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Objectives: In Pakistan, cutaneous leishmaniasis is an emerging tropical disease and a very high number (>70%) of children are afflicted by this marring infection. This study aimed to scrutinise the prevalence, spatial distribution and socio‐demographic and behavioural risk factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in children aged <5–15 years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Methods: A total of 1, 559 clinically confirmed records of children diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis (January–December) from 2020 and 2022 were obtained from selected district hospitals. In addition, a risk factors‐related questionnaire was administered to 1, 011 households (400 in 2020 and 611 in 2022) in nine districts during a household survey. Results: The maximum number of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases was recorded in 2022 (n = 877, 56.25%) as compared to 2020 (n = 682, 43.75%). The hospital records showed a greater number of male patients in the 2022 cohort (n = 603, 68.76%). The highest number of cases were observed in children aged 5–9 years in 2022 (n = 282, 32.16%) and 2020 (n = 255, 37.39%). In 2020 and 2022, cutaneous leishmaniasis cases showed peak aggregation in March (n = 118, 17.3%) and January (n = 322, 36.72%). From a spatial analysis, the maximum number of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases was recorded at 59–1700 m elevation in various land‐use/land‐cover and climatic regions with quaternary alluvium rock formations. A multivariate logistic regression model analysis of risk factors from the households survey suggested that age group, socio‐economic status, construction materials of the house, use of insect repellents, Afghan refugee camps in the village/district, knowledge and biting times of sand flies, frequent use of mosquito bed nets, presence of domestic animals in the house, knowledge of the transmission period and peak month of leishmaniasis infection increased the risk of acquiring cutaneous leishmaniasis (p value < 0.05). Conclusion: Our analysis demonstrated that cutaneous leishmaniasis in children is influenced by a variety of environmental, socio‐demographic and behavioural risk factors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The increase in recorded cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in children in 2022 compared to 2020 suggests that the infection likely extended to new foci in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major cellular component in the tumor microenvironment and have been shown to exhibit protumorigenic effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to delve into the mechanisms underlying the tumor‐promoting effects of CAFs in HCC. Small RNA sequencing was conducted to screen differential expressed microRNAs in exosomes derived from CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs). The miR‐92a‐3p expression was then measured using reverse transcriptase quantitative real‐time PCR in CAFs, NFs, CAFs‐derived exosomes (CAFs‐Exo), and NF‐derived exosomes (NFs‐Exo). Compared to NFs or NF‐Exo, CAFs and CAFs‐Exo significantly promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, and stemness. Additionally, compared to NFs or NF‐Exo, miR‐92a‐3p level was notably higher in CAFs and CAFs‐Exo, respectively. Exosomal miR‐92a‐3p was found to enhance HCC cell proliferation, migration, and stemness. Meanwhile, AXIN1 was targeted by miR‐92a‐3p. Exosomal miR‐92a‐3p could activate β‐catenin/CD44 signaling in HCC cells by inhibiting AXIN1 messenger RNA. Furthermore, in vivo studies verified that exosomal miR‐92a‐3p notably promoted tumor growth and stemness through targeting AXIN1/β‐catenin axis. Collectively, CAFs secreted exosomal miR‐92a‐3p was capable of promoting growth and stemness in HCC through activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway by suppressing AXIN1. Therefore, targeting CAFs‐derived miR‐92a‐3p may be a potential strategy for treating HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the complete moment convergence for randomly weighted sums of negatively superadditive dependent (NSD, for short) random variables is studied. Several sufficient conditions of the complete moment convergence for randomly weighted sums of NSD random variables are presented. The results obtained in the article extend some corresponding ones in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study included 227 patients, among whom 27.7% (63/227) were diagnosed with tumors spread through air spaces (STASs), which have been shown to be associated with shorter recurrence-free survival and poor prognosis. A prediction model was developed to forecast tumor STAS in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma pathology images. The radiomics prediction model demonstrated good performance, with an AUC value of 0.83. This prediction model can assist pathologists in the diagnostic processes of clinical practice. The presence of spread through air spaces (STASs) in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma is a significant prognostic factor associated with disease recurrence and poor outcomes. Although current STAS detection methods rely on pathological examinations, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) offers opportunities for automated histopathological image analysis. This study developed a deep learning (DL) model for STAS prediction and investigated the correlation between the prediction results and patient outcomes. To develop the DL-based STAS prediction model, 1053 digital pathology whole-slide images (WSIs) from the competition dataset were enrolled in the training set, and 227 WSIs from the National Taiwan University Hospital were enrolled for external validation. A YOLOv5-based framework comprising preprocessing, candidate detection, false-positive reduction, and patient-based prediction was proposed for STAS prediction. The model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83 in predicting STAS presence, with 72% accuracy, 81% sensitivity, and 63% specificity. Additionally, the DL model demonstrated a prognostic value in disease-free survival compared to that of pathological evaluation. These findings suggest that DL-based STAS prediction could serve as an adjunctive screening tool and facilitate clinical decision-making in patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been previous studies and earlier systematic review on the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and radiation exposure. With the diversification of current test methods, this study intended to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the IBD radiation exposure in recent years. Methods: Three databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, and MEDICINE) for relevant literature up to May 1, 2023 were searched. The statistical data meeting requirements were collated and extracted. Results: 20 papers were enrolled. The overall high radiation exposure rate was 15% (95% CI = [12%, 19%]) for CD and 5% (95% CI = [3%, 7%]) for UC. The pooled result found that high radiation exposure rate was 3.44 times higher in CD than in UC (OR = 3.44, 95% CI = [2.35, 5.02]). Moreover, the average radiation exposure level in CD was 12.77 mSv higher than that in UC (WMD = 12.77, 95% CI = [9.93, 15.62] mSv). Furthermore, radiation exposure level of CD after 2012 was higher than those before 2012 (26.42 ± 39.61vs. 23.76 ± 38.46 mSv, P = 0.016), while UC did not show similar result (11.99 ± 27.66 vs. 10.01 ± 30.76 mSv, P = 0.1). Through subgroup analysis, it was found that disease duration (WMD = 2.75, 95% CI = [0.10, 5.40] mSv), complications (OR = 5.09, 95% CI = [1.50, 17.29]), and surgical history (OR = 5.46, 95% CI = [1.51, 19.69]) significantly increased the proportion of high radiation exposure. Conclusion: This study found that radiation exposure level of IBD patients was high, which revealed the radiation risk in the process of diagnosis and treatment of IBD patients. In the future, longer follow-up and prospective studies are needed to reveal the relationship between high radiation exposure and solid tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the structural stability, elastic properties, structural transformation, and critical concentration of Ni3Al and Ni3M (M = Ti, Ta, Nb) using L12, D024, and DO22 structures, along with three-dimensional supercells featuring stacking faults along [ 10 1 ¯ ] , [ 01 1 ¯ ] , [111] directions. First-principles calculations revealed that the most stable structures for Ni3Al, Ni3Ti, Ni3Ta, and Ni3Nb are L12, D024, DO22, and DO22, respectively. Notably, the bulk modulus, Young′s modulus, shear modulus, and isotropy of Ni3Ti, Ni3Ta, and Ni3Nb surpassed those of Ni3Al, with increased ductility, except for Ni3Ti. By substituting Al atoms with 0–8 Ti, Ta, and Nb atoms in a 32-atom Ni3Al structure, the critical concentration for the transformation from L12 to D024 or DO22 ranged between 18.75 at. % and 21.88 at. %, and between 15.63 at. % and 18.75 at. %, respectively. This critical concentration was influenced by the dynamic interplay among Ti, Ta, Nb, and Al atoms interacting with Ni atoms. The structural transformation from L12 to D024 or DO22 can be attributed to the reduction in the superlattice extrinsic stacking fault energies or the anti-phase boundary energies, respectively, a consequence of the redistribution of charge density between Ti, Ta, Nb atoms and Ni atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to solve the distributed hybrid flowshop scheduling problem (DHFSP) with the makespan criterion. First, a mixed-integer linear programming model for the DHFSP is formulated. Then, an improved iterated greedy (IIG) algorithm is developed to handle this DHFSP. In IIG, a new initialization strategy is designed to improve the quality of the initial solution. A hybrid operator, which combines the perturbation operator and destruction/construction operator, is proposed to enhance the global search ability. According to the characteristics of the DHFSP, a new local search method, which integrates four neighbourhood structures, is designed to strengthen the exploitation capability. The best parameter configuration of IIG is investigated through design of experiments, and the validity of each improved part of IIG is verified by performing extensive experiments. Finally, IIG is compared with other optimization algorithms on 100 large-scale instances. The experimental results show that IIG is effective in addressing this DHFSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial growth of a wide bandgap semiconductor β-Ga2O3 thin film with high crystal quality plays a decisive role in constructing optical and electronic devices. However, except for the native substrate, the scarcity of appropriate non-native substrates or the poor crystallization of the deposit in thin film growth severely limits the fabrication and applicability of the final heterostructures and devices. Here, by taking the consistent symmetry and closely matched atomic spacing between β-Ga2O3 (−201) and the cubic perovskite (111)-oriented plane of SrTiO3, we realize the epitaxial growth of single crystal β-Ga2O3 (−201) thin films on the SrTiO3 (111) substrate by the pulsed laser deposition method, as confirmed by wide-range reciprocal-space mapping and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. The fabricated β-Ga2O3 (−201) photodetector device on the SrTiO3 (111) substrate exhibits excellent ultraviolet optical detection performance with large on/off switching ratios and a fast response speed. Moreover, the β-Ga2O3/SrTiO3 (111) heterojunction shows type-II heterostructure characteristics for energy band alignment, which displays superior ability for electron–hole pairs separation with large conduction and small valance band offsets of 1.68 and 0.09 eV, respectively. The results offer us a new way to obtain high-quality β-Ga2O3 (−201) thin film heterostructures on cubic SrTiO3 (111) substrates and fabricate β-Ga2O3-based optical and electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric turbulence parameters, such as turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate, are of great significance in weather prediction, meteorological disasters, and forecasting. Due to the lack of ideal direct detection methods, traditional structure function methods are mainly based on Kolmogorov's assumption of local isotropic turbulence and the well-known -5/3 power law within the inertial subrange, which limits their application. Here, we propose a method for directly measuring atmospheric turbulence parameters using coherent Doppler wind lidar, which can directly obtain atmospheric turbulence parameters and vertical structural features, breaking the limitations of traditional methods. The first published spatiotemporal distribution map of the power-law exponent of the inertial subrange is provided in this study, which indicates the heterogeneity of atmospheric turbulence at different altitudes and also indicates that the power-law exponent at high altitudes does not fully comply with the -5/3 power law, proving the superiority of our method. We analyze the results under different weather conditions, indicating that the method still holds. The turbulent kinetic energy and power-law index obtained by this method are continuously compared with the results obtained with an ultrasonic anemometer for a month-long period. The results of the two have high consistency and correlation, verifying the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method. The proposed method has great significance in studying the vertical structural characteristics of atmospheric turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroporation, or the use of electric pulses to facilitate the intracellular delivery of DNA, RNA, and other molecules, is a well‐established technique, that has been demonstrated to significantly augment the immunogenicity of DNA/mRNA vaccines and therapeutics. However, the clinical translation of traditional electroporators has been limited due to high costs, large size, complex user operation, and poor tolerability in humans due to nerve stimulation. In prior work, we introduced ePatch: an ultra‐low‐cost, handheld, battery‐free electroporator employing a piezoelectric pulser coupled with a microneedle electrode array that showed enhanced immunogenic responses to an intradermal SARS‐CoV‐2 DNA vaccine in mice. The current study shifts focus from efficacy to tolerability, hypothesizing that ePatch's microneedle array, which localizes the electric field to the superficial skin strata, will minimize nerve stimulation and improve patient comfort. We tested this hypothesis in 14 healthy adults, monitoring pain and other potential adverse effects associated with electroporation. Compared to the insertion of a traditional hypodermic needle, the ePatch was less painful. Adverse effects such as pain, tenderness, erythema and swelling at the application sites were minimal, transient, and statistically indistinguishable between the experimental and placebo ePatch application, suggesting excellent tolerability towards electroporation. In summary, ePatch has a favorable tolerability profile in humans and offers the potential for the safe use of electroporation in a variety of clinical settings, including DNA and mRNA vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPFs) are prevalent and major postoperative complications of distal pancreatectomy (DP). There are numerous ways to manage the pancreatic stump. However, no single approach has been shown to be consistently superior. Moreover, the potential role of robotic systems in reducing POPFs has received little attention. Methods: The clinical data of 119 patients who had consecutively received robotic distal pancreatectomy between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the method of handling the pancreatic stump. The attributes of the patients and the variables during the perioperative period were compared. Results: The analysis included 72 manual sutures and 47 stapler procedures. The manual suture group had a shorter operative time (removing installation time) than the stapler group (125.25 ± 63.04 min vs 153.30 ± 62.03 min, p = 0.019). Additionally, the manual suture group had lower estimated blood loss (50 mL vs 100 mL, p = 0.009) and a shorter postoperative hospital stay. There were no significant differences in the incidence of clinically relevant POPFs between the two groups (18.1% vs 23.4%, P > 0.05). No perioperative death occurred in either group. Conclusion: The manual suturing technique was shown to have an incidence of POPFs similar to the stapler technique in robotic distal pancreatectomy and to be safe and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Single-cell Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high throughput sequencing (scATAC-seq) has gained increasing popularity in recent years, allowing for chromatin accessibility to be deciphered and gene regulatory networks (GRNs) to be inferred at single-cell resolution. This cutting-edge technology now enables the genome-wide profiling of chromatin accessibility at the cellular level and the capturing of cell-type-specific cis-regulatory elements (CREs) that are masked by cellular heterogeneity in bulk assays. Additionally, it can also facilitate the identification of rare and new cell types based on differences in chromatin accessibility and the charting of cellular developmental trajectories within lineage-related cell clusters. Due to technical challenges and limitations, the data generated from scATAC-seq exhibit unique features, often characterized by high sparsity and noise, even within the same cell type. To address these challenges, various bioinformatic tools have been developed. Furthermore, the application of scATAC-seq in plant science is still in its infancy, with most research focusing on root tissues and model plant species. In this review, we provide an overview of recent progress in scATAC-seq and its application across various fields. We first conduct scATAC-seq in plant science. Next, we highlight the current challenges of scATAC-seq in plant science and major strategies for cell type annotation. Finally, we outline several future directions to exploit scATAC-seq technologies to address critical challenges in plant science, ranging from plant ENCODE(The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project construction to GRN inference, to deepen our understanding of the roles of CREs in plant biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionogel electrolytes are critical to electrochemical devices owing to mechanical and electrical properties. Here, graphene-enhanced double-network ionogel electrolytes have been developed with superior properties for energy storage and strain sensing. The uniformly dispersed graphene nanosheets enhance mechanical properties of double-network ionogels and then, provide fluent channels for ion transport. The electrolytes display high ionic conductivity of 0.186 mS cm−1, tensile modulus of 3.64 MPa, and breaking elongation of 217%. The as-prepared electrochemical devices give a high energy capacity of 213 F g−1 at current density of 2 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability beyond 30,000 charge–discharge cycles. In addition, the devices with piezoionic effect present superior sensing properties and have been utilized for real-time monitoring of breath status, which is very important to detection of breath-related disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational techniques can speed up the identification of hits and accelerate the development of candidate molecules for drug discovery. Among techniques for predicting relative binding affinities, the most consistently accurate is free energy perturbation (FEP), a class of rigorous physics-based methods. However, uncertainty remains about how accurate FEP is and can ever be. Here, we present what we believe to be the largest publicly available dataset of proteins and congeneric series of small molecules, and assess the accuracy of the leading FEP workflow. To ascertain the limit of achievable accuracy, we also survey the reproducibility of experimental relative affinity measurements. We find a wide variability in experimental accuracy and a correspondence between binding and functional assays. When careful preparation of protein and ligand structures is undertaken, FEP can achieve accuracy comparable to experimental reproducibility. Throughout, we highlight reliable protocols that can help maximize the accuracy of FEP in prospective studies. Free energy perturbation (FEP) is a well-recognized computational technique to predict the relative affinities of protein-ligand interactions, however, the exact accuracy of FEP prediction remains uncertain. Here, the authors assess the current accuracy of the leading FEP workflow by assembling a benchmark dataset, and highlight reliable protocols to maximize the accuracy of FEP in prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the development and application of a multilayer microfluidic lung chip designed to accurately replicate the human respiratory bronchi, providing an innovative platform for controlled particle deposition in the lung. By employing a quantitative control method of fluid velocity through the deformation of an elastic PDMS membrane, this platform mimics the passive breathing process in humans and allows for precise simulation of the respiration cycle. We utilized time-lapse photography of fluorescent particles in a water/glycerol solution to qualitatively observe fluid morphology in the channel, while a chip-aerosol exposure device combined with microscopy imaging was employed to visualise aerosol deposition. Both experimental and numerical simulation results showed that particle concentration decreased towards the distal generations of the lung, and that changes in breathing pattern significantly affected particle deposition trends. Furthermore, we found that increasing the residence time of particles in the channel facilitated deeper particle deposition, achievable by adjusting parameters such as breath-hold time, exhalation time, respiration cycle length, and tidal volume. The proposed microfluidic lung chip device has significant potential for future research in respiratory health and inhaled drug delivery, providing an efficient, cost-effective, and ethical alternative to traditional in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish the uniformly asymptotic normality for sample quantiles based on martingale difference sequences under some suitable conditions. We obtain the rate of normality approximation of O (n − 1 / 4 log ⁡ n) by using some classical methods such as Bernstein type inequality, and so on. Finally, we verify asymptotic normality for the fixed quantile of the martingale difference sequences and present some numerical simulations to demonstrate the finite sample performances of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: 3,4-Bisnitrofurazanfuroxan (DNTF) is a typical high energy density compound (HEDC), it has high crystal density and detonation parameters, but also high mechanical sensitivity. To decrease its mechanical sensitivity, the DNTF based polymer bonded explosives (PBXs) was designed. The pure DNTF crystal and PBXs models were established. The stability, sensitivity, detonation performance and mechanical properties of DNTF crystal and PBXs models were predicted. Results show that PBXs models containing fluorine rubber (F2311) and fluorine resin (F2314) have higher binding energy, meaning that DNTF/F2311 and DNTF/F2314 is relatively more stable. PBXs models have higher value of cohesive energy density (CED) than pure DNTF crystal, DNTF/F2311 and DNTF/F2314 have the highest value of CED, implying that the sensitivity of PBXs is effectively decreased, DNTF/F2311 and DNTF/F2314 is more insensitive. PBXs have lower crystal density and detonation parameters than DNTF, the energy density is declined, DNTF/F2314 has higher energetic performance than other PBXs. Compared with pure DNTF crystal, engineering moduli (tensile modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus) of PBXs models are obviously decreased, but Cauchy pressure is increased, implying that the mechanical properties of PBXs is superior to pure DNTF component, the PBXs containing F2311 or F2314 have more preferable mechanical properties. Consequently, DNTF/F2311 and DNTF/F2314 have the best comprehensive properties and is more attractive among the designed PBXs, indicating that F2311 and F2314 are more advantageous and promising in ameliorating properties of DNTF. Methods: The properties of DNTF crystal and PBXs models were predicted through molecular dynamics (MD) method under Materials Studio 7.0 package. The MD simulation was performed with isothermal-constant volume (NVT) ensemble, and the force field was chosen as COMPASS force field. The temperature was set as 295 K, the time step was 1 fs and the total MD simulation time was 2 ns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The Nuclear protein 1 gene was first discovered in acute pancreatitis and functions as an oncogene in cancer progression and drug resistance. However, the role of Nuclear protein 1 in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) is still unclear. Methods. The Cancer Genome Atlas database and immunohistochemical analysis were adopted to evaluate Nuclear protein 1 expression in BTCC. We applied lentivirus-mediated small-interfering RNA to down-regulate the expression of Nuclear protein 1 in BTCC cell lines. We further performed an Affymetrix microarray and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to assess the genes and signaling pathways related to Nuclear protein 1. Results. We found that Nuclear protein 1 expression was up-regulated in BTCC and positively related to the degree of BTCC malignancy. Compared with Caucasian patients with BTCC, Nuclear protein 1 expression was attenuated in Asian patients. The Affymetrix microarray showed that lipopolysaccharide was the upstream regulatory factor of Nuclear protein 1 in BTCC. The GSEA indicated that Nuclear protein 1 expression was associated with signaling pathways in cancer, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathways, and RNA degradation. The expression of Nuclear protein 1 was negatively correlated with PPARG (R = − 0.290 , P < 0.001), but not with PPARA (R = 0.047 , P = 0.344) and PPARD (R = − 0.055 , P = 0.260). Conclusions. The study findings indicate that Nuclear protein 1 is positively associated with the malignancy degree of BTCC and that Nuclear protein 1 expression is negatively correlated with PPARG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anionic High-entropy materials have seldom been reported as a new library of water oxidation electrocatalysts owing to great difficulty in uniformly distributing multiple elements with different physicochemical properties and harsh synthesis conditions. Herein, a series of amorphous quasi-high-entropy carbonates for the first time is prepared via a facile low-temperature hydrothermal route. The optimized CoCrFeMnMoCO 3 with hydrothermal treatment of 6 h can serve as a promising oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst for water splitting on account of amorphous structure rendering more exposed active sites, superior synergistic effect realizing surface component self-optimization, high-valence ferritic species (Fe(3+δ)+) providing high catalytic activity and high-entropy stabilization guaranteeing long-term OER performance, thus exhibiting the low overpotentials of 302 and 355 mV at the current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively, the small Tafel slope of 36.7 mV dec−1, and excellent durability longer than 38 h, dramatically exceeding its corresponding crystalline counterpart and benchmark RuO 2 catalyst, as well as yielding the current density of 10 mA cm−2 with impressive low voltage of 1.56 V while used as bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting. This study lights a broad avenue to design other anionic high-entropy materials as promising OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticancer peptides and polymers represent an emerging field of tumor treatment and can physically interact with tumor cells to address the problem of multidrug resistance. In the present study, poly(l-ornithine)-b-poly(l-phenylalanine) (PLO-b-PLF) block copolypeptides were prepared and evaluated as macromolecular anticancer agents. Amphiphilic PLO-b-PLF self-assembles into nanosized polymeric micelles in aqueous solution. Cationic PLO-b-PLF micelles interact steadily with the negatively charged surfaces of cancer cells via electrostatic interactions and kill the cancer cells via membrane lysis. To alleviate the cytotoxicity of PLO-b-PLF, 1,2-dicarboxylic-cyclohexene anhydride (DCA) was anchored to the side chains of PLO via an acid-labile β-amide bond to fabricate PLO(DCA)-b-PLF. Anionic PLO(DCA)-b-PLF showed negligible hemolysis and cytotoxicity under neutral physiological conditions but recovered cytotoxicity (anticancer activity) upon charge reversal in the weakly acidic microenvironment of the tumor. PLO-based polypeptides might have potential applications in the emerging field of drug-free tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great development po-tential in the field of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this theoretical research work, we propose a novel 3d transition metals (TM)-embedded rectangular tetracyanoquinodimethane (TM-rTCNQ) as a potential high-performance sulfur host. The calculated results show that all TM-rTCNQ structures have excellent structural stability and metallic properties. Through exploring different adsorption patterns, we discovered that TM-rTCNQ (TM = V, Cr, Mn, Fe and Co) monolayers possess moderate adsorption strength for all polysulfide species, which is mainly due to the existence of the TM-N4 active center in these frame systems. Especially for the non-synthesized V-rCTNQ, the theoretical calculation fully predicts that the material has the most suitable adsorption strength for polysul-fides, excellent charging-discharging reaction and Li-ion diffusion performance. Additionally, Mn-rTCNQ, which has been synthesized experimentally, is also suitable for further experimental con-firmation. These findings not only provide novel MOFs for promoting the commercialization of Li-S batteries, but also provide unique insights for fully understanding their catalytic reaction mecha-nism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yoong proposes that neoliberal feminism and postfeminism value women as important human capital but meanwhile disavow their right to obtain social and cultural capital. In the context of globalization, campaigns for gender equality have grown into a trend of global participation but culturally vary from place to place. Hence, the repetition of what neoliberal feminism and postfeminism have been emphasizing in Chapters 4 and 5 seems disadvantageous for Yoong's enterprise. Specifically, Chapter 4, "Neoliberal feminism and media discourses of employed motherhood" investigates the discourse of gender, work and family invoked within Malaysian women's media. [Extracted from the article]

The clinicopathological presentation of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations has been seldom studied. Our study enrolled patients with stage I and II lung adenocarcinoma between January 2014 and December 2017 at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Clinicopathological features and prognosis were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed depending on EGFR mutation status. EGFR mutations were detected in 622 (60%) out of 1034 patients. Compared to the group without EGFR mutations, the group with EGFR mutations had more patients above 65 years of age (p < 0.001), more non-lepidic histological subtypes (p < 0.001), higher CEA levels (p = 0.044), higher grade of pleural (p = 0.02) and lymphovascular (p = 0.001) invasion, higher histological grade (p < 0.001), and a more advanced pathological stage (p = 0.022). In multivariate analysis, there was no significant difference in PFS or OS between the EGFR mutant and wild-type groups. In subtype analysis, the tumors with an L858R mutation had a more lepidic predominant histological type (p = 0.019) and less lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.011). No significant differences in PFS or OS were detected between the exon 19 deletion and L858R mutation groups. In early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, EGFR mutation may be considered as a treatment response predictor for tyrosine kinase inhibitors, instead of a predictor of clinical prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: KIAA0586, also known as Talpid3, plays critical roles in primary cilia formation and hedgehog signaling in humans. Variants in KIAA0586 could cause some different ciliopathies, including Joubert syndrome (JBTS), which is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of autosomal recessive neurological disorders. Methods and Results: A 9-month-old girl was diagnosed as JBTS by the "molar tooth sign" of the mid-brain and global developmental delay. By whole-exome sequencing, we identified a single nucleotide variant c.3303G > A and a 1.38-kb deletion in KIAA0586 in the proband. These two variants of KIAA0586 were consistent with the mode of autosomal recessive inheritance in the family, which was verified using Sanger sequencing. Conclusions: This finding of a compound heterozygote with a 1.38-kb deletion and c.3303G > A gave a precise genetic diagnosis for the patient, and the novel 1.38-kb deletion also expanded the pathogenic variation spectrum of JBTS caused by KIAA0586. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food packaging plays a vital role in protecting food products from environmental damage and preventing contamination from microorganisms. Conventional food packaging made of plastics produced from unrenewable fossil resources is hard to degrade and poses a negative impact on environmental sustainability. Natural biopolymers are attracting interest for reducing environmental problems to achieve a sustainable society, because of their abundance, biocompatibility, biodegradability, chemical stability, and non-toxicity. Active packaging systems composed of these biopolymers and biopolymer-based composites go beyond simply acting as a barrier to maintain food quality. This review provides a comprehensive overview of natural biopolymer materials used as matrices for food packaging. The antioxidant, water barrier, and oxygen barrier properties of these composites are compared and discussed. Furthermore, biopolymer-based composites integrated with antimicrobial agents—such as inorganic nanostructures and natural products—are reviewed, and the related mechanisms are discussed in terms of antimicrobial function. In summary, composites used for active food packaging systems can inhibit microbial growth and maintain food quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β -Gallium oxide (β -Ga2O3) has been studied extensively in recent decades due to its excellent usability in fabricating a variety of devices, such as solar-blind photodetectors and power devices. However, as an important part of a device, related investigations of β -Ga2O3â€"metal contacts, especially for Schottky contacts, are rare. In this review, we summarize recent research progress on β -Ga2O3â€"metal contacts, including related theories, measurements, fabrication processes, control methods, etc. This review will provide insights for both theoretical understanding of the metal/semiconductor interface, as well as the fabrication process for engineering applications of Ga2O3-based devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Laparoscopic duodenum–preserving pancreatic head resection (L-DPPHR) is technically demanding with extreme difficulty in biliary preservation. Only a few reports of L-DPPHR are available with alarming bile leakage, and none of them revealed the long-term metabolic outcomes. For the first time, our study explored the different dosage and timing of indocyanine green (ICG) for guiding L-DPPHR and described the long-term metabolic results. Methods: Between October 2015 and January 2021, different dosage and timing of ICG were administrated preoperatively and evaluated intra-operatively using Image J software to calculate the relative fluorescence intensity ratio of signal-to-noise contrast between bile duct and pancreas. Short-term complications and long-term metabolic disorder were collected in a prospectively maintained database and analyzed retrospectively. Results: Twenty-five patients were enrolled without conversion to laparotomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy. Administrating a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg 24 h before the operation had the highest relative fluorescence intensity ratio of 19.3, and it proved to guide the biliary tract the best. Fifty-six percent of patients suffered from postoperative complications with 48% experiencing pancreatic fistula and 4% having bile leakage. No one suffered from the duodenal necrosis, and there was no mortality. When compared with the non-ICG group, the ICG group had a comparable diameter of tumor and similar safety distance from lesions to common bile duct; however, it decreased the incidence of bile leakage from 10% to none. The median length of hospital stay was 16 days. After a median follow-up of 26.6 months, no one had tumor recurrence or refractory cholangitis. No postoperative new onset of diabetes mellitus (pNODM) was observed, while pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (pPEI) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were seen in 4% of patients 12 months after the L-DPPHR. Conclusion: L-DPPHR is feasible and safe in selected patients, and real-time ICG imaging with proper dosage and timing may greatly facilitate the identification and the prevention of biliary injury. And it seemed to be oncological equivalent to PD with preservation of metabolic function without refractory cholangitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the paper is to reveal discrepancies of turbulent variables over different surfaces (sea, island, land) based on the measurements taken on three towers during (including before and after) seven typhoon episodes from 2008 to 2018. The atmospheric stability, turbulent spectrum, friction velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, dissipative heating, and gust factor are examined. The similar turbulent characteristics over sea and on the island reinforce the previous conclusion that the turbulent measurements on the island mainly represent the sea surface. The turbulent characteristics over sea and on land are very different due to the different underlying surface roughness. The unstable (stable) condition dominates on the sea (land) surface. Turbulent spectra both over sea and on land follow the canonical Kolmogorov's power law with the −5/3 slope. The cospectra on land are more peaked than those over sea. All of the friction velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, and dissipative heating increase with increasing 10 m wind speed, and those on land are much larger than those over sea. The distributions of gust factors widen and shift to higher on land than those over sea. The distributions of gust factors at heights of 10 m and 40 m are biased to higher values than those at heights of 160 m and 320 m on land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) is a representative of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors, with a band gap of about 4.9 eV. In addition to a large dielectric constant and excellent physical and chemical stability, Ga2O3 has a theoretical breakdown electric field strength of more than 8 MV cmâˆ'1, which is 27 times more than that of Si and about twice as large as that of SiC and GaN. It is guaranteed that Ga2O3 has irreplaceable applications in ultra-high-power (1â€"10 kW) electronic devices. Unfortunately, due to the difficulty of p-type doping of Ga2O3, the full Ga2O3-based bipolar devices face more difficulties, and the unipolar Ga2O3 power Schottky diodes are feasible, but substantial progress has been made in recent years. In this article, we review the advanced progress and important achievements of the state-of-the-art Ga2O3-based power Schottky barrier diodes, and provide staged guidance for the further development of Ga2O3 power devices. Multiple types of device architectures, including basic structure, edge terminal processing, field-plated, trench and heterojunction pâ€"n structure, will be discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible piezoionic strain sensors are playing an important role in the field of smart electronic and artificial intelligence. The high sensitivity and superior flexibility make it possible to detect various strain and stress from macro- to microscale precisely. Here, recent progress on flexible piezoionic strain sensors has been summarized into several sections, including sensing mechanism, material engineering, and smart applications. In each section, we present typical scientific works and discuss corresponding critical results. This Account aims to provide broad views for researchers with different academic backgrounds, and then promotes the development of flexible piezoionic strain sensors. Finally, existing challenges and opportunities have been presented to expedite further research works and practical applications of flexible piezoionic strain sensors. 1 Introduction 2 Sensing Mechanism of Flexible Piezoionic Strain Sensors 3 Material Engineering for Flexible Piezoionic Strain Sensors 3.1 Electrolyte Materials for Flexible Piezoionic Strain Sensors 3.2 Electrode Materials for Flexible Piezoionic Strain Sensors 4 Smart Applications of Flexible Piezoionic Strain Sensors toward Artificial Intelligence 5 Conclusion and Perspective [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette smoking (CS) leads to several adverse health effects, including diseases, disabilities, and even death. Post-operative and trauma patients who smoke have an increased risk for complications, such as delayed bone or wound healing. In clinical trials, microcurrent (MC) has been shown to be a safe, non-invasive, and effective way to accelerate wound healing. Our study aimed to investigate if MC with the strength of 100 μA may be beneficial in treating CS-related healing impairment, especially in regard to angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effect of human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT) on angiogenesis after 72 h of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure in the presence or absence of 100 μA MC. Cell viability and proliferation were evaluated by resazurin conversion, Sulforhodamine B, and Calcein-AM/Hoechst 33342 staining; the pro-angiogenic potential of HaCaT cells was evaluated by tube formation assay and angiogenesis array assay; signaling pathway alterations were investigated using Western blot. Constant exposure for 72 h to a 100 μA MC enhanced the angiogenic ability of HaCaT cells, which was mediated through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. In conclusion, the current data indicate that 100 μA MC may support wound healing in smoking patients by enhancing angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion (UC) nanostructures, which can upconvert near-infrared (NIR) light with low energy to visible or UV light with higher energy, are investigated for theranostic applications. The surface of lanthanide (Ln)-doped UC nanostructures can be modified with different functional groups and bioconjugated with biomolecules for therapeutic systems. On the other hand, organic molecular-based UC nanostructures, by using the triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) UC mechanism, have high UC quantum yields and do not require high excitation power. In this review, the major UC mechanisms in different nanostructures have been introduced, including the Ln-doped UC mechanism and the TTA UC mechanism. The design and fabrication of Ln-doped UC nanostructures and TTA UC-based UC nanostructures for theranostic applications have been reviewed and discussed. In addition, the current progress in the application of UC nanostructures for diagnosis and therapy has been summarized, including tumor-targeted bioimaging and chemotherapy, image-guided diagnosis and phototherapy, NIR-triggered controlled drug releasing and bioimaging. We also provide insight into the development of emerging UC nanostructures in the field of theranostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the meteorological, ozone (O3), and vertical observation data of 2020, this study sought to evaluate the daily variation in O3, particularly the characteristics of nocturnal ozone pollution. We also discuss the effect of local and mesoscale horizontal transport and vertical mixing on the formation of nocturnal O3 pollution. Distinct seasonal characteristics of the daily O3 variation in Shenzhen were identified. In particular, significant nocturnal peaks were found to regularly occur in the winter and spring (November–December and January–April). The monthly average of daily variation had a clear bimodal distribution. During the period, O3 pollution frequently occurred at night, with the maximum hourly O3 concentration reaching 203.5 μg/m3. Nocturnal O3 pollution was closely associated with horizontal transport and vertical mixing. During the study period, the O3 maximum values were recorded on 68 nights, primarily between 23:00 and 03:00, with occasional observation of two peaks. The impact of horizontal transport and vertical mixing on the nocturnal secondary O3 maximum values was elaborated in two case studies, where vertical mixing was mainly associated with low-level jets, with strong wind shear enhancing turbulent mixing and transporting O3 from the upper layers to the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A laser-EMAT ultrasonic longitudinal wave resonance thickness measurement method based on surface constraint mechanism is proposed. • The influence of surface constraint mechanism, irradiation laser source parameters, and EMAT receiving coil dimensions on the accuracy and amplitude of resonance method thickness measurement are analyzed. • Achieve accurate and rapid detection of the thickness thinning of stepped aluminium plates and the thickness of 500 ℃ high-temperature metal thin-walled parts. In this paper we propose a novel ultrasonic longitudinal wave resonance method for measuring the thickness of metal walls using a laser-electromagnetic acoustic transducer (Laser-EMAT). The method is based on the surface constraint mechanism (SCM) of the material and is expected to be capable of accurately detecting local thinning of metal walls in a non-contact manner and at high temperatures. Based on finite element analysis of laser-EMAT ultrasonic resonance measurement of aluminum alloy thickness, we investigated the effects of such key factors as SCM, irradiation parameters of laser source, and the size of EMAT receiving coil on the accuracy of thickness measurement (resonance frequency position) and on the amplitude of the resonance wave. Both numerical simulations and experiments are conducted to demonstrate that the measurement accuracy of the proposed method is not affected by SCM, irradiation laser source parameters, and EMAT receiving coil size, and that accurate detection of stepped aluminum plates with thickness thinning from 3.0 mm to 0.5 mm is achieved. Furthermore, we were able to perform rapid detection of aluminum thin plate thickness at 500 °C temperature with an EMAT lift-off of 5.0 mm and achieved a relative experimental error as small as 3.40 %. The results obtained in this study showed that the proposed method performed well in non-contact measurement of metal thinning in harsh environment of high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To characterize carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) from vegetables, 185 vegetable samples were collected from farmers' markets and screened for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE). Two Citrobacter freundii and seven Escherichia coli isolates (ST10, ST93, ST206, ST746, ST6736, ST7058, and ST7458) recovered from eight (4.32%) vegetable samples were positive for bla NDM (one bla NDM-1 and eight bla NDM-5). The bla NDM-5 gene was identified on three plasmid types, including IncX3 (n = 2), IncHI2 (n = 4, three ST3-type and one ST2-type), and phage-like p0111 type plasmid (n = 1), while the bla NDM-1 gene was located on IncX3 plasmids. Conjugation experiments confirmed the transferability of all bla NDM -positive plasmids except for the p0111-type plasmid pHNGDSC2239PM-1. Subsequent genomic analysis revealed p0111 and IncHI2/ST2 as two novel bla NDM-5 carrying plasmids vehicles. Notably, the bla NDM-5 -carrying IncHI2/ST3 plasmids exhibited high structural similarity to plasmids isolated from diverse sources, and were extensively disseminated in China. The acquisition of the bla NDM-5 gene in the p0111-type plasmid pHNGDSC2239PM-1 was mediated by IS 26 -flanked pseudocomposite transposons. The capture of bla NDM-5 by the IncHI2/ST2 plasmid pHNBY4G-1 was likely attributed to the homologous recombination events mediated by IS Kpn19 and ΔTn 2. Overall, the emergence of bla NDM-5 in IncHI2/ST2 and p0111 plasmids, coupled with the widespread distribution of bla NDM-5 -bearing IncHI2/ST3 multidrug-resistance plasmids in animals and foods, indicates a potential for wider dissemination of bla NDM-5 , which necessitates attention. • Two novel types of bla NDM-5 -bearing plasmid, p0111 and IncHI2/ST2, were emerged. • Wide spread of similar ST3-type IncHI2 plasmids carrying bla NDM-5 across different niche was detected in China. • A tet (X4)- and bla NDM -coharboring E. coli was firstly identified in vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of synchrophasor measurement techniques, ambient signal-based load modeling is recently proposed to track the time-varying characteristics of power loads. On this basis, the hardware realization of this approach, which includes the local load modeling devices and the data center, is proposed and tested with the field measurement data from China Southern Power Grid. In this way, practical load model parameters can be identified from field measurement data both online and offline by the hardware system. To begin with, the hardware system, which is the first realization of an ambient signal-based load modeling algorithm, offers sufficient field measurements for load modeling. Then, the identification results of the field measurements verify the effectiveness of the ambient signal-based load modeling algorithm. Besides, the identified load model parameters for different substations during different times demonstrate the time-varying and the distributed characteristics of power loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been proposed for years that physical exercise ameliorates metabolic diseases. Optimal exercise timing in humans and mammals has indicated that circadian clocks play a vital role in exercise and body metabolism. Skeletal muscle metabolism exhibits a robust circadian rhythm under the control of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Clock genes also control the development, differentiation, and function of skeletal muscles. In this review, we aimed to clarify the relationship between exercise, skeletal muscles, and the circadian clock. Health benefits can be attained by the scheduling of exercise at the best circadian time. Exercise therapy for metabolic diseases and cardiovascular health is a key adjuvant method. This review highlights the importance of exercise timing in maintaining healthy metabolism and circadian clocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While several standardized criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI) have been studied, there is no consensus on which criteria to use in neonates after cardiac surgery. The goal of this research was to compare the AKI incidence and outcomes according to the pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure and Loss, and End-Stage (pRIFLE), AKI Network (AKIN), Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), and modified KDIGO (mKDIGO) criteria in neonates following congenital cardiac surgery. Methods: A clinical database of all neonates undergoing congenital cardiac surgery admitted to the Cantonese cardiac center from 2014 to 2020 was retrospectively analyzed. AKI was based on the pRIFLE, AKIN, KDIGO, and mKDIGO classification. The predictive abilities for postoperative outcomes were compared by receiver operating curves, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of AKI definitions with postoperative outcomes. Results: In the study population of 522 patients, 177, 110, 131, and 114 neonates had AKI according to the pRIFLE, AKIN, KDIGO, and mKDIGO criteria, respectively. After multivariate analysis, all definitions were found to be significant predictors of increased mortality. The AUCs for mortality were substantially different with pRIFLE (AUC, 0.795), AKIN (AUC, 0.724), KDIGO (AUC, 0.819), and mKDIGO (AUC, 0.831) (P < 0.01) across the entire population, whereas the mKDIGO system was more accurate than the pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO systems. Conclusions: The incidence of AKI varied across all definitions. However, the mKDIGO system was more accurate in predicting in-hospital mortality than the pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO systems in neonates after heart surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive power is the core problem of voltage stability and economical operation in power systems. Aiming at the problem that multi-objective normalization reactive power optimization function is dependent on weight, an integrated synthesis of adaptive multi-objective particle swarm optimization (ISAMOPSO) is proposed to achieve weight adaptive. Through seven test functions and three algorithm comparison experiments, it is proved that the ISAMOPSO algorithm has stronger global search capability and better convergence. Considering the optimal access position and capacity of distributed generation (DG), the ISAMOPSO algorithm is used for three-objective reactive power optimization. Finally, the results indicate that the ISAMOPSO algorithm can not only provide a variety of optimization schemes to meet different needs, but also realize dynamic reactive power optimization, which further proves that the algorithm can provide effective technical support for solving reactive power optimization problems in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although genetic transformation has opened up a new era for cotton molecular breeding, it still suffers from the limitation problem of long transformation periods, which slows down the generation of new cotton germplasms. In this study, LT gene (SV40 large T antigen), which promotes the transformation efficiency of animal cells, was codon-optimized. Its overexpression vector was transformed into cotton. It was observed that EC (embryogenic callus) formation period was 33% shorter and transformation efficiency was slightly higher in the LT T0 generation than that of control. RNA-seq data of NEC (non-embryonic callus) and EC from LT and control revealed that more DEGs (differential expression genes) in NEC were identified than that of EC, indicating LT mainly functioned in NEC. Further KEGG, GO, and transcription factor analyses showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in brassinosteroid biosynthesis pathways and that bHLH, MYB, and AP2/ERF were the top three gene families, which are involved in EC formation. In addition, the key genes related to the auxin pathway were differentially expressed only in LT overexpression NEC, which caused early response, biosynthesis, and transportation of the hormone, resulting in EC earlier formation. In summary, the results demonstrated that LT can promote somatic embryogenesis in cotton, which provides a new strategy for improving cotton transformation and shortening EC formation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green manufacturing, which takes environmental effect and production benefit into consideration, has attracted increasing concern with the target of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality proposed. As a critical process in the manufacturing system, shop scheduling is also an important method for enterprises to achieve green manufacturing. Therefore, it is necessary to consider both production benefits and environmental objectives in shop scheduling, which are symmetrical and equally important. In addition, noise pollution has become an important environmental issue that cannot be ignored in the manufacturing processes, but which has been paid less attention in previous studies. Thus, the MODABC algorithm, with the optimization objectives of simultaneously minimizing lead-time/tardiness cost and job-shop noise pollution emission is proposed in this paper. We designed a discrete permutation-based two-layer encoding mechanism to generate the initial population. Then, three crossover methods were used to perform nectar update operations in the employed bee search phase, and three neighbourhood structures were used to improve the onlooker bee search operations. Finally, the MODABC algorithm was compared with other classical MOEAs. The results demonstrate that MODABC can provide non-dominated solution set with good convergence and distribution, and show significant superiority in solving green single-machine multi-objective scheduling problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the energy efficiency of transportation systems is essential for accelerating decarbonization. Integrating regenerative braking energy (RBE) in subway stations is challenging for power systems. The existing multimodal transport of electric bicycles and subways lends subway station energy storage resources to manage the RBE. In this article, we proposed a virtual power plant (VPP) scheme comprising subway stations, electric bicycles, and photovoltaic systems. We developed an optimization model to manage the charging of distributed electric bicycles to integrate the RBE and reduce the total electricity bill of the VPP. We applied the proposed model to Beijing Subway Lines 5 and 13 and investigated the benefits of the VPP scheme and multimodal transport. The results indicate that the VPP can integrate 42% of the RBE and generate a high profit rate. • A VPP consisting of E-bike and subway is proposed. • The E-bike battery capacities along two Beijing subway lines are estimated. • An optimization model to dispatch and plan the VPP is developed. • The E-bike batteries can store a great proportion of the regenerative braking energy. • The economic potential of the VPP for two Beijing subway lines is remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of economic globalization, distributed hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (DHFSSP) has become prevalent in realistic manufacturing systems. Moreover, to accord with the actual production scenarios and satisfy the requirement of manufacturing market, it is imperative to comprehensively explore various complex manufacturing scenarios (e.g., production assembly) and production-constrained resources (e.g., worker resources) in DHFSSP. However, the integration mode of DHFSSP, assembly shop problem (ASP), and dual-resource constraints (DRC) has not been reported in existing literature. Thus, to fill out this research gap, this paper first attempts to investigate DAHFSSP-DRC with minimization the total tardiness (T T D). To solve this problem, a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model and a knowledge-based iterated greedy algorithm (KBIG) are presented. The novelties of KBIG are as follows: (1) An efficient decoding is developed to improve the solution's quality; (2) A knowledge-based NEH (KB-NEH) initialization strategy is presented to generate an initial solution; (3) A knowledge-based destruction and construction is designed to improve the exploration capability; (4) A product-based local search is proposed to enhance the exploitation capability. Additionally, to validate the proposed model, we implement CPLEX to solve it on 24 small-sized instances. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed KBIG, extensive experiments are conducted to compare with other 7 comparison algorithms on 405 large-sized instances. Experimental results illustrate that KBIG is superior to its competitors. • This paper first investigates DAHFSSP-DRC with minimization TTD. • A MILP model and a KBIG are proposed for DAHFSSP-DRC. • The importance level of different knowledge is considered in KBIG. • Experimental results prove the effectiveness of MILP model and KBIG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible piezoionic sensors with softness haptic perception are critically important to artificial intelligence. However, their sensitivity is limited to relatively low level far from practical application because ion transfer is always restricted at surface and in-plane spaces of electrode materials. Here, we discover ultrafast out-plane ion transfer enabled by triangle pores existing in graphdiyne architecture, and then prepare flexible sensors with excellent performances exceeding other reported piezoionic materials. It delivers high piezoionic voltage with excellent cycling stability. The high performances are further verified by ion-pore structure model with pore utilization factor of 99.3%. Moreover, accurate patch detection of blood pressure is realized easily and stably based on graphdiyne piezoionic sensors, which completely slips the leash of cuff problem on commercial sphygmomanometer. Our work sheds light on in-depth discovery of new properties of graphdiyne for electrochemistry. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the guidance of the advanced manufacturing philosophy, green scheduling and energy efficiency have received considerable attention from enterprises and countries. Meanwhile, distributed manufacturing is becoming widespread due to the exploration of the business. Thus, this paper investigates the energy-efficient scheduling of the distributed flexible job shop problem (EEDFJSP) with the goal of minimizing the makespan and total energy consumption (T E C). Considering the difficulty of simultaneously optimizing both objectives, a knowledge-guided bi-population evolutionary algorithm (KBEA) is proposed to address this issue. Firstly, a problem-specific initialization strategy based on a four-vector representation is presented, which corresponds to four sub-problems including factory assignment, operation sequence, machine assignment, and speed assignment. Secondly, five different types of evolutionary operators with adaption strategy is designed to guide the bi-population to complete efficient evolution. Thirdly, a knowledge-guided local search strategy is used to enhance the exploitation capability of the algorithm. Furthermore, an elaborately-designed energy-saving strategy based on knowledge is developed to further reduce energy consumption. Additionally, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed KBEA, extensive experiments are conducted to compare with other 7 comparison algorithms on 39 instances. Experimental results manifest that KBEA is superior to its competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible strain sensors with superior flexibility and high sensitivity are critical to artificial intelligence, and it is favorable to develop highly sensitive strain sensors by simple and cost-effective methods. We have prepared carbon-nanotubes-enhanced thermal polyurethane nanocomposites with good mechanical and electrical properties for the fabrication of highly sensitive strain sensors. The nanomaterials were prepared through a simple but effective solvent-evaporation method, and cheap polyurethane was used as the main raw material. Only a small quantity of carbon nanotubes (mass content 5%) was doped into a polyurethane matrix with aim of enhancing the mechanical and electrical properties of the nanocomposite. The resulting flexible nanocomposite films show a highly sensitive resistance response under an external strain stimulus. Strain sensors based on these flexible composite films deliver excellent sensitivity and conformality under mechanical conditions, and can detect finger movements precisely at various bending angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Global warming effect caused by excessive emission of greenhouse gases, such as CO 2 from modern industries, are emerging as serious environmental problem nowadays. Many strategies have been developed to address this issue, including solar energy utilization, green plants cultivation and coal desulfurization. These existing strategies always need sophisticated equipment and harsh reaction conditions, and are usually with limited efficiency. With the development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, it is becoming an effective strategy to directly capture and convert CO 2 with nanomaterials into valuable chemicals under gentle conditions. Herein, we summarize recent progress on nanomaterials for adsorption and conversion of CO 2 under gentle conditions, including various physical and chemical processes, and artificial photosynthesis. Future perspective and research direction of nanomaterials for CO 2 adsorption and conversion have been put forward on the basis of existing research works and our experimental experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Melt crystallization is typically recognized as a highly efficient and green method for oil fractionation. This work concentrated on novel layer melt crystallization for preparing desirable olein and stearin products from palm oil and the evaluation of fraction quality. Layer melt crystallization was performed at various temperatures and the effects on fractions were evaluated using iodine value (IV), solid fat content (SFC) and melting point. The lipid composition, thermal and crystallization properties, and phase behaviors of the final optimized fractions were determined using gas chromatography, high‐performance liquid chromatography–atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry and differential scanning calorimetry. RESULTS: Increasing crystallization tube temperatures under the same jacket temperature increased the melting point and SFC, while decreasing the IV of the olein product. Opposite results were observed for the stearin product. Major fatty acids in fractions were determined as palmitic acid and oleic acid. 1,2‐Dioleoyl‐3‐palmitoylglycerol and 1,3‐dipalmitoyl‐2‐oleoylglycerol were identified as the main triacylglycerols in olein and stearin fractions, respectively. A critical effect of crystallization temperature on co‐crystallization of oleins and stearins was revealed. A transition from plate‐like crystal growth to spherulitic growth with spontaneous nucleation was indicated in palm oil and stearin fractions with increasing crystallization temperature. As for olein fractions, a temperature increase resulted in heterogeneous nucleation from instantaneous nucleation. CONCLUSIONS: Novel layer melt crystallization was successfully applied and optimized for fractionating palm oil. The composition and property changes of obtained fractions were analyzed and explained at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) is an ultrasonic testing technique that generates sound in the part inspected instead of the transducer. Electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave detection technology has problems such as low energy conversion efficiency and the great influence of environmental noise, resulting in low echo signal amplitude. When the two rows of permanent magnets are arranged non-parallel, the sound beam will be focused at the intersection point of the axes of the two rows of permanent magnets. This article uses this rule to optimise the design parameters of PPM EMAT. Distance amplitude curve (DAC) is a method of compensating. However, large-scale detection requires a flat DAC curve. In addition, the increase in the angle and length of the permanent magnets and the number of pairs of permanent magnets will improve the intensity of the defect wave indication intensity. However, the increase in the angle of the permanent magnets will increase the signal attenuation. After simulation and experiments, when the angle, length and number of permanent magnet pairs are 4°, 25 mm and 8 pairs, the corresponding EMAT has the optimal axis radiation sound field and a smoother DAC, which is more suitable for stainless steel sheets, long-distance rapid guided wave detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the partial linear regression model yi = xiβ* + g(ti) + εi, i = 1, 2, ..., n, where (xi, ti) are known fixed design points, g(·) is an unknown function, and β* is an unknown parameter to be estimated, random errors εi are (α, β)-mixing random variables. The p-th (p > 1) mean consistency, strong consistency and complete consistency for least squares estimators of β* and g(·) are investigated under some mild conditions. In addition, a numerical simulation is carried out to study the finite sample performance of the theoretical results. Finally, a real data analysis is provided to further verify the effect of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]