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A novel Rh‐catalyzed three‐component synthesis of N‐(o‐alkylaryl) pyrazoles via cascade pyrazole annulation and aryl C‐H conjugate addition to alkenes has been developed with enaminones, hydrazines, and functionalized alkenes as starting materials. The raw materials used in this reaction are simple, cheap, and readily available, and the reactions feature excellent step economy by furnishing products via the formation of a pyrazole ring and a key C‐H activation in one‐step operation. Moreover, the reaction proceeds smoothly under air atmosphere, making it easy to operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2-ZrO2-La2O3 supported Pt-Pd bimetallic three-way catalysts (0.6Pt-0.4Pd/CZL) were synthesized through the conventional impregnation method and then subjected to severe thermal aging. Reactivating treatments under different temperatures were then applied to the aged catalysts above. Three-way catalytic performance evaluations and dynamic operation window tests along with detailed physio-chemical characterizations were carried out to explore possible structure–activity evolutions during the reactivating process. Results show that the reactivating process conducted at proper temperatures (500~550 °C) could effectively restore the TWC catalytic performance and widen the operation window width. The suitable reactivating temperature ranges are mainly determined by the decomposing temperature of PMOx species, the thermal stability of PM-O-Ce species, and the encapsulation temperature of precious metals by CZL support. Reactivating under appropriate temperature helps to restore the interaction between Pt and CZL support to a certain extent and to re-expose part of the encapsulated precious metals. Therefore, the dynamic oxygen storage/release capacity, redox ability, as well as thermal stability of PtOx species, can be improved, thus benefiting the TWC catalytic performances. However, the excessively high reactivating temperature would cause further embedment of Pd by CZL support, thus leading to a further decrease in both dynamic oxygen storage/release capacity and the TWC catalytic performance after reactivating treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The metallic alloys and their components fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) suffer from the microvoids formed inevitably due to the extreme solidification rate during fabrication, which are impossible to be removed by heat treatment. This paper aims to remove those microvoids in as-built AlSi10Mg alloys by hot forging and enhance their mechanical properties. Design/methodology/approach: AlSi10Mg samples were built using prealloyed powder with a set of optimized LPBF parameters, viz. 350 W of laser power, 1,170 mm/s of scan speed, 50 µm of layer thickness and 0.24 mm of hatch spacing. As-built samples were preheated to 430°C followed by immediate pressing with two different thickness reductions of 10% and 35%. The effect of hot forging on the microstructure was analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Tensile tests were performed to reveal the effect of hot forging on the mechanical properties. Findings: By using hot forging, the large number of microvoids in both as-built and post heat-treated samples were mostly healed. Moreover, the Si particles were finer in forged condition (∼150 nm) compared with those in heat-treated condition (∼300 nm). Tensile tests showed that compared with heat treatment, the hot forging process could noticeably increase tensile strength at no expense of ductility. Consequently, the toughness (integration of tensile stress and strain) of forged alloy increased by ∼86% and ∼24% compared with as-built and heat-treated alloys, respectively. Originality/value: Hot forging can effectively remove the inevitable microvoids in metals fabricated via LPBF, which is beneficial to the mechanical properties. These findings are inspiring for the evolution of the LPBF technique to eliminate the microvoids and boost the mechanical properties of metals fabricated via LPBF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune skin disease that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. Interactions between primary afferents of the somatosensory system and the cutaneous immune system mediate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how primary sensory neurons regulate psoriasis formation. Experimental Approach: Skin and total RNA were extracted from wild‐type (WT) and ASH1‐like histone lysine methyltransferase (Ash1l+/−) mice in both naive and imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis models. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) were then performed. Microfluidic chamber coculture was used to investigate the interaction between somatosensory neurons and bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) ex vivo. Whole‐cell patch clamp recordings were used to evaluate neuronal excitability after Ash1L haploinsufficiency in primary sensory neurons. Key Results: The haploinsufficiency of ASH1L, a histone methyltransferase, in primary sensory neurons causes both neurite hyperinnervation and increased neuronal excitability, which promote miR‐let‐7b release from primary afferents in the skin in a neuronal activity‐dependent manner. With a 'GUUGUGU' core sequence, miR‐let‐7b functions as an endogenous ligand of toll‐like receptor 7 (TLR7) and stimulates the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and interleukin (IL)‐23/IL‐17 axis, ultimately exacerbating the symptoms of psoriasis. Thus, by limiting miR‐let‐7b release from primary afferents, ASH1L prevents dermal DC activation and ameliorates psoriasis. Conclusion and Implications: Somatosensory neuron ASH1L modulates the cutaneous immune system by limiting neuronal activity‐dependent release of miR‐let‐7b, which can directly activate dermal DCs via TLR7 and ultimately lead to aggravated psoriatic lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imbalanced class data are commonly observed in pattern analysis, machine learning, and various real-world applications. Conventional approaches often resort to resampling techniques in order to address the imbalance, which inevitably alter the original data distribution. This paper proposes a novel classification method that leverages optimal transport for handling imbalanced data. Specifically, we establish a transport plan between training and testing data without modifying the original data distribution, drawing upon the principles of optimal transport theory. Additionally, we introduce a non-convex interclass regularization term to establish connections between testing samples and training samples with the same class labels. This regularization term forms the basis of a regularized discrete optimal transport model, which is employed to address imbalanced classification scenarios. Subsequently, in line with the concept of maximum minimization, a maximum minimization algorithm is introduced for regularized discrete optimal transport. Subsequent experiments on 17 Keel datasets with varying levels of imbalance demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed approach compared to 11 other widely used techniques for class-imbalanced classification. Additionally, the application of the proposed approach to water quality evaluation confirms its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Repeated exposure to ketamine during the neonatal period in mice leads to cognitive impairments in adulthood. These impairments are likely caused by synaptic plasticity and excitability damage. We investigated the precise role of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cognitive impairments induced by repeated ketamine exposure during the neonatal period. Methods: We evaluated the cognitive function of mice using the Morris water maze test and novel object recognition test. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to detect the protein levels of BDNF. Western blotting, Golgi‐Cox staining, transmission electron microscopy, and long‐term potentiation (LTP) recordings were used to assess synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The excitability of neurons was evaluated using c‐Fos. In the intervention experiment, pAdeno‐CaMKIIα‐BDNF‐mNeuronGreen was injected into the hippocampal CA1 region of mice to increase the level of BDNF. The excitability of neurons was enhanced using a chemogenetic approach. Results: Our findings suggest that cognitive impairments in mice repeatedly exposed to ketamine during the neonatal period are associated with downregulated BDNF protein level, synaptic plasticity damage, and decreased excitability of glutamatergic neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region. Furthermore, the specific upregulation of BDNF in glutamatergic neurons of the hippocampal CA1 region and the enhancement of excitability can improve impaired synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in mice. Conclusion: BDNF downregulation mediates synaptic plasticity and excitability damage, leading to cognitive impairments in adulthood following repeated ketamine exposure during the neonatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diazomethyl‐substituted iodine(III) compounds with electron‐withdrawing groups (EWG) connected to diazo methyl center were a type of donor‐acceptor diazo compounds with potential reaction abilities similar to ordinary diazo compounds. Although several diazomethyl‐substituted iodine(III) compounds were synthesized and used in the nucleophilic substitution reactions as early as 1994, the synthesis and application of new iodine(III) diazo compounds have only been reported to a certain extent in recent years. In the presence of rhodium catalyst, photocatalyst, or nucleophiles, diazomethyl‐substituted iodine(III) compounds can be converted into rhodium‐carbenes, diazomethyl radicals, ester radicals or nucleophilic intermediates, which can be used as key intermediates for the formation of chemical bonds. The aim of this review is to give an overview of diazomethyl‐substituted iodine(III) compounds in organic synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study desingularization of steady solutions of 3D incompressible Euler equation with helical symmetry in a general helical domain. We construct a family of steady helical Euler flows, such that the associated vorticities tend asymptotically to a helical vortex filament. The solutions are obtained by solving a semilinear elliptic problem in divergence form with a parameter - ε 2 div (K H (x) ∇ u) = f u - q | ln ε | in Ω , u = 0 on ∂ Ω. By using the variational method, we show that for any 0 < ε < 1 , there exist ground states concentrating near minimum points of q 2 d e t (K H) as the parameter ε → 0 . These results show a striking difference with the 2D and the 3D axisymmetric Euler equation cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trials have demonstrated lower rates of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients receiving magnesium supplementation, but they have yielded conflicting results regarding mortality. This is a retrospective cohort study based on the MIMIC-IV (Medical Information Mart in Intensive Care-IV) database. Adult critically ill patients with sepsis were included in the analysis. The exposure was magnesium sulfate use during ICU stay. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted at a 1:1 ratio. Multivariable analyses were used to adjust for confounders. The pre-matched and propensity score-matched cohorts included 10 999 and 6052 patients, respectively. In the PSM analysis, 28-day all-cause mortality rate was 20.2% (611/3026) in the magnesium sulfate use group and 25.0% (757/3026) in the no use group. Magnesium sulfate use was associated with lower 28-day all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70; 95% CI, 0.61–0.79; P <0.001). Lower mortality was observed regardless of baseline serum magnesium status: for hypomagnesaemia, HR, 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45–0.93; P =0.020; for normomagnesaemia, HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.61–0.80; P <0.001. Magnesium sulfate use was also associated with lower ICU mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.52; 95% CI, 0.42–0.64; P <0.001), lower in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55–0.77; P <0.001), and renal replacement therapy (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.52–0.87; P =0.002). A sensitivity analysis using the entire cohort also demonstrated lower 28-day all-cause mortality (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.56–0.69; P <0.001). Magnesium sulfate use was associated with lower mortality in critically ill patients with sepsis. Prospective studies are needed to verify this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infection has been considered as a serious problem posing health and economic risks worldwide. Although certain materials like antibiotics have been widely used as antimicrobial products, their cytotoxicity and drug resistance effect remain challenges. Fullerene (C60) has been proven as a safe antibacterial material via photodynamic therapy (PDT), but its strong hydrophobicity and limited bactericidal efficiency prevent its biomedical application. Herein, we report a facile strategy in producing ultrasmall (ca. 3 nm) zinc nanoparticle-decorated hydroxylated C60 (ZnNPs/fullerenol), which possesses high solubility and stability in water. Efficient antibacterial performances of ZnNPs/fullerenol were achieved under a visible light irradiation for only 15 min that the inhibition rate for E. coli and S. aureus could reach to 99 and 80%, respectively. This is attributed to the strong synergism of ZnNPs and fullerenol, leading to a large radical oxygen species (ROS) generation under visible light. In vivo tests further indicated excellent wound healing functionality of our composite. This work may shed light on the innovation for next generation of nanoscale antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pediatric anxiety disorders and sleep-related problems (SRPs) are highly prevalent and are associated with serious health or psychopathological consequences. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the current evidence of the associations between anxiety disorders and SRPs, to examine how this relationship may affect treatment, and to evaluate future directions for the field. Despite their strong bi-directional relationship, SRPs are often neglected in pediatric anxiety literature. There is little consensus on the conceptualization and related measurements of SRPs, which has led to methodological limitations and difficulties. Furthermore, available research suggests that anxiety treatment alone may be inadequate as clinically impairing SRPs were still present post-treatment, which may, in turn, diminish effects of therapy. Understanding the implications of the relationship between anxiety and SRPs on treatment outcomes may be helpful in recognizing opportunities for high impact and enduring interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting wind power ramp events directly based on the historical ramp event time series has drawn increasing attention recently. But the class imbalance problem of the ramp event time series significantly affects the prediction accuracy of ramp events. In the present study, a layer oversampling (LOS) method is proposed considering the relation characteristics of wind power amplitudes and the occurrence frequency of wind power ramp events. Meanwhile, a hybrid sampling method of error bootstrap‐LOS (EB‐LOS) is proposed by combining LOS with the EB oversampling method. After balancing the samples of the ramp and nonramp events by using different sampling methods, the backpropagation neural network (BPNN), and the long short‐term memory (LSTM) methods are employed to directly predict ramp events based on historical data collected from eight wind farms. Comparison results proved that the proposed EB‐LOS method achieves the best prediction performance with an average recall of 0.8196 when using the BPNN model to directly predict ramp events. The best prediction performance of the EB‐LOS method is also proved by using the LSTM model to directly predict ramp events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series of Cu-USY zeolite catalyst with different Cu loading content were synthesized through simple impregnation method. The obtained catalysts were subjected to selective catalytic reduction of NO x with NH 3 (NH 3 -SCR) performance evaluation, structural/chemical characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption/desorption, H 2 temperature-programmed reduction (H 2 -TPR), NH 3 temperature-programmed desorption (NH 3 -TPD) as well as detailed in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) experiments including CO adsorption, NH 3 adsorption and NO+O 2 in situ reactions. Results show that Cu-USY with proper Cu loading (in this work 5Cu-USY with 5 wt.% Cu) could be promising candidates with highly efficient NH 3 -SCR catalytic performance, relatively low byproduct formation and excellent hydrothermal stability, although its SO 2 poisoning tolerability needs alleviation. Further characterizations reveal that such catalytic advantages can be attributed to both active cu species and surface acid centers evolution modulated by Cu loading. On one hand, Cu species in the super cages of zeolites increases with higher Cu content and being more conducive for NH 3 -SCR reactivity. On the other hand, higher Cu loading leads to depletion of Brønsted acid centers and simultaneous formation of abundant Lewis acid centers, which facilitates NH 4 NO 3 reduction via NH 3 adsorbed on Lewis acid centers, thus improving SCR reactivity. However, Cu over-introduction leads to formation of surface highly dispersed CuO x , causing unfavorable NH 3 oxidation and inferior N 2 selectivity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total synthesis of nonasaccharide repeating units and shorter sequences from Phellinus ribis glycans with strong immunostimulating activities was achieved by an orthogonal one-pot glycosylation strategy based on an N -phenyltrifluoroacetimidate glycosylation, a Yu glycosylation, and an ortho -(1-phenylvinyl)benzoate glycosylation. The issues inherent to thioglycosides-based orthogonal one-pot glycosylations, such as aglycone transfer, are eliminated by this one-pot glycosylation strategy, which streamlines the chemical synthesis of glycans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis technologies can be used directly and selectively to construct two different heterocycles from one substrate. Herein, we introduce a mild and efficient electrochemical oxidative strategy to construct alkoxylated 4H-3,1-benzoxazines and indolines. High atom efficiency and transition metal- and oxidant-free conditions are the striking features of this protocol. In a simple undivided cell, various olefinic amides and alcohols react to generate 40 examples of benzoxazines and indolines. This radical cascade reaction provides a facile method for constructing C–O bonds in one step. Furthermore, most of the compounds exhibit good inhibitory activity on tumour cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ductility collapse is a stubborn issue for developing high-strength aluminum (Al) matrix composites reinforced with graphene nanosheets (GNSs). In order to solve this problem, here we introduced large amount of in-situ alumina nanoparticles (∼3 vol%) into the GNSs/Al composite to boost its dimple fracture capability. Microstructural characterization showed that the introduced alumina nanoparticles were α-Al 2 O 3 with a diameter of ∼30 nm, which were distributed uniformly on the Al matrix. Tensile tests revealed that the composite possesses a high tensile strength of 464 MPa and appreciable amount of ductility (8.9%), the combination of which was superior to those in literatures. Fractographic analysis suggested that the in-situ alumina nanoparticles acted as nucleation sites for dimples and enabled strain-delocalization, leading to enhanced plastic deformability. An analysis on strengthening mechanisms further confirmed the synergistic reinforcing effect of ex-situ GNSs and in-situ alumina nanoparticles. These findings may provide guidance for promoting the mechanical properties of GNSs/Al composites. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic segmentation of mobile laser scanning (MLS) point clouds can provide meaningful 3 D semantic information of urban facilities for various applications. However, it still remains a challenge to extract accurate 3 D semantic information from MLS point cloud data due to its irregular 3 D geometric structure in a large-scale outdoor scene. To this end, this study develops a geometry-aware attention point network (GAANet) with geometric properties of the point cloud as a reference. Specifically, the proposed method first builds a graph-like region for each input point to establish the geometric correlation toward its neighbors for robustly descripting local geometry-aware features. Thereafter, the method introduces a novel multi-head attention mechanism to efficiently learn local discriminative features on the constructed graphs and a feature combination operation to capture both local and global geometric dependencies inside fused point features for significantly facilitating the segmentation of small or incomplete 3 D objects at point-level. Finally, an adaptive loss function is appended to handle class imbalance for the overall performance improvement. The validation experiments on two challenging benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness and powerful generation ability of the proposed method, which achieves state-of-the-art performance with mean IoU of 65.09% and 95.20% in the Toronto-3D and Oakland 3-D MLS dataset, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series of Ti/Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite catalysts with variable Ti content were prepared via convenient in-situ one-pot synthesizing strategy. Systematic evaluations of the NH3-SCR catalytic performance over the obtained catalysts were conducted. Results show that Ti/Cu-SSZ-13 with appropriate Ti content (in the current work Ti0.81/Cu2.15-SSZ-13) could serve as capable candidate for NH3-SCR application, as it exhibits highly efficient catalytic activity with expanded operation temperature window width from 140 to 540 °C, nearly 100% N2 selectivity, as well as superior tolerability against water vapor and SO2. Further structural/physicochemical characterizations demonstrate that the obtained Ti/Cu-SSZ-13 catalysts possess well-crystallized characteristic chabazite (CHA) structure. Isolated Cu2+ and monomeric Ti4+ are recognized as the primary active species, as the former mainly contributes to SCR reaction at low temperatures, while the latter are conducive for improving the high temperature SCR activity. Ti over doping would result in partial destruction of the zeolite structure, occupation of Cu2+ cation sites and formation of surface aggregated TiOx, thus leading to unsatisfactory NH3-SCR performances. Moreover, formation of agglomerated CuOx species during hydrothermal ageing and blockage of surface active sites by sulfate species formed during SO2 pretreatment are considered responsible for activity deterioration in the tolerability tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Arts-based programmes for persons with dementia have shown promise in alleviating some of the caregiving challenges for family care partners. The present study sought to broaden the sociocultural perspectives of arts-based programmes by investigating the impact of a locally developed Arts & Dementia programme for persons with dementia on their family care partners in Singapore.Methods: Thirty-two family care partners of persons with dementia who participated in the Arts & Dementia programme were recruited. A mixed-methodological study was employed utilising quantitative pre- and post-programme data from the Zarit Burden Interview and Gain in Alzheimer care Instrument, and qualitative data from semi-structured group interviews.Results: Although there were no self-reported short-term changes in perceived caregiving difficulties and gains, semi-structured group interviews revealed potential caregiving benefits. Six overarching themes were identified: (1) contentment and social engagement, (2) re-connecting and developing new interests, (3) positive influence on caregiving, (4) enhancements to the programme, (5) more arts programmes, and (6) more support for families living with dementia.Conclusion: The present study highlights potential benefits of community-based arts activities in enabling caregiving to be a more positive experience for care partners. Supplemental data for this article is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.2008306 'I kept blaming myself for not spending enough time with him. Communication with him is different now. Watching him on the stage, he is happy and with a purpose'. (Gary, male) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Base-excited nonuniform cantilever beams play an important role in the fields of fatigue tests and piezoelectric energy harvesting. In these two fields, few dynamic models based on Timoshenko beam theory are known for the study the beams. In this paper, we establish a model based on Timoshenko beam theory with the consideration of internal damping. To analyze this model in the free and steady-state forced vibrations, we propose a simple and efficient method combining the transfer matrix method (TMM) with the modal superposition method. For introducing TMM to free vibration analysis, the nonuniform beam is idealized as many Timoshenko beams (namely elements) with constant height and exponentially varying width, whose eigenfunctions are different from uniform elements in the normal practice, leading to better convergence. For the steady-state forced vibration analysis, the orthogonality condition among the eigenfunctions of the nonuniform Timoshenko beam is derived with the consideration of internal damping and applied to the modal superposition method. Some numerical examples including the bending fatigue specimen and the piezoelectric energy harvester are performed for the verification and application of the proposed method. The results show that the method has high efficiency, good precision, and generality. The method described in this paper can be used to guide the design of the nonuniform cantilever beams for bending fatigue tests and piezoelectric energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergence delirium (ED) is a common phenomenon occurring in the recovery period. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, risk factors, and consequences of ED in adults after elective brain tumor resection.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of a prospective cohort performed in a tertiary university hospital. Adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) immediately after elective brain tumor resection were consecutively enrolled. Level of consciousness was assessed using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale and ED was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. Risk factors for ED were determined by multivariable logistic regression.Results: A total of 659 patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 41 patients with coma were excluded. Among the remaining 618 patients, 131 (21.2%) developed ED. Independent risk factors for ED were: age, education level, use of anticholinergic and mannitol, Glasgow Coma Score and arterial partial pressure of oxygen postoperatively, postoperative pain, malignant tumor, and frontal approach craniotomy. ED was associated with increased postoperative delirium, longer length of hospital stay, and higher hospitalization costs. There was no significant difference in the neurological function deficits (modified Rankin Scale score) between ED and non-ED groups.Conclusions: ED has a high incidence and is associated with poor outcomes in adults after elective brain tumor resection. Early screening and prevention for ED should be established in perioperative management of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a growing structural material in the engineering field, bamboo materials are mainly subjected to tension, bending, and a combination of the two during the service process when used as a beam structure. However, the asymmetric bending behavior of bamboo materials under combined loads has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this paper aims to systematically study the asymmetric deformation and fracture of bamboo materials under tension, bending, and combined tension-bending loads. The tests were conducted on a novel self-made in situ apparatus. The periodic stresses fluctuations under three-point bending when loading on the lower fiber density side were analyzed, and the correlation between the shape, size and buckling performance of parenchymal cells was revealed from a mechanical point of view. Microscopy-based in situ three-point bending tests revealed a rich energy dissipation mechanism in the fracture process. It was found that the bending resistance and bending bearing capacity of the bamboo materials under combined tension-bending were significantly improved attributed to the coupling effect of tension and bending. The specimens under combined tension-bending exhibited a composite fracture mode with the combination of tensile fracture and three-point bending fracture mode. Additionally, an expression for the finite stress intensity factor was derived, which allows to characterize the fracture toughness of bamboo materials under tension, bending and combined tension-bending. This work is expected to provide new insights into the deformation and damage of bamboo materials, as well as guide the engineering applications of raw bamboo materials and the development of bionic bamboo structural materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although conventional oxygen therapy (COT) is widely used, hypoxemia frequently occurs in gastrointestinal endoscopy with conscious sedation and can lead to life‐threatening consequences. High flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) has been applied to improve oxygenation in clinical entities. However, its efficacy to prevent hypoxemia in gastrointestinal endoscopy with conscious sedation has not been evaluated. Methods: We searched databases to identify randomized controlled trials that compared the efficacy of HFNO with COT in gastrointestinal endoscopy with conscious sedation. The primary outcome was hypoxemia. Meta‐analyses with trial sequential analysis were performed using a random‐effects model. Results: Eight trials with 3212 patients were included. Compared with COT, HFNO significantly reduced the risk of hypoxemia (eight trials; 3212 patients; risk ratio 0.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13–0.70). Trial sequential analysis showed that the cumulative Z curve did not cross the monitoring or futility boundaries, nor reach the required information size line, indicating that more trials are needed to reach a definitive conclusion. Subgroup analyses indicated the superiority of HFNO over COT with respect to hypoxemia in patients at low risk and high risk. HFNO further improved the lowest oxygen saturation (four trials; 459 patients; mean difference 2.30, 95% CI 0.84–3.77). Conclusions: Compared with COT, HFNO can reduce the risk of hypoxemia and improve the lowest oxygen saturation in gastrointestinal endoscopy with conscious sedation. However, the results should be interpreted with caution due to substantial heterogeneity and limited evidence. Further studies are needed to verify the preliminary findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metal-free cross dehydrogenative annulation reactions. • Novel 2-alkenyl and 2-aryl oxazoles with high efficiency. • Ambient reaction conditions under air atmosphere. The annulation reactions of N -substituted enamides via intramolecular dehydrogenative C C bond formation has been developed for the synthesis of 2-alkenyl oxazoles with phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) as the only oxidant. The method exhibits excellent synthetic scope at room temperature without using any metal reagent. In addition, the method has been proven to be applicable for the synthesis of 2-aryl oxazoles via the reactions of aroyl-based enamides. The reaction process initiated by the free radical resulting from the homo-cleavage of I-O bond in PIFA has been demonstrated by control experiments. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication after cardiac surgery. Numerous evidence suggest that dysregulation of lipid metabolism is associated with cognitive impairment; however, its precise role in the development of POCD is still obscure. In this study, we established a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) model in rats and employed the Barnes maze to assess cognitive function, selecting POCD rats for subsequent experimentation. Utilizing mass spectrometry imaging, we detected plenty of lipids accumulates within the hippocampal CA1in the POCD group. Immunofluorescence staining revealed a significant reduction in the fluorescence intensity of calcium-independent phospholipases A2 (iPLA2) in the POCD group compared to the control, while serine palmitoyl transferase (SPT) was markedly increased in the POCD group. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the number of synapses in hippocampal CA1decreased significantly and postsynaptic density became thinner in POCD group. Furthermore, after reversing the metabolic disorders of iPLA2 and SPT in the rat brain with docosahexaenoic acid and myriocin, the incidence of POCD after CPB was significantly reduced and the disrupted lipid metabolism in the hippocampus was also normalized. These findings may offer a novel perspective for exploring the etiology and prevention strategies of POCD after CPB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During operation of a nuclear power plant, the bending deformation of fuel rods usually occurs and has a substantial effect on the heat transfer and flow behavior of coolant. To assess the influence of rod bowing on thermal-hydraulic phenomena in a nuclear reactor, it is crucial to consider the void fraction characteristics in rod bundles. In this study, experiments were conducted using an irregular sub-channel impedance void meter and high-speed camera in 5 × 5 rod bundle channels with three different bow deformation ratios, as well as a normal straight rod bundle channel. The results show that when the bowing deformation of rods occurs in a rod bundle channel, bubble coalescence enhances. Bubbles which are far away from the bowing rod bundle subchannel tend to move laterally towards the region near the bowing rod bundle subchannel, leading to an increase in void fraction compared to a normal straight subchannel. Besides, as the liquid flow rate increases, the influence of the rod bowing on void fraction within the subchannels increases. Moreover, the axial development characteristics of the void fraction are increasingly affected by the bowing rod with the increase of bowing deformation ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this cross-sectional study, the global incidence, death, and DALY rates of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) increased from 1990 to 2019, with large variations in the regional and national levels. A low-milk or low-calcium diet and alcohol use were the leading possible risk factors in 2019. The importance of high body mass index and high fasting plasma glucose increased among both males and females from 1990 to 2019, while the importance of smoking and a low-fiber diet decreased among both sexes, but especially among females. These findings provide policymakers with an accurate quantification of the burden of early-onset CRC, and may help to identify and target high-risk individuals to mitigate the burden of early-onset CRC. Background: The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosed before age 50 has been increasing over the past decades. Hence, we examined the global, regional, and national burden of early-onset CRC and its risk factors from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019, we reported the incidence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to the risk factors of early-onset CRC. All estimates were reported with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Results: The global numbers of early-onset CRC for incidence, deaths, and DALYs in 2019 were 225,736 (95% UI, 207,658 to 246,756), 86,545 (80,162 to 93,431), and 4,259,922 (3,942,849 to 4,590,979), respectively. Despite large variations at the regional and national levels, the global incidence rate, death rate, and DALY rate increased from 1990 to 2019. Diets low in milk, diets low in calcium, and alcohol use were the leading risk factors in 2019. From 1990 to 2019, a high body mass index and high fasting plasma glucose ranked remarkably higher among males and females, while smoking and diets low in fiber ranked lower among both sexes, with a more profound change among females. Conclusions: Despite large variations in regional and national levels, the global incidence rate, death rate, and DALY rate increased during the past three decades. These findings may provide policymakers with an accurate quantification of the burden of early-onset CRC and targeted identification of those most at risk to mitigate the burden of early-onset CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Credit default prediction for the energy industry is essential to promoting the healthy development of the energy industry in China. While previous studies have constructed various credit default prediction models with brilliant performance, the class-imbalance problem in the credit default dataset cannot be ignored, where the numbers of credit default cases are usually much smaller than the number of non-default ones. To address the class-imbalance problem, we proposed a novel CT-XGBoost model, which adds to XGBoost with two algorithm-level methods for class imbalance, including the cost-sensitive strategy and threshold method. Based on the credit default dataset consisting of energy corporates in western China, which suffers from the class-imbalance problem, the CT-XGBoost model achieves better performance than the conventional models. The results indicate that the proposed model can efficiently alleviate the inherent class-imbalance problem in the credit default dataset. Moreover, we analyze how the prediction performance is influenced by different parameter settings in the cost-sensitive strategy and threshold method. This study can help market investors and regulators precisely assess the credit risk in the energy industry and provides theoretical guidance to solving the class-imbalance problem in credit default prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we are concerned with nonlinear desingularization of steady vortex rings in R 3 with a general nonlinearity f. Using the improved vorticity method, we construct a family of steady vortex rings which constitute a desingularization of the classical circular vortex filament in the whole space. The requirements on f are very general, and it may not satisfy the Ambrosettiâ€"Rabinowitz condition. Some qualitative and asymptotic properties are also established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential advantage of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) compared with open gastrectomy (OG) for serosa-invasive (pT4a) Siewert type II and III adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) remains uncertain. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of LG compared to OG for pT4a Siewert type II/III AEG cancers. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 283 patients with pathological confirmed T4a Siewert type II and type III AEG who underwent LG or OG in our center between January 2004 and September 2015. The short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the groups using a 1:1 matched propensity score matching method (PSM). Results: The LG group had a longer operation time, less estimated blood loss, less time to first flatus, less time to start liquid diet, less time to first ambulation, and shorter length of incision than the OG group. The conversion rates were 5.4% in the LG groups. There was no significant difference in the overall complication rate between the LG and OG groups. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) were comparable between the LG and OG groups (35.4% vs 32.1%, p = 0.541; 34.1% vs 31.0%, p = 0.523, respectively). There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate and pattern between the LG and OG groups. Conclusions: Laparoscopic gastrectomy is associated with better short-term outcomes and similar long-term outcomes for pT4a Siewert type II/III AEG. This study reveals that LG could be a safe and feasible option for pT4a Siewert type II/III AEG compared to OG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viral reactivation is frequently detected in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and is associated with worse outcomes. However, the efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy in these patients remain unknown. This review aims to assess the effects of antiviral therapy on mortality, viral reactivation, and adverse events in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Data sources were Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and reference lists. The study included randomized controlled trials that compared antiviral therapy with placebo, standard care, or no treatment. Participants were critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Intervention was antiviral therapy. Assessment of risk of bias used the Cochrane risk of bias tool. For methods of data synthesis, risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model for meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis. Nine trials with a broad spectrum of critically ill patients were included. No association was found between antiviral therapy and all-cause mortality at the longest follow-up (nine trials, 1790 patients, RR 0.93, 95%CI 0.79–1.11, I2 3%). Trial sequential analysis showed that the cumulative Z curve crossed the futility boundary establishing sufficient evidence. No association was also found between antiviral therapy and 28-day mortality, in-hospital mortality, 60-day mortality, or 90-day mortality. However, antiviral therapy was associated with a reduction in viral reactivation (five trials, 644 patients, RR 0.23, 95%CI 0.14–0.37, I2 0%). Trial sequential analysis showed that the cumulative Z curve crossed the trial sequential monitoring boundary for benefit establishing sufficient evidence. Antiviral therapy was not associated with an increased risk of renal insufficiency (eight trials, 1574 patients, RR 0.88, 95%CI 0.73–1.05, I2 0%). No association between antiviral therapy and mortality was found, but antiviral therapy reduced viral reactivation without increasing the risk of renal insufficiency in critically ill patients with mechanical ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, permeable geotextile tubes in conjunction with prefabricated horizontal drains (PHDs) have become increasingly popular for dewatering high water content slurries or sludge. However, how to analyze the consolidation process of the sludge in the geotextile tube so as to provide a proper design and prediction becomes a technical challenge. In this paper, we have proposed a two-dimensional plain-strain consolidation model for sludge consolidation in a geotextile tube under combined fill and vacuum preloading. A semi-analytical solution was obtained and validated through experimental observations. A salient finding of this study is the identification of a critical condition at which the optimum consolidation efficiency is achieved. Consolidation efficiency decreases gradually beyond this critical condition, which arrives later as the PHD pave rate and element height to width ratio increase. Furthermore, this analytical method clearly shows how preloading affects the dewatering process and the effect of fill surcharge is more pronounced than that of vacuum preloading of the same magnitude, owing to the vacuum attenuation and leakage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric turbulence is an intrinsic factor that causes uncertainty of wind speed and its power generation by wind turbine. The research of atmospheric turbulence characteristics of wind farms can be used to reduce this uncertainty. In this paper, enough measurement data getting from actual wind farms is used for information processing to quantitatively analyze the daily variation of wind speed and its power output characteristics. Furthermore, the concept of spatiotemporal diurnal modulation characteristics of atmospheric turbulence is proposed with a global scope, which is an intrinsic property of wind. Besides the daily variation characteristics, the average hourly wind speed has a short-term modulation effect on its turbulence and provides a modulation characteristic on wind speed uncertainty. Moreover, the long-term modulation process is affected by seasonal and regional factors, indicating that it has spatiotemporal characteristics. This atmospheric turbulence characteristic has similar effects on characteristic description parameters. However, the characteristics description parameters of wind speed and wind power variation fail to reflect such intrinsic characteristics that are not affected by the spatiotemporal diurnal modulation characteristics of atmospheric turbulence. This indicates that they do not have diurnal characteristics. Finally, a time-varying model combined with the spatiotemporal diurnal modulation characteristics of wind speed and its power generation is discussed by applying on the evaluation of frequency control in power systems. It is shown that the results obtained by measured data processing could improve the power generation quality of large-scale wind power effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive on amniotic fluid amount and reproductive performance of sows. Twenty pregnant crossbred sows (LandracexLarge White) with similar body condition and parity were randomly divided into control group and experimental group, with ten replicates in each group and one pig in each replicate. All sows were fed the same basal diet, and sows in experimental group were supplemented with fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive at 50 g/(head⋅d) from the 104th day of pregnancy to the end of lactation. Amniotic fluid was collected with urine collection pad during delivery period, and farrowing duration, live litter size, number of dead suckling piglets, number of suckling piglets with diarrhea and number of weaned piglets were recorded. The results showed that compared with the control group, the average amniotic fluid amount of sows in experimental group was significantly better than that in control group (P<0.05). The number of live litter and weaned piglets of sows in experimental group were higher than those in control group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Fetal birth time of sows in experimental group and diarrhea rate of suckling piglets were lower than those in control group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The experiment indicates that supplementation of fermented compound Chinese medicine feed additive at a level of 50 g/(head⋅d) to sows has benefits in increasing amniotic fluid amount and sow's yearly productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of C(sp3)‐sulfonyl bonds through direct sulfonylation of C(sp3)−H bond presents a number of challenges, so an electrochemical oxidation‐induced direct sulfonylation of the xanthene C(sp3)−H bond was developed. Significant advantages of this method are high atom efficiency, functional group tolerance, transition metal‐ and oxidant‐free conditions. The in vitro cytotoxicity of all product is evaluated by MTT assay against human cancer cell lines. The results reveal that most of the compounds 3 da and 3 af have good inhibitory activity on tumor cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the copper-catalyzed annulation of enaminones with alkynyl esters for the facile synthesis of different pyrroles with a 2,3,4,5-tetrasubstituted structure has been developed. With Cu(OAc)2 as the only catalyst, the tunable synthesis of 2-vinyl and 2,3-dicarboxyl-functionalized pyrroles has been achieved by using terminal and internal alkynyl esters, respectively. The synthesis of 2-vinyl pyrroles represents the first example accessing 2-vinyl substituted pyrroles via direct cascade reactions involving vinylation and pyrrole ring formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soy‐cow blended milk is a potential nutritional beverage and raw material for dairy products. This study determined the particle size, flow, lubrication, flavor and sensory properties of cow milk, soy milk and their blends. Twenty‐one major volatile compounds were identified using solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography (SPME‐GCMS) in cow milk and soy milk. Among all the compounds detected in the milk samples, hexanal, associated with off flavor was found highest in soymilk followed by cow milk and blended milk. From confocal images, soy‐cow blended milk at a ratio of 1:1 showed a homogenous distribution of small fat globules and protein compared to the soy milk and cow milk. The addition of soy milk to cow milk lowers the particle size although not significantly (p >.05) and decreases the viscosity of blended milk. Cow milk was the most viscous (2.66 mPa·s at 50 s−1) with large particles (0.48 μm) observed from confocal images. However, soymilk was found to have better lubrication properties (boundary regime) with a lower friction coefficient (~0.30) compared to cow milk (~0.40) and blended milk (~0.50) at low entrainment speed (0.1–2 mm/s). The sensory panel ranked cow milk as creamier and more viscous while soymilk was perceived as more astringent with beany flavor. Overall, a proportion of 3:7 soy‐cow blended milk was more acceptable than the other two blended milks with less beany flavor, as confirmed by the lower amount of hexanal from gas chromatography mass spectrometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-layer core-shell structure was fabricated without any template. • Ag was modified in situ by photochemical deposition to improve stability. • S-scheme and SPR effect endued heterojunction with an excellent redox capacity. • Reactive species trapping was conducted to ensure the dominant species. • Introducing oxygen during catalytic process can augment degradation efficiency. Constructing an efficient photocatalyst to accelerate charge separation with strong redox capacity is in pursuit all the way. Herein, a novel heterojunction was achieved for efficient organic degradation, which took advantages of S-scheme mechanism, metal surface plasma resonance (SPR) and unique morphology. The multi-layer core-shell structure can be regulated by aging time with template-free, and Ag nanoparticles were modified on the heterojunction by photochemical deposition in situ to facilitate electron transport and improve stability. S-scheme and SPR endues the heterojunction with broad light absorption, increased light utilization, efficient carrier separation, and strong redox capacity. An examination of reactive dynamics revealed that superoxide radicals and hydroxyl radicals are crucial for oxidative degradation. Introducing oxygen during the reaction process has been found to enhance the efficiency by 7 %. This article furnishes novel insights into a coordination of energy band engineering, structure regulation, as well as reaction process adjustment for facilitating photo-degradation reactions. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Porous ZnO-CdS/Pt spherical-shell was fabricated without any template. • Heterostructure presented an efficient H 2 -production rate of 32.15 mM·h−1·g−1. • The exceptional structure improved light trapping and adsorption capacity. • S-scheme endued heterojunction with an excellent redox capacity. • The photo-generated electrons would be transferred rapidly from CdS to Pt. S-scheme heterojunctions present excellent photocatalytic performance for water splitting. Herein, an ideal distinctive heterostructure of porous ZnO-CdS/Pt spherical-shell was achieved by template-free method. It possesses the H 2 -generated efficiency of 32.15 mM·h−1·g−1, significantly surpassing the single or binary compounds. The remarkable photocatalytic activity stems from the unique morphology, S-scheme mechanism and the coordination of noble metal. Exceptional porous spherical-shell structure can localize the light, promote light scattering, increase adsorption capacity and bring abundant active sites. The reduction in transfer distance for carriers, inhibition of electron-hole recombination, as well as diminution of mobility resistance endues the heterojunction with efficient carrier separation and strong redox capacity. The probable mechanism was also estimated by the characterizations of XPS, UV, PL, PEC, EIS, M-S and ESR. This article provides a new method for spherical-shell structure fabricated without template, and proposes a significant promise for the construction and application of highly efficient photocatalysts for H 2 -production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the desingularization of multiscale solutions to 2D steady incompressible Euler equations. When the background flow ψ 0 is nontrivial, we construct a family of solutions which has nonzero vorticity in small neighborhoods of a given collection of points. One prescribed set of points comprises minimizers of the Kirchhoff-Routh function, while another part of points is on the boundary determined by both ψ 0 and Green's function. Moreover, heights and circulation of solutions have two kinds of scale. We prove the results by considering maximization problem for the vorticity and analyzing the asymptotic behavior of the maximizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though fullerene has been regarded as an effective radical scavenger, the hydrophobicity strongly limits its application in biological fields. Herein, we proposed a simple photoreduction method in preparing a highly water-soluble nanocomposite consisting of ultrasmall copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and hydroxylated fullerene (fullerenol), which showed excellent radical scavenging performance compared with traditional antioxidants. The superb antioxidative behavior was believed to be due to the synergetic effect induced by the stable decoration of CuNPs onto the surface of fullerenol, while the low metal loading level would decrease the potential toxicity of the prepared composite. Our work will offer an alternative choice for efficient antioxidative agents with more biosafety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO 2 –ZrO 2 mixed oxides with controlled morphologies (i.e., nanorod, nano-polyhedral and disordered shape) were synthesized through either hydrothermal or coprecipitation method, and the corresponding supported Pd/CeO 2 –ZrO 2 catalysts were also prepared by conventional impregnation. The obtained catalysts were subjected to systematic structural/physio-chemical characterizations as well as three-way catalytic performance evaluations. The results showed that CeO 2 –ZrO 2 mixed oxides presented different exposed crystal planes: namely disordered CZ-di mainly exposed (111) crystal planes, nanorod CZ-ro mainly exposed (111) crystal planes and few (100) crystal planes, while nano-polyhedral CZ-po exposed both (111) and (100) crystal planes. Clear structure-activity relationship could be demonstrated between the TWC (Three-way catalysts) performance of Pd/CeO 2 –ZrO 2 and such different microstructures, as (100) and (111) crystal planes exposed by CZ-ro and CZ-po were beneficial for the surface oxygen vacancies formation, thus increasing the Pd-support interaction and effectively decreasing the light-off temperature of HC and NO elimination. On the other hand, the disordered CZ-di retained more lattice oxygen content, leading to better catalytic activity of CO elimination for the corresponding Pd/CZ-di catalyst. Pd/CeO 2 –ZrO 2 with different morphologies presents different exposed crystal planes, and clear structure-activity relationship can be demonstrated between TWC performance and morphology control induced microstructures. [Display omitted] • Morphology controlled CeO 2 –ZrO 2 nano-oxides were synthesized. •Different exposed crystal planes modulated via morphology control. •Structure-activity relationship induced by morphology control demonstrated. •Exposed (100) plane of CZ-po promotes surface V O formation for better HC and NO activity. •Lattice oxygen content retained on disordered CZ-di and favors CO activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly practical method for C–CN bond formation by C–N bond cleavage on enaminones leading to the efficient synthesis of β-cyano enones is developed. The reactions take place efficiently to provide (E)-β-cyano enones with only a molecular iodine catalyst. In addition, the additional employment of oxalic acid enables the selective synthesis of (Z)-β-cyano enones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability and intermittency are the intrinsic nature of wind and solar resources. Expanded wind and solar power development in China requires a deeper understanding of their differences in variability and intermittency, both spatially and temporally. To address this issue, this study provides a systematic quantitative comparison of the variability and intermittency between wind and solar resources across China. Compared with wind resources, solar resources show regular spatial patterns and highly similar temporal characteristics. Solar resources usually have larger daily variation amplitudes (1.0–3.5 times) and are more intermittent (1.0–10.0 times) than wind resources in most regions. Solar resources fluctuate 1.0–8.0 times faster than wind resources in western Xinjiang, most of central and southern China, and north and east of northeast China. However, the variation rate of solar resources is approximately 0.1–0.5 times the wind resources in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau and East China Sea. In general, wind and solar resources fluctuate faster and are more intermittent in spring and autumn. Onshore wind resources are more variable and intermittent in the periods of 6:00–12:00 and 16:00–22:00. However, the variability and intermittency of offshore wind resources are weak and have very small intra-day changes compared with onshore wind resources. Solar resources are usually more variable and intermittent during the periods of 2–4 h after sunrise and 2–4 h before sunset. Furthermore, the intra-day changes in the variability and intermittency of solar resources are significantly greater than the inter-month changes. Those quantitative insights contribute to better and more efficiently mitigate the variability and intermittency of wind and solar resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively protect the marine ecological environment, herein, the silver-loaded organometallic framework material ((MIL-101(Cr)@Ag) was synthesized to study the rapid enrichment of iodide ions. Under the best experimental conditions, the reaction was in adsorption equilibrium within 10 min, and the maximum adsorption capacity could attain 57 mg/g. The XPS and XRD analysis indicated that the iodide ions mainly interacted with silver atoms in MIL-101(Cr)@Ag to form AgI. The adsorption behavior was well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, showed that adsorption process was mainly monolayer chemisorption. Therefore, MIL-101(Cr)@Ag could be used as a potential material for removing iodide ions from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frictional heat-induced severe adhesive wear has been limiting the lifetime of metal-to-metal wear systems for many years. Five graphitic white irons were previously designed and produced to introduce flake graphite into white iron, with the goal to expedite heat dissipation and reduce the frictional heat effect. This paper focused on the graphite addition effect on adhesive wear resistance for graphitic white irons and its comparison with abrasive wear. Adhesive wear resistance was assessed with a block on ring apparatus in accordance with ASTM G77. An empirical model was formulated to quantitatively evaluate graphite additions' effect on the adhesive wear resistance. The model indicated that 1 vol.% graphite addition had the same effect as a hardness increase of 2.66 HRC, which was a 14% higher contribution than previously observed for three-body abrasive wear of the same alloys studied following ASTM G65. The improved wear resistance was related to an increased thermal diffusivity of the composite microstructure, and the surface lubricating effect of graphite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), characterized by secretion of type 2 cytokines, regulate multiple immune responses. ILC2s are found in different tumor tissues, and ILC2-derived interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 act on the cells in tumor microenvironment to participate in tumor progression. ILC2s are abundant in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue, but the role of ILC2s in CRC remains unclear. In this study, we found that the percentage of ILC2s was higher in CRC tissue than in the adjacent normal tissue and that these ILC2s were the dominant IL-9-secreting cell-subsets in CRC tissue, as shown by flow cytometry analysis. ILC2s-derived IL-9 could activate CD8+ T cells to inhibit tumor growth, while anti-IL-9 reversed this effect. In vivo experiments showed that neutralizing ILC2s promoted tumor growth, while tumor inhibition occurred by intravenous injection of IL-9. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that ILC2-derived IL-9 could activate CD8+ T cells to promote anti-tumor effects in CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The expression of BDNF, TrkB and PSD-95 in rat hippocampus was suppressed by neonatal propofol anesthesia. • Neonatal propofol anesthesia interfered the growth of dendrites and dendritic spines in rat hippocampus. • Neonatal propofol anesthesia impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity of rats. • Neonatal propofol anesthesia attenuated the recognition function of rats in adulthood. Anesthesia of neonates with propofol induces persistent behavioral abnormalities in adulthood. Although propofol-triggered apoptosis of neurons in the developing brain may contribute to the development of cognitive deficits, the mechanism of neurotoxicity induced by neonatal exposure to propofol remains unclear. In this study, the effects of neonatal propofol anesthesia on synaptic plasticity and neurocognitive function were investigated. Postnatal day 7 (PND-7) Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with fat emulsion or 20, 40 or 60 mg/kg propofol for three consecutive days. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the rat hippocampus at PND-10 and PND-12 was measured by Western blotting. The number of dendritic branches, total dendritic length and dendritic spine density were observed by Golgi-Cox staining 24 h and 72 h after the last propofol administration. Long-term potentiation (LTP) was measured electrophysiologically in hippocampus of PND-60 rats to evaluate the synaptic function. The learning and memory abilities of rats were evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) experiments, Novel object recognition test (NORT) and Object location test (OLT) at PND-60. Our results showed that neonatal exposure to propofol significantly inhibited the expression of BDNF, TrkB and PSD-95 in the rat hippocampus. The number of dendritic branches, total dendritic length and dendritic spine density of neurons in the rat hippocampus were markedly reduced after neonatal propofol anesthesia. LTP was significantly diminished in hippocampus of PND-60 rats after repeated exposure to propofol in the neonatal period. Morris water maze experiments showed that repeated neonatal exposure to propofol significantly prolonged the escape latency and decreased the time spent in the target quadrant and the number of platform crossings. NORT and OLT showed that repeated neonatal exposure to propofol markedly reduced the Investigation Time for novel object or location. All of the results above indicate that repeated exposure to propofol in the neonatal period can impair hippocampal synaptic plasticity and the recognition function of rats in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]