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Abstract Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of tubulin, termed the “tubulin code”, play important roles in regulating microtubule functions within subcellular compartments for specialized cellular activities. While numerous tubulin PTMs have been identified, a comprehensive understanding of the complete repertoire is still underway. In this study, we report that α-tubulin lactylation is catalyzed by HDAC6 by using lactate to increase microtubule dynamics in neurons. We identify lactylation on lysine 40 of α-tubulin in the soluble tubulin dimers. Notably, lactylated α-tubulin enhances microtubule dynamics and facilitates neurite outgrowth and branching in cultured hippocampal neurons. Moreover, we discover an unexpected function of HDAC6, acting as the primary lactyltransferase to catalyze α-tubulin lactylation. HDAC6-catalyzed lactylation is a reversible process, dependent on lactate concentrations. Intracellular lactate concentration triggers HDAC6 to lactylate α-tubulin, a process dependent on its deacetylase activity. Additionally, the lactyltransferase activity may be conserved in HDAC family proteins. Our study reveals the primary role of HDAC6 in regulating α-tubulin lactylation, establishing a link between cell metabolism and cytoskeleton functions.

Dexamethasone (DEX) is used to treat ocular surface diseases. However, regulating DEX duration in tears while preventing its absorption into the anterior chamber is critical for balancing its therapy effects and the side effects. In this study, a novel magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-micelle (MC) co-delivery system (MMDS) was developed. The MC moiety in the MMDS served as the carrier for DEX and the MNP part endowed the MMDS with magnetic-responsive properties. To extend its residency, the MMDS was magnetically attracted by an external magnet after instilling, which acted as a precorneal drug-depot enabling a sustainable release of DEX in tears. With combination of magnet treatment, the topical instillation of MMDS@DEX significantly prolonged the DEX-retention in tears and increased the DEX-concentration in the cornea and conjunctiva, as well as concurrently reduced the DEX-level in the aqueous humor, when compared with the commercial DEX eye drop treatment. The combination of MMDS@DEX and magnet treatment exerted significantly better therapeutic effects against DED with smaller side effects than conventional treatments including DEX suspension, commercial DEX eye drops, as well as the MMDS@DEX treatment alone. The present work provided a new method for the effective delivery of DEX to ocular surface tissues while reducing its side effects, which will be beneficial to the treatments of a wide range of ocular surface diseases.

Abstract Adsorption and activation of C–H bonds by photocatalysts are crucial for the efficient conversion of C–H bonds to produce high-value chemicals. Nevertheless, the delivery of surface-active oxygen species for C–H bond oxygenation inevitably needs to overcome obstacles due to the separated active centers, which suppresses the catalytic efficiency. Herein, Ni dopants are introduced into a monolayer Bi2WO6 to create cascaded active units consisting of unsaturated W atoms and Bi/O frustrated Lewis pairs. Experimental characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal that these special sites can establish an efficient and controllable C–H bond oxidation process. The activated oxygen species on unsaturated W are readily transferred to the Bi/O sites for C–H bond oxygenation. The catalyst with a Ni mass fraction of 1.8% exhibits excellent toluene conversion rates and high selectivity towards benzaldehyde. This study presents a fascinating strategy for toluene oxidation through the design of efficient cascaded active units.

Abstract Electrolyte plays crucial roles in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (e‐CO2RR), yet how it affects the e‐CO2RR performance still being unclarified. In this work, it is reported that Sn‐Zn hybrid oxide enables excellent CO2‐to‐HCOO− conversion in KHCO3 with a HCOO− Faraday efficiency ≈89%, a yield rate ≈0.58 mmol cm−2 h−1 and a stability up to ≈60 h at −0.93 V, which are higher than those in NaHCO3 and K2SO4. Systematical characterizations unveil that the surface reconstruction on Sn‐Zn greatly depends on the electrolyte using: the Sn‐SnO2/ZnO, the ZnO encapsulated Sn‐SnO2/ZnO and the Sn‐SnO2/Zn‐ZnO are reconstructed on the surface by KHCO3, NaHCO3 and K2SO4, respectively. The improved CO2‐to‐HCOO− performance in KHCO3 is highly attributed to the reconstructed Sn‐SnO2/ZnO, which can enhance the charge transportation, promote the CO2 adsorption and optimize the adsorption configuration, accumulate the protons by enhancing water adsorption/cleavage and limit the hydrogen evolution. The findings may provide insightful understanding on the relationship between electrolyte and surface reconstruction in e‐CO2RR and guide the design of novel electrocatalyst for effective CO2 reduction.

Underwater images typically exhibit low quality due to complex imaging environments, which impede the development of the Space-Air-Ground-Sea Integrated Network (SAGSIN). Existing physical models often ignore the light absorption and attenuation properties of water, making them incapable of resolving details and resulting in low contrast. To address this issue, we propose the attenuated incident optical model and combine it with a background segmentation technique for underwater image restoration. Specifically, we first utilize the features to distinguish the foreground region of the image from the background region. Subsequently, we introduce a background light layer to improve the underwater imaging model and account for the effects of non-uniform incident light. Afterward, we employ a new maximum reflection prior in the estimation of the background light layer to achieve restoration of the foreground region. Meanwhile, the contrast of the background region is enhanced by stretching the saturation and brightness components. Extensive experiments conducted on four underwater image datasets, using both classical and state-of-the-art (SOTA) algorithms, demonstrate that our method not only successfully restores textures and details but is also beneficial for processing images under non-uniform lighting conditions.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious and difficult to treat traumatic disease of the central nervous system. Spinal cord injury causes a variety of detrimental effects, including neuroinflammation and ferroptosis, leading to chronic functional impairment and death. Recent studies have shown that microglia/macrophages (M/Ms) at the injury site remain primarily in the pro-inflammatory state, which is detrimental to recovery. However, information on the factors behind pro-inflammatory polarization skew in the injured spinal cord remains unclear. In this study, we found that Tumor Necrosis Factor-α(TNF-α) ablation protected after SCI by suppressing neuroinflammation and ferroptosis. Though using TNF-α knock out mice (TNF−/−), we induced downregulation of TNF-α in M/Ms and further investigated its effect on SCI outcome. In TNF−/− mice, significant behavioral improvements were observed as early as 7 days after injury. We showed that TNF-α inhibition promote injury-mediated M/Ms polarization from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotype in vivo. Furthermore, accumulated iron in M/Ms after SCI increased the expression of TNF-α and the population of M/Ms to pro-inflammatory phenotype. Moreover, zinc supplement reduced the secondary damage caused by iron overload. In conclusion, we found that knock out of TNF-α promotes recovery of motor function after spinal cord injury in mice by inhibiting ferroptosis and promoting the shift of macrophages to an anti-inflammatory phenotype, indicating that there is great potential for this therapy to SCI.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has been widely used to create artificial rock samples in rock mechanics. While 3D printing can create complex fractures, the material still lacks sufficient similarity to natural rock. Extrusion free forming (EFF) is a 3D printing technique that uses clay as the printing material and cures the specimens through high-temperature sintering. In this study, we attempted to use the EFF technology to fabricate artificial rock specimens. The results show the physico-mechanical properties of the specimens are significantly affected by the sintering temperature, while the nozzle diameter and layer thickness also have a certain impact. The specimens are primarily composed of SiO2, with mineral compositions similar to that of natural rocks. The density, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus, and tensile strength of the printed specimens fall in the range of 1.65–2.54 g/cm3, 16.46–50.49 MPa, 2.17–13.35 GPa, and 0.82–17.18 MPa, respectively. It is capable of simulating different types of rocks, especially mudstone, sandstone, limestone, and gneiss. However, the simulation of hard rocks with UCS exceeding 50 MPa still requires validation.

Abstract Background High lactate to albumin ratio (LAR) has been reported to be associated to with poor prognosis in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). However, its role in predicting in-hospital mortality in AF patients admitted to ICU has not been explored. Methods The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database was used to retrieve information on patients who had been diagnosed with AF. X-tile software was utilized to determine the optimal cut-off LAR. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were conducted to assess the prediction performance of LAR for in-hospital mortality. Results Finally, 8,287 AF patients were included and 1,543 death (18.6%) occurred. The optimal cut-off value of LAR is 0.5. Patients in lower LAR (

Abstract Identification of active sites in catalytic materials is important and helps establish approaches to the precise design of catalysts for achieving high reactivity. Generally, active sites of conventional heterogeneous catalysts can be single atom, nanoparticle or a metal/oxide interface. Herein, we report that metal/oxide reverse interfaces can also be active sites which are created from the coordinated migration of metal and oxide atoms. As an example, a Pd1/CeO2 single-atom catalyst prepared via atom trapping, which is otherwise inactive at 30 °C, is able to completely oxidize formaldehyde after steam treatment. The enhanced reactivity is due to the formation of a Ce2O3-Pd nanoparticle domain interface, which is generated by the migration of both Ce and Pd atoms on the atom-trapped Pd1/CeO2 catalyst during steam treatment. We show that the generation of metal oxide-metal interfaces can be achieved in other heterogeneous catalysts due to the coordinated mobility of metal and oxide atoms, demonstrating the formation of a new active interface when using metal single-atom material as catalyst precursor.

Background: AIDS-related NK/T-cell lymphoma is a rare subtype of AIDS-related lymphomas, characterized by a poor prognosis and lack of standardized treatment protocols. To date, there have been no reported cases of AIDS-associated NK/T-cell lymphoma in remission followed by treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML), where both the lymphoma and AML achieved remission and long-term survival through chemotherapy alone. Case presentation: We report a case of a patient diagnosed with AIDS-related extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL). The patient achieved complete remission after receiving six cycles of chemotherapy, local radiotherapy, and combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Throughout the follow-up period, the patient continued cART treatment, maintaining an HIV-RNA level below the lower limit of detection. However, 70 months later, the patient developed new symptoms and was subsequently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) M4 subtype. Following the completion of 10 cycles of chemotherapy and ongoing cART, the patient achieved complete remission of AML, with an overall survival time exceeding 103 months from the initial ENKTCL diagnosis. Conclusions: This case highlights the effectiveness of chemotherapy combined with cART in the treatment of AIDS-associated NK/T-cell lymphoma and secondary treatment-related leukemia. This approach may serve as a viable option for patients who are not candidates for bone marrow transplantation. Furthermore, this case underscores the importance of long-term follow-up in the management of AIDS-associated malignancies.

This review focuses on standard Li recycling approaches for LiFePO4 (LFP) and nickel−cobalt−manganese (NCM) cathodes. The study discusses about advances in leaching agents, including organic acid, alkaline solutions, natural organic acid, and electrochemical treatments. Emphasis is placed on the significance of selective Li leaching strategies to optimize the recycling of waste batteries. The review also outlines potential future research directions for enhancing selective recycling, providing valuable insights into the recycling of LFP and NCM batteries. Simultaneously, the article addresses the challenges associated with the transition from conventional lithium-ion batteries to all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) in the pursuit of sustainable energy storage technologies. It highlights key points, including the challenges in developing ASSBs, the role of employing various material combinations and its preparation techniques, adopting scalable solution-based processes for commercialization, and strategies for sustainable ASSB recycling. The proposition of a fully recyclable ASSB model underscores the commitment to lower recycling costs using safer and simpler methods, positioning nanotechnology as an enabling tool for achieving advancements in materials and cell-level performance.

Background and objectiveHeavy metals, ubiquitous in the environment, pose a global public health concern. The correlation between these and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains unclear. Our objective was to explore the correlation between heavy metal exposures and the incidence of DKD.MethodsWe analyzed data from the NHANES (2005–2020), using machine learning, and cross-sectional survey. Our study also involved a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.ResultsMachine learning reveals correlation coefficients of −0.5059 and − 0.6510 for urinary Ba and urinary Tl with DKD, respectively. Multifactorial logistic regression implicates urinary Ba, urinary Pb, blood Cd, and blood Pb as potential associates of DKD. When adjusted for all covariates, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals are 0.87 (0.78, 0.98) (p = 0.023), 0.70 (0.53, 0.92) (p = 0.012), 0.53 (0.34, 0.82) (p = 0.005), and 0.76 (0.64, 0.90) (p = 0.002) in order. Furthermore, multiplicative interactions between urinary Ba and urinary Sb, urinary Cd and urinary Co, urinary Cd and urinary Pb, and blood Cd and blood Hg might be present. Among the diabetic population, the OR of urinary Tl with DKD is a mere 0.10, with a 95%CI of (0.01, 0.74), urinary Co 0.73 (0.54, 0.98) in Model 3, and urinary Pb 0.72 (0.55, 0.95) in Model 2. Restricted Cubic Splines (RCS) indicate a linear linkage between blood Cd in the general population and urinary Co, urinary Pb, and urinary Tl with DKD among diabetics. An observable trend effect is present between urinary Pb and urinary Tl with DKD. MR analysis reveals odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of 1.16 (1.03, 1.32) (p = 0.018) and 1.17 (1.00, 1.36) (p = 0.044) for blood Cd and blood Mn, respectively.ConclusionIn the general population, urinary Ba demonstrates a nonlinear inverse association with DKD, whereas in the diabetic population, urinary Tl displays a linear inverse relationship with DKD.

Enhancing hepatic gluconeogenesis is one of the main modes of meeting the glucose requirement of dairy cows. This study attempted to determine whether the gluconeogenesis precursor propionate had an effect on the expression of the main genes involved in gluconeogenesis in calf hepatocytes and elucidate the associated mechanisms. Calf hepatocytes were obtained from 5 healthy calves (1 d old; 30 to 40 kg) and exposed to 0-, 1-, 2.5-, or 5-mM sodium propionate (NaP), which is known to promote the expression of genes involved in the gluconeogenesis pathway, including fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and glucose-6-phosphatase. With regard to the underlying mechanism, propionate promoted the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4, and forkhead box O1 (transcription factors that regulate the expression of hepatic gluconeogenic genes) by promoting mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), but inhibiting mTORC2 activity (P

Dung beetle leg joints exhibit a remarkable capacity to support substantial loads, which is a capability significantly influenced by their surface microstructure. The exploration of biomimetic designs inspired by the surface microstructure of these joints holds potential for the development of efficient self-locking structures. However, there is a notable absence of research focused on the surface microstructure of dung beetle leg joints. In this study, we investigated the structural characteristics of the surface microstructures present in dung beetle leg joints, identifying the presence of fish-scale-like, brush-like, and spike-like microstructures on the tibia and femur. Utilizing these surface microstructural characteristics, we designed a self-locking structure that successfully demonstrated functionality in both the rotational direction of the structure and self-locking in the reverse direction. At a temperature of 20 °C, the biomimetic closure featuring a self-locking mechanism was capable of generating a self-locking force of 18 N. The bionic intelligent joint, characterized by its unique surface microstructure, presents significant potential applications in aerospace and various engineering domains, particularly as a critical component in folding mechanisms. This research offers innovative design concepts for folding mechanisms, such as those utilized in satellite solar panels and solar panels for asteroid probes.

Beetle femur–tibial joints can bear large loads, and the joint structure plays a crucial role. Differences in living habits will lead to differences in femur–tibial joint structure, resulting in different mechanical properties. Here, we determined the structural characteristics of the femur–tibial joints of three species of beetles with different living habits. The tibia of Scarabaeidae Protaetia brevitarsis and Cetoniidae Torynorrhina fulvopilosa slide through cashew-shaped bumps on both sides of the femur in a guide rail consisting of a ring and a cone bump. The femur–tibial joint of Buprestidae Chrysodema radians is composed of a conical convex tibia and a circular concave femur. A bionic structure design was developed out based on the characteristics of the structure of the femur–tibial joints. Differences in the failure of different joint models were obtained through experiments and finite element analysis. The experimental results show that although the spherical connection model can bear low loads, it can maintain partial integrity of the structure and avoid complete failure. The cuboid connection model shows a higher load-bearing capacity, but its failure mode is irreversible deformation. As key parts of rotatable mechanisms, the bionic models have the potential for wide application in the high-load engineering field.

BackgroundCerebral vasospasm (CV) is a common complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Endovascular therapy, particularly intra-arterial vasodilator infusion (IAVI), has emerged as a potential alternative treatment for CV.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to compare the efficacy of endovascular therapy with standard treatment in patients with CV following aSAH. The primary outcomes assessed were in-hospital mortality, discharge favorable outcome, and follow-up favorable outcome. Secondary outcomes included major infarction on CT, ICU stay duration, and total hospital stay.ResultsRegarding our primary outcomes of interest, patients undergoing intervention exhibited a significantly lower in-hospital mortality compared to the standard treatment group, with the intervention group having only half the mortality risk (RR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.29, 0.83], p = 0.008). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of discharge favorable outcome (RR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.68, 1.45], p = 0.963) and follow-up favorable outcome (RR = 1.09, 95% CI [0.86, 1.39], p = 0.485). Additionally, there was no significant difference in major infarction rates (RR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.34, 1.84], p = 0.588). It is important to note that patients undergoing endovascular treatment experienced longer stays in the ICU (MD = 6.07, 95% CI [1.03, 11.12], p = 0.018) and extended hospitalization (MD = 5.6, 95% CI [3.63, 7.56], p

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), often resulting from external physical trauma, initiates a series of complex pathophysiological cascades, with severe cases leading to paralysis and presenting significant clinical challenges. Traditional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, particularly X-ray imaging, are prevalent in clinical practice, yet the limited efficacy and notable side effects of pharmacological treatments at the injury site continue to pose substantial hurdles. Addressing these challenges, recent advancements have been made in the development of multifunctional nanotechnology and synergistic therapies, enhancing both the efficacy and safety of radiographic techniques. In this context, we have developed an innovative nerve regeneration and neuroprotection nanoplatform utilizing an X-ray-triggered, on-demand RuFe metal-organic framework (P-RuFe) for SCI recovery. This platform is designed to simulate the enzymatic activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, effectively reducing the production of reactive oxygen species, and to remove free radicals and reactive nitrogen species, thereby protecting cells from oxidative stress-induced damage. In vivo studies have shown that the combination of P-RuFe and X-ray treatment significantly reduces mortality in SCI mouse models and promotes spinal cord repair by inhibiting glial cell proliferation and neuroinflammation. P-RuFe demonstrates excellent potential as a safe, effective scavenger of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, offering good stability, biocompatibility, and high catalytic activity, and thus holds promise for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.

BackgroundA growing body of evidence suggests that immunological processes have a significant role in developing idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL). However, few studies have examined the association between immune cell phenotype and SSHL using Mendelian Randomization (MR).MethodsThe online genome-wide association studies (GWAS) database was used to compile data from GWAS covering 731 immunophenotypes and SSHL. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) analysis was primarily used for MR study, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with immunophenotypes served as dependent variables. A sensitivity study and the false discovery rate (FDR) correction were used to examine the MR hypothesis. In addition, the possibility of reverse causality between immunophenotype and SSHL was validated by reverse MR. Reverse MR was analyzed in a manner consistent with forward MR.ResultsAfter FDR correction and sensitivity analysis, we screened 7 immunophenotypes, including IgD+ CD38dim %lymphocyte (95% CI: 1.0019, 1.0742, p = 3.87 × 10−2, FDR = 1.15 × 10−2); Unsw mem AC (95% CI: 1.004, 1.2522, p = 4.23 × 10−2, FDR = 2.25 × 10−2); CD86+ myeloid DC AC (95% CI: 1.0083, 1.1147, p = 2.24 × 10−2, FDR = 4.27 × 10−2); CD33dim HLA DR− AC (95% CI: 1.0046, 1.0583, p = 2.12 × 10−2, FDR = 4.69 × 10−2); SSC-A on CD8br (95% CI: 1.0028, 1.1461, p = 4.12 × 10−2, FDR = 4.71 × 10−2); CD45RA− CD4+ %T cell (95% CI: 1.0036, 1.0503, p = 2.32 × 10−2, FDR = 4.82 × 10−2); DP (CD4+CD8+) AC (95% CI: 1.011, 1.2091, p = 2.78 × 10−2, FDR = 4.97 × 10−2). There was a strong causal relationship with SSHL onset, and the reliability of the results was verified. Furthermore, the immunological cell profile and SSHL did not appear to be closely associated, as shown by reverse MR analysis.ConclusionOur study provides more support for the current hypothesis that immunophenotypes and the pathophysiology of SSHL are closely associated. Further validation is needed to assess the role of these immunophenotypes in SSHL.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the association between the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AST/ALT ratio) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, clinical data from 3002 patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to the Department of Endocrinology of our hospital between January 1, 2021, and December 1, 2022, were retrospectively collected. Measurements of AST and ALT were conducted and diabetes-related complications were screened. The association between AST/ALT ratio and diabetic retinopathy was assessed using multivariate logistic regression, and a generalized additive model (GAM) was used to investigate nonlinear relationships. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were also conducted.ResultsAmong the 3002 patients, 1590 (52.96%) were male and 1412 (47.04%) were female. The mean AST/ALT ratio was 0.98 ± 0.32, ranging from 0.37 (Min) to 2.17 (Max). Diabetic retinopathy was present in 40.47% of the patients. After multivariate adjustments, for each 0.1 unit increase in AST/ALT ratio, the risk of DR increased by 4% (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.07, p=0.0053). Higher AST/ALT ratio quartiles were associated with Higher prevalence of DR (OR vs. Q1: Q4 = 1.34 (CI: 1.03–1.75, p=0.0303).The GAM and smoothed curve fit indicated a linear relationship between AST/ALT ratio and DR risk, with no significant interaction effects across different subgroups.ConclusionOur study demonstrates a positive correlation between the AST/ALT ratio and diabetic retinopathy risk in type 2 diabetes, suggesting its potential role in assessing DR risk.

Accelerated urbanization has exacerbated the urban heat island phenomenon, and urban forests have been recognized as an effective strategy for modulating thermal environments. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of systematic investigations into the nonlinear associations between the detailed spatial configurations of urban forests and thermal conditions. We proposed a deep learning-based approach to extract forest data, utilizing multisource high-resolution remote sensing data with relative radiometric correction. Subsequently, we employed deep neural networks (DNNs) to quantify the linkages between urban forest landscape patterns and land surface temperature (LST) in summer and winter across Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou in Fujian Province, China. Our findings indicate the following: (1) Our extraction approach outperforms DeepLabv3+, FCN_8S, and SegNet in terms of extraction precision and adaptability, achieving an overall accuracy (OA) of 87.57%; furthermore, the implementation of relative radiometric correction enhances both the extraction precision and model generalizability, improving OA by 0.05%. (2) Geographic and seasonal differences influence the urban forests’ cooling effects, with more pronounced cooling in summer, particularly in Zhangzhou. (3) The significance of forest landscape composition and configuration in affecting the thermal environment varies seasonally; landscape configuration plays a more pivotal role in modulating surface temperatures across the three cities, with a more critical role in winter than in summer. (4) Seasonal and city-specific variations in forest spatial patterns influence LST. Adopting the appropriate forest structures tailored to specific seasons, cities, and scales can optimize cooling effects. These results offer quantitative insights into urban heat island dynamics and carry significant implications for urban planning strategies.

Understanding the response of ecological quality (EQ) to forest landscape connectivity is essential to global biodiversity conservation and national ecological security. However, quantitatively measuring the properties and intensities within these relationships from a spatial heterogeneity perspective remains challenging. This study takes the Fujian Delta region as its case study. The Google Earth Engine platform was employed to compute the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI), the landscape metrics were applied to represent the structural connectivity of the forest landscape, and the minimum cumulative resistance model was adopted to measure the cost distance index representing the functional connectivity of the forest landscape. Then, the spatial correlation and heterogeneity between the EQ and forest landscape connectivity were analyzed based on spatial autocorrelation and geographical weighted regression at three scales (3, 4, and 5 km). The results showed the following: (1) from 2000 to 2020, the overall EQ increased, improving in 37.5% of the region and deteriorating in 13.8% of the region; (2) the forest landscape structural and functional connectivity showed a small decreasing trend from 2000 to 2020, decreasing by 1.3% and 0.9%, respectively; (3) eight forest landscape structural and functional connectivity change modes were detected under the conditions of an improving or degrading EQ based on the change in RSEI and forest landscape structural and functional connectivity; (4) the geographical weighted regression results showed that compared with the forest landscape structural connectivity index, the cost distance index had the highest explanatory power to RSEI in different scales. The effect of forest landscape functional connectivity on EQ is greater than that of structural connectivity. It provides a scientific reference for ecological environmental monitoring and the ecological conservation decision-making of managers.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important chemical with a diverse range of industrial applications in chemical synthesis and medical disinfection. The traditional anthraquinone oxidation process, with high energy consumption and complexity, is being replaced by cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. In order to explore suitable catalysts for the electrocatalytic synthesis of H2O2, the stability of B,N-doped graphene loaded with various p-block metal (PM) single atoms (i.e., PM-NxBy: x and y represent the number of atoms of N and B, respectively) and the effects of different numbers and positions of B dopants in the second coordination shell on the catalytic performance were studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that Ga-N4B6 and Sb-N4B6 exhibit enhanced stability and 2e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and selectivity. Their thermodynamic overpotential η values are 0.01 V, 0.03 V for Ga-N4B6’s two configurations and 0.02 V, 0 V for Sb-N4B6’s two configurations. Electronic structure calculations indicate that the PM single atom adsorbs OOH* intermediates and transfers electrons into them, resulting in the activation of the O-O bond, which facilitates the subsequent hydrogenation reaction. In summary, Sb-N4B6 and Ga-N4B6 exhibit extraordinary 2e− ORR performance, and their predicted activities are comparable to those of known outstanding catalysts (such as PtHg4 alloy). We propose effective strategies on how to enhance the 2e− ORR activities of carbon materials, elucidate the origin of the activity of potential catalysts, and provide insights for the design and development of electrocatalysts that can be used for H2O2 production.

The effective connection of 1050 Al and AZ31 Mg was realized by magnetic pulse welding. The maximum tensile-shear force of the dissimilar Al/Mg metal lap joint reached 97% of that of the 1050 Al alloy base material by optimizing the process parameters. The microstructure of dissimilar Al/Mg welded joints was analysed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). The results show that the key to obtaining high shear strength of Al/Mg dissimilar metal joints is mainly due to the following two reasons. On the one hand, grain refinement and element interdiffusion occur at the interface. On the other hand, no intermetallic compounds are formed at the interface.

A topologically constrained optimization methodology associated with a discretized differential evolution (DE) is employed for the structure design of a magnetic pulse welding (MPW) coil. To reveal the explicit expression for the effective welding area produced by the MPW process, the impact angle and collision velocity are innovatively considered for determination of the objective function. As several disconnected regions are generated by the Rand-to-Best/2/exp mutation strategy and subsequent superposition-style crossover operation, the algorithm is combined with geometrical correction to form a simply connected conductor. The proposed algorithm is effective and robust as it have been verified based on the evolutionary history and numerical trials with coupled electromagnetic–mechanical simulations. According to physical validation results, a wider effective welding area is produced between aluminum alloy and steel planar plates by the optimized coil, which results in better performance in a tensile test. Under a 23 kJ discharge current, the maximum loading is significantly enhanced by 46.21% compared with the original coil.

Feature enhancement plays a crucial role in improving the quality and discriminative power of features used in matching tasks. By enhancing the informative and invariant aspects of features, the matching process becomes more robust and reliable, enabling accurate predictions even in challenging scenarios, such as occlusion and reflection in stereo matching. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end dual-dimension feature modulation network called DFMNet to address the issue of mismatches in interference areas. DFMNet utilizes dual-dimension feature modulation (DFM) to capture spatial and channel information separately. This approach enables the adaptive combination of local features with more extensive contextual information, resulting in an enhanced feature representation that is more effective in dealing with challenging scenarios. Additionally, we introduce the concept of cost filter volume (CFV) by utilizing guide weights derived from group-wise correlation. CFV aids in filtering the concatenated volume adaptively, effectively discarding redundant information, and further improving matching accuracy. To enable real-time performance, we designed a fast version named Fast-GFM. Fast-GFM employs the global feature modulation (GFM) block to enhance the feature expression ability, improving the accuracy and stereo matching robustness. The accurate DFMNet and the real-time Fast-GFM achieve state-of-the-art performance across multiple benchmarks, including Scene Flow, KITTI, ETH3D, and Middlebury. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods in enhancing feature representation and significantly improving matching accuracy in various stereo matching scenarios.

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of different chemotherapy regimens combined with thalidomide, in the treatment of low-income patients with newly diagnosed HIV-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 42 patients with HIV-DLBCL who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department of Yunnan Provincial Infectious Diseases Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. 14 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 13 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with R-CHOP, 24 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 23 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with R-DAEPOCH, and 4 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 3 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with EPOCH. All patients were treated with thalidomide. The ART regimen was adjusted. At least 1 and up to 6 intrathecal injections were given during chemotherapy, and cotrimoxazole was taken orally to prevent infection. The clinical efficacy was evaluated after 4 cycles of chemotherapy, and adverse events were evaluated at each cycle of chemotherapy. Results: All patients received 1–8 cycles of chemotherapy. CR (64.2 %) was achieved in 9 patients in R-CHOP group, and 5 patients died. In the R-DAEPOCH group, 17 patients achieved CR (70.8 %) and 7 died. In the EPOCH group, 2 patients reached CR (50 %) and 2 died. The main adverse reactions were grade II and above myelosuppression. Conclusion: Combined treatment with thalidomide can improve the prognosis of low-income patients with newly diagnosed HIV-DLBCL.

Regeneration in the therapeutics of spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a challenge caused by the hyperinflammation microenvironment. Nanomaterials-based treatment strategies for diseases with excellent therapeutic efficacy are actively pursued. Here, we develop biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA) obtained by loading celastrol (pCel) for SCI thrapy. Cel, as an antioxidant drug, facilitated reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and decreased the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. To facilitate its administration, pCel is formulated into microspheres by oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. The constructed pCel can induced polarization of macrophages and obviously improved lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased neurite length in PC12 cells and primary neurons. In vivo experiments revealed that pCel regulated the phenotypic polarization of macrophages, prevented the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, promoted myelin regeneration and inhibited scar tissue formation, and further improve motor function. These findings indicated that the neuroprotective effect of this artificial biodegradable nanoplatform is benefit for the therapy of SCI. This research opens an exciting perspective for the application of SCI treatment and supports the clinical significance of pCel.

Abstract Self-piercing riveting (SPR) has been widely used in automobile body jointing. However, the riveting process is prone to various forming quality failures, such as empty riveting, repeated riveting, substrate cracking, and other riveting defects. This paper combines deep learning algorithms to achieve non-contact monitoring of SPR forming quality. And a lightweight convolutional neural network with higher accuracy and less computational effort is designed. The ablation and comparative experiments results show that the lightweight convolutional neural network proposed in this paper achieves improved accuracy and reduced computational complexity. Compared with the original algorithm, the algorithm’s accuracy in this paper is increased by 4.5 $$\%$$ % , and the recall is increased by 1.4 $$\%$$ % . In addition, the amount of redundant parameters is reduced by 86.5 $$\%$$ % , and the amount of computation is reduced by 47.33 $$\%$$ % . This method can effectively overcome the limitations of low efficiency, high work intensity, and easy leakage of manual visual inspection methods and provide a more efficient solution for monitoring the quality of SPR forming quality.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), recognized for its considerable potential as a heterogeneous photocatalyst in water splitting, has attracted extensive research interest. By using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the regulatory role of p-block metal (PM) single atoms on the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4 in overall water splitting was systematically explored. The incorporation of PM atoms (Ge, Sn and Pb) led to a reduction in the overpotentials required for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Combined with the electronic structures analysis via hybrid functional, it was found that the introduction of Ge, Sn or Pb optimizes the positions of the valence band maximum (VBM) and the conduction band minimum (CBM), providing a robust driving force for HER and ensuring substantial driving force for OER. Meanwhile, the presence of these three PMs induces the spatial separation of VBM and CBM, inhibiting the recombination of carriers. These findings have significant implications for the design and preparation of efficient photocatalysts.

At present, the informatization level in the construction process of steel structures is relatively low. Meanwhile, digital twin technology, with better interactive features, provides a new development direction for the intelligent construction of steel structures. Therefore, this paper introduces the concept of a digital twin into the steel structure construction process, analyzes the connotation and characteristics of the digital twin model, and proposes the digital twin model architecture for steel structure construction processes. Furthermore, a method for establishing a digital twin model for steel structure construction processes is presented, which includes three stages: the acquisition and transmission of physical space data, the construction of a digital twin virtual model, and information exchange in the digital twin model. Based on these concepts, this paper describes a digital twin system architecture for the steel structure construction process from the perspective of data flow in the digital twin model. Finally, with the application of information technology in the steel structure construction process of the university park library project in Xiongan New Area and the reconstruction and expansion project of the Nanchong Gaoping airport, the digital twin model and its establishment method methods are analyzed practically and demonstrated effectively in this study.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has drawn extensive attention with some features including visible-light response as non-metallic semiconductor, low cost in raw material and green pollution-free for environment, but suffers from some issues such as fast charge carriers’ recombination, easy aggregation, etc. In this work, the 1D-2D HNTs&g–C3N4–X binary materials similar to meat floss pattern in a series of halloysite loading amounts are designed via a facile electrostatic self-assembly strategy with debris g-C3N4 after cell pulverizing treatment and HNTs that outwardly modified by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the building blocks. The halloysite-mediated satellite-core material displays a photocatalytic of H2 evolution performance with the highest evolution rate of 137.0 μmol g−1 h−1 in visible light condition with no co-catalysts, and is ∼3.4 times that of bulk g-C3N4, mainly benefiting from the reduced nanometer size of debris g-C3N4 and enhanced interface dispersion ability by HNTs, resulting in ameliorative separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. This research conclusively provides the new perspective towards the performance enhancement of water splitting of g-C3N4 in raw clay mineral modification mode and broadens the applications of mineral-based composite in the renewable energy utilization field.

To efficiently remove organic and inorganic pollutants from leachate concentrate, an in situ coagulation-electrochemical oxidation (CO-EO) system was proposed using Ti/Ti4O7 anode and Al cathode, coupling the “super-Faradaic” dissolution of Al. The system was evaluated in terms of the removal efficiencies of organics, nutrients, and metals, and the underlying cathodic mechanisms were investigated compared with the Ti/RuO2–IrO2 and graphite cathode systems. After a 3-h treatment, the Al-cathode system removed 89.0% of COD and 36.3% of total nitrogen (TN). The TN removal was primarily ascribed to the oxidation of both ammonia and organic-N to N2. In comparison, the Al-cathode system achieved 3–10-fold total phosphorus (TP) (62.6%) and metal removals (>80%) than Ti/RuO2–IrO2 and graphite systems. The increased removals of TP and metals were ascribed to the in situ coagulation of Al(OH)3, hydroxide precipitation, and electrodeposition. With the reduced scaling on the Al cathode surface, the formation of Al3+ and electrified Al(OH)3 lessened the requirement for cathode cleaning and increased the bulk conductivity, resulting in increased instantaneous current production (38.9%) and operating cost efficiencies (48.3 kWh kgCOD−1). The present study indicated that the in situ CO-EO process could be potentially used for treating persistent wastewater containing high levels of organic and inorganic ions.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a severe microvascular complication of diabetes and is a chronic progressive condition. It is also a common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which is characterized by proteinuria or a progressive decline in the glomerular filtration rate. Due to their dependence on high-energy and aerobic metabolism, renal tubules are more susceptible to the metabolic disturbances associated with DKD, leading to inflammation and fibrosis. Consequently, tubular injury has become a recent research focus, and significant advancements have been made in studying the role of extracellular vesicles in DKD-associated tubular injury. This review aimed to elucidate the mechanisms and potential applications of different types of extracellular vesicles in tubular injury in DKD to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of DKD.

Abstract Mulberry is an economically important plant in the sericulture industry and traditional medicine. However, the genetic and evolutionary history of mulberry remains largely unknown. Here, this work presents the chromosome‐level genome assembly of Morus atropurpurea (M. atropurpurea), originating from south China. Population genomic analysis using 425 mulberry accessions reveal that cultivated mulberry is classified into two species, M. atropurpurea and M. alba, which may have originated from two different mulberry progenitors and have independent and parallel domestication in north and south China, respectively. Extensive gene flow is revealed between different mulberry populations, contributing to genetic diversity in modern hybrid cultivars. This work also identifies the genetic architecture of the flowering time and leaf size. In addition, the genomic structure and evolution of sex‐determining regions are identified. This study significantly advances the understanding of the genetic basis and domestication history of mulberry in the north and south, and provides valuable molecular markers of desirable traits for mulberry breeding.

BackgroundCarotid cavernous fistula (CCF) refers to the abnormal arteriovenous communication between the carotid system at the skull base and the sphenoid cavernous sinus, which is caused by trauma in almost 75% of cases. The drainage of venous blood to the spinal cord represents a distinctive mechanism, which is commonly observed in dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF), and typically manifests clinically as progressive myelopathy. However, it is a rare occurrence in clinical practice that traumatic carotid cavernous fistula (TCCF) causes delayed quadriplegia through perimedullary venous drainage.Case presentationWe report the case of a 29-year-old male patient who was admitted to the hospital with a sudden onset of headache and quadriplegia. The patient had previously lost his right eye in a traffic accident 5 years ago. Cerebral angiography showed a high-flow direct CCF on the right side, accompanied by obvious drainage of cerebellar and perimedullary veins. We successfully performed coil embolization for the CCF, and the symptoms of the patient gradually improved after the operation. During follow-up at sixth-months, the patient regained the ability to walk independently.ConclusionWe experienced a rare case of TCCF with quadriplegia. Utilizing coil embolization, we achieved successful improvement in the patient’s condition. However, the mechanism and the best treatment of CCF drainage through the perimedullary vein are still unclear. We need to further explore the pathophysiological information of CCF venous drainage.

Due to the rich water in the weathered layer of the free section, the prestressed anchor cable of the long-term operating slope is severely corroded and its mechanical properties are deteriorated, affecting the stability of the slope. Based on a certain number of long-term operation highway anchor cable excavation tests, the author found that the free section of the anchor cable orifice was seriously corroded. Currently, there is very little research on the relationship between the holding capacity of anchor cables and the degree of corrosion of the free section of the cable, and the research is mainly focused on the life of the anchor section. Therefore, the constitutive relationship of the cable body is established on the basis of corrosion force coupled statistical damage mechanics, and the relationship between the degree of corrosion of the cable body and the holding prestress of the operating slope anchor cables is derived using the load transfer method. The rationality of prestressed anchor cables on highway slopes during the operation period was verified by actual measurement. This study has positive significance for long-term stability analysis of slopes.

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and severe complication of cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study aimed to establish a model to predict the probability of postoperative AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Methods We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study to analyze 1082 patients undergoing cardiac surgery under CPB. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model was used to optimize feature selection for the AKI model. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build a prediction model incorporating the feature selected in the previously mentioned model. Finally, we used multiple methods to evaluate the accuracy and clinical applicability of the model. Results Age, gender, hypertension, CPB duration, intraoperative 5% bicarbonate solution and red blood cell transfusion, urine volume were identified as important factors. Then, these risk factors were created into nomogram to predict the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery under CPB. Conclusion We developed a nomogram to predict the incidence of AKI after cardiac surgery. This model can be used as a reference tool for evaluating early medical intervention to prevent postoperative AKI.

Background There is scant data on the association of the Pulsed wave-Doppler tissue imaging (PW-DTI)-derived tricuspid lateral annular peak systolic velocity (S’) and poor short-term prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF).Patients and methods A total number of 732 participants from the Heb-ADHF registry in China were divided into three groups according to the corresponding status of tricuspid S′. Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, physical examinations, lab tests, and medications were compared among the different groups. Different logistic regression models were utilized to gauge the relationship between S′ and the risk of a composite of short-term all-cause mortality or 30-day heart failure (HF)-related rehospitalization.Results The number of composite outcome events identified in the study population was 85, with the short-term all-cause death coupled with 30-day HF readmission events reaching 23 and 62, respectively. As per the multivariable adjusted analysis, S′ was inversely related to the risk of a composite outcome [11 cm/s. When S′ was analysed as a continuous variable, per 1 cm/s increase, the OR (95% CI) for a composite outcome was [0.87 (0.77–0.99), p = 0.028]. Area under curve (AUC) of S′ for predicting outcome of ADHF was 0.631 (95%CI: 0.573–0.690, p

The development of the efficient catalyst in the direct H2O2 synthesis (DHS) from H2 and O2 remains a formidable challenge. Here, the authors develop a two-step approach to prepare a layer of Pd oxide on PdSn nanowires which displays superior reactivity in the DHS at zero Celcius.

The coastal lowlands in East China are very sensitive to climate change and marine disasters, and much large-scale hydraulic engineering was recorded in the historical documents of the Late Holocene. In this study, AMS 14C and OSL were used to date three sedimentary profiles from the north and south coasts of inner Hangzhou Bay, and grain size and geochemical analyses including organic carbon, macro-elements, and alkaline earth metals were performed, while hydraulic engineering records in historical documents were compiled, in an attempt to reveal the sedimentary records of extreme climatic and hydrological events over the past 3000 years and to probe into the correlation between them and hydraulic engineering. The results show that the intensified chemical weathering during ca. 200 BCE to 900 CE in East China corresponded to the warm and humid climate during the Qin-Han and Sui-Tang dynasties. Salinity intrusion with rising local water levels occurred in the lowland plains along the south coast of Hangzhou Bay from 120 to 895 CE. Low-salinity water intrusion from 32 to 488 CE was also recorded in the stratigraphy of lowland plains along the north coast of Hangzhou Bay. The sedimentary records of the East Tiaoxi River basin show river floods about 2000 years ago. The above sedimentary records indicate that the relative sea level rose in the Hangzhou Bay area during the Qin-Han and Sui-Tang Warm Periods, resulting in frequent salinity intrusion and river floods, which coincided with the historical records of hydraulic engineering such as the construction of seawalls, river levees, and the enclosure of lakes for restoration of river floods during the Han and Tang dynasties. Such coincidence reflects that climate change profoundly affected the hydrological environment of the coastal areas in East China as well as the response of the human societies.

Impressive achievements in clinical trials to treat hemophilia establish a milestone in the development of gene therapy. It highlights the significance of AAV-mediated gene delivery to liver. AAV5 is a unique serotype featured by low neutralizing antibody prevalence. Nevertheless, its liver infectivity is relatively weak. Consequently, it is vital to exploit novel AAV5 capsid mutants with robust liver tropism. To this aim, we performed AAV5-NNK library and barcode screening in mice, from which we identified one capsid variant, called AAVzk2. AAVzk2 displayed a similar yield but divergent post-translational modification sites compared with wild-type serotypes. Mice intravenously injected with AAVzk2 demonstrated a stronger liver transduction than AAV5, roughly comparable with AAV8 and AAV9, with undetectable transduction of other tissues or organs such as heart, lung, spleen, kidney, brain, and skeletal muscle, indicating a liver-specific tropism. Further studies showed a superior human hepatocellular transduction of AAVzk2 to AAV5, AAV8 and AAV9, whereas the seroreactivity of AAVzk2 was as low as AAV5. Overall, we provide a novel AAV serotype that facilitates a robust and specific liver gene delivery to a large population, especially those unable to be treated by AAV8 and AAV9.

The hyperinflammation microenvironment after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a great challenge for neural regeneration. Methylprednisolone has been used to reduce the inflammatory response after SCI, but it is controversial due to side effects associated with off-specific targeting effects. In this study, we synthesized in situ 5-ASA grafted chitosan electrospun fibers (ASA-EF) with excellent injectable and self-healing properties to reprogram nerve cells via displaying biological distribution, gene expression, and functional changes. With the support of ASA-EF, the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines expression and the upregulation of anti-inflammatory and regenerative gene expression were found in vitro studies. Moreover, ASA-EF administration polarized macrophages toward proregenerative phenotypes in the injured lesion, and significantly reduced cavity area. In addition, ASA-EF administration increased myelination and regenerating axons and improved motor function (score of 5 versus 2 for SCI group). These results illustrate that the neuroprotective effect of this artificial nanoplatform will facilitate the clinical treatment of traumatic-related diseases via forming a recycled microenvironment that supports regeneration and functional recovery. These particles may be applied to trauma and potential other inflammatory diseases.

Abstract New-generation human body motion sensors for wearable electronics and intelligent medicine are required to comply with stringent requirements in terms of ultralight weight, flexibility, stability, biocompatibility, and extreme precision. However, conventional sensors are hard to fulfill all these criteria due to their rigid structure, high-density sensing materials used as the constituents, as well as hermetical and compact assembly strategy. Here, we report an ultralight sensing material based on radial anisotropic porous silver fiber (RAPSF), which has been manufactured by phase separation and temperature-controlled grain growth strategy on a modified blow-spinning system. The resistance of RAPSF could be dynamically adjusted depending on the deflected shape. Furthermore, an all-fiber motion sensor (AFMS) with an ultra-low density of 68.70 mg cm−3 and an overall weigh of 7.95 mg was fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly. The sensor exhibited outstanding flexibility, breathability, biocompatibility, and remarkable body motion recognition ability. Moreover, the AFMS was shown to have great potential as an artificial intelligence throat sensor for throat state identification at the accuracy above 85%, allowing one to spot the early onset of the viral throat illness.

Construction 4.0 presents a multitude of opportunities; however, it also increases the chance of disputes. Efficient dispute management contributes to the sustainable production of construction works. Enhancing negotiation management and negotiators’ settlement ability is valuable, given that negotiation is recognized as the most effective dispute resolution method. This study explores negotiation settlement by identifying negotiators’ settlement facilitating elements in construction dispute negotiation (CDN). A purposive literature review identified six key elements, naming preparation, integration, goodwill, continuity, commitment, and self-efficacy. With data collected from experienced construction dispute negotiators, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) results confirmed the significance of these elements. Accordingly, recommendations for negotiators include (i) technique (i.e., good preparation and applying integrative tactics); (ii) interaction (i.e., showing goodwill and relationship maintenance); and (iii) attitude (i.e., commitment to negotiate and being confident) if the negotiation settlement is desired. Management can implement these recommendations in their training manual to cultivate negotiators’ problem solving and settlement-oriented mindset. Negotiators can also review their behaviors throughout the negotiations and make timely adjustments as deemed necessary. Reaching an amicable negotiated settlement would not only save resources, preserving business relationships is of equal importance for a sustainable construction industry.

The success of construction projects heavily depends on the compliance of parties with ethical codes of conduct. Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) may serve as a barrier to close collaboration between parties. Although empowering leadership is generally considered to be beneficial to project management, this study argues that empowering leadership may unintentionally increase the tendency of employees to adopt UPB. The aim of this study is to uncover the influencing mechanism underlying empowering leadership and UPB by introducing the mediating role of role stress. It is hypothesized that empowering leadership can enhance employees’ role stress, thereby increasing the engagement of UPB. Moreover, organizational goal clarity can ease the negative effect of empowering leadership. With data collected from experienced construction professionals, the results of the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) supported the hypothesis. The findings help in understanding why employees may adopt unethical behaviors when they feel high levels of role stress that are caused by empowerment. Theoretically, the study enriches the literature on empowering leadership and UPB in the construction context. In practice, managers are reminded about the adverse effect of empowering leadership on employees’ unethical behaviors. Organizational management tools are suggested to assist in assigning work appropriate to employees’ roles. Regular checks and feedback about organizational goals are also necessary to confirm compliant behaviors and progress.