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To gain insight into the nitrogen-related gas-surface reaction dynamics on carbon-based thermal protection systems of hypersonic vehicles, we have investigated the adsorption, diffusion, and reactions of atomic nitrogen, N(4S), on the (0001) face of graphite using periodic density functional theory with a dispersion corrected functional. The atomic nitrogen is found to bind with pristine graphite at a bridge site, with a barrier of 0.88 eV for diffusing to an adjacent bridge site. Its adsorption energy at defect sites is significantly higher, while that between graphene layers is lower. The formation of N2 via Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) and Eley–Rideal (ER) mechanisms was also investigated. In the LH pathway, the recombinative desorption of N2 proceeds via a transition state with a relatively low barrier (0.53 eV). In addition, there is a metastable surface species, which is capable of trapping the nascent N2 at low surface temperatures as a result of the large energy disposal into the N–N vibration. The desorbed N2 is highly excited in both of its translational and vibrational degrees of freedom. The ER reaction is direct and fast, and it also leads to translationally and internally excited N2. Finally, the formation of CN from a defect site is calculated to be endoergic by 2.75 eV. These results are used to rationalize the results of recent molecular beam experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaporin‐4 (AQP4) is a dominant water channel in the brain and is expressed on astrocytic end‐feet, mediating water homeostasis in the brain. AQP4 is a target of an inflammatory autoimmune disease, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), that causes demyelination. An autoantibody recognizing the extracellular domains of AQP4, called NMO‐IgG, is critically implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Complement‐dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) in astrocytes are the primary causes of the disease, preceding demyelination and neuronal damage. Additionally, some cytotoxic effects of binding of NMO‐IgG to AQP4, independent of CDC/ADCC, have been proposed. Antibody‐induced endocytosis of AQP4 is thought to be involved in CDC/ADCC‐independent cytotoxicity induced by the binding of NMO‐IgG to AQP4. To clarify the mechanism responsible for antibody‐induced endocytosis of AQP4, we investigated the subcellular localization and trafficking of AQP4, focusing on its C‐terminal domain, by making a variety of deletion and substitution mutants of mouse AQP4. We found that a tyrosine‐based YXXΦ motif in the C‐terminal domain of AQP4 plays a critical role in the steady‐state subcellular localization/turnover and antibody‐induced endocytosis/lysosomal degradation of AQP4. Our results indicate that the YXXΦ motif has to escape the inhibitory effect of the C‐terminal 10‐amino‐acid sequence and be located at an appropriate distance from the plasma membrane to act as a signal for lysosomal degradation of AQP4. In addition to lysosomal degradation, we demonstrated that the YXXΦ motif also functions as a signal to degrade AQP4 using proteasomes under specific conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of urbanization, it is an important goal for urban green space (UGS) to meet the needs of residents' production and life using a supply–demand evaluation method of ecosystem service (ES). However, most studies have considered all functional types of UGS as the supply side, or rely solely on a single supply or demand side to conduct ecosystem service function (ESF) evaluation, resulting in less accurate and targeted research findings. As a result, a novel methodological framework for matching each ESF with corresponding functional types of UGS, and considering both supply and demand sides have been required. Firstly, the object-oriented approach combining support vector machine (SVM) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to automatically identify UGS, and integrated Point of Interest (POI), urban built-up area, road land, parcel, and socio-economic data to classify six functional types of UGS using the near-convex-hull. Next, matching the functional types of UGS with five ESFs, both supply and demand status were evaluated using the carbon sequestration and release analysis, Gaussian two-step floating catchment area, and spatial equilibrium degree methods. This method was demonstrated in Beijing, China. The results show: (1) the ES supply–demand situation provided by each functional type of UGS is different in five ESFs; (2) considering both supply and demand is more intuitive to see whether the city's demand for UGS has been met. Our results provide a new perspective for evaluating the contribution of UGS and have practical implications for UGS planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remorin genes encode plant-specific and plasma-membrane-associated proteins that play important roles in several plant physiological processes and adaptations to environmental adaptations. However, little is known regarding the remorin gene family in foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a traditional drought-resistant crop that grows in China. In this study, 21 remorin genes in the foxtail millet genome were identified, renamed according to their chromosomal distribution, and classified into four main groups based on their phylogenetic relationships and structural features. Additionally, we found that SiREM gene family expansion was primarily because of whole- genome duplication and segmental duplication events. Evolutionary changes in the remorin family in Poaceae crops were clarified via synteny analyses. Gene expression analyses through RT-PCR and qRT-PCR indicated that SiREM genes influenced millet growth and development, particularly SiREM1, 4, 11, and 12. Concurrently, SiREM genes expression showed inconsistent response to phytohormone treatments and abiotic stresses, suggesting that they are regulated by different signaling pathways. This systematic reanalysis remorin gene family in the foxtail millet provides fundamental information about the biological functions associated with growth, development, and stress tolerance and evolutionary characteristics, thus helping in elucidating the molecular mechanism and improving the agricultural traits of this crop in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale oil and gas exploration and development are extending to greater depths, and it is important to understand the accumulation mechanisms of shale oil and gas. Here we conducted a case study in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation–Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Ningxi area, Sichuan Basin, southwest China, by using petrological and fluid inclusion investigation to determine the processes involved during the overpressure-induced self-sealing accumulation of deep shale gas. Results show that fibrous quartz–calcite veins in the source rocks contain abundant gas inclusions and coeval two-phase gas–liquid aqueous inclusions. The gas inclusions are relatively uniform, translucent to transparent, single-phase inclusions with a high density, indicative of a closed shale system. The gas inclusions record varying levels of fluid overpressure (115.23–169.46 MPa), with a paleo-pressure coefficient of 2.12–2.98. Fluid overpressure and self-sealing resulted in shale gas accumulation, with bedding-parallel and laminar fractures acting as important migration pathways, which improved the horizontal porosity and permeability of the shale. These processes are common and important phenomena in petroleum systems. Unconventional oil and gas development commonly requires horizontal fracturing of wells to form a fracture network, which can improve the production capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial component of the ecological security pattern, ecological source (ES) plays a vital role in providing ecosystem service value (ESV) and conserving biodiversity. Previous studies have mostly considered ES only from either landscape change pattern or ecological function perspectives, and have ignored their integration and spatio-temporal evolutionary modeling. In this study, we proposed a multi-perspective framework for the spatio-temporal characteristics of ES by ESV incorporating landscape aesthetics, carbon sink characteristics, ecological quality, and kernel NDVI (kNDVI). By integrating the revised ESV and the kernel normalized difference vegetation index as a foundation, we employed the spatial priority model to identify ES. This improvement aims to yield a more practical and specific ESV result. Applying this framework to the Three-River Headwaters Region (TRHR), a significant spatio-temporal change in ecological sources has been observed from 2000 to 2020. This performance provided a reference for ecological conservation in the TRHR. The results indicate that this ecological source identification framework has reliable accuracy and efficiency compared with the existing NRs in the TRHR. This method could reveal more precise spatio-temporal distributions of ES, enhancing ecosystem integrity and providing technical modeling support for developing cross-scale spatial planning and management strategies for nature reserve boundaries. The framework proposed in our research could serve as a reference for building ecological networks in other ecologically fragile areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide‐based superionic conductors with high ionic conductivity have been explored as candidates for solid‐state Li batteries. However, moisture hypersensitivity has made their manufacture complicated and costly and also impeded applications in batteries. Now, a sulfide‐based superionic conductor Li4Cu8Ge3S12 with superior stability was developed based on the hard/soft acid–base theory. The compound is stable in both moist air and aqueous LiOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical stability window was up to 1.5 V. An ionic conductivity of 0.9×10−4 S cm with low activation energy of 0.33 eV was achieved without any optimization. The material features a rigid Cu‐Ge‐S open framework that increases its stability. Meanwhile, the weak bonding between Li+ and the framework promotes ionic conductivity. This work provides a structural configuration in which weak Li bonding in the rigid framework promotes an environment for highly conductive and stable solid‐state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide‐based superionic conductors with high ionic conductivity have been explored as candidates for solid‐state Li batteries. However, moisture hypersensitivity has made their manufacture complicated and costly and also impeded applications in batteries. Now, a sulfide‐based superionic conductor Li4Cu8Ge3S12 with superior stability was developed based on the hard/soft acid–base theory. The compound is stable in both moist air and aqueous LiOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical stability window was up to 1.5 V. An ionic conductivity of 0.9×10−4 S cm with low activation energy of 0.33 eV was achieved without any optimization. The material features a rigid Cu‐Ge‐S open framework that increases its stability. Meanwhile, the weak bonding between Li+ and the framework promotes ionic conductivity. This work provides a structural configuration in which weak Li bonding in the rigid framework promotes an environment for highly conductive and stable solid‐state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Superhydrophobic PP composite membranes with modified surface were successfully fabricated for membrane distillation. • The impact of deposited nanoparticle size on the surface roughness, and heterogeneous nucleation barrier was simulated and investigated. • The fabricated membrane possessed good anti-wetting ability, stable antifouling performance and high salt rejection in the corresponding conditions. • Fouling rate of the fabricated superhydrophobic membrane was only 1/5 of the one of the original membrane under high salinity feed condition. Abstract In this work, the superhydrophobic polypropylene (PP) composite membranes with modified surface were successfully fabricated by loading the SiO 2 nanoparticles and attaching low surface energy 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. The impact of deposited nanoparticle size on the surface roughness, heterogeneous nucleation barrier and critical nucleus size versus the loaded nanoparticle size (d ∗ nuclear / d) was simulated by the model combining the surface roughness and superhydrophobility with the critical nucleation energy. The optimized loaded nanoparticles size maintained the proper roughness and d ∗ nuclear / d to ensure the desired performance of antifouling. The improved superhydrophobic surface enhanced the anti-wetting ability of the membrane for vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) purpose. The resulting modified membrane possessed good anti-wetting ability and stable anti-fouling performance during long-term continuous and batch operation of VMD treating high salinity water system. The fouling rate of the fabricated membrane was decreased to 20% of the one of the original membrane under 15 wt% high salinity feed condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We report two new chromium chalcogenides Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 and Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 which were obtained by solvothermal reactions at 170 °C. Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 adopts the tetragonal space group P 4 2 bc with isolated [Cr(en) 3 ]3+ ions and [SbSe 4 ]3− tetrahedrons. Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 is a molecular crystal with the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / n. It has [Cr(en) 2 Se 2 ]− octahedrons and [AsSe 3 ]3− triangle cones which are edge shared by Se atoms. Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 has a band gap of 2.3 eV, whereas Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 displays multiple-absorption characters with two absorption edges at 1.7 and 2.2 eV, respectively. Remarkably, Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 is a Curie-Weiss paramagnet between 2 and 300 K with an effective magnetic moment of 3.98 μ B , and is a potential magneto-caloric material with -Δ S m = 16.3 J (kg K)−1 at 4 K and Δ H = 8 T. Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 shows antiferromagnetism below 9 K. Highlights • Two new compounds Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 and Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 were synthesized successfully by solvothermal methods. • Cr(en) 3 SbSe 4 is a potential magneto-caloric material, with Δ S m = 16.3 J (kg K)−1 at 4 K and Δ H = 8 T. • Cr(en) 2 AsSe 3 is a molecular crystal and displays antiferromagnetism below 9 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ambiguity and impreciseness of keyword query in relational databases, the research on keyword query expansion has attracted wide attention. Existing query expansion methods expose users’ query intention to a certain extent, but most of them cannot balance the precision and recall. To address this problem, a novel two-step query expansion approach is proposed based on query recommendation and query interpretation. First, a probabilistic recommendation algorithm is put forward by constructing a term similarity matrix and Viterbi model. Second, by using the translation algorithm of triples and construction algorithm of query subgraphs, query keywords are translated to query subgraphs with structural and semantic information. Finally, experimental results on a real-world dataset demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a steady-state power distribution derivation method for voltage source converter (VSC)-based multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) systems and dc grids under mixed power/voltage (P/V) and current/voltage (I/V) droop control. P/V and I/V droop control are two commonly used control schemes, which can be combined to achieve co-regulation of powers & currents in MTDC systems and dc grids. The proposed method can be used to estimate the power distributions under different scenarios for MTDC systems and dc grids based on VSCs with mixed P/V and I/V droop control. After determining the initial operating point based on an estimation-correction algorithm, redistributed power due to power disturbances, current changes or converter outages is analyzed in detail considering converter overload. An excess power reduction strategy is further proposed to avoid violation of power limits after converter outage. The accuracy of the proposed method is validated through multiple scenarios in a modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based four-terminal dc grid. The comparison between the proposed method and other approaches in the current literature further demonstrates the advantages of proposed power distribution derivation method. • Determination of initial operating point for mixed P/V and I/V droop control by proposed estimation-correction algorithm. • Derivation of power redistribution after dc power/ current reference changes and converter outages. • Consideration of possible converter overloads caused by different system disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An extensive and systematic theoretical investigation of the CO 2 chemisorption and dissociation on flat and stepped transition metal surfaces is presented. • The chemisorption of CO 2 and its dissociation are greatly affected by electronic structure of the transition metals. • The CO 2 binding strength and activation barrier of transition metal catalysts are significantly enhanced at defect sites, such as steps on the surfaces. • The scaling relationships can be used to predict the effectiveness of catalysts for similar chemical reactions. As a promising and practical way to decrease CO 2 emissions, the conversion of CO 2 to value-added chemicals has received significant recent attention. The activation of CO 2 on catalyst surfaces might proceed via a chemisorption state with a bent CO 2 configuration, in which substrate electrons are transferred into the antibonding orbital of the CO 2 adsorbate. Based on density functional theory calculations, we present an extensive survey of CO 2 chemisorption and dissociation on flat and stepped surfaces of several transition metals. The binding energy of chemisorbed CO 2 is closely correlated with the extent of electron transfer from the metal to CO 2 , as evidenced by a linear relationship found between the CO 2 adsorption energy and its Bader charge. Transition state scaling (TSS) correlations between binding energies of transition states and binding energies of either initial or final states are found to exist for the dissociation of the chemisorbed CO 2 on flat and stepped surfaces, which can be used to predict the efficacies of the catalysts. Our results show that defect sites at stepped surfaces have a strong influence on CO 2 chemical activation and dissociation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two chromium chalcogenide Cs[Cr(en)2GeSe4] (1) and Cs[Cr(en)2SnSe4] (2) have been synthesized by a solvothermal method. Both compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group P21/n. The structures of the two compounds are characterized by isolated [Cr(en)2MSe4]− clusters separated by Cs+ ions. The optical properties of the two compounds were measured which indicate a similar band gap of 1.58 eV. DFT calculations demonstrated that the valance band maximum (VBM) consist of Cr 3d orbitals and Se 4p orbitals while the conductive band minimum (CBM) are composed of Cr 3d orbitals for both compounds, which explains their similar optical band gap energies. Both compounds possess paramagnetic behaviors with the effective magnetic moment of 3.97μB for Cs[Cr(en)2GeSe4] and 3.91μB for Cs[Cr(en)2SnSe4], respectively. Field-dependent magnetization measurements demonstrated their potential as magnetocaloric materials, with the magnetic entropy change of 11.6 J (kg K)−1 for Cs[Cr(en)2GeSe4], and 14.2 J (kg K)−1 for Cs[Cr(en)2SnSe4]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layer-structured materials have shown great promise in photocatalytic applications. The criteria for effective design and selection of superior layered photocatalysts according to their crystal structures are extremely important. Herein, a series of layered perovskites MLa2Ti3O10 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) and K2xCa1−xLa2Ti3O10 (x = 0.05, 0.11, 0.25) were prepared by an ion-exchange approach from K2La2Ti3O10. Their photocatalytic properties were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO) and phenol and by photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Their catalytic activities were significantly improved compared to K2La2Ti3O10, in the order Ca ＞ Sr ＞ Ba ＞ K for both organic pollutant degradation and H2 evolution. The optimized composition of K2xCa1−xLa2Ti3O10 with x = 0.11 shows an increase of four times in photocatalytic efficiency in comparison to pristine K2La2Ti3O10. The underlying mechanism of the improved performance is discussed in detail in terms of the packing factor model, which demonstrates that a more open structure with a lower packing factor possesses higher photocatalytic activity in the layered perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graph convolutional neural networks (GCNs) introduced the idea of convolution into graph neural networks. It has been widely used in graph data processing in recent years. However, the current GCNs framework is not suitable for the task of handling complex relational graphs. For example, in node classification, too much dependence on node features leads to an over-smoothing phenomenon and high similarity between nodes, which affects the effect of node classification. To address this issue, we provide a new multi-channel attention graph convolutional neural network for node classification called SM-GCN. We have improved the accuracy of node classification through the following two aspects of work. (1) Alleviating the problem of over-reliance on a single feature by learning node features and topological structure node embeddings and applying both combinations. (2) Alleviating the over-smoothing by introducing scattering embeddings of topological structures to achieve band-pass filtering of different signals. Then, use the attention mechanism to apply the critical weights of embedding. Extensive experimental results on multiple datasets based on performance metrics demonstrate that the proposed method has superiority in improving the accuracy from 1 to 10% compared with the cutting-edge method and provides a novel scenario for the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer-aided design has been widely used in structural calculation and analysis, but there are still challenges in generating innovative structures intelligently. Aiming at this issue, a new method was proposed to realize the intelligent generation of innovative structures based on topology optimization and deep learning. Firstly, a large number of structural models obtained from topology optimization under different optimization parameters were extracted to produce the training set images, and the training set labels were defined as the corresponding load cases. Then, the boundary equilibrium generative adversarial networks (BEGAN) deep learning algorithm was applied to generate numerous innovative structures. Finally, the generated structures were evaluated by a series of evaluation indexes, including innovation, aesthetics, machinability, and mechanical performance. Combined with two engineering cases, the application process of the above method is described here in detail. Furthermore, the 3D reconstruction and additive manufacturing techniques were applied to manufacture the structural models. The research results showed that the proposed approach of structural generation based on topology optimization and deep learning is feasible, and can not only generate innovative structures but also optimize the material consumption and mechanical performance further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Here, we are going to report a simple, low-cost and environmental friendly process to prepare catenulate flowery iron (Fe). Magnetite (FeFe2O4) with similar 3D morphology is gained at room temperature for the first time by aging of iron in water. The saturation magnetizations of these two products are totally high, which are 121.59emu/g for Fe and 90.2emu/g for FeFe2O4. It is not usual for Fe3O4 with lamellar structure because magnetic saturation for well defined Fe3O4 single crystals is 92emu/g. Because of the special appearance with large surface area, adsorption experiments of organic dye, sulfonamide and heavy metal ions are carried out in synthetic wastewater. Adsorption rate of two magnetic samples—iron and magnetite—can achieve more than 98% in 5min. It is worthy to note that, in adsorption experiment of CrVI, the adsorption rate of Fe can achieve 100% in 5min. The equilibrium times of all productions can be controlled in a short span of 30min. Achieve high performance of adsorption in a short time, which perform a great advantage in water treatment applications of such materials. Finally, regeneration experiments of FeFe2O4 which adsorbed Congo red show that the as prepared sample can be well-regenerated, and after regeneration, the magnetic adsorbents can still show more than 97.6% adsorption capacity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fe3O4 spheres with loose structure assembled by nanospheres with diameters around 50nm are synthesized via a facile one-pot solvothermal method. Series of Fe3O4 morphologies are obtained by controlling the concentration of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The saturation magnetization of Fe3O4 nanospheres is about 87.3emu/g. Adsorption ability and mechanism of all samples are investigated. Experiments demonstrate that adsorption capacity is closely related with the double impacts of electrostatic interactions and specific surface area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The transmission of normally incident plane wave through an array of subwavelength metallic slits curved with perpendicular waveguides has been explored. Two-dimensional electromagnetic fields inside and near the metal film are simulated by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The perpendicular waveguides in the middle of slits affect the modes of slits in two different manners: commonly, the extended length of the waveguides leads to the increase of the resonant wavelength; shifting the waveguides location along the vertical slits, red or blue shift of resonant wavelengths can be achieved, however to some confirmed length of the perpendicular waveguides, there is the only one resonant wavelength. In addition, a new explanation model is proposed in which the resonance is ascribed to three reasons: the Fabry–Perot cavity theory, the surface current flow, and the surface charges. All the calculated results are well explained by our proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) and cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are common complications following thoracic surgery, particularly in patients aged 65 years and above. These complications can significantly affect recovery and increase healthcare costs. This study investigates the effects of low-dose S-ketamine on reducing POD and POCD in this patient demographic. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, medical records of patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent elective thoracic surgery from January 2019 to August 2023 were reviewed. Patients were categorized into S-ketamine and Control groups based on intraoperative S-ketamine exposure. POD was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), while cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months post-surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative parameters, including hemodynamic stability, blood loss, pain scores, and ICU stay length, were also recorded. Results: The study comprised 140 participants, with 70 in each group. The S-ketamine group demonstrated a significantly lower incidence of POD at 7 days post-surgery (12.0% vs. 26.7%, P < 0.001), and reduced POCD at 1 month (18.7% vs. 36.0%, P < 0.05) and 6 months (10.7% vs. 21.3%, P < 0.05). The Ketamine group had a significantly higher median MoCA score compared to the Control group both at 1 month (P = 0.021) and 6 months (P = 0.007). Adverse events, such as infection, bleeding, and respiratory failure, showed no significant differences between the groups, suggesting a safe profile for S-ketamine. Conclusion: Administering low-dose S-ketamine during thoracic surgery in patients aged 65 years and above significantly reduces the incidence of POD and POCD, highlighting its neuroprotective potential. These findings advocate for the inclusion of S-ketamine in anesthetic protocols to improve postoperative outcomes and reduce healthcare costs in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug relapse can be mainly ascribed to the retrieval of drug withdrawal memory induced by conditioned context. Previous studies have shown that the central nucleus of the amygdala lateral division (CeL) could be activated by conditioned context. However, what source of input that activates the CeL during conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine-withdrawal memory remains unknown. In this study, using retrograde labeling, immunohistochemistry, local microinjection and chemogenetic technologies, we found that (1) Conditioned context induced an activation of the CeL and the inhibition of the CeL inhibited the context-induced retrieval of morphine-withdrawal memory; (2) the inhibition of the paraventricular nucleus of thalamus (PVT) or PVT-CeL projection neurons caused an attenuation of the activation of the CeL by conditioned context and conditioned place aversion (CPA); (3) the inhibition of the locus coeruleus (LC) or LC-CeL projection neurons decreased the activation of the CeL by conditioned context and CPA. These results suggest that the CeL is necessary for conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine-withdrawal memory and inputs from PVT and LC contribute to the activation of the CeL during context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. • CeL plays an important role in conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine-withdrawal memory • PVT is an upstream brain region activating CeL during conditioned context-induced retrieval of morphine-withdrawal memory • LC is another upstream brain region of the activation of CeL which plays the same role as PVT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the characteristics of different types of users in hybrid carsharing systems, in which sharing autonomous vehicles (SAVs) and conventional sharing cars (CSCs) coexist, a tailored pricing strategy (TPS) is proposed to maximize the operator's profit and minimize all users' costs. The fleet sizes and sizes of SAVs' stations are also determined simultaneously. A bi-objective nonlinear programming model is established, and a genetic algorithm is applied to solve it. Based on the operational data in Lanzhou, China, carsharing users are clustered into three types. They are loyal users, losing users, and potential users, respectively. Results show the application of the TPS can help the operator increase profit and attract more users. The loyal users are assigned the highest price, while they still contribute the most to the operator's profit with the highest number of carsharing trips. The losing users and potential users are comparable in terms of the number of trips, while the latter still makes more profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation is a complex process influenced by various molecular mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contributions of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and complement component 1, q subcomponent-like 3 (C1QL3), a secreted and presynaptically targeted protein, to the formation of chronic morphine (repeat dosing of morphine) withdrawal memory using conditioned place aversion (CPA) and chemogenetic methods. We conducted experiments involving the inhibition of the BLA during naloxone-induced withdrawal to assess its impact on CPA scores, providing insights into the significance of the BLA in the chronic morphine memory formation process. We also examined changes in C1ql3 /C1QL3 expression within the BLA following conditioning. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the colocalization of C1QL3 and the G protein-coupled receptor, brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 3 (BAI3) in the BLA, supporting their involvement in synaptic development. Moreover, we downregulated C1QL3 expression in the BLA to investigate its role in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Our findings revealed that BLA inhibition during naloxone-induced withdrawal led to a significant reduction in CPA scores, confirming the critical role of the BLA in this memory process. Additionally, the upregulation of C1ql3 expression within the BLA postconditioning suggested its participation in withdrawal memory formation. The colocalization of C1QL3 and BAI3 in the BLA further supported their involvement in synaptic development. Furthermore, downregulation of C1QL3 in the BLA effectively hindered chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation, emphasizing its pivotal role in this process. Notably, we identified postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) as a potential downstream effector of C1QL3 during chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Blocking PSD95 led to a significant reduction in the CPA score, and it appeared that C1QL3 modulated the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PSD95, resulting in decreased PSD95 protein levels. This study underscores the importance of the BLA, C1QL3 and PSD95 in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. It provides valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms, emphasizing their significance in this intricate process. • BLA inhibition reduces chronic morphine withdrawal memory conditioned place aversion scores. • Downregulation of C1QL3 in the BLA hinders chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. • PSD95 was identified as a downstream effector of C1QL3, influencing chronic morphine withdrawal memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of surface characteristics in rural areas poses challenges for accurate extraction of built-up areas from remote sensing images. The Artificial Surface Index (ASI) emerged as a novel and accurate built-up land index. However, the absence of short-wave infrared (SWIR) bands in most high-resolution (HR) images restricts the application of index-based methods in rural built-up land extraction. This paper presents a rapid extraction method for high-resolution built-up land in rural areas based on ASI. Through the downscaling techniques of random forest (RF) regression, high-resolution SWIR bands were generated. They were then combined with visible and near-infrared (VNIR) bands to compute ASI on GaoFen-2 (GF-2) images (called A S I G F ). Furthermore, a red roof index (RRI) was designed to reduce the probability of misclassifying built-up land with bare soil. The results demonstrated that SWIR downscaling effectively compensates for multispectral information absence in HR imagery and expands the applicability of index-based methods to HR remote sensing data. Compared with five other indices (UI, BFLEI, NDBI, BCI, and PISI), the combination of ASI and RRI achieved the optimal performance in built-up land enhancement and bare land suppression, particularly showcasing superior performance in rural built-up land extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) have been shown to be potentially closely related, but the relationship between these conditions, particularly the possibility of a causal link, is not fully understood. This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the causal relationship between these two disorders. Methods: We extracted genome-wide association study data sets for GERD and CRS from publicly available gene summaries, and used MR to conduct a causal inference analysis. The main robustness test used in this study included MR-Egger regression, a leave-one-out sensitivity test, and multivariate MR (MVMR). Results: GERD increased the risk of developing CRS by 36%, based on the inverse-variance weighted method, a statistically significant association (odds ratio [OR] 1.360, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.179–1.568, P < 0.001). Other MR assessment methods, such as weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode, similarly observed a significant increase in the risk of CRS occurrence (OR 1.434, 95% CI 1.186–1.734, P < 0.001; OR 1.927, 95% CI 1.166–3.184, P = 0.013; and OR 1.910, 95% CI 1.222–2.983, P = 0.006, respectively). No significant bias was found in the heterogeneity or pleiotropy tests (P = 0.071 and P = 0.700, respectively). Even after excluding possible mediators using MVMR, GERD appeared to significantly increase the risk of developing CRS (OR 1.013, 95% CI 1.008–1.023, P = 0.002). Conclusions: This study provides new, significant evidence that GERD is genetically associated with a higher incidence rate of CRS. However, further research is needed to elucidate the potential underlying biological mechanisms of this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaporin‐4 is a transmembrane water channel protein, the C‐terminal domain of which is facing the cytosol. In the process of investigating the role of the C‐terminal domain of aquaporin‐4 with regard to intracellular trafficking, we observed that a derivative of aquaporin‐4, in which the C‐terminal 53 amino acids had been removed (Δ271‐323), was localized to intracellular compartments, including the endoplasmic reticulum, but was not expressed on the plasma membranes. This was determined by immunofluorescence staining and labeling of the cells with monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing the extracellular domain of aquaporin‐4, followed by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Deletion of additional amino acids in the C‐terminal domain of aquaporin‐4 led to its redistribution to the plasma membrane. This suggests that the effect of the 53‐amino acid deletion on the subcellular localization of aquaporin‐4 could be attributed to the formation of a signal at the C terminus that retained aquaporin‐4 in intracellular compartments, rather than the loss of a signal required for plasma membrane targeting. Substitution of the lysine at position 268 with alanine could rescue the Δ271‐323‐associated retention in the cytosol, suggesting that the C‐terminal sequence of the mutant served as a signal similar to a di‐lysine motif. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), necessitated the development of point-of-care (POC) systems for rapid and widespread population screening. Current POC systems, based on reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) methods, are unable to perform RNA target multiplexing, which is crucial for specific viral strain identification. This study presents a compact qPCR system capable of dual fluorescence channel gene multiplexing by simultaneously detecting two targets of the SARS-CoV-2 virus using 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM)- and TxRed-labeled probes. The device measures (110 × 83 × 41) mm3 and weighs 210 gm. It features four virtual reaction chambers, a thermal cycle system, a real-time optical signal detection module, a USB interface, and a Bluetooth wireless data transmission module. Moreover, it can perform single fluorescent channel detection of PCR using intercalating dye, followed by a melting curve analysis and loop-mediated isothermal amplification. The proposed compact dual-color qPCR device significantly broadens its potential for POC applications, such as diagnostics or field testing, molecular biology, microfluidics, and virus detection. • Our device is the smallest dual-color qPCR detector to date • The device is capable of processing four samples a time, each with two color PCR multiplexing • We demonstrated the device to perform detection gene E and N from SARS-CoV-2 • The device can also perform single color measurement using intercalating dye as well as RT-LAMP [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although ventricular capture during the atrial threshold test is possible, there are rare reports on the insulation defect and inactive leads thereof. In this case, we present a pacemaker‐dependent patient with a history of pacemaker generator replacements. The patient experienced ventricular capture induced by atrial pacing due to adhesion of the atrial and ventricular leads with an insulation defect. The atrial lead was abandoned and a new lead was implanted. However, there was a significant decrease in ventricular impedance detected shortly after the new lead was implanted. When observing the phenomenon of atrial pacing‐induced ventricular depolarization, one uncommon reason to consider is lead adhesive wear. It is important to pay attention to the contact and bending sites of the leads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation therapy is the standard treatment for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but relapse occurs in 10% to 20% of patients. The treatment of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (rNPC) remains challenging. Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)-T-cell therapy has achieved good outcomes in the treatment of leukemia and seems to be a promising therapeutic strategy for solid tumors. c-Met has been found to be highly expressed in multiple cancer types, and the activation of c-Met leads to the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. However, the expression of c-Met in rNPC tissues and whether it can be used as a target for CAR-T therapy in rNPC remain to be investigated. We detected the expression of c-Met in 24 primary human rNPC tissues and three NPC cell lines and constructed two different antibody-derived anti-c-Met CARs, namely, Ab928z and Ab1028z. To estimate the function of these two different c-Met-targeted CAR-T cells, CD69 expression, cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion of CAR-T cells were assessed after coculture with target cells. A cell line-derived xenograft mouse model also was used to evaluate these two anti-c-Met CAR-T cells. Furthermore, we determined whether combination with an anti-EGFR antibody could promote the antitumor effect of CAR-T cells in a patient-derived xenograft mouse model. High c-Met expression was detected in 23 of 24 primary human rNPC tissues by immunohistochemistry staining and in three NPC cell lines by flow cytometry. Ab928z-T cells and Ab1028z-T cells showed significantly upregulated expression of CD69 after coculture with targeted cells. However, Ab1028z-T cells showed superior cytokine secretion and antitumor activity. Furthermore, Ab1028z-T cells effectively suppressed tumor growth compared with control CAR-T cells, and the combination with nimotuzumab further enhanced the tumor-clearing ability of Ab1028z-T cells. We found that c-Met is highly expressed in rNPC tissues and confirmed its potential as a CAR-T target for rNPC. Our study provides a new idea for the clinical treatment of rNPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) is a promising technology for high salinity wastewater treatment. One of the key issues in VMD research is improving the antifouling performance of the hydrophobic porous membrane under proper interface modification theory and approach. In this work, the polypropylene (PP) composite membrane coated with SiO 2 nanoparticles and fluorinated modification was fabricated to simultaneously enhance the interface roughness and superhydrophobicity. The fabricated superhydrophobic PP membrane was then applied to treat highly concentrated NaCl (15 wt%)/MgCl 2 (from 3 to 9 wt %) saline solution in VMD process under various flow conditions. The model concerning the surface roughness and surface nucleation free energy was constructed to predict the influence of membrane surface structure on potential anti-fouling and anti-wetting properties. Classical heterogeneous nucleation theory was introduced to illuminate the improved performance of developed membrane with targeted surface morphology on inhibiting the initial interfacial nucleation process. The experimental results illustrated the fabricated superhydrophobic PP membrane exhibited unique anti-fouling and anti-wetting abilities, as well as extremely stable permeating flux even under low feed rate and highly concentrated salt solution system during the continuous operation. In addition, it was also indicated that sodium ion and magnesium ion with distinct features in the structure of water-ion solution system had the potential impact on the permeate flux decline and concentration polarization effect, which was helpful for further improving the stability and durability of this series modified membrane when treating the high concentrated multiple solution system. Highlights • Superhydrophobic PP membrane with modified antifouling interface is fabricated for VMD application. • Classical nucleation theory was introduced to illuminate the inhibiting nucleation mechanism of the membrane with targeted surface structure. • Fabricated membrane exhibited unique antiwetting and antifouling abilities when treating highly concentrated multiple saline water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Zein-hyaluronic acid binary complexes were fabricated by antisolvent coprecipitation. • Physicochemical and structural property of complexes were dependent on mass ratio. • Complex showed 2 types of microstructures: nanoparticle and particle-filled microgel. • Complex could encapsulate quercetagetin with high encapsulation efficiency (93.56%). • Quercetagetin-loaded complex exhibited anti-thermal degradation and control-release. Abstract The antisolvent coprecipitation method was utilized for fabricating the zein and hyaluronic acid complex at different mass ratios (100:5, 100:10, 100:15, 100:20, 100:25 and 100:30). Results showed that negatively charged zein-hyaluronic acid complex with small size (181.5 nm) was formed through the driving force of electrostatic attraction, followed by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic effects. The incorporation of hyaluronic acid led to conformational change of zein, and improved its physical and thermal stability. Native hyaluronic acid showed a three-dimensional network structure, while zein-hyaluronic acid binary complex exhibited two different microstructures, including nanoparticles (zein: hyaluronic acid, above 100:20) and particle-filled-microgel (zein: hyaluronic acid, below 100:20). In addition, zein-hyaluronic acid complex was designed as a new delivery vehicle to anti- thermal degradation and control release of quercetagetin. These findings indicated that zein-hyaluronic acid complex would be a useful and promising delivery vehicle for embedding and protecting bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative prediction of severe cholecystitis (SC), including acute gangrenous cholecystitis (AGC) and acute purulent cholecystitis (APC), as opposed to acute exacerbation of chronic cholecystitis (ACC), is of great significance, as SC is associated with high mortality rate.Methods: In this study, we retrospectively investigated medical records of 114 cholecystitis patients, treated in Shanghai No. 6 People's Hospital from February 2009 to July 2020. Gallbladder wall thickness (GBWT), indexes of blood routine examination, including white blood cell (WBC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), the percentage of neutrophil, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), fibrinogen (FIB), gamma-glutamyl transferase, prothrombin time and total bilirubin were evaluated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate significant differences between a certain kind of SC and ACC to select a prediction index for each kind of SC. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to identify the prediction effectiveness of these indexes and their optimal cut-off values.Results: Higher WBC and lower ALP were associated with AGC diagnosis (P < 0.05). Higher percentage of neutrophils was indicative of APC and AGC, while higher GBWT was significantly associated with APC diagnosis (P < 0.05) The optimal cut-off values for these indexes were established at 11.1*109/L (OR: 5.333, 95% CI 2.576-10.68, P < 0.0001, sensitivity: 72.73%, specificity: 66.67%), 79.75% (OR: 5.735, 95% CI 2.749-12.05, P < 0.0001, sensitivity: 77.92%, specificity: 61.9%) and 5.5 mm (OR: 22, 95% CI 4.757-83.42, P < 0.0001, sensitivity: 78.57%, specificity: 85.71%), respectively.Conclusion: We established a predictive model for the differentiations of APC and AGC from ACC using clinical indexes, such as GBWT, the percentage of neutrophil and WBC, and determined cut-off values for these indexes based on ROC curves. Index values exceeding these cut-off values will allow to diagnose patients as APC and AGC, as opposed to a diagnosis of ACC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) dissolution is a critical process for the transformation and toxicity of ZnO NPs in aquatic environments. However, the effect of microplastics (MPs) on dissolution and toxicity of ZnO NPs under sunlight irradiation is still lacking. Herein, the dramatic increase in sunlight-induced ZnO NPs dissolution by polystyrene (PS) MPs was proven, which was attributed to the increase in h+-dependent and proton-dependent ZnO NPs dissolution by PS MPs, yielding 1O 2 generation inhibition and acid release, respectively. The sizes, functional groups and aging status of PS MPs and pH were characteristic ZnO NPs dissolution through modifying 1O 2 , •OH and O 2 •− generation and acid release. Furthermore, the ZnO NPs dissolution affected by PS MPs also occurred in three realistic water samples, which were mainly governed by dissolved organic matter (DOM) and CO 3 2−, rather than Cl− or SO 4 2−. The PS MPs (1 μg/mL) dramatically altered the Zn2+:ZnO ratio in ZnO NPs suspension after 96 h of sunlight irradiation and presented vehicle effects on Zn2+, which in turn significantly increased the ion-related toxicity of ZnO NPs to Daphnia magna. Based on the PS MPs enhanced dissolution and toxicity of ZnO NPs, the effects of PS MPs on the environmental risk assessment of ZnO NPs should be seriously considered in freshwater environments under sunlight irradiation. [Display omitted] • PS MPs promote sunlight-induced ZnO NPs dissolution. • PS MPs modify ZnO NPs dissolutions in natural waters. • PS MPs increase the Zn2+:ZnO ratio. • PS MPs enhance ions-rated toxicity of ZnO NPs. • PS MPs present vehicle effects on Zn2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consistency problem caused by the uncertainties in manufacturing process is a significant factor influencing the quality of electromagnetic device (EMD). The foundation of quality analysis and consistency optimization is the substantial calculation for the input-output characteristics of the product. As for EMD, the interaction of electricity, magnetism (permanent magnetism), and dynamics make the calculation quite complicated. At present, finite-element method (FEM) is a common method for calculating the output characteristics of EMD. However, FEM takes too much time for calculating, it is difficult to be applied for the quality analysis and consistency design of EMD that requires substantial calculation. In this paper, a new approach for the quality analysis and consistency design of EMD based on the approximate model has been proposed. First, the approximate model for calculating the EMD output characteristics is established on the basis of FEM simulation results. Second, using the approximate model, the quality analysis of batch products is conducted with Monte Carlo method. Finally, the optimal design for consistency is carried out with robust tolerance design method. The effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper is verified by the case study of a certain type of electromagnetic relay with permanent magnet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an analytical method with lumped parameters, the magnetic equivalent circuit method is usually constrained by its incapability of flux leakage and magnetic saturation compared with finite element (FE) method. We propose a new approach introducing compensation matrix Cm\times n to combine both methods. It requires a certain number of feature points by FE to compensate flux leakage at different positions and saturation extents at different coil currents, result precision within 5% and only second time consumed. Then, the approach is applied in dynamic modeling, design refinement, and performance optimization, where repetitive calculation of electromagnetic character is needed, and the results indicate the feasibility of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new intelligent method is formed by combining the novel idea with BP-PSO neural network. • This method can solve the previously unsolvable shape-finding problem of tree-like structures. • This method displays the universality, efficiency and intelligence in shape-finding process. With the rapid development of machine learning (ML), it is regarded as an effective approach for the shape-finding method of tree-like structures, for optimizing their structural forms. Considering that the existing shape-finding methods are do not easily solve the shape-finding problem of tree-like structures under a non-uniform load or supporting an irregular surface roof, the combination of a shape-finding concept and ML opens a new direction for shape-finding design. This paper presents a novel ML approach by combining a new shape-finding concept with a backpropagation and particle swarm optimization neural network. The core concept is to locate the load-bearing centre of each shape-finding unit by executing a positioning program, which finds the coordinates of the optimized nodes to achieve shape-finding design. Taking a tree-like structure with bottom two-bifurcate and upper four-bifurcate types as a shape-finding example, this paper elaborates the ML shape-finding method and specific steps in detail. Moreover, different shape-finding cases are analysed and compared with the inverse-hang recursive method. Results show that the ML shape-finding method can not only solve the unsolvable problem of shape-finding design of tree-like structures under a non-uniform load or supporting an irregular surface roof but also has higher efficiency than the compared method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this contribution, we compare the adsorption capacity of different MFe2O4 (M=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) ferrite nanocrystals synthesized by hydrothermal method for Congo red (CR). It is the first time to give a comprehensive comparison and analysis of the adsorption capacity of ferrite nanocrystals with spinel structure for CR. Research indicates that the cations distribution of MFe2O4 ferrites is the most important factor to decide their adsorption capacity. Electrostatic absorption was conceived as the main adsorption mechanism. Meanwhile, the MFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibited a clearly ferromagnetic behavior under applied magnetic field, which allowed their high-efficient magnetic separation from wastewater. Furthermore, acetone is an effective desorption agent for desorption of MFe2O4 nanoparticles loaded by CR. All of the spinel ferrite nanocrystals possess good soft-magnetism, especially, CoFe2O4 nanocrystals exhibit a higher saturation magnetization of 86.1emug−1 as well as the outstanding adsorption capacity for CR. By the calculation of Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity of CoFe2O4 for CR is 244.5mgg−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This investigation was to increase the adsorption capacity of magnetite for Congo red (CR) by adulterating a small quantity of La3+ ions into it. The adsorption capability of nanocrystalline Fe3−x La x O4 (x =0, 0.01, 0.05, 0.10) ferrite to remove CR from aqueous solution was evaluated carefully. Compared with undoped magnetite, the adsorption values were increased from 37.4 to 79.1mgg−1. The experimental results prove that it is effectual to increase the adsorption capacity of magnetite by doped La3+ ions. Among the La3+-doped magnetite, Fe2.95La0.05O4 nanoparticles exhibit the highest saturation magnetization and the maximum adsorption capability. The desorption ability of La3+-doped magnetite nanoparticles loaded by CR can reach 92% after the treatment of acetone. Furthermore, the Fe3−x La x O4 nanoparticles exhibited a clearly ferromagnetic behavior under applied magnetic field, which allowed their high-efficient magnetic separation from wastewater. It is found that high magnetism facilitates to improve their adsorption capacity for the similar products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Compared with lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries possess the advantages of low cost and high energy density. The research and development of the positive, negative and electrolyte materials of sodium-ion batteries is of great significance to develop sodium-ion energy storage devices. The sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) with a stoichiometric ratio of Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 (NSP) has a variety of crystal types, namely α-, β- and γ-phase. Different crystal structures exhibit different ion transport characteristics, resulting in the varied ionic conductivity and other electrochemical performance. The effect of different crystalline-type Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 (α-Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 , β-Na 3.5 Sc 2 P 2.5 Si 0.5 O 12 and γ-Na 4 Sc 2 P 2 SiO 12) fillers on gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) was investigated in detail. Due to the difference in the adsorption capacity of the gel electrolyte added three types of crystalline-type fillers and the difference in the conductivity of fillers, the composite gel electrolytes exhibited various performances. The optimal gel electrolyte with 7 ​% γ-Na 4 Sc 2 P 2 SiO 12 filler delivers the optimal conductivity as high as 2.783 ​× ​10−3 ​S ​cm−1. The optimal performance of Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C| GPE |Na cell shows that the first discharge specific capacity was 92.3 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention rate of 98.18% after 100 cycles. Different crystalline-type sodium conductive filler (α-Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 , β-Na 3.5 Sc 2 P 2.5 Si 0.5 O 12 and γ-Na 4 Sc 2 P 2 SiO 12) modified GPEs membranes with enhanced ionic conductivity were fabricated and the application performances in sodium ions batteries (SIBs) were demonstrated. [Display omitted] • Sodium conductive Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 filler with three types of crystal phases modified GPEs were fabricated. • Ionic conductivity of GPEs was enhanced with the presence of Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 filler. • Na 3 Sc 2 P 3 O 12 filler decreased the crystallinity and enlarged the porosity of GPEs. • GPEs membranes delivered competitive electrochemical performances applied in SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites possess unique atomic and electronic configurations that endow them with high defect tolerance and enable high-performance photovoltaics and optoelectronics. Perovskite light-emitting diodes have achieved an external quantum efficiency of over 20%. Despite tremendous progress, fundamental questions remain, such as how structural distortion affects the optical properties. Addressing their relationships is considerably challenging due to the scarcity of effective diagnostic tools during structural and property tuning as well as the limited tunability achievable by conventional methods. Here, using pressure and chemical methods to regulate the metal off-centering distortion, we demonstrate the giant tunability of photoluminescence (PL) in both the intensity (>20 times) and wavelength (>180 nm/GPa) in the highly distorted halide perovskites [CH3NH3GeI3, HC(NH2)2GeI3, and CsGeI3]. Using advanced in situ high-pressure probes and first-principles calculations, we quantitatively reveal a universal relationship whereby regulating the level of off-centering distortion towards 0.2 leads to the best PL performance in the halide perovskites. By applying this principle, intense PL can still be induced by substituting CH3NH3+ with Cs+ to control the distortion in (CH3NH3)1-xCsxGeI3, where the chemical substitution plays a similar role as external pressure. The compression of a fully substituted sample of CsGeI3 further tunes the distortion to the optimal value at 0.7 GPa, which maximizes the emission with a 10-fold enhancement. This work not only demonstrates a quantitative relationship between structural distortion and PL property of the halide perovskites but also illustrates the use of knowledge gained from high-pressure research to achieve the desired properties by ambient methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have known for over 200 years that hydrogen undergoes rapid oxidation to water on Pt catalysts; yet the reaction mechanism remains unclear. Here, we report high temporal resolution measurements of the production rate of H2O from hydrogen oxidation catalysed by a Pt (111) single crystal surface with a known concentration of adsorbed oxygen atoms and a step density of approximately 0.002 ML. We obtain two rate constants describing the rise, and fall of the reaction rate between 350 and 470 K and compare our observations to modern ab initio predictions of the reaction rates in surface chemistry. Remarkably, a mechanism based on a standard set of elementary reaction steps with energies and barrier heights obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT), predicts a rate that is four orders of magnitude smaller than observed experimentally. Furthermore, the theoretically predicted reaction rate follows first-order kinetics, whereas the experimental observations clearly show a second-order reaction. The theoretical predictions are robust – six different exchange–correlation functionals lead to similar predictions. We suggest that the reason for these disagreements is that the active sites of the catalyst and the associated elementary reactions have, so far, not been properly identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional hybrid metal halides are emerging as a highly promising class of single‐component white‐emitting materials for their unique broadband emission from self‐trapped excitons (STEs). Despite substantial progress in the development of these metal halides, many challenges remain to be addressed to obtain a better fundamental understanding of the structure–property relationship and realize the full potentials of this class of materials. Here, via pressure regulation, a near 100% photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of broadband emission is achieved in a corrugated 1D hybrid metal halide C5N2H16Pb2Br6, which possesses a highly distorted structure with an initial PLQY of 10%. Compression reduces the overlap between STE states and ground state, leading to a suppressed phonon‐assisted non‐radiative decay. The PL evolution is systematically demonstrated to be controlled by the pressure‐regulated exciton–phonon coupling which can be quantified using Huang–Rhys factor S. Detailed studies of the S‐PLQY relation for a series of 1D hybrid metal halides (C5N2H16Pb2Br6, C4N2H14PbBr4, C6N2H16PbBr4, and (C6N2H16)3Pb2Br10) reveal a quantitative structure–property relationship that regulating S factor toward 28 leads to the maximum emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous individual studies have investigated the diagnostic value of EBV-DNA, EA-IgA, VCA-IgA, EBNA1-IgA and Rta-IgG detection for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the conclusions remain controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the value of EBV-DNA, EA-IgA, VCA-IgA, EBNA1-IgA and Rta-IgG detection in the diagnosis of NPC. Methods: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019145532. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Chinese data libraries (Wanfang, CNKI, and CBM) were searched up to January 2019. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood, negative likelihood, and diagnostic odds ratios were conducted in this meta-analysis. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves evaluated the test-performance global summary. Publication bias was examined by Deek's funnel plot asymmetry test. Results: Forty-seven studies with 8382 NPC patients (NPC group) and 15,089 individuals without NPC (Control group) were included in this meta-analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood (+ LR), negative likelihood (-LR), DOR and AUC of EBV-DNA in diagnosis of NPC were: 0.76 (95% CI 0.73–0.77), 0.96 (95% CI 0.95–0.97), 14.66 (95% CI 9.97–21.55), 0.19 (95% CI 0.13–0.28), 84 (95% CI 50.45–139.88), 0.96 (SE: 0.001), and 0.55 (95% CI 0.54–0.57), 0.96 (95% CI 0.96–0.97), 12.91 (95% CI 9.55–17.45), 0.35 (95% CI 0.29–0.43), 39.57 (95% CI 26.44–59.23), 0.94 (SE: 0.002) for the EA-IgA, and 0.85 (95% CI 0.84–0.85), 0.89 (95% CI 0.88–0.89), 6.73 (95% CI5.38–8.43), 0.17 (95% CI 0.12–0.23), 43.03 (95% CI 31.51–58.76), 0.93 (SE: 0.007) for the VCA-IgA, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.85–0.88), 0.87 (95% CI 0.88–0.90), 7.55 (95% CI 5.79–9.87), 0.16 (95% CI 0.13–0.19), 50.95 (95% CI 34.35–75.57), 0.94 (SE: 0.008) for the EBNA1-IgA, and 0.70 (95% CI 0.69–0.71), 0.94 (95% CI 0.94–0.95), 9.84 (95% CI 8.40–11.54), 0.25 (95% CI 0.21–0.31), 40.59 (95% CI 32.09–51.35), 0.95 (SE: 0.005) for the Rta-IgG. The EBV-DNA had larger AUC compared with other EBV-based antibodies (P < 0.05), while the difference between EA-IgA, VCA-IgA, EBNA1-IgA and Rta-IgG was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions: EBV-DNA, VCA-IgA, EBNA1-IgA and Rta-IgG detection have high accuracy in early diagnosis NPC. In addition, EBV-DNA detection has the higher diagnosis accuracy in NPC. On the other hand, EA-IgA is suitable for the diagnosis but not NPC screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hydrocarbon generation by alkaline lacustrine source rocks involve multiple sources and stages. • Shale oil accumulation in saline lacustrine strata is continuous. • Saline lacustrine source rocks host integrated conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources. • Sequential extraction can constrain the entire history of hydrocarbon generation of source rock under geological conditions. Saline lacustrine fine-grained rocks are important hydrocarbon source rocks and host large shale oil accumulations worldwide. However, the specific process and mechanism of hydrocarbon generation and accumulation in such rocks are not clear. Sequential extraction is a method to chemically separate different hydrocarbon fractions in sedimentary rocks, commonly as free, adsorbed and retained hydrocarbons, and thus can theoretically record the entire process of hydrocarbon generation and accumulation. To test this hypothesis, here sequential extraction was carried out on source rock samples with varying maturities from the alkaline lacustrine strata of the Lower Permian Fengcheng Formation, Mahu Sag, Junggar Basin, northwest China. The 17β-ethylandrostane/C 29 -sterane ααα20R and tricyclic terpane/pentacyclic triterpane ratios vary with maturity. In contrast, some biomarker parameters are not significantly affected by thermal maturity, including pristane/phytane, β-carotane index (β-carotane/main peak n -alkane), sterane/hopane, 7-+8-methyl index (7-+8-monomethyl heptadecane/main peak n -alkane), and C 28 /C 29 regular sterane values, and can thus be used for oil–source rock correlations. The low-maturity source rocks have undergone one stage of hydrocarbon generation and associated shale oil accumulation, whereas source rocks with relatively high maturity have experienced multi-stage hydrocarbon generation and associated shale oil accumulation. In the early stages, cyanobacteria were the main bioprecursor to hydrocarbons and, with increasing maturity, Dunaliella gradually became the more important bioprecursor. Hydrocarbon generation by these alkaline lacustrine source rocks involved multiple sources and stages, which accounts for the abundant shale oil resources in the Mahu Sag with one-billion-ton reserves. This might be general for saline lacustrine source rocks worldwide, which can generate both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons in large scales. Compared with conventional thermal modeling to constrain the generation history of hydrocarbon source rocks, a unique advantage of sequential extraction is its ability to characterize the entire history of hydrocarbon generation under geological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A remarkable PL enhancement by 12 fold is achieved using pressure to modulate the structure of a recently developed 2D perovskite (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7 (HA=n‐hexylammonium, GA=guanidinium). This structure features a previously unattainable, extremely large cage. In situ structural, spectroscopic, and theoretical analyses reveal that lattice compression under a mild pressure within 1.6 GPa considerably suppresses the carrier trapping, leading to significantly enhanced emission. Further pressurization induces a non‐luminescent amorphous yellow phase, which is retained and exhibits a continuously increasing band gap during decompression. When the pressure is released to 1.5 GPa, emission can be triggered by above‐band gap laser irradiation, accompanied by a color change from yellow to orange. The obtained orange phase could be retained at ambient conditions and exhibits two‐fold higher PL emission compared with the pristine (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A remarkable PL enhancement by 12 fold is achieved using pressure to modulate the structure of a recently developed 2D perovskite (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7 (HA=n‐hexylammonium, GA=guanidinium). This structure features a previously unattainable, extremely large cage. In situ structural, spectroscopic, and theoretical analyses reveal that lattice compression under a mild pressure within 1.6 GPa considerably suppresses the carrier trapping, leading to significantly enhanced emission. Further pressurization induces a non‐luminescent amorphous yellow phase, which is retained and exhibits a continuously increasing band gap during decompression. When the pressure is released to 1.5 GPa, emission can be triggered by above‐band gap laser irradiation, accompanied by a color change from yellow to orange. The obtained orange phase could be retained at ambient conditions and exhibits two‐fold higher PL emission compared with the pristine (HA)2(GA)Pb2I7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sulfide-based conductors are one class of the most promising solid electrolytes for next-generation of all-solid-state batteries due to their advantages on high ionic conductivity and favorable mechanical properties of easy densification. Besides new material chemistry to be explored, understanding the pressure effect on structure and property is equally important from both fundamental and practical considerations, as pressure is one way to tune the properties of such solid electrolytes. Here we report the pressure-driven structural evolution and conductivity change of Na 3 SbS 4 solid electrolyte through the integration of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and in-situ experiments. Theoretical calculation predicts that no phase transition happens to tetragonal Na 3 SbS 4 under 10 GPa isotopically pressure. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman results confirm that Na 3 SbS 4 keeps stable tetragonal structure but shows anisotropic compressibility along different directions. After pressure release, the ionic conductivity of Na 3 SbS 4 increases by four folds to 1.6 mS cm−1, which is resulted from the dramatic decrease of grain boundary resistance. Highlights • Both theoretical calculation and in-situ high-pressure experiments are integrated. • Na 3 SbS 4 keeps tetragonal structure but show anisotropic compressibility. • The ionic conductivity of Na 3 SbS 4 increases to 1.6 mScm−1 after pressure treatment. • Decreased grain boundary resistance contributes to the increase of conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO 2 to value-added chemicals is a promising methodology to address both environmental and energy issues on the earth. Herein, a hollow heterojunction of CdS/V S -MoS 2 rich in S-vacancies (V S) was designed, synthesized and applied to the photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO 2. The different selectivity for products between inner and external surfaces of hollow catalysts were carefully investigated. The selectivity for C 2 chemicals on the inner surfaces is up to 67.0% due to the increased collision probability of the intermediates in the confined cavity. Therefore, the morphology is important to the selectivity of products in photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO 2. A new mechanism of SH-assisted CO 2 reduction was proven by DFT calculation and the important active species such as *OCHO, *CO 2 −, SH (active hydrogen atom trapped by S atom) were verified obviously by the operando IR spectra on a self-installed instrument. [Display omitted] • CdS/V S -MoS 2 heterojunctions were prepared for photoelectrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. • N-n Heterojunctions and S-vacancies promote the separation efficiency of carriers. • The external and inner surface of hollow catalyst show different C 2 selectivity. • The active hydrogen atoms are identified to be S-H showing δ S−H in operando IR. • The mechanisms and intermediates are verified by DFT and operando IR, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]