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The feed system is a typical mechatronics system, as well as motion control equipment, that serves as a fundamental component of CNC machine tools. Developing a precise mechatronic integrated model of the motion control of the feed system is a crucial step in achieving the digital twin and virtual machining. The extant literature extensively covers the dynamic modeling and identification of feed systems, the characterization and traceability of position deviations, and the study and optimization of motion control algorithms. Nevertheless, there is a deficiency in the analysis and optimization of the uncertainty pertaining to the motion control position of the feed system. This paper focuses on the positioning repeatability and considers the random position deviation that occurs during the movement of the feed system. The current research on positioning repeatability primarily concentrates on static factors such as geometric error and assembly error. Three primary causes of uncertainty in the motion control position of the feed system are identified: disturbance uncertainty, parameter uncertainty, and model uncertainty. Each component of uncertainty is thoroughly classified and studied based on the specific characteristics of the feed system. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current data-driven control approaches used to address uncertainty in the feed system. It specifically focuses on the data-driven controller turning method, feedforward compensation method, and controller design method. The review concludes by discussing the latest research progress and limitations and suggests hopeful trends. Specifically, when conducting integrated modeling of the feed system, it is crucial to thoroughly account for the impact of stochastic processes. Additionally, the issue of switching between dynamic and static states in the dynamic model should be taken into consideration. Simultaneously, it is necessary to examine a more suitable approach that integrates the system model with the uncertainty characteristics to develop a more robust optimization strategy for controlling and efficiently managing the spread of position deviation in the feed system. • A comprehensive review of uncertainty for machine tool feed systems. • This work presents a new viewpoint on the uncertainty in the position control of feed system's motion. • The full description encompasses the multi-source uncertainty in feed system. • This study reviews data-driven control algorithms for feed systems uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we investigated the relationship between sarcopenia and fatty liver in middle-aged and elderly patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. Methods: A total of 282 patients diagnosed with T2DM aged 50 and older and were admitted to the Endocrinology Department of Xin Medical University First Affiliated Hospital between December 2021 and February 2023, were selected. Body mass index (BMI), and limb and trunk muscle mass of the patients were measured, and data were collected. Patients were grouped based on the sarcopenia diagnostic criteria. All study participants underwent the same physical examinations and laboratory tests. The relationship between the onset of sarcopenia and fatty liver in middle-aged and elderly patients diagnosed with T2DM was then investigated using statistical analysis. Results: Comparing the sarcopenia group to the non-sarcopenia group revealed statistically significant variations in gender, BMI, fatty liver prevalence rate, uric acid (UA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood glucose, blood lipid associated indicators, and limb skeletal muscle content. There were, however, no statistically significant differences in age, disease duration, hypertension, smoking, or alcohol intake. There was a positive correlation between BMI, UA, fasting c-peptide, and Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Index (ASMI). Higher levels of BMI, ASMI, and UA were identified as protective variables against sarcopenia by multifactorial logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Higher levels of BMI, ASMI, and UA can greatly reduce skeletal muscle atrophy in patients with T2DM. Patients with a fatty liver may be less vulnerable to sarcopenia. There is little evidence, however, that a fatty liver works as a preventive factor against sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic water splitting driven by renewable electricity has been recognized as a promising approach for green hydrogen production. Different from conventional strategies in developing electrocatalysts for the two half-reactions of water splitting (e.g., the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, HER and OER) separately, there has been a growing interest in designing and developing bifunctional electrocatalysts, which are able to catalyze both the HER and OER. In addition, considering the high overpotentials required for OER while limited value of the produced oxygen, there is another rapidly growing interest in exploring alternative oxidation reactions to replace OER for hybrid water splitting toward energy-efficient hydrogen generation. This Review begins with an introduction on the fundamental aspects of water splitting, followed by a thorough discussion on various physicochemical characterization techniques that are frequently employed in probing the active sites, with an emphasis on the reconstruction of bifunctional electrocatalysts during redox electrolysis. The design, synthesis, and performance of diverse bifunctional electrocatalysts based on noble metals, nonprecious metals, and metal-free nanocarbons, for overall water splitting in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, are thoroughly summarized and compared. Next, their application toward hybrid water splitting is also presented, wherein the alternative anodic reactions include sacrificing agents oxidation, pollutants oxidative degradation, and organics oxidative upgrading. Finally, a concise statement on the current challenges and future opportunities of bifunctional electrocatalysts for both overall and hybrid water splitting is presented in the hope of guiding future endeavors in the quest for energy-efficient and sustainable green hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overgeneralization of fear to harmless situations is a core feature of anxiety disorders resulting from acute stress, yet the mechanisms by which fear becomes generalized are poorly understood. In this study, we show that generalized fear in mice results from a transmitter switch from glutamate to g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in serotonergic neurons of the lateral wings of the dorsal raphe. Similar change in transmitter identity was found in the postmortem brains of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Overriding the transmitter switch in mice prevented the acquisition of generalized fear. Corticosterone release and activation of glucocorticoid receptors mediated the switch, and prompt antidepressant treatment blocked the cotransmitter switch and generalized fear. Our results provide important insight into the mechanisms involved in fear generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important hidden source of soil heavy metal pollution was the discharge of wastewater and waste rock during mining production activities. Numerous processes could result in the buildup of heavy metals in soil, and exposure to these metals could irreversibly harm a person's health. The source, distribution and quantity of historical waste residue in a pyrite mining area were described, and the nature of the waste residue was determined based on the results of toxic leaching identification in this study. The study showed that the pH value of the leaching solution of the waste residues was less than 6. Therefore, these waste residues was the second category of general industrial solid waste. The soil around the waste residues was basically acidic. Also, the content of arsenic, cadmium and copper in farmland soil around the waste residues exceeded the screening value in the Soil Environmental Quality Standard Risk Control of Soil Pollution in Farmland (GB15618-2018). Therefore, the arsenic, cadmium and copper in the waste residue could migrate with rainwater and cause some pollution to the neighboring farmland soil. The surface water was acidic and the arsenic concentration in the surface water exceeded the standard limit. Therefore, surface water was affected by acidic wastewater. However, the impact of project wastewater on groundwater was not significant. Through the analysis of the pollution status, comprehensive treatment countermeasures and secondary pollution prevention measures for the waste residue were proposed, as well as the issues that need attention when formulating specific treatment plans, which could provide a reference for similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new hybrid permanent magnet variable leakage flux (VLF-HPM) motor is proposed. In order to enhance motor speed range, short arc-shaped and elliptical-shaped magnetic barriers are placed on the q-axis magnet circuit, realizing the so-called leakage flux effect. In addition, ferrite PMs are artfully designed, so self-leakage flux can be reduced while main flux is enhanced. The relationship among PM topology, flux barrier and flux-regulation capability are also investigated in detail. Finally, the electromagnetic performance of VLF-HPM motor is evaluated by the finite element analysis and compared with a conventional V-typed PM motor. It is noted that, compared with conventional V-typed PM motor, the VLF-HPM motor possesses lower core losses and a wider speed range, which offers a new research path for high-performance PM motor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an asymmetrical multi-layer flux barriers permanent magnet (AMFB-PM) motor is proposed. The key of this study is to design the d-q-axis magnetic field reasonably. Firstly, the influence of d-axis inductance on the constant power speed range is analyzed. To optimize the constant power speed regulation performance, an asymmetric flux barrier is employed to adjust the saturation degree of the d-axis magnetic circuit under flux-weakening state. Additionally, the introduction of the asymmetrical flux barrier enables directional deflection of reluctance torque, thereby enhancing the output torque. The analysis results verify the effectiveness of the asymmetrical flux barrier design, which provide a wide speed regulation with constant power operation and high torque density for PM motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio frequency (RF) treatment is one of the most promising approaches for disinfesting, drying, and pasteurizing agricultural products. However, the inhomogeneous heating of RF treatment is the primary barrier for practical applications. To improve the RF heating uniformity, a 27.12 MHz, 6 kW pilot-scale RF system was applied to heat the cauliflower by changing its density in different zones of a rectangular container. The results proved that the RF heating rate and the average mass change rate of the cauliflower decreased with increasing electrode gap and bulk density of the cauliflower. The RF heating uniformity of the cauliflower was improved by increasing the electrode gap and the bulk density of the cauliflower during RF heating. With increasing of the bulk density of sample at the edges in the container, the RF heating rate and heating uniformity index of the sample firstly decreased and then increased when the sample density at the center and the corners were 405.5 and 516.8 kg/m³, respectively. The mass change rate of the sample presented an inverse relationship with the heating rate and heating uniformity index during RF treatment. The best heating uniformity and highest mass change rate were obtained when the bulk density of the cauliflowers at the center, edges, and corners in the container was 405.5, 461.1, and 516.8 kg/m³, respectively. The results of this study can offer effective method for improving the RF heating uniformity in high moisture products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indirect electro‐epoxidation of ethylene (C2H4), produced from CO2 electroreduction (CO2R), holds immense promise for CO2 upcycling to valuable ethylene oxide (EO). However, this process currently has a mediocre Faradaic efficiency (FE) due to sluggish formation and rapid dissociation of active species, as well as reductive deactivation of Cu‐based electrocatalysts during the conversion of C2H4 to EO and CO2 to C2H4, respectively. Herein, we report a bromine‐induced dual‐enhancement strategy designed to concurrently promote both C2H4‐to‐EO and CO2‐to‐C2H4 conversions, thereby improving EO generation, using single‐atom Pt on N‐doped CNTs (Pt1/NCNT) and Br−‐bearing porous Cu2O as anode and cathode electrocatalysts, respectively. Physicochemical characterizations including synchrotron X‐ray absorption, operando infrared spectroscopy, and quasi in situ Raman spectroscopy/electron paramagnetic resonance with theoretical calculations reveal that the favorable Br2/HBrO generation over Pt1/NCNT with optimal intermediate binding facilitates C2H4‐to‐EO conversion with a high FE of 92.2 %, and concomitantly, the Br− with strong nucleophilicity protects active Cu+ species in Cu2O effectively for improved CO2‐to‐C2H4 conversion with a FE of 66.9 % at 800 mA cm−2, superior to those in the traditional chloride‐mediated case. Consequently, a single‐pass FE as high as 41.1 % for CO2‐to‐EO conversion can be achieved in a tandem system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indirect electro‐epoxidation of ethylene (C2H4), produced from CO2 electroreduction (CO2R), holds immense promise for CO2 upcycling to valuable ethylene oxide (EO). However, this process currently has a mediocre Faradaic efficiency (FE) due to sluggish formation and rapid dissociation of active species, as well as reductive deactivation of Cu‐based electrocatalysts during the conversion of C2H4 to EO and CO2 to C2H4, respectively. Herein, we report a bromine‐induced dual‐enhancement strategy designed to concurrently promote both C2H4‐to‐EO and CO2‐to‐C2H4 conversions, thereby improving EO generation, using single‐atom Pt on N‐doped CNTs (Pt1/NCNT) and Br−‐bearing porous Cu2O as anode and cathode electrocatalysts, respectively. Physicochemical characterizations including synchrotron X‐ray absorption, operando infrared spectroscopy, and quasi in situ Raman spectroscopy/electron paramagnetic resonance with theoretical calculations reveal that the favorable Br2/HBrO generation over Pt1/NCNT with optimal intermediate binding facilitates C2H4‐to‐EO conversion with a high FE of 92.2 %, and concomitantly, the Br− with strong nucleophilicity protects active Cu+ species in Cu2O effectively for improved CO2‐to‐C2H4 conversion with a FE of 66.9 % at 800 mA cm−2, superior to those in the traditional chloride‐mediated case. Consequently, a single‐pass FE as high as 41.1 % for CO2‐to‐EO conversion can be achieved in a tandem system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hallmark of heart failure is a metabolic switch away from fatty acids β-oxidation (FAO) to glycolysis. Here, we show that succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) is required for maintenance of myocardial homeostasis of FAO/glycolysis. Mice with cardiomyocyte-restricted deletion of subunit b or c of SDH developed a dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Hypertrophied hearts displayed a decrease in FAO, while glucose uptake and glycolysis were augmented, which was reversed by enforcing FAO fuels via a high-fat diet, which also improved heart failure of mutant mice. SDH-deficient hearts exhibited an increase in genome-wide DNA methylation associated with accumulation of succinate, a metabolite known to inhibit DNA demethylases, resulting in changes of myocardial transcriptomic landscape. Succinate induced DNA hypermethylation and depressed the expression of FAO genes in myocardium, leading to imbalanced FAO/glycolysis. Inhibition of succinate by α-ketoglutarate restored transcriptional profiles and metabolic disorders in SDH-deficient cardiomyocytes. Thus, our findings reveal the essential role for SDH in metabolic remodeling of failing hearts, and highlight the potential of therapeutic strategies to prevent cardiac dysfunction in the setting of SDH deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acidic water electrolysis (AWE) has the potential to revolutionize green H2 generation with flexible partial load range, high gas purity, and rapid system response. However, the extensive usage of noble Ru/Ir metals and sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with inexpensive O2 products pose significant challenges in anodes. Herein, it is demonstrated that ultralow Pt single atoms in highly porous N‐doped carbons (Pt1/p‐NC@CNTs) can effectively catalyze chlorine evolution reaction (CER) for on‐site chlorination to replace OER in AWE, with 200 mV potential saving at 10 mA cm−2. As a result, various organic halide motifs of pharmaceutical molecules by chlorinating anisole, ketones, and olefins can be realized, along with H2 coproduction. Combined physicochemical characterizations including synchrotron X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, finite element methodsimulations, and theory calculations indicate that atomic Pt‐N4 active sites balance the adsorption/desorption of Cl intermediates (Volmer step) and the plentiful porosity of Pt1/p‐NC@CNTs with high specific surface area of 313 m2 g−1 enriches Cl− around active sites (Heyrovský step), collectively promoting the rate‐limiting Volmer–Heyrovský pathway for improved CER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in the pyrolysis characteristics of leaves of sweet cherry tree (Prunus avium L.) under rain-shelter cultivation (RS) or under open-field cultivation (CK) were analysed using thermogravimetry (TG), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at three heating rates of 10, 20, and 30 °C·min-1. There were two obvious mass loss peaks at 280 °C and 330 °C, which were manifested by the slow pyrolysis of hemicellulose in the low temperature region and the rapid pyrolysis of cellulose in the high temperature region, respectively. The curve in the pyrolysis range after 440 °C was stable, and the mass change corresponded to the pyrolysis of a small amount of macromolecular organic extracts and inorganic salts. When the temperature reached 600 °C, approximately 69% and 73% of the CK and RS leaves were thermally destroyed, respectively. The Coats-Redfern method was used for kinetic calculations to obtain an activation energy of 29.8 to 36.1 kJ·mol-1 in the first-order pyrolysis kinetics stage. The second-order pyrolysis kinetics stage can fit the pyrolysis process well. A significant difference was observed in the pyrolysis characteristics or the kinetics between CK and RS, which were related to the heating rate and the hemicellulose content, cellulose content, and lignin ratio in each sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breaking acoustic reciprocity is essential to create robust one-way propagation where sound waves or elastic vibrations are permitted to travel in only one direction. This unidirectional response forms the basis for devices such as acoustic isolators and circulators, and it also unlocks new functionalities for complex systems such as acoustic topological insulators. After reviewing the principles of acoustic reciprocity, we look at techniques to achieve large reciprocity breaking, including nonlinearities, moving media, spatiotemporal modulation, and nonlinear bianisotropy. We then discuss the recent surge of progress in nonreciprocal surface acoustic wave devices and topological acoustic systems, areas which we predict will continue to flourish in the coming years. We anticipate that these and other applications of nonreciprocity will continue to enhance acoustic technology and form the basis for new acoustic devices. Reciprocity is a fundamental principle in wave manipulation, and techniques for breaking its symmetry will continue to be discovered, refined, optimized, and applied to several acoustic domains as the understanding of the underlying principles and new technologies mature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As antibiotics are now prohibited or heavily regulated in farming in most countries, nutritionists and veterinarians are increasingly turning to probiotic supplements, prebiotics, and synbiotics to promote animal health and improve production performance. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis, fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and their combined use on geese, compared to antibiotics, and evaluate their suitability as an alternative to antibiotics. 240 14-day-old geese were randomly divided into five groups and were fed a basal diet or supplemented with 100 mg/kg chlortetracycline, 400 mg/kg FOS, 2x105 cfu g/kg B. subtilis, or a combination of 200 mg/kg FOS and 1x105 cfu g/kg B. subtilis for 56 days. The study measured the body weight, feed consumption, serum parameters, and intestinal morphology of the geese. The results showed that the combination of B. subtilis and FOS had a positive impact on the body weight, feed consumption, and serum parameters of the geese, while improving their intestinal morphology. The results suggest that the combination of B. subtilis and FOS may provide multiple benefits to animal health and performance and could be used as a suitable alternative to antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ubiquitous wall slip behavior of viscoplastic fluids renders the characterization of their yield stress values a challenge but also presents an opportunity. Here, a new process for the determination of the yield stresses of viscoplastic fluids is introduced and demonstrated on concentrated suspensions subjected to steady torsional flow, i.e., parallel-disk viscometry based on the understanding of apparent wall slip. Four viscoplastic suspensions (particles with a maximum packing fraction, ϕm, of 0.86 mixed with a Newtonian binder at the volume fraction, ϕ, range of 0.62 to 0.78) were used. It is demonstrated that a step change in the slope of the torque versus apparent shear rate (or the rotational speed) occurs at a critical torque that corresponds to the yield stress of the suspension. Below the critical torque the behavior is governed by apparent slip and plug flow while above the critical torque the behavior is governed by continuous deformation and apparent slip. The yield stresses of the four concentrated suspensions were verified by comparisons with those obtained from other methods including from wall slip velocities at various shear stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese culture contains rich positive thoughts of mental transformation, mentcal Huagong (MHG: 心理化功) is the embodiment of people's quality of psychological transformation. MHG refers to the Gongfu (功夫) or mental competence that transforms negative or passive into positive or advantageous mind, which is an indispensable quality for contemporary people, especially college students, to find favorable position for the use of their abilities (用武之地) in society. In order to understand the level of college students' MHG, 586 college students from ordinary universities in Guangdong Province were tested. By item analysis and exploratory factor analysis on sample 1, confirmatory factor analysis on sample 2, college students' mental Huagong scale (CSMHGS: 大学生心理化功量表) was compiled finally. The result shows that CSMHGS is composed of 35 items and 5 factors, and the cumulative variance contribution rate is 56.145%. The result of confirmatory factor analysis shows that the 5-factor model fitted well. Cronbach α coefficient of the total scale is 0.854, and the reliability coefficient of each dimension of the scale is between 0.809~0.856. It is concluded that CSMHGS has good reliability and validity, and can be used as a measuring tool for the study of college students' MHG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize the low vibration design, variable leakage flux permanent magnet (VLF-PM) motor is investigated and purposefully optimized. Firstly, the variable flux characteristics of the VLF-PM motor are studied in detail. Then the electromagnetic vibration characteristics of the VLF-PM motor under different operating conditions are analyzed. On this basis, key electromagnetic force harmonics caused by the vibration at typical operating conditions and torque performances are selected to be optimized. By the adoption of multi-objective optimization, low radial electromagnetic force (REF) and high output torque can be achieved. Both simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the reduced vibration design of LCF-PM motors, which provides a potential research path for the low vibration design of PM motors, especially multi-mode PM motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of multimedia and communication technologies, image technology has become more and more widely used in agriculture. Aiming at the advantages of structural similarity and MTF combined algorithm, this paper proposes an image quality evaluation algorithm based on structural similarity and MTF, which mainly adopts improved gamma correction method, dual homomorphic filter correction method and illumination-independent graph method. The pre-processed image was subjected to the elimination of illumination treatment, and the experimental results of the above three methods were compared, and the experimental results of the images not subjected to illumination-independent processing were compared and analyzed. The experimental results show that the evaluation indexes of SSIM algorithm are better than other evaluation algorithms in general. The distortion in JPEG2000 image is mainly caused by the ringing effect at the edge of the image caused by wavelet transform and the blurring caused by quantization. The SSIM algorithm not only considers the edge information of the image, but also develops an illumination-invariant image recognition system, so it has obtained good evaluation results. The MATLAB research platform is used to analyze the image quality evaluation of agricultural products packaging. Through the analysis of subjective and objective evaluation results, the algorithm that combines structural similarity and MTF is superior to other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and novel strategy for the synthesis of phosphoric esters has been developed via visible‐light‐promoted tandem oxyphosphorylation etherification of α‐diazoesters under mild conditions in the absence of any catalysts and additives. The reaction simply utilizes air (O2) as the environmentally friendly and sustainable oxygen source, delivering functionalized phosphoric esters in moderate to excellent yield with operational simplicity and gram‐scale synthesis, as well as good functional‐group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and facile strategy for the synthesis of 6‐(sulfonylmethyl)phenanthridines and its derivatives has been developed via tandem sulfonylation cyclization of vinyl azides under mild conditions in the absence of any catalysts and additives. The reaction simply utilizes easily accessible and cheap K2S2O5 as the sulfur dioxide source, delivering functionalized phenanthridines in moderate to excellent yields with operational simplicity and gram‐scale synthesis, as well as good functional‐group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oral cavity is an environment with diverse bacteria; thus, antibacterial materials are crucial for treating and preventing dental diseases. There is a high demand for materials with an enamel-like architecture because of the high failure rate of dental restorations, due to the physical differences between dental materials and enamel. However, recreating the distinctive apatite composition and hierarchical architecture of enamel is challenging. The aim of this study was to synthesize a novel material with an enamel-like structure and antibacterial ability. We established a non-cell biomimetic method of evaporation-based bottom-up self-assembly combined with a layer-by-layer technique and introduced an antibacterial agent (graphene oxide) to fabricate a biofunctional material with an enamel-like architecture and antibacterial ability. Specifically, enamel-like graphene oxide-hydroxyapatite crystals, formed on a customized mineralization template, were assembled into an enamel-like prismatic structure with a highly organized orientation preferentially along the c-axis through evaporation-based bottom-up self-assembly. With the aid of layer-by-layer absorption, we then fabricated a bulk macroscopic multilayered biofunctional material with a hierarchical enamel-like architecture. This enamel-inspired biomaterial could effectively resolve the problem in dental restoration and brings new prospects for the synthesis of other enamel-inspired biomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and supplementation level of rice hull as a dietary fiber source for geese. The effect of rice hull addition level on growth performance, serum biochemical indices, and digestive performance of geese was explored. Three hundred 28-day-old Zhedong white geese (half male and half female) with similar body weights were selected and divided into three groups. The crude fiber (CF) level of the groups was 4.8%, 6.1% and 6.9%, respectively. The pre-feeding period was 7 days, and the formal test period was 21 days. The growth performance and serum biochemical indexes, amylase, lipase, and protease activities, and apparent digestibility were determined. CF level of 6.1% and 6.9% were higher than 4.8%, but the feed/gain at 6.9% CF level was higher than that at 4.8% (P<0.05). Serum total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations decreased at CF levels of 6.1% and 6.9%, and insulin or insulin-like growth factor-1 levels were increased. The intestinal amylase activity at 6.9% CF level was lower than that at 6.1%. In contrast, pancreatic amylase activity at 6.9% CF level was higher than that at 4.8%. The digestibility of crude ash and crude fat in CF level of 6.9% and 6.1% were lower than that at 4.8%, whereas the digestibility of crude protein increased. Rice hull as the main fiber source, with fiber level between 6.1% and 6.9%, maintains growth performance and improves some beneficial serum biochemical indicator levels and crude protein digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of polyethylene terephthalate‐polyethylene naphthalate copolymer (PETN) composites with high oxygen barrier properties are prepared by introducing trace of graphene oxide (GO) during the in situ polymerization. The single‐layer GO nanosheets with large lateral size (≈1.8 µm) and abundant functional groups are prepared by a combination of chemical exfoliation and solvent exchange. During the in situ polymerization process, some surface region of GO is grafted by PETN molecular chains with the grafting rate being 80%, which enhanced the interfacial interaction between GO and PETN matrix. Furthermore, the ungrafting surface region of GO is thermally reduced to the complete graphene. Due to the in‐plane stacking of grafted GO and reduced GO, and the increased crystallinity of PETN matrix, the oxygen transport path of the PETN film is greatly prolonged, which endowed the PETN nanocomposite films with highly improved oxygen barrier performance. When the GO content is only 0.1 wt%, the oxygen permeability coefficient of the nanocomposite films is as low as 38.9 cc mil m−2 d−1 0.1 MPa−1, which is ≈4.5 times lower than that of the pure PETN film. This work provides a new idea for the preparation of polyester materials with high oxygen barrier performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) is a multi-functional protein, playing a critical role in viral replication and in regulating host antiviral innate immunity. In this study, we demonstrate that nsp3 from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) directly interacts with melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), rendering an inhibitory effect on the MDA5-mediated type I interferon (IFN) response. By the co-expression of MDA5 with wild-type and truncated nsp3 constructs, at least three interacting regions mapped to the papain-like protease (PLpro) domain and two other domains located at the N- and C-terminal regions were identified in SARS-CoV-2 nsp3. Furthermore, by introducing point mutations to the catalytic triad, the deubiquitylation activity of the PLpro domain from both SARS-CoV-2 and IBV nsp3 was shown to be responsible for the suppression of the MDA5-mediated type I IFN response. It was also demonstrated that both MDA5 and nsp3 were able to interact with ubiquitin and ubiquitinated proteins, contributing to the interaction between the two proteins. This study confirms the antagonistic role of nsp3 in the MDA5-mediated type I IFN signaling, highlighting the complex interaction between a multi-functional viral protein and the innate immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Partial nephrectomy (PN) induced kidney injury is still a challenging clinical matter that has not been completely conquered. This study aimed to explore the influences of perioperative anemia on renal function after PN. Materials and Methods: A total of 114 patients undergoing PN were retrospectively studied. Serum creatinine was tested preoperatively and 24 hours and 3 days after PN to evaluate the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI). Perioperative anemia was evaluated on the basis of the hemoglobin (Hb) value at 24 hours and 3 days postoperation. Patients were then followed up for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Associations between perioperative anemia and postoperative AKI and CKD were determined. Results: The cumulative incidence of perioperative anemia was 33.33% in the study. A total of 32.46% of patients suffered from postoperative AKI, and 16.67% of patients progressed to CKD. The incidences of AKI and CKD in perioperative anemia patients were dramatically exceeded in those without anemia. Further statistical analyses indicated that perioperative anemia was a relevant factor for postoperative kidney injury, presenting the highest odds ratio of 31.272 for postoperative AKI and 17.179 for postoperative CKD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that ΔHb=(preoperative Hb)-(postoperative Hb nadir) was a meaningful predictor of postoperative kidney injury, with an area under the curve of 0.784 for predicting postoperative AKI and 0.805 for postoperative CKD. Conclusions: Perioperative anemia can predict kidney injury after PN, and ΔHb shows a meaningful predictive value for postoperative AKI and CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, based on flux modulation theory, torque characteristics improvement method is proposed for double-stator vernier permanent magnet (DS-VPM) motor. Also, the detailed torque production mechanism of DS-VPM motor is derived. Based on theoretical analysis results, key design parameters which possess significant influence on motor torque characteristics are selected to be further optimized purposefully. Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is then adopted to obtain increased output torque and reduced torque ripple of inner, outer, and total DS-VPM motor. Besides, based on finite-element analysis, motor performances before and after optimization are compared in detail. Finally, a prototype motor is built and corresponding experiments are carried out. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed torque characteristics improvement method, which provides a potential research path for the design optimization of high-performance VPM motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effect of laparoscopic right hepatectomy (LRH) and open right hepatectomy (ORH) in the treatment of liver tumor. Patients and Methods We systematically searched PubMed, web of science, EMBASE, clinicaltrials.gov, and Cochrane Central Register for studies (study published August 1947 to December 2019). In this study, the perioperative data of laparoscopic right hepatectomy and open right hepatectomy were analyzed. Our meta-analysis included 7 studies involving 633 patients who underwent two types of surgery, laparoscopic right hepatectomy and open right hepatectomy. This study showed that compared with open right hepatectomy, there was no significant difference in operative time (weighted mean difference (WMD): 35.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 9.04–79.60, P = 0.12), but the result of laparoscopic right hepatectomy's R0 resections (odd ratio (OR): 2.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60–9.11, P = 0.22), transfusion (odd ratio (OR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34–1.20, P = 0.17), mortality (odd ratio (OR): 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14–1.45, P = 0.18) was similar to that of open right hepatectomy. Laparoscopic right hepatectomy resulted in shorter hospital stay (weighted mean difference (WMD): − 4.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 5.96–3.55, P<0.00001) and less estimated blood loss (EBL) (weighted mean difference (WMD): − 161.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): − 257.47–66.46, P = 0.0009). The clinical effect of laparoscopic right hepatectomy in the treatment of liver tumor was similar to that of open right hepatectomy, which was safe, feasible, and has a good prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasingly serious problems of the greenhouse effect and environmental pollution caused by the continuous consumption of traditional fossil energy, renewable and clean energy (such as solar energy and wind energy) is facing new opportunities and challenges. However, renewable energy has intermittent and regional defects, and requires the assistance of large-scale energy storage systems, which put forward higher requirements for sustainable and low-cost energy storage technology. Due to the abundant reserves of sodium resources, sodium-ion batteries have been attracting more and more attention in recent years, and are considered as a beneficial supplement to lithium-ion batteries in the field of large-scale energy storage. However, there is still a lack of anode materials with excellent comprehensive properties to further improve the energy density of Na-ion batteries. Therefore, the industrialization of SIBs is of great significance to develop anode materials with excellent performance, low cost and easy availability. In this study, impurities were removed from anthracite coal by a combination of concentrated alkali high temperature pretreatment and concentrated acid treatment, followed by high temperature calcination to obtain hard carbon materials. The WYM affords an ultrahigh reversible capacity of 267.7 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1, a high rate performance of 158.4 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1, and long-term cycling stability at 5 A g−1 (∼83.3% retention after 2000 cycles). These excellent properties meet the requirements of practical applications and lay the foundation for the industrial production of low-cost, high-safety sodium-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in tumorigenesis are observed in several endocrine-related cancers. However, its role in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) has not been understood. In the current study, the relationship between HDL-c levels and malignant behavior in PNENs was explored. Methods: One hundred ninety-seven patients with histopathology confirmed PNENs were included. PNENs were divided into three grades (G1, G2 and G3) as 2017 WHO classification based on ki67 index and mitosis count. The demographic data, clinical information, tumor morphological and pathological features (organs invasion, lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion and perineural invasion), and serum tumor biomarkers were collected. The relationships between HDL-c levels and malignant behaviors in PNENs were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Models were also developed for the identification of high grade PNENs. Results: The levels of serum HDL-c in G2/G3 tumor were significantly lower than that in G1 tumor (P = 0.031). However, no such difference was found between G3 and G1/G2. The proportions of low HDL-c (≤ 0.9 mmol/L) were higher in high-grade PNENs (G2/G3 or G3) than those in low-grade (G1 or G1/G2) (29.0 vs 15.2%, P = 0.032; 37.0 vs 20.5%, P = 0.023). The risk of G2/G3 tumors in patients with high serum HDL-c levels was decreased (odds ratio (OR) = 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12–0.99). Similarly, the risk of G3 PNENs increased in patients with low HDL-c levels (OR = 2.51, 95%CI:1.12–5.60). HDL-c level was also associated with a high ki67 index (> 55%) (OR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.02–0.51) and neuroendocrine carcinoma G3 (OR = 0.21, 95%CI: 0.06–0.80). The area under the curve (AUC) of HDL-c + tumor size + age was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79–0.91) in identifying G2/G3 PNENs, and HDL-c (> 0.9 mmol/L) + tumor size + age had an AUC of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.70–0.84) in identifying G3 PNENs. HDL-c level was associated with lymph node metastasis (OR = 0.24, 95%CI:0.08–0.99). Conclusion: Serum HDL-c levels were significantly associated with malignant behaviors in PNENs, in particular to tumor grade and lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Designing non-precious electrocatalysts with multiple active centers and durability toward overall water splitting is of great significance for storing renewable energy. This study reports a low-cost Mo, Fe codoped NiCoP x electrocatalysts derived from Co-Fe Prussian blue analogue and following phosphorization process. Benefitted from the optimized electronic configuration, hierarchical structure and abundant active sites, the Mo,Fe-NiCoP x /NF electrode has shown competitive oxygen evolution reaction (ƞ 10 = 197 mV) and hydrogen evolution reaction performance (ƞ 10 = 99 mV) when the current density is 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH solution. Moreover, the integrated water splitting device assembled by Mo,Fe-NiCoP x /NF as both anode and cathode only needs a voltage of 1.545 V to reach 10 mA cm−2. Density functional theory results further confirm that the Mo, Fe codoped heterostructure can synergistically optimize the d-band center and Gibbs free energy during electrocatalytic processes, thus accelerating the kinetics of electrochemical water splitting. This work demonstrates the importance of rational combination of metal doping and interface engineering for advanced catalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved duty cycle modulation direct torque control is proposed for dual three-phase permanent-magnet synchronous machine, which aims to restrain current harmonics and reduce the ripples of torque and flux linkage. First, to restrain the current harmonics, 12 virtual voltage vectors (VVs) are employed as candidate vectors. Then, according to the deviations of torque and flux, the potential voltage vector set can be selected from the 12 virtual VVs. A cost function is employed to determine the optimal VV from the potential vector set. Next, the concept of torque deadbeat is applied to determine the duty cycle of VV and achieve the accurate adjustment of torque and flux linkage. This proposed method effectively reduces the torque and flux ripples and current harmonic. The simple structure of the conventional DTC is retained. The simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Le site de Nanposhan est un Préhistorique de plein air, situé sur la quatrième terrasse (T4, Bassin de Bose) de la rive gauche du Youjiang affluent, de la rivière Bose, dans la Province autonome du Guangxi Zhuang (Chine). Ce site a livré une abondante industrie lithique (516 pièces). Cet assemblage lithique est formé principalement par un abondant outillage sur galet, dont des choppers , de rares pics et des bifaces. Les autres outils sur éclat, de petites dimensions, que nous appelons « petits outils », sont rares et peu retouchés. Les différentes analyses typo-technologiques réalisées sur l'industrie de Nanposhan, montrent qu'elle appartient au Paléolithique inférieur. The Nanposhan site Nanposhan is an open-air prehistoric site, located on the fourth terrace (T4, Bose Basin) of the left bank of the Youjiang tributary of the Bose River, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Province (China). This site yielded an abundant lithic industry (516 pieces). This lithic assemblage is mainly formed by abundant pebble tools, including choppers, rare picks and bifaces. The other flake tools, of small dimensions, which we call "small tools", are rare and little retouched. According to the various typo-technological analyzes carried out on the Nanposhan industry, it belongs to the Lower Paleolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate whether a mussel wet adhesion inspired catechol-functionalized primer (dopamine methacrylamide, DMA) can increase microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of dentin–resin adhesion and improve the bonding interface in vitro. DMA was synthesized and characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis and high-resolution mass spectrometer analysis. A total of 50 flat dentin slabs of 50 human 3rd molars were prepared and allocated into two groups for DMA application (the DMA and experimental groups) and distilled water (the DW and control groups). The dentin slabs were etched by phosphoric acid and treated with either DMA or distilled water before bonding by using an etch-and-rinse adhesive system as standard clinical protocol (n = 20 in each group). μTBS test was performed before and after thermocycling (×2500 cycles at 5 °C and 55 °C). The morphology and quality of dentin/adhesive interfaces or the fractured interfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mean μTBS (MPa) values of the DMA group vs. the DW group were 27.10 ± 11.34 vs. 21.30 ± 6.06 (p < 0.05) before thermocycling and 25.75 ± 8.74 vs. 19.87 ± 6.59 (p < 0.05) after thermocycling. SEM observation of dentin–resin binding interface showed that the DMA group had lesser defects than the DW group. Our study revealed that mussel wet adhesion inspired catechol-functionalized DMA may increase the bonding strength and improve the integrity of the interface of dentin adhesive when used as a dental primer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, based on flux modulation theory, an airgap-harmonic-based multilevel optimization design approach is proposed for a double-stator flux-modulated permanent-magnet (DS-FMPM) motor. The proposed DS-FMPM motor is purposefully designed, so as to realize the design requirements of driving cycle. In the proposed optimization approach, based on three fundamental elements of general flux modulation theory, motor optimization design is carried out from three levels. Furthermore, a response surface method, sensitivity analysis, and a genetic algorithm are purposely employed in different levels to obtain optimal motor design. In addition, electromagnetic performances of a DS-FMPM motor are demonstrated in detail. Finally, a prototype motor is manufactured and tested. Both simulation and experimental results verify the feasibility of the DS-FMPM motor and the effectiveness of the proposed airgap-harmonic-based multilevel optimization design approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts are highly desirable for overall water splitting. Herein, a facile strategy is demonstrated to rationally construct CoFe Prussian blue analogues (PBA)@CoP cube‐on‐sheet hierarchical structure by etching reaction with intermediated CoO to form PBA nanocubes. Benefitting from the heterostructured engineering, the as‐synthesized CoFe PBA@CoP presents remarkable electrocatalytic performance in 1.0 m KOH, only requiring overpotentials of 100 mV for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 171 mV for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) to reach the 10 mA cm−2 current density with good stability. Extraordinarily enhanced electrocatalytic performance is ascribed to not only the rapid charge transfer of active species, but also the synergistic effect between each component to achieve tuned electronic structure and abundant electrocatalytic active sites. Especially, the assembled two‐electrode cell using CoFe PBA@CoP as both cathode and anode delivers the current densities of 10 mA cm−2 at a relatively low cell voltage of 1.542 V, outperforming most of low‐cost bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. The controllable and versatile strategy will open up an avenue to prepare hybrid films for advanced electrochemical energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider theoretically a composite chain consisting of a multiferroic helimagnet coupled to a conventional ferromagnet and inspect the conversion of electromagnon excitation into spin waves and vice versa. We demonstrate an electric-field control of spin-wave injection realized by electrically exciting an electromagnon that propagates with an intrinsic frequency larger than the gap of the spin wave in the ferromagnet. The efficiency of the conversion of the electromagnon into spin waves depends strongly on the strength of the magnetoelectric coupling at the interface and the intrinsic frequency of the multiferroic helimagnets. The phenomena predicted here suggest that a multiferroic/ferromagnet composite offers new opportunities for spin-wave injection, conversion, and control using electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring non-noble-metal electrocatalysts is vital and challenging for promoting the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in energy conversion devices. In this work, N-doped carbon nanotubes derived from hydrolyzed graphitic carbon nitride (h-CN) wrapped Fe nanoparticles with core–shell nanostructures grafted on carbon nanotubes (Fe@h-CN/CNT) were obtained by a simple process. After the pretreatment, the introduced hydrophilic groups can improve the dispersibility of graphitic carbon nitride in water. Compared with its analogue prepared by untreated carbon nitride, Fe@h-CN/CNT exhibits a higher specific surface area and has more graphitic N for Fe–Nx coordination and more pyridinic N facilitating the four-electron pathway. In addition, the CNT network structure increases the conductivity of the Fe@h-CN/CNT composite electrocatalyst. As a result, our composite electrocatalyst shows desirable ORR performances with outstanding limited current density, comparable to commercial Pt/C in alkaline electrolyte. This work reveals that the pretreatment of the carbon nitride may have a significant effect on the electrocatalytical performance and provide a facile method for developing non-noble metal ORR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen deposition usually increases plant N:P stoichiometry and potentially intensifies phosphorus limitations for plant aboveground or belowground growth. However, the effects of P addition on N:P stoichiometry, aboveground biomass (AGB), and belowground biomass (BGB) of the subtropical Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) with N deposition remains poorly understood. A 1-year study was conducted to examine the effects of N deposition (0, 30, and 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1 ; N0, N30, and N60) and P application (0, 20, and 40 mg kg-1 ; P0, P20, and P40) on biomass production and N:P stoichiometry in Chinese fir seedlings. N60 alone significantly increased the total biomass; AGB; BGB; N concentrations in the leaves, branches, and roots; and root N:P ratio. P addition alone significantly increased total biomass and AGB. P40 significantly increased P concentration in the leaves, branches, stems, and roots but did not influence N concentration and decreased the N:P ratio. Compared to that with N60 alone, P40 combined with N60 significantly increased the AGB, N concentration in the branches and roots, and N:P ratio of the leaves but significantly decreased the BGB and root-shoot ratio ratio. Total biomass and AGB were significantly and positively correlated with leaf N and P concentrations. Leaf N concentration was significantly and positively correlated with soil available N concentration. Leaf P concentration exhibited a significant and positive correlation with soil available P. These findings provide new ideas about the effect of P addition on Chinese fir biomass accumulation and N:P stoichiometry under N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is an important rising pathogen that causes serious diseases in humans and pigs. Although some putative virulence factors of S. suis have been identified, its pathogenic mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we identified a putative virulence-associated factor MutT, which is unique to S. suis serotype 2 (SS2) virulent strains. To investigate the biological roles of MutT in the SS2 virulent strain ZY05719, the mutT knockout mutant (ΔmutT) was generated and used to explore the phenotypic and virulent variations between the parental and ΔmutT strains. We found that the mutT mutation significantly inhibited cell growth ability, shortened the chain length, and displayed a high susceptibility to H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Moreover, this study revealed that MutT induced the adhesion and invasion of SS2 to host cells. Deletion of mutT increased microbial clearance in host tissues of the infected mice. Sequence alignment results suggested that mutT was encoded in a strain-specific manner, in which the detection was strongly linked to bacterial pathogenicity. In both zebrafish and mice infection models, the virulence of ΔmutT was largely reduced compared with that of ZY05719. Overall, this study provides compelling evidence that MutT is indispensable for the virulence of SS2 and highlights the biological role of MutT in bacteria pathogenesis during infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though therapy that promotes anti-tumor response about CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has shown great potential, clinical responses to CD8+ TILs immunotherapy vary considerably, largely because of different subpopulation of CD8+ TILs exhibiting different biological characters. To define the relationship between subpopulation of CD8+ TILs and the outcome of antitumor reaction, the phenotype and function of CD103+ CD8+ TILs in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were investigated. CD103+ CD8+ TILs were presented in ESCC, which displayed phenotype of tissue-resident memory T cells and exhibited high expression of immune checkpoints (PD-1, TIM-3). CD103+ CD8+ TILs were positively associated with the overall survivals of ESCC patients. This population of cells elicited potent proliferation and cytotoxic cytokine secretion potential. In addition, CD103+ CD8+ TILs were elicited potent anti-tumor immunity after anti-PD-1 blockade and were not affected by chemotherapy. This study emphasized the feature of CD103+ CD8+ TILs in immune response and identified potentially new targets in ESCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new nonlinear acoustic method that makes full use of the sensitivity of higher harmonics caused by internal microcracks is proposed to locate multiple cracks in a one-dimensional bar. The tested bar was coupled with an acoustic emitter, the frequency used by the transducer is the eigenfrequency of the bar, and the boundary of the emitter can be treated as free. A mass load was added to the other end of the bar to provide an asymmetrical boundary condition. The receiver was scanned along the propagation direction of acoustic wave. The relationships between the amplitude, the phase of the harmonics, and the positions of the cracks can be used to locate multiple cracks in the bar. The higher harmonic frequencies induced due to crack nonlinearity are different from the eigenfrequencies of the bar. This creates an amplitude difference in the vibration on each side of the cracks and can be used to locate multiple cracks in a one-dimensional bar. Numerical calculations were carried out to verify the method and possible approaches to improve the accuracy of this method are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energiespeicher finden als wichtige Transformationstechnologie zur kohlenstoffarmen Wirtschaft und nachhaltigen Energieversorgung große Beachtung. Außerordentlich vielversprechend ist hierbei die Lithium‐Schwefel‐Batterie aufgrund ihrer hohen theoretischen Energiedichte. Trotz immenser Fortschritte in den vergangenen Jahren liegt ihre tatsächliche Energiedichte jedoch noch weit unterhalb einer Praxistauglichkeit. Da die Elektrochemie des Schwefels stark von einer Fest/flüssig/fest‐Phasenumwandlung abhängt, spielt die Menge des Elektrolyten für die praktisch erreichbare Leistungsfähigkeit von Li‐S‐Zellen eine wesentliche Rolle. Um den Vorteil der hohen Energiedichte nutzen zu können, muss die Li‐S‐Batterie ein möglichst kleines Elektrolytvolumen mit niedrigem Elektrolyt/Schwefel‐Verhältnis aufweisen. Unter solchen Bedingungen lässt sich eine akzeptable elektrochemische Leistung in Kinetik, Entladekapazität, Coulomb‐Wirkungsgrad und Zyklenfestigkeit jedoch nur sehr schwer erreichen, insbesondere wenn die Kathode einen hohen Schwefelgehalt aufweisen soll. In diesem Aufsatz wird dargestellt, welchen Einfluss das Elektrolyt/Schwefel‐Verhältnis auf die erreichbare Energiedichte und Kosten von Li‐S‐Batterien hat. Für beide elektrochemische Prozesse des Schwefels, Löse‐Abscheide‐ und Festphasenumwandlung, werden Herausforderungen und neueste Entwicklungen beschrieben. Abschließend werden Perspektiven in der Entwicklung von zukünftigen Li‐S‐Magerelektrolyt‐Batterien vorgestellt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurotransmitter switching is a form of brain plasticity in which an environmental stimulus causes neurons to replace one neurotransmitter with another, often resulting in changes in behavior. This raises the possibility of applying a specific environmental stimulus to induce a switch that can enhance a desirable behavior or ameliorate symptoms of a specific pathology. For example, a stimulus inducing an increase in the number of neurons expressing dopamine could treat Parkinson's disease, or one affecting the number expressing serotonin could alleviate depression. This may already be producing successful treatment outcomes without our knowing that transmitter switching is involved, with improvement of motor function through physical activity and cure of seasonal depression with phototherapy. This review presents prospects for future investigation of neurotransmitter switching, considering opportunities and challenges for future research and describing how the investigation of transmitter switching is likely to evolve with new tools, thus reshaping our understanding of both normal brain function and mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma is one of the most malignant tumors with very poor prognosis. Glioma stem cells (GSCs) occupy a small proportion in glioma, but they are closely associated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy resistance, promoting tumor angiogenesis, hypoxia response, invasion and recurrence. Therefore, GSCs have become a new target for tumor treatment and are used in drug screening. Rupesin E is a natural compound obtained from Valeriana jatamansi, and its antitumor activity has not been reported. In the present study, the antitumor activity of rupesin E was investigated, and the results demonstrated that it inhibited the proliferation of GSCs (GSC-3#, GSC-12#, GSC-18#) with the IC50 values of 7.13±1.41, 13.51±1.46 and 4.44±0.22 µg/ml, respectively. In addition, immunofluorescence cell staining and flow cytometry techniques demonstrated that rupesin E inhibited GSC proliferation and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, rupesin E inhibited the ability of GSC colony formation, indicating its antitumor activity against GSCs in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most path-planning algorithms can generate a reasonable path by considering the kinematic characteristics of the vehicles and the obstacles in hydrographic survey activities. However, few studies consider the influence of vehicle dynamics, although excluding system dynamics may considerably damage the measurement accuracy especially when turning at high speed. In this study, an adaptive iterative learning algorithm is proposed to optimize the turning parameters, which accounts for the dynamic characteristics of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). The resulting optimal turning radius and speed are used to generate the path and speed profiles. The simulation results show that the proposed path-smoothing and speed profile design algorithms can largely increase the path-following performance, which potentially can help to improve the measurement accuracy of various activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo curtains, coarse glass fiber cloth, bamboo mat, poplar veneer, and fine glass fiber cloth impregnated with phenolic resin adhesive were sequentially laid from the inside to the outside, and the symmetrically balanced material was sent to the hot press. The bonding mechanism of the resulting glass fiber-reinforced bamboo plywood (GFRBP) was analyzed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The bonding between the phenolic resin and fiberglass cloth was achieved with a coupling agent, which reacted chemically with both the fiberglass cloth and phenolic resin. ESEM showed that glass fiber was bonded strongly with phenolic resin after treatment with coupling agents such as KH-550, KH-560, and KH-792. When the GFRBP was damaged, there was no breakage at the bonding surface between the glass fiber and phenolic resin. During the hot-pressing process, the phenolic resin easily migrated to the middle of the gap between plywood plates, which promoted better integration and properties. FTIR results showed that the longitudinal sides of the GFRBP pressed by the fiberglass cloth that had been treated by the coupling agents KH-550 and KH-792 were similar to each other, but those treated with KH-792 contained more -CH2- and had a longer carbon backbone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of procalcitonin (PCT) is constructed layer-by-layer with a novel label based on MoO3/Au@rGO nanocomposites. The high surface area and electroconductivity of graphene contributes to the transfer of electrons. Besides, the introduction of Au modulates the morphology of the MoO3@rGO nanocomposites from hexagonal prisms to agglomerated particles. Compared to rGO, Au@rGO and MoO3@rGO, the synergistic effect of MoO3/Au@rGO nanocomposites leads to the highest electrocatalytic activity towards H2O2 reduction. The electrochemical immunosensor exhibits a wide working range from 0.01 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1 and a detection limit of 0.002 pg mL−1 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Additionally, we also obtain excellent sensing performance for the immunosensor, including excellent selectivity, good reproducibility and stability. This work will give insight into the application of the nanocomposites based on noble metals combined with transition metal oxides in the fields of electroanalytical chemistry and biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of non-noble-metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with both excellent activity and robust stability still remains a key challenge nowadays. Herein, N-doped carbon wrapped Co nanoparticles core-shell nanostructures grafted on carbon nanotubes (Co@NC@CNTs) were achieved by a simple pyrolysis process using ZIF-67 and CNTs as precursors. Most importantly, this unique structure of Co@NC@CNTs is beneficial to increase the contact area of N-doped carbon and Co, inhibit the aggregation of Co@NC core-shell nanoparticles and protect the Co from dissolution, thus improving the electrocatalytic performance and stability for ORR. As a result, the well-defined Co@NC@CNTs electrocatalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with a high onset potential, half-wave potential and limited current density, comparable to the commercial Pt/C in alkaline electrolyte. Furthermore, the Co@NC@CNTs electrocatalyst presents outstanding electrochemical durability and methanol tolerance in comparison with Pt/C. This strategy will open a new avenue toward the development of nonprecious high-performance ORR catalysts. Unlabelled Image • N-doped carbon wrapped Co nanoparticles core-shell nanostructures were achieved. • The Co@NC@CNTs presents outstanding electrocatalytic performance and methanol tolerance for ORR. • The improved performance was ascribed to the synergetic interaction between Co, carbon and CNTs. • The applicability of this strategy can be demonstrated to other non-noble metal electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]