Search

Fluorescence microscopy possesses the advantages of high resolution, high sensitivity, molecular specificity and noninvasiveness, providing an important tool in life science research. The multifocal array and 3D structured light are two kinds of important light fields that are often used in scanning fluorescence microscopy systems and wide-field fluorescence microscopy systems. However, traditional methods for generating multifocal arrays and 3D structured light illumination rely on various bulk optical components, making it challenging to achieve compact optical systems. Besides, generating these two types of illumination typically requires two separate and independent optical systems, hindering the integration of different types of fluorescence microscopy systems. Here, a dielectric metasurface is proposed that can achieve the switching between multifocal arrays and 3D structured light through polarization state modulation, greatly simplifying the illumination optics of fluorescence microscopy systems and facilitating the integration of different types of fluorescence microscopy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the deformation characteristics of SiO2–MnO–(CaO–Al2O3)‐type inclusions in silicon manganese deoxidized steel from continuous casting to rolling. The results reveal that the inclusions contain 60–80% SiO2, 10–35% MnO, and a combined CaO and Al2O3 content of <20%. SiO2 precipitates inside the inclusions during the continuous casting and rolling processes, which results in the formation of pure SiO2/SiO2–MnO–(CaO–Al2O3) dual‐phase inclusions in the remaining components owing to the increase in the MnO content to 15–40%. According to the experimental results of melting rate measurement and thermodynamic calculation using FactSage8.1, the SiO2–MnO–(CaO–Al2O3) phase has a high proportion of liquid components at 1100–1360 °C and exhibits good deformation properties during the breaking down and rolling processes. When the total content of CaO, Al2O3, and MgO in the SiO2–CaO–Al2O3–MgO–MnO inclusions reaches 30–50%, SiO2 precipitation is inhibited during the continuous casting to rolling process. Through the addition of metal manganese and carbon powder during the pre‐deoxidation process, followed by alloying with ferrosilicon and metal manganese, and then the addition of acidic synthetic slag for slag formation, the proportion of SiO2/SiO2–MnO–(CaO–Al2O3) dual‐phase inclusions in the casting billet is increased from 12% to >60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A super-twisting disturbance observer–based adaptive fixed-time antisaturation backstepping control algorithm is designed for hypersonic vehicles with input constraints. First, super-twisting disturbance observers are developed to estimate the lumped disturbances comprising model uncertainties, aerodynamic uncertainties, and external disturbances, which will enhance the robustness of the backstepping controller. To address the problem of explosion of complexity in the backstepping approach, hyperbolic sine tracking differentiators are used and which can achieve a higher tracking accuracy than that of the command filtered backstepping control algorithm. Furthermore, an adaptive fixed-time antisaturation compensator (AFAC) is used to suppress the influence of actuator saturation. AFAC can shorten the saturation duration, and the auxiliary variable of AFAC rapidly converges to zero after the saturation disappears. In this case, the controller degenerates to the former backstepping controller. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed controller is verified by numerical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Rattus norvegicus can carry and transmit various zoonotic pathogens. Some studies were conducted to investigate a few zoonotic pathogens in Guangzhou, China, but no coinfections were investigated or specifically mentioned. Studies on the infections and the influencing factors of various zoonotic pathogens in R. norvegicus along the Zengjiang River in Guangzhou have not been carried out. Materials and Methods: In this study, R. norvegicus was captured in November 2020 and September 2021 along the Zengjiang River, and was tested for Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., Orientia tsutsugamushi, Borrelia burgdorferi, Hantavirus (HV), Ehrlichia spp., and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) by the RT-PCR. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the impact of habitat and demographic factors on the infections and coinfections of the surveyed pathogens. Results: In 119 R. norvegicus, the detection rates of Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., O. tsutsugamushi, B. burgdorferi, and HV were 46.2%, 31.9%, 5%, 0.8%, and 18.5%, respectively. Ehrlichia spp. and SFTSV were negative. The triple coinfection rate of Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., and HV was 11.8%. In addition, the coinfection of Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., and B. burgdorferi was 0.8%. Dual coinfection of Bartonella spp. and Leptospira spp., Leptospira spp. and HV, Bartonella spp. and O. tsutsugamushi, Leptospira spp. and O. tsutsugamushi, and HV and O. tsutsugamushi was 9.2%, 3.4%, 1.7%, 1.7%, and 0.8%, respectively. Infections of these pathogens in R. norvegicus were found in habitats of banana plantation, grassland, and bush. Weight affected the infection of Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., or HV in R. norvegicus. Conclusions:R. norvegicus along the Zengjiang River not only carried various potentially zoonotic pathogens but also had a variety of coinfections. Surveillance of the density and pathogens in R. norvegicus should be strengthened to reduce the incidence of relevant zoonotic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Actinomycetes Streptomyces lincolnensis is the producer of lincosamide-type antibiotic lincomycin, a widely utilized drug against Gram-positive bacteria and protozoans. In this work, through gene knockout, complementation, and overexpression experiments, we identified LcbR1 (SLINC_1595), a GntR family transcriptional regulator, as a repressor for lincomycin biosynthesis. Deletion of lcbR1 boosted lincomycin production by 3.8-fold, without obvious change in morphological development or cellular growth. The homologues of LcbR1 are widely distributed in Streptomyces. Heterologous expression of SCO1410 from Streptomyces coelicolor resulted in the reduction of lincomycin yield, implying that the function of LcbR1 is conserved across different species. Alignment among sequences upstream of lcbR1 and their homologues revealed a conserved 16-bp palindrome (-TTGAACGATCCTTCAA-), which was further proven to be the recognition motif of LcbR1 by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). Via this motif, LcbR1 suppressed the transcription of lcbR1 and SLINC_1596 sharing the same bi-directional promoter. SLINC_1596, one important target of LcbR1, exerted a positive effect on lincomycin production. As detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses, the expressions of all selected structural (lmbA, lmbC, lmbJ, lmbV, and lmbW), resistance (lmrA and lmrB) and regulatory genes (lmrC and lmbU) from lincomycin biosynthesis cluster were upregulated in deletion strain ΔlcbR1 at 48 h of fermentation, while the mRNA amounts of bldD, glnR, ramR, SLCG_Lrp, and SLCG_2919, previously characterized as the regulators on lincomycin production, were decreased in strain ΔlcbR1, although the regulatory effects of LcbR1 on the above differential expression genes seemed to be indirect. Besides, indicated by EMSAs, the expression of lcbR1 might be regulated by GlnR, SLCG_Lrp, and SLCG_2919, which shows the complexity of the regulatory network on lincomycin biosynthesis. Key points: • LcbR1 is a novel and conservative GntR family regulator regulating lincomycin production. • LcbR1 modulates the expressions of lcbR1 and SLINC_1596 through a palindromic motif. • GlnR, SLCG_Lrp, and SLCG_2919 can control the expression of lcbR1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are faint X-ray sources commonly observed in Galactic globular clusters (GCs). In this work, we investigate 18 MSPs newly found in the GC Omega Centauri (ω Cen) and search for their X-ray counterparts using Chandra observations with a total exposure time of 290.9 ks. We identify confident X-ray counterparts for 11 of the MSPs, with 9 of them newly identified in this work based on their positions, spectral properties, and X-ray colours. The X-ray spectra of nine MSPs are well described by a neutron star hydrogen atmosphere model, while two MSPs are well fitted by a power-law model. The identified MSPs have X-ray luminosities ranging from 1.0 × 1030 to 1.4 × 1031 erg s−1. Additionally, for population comparison purposes, we study the X-ray counterpart to MSP E in the GC M71, and find its X-ray spectrum is well described by blackbody-like models with a luminosity of 1.9 × 1030 erg s−1. We investigate the empirical correlations between X-ray luminosities and minimum companion masses, as well as mass functions, of spider pulsars. Clear correlations are observed, with best-fitting functions of log10 L X = (1.0 ± 0.1)log10 M c , min + (32.5 ± 0.2) and (0.35 ± 0.04)log10MF + (32.71 ± 0.20), respectively, with an intrinsic scatter of log10 L X of ∼0.3, where L X is the 0.5–10 keV X-ray luminosity, M c , min is the minimum companion mass, and MF represents the mass function, in solar masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a study of the spatial distribution of coffee shops in the main urban area of Beijing, the main influencing factors were selected based on the multi-source space data. Subsequently, three regression models were compared, and the best site selection model was found. A comparison was performed between the prediction model functioning with a buffer and without one, and the accuracy of the location model was verified by comparing the actual change trend and the predicted trend in two years. The following conclusions were obtained: (1) coffee shops in the main urban area of Beijing are clustered in an area within 12 km of the main urban center, and also around the core commercial agglomeration area; (2) the random forest (RF) model is the best model in this study, and the accuracy values before and after buffer analysis were 0.915 and 0.929, respectively; and (3) after verifying the accuracy of the model through two years of data, we recommend the establishment of a main road buffer zone for site selection, and the success rate of site selection was found to reach 72.97%. This study provides crucial insight for coffee shop prediction model selection and potential store location selection, which is significant to improving the layout of leisure spaces and promoting economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the trajectories in posttraumatic growth (PTG) among adolescents who survived from the Yancheng tornado in China, and explored the effects of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) on these trajectories. Participants (n = 246) finished 4 assessments at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after the tornado. Growth mixture model and logistic regression were used to examine the heterogeneous trajectories and the role of PTSS for differentiating trajectories respectively. Two latent PTG trajectories were observed: group with decreasing PTG and group with fluctuant PTG, which might stem from the illusory component and the factual component of PTG respectively based on the two-component model; and adolescents with more PTSS had higher probabilities generating decreasing PTG, that is, illusory PTG. This study suggested differentiating PTG trajectories and related influencing factors to improve the post-disaster psychological interventions in a longitudinal perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activation of water molecules in thermal catalysis typically requires high temperatures, representing an obstacle to catalyst development for the low‐temperature water‐gas shift reaction (WGSR). Plasmonic photocatalysis allows activation of water at low temperatures through the generation of light‐induced hot electrons. Herein, we report a layered double hydroxide‐derived copper catalyst (LD‐Cu) with outstanding performance for the low‐temperature photo‐driven WGSR. LD‐Cu offered a lower activation energy for WGSR to H2 under UV/Vis irradiation (1.4 W cm−2) compared to under dark conditions. Detailed experimental studies revealed that highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles created an abundance of hot electrons during light absorption, which promoted *H2O dissociation and *H combination via a carboxyl pathway, leading to the efficient production of H2. Results demonstrate the benefits of exploiting plasmonic phenomena in the development of photo‐driven low‐temperature WGSR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activation of water molecules in thermal catalysis typically requires high temperatures, representing an obstacle to catalyst development for the low‐temperature water‐gas shift reaction (WGSR). Plasmonic photocatalysis allows activation of water at low temperatures through the generation of light‐induced hot electrons. Herein, we report a layered double hydroxide‐derived copper catalyst (LD‐Cu) with outstanding performance for the low‐temperature photo‐driven WGSR. LD‐Cu offered a lower activation energy for WGSR to H2 under UV/Vis irradiation (1.4 W cm−2) compared to under dark conditions. Detailed experimental studies revealed that highly dispersed Cu nanoparticles created an abundance of hot electrons during light absorption, which promoted *H2O dissociation and *H combination via a carboxyl pathway, leading to the efficient production of H2. Results demonstrate the benefits of exploiting plasmonic phenomena in the development of photo‐driven low‐temperature WGSR catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), the imaging modality of choice for thyroid screening, is most commonly used in the study of diffuse thyroid disease (DTD) with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and Graves' disease (GD). DTD can involve thyroid function and severely affect life quality, so early diagnosis is important for the development of timely clinical intervention strategies. Previously, the diagnosis of DTD relied on qualitative ultrasound imaging and related laboratory tests. In recent years, with the development of multimodal imaging and intelligent medicine, ultrasound and other diagnostic imaging techniques have gradually become more widely used for quantitative assessment of the structure and function of DTD. In this paper, we review the current status and progress of quantitative diagnostic ultrasound imaging techniques for DTD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current design code, concrete mix proportions are not based on durability parameters that can quantitatively design the requirement of service life for chloride-exposed structures. Multifactor calculation models of durability index are developed, and the replacement of mineral admixtures in concrete is determined according to predetermined concrete strength and durability requirements. The chloride diffusion coefficient and aging factor of concrete are chosen as index parameters for the resistance of concrete to chloride salts. A multifactor model of the chloride diffusion coefficient of concrete is then established by regression analysis based on the experimental data, and explicit expressions for the water-to-binder ratio and replacement of admixture were determined by solving the multivariate nonlinear equation system. By calculating the average compressive strength and chloride diffusion coefficient from their specified values, the mix proportion of concrete is determined. The superiority of the proposed method is demonstrated by the comparison with the current code. Lastly, an orthogonal experiment was conducted to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method for designing concrete mix proportions by referencing engineering practices. The results show that major parameters of concrete mix proportion can be determined quantitatively from structural design parameters such as compressive strength, chloride diffusion coefficient, and aging factor, satisfying the requirements of ultimate bearing capacity and service life for concrete structures in chloride environments, as demonstrated in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize high-accuracy heart rate (HR) estimation based on photoplethysmography (PPG) under the scenes of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and co-frequency caused by motion artifacts (MAs), this paper presents a novel framework integrating two-stage variational mode decomposition (VMD) denoising method, noise compensation technology, and hidden Markov model (HMM)-based tracking algorithm. The two-stage VMD denoising method is designed to separate the HR signal from MA under low SNR scene. The noise compensation technology is applied to solve the problem of co-frequency. HMM-based HR tracking method is adopted to obtain the global optimization performance of HR estimation. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed framework in solving problems of low SNR and co-frequency associated with motion artifacts have been verified by the HR estimation experiments carried out on three public high-SNR PPG databases (ISPC, BAMI I, BAMI II) and a self-built low-SNR database (WeData). Compared with the two classical frameworks namely joint sparse spectrum reconstruction (JOSS) and convolutional neural network-long short-term memory network (CNN-LSTM), the proposed framework obtains the lowest HR estimation errors (0.94 beats per minute (BPM) and 1.81 BPM respectively) on both BAMI 2 with the highest SNR (0.40 dB) and WeData with the lowest SNR (- 9.07 dB). For the low-SNR database Wedata, the average absolute error (AAE) decreases by more than 21 BPM. The research result of this study provides a solution for the realization of high-accuracy PPG-based HR estimation in exercise scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential application of computer‐aided analysis in the quantitative assessment of changes in skeletal muscle injury in the rabbit contusion model. Forty healthy rabbits were randomly divided into control (n = 5) and contusion (n = 35) groups. Rabbits in the contusion group were used to construct a muscle contusion model induced by a hammer hitting the right gastrocnemius, while the muscles of rabbits in the control group were non‐injured. Two‐dimensional ultrasound (2D US) and contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) were performed on the rabbits that had received skeletal muscle contusion injury at 1 h, and 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after injury. Afterwards, a multiscale blob feature (MBF) method was used to extract the textural features from the 2D US, and the muscle injuries were quantitatively evaluated. The eight textural parameters of skeletal muscle analysed by MBF at 1 h, and 1, 3 and 7 days post‐injury were found to be significantly higher in the contusion group than in the control group (p <.05). On Day 14, the textural parameters (e.g., greyscale mean [Mean], greyscale standard deviation [SDev], number of blobs, average size of blobs, homogeneity of distribution, periodicity of distribution [POD] and irregularity) were also evidently higher in the contusion group than in the control group (p <.05). On Day 28, Mean, SDev and POD in the contusion group were markedly higher (p <.05). After that, the microcirculation in the injured areas increased from Day 7 to Day 21 after injury, but decreased on Day 28 after injury. Thus the quantitative assessment of changes in skeletal muscle injury (SMI) using computer‐aided analysis allowed us to describe the geometric features of injured muscle fibres and the microperfusion changes estimated by the modified semi‐quantitative scoring system. This provides a scientific basis for the development of a novel approach for the evaluation of SMI and rehabilitation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A finite-time extended, state-observer-based, fixed-time backstepping control algorithm was designed for hypersonic flight vehicles. To enhance the robustness of the controller, two novel finite-time extended state observers were introduced to compensate for the negative effects of lumped disturbances such as uncertainties and external disturbances. Two hyperbolic sine tracking differentiators were used to approximate the derivatives of the virtual control signals and guidance commands, thereby alleviating the computational burden associated with traditional backstepping control. Furthermore, a fixed-time backstepping attitude controller was used to guarantee that the tracking errors converged to a small neighbor of the origin in fixed time. According to the simulation results, the proposed controller outperformed a fixed-time sliding mode disturbance, observer-based, finite-time backstepping controller in terms of the tracking precision and convergence rate. Moreover, the proposed controller was noted to be robust in simulations involving lumped disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invariant imbedding T-matrix (IIM T-matrix) model is regarded as one of the most promising models for calculating the scattering parameters of non-spherical particles. However, the IIM T-matrix model needs to be iterated along the radial direction when calculating the T-matrix, which involves complex calculations such as matrix inversion and multiplication. Therefore, how to improve its computational efficiency is an important problem to be solved. Focused on particles with N-fold symmetric geometry, this paper deduced the symmetry in the calculation process of the IIM T-matrix model, derived the block iteration scheme of the T-matrix, and contracted the IIM T-matrix program for particles with N-fold symmetric geometry. Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA) and Geometrical Optics Approximation (IGOA) were employed to verify the accuracy of the improved IIM T-matrix model. The results show that the six phase matrix elements (P11, P12/P11, P22/P11, P33/P11, P34/P11 and P44/P11) calculated by our model are in good agreement with other models. The computational efficiency of the improved IIM T-matrix model was further investigated. As demonstrated by the results, the computational efficiency for the particles with N-fold symmetry improved by nearly 70% with the improvement of the symmetry of U matrix and T matrix. In conclusion, the improved model can remarkably reduce the calculation time while maintaining high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese classical poetry occupies an important position in ancient Chinese literature. However, the existing research on Chinese classical poetry is usually limited to a certain poet or dynasty to analyze its historical and cultural influence and lacks comprehensive research on the process of ancient poetry from the perspective of time and space. We integrate multisource data and information, including poets' biographies and Chinese classical poetry, to build a relatively complete social network of 41,310 poets. Based on this network, we use natural language processing and social network analysis techniques to research the relationships between poets. For example, how poets of different dynasties and different schools relate to each other. In order to quantitatively analyze the changing process of poets' influence over a period of time, we propose a new method—time-series entropy weight method—to calculate the dynamic changing process of poets' influence over time. Besides, we evaluate and discuss the method of calculating the influence of poets by means of propagation dynamics model and verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Through the study of the complex social relations of poets and the quantification of their influence, we can assist in the study of the development of different schools and styles of ancient poetry. Our work offers a new, data-driven, long-run perspective on the evolution of Chinese poetry for historical researchers and enthusiasts to understand the complex relationships among historical figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels with favorable biocompatibility and antibacterial properties are essential in postoperative wound hemorrhage care, facilitating rapid wound healing. The present investigation employed electrostatic adsorption of black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNPs) and nano‑silver (AgNPs) to cross-link the protonated amino group NH3+ of quaternized chitosan (QCS) with the hydroxyl group of hyaluronic acid (HA). The electrostatic interaction between the two groups resulted in the formation of a three-dimensional gel network structure. Additionally, the hydrogel containing AgNPs deposited onto BPNPs was assessed for its antibacterial properties and effects on wound healing. Hydrogel demonstrated an outstanding drug-loading capacity and could be employed for wound closure. AgNPs loaded on the BPNPs released silver ions and exhibited potent antibacterial properties when exposed to 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) radiation. The ability of the hydrogel to promote wound healing in an acute wound model was further evaluated. The BPNPs were combined with HA and QCS in the aforementioned hydrogel system to improve adhesion, combine the photothermal and antibacterial properties of the BPNPs, and promote wound healing. Therefore, the reported hydrogels displayed excellent biocompatibility and hold significant potential for application in the field of tissue engineering for skin wound treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing images semantic segmentation is a difficult instance of image understanding. Due to the regional variability and uncertainty of real-world ground cover features, the semantic segmentation of remote sensing images becomes a challenging task. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end multi-source remote sensing image semantic segmentation network (MCENet) aiming at the problems of intra-class inconsistency and inter-class indistinguishability in remote sensing images. Firstly, we design a collaborative enhanced fusion module to mine complementary characteristics of multi-source remote sensing images. Among them, the collaborative fusion module is used to solve the problem of intra-class difference, and the enhanced aggregation module is used to solve the problem of inter-class similarity. Secondly, a multi-scale decoder is proposed to improve the robustness of the model for small targets and large-scale changes by learning scale invariance features. Experimental results show that our method achieved 2.2% and 1.11% mean intersection over union (mIoU) score improvements compared with other methods on the US3D and ISPRS Potsdam data sets, respectively. In addition, the method proposed in this paper also has strong competitiveness in terms of parameter quantity and inference speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to all-weather and all-time work characteristics, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images have been widely used in remote sensing. There is great difficulty in understanding SAR images because they are quite different from optical images in imaging mechanism, geometric characteristics, and radiation characteristics. It can greatly improve the readability of SAR images if we can translate them into optical image styles. In this paper, we propose a variational generative adversarial network for SAR images to optical images translation (S2O-VGAN). To demonstrate the validity of the proposed model, a new large-scale dataset called SARGB is proposed. Experimental results based on the proposed dataset with several evaluations show the superiority of the proposed model over the existing methods on SAR-optical image translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive census of X-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in 29 Galactic globular clusters (GCs), including 68 MSPs with confirmed X-ray luminosities and 107 MSPs with X-ray upper limits. We compile previous X-ray studies of GC MSPs, and add new analyses of six MSPs (PSRs J1326–4728A, J1326–4728B, J1518+0204C, J1717+4308A, J1737–0314A, and J1807–2459A) discovered in five GCs. Their X-ray spectra are well described by a single blackbody model, a single power-law model, or a combination of them, with X-ray luminosities ranging from 1.9 × 1030to 8.3 × 1031 erg s−1. We find that most detected X-ray MSPs have luminosities between ∼1030 and 3 × 1031 erg s−1. Redback pulsars are a relatively bright MSP population with X-ray luminosities of ∼2 × 1031–3 × 1032 erg s−1. Black widows show a bimodal distribution in X-ray luminosities, with eclipsing black widows between ∼7 × 1030 and 2 × 1031 erg s−1, while the two confirmed non-eclipsing black widows are much fainter, with LX of 1.5–3 × 1030 erg s−1, suggesting an intrinsic difference in the populations. We estimate the total number of MSPs in 36 GCs by considering the correlation between the number of MSPs and stellar encounter rate in GCs, and suggest that between 600 and 1500 MSPs exist in these 36 GCs. Finally, we estimate the number of X-ray-detectable MSPs in the Galactic bulge, finding that 1–86 MSPs with LX > 1033 erg s−1, and 20–900 MSPs with LX > 1032 erg s−1 should be detectable there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays a vital role in vascular intimal hyperplasia. CIRBP is involved in the proliferation of various cancer cells. This study was aimed to explore the role of CIRBP in the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Adenovirus was used to interfere with cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) expression, while lentivirus was used to overexpress Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb). Western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to evaluate the expression of CIRBP, Rheb, and mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity. The cell proliferation was determined by Ki67 immunofluorescence staining and CCK-8 assay. The wound healing assay was performed to assess cell migration. Additionally, immunohistochemistry was conducted to explore the role of CIRBP in intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury. We found that silencing CIRBP inhibited the proliferation and migration of VSMCs, decreased the expression of Rheb and mTORC1 activity. Restoration of mTORC1 activity via insulin or overexpression of Rheb via lentiviral transfection both attenuated the inhibitory effects of silencing CIRBP on the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Moreover, Rheb overexpression abolished the inhibitory effect of silencing CIRBP on mTORC1 activity in VSMCs. CIRBP was upregulated in the injured carotid artery. Silencing CIRBP ameliorated intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury. In the summary, silencing CIRBP attenuates mTORC1 activity via reducing Rheb expression, thereby supressing the proliferation and migration of VSMCs and intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury. • Silencing CIRBP inhibits the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. • Silencing CIRBP ameliorates vascular intimal hyperplasia through the Rheb/mTORC1 signalling pathway. • CIRBP may serve as a novel treatment target. It might be profit to alleviate vascular restenosis after PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the effects of the CO 2 phase on the formation mechanisms of residual water. Based on nine groups of core-flooding experiments, the order of residual water saturation was gaseous CO 2 > supercritical CO 2 > liquid CO 2 , and a quantitative power function relationship between residual water saturation and displacement time for different CO 2 phases was proposed. The experimental results show that when CO 2 transitions from the gaseous phase to the supercritical phase and then to the liquid phase, the decrease in the interfacial tension and cosine value of the contact angle in two-phase flow can lead to a decrease in residual water saturation. Meanwhile, an increase in the viscosity ratio of two-phase flow weakens the viscous fingering phenomenon and can also lead to a decrease in residual water saturation. However, the log Ca -log M stability phase diagram reveals that the viscous force is the primary factor influencing all core-flooding experiments. [Display omitted] • Effects of CO 2 phase on the formation mechanisms of residual water are studied. • Order of residual water saturation is gaseous CO 2 > supercritical CO 2 > liquid CO 2. • Viscous force is the main factor influencing CO 2 -water displacement in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exogenous putrescine promoted the photosynthesis in grape seedlings under drought stress. • Exogenous putrescine activated VvRBOHb and VvRBOHc2 and stimulated H 2 O 2 synthesis. • Exogenous putrescine activated the endogenous polyamine synthetic pathway. • H 2 O 2 was critical for putrescine-mediated drought resistance in grape seedlings. Drought stress poses a significantly constraint on grape growth, development, and yield. Increasing drought resistance is a critical goal of viticulture, especially in the context of global warming. In this study, exogenous putrescine (Put) significantly improved the photosynthetic and antioxidant capacity of drought-stressed Cabernet Sauvignon seedlings, stimulated the biosynthesis of endogenous polyamines, and reinforced the protective impact on organelle structure. Hydrogen peroxide scavenging agent (DMTU) severely undermined the drought resistance conferred by Put. The elimination of H 2 O 2 using exogenous DMTU led to a dramatic reduction in the Fv/Fm value, antioxidant enzyme activity, and endogenous PAs content in the grape leaves. Our observations suggested that Put increased the expression of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase genes VvRBOHb and VvRBOHc2 , which stimulated the synthesis of H 2 O 2 in the cells. H 2 O 2 functioned as signal molecules and contributed to the regulatory role of Put in enhancing the drought resistance of Cabernet Sauvignon grape seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbopogon (Poaceae) plants have been used for various purposes by many indigenous peoples in all continents. In particular, almost all species in the genus have traditionally been used as folk medicine to treat ailments. Traditional application records indicated that Cymbopogon might be used extensively to treat cold, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, rheumatism, diarrhea, whole grass for cold, sore throat, tracheitis and others. Despite several research confirmed that Cymbopogon includes a range of active components, no review has been undertaken to consolidate information on its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and/or quality control. Thus this article aims to update a comprehensive review about the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, cultivation techniques, economic benefits, trade, threats, and future conservation implications of Cymbopogon species. It may provide informative data for future development and further investigation of this important plant group. Traditional medicinal books and ethnomedicinal publications related to Cymbopogon from 1992 to 2023 were collated to investigate its ethnobotanical, phytochemical and pharmacological information. The online databases including Google Scholar, SciFinder, Web of Science, Scopus, Springer Link, PubMed, Wiley, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Baidu Scholar, and WanFang Database were screened. Cymbopogon (Gramineae or Poaceae) plants have been grown worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine and other medicinal systems believes that Cymbopogon has the effect of relieve a cough, analgesia, treating dizziness, traumatic injury and can relieve abdominal pain. A total of 153 compounds, including flavonoids, terpenoids, fatty acid and other compounds were isolated or identified from Cymbopogon species by phytochemical studies. The extracts or compounds from Cymbopogon have exhibited numerous biological activities such as antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antineoplastic, antiarrhythmic, antidiabetic and other activities. The rich contents of citronellal, citronellol and geraniol found in Cymbopogon also provide significant nutritional benefits. Based on their traditional uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacological activities, Cymbopogon plants are potential medicinal and edible resources with diverse pharmacological effects. Due to various advantages of this group, they possess huge application potential in food and pharmaceutical industries, and animal husbandry. Among them, citronella is very important in terms of economic development. Further comprehensive research to evaluate the medicinal properties of Cymbopogon species will be necessary for future development. [Display omitted] • This review summarized the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and quality control of Cymbopogon (Poaceae) for the first time. • A total of 153 compounds, including flavonoids, terpenoids, fatty acid and other compounds isolated or identified from Cymbopogon species were reviewed. • It may provide comprehensive information on different aspects of Cymbopogon and its potential applications in foods, pharmaceuticals and other bio-industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the majority of publicly raindrop scattering database are calculated with spherical particles. However, as the raindrop grows, the bottom of the raindrop gradually flattens out. The differences of raindrop shape will lead to a difference of the calculated scattering parameters from reality, and further influencing the accuracy of calculations in the fields of radar detection, microwave transmission and satellite remote sensing. In this regard, we developed a non-spherical raindrop scattering parameter database (RP database) with frequencies from 3GHz to 1000GHz. It has been published in an open-access repository. We compared the RP database with the database of Ekelund et al., and found that their difference is basically under 5%; Further the comparisons were also made between the scattering parameters of ellipsoids, spherical raindrops and the non-spherical raindrops, both spherical and ellipsoidal particles have clear difference from non-spherical particles. Finally, we analyzed the group particle attenuation at different frequencies. • A database of the Raindrop Scattering Properties covering the Millimeter and Sub-Millimeter band is established. • The actual shape of the rain droplet is considered in the scattering simulation. • The appicablity of different shape model of rain droplet is systematically analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing thermal challenges of electronic equipment, topology optimization of heat sinks has aroused great research interest in recent years. However, most related researches deal with heat transfer problems of the laminar flow. Only several papers deal with heat transfer problems of the turbulent flow which exhibits better heat dissipation capacity. This paper intends to demonstrate the topology optimization of turbulent forced convective heat sinks with a computational-cheap multi-layer thermofluid model. Based on the assumption of a hydrodynamically fully developed turbulent flow, a single-layer flow model is derived from the 3D turbulent flow model. Viscous effects in the out-of-plane direction are modeled as the additional terms in the derived momentum and transportation equations. Similarly, based on the assumption of adaptive temperature profiles in the out-of-plane direction, heat fluxes between adjacent layers are modeled and a multi-layer heat transfer model is constructed. Further, the porosity field is introduced to describe the channel's topology and the corresponding topology optimization scheme is presented. Topology optimizations of a heat sink for coil-cooling are carried out to reduce the average temperature rise of the heat source under a maximum volume fraction constraint. The accuracy of the multi-layer model is evaluated via 3D thermofluid simulation of optimized and reference designs. Topology-optimized heat sinks exhibit better thermal performance and provide up to a 32.39% reduction of the average temperature rise, compared with the reference designs. Additionally, a comparative study is also provided between designs optimized in heat transfer problems under laminar and turbulent flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible-infrared person re-identification (VI-ReID) aims at matching people across images from RGB and infrared modality. Existing methods tend to utilize the readily available models to extract features, ignoring mining spatial and channel information of features. In this paper, we propose an attentive modality-consistent network (AMC-Net) for VI-ReID. Firstly, to avoid the damage to discriminability of features caused by overfitting of local regions in the network, a context-aware attention block (CAB) is designed to mine the spatial information of the whole person region by magnifying the perception scope of convolution layers. Secondly, the attentive channel aggregation block (ACB) is adopted to mine the channel information with richer semantic cues by considering local cross-channel interactive information. Thirdly, we propose a modality-consistent regularizer to narrow down the discrepancy of high order features between heterogeneous images. Extensive experiments on two datasets indicate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the topology optimization of planar cooling channels using a low-cost multilayer thermofluid model. A novel three-layer model including the upper/lower cover-plate layers and the central solid-fluid mixing layer is proposed. The flow boundary layer effect and the heat transfer effect in the thickness direction are modeled as the flow coupling and thermal coupling effects between adjacent layers, respectively. Particularly, in order to estimate more accurate temperature fields, the constructed three-layer heat transfer model in the solid-fluid mixing channel is derived based on the assumption of adaptive temperature profiles in the thickness direction. Further, based on the three-layer thermofluid model, the porosity field is introduced to describe the channel's topology, and the corresponding topology optimization scheme is presented. Several optimized channels under different constraints and boundary conditions are shown and discussed in comparison. Optimized channels show streamlined boundaries and reasonable layouts and exhibit competitive heat dissipation performance. Parametric studies are conducted to analyze the effectiveness and reliability of the topology optimization scheme. Further, to evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed three-layer model, optimized channels are simulated with the full 3D model and previous low-cost models. The proposed three-layer model exhibits good consistency with the full 3D model while achieves great improvement in efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse 55 ks of Chandra X-ray observations of the Galactic globular cluster (GC) M13. Using the latest radio timing positions of six known millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in M13 from Wang et al. (2020), we detect confident X-ray counterparts to five of the six MSPs at X-ray luminosities of LX (0.3–8 keV)∼3 × 1030–1031 erg s−1, including the newly discovered PSR J1641+3627F. There are limited X-ray counts at the position of PSR J1641+3627A, for which we obtain an upper limit LX < 1.3 × 1030 erg s−1. We analyse X-ray spectra of all six MSPs, which are well described by either a single blackbody (BB) or a single power-law model. We also incorporate optical/UV imaging observations from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and find optical counterparts to PSR J1641+3627D and J1641+3627F. Our colour–magnitude diagrams indicate the latter contains a white dwarf, consistent with the properties suggested by radio timing observations. The counterpart to J1641+3627D is only visible in the V band; however, we argue that the companion to J1641+3627D is also a white dwarf, since we see a BB-like X-ray spectrum, while MSPs with non-degenerate companions generally show non-thermal X-rays from shocks between the pulsar and companion winds. Our work increases the sample of known X-ray and optical counterparts of MSPs in GCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Infrared technology enables non-invasive temperature measurement. • Existing literature related to personal thermal comfort using infrared technology was reviewed. • Measurement equipment, experimental conditions, subject's information, and analytical methods were analyzed. • Accurate predictions should be translated into control commands for the equipment at different scales. • Diverse application scenarios including car cabin, sleep, and outdoor environments were discussed. Personal thermal comfort studies are crucial for balancing both human comfort and building energy savings. Thus, personal comfort models (PCMs) are expected to play a pivotal role in the development of smart buildings. Infrared technology has received significant attention from researchers because of its non-intrusive nature for collecting personal data. This systematic review examined 36 personal thermal comfort studies that employed infrared technology over the past decade. The review analyzed the (1) infrared devices, (2) experimental designs, (3) subjects, and (4) analysis methods and results. The review found that most studies were experimental and focused on exploring feasibility at a theoretical level, while the number of practical application studies was limited. The accuracy of infrared devices was identified as a primary concern for researchers, and some studies proposed methods to mitigate measurement errors. Most studies included young subjects and examined single clothing insulation and metabolic rates, limiting the generalizability of the corresponding PCMs, which were mainly constructed using machine learning. To facilitate data sharing and comparison of results and to overcome the limitations in terms of applicable populations and application scenarios, the review suggests that standardized data collection and processing should be used in future studies. Furthermore, the paper proposes the integration of PCMs and personal comfort systems, which are two hotspots in personal thermal comfort research, to achieve cooperative applications. Finally, the study discusses the future applications of infrared technology in scenarios such as vehicle cabins, sleep areas, and outdoor environments, considering their unique characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing light energy into the charging/discharging process is an effective strategy to reduce the overpotential of Li−O 2 battery, which leads that the battery has higher energy conversion efficiency and better battery performance. However, the development has been hampered by the lack of suitable photocatalysts and cathode structure to accommodate the insoluble Li 2 O 2. In order to overcome the aforementioned difficulties, a bifunctional photocatalyst α-Fe 2 O 3 /SnO 2 (FS) heterojunction was designed as the cathode to improve the charging/discharging overpotentials simultaneously. The photogenerated electrons and holes from FS participated in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen revolution reaction (OER) under illumination, giving rise to an ultra-low charging/discharging overpotential of 0.01 V (energy efficiency up to 99.7%), which improved the electrochemical reaction kinetics of the Li−O 2 battery strikingly. In addition, the FS cathode exhibited excellent cycle stability under light (the battery energy efficiency can still maintain 80% after 252 cycles). The bifunctional catalyst designed in this paper has profoundly proved that the band engineering strategy can effectively utilize solar energy and provide important insights for understanding the mechanism of photo-assisted Li−O 2 battery. [Display omitted] • Light energy into the charging/discharging process is an effective strategy to reduce the overpotential of Li−O 2 battery. • A bifunctional photocatalyst α-Fe 2 O 3 /SnO 2 (FS) heterojunction was designed as the cathode. • Band engineering strategy effectively utilize solar energy • Band engineering strategy provide important insights for understanding the mechanism of photo-assisted Li−O 2 battery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A facile approach to construct solvent-resistant PI substrates by T-SIM strategy. • The DMF activation improved the permeance of the solvent-resistant membranes. • A maximum ethanol flux of the optimized T-SIM 120 membrane reached 8.27 ± 1.21 LMH under 1 bar during the OSPAO process and OTC rejection > 97%. Organic solvent forward osmosis (OSFO) process is a potential method for separating pharmaceuticals from organic solvents due to its low energy consumption and without external pressure requirements. However, OSFO process is limited in practical application due to low solvent flux. Here we reported the use of organic solvent pressure-assisted osmosis (OSPAO) process, which is a novel OSFO operation with increases a driving force (≤1 bar) in the same direction as solvent flow, enhancing solvent flux by combining osmotic pressure driving force with external hydraulic pressure. This work highlights a thermal facilitated simultaneous phase-inversion and crosslinking (T-SIM) strategy, which facilitates crosslinking degree and reduces preparation time and multi-step operations of solvent-resistant polyimide (PI) substrates. The temperature and extended time during the T-SIM strategy can more effectively controlling the physicochemical property and surface pore structures of solvent-resistant PI substrates. The morphological and physicochemical changes of the solvent-resistant PI substrates were observed by SEM, AFM, XPS, TG, contact angle and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Polyamide (PA) membranes were produced on the solvent-resistant PI substrates using an interfacial polymerization (IP) process, which led to the creation of defect-free PA layers with "ridge-and-valley" patterns. The methanol flux of 9.65 L m-2h−1 (LMH) and oxytetracycline (OTC) rejection of > 91% under the organic solvent nanofiltration test were achieved for the optimized T-SIM 120 membrane, while the ethanol flux of 7.24 LMH and OTC rejection higher than 97% were observed under the OSPAO test. Additionally, DMF activation improved membrane permeance, the maximum ethanol flux of the T-SIM 120 membrane after 2 h DMF activation reached 8.27 LMH under 1 bar during the OSPAO process and OTC rejection > 97%. The OSPAO process in this work demonstrated higher ethanol flux compared to the OSN process, lower J s /J e and enhanced OTC rejection compared to the OSFO process. Then the unique characteristic makes OSPAO process a desirable technology for solvent recovery in the pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A numerical simulation method to predict CH 4 breakthrough pressure is proposed. • CH 4 breakthrough pressure decreases with the increasing of temperature and pressure. • CH 4 breakthrough pressure changes exponentially with temperature and pressure. • Experimental and simulative results are compared and validated. Breakthrough pressure of CH 4 is an important parameter in shale gas exploitation and the evaluation of cap rocks. To date, many studies have been carried out to investigate CH 4 breakthrough pressure based on experimental methods, meanwhile, some studies have also proposed numerical simulation theories on multiphase flow in porous media. However, there are few studies on numerical simulation methods for predicting CH 4 breakthrough pressure on rock-core scale under various conditions. Therefore, in this study, we propose a numerical method that can be used to predict CH 4 breakthrough pressure in partially saturated low-permeability rock sample under multiple P-T conditions based on our published experimental results. The simulative results show that both CH 4 breakthrough pressure and breakthrough time are exponentially related to temperature and pressure conditions, moreover, CH 4 breakthrough pressure and breakthrough time decrease with increasing temperature and pressure. Under the multiple P-T conditions in this study, the effect of pressure on numerical results is greater than that of temperature. By comparing the numerical results with the published experimental data, it has been validated that the numerical method proposed in this study is reasonable. Furthermore, we have parametrically swept 3 key properties in CH 4 -H 2 O-rock systems, namely, dynamic viscosity, density, and interfacial tension; the order of the effects of 3 properties on the CH 4 breakthrough process is, dynamic viscosity > interfacial tension > density. The numerical method established in this study can provide an important reference for the prediction of gas breakthrough process in rock core and for related numerical studies and engineering practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These compounds are common in several organisms; however, this is the first report that describes them as components of I H. bachu. i The antioxidant activity [[14]] of HBE was detected by ABTS (Fig. In this study, the chemical components of the ethanol extract of I H. bachu i (HBE) were analyzed, and their antioxidant and anticancer activities were evaluated I in vitro i . Among all the cells, the inhibitory effect on HCT116 cells was the most pronounced, reaching 69% with 0.8 mg/mL HBE, whereas the inhibition rate on BGC was the lowest (40%), and on other cancer cells (HepG2 and RAW264.7) it was nearly 50%. Eleven compounds were obtained, and all these compounds were first isolated from I Helvella bachu i . [Extracted from the article]

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the auscultation of heart and lung sounds has played an important role in the comprehensive diagnosis and real-time monitoring of confirmed cases. With clinicians wearing protective clothing in isolation wards, a potato chip tube stethoscope, which is a secure and flexible substitute for a conventional stethoscope, has been used by Chinese medical workers in the first-line treatment of COVID-19. In this study, an optimal design for this simple cylindrical stethoscope is proposed based on the fundamental theory of acoustic waveguides. Analyses of the cutoff frequency, sound power transmission coefficient, and sound wave propagation in the uniform lossless tube provide theoretical guidance for selecting the geometric parameters for this simple cylindrical stethoscope. A basic investigation into the auscultatory performances of the original tube and the optimal tube with proposed dimensions was conducted both in a semi-anechoic chamber and in a quiet laboratory. Both experimental results and front-line doctors' clinical feedback endorse the proposed theoretical optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing dissipated power levels of electronic equipment, heat sink design problems are significant aspects of some industrial design fields. Topology optimization theory has attracted much research interest in thermal-fluid problems to design high-performance heat sinks. These researches focus on optimizing the internal flow channel of heat sinks under predefined inlet and outlet schemes. However, inlet/outlet schemes also exhibit great influence on the performance of optimized heat sinks. This paper intends to demonstrate a concurrent optimization method of the internal flow channel, inlets, and outlets in forced convection heat sinks. The porosity field and moving morphable components (MMCs) are adopted to describe structural topologies of the internal channel design domain and the inlet/outlet design domains, respectively. The internal porosity field and the shape/position parameters of MMCs are applied as design variables. A conventional inlet/outlet component is presented and the corresponding topology description transformation function is constructed to convert the inlet/outlet topology into corresponding porosity fields. Further, the thermal-fluid coupling problems are solved through porosity-interpolated fluid flow and heat transfer governing equations. To ensure accurate inlet flow and temperature conditions during the topology iteration, continuous design-dependent inlet governing equations are established under inlet pressure, velocity, and flow flux boundary conditions. Design variables are concurrently optimized based on the sensitivity information. The proposed method is shown in detail by taking design problems of water-cooled heat sinks as examples. Various numerical examples are presented to validate the applicability and efficiency of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, a wide range displacement sensor based on the variable line-spacing (VLS) grating was proposed and its displacement characteristics at different temperature environments were measured. The VLS grating was inscribed by electron beam lithography method, and the sensor mechanical structure was designed and fabricated. A broadband light was irradiated to the VLS grating though a twin-core Y-type fibre, and an aluminizing reflector mirror was used to adjust light spot positions to change the displacement. In the experiment, the temperature stabilities of sensor were tested when the temperature rose from −20°C to 60°C, and the maximum drift of diffraction peak was less than 1.01 nm. In 30 mm length displacements, the diffraction wavelength was shifted simultaneously, the sensitivity was 15.941 and 15.917 nm/mm at 20°C and 50°C respectively, and the linearity was 0.994 both at 20°C and 50°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling coefficients in conjunction with their temperature stability are the crucial figure-of-merits of piezoelectric materials, due to these properties determine their response sensitivity and operating temperature range, respectively for practical applications. In this work, Sb, (Bi 0.5 Na 0.5)ZrO 3 , and (Bi 0.5 K 0.5)HfO 3 were used to regulate phase transition of KNN-based ceramics, and resultant large piezoelectric constants d 33 ∼ 430 ± 10 pC/N, unipolar strain S uni ∼ 0.18 % at 40 kV/cm, and a high planar electromechanical coupling factor k p ∼ 55 % were observed in the composition with rhombohedral-orthorhombic-tetragonal (R-O-T) multiphase coexistence. Ex-situ electric field XRD measurement and TEM observation indicate the outstanding piezoelectric properties are originated from the electric field-induced phase transition, nanodomains and polar nanoregions, which lower polarization anisotropy and facilitate polarization rotation between different crystallographic symmetries. In addition, the piezoelectric properties of the samples with R-O-T phases coexistence show superior temperature stability and fatigue resistance after 106 bipolar electric cycles. The present study not only helps to understand the structural origin of high piezoresponse, but also lays a foundation for the applications of KNN-based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane as the main component in natural gas is a promising chemical raw material for synthesizing value‐added chemicals, but its harsh chemical conversion process often causes severe energy and environment concerns. Photocatalysis provides an attractive path to active and convert methane into various products under mild conditions with clean and sustainable solar energy, although many challenges remain at present. In this review, recent advances in photocatalytic methane conversion are systematically summarized. As the basis of methane conversion, the activation of methane is first elucidated from the structural basis and activation path of methane molecules. The study is committed to categorizing and elucidating the research progress and the laws of the intricate methane conversion reactions according to the target products, including photocatalytic methane partial oxidation, reforming, coupling, combustion, and functionalization. Advanced photocatalytic reactor designs are also designed to enrich the options and reliability of photocatalytic methane conversion performance evaluation. The challenges and prospects of photocatalytic methane conversion are also discussed, which in turn offers guidelines for methane‐conversion‐related photocatalyst exploration, reaction mechanism investigation, and advanced photoreactor design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoplastics are ubiquitous in the natural environment, and their ecological risks have received considerable attention. Surface modification is common for nanoplastics and an essential factor affecting their toxicity. However, studies on the potential effects of nanoplastics and their surface-modified forms on functional communities in aquatic systems are still scarce. This study investigated the effects of nano-polystyrene (nPS), amino-modified nPS (nPS-NH 2), and carboxylated nPS (nPS-COOH) particles on sediment bacterial and fungal communities and their functions over a 60-day incubation period. The results showed that the fungal community was significantly inhibited by nPS-NH 2 exposure, while the bacterial community diversity remained relatively stable in all nPS treatments. Proteobacteria and Ascomycota were the dominant phyla for the bacterial and fungal communities, respectively. Nitrification was inhibited in all nPS treatments, while denitrification was enhanced for nPS-NH 2 and nPS-COOH treatments. The activity of four key denitrification enzymes (NAR, NIR, NOR, and NOS) was also significantly improved by nPS, resulting in increased nitrogen and nitrous oxide gas production, and decreased nitrate concentrations in the overlying water. This showed the total increased effect of nPS on the activity of denitrifiers. Our results suggest that surface modification significantly affects the effects of nPS on microbial communities and functions. The potential impacts of nPS on ecological functions should be elucidated with more attention. [Display omitted] • Diversity of bacteria and fungi influenced by surface modified nanoplastics. • Fungal community was significantly inhibited by nPS-NH2 exposure. • Microbial nitrification was inhibited by nPS, nPS-NH2, and nPS-COOH. • nPS-COOH could serve as electron donors to enhance denitrification in sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible-infrared person re-identification (VI-ReID) is a challenging problem of matching a person from visible and infrared modalities. Existing researches adopt the last convolutional layer features of the off-the-shelf backbone network as the representation to refine, which is unable to represent the heterogeneous cross-modality features with discriminant information. In this paper, we propose a novel graph-based aggregation learning network (GALNet) with visual Transformer embedding to mine both multi-layer features and part-level contextual cues for VI-ReID. We propose a novel feature memory module (FMM) to reserve global discriminative features of the low layers with the correlation modeling ability of the graph convolution network (GCN) which is supplemented to the final person representation. To learn more discriminant part-level features, an attentive part aggregation module (PAM) is designed to mine part relationships, leveraging the self-attention mechanism of the Transformer. By fusing these components, the global-level, and part-level discriminant information can be utilized. Extensive experiments on SYSU-MM01 and RegDB benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods compared with several state-of-the-art methods. • A novel graph-based aggregation learning network is proposed for VI-ReID. • A feature memory module (FMM) is proposed to perceive spatial detail information. • An attentive part aggregation module (PAM) is proposed to mine part-level contextual cues. • Extensive experimental results prove the effectiveness of our proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus parasuis is a potential opportunistic zoonotic pathogen which is a close relative to Streptococcus suis , which exhibit extensive genetic exchange. The occurrence and dissemination of oxazolidinone resistance poses a severe threat to public health. However, such knowledge about the optrA gene in S. parasuis is limited. Herein, we characterized an optrA -positive multi-resistant S. parasuis isolate AH0906, in which the capsular polysaccharide locus exhibited a hybrid structure of S. suis serotype 11 and S. parasuis serotype 26. The optrA and erm (B) genes were co-located on a novel ICE of the ICE Ssu YZDH1 family, designated ICE Spsu AH0906. IS 1216E - optrA -carrying translocatable unit could be formed when excised from ICE Spsu AH0906. ICE Spsu AH0906 was found to be transferable from isolate AH0906 to Streptococcus suis P1/7RF at a relative high frequency of ∼ 10-5. Nonconservative integrations of ICE Spsu AH0906 into the primary site SSU0877 and secondary site SSU1797 with 2-/4-nt imperfect direct repeats in recipient P1/7RF were observed. Upon transfer, the transconjugant displayed elevated MICs of the corresponding antimicrobial agents and performed a weak fitness cost when compared with the recipient strain. To our knowledge, it is the first description of the transfer of optrA in S. prarasuis and the first report of interspecies transfer of ICE with triplet serine integrases (of the ICE Ssu YZDH1 family). Considering the high transmission frequency of the ICEs and the extensive genetic exchange potential of S. parasuis with other streptococci, attention should be paid to the dissemination of the optrA gene from S. parasuis to clinically more important bacterial pathogens. • An optrA -harboring S. parasuis with a hybrid CPS locus of S. suis serotype 11 and S. parasuis serotype 26 was characterized. • The optrA and erm (B) genes are co-located on ICE Spsu AH0906, a novel ICE of the ICE Ssu YZDH1 family. • This is the first report of optrA transfer in S. parasuis and interspecies transfer of ICE with triplet serine integrases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The intercalation oxidation of MoS 2 by oxygen was used to expand the MoS 2 layer spacing, thereby improving the photocatalytic activity. • TiO 2 is grown on modified MoS 2 via hydrothermal heat. • After modification, a Z-type heterojunction was formed between MoS 2 and TiO 2 , which changed the electron migration pathway. • The Response Surface Method is used to analyze the factors affecting the catalytic performance of catalysts. MoS 2 and related modified materials have received more attention as core technologies in mineralized dye molecules, and the injection of intercalators into MoS 2 interlayers to change the MoS 2 layer spacing to obtain materials with desirable photocatalytic properties is the current trend in modification. Herein, intercalated oxide materials (MSMO/T) were prepared by oxygen-limited calcination, in which the chemical composition and the resulting structure can be effectively controlled to obtain the desired performance for photocatalytic degradation of pollutants by simply changing the calcination temperature. Due to the beneficial structure of MoS 2 -MoO 3 formed by oxygen intercalation and the Z-type heterojunction formed between it and TiO 2 , the catalytic performance is presented that is superior to that of a single material. Specifically, the MoS 2 is structurally engineered and bound by oxygen intercalation layers. Effective mineralized degradation of pollutants under visible light can be achieved within 120 min without external push, and the relevant characterization demonstrates excellent photoelectric properties and long-term durability, making it an efficient catalyst for degrading dye molecules in water. This work provides an efficient and convenient way to modify transition metal disulfides for use as advanced materials for photocatalysis as well as other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare ginsenoside Rk3 is a bioactive component derived from ginseng and Panax notoginseng that has been proven to possess anti-lung cancer activity. However, the effect of Rk3 on human esophageal cancer has not yet been reported. In this study, we aimed to explore its anticancer curative effect and potential molecular mechanisms in the Eca109 and KYSE150 cell lines. We found that Rk3 was able to significantly repress cell proliferation and colony formation in both Eca109 and KYSE150 cells in vitro. In the KYSE150 xenograft model, Rk3 obviously inhibited tumor growth and exhibited little toxicity in organs. Moreover, Rk3 could trigger G1 phase arrest and induce apoptosis and autophagy. Interestingly, apoptosis induced by Rk3 could be partly abrogated by 3-MA (an autophagy inhibitor), implying that autophagy could enhance apoptosis. Further studies indicated that pretreatment with the Akt inhibitor GSK690693 or the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin promoted Rk3-induced apoptosis and autophagy, demonstrating that the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is related to Rk3-induced apoptosis and autophagy. In conclusion, the present study is the first to clarify that Rk3 can inhibit Eca109 and KYSE150 cell proliferation through activating apoptosis and autophagy by blocking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, suggesting that Rk3 may be a promising antitumor agent for esophageal cancer. In addition, this study provides ideas and an experimental basis for further research on the anti-esophageal cancer effects of the ginsenoside Rk3 and its mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carrier phase offset induced by the mismatch between the signal subcarrier frequency and arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) reference clock is a key problem for high-speed multi-band visible light communication (VLC) system. In this paper, we propose a blind carrier phase estimation (CPE) algorithm based on geometric projection for multi-band Nyquist pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) system. Compared with traditional CPE algorithms, the proposed method does not contain any feedback loop and the Mth power operation. Therefore, the lower computational complexity and simpler system structure are both achieved. Furthermore, we experimentally validate the proposed CPE algorithm in a three-band PAM-8 VLC system. The measured results show the system performance can be greatly improved. And compared with the Viterbi and Viterbi (V&V) algorithm using training symbols (20% of the total symbol length), the proposed CPE algorithm can slightly outperform. However, the scheme is a blind estimation without any assistant training sequences. Thus higher bandwidth efficiency is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently proposed a method to establish an optimal ionospheric shell height model based on the international GNSS service (IGS) station data and the differential code bias (DCB) provided by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE) during the time from 2003 to 2013. This method is very promising for DCB and accurate total electron content (TEC) estimation by comparing to the traditional fixed shell height method. However, this method is basically feasible only for IGS stations. In this study, we investigate how to apply the optimal ionospheric shell height derived from IGS station to non-IGS stations or isolated GNSS receivers. The intuitive and practical method to estimate TEC of non-IGS stations is based on optimal ionospheric shell height derived from nearby IGS stations. To validate this method, we selected two dense networks of IGS stations located in regions in the US and Europe. Two optimal ionospheric shell height models are established by two reference stations, namely GOLD and PTBB, which are located at the approximate center of two selected regions. The predicted daily optimal ionospheric shell heights by the two models are applied to other IGS stations around these two reference stations. Daily DCBs are calculated according to these two optimal shell heights and compared to respective DCBs released by CODE. The validation results of this method are as follows. (1) Optimal ionospheric shell height calculated by IGS stations can be applied to its nearby non-IGS stations or isolated GNSS receivers for accurate TEC estimation. (2) As the distance away from the reference IGS station becomes larger, the DCB estimation error becomes larger. The relation between the DCB estimation error and the distance is generally linear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel digital signal processing (DSP) scheme for special‐shaped circular (7,1) modulated signals based on quasi blind carrier phase estimation (QBCPE) is proposed. The results show that applying 0.33‰ overhead QBCPE provides similar performance as 3% training sequence data‐aided equalization of least mean square (LMS) algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]