Search

AbstractIn order to improve the hardness of the copper surface, reduce its friction coefficient, and adjust the overall performance of the coating, a TiB2/Cu composite coating with multilayer structure was prepared by electrodeposition. The microstructure of the composite coating was analyzed by SEM and XRD. The microhardness and friction characteristics of the coating were tested, and the differences in the microstructures and properties of different coating structures were analyzed. Microstructure coatings with two layers (Cu + TiB2/Cu) and three layers (Cu + TiB2/Cu + Cu) were prepared on the copper substrate by electrodeposition. The TiB2 particles reduced the deposition rate of the TiB2/Cu composite coating by electrodeposition, by up to 29%. The TiB2 particles in the electrolyte increased the discharge voltage of the electrodeposition process. The content of TiB2 affected the microhardness, friction, and wear properties of the TiB2/Cu composite coating. The TiB2 particles increased the microhardness of the TiB2/Cu composite coating by 61%. The multilayer-structured coating prepared by electrodeposition could control the overall properties of the coating. The microhardness and friction coefficient of the TiB2/Cu + Cu coating were between those of the Cu and TiB2/Cu composite coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes massive death of neurons in the spinal cords and almost complete neurological dysfunctions. Transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) is acknowledged as one of the viable SCI treatments for complementing lost neurons and neural network reconstruction. However, administration of NSPCs suffers from extremely low survival rate and uncontrolled differentiation of the transplanted cells, which impairs the therapeutic effects significantly. Herein, NSPCs are encapsulated in decellularized spinal cord matrix (DSCM) microgels using a customized microfluidic system, then the obtained NSPCs‐encapsulated DSCM microgels (NSPC@DSCM‐MGs) are subjected to neuronal differentiation induction. Consequently, the resulting pre‐mature 3D neural spheroids are injected into severely contused spinal cords in rats. The DSCM microgels effectively protected the transplanted cells from shear damage and the inflammatory microenvironment at the lesion site. The survival and accommodation of the pre‐differentiated NSPC@DSCM‐MGs actively contributed to axonal regeneration, inhibiting glial scar formation, as well as remodeling the microenvironment that facilitated endogenous cell recruitment and neuronal network reconstruction. Consequentially, administration of the neural spheroids led to maintenance of spinal cord integrity, and significantly improved hindlimb locomotor function. This biomaterial‐based transplantation strategy has shown unique assets in cell protection and cell‐fate manipulation, which holds great promise in versatile biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micromorphology and composition of three pieces of ancient celadon with various degrees of corrosion salvaged from Dalian Island, Pingtan County of East China's Fujian Province were analyzed. The results indicate that there were black corrosion products with a high content of Fe and Mn and white crystals with high concentrations of Ca and Mg on the surfaces of the samples. The black corrosion products infiltrated into the interior along the cracks on the sample surfaces, producing corrosion products mainly composed of FeOOH and MnO2. Meanwhile, there were white crystals containing MgCa(CO3)2 gathering on the black corrosion surface. Subsequently, the attachment of a biological carbon film containing proteins and polysaccharides in the corrosion area was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and steady state and transient fluorescence. It is speculated that the existence of a bio-film and the presence of Fe and Mn oxides is related to the microbial corrosion and mineralization of iron bacteria in the marine environment. In this paper, through the analysis of the corrosion products of the effluent celadons as well as the study of iron bacterial biological corrosion and biomineralization, the corrosion model is explained and established so as to clarify the microbial corrosion mechanism of celadon ceramics retrieved from the seabed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gesture recognition using electromyography (EMG) signals has prevailed recently in the field of human–computer interactions for controlling intelligent prosthetics. Currently, machine learning and deep learning are the two most commonly employed methods for classifying hand gestures. Despite traditional machine learning methods already achieving impressive performance, it is still a huge amount of work to carry out feature extraction manually. The existing deep learning methods utilize complex neural network architectures to achieve higher accuracy, which will suffer from overfitting, insufficient adaptability, and low recognition accuracy. To improve the existing phenomenon, a novel lightweight model named dual stream LSTM feature fusion classifier is proposed based on the concatenation of five time-domain features of EMG signals and raw data, which are both processed with one-dimensional convolutional neural networks and LSTM layers to carry out the classification. The proposed method can effectively capture global features of EMG signals using a simple architecture, which means less computational cost. An experiment is conducted on a public DB1 dataset with 52 gestures, and each of the 27 subjects repeats every gesture 10 times. The accuracy rate achieved by the model is 89.66%, which is comparable to that achieved by more complex deep learning neural networks, and the inference time for each gesture is 87.6 ms, which can also be implied in a real-time control system. The proposed model is validated using a subject-wise experiment on 10 out of the 40 subjects in the DB2 dataset, achieving a mean accuracy of 91.74%. This is illustrated by its ability to fuse time-domain features and raw data to extract more effective information from the sEMG signal and select an appropriate, efficient, lightweight network to enhance the recognition results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of cooperative system bridges are complex. This paper describes the construction monitoring and load tests of a cable-stayed and arch cooperative bridge. The cable force, girder stress and arch alignment were monitored during construction to ensure the safety of the bridge structure and attain the intended internal force state in the completed bridge. Static and dynamic load tests were performed after completing the bridge to test its bearing capacity. The construction monitoring observations indicated that the cable force and suspender force change of the bridge during construction were generally consistent with theoretical calculations. The measured cable force of cable C01 was between 2155 and 3085 kN, and the measured value of suspender LS15 was between 980 and 1250 kN; these values conform to the laws of mechanics. The load test results demonstrated that the maximum deflection of the mid-span section of the girder was 5.8 mm, which was less than the theoretical value (6.3 mm). The measured impact coefficients of the bridge under four sets of working conditions based on dynamic load testing were similar to the computed results. These results confirm that the girder has sufficient structural stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proposed a Holling-III predator–prey model considering the perturbation of slow-varying, carrying capacity parameters. The study aims to address how the slow changes in carrying capacity influence the dynamics of the model. Based on the bifurcation theory and the slow–fast analysis method, the existence and the equilibrium of the autonomous system are explored, and then, the critical condition of Hopf bifurcation and transcritical bifurcation is established for the autonomous system. The slow–fast coupled nonautonomous system has quasiperiodic oscillations, single Hopf bursting oscillations, and transcritical–Hopf bursting oscillations within a certain range of perturbation amplitude variation if the carrying capacity perturbation amplitude crosses some critical values, such that the predator–prey management is challenging for the extinction of predator populations under the critical value. The motion pattern of the nonautonomous system is closely related to the transcritical bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation and attractor type of the autonomous system. Finally, the effects of changes in parameters related to predator aggressiveness on system behavior are investigated. These results show how crucial the predator–prey control is for varying carrying capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing global burden of cancer, especially among people aged 60 years and over, has become a key public health issue. This trend suggests the need for a deeper understanding of the various cancer types in order to develop universally effective treatments. A prospective area of research involves elucidating the interplay between the senescent microenvironment and tumor genesis. Currently, most oncology research focuses on adulthood and tends to ignore the potential role of senescent individuals on tumor progression. Senescent cells produce a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP) that has a dual role in the tumor microenvironment (TME). While SASP components can remodel the TME and thus hinder tumor cell proliferation, they can also promote tumorigenesis and progression via pro‐inflammatory and pro‐proliferative mechanisms. To address this gap, our review seeks to investigate the influence of senescent microenvironment changes on tumor development and their potential implications for cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many efforts have been paid to advance the effectiveness of personalized medicine for lung cancer patients. Sequencing-based molecular diagnosis of EGFR mutations has been widely used to guide the selection of anti-lung-cancer drugs. Organoid-based assays have also been developed to ex vivo test individual responses to anti-lung-cancer drugs. After addressing several technical difficulties, a new combined strategy, in which anti-cancer medicines are first selected based on molecular diagnosis and then ex vivo tested on organoids, has been realized in a single dual-functional microfluidic chip. A DNA-based nanoruler has been developed to detect the existence of EGFR mutations and shrink the detection period from weeks to hours, compared with sequencing. The employment of the DNA-based nanoruler creates a possibility to purposively test anti-cancer drugs, either EGFR-TKIs or chemotherapy drugs, not both, on limited amounts of organoids. Moreover, a DNA-based nanosensor has been developed to recognize intracellular ATP variation without harming cell viability, realizing in situ monitoring of the whole course growth status of organoids for on-chip drug response test. The dual-functional microfluidic chip was validated by both cell lines and clinical samples from lung cancer patients. Furthermore, based on the dual-functional microfluidic chip, a fully automated system has been developed to span the divide between experimental procedures and therapeutic approaches. This study constitutes a novel way of combining EGFR mutation detection and organoid-based drug response test on an individual patient for guiding personalized lung cancer medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that already poses a danger to worldwide human health. Patients infected with ZIKV generally have mild symptoms like a low-grade fever and joint pain. However, severe symptoms can also occur, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy, and myelitis. Pregnant women infected with ZIKV may also cause microcephaly in newborns. To date, we still lack conventional antiviral drugs to treat ZIKV infections. Marine natural products have novel structures and diverse biological activities. They have been discovered to have antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, and other therapeutic effects. Therefore, marine products are important resources for compounds for innovative medicines. In this study, we identified a marine natural product, harzianopyridone (HAR), that could inhibit ZIKV replication with EC50 values from 0.46 to 2.63 µM while not showing obvious cytotoxicity in multiple cellular models (CC50 > 45 µM). Further, it also reduced the expression of viral proteins and protected cells from viral infection. More importantly, we found that HAR directly bound to the ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and suppressed its polymerase activity. Collectively, our findings provide HAR as an option for the development of anti-ZIKV drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Prehabilitation for colorectal cancer has focused on exercise‐based interventions that are typically designed by clinicians; however, no research has yet been patient‐oriented. The aim of this feasibility study was to test a web‐based multimodal prehabilitation intervention (known as PREP prehab) consisting of four components (physical activity, diet, smoking cessation, psychological support) co‐designed with five patient partners. Method: A longitudinal, two‐armed (website without or with coaching support) feasibility study of 33 patients scheduled for colorectal surgery 2 weeks or more from consent (January–September 2021) in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Descriptive statistics analysed a health‐related quality of life questionnaire (EQ5D‐5L) at baseline (n = 25) and 3 months postsurgery (n = 21), and a follow‐up patient satisfaction survey to determine the acceptability, practicality, demand for and potential efficacy in improving overall health. Results: Patients had a mean age of 52 years (SD 14 years), 52% were female and they had a mean body mass index of 25 kg m−2 (SD 3.8 kg m−2). Only six patients received a Subjective Global Assessment for being at risk for malnutrition, with three classified as 'severely/moderately' malnourished. The majority (86%) of patients intended to use the prehabilitation website, and nearly three‐quarters (71%) visited the website while waiting for surgery. The majority (76%) reported that information, tools and resources provided appropriate support, and 76% indicated they would recommend the PREP prehab programme. About three‐quarters (76%) reported setting goals for lifestyle modification: 86% set healthy eating goals, 81% aimed to stay active and 57% sought to reduce stress once a week or more. No patients contacted the team to obtain health coaching, despite broad interest (71%) in receiving active support and 14% reporting they received 'active support'. Conclusion: This web‐based multimodal prehabilitation programme was acceptable, practical and well‐received by all colorectal surgery patients who viewed the patient‐oriented multimodal website. The feasibility of providing active health coaching support requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problematic use of mobile phones (PMPU) has been described as a serious public health issue. This study was a parallel three-arm randomized controlled trial and has completed registration (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05843591). Ninety college students with PMPU were randomly assigned to the aerobic exercise group (AE group, n = 30), the Tai Chi Chuan group (TCC group, n = 30), or the wait-list control group (WLC group, n = 30). At the end of the intervention, stool samples from the study participants were collected for biological analysis based on 16 S rDNA amplicon sequencing technology. The primary outcome was addiction symptoms assessed by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). The secondary outcomes are emotional symptoms, physical symptoms, and flora species. Compared with the WLC group, the AE and TCC groups showed reductions in PMPU levels, physical and mental fatigue, but there was no difference between the two groups. Moreover, the effect of increasing self-esteem embodied in the TCC group was not present in the AE group. Compared to the WLC group, the relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides were lower in the AE group, while the relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae and Alistipes were lower in the TCC group. And the relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae , Bacteroides , and Alistipes were significantly and negatively correlated with the decline in PMPU scores. AE or TCC is an effective, safe and efficient intervention for college students with PMPU, providing some physiological and psychological benefits and having some impact on their intestinal flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The innate immunity of marine bivalves is challenged upon exposure to heat stress, but there is limited knowledge of its molecular mechanism. In this study, genes in the TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway were investigated in a new scallop strain: "Hongmo No. 1" (Bohai Red ♂ × A. irradians concentricus ♀). This is the first study reporting that acute heat stress obviously inhibited the TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway of bivalves, even with LPS stimulation. The subsequent RNAi targeting TLR4 gene in the new scallop strain "Hongmo No. 1" indicated the key role of TLR4-MyD88 signal transduction in the immune response. Acute heat stress seemed to affect the response of downstream mediator molecules to the inhibition of HMTLR4. These results provide more information about bivalve immunity under heat stress, which is expected to improve heat tolerance to cope with more frequent and extreme heat wave events. The innate immunity of marine bivalves is challenged upon exposure to heat stress, especially with increases in the frequency and intensity of heat waves. TLR4 serves a classical pattern recognition receptor in recognizing pathogenic microorganisms and activating immune responses. In this study, three genes, HMTLR4, HMMyD88 and HMTRAF6, were characterized as homologs of genes in the TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway in the selected scallop strain "Hongmo No. 1". According to RT-PCR, acute heat stress (32 °C) inhibited genes in the TLR4-MyD88 signaling pathway, and LPS stimulation-induced activation of TLR4-MyD88 signal transduction was also negatively affected at 32 °C. ELISA showed LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) or lysozyme (LZM) activity, but this was independent of temperature. RNA interference (RNAi) confirmed that HMTLR4 silencing suppressed the expression of its downstream gene, whether at 24 °C or at 32 °C. The level of TNF-α and the activity of LZM also decreased after injection with dsRNA, indicating a negative effect on the innate immunity of scallops. Additionally, acute heat stress affected the suppression of downstream gene expression when compared with that at 24 °C, which led us to the hypothesis that heat stress directly influences the downstream targets of HMTLR4. These results enrich the knowledge of scallop immunity under heat stress and can be beneficial for the genetic improvement of new scallop strains with higher thermotolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Houseflies, Musca domestica L., are an ubiquitous pest that can transmit numerous diseases and threaten human health. Increasing insecticide resistance shown by houseflies necessitates the develop new control alternatives. The housefly gut is densely colonized with microorganisms that interact with each other dynamically and benefit the host's health. However, the impact of multiple symbiotic bacteria on the composition of housefly gut microbiota and the host's activities remains unclear. Methods: We isolated and cultured 12 bacterial species from the intestines of housefly larvae. We also isolated seven bacteriophages to precisely target the regulation of certain bacterial species. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput gene sequencing, we analyzed the bacterial diversity after orally administering bacteria/phage cocktails to houseflies. Results: Our results showed that larval growth was promoted, the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Klebsiella and Enterobacter, was increased and the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Providencia, Morganella and Pseudomonas, was decreased in housefly larvae fed with the beneficial bacteria cocktail. However, oral administration of both beneficial and harmful bacterial phage cocktails inhibited larval growth, probably due to the drastic alteration of gut flora. Untargeted metabolomics using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that disturbances in gut microbiota changed the larval metabolite profiles. Feeding experiments revealed that disrupting the intestinal flora suppressed the beneficial bacteria and increased the harmful bacteria, causing changes in the metabolites and inhibiting larval growth. Conclusions: Based on our results, bacteria/phage cocktails are effective tools for regulating the intestinal flora of insects and have a high potential as a biological control agent for incorporation into an integrated pest management program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, MgGeO 3 :Pr3+ system is prepared by high-temperature solid phase method under the condition of different temperature and Pr content. MgGeO 3 :Pr3+ could emit 622 nm (red), 716 nm (red), 903 nm (NIR) and 1081 nm (NIR) lights under the external excitation of 251 nm and 425–500 nm. Due to the different excitation wavelengths, MgGeO 3 :Pr3+ has completely different electronic transition paths, resulting in a much larger emission intensity under 251 nm excitation than that excited by 425∼500 nm. When the incident light wavelength is 251 nm, the excitation process is VB→1D 2 level of Pr3+, and the emission is due to transition of 1D 2 →3H 4 , 1D 2 →3H 5 , 1D 2 →3H 6 (3F 2) and 1D 2 →3F 3,4. When the wavelength of incident light is 425∼500 nm, the excitation process is 3H 4 →CB, the emission is CB→1D 2 , and then 1D 2 →3H 4 , 1D 2 →3H 5 , 1D 2 →3H 6 (3F 2) and 1D 2 →3F 3,4. At the same time, the emission spectrum and X-ray diffraction measurements show that the most fundamental factor determining the emission intensity of the sample is the concentration of the luminescent center (Pr3+ that can emit light) in the MgGeO 3 grain. Increasing the sintering temperature and Pr element content in raw materials can increase the of Pr3+ concentration in the grain (increase the concentration of the luminescent center). However, if the concentration of Pr3+ in the grain is too high, Pr3+ would lose the function of the luminescence center, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of the luminescence center, thereby reducing the luminescence intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green tea made from albino buds and leaves has a strong umami taste and aroma. The cultivar 'Zhonghuang 2' (ZH2, Camellia sinensis) is a natural mutant with young shoots that are yellow in spring and green or yellow‐green in summer. However, the mechanism of leaf color change remains unclear. Here, we found that young shoots of ZH2 were yellow at low temperature (LT) and green at high temperature (HT), indicating that ZH2 is a temperature‐sensitive cultivar. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the grana in the chloroplasts of young shoots grown at LT were poorly stacked, which caused a lack of photoreactions and chlorophyll. RNA‐seq results showed 1279 genes differentially expressed in the young shoots grown at LT compared with those at HT, including genes related to cytochrome synthesis, chloroplast development, photosynthesis, and DNA methylation. A whole‐genome bisulfite sequencing assay revealed that the dynamics of DNA methylation levels in the CG, CHG, and CHH contexts decreased under LT, and the change was most obvious in the CHH context. Furthermore, 72 genes showed significant changes in both expression and DNA methylation levels, and most of them were related to cytochrome synthesis, chloroplast development, photosynthesis, transcription factors, and signaling pathways. These results demonstrate that DNA methylation is involved in the LT‐regulated albino processes of ZH2. Changes in DNA methylation levels were associated with changes in gene expression levels, affecting the structure and function of chloroplasts, which may have a phenotypic impact on shoot and leaf color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy spectrum, excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was applied to the unearthed jade with multilayered corrosion, to reveal the microstructure, composition structure, and distribution of organic matters. Our results showed that the interior of the jade was mainly composed of layered serpentine with a regular structure, while the white layer structure on the surface is scattered and irregular, and the content of calcite formed by elements Ca and C increases significantly; between the green matrix and the white layer on the surface, there are brown corrosion zones with obvious fluorescence effect and mainly composed of humic acid, which continuously extends inward along the corrosion cracks for accelerating the internal corrosion. This article, for the first time, argued for the corrosive and fluorescent humic acid bands that appear inside serpentine jade and cautions its role in investigating the corrosion of jade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cells that undergo normal differentiation mainly rely on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to provide energy, but most tumour cells rely on aerobic glycolysis. This phenomenon is called the "Warburg effect". Phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) is a key enzyme in aerobic glycolysis. PGK1 is involved in glucose metabolism as well as a variety of biological activities, including angiogenesis, EMT, mediated autophagy initiation, mitochondrial metabolism, DNA replication and repair, and other processes related to tumorigenesis and development. Recently, an increasing number of studies have proven that PGK1 plays an important role in cancer. In this manuscript, we discussed the effects of the structure, function, molecular mechanisms underlying PGK1 regulation on the initiation and progression of cancer. Additionally, PGK1 is associated with chemotherapy resistance and prognosis in tumour patients. This review presents an overview of the different roles played by PGK1 during tumorigenesis, which will help in the design of experimental studies involving PGK1 and enhance the potential for the use of PGK1 as a therapeutic target in cancer. 52igY7jBAnbBhRvJHFPWGt Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiocerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, consuming huge healthcare budget. For CVD patients, the prompt assessment and appropriate administration is the crux to save life and improve prognosis. Thrombolytic therapy, as a non-invasive approach to achieve recanalization, is the basic component of CVD treatment. Still, there are risks that limits its application. The objective of this review is to give an introduction on the utilization of thrombolytic therapy in cardiocerebrovascular blockage diseases, including coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke, and to review the development in risk assessment of thrombolytic therapy, comparing the performance of traditional scales and novel artificial intelligence-based risk assessment models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic disease is a complex disorder defined by a group with interrelated factors. There is growing evidence that obesity can lead to a variety of metabolic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Excessive adipose tissue (AT) deposition and ectopic accumulation can lead to increased peri-organ AT thickness. Dysregulation of peri-organ (perivascular, perirenal, and epicardial) AT is strongly associated with metabolic disease and its complications. The mechanisms include secretion of cytokines, activation of immunocytes, infiltration of inflammatory cells, involvement of stromal cells, and abnormal miRNA expression. This review discusses the associations and mechanisms by which various types of peri-organ AT affect metabolic diseases while addressing it as a potential future treatment strategy. • Obesity can cause various metabolic diseases. • Dysregulated peri-organ AT is linked to metabolic disease and complications. • Peri-organ AT is a valuable drug target for metabolic disease treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining Nomex honeycomb composites (NHCs), which are widely-used materials in the aerospace industry, is an imperative process to obtain desired profiles. However, when machining NHCs to obtain a thin-edged surface, some problems can arise due to large cutting forces. To avoid these defects, a method of ultrasonic vibration machining with variable angles of the down milling disc cutter was proposed in this study. The processing principles and motion characteristics of this method were elaborated. A theoretical model of its cutting process was established. The principle of cutting force reduction was qualitatively analyzed based on the model, and an experimental validation was conducted. The results demonstrated that, due to a smaller swing angle in each pass, the proposed method could reduce the fractal dimension of the machined surface by 6.01% compared to 1° with 10° of angle in each pass. And severe machining defects were decreased. Additionally, comparing the process of the fixed 10° angle of ultrasonic vibration machining with the process of a 1° angle in a pass, cutting force can be significantly reduced by 33.5%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method which improved surface quality by reducing cutting forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale seepage‐faces occur on small‐slope tidal flats. All previous studies assume that the seepage‐face has only one single exit point. Here we show via numerical simulations of tidally‐influenced groundwater flow that, in a two‐dimensional vertical, homogeneous transect of a tidal flat with gentle beach slope of 1‰, multiple seepage‐faces may occur with at most four unsaturated beach surface segments which separate four seepage‐faces. Salinity‐variation induced density‐dependent flow leads to this complex phenomenon. While the seepage‐faces are the groundwater discharging zones on the beach surface, the unsaturated zones are the recharging zones. The whole aquifer beneath the tidal flat is almost occupied by seawater and forms a wall blocking the horizontal seaward discharge of inland fresh groundwater so that inland freshwater discharges mainly occur near the high tide mark. This is in great contrast with the traditional results that inland freshwater discharge occurs mainly near low tide mark. Plain Language Summary: Tidal flat with very gentle‐slopes distributes extensively around the world, for example, the coastline of Bohai, the Yellow Sea of China, and Willapa bay of USA. Due to small slopes, the intertidal zone can be as wide as several kilometers, leading to large‐scale seepage‐faces (saturated beach surface with groundwater efflux) during ebbing and low tides. All previous studies assume that the seepage‐face has only at most one segment, the upper end of which is the exit point of water table and the other end is the intersection point of seawater and beach surface. Here, we found that in a tidal flat with gentle beach slope of 1‰, multiple seepage‐faces may occur with at most 4 unsaturated beach surface segments which separate 4 seepage‐faces during low and rising tides. The locations of these seepage‐faces and adjacent unsaturated zones are quite dynamic due to the complex, dynamic density‐dependent groundwater flow in the aquifer beneath the tidal flat. Seepage‐faces are kind of complex and important boundary for coastal groundwater flow in order to accurately model the groundwater flow and solute transport in intertidal aquifers, the complex nonlinear boundary conditions on the seepage‐faces should be strictly and accurately implemented. This paper made such an attempt. Key Points: Tidal groundwater flow with strict and explicit seepage‐face boundary conditions were numerically simulatedMultiple seepage‐faces were first found to develop on gentle tidal flat with slope around 1‰Multiple seepage‐faces imply multiple local density‐dependent groundwater‐seawater re‐circulations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abnormal lipid metabolism is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in singleton pregnancies. Data were lacking on twin pregnancies with GDM. We explored the association between serum lipid profiles in the first and second trimesters as well as their dynamic changes and GDM in twin pregnancies. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 2739 twin pregnancies that underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and were selected from the Beijing Birth Cohort Study from June 2013 to May 2021. Cholesterol (CHO), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were measured at mean 9 and 25 weeks of gestation. We described maternal lipid levels in different tertiles that were associated with the risk of GDM stratified for age, pre-BMI, and fertilization type. GDM patients were divided into two groups according to OGTT: elevated fasting plasma glucose only (FPG group) and the rest of the GDM (non-FPG group). We estimated the relative risk of GDM with multivariable logistic regression models. Results: In this study, we found that 599 (21.9%, 599/2739) twin pregnancies developed GDM. They had increased CHO, TG, LDL, and LDL/HDL, decreased HDL levels in the first trimester, and increased TG as well as decreased HDL in the second trimester in univariate analyses, each P < 0.05. In multivariate analysis, when TG > 1.67 mmol/l (upper tertile) in elderly individuals, nonoverweight and ART groups increased the risk of GDM by 2.7-fold, 2.3-fold and 2.2-fold, respectively, compared with TG < 0.96 mmol/l (lower tertile). This effect remained in the abovementioned groups in the second trimester. Moreover, high TGs increased the risk of GDM in the FPG group (OR = 2.076, 95% CI 1.130–3.815) and non-FPG group (OR = 2.526, 95% CI 1.739–3.67) in the first trimester when TG > 1.67 mmol/l, and the rising risk in the non-FPG group as the TG tertile increased remained in the second trimester. HDL predominantly showed a negative association with elevated FPG in the second trimester (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Twin pregnancies with GDM have higher lipid levels. Increased TGs in the first and second trimesters are strongly associated with GDM, especially in elderly individuals, nonoverweight and ART groups. Lipid profiles varied among different GDM subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the size of the population aged 65 and older continues to grow, the incidence and mortality rates of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are increasing annually. Unfortunately, current treatments only treat symptoms temporarily and do not alter the patients' life expectancy or course of AD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown a certain therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases including AD due to their neuroinflammatory regulation and neuroprotective effects. However, the low survival and homing rates of MSCs after transplantation seriously affect their therapeutic effectiveness. Therefore, appropriate in vitro preconditioning is necessary to increase the survival and homing rates of MSCs to improve their effectiveness in treating AD. Here we summarize the therapeutic mechanisms of MSCs in AD and the chemical reagents used for the pretreatment of MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesanophrys sp. is reported to be highly pathogenic to marine crustaceans. This study presents the first report of Mesanophrys sp. infection in the mud crab (Scylla paramamosain). In this study, we first recorded the survival rates of an experimentally infected group and a control group; the cumulative survival rate in the infected group was significantly lower compared to the control group after 72 h (73.20% vs. 94.19%), while the highest mortality of S. paramamosain occurred within the first 24 h post-infection. Then, we investigated the dynamic distribution and tissue tropism of the Mesanophrys sp. in the infected S. paramamosain by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The result showed that a significant increase in the number of Mesanophrys sp. could be detected in all tested tissues (obtained from the eyestalks, gills, heart, nerves, muscles and hepatopancreas) at 3 h post-infection. The numbers of Mesanophrys sp. in the gill, eyestalk and nerve tissues were relatively higher than in the other tissues. The gill tissue showed the highest numbers from 6 to 48 h. Histopathological observation found a severe collapse in the filament structure, which indicated tissue-specific pathogen infection. Furthermore, the antioxidant enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) in three representative tissues (gill, muscle and hepatopancreas) were compared between the infected and control groups, and a significant increase in enzyme activity was observed in all three tested tissues in the infected group, indicating a relatively strong innate immune defense reaction that could have been induced by Mesanophrys sp. infection. These results will be helpful to Mesanophrys sp. pathogenicity-related research and the control of this pathogen in S. Paramamosain in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-barium glass is subject to a variety of corrosion reactions after burial. The microscopic morphology and compositional structure of ancient lead-barium glass excavated from the Yaozhuang Cemetery located in Liuhe District of Nanjing were analysed with optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, fluorescent inverted microscopy and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The corrosion products included PbCO3, Pb(OH)Cl, CaHPO4(H2O)2 and BaS2. Based on the corrosion morphology and the corrosion products, it was concluded that the corrosion processes included microbial corrosion, surface chemical corrosion, and crack corrosion. This paper describes the corrosion processes of lead-barium glass relics and establishes the corresponding corrosion model. In addition, the results of this study deepen the understanding of the corrosion mechanisms for lead-barium glass and provide new insight into the corrosion mechanisms of excavated glass relics, which is also of great significance for the protection of lead-barium glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sleep debt is linked to poor health behaviours, and adolescents may be especially vulnerable to deficit from the mismatch of their late chronotype with socially determined sleep timing. We aimed to investigate the potential association between social jetlag and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption among adolescents. Methods Cross-sectional data from 1031 adolescents (13–18 years) who participated in the population-based British Columbia Adolescent Substance Use Survey in 2012. Regression analysis using interaction terms estimated the associations between social jetlag (using self-reported weekday/weekends sleep times) and odds of SSB intake in girls and boys. Results On average, adolescents reported 1.59 (SD 0.73) hours of social jetlag, but girls had significantly more social jetlag (1.64) than boys (1.52). Most adolescents (84%) reported consuming SSBs, and significantly more boys (87%) than girls (81%); median SSB intake in boys was 1–2 times per week and in girls less than once per week. Significant differences in girls consuming any SSB were seen across levels of social jetlag. The odds of any SSB intake were significantly higher in adolescents with social jetlag between 1 and 2 h [odds ratio (OR): 1.6 (1.14–2.38)] and over 2 h [OR 1.87 (1.11–3.14)], compared with 1 h or less; associations were stronger and only significant in girls. Conclusions This study is the first to show social jetlag is a common sleep deficit that is associated with SSB intake in adolescents, particularly among teen girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the most common and deadliest type of cancer worldwide. Research concerning lung cancer has made considerable progress in recent decades, but lung cancer remains the leading cause of malignancy-related mortality rate. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) mainly exist in fat, umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, bone, and muscle. MSCs are a primary component of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recent studies have shown that MSCs have roles in lung cancer-related proliferation, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Because MSCs can migrate to the TME, there is increasing attention toward the use of MSCs in drugs or gene vectors for cancer treatment. This review summarizes the roles and effects of MSCs in lung cancer, while addressing clinical applications of MSCs in lung cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recoating process of the high-viscosity ceramic stereolithography, a large amount of ceramic paste is accumulated in front of the blade, and the fluidity of the high-viscosity ceramic paste is poor. The blade imposes forces on the solid part below, which deforms the fine structures of the part, affecting the accuracy of the part. In the actual printing process, slender rod parts appear T-shaped. This paper aims to investigate the causes of this phenomenon and to predict the deformation rate of a part. The understanding of the deformation phenomena can be used as theoretical guidance for dimensions or support sizes when modeling parts. A two-dimensional model has been developed to study high-viscosity materials with non-Newtonian fluid properties and slender rod parts, using the phase field method and a dynamic mesh to restore the recoating process. An experimental setup, which mimics the recoating process in the high-viscosity ceramic stereolithography process, has been used to verify the results of simulations. The results show the force exerted by the blade only affects the top portion of the slender rod part, and that the time of greatest impact on the deformation is the moment when the blade is reaching the top of the slender rod, generating a deformation rate that is cubic to the height of the slender rod. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractal dimension (D) is widely utilized in various fields to quantify the complexity of signals and other features. However, the fractal nature is limited to a certain scope of concerned scales, i.e., scaling region, even for a theoretically fractal profile generated through the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot (W-M) function. In this study, the scaling characteristics curves of profiles were calculated by using the roughness scaling extraction (RSE) algorithm, and an interception method was proposed to locate the two ends of the scaling region, which were named corner and drop phenomena, respectively. The results indicated that two factors, sampling length and flattening order, in the RSE algorithm could influence the scaling region length significantly. Based on the scaling region interception method and the above findings, the RSE algorithm was optimized to improve the accuracy of the D calculation, and the influence of sampling length was discussed by comparing the lower critical condition of the W-M function. To improve the ideality of fractal curves generated through the W-M function, the strategy of reducing the fundamental frequency was proposed to enlarge the scaling region. Moreover, the strategy of opposite operation was also proposed to improve the consistency of generated curves with actual signals, which could be conducive to practical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure the transparency and openness of each link of agricultural products "from farmland to table" and to solve the problem of consumers' low trust degree in the safety of agricultural products and food, the application and evaluation of agricultural Internet of Things traceability system are the top priority. However, the traceability system evaluation indicators are rarely discussed in the existing studies. Consequently, this paper attempts to construct the evaluation index system of the Internet of Things traceability system of agricultural products based on an overall perspective of ecological civilization and to determine the weight of each evaluation index by using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Then, on the basis of the relevant data of the agricultural product traceability system in recent years, the determined weight is modified by using entropy method. Finally, it points out the important practical value for management departments, production subjects, sales subjects, and consumers, providing reference for improving the quality and safety of agricultural products and standardizing the market supervision of agricultural product market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria catalysts have attracted considerable interest in the NH3-SCR reaction. The modification of SO42− into CeO2 promotes the NH3-SCR reaction. NH3 adsorption property and four possible reaction paths are further design over CeO2 (111) and SO42−–CeO2 (111) surface. The results reveal that NH3 adsorption of the Lewis acid site is stronger than the Brønsted acid site, and the adsorption energies of the Lewis acid site range from − 0.397 to − 0.963 eV with the modification of SO42−. Thus, the introduction of SO42− into CeO2 increases the adsorption site stability of NH3. NH3 adsorption is the first step in NH3-SCR reaction, and then, the key intermediates such as NH2, NH2NO, NNOH, NH3NO2 species are found. Standard SCR reaction and fast SCR reaction constitute a catalytic cycle in CeO2 catalyst. The different paths of NH3NO2 and NH2NO formation are different, and it led to NNOH only emerge in the fast SCR reaction. Lewis acid site is main reaction site for the standard SCR reaction. Energy barriers of Lewis acid site range from 15.82 to 15.68 kcal/mol by the introduction of SO42−, which makes the NH3-SCR reaction easily occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypospadias refers to the abnormal position of the male urethral orifice, which not only leads to urination disorder but also causes sexual dysfunction in adulthood. However, the complex and diverse pathogenic factors of hypospadias are still unclear. To study the pathogenesis and prognosis of hypospadias, we counted the serological indexes of children with hypospadias, and found that sSBP, TC and LDL increased in children with mild, moderate and severe hypospadias. Subsequently, we used quantitative proteomics to find differential proteins in mild, moderate and severe hypospadias. After bioinformatics analysis and biochemical experiments on the screened DEPs, we found that the expression of proteins related to immune inflammation, coagulation, blood pressure and inflammation, and blood lipid were differential expressed in the prepuce tissue of children with hypospadias. We further confirmed that the proteins FGB, FGG, SERPINA1, and AGT involved in the angiotensin system, cholesterol metabolism, and coagulation were significantly up-regulated by biochemical experiments. In particular, the AGT protein of the angiotensin system involved in blood pressure regulation, we have shown that it increases with the severity of hypospadias. This study suggests that children with hypospadias are more likely to suffer from hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our findings provide a theoretical basis for early monitoring of blood lipids and blood pressure to prevent CVD in children with hypospadias.Firstly, we analyzed the serological indexes of children with hypospadias and control children. Then we took 5 samples of prepuce tissue from children with mild, moderate, severe hypospadias and control group respectively, and performed proteomics identification. After bioinformatics analysis andbiochemical experiment verification of DEPs. We found that DEPs involved in immune, inflammatory, lipid metabolism and coagulation processes were significantly increased. Finally, we used biochemical experimental techniques to verify DEPs.Graphical abstract: Hypospadias refers to the abnormal position of the male urethral orifice, which not only leads to urination disorder but also causes sexual dysfunction in adulthood. However, the complex and diverse pathogenic factors of hypospadias are still unclear. To study the pathogenesis and prognosis of hypospadias, we counted the serological indexes of children with hypospadias, and found that sSBP, TC and LDL increased in children with mild, moderate and severe hypospadias. Subsequently, we used quantitative proteomics to find differential proteins in mild, moderate and severe hypospadias. After bioinformatics analysis and biochemical experiments on the screened DEPs, we found that the expression of proteins related to immune inflammation, coagulation, blood pressure and inflammation, and blood lipid were differential expressed in the prepuce tissue of children with hypospadias. We further confirmed that the proteins FGB, FGG, SERPINA1, and AGT involved in the angiotensin system, cholesterol metabolism, and coagulation were significantly up-regulated by biochemical experiments. In particular, the AGT protein of the angiotensin system involved in blood pressure regulation, we have shown that it increases with the severity of hypospadias. This study suggests that children with hypospadias are more likely to suffer from hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our findings provide a theoretical basis for early monitoring of blood lipids and blood pressure to prevent CVD in children with hypospadias.Firstly, we analyzed the serological indexes of children with hypospadias and control children. Then we took 5 samples of prepuce tissue from children with mild, moderate, severe hypospadias and control group respectively, and performed proteomics identification. After bioinformatics analysis andbiochemical experiment verification of DEPs. We found that DEPs involved in immune, inflammatory, lipid metabolism and coagulation processes were significantly increased. Finally, we used biochemical experimental techniques to verify DEPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CaCl 2 improved the emulsification performance of shrimp MP. • CaCl 2 induced molecular stretching of shrimp MP. • CaCl 2 improved the rheology properties and gel strength of shrimp MP. • CaCl 2 improved the digestibility of MP gel. In this study, the effects of CaCl 2 (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM) on the gelling and digestive properties of the myofibrillar protein (MP) in Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated. The results showed that increasing CaCl 2 concentration led to changes in the tertiary structure of MP. Specifically, compared with the control group, a 64.31 % increase in surface hydrophobicity and a 45.90 % decrease in the sulfhydryl group were observed after 100 mM CaCl 2 treatment. Correspondingly, the water holding capacity and strength of the MP gel increased by 24.46 % and 55.99 %, respectively. These changes were positively correlated with the rheological properties, microstructure pore size, and content of non-flowable water. The mechanical properties of MP gel were improved, and the microstructure became more compact with the increase in CaCl 2 concentration. Furthermore, the particle size of the digested MP gels decreased in the presence of CaCl 2 , which improved the digestion characteristics of MP gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Surgical site infection (SSI) was a formidable challenge for surgical management of femoral neck fractures; however, there was a lack of studies with comprehensive variables. We conducted this study to investigate the incidence and risk factors of SSI in elderly patients with femoral neck fractures. Methods. This was a retrospective study of patients who presented with femoral neck fractures and underwent surgery in our institution between January 2016 and April 2020. All data were collected from a previously validated database. Patients were divided into SSI and non-SSI groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the risk factors for SSI. Results. A total of 2218 patients with femoral neck fractures were enrolled in the study, of whom 22 (1%) developed SSI, including 15 (0.7%) superficial and 7 (0.3%) deep SSIs. After multivariable adjustment for confounding factors, patients with and without SSI significantly differ in terms of gender, prolonged time to surgery, CHE < 5 U / L , and injury mechanism. Conclusions. Our results were helpful for stratification of SSI risk and improved management of hip fracture. Clinicians should be alert to patients with these factors and improve modifiable factors such as preoperative waiting time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the structural safety and normal operation of a cable-stayed bridge in China (Rainbow Bridge), cables were replaced and construction monitoring and control were conducted. In the process of cable replacements, the cable force and girder elevation were monitored and the distribution of cable force was adjusted according to the construction monitoring results to improve the structural force and increase the safety reserve of the structure. In the process of monitoring the cable force, the difference between the measured cable force and the design cable force was 0.4–4.4%. After adjusting the cable force, the difference between the measured cable force and the design cable force was less than 2%, and the change in the cable force was uniform, meeting the original design requirements. In the monitoring process of the main girder elevation, the elevation was increased by a maximum of 0.054 m. After completing cable adjustment, the main girder elevation was increased by 0–5 mm. This elevation was more reasonable and met the design requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a method of strengthening prestressed concrete continuous box-girder bridges with prestressed steel strands. Construction process monitoring, field load tests before and after reinforcement, and health monitoring after reinforcement were performed to verify the effectiveness of the external prestressed steel strand reinforcement method. During the construction monitoring process, the measured values of each tensioning step are basically consistent with the theoretical values, but the measured values are slightly less than the theoretical values. The results of the field load tests show that the bending strength and stiffness of the strengthened girder have been improved. During health monitoring, the strain value and deflection value data for some parts across the specified section were collected. According to the data, the strain and deflection values fluctuated within the specified limit, and the bridge was always in a safe state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) has the advantages of low-energy consumption and is environment friendly. This article tried to apply this novel technology to sightseeing vehicles. As the bogie is one of the most important components of the vehicle, a new type of bogie was designed for the need of small-radius curve passing and its dynamic characteristics were evaluated. A 3-D model of a bogie with primary suspension was built. By which, the space utilization of the vehicle can be improved and the passengers will have higher comfort. Then, a dynamic model of the vehicle–bridge coupled system was constructed based on a multibody dynamics software, universal mechanism. The dynamic performance of bogie with and without primary suspension was compared to explore its necessity. The vehicle–bridge dynamic performance was simulated and analyzed under different speeds and curve radii. The results show that the HTS maglev sightseeing vehicle with the bogie with primary suspension has favorable dynamic performance. For higher speeds and smaller curve radius, the vibration response will worsen. This study can provide references for the design and optimization of HTS maglev bogies suitable for small-radius curve passing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AGO inhibits bacterial growth in the aqueous environment. • Positive-charged AGO can breaks the balance between bacteria and phages. • AGO increases the diversity of microbiota in the aqueous environment. • The released AGO is more conducive to the proliferation of bacteria in acidic water. The widespread use of graphene family nanomaterials (GFNs) in mass production has resulted in their release into the atmosphere, soil and water environment through various processes. Among these, the water environment is particularly affected by GFN pollution. Our previous study has demonstrated the impact of graphene oxide (GO) on bacteria–phage interactions in natural systems. However, the effects of amino-functionalized GO with a positive charge on bacteria–phage interactions in aquatic environments remain unclear. In the present study, we found that amino-functionalized graphene oxide (AGO) (0.05 mg/mL) inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Y12. Furthermore, treating P. aeruginosa Y12 and phage with AGO (0.05 mg/mL) led to a reduced ratio of phage to bacteria, indicating that AGO can inhibit phage infection of bacteria. Additionally, the acidic environment exacerbated this effect by promoting electrostatic adsorption between the positively charged AGO and the negatively charged phage. Finally, a field water body intervention experiment showed that the richness and diversity of bacterial communities in six water samples changed due to AGO exposure, as revealed by Illumina analysis based on the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. These findings offer valuable insights into the environmental impacts of GFNs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Gelation of chitosan dissolved in an alkaline aqueous solution was investigated. • Ethanol-water mixtures were employed as the coagulant for the APS processes. • Gelling film in the ethanol-containing coagulant was in-situ characterized by OCT. • Film morphology was analyzed by combining OCT and network-based modeling. • Internal rejection of particles was correlated with the morphological formation. Gelation of chitosan dissolved in an alkali/urea aqueous solution promotes the mechanistic diversity of forming a membrane via aqueous phase separation (APS), which is conceptualized to highlight the advantages of using environmentally friendly solvents. When aimed at deepening the knowledge of regulating the structural formation, the alkaline dope of chitosan was employed in this study to investigate how the presence of ethanol in the coagulant could regulate the gelation behavior in APS and thereby change the particle-trapping mechanism. Both the gelling films and the particle-filtering membranes were in-situ characterized by optical coherence tomography (OCT) to compare the film-formation kinetics and the morphological variations in the resulting porous substructures, respectively. It was revealed that the ethanol-containing coagulant could induce the shrinkage of the gelling film and thereby favor the transverse coalescence of polymer-rich phases; that is, increasing the content of ethanol in the coagulant (over a range less than a critical value to avoid film deformation) would give rise to more tortuous substructures (for effectively capturing particles) primarily owing to the lower connectivity in the transverse direction. The theoretical analysis was supported by numerically evaluating the topological analog. This study not only confirms effectiveness of the ethanol-based regulation, but also establishes a paradigm for fabricating membranes with tailored topological characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Simple and universal surface grafting strategy on polymeric thin films. • Non-invasive reaction conditions ensure high transparency of the bulk hydrogel. • Antifouling properties on one side of the film and bioadhesive on the other side. • Both surfaces modified with different polymer brushes are highly biocompatible. There have been great technical challenges in preparation of a transparent polymeric thin film with Janus-type antifouling and bioadhesive properties on both surfaces, while maintaining the optical and mechanical characteristics of the bulk material. Herein, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA), which is commonly used as an ophthalmic hydrogel, was employed as the bulk material for allowing consecutive surface grafting of functional polymer brushes, which eventually resulted in a Janus-type transparent thin film for potential biomedical implantation. First, a bromine-containing reagent served as the reactive initiator was silanized onto both surfaces of the PHEMA hydrogel thin film under a mild condition. Then, with the presence of selected physical shielding on one side using a scotch tape, polymer brushes with cell-adhesive Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide pendent groups were grafted from the other side of the PHEMA thin film, resulted in a highly improved cell attachment capability. Once the tape was removed and the RGD-modified surface was shielded, the zwitterionic polymer brushes comprising poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) segments were grafted on the surface, again through surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET-ATRP). Hence, this side of the PHEMA film became super hydrophilic and exhibited antifouling properties on the surface. After the surface grafting modification, the whole PHEMA hydrogel maintained highly transparent and biocompatible for potential ophthalmic applications. This study provides a simple and rather universal strategy for fabricating Janus-type polymeric thin films with distinct biophysical/biochemical properties on both sides, which potentially applicable for the multifunctional requirements in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First discovery, locally π-π conjugated polyimide in TGIC enhances loss capacity. • Increasing the number of conjugated benzenes amplifies the dielectric loss. • Right amount of PPI-D highlights the comprehensive performance for PPI-D/TGIC. • PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 has the best RL min (-15.6 dB, 16.4 GHz) and EAB (3.44 GHz, 6.0 mm). • PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 has elastic modulus (1065.4 MPa) and thermal stability (295 ℃). Creatively, endowing the resin matrix with microwave absorption performance is an effective strategy to improve the comprehensive performance for microwave absorption materials and eliminate the contradiction between matrix and absorbent. Herein, a high polar epoxy resin that triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) is chemically cross-linked with locally π-π conjugated polyimides (PI) to create a novel absorbing resin matrix designed for special responses in X and Ku bands. By comparing the dielectric properties and microwave absorption performance of PBI-D/TGIC (containing benzene), PNI-D/TGIC (containing naphthalene) and PPI-D/TGIC (containing perylene), their dielectric polarization loss and microwave absorption responses will be enhanced with the increase of conjugated benzene number, which is ascribed to the enhanced π-π conjugated polarization and the instantaneously reduced resistance stimulated by electromagnetic waves (EMWs). Simultaneously, the addition of an appropriate amount of PPI-D significantly enhances the microwave absorption performance, mechanical strength, and thermal stability of TGIC-based resins. When the mixing mass ratio of PPI-D to TGIC is 1:4, the obtained PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 (PPI-D: 25.23 wt%) possesses the best minimum reflection loss (RL min) as −15.6 dB (16.4 GHz, 3.0 mm) and −8.6 dB (8.2 GHz, 4.0 mm), which is three times higher than the RL min of TGIC. Especially, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB < -10 dB) of PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 resin can reach up to 3.44 GHz (6.0 mm) and 2.88 GHz (3.0 mm), breaking the limitations of conventional resins. Additionally, PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 resin exhibits excellent compression performance (37 MPa), elastic modulus (1065.4 MPa) and thermal stability (T 10wt.% =295 ℃). PPI-D/TGIC-0.5 resin is a strong candidate for the ideal absorbing resin matrix and holds significant potential in the applications for microwave absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Outlines the mechanisms of natural color formation in aquatic products. • Summarises the discoloration mechanisms of aquatic products during storage. • Recapitulates the comprehensive factors that affect the color of aquatic products. • Discusses current cutting-edge technology in color preservation of aquatic products. • Recommends the development of high-quality prefabricated aquatic products. Color plays a pivotal role in guiding and assessing the industrial production of aquatic products due to the swift sensory perception of information through vision. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the following four aspects: (a) mechanisms governing natural color formation in aquatic products, (b) factors and mechanisms contributing to the discoloration of aquatic products, (c) cutting-edge methods for color analysis and detection, and (d) current valuable techniques for preserving color quality. The natural color of aquatic products is derived from skin chromatophores, endogenous pigment proteins, and astaxanthin. Discoloration of aquatic products can occur due to lipid oxidation, as well as enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning. Furthermore, this review examines frontier color protective technologies, encompassing physical methods like ultra-high pressure, irradiation, and low-temperature plasma, as well as chemical methods involving natural preservatives. The findings of this study offer significant insights into the development of high-quality aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitating polymer in a completely aqueous environment is conceptualized as a process of aqueous phase separation (APS) and lends itself to the environmentally friendly fabrication of membranes. In an effort to effectively regulate the morphological formation in APS, it is of fundamental concern to elucidate how asymmetry can be developed in the absence of an unbalanced exchange of the 'nonsolvent' and solvent. Therefore, technical modifications were made by this study to essentially improve the in-situ characterization based on optical coherence tomography (OCT). In particular, a process of APS was modeled by passively contacting an acidic aqueous dope of chitosan with another aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide in a mini-coagulation bath, where the OCT scan was implemented in a high speed mode to capture the onset and evolution of gelation at the coagulant-dope interface with a temporal resolution of 6.25 ms. The quantitative analysis indicated that the gelation could be initiated at the interface in a period shorter than ∼10 ms and evolved in an oscillating way; a skin layer with a smaller critical size would be formed by damping the interfacial oscillations. This study not only sheds light on the APS-based fabrication of membranes, but also establishes a novel paradigm for in-situ characterizing the film formation via an OCT-based approach. [Display omitted] • Formation of asymmetry in APS was modeled by the gelation of chitosan. • OCT was used to in-situ characterize the initial gelation occurring at the interface. • Passive contact was employed to eliminate the delay resulting from immersion. • High speed scan mode enabled achieving a temporal resolution of 6.25 ms. • Interfacial oscillations in the gelation were correlated with the skin rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to describe the characteristics of plasma D-dimer level with increasing age and establish a new age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff value for excluding preoperative lower limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in elderly patients with hip fractures. Methods: This was a retrospective study of elderly patients who presented with acute hip fracture in our institution between June 2016 and June 2019. All patients underwent D-dimer test and duplex ultrasound. Patients were divided into six 5-year-apart age groups. The optimal cutoff value for each group was calculated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, whereby the new age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff value was determined. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated and compared when different D-dimer cutoff values were applied, i.e., conventional 0.5 mg/L, previously well-established age-adjusted cutoff value (age × 0.01 mg/L) and the new age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff value herein. Results: There were 2759 patients included, 887 males and 1872 females, with an average age of 78 years. In total, 280 patients were diagnosed with preoperative DVT. The optimal cutoff values for the six age groups were 0.715 mg/L, 1.17 mg/L, 1.62 mg/L, 1.665 mg/L, 1.69 mg/L and 1.985 mg/L, respectively, and the calculated age-adjusted coefficient was 0.02 mg/L. With this new coefficient applied, the specificity was 61%, clearly higher than those for conventional threshold (0.5 mg/L, 37%) or previously established age-adjusted D-dimer threshold (age × 0.01 mg/L, 22%). In contrast, the sensitivity was lower than that (59% vs 85% or 77%) when D-dimer threshold of 0.5 mg/L or age-adjusted cutoff value (age × 0.01 mg/L) was used. The other indexes as PPV (15%, 11% and 12%) and NPV (93%, 93% and 94%) were comparable when three different D-dimer thresholds were applied. Conclusions: We developed a new age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff value (age × 0.02 mg/L) for a specified high-risk population of patients aged 65 years or older with hip fractures, and demonstrated the improved utility of the D-dimer test for exclusion of DVT. This formula can be considered for use in elderly hip fracture patients who meet the applicable standards as preoperative DVT screening, after its validity is confirmed by more well-evidenced studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an innovative technique, a composite of prestressed steel wire ropes (PSWRs) embedded in polyurethan-cement composite (PUC), used to strengthen a 34-year-old reinforced T-beam bridge. PUC was mixed with polyurethane raw material and cement to provide good mechanical properties. Compared to using polymer mortar for PSWR strengthening, using PUC not only increased the durability of the steel wire ropes but also reinforced the main beams in the PSWR-PUC-strengthened composite. To study the effect of polyurethane cement, one span of the bridge was reinforced by a composite of PSWRs embedded in polymer mortar (PM). Static and dynamic load tests were carried out to test the corresponding responses of the experimental bridge. A finite-element model was used to verify the bridge test results. This study showed that the structural capacity and performance of the bridge were enhanced with PSWR-PUC strengthening. Compared with PSWR-PM reinforced spans with more prestressed steel wire ropes, PSWR-PUC reinforced spans retained good structural capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of various industries, cyanide (CN−) and hypochlorite (ClO−) have a tremendously adverse effect on the health of humans and animals. In this study, a fluorescent probe HHTB based on a benzaldehyde–indole fused chromophore was designed to detect cyanide and hypochlorite simultaneously. The synthesized probe was found to have strong anti-interference ability. In addition, the designed probe could respond rapidly to ClO− in just 80 s, while the color changed visibly from red to colorless. Moreover, the response time to CN− was longer (about 160 s), with the apparent color change from red to light red. The ratiometric and colorimetric absorbance variation of HHTB was due to the nucleophilic attack of CN− on the indole C＝N functional group and the strong oxidization of ClO− which destroyed the C＝C bonds and the conjugation systems. Furthermore, the probe HHTB responding to ClO− and CN− presented high sensitivity, as the calculated detection limits were 1.18 nM and 1.40 nM, respectively. The probe was also found to have low biological toxicity and was used in living cells successfully. Therefore, it has good application prospect in the field of cell imaging and biomedicine. The binding mechanism of HHTB–CN and the reaction mechanism of HHTB and ClO− were further elucidated by a series of experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulse-enhanced vacuum arc evaporation (PEVAE) is promising in surface engineering and produces coatings with better structure and properties. In PEVAE, the target-to-substrate distance (Dt-s) affects the substrate ion current and ion bombardment energy which is closely related to the structure and properties of the coatings. In this work, TiN coatings are deposited on high-speed steel (HSS) and silicon plates by the traditional DC mode and PEVAE mode at various Dt-s and the substrate current, microstructure, morphology, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance are evaluated. The results show significant improvements of 42.8%, 33%, and 51.6% for the average substrate current (IAve.), ion bombardment energy (Ebi), and deposition rate (ad) in the PEVAE mode and as Dt-s is increased, IAve., ad and Ebi decrease less substantially compared to the DC mode indicating that TiN coatings are still bombarded by more ions despite a larger Dt-s. The hardness and wear rate (WR) in the PEVAE mode increase by 41.4 and 56.1%, respectively, and the corrosion resistance and adhesion strength are improved as well. When Dt-s is increased, the hardness and corrosion resistance decrease and WR increases in both modes but the effects are less significant in the PEVAE mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]