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Abstract Background Epidemiological studies investigating the association between flavonoid intake and bone mineral density (BMD) draw inconsistent conclusions. Our study aims to investigate the association between flavonoid intake and BMD and osteoporosis and the mediating role of composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) in their relationship using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods The study assessed the relationship between flavonoid intake and femur BMD and osteoporosis in 10,225 individuals from NHANES 2007–2010 and 2017–2018. Multivariable linear regression analyses were used to detect the association between flavonoid intake and femur BMD in adult Americans. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to examine the nonlinear relationship between flavonoid intake and their subclasses and osteoporosis risk in individuals 20 years or older. We explored the mediating role of CDAI in the association between flavonoid intake and BMD. Results In fully adjusted multivariable regression analyses, compared with people in the first quartile, people in the fourth quartile of total flavonoid intake have a higher BMD at total femur (0.013, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.022, P = 0.001), femur neck (0.010, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.017, P = 0.001), trochanter (0.010, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.017, P = 0.001), and intertrochanter (0.012, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.020, P = 0.006). The positive relationship between flavonoid intake and femur BMD was present in both sexes. Furthermore, we found that people in the fourth quartile of total flavonoid intake have a lower risk of osteoporosis compared with the first quartile (OR = 0.686, 95% CI: 0.528–0.890, P = 0.005). RCS found a linear inverse relationship between total flavonoid intake and osteoporosis in individuals ≥ 20 years (Overall P = 0.015, nonlinear P = 0.086). Moreover, CDAI partially mediates the association of total flavonoid intake with femur BMD. Conclusions Our findings suggest that higher flavonoid intake is associated with higher BMD and lower risk of osteoporosis in Americans. Furthermore, we found distinct associations between different flavonoid subclasses and osteoporosis risk. More studies with stronger evidence are needed to explore the causal association between flavonoid intake and bone health and their underlying mechanisms.

Abstract Background Previous evidence showed a possible link of dyslipidemia with bone health. Nevertheless, the correlation of remnant cholesterol (RC) with bone mineral density (BMD) has yet to be well investigated. This study investigated the association of RC with total spine BMD in general Americans. Methods This study explored the relationship of RC with total spine BMD in subjects aged ≥ 20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2018. After adjusting for covariates, multivariate linear regression and stratified analyses were conducted to determine the correlation of serum RC with total spine BMD in adult Americans. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was applied to examine the nonlinear association of serum RC with total spine BMD. Results This study included 3815 individuals ≥ 20 years old, 1905 (49.93%) of whom were men and 1910 (50.07%) of whom were women. After adjusting for all covariates, the results showed a negative relationship of serum RC with total spine BMD (β= -0.024, 95% CI: -0.039, -0.010). The interaction tests of age, sex, race, and BMI showed no statistically significant effects on the association. The RCS also indicated a negative linear correlation of serum RC with total spine BMD (nonlinear P = 0.068, overall P

An indoor accelerated freezing and thawing test of polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete in chloride and sulphate environments was conducted using the “fast-freezing method” with the objective of investigating the damage law of the post-freezing mechanical properties of hydraulic concrete structures and studying the effects of different mixing amounts of polypropylene fibres on the mechanical properties of concrete. Furthermore, in order to reduce the cost of concrete tests and shorten the time required for conducting concrete tests, a backpropagation neural network based on a Beetle Antenna Search algorithm (BAS-BPNN) was established to simulate and predict the mechanical properties of polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete. The accuracy of the model was verified. The results indicate that the order of improvement in the macro-physical properties of concrete due to fibre doping is as follows: PPF1.2 exhibited the greatest improvement in macro-physical properties of concrete, followed by PPF0.9, PPF1.5, PPF0.6, and PC. When the freezing and thawing medium and the number of cycles are identical, all four assessment indexes (R2, RMSE, SI, MAPE) demonstrate that the four groups of polypropylene fibre concrete exhibit superior performance to the control group of ordinary concrete. This indicates that polypropylene fibre can enhance the mechanical properties and freezing resistance of the concrete matrix, delay the process of freezing and thawing damage to the matrix, and extend the lifespan of the matrix, yet cannot prevent the ultimate failure of the matrix. The application of intelligent algorithms to optimise the parameters of an artificial neural network model can enhance its capacity to generalise and predict the mechanical properties of concrete. In terms of the coefficient of determination (R2), the Beetle Antenna Search algorithm (0.9782) outperforms the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO; 0.9676), the Genetic Algorithm (GA; 0.9645), and the backpropagation neural network (BPNN; 0.9460). The improved backpropagation neural network based on the Beetle Antenna Search algorithm not only avoids the trap of local optimality but also improves the model accuracy while further accelerating the convergence speed. This approach can address the complexity, non-linearity, and modelling difficulties encountered during the freezing process of concrete. Moreover, it offers relatively accurate prediction outcomes at a reduced cost in comparison to traditional experimental methodologies.

In this paper, the random and nonlinear mechanical characteristics of the composition distribution of concrete in each phase are investigated to solve the difficulty of fatigue damage test of concrete beam specimens under variable amplitude loading. A three-dimensional (3D) concrete composite random aggregate meso-model of concrete beam specimens is built with Digimat as a composite modeling tool. Subsequently, the bending-tensile strength and fatigue life of the model under four-point bending loading is analyzed and calculated using Abaqus finite element analysis model based on the concrete elastic-plastic damage criterion. The mechanical behaviors of concrete materials under static load failure, multistage fatigue loading, and random fatigue loading are studied. Finally, compared with the test results, the following conclusions are obtained. The random aggregate model and elastoplastic damage mechanics model of concrete composite constructed by concrete in Abaqus and Digimat can better describe the geometric and distribution characteristics of composite structure and aggregate in concrete beams and the mechanical behavior of fatigue and static load failure. The difference is 4.08 % with the experimental results, which verifies the validity and reliability of the numerical simulation model, and the fatigue life of concrete beams under random loading Sra and Srb is 1622 and 164 times, respectively. The research results have certain guiding significance and reference value for accurate calculation of bending and tensile strength of concrete beams under specified raw material and mix ratio and prediction of fatigue damage cracking in airport cement concrete pavement structure.

Abstract Photoswitchable molecules have garnered considerable attention for their versatility and diverse applications, spanning from solar energy harvesting and storage to drug delivery and molecular motors. The chemical conversions that make photoswitches a desirable system are driven by specific wavelengths of light, which often demand intricate molecular modifications. An alternative approach to achieve the photoisomerization reaction is through energy transfer with photosensitizers. Photosensitizers play a pivotal role in various light‐induced processes and have demonstrated successful applications in photodynamic therapy, dye‐sensitized solar cells, and activating photochemical reactions. Therefore, combining photoswitching systems with sensitizers presents an attractive alternative for advancing light‐responsive material design and enabling innovative light‐controlled technologies. This review summarizes the energy transfer mechanisms and strategies involved in sensitized molecular photoswitchable systems, emphasizing the performance of various combined systems, and potential applications. Furthermore, recent advances and emerging trends in this field are also discussed, offering insights into prospective future directions for the development of light‐responsive materials.

Ammonia (NH3), as main industrial gas emissions, are extremely harmful to the human beings. So the detection of NH3 concentrations in special environments at room temperature (25 °C) is essential. Herein, the composite MXene Ti3C2Tx-TiO2-CuO was successfully prepared by one-step in-situ oxidation method using Cu(NO3)2·6H2O as a precursor. The morphology of Ti3C2Tx-TiO2-CuO shows layered accordion-like structure. Ti3C2Tx-TiO2-CuO sensor exhibits improved NH3 gas sensing response of 56.9 toward 100 ppm NH3 at room temperature under ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, which is 89.8 % higher than that of pristine Ti3C2Tx material. The improved gas sensing performance is attributed to the irradiation of UV light, the retention of Ti3C2Tx layered structure and the construction of TiO2-CuO heterojunction. Further, the possible gas sensing mechanism of the material was proposed and discussed.

In order to compare the effects of carbon fiber and carbon nanofiber on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of concrete, the static mechanical tests, dynamic compression test and dynamic splitting tensile test were carried out on carbon fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC) and carbon nanofiber reinforced concrete (CNFRC). Meanwhile, relevant micro-mechanism was analyzed through the MIP test and SEM test. The results showed that both carbon fiber and carbon nanofiber could improve the mechanical properties of concrete and refine the pore size distribution of concrete. In terms of the static mechanical properties, the ductility of CFRC was better, while the strength performance and deformation performance of CNFRC were better. In terms of the dynamic compression mechanical properties, the energy consumption performance of CFRC was better, while the strength performance of CNFRC was better. In terms of the dynamic splitting tensile properties, the strength performance, deformation performance and energy consumption performance of CFRC were better. Under a load, carbon fiber exerted a more obvious “crack resistance effect”, while carbon nanofiber exerted a more obvious “filling effect”. Carbon nanofiber had a better optimization effect on the pore structure of concrete than carbon fiber. The research results could provide reference for the selection of CFRC and CNFRC under different engineering requirements.

Abstractr: In order to improve the weak binding force and easy pull-out of the traditional carbon fiber (CF) and concrete interface, this paper prepared three-dimensional multi-scale carbon nanotube-fiber (MCNF) by grafting carbon nanotubes on the surface of carbon fibers by electrophoresis, and carried out computer simulations. The results showed that compared with ordinary carbon fibers, the attraction between the MCNF fibers surface and the concrete interface is stronger, and it is not easy to pull out. At the same time, Plain concrete (PC), CF concrete (CF content as 0.1% of concrete volume) and MCNF concrete (MCNF content as 0.1% of concrete volume) were prepared, and dynamic mechanical tests were carried out by using a Φ100 mm Hopkinson pressure bar test (SHPB) experimental device., It is found that compared with carbon fiber, the interface between MCNF and concrete is more tightly bonded and difficult to pull out, so it has better effect on improving the mechanical properties of concrete. Finally, MCNF enhencement effect was introduced to simplify and modify the Zhu-Wang-Tang (ZWT) constitutive model which is the damage model of traditional and the simplified model conforms to the actual situation of MCNF concrete. The theoretical curve based on the constitutive model is also similar to the actual test curve, proving the correctness of the constitutive model.The research results provide references for improving the impact load resistance of concrete in practical engineering.

Abstract This paper investigated the preparation method and the dispersion behaviour of Modified Carbon Nanotube-fiber Reinforcements (MCNF), the change laws and the effect mechanisms of dynamic compressive strength of MCNF concretes. Electrophoresis method was used to prepare MCNF and its interfacial shear performance was tested by interfacial shear strength (IFSS) test. In addition, the dispersion behavior of MCNF in simulated concrete solution was verified by turbidity method. Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) tests were carried on concrete samples with different volume fractions (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%) of MCNF. The results show that carbon nanotubes are easier to deposit to the negative electrode, and the higher the content of polycarboxylate superplasticizer, the more obvious the dispersity of MCNF in alkaline environment. The dynamic compressive strength of MCNF concrete was 14.0–35.5% higher than that of untreated concrete, and reached the maximum when the MCNF content was about 0.3%. The MCNF was wrapped in concrete matrix and promoted hydration reaction of interface between cement and MCNF from microscopic observation. The addition of MCNF could increase the porosity. The volume percentage of ≥ 100 nm pore decreased first and then increased. Reasons for the improvement strength of MCNF concrete is that the bridging effect is stronger with the increase of MCNF content (≤ 0.3%) and limited when the MCNF content is equal to 0.4%. MCNF concrete could be used in actual engineering with high requirements for dynamic load.

In order to study the hydration law of geopolymer mortar in low temperature environment and explore the early strength agent suitable for geopolymer mortar in low temperature environment, this paper studied the development of compressive strength, flexural strength and hydration temperature of slag silica fume based geopolymer mortar at 10 ℃ when lithium carbonate, triethanolamine and triisopropylamine (TIPA) were added respectively. The hydration reaction process and micro mechanism of slag silica fume based geopolymer mortar with early strength agent at low temperature were analyzed by SEM and FTIR. The results show that lithium carbonate, triethanolamine and TIPA can enhance the early mechanical properties of slag silica fume based geopolymer mortar, and the strengthening effect is related to the content of early strength agent. The optimum contents of triethanolamine, TIPA and lithium carbonate are 0.06%, 0.04% and 0.4% respectively, and triethanolamine has the best reinforcing effect. Adding early strength agent can promote the secondary hydration of geopolymer mortar and accelerate the formation of hydration products. The early strength agent can improve the microstructure of slag silica fume based geopolymer mortar and make the mortar more dense and stronger.

Summary: There is an urgent need for alternative compact technologies that can derive and store energy from the sun, especially the large amount of solar heat that is not effectively used for power generation. Here, we report a combination of solution- and neat-film-based molecular solar thermal (MOST) systems, where solar energy can be stored as chemical energy and released as heat, with microfabricated thermoelectric generators to produce electricity when solar radiation is not available. The photophysical properties of two MOST couples are characterized both in liquid with a catalytical cycling setup and in a phase-interconvertible neat film. Their suitable photophysical properties let us combine them individually with a microelectromechanical ultrathin thermoelectric chip to use the stored solar energy for electrical power generation. The generator can produce, as a proof of concept, a power output of up to 0.1 nW (power output per unit volume up to 1.3 W m−3). Our results demonstrate that such a molecular thermal power generation system has a high potential to store and transfer solar power into electricity and is thus potentially independent of geographical restrictions.

In this paper, high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is studied, which is the most common histological subtype of ovarian cancer. We use a new analytical procedure to combine the bulk RNA-Seq sample for ovarian cancer, mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi), and single-cell data for ovarian cancer. Through integrating bulk RNA-Seq sample of cancer samples from TCGA, UCSC Xena and single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) data of HGSOC from GEO, and performing a series of computational analyses on them, we identify stemness markers and survival-related markers, explore stem cell populations in ovarian cancer, and provide potential treatment recommendation. As a result, 171 key genes for capturing stem cell characteristics are screened and one vital cancer stem cell subpopulation is identified. Through further analysis of these key genes and cancer stem cell subpopulation, more critical genes can be obtained as LCP2, FCGR3A, COL1A1, COL1A2, MT-CYB, CCT5, and PAPPA, are closely associated with ovarian cancer. So these genes have the potential to be used as prognostic biomarkers for ovarian cancer.

Abstract Photoswitchable molecules‐based solar thermal energy storage system (MOST) can potentially be a route to store solar energy for future use. Herein, the use of a multijunction MOST device that combines various photoswitches with different onsets of absorption to push the efficiency limit on solar energy collection and storage is explored. With a parametric model calculation, it is shown that the efficiency limit of MOST concept can be improved from 13.0% to 18.2% with a double‐junction system and to 20.5% with a triple‐junction system containing ideal, red‐shifted MOST candidates. As a proof‐of‐concept, the use of a three‐layered MOST device is experimentally demonstrated. The device uses different photoswitches including a norbornadiene derivative, a dihydroazulene derivative, and an azobenzene derivative in liquid state with different MOSTproperties, to increase the energy capture and storage behavior. This conceptional device introduces a new way of thinking and designing optimal molecular candidates for MOST, as much improvement can be made by tailoring molecules to efficiently store solar energy at specific wavelengths.

Molecular photoswitches provide an extremely simple solution for solar energy conversion and storage. Here, the authors report on the assembly of an operational solar energy-storing organic-oxide hybrid interface, which consists of a tailor-made molecular photoswitch and an atomically-defined semiconducting oxide film.

In this paper, a series of numerical experiments are carried out on the anti-scour device combined with perforated baffle and ring-wing plate. In addition, the optimal dimensions and location of the combined device are obtained: The perforated ratio of the baffle is S = 20%, the distance from the center of the bridge pier is L = 2d (d is the diameter of the bridge pier), and the ring-wing plate is located at H = 1/3h (h is the water depth). To verify the effect of the anti-scour device, the scour characteristics and flow field are further investigated. Compared with single pier and single ring-wing plate, the results revealed that the combined device with the optimal dimensions is of great anti-scour performance. Moreover, the maximum scour depth at the front and side of the pier reduced by 84.20% and 78.95%, which is better than the single ring-wing plate and other combined conditions in the orthogonal experiments. Due to the diversion of perforated baffle and ring-wing plate, the flow velocity at the pier side near the bed surface decreases by 30.7%, and the down-flow is almost eliminated on the vertical plane. Furthermore, the turbulent kinetic energy at different horizontal and vertical planes is reduced due to the reduction in horseshoe vortex and wake flow. Based on the investigation presented herein, the combined device is a promising tool for mitigating scour around the bridge pier.

This paper is about a study on the mechanical properties of a new polymer-cement composite (PCC) in constant elongation, tension, and shear. The study explored the effects of powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio on the mechanical properties of PCC through detecting the strength, deformation, and energy consumption of specimens under different powder-liquid ratios and cement ratios. In addition, scanning electron microscope and mercury injection apparatus were used for an in-depth analysis on the micromorphology and pore structure features of PCC under different powder-liquid ratios and cement ratios to explore the influence of powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio of the micromechanical properties of PCC. The results showed that, with the increase of powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio, the constant elongation adhesion strength of PCC decreased, and, at a high powder-liquid ratio (0.55) or a high cement ratio (0.5), the constant elongation adhesion strength of PCC completely disappeared. Meanwhile, with the increase of powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio, the tensile shear strength of PCC increased, while the deformation capacity of PCC decreased. The optimal ranges of powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio for PCC were 0.35–0.4 and 0.3-0.4, respectively. Furthermore, the increased powder-liquid ratio and cement ratio made the total pore volume decreased and pore structure refined, which improved the compactness of PCC, thus influencing the performance of PCC macroscopically. An achievement for the study is a flexible composite material, which was formulated with the polymer film as continuous base phase, as well as the inorganic composition and cement hydrates as dispersion phase. The material can effectively improve the economy and practicability of cementation of fissures for airfield pavement.

General self-efficacy refers to global beliefs about one’s capabilities across a variety of tasks or conditions. It is regarded as an important, relatively stable, motivational trait, and is associated with positive outcomes in a wide range of domains. The general self-efficacy scale (GSE) is the most commonly used measure to evaluate general self-efficacy among adults and youths. This study aimed to examine the measurement invariance of the GSE across age groups among adolescent and parent dyads, and to investigate the intergenerational parallelism of general self-efficacy and the moderating roles of parents’ gender and family socioeconomic status (SES). Participants were 807 adolescent/parent dyads. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed that full metric and scalar measurement invariance held. Regression analysis showed that parents’ self-efficacy significantly predicted their children’s self-efficacy (β = 0.232, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated family SES played a moderating role (β = 0.066, p < 0.001), although parents’ gender did not (β = −0.053, p = 0.288). The results demonstrated the GSE’s measurement invariance across age, and further supported use of the GSE among adults and adolescents. Moreover, our findings provided evidence for the presence of this kind of intergenerational parallelism and the moderating role of family SES.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been widely used in urban traffic supervision in recent years. However, the detection, tracking, and geolocation of moving vehicle based on the airborne platform suffer from small object sizes, complex scenes, and low-accuracy sensors. To address these problems, this paper develops a framework for moving vehicle detecting, tracking, and geolocating based on a monocular camera, a GPS receiver, and inertial measurement units (IMUs) sensors. First, the method based on YOLOv3 was employed for vehicle detection due to its effectiveness and efficiency for small object detection in complex scenes. Then, a visual tracking method based on correlation filters is introduced, and a passive geolocation method is presented to calculate the GPS coordinates of the moving vehicle. Finally, a flight control method in terms of the previous image processing results is introduced to lead the UAV that is following the interesting moving vehicle. The proposed scheme has been built on a DJI M100 platform on which a monocular camera and a microcomputer Jetson TX1 are added. The experimental results show that this scheme is capable of detecting, tracking, and geolocating the interesting moving vehicle with high precision. The framework demonstrates its capacity in automatic supervision on target vehicles in real-world experiments, which suggests its potential applications in urban traffic, logistics, and security.

This paper studies the detection problem for multistatic passive radar. We consider scenarios where prior knowledge about the spectrum and peak-to-average ratio (PAR) of the non-cooperative illuminators of opportunity (IOs) is available. We develop several knowledge-aided (KA) detectors within the framework of the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) to exploit such prior knowledge. Particularly, the knowledge about the bandwidth of the transmitted signal is employed to suppress the out-of-band noise, and the knowledge about the PAR constraint is exploited to eliminate the remaining high-power noise. The challenge of unknown spectrum condition is also addressed, where block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) is exploited to derive the maximum-likelihood estimates (MLEs) of the unknown, temporally correlated signal. The numerical results indicate that the proposed KA detectors offer significant performance improvements compared with the traditional detectors, which do not exploit such prior information.

Molecular solar thermal systems are promising for storing solar energy but achieving high energy storage densities and absorption characteristics matching the solar spectrum is challenging. Here the authors present a design strategy for electronically coupled photoswitches which allow for high energy density storage for solar energy storage applications.

Aluminum alloy material is an important component material in the safe flight of aircraft. It is very important and necessary to predict the fatigue crack growth between holes of aviation aluminum alloy materials. At present, the investigation on the prediction of the cracks between two holes and multiholes is a key problem to be solved. Due to the fact that the fatigue crack growth test of aluminum alloy plate with two or three holes was carried out by the MTS fatigue testing machine, the crack length growth data under different test conditions were obtained. In this paper, support vector regression (SVR) was used to fit the crack data, and the parameters of SVR are optimized by the grid search algorithm at the same time. And then the model of SVR to predict the crack length was established. Discussion on the results shows that the prediction model is effective. Furthermore, the crack growth between three holes was predicted accurately through the model of the crack law between two holes under the same load form.

There has been a growing interest in research on hope in recent years. The Children’s Hope Scale (CHS) is the most commonly used scale to evaluate goal-related hopeful thinking in children and adolescents. Socioeconomic status (SES) strongly influences an individual’s experiences from childhood and throughout adult life. This study aimed to evaluate the measurement invariance of the CHS across SES. The sample consisted of 1934 Chinese youths (50.4% females) with a mean age of 12.96 (SD = 2.686). An overall family SES score was obtained by totaling the Z scores for family monthly income and parents’ education level. The results supported the single-factor model as the baseline model across each SES group. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis revealed that full measurement invariance did not hold. One factor loading and one intercept were non-invariant. There were also significant differences in latent factor means and raw scores of the CHS across the two groups. The CHS had a stronger convergent validation in the higher SES group than lower SES group. The results suggest that researchers and practitioners should exercise caution when comparing differences in hope measured by the CHS between groups with different SES. We provide more robust statistical evidence in terms of SES differences, indicating that children and adolescents from higher SES backgrounds shower greater hopeful thinking compared with those from lower SES backgrounds.

Abstract Devices that can capture and convert sunlight into stored chemical energy are attractive candidates for future energy technologies. A general challenge is to combine efficient solar energy capture with high energy densities and energy storage time into a processable composite for device application. Here, norbornadiene (NBD)–quadricyclane (QC) molecular photoswitches are embedded into polymer matrices, with possible applications in energy storing coatings. The NBD–QC photoswitches that are capable of absorbing sunlight with estimated solar energy storage efficiencies of up to 3.8% combined with attractive energy storage densities of up to 0.48 MJ kg−1. The combination of donor and acceptor units leads to an improved solar spectrum match with an onset of absorption of up to 529 nm and a lifetime (t1/2) of up to 10 months. The NBD–QC systems with properties matched to a daily energy storage cycle are further investigated in the solid state by embedding the molecules into a series of polymer matrices revealing that polystyrene is the preferred choice of matrix. These polymer devices, which can absorb sunlight and over a daily cycle release the energy as heat, are investigated for their cyclability, showing multicycle reusability with limited degradation that might allow them to be applied as window laminates.

The photochromic norbornadiene/quadricyclane (NBD/QC) couple has found interest as a molecular solar thermal energy (MOST) system for storage of solar energy. To increase the energy difference between the two isomers, we present here the synthesis of a selection of benzo-fused NBD derivatives that contain an aromatic unit, benzene, naphthalene or phenanthrene, fused to one of the NBD double bonds, while the carbon atoms of the other double bond are functionalized with donor and acceptor groups. The synthesis protocols involve functionalization of benzo-fused NBDs with bromo/chloro substituents followed by a subjection of these intermediates to a cyanation reaction (introducing a cyano acceptor group) followed by a Sonogashira coupling (introducing an arylethynyl donor group, -C≡CC6H4NMe2 or -C≡CC6H4OMe). While the derivatives have good absorption properties in the visible region (redshifted relative to parent system) in the context of MOST applications, they lack the ability to undergo NBD-to-QC photoisomerization, even in the presence of a photosensitizer. It seems that loss of aromaticity of the fused aromatics is too significant to allow photoisomerization to occur. The concept of destroying aromaticity of a neighboring moiety as a way to enhance the energy density of the NBD/QC couple thus needs further structural modifications, in the quest for optimum MOST systems.