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This article investigates the under-explored potential of utilizing a thin stainless-steel diaphragm coupled with a quartz tuning fork sensor for liquid depth measurements. The focus is on monitoring molten salt fluid levels in nuclear reactors and concentrated solar power systems. Addressing a literature gap, the research explores cantilever-type configurations of a double-ended quartz tuning fork resonator, with a no-load resonance frequency of 17.37 kHz, on thin stainless-steel diaphragms for fluid depth measurement at room temperature. As the fluid depth increases, hydro-static pressure acting on a 20 μ m diaphragm causes deflection, bending a tuning fork. The resulting change in resonance frequency correlates with fluid depth. Experimental setups assess the tuning fork's sensitivity to strain and bending, revealing strain sensitivity of 7.83 Hz/ μ strain (450.78 ppm/ μ strain) and bending sensitivity of 0.09 Hz/ μ m (5.18 ppm/ μ m). The pressure sensor assembly, tested in a water tank, exhibits a sensitivity of − 0.28 Hz/mm (− 16.12 ppm/mm) in a single cantilever-type configuration. Despite a limited linear range, it effectively measures water depth changes as small as 0.7 mm. Exploring a double cantilever-type configuration yields a sensitivity of 0.07 Hz/mm (4.03 ppm/mm) with a broader linear range. The article discusses the reasons for opposite sensitivity and highlights the advantages of each configuration. Beyond molten salt level monitoring, the technology's applications may extend to fluid depth and pressure measurements in industrial and domestic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel is a research hotspot in the field of polymer materials and has great application value in many fields, such as wearable devices. However, the mechanical properties of hydrogel limit its application range. As a natural biopolymer, sodium alginate (SA) has good biocompatibility, but SA hydrogels lack toughness and cannot meet the requirements of strain sensors. In this work, guar gum (GG) is used to enhance the toughness of SA hydrogels so that it can be used to prepare wearable devices. Scanning electron microscopy was used for morphological and structural studies, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used for cross-linking characterization. The results show that the SA/GG hydrogels prepared by the one-pot method have good tensile properties, and the wearable devices assembled based on them have good stimulus responsiveness, long-term operational stability and excellent water retention. Among them, the SA/GG-2 composite hydrogel has the most excellent comprehensive performance, with the maximum stress and strain reaching 36.5 kPa and 7.3%, and the water retention of the assembled sensors reaching more than 98%, and the resistance and capacitance change rate reaching more than 25%. The SA/GG composite hydrogel has a potential application prospect in the field of wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, direct numerical simulations (DNSs) are performed to investigate the deformation and breakup of an elastoviscoplastic (EVP) droplet in a Newtonian matrix under simple shear flow. The two-phase interface is captured by the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method with adaptive mesh refinement technique. The Saramito model (Bingham model coupled exponential Phan-Thien–Tanner viscoelastic model) is used to characterize the rheological behavior of the droplet. The droplet deformation and conformational state are studied with different Capillary numbers Ca, Weissenberg numbers Wi, and Bingham numbers Bi, which represent the surface tension, elasticity, and yield stress of the droplet, respectively. Our results show that droplet deformation occurs at low Ca, while breakup occurs at high Ca. The droplet non-monotonically deforms with increasing Wi and Bi, while is elongated for higher Ca. In addition, three breakup modes (mid-point pinching, transitional breakup, and homogeneous breakup) are reported for EVP droplets, in which transitional breakup disappears due to the influence of high elasticity. The conformational state of the droplet intuitively demonstrates the change of breakup from horizontal shear to vertical breakup. In spite of the fact that the surface tension always inhibits the deformation of droplets, the present work indicates that Bi has little effect on the deformation with high Wi and high Ca, while the influence is obvious at low Wi and Ca. The observed elastic and plastic effects on droplet deformation and breakup are believed to have significant impacts, as yield stress fluids are widely encountered in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, pre‐fermented frozen raw dough (PFRD) was subjected to freeze–thaw cycling (FTC) to explore the deterioration mechanism of PFRD, after which the physical quality, chemical properties and in vitro digestion characteristics of starch in the dough were analysed. The results showed that after the 5th FTC, the surface area of the dough and starch exhibited obvious depression deformation, and the damaged starch content increased by 38.21%. The random mechanical damage caused by ice crystals also had no significant regularity in the water retention and the short‐range order of starch. Moreover, the breakdown of the double helix structure of starch led to the dissolution of amylose, and the expansion and gelatinization enthalpy increased. In addition, the in vitro digestion results showed that freeze–thaw cycle twice increased the digestibility of the starch, and the hydrolysis rate reached 75.16%, Therefore, the effects of FTC twice on the starch of PFRD are controllable. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of prefabricated frozen starch food industry technology in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose and analyze the alternating direction implicit (ADI) difference schemes in conjunction with the second order backward differentiation formula (BDF2) method with variable time step sizes for solving the two-dimensional parabolic equation. The spatial compact operators are also applied to construct high order ADI scheme. By using the discrete energy method and the positive definiteness of the nonuniform BDF2 approximation, we prove the unconditional H 1 semi-norm stability for the variable-step BDF2-ADI scheme and the variable-step compact BDF2-ADI scheme under the constraint r n ≤ 4.8 , where r n denotes the adjacent step size ratio. Moreover, the optimal second order and the fourth order convergence rates are derived rigorously under this restriction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first strict theoretical analysis of the variable-step ADI numerical schemes for the multidimensional parabolic equations. Several numerical examples are included to verify the analysis results. The extension to the nonlinear Allen-Cahn equation is also presented, for which the variable-step BDF2-ADI scheme and the corresponding compact scheme combined with the adaptive time-stepping algorithm improve the efficiency of the long time simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary We present a facile synthetic strategy to create mesoporous Cu2O nanocrystals with tunable pore structures and surface functional groups of amine derivatives for efficient and preferable electrochemical conversion of CO2 into ethylene. The structural characteristics of these Cu2O nanocrystals can be manipulated using a set of amine derivatives, such as pyridine, 4,4'‐bipyridine, and hexamethylenetetramine, during the oxidative etching process of Cu nanocrystals by bubbling gaseous oxygen in N,N‐dimethylformamide solution. These amine derivatives not only serve as surface functional groups but also significantly affect the resulting pore structures. The synergistic effect of pore structure confinement and surface amine functionalization leads to the superb Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 51.9% for C2H4, respectively, together with the C2H4 partial current density of –209.4 mA·cm−2 at –0.8 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). The relatively high selectivity towards C2H4 was investigated using DFT simulations, where 4,4'‐bipyridine functionalized Cu2O seemed to favor the C2H4 formation with the low free energy of the intermediates. This study provides a feasible strategy to manipulate the pore structure and surface functionalization of mesoporous Cu2O nanocrystals by regulating the oxidative etching process, which sheds light on the rational preparation of high‐performance CO2RR electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of transmission line galloping monitoring for optical power grounded waveguides (OPGWs) in external field environments, we propose a low-noise monitoring array based on adjacent sensors with low reflectivity fiber Bragg grating (FBG). We analyze the interference signal models for adjacent FBG sensors, and based on them, a noise suppression method by using adaptive filter input is constructed. Then we simulate the noise suppression effect of the proposed algorithm under different noise conditions. Finally, we deploy the low-noise OPGW transmission line galloping monitoring system based on low reflectivity FBGs in China's western autonomous prefecture with a 220 kV transmission line. The experimental results show that, after adaptive filtering using adjacent sensors, the average noise power spectral density is reduced by 6.5 dB, and the algorithm optimizes the monitoring intensity spectrum. Oscillation events of about 100 m can be clearly observed within the monitoring interval. It creates certain conditions for further improving the typical event classification data processing and pattern recognition database for OPGWs and demonstrates promising prospects for engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1998, the Hefei National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory completed the 6 T superconducting Wiggler magnets system. The consumption of liquid helium increases year by year during long operations. In order to upgrade the cryogenic system and remove the use of liquid helium, GM cryocoolers are introduced as the cooling source. The liquid nitrogen and radiation-proof cold screen of the original cryogenic system were removed, and the original copper current leads were replaced with high-temperature superconducting current leads. The total heat load of the cryogenic system is 2.33 W at 4.2 K and 108 W at 60 K. Three GM cryocoolers are selected as the cryogenic source. They can provide 3.75 W at 4.2 K and 210 W at 60 K. In the absence of an external precooling source, the final cryogenic system was successfully cooled and produced liquid helium at a liquefaction rate of 12 L/day at 1.1 bar (inflationary pressure) and had an excess cooling capacity of more than 1.05 W at 4.1 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is a staple crop feeding more than 50% of the world's population and, its sustainable production is crucial to the global food security. However, blast disease caused by the filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae (anamorph: Pyricularia oryzae) threatens sustainable rice production as it can reduce grain yields over 30% in epidemic years. Therefore, deciphering the molecular mechanisms of the M. oryzae-rice interaction and the mechanism that how M. oryzae overcomes rice defense is crucial for developing new strategies to make green fungicides and disease-resistant rice varieties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which M. oryzae perceives host surface signals and subsequently develops specific infection structure called appressoria. In addition, the review delves into the strategies that the fungus utilizes to overcome host immunity, which in turn allows it to colonize rice tissues. Finally, we propose the perspectives for dissecting the pathogenesis of the fungus and controlling rice blast disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reaction-diffusion-ODE system of stoichiometric producer-grazer type is considered in this paper. Since the system has nonsmooth nonlinearity, it is shown that the system has new dynamics different from the smooth case. We construct various types of discontinuous steady states and investigate their asymptotic behavior. In addition, the steady-state bifurcation near a constant solution is studied by treating the diffusion coefficient as a bifurcation parameter and the existence of Hopf bifurcation is derived. Our results cover the case where the number of positive equilibria of the kinetic system (i.e. without diffusion) changes from one to three in the spatial interval. Finally, some numerical simulations are given to illustrate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinidia arguta (Siebold & Zucc.) Planch ex Miq. (A. arguta) is a highly valued vine plant belonging to the Actinidia lindl genus. It is extensively utilized for its edible and medicinal properties. The various parts of A. arguta serve diverse purposes. The fruit is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and vitamin C, making it a nutritious and flavorful raw material for producing jam, canned food, and wine. The flowers yield volatile oils suitable for essential oil extraction. The leaves contain phenolic compounds and can be used for tea production. Additionally, the roots, stems, and leaves of A. arguta possess significant medicinal value, as they contain a wide array of active ingredients that exert multiple pharmacological and therapeutic effects. These effects include quenching thirst, relieving heat, stopping bleeding, promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, dispelling wind, and alleviating dampness. Comprehensive information on A. arguta was collected from scientific databases covering the period from 1970 to 2023. The databases used for this review included Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, and CNKI. The objective of this review was to provide a detailed explanation of A. arguta from multiple perspectives, such as phytochemistry and pharmacological effects. By doing so, it aimed to establish a solid foundation and propose new research ideas for further exploration of the plant's potential applications and industrial development. To date, a total of 539 compounds have been isolated and identified from A. arguta. These compounds include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, phenylpropanoids, lignin, organic acids, volatile components, alkanes, coumarins, anthraquinones, alkaloids, polysaccharides, and inorganic elements. Flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, and polysaccharides are the key bioactive constituents of A. arguta. Moreover, phenolics and flavonoids in A. arguta exhibit remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties. Additionally, they show promising potential in improving glucose metabolism, combating aging, reducing fatigue, and regulating the immune system. While some fundamental studies on A. arguta have been conducted, further research is necessary to enhance our understanding of its mechanism of action, quality evaluation, and compatibility mechanisms. A more comprehensive investigation is highly warranted to explore the mechanism of action and expand the range of drug resources associated with A. arguta. This will contribute to the current hot topics of anti-aging and anti-tumor drug research and development, thereby promoting its further development and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic velocity analysis is the basis for seismic imaging and understanding complex subsurface geological structures. Although the performance of automatic velocity analysis methods based on Common Middle Point (CMP) data or Velocity Spectra (VS) is encouraging, particularly deep learning methods. However, most methods ignore the complementarity between CMP data and VS data, and only one of them is selected for velocity modelling. We propose a multimodal neural network (MMN) that combines the advantages of CMP data details representation and simplification of VS. MMN includes multilayer convolution structures and auto-encoder structures, which are used to extract time–space amplitude information from CMP gathers and energy groups features from VS data, respectively. This paper compared MMN with the CMP single-modal network (CSN) and the velocity spectra single-modal network (VSSN). Based on synthetic data, we investigated their differences in terms of continuity, accuracy, noise resistance and generalization. The MMN prediction results makes a trade-off between the overall continuity and local details. Visualization analysis of the intermediate feature maps explains the MMN velocity prediction mechanism, that is, the multi-angle representation and complementary fusion of velocity information. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is demonstrated using the braided river deposited field data example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rough structure may affect the flow field and electromagnetic (EM) scattering characteristics of a hypersonic vehicle. In this study, the EM scattering characteristics of the hypersonic vehicle RAM C-II with a microrough surface were investigated in the millimeter wave band. We first simulated the flow field of a smooth RAM C-II vehicle and calculated the radar cross section (RCS) in the wideband using the physical optics method. The calculation results show that many factors contribute to the variation in the RCS; however, it is occasionally difficult to predict. We then used a one-dimensional Gaussian random rough surface to generate a RAM C-II with a microrough surface through a point-coordinate transformation and simulated its flow field. The electron density flow field of the rough surfaced aircraft fluctuates greatly on the wall. Finally, we calculated the RCS of RAM C-II with different values of roughness in the millimeter wave band. The change of surface structure can be reflected in millimeter waves, and the RCS is determined by both plasma and rough structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidental finding of thyroid inclusions in lymph nodes of neck dissections of non-thyroid cancer patients is an unusual event. It is still controversial for pathologists about whether this represents benign inclusions or metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study is to analyze clinicopathological features of such cases in an attempt to explore their clinical implications. Methods: Pathological data were searched for incidentally detected PTC of cervical lymph nodes in non-thyroid cancer cases. Clinicopathological characteristics were reevaluated and recorded. BRAF V600E protein expression and sequencing analysis was then performed in cases with sufficient tissues. Results: 31 patients had an incidental finding of PTC in lymph nodes of patients with non-thyroid cancer. BRAF immunohistochemical staining were performed in 17 metastatic lymph nodes with sufficient tumor tissues, and 6 were positive. BRAF V600E point mutation was detected in 5 of 6 BRAF V600E positive cases. Subsequent imaging examinations of the thyroid showed no nodules or calcifications/benign nodules in 20 patients, and suspected malignant nodules in 5 patients. 12 patients underwent total thyroidectomy or ipsilateral lobectomy, and 6 showed PTC in postoperative pathological examinations. The remaining 19 patients without surgery were kept under active surveillance, and no one had recurrence of PTC. Conclusion: Incidentally discovered PTC in lymph nodes has usually interpreted as metastasis from a clinical occult thyroid primary cancer, but primary PTC was not always detected. This suggests it could be double occult lesions. With regards to concurrence with highly malignant tumor, most patients could keep regular surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic retinal vessel segmentation is important for assisting clinicians in diagnosing ophthalmic diseases. The existing deep learning methods remain constrained in instance connectivity and thin vessel detection. To this end, we propose a novel anatomy-sensitive retinal vessel segmentation framework to preserve instance connectivity and improve the segmentation accuracy of thin vessels. This framework uses TransUNet as its backbone and utilizes self-supervised extracted landmarks to guide network learning. TransUNet is designed to simultaneously benefit from the advantages of convolutional and multi-head attention mechanisms in extracting local features and modeling global dependencies. In particular, we introduce contrastive learning-based self-supervised extraction anatomical landmarks to guide the model to focus on learning the morphological information of retinal vessels. We evaluated the proposed method on three public datasets: DRIVE, CHASE-DB1, and STARE. Our method demonstrates promising results on the DRIVE and CHASE-DB1 datasets, outperforming state-of-the-art methods by improving the F1 scores by 0.36% and 0.31%, respectively. On the STARE dataset, our method achieves results close to the best-performing methods. Visualizations of the results highlight the potential of our method in maintaining topological continuity and identifying thin blood vessels. Furthermore, we conducted a series of ablation experiments to validate the effectiveness of each module in our model and considered the impact of image resolution on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials with photothermal combined chemodynamic therapy (PTT‐CDT) have attracted the attention of researchers owing to their excellent synergistic therapeutic effects on tumors. Thus, the preparation of multifunctional materials with higher photothermal conversion efficiency and catalytic activity can achieve better synergistic therapeutic effects for melanoma. In this study, a Cu–Zn bimetallic single‐atom (Cu/PMCS) is constructed with augmented photothermal effect and catalytic activity due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect. Density functional theory calculations confirmed that the enhanced photothermal effect of Cu/PMCS is due to the appearance of a new d‐orbital transition with strong spin‐orbit coupling and the induced LSPR. Additionally, Cu/PMCS exhibited increased catalytic activity in the Fenton‐like reaction and glutathione depletion capacity, further enhanced by increased temperature and LSPR. Consequently, Cu/PMCS induced better synergistic anti‐melanoma effects via PTT‐CDT than PMCS in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, compared with PMCS, Cu/PMCS killed bacteria more quickly and effectively, thus facilitating wound healing owing to the enhanced photothermal effect and slow release of Cu2+. Cu/PMCS promoted cell migration and angiogenesis and upregulated the expression of related genes to accelerate wound healing. Cu/PMCS has potential applications in treating melanoma and repairing wounds with its antitumor, antibacterial, and wound‐healing properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Observational studies have demonstrated that basal metabolic rate (BMR) is associated with the risk of endometrial cancer (EC) and ovarian cancer (OC). However, it is unclear whether these associations reflect a causal relationship. Objective: To reveal the causality between BMR and EC and OC, we performed the first comprehensive two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Methods: Genetic variants were used as proxies of BMR. GWAS summary statistics of BMR, EC and OC were obtained from the UK Biobank Consortium, Endometrial Cancer Association Consortium and Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium respectively. The inverse variance weighted method was employed as the main approach for MR analysis. A series of sensitivity analyses were implemented to validate the robustness and reliability of the results. Results: BMR was significantly related to an increased risk of EC (ORSD = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.29–1.72; p‐Value <.001) and OC (ORSD = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.08–1.35; p‐Value <.001). Furthermore, the stratified analysis indicated that BMR was positively associated with endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) (ORSD = 1.45; 95% CI, 1.23–1.70; p‐Value <.001), clear cell ovarian cancer(CCOC) (ORSD = 1.89; 95% CI:1.35–2.64; p‐Value <.001) and endometrioid ovarian cancer risk (EOC) (ORSD = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.12–1.88; p‐Value =.005). However, there were no significant associations of BMR with invasive mucinous ovarian cancer (IMOC), high‐grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and low‐grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC). The robustness of the above results was further verified in sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The MR study provided etiological evidence for the positive association of BMR with the risk of EC, EEC, OC, CCOC and EOC. But this study did not provide enough evidence suggesting the causal associations of BMR with IMOC, HGSOC and LGSOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has evaluated five years (2016–2020) of Himawari-8 (H8) Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Level 2 Pre-processed (L2P) data produced by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Bureau) against shipborne radiometer SST measurements obtained from the Infrared SST Autonomous Radiometer (ISAR) onboard research vessel RV Investigator. Before being used, all data sets employed in this study have gone through careful quality control, and only the most trustworthy measurements are retained. With a large matchup database (31,871 collocations in total, including 16,418 during daytime and 15,453 during night-time), it is found that the Bureau H8 SST product is of good quality, with a mean bias ± standard deviation (SD) of −0.12 °C ± 0.47 °C for the daytime and −0.04 °C ± 0.37 °C for the night-time. The performance of the H8 data under different environmental conditions, determined by the observations obtained concurrently from RV Investigator, is examined. Daytime and night-time satellite data behave slightly differently. During the daytime, a cold bias can be seen under almost all environmental conditions, including for most values of wind speed, SST, and relative humidity. On the other hand, the performance of the night-time H8 SST product is consistently more stable under most meteorological conditions with the mean bias usually close to zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a Pt-decorated Ti3C2T x /TiO2 gas sensor for the enhanced NH3 sensing response at room temperature. Firstly, the TiO2 nanosheets (NSs) are in situ grown onto the two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2T x by hydrothermal treatment. Similar to Ti3C2T x sensor, the Ti3C2T x /TiO2 sensor has a positive resistance variation upon exposure to NH3, but with slight enhancement in response. However, after the loading of Pt nanoparticles (NPs), the Pt-Ti3C2T x /TiO2 sensor shows a negative response with significantly improved NH3 sensing performance. The shift in response direction indicates that the dominant sensing mechanism has changed under the sensitization effect of Pt NPs. At room temperature, the response of Pt-Ti3C2T x /TiO2 gas sensor to 100 ppm NH3 is about 45.5%, which is 13.8- and 10.8- times higher than those of Ti3C2T x and Ti3C2T x /TiO2 gas sensors, respectively. The experimental detection limit of the Pt-Ti3C2T x /TiO2 gas sensor to detect NH3 is 10 ppm, and the corresponding response is 10.0%. In addition, the Pt-Ti3C2T x /TiO2 gas sensor shows the fast response/recovery speed (23/34 s to 100 ppm NH3), high selectivity and good stability. Considering both the response value and the response direction, the corresponding gas-sensing mechanism is also deeply discussed. This work is expected to shed a new light on the development of noble metals decorated MXene-metal oxide gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored from both cognitive and affective perspectives the mechanism involved in the internal effect of leader perfectionism on employee innovative behavior. Our goal was to disentangle the possible differential effects. A set of 254 leader–subordinate dyads completed a two-stage questionnaire, and the results revealed that leader perfectionism was negatively related to employee innovative behavior. Further, perceived control and emotional exhaustion played a chain mediating role in this association. By revealing the influence path of leader perfectionism on employee innovative behavior, this study enriches the literature and has practical significance for improving the leadership effectiveness of perfectionistic leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C34H50N6O6Sn2, triclinic, P 1 ‾ , a = 12.110(2) Å, b = 12.406(2) Å, c = 13.744(3) Å, α = 79.547 (2) ° , β = 82.072 (2) ° , γ = 87.257 (2) ° , V = 2010.7(7) Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0471, wRref(F2) = 0.1392, T = 298 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the typical oxidation process of Au/C catalysts exposed to HCl is presented. Although the process violates the standard electrode potentials, the "oxidized" tendency of Au(0) species is analyzed. This oxidation behavior can only be triggered over the Au/C sample within residual cationic Au species, and terminated over the completely metallic Au(0)/C sample. This study demonstrates that the presence of surface chlorination species cannot facilitate the oxidation of Au(0) and Au(I) when the sample is treated with HCl alone, which excludes the oxidation paths of: Au(0) → Au(III) and Au(I) → Au(III). The reported "HCl-oxidized Au(0)" behavior is partially caused by the migration of Au(III) species in the carbon bulk-phase, which occurs outside the XPS detection limit region and into the detection limit rather than the "HCl-oxidized Au(0)" itself. The mechanism of driving the bulk-phase Au(III) migrated from the steady destabilized state to the carbon surface is then studied. This study demonstrates that the migration of Au cannot be neglected behind the curious oxidation phenomenon by HCl, which provides a new perspective for the oxidation of other noble metals by HCl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent control of the immune response is essential for obtaining percutaneous implants with good sterilization and tissue repair abilities. In this study, polypyrrole (Ppy) nanoparticles enveloping a 3D frame of sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SP) surface are constructed, which enhance the surface modulus and hardness of the sulfonated layer by forming a cooperative structure of simulated reinforced concrete and exhibit a superior photothermal effect. Ppy‐coated SP could quickly accumulate heat on the surface by responding to 808 nm near‐infrared (NIR) light, thereby killing bacteria, and destroying biofilms. Under NIR stimulation, the phagocytosis and M1 activation of macrophages cultured on Ppy‐coated SP are enhanced by activating complement 3 and its receptor, CD11b. Phagocytosis and M1 activation are impaired along with abolishment of NIR stimulation in the Ppy‐coated SP group, which is favorable for tissue repair. Ppy‐coated SP promotes Collagen‐I, vascular endothelial growth factor, connective tissue growth factor, and α‐actin (Acta2) expression by inducing M2 polarization owing to its higher surface modulus. Overall, Ppy‐coated SP with enhanced mechanical properties could be a good candidate for clinical percutaneous implants through on‐off phagocytosis and switchable macrophage activation stimulated with NIR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is usually considered a genetic disease caused by alterations in genes that control cellular behaviors, especially growth and division. Cancer cells differ from normal tissue cells in many ways that allow them to grow out of control and become invasive. However, experiments have shown that aberrant growth in many tissues burdened with varying numbers of mutant cells can be corrected, and wild-type cells are required for the active elimination of mutant cells. These findings reveal the dynamic cellular behaviors that lead to a tissue homeostatic state when faced with mutational and nonmutational insults. The current study was motivated by these observations and established a mathematical model of how a tissue copes with the aberrant behavior of mutant cells. The proposed model depicts the interaction between wild-type and mutant cells through a system of two delay differential equations, which include the random mutation of normal cells and the active extrusion of mutant cells. Based on the proposed model, we performed qualitative analysis to identify the conditions of either normal tissue homeostasis or uncontrolled growth with varying numbers of abnormal mutant cells. Bifurcation analysis suggests the conditions of bistability with either a small or large number of mutant cells, the coexistence of bistable steady states can be clinically beneficial by driving the state of mutant cell predominance to the attraction basin of the state with a low number of mutant cells. This result is further confirmed by the treatment strategy obtained from optimal control theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of surface roughness (Ra) on single-phase and two-phase cooling performances of HFE-7100 and water under different coolants, pressures, and subcoolings were studied. The eight surfaces were unidirectionally roughened. A general trend was that the heat transfer increased with increasing Ra. Owing to the larger contact angle and fewer nucleate sites, the smoother surface had poorer heat transfer performance. Visualization was performed to reveal secondary nucleation on the smooth surface. Finally, correlations were developed to predict the heat transfer performance for different values of Ra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Femoral pin-site fracture is one of the most serious complications of navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Its occurrence is associated with the loss of biomechanical strength caused by intraoperative femoral drilling. This study aimed to investigate the drilling location as a risk factor for pin-site fracture.Methods: A biomechanical analysis using rabbit femora was performed to determine the effects of drilling eccentricity and height. Torsional, 3-point bending, and axial compression tests were performed to evaluate biomechanical parameters, including failure strength, failure displacement, and stiffness. Fracture type and the presence of comminution were noted and analyzed. Finite-element analysis (FEA) was utilized to assess the stress distribution and deformation. The cumulative sum (CUSUM) method was applied to define the safe range for drilling eccentricity.Results: Drilling operations were accurately implemented. Biomechanical tests confirmed that severely eccentric drilling significantly reduced the biomechanical strength of the femur, especially in torsion. FEA results provided evidence of threatening stress concentration in severely eccentric drilling. The overall safe range of eccentricity relative to the center of the femur was found to be between 50% of the radius in the anterolateral direction and 70% of the radius in the posteromedial direction.Conclusions: Severely eccentric drilling significantly increased the risk of femoral pin-site fracture, especially under torsional stress. Femoral drilling should be performed in the safe zone that was identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zinc fingers and homeobox (ZHX) family includes ZHX1, ZHX2, and ZHX3, and their proteins have similar unique structures, containing two C2H2-type zinc finger motifs and four or five HOX-like homeodomains. The members of the ZHX family can form homodimers or heterodimers with each other or with a subunit of nuclear factor Y. Previous studies have suggested that ZHXs can function as positive or negative transcriptional regulators. Recent studies have further revealed their biological functions and underlying mechanisms in cancers. This review summarized the advances of ZHX-mediated functions, including tumor-suppressive and oncogenic functions in cancer formation and progression, the molecular mechanisms, and regulatory functions, such as cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, the differential expression levels and their association with good or poor outcomes in patients with various malignancies and differential responses to chemotherapy exert opposite functions of oncogene or tumor suppressors. Therefore, the ZHXs act as a double-edged sword in cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study of the kinetics of supported-ionic-liquid-phase (SILP) Au catalysis (Au-IL/AC) has been established in the continuous gas-phase hydrochlorination of acetylene. We reveal that the effect of ionic liquid (IL) film on substrate diffusion can be eliminated. The reaction order of the catalyst indicates that Au is confirmed to exist as a monomer in the IL film of the Au-IL/AC system, which is different from the fast equilibrium of the "Au dimer and monomer" for the classical Au/AC catalyst. The homogeneous reaction micro-environment is confirmed for Au-IL/AC since the activation energy was little changed under both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, further verifying the monatomic characteristics of Au in Au-IL/AC. Due to the supported IL film, the reaction order of hydrogen chloride was decreased from 1 to 0.5 while creating a hydrogen chloride enrichment system around Au, which provides the possibility of producing vinyl chloride with an equal substrates feed ratio. This kinetic-perspective-based revelation of the catalytic behavior of the metal active sites confined in IL film enriches and expands the SILP catalytic system for acetylene hydrochlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several diseases are caused or progress due to inflammation. In the past few years, accumulating evidence suggests that ghrelin, a gastric hormone of 28‐amino acid residue length, exerts protective effects against inflammation by modulating the related pathways. This review focuses on ghrelin's anti‐inflammatory and potential therapeutic effects in neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, hepatic, gastrointestinal, and kidney disorders. Ghrelin significantly alleviates excessive inflammation and reduces damage to different target organs mainly by reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and inhibiting the nuclear factor kappa‐B (NF‐κB) and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways. Ghrelin also regulates inflammation and apoptosis through the p38 MAPK/c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway; restores cerebral microvascular integrity, and attenuates vascular leakage. Ghrelin activates the phosphoInositide‐3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway and inhibits inflammatory responses in cardiovascular diseases and acute kidney injury. Some studies show that ghrelin exacerbates colonic and intestinal manifestations of colitis. Interestingly, some inflammatory states, such as non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and chronic kidney disease, are often associated with high ghrelin levels. Thus, ghrelin may be a potential new therapeutic target for inflammation‐related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of Information Technology has intruded the chemical industry. In the conventional chemical industry, humans are involved in monitoring the chemical evaporation processes. If there is any damage, then humans suffer enormously. These drawbacks are overcome in the chemical industry by implanting the sensors to the required blocks for monitoring the levels of chemical substances. An alert system can be introduced with an artificial intelligence algorithm to regenerate the process using details updated in the database. In this research, the machine-based Time-Temperature Superposition (TTS) method is implemented to monitor the chemical reactions in the chemical component manufacturing company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is presented for localizing wideband acoustic sources using an array of acoustic vector sensors (AVS). The method focuses on leveraging the lack of correlation between acoustic pressure and particle velocity in the underwater environmental noise field. Coherent processing is introduced in the signal processing stage to suppress noise components in the observed data. By employing a focused transform that maps various frequency components of the wideband signal into the same signal subspace, an asymptotically unbiased Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation is achieved using a multidimensional subspace method. A concise expression for the Cramér-Rao Bound (CRB) on the estimation errors is provided within the framework of the wideband multi-vector-sensor model. The performance of the proposed method for localizing sources is assessed through simulation and experimental data analysis. The research indicates that coherent processing effectively suppresses isotropic components in background noise, the proposed method achieves a lower estimation error, closer to the CRB, compared to the scalar array counterpart under identical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. • Introduce wideband acoustic source localization using an array of vector sensors • Leverages the lack of correlation in underwater noise between pressure and particle velocity. • A CRB expression is given in the wideband multi-source multi-vector-sensor model. • The optimized performance of coherent processing validated through simulation and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluid depth/level measurement application extends from industry to domestic contexts. This article explores the underutilized potential of Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensor-based devices for liquid depth and pressure measurements. Experiments conducted at room temperature address design challenges using a quartz Y34° cut single-port resonator. Theoretically predicted longitudinal strain sensitivity of − 1.15 kHz/μStrain (− 1.32 ppm/μStrain) was reduced to − 421 Hz/μStrain (-0.48 ppm/μStrain) due to adhesive layer thickness. Numerical simulations investigate the effect of adhesive thickness on strain transfer from a cantilever to the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensor's top surface. The sensor is tested on a cantilever and integrated into a 20 μm thick diaphragm-based depth gauge, achieving a depth sensitivity of 42 Hz/mm (0.048 ppm/mm). This sensitivity results from bending of the SAW sensor under hydrostatic pressure, causing compression at the top SAW surface, which was an interesting observation. Additional numerical investigations confirm this behavior, aligning well with experimental findings. The article summarizes the comprehensive study of the SAW resonator's performance and effect of adhesive thickness and provides a guide for designing thin diaphragm-based SAW pressure and depth sensors. It also identifies the device's high sensitivity compared to other sensors in the literature and outlines potential avenues for future research. [Display omitted] • Underutilized potential of Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) sensors for liquid depth and pressure measurements was explored. • Changes in the strain distribution on thin diaphragm when a rigid SAW sensor was attached at the center was studied. • The influence of adhesive thickness on device performance was studied. • A laboratory scale prototype was fabricated, and the simulation results were verified with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The UV3346/PP melt-blown filtration materials with high filtration efficiency, minimal pressure drop, and exceptional filtration stability under thermal conditions and extended storage were prepared. • The introduction of UV3346 served to terminate the generation of reactive free radicals and reduce the frequency of charge exchanges, ultimately enhancing charge storage stability. • The UV3346/PP-0.8 melt-blown nonwovens with a basis weight of 22 g/m2 exhibited a remarkable filtration efficiency of 99.55 % and a modest pressure drop of 59.45 Pa. • The filtration efficiency of the UV3346/PP-0.8 melt-blown nonwovens exhibited a mere 0.30% decrease after a two-year storage period. Particulate matter poses substantial risks to human health, air visibility, climate, and ecological equilibrium. Electret materials are instrumental in air purification and personal protection, as they significantly enhance filtration efficiency without increasing pressure drop. Despite these advantages, developing electret filters with both high filtration efficiency and stable performance under thermal conditions and prolonged storage has proven challenging. In this study, we introduce a novel electret melt-blown filter fabricated through hydrocharging technology supplemented with the light stabilizer UV3346. The interaction of water and air molecules with melt-blown fibers generated abundant positive and negative charges, thereby amplifying the electrostatic attraction effect. Concurrently, UV3346 mitigated the formation of reactive free radicals and minimized charge exchanges, thus enhancing charge storage stability. Owing to the incorporation of UV3346, the UV3346/PP-0.8 melt-blown nonwovens, having a basis weight of 22 g/m2, demonstrated a filtration efficiency of 99.55 %, a low pressure drop of 59.45 Pa, and marginal decrease in filtration efficiency after heat treatment at 130 °C. Notably, the filtration efficiency experienced only a 0.30 % reduction after a two-year storage period, markedly outperforming commercial alternatives. This study is expected to inform future work on high-performance air filtration materials suitable for both air purification and personal protection equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ni 3 N films were fabricated in situ on NiTi alloy surfaces. • Ni 3 N is a promising inorganic NO donor material. • Ni 3 N films have good corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility. • Ni 3 N films endow NiTi with excellent antibacterial property in vitro and in vivo. NiTi alloys are widely used in the fabrication of biomedical implants, and it is essential to endow them with selective antibacterial properties to avoid implant-associated infection. In this study, nickel nitride (Ni 3 N), as a promising new inorganic nitric oxide (NO) donor, was in situ constructed on the surface of NiTi alloys through a straightforward two-step plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) strategy. Nickel sites were first exposed by physical bombardment with argon or metal plasma, followed by reaction with nitrogen plasma to form Ni 3 N. Ni 3 N can disrupt the transmembrane proton electrochemical gradient by capturing protons to produce ammonia species (NH x), resulting in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a result of bacterial metabolic disruption. On the other hand, the generated NH x can further react with ROS to produce NO and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). As a result, the Ni 3 N films exhibited more than 99 % antibacterial efficiency against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. They also demonstrated effective antibacterial properties in a rat subcutaneous implant model. In addition, the modified NiTi alloys exhibit good corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility. This study provides a green, safe, and inexpensive method for constructing metal nitride films on implant surfaces and offers new ideas for the clinical design and fabrication of novel antibacterial implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both experimental and DFT studies demonstrate that the {1 0 1} facets of TiO 2 exhibit the highest activity for the photocatalytic direct dehydrogenation of methanol to H 2 , achieving zero carbon emissions. [Display omitted] • The TiO 2 {1 0 1} facet displays the highest activity for photocatalytic dehydrogenation of CH 3 OH to H 2. • The {1 0 1} facet exhibits the lowest energy barrier at each step of the transition states. • The one step route of *CH 3 O + *CH 2 O → *HCOOCH 3 + *H is impossible. • The {1 0 0} facet, having the lowest adsorption energy, promotes CH 3 OH adsorption. • The TiO x surface from the SMSI enhances methanol adsorption and dissociation. To obtain H 2 from methanol under zero carbon emission is a tough challenge. Herein, photocatalytic direct dehydrogenation of methanol to H 2 and methyl formate on titania, specifically focusing on the {1 0 1}, {1 0 0}, and {0 0 1} facets supported with CuPt nanoparticles, is investigated by experiment and density functional theory. Our findings reveal that the {1 0 0} facets exhibit favorable methanol adsorption characteristics, attributed to their lowest adsorption energy, followed by the {0 0 1} and {1 0 1} facets. Moreover, methanol adsorbed on the {1 0 0} facet readily undergoes conversion to methoxy due to the weakened O-H bond. The formation of surface TiO x resulting from the strong interaction between the support and CuPt nanoparticles proves advantageous for methanol adsorption and dissociation, owing to its low adsorption energy and weakened O-H bond. The pathway from methoxy to methyl formate involves three sequential steps: (1) *CH 3 O → *CH 2 O + *H; (2) *CH 2 O → *CHO + *H; (3) *CH 3 O + *CHO → HCOOCH 3 , as opposed to a one-step route of *CH 3 O + *CH 2 O → *HCOOCH 3 + *H. Remarkably, the {1 0 1} facet exhibits the highest catalytic activity among all surfaces, as evidenced by its lowest energy barrier and potential energy at each transition state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial defect detection is of great significance to ensure the quality of industrial products. The surface defects of industrial products are characterized by multiple scales, multiple types, abundant small objects, and complex background interference. In particular, small object detection of multiscale defects under complex background interference poses significant challenges for defect detection tasks. How to improve the algorithm's ability to detect industrial defects, especially in enhancing the detection capabilities of small-sized defects, while ensuring that the inference speed is not overly affected is a long-term prominent challenge. Aiming at achieving accurate and fast detection of industrial defects, this paper proposes an anchor-free network with DsPAN for small object detection. The core of this method is to propose a new idea i.e., feature enhancement in the feature fusion network for the feature information of small-size objects. Firstly, anchor-free YOLOv8 is adopted as the basic framework for detection to eliminate the affections of hyperparameters related to anchors, as well as to improve the detection capability of multi-scale and small-size defects. Secondly, considering the PAN path (top layer of neural networks for feature fusion) is more task-specific, we advocate that the underlying feature map of the PAN path is more vulnerable to small object detection. Hence, we in-depth study the PAN path and point out that the standard PAN will encounter several drawbacks caused by losing local details and position information in deep layer. As an alternative, we propose a lightweight and detail-sensitive PAN (DsPAN) for small object detection of multiscale defects by designing an attention mechanism embedded feature transformation module(LCBHAM) and optimizing the lightweight implementation. Our proposed DsPAN is very easy to be incorporated in YOLO series framework. The proposed method is evaluated on three public datasets, NEU-DET, PCB-DET, and GC10-DET. The mAP of the method is 80.4%, 95.8%, and 76.3%, which are 3.6%, 2.1%, and 3.9% higher than that of YOLOv8 and significantly higher than the state-of-the-art (SOTA) detection methods. Also, the method achieves the second-highest inference speed among the thirteen models tested. The results indicate that DsP-YOLO is expected to be used for real-time defect detection in industry. • An anchor-free network utilizes feature enhancement in the underlying path of PAN. • DsPAN can capture positional and semantic information, and reduces information loss. • A lightweight LCBHAM that combines feature transformation and attention embedding. • Compared to baseline and SOTA models, the proposed approach has proven effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metasurface (MS) with switching features from electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) is theoretically investigated in the terahertz (THz) range by incorporating vanadium dioxide (VO2) when circular polarization‐insensitive circularly polarized waves are incidents, which can also simultaneously realize circular‐to‐linear polarization conversion well. While the VO2 ring is in an insulator state, two new transparent EIT windows both are gained between 0.97 THz and 1.16 THz because of destructive interference between the two metal rings that are seen as bright modes. Once the VO2 ring is tuned to the metallic state, a perfect EIA phenomenon is observed between 0.824 THz and 1.233 THz, achieving the transition from the EIT to EIA behavior well. The received electromagnetic waves are radiated to left‐handed circularly polarized (LCP) or right‐handed circularly polarized (RCP) waves with identical phases and amplitudes through the radiation patches when the LCP or RCP ones are incident. Whereby, a resultant linearly polarized wave is obtained between 0.9 THz and 1.2 THz, and relative bandwidth reaches 29%. The outcomes of maximal group index and group delay both are 1934 and 488 ps at 1.08 THz, and maximal absorption is 90.3% at 1.06 THz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise training mediated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and whether this was associated with increases in left ventricular mass (LVM). Fifty-four sedentary obese women were randomised to high-intensity interval training (HIIT, repeated 4–min cycling at 90% V̇O2max interspersed with 3–min rest), work-equivalent continuous aerobic training (CAT, continuous cycling at 60% V̇O2max) or a control group (CON). Resting serum cTnT was assessed using a high-sensitivity assay before and after 12 weeks of training. LVM was determined from 2D echocardiography at the same timepoints. Both HIIT and CAT induced a similar elevation (median 3.07 to 3.76 ng.l−1 , p< 0.05) in resting cTnT compared with pre-training and the CON (3.49 to 3.45 ng.l−1 , p> 0.05). LVM index in HIIT increased (62.2±7.8 to 73.1±14.1 g.m−2 , p< 0.05), but not in CAT (66.1±9.7 to 67.6±9.6 g.m−2 , p> 0.05) and CON (67.9±9.5 to 70.2±9.1 g.m−2 , p> 0.05). Training-induced changes in resting cTnT did not correlate with changes in LVM index (r =−0.025, p =0.857). These findings suggest that twelve weeks of either HIIT or CAT increased resting cTnT, but the effects were independent of any changes in LVM in sedentary obese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With higher demand for sensor development, piezoelectric materials with advanced performance and wide availability draw more attention today. Accurate second-order material constants are necessary for modeling and mechanical design of sensors that make use of langanite (La3Ga5.5Nb0.5O14, LGN) crystals. We report here on room temperature LGN bulk acoustic wave (BAW) velocities obtained with reduced uncertainties using ultrasound measurements and taking advantage of the cross correlation signal processing technique, and a full set of LGN material constants extracted from the BAW velocity results. Our results compare favorably with prior results assessed as using a reliable measurement technique, and differ in expected fashion from other results based on techniques that do not address a known weakness in the measurement technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Although radical cystectomy (RC) is the clinical practice guideline-recommended treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), bladder-sparing trimodality therapy (TMT) has emerged as a valid treatment option. Findings comparing the survival outcomes for MIBC patients who underwent RC and TMT are inconclusive. Objective. We designed a large hospital-based multicohort study to compare the effectiveness of TMT with RC. Methods. Information on deaths was jointly retrieved from EMR (electronic medical record), cause of death registry, and chronic disease surveillance as well as study-specific questionnaire. To avoid the systematical difference between patients who received two modalities, RC-MIBC cohort was propensity score-matched to TMT-MIBC cohort, and the Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Results. There were 891 MIBC patients treated with RC and another 891 MIBC patients who underwent with TMT in the propensity score matching. Comparable effectiveness between two modalities was observed for DSS (HR, 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.94 to 1.49) and OS (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.43) according to multiple adjustment after a median follow-up of approximately 9.3 years. However, a relatively higher mortality rate around 5 years after TMT treatment was found compared to RC (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.53). The respective 5-year OS rates were 69% and 73% for TMT cohort and RC cohort, respectively. Conclusions. Our findings supported that MIBC patients with TMT yielded survival outcomes comparable to MIBC patients who underwent RC overall. Treatment options should be suggested considering patients' age and willingness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold–palladium (AuPd) alloy nano-corolla are successfully prepared in high purity, followed by exploration as electrocatalysts for electroxidation of ethanol (EOR) in alkaline medium. Applying kinetics control on the one-pot formation process using a syringe pump is emphasized, where the Au/Pd precursor solution is dropwise titrated into the reaction mixture containing capping agent and reductant at an elevated temperature. We perform systematical investigation towards the morphology evolution pathway and effects of several key parameters. After loading on carbon black, the current AuPd alloy nano-corolla exhibit superb specific activity, reaction kinetics, and operation stability for EOR, showing morphological and structural merit. The present study provides insight into fabrication of bimetallic alloy nanocrystals with open structure, which could find important use in crystal engineering for multimetallic nanocrystals and rational design of fuel cell electrocatalyst. Gold–palladium (AuPd) alloy nanocrystals in the form of corolla are successfully prepared via kinetic-controlled synthesis in high purity, exhibit improved activity and stability as EOR electrocatalysts in KOH solution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pollution of Taihu Lake source water shaped the DBP distribution. • Taihu Lake source water is polluted with phenolic compounds. • Formulas of ninety-one unknown DBPs were identified. • The occurrence of 5 aromatic and heterocyclic brominated DBPs was confirmed. • Nineteen possible precursors of the discovered DBPs were detected. Although disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water have been suggested as a cancer causing factor, the causative compounds have not yet been clarified. In this study, we used liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight spectrometry (LC-QTOF MS) to identify the unknown disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water produced from Taihu Lake source water, which is known as a convergence point for the anthropogenic pollutants discharged from intensive industrial activities in the surrounding regions. In total, 91 formulas of DBPs were discovered through LC-QTOF MS nontarget screen, 81 of which have not yet been reported. Among the 91 molecules, 56 only contain bromine, 15 only contain chlorine and 20 DBPs have both bromine and chlorine atoms. Finally, five DBPs including 2,4,6-tribromophenol, 2,6-dibromo-4-chlorophenol, 2,6-dichloro-4-bromophenol, 4-bromo-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol and 3,6-dibromocarbazole were confirmed using standards. The former three compounds mainly formed in the predisinfection step (maximum concentration, 0.2-2.6 µg/L), while the latter two formed in the disinfection step (maximum concentration, 18.2-33.6 ng/L). In addition, 19 possible precursors of the discovered DBPs were detected, with the aromatic compounds being a major group. 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol as the precursor of 4-bromo-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol was confirmed with standard, with a concentration of 20.3 µg/L in raw water. The results of this study show that brominated DBPs which are possibly formed from industrial pollutants are relevant DBP species in drinking water produced form Taihu source water, suggesting protection of Taihu Lake source water is important to control the DBP risks. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blending hydrogen into high-strength pipeline steels for high-pressure transmission may cause materials' hydrogen embrittlement (HE) failure. Although the hydrogen-induced failure of metallic materials has been studied for a long time, the process of hydrogen into the materials, hydrogen-induced delayed failure, and dynamic mechanisms of high-strength pipeline steels under high pressure have not been fully understood. This paper aims to provide a detailed review of the latest research on the hydrogen-induced failure of high-strength pipeline steels in hydrogen-blended natural gas transmission. First, introduced the typical hydrogen blending natural gas pipeline transmission projects and their associated research conclusions. Then, described the physical process of the HE in high-strength pipeline steels and the principle, development, and latest research progress of typical hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms in detail. Third, reviewed the research methods and progress of experimental and theoretical simulations for the HE in steels, including hydrogen permeation (HP) experiments, hydrogen content measurements, hydrogen distribution detection, mechanical property tests, and molecular dynamics simulations. The shortcomings of existing experimental and theoretical simulation methods in the hydrogen-induced analysis of high-strength natural gas pipeline steels under high pressure are discussed. Finally, the future research directions and challenges of this problem are proposed from three aspects: the multimechanism synergy mechanism, the improvement of experimental methods, and the establishment of a new interatomic multiscale model. • Reviewed the status of using high-strength pipeline steels to transport H 2. • Discussed the latest progress and questions of HE mechanisms research. • Described the blemishes of HE experimental research on pipeline steels. • Proposed a new idea for the gas-phase hydrogen permeation experiment. • It has given suggestions for the following work to study HE of pipeline steels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the interaction between metal and the support is crucial in searching of efficient and recyclable noble metal heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we report a core‐shell structured support for Pt catalyst with a magnetic Fe3O4 core and a porous silica shell bearing amino groups. The prepared catalyst Fe3O4@mSiO2‐APTES‐Pt showed a high loading of Pt (7.93 wt%) as well as a high fraction of active Pt0 species, which both contributed to the high activity toward a model hydrosilylation reaction between 1‐octene and 1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 5‐heptamethyltrisiloxane (HMTS). X‐ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) analysis revealed that the amino ligands played a dominant role in Pt loading and Fe2+ probably facilitated the formation of low valence Pt0. Under the combined effect of magnetic nature of the support and proper support‐metal interactions, the catalyst exhibited excellent recyclability with a recovery of 99.7% and a yield of over 90% even after eight runs of recycling. This catalyst may provide a new option in designing and preparing heterogeneous catalysts that are highly recoverable, reusable, and recyclable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic gradient tensor systems using vector magnetic sensors are easily affected by single sensor error and sensor array misalignment, significantly affecting target localization accuracy. To address this problem, based on the differential measurement theory of magnetic gradient tensor, a vector sensor error model was established, and the single sensor errors were corrected using the total least square (TLS) ellipsoid fitting method. Besides, a misalignment error correction model for the sensor is obtained by constructing a rotation matrix for the magnetic sensor's three-axis orthogonal coordinate system transformation, and the tensor system can be aligned by performing the TLS estimation of the rotation angle. After calibration, the experimental results show that the outputs of each sensor have high coincidence and coaxiality. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the total magnetic intensity (TMI) is reduced to within 100 nT, and the RMSE of the tensor component is reduced to within 85 nT/m. Within a range of 5 m, the magnetic target positioning error is reduced to less than 25.1 cm. This technology can improve the measurement accuracy of the magnetic gradient tensor system with high stability and reliability. [Display omitted] • A unified error model of the vector magnetic sensor was established. • The sensor's misalignment error correction model is derived from a rotation matrix. • The sensor array is aligned by performing the TLS estimation of the rotation angle. • The positioning accuracy of the magnet target is significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been the third most common malignancy and the second cause of cancer-related mortality. As the core of volume-sensitive chloride currents, leucine-rich repeat-containing 8A (LRRC8A) contributes to tumor progression but is not consistent, especially for whom the roles in colon carcinoma metastasis were not fully elucidated. Herein, LRRC8A proteins were found highly expressed in hematogenous metastasis from human colorectal cancer samples. The oxaliplatin-resistant HCT116 cells highly expressed LRRC8A, which was related to impaired proliferation and enhanced migration. The over-expressed LRRC8A slowed proliferation and increased migration ex vivo and in vivo. The elevated LRRC8A upregulated the focal adhesion, MAPK, AMPK, and chemokine signaling pathways via phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Inhibition of LRRC8A impeded the TNF-α signaling cascade and TNF-α-induced migration. LRRC8A binding to PIP5K1B regulated the PIP2 formation, providing a platform for LRRC8A to mediate cell signaling transduction. Importantly, LRRC8A self-regulated its transcription via NF-κB1 and NF-κB2 pathways and the upregulation of NIK/NF-κB2/LRRC8A transcriptional axis was unfavorable for colon cancer patients. Collectively, our findings reveal that LRRC8A is a central mediator in mediating multiple signaling pathways to promote metastasis and targeting LRRC8A proteins could become a potential clinical biomarker-driven treatment strategy for colon cancer patients. [Display omitted] • LRRC8A proteins are highly expressed in colon cancer tissues of distant metastasis. • LRRC8A promotes colon cancer metastasis via mediating multiple signaling pathways. • LRRC8A regulates the PIP2 formation via binding to PIP5K1B. • LRRC8A regulates its transcription via NF-κB1 and NF-κB2 pathways. • NIK/NF-κB2/LRRC8A transcriptional axis is unfavorable for colon cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cryogenic system of the 6T superconducting Wiggler magnets at the Hefei National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory was upgraded. During the upgrade process, the original copper leads of the superconducting Wiggler magnets are replaced with two 460A high-temperature superconducting current leads and three 20A high-temperature superconducting current leads, reducing the heat load of the cryogenic system. Five HTS current leads can be cooled using a GM cryocooler based on the optimal design and experimental verification of their current-carrying capability and heat load. According to the loading current experimental data, the running voltage and operating temperature are stable. The results of the overcurrent capacity experiments demonstrate that the maximum loading current of the 20A high-temperature superconducting current lead can reach 142A and that of the 460A high-temperature superconducting current lead can reach 780A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multimodal surface acoustic wave (SAW) CO2 sensing system was conducted with the aim of scrutinizing the sensitivity of the lithium niobate based multimodal SAW sensor towards CO2 with temperature compensation. • A 72.7 MHz SAW reflective delay-line structure is fabricated on 128° Y-cut, SAW grade LiNbO3 substrate. • Two echo pulses are exited from each side of the reflector and their time of flights (TOFs) are analyzed. • One echo pulse is utilized for the detection of temperature variations and other is used for the detection of CO2 concentration. • For the detection of CO2 gas, a thin layer of tin oxide is deposited between the IDT electrodes and one side of reflectors, and the other side is kept free for the temperature measurements. • The final temperature compensated gas sensing results are reported. Carbon dioxide (CO2) detection is crucial for safety control, monitoring of the environment, and other industrial applications. The diverse fields of applications make the detection of CO 2 a challenging task. In this paper, a study on a multimodal surface acoustic wave (SAW) CO 2 sensing system was conducted to scrutinize the sensitivity of the lithium niobate-based multimodal SAW sensor towards CO 2 with temperature compensation. The study focused on developing and evaluating a SAW temperature-compensated gas sensor using time-of-flight measurements. The sensor exhibited good repeatability and sensitivity toward different concentrations of CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two wild rice starches were isolated from Erhai in Dali, Yunnan Province (EWR) and Xinghua in Taizhou, Jiangsu Province (XWR), China, and compared with black rice (BR) starches, its structure, gelatinization and starch digestibility in vitro were studied. The results showed that the apparent amylose content of starches in EWR and XWR was 19.82% and 20.33%, respectively. The starch granules were irregular polygons and all were A-type crystals, with relative crystallinity of 25.6%~26.65%, similar short-range ordered structure and layered structure, and the thickness of the semi-crystalline layer ranged from 9.82 nm to 9.97 nm. XWR and EWR starches had exhibited the same gelatinization temperature range, enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔHgel) and swelling power, but XWR starches was higher than EWR in the gelatinization temperature and lower than EWR in the solubility. The rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content of wild rice starches in the two regions was low, only 3.63% and 37.32%, whether it was raw starches or gelatinized starches. After gelatinization, the RDS and slowly digestible starch (SDS) content were significantly increased and the resistant starch (RS) content was decreased, but the RS content was still higher than the common grains. Therefore, the wild rice starches are more suitable for processing and producing resistant starch products. Extracting starch from Chinese wild rice can provide guidance and reference for its application in edible and non-edible products, and promote the development and utilization of Chinese wild rice. Abbreviations: EWR, wild rice from Erhai in Dali, Yunnan Province; XWR, wild rice from Xinghua in Taizhou, Jiangsu Province; RDS, rapidly digestible starch; SDS, slowly digestible starch; RS resistant starch; TS, total starch; To, onset temperature of gelatinization; Tp, peak temperature of gelatinization; Tc, conclusion temperature of gelatinization; ∆Hgel, enthalpy of gelatinization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of freeze-thaw cycling on the quality of pre-fermented red bean steamed bun (RBSB) dough and the cooked product were explored. For frozen dough samples, the changes in water distribution, frozen water content, starch crystallinity, layered structure, and protein secondary structure of the dough during freeze-thaw cycling were analyzed. The textures, colors, and relative amino acids contents of RBSBs, which were steamed from frozen dough, were analyzed. The results showed that the transverse relaxation time of weakly bound water,T22,increased as the number of freeze–thaw cycles increased, and the freezable water content reached its highest value (14.68%) after 1 cycle. The relative crystallinity of starch was increased by 13.6% compared with the control after 4 freeze-thaw cycles. The lamellar structure of starch increased by 4.33% after more than 5 freezing cycles. Freeze-thaw treatments caused significant and irregular changes in the secondary structure of the frozen dough. Freeze-thaw cycling accelerated an increase in the hardness of RBSB products. The brightness (L*) of RBSBs decreased significantly with increases in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, and these cycles also affected the amino acid contents of RBSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]