Search

AIDS is a chronic infectious disease that has been having a major impact on human health and social stability. In this paper, based on the deterministic SIATR model, a stochastic SIATR model is developed to account for the spread of AIDS by introducing the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. First, the existence and uniqueness of the global positive solution of the model are investigated. Second, a threshold R0E is set: when R0E < 1, the disease will become extinct; when R0E > 1, the disease will persist. Then, it is shown that there exists a stationary distribution for the model when R0E > 1. On this basis, we derive the exact expression for the probability density function of the model in the neighborhood of the quasi-equilibrium state. Finally, the results of the previous proof are verified by several numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flexural behavior of beams strengthened with GFRP bars and high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete (HPFRC) was investigated in this paper. The four‐point flexural response of one reference beam and four beams strengthened with high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete was investigated by experimental research and theoretical calculation. The experimental and theoretical data (strain, load, etc.) are discussed. Parameters varied included the strengthening scheme (bottom‐side strengthening and three‐side strengthening) and the type of high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete (engineered cementitious composite [ECC] and ultra‐high‐performance concrete [UHPC]). The results showed that the cracking load and ultimate load of beams strengthened with UPFRC material were 31.3%–170% and 9.6%–20.7% higher, respectively, relative to the reference beam. Beams with three‐side strengthening (without interfacial debonding) had higher ultimate load, smaller crack width, and better durability relative to beams with bottom‐side strengthening. The UHPC layer was more effective in increasing the ultimate bearing capacity, and ECC strengthening layer was more effective in inhibiting cracking development of beams. Based on the experimental results, a model was proposed to predict the ultimate bearing capacity of beams strengthened with high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete, which could provide good agreement between the experimental and predicted results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the trends in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients and to assess the longitudinal impact of antiviral therapy on their well-being. Methods: In this prospective multicenter observational study in adults with HCV infection, sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and EQ-5D questionnaires were collected. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to assess the associations between these variables and changes in HRQoL over time. Results: 456 patients were included, with a median age of 46.5 (36.5–57.0) years, of which 262 (57.5%) were males and 44 (9.6%) had cirrhosis. 335 patients (73.5%) receiving antiviral therapy and 61.8% achieved sustained virologic response (SVR). The baseline EQ-5D utility and EQ-VAS were 0.916 ± 0.208 and 80.6 ± 13.0. In multivariable analysis of GEE estimation, achieving SVR24 was positively associated with EQ-5D utility (p = 0.000) and EQ-VAS (p = 0.000) over time. Age and income were shown to be significant predictors of EQ-5D utility, while gender, age and genotype were associated with EQ-VAS over time. Conclusions: SVR improved long-term HRQoL in HCV patients in the first few years following viral clearance. Certain sociodemographic factors, such as gender, age, income as well as genotype, significantly influenced long-term changes in patients' quality of life. Trial registration: NCT01594554. Registration date: 09/05/2012. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Stem cells from the apical papilla(SCAPs) exhibit remarkable tissue repair capabilities, demonstrate anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects, positioning them as promising assets in the realm of regenerative medicine. Recently, the focus has shifted towards exosomes derived from stem cells, perceived as safer alternatives while retaining comparable physiological functions. This study delves into the therapeutic implications of exosomes derived from SCAPs in the methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced mice non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model. We extracted exosomes from SCAPs. During the last two weeks of the MCD diet, mice were intravenously administered SCAPs-derived exosomes at two distinct concentrations (50 μg/mouse and 100 μg/mouse) biweekly. Thorough examinations of physiological and biochemical indicators were performed to meticulously evaluate the impact of exosomes derived from SCAPs on the advancement of NASH in mice induced by MCD diet. This findings revealed significant reductions in body weight loss and liver damage induced by the MCD diet following exosomes treatment. Moreover, hepatic fat accumulation was notably alleviated. Mechanistically, the treatment with exosomes led to an upregulation of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) levels in the liver, enhancing hepatic fatty acid oxidation and transporter gene expression while inhibiting genes associated with fatty acid synthesis. Additionally, exosomes treatment increased the transcription levels of key liver mitochondrial marker proteins and the essential mitochondrial biogenesis factor. Furthermore, the levels of serum inflammatory factors and hepatic tissue inflammatory factor mRNA expression were significantly reduced, likely due to the anti-inflammatory phenotype induced by exosomes in macrophages. The above conclusion suggests that SCAPs-exosomes can improve NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that is characterized by elevated blood sugar. Although glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) lower blood glucose in a glucose-dependent manner, most of them are macromolecule polypeptides. Macromolecular peptides are relatively expensive and inconvenient compared with small molecules. Therefore, this study sought to identify the small molecules binding to GLP-1R via cell membrane chromatography (CMC), confirm their agonistic activity, and further study its beneficial effects in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induced by a combination of high-fat diet and streptozotocin. We used CMC, calcium imaging and molecular docking techniques to screen and identify the potential small molecule Schisandrin B (Sch B), which exhibits a strong binding effect to GLP-1R, from the small molecule library of traditional Chinese medicine. Through in-vitro experiments, we found that Sch B stimulated insulin secretion in β-TC-6 cells, while GLP-1R antagonist Exendin9-39, adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536, and protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89 could significantly inhibit the insulin secretion induced by Sch B. In vivo, Sch B significantly improved fasting blood glucose levels, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test damage, and the status of pancreatic tissue damage, and reduced serum insulin levels, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein in T2DM mice. These results indicate that Sch B alleviates T2DM by promoting insulin release through the GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway, suggesting that Sch B may be a potential GLP-1RA, which is expected to provide a new therapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of T2DM. [Display omitted] • We screen out the small molecules binding to GLP-1R by cell membrane chromatography. • Sch B stimulates insulin secretion both in vivo and in vitro. • Sch B stimulates insulin secretion through GLP-1R/cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary of main observation and conclusion: A facile synthesis, functionalization, and emission property of N‐doped carbon‐rich halogenated compound 3,6,12,15‐tetrachloro‐9‐phenyl‐9H‐tetrabenzo[a,c,g,i]carbazole (ClCbz) was reported. Cost‐effective FeCl3 catalyst serves to break eight C—H bonds of 1,2,3,4,5‐pentaphenylpyrrole (1) and subsequently construct two C—C and four C—Cl bonds in one pot with a high yield of up to 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRs) are important regulators of the tumorigenesis and metastasis of various cancers. In the present study, the roles and underlying mechanisms of miR-425-5p in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that miR-425-5p was upregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. A functional study in vitro using MTT assays, colony formation and Transwell assays demonstrated that overexpression of miR-425-5p promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells, prevented cell apoptosis and accelerates the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, whereas miR-425-5p knockdown induced opposing effects. A further mechanistic study revealed that forkhead box D3 (FOXD3) was a direct target of miR-425-5p, and gain- and loss-of-function of FOXD3 studies demonstrated that FOXD3 suppressed HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, rescue experiments revealed that overexpression of FOXD3 counteracted the positive effects of miR-425-5p on HCC malignant behaviors. Collectively, the present results demonstrated that miR-425-5p promoted HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by suppressing FOXD3 expression, potentially providing a novel target for the treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the performance of flexible pressure sensors has received increasing attention owing to their numerous applications in advanced technologies. However, many approaches that yield exceptional performance often involve complex manufacturing processes and high costs, which are not conducive to the large-scale production and application of flexible pressure sensors. Therefore, this paper presents a simple and efficient method, combining a pre-strain strategy with polydimethylsiloxane infiltration, for manufacturing flexible pressure sensors with a wide working range, enhanced sensitivity, and good stability. Sensors fabricated using this method exhibit an improved sensitivity of 0.0331 kPa−1 within the broad working range of 0.11–1250 kPa, ultra-fast response time of 8 ms, and good stability as well as repeatability over 2500 cycles of 15% strain loading. The sensing mechanism and resistance model of the sensor were investigated, and a sensing model based on the tunneling effect and resistance model was developed. The coefficient of determination between the model and the experimental data exceeded 0.99, thereby verifying its validity. Finally, a sensor array was tested to locate the pressure and recognize the object shape within a large pressure range, demonstrating its potential applications in engineering fields with high-pressure requirements. This study provides a reference for the simple and cost-effective manufacturing of advanced flexible sensors and offers valuable insights into the large-scale production of flexible sensors. • Developing a low-cost and efficient strategy for preparing improved performance flexible sensors. • Improving the performance of sensors by polydimethylsiloxane infiltration. • Solving the contradiction between sensitivity and working range of sensor by changing resistance-pressure response. • Establishing an accurate sensing model for graphene rubber composites sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The dislocation emission mechanism of the low-angle twist grain boundary is revealed. • Stress variation during dislocation emission is observed. • The influence of GB structures and temperature on dislocation density is obtained. Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the tensile behavior of W bicrystals with different twist grain boundaries (TGBs): the low-angle grain boundary (LAGB), the ordinary high-angle grain boundary (HAGB) and the Σ 3 TGB. Owing to the initial hexagonal dislocation network (HDN), the LAGB can directly emit dislocations without dislocation nucleation: the 1 2 〈 1 1 1 〉 dislocations in HDN are pinned by bilateral nodes or 〈 0 0 1 〉 dislocations and form Frank-Rend dislocation sources, which continually emit dislocations and remain the structure of HDN under tensile loading. Once the HDN become disordered, Frank-Rend dislocation sources are broken and dislocations in HDN can be directly emitted. In the ordinary HAGB and Σ 3 TGB, dislocations are nucleated from interfaces accompanied with apparent stress decrease at nucleation sites. Supplied with enough stress, emitted dislocations can freely pass through adjacent boundaries. By measuring dislocation densities, we find that the Σ 3 TGB becomes more active at high temperature and easier to nucleate dislocations, while the LAGB and ordinary HAGB are less affected by temperature. Besides, it is found that 1 2 〈 1 1 1 〉 dislocations play a dominate role in the plastic deformation of W bicrystals regardless of TGB structures and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A copper-catalyzed decarboxylation/cycloaddition cascade of alkynyl carboxylic acids with azide has been developed. This reaction exhibits good functional group tolerance and wide substrate scope, provides an efficient way to construct 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pourbaix diagrams (electrode potential-pH diagrams) for pure metals systems are studied completely, whereas researches on diagrams for binary or ternary alloys systems are lagging behind. In this work, we provide a complete procedure for simulations of Pourbaix diagrams of binary and multielement systems. With this scheme, Pourbaix diagrams of Ni Ti alloys with different Ni/Ti molar ratios in aqueous solutions at 25 °C have been constructed based on first-principles chemical potentials of solids and experimental chemical potentials of ions. The corrosion behaviors of different Ni Ti alloys including NiTi, Ti 2 Ni, and Ni 3 Ti are discussed and compared based on the obtained Pourbaix diagrams. The corrosion resistance of Ti 2 Ni is comparable to or even better than that of NiTi while the corrosion resistance of Ni 3 Ti is worse than that of NiTi. In addition, the electrochemical corrosion behaviors of NiTi alloys under Ti-rich and Ni-rich conditions are also investigated; it is found that the precipitations of Ti 2 Ni in Ti-rich NiTi alloys and Ni 3 Ti in Ni-rich NiTi alloys deteriorate the pitting corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of austenitic symmetric tilt grain boundaries (STGBs) on the martensitic transformation in NiTi alloy during thermal cycling between 500 K and 10 K are studied from molecular dynamics simulations. Four austenitic STGBs including Σ 3 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 111 ) , Σ 3 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 112 ) , Σ 9 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 114 ) and Σ 9 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 221 ) have been considered. Through martensitic transformation, the austenitic STGBs transform to martensitic grain boundaries (GBs) and martensitic twin boundaries form in the interior of the simulation models. After austenitic transformation, the martensitic GBs recover to the austenitic STGBs and the twin boundaries disappear. We find that the roles of STGBs on the martensitic transformation can be divided into three groups based on the martensite start temperature (M s ). (1) The Σ 3 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 112 ) and Σ 9 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 221 ) STGBs retard the martensitic transformation, i.e., decreases M s , by raising the potential energy of the grain interior. (2) The Σ 9 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 114 ) STGB promotes the martensitic transformation by lowering the potential energy of the grain interior. (3) The effects of the Σ 3 [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ( 111 ) STGB depend on whether twins form during cooling. The evolutions of the microstructures during thermal loadings are analyzed using the von Mise shear strain; insight obtained in this work paves the way for engineering NiTi shape memory alloy through grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration and nucleation of He atoms at three typical (110) twist grain boundaries (TGBs): the low-angle grain boundary (LAGB), the ordinary high-angle grain boundary (HAGB) and the Σ 3 TGB in W are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The presence of TGBs can absorb He atoms from bulk and impede the growth of He bubbles. Moreover, different grain boundary (GB) structures behave differently when interacting with He atoms. The LAGB can control the He distribution on the GB plane through its screw dislocation network, suggesting a promising approach for design of radiation tolerant materials. The ordinary HAGB presents a strong trap effect due to its disordered GB structure, which may induce a large He retention at the GB and embrittlement. The Σ 3 TGB can provide a diffusion path for He atoms, although the diffusion rate is not as fast as it in bulk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the influence of Ni concentration on the phase transformations in Ni 50 + x Ti 50 − x (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) alloys during thermal cycling between 100 K and 500 K. We successfully reproduce the experimental observations that the martensitic transformation temperature and the thermal hysteresis decrease with increasing Ni concentration when x ≤ 1.5, and the thermally induced martensitic transformation is prohibited when x > 1.5. Three types of martensitic twins are observed; increasing disorder from local distortion in martensitic variants is revealed with increasing Ni concentration at 100 K. Furthermore, a strain glass state with disordered local lattice distortion exists when x > 1.5. In addition, it is found that the atomic distributions of the Ni-Ni and Ti-Ni pairs in strain glass can be significantly altered by temperature. Shape memory effect and pseudoelasticity in strain glass are also analyzed. It is found that the shape memory effect can be characterized by the transformation from frozen strain glass to the martensitic B 1 9 1 ′ twin and the following detwinning, while the pseudoelasticity can be characterized by the transformation from unfrozen strain glass to the B 1 9 1 ′ phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct evidence was recently discovered for the unique strain glass (STG) transition, which breaks the local symmetries (PRL 112, 025701 (2014)). To understand the origin of the STG transition, the effects of doping point defects on Ti 50 (Ni 50− x D x ) are investigated using first-principle calculations. The experimental observation that STG only exists in a limited range of chemical composition x is successfully rationalized. The mechanisms that correspond to the division of a system into domains with distinctly different compositions are found to be directly related to a dip in the defect formation energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy and structure of (1 1 0) twist grain boundary (TGB) in W are systematically investigated using molecular statics simulations. A dependence of grain boundary energy vs. the twist angle θ over the entire angular range is obtained and agrees well with the modified Read–Shockley equation in low-angle range. According to the analysis of dislocations in grain boundaries, (1 1 0) TGBs can be divided into three types: low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs), intermediate-angle grain boundaries (IAGBs) and high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs). When θ ≤ 16.10°, a regular dislocation network consisting of 1 2 [ 1 1 1 ] , 1 2 [ 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 1 ] and [0 0 1] screw dislocations exists in LAGBs. And the size and shape of meshes in the network vary with increased twist angles. In IAGBs, with 17.23° ≤ θ ≤ 22.22°, both atomistic structures and dislocations are disordered and dislocations do not form a regular network. The TGBs with θ ≥ 23.5° are HAGBs, where no dislocation is observed. The HAGBs can be divided into three sub-types further: special boundaries with low Σ , boundaries in their vicinity with similar structures as the corresponding special boundary in local regions as well as ordinary HAGBs consisting of periodic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the thermally induced phase transition in NiTi B19′ single crystal at high temperatures (400, 500, 600 and 700 K), B2 single crystal at low temperatures (50, 100, 150 and 200 K) and the system containing a B2/B19′ phase boundary at high, medium (300, 320 and 340 K) and low temperatures. Homogeneous nucleation and growth of the B2 and the B19′ phases are observed in B19′ and B2 single crystal systems, respectively. In B2/B19′ system, heterogeneous nucleation and growth of the B2 phase are observed at high temperatures, which results in forming a B2/B2 grain boundary and a new B2/B19′ phase boundary; the B2 phase transforms homogeneously to B19′ phase at low temperatures; the B2 and B19′ phases coexist without heterogeneous nucleation of any phase at medium temperatures. Compared with the single crystal, the B2/B19′ phase boundary provides the sites for heterogeneous B2 nucleation at high temperatures and has little effect on the phase transition at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The martensitic phase transformation temperatures in the Ni–Mn–Sn Heusler alloys increase with the number of valence electrons per atom; however, when Mn atoms are substituted by Fe, Co or Cu atoms, the systems show anomalous behaviors. In addition, large magnetization changes are observed in these alloys. To understand the unusual properties, the phase transitions in Ni–Mn(Z)–Sn (Z = 3d transition metals) are studied using first-principles calculations. It is found that the changes in the magnetic configuration are responsible for the unusual properties observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive flexible composite-based pressure sensors have recently attracted extensive attention. However, the realization of ultrasensitive pressure sensors is still challenging owing to their cumbersome and expensive preparation processes. This paper reports a design and preparation method for an excellently sensitive and easy-to-manufacture flexible composites-based pressure sensor using a pre-strain strategy. This is achieved by the combined effects of the first applied pre-strain and the subsequent dip-coating treatment of graphene for the polyurethane (PU) sponges to generate bionic structures such as micro-wrinkles and micro-cracks. The sponges-based sensors achieved an outstanding sensitivity of 158.1 kPa−1 owing to the presence of these bioinspired microstructures, which also demonstrate a broad sensing range of 11 kPa, a quick response time of 100 ms, and satisfactory stability in 500 cycles. The effect of pre-strain and graphene content on the sensing performances of pressure sensors was systematically studied. An analytical model was proposed based on the theory of contact mechanics and tunneling effect, providing a theoretical basis for designing and improving conductive sponge-based flexible pressure sensors. The ultrasensitive pressure sensors can detect human pulse and process the ability to identify surfaces with different roughness, demonstrating great potential for improving robotic hands and human wearable devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Notoginsenoids T1−T7, a new class of hexa-nortriterpenoids, were obtained. • Spectral, single-crystal X-ray, Mo 2 (AcO) 4 -induced CD and ECD analyzes were applied. • T1-T7 possess an unprecedented 9-en-5-ketone tricyclic hexa-nordammar skeleton. • A plausible biotransformed pathway for T1−T7 by degradation from PNS was proposed. • T1−T5 showed growth inhibitory effects on probiotic and pathogenic fungi of sanqi. Notoginsenoids T1−T7, a new class of hexa-nortriterpenoids including two dimers and five monomers, possessing an unprecedented 9-en-5-ketone tricyclic hexa-nordammar skeleton and a variable side chain at C-17, were obtained from biotransformation of PPD-type dammarane saponins by the soil harvested with Panax notoginseng (Araliaceae), a famous traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Their structures were unambiguously determined by spectroscopic, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Mo 2 (AcO) 4 -induced CD and ECD analyzes. A plausible biotransformed pathway for T1−T7 was proposed. Notoginsenoids T1−T5 showed growth inhibitory effects on the probiotic and pathogenic fungi of P. notoginseng. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The phase stability and magnetic properties of the cubic phase L21 and modulated four- and five-layered orthorhombic (4O, 5M) and unmodulated tetragonal (L10) martensite of Ni–Mn–Sn alloys are investigated using the first-principle calculations. The results show that for the martensite phases can be stable only at . The stability of L21 phase decreases while it increases for L10 with the increasing of Mn contents. The anti-ferromagnetic order is stable for both L21 and martensite phases. The modulated 5M and 4O structures are determined accurately and the displacement of the atoms exhibits a sine-like oscillation along the stacking direction. Furthermore, a regular oscillation can also be observed in the distribution of the magnetic moments. With the analysis of the electronic structures, the origin of the effect of the modulation on the system can be explained. The modulation induced displacement of the atoms enhances the charge accumulation between the Ni and Mn/Mn', which lead to a stronger interaction and more structural stability. Accordingly, the calculated results may help in gaining the comprehensive and detailed information on the structural and magnetic properties of the modulated martensite structures, for better understanding of the basic transformation in Ni–Mn–Sn alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ti3O5 is one of the most promising materials for information storage due to the metal–semiconductor phase transition between β-Ti3O5 and λ-Ti3O5. β-Ti3O5 is a semiconductor while λ-Ti3O5 is metallic. The electronic, magnetic and optical properties of β-Ti3O5 and λ-Ti3O5 are investigated using density functional theory. The electronic interactions are described within the local LSDA+U formalism, where on-site coulomb correction is applied on the 3d orbital of Ti atoms. The calculated energy gap of 0.15eV of β-Ti3O5 agrees with experimental result when U eff =5eV. β-Ti3O5 is a direct semiconductor with magnetic moment of 0.89μB per β-Ti3O5 molecular (one molecular contains 3 Ti atoms and 5 O atoms), whereas λ-Ti3O5 exhibits half-metal property with magnetic moment of 1.82μB per molecular. The optical properties of Ti3O5 are calculated for the imaginary part and real part of the dielectric functions and the result shows that the main differences in absorption, reflectivity, energy-loss function and refractive index exist in the visible spectrum, which makes it a potential material for optical memory device. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The specimen with the ECC layer could delay the debonding of the CFRP plate and transfer the interfacial shear stress. • The thickness of the ECC attached to the CFRP plate increased with the increase of freeze–thaw cycles. • The bearing capacity of single-shear specimens decreased by 2.4%-27.3% with the increase of freeze–thaw cycles. • The proposed fracture energy model considering freeze–thaw cycles can predict the bearing capacity of single-shear specimens. A very important subject in the application of civil engineering reinforcement is the durability of interfacial bonding behavior between fiber reinforce plastic (FRP) and concrete under freeze–thaw cycles. Premature debonding of the FRP plates (underutilization of FRP plates) would results in the potential safety hazards in FRP plates reinforced concrete structures. The use of engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) can effectively delay the peeling off of the FRPs and improve the durability and bearing capacity of FRP reinforced concrete structures. To strengthen the concrete structures under freeze–thaw cycles environments more economically and safely, it is necessary to study the bonding performance of the FRP-ECC-concrete composite interface. In this research, single-shear tests were carried out on CFRP plate-ECC-concrete composite interface specimens under freeze–thaw cycles. Taking the concrete/ECC strength as the research variables, the bonding properties of the composite interface under different freeze–thaw cycles were studied. The results show that the CFRP plate-ECC-concrete composite interface can effectively delay the peeling off of the CFRP plate, and effect of delaying the peeling off of the CFRP plate is reduced with the increasing of freeze–thaw cycles. The bearing capacity of single-shear specimens decreased by 2.4%-27.3% with the increase of freeze–thaw cycles, but the bearing capacity increased by 12.6%–32.4% with the increase of concrete/ECC strength. The ultimate strain of the CFRP in single-shear specimens decreases by about 29.2% under freeze–thaw cycles. The proposed fracture energy prediction model considering freeze–thaw cycles can accurately predict the bearing capacity of single-shear specimens with the composite interface. The bond-slip constitutive relationship considering the interface softening descending stage is in good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We study α2-Ti3Al(0001) surface and six γ-TiAl(111)/α2-Ti3Al(0001) interface models. [•] Ti3Al(0001) surface has higher energy and larger relaxation than TiAl(111) surface. [•] Bonding strengths in the interface region is smaller than that in corresponding bulk. [•] The heterogeneous interface will be the weak link in the material. [•] The bonding strength of interface depends on the weaker phase of the two phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have constructed the surface phase diagrams for oxygen adsorption on γ-TiAl low-index surfaces using density-functional theory calculations. From these surface phase diagrams, the selective oxidation behaviors of the γ-TiAl surfaces and the corresponding polycrystalline systems can be easily understood and predicted. For the (100) surface, complete selective oxidation of titanium is favored and a titanium oxide layer may be produced at the initial stage of oxidation. For the (110) and (001) surfaces, only titanium oxides may form. For the γ-TiAl polycrystalline system, O may induce complete Ti and Al surface segregations on the Ti-rich and Al-rich conditions, respectively. In addition, the microscopic oxidation mechanisms are identified and the experimental results are successfully explained. More importantly, by comparing the different TiAl surface orientations, a comprehensive surface phase diagram is constructed to study the oxidation behaviors of polycrystalline γ-TiAl. This method can also be applied to other polycrystalline materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A first-principles density functional approach is used to study the electronic and the elastic properties of Nb15X (X = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W) alloys. The elastic constants c11 and c12, the shear modulus C0, and the elastic modulus E(100) are found to exhibit similar tendencies, each as a function of valence electron number per atom (EPA), while c44 seems unclear. Both c11 and c12 of Nb15X alloys increase monotonically with the increase of EPA. The C0 and E(100) also show similar tendencies. The elastic constants (except c44) increase slightly when alloying with neighbours of a higher d-transition series. Our results are supported by the bonding density distribution. When solute atoms change from Ti(Zr, Hf) to V(Ta) then to Cr(Mo, W), the bonding electron density between the central solute atom and its first neighbouring Nb atoms is increased and becomes more anisotropic, which indicates the strong interaction and thus enhances the elastic properties of Nb-Cr(Mo, W) alloys. Under uniaxial (100) tensile loading, alloyed elements with less (more) valence electrons decrease (increase) the ideal tensile strength [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The structures and magnetic properties of Fe4/Cun (n=2, 4) superlattices have been investigated by the first-principles pseudopotential plane-wave method based on spin density approximation. Compared with the ideal fcc-Cu bulk structure, for the optimized Fe4/Cu2 model, obvious contraction of interlayer distances occurs on the interior Fe layers, whereas the interlayer distances of Fe layers in Fe4/Cu4 are expanded. The anti-parallel alignment magnetic moment and negative polarization of the interior Fe layer have been found in the Fe4/Cu2 model. This can be explained in terms of the magnetic-volume effect, and the moment of anti-parallel alignment attributes to the contracted interlayer distances between the interior Fe layers. The MR ratio has also been evaluated by means of the two-current model. The MR ratio of the Fe4/Cu2 model (4.89%) is much small than that of the Fe4/Cu4 one (23.65%). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A statistical-thermodynamic model for binary nonstoichiometric A5B3 with D81-structure has been established on the basis of the grand canonical ensemble. In the model the average chemical potentials according to the composition and a new extra equation as a boundary condition are proposed for more accuracy and free experimental data calculations. The model can be used in any A5B3 type compounds with D81 structure. The establishment method of the statistical-thermodynamic model can be extended to other complicated structures. We apply the statistical-thermodynamic model to α-Nb5Si3 and the parameters used in the model are obtained from the first-principles'' calculations. From these parameters the expression for the point defect concentrations as a function of compositions and temperatures is obtained by numeral calculations. The constitutional defects and thermal defects in α-Nb5Si3 are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electronic structures and magnetoresistance (MR) of Co3Cu5 and Co3Cu7 models as well as their interface atom exchange models Co2CuCoCu4 and Co2CuCoCu6 are investigated by the first-principles pseudopotential plane-wave method based on density functional theory. Charge transfer, magnetic moment, density of states, spin asymmetry factor, and MR ratio are discussed. The results show that the values of charge transfer and spin asymmetry factor at the Fermi level of Co layers are closely related to the neighbouring background of the Co layer. The Co layer with two sides adjacent to the Cu layer would transfer more charge to the Cu layer than other neighbouring background and have the largest spin asymmetry factor at the Fermi level. The Co layer with two neighbouring Co layers (interior Co) would gain a little charge and have the smallest spin asymmetry factor at the Fermi level. Two-current model is used to evaluate the MR ratio of Co2CuCoCu4 (Co2CuCoCu6) to be larger than that of Co3Cu5 (Co3Cu7), which can be explained by the charge transfer and spin asymmetry factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The segregation effects of Co and Cr on the bcc grain boundary cohesion are investigated based on the Rice–Wang thermodynamics model by the first-principles DMol method within the framework of density functional theory. The electronic properties are studied for Co/Fe and Cr/Fe systems. The calculated segregation energy difference between the grain boundary and the corresponding free surface is 0.25eV for solute Co and −0.43eV for solute Cr, which indicates that Co could weaken and Cr enhance the grain boundary cohesion in bcc Fe. In these systems the chemical effect induced by Co and Cr play crucial effects, but the geometry effect can be neglected. In addition, an anti-parallel spin island is formed around the central of GB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for room‐temperature hydrogen storage materials after modification, thanks to their ability to chemisorb hydrogen. However, the hydrogen adsorption strength of these modified MOFs remains insufficient to meet the capacity and safety requirements of hydrogen storage systems. To address this challenge, a highly defective framework material known as de‐MgMOF is prepared by gently annealing Mg‐MOF‐74. This material retains some of the crystal properties of the original Mg‐MOF‐74 and exhibits exceptional hydrogen storage capacity at above‐ambient temperatures. The MgO5 knots around linker vacancies in de‐MgMOF can adsorb a significant amount of dissociated and nondissociated hydrogen, with adsorption enthalpies ranging from −22.7 to −43.6 kJ mol−1, indicating a strong chemisorption interaction. By leveraging a spillover catalyst of Pt, the material achieves a reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 2.55 wt.% at 160 °C and 81 bar. Additionally, this material offers rapid hydrogen uptake/release, stable cycling, and convenient storage capabilities. A comprehensive techno‐economic analysis demonstrates that this material outperforms many other hydrogen storage materials at the system level for on‐board applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-sporulating, motile with single polar flagellum, rod-shaped, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing bacterium, named M4U5P12T, was isolated from a shoot of Kalidium cuspidatum, Inner Mongolia, China. Strain M4U5P12T grew at pH 6.0–11.0 (optimum 7.5), 4–40 °C (optimum 25 °C), and in the presence of 0–15% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 4%). Positive for catalase, urease, methyl red (M.R.) reaction, and hydrolysis of starch; and negative for oxidase, Voges–Proskauer (V–P) test, and hydrolysis of cellulose. The phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences and the whole genome sequences both revealed that it clustered with Marinilactibacillus piezotolerans JCM 12337T (99.3%) and Marinilactibacillus psychrotolerans M13-2T (99.1%). The dDDH and ANIb values of strain M4U5P12T to M. piezotolerans DSM 16108T and M. psychrotolerans M13-2T were 19.3 and 18.9%, and 74.3 and 74.0%, respectively. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid, and two unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids were C16:0, C18:1ω9c, C16:1ω9c, and C15:1ω5c. The genomic DNA G + C content was 37.3%. On the basis of physiological, phenotypic, and phylogenetic characteristics, strain M4U5P12T should be classified as a novel species. Therefore, Marinilactibacillus kalidii sp. nov. is proposed, and the type strain is M4U5P12T (= CGMCC 1.17696T = KCTC 43247T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is a first‐line treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for its high potency and a low rate of drug resistance. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of TDF in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection after treatment failure with multiple nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs). Methods: Patients included were aged 18–65 years, with treatment failure with multiple NAs (serum HBV DNA > 200 IU/mL after more than two different NA treatments). The primary endpoint was proportion of patients with serum HBV DNA < 20 IU/mL at Week 144 of TDF monotherapy. Secondary endpoints and safety were also assessed. Results: Overall, 213 patients were enrolled. At Week 144, mean HBV DNA decreased significantly from baseline (4.4 vs 1.4 log10 IU/mL), with 77.0% patients (95% confidence interval: 71.1, 82.9) achieving serum HBV DNA < 20 IU/mL. Three (1.4%) patients experienced virological breakthrough during TDF monotherapy, without hepatitis flare. At Week 144, 15.3% and 4.7% patients (hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]‐positive at baseline) experienced HBeAg loss and HBeAg seroconversion, respectively; 68.3% patients achieved normalized alanine aminotransferase levels. Overall, 58.7% patients experienced more than one adverse event (AE). Most common AEs were upper respiratory tract infection and blood creatine phosphokinase increase; 8.5% patients experienced study drug‐related AEs; 9.4% patients experienced serious AEs (none were TDF‐related). Among renal safety parameters, overall trend of mean serum phosphorous level remained stable, while mean estimated glomerular filtration rate increased slightly. Conclusions: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate monotherapy is efficacious in CHB patients with multiple NAs treatment failure with no new safety findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidation behavior of the two-phase Nb/Nb5Si3 composite is of significant importance for the potential applications of the composite at high-temperature conditions. We investigate the atomic-scale oxidation mechanism of the Nb/Nb5Si3 composite with first-principles density-functional theory and thermodynamics analysis. In particular, the effects of energetics, thermodynamics, segregation, and interfaces are identified. The clean composite surface is found to be composed of both Nb(110) and Si-terminated Nb5Si3(001). Energetics and thermodynamics calculations show that, during the oxidation process, the Nb(110) surface is oxidized first, followed by the segregation of niobium of the Nb5Si3(001) surface and subsequent oxidation of the Nb element of Nb5Si3. High coverage of oxygen results in dissolved oxygen in bulk Nb through the diffusion of oxygen in the surface and at the interface. The theoretical investigation also provides an explanation, at the atomic-scale, for the experimental observation that the oxidation layer is essentially composed of niobium oxide and almost free of silicon. Furthermore, the methodology of this work can be applied to investigations of the oxidation behavior of other two-phase and multi-phase composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injuries occurred in many pathological and surgical processes (e.g. thrombolytic therapy, organ transplantation, aortic cross-clamping, coronary angioplasty and cardiopulmonary bypass) and harmed multiple organs and tissues. Vitamin D is a well-known sterol hormone and a nutritional ingredient able to promote the deposit of calcium and regulate phosphorus metabolism in the body. In addition, vitamin D has therapeutic effects on some diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological diseases, multiple sclerosis and inflammation). Studies showed that vitamin D3 was closely related with I/R injury occurrences in heart, brain, spine, liver, kidney, and ovary. The literature searching was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and SCOPUS from inception to 20 September 2021. Data showed that supplements with vitamin D3 can remarkably attenuate I/R injuries. This paper reviewed recent progresses of vitamin D3 preventing I/R injuries in clinical investigations and animal tests to enlighten future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The shear behavior of CFRP-ECC-concrete composite interface was modelled. • Good agreement between experimental and FEA results for all single shear specimens. • A calculation model for the debonding load of CEC composite interface was proposed. The shear behavior of the single-shear specimen with CFRP plate-ECC-concrete (CEC) composite interface was investigated using the finite element (FE) and theoretical calculation methods. The proposed FE model was established to simulate the entire loading process of the single-shear specimen under actual experimental conditions, and the newly developed CFRP-ECC interface model was incorporated. The FE model was calibrated and verified by comparing it with the experimental results. The results showed good agreement between the simulated and measured values for debonding load, shear stress, and interface damage. The proposed FE model was further adopted to perform parameter analyses of ECC thickness, CFRP bonding length, and CFRP plate width. This paper also proposed a calculation model for the debonding load of CEC composite interface considering the high tensile strength and the thickness of ECC. The results show that the proposed model shows a high accuracy for the prediction of debonding load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome associated with high short-term mortality in patients with chronic liver disease. Chronic hepatitis B is the main cause of ACLF (HBV-ACLF) in China and other Asian countries. To improve disease management and survival for patients with ACLF, we aimed to discover novel biomarkers to enhance HBV-ACLF diagnosis and prognostication. We performed a metabolomics profiling of 1,024 plasma samples collected from patients with HBV-related chronic liver disease with acute exacerbation at hospital admission in a multi-year and multi-center prospective study (367 ACLF and 657 non-ACLF). The samples were randomly separated into equal halves as a discovery set and a validation set. We identified metabolites associated with 90-day mortality in the ACLF group and the progression to ACLF within 28 days in the non-ACLF group (pre-ACLF) using statistical analysis and machine learning. We developed diagnostic algorithms in the discovery set and used these to assess the findings in the validation set. ACLF significantly altered the plasma metabolome, particularly in membrane lipid metabolism, steroid hormones, oxidative stress pathways, and energy metabolism. Numerous metabolites were significantly associated with 90-day mortality in the ACLF group and/or pre-ACLF in the non-ACLF group. We developed algorithms for the prediction of 90-day mortality in patients with ACLF (area under the curve 0.87 and 0.83 for the discovery set and validation set, respectively) and the diagnosis of pre-ACLF (area under the curve 0.94 and 0.88 for the discovery set and validation set, respectively). To translate our discoveries into practical clinical tests, we developed targeted assays using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Based on novel metabolite biomarkers, we established tests for HBV-related ACLF with higher accuracy than existing methods. NCT02457637 and NCT03641872. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome associated with high short-term mortality affecting 25% of patients hospitalized with cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis B is the main etiology of ACLF in China and other Asian counties. There is currently no effective therapy. Early diagnosis and accurate prognostication are critical for improving clinical outcomes in patients with ACLF. Based on novel metabolite biomarkers, we developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry tests with improved accuracy for the early diagnosis and prognostication of HBV-related ACLF. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry tests can be implemented in clinical labs and used by physicians to triage patients with HBV-related ACLF to ensure optimized clinical management. [Display omitted] • Metabolomics uncovered profound metabolic perturbations associated with HBV-related ACLF in patient plasma. • We identified novel metabolite biomarkers that can be used to enhance ACLF prognostication and early diagnosis. • We developed and validated LCMS-based clinical tests with improved accuracy for ACLF prognostication and early diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections contribute to various neurodevelopmental disabilities and the subsequent long-term neurological sequelae into the adulthood. However, further understanding of fetal brain development and the potential neuropathological effects of the HSV-1 infection are hampered by the limitations of existing neurodevelopmental models due to the dramatic differences between humans and other mammalians. Here we generated in vitro neurodevelopmental disorder models including human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based monolayer neuronal differentiation, three-dimensional (3D) neuroepithelial bud, and 3D cerebral organoid to study fetal brain development and the potential neuropathological effects induced by the HSV-1 infections. Our results revealed that the HSV-1-infected neural stem cells (NSCs) exhibited impaired neural differentiation. HSV-1 infection led to dysregulated neurogenesis in the fetal neurodevelopment. The HSV-1-infected brain organoids modelled the pathological features of the neurodevelopmental disorders in the human fetal brain, including the impaired neuronal differentiation, and the dysregulated cortical layer and brain regionalization. Furthermore, the 3D cerebral organoid model showed that HSV-1 infection promoted the abnormal microglial activation, accompanied by the induction of inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4. Overall, our in vitro neurodevelopmental disorder models reconstituted the neuropathological features associated with HSV-1 infection in human fetal brain development, providing the causal relationships that link HSV biology with the neurodevelopmental disorder pathogen hypothesis. Author summary: HSV-1 is one of the most prevalent human pathogens that can spread into the fetal central nervous system by maternal-fetal transmission, and thus resulting in long-term neurological sequelae in adult, including cognitive dysfunction and learning disabilities. However, there is a very limited progress in understanding the role of HSV-1 on human fetal brain development due to limited access to fetal human brain tissue as well as the limitations of existing neurodevelopmental and infection models. Here, we generated the in vitro neurodevelopmental disorder models including hiPSC-based monolayer neuronal differentiation, three-dimensional (3D) neuroepithelial bud, and 3D cerebral organoid to study the neurodevelopmental disorder-associated neuropathological changes with HSV-1 infection in human fetal brain development. Our results revealed that HSV-1 infection led to impaired neural differentiation and dysregulated neurogenesis in the fetal neurodevelopment. Additionally, HSV-1 infection impaired neuronal differentiation and dysregulated brain regionalization in our cerebral organoid model. Furthermore, the cerebral organoid model showed that HSV-1 infection led to the abnormal microglial proliferation and activation, accompanied by the induction of inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4. Taken together, our study provides novel evidence that HSV-1 infection impaired human brain development and contributed to neurodevelopmental disorder pathogen hypothesis, and would have implications for raising the therapeutic opportunities for targeting of viral reservoirs relevant to neurodevelopmental disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background None of the current guidelines recommend antiviral therapy for inactive hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers (IHCs). Methods In this real-world, multicenter, nonrandomized study, 32 participants meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled 1:1 for treatment with peginterferon α-2b or monitoring without treatment based on participant preference. The expected treatment duration was 48 weeks. The primary end point was hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss. The HBV vaccine could be injected after HBsAg loss. Results All patients had HBsAg levels of <20 IU/mL. The mean baseline HBsAg levels were 6.6 IU/mL and 5.8 IU/mL in the treated and untreated groups, respectively. Fifteen (93.8%) participants achieved HBsAg loss, 5 obtained HBsAg seroconversion after undergoing a mean of 19.7 weeks of therapy in the treated group, and no one in the follow-up group achieved HBsAg loss during a mean follow-up time of 12.6 months (P <.0001). Generally, the therapy was well tolerated. Nine of 11 individuals who exhibited HBsAg loss benefited from receiving the HBV vaccine. Conclusions This study provides justification for further studies of short-course peginterferon α-2b for the functional cure of IHCs with low HBsAg levels. Additionally, HBV vaccine injection is beneficial after interferon-induced HBsAg loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible pressure sensors are gaining increasing attention owing to their broad practical application prospects in biomedicine, real-time monitoring, and robotics. Although the microstructure design for improving their performance has been extensively investigated, the fabrication of high-sensitivity flexible pressure sensors (more than 1 kPa−1) with a wide working range (more than 1000 kPa) remains challenging. In this paper, we report a preparation strategy for a high-sensitivity flexible pressure sensor (1.412 kPa−1) with a working range of 1275 kPa. Here, we improved the preparation process by mixing anhydrous ethanol with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and synthesized a small-aperture (50 μm) composite with excellent connectivity. Importantly, the sensing mechanism of these porous composites was theoretically studied, and after excluding the surface-microstructure effect, a mechanical-electrical response model considering the effect of the pore size for uniform porous sensing composite was established. Significantly, we propose a gradient hierarchical structure with coplanar electrodes. This strategy can be combined with the existing surface-microstructure strategy to improve the sensitivity of the composites-based sensor. Finally, the potential of the as-fabricated flexible sensor for application as a wearable device for speech recognition was demonstrated. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overview of the present evidence on the potential therapeutic properties of LA against respiratory diseases. • Summarize the corresponding mechanisms of action. • Enlighten further basic studies and clinical trials to confirm the health benefits of LA with respect to respiratory diseases. Respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and the recently emerging fatal coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), are the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. The increasing incidence and mortality rates have attracted much attention to the prevention and treatment of these conditions. Lipoic acid (LA), a naturally occurring organosulfur compound, is not only essential for mitochondrial aerobic metabolism but also shows therapeutic potential via certain pharmacological effects (e.g., antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects). In recent years, accumulating evidence (animal experiments and in vitro studies) has suggested a role of LA in ameliorating many respiratory diseases (e.g., lung cancer, fibrosis, asthma, acute lung injury and smoking-induced lung injury). Therefore, this review will provide an overview of the present investigational evidence on the therapeutic effect of LA against respiratory diseases in vitro and in vivo. We also summarize the corresponding mechanisms of action to inspire further basic studies and clinical trials to confirm the health benefits of LA in the context of respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the phase transformations induced by thermal cycling between 500 K and 4 K in NiTi are investigated based on molecular dynamics simulations. Completely reversible phase transformations are observed. The B2 phase is found to be always a single crystal at high temperature while single crystal and twinned martensitic phases are observed at low temperature. The martensitic phase transformation completes at about 300 K while various types of martensitic phases are found during the cooling process. In the reverse martensitic transformation, twins are found to be able to decrease the austenite start temperature. Furthermore, three types of detwinning manners related to the thermal hysteresis of NiTi have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 4-degree-of-freedom (DoF) anti-windup scheme is developed for anti-windup compensation of plants with actuator saturation. Instead of LMIs (Linear Matrix Inequalities) in modern anti-windup technique, sufficient stability conditions of the proposed anti-windup scheme are derived under the framework of IQC (Integral Quadratic Constraint). The sufficient conditions are formulated as a checking on the positive definiteness of the related transfer function at all frequencies for MIMO systems (or positive sign for SISO systems), which provides a fairly straightforward tuning rule in the frequency domain. Moreover, by virtue of the proposed scheme, control design for disturbance response is decoupled from set-point response. The proposed scheme can be implemented without system states or state estimates. Compared with IMC-based, low-order or dynamic compensation anti-windup schemes, numerical example shows remarkable performance improvement of the proposed scheme for the saturated systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The accuracy of model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) and MELD with sodium (MELD‐Na) scores in reflecting the clinical outcomes of patients with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of scores in predicting 90‐day mortality in patients with cirrhosis and PVT. Methods: Post hoc analysis was performed in two prospective cohorts (NCT02457637 and NCT03641872). The correlation between the MELD/MELD‐Na score and 90‐day liver transplantation (LT)‐free mortality was investigated in patients with cirrhosis with and without PVT. Results: In this study, 2826 patients with cirrhosis were included, and 255 (9.02%) had PVT. The cumulative incidence of 90‐day LT‐free mortality did not significantly differ between patients with and without PVT (log‐rank P = 0.0854). MELD [area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC), 0.649 vs. 0.842; P = 0.0036] and MELD‐Na scores (AUROC, 0.691 vs. 0.851; P = 0.0108) were compared in patients with and without PVT, regarding the prediction of 90‐day LT‐free mortality. In MELD < 15 and MELD‐Na < 20 subgroups, patients with PVT had a higher 90‐day LT‐free mortality than those without PVT (7.91% vs. 2.64%, log‐rank P = 0.0011; 7.14% vs. 3.43%, log‐rank P = 0.0223), whereas in MELD ≥ 15 and MELD‐Na ≥ 20 subgroups, no significant difference was observed between patients with and without PVT. Conclusions: The performance of MELD and MELD‐Na scores in predicting 90‐day LT‐free mortality of patients with cirrhosis was compromised by PVT. MELD < 15 or MELD‐Na < 20 may underestimate the 90‐day LT‐free mortality in patients with PVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the incidence of acute-on-chronic liver disease (AoCLD) is increasing. Objective to investigate the clinical features and risk factors of AoCLD and construct an effective prognostic nomogram model for older patients with AoCLD. Methods data from 3,970 patients included in the CATCH-LIFE study were used, including 2,600 and 1,370 patients in the training and validation sets, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify predictive risk factors in older individuals, and an easy-to-use nomogram was established. Performance was assessed using area under the curve, calibration plots and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results of the 3,949 patients with AoCLD, 809 were older with a higher proportion of autoimmune-related abnormalities, hepatitis C viral infection and schistosomiasis. In the older patient group, the incidence of cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), infection, ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding; neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), aspartate-to-alanine transaminase ratio (AST/ALT), creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were higher, whereas incidence of acute-on-chronic liver failure, white blood cell, platelet and haemoglobin levels; albumin, total bilirubin (TB), AST and ALT levels; international normalised ratio (INR), estimated glomerular filtration rate and blood potassium levels were lower than in the younger group. The final nomogram was developed based on the multivariate Cox analysis in training cohort using six risk factors: ascites, HE grades, NLR, TB, INR and AST/ALT. Liver transplantation-free mortality predictions were comparable between the training and validation sets. DCA showed higher net benefit for the nomograph than the treat-all or treat-none strategies, with wider threshold probabilities ranges. Conclusions our analysis will assist clinical predictions and prognoses in older patients with AoCLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) development is highly dynamic. Currently, no satisfactory algorithm identifies patients with HBV at risk of this complication. The aim of the study was to characterize ACLF development in hospitalized HBV‐related patients without previous decompensation and to test the performance of traditional prognostic models in ruling out ACLF development within 28 days on admission we conducted a cohort study. Two multi‐center cohorts with hospitalized HBV‐related previous compensated patients were analyzed. Performances of MELD, MELD‐Na, CLIF‐C AD, and CLIF‐C ACLF‐D in ruling out ACLF development within 28 days were compared and further validated by ROC analyses. In the derivation cohort (n = 892), there were 102 patients developed ACLF within 28 days, with profound systemic inflammatory levels and higher 28‐day mortality rate (31.4% vs. 1.0%) than those without ACLF development. The MELD score (cut‐off = 18) achieved acceptable missing rate (missed/total ACLF development) at 2.9%. In the validation cohort (n = 1656), the MELD score (<18) was able to rule out ACLF development within 28 days with missing rate at 3.0%. ACLF development within 28 days were both lower than 1% (0.6%, derivation cohort; 0.5%, validation cohort) in patients with MELD < 18. While in patients with MELD ≥ 18, 26.6% (99/372, derivation cohort) and 17.8% (130/732, validation cohort) developed into ACLF within 28 days, respectively. While MELD‐Na score cut‐off at 20 and CLIF‐AD score cut‐off at 42 did not have consistent performance in our two cohorts. MELD < 18 was able to safely rule out patients with ACLF development within 28 days in HBV‐related patients without previous decompensation, which had a high 28‐day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between systemic inflammatory response and short‐term mortality in patients with non‐cirrhotic chronic severe hepatitis (CSH) by using several indicators of inflammation including neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil (NEU), white blood cell (WBC), platelet‐to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Methods: Data were collected from two prospectively enrolled CATCH‐LIFE noncirrhotic cohorts. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the association between systemic inflammatory biomarkers and 90‐day liver transplant (LT)‐free mortality. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to illustrate the quantitative curve relationship between NLR and 90‐day LT‐free mortality. Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the 90‐year LT‐free survival. Results: The prevalence of CSH was 20.5% (226/1103). The 28‐day and 90‐day LT‐free mortality rates were 17.7% and 26.1%, respectively, for patients with non‐cirrhotic CSH. Patients with no infection accounted for 75.0% of all CSH patients, and NLR was independently associated with 90‐day LT‐free mortality. NLR of 2.9 might be related to disease deterioration in CSH patients without infection. Conclusions: NLR may be an independent risk factor for 90‐day LT‐free mortality in patients with non‐cirrhotic chronic liver disease. A NLR of 2.9 as the cut‐off value can be used to predict disease aggravation in CSH patients without infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]