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This study reports the development of a new Ti-Zr-Mn-based AB 2 type hydrogen storage alloys for a two-stage metal hydride hydrogen compressor (MHHC). The hydrogen storage alloys are designed to compress hydrogen from 35 to 865 bar within a temperature difference of 115 °C. High-pressure PCT measurements up to 700 bar were carried out to test the performance of the alloys. The alloys' hysteresis and the plateau slope were reduced by optimizing the composition. The introduction of fugacity correction into the Van't hoff equation reduces the deviation between calculation and actual pressure to 24 bar at a pressure above 350 bar. A precise relation between the Ti/Zr ratio and the desorption pressure is described and helps make a correct design of the alloy composition. The designed alloy shows looses less than 1% of the capacity over 3000 full cycles. The desorption plateau pressure of the alloy is constant within 92% during the whole cycling process. A 2 stages compressor working with two types of alloys offers compression with a temperature range between -20 and 95 °C for the refueling hydrogen vehicles up to 865 bar. • The alloys for 2-stage hydrogen compressor compress H 2 from 35 to 865 bar. • The improved calculated plateau pressure match well with the 700 bar PCT test. • The alloy shows excellent cyclability, after 3000 cycles without degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a common interstitial pneumonia disease, also occurred in post-COVID-19 survivors. The mechanism underlying the anti-PF effect of Qing Fei Hua Xian Decotion (QFHXD), a traditional Chinese medicine formula applied for treating PF in COVID-19 survivors, is unclear. This study aimed to uncover the mechanisms related to the anti-PF effect of QFHXD through analysis of network pharmacology and experimental verification. Methods: The candidate chemical compounds of QFHXD and its putative targets for treating PF were achieved from public databases, thereby we established the corresponding "herb-compound-target" network of QFHXD. The protein–protein interaction network of potential targets was also constructed to screen the core targets. Furthermore, Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were used to predict targets, and pathways, then validated by in vivo experiments. Results: A total of 188 active compounds in QFHXD and 50 target genes were identified from databases. The key therapeutic targets of QFHXD, such as PI3K/Akt, IL-6, TNF, IL-1β, STAT3, MMP-9, and TGF-β1 were identified by KEGG and GO analysis. Anti-PF effects of QFHXD (in a dose-dependent manner) and prednisone were confirmed by HE, Masson staining, and Sirius red staining as well as in vivo Micro-CT and immunohistochemical analysis in a rat model of bleomycin-induced PF. Besides, QFXHD remarkably inhibits the activity of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3. Conclusions: QFXHD significantly attenuated bleomycin-induced PF via inhibiting inflammation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. PI3K/Akt/NF-κB and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathways might be the potential therapeutic effects of QFHXD for treating PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The floatable TiO 2 /Bi/CC exhibited higher ammonia activity than powder TiO 2 /Bi. • The newly relay photocatalysis mechanism (N 2 → NO 3 − → NH 3) took place on TiO 2 /Bi/CC. • The Bi component in TiO 2 /Bi/CC promoted the NO 3 − → NO 2 − step occurring spontaneously. • The photocatalytic N 2 fixation product solution was successfully applied in lettuce cultivation. The floatable photocatalyst at N 2 -water interface allows the adequate supply of N 2 reactant and the utilization of photothermal energy for photocatalytic N 2 fixation, however, the presence of non-volatile NO 3 − product poses a challenge to the stability as it easily covers the catalytic active sites. Herein, a floatable TiO 2 /Bi/CC (Carbon cloth) photocatalyst was designed, in which the non-volatile NO 3 − can be transformed to the volatile NH 3 via the newly synergistic relay photocatalysis pathway (N 2 → NO 3 − → NH 3) between TiO 2 (N 2 → NO 3 −) and Bi (NO 3 − → NH 3). Attractively, the spontaneous NO 3 − → NO 2 − step occurs on Bi component to promote the relay pathway performing. Therefore, TiO 2 /Bi/CC system displays better long-term stability than TiO 2 /CC, and moreover, it achieves a higher NH 3 yield of 8.28 mmol L−1 h−1 g−1 (i.e. 4.14 mmol h−1 m−2) than that 1.46 mmol L−1 h−1 g−1 for TiO 2 /Bi powder. Importantly, the N 2 fixation products by TiO 2 /Bi/CC effectively promote lettuce growth and enhance lettuce nutrient contents, which further validates the feasibility of this system in large-scale application of crop cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic vortices (AVs) carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), showing great promise in advancing communication, biomedicine, and metrology. An ideal OAM generation method that realizes the tunability of AV topological charge and working frequency in a compact way is strongly desired. Here, we utilize aerodynamic dipole sources from a rotating disk to generate AV. This method generates AVs with different topological charges through the interference of these dipole sources at the angular rotation frequency and its multiples. These AVs exhibit high purity, and their three-dimensional characteristics are explored. Furthermore, our experiment demonstrates that the generated AVs significantly enhance the sound field amplitude at their working frequency, which is the product of the topological charge and angular frequency. The results also verify that this amplitude enhancement effect is positively correlated with the AV's stability and achieves the contactless detection of disk rotation information. The demonstrated method provides expanded versatility for OAM-based applications. The tunability of acoustic vortices topological charge and working frequency is pivotal for efficient optical angular momentum generation, but its manipulation typically involves bulky setups. Here, the authors use aerodynamic dipole sources from a rotating disk to generate acoustic vortices with different topological charges in a compact setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of depression among sexual minority women is a significant concern, yet no prior research has conducted a network analysis of depressive symptoms in this population. This is the first study to address this gap by examining the network structure of depressive symptoms in Chinese sexual minority women during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering both sexual orientation and gender expression as part of an intra-group perspective. 1420 Chinese sexual minority women completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depressive Symptoms (CES-D). Network analysis was employed to calculate edge and centrality measures, and the network structures of lesbians and bisexual women were compared based on sexual orientation and of femme, androgyny, and butch based on gender expression. Network analysis revealed that the core depressive symptoms of Chinese sexual minority women are “Felt depressed,” “Fatigue,” “Sad,” and “Failure.” Although no significant differences were found in the network structure and global strength of depressive symptoms between different sexual orientations and gender expressions, there were significant differences in the core symptoms. This study suggests the unique associations between depressive symptoms and social and historical contexts among sexual minority women and emphasizes the importance of considering these differences when providing targeted mental health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Transportation is an inevitable part of the raising process of goats. During transportation, animals are subjected to 'transport stress' due to limited space, bumpy roads, lack of feed and drinking water, and other stimuli. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of how transport stress affects goats, we conducted our experimental studies. Sixteen healthy goats were selected, and these goats were transported at a speed ranging from 35 to 45 km/h for 20 h. We measured changes in the physiological indexes, blood physiological indexes, biochemical indexes, rumen fermentation indexes, and rumen microbial structure composition of goats before and after transportation. Our experimental findings revealed that continuous transportation for a duration of 20 h can induce a severe stress response in goats, leading to compromised immune function, diminished antioxidant capacity, escalated inflammatory response, and altered rumen fermentation indices. However, they did not reveal any significant impact on the structure and composition of the rumen microbiota. The objective of this experiment was to delve into the impacts of transportation on goats. Sixteen healthy goats were selected as experimental animals; these goats were transported at a speed ranging from 35 to 45 km/h for 20 h. The changes in the physiological indexes, blood physiological indexes, biochemical indexes, rumen fermentation indexes, and rumen microbial structure composition of goats before and after transportation were measured. The results showed that after transportation, the contents of IgM, IgA, IgG, and Thyroxine decreased very significantly, while the contents of propionic acid, Hemoglobin and Epinephrine significantly increased, and the contents of VFA, acetic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, LPS, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, Major Acute Phase Protein, protein carbonyl, and cortisol increased very significantly. There was no significant difference in α-diversity and β-diversity, and the relative abundance of rumen microorganisms was not significantly different at either phylum or genus levels. The experimental findings revealed that continuous transportation for a duration of 20 h can induce a severe stress response in goats, leading to compromised immune function, diminished antioxidant capacity, escalated inflammatory response, and altered rumen fermentation indices. However, the experiment did not reveal any significant impact on the structure and composition of the rumen microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The manual pig weighing method is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and stressful for pigs, and can even cause pig death. Efficiently and accurately obtaining live pig weights has always been the goal of pig producers. With the development of science and technology, using 3D depth images and artificial intelligence technology to estimate pig weight has gradually become a research hotspot. However, this technology is mostly in the research and development stage, with few practical applications. Therefore, our study verified the accuracy of a patrol automatic intelligent weighing system in practical production and explored its application effect in determining pig growth curves. The results indicated that the intelligent weighing system still has high accuracy in large-scale farming, and compared with the manual weighing method, the intelligent weighing method has a better goodness of fit. Automatic intelligent weighing systems (AIWS) can save manpower, improve production efficiency, and improve pig welfare. It is expected to replace manual weighing as the main weighing method in the future. To verify the accuracy of AIWS, we weighed 106 pen growing-finishing pigs' weights using both the manual and AIWS methods, respectively. Accuracy was evaluated based on the values of MAE, MAPE, and RMSE. In the growth experiment, manual weighing was conducted every two weeks and AIWS predicted weight data was recorded daily, followed by fitting the growth curves. The results showed that MAE, MAPE, and RMSE values for 60 to 120 kg pigs were 3.48 kg, 3.71%, and 4.43 kg, respectively. The correlation coefficient r between the AIWS and manual method was 0.9410, and R2 was 0.8854. The two were extremely significant correlations (p < 0.001). In growth curve fitting, the AIWS method has lower AIC and BIC values than the manual method. The Logistic model by AIWS was the best-fit model. The age and body weight at the inflection point of the best-fit model were 164.46 d and 93.45 kg, respectively. The maximum growth rate was 831.66 g/d. In summary, AIWS can accurately predict pigs' body weights in actual production and has a better fitting effect on the growth curves of growing-finishing pigs. This study suggested that it was feasible for AIWS to replace manual weighing to measure the weight of 50 to 120 kg live pigs in large-scale farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While game‐based language learning (GBLL) in K‐12 education has received considerable attention, little is still known about its state‐of‐the‐art research trends over the last decade, necessitating a systematic review on its theoretical frameworks, instructional activities and research findings. Objectives: To fill the gap, drawing on the revised technology‐based learning model, this study aims to conduct a systematic review on the trends of GBLL for K‐12 education in terms of theoretical frameworks, participants, methodology, game genres, instructional activities and application effectiveness. Methods: Based on the proposed criteria, 83 Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) articles pertaining to GBLL in K‐12 education published during 2009–2022 were finalised for data analysis. Results and conclusions: The results showed that (1) most GBLL studies adopted cognitive and social frameworks, including flow theory, situated learning and socio‐cultural theory; (2) the most common participants were primary school students, and the most common languages were English as a foreign language (EFL) learning; (3) quantitative methods were frequently adopted, with a particular eye on tests, questionnaires and experimental design; (4) the most common game genre was tutorial games; (5) pre‐game instructional activities, such as gameplay training and lecture, were mostly implemented in K‐12 contexts; (6) benefits such as enhancing four language skills and communicative competence and improving learners' attitudes were reported. However, according to the results, technical issues, unhelpful partners, difficult learning tasks and high cognitive load were the most frequently reported drawbacks. Implications: Pedagogical implications for teachers, designers and researchers in GBLL were referred from the results of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we use the weighted discontinuous Galerkin finite element method to solve the dual-porosity-Brinkman coupling model. The dual-porosity model describes fluid flow in a dual-porosity medium composed of matrix and microfractures, while the Brinkman equation describes fluid flow in hydraulic fractures or conduits containing "debris filling" or "proppant filling". The two models are coupled by the four physically effective interface conditions, which are constructed based on the fundamental properties of the dual-porosity model and the Brinkman-Darcy model. We provide a weighted discontinuous discrete scheme for the model and derive the optimal error estimates. Through numerical experiments, we verify the properties of the model and the advantages of the numerical method, such as the optimal convergence rate of the numerical solution and the simulation of the flow characteristics around hydraulic fractures and conduits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronaviruses have been identified as pathogens of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in humans and various animal species. In recent years, the global spread of new coronaviruses has had profound influences for global public health and economies worldwide. As highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses, coronaviruses have become the focus of current research. Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), an enterovirus belonging to the family of coronaviruses, has emerged on a global scale in the past decade and significantly influenced the swine industry. Moreover, PDCoV infects not only pigs but also other species, including humans, chickens and cattles, exhibiting a broad host tropism. This emphasizes the need for in-depth studies on coronaviruses to mitigate their potential threats. In this review, we provided a comprehensive summary of the current studies on PDCoV. We first reviewed the epidemiological investigations on the global prevalence and distribution of PDCoV. Then, we delved into the studies on the pathogenesis of PDCoV to understand the mechanisms how the virus impacts its hosts. Furthermore, we also presented some exploration studies on the immune evasion mechanisms of the virus to enhance the understanding of host-virus interactions. Despite current limitations in vaccine development for PDCoV, we highlighted the inhibitory effects observed with certain substances, which offers a potential direction for future research endeavors. In conclusion, this review summarized the scientific findings in epidemiology, pathogenesis, immune evasion mechanisms and vaccine development of PDCoV. The ongoing exploration of potential vaccine candidates and the insights gained from inhibitory substances have provided a solid foundation for future vaccine development to prevent and control diseases associated with PDCoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on the association between vegetarian diets and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are limited and have inconsistent results. This study aims to explore the association between vegetarian diets and NAFLD and compare the stage of fibrosis between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in a US representative sample. Methods: Cross‐sectional data from 23,130 participants aged ≥20 years were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2018. Vegetarian status was classified based on two 24‐h dietary recalls. We examined the association between vegetarian diets and the risk of NAFLD using the propensity score weighting method. Results: Vegetarian diets were significantly associated with decreases in hepatic steatosis index (HSI), US fatty liver index and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score with mean differences of −2.70 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −3.69, −1.70), −3.03 (95% CI: −7.15, −0.91) and −0.12 (95% CI: −0.26, −0.01), respectively. While modelling the risk of NAFLD, we estimated that vegetarians were 53% less likely to have NAFLD assessed by HSI (odds ratios [OR]: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.65). The effect of vegetarian diets was higher among individuals with lower waist circumferences (OR: 0.20) than among those with higher waist circumferences (OR: 0.53, pinteraction ${p}_{\text{interaction}}\,$= 0.004). However, the association was largely attenuated after adjusting for body mass index and diabetes status. No significant association was identified between vegetarian diets and advanced fibrosis. Conclusions: Vegetarian diets were associated with a lower prevalence of NAFLD among US adults, and the association appeared to be stronger in people with lower waist circumferences. Further studies are warranted to replicate our findings. Key points: Vegetarians had low risks of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development.A stronger association was observed among people with lower waist circumferences.Vegetarians were observed to have lower degrees of fibrosis among people with NAFLD.Future nutritional interventions may prioritise a low‐inflammatory dietary plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Martin Luther's theory takes “justification by faith” as its main feature. Ancient Chinese Emotionalism is characterized by “justification by Sincerity.” Both of them emphasize the sincere spirit of the individual, but have different emphasis on the attitude of faith and emotion. Luther's theory and Ancient Chinese Emotionalism both have the characteristics of “returning to the individual” and respecting individual freedom, and show a certain spirit of resistance and innovation against the social establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Muscle dysfunction caused by repetitive work or strain in the neck region can interfere muscle responses. Muscle dysfunction can be an important factor in causing cervical spondylosis. However, there has been no research on how the biomechanical properties of the upper cervical spine change when the suboccipital muscle group experiences dysfunction. The objective of this study was to investigate the biomechanical evidence for cervical spondylosis by utilizing the finite element (FE) approach, thus and to provide guidance for clinicians performing acupoint therapy. Methods: By varying the elastic modulus of the suboccipital muscle, the four FE models of C0-C3 motion segments were reconstructed under the conditions of normal muscle function and muscle dysfunction. For the two normal condition FE models, the elastic modulus for suboccipital muscles on both sides of the C0-C3 motion segments was equal and within the normal range In one muscle dysfunction FE model, the elastic modulus on both sides was equal and greater than 37 kPa, which represented muscle hypertonia; in the other, the elastic modulus of the left and right suboccipital muscles was different, indicating muscle imbalance. The biomechanical behavior of the lateral atlantoaxial joint (LAAJ), atlanto-odontoid joint (ADJ), and intervertebral disc (IVD) was analyzed by simulations, which were carried out under the six loadings of flexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, left and right axial rotation. Results: Under flexion, the maximum stress in LAAJ with muscle imbalance was higher than that with normal muscle and hypertonia, while the maximum stress in IVD in the hypertonic model was higher than that in the normal and imbalance models. The maximum stress in ADJ was the largest under extension among all loadings for all models. Muscle imbalance and hypertonia did not cause overstress and stress distribution abnormalities in ADJ. Conclusion: Muscle dysfunction increases the stress in LAAJ and in IVD, but it does not affect ADJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of neural networks in wheat ear detection and counting in smart agriculture holds significant value, showcasing how artificial intelligence technology brings innovation and improvement to the agricultural sector. However, due to the high density, variety, and complex growth cycles of wheat ears, as well as the influence of complex backgrounds during detection, issues such as false positives, false negatives, and low detection rates may arise. Addressing these challenges, this paper proposes a wheat ear detection solution based on the FasterCANet-YOLOv8s algorithm. Firstly, the FasterCANet Block is introduced to enhance the speed of wheat detection. Secondly, an efficient network structure, the QAFPN model, is proposed to strengthen the Neck network, achieving a balance between speed and accuracy in wheat detection. Finally, to better capture the features of small targets, the RFB Block is introduced to improve the SPPF layer. The improved algorithm achieves an mAP@0.5 of 94.4%, surpassing existing technologies. Our model can accurately and quickly locate targets, holding tremendous potential in the wheat cultivation domain and providing efficient and precise support for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solubility of aerosol trace elements, which determines their bioavailability and reactivity, is operationally defined and strongly depends on the leaching protocol used. Ultrapure water batch leaching is one of the most widely used leaching protocols, while the specific leaching protocols used in different labs can still differ in agitation methods, contact time, and filter pore size. It is yet unclear to which extent the difference in these experimental parameters would affect the aerosol trace element solubility reported. This work examined the effects of agitation methods, filter pore size, and contact time on the solubility of nine aerosol trace elements and found that the difference in agitation methods (shaking vs. sonication), filter pore size (0.22 vs. 0.45 µ m), and contact time (1 vs. 2 h) only led to small and sometimes insignificant difference in the reported solubility. We further compared aerosol trace element solubility determined using four ultrapure water leaching protocols, which are adopted by four different labs and vary in agitation methods, filter pore size, and/or contact time, and observed good agreement in the reported solubility. Therefore, our work suggests that although ultrapure water batch leaching protocols used by different labs vary in specific experimental parameters, the determined aerosol trace element solubility is comparable. We recommend that ultrapure water batch leaching be one of the reference leaching schemes and emphasize that additional consensus in the community on agitation methods, contact time, and filter pore size is needed to formulate a standard operating procedure for ultrapure water batch leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of lead-zinc tailings threatens the social and ecological environment. The recycling of lead–zinc tailings is important for the all-round green transformation of economic society. In this study, the possibility of fabricating sintered ordinary bricks with lead–zinc tailings was studied based on orthogonal experimentation, and the phase composition and micromorphology of sintered products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). With lead–zinc tailings as the main material, and clay and fly ash as additives, the effect of clay content, forming pressure, sintering temperature, and holding time on physical properties of sintered bricks was analyzed. The results show that clay content and sintering temperature have a major effect on compressive strength, while sintering temperature and holding time play an important role in water absorption. During sintering, mica, chlorite, and other components in lead–zinc tailings are decomposed to form albite, hematite, maghemite, and anhydrite, which play a role in the strength of bricks. The optimal process parameters were found to be a ratio of lead–zinc tailings:clay:fly ash = 6:3:1, forming pressure of 20 MPa, firing temperature of 1080 °C, and holding time of 60 min. The corresponding compressive strength and water absorption were 34.94 MPa and 16.02%, which meets the Chinese sintered ordinary bricks standard (GB/T 5101-2017). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micron-scale zero-valent iron (ZVI)-based material has been applied for hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) decontamination in wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation, but the passivation problem has limited its field application. In this study, we combined aluminum chloride solution with ZVI (pcZVI-AlCl3) to enhance Cr(VI) removal behavior under aerobic conditions. The optimal pre-corrosion conditions were found to be 2.5 g/L ZVI, 0.5 mM AlCl3, and a 4 h preconditioning period. Different kinds of techniques were applied to detect the properties of preconditioned ZVI and corrosion products. The 57Fe Mössbauer spectra showed that proportions of ZVI, Fe3O4, and FeOOH in pcZVI-AlCl3 were 49.22%, 34.03%, and 16.76%, respectively. The formation of Al(OH)3 in the corrosion products improved its pHpzc (point of zero charge) for Cr(VI) adsorption. Continuous-flow experiments showed its great potential for Cr(VI) removal in field applications. The ZVI and corrosion products showed a synergistic effect in enhancing electron transfer for Cr(VI) removal. The mechanisms underlying Cr(VI) removal by pcZVI-AlCl3 included adsorption, reduction, and precipitation, and the contribution of adsorption was less. This work provides a new strategy for ZVI pre-corrosion to improve its longevity and enhance Cr(VI) removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ assembly of ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets on the surface of nickel-based Hofmann-type coordination polymer (Ni-Ni HCP) nanoplates and Mo-ion doping was first reported. The hydrogen production rate of the prepared Ni–Ni HCP/Mo–ZIS sample under visible-light irradiation was 10 times that of pure ZIS. [Display omitted] Solar energy-assisted hydrogen production technology is an essential tool for exploring hydrogen energy. To date, semiconductors have been used as the primary photocatalyst to generate hydrogen via photocatalytic water splitting. However, the high photogenerated electron–hole recombination rate of semiconductor photocatalysts results in a low hydrogen production rate. Herein, the synergistic effect of Mo-ion doping and the incorporation of Ni-based Hofmann-type coordination polymer (Ni–Ni HCP) on the photocatalytic performance of ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS) is investigated. The hydrogen production rate of the prepared in-situ Mo doped ZnIn 2 S 4 wrapped Ni-Ni HCP (Ni–Ni HCP/Mo–ZIS) sample under visible-light irradiation is 26.7 mmol g−1h−1, which is 10 times that of pure ZIS. Hydrogen production rate test, microscopic characterization, and density functional theory calculation confirm that the proposed dual modulation approach (combined ion doping and heterogeneous structure construction) could effectively increase the photocatalytic efficiency of ZIS. The stability of prepared samples is also examined by four-cycle photocatalytic hydrogen production tests. The proposed integrated method opens a new route for advancing renewable energy technology towards a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is a Cu2+-dependent amine oxidase, and it catalyzes the oxidative deamination of the ε-amino group of Lys residues on elastin and collagen, which is critical for extracellular matrix modeling. Stability is an important property for protein and it directly affects the dynamics and function of protein, which strongly relates to the human health and disease. However, the stability of LOXL2 is not well defined, i.e., which residues are important for its stability is unclear. In this paper, protein stability of LOXL2 was calculated by four methods, viz. mCSM, PremPS, DeepDDG and FoldX. Our results indicate that 95 residues (key residues) are important for the stability of LOXL2, with the amount of 14, 13, 8, 11, 26 in domain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively, while 23 in the linker between domains. Among these key residues, the types (numbers) are Leu (24), Val (20), Ile (12), Trp (11), Phe (11), Tyr (6), Cys (6), Met (4) and Arg (1). Most of the key residues are hydrophobic (88 in 95), which is consistent with the fact that hydrophobic interaction is the main force in protein folding. Cys residues are paired to constitute disulfide bonds, which play an important role in the structure and function of LOXL2. In the discussion, we compare the results with experimental data, and use the free energy perturbation for verification, which prove the reliability of this work. Thus, this study provides important insight for the research of disease treatment targeting LOXL2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is a promising and noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for assessing myocardial fiber microstructure. However, its clinical application is hampered by lengthy scanning and susceptibility to motion artifacts. This study proposes a cDTI reconstruction model (OSDTI), which leverages octave convolution (OctConv) and Swin Transformer to reconstruct diffusion‐weighted (DW) images from undersampled k‐space data. Our model capitalizes on the strengths of both OctConv and Swin Transformers. Specifically, the OctConv module excels at capturing intricate details and texture information within DW images, while the residual‐connected Swin Transformer module facilitates information retention across various feature extraction stages, thereby enhancing overall image comprehension and reconstruction accuracy. The evaluation of OSDTI using a human ex vivo heart dataset robustly validated the generalization ability of the model. Comparative analyze against existing deep‐learning methods demonstrated OSDTI's superior performance in both DW image quality and diffusion tensor metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesives play a crucial role in modern everyday applications, prompting a growing environmental consciousness regarding their source, composition, utilization, and disposal. Sustainability concerns are frequently generated due to the complex or energy‐intensive manufacturing processes in the production of conventional water‐based adhesives. Here, a coacervate‐based snail‐inspired solvent‐free adhesive (SFA) is engineered by strategically modulating electrostatic interactions and molecular entanglement of two polypeptides under environmentally friendly conditions. The SFA has a record‐breaking adhesion strength of 28 MPa on ceramics, setting a new standard for bio‐based adhesives. The SFA demonstrates robust adhesion performance across a wide temperature ranging from −150 to 300 °C and allows for reusability without compromising adhesion properties. Moreover, it can be easily removed using a non‐toxic alkaline solution. The study presents a promising opportunity for developing high‐performance, reusable adhesives made from renewable materials suitable for industrial applications, relics repair, and even spacecraft processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the problem of phase retrieval with short-time linear canonical transform (STLCT). The relation between signal, window and their STLCT is provided through Fourier transform. Based on this theorem, a uniqueness result is established for all square integrable functions. For nonseparable real continuous signal, we prove the uniqueness theorems under some weaker conditions. In complex bandlimited and cardinal B-spline spaces, uniqueness results are provided with magnitude-only STLCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of using a 0.454% stannous fluoride-containing dentifrice twice daily in relieving dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) in a Chinese population. Materials and methods: This was a single-centre, randomized, controlled, examiner-blind, three-treatment-arm, parallel-group study in participants with clinically diagnosed DH. Subjects who met inclusion criteria (n = 197) were randomly allocated into 3 groups: test group (n = 66)—using a 0.454% stannous fluoride-containing dentifrice twice daily; positive control group (n = 64)—using a 5.0% calcium sodium phosphosilicate-containing dentifrice twice daily; negative control group (n = 67)—using a 1150 ppm of NaF dentifrice twice daily. Status of DH was assessed at week 4 and week 8 by the same independent examiner. Changes from baseline in Schiff sensitivity score, tactile threshold and Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire (DHEQ) score were analysed using analysis of covariance models. The DHEQ evaluated subject-perceived oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Results: Statistically significant improvements in mean Schiff scores (p < 0.0001 for all products at Weeks 4 and 8), tactile threshold (p < 0.0001 for test and negative control at Weeks 4 and 8: Week 4 p = 0.0040 and Week 8 p < 0.0001 for positive control) and all DHEQ scores (p < 0.01 for all groups) were observed. No statistically significant differences were observed in the adjusted mean between all dentifrices at both timepoints, potentially driven by a placebo effect. Forty-two treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported (n = 32 subjects), with 2 serious AEs (n = 1) in the test group. TEAEs were not considered treatment-related. Conclusions: All groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in Schiff score, tactile threshold and OHRQoL. However, due to a possible placebo effect in the negative control, there were no statistically significant differences between the dentifrices. Clinical relevance: This study adds to the growing research exploring why the placebo effect is a common phenomenon in DH studies. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04950465. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapier loom works in a complex environment and operates at high speeds. It is inevitable that its performance will deteriorate during the production process, which in turn will cause faults. The development of maintenance has undergone the transition from "regular maintenance" and "post-event maintenance" to "predictive maintenance". In order to achieve the synergistic optimization goal of ensuring operational safety and reducing operational costs, a predictive maintenance method driven by the fusion of digital twin and deep learning is proposed based on the idea of "combining the real with the virtual and controlling the real". Firstly, a digital twin system structure model of rapier weaving machine is constructed, and the overall architecture of digital twin is proposed according to the full operation cycle of rapier weaving machine. Then, the digital twin-driven process parameter evaluation and prediction and health state evaluation and prediction are investigated separately. In order to achieve the evaluation and prediction of process parameters to ensure the efficiency of weaving machine operation, the prediction method of IWOA optimized BP neural network driven by twin data is proposed and the model is updated and optimized based on the martingale distance approach. In order to achieve health state assessment and prediction, we use health index as an evaluation index to characterize the health condition of spindles, and use BiLSTM network to achieve prediction of remaining spindle life and then make maintenance decisions. The results show that there are greater advantages to combining deep learning and digital twin technology for intelligent predictive maintenance of rapier loom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of UHPC‐NC (normal concrete) structure in the negative moment zone was proposed to improve the bearing capacity of the connection structure in the negative moment zone of prefabricated prestressed concrete (PC) beam bridges. First, the distribution characteristics of the crack, cracking load, ultimate moment, and ductility coefficient of the new structure were obtained by the 1:4 scale model tests. The feasibility of the connection structure is verified. Then, the value ranges of critical structural parameters affecting the bearing capacity of the connection structure based on the plane section assumption analysis, including the reasonable thickness of the UHPC layer, the reinforcement ratio of the longitudinal tensile reinforcement, and the diameter of the reinforcement, are obtained. At the same time, based on the verification of the finite element model, the influence of crucial research parameters on the bending capacity of the connection structure is obtained by using the finite element method. Finally, a theoretical method for the bending moment capacity of the connection structure of the UHPC‐NC structure is proposed, considering the high ductility characteristics of UHPC materials. The average relative error between the calculation results and the finite element method is within 7.2%, which verifies the reliability of the calculation method in this paper and provides a reference for its design and engineering application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge structures, thiophene adsorption and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) mechanisms are investigated on the S-edge of triangular MoS2 nanoclusters using density functional theory. The calculated formation energies for different S coverages on the S-edge suggest that the formation of coordinative unsaturated site at the vertex and edge-I (close to the vertex) sites is preferred over the edge-II (away from the vertex) sites. The adsorption of thiophene on the top site of Mo atom mainly occurs at the edge-I, whereas bridge adsorption occurs at the edge-II. The 92% and 50% S-edge coverages involve relatively larger adsorption energies (− 0.68 and − 0.79 eV) among all the possible adsorption configurations. On the S edge with 92% S coverage, the hydrogenation route is more favorable, producing 1-butene. On the S edge with 50% S coverage, the direct desulfurization route is preferred, yielding butadiene. These findings deepen the understanding of edge structures of MoS2 nanoclusters and the corresponding HDS mechanisms for MoS2-based HDS catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China Health-Related Outcomes Measures (CHROME) was an initiative aimed at developing a system of preference-based health-related quality of life instruments for China. CHROME-cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a CVD-specific instrument with 14 items developed under this initiative. This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of CHROME-CVD. This validation study was conducted using cross-sectional questionnaire survey in China. Eligible patients with CVD were recruited and asked to complete the CHROME-CVD, the EQ-5D-5L, and a CVD-specific nonpreference-based health-related quality of life instrument selected according to the confirmed diagnosis of the patients. Item evaluation, internal consistency, measurement invariance, test-retest reliability, structural validity, and construct validity were tested using classic test theory. Item response theory was used to evaluate item-level performance. A total of 444 patients with CVD (coronary artery disease, n = 276, heart failure, n = 104, angina, n = 33, and atrial fibrillation, n = 16) from 6 provinces in China were enrolled for the validation. Exploratory factor analysis identified 4 factors: chest pain, other symptoms, physical health, and mental and social health. Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient were >0.8. A total of 20 of 26 (76.9%), and 90 of 95 (94.7%) predefined hypotheses were met for convergent and discriminant validities, respectively. No important difference was identified between subgroups of gender and residency. Response options of 10 items were found overlapped based on categorical response curves, which led to modification to 4-level response options. Wording of 3 items were modified by referring wordings of reference instruments. The validation of the CHROME-CVD demonstrated generally good psychometric properties. Further validation on the modified CHROME-CVD is needed. • A validation study on China Health-Related Outcomes Measures-Cardiovascular Disease (CHROME-CVD), a cardiovascular-disease-specific instrument developed under the initiative of CHROME, was conducted using both classic test theory and item response theory. • The descriptive system of CHROME-CVD has demonstrated good psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, measurement invariance, test-retest reliability, structural validity, and construct validity. • Based on the item response theory test, 4-level response options are adopted for CHROME-CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a polygonal mesh adaptation algorithm for a fully implicit scheme based on discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element methods in space and backward Euler method in time to solve the Allen-Cahn equation. The mathematical framework and a procedure for solving this nonlinear equation are given. We extend the DG discretization with a polygonal mesh adaptation method to save computation time and capture the thin interfaces more accurately. A criterion based on the local value of the phase field function gradient is used to select the target element for refinement and coarsening, and then a 4-node polygonal mesh refinement strategy is adopted by connecting the midpoint of each edge to the barycenter of the target element. Using numerical tests, including motion by the mean curvature, curvature-driven flow, the Allen-Cahn equation with a logarithmic free energy, the Allen-Cahn equation with advection, and the application for image segmentation, we verify the accuracy, efficiency, and capabilities of the adaptive DG on polygonal meshes and confirm the decreasing property of the discrete energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2219 aluminum alloy thin-walled complex components manufactured by spin forming are frequently applied to the bottom end of rocket fuel tanks. However, fracture and quality problems (large part-mold contact gap, low roundness, thickness accuracy) are prone to occur during their multi-pass spin forming. While the material anisotropy, complicated components geometry and the complex stress state evolution make it difficult to obtain the appropriate forming process parameters in spin forming. With the help of finite element methods, it is possible to solve this difficulty. Thus, based on the anisotropic Barlat89 yield function and the DF2016 fracture criterion, a spin forming finite element model considering material anisotropy and damage evolution is established first for the components. Then, a method by using multi-pass involute spinning track with variable diameter base circle to form the components is proposed, and also the spinning passes are determined. Finally, taking the non-fracture as the constraint condition and the forming quality indexes (part-mold contact gap, roundness, and thickness accuracy) as the optimization objectives, a multi-objective optimization model based on orthogonal experimental design and response surface model is established. The optimized process parameters are solved and determined by a combination of the Archive-Based Micro Genetic Algorithm, and the optimized results are verified by the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interface bonding between different asphalt pavement layers is crucial in maintaining the integrity of the pavement structure. To improve the interface bonding, bitumen emulsion is commonly used as the tack coat material. However, the bonding performance of conventional bitumen emulsion is limited. This study investigated the possibility of using waterborne epoxy resin modified bitumen emulsion as a novel tack coat material. The resistance to moisture damage of waterborne epoxy resin modified bitumen emulsion was evaluated using the boiling water test, followed by the characterization of the interface adhesion between waterborne epoxy resin modified bitumen emulsion and aggregate using the binder bond strength test. To further determine the interface bonding between different asphalt layers bonded by waterborne epoxy resin modified bitumen emulsion, a two-layer asphalt mixture structure was fabricated, and the shear strength was measured. The results indicated that the incorporation of waterborne epoxy resin can increase the interface bonding between the two asphalt mixture layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human pose estimation is a crucial area of study in computer vision. Transformer-based pose estimation algorithms have gained popularity for their excellent performance and relatively compact parameterization. However, these algorithms often face challenges including high computational demands and insensitivity to local details. To address these problems, the Twin attention module was introduced in TransPose to improve model efficiency and reduce resource consumption. Additionally, to address issues related to insufficient joint feature representation and poor network recognition performance, the enhanced TransPose model, named VTTransPose, replaced the basic block in the third subnet with the intra-level feature fusion module V block. The performance of the proposed VTTransPose model was validated on the public datasets COCO val2017 and COCO test-dev2017. The experimental results on COCO val2017 and COCO test-dev2017 indicate that the AP evaluation index scores of the VTTransPose network proposed are 76.5 and 73.6 respectively, marking improvements of 0.4 and 0.2 over the original TransPose network. Additionally, VTTransPose exhibited a reduction of 4.8G FLOPs, 2M parameters, and approximately 40% lower memory usage during training compared to the original TransPose model. All the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed VTTransPose is more accurate, efficient, and lightweight compared to the original TransPose model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The communication between the gut and brain is crucial for regulating various essential physiological functions, such as energy balance, fluid homeostasis, immune response, and emotion. The vagal sensory pathway plays an indispensable role in connecting the gut to the brain. Recently, our knowledge of the vagal gut-brain axis has significantly advanced through molecular genetic studies, revealing a diverse range of vagal sensory cell types with distinct peripheral innervations, response profiles, and physiological functions. Here, we review the current understanding of how vagal sensory neurons contribute to gut-brain communication. First, we highlight recent transcriptomic and genetic approaches that have characterized different vagal sensory cell types. Then, we focus on discussing how different subtypes encode numerous gut-derived signals and how their activities are translated into physiological and behavioral regulations. The emerging insights into the diverse cell types and functional properties of vagal sensory neurons have paved the way for exciting future directions, which may provide valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets for disorders involving gut-brain communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SznF, a member of the emerging family of heme‐oxygenase‐like (HO‐like) di‐iron oxidases and oxygenases, employs two distinct domains to catalyze the conversion of Nω‐methyl‐L‐arginine (L‐NMA) into N‐nitroso‐containing product, which can subsequently be transformed into streptozotocin. Using unrestricted density functional theory (UDFT) with the hybrid functional B3LYP, we have mechanistically investigated the two sequential hydroxylations of L‐NMA catalyzed by SznF's binuclear iron central domain. Mechanism B primarily involves the O−O bond dissociation, forming Fe(IV)=O, induced by the H+/e− introduction to the FeA side of μ‐1,2‐peroxo‐Fe2(III/III), the substrate hydrogen abstraction by Fe(IV)=O, and the hydroxyl rebound to the substrate N radical. The stochastic addition of H+/e− to the FeB side (mechanism C) can transition to mechanism B, thereby preventing enzyme deactivation. Two other competing mechanisms, involving the direct O−O bond dissociation (mechanism A) and the addition of H2O as a co‐substrate (mechanism D), have been ruled out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leisure agriculture in suburban towns provides important space for citizens to carry out leisure activities. This paper takes Xinkou town in Tianjin city as an example to analyze the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in suburban towns. On the premise of establishing the indicators for evaluating the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town, this paper first uses the data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the input and output indicators of leisure agriculture in 18 natural villages in Xinkou town, and calculates the comprehensive technical efficiency, target values, redundancy and returns to scale of leisure agriculture, and then evaluates the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town. Furthermore, by using the high/low clustering tool under the ArcGIS spatial statistics module, this paper conducts a high/low clustering analysis of the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in 18 natural villages of Xinkou town, and figures out the reasons for the high/low clustering of natural villages in Xinkou town spatially. After the research and analysis, the following conclusions are drawn: From the input–output perspective, except for Zhengzhuangzi village, Diliubu village, Yuejiakai village, and Dangcheng village, the development efficiency of leisure agriculture in other villages is relatively low due to their poor resource foundations, or deficiencies in management experience and transportation location. The development of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town is unbalanced, showing a pattern of polarized clusters: Diliubu village and Shuigaozhuang village form the most obvious high-value cluster, while Xiaoshawo village, Bijia village and Xuanjiayuan village form the most obvious low-value cluster, where the southeast corner of Xinkou town registers the lowest development efficiency value of leisure agriculture because it is far away from the town center and the main transportation arteries, and falls short of high-quality pastoral scenery. For the future development of leisure agriculture in Xinkou town, it is supposed to optimize the land use policy, provide active support to the competitive industrial and commercial capital, non-governmental capital, rural collective economic organizations, farmers’ cooperatives, and family farms, strengthen the in-depth integration of industries, improve the support system for new-type leisure agriculture, and build leisure agriculture brands with local features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home phototherapy (HPT) remains a contentious alternative to inpatient phototherapy (IPT) for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. To guide evidence-based clinical decision-making, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and cohort studies and assessed the comparative risks and benefits of HPT and IPT. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, ClinicalTrials.gov, and International Clinical Trial Registry Platform trial were searched from inception until June 2, 2023. We included RCTs and cohort studies and adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Study quality was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. The outcome measures were phototherapy duration, daily bilirubin level reduction, exchange transfusion, hospital readmission, parental stress scale, and complications. We used fixed- or random-effects meta-analysis models, assessed heterogeneity (I2), conducted subgroup analyses, evaluated publication bias, and graded evidence quality. Results: Nine studies (998 patients) were included (four RCTs, five cohort studies). HPT was associated with longer phototherapy duration (SMD = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.06–1.04, P = 0.03). Cohort study subgroup analysis yielded consistent results (SMD = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.11, P < 0.001, I2 = 39%); the RCTs were not significantly different (SMD = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.15 to 0.08, P = 0.54, I2 = 0%). Hospital readmission was higher with HPT (RR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.43–14.86, P = 0.01). Daily bilirubin reduction (WMD = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.68 to 0.44, P = 0.68) or complications were not significantly different (RR = 2.29; 95% CI: 0.31–16.60, P = 0.41). The evidence quality was very low. HPT was associated with lower parental stress (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI: -0.71 to -0.16, P = 0.002). None of three included studies reported exchange transfusion. Conclusions: The current evidence does not strongly support HPT efficacy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, as high-quality data on long-term outcomes are scarce. Future research should prioritize well-designed, large-scale, high-quality RCTs to comprehensively assess HPT risks and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and satisfaction of using a multi-angle laser device (MLD) for C-arm fluoroscopy to assist novice learners during lumbar spine surgery. Methods: Forty novice learners were randomly assigned to Group A using an MLD-equipped C-arm or Group B using a traditional C-arm. Both groups performed X-ray fluoroscopy on a lumbar spine model in supine and rotated positions. Time, number of shots, and deviation from the target were compared. A questionnaire was used to assess the learning experience. Results: Group A required less time (13.66 vs. 25.63 min), and fewer shots (15.05 vs. 32.50), and had a smaller deviation (22.9% vs. 61.5%) than Group B (all p<0.05). The questionnaire revealed higher scores in Group A for comfort, efficiency, and knowledge mastery (all p<0.05). Conclusion: The MLD significantly improves novice learning of C-arm fluoroscopy during lumbar spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home phototherapy (HPT) remains a contentious alternative to inpatient phototherapy (IPT) for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. To guide evidence-based clinical decision-making, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and cohort studies and assessed the comparative risks and benefits of HPT and IPT. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technique Journals Database, ClinicalTrials.gov, and International Clinical Trial Registry Platform trial were searched from inception until June 2, 2023. We included RCTs and cohort studies and adhered to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Study quality was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. The outcome measures were phototherapy duration, daily bilirubin level reduction, exchange transfusion, hospital readmission, parental stress scale, and complications. We used fixed- or random-effects meta-analysis models, assessed heterogeneity (I2), conducted subgroup analyses, evaluated publication bias, and graded evidence quality. Results: Nine studies (998 patients) were included (four RCTs, five cohort studies). HPT was associated with longer phototherapy duration (SMD = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.06–1.04, P = 0.03). Cohort study subgroup analysis yielded consistent results (SMD = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.11, P < 0.001, I2 = 39%); the RCTs were not significantly different (SMD = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.15 to 0.08, P = 0.54, I2 = 0%). Hospital readmission was higher with HPT (RR = 4.61; 95% CI: 1.43–14.86, P = 0.01). Daily bilirubin reduction (WMD = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.68 to 0.44, P = 0.68) or complications were not significantly different (RR = 2.29; 95% CI: 0.31–16.60, P = 0.41). The evidence quality was very low. HPT was associated with lower parental stress (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI: -0.71 to -0.16, P = 0.002). None of three included studies reported exchange transfusion. Conclusions: The current evidence does not strongly support HPT efficacy for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, as high-quality data on long-term outcomes are scarce. Future research should prioritize well-designed, large-scale, high-quality RCTs to comprehensively assess HPT risks and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solubility of aerosol trace elements, which determines their bioavailability and reactivity, is operationally defined and strongly depends on the leaching protocol used. Ultrapure water batch leaching is one of the most widely used leaching protocols, while the specific leaching protocols used in different labs can still differ in agitation methods, contact time, and filter pore size. It is yet unclear to which extent the difference in these experimental parameters would affect the aerosol trace element solubility reported. This work examined the effects of agitation methods, filter pore size and contact time on the solubility of nine aerosol trace elements, and found that the difference in agitation methods (shaking vs. sonication), filter pore size (0.22 vs. 0.45 μm), and contact time (1 vs. 2 h) only led to small and sometimes insignificant difference in the reported solubility. We further compared aerosol trace element solubility determined using four ultrapure water leaching protocols which are adopted by four different labs and vary in agitation methods, filter pore size and/or contact time, and observed good agreement in the reported solubility. Therefore, our work suggests that although ultrapure water batch leaching protocols used by different labs vary in specific experimental parameters, the determined aerosol trace element solubility is comparable. We recommend ultrapure water batch leaching to be one of the reference leaching schemes, and emphasize that additional consensus in the community on agitation methods, contact time and filter pore size is needed to formulate a standard operating procedure for ultrapure water batch leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetically-actuated microrobots (MARs) exhibit great potential in biomedicine owing to their precise navigation, wireless actuation and remote operation in confined space. However, most previously explored MARs unfold the drawback of hypodynamic magnetic torque due to low magnetic content, leading to their limited applications in controlled locomotion in fast-flowing fluid and massive cargo carrying to the target position. Here, we report a high-performance pure-nickel magnetically-actuated microrobot (Ni-MAR), prepared by a femtosecond laser polymerization followed by sintering method. Our Ni-MAR possesses a high magnetic content (∼90 wt%), thus resulting in enhanced magnetic torque under low-strength rotating magnetic fields, which enables the microrobot to exhibit high-speed swimming and superior cargo carrying. The maximum velocity of our Ni-MAR, 12.5 body lengths per second, outperforms the velocity of traditional helical MARs. The high-speed Ni-MAR is capable of maintaining controlled locomotion in fast-flowing fluid. Moreover, the Ni-MAR with massive cargo carrying capability can push a 200-times heavier microcube with translation and rotation motion. A single cell and multiple cells can be transported facilely by a single Ni-MAR to the target position. This work provides a scheme for fabricating high-performance magnetic microrobots, which holds great promise for targeted therapy and drug delivery in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Relevant reports on the surgical resection and prognosis of recurrent presacral tumors are limited. The objective of this study was to explore the outcomes associated with surgical resection of recurrent presacral tumors. Methods: The data of patients with recurrent presacral tumors who received surgical resection in our hospital between June 2009 and November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Thirty-one patients, comprising 22 females and 9 males, with recurrent presacral lesions were included in our study. A posterior approach was utilized in 27 patients, an anterior approach in 1 patient, and a combined approach in 3 patients. Intraoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (41.9%), while postoperative complications occurred in 6 patients (19.4%). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in patients who underwent the posterior approach compared to those who underwent the anterior and combined approaches (P = 0.002). The operative time for the posterior approach was significantly shorter compared to both the anterior and combined approaches (P = 0.006). Temporary tamponade was performed for hemostasis in 4 patients, while staged resection was performed in 2 patients during the surgical treatment process. After a median follow-up period of 115.5 months, 5 patients with recurrent malignant presacral tumors succumbed to tumor recurrence after reoperation in our hospital. Conclusions: Surgical resection remains the mainstream treatment for recurrent presacral tumors. The outcomes for recurrent benign presacral tumors after surgery demonstrate favorable results, whereas further enhancements are required to improve the outcomes for recurrent malignant presacral tumors after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical catalysts based on polyaniline derived covalent organic framework-carbon nanotube composite (PANI@COF-CNT) was successfully fabricated by chemical oxidation polymerization method. Rougher surface morphologies of PANI@COF-CNT was obtained attributing to PANI loading with the porous framework, forming a unique well-distributed network structure. The specific surface area and pore diameter of PANI@COF-CNT were 99.533 m2/g and 24.916 nm, which were 13.220 and 1.913 times of that of PANI@COF. The output voltage of PANI@COF-CNT MFC could be stably sustained at about 0.390 V with no significant change after 120 h. The maximum power density of PANI@COF-CNT MFC was 194.480 mW/m2, which was 8.655 folds higher than that of the pristine COF cathode MFC. The coral bone-like structure of COF and the porous structure of CNT provided abundant electroactive sites, and the high conductivity of PANI significantly enhanced the electron transfer rate and effectively reduced the transport resistance, which in turn effectively strengthened the electrochemical performance and cycling stability of MFC. • In-situ synthesis of conductive PANI on COF-CNT surface by chemical oxidation polymerization method. • High conductivity and abundant active sites improved the electrochemical performance of PANI@COF-CNT. • Maximum power density produced by PANI@COF-CNT MFC was 194.480 mW/m2. • The possible way of electron transfer of PANI@COF-CNT in electrode was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An N‐phenylcarbazole/triazine hybrid of 2,4,6‐tris(9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazol‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (TPhCz‐Trz) is successfully synthesized using cheap raw materials via facile synthesis method with a high yield of 60.9%. Good thermal (Td, 284 °C) and morphological stability are realized due to its rigid structure and three‐dimensional steric hindrance. The high triplet energy level of 2.88 eV for the host is very important to inhibit the energy reverse from guest to host. Surprisingly, orange thermally‐activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are achieved by using excellent green emitter 9,10‐bis(4‐(3,6‐ditertbutyl‐9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐phenyl)‐9,10‐diboraanth‐racene (tBuCzDBA) with the maximum external quantum efficiency of 14.0%. The large bathochromic‐shift is probably induced by the polarity of the host compared to the emission peak of 542 nm of tBuCzDBA‐based green TADF device. This indicates high performance of devices with different colors would be achieved through optimizing molecular structure of the host and device framework using tBuCzDBA as emitter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe train operates in special environments such as large bridges and elevated viaducts. The fluctuations of the aerodynamic loads of the high-speed train (HST) are more intense and the possibility of the train derailment and overturning will increase when the train is running on the bridge under the crosswind. Thus, it is of utmost importance to study both the aerodynamic characteristics and the running safety of the train in this situation. This study uses the IDDES method to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of the train running on the double track bridge in both up and down train directions at different speeds. The differences in the impact of aerodynamic loads on the train’s dynamic response indicators are discussed using the wind-vehicle coupling dynamic response calculation method. Based on these researches, the operational safety of the train under different operating conditions is evaluated from both flow field and dynamic perspectives. The results show that large-scale vortices fall off from the nose of the train and form a larger vortex structure on the leeward side and when the train is running under the crosswind. Its aerodynamic loads fluctuate intensely with time due to the complex wake flow of the train. The dominant frequencies of the unsteady aerodynamic loads are mostly concentrated in the range of 0–5Hz, which is close to the natural modal frequencies of the train. This will lead to the overturning of the train due to vehicle resonance. The derailment coefficient and wheel load reduction rate of the train increase with the speed. Their peak values exceed the limit of 0.8 while the peak duration of the derailment coefficient is less than 0.05s, which means the state of the leeward wheel will recover from a short derailment. However, the duration of derailment increases with speed. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to prevent accidents when the train is running at higher speed on the bridge to guarantee the operational safety of the HST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the important technology-assisted language learning (TALL)-empowered affordances, a comprehensive understanding of how these TALL tools facilitate learning across different language components, e.g., phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, could not only present the panoramic scenery of the subject matter but also inform pedagogy for applied linguistics researchers and practitioners. Despite the increasing attention being paid to the affordances of a particular TALL platform, there is still a lack of more holistic research practice to the affordances for the five language components. To bridge the gap, this study aims to systematically and quantitively revisit the TALL-empowered affordances with respect to these language components. To this end, a total of valid 201 articles published from 2010 to 2023 were selected and coded based on the proposed inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results revealed that different TALL platforms (viz. computer, mobile, tablet, virtual reality, and robot) help improve students’ language learning performance and efficacy among the five language components. The implications of the study, in perfect tune with the distance language learning experiences in the post COVID-19 pandemic era, justify the need to take full advantage of the TALL affordances and accelerate the move toward a more technology-friendly field of study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we reported an efficient indium catalyzed dithianyl–alkyne metathesis (DAM) reaction. This strategy allows for the formation of a new C–C double bond and valuable C–S bonds during the metathesis event, and was successfully applied to the synthesis of diverse vinyl dithianyl substituted organic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Displaced aggression refers to pernicious acts against innocent people. To date, little is known about mechanisms underlying dynamic changes in displaced aggression. The present study constructed a cross‐lagged model to examine the dynamic effects of relative deprivation on displaced aggression and the mediation mechanisms underlying these effects. A total of 1130 undergraduate students participated in this three‐wave longitudinal study. The results showed that relative deprivation predicted changes in displaced aggression through concurrent changes in levels of hostile attribution bias and moral disengagement. Hostile attribution bias and moral disengagement could predict each other longitudinally. The relationships between relative deprivation and displaced aggression, and relative deprivation and hostile attribution bias were mutual. This multiple mediation model with two mutually predicting mediators was explained from the aggressive motivation perspective. The findings help inform aggression theories and have implications for the prevention of and interventions against displaced aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still challenging to generate high-quality inflow turbulence for the direct numerical and large-eddy simulations of compressible turbulent boundary layers (CTBL). Recently, Wang et al. ["Inflow turbulence generation using an equivalent boundary layer model," Phys. Fluids 35, 075110 (2023)] proposed a new inflow turbulence generation method based on an equivalent boundary layer model for incompressible turbulent boundary layers. In the present study, the compressible equivalent boundary layer (CEBL) model is proposed and applied to the direct numerical simulation of supersonic turbulent boundary layers. The streamwise equilibrious CEBL approximates the streamwise developing CTBL by adding source terms to the governing equations to recover the mean mass, momentum, and energy balances at a given Reynolds number. Direct numerical simulation is performed to CEBL at free-stream Mach number 5.86 and friction Reynolds number 380. Comparison with the CTBL statistics at the same parameters validates the fidelity and reliability of the CEBL model. Turbulence generated by CEBL as well as the digital filtering and recycling-rescaling methods is used, respectively, to construct the inflow conditions for the direct numerical simulation of supersonic turbulent boundary layers. Results show that the CEBL method has great superiority in reducing the adjustment length compared with the other two methods. In addition, a correction method designed for the high inflow Reynolds number is also introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the effects of the working medium and external conditions, centrifugal pumps often produce complex gas–liquid two-phase flows during operation. The entrainment of gas can lead to a significant decrease in the pressure head of the centrifugal pump and a serious reduction in conveyance efficiency. Therefore, in the absence of visualization or noninvasive techniques, the question of how to predict and model the flow status inside the pump is a key issue that needs to be urgently addressed. Using experimental data for gas–liquid two-phase flows in centrifugal pumps, this paper proposes a flow pattern identification model based on one-dimensional pressure increment signals. This deep learning model consists of convolutional neural networks and bidirectional gated recurrent units. Bayesian optimization is used for automatic hyperparameter tuning, and under the premise of balanced data distribution, the model achieves an identification rate of 0.98 on the test set. Subsequently, addressing the issue of the uneven sample distribution in centrifugal pumps due to their poor gas-carrying capacity, a data augmentation model based on the conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network with gradient penalty approach is proposed based on the predictive model. Finally, to establish a flow pattern identification method with good extrapolation capability, a transfer learning strategy that accounts for the domain adaptation problem is introduced to the dataset with variable speeds based on the previous two studies. This method achieves knowledge transfer from the source domain to the target domain with a recognition rate of over 0.988 without hyperparameter optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]