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Obtaining detailed energy-band diagram is always critically important at various semiconductor interfaces due to its direct instruction for optimizing and improving the performance of (opto-)electronic devices, which, therefore, always has been paid attention to by scientists. Despite the technological relevance of depicting energy-band diagrams at different types of semiconductors (inorganic, organic, and hybridized scenarios), the discrepancy at these interfaces still exists, and a reliable model that could potentially unify the full range of phenomena observed from these interfaces is still lacking. Here, we develop a theoretical framework to fill in this gap so that it could be capable of reproducing various band alignments at different semiconductor interfaces both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our model could further allow us to resolve some conflicting views in the literature related to the influence of substrate work functions, which should be considered differently between inorganic and organic semiconductor interfaces. Our results also highlight the importance of dielectric constant differences and the film thickness as critical factors in driving charge transfer at semiconductor interfaces through integrating different density of states with Fermi–Dirac distribution functions in various semiconductors, which hopefully could promote the numerical study on developing functional semiconductor devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is a common respiratory infection among children. However, the occurrence of thromboembolism with plastic bronchitis in association with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is extremely rare. This case series presents five cases of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia who developed thromboembolism and plastic bronchitis. The clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and management strategies are discussed. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on medical records from a pediatric hospital. Patient demographics, clinical features, laboratory findings, imaging results, treatment modalities, and outcomes were collected. Results: The patients in our case series presented with varying degrees of respiratory distress, cough, and fever. Imaging studies revealed evidence of thromboembolism based on pulmonary artery occlusion. Bronchial casts were observed by bronchoscopy. Laboratory tests demonstrated elevated D-dimer levels and fibrinogen degradation products. All patients received a combination of low molecular weight heparin anticoagulation and supportive care. Conclusion: Thromboembolism with plastic bronchitis associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is a rare but potentially serious complication in children. Prompt recognition and management are crucial for improving patient outcomes. This case series highlights the diverse clinical presentations, diagnostic challenges, and treatment strategies for this unique clinical entity. Further research is needed to better understand the pathogenesis and optimal management of this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flutter is a typical dynamic instability phenomenon of the wing or rudder structure. Besides, the phenomenon of aerodynamic heating will be quite significant and temperature can rise rapidly with the increase of the flight speed, thermal flutter characteristics should be taken into consideration for the rudder structure of supersonic vehicle. To improve the thermal flutter characteristics of the rudder structure and meet the design requirements of a lightweight structure, this article optimizes the variable stiffness laminates of the skin on the premise of keeping the thickness of the skin unchanged, so as to improve the critical flutter speed of the rudder. A novel intelligent optimization algorithm named BJASCA, which is a hybrid algorithm coupling of Backtracking Search Algorithm, Sine Cosine Algorithm, and JAYA Algorithms is proposed in this article to improve the efficiency of structural optimization and this algorithm shows obvious advantages in searching global optima compared with several other algorithms. The finite element model and aerodynamic model of the rudder are established to calculate the critical flutter speed. The results represent that the rudder structure optimized by the BJASCA algorithm shows better flutter characteristics and the critical flutter speed can be increased by 76.4% compared with the un-optimized structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the irradiation response of Al 2 O 3 –ZrO 2 –ZrC ceramic composites under 500 keV He ion irradiation at room temperature has been investigated. The microstructure evolution was studied by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while the hardness was assessed using the nanoindentation method. The results showed that the composites consisted of α-Al 2 O 3 , t-ZrO 2 , and ZrC phases, and no phase transformations were observed. However, a marginal degradation of structural crystallinity and lattice swelling occurred after irradiation. The aggregation of He bubbles was observed at grain/phase boundaries near the damage peak region. He bubbles were mainly distributed in the α-Al 2 O 3 grains, with only a few in the t-ZrO 2 grains. Although no significant presence of He bubbles was discovered in the ZrC grains. the defects clusters mixed "black dot" defects, dislocation loops were observed. The nanoindentation hardness increased with the irradiation fluences up to 1.0 × 1017 ions/cm2, but decreased at a fluence of 2.0 × 1017 ions/cm2. In the peak damage region, He bubble bands were formed in some α-Al 2 O 3 and t-ZrO 2 grains at the fluence of 2.0 × 1017 ions/cm2. The bubble bands are responsible for the weakened irradiation hardening effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The electrochemical properties of BG are significantly enhanced by the morphology of the constructed wool-like clusters. • The optimized BG-2 exhibits excellent rate performance and cycling stability. • The appropriate iron content in 3D skeletons opens a new possibility for enhancing ammonium ion storage. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are regarded as promising cathode materials for ammonium-ion batteries (AIBs) because of their low cost and superb theoretical capacity. However, its inherently poor conductivity and structural collapse can significantly limit the enhancement of rate property and cycling stability. In this work, Berlin Green (BG) electrode materials with similar wool-like clusters were constructed by direct precipitation method to accelerate the kinetic, which realizes outstanding cycling stability. Berlin Green with the appropriate amount of iron (BG-2) has a fast ion transport channel, enhanced structure stability, highly reversible insertion/extraction of NH 4 +, and fine electrochemical reaction activity. Benefiting from the unique architecture and component, the BG-2 electrode shows an excellent rate performance with a discharge/charge specific capacity of 60.1/59.3 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1. Even at 5 A g−1, BG-2 exhibits remarkable cycling stability with an initial discharge capacity of 59.5 mAh g−1 and a capacity retention rate of approximately 76% after 30,000 cycles. The BG-2 reveals exceedingly good electrochemical reversibility during the process of NH 4 + (de)insertion. BG materials indicate huge potential as a cathode material for the next generation of high-performance aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most legumes can form an endosymbiotic association with soil bacteria called rhizobia, which colonize specialized root structures called nodules where they fix nitrogen. To colonize nodule cells, rhizobia must first traverse the epidermis and outer cortical cell layers of the root. In most legumes, this involves formation of the infection thread, an intracellular structure that becomes colonized by rhizobia, guiding their passage through the outer cell layers of the root and into the newly formed nodule cells. In this brief review, we recount the early research milestones relating to the rhizobial infection thread and highlight two relatively recent advances in the symbiotic infection mechanism, the eukaryotically conserved 'MYB–AUR1–MAP' mitotic module, which links cytokinesis mechanisms to intracellular infection, and the discovery of the 'infectosome' complex, which guides infection thread growth. We also discuss the potential intertwining of the two modules and the hypothesis that cytokinesis served as a foundation for intracellular infection of symbiotic microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid compressed air energy storage (H-CAES) system can effectively reduce the heat loss in the compression process, which is one of the important methods to solve the problem of renewable energy volatility. Based on the H-CAES system that combines adiabatic compression and isothermal compression, this paper proposes a liquid piston compressor arrangement to adapt to the input power fluctuation and proposes a power allocation calculation method to solve the adiabatic compression and isothermal compression in the H-CAES system, with an emphasis on analyzing the impact of the participation of renewable energy sources on the system performance. In addition, the H-CAES system is placed under wind-solar-storage conditions, and scheduling strategies judged by time-sharing electricity price are proposed for different scenarios to explore the actual operating effects of the H-CAES system. The results show that the arrangement of liquid piston compressors from large tanks with fewer groups to small tanks with more groups can better adapt to the power change while maintaining a better isothermal compression effect. On the basis of using the power allocation calculation method proposed in this paper, it is found that higher compressor outlet pressure and lower storage pressure can improve the system efficiency and economic benefits. The system is able to achieve 59.71% efficiency and 0.2261 annual return on investment at the compressor outlet pressure of 4 MPa. Finally, it is demonstrated that the combined operation of H-CAES and wind energy can serve to increase the operating income of the power plant, and a maximum of 8909.236 yuan in daily electricity generation revenue can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, attention is paid to the nonlinear vibrations and chaotic dynamic behaviors of rotating graphene platelets reinforced metal foams (GPLRMF) blades operating in a thermal environment. Considering three different distribution patterns of graphene platelets (GPL) and foams, the improved Halpin–Tsai model, mixing rules and Maxwell-Eucken model are applied to obtain the physical parameters of rotating GPLRMF plates. The motion equations of GPLRMF rotating plates are established through higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT), in which the centrifugal force, Coriolis force and heat conduction are included. Under the cantilever and simply supported boundary conditions, the nonlinear ordinary differential equation (ODE) of the system is obtained by Galerkin method. The amplitude-frequency response, bifurcation curve, and chaotic motion of the rotating GPLRMF blades are analyzed with the aid of the methods of multi-scale and Runge–Kutta. Furthermore, comprehensive investigations into the effects of temperature, presetting angle, GPL distribution mode, foam distribution mode, volume fraction, porosity coefficient, rotational speed, damping coefficient, and excitation force on the nonlinear dynamics of rotating plates are performed through numerical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify a universality in the Fermi level change of Van der Waals interacting semiconductor interfaces. We show that the disappearing of quasi-Fermi level pinning at a certain thickness of semiconductor films for both intrinsic (undoped) and extrinsic (doped) semiconductors over a wide range of bulk systems including inorganic, organic, and even organic–inorganic hybridized semiconductors. The Fermi level (EF) position located in the energy bandgap was dominated by not only the substrate work function (Φsub) but also the thickness of semiconductor films, in which the final EF shall be located at the position reflecting the thermal equilibrium of semiconductors themselves. Such universalities originate from the charge transfer between the substrate and semiconductor films after solving one-dimensional Poisson's equation. Our calculation resolves some of the conflicting results from experimental results determined by using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and unifies the general rule on extracting EF positions in energy bandgaps from (i) inorganic semiconductors to organic semiconductors and (ii) intrinsic (undoped) to extrinsic (doped) semiconductors. Our findings shall provide a simple analytical scaling for obtaining the "quantitative energy diagram" in the real devices, thus paving the way for a fundamental understanding of interface physics and designing functional devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear differential equations exhibit rich phenomena in many fields but are notoriously challenging to solve. Recently, Liu et al. (in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118(35), 2021) demonstrated the first efficient quantum algorithm for dissipative quadratic differential equations under the condition R < 1 , where R measures the ratio of nonlinearity to dissipation using the ℓ 2 norm. Here we develop an efficient quantum algorithm based on Liu et al. (2021) for reaction–diffusion equations, a class of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). To achieve this, we improve upon the Carleman linearization approach introduced in Liu et al. (2021) to obtain a faster convergence rate under the condition R D < 1 , where R D measures the ratio of nonlinearity to dissipation using the ℓ ∞ norm. Since R D is independent of the number of spatial grid points n while R increases with n, the criterion R D < 1 is significantly milder than R < 1 for high-dimensional systems and can stay convergent under grid refinement for approximating PDEs. As applications of our quantum algorithm we consider the Fisher-KPP and Allen-Cahn equations, which have interpretations in classical physics. In particular, we show how to estimate the mean square kinetic energy in the solution by postprocessing the quantum state that encodes it to extract derivative information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human movement recognition is the use of perceptual technology to collect some of the limb or body movements presented. This practice involves the use of wireless signals, processing, and classification to identify some of the regular movements of the human body. It has a wide range of application prospects, including in intelligent pensions, remote health monitoring, and child supervision. Among the traditional human movement recognition methods, the widely used ones are video image-based recognition technology and Wi-Fi-based recognition technology. However, in some dim and imperfect weather environments, it is not easy to maintain a high performance and recognition rate for human movement recognition using video images. There is the problem of a low recognition degree for Wi-Fi recognition of human movement in the case of a complex environment. Most of the previous research on human movement recognition is based on LiDAR perception technology. LiDAR scanning using a three-dimensional static point cloud can only present the point cloud characteristics of static objects; it struggles to reflect all the characteristics of moving objects. In addition, due to its consideration of privacy and security issues, the dynamic millimeter-wave radar point cloud used in the previous study on the existing problems of human body movement recognition performance is better, with the recognition of human movement characteristics in non-line-of-sight situations as well as better protection of people's privacy. In this paper, we propose a human motion feature recognition system (PNHM) based on spatiotemporal information of the 3D point cloud of millimeter-wave radar, design a neural network based on the network PointNet++ in order to effectively recognize human motion features, and study four human motions based on the threshold method. The data set of the four movements of the human body at two angles in two experimental environments was constructed. This paper compares four standard mainstream 3D point cloud human action recognition models for the system. The experimental results show that the recognition accuracy of the human body's when walking upright can reach 94%, the recognition accuracy when moving from squatting to standing can reach 84%, that when moving from standing to sitting can reach 87%, and the recognition accuracy of falling can reach 93%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Tricholathys, found for the first time in China, is surveyed and seven new species, T. burangensis sp. nov. (♂♀, Thibet), T. chenzhenningi sp. nov. (♂♀, Qinghai), T. hebeiensis sp. nov. (♀, Hebei), T. lhunzeensis sp. nov. (♂♀, Tibet), Tricholathys relictoides sp. nov. (♂♀, Xinjiang), T. serrata sp. nov. (♂♀, Tibet), and T. xizangensis sp. nov. (♂♀, Tibet), are described. A new combination is proposed for Tricholathys alxa (Tang, 2011) comb. nov., ex. Argenna Thorell, 1870. Descriptions of all new species are provided, together with digital images, illustrations, and a distribution map. The DNA barcode information of four recently collected species is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise measurement of temperature is crucial in various fields such as biology, medicine, industrial automation, energy management, and daily life applications. While in most scenarios, sensors with a fixed thermal conductivity inevitably mismatch the analogous parameter of the medium being measured, thus causing the distortion and inaccurate detection of original temperature fields. Despite recent efforts on addressing the parameter-mismatch issue, all current solutions are constrained to a fixed working medium, whereas a more universal sensor should function in a variety of scenes. Here, we report a dynamic and reconfigurable thermal sensor capable of highly accurate measurements in diverse working environments. Remarkably, thanks to the highly tunable thermal conductivity of the expanded-plane structure, this sensor works effectively on background mediums with a wide range of conductivity. Such a development greatly enhances the robustness and adaptability of thermal sensors, setting a solid foundation for applications in multi-physical sensing scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Tibetan medicine Sug-Mel-sum-thang (SMST) is often used to treat insomnia disorder (ID); however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, network pharmacology prediction was conducted to analyze the molecular mechanisms of SMST in treating ID. Methods: The active ingredients of the three herbs used in SMST were obtained from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chemistry Database [DB/OL]. The chemical formulae of the active ingredients were downloaded from PubChem in canonical SMILES format. These were then imported into the SwissTargetPrediction platform to identify drug targets. ID targets were obtained from databases such as DrugBank, GeneCards, and DisGeNET. Potential targets of SMST for the treatment of ID were identified using the online Venny mapping platform. The potential target protein-protein interaction was constructed using the STRING platform, and the obtained protein-protein interaction information was imported into Cytoscape 3.7.1 for image optimization and core gene extraction and ClueGO in Cytoscape 3.7.1 was used for the enrichment analysis of potential targets. Cytoscape 3.7.1 was also used to construct the regulatory network of the Tibetan medicine compound target pathway and conduct a topological analysis. Results: The mechanism of action of SMST in the treatment of ID involved 72 compounds, including nerolidol, apigenin, luteolin, and piperine. The key targets identified were COMT, CNR1, AKT1, SLC6A4, TNF, CTNNB1, and CHRNA4. The enrichment analysis obtained 69 KEGG pathways, mainly related to Alzheimer's disease, cAMP signaling pathway, serotonergic synapse, and other pathways. The core active ingredient molecule docked with the target to a higher degree. The results showed that the active ingredient exhibited good binding activity with the related targets. Some parts with good docking fractions were selected for surface plasmon resonance analysis. Conclusion: Various active components in SMST play a role in the treatment of ID by acting on key targets, such as COMT and CNR1, to regulate multiple signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Azide polymers are currently a major research hotspot in the field of energetic materials, with the advantages of high energy, low sensitivity and good thermal stability. A series of new azide polymer-modified nitrocellulose (NC) spherical powder were prepared by the internal solution method with introducing different azide polymers (GAP, GAPA, GAPE, and GAP-ETPE) into NC. The effect of different azide polymers on the performance of NC spherical powder was investigated. The addition of azide polymers led to a decrease in the average particle size of the spherical powder. The addition of azide polymer substantially reduced the mechanical sensitivities of NC spherical powder and improved their thermal stability. The critical temperature of thermal explosion (Tb) and self-accelerated decomposition temperature (TSADT) of the modified spherical powder were 5~10 °C higher than those of the NC spherical powder. Meanwhile, the mechanical sensitivities of the azide polymer-modified spherical powder were significantly reduced, in which the impact sensitivity was reduced by about 30.3%~65.3%, and the friction sensitivity was reduced by about 23.3%~41.1%. Therefore, the azide polymer-modified spherical powder have more excellent thermal stability and safety performance, and probably have a broader application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high sensitivity of nitramine explosives limits their wide application, and an effective way to reduce the sensitivity is to coat them. In this study, four types of azide polymers (GAP, GAPA, GAPE, GAP-ETPE) and nitrocellulose (NC) were selected as the coating materials to coat RDX by the solvent evaporation method. The morphology, structure, dimensions and coating quality of the composite microspheres were investigated by SEM, laser particle size measurement, XRD, XPS and FT-IR. The results indicated that uniformly coated RDX composite microspheres with high sphericity and uniform particle size distribution were prepared. In addition, the thermal stability of the composite microspheres was further analyzed by DSC. The results showed that the critical temperature of thermal explosion (T b ) and self-accelerated decomposition temperature (T SADT ) of the azide polymer/NC/RDX composite microspheres were increased from 211.92°C and 198.49°C to 218.82°C and 206.19°C, respectively. In addition, mechanical sensitivity tests showed that the friction sensitivity and impact sensitivity of the composite microspheres were reduced by 24% ~36% and 35% ~58%, respectively.Therefore, this work demonstrates the beneficial effects of azide polymers and NC as coating materials for nitramine explosives and provides a reference for the desensitization research of nitramine explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the knowledge, practices and attitudes of Ohio school nurses regarding school absenteeism (SA) for dental treatment. Methods: A 40-item questionnaire was generated and distributed to 246 attendees at an annual conference for Ohio school nurses in December 2019. Results: The response rate was 65.9 percent (n=162 out of 246 attendees) and 136 surveys were eligible for inclusion. The sample was female (100 percent), worked at public schools (86.0 percent, n=117) and trained as registered nurses (83.8 percent, n=114). Nurses reported no change in concerns over children missing school for dental appointments in the last five years (69.9 percent, n=95) and most agreed that SA for dental visits "almost never" negatively impacted the educational needs of children. The medical history of the patient was the most common factor when determining the duration of a school excuse (81.6 percent, n=111) and the potential for pain was the most common dental consideration (93.4 percent, n=127). Nurses reported that they "sometimes" had problems with a child after a dental visit (44.9 percent, n=61) and pain was the most reported problem (83.8 percent, n=114). Conclusion: Nurses did not feel that SA for dental treatment negatively impacted the educational needs of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting and characterizing subgroups with differential effects of a binary treatment has been widely studied and led to improvements in patient outcomes and population risk management. Under the setting of a continuous treatment, however, such investigations remain scarce. We propose a semiparametric change‐plane model and consequently a doubly robust test statistic for assessing the existence of two subgroups with differential treatment effects under a continuous treatment. The proposed testing procedure is valid when either the baseline function for the covariate effects or the generalized propensity score function for the continuous treatment is correctly specified. The asymptotic distributions of the test statistic under the null and local alternative hypotheses are established. When the null hypothesis of no subgroup is rejected, the change‐plane parameters that define the subgroups can be estimated. This paper provides a unified framework of the change‐plane method to handle various types of outcomes, including the exponential family of distributions and time‐to‐event outcomes. Additional extensions with nonparametric estimation approaches are also provided. We evaluate the performance of our proposed methods through extensive simulation studies under various scenarios. An application to the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study with a continuous environmental exposure of arsenic is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct implicit discretization approach is presented for an arbitrary non-conformal interface by using a virtual cell on unstructured meshes. In this study, the virtual cell is supposed to be located at the neighbour of a target cell adjacent to the non-conformal interface. Any computational value on a virtual cell is formulated as a linear combination of values on contribution cells, which are determined by the nearest neighbouring cells or surface intersecting cells. The linear formulation simplifies the process of implementing implicit discretization for the governing equations. The approach is simple and efficient for information transfer through the interface because it avoids mesh stitching or iterations based on explicit discretization for treating topologically inconsistent meshes. Several numerical tests verify that the proposed method is capable and efficient for dealing with the arbitrary non-conformal interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

See also the Commentary on this article by Fonouni‐Farde & Frugier, 239: 449–451. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most common extracranial solid tumors in children. MYCN gene amplification is highly associated with poor prognosis in high-risk NB patients. In non-MYCN-amplified high-risk NB patients, the expression of c-MYC (MYCC) and its target genes is highly elevated. USP28 as a deubiquitinase is known to regulate the stability of MYCC. We show here USP28 also regulates the stability of MYCN. Genetic depletion or pharmacologic inhibition of the deubiquitinase strongly destabilizes MYCN and stops the growth of NB cells that overexpress MYCN. In addition, MYCC could be similarly destabilized in non-MYCN NB cells by compromising USP28 function. Our results strongly suggest USP28 as a therapeutic target for NB with or without MYCN amplification/overexpression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nasal polyps (NPs) is a common upper airway inflammatory disorder with a huge negative burden on both the quality of life and costs to patients. However, NPs patients remain undiagnosed and untreated in a timely, which may be due to a lack of disease-related awareness. Google Trends (GT) is an online and open tool, which can provide real-world data on health informatics worldwide. Objectives: This study aimed to explore global public interest and awareness in nasal polyps (NPs) by performing a GT analysis. Methods: Data on relative search volume (RSV) for NPs globally were collected by the public website Google Trends from January 2007 to December 2021. Top-related topics, rising-related topics, and regions were extracted for further analysis. Seasonal variation analysis, the latitude difference analysis, and the rising-related topics between the developed countries and the developing countries were analyzed. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The average searching strength showed an overall increasing trend, although with slight fluctuation. The public interest of NPs focuses on the symptoms and treatment for NPs and changes with time. For seasonal variation countries, the peak for the RSV occurred in winter and the bottom in summer. A region in higher latitudes may yield more RSV than that in lower latitudes. The rising-related topics in the recent 5 years reflected the significant differences in treatment and public interest of NPs between the developed and developing countries. Conclusions: Google Trends analysis revealed global public interest and awareness of the evolution of trends and related topics in nasal polyps over time. Geographic distribution and seasonal variation may be potential trigger factors for NPs, and the public's interest in treatment especially biologics is rising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are among the most common complications in patients with diabetes and a leading cause of lower extremity amputation. DFUs are exacerbated by prolonged bacterial infection; therefore, there is an urgent need for effective treatments to alleviate the burden associated with this condition. Although autophagy plays a unique role in pathogen phagocytosis and inflammation, its role in diabetic foot infections (DFIs) remains unclear. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is the most frequently isolated gram‐negative bacterium from DFUs. Here, we evaluated the role of autophagy in ameliorating PA infection in wounds in a diabetic rat model and a bone marrow‐derived macrophage (BMDM) hyperglycemia model. Both models were pretreated with or without rapamycin (RAPA) and then infected with or without PA. Pretreatment of rats with RAPA significantly enhanced PA phagocytosis, suppressed wound inflammation, reduced the M1:M2 macrophage ratio, and improved wound healing. In vitro investigation of the underlying mechanisms revealed that enhanced autophagy resulted in decreased macrophage secretion of inflammatory factors such as TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β but increased that of IL‐10 in response to PA infection. Additionally, RAPA treatment significantly enhanced autophagy in macrophages by increasing LC3 and beclin‐1 levels, which led to altered macrophage function. Furthermore, RAPA blocked the PA‐induced TLR4/MyD88 pathway to regulate macrophage polarisation and inflammatory cytokine production, which was validated by RNA interference and use of the autophagy inhibitor 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA). These findings suggest enhancing autophagy as a novel therapeutic strategy against PA infection to ultimately improve diabetic wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan (CS) is a natural and low-cost adsorbent for capturing metal ions and organic compounds. However, the high solubility of CS in acidic solution would make it difficult to recycle the adsorbent from the liquid phase. In this study, the CS/Fe3O4 was prepared via Fe3O4 nanoparticles immobilized onto a CS surface, and the DCS/Fe3O4-Cu was further fabricated after surface modification and the adsorption of Cu ions. The meticulously tailored material displayed the sub-micron size of an agglomerated structure with numerous magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. During the adsorption of methyl orange (MO), the DCS/Fe3O4-Cu delivered a superior removal efficiency of 96.4% at 40 min, which is more than twice the removal efficiency of 38.7% for pristine CS/Fe3O4. At an initial MO concentration of 100 mg L−1, the DCS/Fe3O4-Cu exhibited the maximum adsorption capacity of 144.60 mg g−1. The experimental data were well explained by the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm, suggesting the dominant monolayer adsorption. The composite adsorbent still maintained a large removal rate of 93.5% after five regeneration cycles. This work develops an effective strategy to simultaneously achieve high adsorption performance and convenient recyclability for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the transition density and exponential ergodicity for affine processes on the canonical state space R≥0m×Rn$\mathbb {R}_{\ge 0}^{m}\times \mathbb {R}^{n}$. Under a Hörmander‐type condition for diffusion components as well as a boundary nonattainment condition, we derive the existence and regularity of the transition densities and then prove the strong Feller property of the associated semigroup. Moreover, we also show that, under an additional subcriticality condition on the drift, the corresponding affine process is exponentially ergodic in the total variation distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the robust optimal output regulation problem for the constrained uncertain nonlinear systems. A two‐step design framework is proposed to overcome the difficulties brought by uncertainties, constraint and performance optimization. First, the feedforward controller is designed by the internal model principle, and the robust output regulation problem is transformed into the robust stabilization problem. Then, the optimal control problem with input saturation is further considered in the robust feedback controller design process. With the help of a non‐quadratic cost functional, actor‐critic algorithm and robust redesign technique are brought together to design the constrained robust optimal feedback controller. Finally, stability analysis based on Lyapunov method shows that all the signals of the closed‐loop system remain bounded, and the tracking error is uniformly ultimately bounded with arbitrarily small ultimate bound. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine visual search strategies of skilled basketball players in an anticipation task. This study selected 48 experienced and inexperienced basketball players. The participants were grouped into novice and expert groups based on their experience. The participants were asked to look at series of pictures of offensive patterns of play in a basketball game from a third person perspective and chose one of the three options: passing, shooting and break through. This study measured and recorded the response time, key pressing results, and eye movements. Eye movement data were recorded using the Tobii X-3 120 eye tracker. The results showed that, the expert group demonstrated superior anticipation performance, and were more accuracy. In addition, the results showed that participants in the expert group and faster predicted the offensive way faster than the novice group. The results also showed that experienced basketball players employed a simple and efficient visual search strategy including greater fixation counts and longer fixation duration on more informative areas than the novice group. Furthermore, the visualization metrics showed that the expert group had a more concise fixation trajectory and focused mainly on key information area. Generally, expert players exhibited a more efficient and effective visual search strategy demonstrating better performance on anticipation tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoassays are currently not available in commercial kits for the quantification of valproic acid, vigabatrin, pregabalin, and gabapentin, which also cannot suffer the limitations of interferences of substances with similar structures. Chromatography is a good alternative to immunoassay. In this study, a simple and robust non‐derivatization gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of the above four drugs in human plasma was developed and validated for therapeutic drug monitoring purposes. This method employed benzoic acid as the internal standard with hydrochloric acid for plasma acidification and ACN for precipitate protein. The supernatant was directly injected into gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry for analysis. Good linearity was obtained with linear correlation coefficients of the four analytes of 0.9988–0.9996. Extraction recoveries of valproic acid, vigabatrin, pregabalin, and gabapentin were respectively in the ranges of 91.3%–94.5%, 90.0%–90.9%, 90.0%–92.1%, and 88.0%–92.2% with the relative standard deviation values less than 12.6%. Intra‐ and inter‐batch precision and accuracy, and stability assays were all acceptable. Taken together, the novel method developed in this study provided easy plasma pretreatment, good extraction yield, and high chromatographic resolution, which has been successfully validated through the quantification of valproic acid in the plasma of 46 patients with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the problem of water pollution, caused by antibiotics, is becoming more and more serious. Photocatalysis is one of the promising technologies for removing antibiotics from water. Herein, the In2.77S4/Ti3C2 composites were prepared by an in-situ hydrothermal growth method for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC). The as-developed composites were characterized by various methods. The UV–Vis DRS spectra reveals that the introduction of Ti3C2 makes the bandgap of the as-prepared composites smaller and the visible light absorption ability improved. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the as-prepared composite is enhanced under visible light illumination. It is shown as first increasing and then decreasing with increasing the content of Ti3C2 in the composite and reaches to the maximum of 89.3% in 90 min, which is higher than 75.1% of In2.77S4 and 6.7% of Ti3C2. The reason of improvement is the interface between In2.77S4 and Ti3C2 is tightly combined to form a heterojunction. Moreover, the photocurrent intensity of the as-obtained composite is improved, while its Nyquist arc radius is decreased. In addition, holes are the main active species and ·OH and ·O2− play an auxiliary role during the degradation of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pre-trained neural language model (LM) is usually used to generate texts. Due to exposure bias, the generated text is not as good as real text. Many researchers claimed they employed the Generative Adversarial Nets (GAN) to alleviate this issue by feeding reward signals from a discriminator to update the LM (generator). However, some researchers argued that GAN did not work by evaluating the generated texts with a quality-diversity metric such as Bleu versus self-Bleu, and language model score versus reverse language model score. Unfortunately, these two-dimension metrics are not reliable. Furthermore, the existing methods only assessed the final generated texts, thus neglecting the dynamic evaluating the adversarial learning process. Different from the above-mentioned methods, we adopted the most recent metric functions, which measure the distributional discrepancy between real and generated text. Besides that, we design a comprehensive experiment to investigate the performance during the learning process. First, we evaluate a language model with two functions and identify a large discrepancy. Then, several methods with the detected discrepancy signal to improve the generator were tried. Experimenting with two language GANs on two benchmark datasets, we found that the distributional discrepancy increases with more adversarial learning rounds. Our research provides convicted evidence that the language GANs fail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-crossover (SCO) materials have been extensively investigated in the past few decades with promising applications in a wide range of fields including displays, sensors, and storage components. The introduction of secondary physical properties to SCO materials resulting in bifunctional materials is becoming a research hot spot. In particular, for the fluorescent SCO materials, fluorescence can serve as a sensitive probe that easily expresses the spin-state changes of SCO materials; therefore, fluorescent SCO bifunctional materials have promising applications in the fields of magneto-optical switching and information processing. In this perspective, we briefly review the main synthetic strategies and progresses in fluorescent SCO materials in the last twenty years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subcellular events occurring in cells of legume plants as they form transcellular symbiotic-infection structures have been compared with those occurring in premitotic cells. Here, we demonstrate that Aurora kinase 1 (AUR1), a highly conserved mitotic regulator, is required for intracellular infection by rhizobia in Medicago truncatula. AUR1 interacts with microtubule-associated proteins of the TPXL and MAP65 families, which, respectively, activate and are phosphorylated by AUR1, and localizes with them within preinfection structures. MYB3R1, a rhizobia-induced mitotic transcription factor, directly regulates AUR1 through two closely spaced, mitosis-specific activator cis elements. Our data are consistent with a model in which the MYB3R1-AUR1 regulatory module serves to properly orient preinfection structures to direct the transcellular deposition of cell wall material for the growing infection thread, analogous to its role in cell plate formation. Our findings indicate that the eukaryotically conserved MYB3R1- TPXL-AUR1-MAP65 mitotic module was conscripted to support endosymbiotic infection in legumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The study of peripheral circular RNA (circRNA) expression profile in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) was absent to date, and we aimed to obtain the circRNA expression profile and identify the candidate biomarker from AR. Methods: circRNA chip was performed to screen differentially expressed circRNAs in the peripheral blood sample from AR patients and healthy controls. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were analyzed to further search the function of the differential expressed circRNAs. The real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was further used to verify the candidate circRNA and also analyze its potential correlation with clinical parameters. Results: Significantly up-regulated expression level of hsa_circRNA_404013 in AR was obtained by circRNA chip and further verified in 79 AR patients and 48 healthy controls. hsa_circRNA_404013 was significantly positively correlated with nasal discharge, nasal itching, the total nasal symptoms of AR, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression level in peripheral blood. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis results showed that hsa_circRNA_404013 may be used as peripheral blood circulating marker for the diagnosis of AR with the area under curve of 0.8499 (95% CI: 0.783–0.916). In further bioinformatics analysis, hsa_circRNA_404013 may regulate the expression of BDNF through hsa-mir-182-5p contributing to the pathogenesis of AR. Conclusion: The expression profile of circRNAs from the peripheral blood sample of AR patients was obtained. The expression of hsa_circRNA_404013 was significantly up-regulated in the peripheral blood of AR patients, which may be used as a circulating marker for AR patients. Furthermore, hsa_circRNA_404013 may regulate the expression level of BDNF through hsa-mir-182-5p in AR pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies focused on the risk factors for hand rehabilitation of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) using of soft robotic hand therapy (SRHT). The aim of this study was to establish a predictive nomogram for soft robotic hand rehabilitation in patients with ICH.Methods: According to the Brunnstrom motor recovery (BMR) stage, the patients were grouped into poor and good motor function groups. The data of patient demographic information and serum level of C-terminal Agrin Fragment (CAF), S100B and neurofilament light (NfL) were collected. The logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for poor hand function.Results: Finally, we enrolled 102 and 103 patients in the control and SRHT groups. For the SRHT group, there were 17 and 86 cases with poor and good motor function at 6-months follow-up respectively. In the good motor function group, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Wrist and Hand (FMA-WH score) and BMR score at admission were all better than that in the poor motor function group respectively (p < 0.001). The mean serum level of CAF, S100B and NfL in the good motor function group were 2.5 ± 0.82 ng/mL, 286.6 ± 236.4 ng/L and 12.1 ± 10.4 pg/mL respectively, which were lower than that in the poor motor function group (p < 0.001, Table 3). The multivariate logistic regression showed that hematoma volume (OR = 1.47, p = 0.007), FMA-WH score admission (OR = 0.78, p = 0.02), S100B (OR = 1.32, p = 0.04), and NfL (OR = 1.24, p = 0.003) were all significant predictors of poor motor function.Conclusions: We found that Soft robotic hands therapy benefited in hand function in patients with ICH and hematoma volume, FMA-WH score admission, S100B, and NfL were all significant predictors for poor motor function of patients with ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskites possess heavy elements and excellent mobility‐lifetime (µτ) product, becoming desirable candidates for X‐ray detectors. However, current perovskite photoconduction detectors (PCDs) with vertical geometry, where electronic signals and mobile ions share the same conduction path, are facing with extremely challenging ion‐migration issue. Herein, a hybrid X‐ray detector device structure, in which perovskite is vertically stacked onto an indium oxide (In2O3) transistor with lateral transport geometry is designed, perovskite mainly acts as X‐ray sensitizer to activate In2O3 conduction channel, the actual electrical signal is conducted and collected in the lateral metal‐oxide device. With the decoupled ionic and electronic transportation, hybrid detectors are insensitive to the ionic motion of perovskite, hence demonstrating no hysteresis and almost no shifting of baseline that are often observed in PCDs, hybrid detectors also exhibit reduced dark current, improved response time, and four times higher photocurrent signals. Finally, array integration of hybrid detectors and preliminary X‐ray imaging is realized. The work provides an effective device strategy in addition to the mere material alternations to attain high‐performance perovskite‐based X‐ray detectors and arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death mediated by inflammasomes. Previous studies have reported that inhibition of neurokinin receptor 1 (NK1R) exerted neuroprotection in several neurological diseases. Herein, we have investigated the role of NK1R receptor inhibition using Aprepitant to attenuate NLRC4-dependent neuronal pyroptosis after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), as well as the underlying mechanism.Methods: A total of 182 CD-1 mice were used. ICH was induced by injection of autologous blood into the right basal ganglia. Aprepitant, a selective antagonist of NK1R, was injected intraperitoneally at 1 h after ICH. To explore the underlying mechanism, NK1R agonist, GR73632, and protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) agonist, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), were injected intracerebroventricularly at 1 h after ICH induction, and small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) for NLRC4 was administered via intracerebroventricular injection at 48 h before ICH induction, respectively. Neurobehavioral tests, western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were performed.Results: The expression of endogenous NK1R and NLRC 4 were gradually increased after ICH. NK1R was expressed on neurons. Aprepitant significantly improved the short- and long-term neurobehavioral deficits after ICH, which was accompanied with decreased neuronal pyroptosis, as well as decreased expression of NLRC4, Cleaved-caspase-1, GSDMD (gasdermin D), IL-1β, and IL-18. Activation of NK1R or PKCδ abolished these neuroprotective effects of Aprepitant after ICH. Similarly, knocking down NLRC4 using siRNA produced similar neuroprotective effects.Conclusion: Aprepitant suppressed NLRC4-dependent neuronal pyroptosis and improved neurological function, possibly mediated by inhibition of NK1R/PKCδ signaling pathways after ICH. The NK1R may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of inserting an interlayer on the anti-corrosion performance of amorphous carbon (a-C) films in a simulated Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) environment have been systematically studied. Four a-C films with different interlayers, namely C Cr, C-Cr-N, CrN and Cr, were prepared on 316L stainless steel substrates using unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The surface/fractural morphologies, carbon bonding structure and the anti-corrosion performance of the 4 films were observed/characterized in detail. The nanostructure and composition evolution from the film surface down to the film-substrate interface before and after electrochemical tests were also analysed via high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Results indicate that a-C films with C Cr and C-Cr-N interlayers display superior corrosion resistance compared to undoped samples and those lacking an interlayer, with the lowest self-corrosion current density (i.e. 2.1 × 10−7 A/cm2, C-Cr-N interlayer) being nearly two orders of magnitude lower than that of the substrate (i.e. 1.1 × 10−5 A/cm2). The doped C-Cr-N interlayer plays a vital role in the corrosion resistance of the samples by accelerating oxidation of surface defect locations, inhibiting the continuous penetration of electrolyte, and improving corrosion resistance. Additionally, a-C films with a C-Cr-N interlayer exhibited an outstanding interface contact resistance (ICR) value (~3.5 mΩ/cm2) than that with a CrN interlayer (~30 mΩ/cm2) or the 316L substrate (~100 mΩ/cm2) at a typical contact pressure of 1.5 MPa. All 4 films demonstrate obviously improved hydrophobicity (contact angles against distilled water under room temperature up to 94.2°) compared to the substrate (75.8° under identical condition). In a word, this study proves that the strategy of inserting an appropriately designed interlayer (with the ternary C-Cr-N being most promising) to a-C films could alter and enhance the anti-corrosion, ICR and hydrophobic properties of 316L, proposing valuable solutions for high-performance bipolar plates (BPs) in the PEMFC industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic synergism can effectively improve the catalytic activity of the catalyst. In this work, different catalysts were synthesized by loading Co and Ce onto copper foam (CF) by impregnation method and applied to the catalytic oxidation of toluene. Catalytic performance of the Co/Ce loaded catalysts was significantly better than the CF. Among these catalysts, Co1Ce2/CF catalyst had the best catalytic activity of toluene (T90 = 237 °C), the lowest apparent activation energy (Ea = 35.0 kJ/mol), excellent stability (40 h) and cycle stability (three cycle) at a toluene concentration of 1000 mg/m3 under WHSV = 15,000 mL/(g·h). The good catalytic activity of Co1Ce2/CF catalyst is mainly due to a higher proportion of lattice oxygen, Ce4+ and Co2+. Ce4+ and Co2+ can provide more oxygen vacancies for the catalyst. By H2-TPR and O2-TPD, it is found that Co1Ce2/CF catalyst's effective catalytic activity is probably attributed to its low reduction temperature, ample oxygen storage capacity and low oxygen desorption temperature. In addition, the degradation process of toluene on the catalyst was speculated. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were investigated by SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, BET, H2-TPR and O2-TPD. This work provides an effective way for synthesizing Co-Ce bimetallic oxide supported catalysts with great potential in toluene treatment.Graphical Abstract: Bimetallic synergism can effectively improve the catalytic activity of the catalyst. In this work, different catalysts were synthesized by loading Co and Ce onto copper foam (CF) by impregnation method and applied to the catalytic oxidation of toluene. Catalytic performance of the Co/Ce loaded catalysts was significantly better than the CF. Among these catalysts, Co1Ce2/CF catalyst had the best catalytic activity of toluene (T90 = 237 °C), the lowest apparent activation energy (Ea = 35.0 kJ/mol), excellent stability (40 h) and cycle stability (three cycle) at a toluene concentration of 1000 mg/m3 under WHSV = 15,000 mL/(g·h). The good catalytic activity of Co1Ce2/CF catalyst is mainly due to a higher proportion of lattice oxygen, Ce4+ and Co2+. Ce4+ and Co2+ can provide more oxygen vacancies for the catalyst. By H2-TPR and O2-TPD, it is found that Co1Ce2/CF catalyst's effective catalytic activity is probably attributed to its low reduction temperature, ample oxygen storage capacity and low oxygen desorption temperature. In addition, the degradation process of toluene on the catalyst was speculated. The physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were investigated by SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, BET, H2-TPR and O2-TPD. This work provides an effective way for synthesizing Co-Ce bimetallic oxide supported catalysts with great potential in toluene treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the underground excavation, various flaws are frequently observed, which significantly decrease the mechanical properties of surrounding rock, as has been proven. As known, grouting technology is a means of reinforcement that efficiently enhances the stability of underground engineering. However, existing studies have mainly focused on increasing the strength of the slurry stone, and relatively less attention has been paid to the poor bonding effect at the interface between the slurry and the rock mass. In this work, we proposed to adopt slurry containing nano-silica sol to reinforce the fractured rock mass. Based on the mechanical model of micro–nano-siliceous slurry reinforcement for single fractured rock masses established in this paper, the effect and the mechanism of micro–nano-siliceous slurry reinforcement for fractured rock were explored through theoretical analysis, laboratory tests, and numerical simulations. Results showed that the application of micro–nano-siliceous slurry increased the friction and the bonding force at the slurry–rock interface, which led to a (σn·Δμ + Δc) reduction of the effective stress. The optimum incorporation rate of the nano-silica sol was determined to be 3% based on these indicators including slurry fluidity, slurry stone rate, and strength and deformation parameters of slurry stone. The peak strength of the sandstone specimens reinforced by the micro–nano-siliceous slurry increased by 16.49% those of the sandstones reinforced by the ordinary slurry, and the elastic energy accumulated by the former was higher. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that the incorporation of nano-silica sol distinctly improved the pore characteristics of the slurry-rock interface. Finally, on the basis of 1790 ventilation roadway of Shiyakou coal mine, the effectiveness and the feasibility of micro–nano-siliceous slurry for reinforcing underground engineering surrounding rocks were verified using numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging and attractive low-dimensional functional materials, Ti 3 C 2 MXene quantum dots (QDs) enlarge the toolbox of fluorescence sensing. However, monochromatic fluorescence, which only provide one single signal, is often beset by challenges such as false-positive readouts and limitations in selectivity. Consequently, to improve the sensing accuracy by means of cross-verified dual-signal authentication, the endeavor to engineer dual-mode nanoprobes based on Ti 3 C 2 QDs, incorporating both the capability of fluorescence and an alternative sensing mechanism, emerges as a compelling avenue. Here, based on the alterations in colorimetric and fluorescent signals of Ti 3 C 2 QDs with the addition of Ag+, we propose a dual-mode sensor obviating the necessity for nanoprobe labeling. Owing to the decent reducibility of Ti 3 C 2 QDs, Ag+ is adsorbed and reduced, resulting in the generation of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles (NPs), which simultaneously trigger colorimetric responses of the solution and enhance the fluorescent emission of Ti 3 C 2 QDs. The confluence of colorimetry and fluorometry within this strategy optimally harnesses the modulating role of the acquired Ag NPs on the reducing capability and fluorescence characteristics of Ti 3 C 2 QDs. The equilibrium imparts versatility and promising prospects to this analyte-triggered label-free method, which enables a remarkable specificity and an excellent detecting limit (0.45 μM) for Ag+. The balance between reducibility and fluorescence of Ti 3 C 2 QDs for dual-mode detection is inventively demonstrated. With the exemplification of a direct influence of both features of the nanoprobe via the introduction of analytes, this study opens the feasibility of the analyte-perturbed felicitous equilibrium, which endows label-free methods with versatility and promising prospects. This design may evoke more biosensing strategies with the function of double-signal mutual verification. [Display omitted] • Ti 3 C 2 QDs retain the reducibility of MXenes and exhibit unique fluorescence. • Ag + ions are reduced to Ag nanoparticles by Ti 3 C 2 QDs without extra reducers. • In situ generated Ag nanoparticles cause color changes and enhanced fluorescence. • The analyte throws the reductive and fluorescent functions of Ti 3 C 2 out of balance. • The confluence of colorimetry and fluorometry facilitates this label-free method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-level computational study of the experimentally unknown species NaBi+. • Well-determined low-lying Λ-S and Ω electronic states. • Determinations of spectroscopic constants. • Predictions of transition properties. • Analyses of the spin-orbit effect. We present a high-level ab initio investigation of the diatomic sodium bismuth (NaBi+), which is a hitherto experimentally unknown species. The explicitly correlated multireference configuration interaction method is used to calculate energy points of thirteen low-lying Λ-S electron states associated with five dissociation limits. Detailed information on structural features, electronic characters, and spectroscopic constants is acquired. Our calculated relative energies between each of the interested higher dissociation limits and the lowest one for NaBi+, as well as splittings of energy levels for Bi, agree well with experimental data. Besides, we have identified and discussed the transition properties of bands from excited Ω states to the ground one, including transition dipole moments, Einstein coefficients, Franck-Condon factors, vibrational branching ratios, and radiative lifetimes. The extent of perturbations originating from the spin-orbit coupling effect to the present species is quantified through discussions on term values of spin-orbit matrix elements, and the spin-orbit coupling effect is proved to have introduced a significant effect to the low-lying electronic states of NaBi+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the current research gap in the mechanical performance of Concrete Filled Steel Tubular (CFST) lattice columns, focusing on high-strength or ultra-high-strength materials. Tests were conducted on six Ultra-High-Strength Concrete (UHSC) filled steel tubular lattice short columns to investigate their axial compression performance. Experimental parameters included core concrete strength and steel tube wall thickness of the CFST limbs. Discussions covered failure modes, load–displacement curves of specimens, load–strain relationships of limb tubes and lacing tubes, and Poisson's ratios of limb tubes. Subsequently, Finite Element Model (FEM) was established using ABAQUS Software and verified by test results. The FEM was employed for further parameter analysis, including the steel tube wall thickness of the limb, the core concrete strength of the limb, the steel tube strength of the limb, and the center distance between the limbs. Finally, existing calculation methods for predicting the ultimate bearing capacity of UHSC-filled steel tubular lattice short columns were evaluated, leading to the proposal of a practical and accurate calculation method based on the findings. • Addressing the gap in the mechanical performance of CFST lattice columns using ultra-high-strength materials. • Revealing the axial compression mechanism of UHSC-filled steel tubular short columns through experiments. • Utilizing validated finite element models to conduct comprehensive parameter analysis. • Examining the calculation formula for determining the axial compression bearing capacity of this new lattice column. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family of fully sandwiched arachno‐lanthanacarborane complexes formulated as {η6‐[μ‐1,2‐[o‐C6H4(CH2)2]‐1,2‐C2B10H10]2Ln}{Li5(THF)10} (Ln=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y) is successfully synthesized, where the "carbons‐adjacent" carboranyl ligand (arachno‐R2‐C2B10H104−) bears four negative charges and coordinates to the central lanthanide ions using the hexagonal η6C2B4 face. Thus, the central lanthanide cations are pseudo‐twelve‐coordinate and have an approximate pseudo‐D6h symmetry or hexagonal‐prismatic geometry. As the crystal field effect imparted by this geometry is still unknown, we thoroughly investigated the magnetic properties of this series of complexes and found that the crystal field imposed by this ligand causes a relation of Tb>Dy>Ho>Er for the energy gaps between the ground and the first excited states, which is of striking resemblance to the ferrocenophane and phthalocyanine ligands although the latter two ligands give disparate local coordination geometries. Moreover, the effective energy barrier to magnetization reversal of 445(10) K, the observable hysteresis loop up to 4 K and the relaxation time of the yttrium‐diluted sample reaching 193(17) seconds at 2 K under an optimized field for the Tb analogue of this family of arachno‐lanthanacarborane complexes, render a new benchmark for Tb3+‐based single‐molecule magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family of fully sandwiched arachno‐lanthanacarborane complexes formulated as {η6‐[μ‐1,2‐[o‐C6H4(CH2)2]‐1,2‐C2B10H10]2Ln}{Li5(THF)10} (Ln=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y) is successfully synthesized, where the "carbons‐adjacent" carboranyl ligand (arachno‐R2‐C2B10H104−) bears four negative charges and coordinates to the central lanthanide ions using the hexagonal η6C2B4 face. Thus, the central lanthanide cations are pseudo‐twelve‐coordinate and have an approximate pseudo‐D6h symmetry or hexagonal‐prismatic geometry. As the crystal field effect imparted by this geometry is still unknown, we thoroughly investigated the magnetic properties of this series of complexes and found that the crystal field imposed by this ligand causes a relation of Tb>Dy>Ho>Er for the energy gaps between the ground and the first excited states, which is of striking resemblance to the ferrocenophane and phthalocyanine ligands although the latter two ligands give disparate local coordination geometries. Moreover, the effective energy barrier to magnetization reversal of 445(10) K, the observable hysteresis loop up to 4 K and the relaxation time of the yttrium‐diluted sample reaching 193(17) seconds at 2 K under an optimized field for the Tb analogue of this family of arachno‐lanthanacarborane complexes, render a new benchmark for Tb3+‐based single‐molecule magnets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A moving average (MA) is a commonly used noise reduction method in signal processing. Several studies on wheeze auscultation have used MA analysis for preprocessing. The present study compared the performance of MA analysis with that of differential operation (DO) by observing the produced spectrograms. These signal preprocessing methods are not only applicable to wheeze signals but also to signals produced by systems such as machines, cars, and flows. Accordingly, this comparison is relevant in various fields. The results revealed that DO increased the signal power intensity of episodes in the spectrograms by more than 10 dB in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A mathematical analysis of relevant equations demonstrated that DO could identify high-frequency episodes in an input signal. Compared with a two-dimensional Laplacian operation, the DO method is easier to implement and could be used in other studies on acoustic signal processing. DO achieved high performance not only in denoising but also in enhancing wheeze signal features. The spectrograms revealed episodes at the fourth or even fifth harmonics; thus, DO can identify high-frequency episodes. In conclusion, MA reduces noise and DO enhances episodes in the high-frequency range; combining these methods enables efficient signal preprocessing for spectrograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, stretchable inorganic electronic devices are rapidly developed, comprising emerging design strategies and fabrication techniques for assembling high‐performance electronic components in slight, soft, and flexible forms, with broad medical and industrial applications. Although reliable encapsulation plays an indispensable role in offering physical and chemical protection for flexible devices, there are relatively few studies on flexible encapsulation, and conventional encapsulation methods still suffer from low stretchability. Herein, a generic fluid microchannel encapsulation method is proposed, in which the device interconnects are wrapped by ultraminiaturized fluid microchannels, enabling free bucking during deformation to tremendously improve the device stretchability. Experimental analysis and finite element analysis demonstrate the substantial stretchability enhancement for the proposed method in contrast to the conventional method, which can increase by ≈100% for general 2D serpentine interconnects and ≈360% for fractal 2D serpentine interconnects. Additionally, a highly stretchable LED device serves as an example to demonstrate the utility of the proposed method for maintaining such an enormous stretchability improvement at the device level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many eigenvalue problems arising in practice are often of the generalized form Ax=λBx. One particularly important case is symmetric, namely A,B are Hermitian and B is positive definite. The standard algorithm for solving this class of eigenvalue problems is to reduce them to Hermitian eigenvalue problems. For a quantum computer, quantum phase estimation is a useful technique to solve Hermitian eigenvalue problems. In this work, we propose a new quantum algorithm for symmetric generalized eigenvalue problems using ordinary differential equations. The algorithm has lower complexity than the standard one based on quantum phase estimation. Moreover, it works for a wider case than symmetric: B is invertible, B−1A is diagonalizable and all the eigenvalues are real. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achalasia is a rare primary esophageal motility disorder disease. It is reported that the long-term effect of fully coated anti-reflux metal stent (FCARMS) implantation is satisfactory. Operated by a skilled and experienced endoscopist, the effect of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) treatment is equivalent to that of surgical myotomy. So far, there is still few evidence to prove FCARMS implantation or POEM which is better for achalasia. The choice of treatment for achalasia is still controversial. The aim of this study is to find a more suitable therapy for achalasia by comparing the efficacy of FCARMS implantation and POEM.Methods: A propensity score (PS) matching (1:2) was used in this retrospective cohort study. Data collected from consecutive patients of Achalasia, receiving FCARMS implantation or POEM therapy at the department of gastroenterology, the Seventh Medical Center of the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from May 2007 to May 2018. According to their previous treatment, they are divided into two groups, FCARMS group and POEM group. Clinical efficacy and complications were compared between the two groups.Results: A total of 166 cases were collected, including 113 cases of FCARMS and 53 cases of POEM. By PS matching, 150 patients were enrolled (100 cases of FCARMS and 50 cases of POEM). By comparison, the FCARMS group has shorter operation time, shorter fasting time and lower hospitalization costs than the POEM group (p < 0.05). Common complications in the FCARMS group are nausea, vomiting, and stent shift. Repetitions of gastroscopy in the FCARMS group was more often, which were 3.8 ± 2.4 (vs 2.1 ± 1.8 of POEM) (p = 0.00 < 0.05) The 6-month remission rates of the FCARMS combination POEM group were 89% and 94%, respectively (p = 0.39), and the 2-year remission rates were 61% and 90%, respectively (p = 0.00).Conclusions: Stent placement is a cost-effective and safe treatment option for achalasia. The short-term effect (less than 6 months) of FCARMS is similar to that of POEM, the long-term effect (more than 2 years), POEM is better than FCARMS. HRMIIis most suitable for POEM treatment. It indicate that Patients can choose treatment methods according to their own conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although vertebrates from low latitudes might be expected to have a higher tolerance to elevated UVR levels, Downie et al. found that even slight increases in UVR exposure levels are detrimental for various vertebrate species. Chlorofluorocarbons are widely used as refrigerants and propellants, but can reach the stratosphere where they catalyse the destruction of ozone molecules, leading to a depletion of stratospheric ozone (Molina & Rowland, [9]). Thus, many vertebrate species in tropical regions may already be at the limit of their capacity to manage and contend with UVR-associated molecular damage; they may have little scope to respond to further increases in UVR. [Extracted from the article]