the properties of nanozymes and prospects for the multi-faceted use of nanozymes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The priming effect on creativity refers to the more effective creation of new uses for the second (vs. first) object in a two-item task. This, along with veridical memory loss in the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) paradigm, is related to mental fixation, and both can be improved when attention is given to item-specific features. We studied the cognitive mechanism of this priming effect by utilizing the DRM paradigm with a sample of 91 undergraduates recruited from a university in China. We used a two-item task and the DRM paradigm under rapid and slow presentation conditions to verify our hypotheses by dividing words into high false memory (HFM) and low false memory (LFM) lists. The results showed that the veridical memory of the HFM lists was improved under the slow (vs. rapid) condition for individuals in the high priming effect group, but not for those in the low priming effect group. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two neutral polysaccharides (PPP1-1 and PPP1-2) were purified from persimmon peel. PPP1-1 (21.84 kDa) was mainly composed of arabinose (22.92 %), galactose (21.09 %), glucose (35.13 %), and xylose (19.09 %), while PPP1-2 (10.42 kDa) mainly contained arabinose (32.98 %), galactose (20.81 %), glucose (26.86 %), xylose (10.46 %), and mannose (7.63 %). Methylation and NMR spectra analysis demonstrated that the backbone of PPP1-1 appeared to be →6)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, →2,6)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, →5)- α -L-Ara f -(1→, and →3,5)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → residues with branches consisting of →3)- α -L-Ara f -(1→, →4)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, →3)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →4)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →4)- β -D-Xyl p -(1→, →6)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →4)- β -D-Man p -(1→, and α -L-Ara f -(1 → residues. The main chain of PPP1-2 was composed of →6)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, →5)- α -L-Ara f -(1→, and →3,5)- α -L-Ara f -(1 → residues with branches consisting of →3)- α -L-Ara f -(1→, →1,2)- α -D-Glc p -(6→, →4)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, →3)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →4)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →6)- β -D-Gal p -(1→, →4)- β -D-Xyl p -(1→, →4,6)- α -D-Glc p -(1→, and →4)- β -D-Man p -(1 → residues and terminal of α -L-Ara f -(1 → residue. PPP1-2 exhibited stronger antioxidant activities and better thermal stability than PPP1-1. Our results provided the foundation for further investigating the structure and biological activities of persimmon peel polysaccharides and highlighted their potential to become potential antioxidants in functional food. [Display omitted] • Two purified neutral polysaccharides were obtained from persimmon peel. • The M w of PPP1-1 and PPP1-2 were 21.84 kDa and 10.42 kDa, respectively. • PPP1-1 and PPP1-2 mainly contained arabinose, galactose, glucose, and xylose. • The deduced partial structures of PPP1-1 and PPP-2 were displayed. • PPP1-2 showed higher antioxidant ability and better thermal stability than PPP1-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mainland Chinese society heavily stigmatizes nonnormative sexuality, and the government imposes strict censorship on media representations of homosexuality. It seems improbable that choreographer Hu Shenyuan, whose dances do not hide homosexual themes, would be so successful as a performer and artist in the Chinese context, which signifies a tension between state control and audience demand. This article reads Hu's choreography and its reception as queer texts. While queer identities might seem virtually invisible and unspeakable in China, I argue that Hu's choreography makes visible a culturally unrepresentable queerness and incubates collective reflection about nonnormative identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Altered sperm DNA methylation patterns of imprinted genes as well as certain spermatogenesis-related genes has been proposed as a possible mechanism of male subfertility. Some reports suggest that there is an elevated risk of congenital diseases, associated with imprinted genes, in children conceived via intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection, due to the involvement of spermatozoa with aberrant imprinted genes obtained from infertile men. Methods: In this study, the DNA methylation status of the promoter regions of six imprinted genes, namely potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 1 (KCNQ1), maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3), insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2), KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1), mesoderm specific transcript (MEST), and paternally expressed gene 3 (PEG3), were detected by a next generation sequencing-based multiple methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis of sperm samples obtained from 166 men who sought fertility evaluation in our Reproductive Medicine Center. Thereafter, the semen samples were classified into subgroups according to sperm motility and DNA integrity status. Results: As compared to the normozoospermic group, the samples of the asthenospermic group exhibited significant hypermethylation in two CpG sites of IGF-2 and significant hypomethylation in one CpG site of KCNQ1 as well as three CpG sites of MEST (P < 0.05). However, we did not observe any significant differences in the overall methylation levels of these six imprinted genes (P > 0.05). Additionally, we found that 111 of 323 CpG sites were hypomethylated in the group with DNA fragmentation index (DFI) ≥ 30% as compared to the group with DFI < 30% (P < 0.05). In this case, there were significant differences in the overall methylation levels of MEG3, IGF-2, MEST, and PEG3 (P < 0.05), but not in that of KCNQ1OT1 and KCNQ1 (P > 0.05). Hence, aberrant methylation patterns of imprinted genes were more prevalent in males with poor sperm quality, especially in those with severe sperm DNA damage. Conclusion: In conclusion, abnormal DNA methylation of some CpG sites of imprinted genes are associated with poor sperm quality, including asthenospermia and severe sperm DNA impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geospatial studies must address spatial data quality, especially in data-driven research. An essential concern is how to fill spatial data gaps (missing data), such as for cartographic polylines. Recent advances in deep learning have shown promise in filling holes in images with semantically plausible and context-aware details. In this paper, we propose an effective framework for vector-structured polyline completion using a generative model. The model is trained to generate the contents of missing polylines of different sizes and shapes conditioned on the contexts. Specifically, the generator can compute the content of the entire polyline sample globally and produce a plausible prediction for local gaps. The proposed model was applied to contour data for validation. The experiments generated gaps of random sizes at random locations along with the polyline samples. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations show that our model can fill missing points with high perceptual quality and adaptively handle a range of gaps. In addition to the simulation experiment, two case studies with map vectorization and trajectory filling illustrate the application prospects of our model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work gives the electronic structures of La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 (x = 0.0–2.0) alloys by first-principles calculations using the generalized gradient approximation of Perdew-Wang 91 (GGA-PW91) method within Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CASTEP), aiming at gaining insight into the hydrogen storage mechanism of La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 alloys modified by Mg. The results show that the La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 alloys consist predominantly of interactions between La-Ni, Ni-Ni or/and Mg-Ni. Among them, La-Ni interaction is the major factor controlling the structural stability of the alloys. Mg substitution increases the La-Ni bonding interactions to achieve stable Mg-containing metal matrices for reversible hydrogen absorption-desorption. This is particularly obvious at high Mg composition, as the La-Ni interactions gradually increase with Mg content. The increase of La-Ni interactions coupled with the decrease of Mg-Ni and Ni-Ni interactions will relieve the hydrogen-induced amorphization and disproportionation, and subsequently enhance the cyclic stability of La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 alloys at high Mg content. However, Mg substitution for La leads to a subsequent contraction in cell volume, dramatically reducing the reversible H capacity at high Mg composition such as LaMg 2 Ni 9. Suitable Mg content in La-Mg-Ni systems, such as an approximately range x = 1.0–1.4 in La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 alloys, is required in trade-off between hydrogen storage capacity and cycle life. • La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 (x = 0–2) alloys with defined La and Mg atoms are introduced for calculation. • Mg substitution leads to a gradual contraction in cell volume for less H-capacity. • La-Ni interaction is dominant in the structural stability of La 3-x Mg x Ni 9 alloys. • Increased La-Ni and decreased Mg/Ni-Ni interactions favor for cycle stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The incidence of liver cancer is increasing worldwide. When detected early, the most common form of primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC) can be treated with surgery and organ transplantation (when feasible). However, in most cases, HCC is detected at advanced stages, and the survival benefit of current treatments (e.g., systemic therapy with kinase inhibitors) is very limited. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has changed the treatment paradigm for multiple types of cancer, including HCC. The success of ICIs, especially in combination with anti-angiogenic drugs, has extended survival times for a subset of patients with HCC and has stimulated further preclinical and clinical development of immunotherapies, not just ICIs, but also T cell therapy and oncolytic immunotherapy. Because the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in HCC often allows cancer cells to escape destruction by the immune system and develop resistance to immunotherapy, combinations with other agents that could sensitize HCC to immunotherapy are actively pursued. Liver cancer is a life-threatening disease, and its incidence is increasing globally. The most common form of liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Approximately half of patients with HCC, especially those at advanced disease stages, receive systemic therapies, including the tyrosine kinase inhibitors sorafenib and lenvatinib. Over the past few years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have changed the landscape of HCC treatment. In particular, the combination therapy with atezolizumab (an anti-PD-L1 antibody) and bevacizumab (an anti-VEGF antibody) significantly improved survival benefits compared with sorafenib as a single agent, a finding that has stimulated further preclinical and clinical development of immunotherapeutic approaches for treating HCC. In addition to ICIs, oncolytic immunotherapy and adoptive T cell therapy have also emerged as immunotherapeutic strategies. A major challenge is that the tumor microenvironment of HCC is usually immunosuppressive, leading to immune escape and immunotherapy resistance. Hence, combination therapies that could sensitize HCC to immunotherapy have become a growing area of investigation. In this review, we summarize recent advances in HCC immuno-oncology and review immunotherapeutic strategies that are under development for treating HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Curcumin promotes functional motor recovery after crush injuries. • Curcumin increases the number and diameter of myelinated axons in rats. • Proteins in curcumin-treated sciatic nerve injury is quantitatively analyzed. • Key differentially expressed proteins in sciatic nerve injury is identified. We generated a rat model of sciatic nerve crush injury and characterized the effects of curcumin on sciatic nerve recovery by using behavioral experiments, hematoxylin-eosin staining, toluidine blue staining, and immunohistochemical. Proteomic analysis using tandem mass tagging was performed to determine differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and GO and KEGG pathway analyses of overlapping DEPs was conducted, following which, qPCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence were further performed to validate the proteins of interest. Finally, a Schwann cell injury model was used to verify the effect of curcumin on potential targets. The rat model was successfully established and curcumin improved the sciatic nerve function index of rats with sciatic nerve injury (SNI) and increased the number and diameter of myelinated axons in the sciatic nerve. In the Sham group versus the Injured group and in the Injured group versus the Curcumin group, we identified a total of 4,175 proteins, of which 953 were DEPs, and 218 were known overlapping DEPs. Ten associated pathways, such as calcium signaling pathway, biosynthesis of antibiotics, and long-term potentiation, were identified. The 218 overlapping DEPs were primarily involved in negative regulation of apoptotic process, biological processes, cytoplasm cellular component, and protein binding molecular function based on GO annotation. Curcumin promoted increased expression of ApoD and inhibited the expression of Cyba in vivo and in vitro. These results indicated that curcumin promoted sciatic nerve repair through regulation of various proteins, targets, and pathways. Cyba and ApoD may be potential targets of curcumin in the treatment of SNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the integrity and reliability of structures, it is of great importance to understand the fatigue damage mechanism of materials under different amplitude loading conditions. For this purpose, a nonlinear fatigue damage accumulation model based on material configurational forces is developed in this paper. Specially, since the material configurational force is defined on the material space point and directly associated with the evolution of material configuration, it is introduced as an internal variable to describe fatigue damage accumulation. Additionally, the corresponding relation between configurational force and stress state is presented. Meanwhile, the damage increasing among every loading cycle, that is, the damage rate, is dependent on the stress state and damage state variable. Therefore, the formulation of damage rate is proposed by a function of material configurational force and damage state variable. Further, numerical implementation of this proposed nonlinear fatigue damage accumulation model has been carried out through two notched structures to describe the fatigue damage evolution and predict the fatigue life of materials. The results indicate that the numerical results are consistent with previous experimental data. Highlights: A nonlinear damage accumulation model under uniaxial fatigue is proposed.The configurational force is introduced as an internal variable to describe the damage.The numerical results of the proposed model show adequate accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midfacial hypoplasia is a common maxillofacial deformity in patients with cleft lip and palate, which requires surgical treatment. However, trans-sutural distraction osteogenesis (TSDO) remains some disadvantages, including difficulty in accurate location of surgical path, prolonged operation time, and excess surgical bleeding. This study aimed to evaluate the application of an optical surgical navigation system (OSNS) developed for TSDO. Six consecutive patients with midfacial hypoplasia who required TSDO were included in the study. Preoperatively, a head computed tomography was performed, and the data were imported into Mimics software (version: 20.0.0.691, Materialise Inc, Belgium) to design a three-dimensional simulation of the surgical approach. TSDO was performed with the use of OSNS. The accuracy and results of the procedure were initially evaluated by comparing the preoperative and postoperative periods. The patients included five boys and one girl, with an average age of 10 years; five with postoperative cleft lip and palate, and one without combined cleft lip and palate. The surgical procedure was successful, with a postoperative follow-up of 4–5 months. All patients demonstrated good treatment results without complications. In conclusioin, OSNS-assisted TSDO can noninvasively correct midfacial dysplasia, improve surgical precision, reduce bleeding and obtain better clinical results. OSNS can guide the TSDO safely and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 4 (PCV4) is a novel virus associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS)-like signs identified firstly in China in 2019. However, the details of the molecular epidemiology of PCV4 are unclear at this time. A total of forty-two related sequences were selected from the GenBank database to explore the spread of PCV4 and its rule in genetic evolution. Of the selected strains, 41 were from south China in 2019 to 2021 and the other was a foreign representative strain. Phylogenetic tree construction, nucleotide and amino acid (aa) sequence alignment, gene recombination and antigen structure prediction were performed on the collected sequences using bioinformatics softwares. The 42 PCV4 strains were divided into two subgenotypes: PCV4a (35/42) and PCV4b (7/42), according to the constructed genetic evolution tree. PCV4a is the main epidemic strain, and it can be further divided into two different gene clusters: PCV4a-1 (22/35) and PCV4a-2 (13/35). The pairwise comparison analysis showed that the complete genome sequence similarity of the 42 PCV4 strains ranged between 97.9% and 100%, and the aa sequences of the Cap proteins of 42 PCV4 strains had three major heterogenic or hypervariable regions—27–28, 96 and 212—all located near the antigenic epitope of the Cap protein. The results of this study can provide some basis for further studying the spread and epidemic growth of PCV4, and the prevention and control of PCV4 infection in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-source information fusion is widely used because of its similarity to practical engineering situations. With the development of science and technology, the sources of information collected under engineering projects and scientific research are more diverse. To extract helpful information from multi-source information, in this paper, we propose a multi-source information fusion method based on the Dempster-Shafer (DS) evidence theory with the negation of reconstructed basic probability assignments (nrBPA). To determine the initial basic probability assignment (BPA), the Gaussian distribution BPA functions with padding terms are used. After that, nrBPAs are determined by two processes, reassigning the high blur degree BPA and transforming them into the form of negation. In addition, evidence of preliminary fusion is obtained using the entropy weight method based on the improved belief entropy of nrBPAs. The final fusion results are calculated from the preliminary fused evidence through the Dempster's combination rule. In the experimental section, the UCI iris data set and the wine data set are used for validating the arithmetic processes of the proposed method. In the comparative analysis, the effectiveness of the BPA determination using a padded Gaussian function is verified by discussing the classification task with the iris data set. Subsequently, the comparison with other methods using the cross-validation method proves that the proposed method is robust. Notably, the classification accuracy of the iris data set using the proposed method can reach an accuracy of 97.04%, which is higher than many other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic simplification of polylines is an important issue in spatial database and mapping. Traditional rule‐based methods are usually limited in performance, especially when the man‐made rules have to be adapted to different polylines with different shapes and structures. Compared to the existing neural network methods focusing only on the output layer or the code layers for classification or regression, our proposed method generates multi‐level abstractions of polylines by extracting features from multiple hidden layers. Specifically, we first organize the cartographic polylines into the form of feature vectors acceptable to the neural network model. Then, a stacked autoencoder‐based deep neural network model is trained to learn the pattern features of polyline bends and omit unimportant details layer by layer. Finally, the multi‐level abstractions of input polylines are generated from different hidden layers of a single model. The experimental results demonstrate that, compared with the classic Douglas–Peucker and Wang and Muller algorithms, the proposed method is able to properly simplify the polylines while representing their essential shapes smoothly and reducing areal displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A comprehensive review on numerical simulations of boiling heat transfer from atomistic to mesoscopic and macroscopic scales is presented. • Critical issues related to nanoscale bubble nucleation mechanisms, pool boiling, and flow boiling are highlighted. • Potential solutions and future research in the field of boiling heat transfer using the MDS, LB and CFD methods are proposed. Boiling is an efficient heat transfer mode with significant potential for thermal management in high-power electronic equipment. However, a comprehensive understanding of the boiling process, which encompasses bubble nucleation, growth, coalescence, slipping, and detachment across various scales, remains challenging. Molecular dynamics simulation, lattice Boltzmann, and computational fluid dynamics methods are popular and powerful tools for investigating boiling heat transfer phenomena at microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales. These methods enable researchers to uncover the underlying boiling mechanisms and propose heat transfer enhancement techniques. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive review of boiling heat transfer, spanning from atomistic to mesoscopic and macroscopic scales, utilizing these three numerical methods. It addresses critical issues related to nanoscale bubble nucleation mechanisms, pool boiling, and flow boiling, and proposes potential solutions and future researches, supplementing our previous review [Some advances in numerical simulations of multiscale heat transfer problems and particularly for boiling heat transfer, Annu. Rev. Heat Transf., 6 (2022) 217–269]. Besides, by shedding light on the characteristics of these numerical methods in studying boiling heat transfer, this paper aims to foster their development and advance enhanced heat transfer technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inner doubly iterative efficient algorithm (IDEAL), an advanced fully implicit algorithm for solving the pressure-velocity coupling problem, lacks a comprehensive implementation procedure on commonly used collocated unstructured grids. Therefore, this study provides a thorough demonstration of the fundamental principles, solving procedures, discretizations of momentum and pressure equations, Rhie-Chow interpolation implementation, mass continuity processing, and boundary condition treatment associated with the IDEAL algorithm on a collocated unstructured grid. Additionally, a comparative analysis between the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations (SIMPLE) and the IDEAL algorithm is conducted concerning computational efficiency under different grid types and flow conditions. The results indicate a significantly higher computational efficiency achieved by the IDEAL algorithm across all tested cases, attributed to its ability to overcome two fundamental assumptions inherent in the SIMPLE algorithm. The average acceleration ratio for these cases is approximately 3.13 (tSIMPLE/tIDEAL). This study serves as a valuable reference for the further development and application of the IDEAL algorithm in solving flow problems with complex irregular domains discretized by unstructured grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrying out opportunistic collaboration, a method of flexible collaboration centering around ideas and free collaboration structures, is important in knowledge creation organizations, especially for knowledge-building community formation. However, fixed-group collaboration is still widely employed in educational practice, hindering the development of students’ knowledge creation activities. In this design-based study, we created and applied distance-shortening strategies, which are strategies for shortening students’ physical distance and idea distance, to support their opportunistic collaboration. The participants were 24 master’s degree students who took a required one-semester course titled Learning Sciences in Knowledge-Building Environments that included online and offline activities. Data included (1) records of students’ online activities; (2) video clips of students’ offline activities; and (3) the content of students’ online notes. Social network analysis, video analysis and content analysis were applied. The findings revealed that with distance-shortening strategies for constructing community knowledge and collective responsibility, the students were able to overcome the barriers of a fixed group and engage in opportunistic collaboration. Implications for principle-based and design-oriented knowledge-building activities and approaches to fostering knowledge creation are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A peridynamic model for hyperelastic membrane analysis is developed. • A non-local membrane theory has been developed. • The membrane structure is simulated using a single layer of material points. • A complementary force density is addressed to overcome the boundary effect. • Large deformation and failure analysis of hyperelastic membranes are achieved. In this paper, a non-ordinary state-based peridynamics model (NOSB PD) has been proposed to simulate the large deformation and failure analysis of hyperelastic membranes. To account for the curving horizon of the membrane, a non-local membrane theory has been developed by approximating it as a flat surface and applying the plane stress assumption locally. Thus, the membrane structure is simulated using a single layer of material points, which simplifies implementation, improves efficiency, and avoids volume locking. The Gent model has been employed to simulate the hyperelastic material constitutively, as it has an elegant mathematical framework and can achieve the entire range of stretches. Furthermore, Bond-associate NOSB PD is utilized to overcome zero-energy modes without affecting the material properties. A modification has been addressed to overcome the boundary effect by adding a complementary force density to the boundary nodes. The accuracy of large deformation and incompressibility of the developed models are verified by the corresponding finite element analyses. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated by presenting some benchmark examples, and the results illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method for the large deformation, fracture, and off-plane tearing analyses of hyperelastic membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoubiquitination is a post-translational modification (PTM), through which a single ubiquitin molecule is covalently conjugated to a lysine residue of the target protein. Monoubiquitination regulates the activity, subcellular localization, protein–protein interactions, or endocytosis of the substrate. In doing so, monoubiquitination is implicated in diverse cellular processes, including gene transcription, endocytosis, signal transduction, cell death, and DNA damage repair, which in turn regulate cell-cycle progression, survival, proliferation, and stress response. In this review, we summarize the functions of monoubiquitination and discuss how this PTM modulates homeostasis and cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information recording and encryption/decryption functions are essential due to the prevalence of counterfeiting activities and information leakage in the current age. However, the development of high‐resolution information recording and multistage information protection systems to achieve high data security levels, such as self‐erasing encrypted data and time‐controlled data handling, remains limited. Herein, inspired by the information‐recording structure of paper, a multiresponsive nanofiber‐reinforced poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel (NCPN hydrogel) with improved mechanical properties, solvent‐induced high‐resolution reversible information recording, self‐encryption, and multi‐decryption capabilities, is proposed. Due to the unique hydrophilic and hydrophobic structures of the hydrogel matrix, ethanol and other polar analogs can be applied as special inks to record information by changing the lower critical solution temperature to achieve the repeatable transmittance variation. The recorded information can be erased via water wiping or ethanol volatilization. Additionally, self‐encryption can be achieved and adjusted based on the ethanol volatilization time and concentration difference, and confidential information can be further decrypted in a water environment or under a thermal stimulus. Furthermore, several stable, repeatable, and fast‐response hydrogel‐based information‐recognition systems are designed and investigated. Therefore, the designed hydrogel‐based informational platform provides a universal information‐handling system allowing for the reversible recording of information, with self‐encryption and multidecryption capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various investigations have expanded the views that tuberculosis is an important risk factor for lung cancer occurrence. Lung cancer originates from chronic inflammation and infection. It is becoming clearer that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) in tuberculosis patients meticulously schemes multiple mechanisms to induce tumor formation and is indispensable to participate in the occurrence of lung cancer. In addition, some additional factors such as age, sex and smoking, accelerate the development of lung cancer after Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The clarification of these insights is fostering new diagnoses and therapeutic approaches to prevention of the patients developing from tuberculosis into lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of an ortho‐C(sp2) atom of aromatic amines with aliphatic aziridines to construct the O‐aminophenethylamine skeleton via C−H activation has been developed. The reaction proceeded under mild conditions with good substrate scope. The O‐aminophenethylamine skeleton in drugs or bioactive compounds could be generated in one step in this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow boiling stands out as an efficient mode of heat transfer with significant potential for reducing carbon footprint. Based on a coupled Volume-of-Fluid and Level Set (VOSET) method, this numerical study reveals the microlayer and its evaporative heat flux distributions, as well as the effects of microlayer evaporation and depletion on bubble dynamic behavior, flow pattern, wall superheat distribution, and boiling crisis for the flow boiling in a mini-channel. These aspects are firstly comprehensively reported by the numerical method. Results indicate that the rapid evaporation of a thin microlayer positioned beneath elongated bubbles significantly contributes to heat dissipation during flow boiling in a mini-channel. The heat flux through the microlayer surpasses 300 kW/m2, accounting for approximately 42% of heat dissipation at 200 kW/m2. Furthermore, this contribution increases to over 70% as the heat flux exceeds 500 kW/m2. As a result, in comparison to scenarios without microlayers, the presence of microlayers results in an average heat transfer coefficient (HTC) that is 3.97 times larger within the range of 200–500 kW/m2. Additionally, microlayer evaporation delays the happening of flow boiling crisis. Without microlayers, the wall superheat exceeds 180 K at 500 kW/m2, whereas under microlayer influence, the maximum local wall superheat is only 37.09 K at 1000 kW/m2. With further increases in heat flux, the emergence of large dry patches resulting from microlayer depletion induces the beginning of heat transfer deterioration. Finally, the ongoing coalescence of elongated bubbles necessitates a prolonged period for rewetting dry patches at the exit of the mini-channel, triggering the flow boiling crisis at 1300 kW/m2. The study results provide crucial guidance for the development and application of the flow boiling heat transfer technology for the thermal management of data centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A neural network peridynamics is proposed for rubber-like materials. • A neural network is used to establish the mapping relation to force density vectors. • The developed method is free of the zero-energy modes. • The developed method significantly improves the computational efficiency. • The proposed method can be applied to various hyperelastic materials. Peridynamic (PD) is a powerful tool for simulating the large deformation and failure process of many types of materials. However, its use in modeling rubber-like materials is limited due to the complex constitutive nature of the material, and low efficiency and numerical oscillation caused by PD. To address this issue, a neural network (NN) non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (NOSB PD) method is developed to model the large deformation and failure behavior of rubber-like materials. This method is free of the zero-energy modes, and can significantly improve the computational efficiency. Unlike the traditional NOSB PD method that formulates the force density vector based on the deformation gradient, this method uses a deep NN to map the bond related quantities to the force density vector. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated through a series of numerical examples. Additionally, this method can be applied to various hyperelastic materials for which analytical constitutive models exist. [Display omitted] Modeling rubber-like materials through a neural network facilitated peridynamic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The kinetics and element transfer in a high-rate HAP-PNA process were analyzed. • The biomass yield of the HAP-PNA granular sludge was 0.0805 g MLVSS/g NH 4 +-N. • The μ m of AnAOB and AOB were 0.0360 and 0.0982 d−1, respectively. • The inorganic elemental requirements were determined. • An efficient resource management with a stable HAP-PNA operation is aimed. Anammox-based processes are attractive for biological nitrogen removal, and the combination of anammox and hydroxyapatite (HAP) is promising for the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. However, the kinetics of one-stage partial nitritation/anammox (PNA) in which ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anammox bacteria (AnAOB) exist in a reactor are poorly understood. Moreover, inorganic elements are required to promote microbial cell synthesis and growth; therefore, monitoring of elements to prevent the limitation and inhibition of the process is critical. The minimum amounts of inorganic elements required for a one-stage PNA process and the elemental flow remain unknown. Therefore, in this study, kinetics, stoichiometry, and element flow in the long-term, high-rate, continuous, one-stage HAP-PNA process with microaerobic granular sludge at 25 °C were determined using process modeling, parameter estimation, and mass balance. The biomass elemental composition was determined to be CH 2.2 O 0.89 N 0.18 S 0.0091 , and the biomass yield (Y obs) was calculated to be 0.0805 g/g NH 4 +-N. Therefore, a stoichiometric reaction equation for the one-stage HAP-PNA system was also proposed. The maximum specific growth rate (μ m) of AnAOB and AOB were 0.0360 and 0.0982 d−1 with doubling times of 19 and 7.1 d, respectively. Finally, the elemental requirements for stable and high-rate performance were determined using element flow analysis. These findings are essential for developing the anammox-based process in a stable and resource-efficient manner and determining engineering applicability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel HAP granules circulation between mainstream and sidestream was proposed. • The concept effectively suppresses NOB and stabilizes HAP granules in mainstream. • Aging HAP granules may be responsible for the increased NOB activity. • "Pulse therapy" and "continuous enhancement" limited NOB dynamics. • Replacing the PN/A-HAP sludge may ensure the PN/A process stability. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) seriously threaten the partial nitritation and Anammox (PN/A) process, hindering its mainstream application. Herein, a one-stage PN/A reactor was continuously operated for 245 days under nitrogen loading rate lifted from 0.4 g N/L/d to 0.6 g N/L/d and 0.8 g N/L/d with the nitrogen removal efficiency of 71 %, 64 %, and 41 %, respectively. Furthermore, the NOB species over time was identified as Nitrospira _sp._OLB3, exhibiting an increase of the relative abundance from 0.9 % to 4.3 %. The hydroxyapatite (HAP) granules gradually lost their microbiological function of Anammox bacteria then aged, leading to NOB dominance. Therefore, one "pulse therapy" was introduced and combined with "continuous enhancement" of Anammox sludge supported by sidestream to competitively limit the NOB dynamics. The treatment's effect persisted for around two months. The strategy that returning at least 50 % of the impaired HAP granular sludge to the sidestream for recultivation could fulfill the bottlenecks of mainstream PN/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrillary aggregates. Disaggregation of Aβ fibrils is considered as one of the promising AD treatments. Recent experimental studies showed that anthocyanidins, one type of flavonoids abundant in fruits/vegetables, can disaggregate Aβ fibrillary aggregates. However, their relative disruptive capacities and underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the detailed interactions between five most common anthocyanidins (cyanidin, aurantinidin, peonidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin) and Aβ protofibril (an intermediate of Aβ fibrillization) by performing microsecond molecular dynamic simulations. We found that all five anthocyanidins can destroy F4-L34-V36 hydrophobic core and K28-A42 salt bridge, leading to Aβ protofibril destabilization. Aurantinidin exhibits the strongest damage to Aβ protofibril (with the most severe disruption on K28-A42 salt bridges), followed by cyanidin (with the most destructive effect on F4-L34-V36 core). Detailed analyses reveal that the protofibril-destruction capacities of anthocyanidins are subtly modulated by the interplay of anthocyanidin-protofibril hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, aromatic stacking interactions, which are dictated by the number or location of hydroxyl/methyl groups of anthocyanidins. These findings provide important mechanistic insights into Aβ protofibril disaggregation by anthocyanidins, and suggest that aurantinidin/cyanidin may serve as promising starting-points for the development of new drug candidates against AD. [Display omitted] • Five similar anthocyanidin molecules display distinct disruptive effects and mechanisms of action on Aβ 1–42 protofibril. • Aurantinidin and cyanidin exhibit the best performance on Aβ protofibril disruption. • Aurantinidin exhibits the strongest damage to K28-A42 salt bridges, while cyanidin disrupts the F4-L34-V36 core most. • Anthocyanidins' disruptive capacity is modulated by the interplay of H-bonding, hydrophobic, and π-π interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins are closely implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent evidence indicates that Aβ and tau proteins can cross-interact to form co-aggregates, which aggravates the development of AD. However, their transient heterooligomer conformations and co-aggregation molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Herein, we utilize replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the conformational ensembles formed by the central hydrophobic core of Aβ (Aβ 16 – 22) and each of two fibril-nucleating core segments of tau (PHF6* and PHF6). Both PHF6 and PHF6* are found to co-aggregate with Aβ 16 – 22 into β-sheet-rich heterooligomers. Intriguingly, PHF6 and Aβ 16 – 22 peptides formed closed β-barrels, while PHF6* and Aβ 16 – 22 formed open β-barrels, implying their distinct co-aggregation property. Compared to Aβ 16 – 22 -PHF6*, Aβ 16 – 22 -PHF6 heterooligomers have higher β-sheet content, and contain longer β-strands and larger β-sheets, indicative of stronger co-aggregation ability of PHF6 with Aβ 16 – 22. Further analyses reveal that hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions between Y310 of PHF6 and Aβ 16 – 22 are crucial for the closed β-barrel/larger β-sheet formation in Aβ 16 – 22 -PHF6 heterooligomers. These results highlight the paramount importance of PHF6 fragment, particularly Y310 residue, as a potential target for inhibiting Aβ-tau co-aggregation, which could help for effective therapeutic design in mitigating Aβ-tau co-aggregation related amyloidogenesis. [Display omitted] • Both PHF6 and PHF6* peptides can co-aggregate with Aβ 16 – 22 into β-barrels and layered β-sheets. • PHF6 and Aβ 16 – 22 peptides can form closed β-barrels, while PHF6* and Aβ 16 – 22 can only form open β-barrels. • The co-aggregation ability of PHF6 peptides with Aβ 16 – 22 is stronger than that of PHF6*. • Y310 in PHF6 is crucial for closed β-barrels and larger β-sheets formation with Aβ 16-22. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrillary aggregates. Disaggregation of Aβ fibrils is considered as one of the promising AD treatments. Recent experimental studies showed that anthocyanidins, one type of flavonoids abundant in fruits/vegetables, can disaggregate Aβ fibrillary aggregates. However, their relative disruptive capacities and underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the detailed interactions between five most common anthocyanidins (cyanidin, aurantinidin, peonidin, delphinidin, and pelargonidin) and Aβ protofibril (an intermediate of Aβ fibrillization) by performing microsecond molecular dynamic simulations. We found that all five anthocyanidins can destroy F4-L34-V36 hydrophobic core and K28-A42 salt bridge, leading to Aβ protofibril destabilization. Aurantinidin exhibits the strongest damage to Aβ protofibril (with the most severe disruption on K28-A42 salt bridges), followed by cyanidin (with the most destructive effect on F4-L34-V36 core). Detailed analyses reveal that the protofibril-destruction capacities of anthocyanidins are subtly modulated by the interplay of anthocyanidin-protofibril hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic, aromatic stacking interactions, which are dictated by the number or location of hydroxyl/methyl groups of anthocyanidins. These findings provide important mechanistic insights into Aβ protofibril disaggregation by anthocyanidins, and suggest that aurantinidin/cyanidin may serve as promising starting-points for the development of new drug candidates against AD. [Display omitted] • Five similar anthocyanidin molecules display distinct disruptive effects and mechanisms of action on Aβ 1–42 protofibril. • Aurantinidin and cyanidin exhibit the best performance on Aβ protofibril disruption. • Aurantinidin exhibits the strongest damage to K28-A42 salt bridges, while cyanidin disrupts the F4-L34-V36 core most. • Anthocyanidins' disruptive capacity is modulated by the interplay of H-bonding, hydrophobic, and π-π interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is known to affect deformation mechanisms in metallic alloys. As temperature decreases, the stacking-fault energy in many face-centered cubic (fcc) alloys decreases, resulting in a change of deformation mode from dislocation slip to deformation twinning. Such an impact of temperature can be more complex in compositionally heterogeneous microstructures that exhibit, for example, local concentration fluctuation such as that in multi-principal element alloys. In this work, we compare the dislocation behavior and mechanical properties of a fcc Cr20Mn10Fe30Co30Ni10 high-entropy alloy at ambient and liquid-nitrogen temperatures. We find that a network of stacking faults is formed by uniformly extended dislocations at ambient temperatures with low stacking-fault energy, whereas at lower temperatures, uneven dissociation of dislocations becomes significant, which results in severe dislocation pile-ups together with their pronounced entanglement. Our findings indicate that as the stacking-fault energy decreases with decreasing temperature, the heterogeneity of the distribution of elements becomes more dominant in tuning the local variation of lattice resistance. As a result, the change in dislocation behavior at low temperatures strongly affects microstructural evolution and consequently leads to significantly more pronounced work hardening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 3D hyaluronic acid (HA) cross-linked gas foamed scaffolds (3DHAS) were obtained. • 3DHAS possessed stable and enhanced mechanical properties. • Gas foamed scaffolds exhibited good biocompatibility in vitro. • Gas foamed scaffolds induced neocartilage regeneration in vivo. • Gas foamed scaffolds repaired articular cartilage defects in rabbits model in vivo. To achieve optimal functional recovery of articular cartilage, scaffolds with nanofibrous structure and biological function have been widely pursued. In this study, two-dimensional electrospun poly(l -lactide- co -ε-caprolactone)/silk fibroin (PLCL/SF) scaffolds (2DS) were fabricated by dynamic liquid support (DLS) electrospinning system, and then cross-linked with hyaluronic acid (HA) to further mimic the microarchitecture of native cartilage. Subsequently, three-dimensional PLCL/SF scaffolds (3DS) and HA-crosslinked three-dimensional scaffolds (3DHAS) were successfully fabricated by in situ gas foaming and freeze-drying. 3DHAS exhibited better mechanical properties than that of the 3DS. Moreover, all scaffolds exhibited excellent biocompatibility in vitro. 3DHAS showed better proliferation and phenotypic maintenance of chondrocytes as compared to the other scaffolds. Histological analysis of cell-scaffold constructs explanted 8 weeks after implantation demonstrated that both 3DS and 3DHAS scaffolds formed cartilage-like tissues, and the cartilage lacuna formed in 3DHAS scaffolds was more mature. Moreover, the reparative capacity of scaffolds was discerned after implantation in the full-thickness articular cartilage model in rabbits for up to 12 weeks. The macroscopic and histological results exhibited typical cartilage-like character and well-integrated boundary between 3DHAS scaffolds and the host tissues. Collectively, biomimetic 3DHAS scaffolds may be promising candidates for cartilage tissue regeneration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to convert galloping-based vibration energy generated by wind flow into electricity more effectively, an innovative piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) with V-shaped windward wings is proposed and designed to evaluate its performance in this paper. The V-shaped PEH mainly consists of three components: the main cantilever beam made of an aluminum plate, a piece of macro-fiber piezoelectric composite stuck to the end of the main cantilever beam as the key element of energy harvesting, and a pair of V-shaped windward wings as the structure of the bluff body to produce stronger and more regular vortices in wind flow. Wind tunnel experiments are conducted to evaluate its performance of the output voltages, and the results confirm that the angles of V-shaped wings have dramatically affected the behavior of energy harvesting. A pair of 60° angles was confirmed as the optimal angle for this V-shaped PEH, which can achieve the peak-to-peak value of alternating current voltage (VAC-PP) of more than 100 V when the wind velocity is 10 m/s. Subsequently, the fully fluid–solid-electric coupling for this corresponding two dimensional model is simulated by COMSOL Multiphysics, which expounds the mechanism of swing for this V-shaped PEH under the galloping-based vibration, as well as verifies the rationality of the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various products, including foods and pharmaceuticals, are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Thus, temperature monitoring during production, transportation, and storage is critical. Facile indicators are required to monitor temperature conditions via color changes in real time. This study aimed to prepare and apply thiol‐functionalized covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as a novel indicator for monitoring thermal history and temperature abuse. The COFs underwent obvious color changes from bright yellow to purple after exposure to different temperatures for varying durations. The reaction kinetics are analyzed under isothermal conditions, which reveal that the order of reaction rates is k−20°C < k4°C < k20°C < k35°C < k55°C. The activation energy (Ea) of the COFs is calculated using the Arrhenius equation as 50.71 kJ moL−1. The COFs are capable of sensitive color changes and offer a broad temperature tracking range, thereby demonstrating their application potential for the monitoring of temperature and time exposure history during production, transportation, and storage. This excellent performance thermal history indicator also shows promise for expanding the application field of COFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]