Search

Within the fields of infectious disease diagnostics, microfluidic-based integrated technology systems have become a vital technology in enhancing the rapidity, accuracy, and portability of pathogen detection. These systems synergize microfluidic techniques with advanced molecular biology methods, including reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), have been successfully used to identify a diverse array of pathogens, including COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, and dengue fever. This review outlines the advances in pathogen detection, attributing them to the integration of microfluidic technology with traditional molecular biology methods and smartphone- and paper-based diagnostic assays. The cutting-edge diagnostic technologies are of critical importance for disease prevention and epidemic surveillance. Looking ahead, research is expected to focus on increasing detection sensitivity, streamlining testing processes, reducing costs, and enhancing the capability for remote data sharing. These improvements aim to achieve broader coverage and quicker response mechanisms, thereby constructing a more robust defense for global public health security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several models predicting mortality risk of burn patients have been proposed. However, models that consider all such patients may not well predict the mortality of patients with extensive burns. This retrospective multicentre study recruited patients with extensive burns (≥ 50% of the total body surface area [TBSA]) treated in three hospitals of Eastern China from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2022. The performances of six predictive models were assessed by drawing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves. Potential predictors were sought via "least absolute shrinkage and selection operator" regression. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to construct a predictive model for patients with burns to ≥ 50% of the TBSA. A nomogram was prepared and the performance thereof assessed by reference to the ROC, calibration, and decision curves. A total of 465 eligible patients with burns to ≥ 50% TBSA were included, of whom 139 (29.9%) died. The FLAMES model exhibited the largest area under the ROC curve (AUC) (0.875), followed by the models of Zhou et al. (0.853) and the ABSI model (0.802). The calibration curve of the Zhou et al. model fitted well; those of the other models significantly overestimated the mortality risk. The new nomogram includes four variables: age, the %TBSA burned, the area of full-thickness burns, and blood lactate. The AUCs (training set 0.889; internal validation set 0.934; external validation set 0.890) and calibration curves showed that the nomogram exhibited an excellent discriminative capacity and that the predictions were very accurate. For patients with burns to ≥ 50％of the TBSA, the Zhou et al. and FLAMES models demonstrate relatively high predictive ability for mortality. The new nomogram is sensitive, specific, and accurate, and will aid rapid clinical decision-making. • Patients with burns to ≥ 50% TBSA have a high mortality rate. • For extensive burns, the FLAMES model showed a high discrimination for death. • For extensive burns, the Zhou et al. model showed similar predictive mortality to real. • A nomogram has been developed to predict the risk of death in extensive burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal/biochar is an important category of catalyst that can be prepared via direct impregnation of metal salt to a biomass feedstock. However, during pyrolysis of metal salt@biomass for catalyst preparation, metal-volatiles interaction might affect exposure or dispersion of metal species. To verify this, loading of nickel acetate to poplar sawdust directly and to the sawdust-derived biochar was conducted to prepare Ni/biochar and biochar/Ni at 500 or 750 °C, aiming to understand the effect of metal-volatiles interaction on exposure of nickel species in resulting Ni/biochar. The results indicated Ni species catalyzed cracking, dehydrogenation, and reforming reactions in sawdust pyrolysis, producing more bio-oil/gases at the expense of biochar and also making biochar of higher aromatic degree with improved thermal stability. The in-situ IR characterizations also evidenced high activity of Ni towards dehydration and cracking of carbonyls for enhancing aromatization of biochar. In biochar/Ni catalysts prepared via loading nickel to biochar, little metal-volatiles interaction existed and nickel species weakly interacted with the biochar, resulting in remarkable migration and agglomeration of nickel, forming nickel size of 2–3 times larger than that in Ni/biochar. However, biochar/Ni possessed higher capability for adsorption/activation of H 2 , thus exhibiting superior catalytic activity than Ni/biochar for hydrogenation of phenolics. [Display omitted] • Ni accelerates removal of O-containing species in pyrolysis, enhancing aromatization of Ni/biochar. • In-situ IR characterization shows superior activity of Ni for dehydration, dehydrogenation, and cracking. • Migration of Ni in biochar/Ni prepared from impregnating biochar forms larger Ni size. • Ni in Ni/biochar is partially covered by deposits from cracking/polymerization of volatiles. • Biochar/Ni shows higher capability for H 2 adsorption and hydrogenation than Ni/biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building information modeling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) are often integrated to achieve more refined urban management. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and City Geography Markup Language (CityGML) are widely used standards in BIM and GIS. The main problem of the transformation of these two standards lies in the gap between them in geometry and semantics. This article introduces an ontology‐based rule mapping approach, achieving the transformation from IFC to CityGML through coordinate system conversion, geometric expression conversion, and semantic mapping. For semantic mapping, we have designed and established rules, enabling the effective mapping of the IFC model to the CityGML level of detail 0 (LOD0) to LOD4 model based on entities, appearance properties and building properties. To fully demonstrate the entire process, we give a detailed elaboration of the conversion of several IFC models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scroll vortex dropshafts have been adopted as an effective tool to convey flow from higher to lower elevations in drainage systems. To ensure the reliability of these dropshafts, the approach channel would normally need to achieve uniform inflow conditions through a minimum channel length requirement. In dense urbanized cities, however, these conditions are occasionally unattainable due to land space constraint. Hence, further investigation is needed to examine the effect of non-uniform inflow conditions on the flow regimes and hydraulic performance of scroll vortex dropshafts. This study aims to quantify the effect of various non-uniform inflow factors on the non-dimensional head-discharge relationship and minimum air core size of the scroll vortex dropshaft by means of computational fluid dynamics simulations. Three-dimensional numerical models with different approach channel lengths are first constructed, and simulations in uniform inflow conditions are then performed and validated by experiment data. Subsequently, simulations with non-uniform inflow conditions are carried out with varying discharges as well as cross-sectional velocity distributions. The results showed that the effect on the performance of the dropshaft depends more on the distribution profile than its peakiness. A higher water level at the entrance and dilated minimum air core size in the dropshaft are typically observed for biased inflow conditions with inward velocity distributions toward the vortex chamber center, while outward distributions toward the outer wall of the vortex chamber lead to an opposite effect. A shorter approach channel would aggravate the disparity magnitude as expected. Finally, regression equations are established based on the simulation results to enable the assessment on the effect of non-uniform inflow conditions in the design stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the shortage of blood products, some extensive burn patients were forced to adopt an "ultra-restrictive" transfusion strategy, in which the hemoglobin levels of RBC transfusion thresholds were < 7 g/dl or even < 6 g/dl. This study investigated the prognostic impacts of ultra-restrictive RBC transfusion in extensive burn patients. This retrospective multicenter cohort study recruited extensive burns (total body surface area ≥ 50%) from three hospitals in Eastern China between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2022. Patients were divided into an ultra-restrictive transfusion group and a restrictive transfusion group depending on whether they received timely RBC transfusion at a hemoglobin level < 7 g/dl. 1:1 ratio propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance selection bias. Modified Poisson regression and linear regression were conducted for sensitive analysis. Subsequently, according to whether they received timely RBC transfusion at a hemoglobin level < 6 g/dl, patients in the ultra-restrictive transfusion group were divided into < 6 g/dl group and 6–7 g/dl group to further compare the prognostic outcomes. 271 eligible patients with extensive burns were included, of whom 107 patients were in the ultra-restrictive transfusion group and 164 patients were in the restrictive transfusion group. The ultra-restrictive transfusion group had a significantly lower RBC transfusion volume than the restrictive transfusion group (11.5 [5.5, 21.5] vs 17.3 [9.0, 32.5] units, p = 0.004). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of in-hospital mortality, risk of infection, hospital length of stay, and wound healing time after PSM or multivariate adjustment (p > 0.05). Among the ultra-restrictive transfusion group, patients with RBC transfusion threshold < 6 g/dl had a significantly higher hospital mortality than 6–7 g/dl (53.1% vs 21.3%, p = 0.001). For extensive burn patients, no significant adverse effects of ultra-restrictive RBC transfusion were found in this study. When the blood supply is tight, it is acceptable to adopt an RBC transfusion threshold of < 7 g/dL but not < 6 g/dL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost all small organics, in theory, could be potential feedstock for production of hydrogen via steam reforming (SR). Nevertheless, not all organics contain a linear carbon chain like ethanol or acetone. How do ring structure of an organic substrate impacted coking behaviors in SR were explored herein with n-butanol and tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the research objects over Ni/SiO 2 catalyst, due to the same carbon number but distinct carbon chains in these two molecules. The results indicated that furan ring in THF lowered reactivity towards SR, as its adsorption on metallic sites was more difficult than n-butanol. The in-situ IR analysis for measuring reaction intermediates suggested that n-butanol and THF involved generation of intermediates with C O formed via dehydrogenation, C x H y formed via cracking and C C species that can be further gasified or aggregate to coke. However, more oxygenated intermediates generated in SR of n-butanol than in THF, rendering n-butanol more reactive towards SR. This, however, also formed substantially more coke of aliphatic nature in amorphous form, which led to the coke of thermally unstable and had higher tendency being oxidized. In converse, coke formed from SR of THF was more aromatic, showing less impact on catalytic activity, higher thermal stability, and larger crystal size with more carbon nanotube form of coke. This was closely connected with the ring structures that could dehydrogenated to form the unsaturated ring with capability to involve in Diels-Alder reactions, forming coke of aromatic nature. [Display omitted] • The short-term stability reforming activity of THF remained unchanged, while the activity of n-butanol decreased. • The coke formed by steam reforming of THF has the superior antioxidant properties and the higher thermal stability. • More oxygenated intermediates formed (e.g. C O) in steam reforming of n-butanol than that in THF. • In the steam reforming process of THF, the coke formed to the catalyst surface is more aromatic. • Coke on THF steam reforming is much less and is mainly catalytic type with high crystallinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genesis potential index (GPI) has been used widely to estimate the influence of large-scale conditions on tropical cyclone (TC) genesis. Here we find that two GPIs, the Emanuel–Nolan GPI (ENGPI) and the dynamic GPI (DGPI), show opposite skills in quantifying decadal variability of TC genesis in the western North Pacific (WNP). During 1979–2020, ENGPI shows a reverse decadal variation to the WNP TC genesis with a significant negative correlation of −0.61, while DGPI can reasonably reproduce the decadal variation of the WNP TC genesis with a significant correlation of 0.66. The opposite skills of the two indices arise from the opposed effects of dynamic and thermodynamic parameters on TC genesis induced by a WNP anomalous cyclonic circulation that controls the decadal variation of TC genesis. On the one hand, the cyclonic circulation leads to favorable dynamical conditions including ascending motion, cyclonic vorticity, and weakened vertical shear, and thus tends to increase the DGPI. On the other hand, the cyclonic circulation leads to unfavorable thermodynamical conditions (decreased maximum potential intensity and midlevel humidity) that tends to decrease the ENGPI. As a result, the DGPI and ENGPI are reversely evolved and eventually lead to their opposite correlation between TC genesis. The significant positive correlation between DGPI and TC genesis suggests a critical role in the large-scale dynamical control of the decadal variability of the WNP TC genesis. Significance Statement: Tropical cyclones (TCs) account for one-third of the deaths and economic losses from weather-, climate-, and water-related disasters. Understanding variations in TC activity from the perspective of large-scale conditions is of great importance to seasonal forecasting and disaster mitigation. Here we find that two genesis potential indexes (GPIs), the Emanuel–Nolan GPI (ENGPI) and dynamic GPI (DGPI), show opposite skill in quantifying decadal variability of TC genesis in the western North Pacific (WNP). The opposite skills of the two indices arise from the opposed effects of dynamic and thermodynamic parameters on TC genesis. The result suggests a critical role of large-scale dynamic control in the decadal variability of TC genesis in the WNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magic is an important part of quantum resource theory. The quantitative study of magic is a difficult but important task, which means a suitable magic measure is needed. We generalize the magic measure introduced by Leone et al. (Phys Rev Lett 128:050402, 2022) and extend the Pauli operators acting on qubits to the discrete Heisenberg–Weyl operators (i.e., the generalized Pauli operators) acting on qudits. We show that it is a suitable magic measure. We use this measure to calculate some related qutrit magic states and compare it with other measures. Subsequently, a tighter upper bound of this measure is obtained by using the group covariant symmetric informationally complete (SIC) states. Moreover, we extend this measure to mixed states and calculate the corresponding mixed magic states. Then, it is shown that there are different fundamental limits for the distillation of four qutrit magic states by using the quantum hypothesis testing at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ball milling lining board operates in a harsh environment, and the current materials fail to meet the requirements for large-sized boards due to the lack of synergistic properties between impact toughness and wear resistance. To address this issue, a low-carbon medium-chromium steel with martensite and nano residual austenite phases have been designed for future use. However, the residual austenite network could decrease the properties. Heat treatment, which includes processes like quenching and tempering, has the potential to alter the morphology and quantity of nano-scale residual austenite in the steel. In this study, the influence of heat treatment parameters on the morphologies and properties of steel has been investigated to address the wide-ranging fluctuations in impact toughness affected by nano residual austenite. Furthermore, the effect of cooling transformation on the microstructure has also been examined. The research findings indicate that modifying the quenching temperature of the steel within the range of 950–1100 °C results in a microstructure comprising martensite and nano residual austenite. At all quenching temperatures, the hardness exceeds 45 HRC, and the impact toughness shows a consistent improvement with increasing quenching temperature, indicating a modification of the nano residual austenite phase. The failure mode is primarily dimple fracture, with quasi-dissociation fracture as a secondary mode. The optimal heat treatment parameters are annealing at 930 °C, oil quenching at 1050 °C, and tempering at 250 °C. Under this condition, the steel exhibits a hardness of 51 HRC and impact toughness of 40 J/cm2 and an approximate fourfold increase compared to the untreated sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the thermospheric density is essential for calculating the drag in low Earth orbit satellites. Existing models struggle to predict density accurately. In this paper, we propose thermospheric density prediction using a deep evidential model-based framework that incorporates empirical models, accelerometer-inferred density from the CHAMP satellite, and geomagnetic and solar indices. The framework is investigated on both quiet and storm conditions. Our results demonstrate that the proposed model can predict the thermospheric density with high accuracy and reliable uncertainty in both quiet and storm times. The predicted results from the evidential model are advantageous over the Gaussian Processes (GPs) model in our previous studies. Furthermore, the proposed model can also provide insightful aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties. • Predict thermospheric density with a deep evidential model-based framework. • The method is investigated on both quiet and storm periods. • The density predictions are accurate with reliable uncertainty in all conditions. • The method can provide insightful aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway switch plates are important components in railroads, and copper-based graphite alloys have potential as substitutes for traditional materials. Graphite as an anti-friction phase could decrease both the friction coefficient and mechanical properties, with an increasing mass fraction for their poor interface bonding strength. Chromium, a multifunctional metal plated on the graphite (Cr@graphite), has solved this problem. Results have shown that a copper-based Cr@graphite alloy is composed of copper as a base, and graphite and Cr compound transition phase as reinforcements. The transition phase is made up of nano Cr3C2 and dispersed CrC, which offers a stable combination with both graphite and copper. The tribological property of copper-based graphite alloy exhibits a steadily decreasing slope with reinforcement content increasing, and the Cr@graphite samples show lower values than the alloy without any coating treatment. Both graphite and chromic oxide play role in antifriction, and are more efficient than graphite alone. Microcutting is the dominant wear method when copper-based Cr@graphite alloy has a 1~4 wt.% reinforcements content; additionally, adhesion wear and oxidation are also generated. When the anti-friction phase increases, the wear mechanism is affected, and fatigue deformation is the dominant wear method at 4~6 wt.% content. The formation of the chromic oxide phase, as well as the graphite phase, control the formation of an anti-friction layer. In that case, the tribological properties are dramatically improved with reinforcement content enhance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the study, we aimed to evaluate the ability of micro‐histology combined with cytology to improve the quality of slides and diagnose endometrial lesions. Methods: Endometrial specimens were collected from Li Brushes. Every specimen was prepared for micro‐histological and cytological slides, using cell block (CB) and liquid‐based cytology (LBC) technologies. Semi‐quantitative scoring system was used to evaluate the qualities of slides. CB slides were assessed by 5‐category scoring system. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated in LBC, CB, and LBC + CB groups based on the histological gold standard. Endometrial atypical hyperplasia, and endometrial cancer were considered positive, whereas others were considered negative. Results: A total of 167 patients were enrolled. CB slides were inferior to LBC slides only in cellularity (p < 0.001), but superior in the other six parameters (all p < 0.001). The satisfaction rate of micro‐histology accounted for 92.3%. The accuracy index in the CB group was higher than in the LBC group in terms of sensitivity (85.5% vs. 82.7%) and specificity (98.9% vs. 95.7%). The sensitivity and specificity in the LBC + CB group were increased to 94.2% and 99.0%, respectively. Conclusions: The quality of micro‐histological slides was higher than that of cytological slides. By combining micro‐histology with cytology, higher accuracy was achieved for endometrial lesions diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The SOE reform was the first time that economic insecurity was introduced since 1949 in China, with hundreds of million employees affected by the laid off. This study took the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) reform in China as a natural experiment to explore the impact of economic insecurity on depressive symptoms in later life. Methods: Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS), 2014 and 2015. CHARLS is a nationally representative survey covering 28 provinces in China. CHARLS used the probabilities proportional to size (PPS) sampling method and involved 450 villages/resident committees, 150 counties/districts and 12,400 households. A total of 5113 urban dwellers born earlier than 1971 (aged 25 years old and above at the start of the SOE reform, 1995) were involved. Using the province-level economic loss from the layoffs, we examined the impact of economic insecurity exposure on the score of depressive symptoms using a difference-in-differences model (DID). Results: Individuals with economic insecurity exposure had a significantly increased risk of higher depressive symptoms scores, in which a 1 percentage point increase in expected economic loss would increase the CESD-10 score by 0.10. For an individual at the median distribution (CESD-10 = 5), this implies a shift to the 58th percentile (CESD-10 = 6). Given that the average intensity of expected economic loss is 10.22% and the mean CESD-10 is 6.92, exposure to the SOE reform led to an average increase in the CESD-10 score by 1.02 and by at least 14.74%. The heterogeneity analyses showed that the role of SOE reform in depressive symptoms scores was robust in both female and male groups and groups with different educational attainment. Conclusions: Economic insecurity exposure increased the depressive symptoms score later in life in the context of China. Programs, such as adequate unemployment insurance benefits, can protect individuals against the risk of financial loss, thereby reducing their negative impact on depressive symptoms. Providing mental symptoms surveillance and psychological counseling to those experienced at a time of great uncertainty is important for preventing depression in times of economic insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bimetallic hydroxychalcogenide, BaZn2Se2(OH)2, was synthesized through hydrothermal pouch methods. The single crystal X‐ray diffraction and electron diffraction indicates that the phase crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma and is composed of anionic layers [ZnSe3/3(OH)1/1]− that are separated and charged balanced by Ba2+ cations. The [ZnSe3/3(OH)1/1]– layer comprises two unique Zn sites, which form interpenetrating zigzag chains with an in‐plane dipole moment and adopts a brownmillerite‐type structural motif. The adjacent layers contain tetrahedrally coordinated Zn chains of opposite handedness related by an inversion center, which cancel the microscopic dipoles to minimize the macroscopic electric polarization. The adoption of a brownmillerite structural motif in BaZn2Se2(OH)2 can be rationalized by the distinct charge difference between Se2− and OH− anions, which creates a sufficient dipole moment in the ZnSe3(OH) tetrahedra to allow the occurrence of twisted chains. FTIR spectroscopy confirms the existence of OH− anions and DFT calculations indicate that BaZn2Se2(OH)2 is a semiconductor with a direct band gap. This work expands the chemistry of the brownmillerite family from traditional homoanionic oxides to multianion hydroxychalcogenides, offering a new opportunity to explore tunable structural complexity for better design of functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the determination of the mass of a de Sitter–Schwarzschild black hole from one quasinormal mode. We prove a local uniqueness result with a Hölder type stability estimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are characterized by an abundance of monocytes and macrophages recruited from the peripheral blood. However, it has not been determined whether these infiltrated cells can be released back into circulation with a tumor‐associated neobiosignature. This study reports that Bestrophin1 (BEST1), a component protein of Ca2+‐activated Cl− channels (CaCCs), is highly expressed on classical monocytes in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. This is due to monocyte education by tumor cells, in which tumoral VEGF‐A upregulates BEST1 expression on monocytes through the MEK‐ERK‐ELK1 pathway. This leads to improved secretion of IL‐6 and IL‐8, which promotes tumor cell proliferation. This work also finds that BEST1 facilitates the motility of monocytes, contributing to the migration of these cells back into circulation. These results suggest that the expression of BEST1 on peripheral monocytes may be a potential tool for monitoring tumor progression, and opens up the possibility of searching for cancer biomarkers on monocytes rather than on the tumor or its products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Adolescent girls and young women aged 15‒24 years in sub-Saharan Africa are at disproportionate risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Given the known association between vaginal microbial dysbiosis and HIV susceptibility, we performed an age-stratified analysis of the vaginal microbiome in South African women and compared this to their risk of HIV acquisition. Methods Vaginal microbiome data were generated by mass spectrometry–based proteomic analysis of cervicovaginal lavages collected from participants (n = 688) in the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) 004 trial. Participants were grouped by age (18–19 years, n = 93; 20–24 years, n = 326; 25–41 years, n = 269). Results Four microbiome types were identified based on predominant taxa, including Lactobacillus crispatus (CST-LC, 12.2%), Lactobacillus iners (CST-LI, 43.6%), Gardnerella vaginalis (CST-GV, 26.6%), or polymicrobial (CST-PM, 15.1%). Women aged 18–19 and 20–24 years had increased CST-PM and a non- Lactobacillus -dominant microbiome compared to those 25–41 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.14 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.12–7.87], P =.017; OR, 2.81 [95% CI, 1.07–7.09], P =.038, respectively; and OR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.02–2.65], P =.028; OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.01–1.95], P =.030, respectively). The HIV incidence rate of women with CST-PM microbiome was 7.19-fold higher compared to women with CST-LC (hazard ratio [HR], 7.19 [95% CI, 2.11–24.5], P =.00162), which was also consistent in women aged 20–24 years (HR, 4.90 [95% CI, 1.10–21.9], P =.0375). Conclusions Younger women were more likely to have a higher-risk polymicrobial microbiome suggesting that vaginal microbiota are contributing to increased HIV-1 susceptibility in this group. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00441298. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the similarities and differences between the Montreux definition and the Berlin definition in terms of the prevalence, mortality, and complications of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We retrospectively analyzed the data of neonates with respiratory failure treated in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between 1 November 2019 and 31 December 2021. In total, 554 infants had neonatal ARDS (524 infants, Montreux definition; 549 infants, Berlin definition). The prevalence (3.1% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.438) and mortality (18.9% vs.18.0%, p = 0.716) of neonatal ARDS did not differ between the definitions. Among the 519 infants meeting both definitions, key clinical outcomes did not differ between the definitions such as ventilation duration, NICU stay, complication rates, and antibiotic use, except for nitric oxide inhalation. The Montreux and Berlin definitions identified an additional 5 and 30 patients, respectively, not captured by the other definition. The rate of inhaled nitric oxide treatment (20.0% vs. 0%, p = 0.013), air leaks (20.0% vs. 0%, p = 0.013), and invasive ventilation duration (110.00 vs.0.00 h, p = 0.002) significantly differed between the above two groups. Sixty-two patients had moderate and severe ARDS according to the Montreux and Berlin definitions, respectively. The rates of adverse outcomes (e.g., mortality, invasive ventilation time) among these patients were similar to the rates among patients with moderate ARDS according to both definitions than among patients with severe ARDS according to both definitions. Conclusion: The prevalence, mortality, and most complications of neonatal ARDS were similar between the Montreux and Berlin definitions, which mainly differed in terms of the severity of neonatal ARDS. What is Known: • The Montreux definition was first proposed for the diagnosis of neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome and was established in 2017. To date, the Montreux definition has not been compared with other diagnostic definitions of ARDS. What is New: • The study suggests that perinatal lung disease need not be excluded in the diagnosis of neonatal ARDS, and that the Montreux definition is more applicable to neonates, taking into account their specific physiological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease but still lacks a preclinical strategy to identify it. The diagnostic value of intestinal mucosal α-synuclein (αSyn) in PD has not drawn a uniform conclusion. The relationship between the alteration of intestinal mucosal αSyn expression and mucosal microbiota is unclear. Nineteen PD patients and twenty-two healthy controls were enrolled in our study from whom were collected, using gastrointestinal endoscopes, duodenal and sigmoid mucosal samples for biopsy. Multiplex immunohistochemistry was performed to detect total, phosphorylate, and oligomer α-synuclein. Next-generation 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was applied for taxonomic analysis. The results implied that oligomer α-synuclein (OSyn) in sigmoid mucosa of PD patients was transferred from the intestinal epithelial cell membrane to the cytoplasm, acinar lumen, and stroma. Its distribution feature was significantly different between the two groups, especially the ratio of OSyn/αSyn. The microbiota composition in mucosa also differed. The relative abundances of Kiloniellales, Flavobacteriaceae, and CAG56 were lower, while those of Proteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Burkholderiales, Burkholdriaceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Ralstonia, Massilla, and Lactoccus were higher in duodenal mucosa of PD patients. The relative abundances of Thermoactinomycetales and Thermoactinomycetaceae were lower, while those of Prevotellaceae and Bifidobacterium longum were higher in patients' sigmoid mucosa. Further, the OSyn/αSyn level was positively correlated with the relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Burkholderiales, Pseudomonadales, Burkholderiaceae, and Ralstonia in the duodenal mucosa, while it was negatively correlated with the Chao1 index and observed operational taxonomic units of microbiota in sigmoid mucosa. The intestinal mucosal microbiota composition of PD patients altered with the relative abundances of proinflammatory bacteria in the duodenal mucosa increased. The ratio of the OSyn/αSyn level in the sigmoid mucosa indicated a potential diagnostic value for PD, which also correlated with mucosal microbiota diversity and composition. Key points: • The distribution of OSyn in sigmoid mucosa differed between PD patients and healthy controls. • Significant alterations in the microbiome were found in PD patients' gut mucosa. • OSyn/αSyn level in sigmoid mucosa indicated a potential diagnostic value for PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the association between maternal and neonatal exposure to the relevant influencing factors and risk of moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), and the possible interactions in the Chinese population. Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 228 neonates from Henan Children's Hospital during the five-year period 2015–2020 in China was conducted. All neonatal basic demographic information and clinical records were documented from the neonatal HIE database. Comparisons between mild HIE and moderate or severe HIE were conducted with the t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables and the Chi-square test for categorical variables. Unconditional multiple logistic regression models were used to generate the odds ratios(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals(CIs). In addition, we also used an additive model to test for possible biological interactions among the factors. Results: Of the 228 neonates, the males had a statistically significantly higher frequency compared with the females between the two groups (P = 0.030). Trend analysis results found that with the decreased of the neonatal birth weight, the detection rates of moderate or severe HIE in males and females were gradually increased (Ptrend < 0.05). The detection of moderate or severe HIE in males and females increased with the decreased of neonatal gestational age at birth(Ptrend < 0.05). However, no interaction was detected between neonatal birth weight and gestational age at birth based on the additive model, the Relative Excess Risk of Interaction and 95% CI was 0.821(-0.046,1.687). The adjusted multiple logistic regression model showed that low birth weight(ORadj:1.965, 95%CI:1.086–4.127),premature infant(ORadj:1.557, 95%CI:1.589–4.862),1-min Apgar's score < 7(ORadj:5.618, 95%CI:3.724–7.353),intrauterine distress(ORadj:4.916, 95%CI:3.431–7.398),amniotic fluid contamination (ORadj:3.965, 95%CI:2.153–5.782) significantly increased the risk of neonatal moderate or severe HIE. Conclusion: Neonates with low birth weight, premature infant,1-min Apgar's score < 7, intrauterine distress, amniotic fluid contamination are risk factors for moderate or severe HIE. Notably, we found no biological interaction between risk factors based on the additive model, these findings may help to inform prevention strategies, as this may effectively reduce the incidence of neonatal moderate or severe HIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hongmu, a Chinese customary noun representing 29 kinds of wood species such as some Pterocarpus species (abbreviated as spp. hereinafter), Dalbergia spp. and Diospyros spp., is popular among Chinese people due to the furniture made from it. The slow regeneration of hongmu resources led to a decline in production, making hongmu prices high and illegal businesses profit from it. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and distinguish different varieties of hongmu for commercial trade. Herein, a cost-effective and rapid methodology was first developed via atmospheric pressure glow discharge mass spectrometry (APGD-MS) to classify three Dalbergia spp. and three Pterocarpus spp. Meanwhile, principal component analysis (PCA) was further applied to distinguish wood species and six kinds of hongmu extracts were able to be approximately separated into six units. Besides, hongmu could be clearly distinguished from their counterfeits, such as Guibourtia spp., using the method provided here. This method may provide a timely and necessary way for the determination of ingredients and identification of the authenticity of hongmu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the Moon, the old anorthositic highland rocks and younger basaltic mare units show distinguishable differences in appearance. The craters on the lunar highlands and maria also show variation in morphological characteristics. We analyzed the crater morphologies on a global scale, based on our new global catalog of lunar impact craters (≥1 km in diameter) with morphological information for each crater. We find that there is a global power‐law relationship with an offset term between crater depth‐to‐diameter ratios and crater densities. Small craters (less than ∼4 km in diameter) on the lunar maria are found to be deeper than those on the highlands, indicating differences in target properties and crater degradations. Furthermore, the depths of the deepest simple craters identified on the lunar maria and the highlands provide references that the mare basalts and highland upper megaregolith have thicknesses of ∼2.3 and ∼3.3 km, respectively. Plain Language Summary: The lunar surface is divided into light areas called lunar highlands and darker areas called maria. The craters show variation in morphological characteristics on the lunar highlands and maria. The depth‐to‐diameter ratios reflect the morphological characteristics of craters. Global distribution of crater depth‐to‐diameter ratios in different diameter ranges are analyzed. We find that there is a global power‐law relationship with an offset term between crater depth‐to‐diameter ratios and crater densities. Small craters (less than ∼4 km in diameter) on the lunar maria are found to be deeper than those on the highlands, which indicates differences in target properties and crater degradations. Furthermore, the depths of the deepest simple craters identified on the lunar maria and the highlands provide references that the upper layer of the maria and highlands have thicknesses of ∼2.3 and ∼3.3 km, respectively. Key Points: Different crater morphologies between the lunar maria and the highlands were revealed from a new global catalog of lunar impact cratersA global power‐law relationship with an offset term was identified between crater depth‐to‐diameter ratios and crater densitiesCrater morphologies provided implications on different thicknesses and properties of the mare basalts and highland upper megaregolith [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of bidirectional uncertainty of market demand and production ability, this paper establishes a multiobjective mathematical model for lot sizing and scheduling integrated optimization of the process industry considering both material network and production manufacturing and finds the optimal decision of the model through model predictive control to minimize total completion time and total production cost. While realizing the model predictive control proposed in this paper, the Elman neural network predicts the relevant parameters required by learning historical orders for the uncertain market demand and equipment production ability. Then, the calculation formulas of product supply and demand matching and equipment production ability are formed and introduced into the next stage of the model as a constraint condition. In addition to the above constraints for constructing lot sizing and scheduling integrated models in the process industry, this paper also considers both the material network and production manufacturing and uses the IMOPSO algorithm to solve the problem iteratively. So far, a complete model predictive control can be generated. Through the model predictive control, the production system can respond in advance, make appropriate changes to offset the foreseeable interference, and obtain the lot sizing and scheduling scheme considering bidirectional uncertainty, thereby improving the system's overall robustness. Finally, this paper realizes the model's predictive control process through example simulation and analyzes the operation results combined with the scheduling Gantt chart to verify the applicability and effectiveness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the associations between overweight, obesity and sleep duration and related lifestyle behaviors in children and adolescents at different gender and educational stages.Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 18723 children and adolescents with a stratified cluster sampling method of Henan Province was conducted in 2019. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect the information about demographic characteristics as well as sleep and lifestyle behaviors. Anthropometric measurements (height and weight) were taken and body mass index was computered as an indicator of overweight and obesity. The Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance and multiple logistic regression were used to data analysis.Results: Among the respondents, 12657(67.6%) were with normal weight, 3711(19.8%) were overweight and 2355(12.6%) were obesity. The average age of the participants was 12.6 years old. The proportion of overweight and obesity in the 10191 boys was 18.7% and 14.2% respectively. The proportion of overweight and obesity in the 8532 girls was 21.2% and 10.6% respectively. In trend analyses, sleep duration at different gender found with the decreased of the sleep duration, the proportions of overweight/obesity in boys and girls were gradually increased (Ptrend<0.05). In the adjusted logistic regression models, the results showed stratified by gender, compared with the recommended sleep duration group, students with very short sleep duration and short sleep duration showed an increased ORadj of 2.56 and 2.13 in boys, 2.34 and 2.09 in girls respectively. According to different educational stages, those in very short sleep duration and short sleep duration showed an increased ORadj of 2.15 and 1.69 in primary school, 2.26 and 1.58 in middle school, 2.23 and 1.51 in high school respectively.Conclusions: Children and adolescents with very short sleep duration and short sleep duration may increase the risk of overweight/obesity, the association differed based on the gender-specific and educational stages-specific. Gender and educational stages should be regarded as specific characteristics for the effects on overweight/obesity in Henan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs), on the one hand, the energy of nodes is limited. On the other hand, the network topology often changes due to human movement or posture changes. Unstable network topology is easy to cause packet loss, and packet loss will cause inaccurate data collection. Therefore, how to effectively use energy to transmit data reliably becomes a key issue. For this problem, we propose an optimized routing protocol namely Energy Efficient and Reliable Routing based on Reinforcement Learning and Fuzzy Logic (EERR-RLFL). In EERR-RLFL, considering the heterogeneity of nodes in WBANs, we first establish a node rank division mechanism, by which sensor nodes are divided into different ranks from three aspects. Each rank is considered to be one of the factors that affect the link quality. Then, we propose the Fuzzy-Logic-based Link Quality Evaluation (FLLQE) algorithm. It makes use of the fuzzy evaluation method of fuzzy logic and considers the comprehensive influence of multiple factors to evaluate the link quality between two nodes, which will provide reference for routing path selection. In the process of data transmission, based on the FLLQE algorithm, we use a hybrid data transmission mode, in which the time when a forwarding node is needed is first determined, and then the Reinforcement Learning algorithm is used to select the global optimized routing path. Simulation results show that EERR-RLFL outperforms Single Hop Transmission and Optimized Cost Effective and Energy Efficient Routing in terms of network lifetime, packet loss ratio and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NH 2 -HMSN with hollow and mesoporous structure was used to extract FFAs. • Adsorption capacity of NH 2 -HMSN towards FFAs was superior to NH 2 -MSN and NH 2 -SM. • NH 2 -HMSN could be successfully prepared under normal pressure and temperature. In our study, ammoniated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (NH 2 -HMSN) with uniform diameter and stable structure were successively prepared via SiO 2 core hard template method. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy revealed that amino group was effectively modified. Adsorption experiments showed that adsorption capacity of NH 2 -HMSN towards free fatty acids (FFAs) was superior to aminated mesopores or silica microspheres. Following through optimization of extraction conditions, FFAs from edible oil samples were successfully gathered by NH 2 -HMSN and showed favorable linearities (0.2–90 μg g−1), remarkably low limit of detections (0.03–0.15 nmol g−1), acceptable recoveries (85.08–96.82 %) and relatively accurate precisions (1.64–4.99 %). In comparison to existing adsorbent, NH 2 -HMSN could be successfully prepared via the chemical reaction of common raw materials under normal pressure and temperature. Furthermore, NH 2 -HMSN with hollow and mesoporous structure was more effective than the current adsorbents aimed at FFAs analysis in aspect of surface area and adsorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has caused huge causality and unquantifiable loss of social wealth. The innate immune response is the first line of defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, strong inflammatory response associated with dysregulation of innate immunity causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and death. In this review, we update the current knowledge on how SARS-CoV-2 modulates the host innate immune response for its evasion from host defense and its corresponding pathogenesis caused by cytokine storm. We emphasize Type I interferon response and the strategies of evading innate immune defense used by SARS-CoV-2. We also extensively discuss the cells and their function involved in the innate immune response and inflammatory response, as well as the promises and challenges of drugs targeting excessive inflammation for antiviral treatment. This review would help us to figure out the current challenge questions of SARS-CoV-2 infection on innate immunity and directions for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Counter-cations are essential components of polyoxometalates (POMs), which have a distinct influence on the solubility, stabilization, self-assembly, and functionality of POMs. To investigate the roles of cations in the packing of POMs, as a systematic investigation, herein, a series of triol-ligand covalently modified Cu-centered Anderson-Evans POMs with different counter ions were prepared in an aqueous solution and characterized by various techniques including single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Using the strategy of controlling Mo sources, in the presence of triol ligand, NH4+, Cu2+ and Na+ were introduced successfully into POMs. When (NH4)6Mo7O24 was selected, the counter cations of the produced POMs were ammonium ions, which resulted in the existence of clusters in the discrete state. Additionally, with the modulation of the pH of the solutions, the modified sites of triol ligands on the cluster can be controlled to form δ- or χ-isomers. By applying MoO3 in the same reaction, Cu2+ ions served as linkers to connect triol-ligand modified polyanions into chains. When Na4Mo8O26 was employed as the Mo source to react with triol ligands in the presence of CuCl2, two 2-D networks were obtained with {Na4(H2O)14} or {{Na2(H2O)4} sub-clusters as linkers, where the building blocks were δ/δ- and χ/χ-isomers, respectively. The present investigation reveals that the charges, sizes and coordination manners of the counter cations have an obvious influence on the assembled structure of polyanions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the high energy estimate for the resolvent |$R(\lambda)$| of the Laplacian on non-trapping asymptotically hyperbolic manifolds (AHMs). In the literature, estimates of |$R(\lambda)$| on weighted Sobolev spaces of the order |$O(|\lambda |^{N})$| were established for some |$N> -1$|⁠ , |$|\lambda |$| large, and |$\lambda \in{{\mathbb{C}}}$| in strips where |$R(\lambda)$| is holomorphic. In this work, we prove the optimal bound |$O(|\lambda |^{-1})$| under the non-positive sectional curvature assumption by taking into account the oscillatory behavior of the Schwartz kernel of the resolvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located at the transition between monsoon- and westerly-dominated climate systems, major rivers draining the western North Qilian Shan incise deep, narrow canyons into latest Quaternary foreland basin sediments of the Hexi Corridor. Field surveys and previously published geochronology show that the Beida River incised 130 m at the mountain front over the Late Pleistocene and Holocene at an average rate of 6 m kyr -1. We hypothesize that a steep knickzone, with 3 % slope, initiated at the mountain front and has since retreated to its present position, 10 km upstream. Additional terrace dating suggests that this knickzone formed around the mid-Holocene, over a duration of less than 1.5 kyr, during which incision accelerated from 6 m kyr -1 to at least 25 m kyr -1. These incision rates are much faster than the uplift rate across the North Qilian fault, which suggests a climate-related increase in discharge drove rapid incision over the Holocene and formation of the knickzone. Using the relationship between incision rates and the amount of base level drop, we show the maximum duration of knickzone formation to be ∼700 years and the minimum incision rate to be 50 m kyr -1. We interpret that this period of increased river incision corresponds to a pluvial lake-filling event at the terminus of the Beida River and correlates with a wet period driven by strengthening of the Southeast Asian Monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban areas, rail transit construction affects the travel time and the efficiency of bus lines along the surrounding roads. To ensure service qualities, this study proposes a two-stage optimization method for bus rerouting to alleviate the impact of rail construction. In the first stage, the effect of the construction on bus operation is evaluated based upon one indicator, namely the increased rate of bus turnaround time. The affected lines that need rerouting are sifted by the indicator. For each rerouting line, we design two adjustment patterns and associated candidate alternative rerouting sets. In the second stage, the bus network alteration optimization model is developed to maximize the number of passengers served. The model considers several practical constraints, including service connectivity, rationality of bus travel time, and budget for building new bus stops. It realizes a systematic optimization of bus rerouting lines affected by rail transit construction. The proposed method is applied to Ning-Ma intercity railway in Ma'anshan, China to analyze the impact of construction on the surrounding bus lines and obtain the optimal adjustment scheme. The results show that the proposed method is capable of effectively reducing the negative effects caused by rail transit construction and meantime guaranteeing bus service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under "double carbon" policies, the shift towards bus electrification is unavoidable but is hindered by operational challenges due to electric buses' limited range. These challenges are intensified by heterogenous bus fleets, inadequate charging facilities, and depot limitations. This paper introduces a pragmatic approach to address the multi-depot electric bus scheduling problem, comprehensively addressing all aforementioned complexities. A tailored adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) is designed to solve the problem, wherein several ingenious accelerating techniques are integrated to generate a high-quality solution within an acceptance time frame, including: 1) relaxation of hard constraints to expedite iterations; 2) specialized operators designed to enhance the diversity of neighborhood spaces; 3) the meticulous setting of operator scores to prioritize operators with higher efficiency. A small-scale case study is conducted to compare the tailored ALNS with the commercial solver. The results substantiate the superior performance of the proposed algorithm and the significant role of these accelerating techniques. Furthermore, the algorithm presents its practical applicability in large-scale scenarios. The findings reveal that the proposed approach reduces the fleet size by 35 vehicles and concurrently achieves a significant 13.61 % reduction in electricity consumption, which provides a holistic solution to real-world operational challenges and offers recommendations for operators. • A holistic solution designed for the multi-depot electric bus scheduling problem. • Considering limitations of charging facilities and depot capacity constraints. • An adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm embedded with ingenious techniques. • Real cases verify the method enhances vehicle utilization and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we purified a partially acetylated heteropolysaccharide (Ts1-1A) from the fruit bodies of Trametes sanguinea Lloyd through cold water extraction and serial chromatographic separation. The purified polysaccharide Ts1-1A (12.8 kDa) was characterized as a branched mannogalactofucan with a backbone of alternately connected 1,3-linked α-Fuc p and 1,6-linked α-Gal p , which was partially substituted by non-reducing end units of β-Man p at O -2 and O -3 positions of 1,6-linked α-Gal p. Ts1-1A showed pronounced anti-human cytomegalovirus activity at the concentration of 200 and 500 μg/mL in systematical assessments including morphological changes, western blotting, qPCR, indirect immunofluorescence and tissue culture infective dose assays. Moreover, Ts1-1A exerted its antiviral activity at two distinct stages of viral proliferation manifesting as significantly inhibiting viral protein (IE1/2 and p52) expression and reducing viral gene (UL123 , UL44 and UL32) replication in the HCMV-infected WI-38 cells. At viral attachment stage, Ts1-1A interacted with HCMV and prevented HCMV from attaching to its host cells. While at early phase of viral replication stage, Ts1-1A suppressed HCMV replication by downregulating NQO1 and HO-1 proteins related to oxidative stress as an antioxidant. To sum up, Ts1-1A is a promising anti-HCMV agent which could be developed for HCMV infection prevention and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pursuit of individual mobilities expedites the development of demand-responsive systems, while the balance between service flexibilities and operational cost is becoming particularly important. This paper proposes a method for operating a novel demand-responsive bus system termed terminal-based zonal bus (TZB). It is a flexible system with vehicles executing a terminal-based zone routing scheme in specified service zones. The terminal-based routing scheme intends to generate TZB lines, and each line is operated by one vehicle that travels along a series of terminal stations arranged in order and serves enroute passenger requests between any two consecutive terminal stations. As instant response is the main trait of demand-responsive systems, TZB is able to address instance response by incorporating reserve capacity, which is employed to indicate the vehicle responsive ability of new real-time requests. Further, a tailored heuristic algorithm is designed to solve the proposed model, which simultaneously incorporates several practical restrictions, including the capability of adopting real-time requests, terminal stations' fleet-size constraints, time window constraints, and vehicle capacity. Computational experiments are conducted based upon the newly developed modern city Xiong An, China which confirm that the proposed method is capable of obtaining high-quality solutions efficiently, and TZB can provide flexible service at a relatively low operational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is a tremendously potential super-resolution microscopy technique requiring nine raw images to enhance two-fold lateral resolution. For SIM, it is a challenging dilemma to achieve super-resolution imaging with a reduced number of images and fast data processing speed at the same time. Here, we demonstrate a new SIM reconstruction framework that uses only four raw images without requiring extensive iterative computation. The four-frame method is achieved by applying checkerboard pattern illumination modulation to supersede the sinusoidal fringe illumination. It is worth noting that the proposed scheme prominently shortens image acquisition time, combined with a remarkably higher image reconstruction rate compared to current frame-reduced methods. Meanwhile, the reconstruction process is non-iterative and unlimited by the field of view size. Consequently, our work is expected to bring about breakthroughs in facilitating the improvement of real-time live cell observation. • The discrete model combining the checkerboard modulation is proposed for SIM reconstruction with only four raw images. • The checkerboard pattern, is obtain fine-structured illumination by using the binary patterns low pass filtered. • The proposed non-iterative algorithm greatly shortens the time required for reconstruction and improves true frame rate. • Low-dimensional matrix is used to significantly reduce calculation load, for a larger upper limit of field of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new cubic EoS is proposed with Z c = 0.273, simple but of higher accuracy. • An explicit term of a 2 (v - b)/(v -0.885 b)/(v +3.742 b) is added for molecular repulsion. • α -Function is rebuilt to meet the consistency test, avoiding unphysical predictions. A new cubic equation of state (EoS) was proposed to address the lack of repulsion terms in conventional cubic EoSs, with a molar critical compressibility factor Z c = 0.273 and suitable for most molecular fluids. Similar to Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) EoS, its α -function is related to the fluids' acentric factors by fitting with 44 molecular fluids. Differently, the new EoS can pass the α -consistency test, confirming the robustness across all temperatures. With only three parameters (a c , b, m) to be determined, it is as convenient as the SRK EoS in application. But it is more accurate - tested against experimental data - for both single and multi-component fluids than SRK EoS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BODIPY-labeled aptasensor (B-aptamer) was designed for catechin detection. • MWCNTs was as quencher for "off–on" catechin detection. • The sensitive and selective detection method can be used in real samples. A low-cost and simple boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-labeled aptasensor (B-aptamer) was designed for rapid, sensitive and turn-on catechin detection. B-aptamer as signal indicator and recognition element initially stacked on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via π-π conjugation, resulting in efficient quenching of the fluorescence of the aptasensor. Upon addition of catechin, catechin was adsorbed to B-aptamer, thereby undergoing a conformational change to form B-aptamer/catechin complex, which prompted the release of the signaling probe from the surface of MWCNTs. Hence, the fluorescence intensity (FL) of the B-aptamer was increasing with the increase of catechin concentrations with the limit of detection (LOD) of 5 ng/mL. Furthermore, the method was used to analyze catechin in food samples with the recovery rate of 92.7–107.1 %. This method provided a proper analysis method for clinical analysis and pharmaceutical quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has also experienced a phenomenon of counter-urbanisation. Many urban residents have moved to suburban and even remote rural areas for living, establishing and operating businesses over the past decade. However, research is scarce on the counter-urbanisation trend in China. This paper investigates the driving forces behind the migration of China's high-and-middle-income groups to rural areas in the Yangtze River Delta region and their impacts on rural villagers and development. The paper contends that counter-urbanisation serves as an important pathway for rural revitalisation. More significantly, China's rural land ownership system facilitates the migration of urban dwellers to rural areas, thereby promoting rural revitalisation while avoiding the rural gentrification observed in Europe and the United States. In light of this, the authors propose a new term "Rural Middle-class Formation" as a Chinese type of "rural gentrification" to achieve common prosperity in both urban and rural areas and to distinguish it from "rural gentrification." • Counter-urbanisation is emerging in China within the Chinese unique land ownership system. • Urban migrants seek benefits from both the consumption and production sides. • The emergence of counter-urbanisation in China is a spontaneous inclination among high- and middle-income urban groups. • Urban-migration has a significant impact on rural businesses. • Counter-urbanisation may promote rural revitalisation and common prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In-situ IR characterization shows more C x H y * species from cracking of butanol while more unsaturated ketones from diethyl ether (DEE). • Reforming of ethanol generates more O-containing species, making coke more aliphatic and thermally unstable. • Reforming of butanol and DEE forms much more coke than from ethanol, due to aggregation of abundant carbonaceous intermediates. • Carbon-rich intermediates from butanol or DEE forms coke of aromatic nature with high crystallinity. • Coke from DEE is more defective with rough surface, while that from butanol is more graphitic with smooth surface. Molecular structures of organics play key roles in determining the tendency of coking and property of coke through governing reaction intermediates formed. Diethyl ether (DEE) can be produced from etherification of ethanol and has same carbon number with n-butanol (butanol), while they may show distinct coking behaviors in steam reforming (SR). Herein, SR of DEE, ethanol and butanol over Ni/SBA-15 catalyst were performed, aiming to probe impacts of ether functionality and length of carbon chain of the alcohols on coke formation. The results indicated that cracking of DEE formed C x H y * species and unsaturated ketone intermediates, serving as precursors of coke. Dissociative adsorption of butanol formed abundant C x H y * species even from 100 °C, due to its longer carbon chain and lower oxygen content. In comparison, abundant oxygen-containing intermediates were generated from degradation of ethanol and reactions with steam. Abundant C x H y * species from DEE and butanol prompted formation of more coke than that from ethanol (60.6 % of coke in the catalyst for DEE, 66.8 % for butanol and 32.9 % for ethanol). Moreover, the coke from SR of ethanol was thermally less stable than that from DEE or butanol, due to the involvement of more oxygen-containing intermediates, which resulted in more aliphatic coke of amorphous form in ethanol reforming. Additionally, the coke from DEE reforming was more defective with carbon nanotube form of thick walls and little internal cavity. The coke produced from butanol reforming was more graphitic and mainly in carbon nanotube form of smooth surface. Varied abundance of C x H y * and ketone species in reforming of DEE and butanol created such a difference. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present two effective methods for solving high-dimensional partial differential equations (PDE) based on randomized neural networks. Motivated by the universal approximation property of this type of networks, both methods extend the extreme learning machine (ELM) approach from low to high dimensions. With the first method the unknown solution field in d dimensions is represented by a randomized feed-forward neural network, in which the hidden-layer parameters are randomly assigned and fixed while the output-layer parameters are trained. The PDE and the boundary/initial conditions, as well as the continuity conditions (for the local variant of the method), are enforced on a set of random interior/boundary collocation points. The resultant linear or nonlinear algebraic system, through its least squares solution, provides the trained values for the network parameters. With the second method the high-dimensional PDE problem is reformulated through a constrained expression based on an Approximate variant of the Theory of Functional Connections (A-TFC), which avoids the exponential growth in the number of terms of TFC as the dimension increases. The free field function in the A-TFC constrained expression is represented by a randomized neural network and is trained by a procedure analogous to the first method. We present ample numerical simulations for a number of high-dimensional linear/nonlinear stationary/dynamic PDEs to demonstrate their performance. These methods can produce accurate solutions to high-dimensional PDEs, in particular with their errors reaching levels not far from the machine accuracy for relatively lower dimensions. Compared with the physics-informed neural network (PINN) method, the current method is both cost-effective and more accurate for high-dimensional PDEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an integrated planning methodology for the optimization of port rotation direction and fleet deployment for container liner shipping routes with consideration of demand uncertainty. We first consider a special case that demand is deterministic. A multicommodity flow network model is developed via minimizing the total network-wide cost. Its decisions are the selection of port rotation direction and fleet deployment and container routings in the shipping network. Afterward, we address the generic case that uncertain demand is considered, which is represented by potentially realizable demand scenarios. We develop a minimax regret model to procure the least maximum regret across all the demand scenarios. The proposed models are applied to an Asia-Europe-Oceania liner shipping network with 46 ports and 12 ship routes. Results could provide the liner company with a comprehensive decision tool to simultaneously determine port rotation direction and fleet deployment when tackling uncertain demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multiple heteroatom-doped ORR catalysts were prepared by mesoporous SiO 2 templates. • Mesoporous SiO 2 nanospheres can facilitate the formation of highly active Fe-Nx sites. • The doping of Si contributes to the degree of graphitization and increases ORR activity. Template-assisted synthesis strategy is an effective approach to prepare high performance oxygen reduction catalyst. The Fe-N/C catalysts were prepared via high temperature pyrolysis of the composites containing Fe-loaded mesoporous silica nanospheres and polypyrrole wrapped on it (Fe/mSiO 2 @PPY). Fe loading ways combined with polymerization means of pyrrole greatly influence the structure and morphology of the final catalysts. By controlling the type of templates (mesoporous, microporous and nonporous templates) and synthesis conditions, Si doped Fe-N/C (Si-Fe-N/C) catalyst with hollow shell structures was obtained. The multiple heteroatom co-doping of Si, Fe and N in carbon framework are confirmed by EDS, XPS and Raman. The co-doping of Fe and N increases the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activities, while the doping of Si facilitates graphitization degree of carbon framework. The electrochemical performance of the Si-Fe-N/C catalyst was evaluated by the linear sweep voltammograms (LSV). It exhibits higher current density (5.4 mA cm−2) and more positive half-wave potential (0.83 V vs. RHE), which is comparable to commercial Pt/C catalyst. Stability tests show that the Si-Fe-N/C catalyst possesses excellent durability and more than 90% of its original activity can be retained after 50,000 s running at 0.68 V (vs. RHE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D van der Waals (VDWs) heterostructures have attracted much attention due to their exotic electronic and optical properties, which provide a new platform for material science and device fabrication. In this work, by coupling atomic interface engineering, an alternately intercalated superstructure of carbon and MoS2 monolayers (m‐C/MoS2) is designed as a novel saturable absorber (SA) for mode‐locked ultrafast laser generation. The novel intercalated structures exhibit excellent properties including wide bandgap, fast inter‐ and intra‐band carrier relaxation time, and superior saturable absorption characteristic, etc. Consequently, a continuous wave mode‐locked Yb:CALGO bulk laser with pulse width as short as 92 fs is achieved by using the prepared m‐C/MoS2 SA mirror, which is much shorter than those obtained with other reported 2D materials. This study provides a valuable strategy for the development of ultrashort pulse femtosecond lasers. The novel VDWs heterostructures also open new avenues toward advanced photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability accurately and timely detect a resident space object (RSO) maneuver is a critical task for monitoring space activities. This paper presents a data-driven Gaussian Binary RSO Maneuver Detection (GaBRSOMD) method to detect whether or not there is a maneuver between two tracks of the same RSO on different orbital paths. Using an in-house simulated space catalog environment, the Gaussian Binary Classification (GBC) method is used to detect three types of maneuvers: the maneuver is due to a small impulsive velocity change; a low thrust, and the maneuver is due to either an impulsive or a low thrust which is unknown a priori. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed GBC model can achieve high accuracy in detecting all three cases of maneuvers. The paper further demonstrates that the GBC approach is robust to noisy data and has advantages over an AutoEncoder method and the classical Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method. Hence, the proposed GBC has great potential for making quick detection decision with both high accuracy and precision. • Propose a data-driven Gaussian Binary resident space objects maneuver detection method. • The method can detect three types of maneuvers including impulsive and low thrust types. • The method can detect maneuvers with both high accuracy and high precision. • The method is robust to data with noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, by illustrating coming-out stories of lesbians and their families, inspired by and extending Amy Brainer's theorization of LGBT family of origin relationships based on her studies in Taiwan, critically revisits the dominant coming-out discourses in the LGBT activism and research in contemporary mainland China. I first argue that, although the belief that the Western-rooted idea of coming out and Chinese family traditions are incompatible is influential within China's LGBT activist circles, what is seldom recognized is that "chugui", the Chinese translation of "coming out", has already become a local term. However, grassroots but creative definitions of "chugui", such as "to cultivate a better parent-child relationship", is rejected by LGBT activist elites. I then point out an imbalance in China's LGBT research that mainly pays attention to strategies of not coming out to parents, which actually underestimates parents' agency and even otherizes parents in the name of "filial piety". Rather, the emerging liberalistic ideal of family relationships, especially mother-daughter relationships, enables coming-out practices to become intersubjective journeys for both LGBT children and their parents to rethink gender and sexuality. Finally, I criticize the narrowly defined "family", or "home", in China's dominant coming-out discourses, which disproportionately focuses on one's family of origin and presumes it as a heteronormative fortress. I call for studies that recognize queer empathy and solidarity in a family of origin and connects one's experiences in her family of origin with her later life in chosen families, which may be the family of origin of her child(ren). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we consider an online enrichment procedure in the context of the Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM) for the two-phase flow model in highly heterogeneous porous media. The coefficient of the pressure equation is referred to as the permeability and is the main source of heterogeneity within the model. The elliptic pressure equation is solved using online GMsFEM, which is coupled with a hyperbolic transport equation where local conservation of mass is necessary. To satisfy the conservation property, we aim at constructing conservative fluxes within the space of multiscale basis functions through the use of a postprocessing technique. In order to improve the accuracy of the pressure and velocity solutions in the online GMsFEM, we apply a systematic online enrichment procedure. The increase in pressure accuracy due to the online construction is inherited by the conservative flux fields and the desired saturation solutions from the coupled transport equation. Despite the fact that the coefficient of the pressure equation is dependent on the saturation which may vary in time, we construct an approximation space using the absolute permeability field (λ(S) = 1) and no further basis updates follow. Numerical results corresponding to three different types of heterogeneous permeability coefficients are exhibited to show the performance of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine is an irritant gas that is widely used in water purification. Several previous reports had reported accidents of inhalation injuries at swimming pools. However, there have been limited data on the detection of on-site chlorine concentration. This study aims to report a chlorine leakage accident at a swimming pool caused by improper disinfection operations. Calculation using the gas diffusion simulation software showed that the on-site chlorine concentration was 221.45 ppm. When the accident occurred, there were 92 individuals at the swimming pool and the gym, among which 61 were referred to the emergency department of five different hospitals for feeling ill. Among them, 22 patients underwent chest high-resolution computed tomography scans in our hospital. According to the findings, 4 (18.2%) patients had peribronchitis, 3 (13.6%) had tracheobronchitis, 4 (18.2%) had pneumonia, 4 (18.2%) had interstitial pulmonary edema, and 3 (13.6%) had alveolar pulmonary edema. The symptoms of 22 patients who visited our hospital significantly improved after comprehensive treatment. Three months after the accident, 8 of 17 patients presented obstructive ventilation defects or small airway dysfunction. The accidental exposure to chlorine may induce acute poisoning with various respiratory injuries and prolonged lung dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation for treating the broad ligament uterine fibroid (BLUF). A total of 236 patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids were enrolled and treated with JC-200 extracorporeal ultrasound-guided HIFU under conscious sedation between January 2017 and December 2018. Of them, data of 12 patients with 13 broad ligament fibroids were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' mean age was 38.6 ± 6.3 years. The focused ultrasound target was deployed and moved from the deeper layer to the superficial layer of BLUFs. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) before, immediate post-operation, and six months after the HIFU ablation procedure. The fibroid size, non-perfusion volume (NPV) ratio, the reduction of fibroid volumes, adverse events, symptom changes, and abnormal MRI findings associated with the HIFU treatment were analyzed. Ultrasound-guided HIFU ablation in the twelve patients was technically successful with one session treatment. The mean longest diameter of BLUFs was 6.2 ± 2.3 cm. The mean NPV ratio of fibroids was 84.08%± 9.4%. After HIFU ablation, lower abdominal pain occurred in 7 cases, sacrococcygeal pain in 3 cases, and mild skin pain in 6 cases. There were no severe adverse events and complications associated with the treatment. At 6 months post-treatment follow-up, the mean fibroid volume decreased by 56.2%± 9.0% (p < 0.05), and the symptoms related to broad ligament fibroids were improved or disappeared Ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation is feasible, effective, and safe for treating broad ligament fibroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The syntheses and crystal structures of two bimetallic molecular compounds, namely, bis[bis(6,60-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine)copper(I)] hexafluoridozirconate(IV) 1.134-hydrate, [Cu(dmbpy)2]2[ZrF6]-1.134H2O (dmbpy = 6,6'-dimethyl-2,20-bipyridyl, C12H12N2), (I), and bis[bis(6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine)copper(I)] hexa- fluoridohafnate(IV) 0.671-hydrate, [Cu(dmbpy)2]2[HfF6]-0.671H2O, (II), are reported. Apart from a slight site occupany difference for the water molecule of crystallization, compounds (I) and (II) are isostructural, featuring isolated tetrahedral cations of copper(I) ions coordinated by two dmbpy ligands and centrosymmetric, octahedral anions of fluorinated early transition metals. The tetrahedral environments of the copper complexes are distorted owing to the steric effects of the dmbpy ligands. The extended structures are built up through Coulombic interactions between cations and anions and stacking interactions between heterochiral and [Cu(dmbpy)2]+ complexes. A comparison between the title compounds and other [Cu(dmbpy)2]+ compounds with monovalent and bivalent anions reveals a significant influence of the cationto- anion ratio on the resulting crystal packing architectures, providing insights for future crystal design of distorted tetrahedral copper compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]