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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity of carbon gradient heterostructure materials and to verify the reliability of the scratch method. Design/methodology/approach: The surface-modified layer of 18CrNiMo7-6 alloy steel was delaminated to study its hydrogen embrittlement characteristics via hydrogen permeation, electrochemical hydrogen charging and scratch experiments. Findings: The results showed that the diffusion coefficients of hydrogen in the surface and matrix layers are 3.28 × 10−7 and 16.67 × 10−7 cm2/s, respectively. The diffusible-hydrogen concentration of the material increases with increasing hydrogen-charging current density. For a given hydrogen-charging current density, the diffusible-hydrogen concentration gradually decreases with increasing depth in the surface-modified layer. Fracture toughness decreases with increasing diffusible-hydrogen concentration, so the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement decreases with increasing depth in the surface-modified layer. Originality/value: The reliability of the scratch method in evaluating the fracture toughness of the surface-modified layer material is verified. An empirical formula is given for fracture toughness as a function of diffused-hydrogen concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micaceous weathered granitic soil (MWGS) is prevalent in the tropical regions of southern China, characterized by high compressibility, low compactability, and inadequate strength properties due to the presence of mica. Stabilization is crucial for transforming MWGS into a sustainable construction material for geotechnical engineering. This study focuses on enhancing the mechanical properties of MWGS by using coir fibers and fly ash, both locally available agricultural and industrial byproducts. Unconfined compression tests and consolidated drained triaxial compression tests were conducted on fiber-reinforced and fly-ash-treated MWGS under different stabilization conditions, considering the effects of fiber content, fly-ash content, and curing age. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy were also used to trace the microstructural evolution of the soil fabric in response to fiber reinforcement and fly-ash treatment. The experimental results indicate that higher fly ash content and longer curing give significantly improved soil strength and stiffness but poorer ductility. Incorporating coir fibers into the cemented soil matrix not only enhances the composite’s strength, stiffness, and toughness but also shifts the shear response from brittle to ductile. For example, the compressive strength of MWGS could be improved by 49.1% with the inclusion of 1% content of coir fiber. Under the optimal dosage of fiber and fly ash, the soil compressive strength increased significantly from 114 kPa to 725 kPa. Microstructural analysis reveals that the bonding, friction, and interlocking among fibers, hydration products, and soil particles are the main contributors to the stable and strong microstructure and consequently the enhanced mechanical behavior of MWGS. This study provides an innovative and effective method for utilizing waste byproducts in stabilizing MWGS for practical geotechnical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-expression recognition (MER) is a pivotal research area within human emotion analysis. However, the fleeting, subtle, and complex nature of micro-expressions poses challenges for accurate and efficient recognition. To address this, this paper proposes a Dual-Stream Network with Cross-layer Attention and Similarity Constraint (DSN-CASC) for MER. The network is designed with two parallel branches, each dedicated to learning features of stacked optical flow maps and independent micro-expression optical flow components. The network amplifies its focus on representing features at different hierarchical levels via incorporating a cross-layer attention module, thereby enhancing the capture of key features associated with micro-expression variations. Furthermore, a similarity constraint strategy is introduced to ensure that the micro-expression features extracted by the dual branches exhibit similar representations, improving the network’s overall representation capability. Finally, a simple feature fusion approach is employed for micro-expression classification. Extensive experiments on the composite database validate the effectiveness of DSN-CASC under leave-one-subject-out cross-validation and composite database evaluation protocol. The results demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves promising performance improvements, which provide new insights and effective solutions for MER research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral venous catheter fracture with cardiovascular embolization is a rare but potentially serious complication. Herein, we report a case of peripheral venous catheter fracture with embolization in right ventricle in a preterm infant. The catheter fragment was successfully removed by surgical procedure via median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).We hope this case will increase awareness of this rare complication and improve cannulation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure–performance mechanism is essential to achieve comprehensive characteristics for advanced communication system. In the present work, F− ions were adopted to fabricated Li 3 Mg 2 NbO 6- x /2 F x ceramics at a nitrogen atmosphere to modify dielectric characteristics. Correlation between bond characteristics, crystal structure and enhanced microwave dielectric characteristics was investigated through vibration analysis, P–V-L theory, Rietveld refinement, and First-principle calculations. Raman analysis and Rietveld refinement show that F− substitution led to a single phase. First-principle calculations indicates a high energy gap of 3.676 eV and p orbit contributed to Fermi energy. F− substitution led to the increase of Nb O bond ionicity and lattice energy, accounting for the variation in Q×f value and dielectric constant. The τ f value was related to the expansion coefficient of the Li–O bond. Remarkably, the samples (x = 0.08) exhibited comprehensive dielectric characteristics with ε r = 15.9, Q×f = 143,000 GHz and near-zero τ f = −2.1 ppm/°C, proving an effective strategy for collaborative regulation. Based on structure simulation, 5G filter with ultra-low loss and high-suppression was designed through introducing transmission zeros from cross coupling. More specifically, a dielectric filter exhibited an interpolation loss of 0.2 dB at 3.3–3.6 GHz and high attenuations of 15 dB for 20 MHz outside the passband, verifying the feasibility for 5G applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high‐entropy alloy was introduced to join Cf/SiC composite by spark plasma sintering technique. The influence of holding times on microstructure, shear strength and fracture behavior of the joints was studied. When held for 7 min, the typical microstructure of the Cf/SiC‐AlCoCrFeNi2.1‐Cf/SiC joint was Cf/SiC composite → CrSi2 + FCC + Al8Cr5 + graphite → CrSi2 + FCC + Al8Cr5 → CrSi2 + FCC + Al8Cr5 + graphite → Cf/SiC composite. As the holding time extended, the Ni–Si and Fe–Si brittle phases in the joint gradually reduced, and the diffusion transition layer continued to thicken. The maximum joint strength was 23.9 MPa, which was obtained at 1450°C for 7 min. Analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, the fracture modes of the joints joined at different holding times were all brittle fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease can be quantified by measuring the fat attenuation index (FAI). OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlations between FAI, high-risk plaque and the degree of coronary artery stenosis. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with coronary atherosclerosis who underwent a coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography examination between July 2020 and June 2023 were selected for retrospective analysis. These patients were classified into a high-risk plaque group and non-high-risk plaque group according to the presence of CT high-risk plaque. The diagnostic value of FAI and FAI combined with the degree of stenosis was evaluated for CT high-risk plaque. RESULTS: Differences in age, body mass index, smoking history, FAI and the degree of stenosis between the two groups were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The results of a binary logistic regression analysis revealed that FAI (odds ratio (OR): 1.131, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.101–1.173, P < 0.001) and the degree of stenosis (OR: 1.021, 95% CI: 1.012–1.107, P < 0.001) were risk factors for high-risk plaque. CONCLUSION: The FAI can be used to monitor the inflammation level of the coronary artery; the higher the FAI is, the higher the risk of plaque and degree of stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyzed and verified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ROS and KEAP1 crosstalk in oncogenic signatures using GEO data sets (GSE4107 and GSE41328). Multiple pathway enrichment analyses were finished based on DEGs. The genetic signature for colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD) was identified by using the Cox regression analysis. Kaplan–Meier survival and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used to explore the prognosis value of specific genes in COAD. The potential immune signatures and drug sensitivity prediction were also analyzed. Promising small‐molecule agents were identified and predicted targets of α‐hederin in SuperPred were validated by molecular docking. Also, expression levels of genes and Western blot analysis were conducted. In total, 48 genes were identified as DEGs, and the hub genes such as COL1A1, CXCL12, COL1A2, FN1, CAV1, TIMP3, and IGFBP7 were identified. The ROS and KEAP1‐associated gene signatures comprised of hub key genes were developed for predicting the prognosis and evaluating the immune cell responses and immune infiltration in COAD. α‐hederin, a potential anti‐colorectal cancer (CRC) agent, was found to enhance the sensitivity of HCT116 cells, regulate CAV1 and COL1A1, and decrease KEAP1, Nrf2, and HO‐1 expression significantly. KEAP1‐related genes could be an essential mediator of ROS in CRC, and KEAP1‐associated genes were effective in predicting prognosis and evaluating individualized CRC treatment. Therefore, α‐hederin may be an effective chemosensitizer for CRC treatments in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiferroelectrics (AFEs) are widely used for energy storage capacitors. At present, there are two methods to evaluate the energy density of AFE: the recoverable energy density Wre calculated by the low‐frequency P–E loop and the dynamic discharge energy density Wdis calculated by the fast discharge current. It has been widely observed that the value of Wdis is lower than Wre but less attention was paid to how to increase Wdis. Compared with Wre, the value of Wdis is closer to the energy density of AFE pulse capacitors in practical applications. In this work, the effects of phase transition properties on the dynamic discharge energy density were studied from the aspect of domain switching mobility. Compositions with P–E loop varying from "square" to "slant" were fabricated. It was found that in AFEs with "square" P–E loops, the recoverable energy density Wre was remarkably higher than Wdis. By modifying the P–E loops to long slim, the value of Wdis tended to be close to Wre, resulting in higher dynamic discharge energy efficiency. This indicates that by adjusting the P–E loop, higher Wdis can be achieved in AFE with lower Wre. The AFEs with long slim P–E loops also have faster discharge speeds, leading to higher power density. The outstanding fast discharge performance of AFEs with long slim P–E loops originated from their faster domain mobility and less viscous force during domain switching. This work provides a new approach to designing the AFEs energy storage materials by tuning their dynamic phase‐transition properties and domain mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variational quantum circuits are one of the promising ways to exploit the advantages of quantum computing in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum technology era. The design of the quantum circuit architecture might greatly affect the performance capability of the quantum algorithms. The quantum architecture search is the process of automatically designing quantum circuit architecture, aiming at finding the optimal quantum circuit composition architecture by the algorithm for a given task, so that the algorithm can learn to design the circuit architecture. Compared to manual design, quantum architecture search algorithms are more effective in finding quantum circuits with better performance capabilities. In this paper, based on the deep reinforcement learning, we propose an approach for quantum circuit architecture search. The sampling of the circuit architecture is learnt through reinforcement learning-based controller. Layer-based search is also used to accelerate the computational efficiency of the search algorithm. Applying to data classification tasks, we show that the method can search for quantum circuit architectures with better accuracies. Moreover, the circuit has a smaller number of quantum gates and parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbal medicines are widely used for clinical purposes worldwide. These herbs are susceptible to phytopathogenic fungal invasion during the culturing, harvesting, storage, and processing stages. The threat of fungal and mycotoxin contamination requires the evaluation of the health risks associated with these herbal medicines. In this study, we collected 138 samples of 23 commonly used herbs from 20 regions in China, from which we isolated a total of 200 phytopathogenic fungi. Through morphological observation and ITS sequencing, 173 fungal isolates were identified and classified into 24 genera, of which the predominant genera were Fusarium (27.74%) and Alternaria (20.81%), followed by Epicoccum (11.56%), Nigrospora (7.51%), and Trichocladium (6.84%). Quantitative analysis of the abundance of both Fusarium and Alternaria in herbal medicines via RT-qPCR revealed that the most abundant fungi were found on the herb Taraxacum mongolicum, reaching 300,000 copies/μL for Fusarium and 700 copies/μL for Alternaria. The in vitro mycotoxin productivities of the isolated Fusarium and Alternaria strains were evaluated by using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and it was found that the Fusarium species mainly produced the acetyl forms of deoxynivalenol, while Alternaria species mainly produced altertoxins. These findings revealed widely distributed fungal contamination in herbal medicines and thus raise concerns for the sake of the quality and safety of herbal medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical temperature (T c) is an important property of refrigerant mixtures. In this study, a neural network-based model is established to predict the T c of binary mixtures from the molar fraction and molecular structure of their components. First, graph neural network (GNN) is applied to generate the representation of the molecular structure of single component. The generated representation is added according to the molar fraction as the input of the proposed model. In order to embed the prior knowledge, pre-trained parameters are reused in the proposed model to accelerate convergence and improve accuracy. A dataset that contains 66 binary mixtures and 505 data points is collected from reference to adjust the remaining model parameters. The performance of the obtained model is comprehensively evaluated and it shows good prediction accuracy and generalization ability. The average absolute relative deviation (AARD) in the total dataset is 0.80%. For most of the mixtures, the AARD is less than 1%. Finally, the proposed model is compared with three empirical methods and the equation of state (EOS)-based method in REFPROP, and the model in this study show satisfactory result and significant improved accuracy for some mixture types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we devised a green and straightforward approach for fabricating carbon aerogels by heating dextrin, drawing inspiration from the popping mechanism of popcorn. The structure and morphology of the samples were intricately regulated through precise adjustments in the temperature and duration of the heat-treatment process, resulting in the formation of a carbon aerogel comprising nano-walls. Upon carbonisation at 2100 °C, the resultant carbon aerogel exhibited an exceptionally low density of approximately 0.029 g cm−3. Notably, the aerogel demonstrated excellent electromagnetic shielding performance, reaching a shielding effectiveness of approximately 57 dB and an impressive specific shielding effectiveness of 1965 dB cm3 g−1 with a thickness of 5 mm across the entire X band. Additionally, it displayed an ultra-low thermal conductivity of approximately 0.016 W m−1 K−1 and good thermal stability. These characteristics position carbon aerogels as promising materials with vast application potential in electromagnetic shielding and thermal insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock slope landslides and underground construction destabilization are frequently attributed to shear impairment by intermittent joints, and the support by bolts represents an indispensable technique for reinforcing jointed rocks. Therefore, we conducted laboratory experiments on intermittently jointed rock-like materials that were anchored, employing various anchoring inclination angles and methods, to investigate the influence of bolt anchoring on the shear properties and acoustic emission characteristics of intermittently jointed rock-like materials. Experimental results revealed that the peak shear strength of the anchored intermittently jointed rock-like materials is proportional to the bolt inclination angle. The strain on the joint is inversely related to the peak shear strength and the bolt inclination angle. The full-length anchorage and end anchorage can drastically enhance the mechanical traits of intermittently jointed rock-like materials, effectively impeding the proliferation of shear cracks after reaching the peak shear strength. The anchorage inclination exhibits a positive correlation with the accumulative acoustic emission (AE) energy and, conversely, a negative correlation with the peak AE count. In geotechnical engineering, the anchoring effect of anchor bolts can enhance the integrity of fractured rock masses and improve overall stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Hypothesis: Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with various functional groups are hypothesized to inhibit the α-synuclein (αS) dimerization, a crucial step in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis. The potential of differently functionalized GQDs is systematically explored. Experiments: All-atom replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations (accumulating to 75.6 μs) in explicit water were performed to study the dimerization of the αS non-amyloid component region and the influence of GQDs modified with various functional groups. Conformation ensemble, binding behavior, and free energy analysis were conducted. Findings: All studied GQDs inhibit β-sheet and backbone hydrogen bond formation in αS dimers, leading to looser oligomeric conformations. Charged GQDs severely impede the growth of extended β-sheets by providing extra contact surface. GQD binding primarily disrupts αS inter-peptide interactions through π-π stacking, CH-π interactions, and for charged GQDs, additionally through salt-bridge and hydrogen bonding interactions. GQD-COO– showed the most optimal inhibitory effect, binding mode, and intensity, which holds promise for the development of nanomedicines targeting amyloid aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The joints are existing throughout the underground rock mass. It is of great significance to investigate the shear performance of the rock mass to maintain the stability of the underground structure. In this study, we conducted orthogonal tests to determine the proportion of rock-like materials, and used JRC curves to make specimen molds and then prepare the specimens. We conducted straight shear tests and uniaxial compression tests to determine the various mechanical parameters of the rock-like materials. Next, we carried out the compression and shear tests to investigate the shear characteristics of the specimens, and study the damage pattern and shear strength of the jointed rock mass under different confining pressures and roughness levels. The mesoscopic displacements in the shear process of joints were analyzed by using ABAQUS. The test results show that the effect of the confining pressure on the shear strength of the joint plane is relatively obvious, and a larger confining pressure indicates a larger shear strength. The effects of different joint plane roughness and shear rated on the shear characteristics of the joint plane are also significant. The mesoscopic displacement difference inside the joint plane with higher roughness is relatively large, and the stress concentration phenomenon is obvious and lasts longer, which leads to the faster destruction of the specimen with higher roughness and the higher destruction degree. Therefore, we suggest that the priority should be given to the reinforcement of jointed rock mass with high roughness during the construction to prevent sudden destabilization and failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene (C2H4) purification and propylene (C3H6) recovery are highly relevant in polymer synthesis, yet developing physisorbents for these industrial separation faces the challenges of merging easy scalability, economic feasibility, high moisture stability with great separation efficiency. Herein, we reported a robust and scalable MOF (MAC‐4) for simultaneous recovery of C3H6 and C2H4. Through creating nonpolar pores decorated by accessible N/O sites, MAC‐4 displays top‐tier uptakes and selectivities for C2H6 and C3H6 over C2H4 at ambient conditions. Molecular modelling combined with infrared spectroscopy revealed that C2H6 and C3H6 molecules were trapped in the framework with stronger contacts relative to C2H4. Breakthrough experiments demonstrated exceptional separation performance for binary C2H6/C2H4 and C3H6/C2H4 as well as ternary C3H6/C2H6/C2H4 mixtures, simultaneously affording record productivities of 27.4 and 36.2 L kg−1 for high‐purity C2H4 (≥99.9 %) and C3H6 (≥99.5 %). MAC‐4 was facilely prepared at deckgram‐scale under reflux condition within 3 hours, making it as a smart MOF to address challenging gas separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene (C2H4) purification and propylene (C3H6) recovery are highly relevant in polymer synthesis, yet developing physisorbents for these industrial separation faces the challenges of merging easy scalability, economic feasibility, high moisture stability with great separation efficiency. Herein, we reported a robust and scalable MOF (MAC‐4) for simultaneous recovery of C3H6 and C2H4. Through creating nonpolar pores decorated by accessible N/O sites, MAC‐4 displays top‐tier uptakes and selectivities for C2H6 and C3H6 over C2H4 at ambient conditions. Molecular modelling combined with infrared spectroscopy revealed that C2H6 and C3H6 molecules were trapped in the framework with stronger contacts relative to C2H4. Breakthrough experiments demonstrated exceptional separation performance for binary C2H6/C2H4 and C3H6/C2H4 as well as ternary C3H6/C2H6/C2H4 mixtures, simultaneously affording record productivities of 27.4 and 36.2 L kg−1 for high‐purity C2H4 (≥99.9 %) and C3H6 (≥99.5 %). MAC‐4 was facilely prepared at deckgram‐scale under reflux condition within 3 hours, making it as a smart MOF to address challenging gas separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonhydrostatic models have proven their superiority in describing tsunami propagation over trans-oceanic distances and nearshore transformation because of their good dispersion and nonlinearity properties. The novel one-layer nonhydrostatic formulations proposed by Wang et al. [Phys. Fluids 35, 076610 (2023)] have been rederived in the spherical coordinate system incorporating Coriolis effects to enable the application of basin-wide tsunami propagation. The model was implemented using the fractional step method, where the hydrostatic step was solved by a Godunov-type finite-volume scheme, and the nonhydrostatic step was obtained with the finite-difference method. Additionally, a two-way grid-nesting scheme was employed to adapt the topographic features for efficient computation of tsunami propagation in deep ocean and coastal inundation. Furthermore, graphics processing unit (GPU)-parallelism technique was incorporated to further optimize the model performance. An idealized benchmark test as well as three experiments of regular and irregular waves, solitary, and N-waves transformations have been simulated to demonstrate the superior performance of the current GPU-accelerated grid-nesting nonhydrostatic model. Finally, the model has been applied to reproduce the 1964 Prince William Sound Tsunami, its propagation across the North Pacific and induced inundation in the Seaside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures led to neurocognitive disorders in young mice. We aimed to assess the role of microglia and complement C1q in sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Neonatal mice were treated with sevoflurane on postnatal days 6, 8, and 10, and the Morris water maze was performed to assess cognitive functions. For mechanistic explorations, mice were treated with minocycline, C1q-antibody ANX005, and sialidase-inhibitor N-acetyl-2,3-dehydro-2-deoxyneuraminic acid (NADNA) before sevoflurane exposures. Western blotting, RT-qPCR, Golgi staining, 3D reconstruction and engulfment analysis, immunofluorescence, and microglial morphology analysis were performed. In vitro experiments were conducted in microglial cell line BV2 cells. Results: Repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures resulted in deficiencies in learning and cognition of young mice, accompanied by microglial activation and synapse loss. Sevoflurane enhanced microglia-mediated synapse elimination through C1q binding to synapses. Inhibition of microglial activation and phagocytosis with minocycline significantly reduced the loss of synapses. We further revealed the involvement of neuronal sialic acids in this process. The enhanced activity of sialidase by sevoflurane led to the loss of sialic acids, which facilitated C1q binding to synapses. Inhibition of C1q with ANX005 or inhibition of sialidase with NADNA significantly rescued microglia-mediated synapse loss and improved neurocognitive function. Sevoflurane enhanced the engulfment of BV2 cells, which was reversed by ANX005. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that C1q-mediated microglial synaptic elimination by enhancing desialylation contributed to sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity. Inhibition of C1q or sialidase may be a potential therapeutic strategy for this neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the expression of inflammatory factors and autophagy‐related proteins in granulation tissue of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients and analyze their relationship with infection. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. One hundred and fifty‐two patients with DFU in our hospital from July 2020 to March 2022 were selected as the DFU group, including 98 cases in infection stage group and 54 cases in infection control group. The patients were further graded as the mild (51 cases), the moderate (65 cases), and the severe infection group (36 cases) according to the Wagner grading criteria. Sixty‐seven patients with foot burns during the same period were selected as the control group. The distribution of pathogenic bacteria on the ulcer surface was examined using fully automated bacterial analyzer. The expression of inflammatory factors (procalcitonin [PCT], tumor necrosis factor‐α [TNF‐α], and interleukin‐6 [IL‐6]) was valued by real‐time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT‐PCR). Protein expression was measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The correlation was analyzed by Pearson. Results: The surface infection of DFU patients was mostly induced by gram‐negative and gram‐positive bacteria, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa predominating among the Gram‐negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus among the gram‐positive bacteria. The infection stage group had higher content of PCT, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 and lower content of Beclin‐1 and LC3 than the infection control group (p <.001). The levels of PCT, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 in the DFU patients with cardiovascular events were higher than those in the nonoccurrence group (p <.001). Glycated hemoglobin in patients with DFU was positively correlated with PCT, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 levels (p <.05), and negatively correlated with Beclin‐1 and LC3 levels (p <.001). Conclusion: P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were predominant bacterial in DFU infections. Inflammatory factor and autophagy protein expression were closely correlated with the degree of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fecal microbiota transplantation can reduce gut microbiota dysbiosis after stroke. • Fecal microbiota transplantation reduces cerebral infarction volume after stroke. • Fecal microbiota transplantation alleviates ferroptosis after ischemic stroke. • Ischemic stroke causes changes in gut microbiota. Ischaemic stroke can induce changes in the abundance of gut microbiota constituents, and the outcome of stroke may also be influenced by the gut microbiota. This study aimed to determine whether gut microbiota transplantation could rescue changes in the gut microbiota and reduce ferroptosis after stroke in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 weeks of age) were subjected to ischaemic stroke by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Fecal samples were collected for 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing to analyze the effects of FMT on the gut microbiota. Neurological deficits were evaluated using the Longa score. triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed in the brain, and kits were used to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), iron, and glutathione (GSH) levels in the ipsilateral brain of rats. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), and the transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) in the ipsilateral brain of rats. Stroke induced significant changes in the gut microbiota, and FMT ameliorated these changes. TTC staining results showed that FMT reduced cerebral infarct volume. In addition, FMT diminished MDA and iron levels and elevated GSH levels in the ipsilateral brain. Western blot analysis showed that FMT increased GPX4 and SLC7A11 protein expression and decreased TFR2 protein expression in the ipsilateral brain after stroke. FMT can reverse gut microbiota dysbiosis, reduce cerebellar infarct volume, and decrease ferroptosis after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a concise strategy for the controlled preparation of Pd@g‐C3N4/TiO2 photocatalysts rich in oxygen vacancies. The scheme forms black TiO2 with oxygen vacancies on a carbon nitride material by in‐situ growth and heat treatment, and then utilizes solvothermal reduction to load metallic palladium into the material. The composites were structurally analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental mapping, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analysis. The results show that the oxygen vacancies in the black TiO2 materials prepared by the method reported in this paper can effectively improve the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron–hole pairs and prolong the lifetime of the charge carriers by inhibiting charge recombination. In addition, the heterojunction structure formed between TiO2 and g‐C3N4 materials also enhances the photocatalytic performance of the materials to some extent. After a simple optimization of the conditions, the Pd@g‐C3N4/TiO2 photocatalyst could promote the Suzuki–Miyaura CC coupling reactions under mild conditions (room temperature, 30 W LED lamp, λ = 455 nm), and good biaryl yields were obtained (optimum yield = 99%). It is very noteworthy that the photogenerated electrons and holes generated by the photoexcited catalyst were confirmed to be the main active species in the photocatalytic process of the catalyst by radical trapping assay and EPR test. The Pd@g‐C3N4/TiO2 material reported in this paper has excellent photocatalytic activity and stability in use, which provides a new reference scheme for wider green synthesis and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws inspiration from the derivation of the failure model of ordinary components under impulse loads and obtains a calculation method for the forced outage rate of power equipment under impulse loads. Based on the revised forced outage rate, the reliability of the power system under impulse loads is evaluated. By comparing and analyzing the reliability of the power grid under two scenarios: impulse loads and conventional loads, the impact of impulse loads on the operational risk of the power grid is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This was an in vivo animal study designed to investigate the interaction between dexamethasone (Dex) and microRNA-204 (miR-204) in a mouse alkali burn-induced corneal neovascularization (CNV) model. The function of miR-204 was then investigated in human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) in vitro. Materials and Methods The CNV model was induced by corneal alkali burn in BLAB/c mice. The mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control (Ctrl), alkali burn-induced corneal injury (Alkali), alkali burn + Dex (Dex), alkali burn + negative control (NTC), and alkali burn + miR-204 agomir (miR-204). Subconjunctival injection of NTC, Dex, or miR-204 agomir was conducted at 0, 3, and 6 days, respectively, after alkali burn. The corneas were collected at day 7 after injury, and the CNV area was observed using immunofluorescence staining. The expression of miR-204 was analyzed with quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR. In HMECs, exogenous miR-204 agomir or antagomir was used to strengthen or inhibit the expression of miR-204. Migration assays and tube formation studies were conducted to evaluate the function of miR-204 on HMECs. Results At 7 days post-alkali burn, CNV grew aggressively into the cornea. MicroRNA-204 expression was reduced in the Alkali group in contrast with the Ctrl group (P  = .003). However, miR-204 was upregulated in the Dex group (vs. alkali group, P  = .008). The CNV areas in the NTC and miR-204 groups were 59.30 ± 8.32% and 25.60 ± 2.30%, respectively (P  = .002). In vitro, miR-204 agomir showed obvious inhibition on HMEC migration in contrast with NTC (P  = .033) and miR-204 antagomir (P  = .017). Compared with NTC, miR-204 agomir attenuated tube formation, while miR-204 antagomir accelerated HMEC tube formation (P  < .05). Conclusion The role of Dex in attenuating CNV may be partly attributed to miR-204. MiR-204 may be a potential therapeutic target in alkali burn-induced CNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modern strategies to alleviate the harmful effects of organophosphate pesticide diazinon (DN) abnormalities were focused mainly on using natural compounds or their derivatives. DN is an organophosphate compound that causes many health abnormalities in humans due to its usage as an insecticide in agriculture. TQ is one of the beneficiary active principles derived from plant sources that has pharmacological benefits. Aim: This research reveals the therapeutic potential of thymoquinone (TQ) on DN-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Materials and Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats were procured, acclimatized, and divided into four groups of six animals each with feed and water ad libitum. MI was induced in rats with a dose of 25 mg/kg DN by oral gavage and TQ in a dose of 20 mg/kg p.o. for the treatment. After animal sacrifice at the end of the experimental period, serum and heart tissue samples were collected and processed appropriately for various analyses such as changes in the body weight, heart weight, marker enzymes, oxidative markers, non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants, inflammatory cytokines, histopathological studies, and cardiac-specific markers. Results: DN-induced toxicity depicted decreased body weight (167.83 ± 4.62), heart weight (0.9 ± 0.06), and heart-to-body weight ratio (0.54 ± 0.03). Also, elevated marker enzymes (147.33 ± 20.85, 407.5 ± 31.3, and 110.67 ± 9.65 for CK-MB, AST, and ALT, respectively), elevated oxidative markers (12.87 ± 1.34, 125.17 ± 9.95, and 80.17 ± 5.78 for serum MDA, heart MDA, and heart GSSG, respectively), decreased enzymatic- and non-enzymatic antioxidants (3.15 ± 0.42, 12.23 ± 1.02, 5.75 ± 0.46, 2.02 ± 0.26, 0.72 ± 0.07, 18.05 ± 1.04, 8.62 ± 0.65, and 45.8 ± 2.43 for SOD, CAT, GST, GPx, heart GSH, serum GSH, vit.E, and vit.C, respectively), damaged cellular architecture, elevated inflammatory cytokines, and cardiac-specific markers were noticed. Discussion: TQ significantly reduced the toxicities produced by DN in almost all the above parameters. The beneficial effect of DN could be attributed to the influential effect of DN on cardiac-specific Nrf2/HO1-related pathways. Conclusion: These results suggest that TQ exerts protection against MI and could serve as a promising candidate for drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate understanding of the heat transfer of water through rock fractures is essential for the extraction and utilization of thermal energy from high‐temperature rock masses. A systematic numerical simulation based on the double‐rough‐walled model has been presented to investigate the shear effect on convective heat transfer in rough rock fractures. On the basis of the modified successive random additions algorithm, four different self‐affine surfaces were generated and utilized to establish the 3D double‐rough‐walled fracture models. The fluid flow and heat transfer were simulated by directly solving the Navier–Stokes equation and energy conservation equation, respectively. The combined effects of shear and surface roughness on the heat transfer were investigated. The results show that the heat within rough‐walled fractures transfers preferentially along the main fluid flow channels, and the areas of fast and slow thermal transmission fit well with the high‐ and low‐flow regions, respectively. As shear advances, the heat transfer coefficient firstly increases, then decreases slightly and finally stabilizes within a certain range, in which stabilization occurs earlier in fracture with a larger joint roughness coefficient. The effect of surface roughness on heat transfer shows an opposite trend during shearing. When the shear displacement is small, the enhancement effect of surface roughness that provides larger heat transfer areas dominates the heat transfer. As shear displacement continues to increase, this enhancement effect will be gradually weakened until the decreasing effect that bumps on the rough‐walled surface hinder the fluid flow dominates the heat transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of a radiomics model based on contrast-enhanced CT for preoperatively predicting early recurrence after curative resection in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: One hundred and eighty-six patients with resectable PDAC who underwent curative resection were included and allocated to training set (131 patients) and validation set (55 patients). Radiomics features were extracted from arterial phase and portal venous phase images. The Mann-Whitney U test and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were used for feature selection and radiomics signature construction. The radiomics model based on radiomics signature and clinical features was developed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Performance of the radiomics model was investigated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The radiomics signature, consisting of three arterial phase and three venous phase features, showed optimal prediction performance for early recurrence in both training (AUC = 0.73) and validation sets (AUC = 0.66). Multivariate logistic analysis identified the radiomics signature (OR, 2.58; 95% CI 2.36–3.17; p = 0.002) and clinical stage (OR, 1.60; 95% CI 1.15–2.30; p = 0.007) as independent predictors. The AUC values for risk evaluation of early recurrence using the radiomics model incorporating clinical stage were 0.80 (training set) and 0.75 (validation set). Conclusion: The radiomics-based model integrating with clinical stage can predict early recurrence after upfront surgery in patients with resectable PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kiwifruit bacterial canker caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is the most serious disease threatening kiwifruit production. Our previous study found genes encoding the U-box containing proteins were significantly regulated by Psa infection. Here, we report a U-box type E3 ubiquitin ligase PUB23 in kiwifruit which acts as a negative regulator of immune responses against Psa. PUB23 was found to physically interact with GT1, a trihelix transcription factor, in vitro and in vivo. The expression of GT1 was up-regulated in PUB23-silenced plants, indicating that interacting with PUB23 may directly or indirectly suppress GT1 expression. The silencing of PUB23 led to enhanced immune responses of PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI), including a higher expression level of defense marker genes PR1 and RIN4, and increased accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion. Our results reveal a negative role PUB23 plays in kiwifruit immune responses against Psa and may regulate gene expression by interacting with GT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on summarizing and analyzing the causes of errors in electric energy meters under harmonic conditions, clarifying the relationship between errors and frequency characteristic curves, and pointing out that the positive and negative errors mainly depend on the direction of each harmonic power relative to the fundamental power, the properties of the load, the differences in physical properties of electric energy meter manufacturing and material formation, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the mechanical properties and damage characteristics of basalt under high temperature and high pressure, triaxial compression tests are conducted on thermal damage rock samples, and the evolution process from progressive damage to macroscopic failure of rock is tracked and quantified by CT image reconstruction and acoustic emission technology. The results show that: (1) the ability of basalt to resist load and deformation changes from slight enhancement to rapid deterioration with the increase of temperature, and 600 ℃ is its threshold. The failure mode of rock gradually changes from brittleness to plasticity with the increase of temperature, and its post-peak stress gradually presents certain plastic flow characteristics. (2) With the increase of temperature, the initial damage variable D0 of basalt presents a stage feature of changing from low-speed development to rapid growth. When the temperature exceeds 400 ℃, the total damage variable D will have obvious precursor characteristic of small increase before the drastic change, and this characteristic will become more obvious with the increase of temperature. (3) The main mineral types of basalt hardly change with the increasing temperature, while the temperature has a certain influence on the proportion of some components. The proportion of anorthite and enstatite shows the changing trend of first decreasing and then increasing, while the evolution of andesine is opposite, and the proportion of other mineral components is basically unchanged. (4) The main reason for the improvement of mechanical properties of basalt within the temperature threshold is that the expansion of mineral particles and the constraint of confining pressure promote the closure of internal primary cracks and increase the compactness. However, when the heat treatment temperature of basalt exceeds the threshold value, the structural deterioration caused by heat treatment is gradually prominent, and the defects generated play a leading role in the mechanical properties of rock. Highlights: The mechanical properties of thermal damage basalt under triaxial loading were clarified and its temperature threshold was obtained The evolution process from progressive damage to macroscopic failure of basalt was tracked and quantified The microscopic failure mechanism of thermal damage basalt was revealed The number of tensile cracks of saturated coal increased with the cyclic loading frequency due to the prominent lag effect of strain behind stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piled embankments are becoming widely used to cope with engineering problems (e.g., excessive settlements, bearing failure) caused by soft soil subgrade to maintain the safety and stability of the constructed facilities. This study focused on an international motor-racing circuit currently under construction, where the underlying soft soil substratum characterized by a high void ratio and compressibility may largely influence the long-term performance of the project. Pretensioned high-strength concrete (PHC) pile-supported embankment is designed to improve this project, and its effectiveness remains to be studied. In addition, this study specifically focused on negative skin friction (NSF) and neutral plane (NP) position development, which significantly influence the bearing capacity of the pile foundation and have not been fully understood. As such, two large-scale field tests were performed on the PHC pile-supported embankments to monitor the settlement of piles and the surrounding soils. According to the monitored layered settlements, the NP development with time was quantitatively analyzed, and NP gradually moved up toward the pile top during soil consolidation. Comparison between the measurements of two test sites with and without geogrid reinforcement indicated that geogrids could not only alleviate total and differential settlements of the foundation but also contribute to the shallower final NP position. A numerical model, whose effectiveness was validated by comparing with the field measurements, was established to predict the complete variation of NP positions and explore the effects of various influencing factors through a parametric study. This study enhances the comprehension of NSF and NP development in pile foundations and provides valuable guidance for this motor-racing circuit and other related projects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aligned with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and multidisciplinary approaches integrating AI with sustainability, this research introduces an innovative AI framework for analyzing Modern French Poetry. It applies feature extraction techniques (TF-IDF and Doc2Vec) and machine learning algorithms (especially SVM) to create a model that objectively classifies poems by their stylistic and thematic attributes, transcending traditional subjective analyses. This work demonstrates AI's potential in literary analysis and cultural exchange, highlighting the model's capacity to facilitate cross-cultural understanding and enhance poetry education. The efficiency of the AI model, compared to traditional methods, shows promise in optimizing resources and reducing the environmental impact of education. Future research will refine the model's technical aspects, ensuring effectiveness, equity, and personalization in education. Expanding the model's scope to various poetic styles and genres will enhance its accuracy and generalizability. Additionally, efforts will focus on an equitable AI tool implementation for quality education access. This research offers insights into AI's role in advancing poetry education and contributing to sustainability goals. By overcoming the outlined limitations and integrating the model into educational platforms, it sets a path for impactful developments in computational poetry and educational technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation has become an active research area in viral infection, while little bibliometric analysis has been performed. In this study, we aim to visualize hotspots and trends using bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive and objective overview of the current research dynamics in this field. Methods: The data related to m6A methylation in viral infection were obtained through the Web of Science Core Collection form 2000 to 2022. To reduce bias, the literature search was conducted on December 1, 2022. Bibliometric and visual analyzes were performed using CiteSpace and Bibliometrix package. After screening, 319 qualified records were retrieved. Results: These publications mainly came from 28 countries led by China and the United States (the US), with the US ranking highest in terms of total link strength.The most common keywords were m6A, COVID-19, epitranscriptomics, METTL3, hepatitis B virus, innate immunity and human immunodeficiency virus 1. The thematic map showed that METTL3, plant viruses, cancer progression and type I interferon (IFN-I) reflected a good development trend and might become a research hotspot in the future, while post-transcriptional modification, as an emerging or declining theme, might not develop well. Conclusions: In conclusion, m6A methylation in viral infection is an increasingly important topic in articles. METTL3, plant viruses, cancer progression and IFN-I may still be research hotspots and trends in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground hydrogen storage is a promising solution for the safe and efficient storage of industrial-scale H 2. In this study, the adsorption behaviors of H 2 in coal with different ranks under various temperatures and pressures are investigated using molecular simulations. It is found that the H 2 adsorption capacity is positively correlated with coal rank, which is mainly attributed to the combined effects of surface chemical property and pore structure. Moreover, the isosteric heat of adsorption of H 2 increases with the reduction in pore size due to the overlap of potential energy. In addition, the absolute adsorption amount of H 2 in moist coal generally decreases with the increase in moisture content because of the competitive adsorption between water and H 2 and the spatial occupation of water clusters/bridges. As a result, the anthracite coal seam with abundant micropores and few hydrophilic groups is considered to have a high potential for H 2 storage. • The adsorption characteristics of H 2 in coal with various ranks are investigated. • The isosteric heat of adsorption of H 2 increases with the reduction in pore size. • The excess adsorption amount of H 2 is positively correlated with coal rank. • The absolute adsorption amount of H 2 decreases with the increase in moisture content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible ultraviolet (UV) photodetector exhibits a promising application in portable electronic gadgets, display devices and biomedical imaging. In this study, a flexible photoanode of the photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type UV photodetector based on rutile TiO2 nanowires (TiO2 NWs) grown on carbon fiber cloth is realized. In photovoltaic applications, an insulating layer is usually introduced to suppress interfacial recombination and reduce the surface trap states. The interfacial recombination of semiconductor/electrolyte is suppressed by coating an Al2O3 barrier layer on the TiO2 NWs. The photodetectors of the TiO2@Al2O3 NWs show stable photocurrent, a high light/dark current ratio (I light/ I dark) of 1170, a faster rise and decay response times of 0.09 and 0.09 s, and excellent spectral selectivity from 300 to 400 nm. The peak responsivity of the photodetectors reaches 2.8 mA W−1 at 360 nm. This flexible photoanode have a potential application in wearable PEC UV photodetector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have become the most rapidly developing fuel cells in recent years. Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are one of the most essential components of PEMFCs; however, their performance cannot adapt to the rapid development of today's society. In addition, to replace traditional low-performance membranes and meet technical development and commercial needs, most studies are focusing on the design and preparation of ideal PEMs with low electron permeability, low fuel and oxidizer permeability, high proton conductivity, excellent mechanical and chemical properties, and low cost. Herein, we review PEMs based on polymers in the aromatic hydrocarbon family. Owing to their rigid backbone structure, most aryl polymers are lowly soluble in most solvents. The solubility of a polymer can be improved by introducing different monomers that modify the aromatic hydrocarbon compounds in the main or side chain. The PEM can then be prepared using the solution casting method. To improve the proton conductivity, water uptake, mechanical properties, and oxidation stability of PEMs, many researchers have reported the use of various approaches: sulfonation, immersion in hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid (PA), blending, crosslinking, and addition of inorganic fillers or metal–organic frameworks. The insights provided by this review will assist the development of higher-performance, safer, and cheaper PEMs. • Different kinds of polymers prepared as proton exchange membranes have been reviewed. • The relationship between different properties of proton exchange membranes were discussed. • Various modification methods to improve the properties of proton exchange membranes were described. • The further development direction of proton exchange membrane was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2‐Hydroxypyridines have emerged as versatile nucleophiles in organic synthesis. The N‐ and O‐functionalization of 2‐hydroxypyridines affords straightforward and practical methods for the construction of N‐substituted 2‐pyridones and O‐substituted 2‐hydroxypyridines, which are important structural motifs in numerous natural products, pharmaceuticals and biologically active compounds. Nonetheless, the competition between N‐ and O‐functionalization of 2‐hydroxypyridines presents an inevitable and formidable challenge. In the past few decades, chemoselective N‐ and/or O‐functionalization of 2‐hydroxypyridines has received extensive attention from the synthetic community, resulting in the development of elegant and effective strategies to address this chemoselectivity. This review provides a summary of recent advancements in the realm of transition‐metal and organo‐catalyzed, as well as visible‐light promoted chemoselective functionalization of 2‐hydroxypyridines, including N‐alkylation, N‐allylation, N‐arylation, N‐alkenylation, O‐alkylation, O‐allylation, O‐arylation, and O‐alkenylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the concepts of frame in n -Hilbert space and K -frames in n -Hilbert space have been introduced. The K -frames in the n -Hilbert space are more generalized than the ordinary frames. This paper deals with the problem of sum of K -frames in n -Hilbert space. First, the sufficient condition for the finite sum of K -frames and Bessel sequences in n -Hilbert space is given. Then, some results on the operator K and pre-frame operator are given, and some new results on the sum of K -frame are proved. We then discuss several results for the perturbation and stability of the K -frames in n -Hilbert space about the sum of the K -frames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is significant to generalise constitutive models from the triaxial space to the multi-axial space for soils. Different from the popular approaches by a g(θ) function to interpolate failure curve, the transformed stress (TS) method can bring the effect of the third stress invariant and stress-induced anisotropy into constitutive models without adding any extra parameters. The closest point projection method (CPPM) is the most popular implicit integration algorithm for the implementation of constitutive model in the finite element analysis. The disadvantage of the CPPM is that it requires the deduction of the quadratic derivative of the plastic potential function, which is extremely difficult for a complex plastic potential. This study employed the TS method with the spatially mobilised plane criterion to generalise a state-dependent sand model, in which the analytical expression of the quadratic derivative of the plastic potential can be obtained. A novel CPPM integration scheme was proposed for the generalised model, which employed an accurate integration of the non-linear elastic constitutive law and a sub-stepping technique to improve the elastic trial state before the Newton's iteration. The numerical examples demonstrated that the proposed CPPM algorithm has the higher efficiency and better robustness than the conventional cutting plane algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative solar concentrating beam splitting photovoltaic thermal (CBS-PVT) system using a half-trough concentrator (HTC) and a film spectrum filter (FSF) is proposed and studied in this study. The FSF used for this system is designed and its average reflectivity and transmissivity are 0.272 and 0.728 for the full spectrum range. Performance evaluation results of the CBS-PVT system reveal the design correctness of the system. When the N-S solar tracking error (STE) rises to 0.15°, the optical efficiency of the entire CSB-PVT system can be kept at 0.8653, showing good adaptable capacity to the STE. The operation feasibility analysis shows that the PV efficiency of the PV subsystem (PVS) is 0.314 and the overall system efficiency overall is 0.26. Parametric analysis results indicate that when the solar thermal collector tube (TCT) operating temperature rises, the total power and overall efficiency of the CSB-PVT system both rise first and then decrease. When the TCT temperature is about 225 °C, the CBS-PVT system reaches its maximum output power of 1003.6 W and the maximum overall efficiency of 0.261. When the PV cell module (PVCM) temperature increases, the total power and overall efficiency of the CBS-PVT system decrease linearly. When the PVCM temperature rises to 50 °C, the two parameters decrease to 952.9 W and 0.248. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The networked AlCl3·6H2O@β-CD composite was constructed by "one-pot" method via mechanical grinding for the first time. The results confirm that the formation of Al–O–Al and C-O–Al bonds is the key to the effective combination of AlCl3·6H2O and β-CD. The AlCl3·6H2O@β-CD plays a dual role as a catalyst and dispersant in the reaction system which leads to the high catalytic activity and stability for the synthesis of Bisindolylmethane compounds under solid-phase grinding conditions. Environmental friendliness and zero-waste are the most important features of this catalyst, offering the possibility of its wider application in the field of green synthesis and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the performance of the calibration model for the air quality monitoring, a low-cost multi-parameter air quality monitoring system (LCS) based on different machine learning algorithms is proposed. The LCS can measure particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) and gas pollutants (SO 2 , NO 2 , CO and O 3) simultaneously. The multi-input multi-output (MIMO) prediction model is developed based on the original signals of the sensors, ambient temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), and the measurements of the reference instrumentations. The performance of the different algorithms (RF, MLR, KNN, BP, GA–BP) with parameters such as determination coefficient R2 , root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) are compared and discussed. Using these methods, the R2 of the algorithms (RF, MLR, KNN, BP, GA–BP) for the PM is in the range 0.68–0.99; the RMSE values of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are within 2.36–18.68 and 4.55–45.05 µ g m -3 , respectively; the MAE values of PM 2.5 and PM 10 are within 1.44–12.80 and 3.21–23.20 µ g m -3 , respectively. The R2 of the algorithms (RF, MLR, KNN, BP, GA–BP) for the gas pollutants (O 3 , CO and NO 2) is within 0.70–0.99; the RMSE values for these pollutants are 4.05–17.79 µ g m -3 , 0.02–0.18 mg m -3 , 2.88–14.54 µ g m -3 , respectively; the MAE values for these pollutants are 2.76–13.46 µ g m -3 , 0.02–0.19 mg m -3 , 1.84–11.08 µ g m -3 , respectively. The R2 of the algorithms (RF, KNN, BP, GA–BP, except for MLR) for SO 2 is within 0.27–0.97, the RMSE value is in the range 0.64–5.37 µ g m -3 , and the MAE value is in the range 0.39–4.24 µ g m -3. These measurements are consistent with the national environmental protection standard requirement of China, and the LCS based on the machine learning algorithms can be used to predict the concentrations of PM and gas pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft robots, especially soft robotic hands, possess prominent potential for applications in close proximity and direct contact interaction with humans due to their softness and compliant nature. The safety perception of users during interactions with soft robots plays a crucial role in influencing trust, adaptability, and overall interaction outcomes in human–robot interaction (HRI). Although soft robots have been claimed to be safe for over a decade, research addressing the perceived safety of soft robots still needs to be undertaken. The current safety guidelines for rigid robots in HRI are unsuitable for soft robots. In this paper, we highlight the distinctive safety issues associated with soft robots and propose a framework for evaluating the perceived safety in human–soft robot interaction (HSRI). User experiments were conducted, employing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, to assess the perceived safety of 15 interactive motions executed by a soft humanoid robotic hand. We analyzed the characteristics of safe interactive motions, the primary factors influencing user safety assessments, and the impact of motion semantic clarity, user technical acceptance, and risk tolerance level on safety perception. Based on the analyzed characteristics, we summarize vital insights to provide valuable guidelines for designing safe, interactive motions in HSRI. The current results may pave the way for developing future soft machines that can safely interact with humans and their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of smart grids, the introduction of intermittent energy and the increase in dynamic loads have led to more and more dynamic characteristics of electricity loads in the grid. Intelligent energy meters that passed calibration under steady-state load may not necessarily meet the measurement error requirements under the excitation of dynamic load test signals, and some may even produce significant errors. At present, research on dynamic error testing of intelligent energy meters mainly focuses on establishing models of dynamic error testing signals, and the reasons for the generation of dynamic errors are still unclear. In order to analyze the sources of dynamic errors in intelligent energy meters, this article adopts a mechanism modeling method to establish a full system model of intelligent energy meters, in order to analyze the influence of model parameters of each unit on the dynamic errors of active energy, and provide important theoretical reference for further improving the dynamic error characteristics of energy meters. In addition, identifying the sources of errors has important application value for improving the algorithm of energy metering chips, optimizing the overall design of energy meters, and selecting energy meters in dynamic load scenarios for the power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic wall-climbing robots have great potential applications due to their unique characteristics such as large adhesive force and loading capacity. However, they may be likely to overturn or slip when climbing over obstacles on a vertical wall. Conventional solutions usually improve the obstacle-surmounting performance of wall-climbing robots by designing a magnetic adhesive mechanism or using the cooperation of multiple modules, which may increase the weight and influence the loading capacity of the robot. Therefore, the anti-overturning principle of the magnetic wall-climbing robot when climbing over obstacles is investigated analytically, and the schematic structure of the magnetic wall-climbing robot with an anti-overturning mechanism is presented. The mapping relationship of the linkage mechanism parameters and the obstacle-surmounting height is established. Subsequently, linkage mechanism optimization is performed to achieve the maximum obstacle-surmounting height, and the optimal parameters of the linkage mechanism are obtained to ensure the motion stability together with the minimum driving torque. Finally, a research prototype of the magnetic wall-climbing robot with an anti-overturning mechanism is developed, and experiments are conducted to verify the theoretical results and evaluate the obstacle-surmounting performance of the robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This was an in vivo animal study designed to investigate the interaction between dexamethasone (Dex) and microRNA-204 (miR-204) in a mouse alkali burn-induced corneal neovascularization (CNV) model. The function of miR-204 was then investigated in human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) in vitro. Materials and Methods: The CNV model was induced by corneal alkali burn in BLAB/c mice. The mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal control (Ctrl), alkali burn-induced corneal injury (Alkali), alkali burn + Dex (Dex), alkali burn + negative control (NTC), and alkali burn + miR-204 agomir (miR-204). Subconjunctival injection of NTC, Dex, or miR-204 agomir was conducted at 0, 3, and 6 days, respectively, after alkali burn. The corneas were collected at day 7 after injury, and the CNV area was observed using immunofluorescence staining. The expression of miR-204 was analyzed with quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR. In HMECs, exogenous miR-204 agomir or antagomir was used to strengthen or inhibit the expression of miR-204. Migration assays and tube formation studies were conducted to evaluate the function of miR-204 on HMECs. Results: At 7 days post-alkali burn, CNV grew aggressively into the cornea. MicroRNA-204 expression was reduced in the Alkali group in contrast with the Ctrl group (P = .003). However, miR-204 was upregulated in the Dex group (vs. alkali group, P = .008). The CNV areas in the NTC and miR-204 groups were 59.30 ± 8.32% and 25.60 ± 2.30%, respectively (P = .002). In vitro, miR-204 agomir showed obvious inhibition on HMEC migration in contrast with NTC (P = .033) and miR-204 antagomir (P = .017). Compared with NTC, miR-204 agomir attenuated tube formation, while miR-204 antagomir accelerated HMEC tube formation (P < .05). Conclusion: The role of Dex in attenuating CNV may be partly attributed to miR-204. MiR-204 may be a potential therapeutic target in alkali burn-induced CNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish some sufficient conditions for the existence of a random exponential attractor for a random dynamical system in a Banach space. As an application, we consider a stochastic reaction-diffusion equation with multiplicative noise. We show that the random dynamical system ϕ (t , ω) generated by this stochastic reaction-diffusion equation is uniformly Fréchet differentiable on a positively invariant random set in L 2 p (D) and satisfies the conditions of the abstract result, then we obtain the existence of a random exponential attractor in L 2 p (D) , where p is the growth of the nonlinearity satisfying 1 < p ≤ 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The real-time perception of the combustion flow of a scramjet can help to quickly evaluate the working state and provide a new opportunity for the intelligent reconstruction of the data-driven combustion flow field. However, the working process of supersonic combustors is extremely short, usually of the order of milliseconds, and the inference speed is slow due to the large number of parameters of traditional deep learning flow field reconstruction models within a very short time. Currently, knowledge distillation is known as an effective model compression method. In this paper, a neural network model based on symmetric structure cascade (NNSSC1) is proposed. By means of symmetric structure cascade, features of different levels are spliced and fused, which can effectively improve the reconstruction performance of the model. Secondly, to accelerate the application of the neural network model in the flight test, a student model with a simple structure is constructed. By distillation learning, the NNSSC model is used as the teacher model, combining the high performance of the teacher model and the high efficiency of the student model, and the combustion flow field is reconstructed with high speed and high precision based on the supersonic combustor wall pressure. In a direct connected supersonic pulse combustion wind tunnel with an inflowing Mach number of 2.5, the model was trained and tested on a dataset constructed in a hydrogen fuel scramjet experiment with different equivalent ratios. This method achieves high-precision and efficient reconstruction of complex flow fields in the combustor based on sparse wall pressure, providing more reliable data for accurately evaluating the flow and combustion status of the combustor of a scramjet. • 1、A model compression method for supersonic flow field reconstruction is presented. • 2、A cascade neural network model with symmetric structure is presented. • 3、Shock wave can be predicted quickly and accurately based on wall pressure. • 4、Flow field reconstruction model of knowledge distillation learning is innovatively proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bankground: The tumor microenvironment (TME) is an internal environment composed of various cells and an extracellular matrix. Cancer stem cell-derived exosomes (CSC-Exos), as essential messengers involved in various tumor processes, are important carriers for bidirectional communication between the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells and play an important role in the tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, few bibliometric analyses have been systematically studied in this field. Methods: Therefore, we aimed to visualize the research hotspots and trends in this field through bibliometrics to comprehend the future evolution of fundamental and clinical research, as well as to offer insightful information and fresh viewpoints. The Scopus database was used to search the research literature related to exosomes and tumor microenvironments after the establishment of this repository. CiteSpace (version 5.8.R3) and VOSviewer (version 1.6.16) were used for visualization and analysis. Results: In this study, a total of 2077 articles and reviews were included, with the number of articles on exosomes and tumor microenvironments significantly increasing yearly. Recent trends showed that the potential value of exosomes as "tumor diagnostics" and "the application prospect of exosomes as therapeutic agents and drug delivery carriers" will receive more attention in the future. Conclusions: We revealed the current status and hotspots of tumor stem cell-derived exosomes and tumor microenvironments globally through bibliometrics. The prospect of the regulatory role of CSC-Exos in TME, the potential value of diagnosis, and the application of drug delivery vectors will all remain cutting-edge research areas in the field of tumor therapy. Meanwhile, this study provided a functional literature analysis for related researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]