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The dynamic interaction between phonons and dislocations in LiF has been studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations have captured the strong dynamic interactions between low-frequency slow transverse acoustic phonons and dislocations that were observed in experiments. Simulation results reveal that the strong dynamic interaction is attributed to resonant interactions between dislocations and slow transverse acoustic phonons. Each dislocation segment is found to possess a set of resonant modes characterized by large-amplitude out-of-phase vibrations of atoms on both sides of the dislocation slip plane. The resonant frequencies associated with these modes exhibit a nearly linear distribution with respect to the mode order. Contrary to previous beliefs, the resonant frequencies of dislocations exhibit only a weak correlation with the dislocation length. Additionally, each dislocation exhibits a dominant resonant mode that corresponds to the strongest vibration mode in response to phonons. This dominant resonant mode is not always the first resonant mode with the lowest frequency. Its specific order depends on the dislocation length. Simulation results have also demonstrated that the resonant modes of dislocations can be influenced by the interactions from neighboring dislocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a major pollutant that poses significant risks to sustainable human life. As a result, a growing focus has been placed on the development of highly selective and sensitive gas sensors for NO2. Traditional cutting-edge non-organic NO2 gas detectors often necessitate stringent production conditions and potentially harmful materials, which are not environmentally friendly, and these shortcomings have limited their widespread practical use. To overcome these challenges, we synthesized self-assembled peptide nanotubes (SPNTs) through a molecular self-assembly process. The SPNTs were then combined with SnO2 in varying proportions to construct NO2 gas sensors. The design of this sensor ensured efficient electron transfer and leverage the extensive surface area of the SPNTs for enhanced gas adsorption and the effective dispersion of SnO2 nanoparticles. Notably, the performance of the sensor, including its sensitivity, response time, and recovery rate, along with a lower detection threshold, could be finely tuned by varying the SPNTs content. This approach illustrated the potential of bioinspired methodologies, using peptide self-assemblies, to develop integrated sensors for pollutant detection, providing a significant development in environmentally conscious sensor technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intelligent appearance quality classification method for Auricularia auricula is of great significance to promote this industry. This paper proposes an appearance quality classification method for Auricularia auricula based on the improved Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (improved Faster RCNN) framework. The original Faster RCNN is improved by establishing a multiscale feature fusion detection model to improve the accuracy and real-time performance of the model. The multiscale feature fusion detection model makes full use of shallow feature information to complete target detection. It fuses shallow features with rich detailed information with deep features rich in strong semantic information. Since the fusion algorithm directly uses the existing information of the feature extraction network, there is no additional calculation. The fused features contain more original detailed feature information. Therefore, the improved Faster RCNN can improve the final detection rate without sacrificing speed. By comparing with the original Faster RCNN model, the mean average precision (mAP) of the improved Faster RCNN is increased by 2.13%. The average precision (AP) of the first-level Auricularia auricula is almost unchanged at a high level. The AP of the second-level Auricularia auricula is increased by nearly 5%. And the third-level Auricularia auricula AP is increased by 1%. The improved Faster RCNN improves the frames per second from 6.81 of the original Faster RCNN to 13.5. Meanwhile, the influence of complex environment and image resolution on the Auricularia auricula detection is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although suicide is a major public health problem, little research has addressed factors linked to suicide risk in U.S. Asian ethnic subgroups, including the U.S. Chinese population. In this study, we investigate the relationship between racial discrimination and suicidal ideation among Chinese immigrants in the U.S., as well as the mediating and moderating role of coping. Method: This is a secondary analysis of online survey data from 501 Chinese immigrants in the U.S. Perceived racial discrimination and problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping were measured. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted to determine whether the three types of coping served as mediators or moderators between racism and suicidal ideation. Results: Chinese immigrants who perceived racial discrimination were more likely to engage in suicidal ideation (OR = 1.38, 95% CI [1.05, 1.81]). Greater use of problem-focused coping was associated with decreased risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 0.38, 95% CI [0.26, 0.54]). The interaction of racial discrimination and problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping did not significantly predict suicidal ideation (p >.05), but the mediating effects of emotion-focused and avoidant coping were significant. Conclusions: Greater attention should be paid to the detrimental effects of racial discrimination on suicidal ideation among Chinese immigrants. A focus on strengthening problem-focused coping and reducing emotion-focused and avoidant coping among Chinese immigrants should lead to effective suicide prevention strategies. Public Significance Statement: This study shows the heightened rate of suicidal ideation among Chinese immigrants and underscores the role of racial discrimination as a risk factor for suicidal ideation. The study also suggests that an effort to reframe one's coping strategies is a worthwhile endeavor in the attempt to reduce suicidal ideation. Further, it is crucial to create a social atmosphere of inclusion and diversity that does not tolerate potentially discriminatory policies and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) presents significant diagnostic challenges in its early and late stages. This study aims to utilize preoperative MRI and biochemical indicators of OSCC patients to predict the stage of tumors. Methods: This study involved 198 patients from two medical centers. A detailed analysis of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (ceT1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) MRI were conducted, integrating these with biochemical indicators for a comprehensive evaluation. Initially, 42 clinical biochemical indicators were selected for consideration. Through univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, only those indicators with p-values less than 0.05 were retained for model development. To extract imaging features, machine learning algorithms in conjunction with Vision Transformer (ViT) techniques were utilized. These features were integrated with biochemical indicators for predictive modeling. The performance of model was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: After rigorously screening biochemical indicators, four key markers were selected for the model: cholesterol, triglyceride, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and chloride. The model, developed using radiomics and deep learning for feature extraction from ceT1W and T2W images, showed a lower Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.85 in the validation cohort when using these imaging modalities alone. However, integrating these biochemical indicators improved the model’s performance, increasing the validation cohort AUC to 0.87. Conclusion: In this study, the performance of the model significantly improved following multimodal fusion, outperforming the single-modality approach. Clinical relevance statement: This integration of radiomics, ViT models, and lipid metabolite analysis, presents a promising non-invasive technique for predicting the staging of OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes how to raise the TEM cells' operating bandwidth and lower their VSWR. A multi-stage curved-edge transition structure for minimizing VSWR and a magnetic loss mechanism for extending the operating bandwidth are proposed by evaluating the workings and constraints of TEM cells. A hybrid simulation strategy based on the particle swarm algorithm and 3D electromagnetic simulation (EM) software is suggested in order to identify the optimal quickly. In the 3D EM simulation software, the TEM cell's 3D model is created, the VSWR and return loss were solved for. It is possible to raise the operational bandwidth from 0–2 GHz to 0–5 GHz. At 0-3 GHz, measurement and simulation results are practically equal. At 3-4.5 GHz, measurement results differ somewhat from simulation results. At 4.5-5 GHz, measurement results greatly diverge from simulation results, and the parameters no longer fulfill standard criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of grandparental care with no parents at present on children's efforts, using the data from China Family Panel Studies from 2010 to 2018. In order to avoid the endogeneity of family childcare decisions, we use two instrumental variables (IVs): community caregiving rate (IVI) and whether the parent is born before 1978 (IVII). We find that grandparental care significantly reduces children's efforts, and the finding remains robust. The negative marginal effect of this care pattern is more pronounced in rural and middle school children. Compared with parental care, grandparental care has increased the parental fertility intentions and decreased parental involvement and supervision investment to children, which leads them to be more likely to spend time on recreational and non-academic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediabetes is a heterogenous metabolic state with various risks for development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, we used genetic data on 7,227 US Hispanic/Latino participants without diabetes from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and 400,149 non-Hispanic White participants without diabetes from the UK Biobank (UKBB) to calculate five partitioned polygenetic risk scores (pPRSs) representing various pathways related to T2D. Consensus clustering was performed in participants with prediabetes in HCHS/SOL (n = 3,677) and UKBB (n = 16,284) separately based on these pPRSs. Six clusters of individuals with prediabetes with distinctive patterns of pPRSs and corresponding metabolic traits were identified in the HCHS/SOL, five of which were confirmed in the UKBB. Although baseline glycemic traits were similar across clusters, individuals in cluster 5 and cluster 6 showed an elevated risk of T2D during follow-up compared with cluster 1 (risk ratios [RRs] 1.29 [95% CI 1.08, 1.53] and 1.34 [1.13, 1.60], respectively). Inverse associations between a healthy lifestyle score and risk of T2D were observed across different clusters, with a suggestively stronger association observed in cluster 5 compared with cluster 1. Among individuals with a healthy lifestyle, those in cluster 5 had a similar risk of T2D compared with those in cluster 1 (RR 1.03 [0.91, 1.18]). This study identified genetic subtypes of prediabetes that differed in risk of progression to T2D and in benefits from a healthy lifestyle. Article Highlights: Individuals with prediabetes differ in risk of progression to type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aims to cluster individuals with prediabetes based on five partitioned polygenetic risk scores and to examine risk of T2D across clusters. Six subtypes of prediabetes were identified with distinctive patterns of genetic scores and corresponding metabolic traits, and two subtypes showed relatively high risk of T2D. This study provides insights into the use of genetic information to further stratify disease risk for early prevention and intervention among people with high T2D risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequent occurrence of thermal runaway accidents of lithium-ion batteries has seriously hindered their large-scale application in new energy vehicles and energy storage power plants. Careful analysis of lithium-ion batteries can essentially determine the cause of the accident and then reduce the likelihood of lithium-ion battery thermal runaway accidents. However, there are few current studies on lithium-ion battery accident investigation, and the destruction of traces due to the violent reaction of the battery's thermal runaway increases the difficulty of battery accident investigation. The thermal runaway accident scenarios of lithium-ion batteries with different states of charge will show different regular characteristics of the thermal runaway properties and trace characteristics of lithium-ion batteries. Establishing the relationship between the thermal runaway characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, the trace law and the state of charge can effectively improve the technology of in-depth battery accident investigation. This study investigated the thermal runaway and trace characteristics of lithium-ion batteries triggered by nail penetrating at different states of charge using 8 Ah soft pack lithium iron phosphate batteries as the research object. The results show that lithium iron phosphate Li-ion batteries do not trigger thermal runaway under nail penetrating conditions when the state of charge is less than 20%, with no obvious phenomena and slight changes in the voltage and surface temperature of the battery, with the temperature only rising by 5 ℃. Both the 60% and 100% SOC LiFePO4 batteries underwent thermal runaway within a few seconds after the needle puncture and produced a large amount of white smoke, with the voltage rapidly dropping to 0 V and the maximum temperature on the front of the battery reached 93 ℃ and 125 ℃, respectively, and the rate of temperature rise was significantly higher in the latter than in the former, with both reaching temperatures above 200 ℃ at the penetration point and higher than at the entry point, while the 100% SOC battery showed electrical sparks and more smoke after the puncture due to a more violent internal short-circuit. The state of charge affects the cracks and particle spacing on the surface of the anode electrode and the smoothness of the surface. The results of this paper provide ideas for qualitative and quantitative analysis of lithium-ion battery accident causation, which can provide guidance for effectively improving the ability to investigate lithium-ion battery accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] To cope with the demand of more complex and variable applications, it is urgent to develop dual-mode triggered, breathable, and shape-memory wearable heaters for all-weather personal thermal management of composite phase change materials (PCMs). Herein, after high-temperature carbonization of ZnCo-MOF (metal–organic framework) nanosheet array grown in situ on flexible and breathable carbon cloth (CC) and subsequent encapsulation of polyethylene glycol (PEG), the as-prepared PEG/CC@Co/CNT (carbon nanotube) composite PCMs exhibited good breathability, mechanical strength (tensile strength of 9.15 MPa), thermal energy storage density (114.19 J/g), and shape memory due to the synergy of flexible CC skeleton and rigid PEG. More importantly, composite PCMs possessed excellent solar-thermal (93.7 %, 100 mW/cm2) and electro-thermals (94.5 %, 2.0 V) conversion and storage capacity, benefiting from the conjugation effect of high graphitized carbon/carbon heterostructure with fast electron/photon/phonon transmission and the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Co nanoparticles. Therefore, the integration of solar heating and Joule heating into breathable composite PCMs can be accurately used for next-generation all-weather, all-season, dual-mode triggered personal thermal management, including indoor/outdoor, daytime/night, rainy/cloudy and other complex and changeable scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the ship navigation safety, it is necessary to detect the targets in the background of sea clutter around the ship. The most commonly used target detection equipments for ship navigation are marine radar and automatic identification system (AIS) device. However, marine radar echoes are often mixed with multiple clutter, and weak targets are not always equipped with AIS device, neither provides AIS information with low accuracy, leading to difficulty with target detection. Moreover, existing marine monitoring systems are accustomed to using the traditional information fusion methods for target detection, and the accuracy of identifying the weak targets is relatively low. To make full use of radar echo and AIS information and improve the accuracy of target detection, a Marine radar monitoring Internet of Things system is proposed, in which marine radars work in both scanning and staring modes. By adopting image segmentation and deep learning methods, the proposed design can enable accurate perception of weak target detection based on plan‐position indicator (PPI) images. A case study based on the selected X‐band radar datasets shows that the proposed design can achieve high target identification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the event‐triggered control issue for two‐dimensional (2‐D) discrete‐time switched systems represented by both the Fornasini‐Marchesini local state‐space model and the Roesser model. The presence of 2‐D properties poses several challenges in selecting states for transport. Unlike existing event‐triggered generators, this article leverages the unique characteristics of 2‐D switched systems by dividing the system state into “horizontal” and “vertical” states. The segmented state is then transmitted at “necessary” two‐dimensional moments to minimize the amount of transmitted data. Furthermore, a state feedback controller, consisting of transferred horizontal and vertical states, is designed corresponding to the event‐triggered generator. By introducing average dwell time with the switching Lyapunov functional method, sufficient stabilization conditions are derived for the considered system. Finally, the proposed approach's effectiveness and improvement are illustrated by an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis represents a sustainable strategy for addressing energy shortages and global warming. The main challenges in the photocatalytic process include limited light absorption, rapid recombination of photo-induced carriers, and poor surface catalytic activity for reactant molecules. Defect engineering in photocatalysts has been proven to be an efficient approach for improving solar-to-chemical energy conversion. Sulfur vacancies can adjust the electron structure, act as electron reservoirs, and provide abundant adsorption and activate sites, leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity. In this work, we aim to elucidate the role of sulfur vacancies in photocatalytic reactions and provide valuable insights for engineering high-efficiency photocatalysts with abundant sulfur vacancies in the future. First, we delve into the fundamental understanding of photocatalysis. Subsequently, various strategies for fabricating sulfur vacancies in photocatalysts are summarized, along with the corresponding characterization techniques. More importantly, the enhanced photocatalytic mechanism, focusing on three key factors, including electron structure, charge transfer, and the surface catalytic reaction, is discussed in detail. Finally, the future opportunities and challenges in sulfur vacancy engineering for photocatalysis are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toroidal vortices, or vortex rings, are torus‐shaped vortices observed in various fluid systems. Recently, optical toroidal vortices, novel solutions to Maxwell's equations, have been experimentally observed (Nat. Photonics, 2022, 16, 519). Thus, their nanoplasmonic counterparts, namely plasmonic toroidal vortices, are highly anticipated. This study aims to elucidate the generation and manifestation of plasmonic toroidal vortices. To achieve this, a technique involving the illumination of a gold nanotorus with a radially‐polarized beam is employed. Notably, the plasmonic toroidal vortices exhibit a distinct photon flow trajectory along the minor radius of a nanotorus. This work presents an advancement in toroidal vortices within the plasmonic regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depot‐type drug delivery systems are designed to deliver drugs at an effective rate over an extended period. Minimizing initial “burst” can also be important, especially with drugs causing systemic toxicity. Both goals are challenging with small hydrophilic molecules. The delivery of molecules such as the ultrapotent local anesthetic tetrodotoxin (TTX) exemplifies both challenges. Toxicity can be mitigated by conjugating TTX to polymers with ester bonds, but the slow ester hydrolysis can result in subtherapeutic TTX release. Here, we developed a prodrug strategy, based on dynamic covalent chemistry utilizing a reversible reaction between the diol TTX and phenylboronic acids. These polymeric prodrugs exhibited TTX encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 90 % and the resulting polymeric nanoparticles showed a range of TTX release rates. In vivo injection of the TTX polymeric prodrugs at the sciatic nerve reduced TTX systemic toxicity and produced nerve block lasting 9.7±2.0 h, in comparison to 1.6±0.6 h from free TTX. This approach could also be used to co‐deliver the diol dexamethasone, which prolonged nerve block to 21.8±5.1 h. This work emphasized the usefulness of dynamic covalent chemistry for depot‐type drug delivery systems with slow and effective drug release kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic particle reinforced medium entropy alloys (MEAs) coatings have attracted considerable attention because of their excellent hardness and wear resistance. In this study, (CoCrNi) 94 Al 3 Ti 3 MEA coating and (CoCrNi) 94 Al 3 Ti 3 -cBN MEA composite coating were prepared by high-speed laser cladding. The phase constituents, microstructure，hardness and wear mechanisms of the two coatings were investigated using XRD, Raman spectra, SEM, EDS, and TEM. Results show that (CoCrNi) 94 Al 3 Ti 3 comprises only simple FCC phase because of the high-entropy effect. However, the addition of cBN transforms the phase from FCC to FCC + BCC, but also generates micron-scale TiN and CoCr, as well as nanoscale TiN and CrB. In addition, part of the cBN is converted to hBN with lubricating effect under high energy laser. As for the properties, compared with (CoCrNi) 94 Al 3 Ti 3 coating, (CoCrNi) 94 Al 3 Ti 3 -cBN coating exhibits increased hardness by 2.2 times, increased wear resistance by 5.6 times, and decreased friction coefficient from 0.58 to 0.47. It is expected that this research will provide research ideas for the preparation coating of friction reduction and wear resistance performances on titanium alloy surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by antibody‐mediated platelet destruction and impaired platelet production. The mechanisms underlying ITP and biomarkers predicting the response of drug treatments are elusive. We performed a metabolomic profiling of bone marrow biopsy samples collected from ITP patients admission in a prospective study of the National Longitudinal Cohort of Hematological Diseases. Machine learning algorithms were conducted to discover novel biomarkers to predict ITP patient treatment responses. From the bone marrow biopsies of 91 ITP patients, we quantified a total of 4494 metabolites, including 1456 metabolites in the positive mode and 3038 metabolites in the negative mode. Metabolic patterns varied significantly between groups of newly diagnosed and chronic ITP, with a total of 876 differential metabolites involved in 181 unique metabolic pathways. Enrichment factors and p‐values revealed the top metabolically enriched pathways to be sphingolipid metabolism, the sphingolipid signalling pathway, ubiquinone and other terpenoid–quinone biosynthesis, thiamine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and cofactors biosynthesis, the phospholipase D signalling pathway and the phosphatidylinositol signalling system. Based on patient responses to five treatment options, we screened several metabolites using the Boruta algorithm and ranked their importance using the random forest algorithm. Lipids and their metabolism, including long‐chain fatty acids, oxidized lipids, glycerophospholipids, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis, helped differentiate drug treatment responses. In conclusion, this study revealed metabolic alterations associated with ITP in bone marrow supernatants and a potential biomarker predicting the response to ITP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that scutellarin inhibits the excessive activation of microglia, reduces neuronal apoptosis, and exerts neuroprotective effects. However, whether scutellarin regulates activated microglia-mediated neuronal apoptosis and its mechanisms remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether scutellarin can attenuate PC12 cell apoptosis induced by activated microglia via the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. Microglia were cultured in oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) medium, which acted as a conditioning medium (CM) to activate PC12 cells, to investigate the expression of apoptosis and JAK2/STAT3 signalling-related proteins. We observed that PC12 cells apoptosis in CM was significantly increased, the expression and fluorescence intensity of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and apoptosis-related protein cleaved caspase-3 were increased, and expression of the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) was decreased. Phosphorylation levels and fluorescence intensity of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway-related proteins JAK2 and STAT3 decreased. After treatment with scutellarin, PC12 cells apoptosis as well as cleaved caspase-3 and Bax protein expression and fluorescence intensity decreased. The expression and fluorescence intensity of Bcl-2, phosphorylated JAK2, and STAT3 increased. AG490, a specific inhibitor of the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway, was used. Our findings suggest that AG490 attenuates the effects of scutellarin. Our study revealed that scutellarin inhibited OGD-activated microglia-mediated PC12 cells apoptosis which was regulated via the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrity of the plasma membrane is critical to cell function and survival. Cells have developed multiple mechanisms to repair damaged plasma membranes. A key process during plasma membrane repair is to limit the size of the damage, which is facilitated by the presence of tetraspanin-enriched rings surrounding damage sites. Here, we identify phosphatidylserineenriched rings surrounding damaged sites of the plasma membrane, resembling tetraspanin-enriched rings. Importantly, the formation of both the phosphatidylserine- and tetraspanin-enriched rings requires phosphatidylserine and its transfer proteins ORP5 and ORP9. Interestingly, ORP9, but not ORP5, is recruited to the damage sites, suggesting cells acquire phosphatidylserine from multiple sources upon plasma membrane damage. We further demonstrate that ORP9 contributes to efficient plasma membrane repair. Our results thus unveil a role for phosphatidylserine and its transfer proteins in facilitating the formation of tetraspanin-enriched macrodomains and plasma membrane repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we construct a new order 2.0 simplified weak Itô–Taylor symmetrical scheme for stochastic delay differential equations. By the new local weak convergence lemma and the connection inequality, we theoretically prove the global weak convergence theorem in two parts on the basis of Malliavin stochastic analysis. Meanwhile, numerical examples are presented to illustrate the error and convergence results. Furthermore, the obtained results display the influence of the delay coefficient on global errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of rubber powder from tire recovery on the dynamic loading performance of CPB. Finally, it is concluded that using recycled rubber material to backfill mine paste is helpful in reducing waste tire pollution and improving the impact resistance of the backfill body. The dynamic compressive strength, Dynamic Increase Factor (DIF), peak dynamic load strain, and dynamic load elastic modulus of the samples composed of slag, Portland cement, wastewater, and rubber powder were determined. Through the analysis of the experimental data, it can be seen that the recycled rubber reduces the dynamic compressive strength and DIF of the specimen but increases the peak dynamic load strain and dynamic load elastic modulus and other characteristics, and enhances the ability of the filled body to absorb elastic strain energy. The results show that recycled rubber can increase the deformation ability of the filler and improve the impact resistance of the filler. The results of this study provide valuable information and industrial applications for the effective management of solid waste based on sustainable development and the circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the experimental results of the vibration response of a hybrid riser conveying severe slugging. The hybrid riser comprises a vertical rigid riser made of a transparent acrylic tube and a flexible jumper made of a transparent silica gel tube with a length to internal diameter ratio of 261. The horizontal span and vertical height of the flexible jumper are 83.5 and 45 cm, respectively. The flow-induced vibration tests were carried out in the liquid superficial velocity range of Vsl = 0.098–0.688 m/s and the gas superficial velocity range of Vsg = 0.177–0.649 m/s using non-intrusive optical measurement with high-speed cameras. Five flow regimes are observed, including the severe slugging I (SSI), severe slugging II (SSII), severe slugging III (SSIII), stable flow (ST), and oscillation flow regimes. The vibration response of the flexible jumper is related to the flow regime. As the flow regime changes from SSI to SSII, the absence of the slug production stage results in an augmented amplitude. In contrast, the response amplitude is significantly reduced when the flow regime shifts to ST. For the SSI regime, the response amplitude varies over the stage, and the occurrence of multiple frequencies is associated with the pressure fluctuation as well as the different duration of stages. The maximum amplitude is observed in the liquid fallback stage in spite of the limited duration, and the vibration frequency is close to the fundamental natural one. The liquid slugs of different lengths passing through the jumper at different velocities contribute to the presence of the traveling wave characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the spatial temporal distribution characteristics of Illex argentinus caught by trawl fishing vessels in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and their relationship with key marine environmental factors, this study analyzed the temporal and spatial changes in the fishing ground center of trawl vessels at the ten-day scale from December 2019 to May 2022, combining Chinese trawl fishing log data marine environmental data with satellite remote sensing marine environmental data. Utilizing the Maxent model, ten-day intervals were used as the temporal scale, and ten marine environmental factors, including sea surface temperature, sea surface height, sea surface salinity, chlorophyll concentration, temperature at 50 m and 100 m depth, and the meridional and zonal velocities of ocean currents were quantitatively analyzed to explore the correlation between the spatial distribution of catch and environmental factors. The study reveals that the trawl fishing grounds for Illex argentinus are divided into southern and northern grounds. The southern grounds first appear near 45°20′ S in December, gradually moving southeastward in February and March. The northern grounds do not appear until April, near 42° S in the high seas. On the ten-day time scale, the central fishing grounds of Illex argentinus show significant spatial variability but minor interannual differences. The Maxent model results indicate that sea surface temperature and chlorophyll a concentration are the key environmental factors influencing the spatial and temporal variability of the high seas trawl fishing grounds for most of the time, with high environmental contribution rates during the fishing season. While the range of suitable habitats with an HSI > 0.6 identified by the Maxent model varies significantly between years, a pattern is observed where the range expands at the start and end of the fishing season and contracts during the peak fishing season. This suggests that a more concentrated range of suitable habitats is conducive to accurate predictions of trawl fishing grounds, enabling efficient fishing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plants exert significant ecological impacts on native plants, communities, and ecosystems. However, consistent conclusions regarding how traits of invasive plants, native plants, and their divergences affect invasion dynamics are still lacking. Here, we conducted a pairwise common garden experiment to investigate how invasion was influenced not only by invasive plants but also by native plants, aiming to elucidate the role of invasive‐plant traits, native‐plant traits, and their divergences in invasion processes. Our findings revealed variations in invasive stage depending on the combinations of invasive and native plants. Specifically, native plants such as A. argyi, A. lavandulifolia, and C. album exhibited competitive superiority when co‐occurring with the three invasive plants. S. viridis, A. vestita, and A. annua had competitive superiority when they co‐occurred with E. canadensis, G. quadriradiata, and E. annuus respectively. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the competitive abilities of invasive plants were primarily influenced by factors such as height, diameter, and biomass allocation, while native plants' competitive abilities were mainly affected by diameter, biomass allocation, and function group differences. Moreover, our analysis revealed that invasive‐plant traits, native‐plant traits, their divergences, and their interactions together explained 36.88% of the variation in invasion dynamics, with invasive‐plant traits and the native‐plant traits explaining 10.19% and 6.88%, respectively. In conclusion, the traits of invasive and native plants, along with their divergences, significantly influence interspecific relationships, and influencing the invasive stages. Divergences in competitive strategies between the native plants and invasive plants facilitated invasion processes. Our study not only contributes to understanding the mechanisms underlying invasion, but also provides a scientific foundation for predicting and managing the negative effects of invasive plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of florfenicol on soil microbial community structure and diversity, an indoor florfenicol exposure model was established. Soil samples were collected at different concentrations of florfenicol (0, 0.05, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg) on days 0, 7, 30, and 60. High-throughput sequencing was employed to examine the changes in soil microbial community structure, diversity, and abundance. The analysis revealed a total of 31874 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the soil samples, averaging 9524 OTUs per sample. The number of soil microbial community OTUs declined with increasing florfenicol concentration. The microbial species richness and diversity showed a decreasing trend at day 7, while the treatment group with 50 mg/kg florfenicol at 60 days exhibited the lowest richness index. Examination of the soil microbial community structure identified 50 phyla and 1303 genera. At the phylum level, the abundance of Actinobacteria and Bacteroides decreased with increasing florfenicol concentration. Similarly, at the genus level, some of the dominant genera displayed a decline in abundance with the rise of florfenicol concentration. Cluster analysis demonstrated significant temporal and concentration variability. The results indicate differences in the composition, diversity, dominance, abundance, and evenness of soil bacterial communities among different groups. Florfenicol has a significant negative impact on the structure and diversity of soil microbial communities. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for the rational use of florfenicol in livestock farming to maintain a healthy and stable soil microecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a multifaceted concept influenced by individual characteristics, social support, psychological factors. This study aims to identify distinct FCR profiles among breast cancer patients and explore the associated variables with these patterns. Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to March 2023. Methods: A convenience sample of 339 patients completed a questionnaire that assessed general and disease‐related data, including the Fear of Progression Questionnaire‐Short Form, Social Support Rating Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire. Statistical analysis involved latent profile analysis (LPA) and multinomial logistic regression. Results: Three latent patterns of FCR were found: the low fear (28.9%), the moderate fear (51.3%), and the high fear (18.0%). The study identified the social support, family monthly income, employment status, utilization of confrontation coping mode and avoidance coping mode, as factors that impacted the FCR. Conclusions: Social support, family monthly income, employment status, and medical coping modes have been found to impact the FCR among newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Healthcare professionals should focus on addressing FCR at diagnosis and implement effective interventions, such as promoting social support and encouraging adaptive coping, to alleviate this concern. Impact: Urgently addressing the FCR in Chinese breast cancer patients is imperative due to its profound influence on their holistic health. Through advanced LPA, we categorized the FCR progression, highlighting risks. These findings have implications for healthcare strategies, offering new insights to manage the FCR and improve patient well‐being. Our study adds a fresh perspective to the factors underlying the FCR in breast cancer patients, contributing to the broader comprehension and management of this complex survivorship issue. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diguo (Ficus tikoua Bur.), an ancient wild fruit, is widely spread in southwest China. However, there is little information on the phenotypic traits, quality characteristics, and aroma compounds available to diguo fruit. The present study is an investigation into the effects of geographical origin on the phenotypic traits and quality characteristics of wild diguo fruit collected from southwest China. The volatile compounds in the mixed fruit samples were also investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Our results indicated that significant variation existed among the sampling materials in all the phenotypic parameters. Fruit fresh weight ranged between 2.06 and 4.59 g. Moreover, significant variation existed among the selected materials in all macronutrients (dry matter, total soluble solids, crude protein, crude fat, and ash) and some nutritional parameters (glutamate, arginine, total soluble solids, maltose, and mannose, etc.). Regardless of their geographical origin, diguo fruit is relatively low in fat and fructose and high in fiber and glutamate. A total of 95 volatile constituents were identified in the frozen diguo fruit. In conclusion, diguo fruit with rich nutritional attributes has a promising future for commercial‐scale production. The variability of the observed morphological and nutritional features of diguo fruit provides important characteristics for improving the breeding of diguo as a modern fruit crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two pre‐registered studies examined people's psychological collectivism, personal control, and attitudes toward disease‐control measures in the context of the COVID‐19 crisis and more generalized contexts. Study 1 surveyed 819 residents in Shanghai in late May 2022 when they were undergoing a stringent city‐wide lockdown caused by an outbreak of the Omicron variant. We found that participants' psychological collectivism attenuated the negative association between experiences of COVID‐19 restrictions and personal control and enhanced the positive association between personal control and support for COVID‐19 restrictions. Study 2 (N = 403) recruited an online sample with diverse backgrounds and demographic characteristics and sought to extend the findings of Study 1 beyond the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Participants were exposed to a series of hypothetical scenarios depicting a fictitious virus with varying fatality and transmissibility. As in Study 1, participants higher in psychological collectivism exhibited a stronger positive association between personal control and endorsement of stricter societal disease‐control measures, but only in low‐fatality, high‐transmissibility situations. The implications of these findings for facilitating public support for disease‐control efforts are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) can do inference with low power consumption due to their spike sparsity. Although SNNs can be combined with neuromorphic hardware to achieve efficient inference, they are often difficult to train directly due to discrete non-differentiable spikes. As an alternative, ANN-SNN conversion is an efficient way to achieve deep SNNs by converting well-trained artificial neural networks (ANNs). However, the existing methods commonly use constant threshold for conversion. A high constant threshold value prevents neurons from rapidly delivering spikes to deeper layers and causes high time delay. In addition, the same response for different inputs may result in information loss during the information transmission. Inspired by the biological adaptive threshold mechanism, we propose a multistage adaptive threshold (MSAT) method to alleviate this problem. Instead of using a single, constant value, the threshold is adjusted in multistages, adapting to each neuron's firing history and input properties. Specifically, for each neuron, the dynamic threshold is positively correlated with the average membrane potential and negatively correlated with the rate of depolarization. The adaptation to membrane potential and input allows a timely adjustment of the threshold to fire spikes faster and transmit more information. Moreover, we analyze the spikes of inactivated neurons error, which is pervasive in early time steps. We also propose spike confidence accordingly to measure confidence about the neurons that correctly deliver spikes. Such spike confidence in early time steps is used to determine whether to elicit the spike to alleviate the spikes of inactivated neurons error. Combined with the proposed methods, we examine the performance on CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100, and ImageNet datasets. We also conduct sentiment classification and speech recognition experiments on the IDBM and Google speech commands datasets, respectively. Experiments show that our methods can achieve near-lossless and lower latency ANN-SNN conversion. In summary, we build a biologically inspired multistage adaptive threshold for converted SNN, with comparable performance to state-of-the-art methods while improving energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic piezochromic materials that manifest pressure‐stimuli‐responses are important in various fields such as data storage and anticounterfeiting. The manipulation of piezofluorochromic behaviors for these materials is promising but remains a great challenge. Herein, a non‐luminous components regulated strategy is developed and organic molecular cages (OMCs), a burgeoning class of crystalline organic materials with structural dynamics, are first explored for the design of piezofluorochromic materials with tunable luminescence. A series of OMCs based on aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) chromophores, termed Cage 1–3, are synthesized and their piezofluorochromic behaviors are investigated by diamond anvil cell technique. Due to the sufficient voids between its flexible chromophores offered by the OMC structure, Cage 1 exhibits thermofluorochromic and piezofluorochromic properties. Moreover, the piezofluorochromic performance of this OMC could be further promoted by replacing its non‐luminous components with improved flexibilities, and a remarkable luminescence peak shift by 150 nm together with a response sensitivity of 13.8 nm GPa−1 was achieved upon hydrostatic compression. The cage structure plays a vital role in facilitating efficient and reversible piezofluorochromic behaviors. This study has shed light on the rational design and exploitation of OMCs as an exceptional platform to accomplish customizable piezofluorochromic behaviors and enlarge their potential applications in pressure‐based luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation processes of watermelon seed are often affected by issues such as empty shells and defects, resulting in significant losses. To obtain high‐quality seeds, the terahertz imaging technology combined with image smoothing and enhancement algorithm was proposed to reduce the noise and non‐obvious features caused by the influence in the imaging process and realize the non‐destructive, efficient, and accurate detection of the internal quality of watermelon seeds. Initially, a terahertz imaging system with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm was used to acquire images of watermelon seeds with varying levels of fullness. Subsequently, denoising techniques, including Gaussian filtering, median filtering, bilateral filtering, discrete wavelet transformation denoising, wavelet denoising, and principal component analysis denoising, were used to handle the terahertz spectral images of watermelon seeds in the frequency range of 1–1.5 THz, respectively. Image enhancement operations, involving segmented linear gray‐level transformation and fractional‐order differentiation, were performed on the terahertz images of watermelon seeds after denoising. The optimal image processing approach was determined based on defect assessment through threshold segmentation. Finally, the validation was conducted at a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm. The images at a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm were subjected to wavelet denoising and window slicing in segmented linear gray‐level transformation (WS‐SLT) enhancement; the results exhibited the following improvements in defect accuracy compared with untreated THz images. A 7.74% increase in accuracy was observed for empty seeds, along with a 6.29% increase in the defect ratio for defective seeds 1. The defect ratio for intact seeds was 0, and there was no significant difference in defect ratio accuracy for defective seeds 2. At a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm, the average defect ratio error of THz imaging handled by wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT was approximately 5.04%. In conclusion, the terahertz imaging technology coupled with wavelet denoising and WS‐SLT methods can be used to enhance the accuracy of internal defect detection in watermelon seeds, and it provides a technical foundation and reference for assessing watermelon seed fullness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic piezochromic materials that manifest pressure‐stimuli‐responses are important in various fields such as data storage and anticounterfeiting. The manipulation of piezofluorochromic behaviors for these materials is promising but remains a great challenge. Herein, a non‐luminous components regulated strategy is developed and organic molecular cages (OMCs), a burgeoning class of crystalline organic materials with structural dynamics, are first explored for the design of piezofluorochromic materials with tunable luminescence. A series of OMCs based on aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) chromophores, termed Cage 1–3, are synthesized and their piezofluorochromic behaviors are investigated by diamond anvil cell technique. Due to the sufficient voids between its flexible chromophores offered by the OMC structure, Cage 1 exhibits thermofluorochromic and piezofluorochromic properties. Moreover, the piezofluorochromic performance of this OMC could be further promoted by replacing its non‐luminous components with improved flexibilities, and a remarkable luminescence peak shift by 150 nm together with a response sensitivity of 13.8 nm GPa−1 was achieved upon hydrostatic compression. The cage structure plays a vital role in facilitating efficient and reversible piezofluorochromic behaviors. This study has shed light on the rational design and exploitation of OMCs as an exceptional platform to accomplish customizable piezofluorochromic behaviors and enlarge their potential applications in pressure‐based luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since RNA is an important biomarker of many infectious pathogens, RNA detection of pathogenic organisms is crucial for disease diagnosis and environmental and food safety. By simulating the base mismatch during DNA replication, this study presents a novel three-way junction structure-mediated reverse transcription-free exponential amplification reaction (3WJ-RTF-EXPAR) for the rapid and sensitive detection of pathogen RNA. The target RNA served as a switch to initiate the reaction by forming a three-way junction (3WJ) structure with the ex-trigger strand and the ex-primer strand. The generated trigger strand could be significantly amplified through EXPAR to open the stem-loop structure of the molecular beacon to emit fluorescence signal. The proofreading activity of Vent DNA polymerase, in combination with the unique structure of 2+1 bases at the 3′-end of the ex-primer strand, could enhance the role of target RNA as a reaction switch to reduce non-specific amplification and ensure excellent specificity to differentiate target pathogen from those causing similar symptoms. Furthermore, detection of target RNA showed a detection limit of 1.0×104 copies/mL, while the time consumption was only 20 min, outperforming qRT-LAMP and qRT-PCR, the most commonly used RNA detection methods in clinical practice. All those indicates the great application prospects of this method in clinical diagnostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our center has observed a substantial increase in the detection rate of fetal left–right(LR) asymmetry disorders between March and May 2023. This finding has raised concerns because these pregnant women experienced the peak outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in China during their first trimester. To explore the relationship between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection and fetal LR asymmetry disorders. A retrospective collection of clinical and ultrasound data diagnosed as fetal LR asymmetry disorders was conducted from January 2018 to December 2023. The case–control study involved fetuses with LR asymmetry disorders and normal fetuses in a 1:1 ratio. We evaluated and compared the clinical and fetal ultrasound findings in pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection and pregnant women without infection. The Student t-test was utilized to compare continuous variables, while the chi-squared test was employed for univariable analyses. The incidence rate of LR asymmetry disorders from 2018 to 2023 was as follows: 0.17‰, 0.63‰, 0.61‰, 0.57‰, 0.59‰, and 3.24‰, respectively. A total of 30 fetuses with LR asymmetry disorders and 30 normal fetuses were included. This case–control study found that SARS-CoV-2 infection (96.67% vs 3.33%, P =.026) and infection during the first trimester (96.55% vs 3.45%, P =.008) were identified as risk factors. The odds ratio values were 10.545 (95% CI 1.227, 90.662) and 13.067 (95% CI 1.467, 116.419) respectively. In cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first trimester, the majority of infections (88.1%, 37/42) occurred between 5 and 6 weeks of gestation. We found that 43.7% (66/151) of fetuses with LR asymmetry disorder had associated malformations, 90.9% (60/66) exhibited cardiac malformations. SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first trimester significantly increases the risk of fetal LR asymmetry disorders, particularly when the infection occurs between 5 and 6 gestation weeks. The most common associated malformation is heart malformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the most common neurological problems occurring in the perinatal period. However, there still is not a promising approach to reduce long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of HIE. Recently, itaconate has been found to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the therapeutic efficacy of itaconate in HIE remains inconclusive. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in HIE as well as the potential therapeutic role of a derivative of itaconate, 4-octyl itaconate (4OI). Methods: We used 7-day-old mice to induce hypoxic-ischemic (HI) model by right common carotid artery ligation followed by 1 h of hypoxia. Behavioral experiments including the Y-maze and novel object recognition test were performed on HI mice at P60 to evaluate long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. We employed an approach combining non-targeted metabolomics with transcriptomics to screen alterations in metabolic profiles and gene expression in the hippocampal tissue of the mice at 8 h after hypoxia. Immunofluorescence staining and RT-PCR were used to evaluate the pathological changes in brain tissue cells and the expression of mRNA and proteins. 4OI was intraperitoneally injected into HI model mice to assess its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. BV2 and C8D1A cells were cultured in vitro to study the effect of 4OI on the expression and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. We also used Nrf2-siRNA to further validate 4OI-induced Nrf2 pathway in astrocytes. Results: We found that in the acute phase of HI, there was an accumulation of pyruvate and lactate in the hippocampal tissue, accompanied by oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory, as well as increased expression of antioxidative stress and anti-inflammatory genes. Treatment of 4OI could inhibit activation and proliferation of microglial cells and astrocytes, reduce neuronal death and relieve cognitive dysfunction in HI mice. Furthermore, 4OI enhanced nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor (Nfe2l2; Nrf2) expression and nuclear translocation in astrocytes, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and increased antioxidant enzyme expression. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that 4OI has a potential therapeutic effect on neuronal damage and cognitive deficits in HIE, potentially through the modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress pathways by Nrf2 in astrocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent animal and clinical findings consistently highlight the critical role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in chronic migraine (CM) and related emotional responses. CGRP antibodies and receptor antagonists have been approved for CM treatment. However, the underlying CGRP-related signaling pathways in the pain-related cortex remain poorly understood. Methods: The SD rats were used to establish the CM model by dural infusions of inflammatory soup. Periorbital mechanical thresholds were assessed using von-Frey filaments, and anxiety-like behaviors were observed via open field and elevated plus maze tests. Expression of c-Fos, CGRP and NMDA GluN2B receptors was detected using immunofluorescence and western blotting analyses. The excitatory synaptic transmission was detected by whole-cell patch-clamp recording. A human-used adenylate cyclase 1 (AC1) inhibitor, hNB001, was applied via insula stereotaxic and intraperitoneal injections in CM rats. Results: The insular cortex (IC) was activated in the migraine model rats. Glutamate-mediated excitatory transmission and NMDA GluN2B receptors in the IC were potentiated. CGRP levels in the IC significantly increased during nociceptive and anxiety-like activities. Locally applied hNB001 in the IC or intraperitoneally alleviated periorbital mechanical thresholds and anxiety behaviors in migraine rats. Furthermore, CGRP expression in the IC decreased after the hNB001 application. Conclusions: Our study indicated that AC1-dependent IC plasticity contributes to migraine and AC1 may be a promising target for treating migraine in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-equilibrium melting of Na crystals at high heating rates and the evolutions of the atomic clusters are studied by the MD method and PTM analysis. Results show that as the heating rate rises from 1 × 1011 K/s to 2 × 1013 K/s, the non-equilibrium melting temperature of Na increases non-linearly from 417  K to 480  K, the melting temperature difference experienced increases from 7  K to 27  K, while the melting time decreases from 70 ps to 1 ps. Through the PTM analysis, it is found that some BCC clusters transform into the disordered Other clusters through intermediate HCP and FCC clusters with increasing temperature, and the BCC cluster's reduction rate and the Other cluster's growth rate are getting slower with increasing heating rate. There is a good correspondence between the evolutions of the atomic clusters, the changes of macroscopic physical parameters, and the peaks and valleys of RDF with temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The main objective of this research is to find an effective way to reduce the reliance of broiler chickens on soybean meal. ZBM is a byproduct obtained by squeezing Zanthoxylum bungeanum, which contains high levels of protein, fat, and minerals. Currently, there is no existing research on the application of ZBM in broiler chickens. Therefore, this experiment aims to validate the effectiveness of using ZBM as a substitute for soybean meal in broiler chicken feed. The validation process involves two parts: in vitro biomimetic digestion experiments and broiler production experiments. The results demonstrated that the utilization of 5–10% ZBM led to notable enhancements in the growth and development of broilers. Additionally, it was observed that digestibility and utilization of nutrients were increased. Based on our research findings, we strongly believe that ZBM has the potential to be a suitable replacement for soybean meal in broiler feed. Zanthoxylum bungeanum seed meal (ZBM), a novel plant protein raw material, has shown promising potential in enhancing the growth of broiler chickens as a substitute for soybean meal (SBM) in feed. In the artificial digestive experiment of vitro experiments, the digestibility of ZBM and SBM were assessed using the SDS-III Single Stomach Animal Biometric Digestion System. Subsequently, 180 1-day old AA chicks were divided into three groups for in vivo experiments: corn–soybean-meal-based diet (CON group); ZBM replacing 5% soybean meal in the basal diet (ZBM-1 group); ZBM replacing 10% soybean meal in the basal diet (ZBM-2 group). The experiment period lasted for 42 days. Compared to SBM, ZBM demonstrated higher crude protein content, dry matter digestibility, and extracorporeal digestible protein. Compared with the CON group, the broilers in the ZBM-2 group showed improved ADG and ADFI during the 1–21 d, 22–42 d, and 1–42 d periods (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ZBM groups exhibited significant increases in slaughter performance compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). The substitution of ZBM for SBM also leads to a significant reduction in serum enzyme indicators (p < 0.05). Additionally, the lipoprotein and total cholesterol of the ZBM groups were significantly lower than those of the CON group (p < 0.05). Substituting SBM with ZBM significantly enhances the activity of superoxide dismutase and the content of immunoglobulin G in broiler serum, while reducing the content of malondildehyde (p < 0.05). The ZBM groups showed significantly higher utilization of dry matter, crude protein, and energy compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study confirmed that the substitution of SBM with 5–10% ZBM in broiler diets has a significant positive effect on growth, development, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and nutrient utilization. This study not only provides a theoretical foundation for the utilization of ZBM in broiler diets but also offers an effective approach for reducing reliance on soybean meal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal characteristics of the motorized spindle significantly affect the machining accuracy and efficiency, and many thermal models have been developed to investigate the factors that affect the spindle thermal characteristics. However, the thermomechanical coupling of the bearings with constant pressure preload is rarely considered in the present works. Thus, this paper developed a transient temperature model of motorized spindle to study the influence of the radial thermal stress on the heat generation of the constant pressure preloaded bearings. In this research, an analytical thermal stress model was established first by simplifying the components of the bearings into a rotating ring geometry to calculate the thermal stress loaded on the bearings. Meanwhile, a transient temperature model of the motorized spindle was established based on the finite element method (FEM). Then, the analytical model was integrated into the spindle transient thermal model, so that the heat generated by bearings and the motorized spindle temperature can be revised constantly, through the iterative calculation between these two models. Finally, verification experiments with different work conditions clarify that the proposed transient thermal characteristic model of the motorized spindle is valid, and the study shows that it is necessary to consider the bearing heat generation induced by the radial thermal stress when the spindle runs at a high speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal error suppression rate depends on the cooling effect of the water cooling system, and the cooling water flow rate is a direct factor affecting the cooling effect. To better reduce the thermal error, a numerical model of cooling water is established to solve for the optimal cooling water flow rate. Firstly, a numerical model of thermal deformation of the pendulum angle milling head is established based on thermoelasticity theory to determine the main heat sources leading to thermal deformation. Then, a numerical analysis model of the cooling water flow rate is established to investigate the cooling water flow rate that has the best effect on the suppression of thermal errors. Finally, five flow rates are used for cooling experiments to verify the accuracy of the numerical model. The results show that the temperature of each measurement point increases with the flow rate from a significant decrease to the basic constant trend of gradual saturation. The reduction rate of thermal error at v=54 cm/s is as high as 73.4%, providing a theoretical basis for enterprises to optimize water cooling system parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated coordination polymers (c‐CPs) are unique organic–inorganic hybrid semiconductors with intrinsically high electrical conductivity and excellent charge carrier mobility. However, it remains a challenge in tailoring electronic structures, due to the lack of clear guidelines. Here, we develop a strategy wherein controlling the redox state of hydroquinone/benzoquinone (HQ/BQ) ligands allows for the modulation of the electronic structure of c‐CPs while maintaining the structural topology. The redox‐state control is achieved by reacting the ligand TTHQ (TTHQ=1,2,4,5‐tetrathiolhydroquinone) with silver acetate and silver nitrate, yielding Ag4TTHQ and Ag4TTBQ (TTBQ=1,2,4,5‐tetrathiolbenzoquinone), respectively. In spite of sharing the same topology consisting of a two‐dimensional Ag−S network and HQ/BQ layer, they exhibit different band gaps (1.5 eV for Ag4TTHQ and 0.5 eV for Ag4TTBQ) and conductivities (0.4 S/cm for Ag4TTHQ and 10 S/cm for Ag4TTBQ). DFT calculations reveal that these differences arise from the ligand oxidation state inhibiting energy band formation near the Fermi level in Ag4TTHQ. Consequently, Ag4TTHQ displays a high Seebeck coefficient of 330 μV/K and a power factor of 10 μW/m ⋅ K2, surpassing Ag4TTBQ and the other reported silver‐based c‐CPs. Furthermore, terahertz spectroscopy demonstrates high charge mobilities exceeding 130 cm2/V ⋅ s in both Ag4TTHQ and Ag4TTBQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugated coordination polymers (c‐CPs) are unique organic–inorganic hybrid semiconductors with intrinsically high electrical conductivity and excellent charge carrier mobility. However, it remains a challenge in tailoring electronic structures, due to the lack of clear guidelines. Here, we develop a strategy wherein controlling the redox state of hydroquinone/benzoquinone (HQ/BQ) ligands allows for the modulation of the electronic structure of c‐CPs while maintaining the structural topology. The redox‐state control is achieved by reacting the ligand TTHQ (TTHQ=1,2,4,5‐tetrathiolhydroquinone) with silver acetate and silver nitrate, yielding Ag4TTHQ and Ag4TTBQ (TTBQ=1,2,4,5‐tetrathiolbenzoquinone), respectively. In spite of sharing the same topology consisting of a two‐dimensional Ag−S network and HQ/BQ layer, they exhibit different band gaps (1.5 eV for Ag4TTHQ and 0.5 eV for Ag4TTBQ) and conductivities (0.4 S/cm for Ag4TTHQ and 10 S/cm for Ag4TTBQ). DFT calculations reveal that these differences arise from the ligand oxidation state inhibiting energy band formation near the Fermi level in Ag4TTHQ. Consequently, Ag4TTHQ displays a high Seebeck coefficient of 330 μV/K and a power factor of 10 μW/m ⋅ K2, surpassing Ag4TTBQ and the other reported silver‐based c‐CPs. Furthermore, terahertz spectroscopy demonstrates high charge mobilities exceeding 130 cm2/V ⋅ s in both Ag4TTHQ and Ag4TTBQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional medical assistive strategy for wearable devices involves sensing physiological signals and subsequent analysis while it lacks the capability for visual interaction and often necessitates the use of additional bulky devices for display. Herein, a perceptual and interaction strategy based on electroluminescent and triboelectric sensing 3D stacked wearable device (ETD) is proposed to address current issues. The ETD utilizes a bottom triboelectric sensor for tactile physiological information, which is processed and analyzed, ultimately triggering the selective illumination of the top electroluminescent array through external power circuitry. The ETD possesses the capability to generate a 100 V with 1.5 cm2 and stable visual interaction ability at 30 V drive voltage. Based on outstanding features of the ETD, two medical assistance scenarios are explored. I) The ETD captures physiological signals, such as pulse rate, respiratory rate, and special joint flexion, and in situ displays the corresponding physiological information, effectively assisting the patients/elders in self‐monitoring. II) A bidirectional interactive telemedicine assistive system utilizing ETDs is implemented, which not only gathers real‐time activity status from patients/elders but also realizes that remote physician assesses the safety status and the assessment results are wirelessly back‐communicated to the ETD, enabling real‐time interaction of the physician advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of cryogenic freeze-thaw cycles and repeated loading on the bearing capacity and deformation properties of reinforced concrete (RC) short beams, RC short beams with different reinforcement ratios were subjected to Minus 160°C cryogenic freeze-thaw cycles. Subsequently, a four-point bending tests were carried out under monotonic and repeated loading with the aim of exploring the performance characteristics of the test beams, such as failure mode, load‐deflection response, and ductility. Experimental results showed that the failure mode of RC short beams changed from ductile bending to brittle shear failure after cryogenic freeze-thaw cycles. Additionally, the load-carrying capacity, deformation properties and energy dissipation performance exhibited a significant degradation trend. There is decreasing trend for the ductility and ultimate bearing capacity of beams with the increase in freeze-thaw cycles, and the decrease degree was most obvious in the first three cycles. Moreover, compared with monotonic loading, the ductility index of normal temperature beam and freeze-thaw cycle short beam decreased more significantly under repeated loading, and the bearing capacity decreases more obviously under the last stage of multi-level loading and unloading cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the success of the PACIFIC trial, durvalumab has become the clear standard of care for many patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). However, the duration of immune consolidation and the efficacy and safety of different immune agents remain unclear. We conducted a systematic review of relevant studies. Methods: We searched all the relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. We also reviewed abstracts of relevant conferences to prevent omissions. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 16.0. Results: CRT combined with immunotherapy can improve progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard rate [HR]: 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI, 0.55–0.60) and overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.59, 95% CI, 0.53–0.66) compared with no immunotherapy. The pooled 24-month PFS and 24-month OS rates were 48.1% (95% CI, 43.5–52.7%) and 71.3% (95% CI, 67.3–75.2%), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that 24-month OS rates were 60.7% (95% CI, 51.0–70.3%) and 77.4% (95% CI, 73.2–81.7%) at 1 year and 2 years of immune consolidation, respectively. The pooled 1-year completion rate for immune consolidation was 35.6% (95% CI, 31.3–39.8%). The pooled rate of pneumonitis for all grades was 41.7% (95% CI, 31.9–51.9%). The pooled rate of pneumonitis ≥ grade 3 was 6.7% (95% CI, 5.0–8.5%). The incidence of pneumonitis ≥ grade 3 after 1 year of immunotherapy is 4.8% (95% CI, 3.1–6.5%). The incidence of pneumonitis ≥ grade 3 after 2 years of immunotherapy is 5.1% (95% CI, 2.9–7.3%). Conclusions: Prolonging the duration of immunotherapy consolidation increases survival benefits in patients with stage III NSCLC without causing higher side effects. Older patients, due to high incidence of pneumonia and low immunotherapy completion rate, have less survival benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the corrosion and tribocorrosion behavior of CrN and CrAlN coatings deposited on steel through direct current magnetron sputtering. Additionally, the effects of Al addition on the microstructure, corrosion inhibition, and tribocorrosion behavior of CrN coatings were evaluated. Compared with the CrN coating, the CrAlN coating exhibited a denser columnar crystal structure and a higher hardness of 23.8 GPa. The CrAlN coating reacted with water to form Al2O3 and Cr2O3 films, which enhanced its corrosion resistance. Moreover, the addition of Al enhanced the wear resistance of the CrN coating and reduced the material loss due to corrosion, wear, and their synergistic effects. The CrAlN coating exhibited a low corrosion current density of 1.14 × 10−8 A/cm2, indicating a 92% reduction compared with the CrN coating. Furthermore, under either open circuit potential or anodic accelerated tribocorrosion conditions, the CrAlN coating featured significantly lower total material loss and synergistic material loss than the CrN coating, demonstrating higher corrosion and tribocorrosion protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulsifiers are essential for achieving a homogenous distribution of lipophilic supplements in in vitro rumen fluid incubations. Since emulsifiers can alter rumen fermentation, it is crucial to select one that minimally impacts fermentation parameters to reduce potential biases. This study aimed to evaluate seven emulsifiers' impact on in vitro ruminal fermentation using the Hohenheim Gas Test in order to identify the most inert emulsifier. Rumen fluids were collected from three non‐lactating Original Brown‐Swiss cannulated cows before morning feeding and incubated for 24 h with a basal diet in triplicates. The emulsifiers tested were ethanol, ethyl acetate, propylene glycol, glycerol, ethylene glycol, soy lecithin, and Tween® 80, each in two dosages (0.5% or 1% v/v). The untreated basal diet served as control. Compared to control, in vitro organic matter digestibility was enhanced by ethyl acetate (by 36.9 and 48.2%), ethylene glycol (by 20.6 and 20.1%), glycerol (by 46.9 and 56.8%) and soy lecithin (by 19.7 and 26.8%) at 0.5 and 1% dosage, respectively. Additionally, the 24‐h methane production increased for ethanol (by 41.9 and 46.2%), ethylene glycol (by 50.5 and 51.5%), and glycerol (by 63.1 and 65.4%) for the 0.5 and 1% dosage, respectively, and 0.5% dosage for ethyl acetate (by 31.6%). The acetate molar proportion was 17.2%pt higher for ethyl acetate, and 25.5%pt lower for glycerol at 1% dosage, compared to the control. The propionate concentration was 22.1%pt higher 1% glycerol, and 15.2%pt and 15.1%pt higher for 0.5 and 1% propylene glycol, respectively, compared to the control. In summary, Tween® 80 did not significantly affect in vitro rumen fermentation parameters, making it the most suitable choice for in vitro incubations involving lipophilic substances in rumen fluid. Ethanol may be considered as an alternative emulsifier if methane production is not the variable of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural and industrial production activities generate GDP and greatly improve the quality of life of residents. At the same time, these activities also lead to increased energy consumption and emit large amounts of pollutants, which affect public health. However, there has been little past research focused on all the above associations. This study innovatively proposes a parallel two-stage EBM-DEA model to re-measure health production efficiency. The objective is to conduct a joint analysis of the economic development, pollutant emissions and human health of agriculture and industry in 30 provinces in China from 2016 to 2020, and calculate the health production efficiency, stage efficiency (agricultural production efficiency, industrial production efficiency and health efficiency) and environmental pollution efficiency. The research shows that the health production efficiency in other provinces has not reached the efficiency frontier except in Beijing, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Ningxia. In addition, there is room for improvement to varying degrees. In terms of geographical disparity, agricultural production efficiency and health efficiency are distributed in the trend of east > west > central, whereas industrial production efficiency is distributed in a ladder shape from east > central > west. Health efficiency contributes to overall efficiency, whereas agricultural and industrial production efficiencies drag down overall efficiency. The discharge efficiency of various pollutants shows that China's environmental control policies have achieved good results, but environmental problems in some provinces are still serious. Moreover, areas with higher pollutant discharge efficiency values have higher tuberculosis incidence efficiency values. Furthermore, provinces should pay attention to improving the efficiency of medical and health fund utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium zirconium vanadium (TiZrV) is a widely used non-evaporable getter (NEG) material with the characteristics of a low activation temperature and a large gas absorption capacity. At present, the research on TiZrV getters mainly focuses on the thin-film state, with little research on the bulk state. In this paper, a TiZrV getter was optimized by adding Al, and the phase structure, activation properties, and gettering performance were studied. With the addition of Al, the α-Zr phase and Ti2Zr phase changed into the Ti-Zr phase and Al-Zr, Al-Ti phase. The newly generated phase promoted the diffusion of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The activation temperature decreased significantly, as shown in the in situ XPS results. The H2 and CO gettering performance of TiZrVAl samples was promoted to 2073 cm3·s−1 and 1912.8 cm3·s−1, increased by 40.7% and 40.3%. This paper provides valuable ideas for optimizing the properties of bulk TiZrV getters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]