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This work presents a theoretical analysis of the helical phase steering via a four-wave mixing (FWM) process in a closely cycled double-ladder atomic system. Our focus is to understand the contribution of the two-photon resonant process governed by a probe field and a driving laser in the control of the helical phase. The theoretical analysis allows us to understand the helical phase can be effectively steered when the two-photon resonant condition Δ = − δ is satisfied. Moreover, we investigate the superposition modes of the FWM field and a same-frequency Gaussian beam, which testify the two-photon resonant condition Δ = − δ plays an important role in the steering of the helical phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GPT-4, as the most advanced version of OpenAI's large language models, has attracted widespread attention, rapidly becoming an indispensable AI tool across various areas. This includes its exploration by scientists for diverse applications. Our study focused on assessing GPT-4's capabilities in generating text, tables, and diagrams for biomedical review papers. We also assessed the consistency in text generation by GPT-4, along with potential plagiarism issues when employing this model for the composition of scientific review papers. Based on the results, we suggest the development of enhanced functionalities in ChatGPT, aiming to meet the needs of the scientific community more effectively. This includes enhancements in uploaded document processing for reference materials, a deeper grasp of intricate biomedical concepts, more precise and efficient information distillation for table generation, and a further refined model specifically tailored for scientific diagram creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid hydrogen has more advantages than gaseous hydrogen in terms of economy and convenience of storage and transportation owing to its higher energy density. Therefore, the hydrogen liquefaction technology is conducive to promotion and application for hydrogen energy in many sectors. The small-scale regenerative refrigerators usually use helium as the working fluid, which is of the high-low temperature cycle, and bring about a significant entropy generation during the cooling process. In this work, the study on the liquefaction rate and FOM (figure of merit) is implemented with a working fluid of hydrogen. It shows that the entropy generation much decreases when applying the distributed refrigeration method comparing to the high-low temperature cycle, and the COP (coefficient of performance) reaches 80 % when cooling the sensible heat load and conversion heat. The calculation results indicate that the liquefaction rate of the temperature-distributed cycle reaches 34.32 L/d at a refrigeration power of 15 W (a representative case). While the maximum of FOM is 0.483, which is improved by 21.7 % compared with the high-low temperature cycle. • H 2 liquefaction rate is calculated with the distributed method for the first time. • The entropy generation much decreases when applying this method. • The liquefaction rate of hydrogen is improved by increasing pressure. • FOM is greatly improved by 21.7 % compared with the high-low temperature cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] In vaccine development, broadly or cross-type neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs or cnAbs) are frequently targeted to enhance protection. Utilizing immunodominant antibodies could help fine-tune vaccine immunogenicity and augment the precision of immunization strategies. However, the methodologies to capitalize on the attributes of bnAbs in vaccine design have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we discovered a cross-type neutralizing monoclonal antibody, 13H5, against human papillomavirus 6 (HPV6) and HPV11. This nAb exhibited a marked preference for HPV6, demonstrating superior binding activity to virus-like particles (VLPs) and significantly higher prevalence in anti-HPV6 human serum as compared to HPV11 antiserum (90% vs. 31%). Through co-crystal structural analysis of the HPV6 L1 pentamer:13H5 complex, we delineated the epitope as spanning four segments of amino acids (Phe42-Ala47, Gly172-Asp173, Glu255-Val275, and Val337-Tyr351) on the L1 surface loops. Further interaction analysis and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the Ser341 residue in the HPV6 HI loop plays a critical role in the interaction between 13H5 and L1. Substituting Ser341 with alanine, which is the residue type present in HPV11 L1, almost completely abolished binding activity to 13H5. By swapping amino acids in the HPV11 HI loop with corresponding residues in HPV6 L1 (Ser341, Thr338, and Thr339), we engineered chimeric HPV11-6HI VLPs. Remarkably, the chimeric HPV11-6HI VLPs shifted the high immunodominance of 13H5 from HPV6 to the engineered VLPs and yielded comparable neutralization titers for both HPV6 and HPV11 in mice and non-human primates. This approach paves the way for the design of broadly protective vaccines from antibodies within the main immunization reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacic mesoporous molecular sieve Me-KIT-6 (Me = K, Ca, Mg, Ba) was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis through doping basic metal elements, and was used to the cracking reaction of waste cooking oil to produce biofuel. The synthesized molecular sieves were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, TEM and CO2-TPD. The effects of the structure and alkalinity of molecular sieves on the activity and selectivity of catalysts were studied. It is found that the three-dimensional cubic mesoporous structure and high alkali content of molecular sieves can improve the catalytic activity and selectivity, and greatly improve the quality of biofuels. The results show that Mg-KIT-6 mesoporous molecular sieve with n(Mg): n(ethyl orthosilicate) = 1:30 has better catalytic performance. The yield of liquid product can reach 62.7%, of which the content of hydrocarbons is the highest, up to 75.74%. The distribution of liquid biofuels is also very concentrated, mainlyC14–C18 hydrocarbons. The catalyst also has excellent catalytic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Si atom diffusion behavior in Ni-based superalloys was evaluated based on first-principles calculations. Also, the site occupation of Si atoms as the melting point depressant elements in Cr, Mo, and W atom doped γ-Ni and γ′-Ni3Fe supercells was discussed and Si atom diffusion behaviors between both adjacent octahedral interstices were analyzed. Calculation results indicated that formation enthalpy (∆Hf) was decreased, stability was improved by doping alloying elements Cr, Mo, and W in γ-Ni and γ′-Ni3Fe supercells, Si atoms were more inclined to occupy octahedral interstices and the diffusion energy barrier was increased by increasing the radius of the doped alloy element. Especially, two diffusion paths were available for Si atoms in the γ′-Ni3Fe and Si diffusion energy barrier around the shared Fe atoms between adjacent octahedral interstices and was significantly lower than that around the shared Ni atoms. The increase of interaction strength between the doped M atom/octahedron constituent atom and Si atom increased Si atom diffusion and decreased the diffusion energy barrier. The Si atom diffusion behavior provides a theoretical basis for the phase structure evolution in wide-gap brazed joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The influencing factors of emergency response to acute occupational poisoning accidents were analyzed in order to provide a basis for relevant departments to strengthen their emergency response capabilities against these accidents. Methods Based on the 4 R theory of crisis management, the influencing factors of emergency response to acute occupational poisoning accidents were extracted from four aspects: emergency preparedness, emergency plan, response, and recovery. The multi-level hierarchical structure of the influencing factors was determined using interpretative structural modeling (ISM), and then the driving force and dependence of each influencing factor were calculated using the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC), and targeted emergency response strategies were proposed. Results A total of 12 influencing factors for emergency response to acute occupational poisoning accidents were identified. Among them, emergency plans, emergency drills, emergency training, and organizational scheduling were not only the most fundamental, deep-seated factors affecting emergency response to acute occupational poisoning accidents but also the factors with the strongest driving force. Controlling poisons and isolating hazardous areas were the most critical direct factors in the emergency response to acute occupational poisoning accidents. Conclusions In the emergency response to an accident, priority should be given to controlling poisons and isolating hazardous areas. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to strengthen the construction of emergency plans, emergency drills, emergency training, and organizational scheduling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of COVID-19 is global, and uncertain information will affect product quality and worker efficiency in the complex supply chain network, thus bringing risks. Aiming at individual heterogeneity, a partial mapping double-layer hypernetwork model is constructed to study the supply chain risk diffusion under uncertain information. Here, we explore the risk diffusion dynamics, drawing on epidemiology, and establish an SPIR (Susceptible–Potential–Infected–Recovered) model to simulate the risk diffusion process. The node represents the enterprise, and hyperedge represents the cooperation among enterprises. The microscopic Markov chain approach (MMCA) is used to prove the theory. Network dynamic evolution includes two removal strategies: (i) removing aging nodes; (ii) removing key nodes. Using Matlab to simulate the model, we found that it is more conducive to market stability to eliminate outdated enterprises than to control key enterprises during risk diffusion. The risk diffusion scale is related to interlayer mapping. Increasing the upper layer mapping rate to strengthen the efforts of official media to issue authoritative information will reduce the infected enterprise number. Reducing the lower layer mapping rate will reduce the misled enterprise number, thereby weakening the efficiency of risk infection. The model is helpful for understanding the risk diffusion characteristics and the importance of online information, and it has guiding significance for supply chain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles (BUB) family is involved in the cell cycle process as mitotic checkpoint components. Abnormal proliferation is a vital process in the development of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Nevertheless, the roles of BUB1 in LUAD remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value and biological functions of BUB1 in LUAD using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), clinical LUAD samples, and in vitro experiments. Methods: The expression, prognostic significance, functions, immune infiltration, and methylation of BUB1 in LUAD were comprehensively analyzed using TCGA, GEO, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis, Metascape, cBioPortal, MethSurv, and cancerSEA databases. Furthermore, we performed a battery of in vitro experiments and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to verify the bioinformatics results. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that BUB1 overexpression was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 1.499, p = 0.013). Functional enrichment analysis showed that BUB1 was correlated with cell cycle, proliferation, DNA repair, DNA damage, and invasion (p < 0.05). Finally, in vitro experiments showed that downregulation of BUB1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LUAD cells and promoted LUAD cell apoptosis. IHC also showed that BUB1 was overexpressed in LUAD (p < 0.001) and was significantly associated with poor prognosis (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our bioinformatics and IHC analyses revealed that BUB1 overexpression was an adverse prognostic factor in LUAD. In vitro experiments demonstrated that BUB1 promoted tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in LUAD. These results indicated that BUB1 was a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous ceramic coating as a "brick" layer sprayed by air plasma spraying(APS) and MK resin as a "mud" layer prepared by a high viscosity spray gun were characterized and tested. Three specifications of the "brick-mud" layered ceramic sealing coating were fabricated through the cyclic and orderly deposition of the "brick" layer and "mud" layer, and the thermal cycling performance and failure mechanism of the three new coatings were studied. The results showed that the agglomerated Y 2 O 3 partially stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ) particles had porous spherical structures and good sprayability, and the content of the YSZ phase in the prepared "brick" layer was 54.2%. The "mud" layer had good phase stability and was amorphous SiO 2 at and below 1100 °C. The fracture toughness of the pure YSZ coating was 2.295 ± 0.135 MPa‧m0.5, and which of the "mud" layer was reduced by 72.3%. The thermal cycling life of the conventional coating was only 67.3 times, which of A1, A2 and A3 coatings with 2, 3 and 6 "mud" layers were increased by 32.4%, 124.8% and 88.3%, respectively. In the thermal cycling process, the "weak" layer in the "brick-mud" layered coating led to the redistribution of internal stress and reduced the stress concentration in the top coating (TC)/TGO interface. Moreover, the initiation of microcracks in the "weak" layer, along with the "crack branching" effect and the "crack deflection" effect during the crack propagation process, could consume partial internal stress. Thus, the crack growth rates in the TC coating/TGO interface of the A1, A2 and A3coatings were lower than that of the conventional coating due to the above stress release mechanisms. In addition, the thermal cycling lives of the three new coatings with 2, 3 and 6 "mud" layers were improved to different degrees because of different stress effects. • A new ceramic sealing coating for a shell bionic structure has been fabricated. • The thermal cycling failure mechanism of the "brick-mud" layered coating has been elucidated. • The relationship between the number of layers and thermal cycling performance has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Support structure plays an important role on sustaining overhang areas, resistingshape deformation and reducing thermal stress in many additive manufacturing (AM) processes. However, design of support structures in the preparation stage and removing of those structures in the post-processing stage are still time-consuming and costly. To reduce support structure volume, post-processing time and improve the printing quality, this paper proposes a novel enhanced bio-inspired generative design method, integrating parametric L-system rules and lattice structure configuration, to generate lightweight, easy-to-remove and heat-diffusion-friendly biomimetic support structures. A complex dental component with freeform geometries and discontinuous support areas is selected as a case study to compare with existing popular support design methods. The comparison results show the proposed method exhibits a good support performance for complex dental overhang areas. Hence it has potential to be adopted for other AM processes where support structures are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the height of the COVID-19 epidemic, production lagged and enterprises could not deliver goods on time, which will bring considerable risks to the supply chain system. Modeling risk diffusion in supply chain networks is important for prediction and control. To study the influence of uncertain information on risk diffusion in a dynamic network, this paper constructs a dynamic evolution model based on a hypernetwork to study risk diffusion and control under uncertain information. First, a dynamic evolution model is constructed to represent the network topology, which includes the addition of links, rewiring of links, entry of nodes, and the exit of outdated nodes that obey the aging principle. Then, the risk diffusion scale is discussed with the Microscopic Markovian Chain Approach (MMCA), and the risk threshold is analyzed. Finally, the consistency of Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and MMCA is verified by MATLAB, and the influence of each parameter on the risk diffusion scale and risk threshold is tested. The results show that reducing the cooperation and production during the risk period, declining the attenuation factor, enhancing the work efficiency of the official media, and increasing the probability of the exit of outdated nodes in the supply chain networks will increase the risk threshold and restrain the risk diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with increasingly severe problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution, liquid biodiesel has received widespread attention as a clean and renewable energy source. In this work, mesoporous molecular sieve Ca-MNC-13 was synthesized first using ionic liquid as a template and β zeolite as a directing agent, and the alkali species modified MeO/Ca-MNC-13 (MeO = K2O, MgO, BaO) catalyst was prepared by impregnation method and used in the catalytic cracking of waste cooking oil to produce biodiesel. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption/desorption, XPS, CO2-TPD. The results showed that the molecular sieve K2O/Ca-MNC-13 obtained with 0.07 mol/L potassium chloride impregnation concentration has better catalytic performance with a conversion rate of about 88.0% and a liquid hydrocarbon biodiesel yield of 63.5%. Distribution of liquid biofuel is also very concentrated, mainly C14–C18 hydrocarbons. The obtained liquid biofuel has a chemical composition similar to that of diesel-based liquid biofuel, which significantly reduces the acid value of oil and improves the performance of oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a scheme that transfers the helical phase information of the orbital angular momentum (OAM) light—via a graphene system—to the generated four-wave mixing (FWM) field. In particular, the helical phase of the FWM field can be effectively manipulated and suppressed, if desired, by adjusting the system parameters. Moreover, we identify and examine the evolution of the helical phase via the superposition modes of the FWM field and a same-frequency Gaussian beam, which is in good agreement with the results of numerical simulations. In this way, our proposed scheme may provide a route to modulate the helical phase wavefront via FWM in graphene-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Lung cancer remains the leading cancer type that threatens life expectancy and overall quality of life worldwide. Although the development of molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy in recent years has raised lung cancer treatment to a new level, the 5-year survival rate of lung adenocarcinoma patients is still poor. However, low response rates and limited survival benefits remain a huge challenge, which may be attributed to the metabolic reprogramming of tumors. • With recent advances in metabolic research, there is a better understanding of the complexities of tumor cell metabolism and redox chemistry in cancer etiology, progression, and treatment. The role of glutathione metabolism has also attracted increasing interest. However, glutathione metabolism plays a pathogenic role in a variety of malignancies. Studies have shown that excess glutathione promotes tumor progression, where elevated levels are associated with increased metastasis. Besides, due to the intrinsic metabolic flexibility and heterogeneity of tumors, the role of glutathione metabolism genes in LUAD in terms of prognosis and tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. • Our study demonstrates that glutathione metabolism genes are closely associated with poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients and can regulate M2 macrophage polarization, causing remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment. More importantly, our findings are expected to improve the precision of gene therapy regimens dependent on glutamine metabolism genes and provide novel perspectives on biomarkers for prognosis and targets for therapy for LUAD. Glutathione metabolism (GM) is a crucial part of various metabolic and pathophysiological processes. However, its role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has not been comprehensively studied. This study aimed to explore the potential relationship between GM genes, the prognosis, and the immune microenvironment of patients with LUAD. We constructed a risk signature model containing seven GM genes using Lasso combined Cox regression and validated it using six GEO datasets. Our analysis showed that it is an independent prognostic factor. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the GM genes were significantly enriched in cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and metabolic pathways. Clinical and gene expression data of patients with LUAD were obtained from the TCGA database and patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. The high-risk patient group had a poor prognosis, reduced immune cell infiltration, poor response to immunotherapy, high sensitivity to chemotherapy, and low sensitivity to targeted therapy. Subsequently, single-cell transcriptome analysis using the GSE143423 and GSE127465 datasets revealed that the core SMS gene was highly enriched in M2 Macrophages. Finally, nine GEO datasets and multiple fluorescence staining revealed a correlation between the SMS expression and M2 macrophage polarization. Our prognostic model in which the core SMS gene is closely related to M2 macrophage polarization is expected to become a novel target and strategy for tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of Y 2 O 3 partially stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ)-based agglomerated powders with and without SiC whiskers were prepared by spray granulation, and the flow ability, apparent density and particle size distribution of them were investigated. The thermal cycling performance and failure mechanism of conventional high temperature sealing coating and modified one with additional layer with whiskers, which were sprayed by air plasma spraying (APS), were comparatively analyzed. The results showed that, compared to the powder without whiskers, the flow ability of that with whiskers reduced by 2.32%, and the apparent density and the proportion of 45–150 μm agglomerated powder increased by 1.53% and 2.29%, respectively. The thermal cycling failure mode of conventional high temperature sealing coating was the overall spalling of ceramic coating, and the spalling position originated from the interface of thermally grown oxide (TGO)/ceramic coating. Microstructure observation indicated that the structure integrity of SiC whiskers in the additional layer sprayed by APS was still retained. The whiskers were uniformly distributed and theinterface between bonding coating and ceramic coating exhibited excellent bonding. With the additional layer containing whiskers, the thermal cycling life of the coating was increased by 102.53%. In the thermal cycling process, the "bridging" and "pulling-out" effects of whiskers located at the additional layer consumed considerable energy, which could reduce the driving force of crack growth. Besides, a porous structure of the additional layer after thermal cycling was formed due to "bridging" and "pulling-out" of whiskers, further improving the thermal cycling life of coating with the additional layer. • SiC whiskers have no adverse effects on the spray-ability of agglomerated powders. • TGO growth stress and thermal mismatch stress at TGO/TC interface are driving forces of crack growth. • The structural integrity of SiC whiskers is still retained in the additional layer prepared by APS. • The whiskers toughening mechanism includes "bridging"， "pulling out", and porous structure effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Particle-resolved CFD is employed on C 8 isomerization in randomly filled fixed beds. • Heterogeneous model is established for spheres, cylinders, trilobes and quadrilobes. • The outlet distribution trend shows good agreement with experimental data. • The shape effects on pressure drop, p-xylene yield and temperature are screened. • Quadrilobes have the best performance considering both flow and reaction. Paraxylene (PX) is essential for producing polyethylene terephthalate fibers. We conduct particle-resolved CFD simulations, coupled with our reaction kinetics, on a fixed bed reactor randomly filled with catalyst shapes including sphere, cylinder, trilobe and quadrilobe to enlarge PX productivity in the catalytic isomerization of C 8 aromatics. Our findings reveal the effects of catalyst shapes on velocity, concentration, temperature fields, and pressure drop. Although all catalyst shapes present particle utilization above 70 %, trilobes and quadrilobes show superior PX yield and ethylbenzene conversion due to their larger surface area and reduced mass transfer distance. Yet, among these catalysts, trilobes have twice the pressure drop of the others for complex geometric surface. Therefore, quadrilobes are more practical as their higher bed voidage, smaller pressure drop, better reactivity for desired reactions, and lower adiabatic temperature rise. This work provides guidance for catalyst design and process optimization to enhance PX productivity in aromatic isomerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data transmission using optical switching devices is currently the ultimate goal of most telecommunication research. Here we show that the collision effect of hot atoms, which is undesirable for most studies, can induce on-off switching of optical orbital angular momentum (OAM) light. By adjusting the temperature of atomic cell and the detuning of signal field, the transmission of signal field carrying OAM can be efficiently switched. In particular, we can achieve the "zero" transmission bandwidth of over 1 GHz. Due to the unique optical properties of OAM light, our proposal will open up a new avenue toward optical OAM switching devices and provides opportunities for applications in integrated optics and high-dimensional information networks based on OAM light. • A scheme to realize the on-off switching of optical orbital angular momentum via atomic collision is investigated. • The transmission of signal field carrying OAM can be efficiently switched. • We can achieve the broadband on-off switch of signal field with the different topological charges. • The proposal may open a door for exploring the singularity characteristics of the OAM switching at room temperature. • Our scheme may open an avenue for achieving the multiplexing OAM switching devices using multiplexed OAM light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation tillage (e.g. no tillage, minimum tillage) is regarded as an effective way to maintain sustainable crop productivity and improve soil quality globally. However, the claim that conservation tillage could improve crop yield are still controversial. It is hypothesized that whether conservation tillage increase crop yield in comparison with conventional tillage (CT) depends on the different conservation tillage practices, for example, no tillage (NT) and strip tillage (ST), and different variables including in agronomic managements, climate conditions, and soil properties. Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate how tillage practices affect crop yield and which factors dominate yield performance mostly. Based on the 53 published articles with 290 paired-comparisons across the world, the effects of ST vs. CT and ST vs. NT on crop yield were conducted. It was showed that crop yield under ST had an increasing trend compared to that under CT and NT. Especially, ST significantly increased crop yield by 4.81% in contrast with NT, which indicated that ST might be a promising practice of conservation tillage in terms of crop yield. Under the agronomic managements of continuous cropping, multiple cropping, graminaceous crops, and straw removing, ST significantly increased crop yields by 5.40%, 10.29%, 7.66%, and 7.60% compared to NT, respectively. ST achieved significantly higher crop yield by 5.68% on average and 11.63% as compared to NT under all soil texture and neutral soil. Concerning the climate conditions, crop yield significantly increased by 3.64% under ST as compared to NT in cooler area where mean annual temperature (MAT) was lower than 10°C. Importance analysis indicated that cropping system and MAT were the key factors affecting the performance of tillage practice on crop yield. Overall, present study revealed that ST might be a favorable conservation tillage practice in continuous and multiple cropping systems with graminaceous crop (e.g. maize) in cooler (MAT <10℃) region in terms of yield promotion. This meta-analysis study demonstrated the importance of conservation tillage optimization for food safety and sustainable development of agriculture. • 53 articles with 290 paired-comparisons are used to conduct a meta-analysis. • Strip tillage has similar crop yield in contrast with conventional tillage. • Strip tillage significantly increases crop yield by 4.81% compared with no tillage. • Cropping system and mean annual temperature affect tillage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High strength Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys are widely used for structure components in engineering applications, such as aerospace, transportation, owing to a superior combination of high strength to density ratio and excellent mechanical properties. In present work, the effect of solution treatment and aging treatment on precipitates and mechanical property is investigated in a spray formed (SFed) Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy. The SFed Al alloy after optimized solution treatment shows fine grains and high fraction of substructures, which increase the kinetics for precipitation and refine precipitates. It is found that the aging temperature mainly affects the size and phase type of matrix precipitates, size of grain boundary precipitates and width of precipitate free zone. It confirms that both the strength and ductility are controlled by precipitates, which are strongly dependent on aging temperature. Specifically, the sample aged at 120 °C for 16 h (120 °C@16h) behaves highest yield strength (661 MPa) caused by the fine precipitates, while the sample aged with 100 °C@24h behaves highest ultimate tensile strength (745 MPa), uniform elongation (9.1 %) and total elongation (12.5 %). In addition, the strain hardening behavior of SFed Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy is discussed by Kocks-Mecking model and an empirical rule. • The dissolution of η phase and S phase of spray formed (SFed) Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy during solution treatment is discussed. • The fine microstructure, high fraction of substructure and enhanced dislocation density accelerate kinetics of aging precipitation. • Both the strength and ductility are controlled by precipitates which is strongly dependent on aging temperature. • The higher strength and uniform elongation of SFed Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy were achieved by the optimized heat treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The TiB 2 /Al-Cu-Mg composite thin sheet was fabricated by casting and rolling routes. • Strength and fatigue crack growth resistance were simultaneously enhanced. • Effect of microstructure evolution on fatigue crack tip was discussed. • Fatigue crack propagation mechanisms of the sheet were revealed. The industrial-grade TiB 2 /Al-Cu-Mg composite sheet was fabricated via casting and rolling methods. Cold-rolling coupled with low-temperature aging treatment was used to regulate the grain size, dislocation density, precipitates and TiB 2 particle distribution, to optimize the strength and fatigue crack propagation (FCP) resistance of the sheet. The results show that pre-rolling deformation combined with low-temperature long-term aging is beneficial for obtaining fine grains, high-density dislocations, high-density nano precipitates and uniform particle distribution, all of which are conducive to improving strength. The TiB 2 /Al-Cu-Mg composite sheet can achieve remarkable ultimate tensile strength over 600 MPa regardless of its excellent elongation (12 %). Furthermore, uniformly distributed TiB 2 particles and high-density nano precipitates are beneficial for offsetting the negative effect of high-density dislocations on FCP. Finally, the small pre-rolling deformation (5 %) combined with low-temperature long-term aging achieves excellent strength and FCP resistance combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have shown that the Sec61 gamma subunit (SEC61G) is overexpressed in several tumors and could serve as a potential prognostic marker. However, the correlation between SEC61G and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. In the current study, we aimed to demonstrate the prognostic value and potential biological function of the SEC61G gene in LUAD.Methods: Public datasets were used for SEC61G expression analyses. The prognostic value of SEC61G in LUAD was investigated using the Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox analyses. The correlation between the methylation level of SEC61G and its mRNA expression was evaluated via cBioPortal. Additionally, MethSurv was used to determine the prognostic value of the SEC61G methylation levels in LUAD. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to explore the potential mechanism of SEC61G. Also, single sample GSEA (ssGSEA) and TIMER online tool were applied to identify the correlation between SEC61G and immune filtration. Furthermore, cell functional experiments were conducted to verify the biological behavior of SEC61G in lung adenocarcinoma cells (LAC).Results: SEC61G was upregulated in pan-cancers, including LUAD. High SEC61G expression was significantly correlated with worse prognosis in LUAD patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that high SEC61G expression was an independent prognostic factor in the TCGA cohort. (HR = 1.760 95% CI: 1.297-2.388, p < 0.001). The methylation level of SEC61G negatively correlated with the SEC61G expression (R = - 0.290, p < 0.001), and patients with low SEC61G methylation had worse overall survival. (p = 0.0014). Proliferation-associated terms such as cell cycle and cell division were significantly enriched in GO and KEGG analysis. Vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of SEC61G resulted in decreased cell proliferation, invasion and facilitated apoptosis in LAC. GSEA analysis found that SEC61G expression was associated with the E2F targets. Moreover, SEC61G expression was negatively correlated with the immune cell infiltration including CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, B cell, macrophage, neutrophil, and dendritic cell.Conclusion: Our study indicated that overexpression of SEC61G was significantly associated with poor prognosis of LUAD patients and the malignant phenotypes of LUAD cells, suggesting that it could be a novel prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target of LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonreciprocal optical devices are important in wide areas, ranging from optical telecommunications to signal processing. Here, we experimentally realize the magnet-free and cavity-free optical nonreciprocity based on phase-matched four-wave mixing (FWM) in hot atoms. Specifically, the isolation of more than 20 dB and insertion loss less than 1 dB without using any optical cavity can be achieved simultaneously. Our results provide general insights into a broad class of parametrically modulated nonreciprocal behavior, paving the way toward optimal nonreciprocal devices based on the nonlinear FWM process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GREB1L is a protein-coding gene that is an important paralog of GREB1. However, its effects in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have not been determined. Thus, we evaluated the prognostic value of GREB1L in LUAD using bioinformatics approaches. In particular, we evaluated the relationship between GREB1L and LUAD using a wide range of databases and analysis tools, including TCGA, GEO, HPA, TIMER, cBioPortal, and MethSurv. Compared with its expression in normal lung tissues, GREB1L expression was significantly increased in LUAD tissues. A univariate Cox analysis showed that high GREB1L expression levels were correlated with a poor OS in LUAD. Additionally, GREB1L expression was independently associated with OS through a multivariate Cox analysis. GSEA analysis revealed enrichment in cell cycle, immune regulation, and methylation. Moreover, high GREB1L expression was associated with poor survival. We also found that the methylation and genetic alteration level was associated with prognosis in patients with LUAD. Finally, an analysis of immune infiltration showed that GREB1L is correlated with immune cell infiltration, PD-1, and PD-L1. In summary, these results indicate that GREB1L is a potential molecular marker for poor prognosis in LUAD and provide additional insight for the development of therapies and prognostic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the information technology of the Internet of Things has been developed by leaps and bounds, and the development of hardware technology has promoted the development of software technology. New concepts, new applications and new products emerge endlessly. Computer vision technology has made great progress, and industrial cameras are developing rapidly and are widely used in real life. The realization of high-definition capture and imaging functions of industrial cameras creates conditions for obtaining scientific data. This article aims to study the application of information security of the Internet of Things in the informationization of sports training and education. Correctly and objectively evaluate and understand the information security level of the Internet of Things. The guidance of computerization of sports training and education is based on the continuous and effective comparison of the implementation effect of computerization and the development strategy, and then the improvement of computerization work. Formulate the correct information strategy and provide assistance in specific implementation. On the basis of benefit, pragmatism and overall planning, formulate the correct information strategy and provide assistance in specific implementation. On the basis of benefit pragmatism and overall planning. Through experiments to master the Internet information security mechanism and use experimental questionnaire surveys and other methods to explore the application of Internet of Things information security in the informationization of sports training education, modern education must make full use of information technology, introduce physical education classroom teaching, and realize modern teaching. The experimental results of this article show that the application effect of Internet of Things information security information technology in physical education has been significantly improved. 60% of students have created better conditions for the current informationization of physical training and education, so that students can not only learn theoretical knowledge, but also deepen the understanding of sports in information teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology is an information technology developed in recent years with the development of electronic sensors, intelligence, network transmission and control technologies. This is the third revolution in the development of information technology. This article aims to study the algorithm of the Internet of Things technology, through the investigation of the hazards of athletes’ sports training, scientifically and rationally use the Internet of Things technology to collect data on safety accidents in athletes’ sports training, thereby reducing the risk of athletes’ sports training and making athletes better. In this article, the methods of literature research, analysis and condensing, questionnaire survey, theory and experiment combination, etc., investigate the safety accident data collection of the Internet of Things technology in athletes’ sports training, and provide certain theories and methods for future in-depth research practice basis. The experimental results in this article show that 82% of athletes who are surveyed under the Internet of Things technology will have partial injuries during training, reducing the risk of safety accidents in athletes’ sports training, and better enabling Chinese athletes to achieve a consistent level of competition and performance through a virtuous cycle of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Temperature-distributed refrigeration power is transferred from inside a regenerator. • Temperature-distributed transfer coefficient (TTC) increases with discrete points. • Internal DC transfer method eliminates radial thermal resistance and improves TTC. • Combining DC flow and discrete method increases TTC up to 90 %. • TTC of these new methods is 1–2 times higher than previous transfer methods. The temperature-distributed regenerative refrigeration cycle utilizes the real-gas properties to generate the temperature-distributed refrigeration power and improves the cooling performance and liquefaction rate of cryogenic gases. The temperature-distributed refrigeration power is distributed in the volume of the regenerator. It is challenging to transfer this distributed refrigeration power, and the regenerative heat loss is usually inevitable. The transfer process of the temperature-distributed refrigeration power is studied in this paper. A comprehensive investigation into associated influencing factors is presented in this paper. Furthermore, a parameter of the temperature-distributed transfer coefficient (TTC) is proposed to evaluate the transfer process. This study extends into a broader range of the discrete transfer method from liquid-helium temperatures to ambient temperatures and further analyzes the rules from scattered points to multiple points. The internal DC flow method is adopted to eliminate the radial thermal resistance and improve the TTC, recognizing the constraints of the traditional distributed transfer method (coiling heat exchange tubes outside the regenerator). The TTC of the distributed method with the DC flow is improved around 1–2 times by optimizing the mass flux of multi-strand DC flow and temperature range. It is also improved 1.5–2 times by combining the DC flow and discrete method. Additionally, the TTC is improved about 1–1.5 times with the DC flow when using the refrigeration power for gas liquefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the whole power system, the importance of the transformer is self-evident, if its fault is bound to cause adverse effects on the whole power system. However, the previous fault diagnosis method is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also has great danger, once it is not handled properly, it may also pose a threat to the life safety of operators. At this time, the transformer fault diagnosis mode based on voice print follows and becomes a big tool for fault diagnosis. However, the surrounding environment of the transformer is changeable and noisy, which will cause interference to the voice print signal and affect the fault diagnosis result. In this regard, this paper will start from this key point and solve this unfavorable factor by using different denoising technologies and feature extraction technologies. The final empirical results show that the improved wavelet threshold technology has the best denoising ability, and the feature parameters obtained under the transformer sound frequency cepstrum coefficient (TFCC) feature extraction technology can better improve the fault diagnosis accuracy. It can solve the problem of low fault diagnosis rate of transformer in different environments, and can be used in practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, four varieties of wood flour (WF)/poly (lactic acid) (PLA) composites by organo‐montmorillonite (OMMT) modification were fabricated via different modification process. The distribution of OMMT was characterized and the mechanical capacities of these composites were tested. After different OMMT‐modified process, the mechanical capacities of composites were distinctly different. However, except for the impact strength, almost the whole mechanical capacities showed improvements after modifying by OMMT; composite made of pure PLA and OMMT‐modified WF behaved the best mechanical properties, while composite made of pure WF and OMMT‐modified PLA behaved the worst; either for PLA modified by OMMT or WF/PLA composites modified by OMMT, the existence of the OMMT aggregates could cause damage to the mechanical properties. However, intercalated OMMT into WF or WF/PLA composite was beneficial to the mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the earliest steps in the radiolysis of a water pentamer in an intense, 800 nm, linearlypolarized fs laser field [I = (0.1 − 50) ∙ 1014 W/cm2] through a real-space, real-time implementation of time-dependent density functional theory nonadiabatically coupled to molecular dynamics. The ionization is enhanced with increasing laser intensity, resulting in the continuous emergence of higher charge states and an increase in the ionization ratio of the deepest levels. Two different reaction pathways of the water pentamer are presented by analyzing the degree of ionization, the level depletion, the probabilities of ionic states, the time-resolved electron density, the bond lengths, and the vibrational frequencies. Both pathways exhibit fluctuations and rearrangement dynamics of the hydrogen bonding network under irradiation. The cyclic structure of the pentamer formed via five oxygen ions is distorted and opened after ionization and tends to maintain a hydronium H3O+ configuration. Proton transfer is accompanied by an oxygen–oxygen contraction and the first proton transfer rate ranges over 6–22 fs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Prognostic and Immunological Impact of CAF-Derived Exosomal Proteins: This study represents the first investigation into the proteomic profile of CAF-derived exosomes in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, aiming to elucidate their prognostic and immunological effects. The findings highlight the potential role of these proteins in modulating the immune response within the tumor microenvironment. • Identification of Differentially Expressed Exosomal Proteins: Through advanced liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, 842 differentially expressed exosomal proteins were identified, uncovering key molecular players involved in ESCC progression and metastasis. • Robust Prognostic Signature: The study establishes a robust prognostic signature based on CAFs-derived exosomal proteins, which serves as an independent prognostic factor and accurately predicts significantly worse prognosis in the high-risk group of ESCC patients. Additionally, we further validated the risk model using cDNA tissue microarrays, ensuring the reliability of the prognostic model. • Clinical Implications for Personalized Treatment: The risk score derived from the prognostic signature shows a significant correlation with immune cell infiltration, immunotherapy response, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic treatments. This finding emphasizes the clinical utility of CAF-derived exosomal proteins in guiding personalized treatment strategies for ESCC patients. • Advancing Precision Medicine in ESCC: The study's findings pave the way for the development of targeted therapies and the optimization of treatment approaches by providing a deeper understanding of the specific protein molecules derived from CAFs and their crucial functions in ESCC. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a crucial component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and play significant roles in tumor initiation, progression, and immune evasion. Despite this, the specific exosomal proteins derived from CAFs and their functions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unknown. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact and prognostic significance of CAFs-derived exosomal proteins in ESCC. Exosomes obtained from CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated using ultracentrifugation, and the protein expression profiles of the exosomes were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Tumor proliferation was assessed using CCK-8 and colony formation assays, while cell invasion and migration were evaluated using transwell assays. Lasso regression analysis was employed to establish a signature based on CAFs-derived exosomal proteins using the TCGA database. The immunological and prognostic roles of this signature were comprehensively investigated through survival analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), immune analysis, immunotherapy response analysis, and drug sensitivity analysis. The GSE160269 dataset was utilized for single-cell transcriptome analysis to further elucidate the role of the signature in the TME. Additionally, cDNA microarray analysis was utilized to validate the prognostic value of the signature. Our findings demonstrate that exosomes derived from CAFs significantly enhance the proliferation, invasion, and migration of esophageal cancer cells. We identified 842 differentially expressed exosomal proteins through LC-MS/MS analysis, and two key proteins were utilized to establish a risk signature. Survival analysis revealed a significantly worse prognosis in the high-risk group, with multivariate analysis indicating that the risk score serves as an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, we observed a significant correlation between the risk score and immune cell infiltration, immunotherapy response, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic treatments in the study population. Lastly, single-cell transcriptome analysis further revealed the expression patterns of TNFRSF10B and ILF3 in different cell subpopulations. In conclusion, our study has successfully established a robust prognostic signature based on CAFs-derived exosomal proteins, which can serve as a reliable biomarker for predicting prognosis and evaluating the immune microenvironment in ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the implementation of ultra-low emission of nitrogen oxides, denitrification technologies, such as selective catalytic reduction, selective non-catalytic reduction or selective non-catalytic reduction combined with selective catalytic reduction, have been widely used in gas-fired power plants, cement plants and municipal solid waste incineration power plants. These three denitrification industries have become the main potential fixed sources of ammonia emissions in urban areas, however the studies on ammonia emissions are lacking. In order to study the ammonia emission characteristics and ammonia injection control of gas-fired power plants, cement plants and municipal solid waste incineration power plants, field tests were carried out on five typical denitrification enterprises using three monitoring methods. The multi-form ammonia manual monitoring method proposed in this study distinguished and defined all possible ammonia in the flue gas into filterable ammonia, residual ammonia, condensable ammonia and gaseous ammonia according to the migration and transformation behavior during the collection process. The monitoring results of the multi-form manual monitoring method can more accurately reflect the actual ammonia emission level with the simultaneous collection and monitoring of different ammonia forms. The ammonia emission levels in cement plants (more than 20 mg/m³) were higher than that of gas power plants and waste incineration plants (almost less than 4 mg/m³). The condensed ammonia was the dominant form of ammonia, accounting for 58.4%～88.7%. The humidity and temperature of flue gas at the chimney outlet had significant influence on residual ammonia. For the denitration enterprises using a single denitrification technology, the ammonia emission had a linear negative correlation with that of nitrogen oxide with changing ammonia injection amount, while for that using combined denitrification technology, the degree of collaboration between selective non-catalytic reduction ammonia injection control and selective catalytic reduction ammonia injection control played a decisive role in the control of nitrogen oxide emission and ammonia emission, especially the selective catalytic reduction ammonia injection control. [Display omitted] • All possible ammonia emission from GFPPs, MSWIPPs and CPs were defined. • The multi-form ammonia included granular, residual, condensed and gaseous ammonia. • The multi-form ammonia manual monitoring method was proposed to monitor them. • The condensed ammonia was the dominant form in ammonia emission. • SCR ammonia injection control in combined denitrification system was very important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron-ion dynamics of hydroperoxyl radical in intense femtosecond laser pulses is studied by using time-dependent density functional theory combined with molecular dynamics approach. We calculate the optimized structure, the ionization energy, and the optical absorption strength. The results are in good agreement with experiments. The irradiation dynamics of HO2 including the ionization, the dipole moment, the bond lengths, the kinetic energies, and the level depletion is explored by varying the laser frequency. Computational results indicate that the excitation behaviors are distinct due to different frequencies. Furthermore, the angular dependence of the total ionization and the orbital ionization yields of HO2 are explored. The calculated result predicts a maximum around 4 0 ∘ and 2 2 0 ∘ for the total ionization and the angular dependence of the total ionization reflects the symmetry of the HOMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electron mobility influenced by optical phonons in AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors with different gate dielectrics around room temperature is investigated theoretically. The electronic states are obtained by the finite difference method in consideration of built-in electric fields and the conduction band bending. The optical phonons are analyzed using the dielectric continuum model. Based on the theory of force balance equation, the electron mobility of two-dimensional electron gas is obtained for the structures with four different gate dielectrics of Al2O3, HfO2, SiO2 and Si3N4. Our results show that the electron mobility is the highest in HfO2 systems when Al composition in AlGaN is small, whereas the mobility is the highest in Al2O3 systems as Al composition increases to a certain value. The effects of the ternary mixed crystals, each layer's size and the fixed charges on the sheet density and electron mobility are also discussed for different gate dielectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate optical bistability (OB) behavior in an asymmetric three-coupled quantum well structure inside a unidirectional ring cavity. By controlling the assisting coherent driven field and the frequency detunings of the two control laser fields, we find that the appearance and disappearance of OB can easily be controlled by adjusting the positions of the dual electromagnetically induced transparency windows. Analysis in the dressed-state picture is also given. Our scheme may be used for building more efficient all-optical switches and logic-gate devices for optical computing and quantum information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applications of nanomaterials cause a general concern on their toxicity when they intentionally (such as in medicine) or unintentionally (environment exposure) enter into the human body. As a special subpopulation, pregnant women are more susceptible to nanoparticle (NP)-induced toxicity. More importantly, prenatal exposures may affect the entire life of the fetus. Through blood circulation, NPs may cross placental barriers and enter into fetus. A cascade of events, such as damage in placental barriers, generation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and altered gene expression, may induce delayed or abnormal fetal development. The physicochemical properties of NPs, exposure time, and other factors directly affect nanotoxicity in pregnant populations. Even though results from animal studies cannot directly extrapolate to humans, compelling evidence has already shown that, for pregnant women, caution must be taken when dealing with nanomedicines or NP pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a scheme to generate spatially dependent four-wave mixing (FWM) in an asymmetric semiconductor three-coupled-quantum-well nanostructure. By adjusting the detuning of the control field, one can effectively manipulate the FWM output field. Specifically, the vortex phase of the FWM field can be modulated. The detailed explanations based on the dispersion relation are given, which are in good agreement with our results. Furthermore, we perform the interference between the FWM field and the same-frequency Gaussian beam. Our results show that the interference patterns can also be modulated via the detuning of the control field, which may provide a way to observe helical phase modulation via the intensity measurement. This work may be useful for investigating the nonlinear optical phenomena based on orbital angular momentum light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying a real-space, real-time implementation of time-dependent density functional theory coupled to molecular dynamics (TDDFT-MD) non-adiabatically, we study the ionization and fragmentation of water dimer in collision with a proton at 250 eV. Four different incident orientations with various impact parameters are employed to account for orientation effects. The reaction channels, electronic density evolution, scattering pattern and energy loss of proton are obtained. We find that proton is scattered away for all impact parameters and the head-on collision effects the energy loss of proton dominantly as well as the scattering angle. The locations of peaks of the scattering angles are similar to those corresponding to the energy loss. The single-electron capture, the double-electron capture as well as the total electron capture cross-sections are obtained. We find that the single-electron capture cross-section contributes most to the total electron capture cross-section and the calculated total electron capture cross-section is in reasonable agreement with experimental and other theoretical results with respect to water gas and liquid water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and lenvatinib individually has shown favorable outcomes, but there is currently no meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to investigate the efficacy and safety of this combined treatment for HCC. The aim of this study was to identify the efficacy and safety of TACE plus lenvatinib for the treatment of HCC. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and the Web of Science was conducted on July 31, 2023. RCTs evaluating the efficacy and safety of TACE in combination with lenvatinib for the treatment of HCC were included. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Outcome measures such as objective response rate (ORR), complete remission (CR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety parameters were extracted from the included studies. Binary outcomes were analyzed using odds ratio (OR), risk ratio, or hazard ratio (HR), while continuous variables were analyzed using mean difference (MD) or standardized MD in RStudio. The quality of the evidence was graded using the GRADE approach. Heterogeneity was considered significant when the I-squared was 50% or less. Results: Five RCTs involving 638 patients were included. The meta-analysis revealed that patients in the TACE plus lenvatinib group had a significantly higher mean ORR compared to the control group (OR: 3.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.50–5.32, fixed-effects model; OR: 3.58, 95% CI: 2.45–5.24, random-effects model, I2 = 0, moderate quality). Specifically, 40.9% of patients in the TACE plus lenvatinib group achieved a PR, which was significantly higher than the control group (OR: 3.51, 95% CI: 2.41–5.13, fixed-effects model; OR: 3.46, 95% CI: 2.36–5.07, random-effects model, I2 = 0, moderate quality). The HR for OS was 0.47 (95% CI: 0.35–0.62, fixed-effects model and random-effects model, I2 = 0, moderate quality). The meta-analysis revealed that the TACE plus lenvatinib group had a significantly higher total adverse effects rate than the control group (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.01–3.43, fixed-effects model; OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.00–3.43, random-effects model, I2 = 0, moderate quality). Conclusion: Our study suggests that the combination of TACE and lenvatinib in the treatment of HCC has shown promising results, with extended OS and improved ORR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of biofuel from bio-oils is of great importance to the development of renewable energy and to alleviate environmental pollution problems. In this work, acidic mesoporous silica Me-KIT-6 (Me = Zn, Al, Zr, Sn, Mn) were prepared and coated with basic metal oxides, and the CaO@Me-KIT-6 catalyst was obtained, and tested in the catalytic cracking reaction of waste oils and fats. The structure of the catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, N 2 physical adsorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the acidity/basicity was characterized by chemisorption (NH 3 -TPD/CO 2 -TPD), and the structure-performance relationship in waste cooking oil catalytic cracking was investigated in detail. The results showed that CaO@Zn-KIT-6 catalyst had a good catalytic performance with a liquid biofuel yield of 66.30% and an acid value of about 23.35 mg KOH/g. The carbon distribution of the liquid biofuel concentrated in the range of C13-C18 with 67.80% of hydrocarbon products. The synthesized core-shell catalysts displayed multifunctional role resulting from tailored acid-base synergy. • The synthesized core-shell catalyst had acid-base bifunction. • The synthesized catalyst had good catalytic properties. • The mechanism of producing hydrocarbon rich biofuel by acid-base core-shell catalyst catalyzed cleavage was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops and evaluates a novel wet method for NO removal using a Na 2 S 2 O 8 /CaO 2 solution. The effects of these two components both and alone in solution, Na 2 S 2 O 8 concentration, CaO 2 concentration, initial pH, reaction temperature, and the concentrations of NO and O 2 on NO removal efficiency were evaluated using a bubbling reactor. The combination of Na 2 S 2 O 8 and CaO 2 had a synergistic effect on NO removal efficiency. NO removal was effected by CaO 2 concentration, reaction temperature and the initial solution pH, while Na 2 S 2 O 8 concentration and O 2 concentration had little effect. The NO removal efficiency decreased linearly from 94.5 % to 75.1 % when the NO concentration increased from 139 to 559 ppm. The products were characterized using XRD, XPS and IC, and CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O, NO 3 − and SO 4 2− were found to be the main products. The EPR analysis showed that free radicals of O 2 − , SO 4 − and OH were the key species involved in the NO removal process. Finally, the corresponding reaction mechanisms were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop low‐cost and ultrahigh strength magnesium alloys, AE42 (Mg‐4Al‐2RE) alloy is modified by adding Ca (Mg‐4Al‐0.5RE (RE = Y, Ce)‐xCa (x = 0.3, 0.8, and 1.5)) to replace the majority of rare earth elements. The microstructures of squeeze‐cast AE42 and Mg‐4Al‐0.5RE‐xCa alloys are investigated by XRD, EPMA, and SEM, respectively. The corrosion behaviors of all alloys are studied by gravimetric measurements and electrochemical tests. Results show that the microstructure difference between AE42 and Mg‐4Al‐0.5RE‐xCa alloys is that with the addition of Ca, dendritic and acicular Al‐RE phases are suppressed and thin acicular Al2Ca or bone‐shaped (Mg, Al)2Ca phases are formed. Because the reduction of Al‐RE phases can decrease the number of cathode and the Ca‐containing phases have lower potential, the corrosion resistance of Mg‐Al‐0.5RE‐xCa alloys is significantly better than that of AE42 alloy. The alloy with 0.8 wt% Ca addition shows the best corrosion resistance, which can be attributed to the effect of mixed oxide film of RE and Ca and moderate Al2Ca phase discontinuously distributed on the grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies reported that rosiglitazone (a PPARgamma agonist) could ameliorate the painful state and prevent stress-induced depression. However, whether rosiglitazone can prevent pain-induced depression is unclear. This study aimed to explore the antidepressant effects of rosiglitazone in L5 spinal nerve transection (SNT) induced neuropathic pain rats. In addition, AMPK inhibitor (Compound C) and autophagic antagonist (3-methyladenine, 3-MA) were applied to investigate the underlying therapeutic mechanisms. L5 SNT-induced neuropathic pain symptoms and depressive like-behaviors were detected by paw pressure threshold test (PPT), open-field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), sucrose preference test (SPT). Rosiglitazone could ameliorate L5 SNT-induced neuropathic pain symptoms and depressive like-behaviors and the effect could be reversed by Compound C or 3-MA. Compared with the sham group, the levels of BDNF, AMPK, Beclin-1 and LC3B in rats hippocampus significantly decreased in L5 SNT group. On the contrary, rosiglitazone administration significantly up-regulated the levels of AMPK, BDNF, Beclin-1 and LC3B in rats hippocampus. Compared with sham group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat hippocampus significantly increased in L5 SNT group. Besides, rosiglitazone administration significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, SOD and MDA in hippocampus. Compared with rosiglitazone group, 3-MA administration, but not Compound C administration, significantly increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, SOD and MDA in hippocampus. In conclusion, rosiglitazone can counteract down-regulation of AMPK and BDNF induced by L5 SNT rats in hippocampus, and activate autophagic pathway. These effects may contribute to the antidepressant effect of rosiglitazone on the rats with depression induced by L5 SNT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the refractive index without absorption in metallic photonic crystals doped with quantum dots. It is found that the absorption and dispersion of probe field can be easily controlled via adjusting properly the corresponding parameters of the system. The effect of the dipole-dipole interaction has also been included in the formulation, which leads to interesting phenomena. Our scheme opens the possibility to control the refractive index without absorption in polaritonic materials doped with nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Perovskite solar cells have shown a meteoric rise of power conversion efficiency and a steady pace of improvements in their stability of operation. Such rapid progress has triggered research into approaches that can boost efficiencies beyond the Shockley–Queisser limit stipulated for a single‐junction cell under normal solar illumination conditions. The tandem solar cell architecture is one concept here that has recently been successfully implemented. However, the approach of solar concentration has not been sufficiently explored so far for perovskite photovoltaics, despite its frequent use in the area of inorganic semiconductor solar cells. Here, the prospects of hybrid perovskites are assessed for use in concentrator solar cells. Solar cell performance parameters are theoretically predicted as a function of solar concentration levels, based on representative assumptions of charge‐carrier recombination and extraction rates in the device. It is demonstrated that perovskite solar cells can fundamentally exhibit appreciably higher energy‐conversion efficiencies under solar concentration, where they are able to exceed the Shockley–Queisser limit and exhibit strongly elevated open‐circuit voltages. It is therefore concluded that sufficient material and device stability under increased illumination levels will be the only significant challenge to perovskite concentrator solar cell applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work concentrates on the electro-thermal damage mechanism of carbon fiber/epoxy composites subjected to ampere-level Direct Current (DC) currents. A new fully automated electro-thermal tester that enable one to inject currents through the composites and measure the surface temperature in real time has been developed. The DC electrical conductivity and dielectric properties of electrified composites have been investigated, in order to develop a nondestructive testing method for electro-thermal damage. Additionally, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), flexural properties, surface morphology analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were conducted to exploit in-depth the damage mechanism of electrified composites. Results show that the electrical conductivity is decreased with increasing currents, resulting from the modification of the fiber-to-fiber conduction paths. With higher currents the dielectric properties are apparently enhanced, and this case can be explained by interfacial polarization that arises from the microcracking induced by the residual thermal stress. The dielectric loss tangent can be regard as a characteristic parameter of electro-thermal damage. Furthermore, the deterioration of flexural performances is attributed to the microcracking, which is proved to be the major damage mechanism. High-intensity currents application has an effect of post-curing and physical aging, which significantly increases the glass transition temperature and suppresses the further formation of micro damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organohalide perovskites have emerged as promising light-sensing materials because of their superior optoelectronic properties and low-cost processing methods. Recently, perovskite-based photodetectors have successfully been demonstrated as both broadband and narrowband varieties. However, the photodetection bandwidth in perovskite-based photodetectors has so far been limited to the near-infrared regime owing to the relatively wide band gap of hybrid organohalide perovskites. In particular, short-wavelength infrared photodiodes operating beyond 1 µm have not yet been realized with organohalide perovskites. In this study, narrow band gap organic dyes are combined with hybrid perovskites to form composite films as active photoresponsive layers. Tuning the dye loading allows for optimization of the spectral response characteristics and excellent charge-carrier mobilities near 11 cm2 V−1 s−1, suggesting that these composites combine the light-absorbing properties or IR dyes with the outstanding charge-extraction characteristics of the perovskite. This study demonstrates the first perovskite photodiodes with deep near-infrared and short-wavelength infrared response that extends as far as 1.6 µm. All devices are solution-processed and exhibit relatively high responsivity, low dark current, and fast response at room temperature, making this approach highly attractive for next-generation light-detection techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the two-dimensional (2D) optical absorption spectrum in a semiconductor quantum dot nanostructure driven by two orthogonal standing-wave lasers. It is found that, due to the position-dependent quantum interference effect, the 2D optical absorption spectrum can be easily controlled via adjusting the system parameters. Thus, our scheme may provide some technological applications in solid-state optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an SVIR epidemiological model with infection age (time elapsed since the infection) and nonlinear incidence is studied. In the model, in order to reflect the dependence of disease progress on the infection age, the infected individual is structured by the infection age, and transmission and removal rates are assumed to depend on the infection age. By analyzing corresponding characteristic equations, the local stability of each of steady states of the model is established. It is proved that the semi-flow generated by this system is asymptotically smooth, and if the basic reproduction number is greater than unity, the system is uniformly persistent. By using Lyapunov functional and LaSalle's invariance principle, the global dynamics of the model is investigated. It is shown that if the basic reproduction number is less than unity, the disease-free steady state is globally asymptotically stable and hence the disease dies out; and if the basic reproduction number is greater than unity, the endemic steady state is globally asymptotically stable and the disease persists. Numerical simulations are carried out to illustrate the main analytic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]