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Solar fuels catalysis is a promising route to efficiently harvesting, storing, and utilizing abundant solar energy. To achieve this promise, however, molecular systems must be designed with sustainable components that can balance numerous photophysical and chemical processes. To that end, we report on the structural and photophysical characterization of a series of Cu(I)–anthraquinone-based electron donor–acceptor dyads. The dyads utilized a heteroleptic Cu(I) bis-diimine architecture with a copper(I) bis-phenanthroline chromophore donor and anthraquinone electron acceptor. We characterized the structures of the complexes using x-ray crystallography and density functional theory calculations and the photophysical properties via resonance Raman and optical transient absorption spectroscopy. The calculations and resonance Raman spectroscopy revealed that excitation of the Cu(I) metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) transition transfers the electron to a delocalized ligand orbital. The optical transient absorption spectroscopy demonstrated that each dyad formed the oxidized copper–reduced anthraquinone charge-separated state. Unlike most Cu(I) bis-phenanthroline complexes where increasingly bulky substituents on the phenanthroline ligands lead to longer MLCT excited-state lifetimes, here, we observe a decrease in the long-lived charge-separated state lifetime with increasing steric bulk. The charge-separated state lifetimes were best explained in the context of electron-transfer theory rather than with the energy gap law, which is typical for MLCT excited states, despite the complete conjugation between the phenanthroline and anthraquinone moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the market demand for smart devices (SDs) in the Internet of Things (IoT) era is surging, the corresponding thunderstorm protection measures have rarely attracted attention. This paper presents a thunderstorm prediction method with elevation correction, to reduce the thunderstorm damage to SDs by visually tracking thunderstorm activities. First, a self‐made three‐dimensional atmospheric electric field apparatus (3DAEFA) deployed in IoT is developed to collect real‐time AEF data. A 3DAEFA‐based localization model is established, and the localization formula after correction is derived. AEF data predicted by the bi‐directional long short‐term memory (BiLSTM) model are input to this formula to obtain thunderstorm point charge localization results. Then, the localization skill is evaluated. Finally, the proposed method is assessed in experiments, under single and multiple point charge conditions. There are significant reductions of at least 33.1% and 8.8% in ranging and elevation angle errors, respectively. Particularly, this post‐prediction correction reduces the deviation of fitted point charge moving paths by at most 0.189 km, demonstrating excellent application effects. Comparisons with radar charts and existing methods testify that this method can effectively predict thunderstorms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal fibrosis is a progressive process associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), contributing to impaired kidney function. Active constituents in traditional Chinese herbs, such as emodin (EMO) and asiatic acid (AA), exhibit potent anti-fibrotic properties. However, the oral administration of EMO and AA results in low bioavailability and limited kidney accumulation. Additionally, while oral probiotics have been accepted for CKD treatment through gut microbiota modulation, a significant challenge lies in ensuring their viability upon administration. Therefore, our study aims to address both renal fibrosis and gut microbiota imbalance through innovative co-delivery strategies. Results: In this study, we developed yeast cell wall particles (YCWPs) encapsulating EMO and AA self-assembled nanoparticles (NPYs) and embedded them, along with Lactobacillus casei Zhang, in chitosan/sodium alginate (CS/SA) microgels. The developed microgels showed significant controlled release properties for the loaded NPYs and prolonged the retention time of Lactobacillus casei Zhang (L. casei Zhang) in the intestine. Furthermore, in vivo biodistribution showed that the microgel-carried NPYs significantly accumulated in the obstructed kidneys of rats, thereby substantially increasing the accumulation of EMO and AA in the impaired kidneys. More importantly, through hitchhiking delivery based on yeast cell wall and positive modulation of gut microbiota, our microgels with this synergistic strategy of therapeutic and modulatory interactions could regulate the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and thus effectively ameliorate renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. Conclusion: In conclusion, our work provides a new strategy for the treatment of renal fibrosis based on hitchhiking co-delivery of nanodrugs and probiotics to achieve synergistic effects of disease treatment and targeted gut flora modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Renal fibrosis is a progressive process associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), contributing to impaired kidney function. Active constituents in traditional Chinese herbs, such as emodin (EMO) and asiatic acid (AA), exhibit potent anti-fibrotic properties. However, the oral administration of EMO and AA results in low bioavailability and limited kidney accumulation. Additionally, while oral probiotics have been accepted for CKD treatment through gut microbiota modulation, a significant challenge lies in ensuring their viability upon administration. Therefore, our study aims to address both renal fibrosis and gut microbiota imbalance through innovative co-delivery strategies. Results: In this study, we developed yeast cell wall particles (YCWPs) encapsulating EMO and AA self-assembled nanoparticles (NPYs) and embedded them, along with Lactobacillus casei Zhang, in chitosan/sodium alginate (CS/SA) microgels. The developed microgels showed significant controlled release properties for the loaded NPYs and prolonged the retention time of Lactobacillus casei Zhang (L. casei Zhang) in the intestine. Furthermore, in vivo biodistribution showed that the microgel-carried NPYs significantly accumulated in the obstructed kidneys of rats, thereby substantially increasing the accumulation of EMO and AA in the impaired kidneys. More importantly, through hitchhiking delivery based on yeast cell wall and positive modulation of gut microbiota, our microgels with this synergistic strategy of therapeutic and modulatory interactions could regulate the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway and thus effectively ameliorate renal fibrosis in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. Conclusion: In conclusion, our work provides a new strategy for the treatment of renal fibrosis based on hitchhiking co-delivery of nanodrugs and probiotics to achieve synergistic effects of disease treatment and targeted gut flora modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the inverse issues for the heat equations with spatial‐dependent source and time‐dependent source, respectively. In this work, the source identification issues are ill‐posed, and the numerical solutions (if they exist) are not continuously dependent on the data. A mollification regularization method with Dirichlet kernel is proposed to tackle the presented problems. Convergence analyses are carried out via two regularization parameter selection rules (a priori and a posteriori), respectively. Ultimately, a series of numerical experiments are presented to verify our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sequencing the mitochondrial genome has been increasingly important for the investigation of primary mitochondrial diseases (PMD) and mitochondrial genetics. To overcome the limitations originating from PCR-based mtDNA enrichment, we set out to develop and evaluate a PCR-independent approach in this study, named Pime-Seq (PCR-independent mtDNA enrichment and next generation Sequencing). Results: By using the optimized mtDNA enrichment procedure, the mtDNA reads ratio reached 88.0 ± 7.9% in the sequencing library when applied on human PBMC samples. We found the variants called by Pime-Seq were highly consistent among technical repeats. To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of this method, we compared Pime-Seq with lrPCR based NGS by performing both methods simultaneously on 45 samples, yielding 1677 concordant variants, as well as 146 discordant variants with low-level heteroplasmic fraction, in which Pime-Seq showed higher reliability. Furthermore, we applied Pime-Seq on 4 samples of PMD patients retrospectively, and successfully detected all the pathogenic mtDNA variants. In addition, we performed a prospective study on 192 apparently healthy pregnant women during prenatal screening, in which Pime-Seq identified pathogenic mtDNA variants in 4 samples, providing extra information for better health monitoring in these cases. Conclusions: Pime-Seq can obtain highly enriched mtDNA in a PCR-independent manner for high quality and reliable mtDNA deep-sequencing, which provides us an effective and promising tool for detecting mtDNA variants for both clinical and research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a critical factor for advancing the industrial application of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. However, the low mass activity of iridium‐based catalysts has become a critical obstacle in improving the efficiency of the OER. To address this problem, a hexagonal system nanosheet structure with lattice distortion and edge‐connected [IrO6] octahedron is designed to enhance both mass activity and durability. This material exhibits a high mass activity of 217 mA mgIr−1 at 1.55 V relative to the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is 13 times greater than that of Rutile IrO2. Furthermore, the voltage of T‐CsIr exhibits no significant increase after 400 h of continuous operation at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Integrating X‐ray experimental analysis with theoretical calculations reveals that the shortening of the Ir─Ir bond and the reduction of Ir3+ proportion effectively modulate the adsorption energy of the rate‐determining step, thereby significantly promoting the kinetics of the OOH* deprotonation process. These results demonstrate that regulation of lattice distortion is a feasible approach to effectively improve the OER catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging disease to evaluate in terms of prognosis, requiring close attention to the prognosis of HCC patients. Exosomes have been shown to play an important role in HCC development and have significant potential in managing HCC patient prognosis, as they are detectable in patients' blood. By using small extracellular vesicular RNA, liquid biopsies can reflect the underlying physiological and pathological status of the originating cells, providing a valuable assessment of human health. No study has explored the diagnostic value of mRNA expression changes in exosomes for liver cancer. The present study investigated establishing a risk prognosis model based on mRNA expression levels in exosomes from blood samples of liver cancer patients and evaluated its diagnostic and prognostic value, providing new targets for liver cancer detection. We obtained mRNA data from HCC patients and normal controls from the TCGA and exoRBase 2.0 databases and established a risk prognostic assessment model using exosomes-related risk genes selected through prognostic analysis and Lasso Cox analysis. The patients were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups based on median risk score values to validate the independence and evaluability of the risk score. The clinical value of the model was further analyzed using a nomograph model, and the efficacy of immunotherapy and cell-origin types of prognostic risk genes were further assessed in the high- and low-risk groups by immune checkpoint and single-cell sequencing. A total of 44 genes were found to be significantly associated with the prognosis of HCC patients. From this group, we selected six genes (CLEC3B, CYP2C9, GNA14, NQO1, NT5DC2, and S100A9) as exosomal risk genes and used them as a basis for the risk prognosis model. The clinical information of HCC patients from the TCGA and ICGC databases demonstrated that the risk prognostic score of the model established in this study was an independent prognostic factor with good robustness. When pathological stage and risk prognostic score were incorporated into the model to predict clinical outcomes, the nomograph model had the best clinical benefit. Furthermore, immune checkpoint assays and single-cell sequencing analysis suggested that exosomal risk genes were derived from different cell types and that immunotherapy in the high-risk groups could be beneficial. Our study demonstrated that the prognostic scoring model based on exosomal mRNA was highly effective. The six genes selected using the scoring model have been previously reported to be associated with the occurrence and development of liver cancer. However, this study is the first to confirm that these related genes existed in the blood exosomes, which could be used for liquid biopsy of patients with liver cancer, thereby avoiding the need for puncture diagnosis. This approach has a high value in clinical application. Through single-cell sequencing, we found that the six genes in the risk model originate from multiple cell types. This finding suggests that the exosomal characteristic molecules secreted by different types of cells in the microenvironment of liver cancer may serve as diagnostic markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to develop a nomogram by combining chest computed tomography (CT) images and clinicopathological predictors to assess the survival outcomes of patients with primary pulmonary lymphoepithelial carcinoma (PLEC). Methods: 113 patients with stage I–IV primary PLEC who underwent treatment were retrospectively reviewed. The Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the independent prognostic factors associated with patient's disease-free survival (DFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Based on results from multivariate Cox regression analysis, the nomograms were constructed with pre-treatment CT features and clinicopathological information, which were then assessed with respect to calibration, discrimination and clinical usefulness. Results: Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed the independent prognostic factors for DFS were surgery resection and hilar and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and that for CSS were age, smoking status, surgery resection, tumor site in lobe and necrosis. The concordance index (C‑index) of nomogram for DFS and CSS were 0.777 (95% CI: 0.703–0.851) and 0.904 (95% CI: 0.847–0.961), respectively. The results of the time‑dependent C‑index were internally validated using a bootstrap resampling method for DFS and CSS also showed that the nomograms had a better discriminative ability. Conclusions: We developed nomograms based on clinicopathological and CT factors showing a good performance in predicting individual DFS and CSS probability among primary PLEC patients. This prognostic tool may be valuable for clinicians to more accurately drive treatment decisions and individualized survival assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive impairment (CI) has been the subject of extensive research, yet the precise dose-response effects remain undefined. Older adults were selected from the 2011/2012 survey at baseline and the new recruits from the 2014 and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between BMI categories and CI, and Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) was used to explore the nonlinear relationship between BMI and CI. The study included 29,380 older adults aged from 65 to 117 years, with an average age of 82 years. Of these, 13,465 were men, and 5359 exhibited cognitive impairment. The logistic model indicated that in female participants, being underweight was positively correlated with CI (OR:1.32; 95%CI 1.20–1.46), whereas being overweight was inversely correlated with CI (OR:0.86; 95%CI 0.75–0.99), and we didn't find any association between BMI category and CI in male participants. RCS modeling revealed a U-shaped relationship between BMI and CI. When stratified by sex, men exhibited a similar trend, with the lowest risk at a BMI of 22.774 kg/ m2, while women had the lowest risk of CI at a BMI of 24.817 kg/ m2. This was a cross-sectional study, it cannot provide information on causal relationships. A U-shaped relationship was observed between BMI and CI in older adults, more pronounced in the male population, suggesting that male older adults may need to manage their BMI more rigorously. • U-shaped correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and cognitive impairment was discovered. • Male older adults may need to manage their BMI more rigorously. • We recommend that Chinese male older adults should keep their BMI around 22.774 kg/m2 and female older adults keep it above 24.817 kg/m2. • Transforming cognition into a categorical variable for analysis may obscure the true relationship between overweight/obesity and cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between glycemic index (GI),glycemic load (GL) and ovarian cancer risk remains unclear. Carbohydrate intake promotes insulin secretion, leading to cell proliferation and invasion. We hypothesized that high GI and GL intake may increase ovarian cancer risk. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis after systematically searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from inception to December 2022. Fixed- or random-effect models calculated the pooled relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup, sensitivity, publication bias analysis, and dose-response analysis were performed. Nine original studies were included, involving 4716 cases and 119,960 controls. No significant association was observed between GI or GL and ovarian cancer risk (GI: RR = 1.02 [95% CI, 0.83–1.26]; GL: RR = 1.11 [95% CI, 0.84–1.47]). Subgroup analysis suggested the results were not significantly modified by any group. Sensitivity analysis identified the sources of heterogeneity. No publication bias was observed. A linear positive dose-response relationship was observed between dietary GL and ovarian cancer risk after removing heterogeneous sources (RR = 1.11 [95% CI, 1.05–1.17], I 2 = 32.9%, P =.23 at 50 U/d; RR = 1.04 [95% CI, 1.02–1.07], I 2 = 19.1%, P =.29 at 20 U/d). These outcomes suggest that high dietary GL, but not GI, is associated with significantly increased ovarian cancer risk. Thus, sufficient intake of a low dietary GL is important for reducing ovarian cancer risk. Our meta-analysis of 9 studies found that glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) were not associated with ovarian cancer. When sources of heterogeneity were identified and removed, GI was not associated with ovarian cancer risk, whereas GL increased the risk by 40%. A positive linear dose-response relationship was observed between dietary GL and ovarian cancer risk. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical activity and stability of the PBCO electrode are investigated under the annealing processes in an atmosphere containing CO2/H2O for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The electrochemical impedance spectrum results unequivocally confirm the significant deterioration in PBCO cathode performance upon annealing under ambient air conditions, particularly when exposed to CO2/H2O atmospheres. Microstructure and surface chemical state analyses reveal the segregation of BaO on the PBCO surface, and the formation of insulating BaCO3 degraded the electrochemical performance. CO2 and H2O exhibit a significant induced effect on the segregation of Ba in PBCO to the surfaces, thereby causing a rapid decline in electrode performance. Additionally, the analysis of volume relaxation reveals that the presence of oxygen in the electrode environment can also influence the deposition process occurring on the surface of the electrode. However, this phenomenon is not observed in N2. This study emphasizes the impact of various gases present in the working atmosphere on surface-separated BaO, which consequently plays a pivotal role in the activity and long-term stability of PBCO electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As fuzzy spatiotemporal information continuously increases in RDF database, it is challenging to model and query fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data efficiently and effectively. However, various researches are studied in temporal RDF database, spatial RDF database, and spatiotemporal RDF database. Querying fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data has received relatively little attention, especially approximate matching of fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data. To accomplish this, we first study fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data graph, spatiotemporal RDF query graph, and path of fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data graph. Then, we propose a scoring function for approximate evaluation of fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data graph and spatiotemporal RDF query graph. After dividing the fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data graphs into five categories based on their structure, we propose the decomposition algorithm, matching algorithm, and combination algorithm for approximate matching of fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data. Our approach adopts path-based matching so that it is easy to discover the relations between two vertices in fuzzy spatiotemporal RDF data graph. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate the performance advantages of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To screen the risk factors affecting the recurrence risk of patients with ampullary carcinoma (AC)after radical resection, and then to construct a model for risk prediction based on Lasso-Cox regression and visualize it. Methods: Clinical data were collected from 162 patients that received pancreaticoduodenectomy treatment in Hebei Provincial Cancer Hospital from January 2011 to January 2022. Lasso regression was used in the training group to screen the risk factors for recurrence. The Lasso-Cox regression and Random Survival Forest (RSF) models were compared using Delong test to determine the optimum model based on the risk factors. Finally, the selected model was validated using clinical data from the validation group. Results: The patients were split into two groups, with a 7:3 ratio for training and validation. The variables screened by Lasso regression, such as CA19-9/GGT, AJCC 8th edition TNM staging, Lymph node invasion, Differentiation, Tumor size, CA19-9, Gender, GPR, PLR, Drinking history, and Complications, were used in modeling with the Lasso-Cox regression model (C-index = 0.845) and RSF model (C-index = 0.719) in the training group. According to the Delong test we chose the Lasso-Cox regression model (P = 0.019) and validated its performance with time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curves(tdROC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The areas under the tdROC curves for 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.855, 0.888, and 0.924 in the training group and 0.841, 0.871, and 0.901 in the validation group, respectively. The calibration curves performed well, as well as the DCA showed higher net returns and a broader range of threshold probabilities using the predictive model. A nomogram visualization is used to display the results of the selected model. Conclusion: The study established a nomogram based on the Lasso-Cox regression model for predicting recurrence in AC patients. Compared to a nomogram built via other methods, this one is more robust and accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractNon-physiological blood flow conditions in axial blood pumps lead to some complications, including hemolysis, platelet activation, thrombosis, and embolism. The high speed of the axial blood pump destroys large amounts of erythrocytes, thereby causing hemolysis and thrombosis. Thus, this study aims to reduce the vortices and reflux in the flow field by optimizing the axial blood pump. The axial blood pump and arterial flow field were modeled by the finite element method. The blood was assumed to be incompressible, turbulent, and Newtonian. The SST k–ω turbulence model was used. The frozen rotor method was also used to calculate the snapshot of motion. Many vortices and reflux exist in the flow field of the blood pump without optimization. The improved flow field had almost no vortex and reflux, thereby reducing the exposure time of blood. The optimized blood pump had little influence on the pressure field and shear stress field. The optimized blood pump mainly reduced the vortex, reflux, and the risk of thrombosis in the flow field. The flow field characteristics of an axial blood pump were studied, and the results showed the risk of thrombosis and hemolysis in the blood pump. In accordance with the relationship between the blade shape and the flow field, the blade of the blood pump was optimized, reducing the vortex and reflux of the flow field, as well as the risk of thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed at investigating the effects of radiofrequency combined hot air drying (RF-HAD) on volatiles and quality attributes of indica-japonica hybrid paddy. The results indicated that RF-HAD reduced the drying time by 40% compared to hot air drying (HAD). In addition, HA-RF-dried samples showed significantly higher color, vigor, and taste value but less fatty acid value than HA dried-ones. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that RF-HAD did not affect the protein profile of rice protein. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry characterized changes in volatile components of paddy before and after drying, results showed that the content of aldehyde and ester aromatic compounds increased after drying and the content of most volatile components in RF-HA-dried paddy was higher than in HA-dried samples. Thus, the inference was that RF-HAD technology may be an innovative alternative to existing drying methods such as microwave, HA, and other drying technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for about 13–15% of all lung cancers, and about 70% of SCLC patients have developed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) at the time of diagnosis because of its highgrade malignancy, easy invasion, and metastasis. In recent years, immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has become the standard first-line treatment for ES-SCLC. However, SCLC is a relatively immune-cold lung cancer subtype with a limited number of beneficiaries and a short benefit period. Therefore, the use of biomarkers to identify populations with significant benefits from immunotherapy will help improve the efficacy and survival benefits of immunotherapy. However, predictive biomarkers suitable for clinical practice have not been established in the field of SCLC. Purpose: In order to find the predictive biomarkers of immunotherapy for ES-SCLC, we summarized the research progress of traditional biomarkers, such as programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor mutation burden (TMB), and summarizes the research of potential biomarkers associated with prognosis, such as molecular subtypes, special gene expression, expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I and II classes, tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).We aim to provide new insights on biomarkers. Conclusion: The exploration of biomarkers for immunotherapy of SCLC is still very difficult, and it is clear that conventional predictive biomarkers are not suitable for SCLC. At present, the molecular subtypes defined from transcription factors may have some guiding significance, which still needs to be confirmed by prospective clinical studies. In addition, the ctDNA positivity rate of SCLC is higher than that of other tumor types, which can also solve the dilemma of the difficulty of obtaining specimens of SCLC tissues. And the dynamic change of ctDNA also has great potential to predict the curative effect of SCLC, which is worth further clinical exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to explore the reaction mechanism, regio- and diastereoselectivities of nickel-initiated [3+2] cycloaddition between vinylcyclopropane (VCP) and N-tosylbenzaldimine assisted by phosphine ligands. Four different binding modes of the nickel center to VCP substrate were explored during the ring-opening of VCP, among which the C,C_anti and C,C_syn modes were verified to be the most accessible ones. Further explorations about four different phosphine ligand-assisted reactions based on the two most probable binding modes show that the difference in binding mode of bi- and monodentate phosphine ligands can vary the optimal reaction pathway, especially in the [3+2] cycloaddition process between the ring-opened intermediate and N-tosylbenzaldimine. The formation of C–C and C–N bonds between N-tosylbenzaldimine and the ring-opened intermediate through [3+2] cycloaddition is found to be stepwise, with the former acting as the rate-determining step (RDS) in most cases. Computed free energy barriers of RDS transition states on the optimal path I or II not only give out good predictions for reaction rates and half-lives, but also provide reasonable explanations for the major generation of cis-pyrrolidine. Noncovalent interaction analyses of key stationary points suggest the rate is influenced by both electronic effects and steric hindrance, while the diastereoselectivity is mainly controlled by electronic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the analysis of multivariate failure time data when the primary covariates are incomplete but the auxiliary covariates for them are available for the whole cohort subjects, an estimated quadratic inference function method is developed to improve the estimation efficiency under the marginal hazard model with common baseline hazard function. Both the auxiliary information and the intra-cluster correlation between the failure times are incorporated in the estimation procedure. The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal. Simulation studies demonstrate that when the intra-cluster correlation is strong or moderate, the proposed method gains noticeable efficiency compared to other existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the dual-carbon economy, HRSs play a critical role as an essential intermediary hub for upstream hydrogen production, midstream hydrogen storage and transportation, and downstream vehicle fueling. The use of renewable energy sources for hydrogen production and refueling has become a topic of great interest, and direct current (DC) microgrid-based HRSs are a promising model. However, there is a lack of research on the key influencing factors for the site selection of electric-hydrogen hybrid refueling stations. To address this research gap, this study reviewed the scientific literature on refueling station site selection and identified 34 site selection factors based on the characteristics of DC microgrid-based electric-hydrogen hybrid refueling stations. The importance of these factors was evaluated through a combination of fuzzy Delphi and LBWA models, and an optimized site selection evaluation index system was constructed. The results showed that hydrogen storage technology, wind speed, hydrogen production technology, lighting conditions, spatial safety, profit risk, and leakage risk are the key factors that influence site selection decisions. After eliminating nine non-important indicators, a site selection index system with 1-4-25 layers factors was established. The proposed key factors and index system have important guiding and reference significance for governments and investors in making site selection decisions and managing electric-hydrogen hybrid refueling station projects. [Display omitted] • Direct Current Microgrid-based Electric-Hydrogen Hybrid Refueling Station. • Fuzzy Delphi, LBWA models and Interval-valued Fuzzy Rough Numbers-based. • Constructed a site selection index system comprising 1-4-25 layers factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bio-adsorption of heavy metals (including Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+) in aqueous solution and also in an industry wastewater using the ZnO-modified date pits (MDP) as the bio-adsorbent are investigated. The fresh and used bio-adsorbents were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, BET, and XRD. The bio-adsorption parameters (including the pH of solution, the particle size of MDP, the shaking speed, the initial concentration of heavy metals, the dosing of MDP, the adsorption time, and the adsorption temperature) were screened and the data were used to optimize the bio-adsorption process and to study the bio-adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Two adsorption models (Langmuir isotherm model and Freundlich isotherm model) and three kinetic models (pseudo-first-order model, pseudo-second-order model, and intra-particle diffusion model) were applied to model the experimental data. Results show that the maximum adsorption amount of Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ on a complete monolayer of MDP are 82.4, 71.9, and 66.3 mg g−1, which are over 4 times of those of date pits-based bio-adsorbents reported in literature. The bio-adsorption of heavy metals on MDP is spontaneous and exothermic, and is regulated by chemical adsorption on the homogeneous and heterogeneous adsorption sites of MDP surface. This work demonstrates an effective modification protocol for improved bio-adsorption performance of the date pits-based bio-adsorbent, which is cheap and originally from a waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The leaf epidermis plays an important role in the transmission of light and the regulation of water and gas exchange, which influences the photosynthesis of mesophyll cells. Small papillae (SP) are one of the important structural elements of the leaf epidermis. The mechanism of the effect that small papillae have on rice leaf photosynthetic performance remains unclear. Results: In this study, a small papilla deficient 25 (spd25) mutant was isolated from japonica rice Longjin1. Small papillae were absent on the adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of the spd25 mutant and the silicon and cuticular wax content in the spd25 mutant leaves decreased. Map-based cloning and functional analysis revealed that SPD25, encoding a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rop, is a novel allele of OsRopGEF10. The spd25 mutant showed an increased water loss rate and reduced relative water content. The lower stomatal conductance in the spd25 mutant prevented water loss but decreased the intercellular CO2 concentration and net assimilation rate. The fluorescence parameters showed that the inhibited CO2 assimilation reaction feedback regulated the photochemical electron-transfer reaction, but the performance of Photosystem II was stable. Further analysis indicated that the excess light energy absorbed by the spd25 mutant was dissipated in the form of non-photochemical quenching to avoid photodamage through the optical properties of small papillae. Conclusions: SPD25 regulates the development of small papillae on the surface of rice leaves, which play an important role in balancing photosynthetic gas exchange and water loss. This study deepens our understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which small papillae affect photosynthetic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erbium oxide (Er 2 O 3) transparent ceramics were successfully fabricated with different contents of zirconia (ZrO 2) additive sintered at 1850 °C for 8 h in vacuum. The effects of ZrO 2 concentration on microstructure, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of Er 2 O 3 transparent ceramics were systematically investigated in this study. With the concentration of ZrO 2 increasing from 0 to 4 at.%, the average grain size of Er 2 O 3 transparent ceramics decreased from 166.6 to 4.7 μm. Also, the Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were increased from 7.6 ± 0.3 to 10.1 ± 0.3 GPa and 0.69 ± 0.05 to 1.09 ± 0.03 MPa m1/2, respectively. However, the thermal diffusion coefficient and thermal conductivity reduced slightly after the doping of ZrO 2. The in-line transmittance of 4 at.% ZrO 2 -doped Er 2 O 3 ceramics with the excellent optical quality reached 77% in the visible range and 78% at 1100 nm, which were 95% and 96% of the theoretical in-line transmittance of Er 2 O 3 single crystal, respectively. There were absorption peaks at 1500 nm and in the visible light range of 4 at.% ZrO 2 -doped Er 2 O 3 ceramics. The Er 2 O 3 ceramics developed in this study can be potential candidates for application in solid-state lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous expansion of spatiotemporal applications, spatiotemporal data has been widely used in various fields. Because XML (eXtensible Markup Language) has been the de-facto standard for representing and exchanging data on the Web, and fuzziness is an inherent feature of most spatiotemporal applications, researches on fuzzy spatiotemporal XML data have received increasing attention. Although XML has been employed to represent and query fuzzy spatiotemporal data, relatively little work has been carried out to integrate heterogeneous fuzzy spatiotemporal data. More importantly, current efforts do not take global and local cases into account when representing and querying heterogeneous fuzzy spatiotemporal XML data. In this paper, after presenting fuzzy spatiotemporal data based on XML, we propose an integration model for fuzzy spatiotemporal XML data. Then, feature expression and field mapping table are used to decompose the query, and the local data sources that do not exist in the query results are excluded to improve the query efficiency. Then, using the information in the feature expression, the XQuery query language is transformed into the query language corresponding to the local data source. After getting the results of each local data source, the semantic heterogeneity is eliminated by using field mapping table, and the query results are uniformly described as data source views by using XML Schema. Finally, the query results are screened and combined by using the query conditions stored in the query decomposition process. This query process shields the semantic heterogeneity and structural heterogeneity of the underlying data source, and ensures the transparency of user query. Finally, the presented instance show that our approach is correct, and the experimental results show the performance advantages of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thorium monocarbide (ThC) is interesting as an alternative fertile material to be used in nuclear breeder systems and thorium molten salt reactors because of its high thermal conductivity, good irradiation performance, and wide homogeneous composition range. Here, the influence of carbon vacancy site and concentration on lattice distortions in non-stoichiometric ThC1−x (x = 0, 0.03125, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.1875, 0.25, or 0.3125) is systematically investigated using first-principle calculations by the projector augmented wave (PAW) method. The energy, mechanical parameters, and thermodynamic properties of the ThC1-x system are calculated. The results show that vacancy disordering has little influence on the total energy of the system at a constant carbon vacancy concentration using the random substitution method. As the concentration of carbon vacancies increases, significant lattice distortion occurs, leading to poor structural stability in ThC1−x systems. The changes in lattice constant and volume indicate that ThC0.75 and ThC0.96875 represent the boundaries between two-phase and single-phase regions, which is consistent with our experiments. Furthermore, the structural phase of ThC1−x (x = 0.25–0.3125) transforms from a cubic to a tetragonal structure due to its 'over-deficient' composition. In addition, the elastic moduli, Poisson's ratio, Zener anisotropic factor, and Debye temperature of ThC1-x approximately exhibit a linear downward trend as x increases. The thermal expansion coefficient of ThC1−x (x = 0–0.3125) exhibits an obvious 'size effect' and follows the same trend at high temperatures, except for x = 0.03125. Heat capacity and Helmholtz free energy were also calculated using the Debye model; the results showed the C vacancy defect has the greatest influence on non-stoichiometric ThC1−x. Our results can serve as a theoretical basis for studying the radiation damage behavior of ThC and other thorium-based nuclear fuels in reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As industrial modernization surges forward, the heat treatment industry strives for lower pollution, reduced oxidation and defects, minimized waste, and automatization. This paper reviews the mechanisms, processes, equipment, and simulations of the vacuum gas quenching technology, presenting a comprehensive account of the structure and working principle of a typical vacuum gas quenching furnace. Firstly, the mechanism of the heat transfer process, flow process, and flow–heat transfer–phase transition coupling were summarized. Then, the influences of process parameters on the mechanical properties and distortion of vacuum gas quenched workpieces, as well as the process optimization methods, were discussed. Finally, the advantages of vacuum gas quenching in energy saving, low pollution, and high efficiency were introduced, with the future development directions figured out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes. Through special studies supported by CDC, we found that compared with Caucasians, African‐American women with breast cancer were more likely to have cancer recurrences. We are interested in exploring this racial disparity by identifying risk factors that contribute to the disparity and quantify their effects. Cancer may recur after a disease‐free (cancer cannot be detected) period. In exploring cancer recurrences, it is important to take into account competing events, for example, a patient died of cancer but never had a disease‐free period. We propose the use of the Fine‐Gray model in the multiple third‐variable analysis to explore the racial disparity. The challenges were that we have to deal with left‐truncated and right‐censored data and use different weights in the third‐variable analysis when exploring different distributions of risk factors among different racial populations. We propose an algorithm for the analysis and apply the method to explore the racial disparity in cancer recurrence on breast cancer patients diagnosed in 2011 in Louisiana. The racial disparity in breast cancer recurrence was partially explained by the tumour characteristics at the time of diagnosis, cancer subtypes and treatment, and the patients' residential environmental conditions. We are able to explain 50% of the disparity. The method is implemented in the R package mma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A preservative scheme is presented and analyzed for the solution of a quenching type convective-diffusion problem modeled through one-sided Riemann-Liouville space-fractional derivatives. Properly weighted Grünwald formulas are employed for the discretization of the fractional derivative. A forward difference approximation is considered in the approximation of the convective term of the nonlinear equation. Temporal steps are optimized via an asymptotic arc-length monitoring mechanism till the quenching point. Under suitable constraints on spatial-temporal discretization steps, the monotonicity, positivity preservations of the numerical solution and numerical stability of the scheme are proved. Three numerical experiments are designed to demonstrate and simulate key characteristics of the semi-adaptive scheme constructed, including critical length, quenching time and quenching location of the fractional quenching phenomena formulated through the one-sided space-fractional convective-diffusion initial-boundary value problem. Effects of the convective function to quenching are discussed. Numerical estimates of the order of convergence are obtained. Computational results obtained are carefully compared with those acquired from conventional integer order quenching convection-diffusion problems for validating anticipated accuracy. The experiments have demonstrated expected accuracy and feasibility of the new method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that natural killer (NK) cells migrated into the liver from peripheral organs and exerted cytotoxic effects on hepatocytes in virus-induced liver failure. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic role of chemokine receptors in the migration of NK cells in a murine hepatitis virus strain 3 (MHV-3)-induced fulminant hepatic failure (MHV-3-FHF) model and its mechanism. Results: By gene array analysis, chemokine (C–C motif) receptor 5 (CCR5) was found to have remarkably elevated expression levels in hepatic NK cells after MHV-3 infection. The number of hepatic CCR5+ conventional NK (cNK) cells increased and peaked at 48 h after MHV-3 infection, while the number of hepatic resident NK (rNK) cells steadily declined. Moreover, the expression of CCR5-related chemokines, including macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, MIP-1β and regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) was significantly upregulated in MHV-3-infected hepatocytes. In an in vitro Transwell migration assay, CCR5-blocked splenic cNK cells showed decreased migration towards MHV-3-infected hepatocytes, and inhibition of MIP-1β or RANTES but not MIP-1α decreased cNK cell migration. Moreover, CCR5 knockout (KO) mice displayed reduced infiltration of hepatic cNK cells after MHV-3 infection, accompanied by attenuated liver injury and improved mouse survival time. Adoptive transfer of cNK cells from wild-type mice into CCR5 KO mice resulted in the abundant accumulation of hepatic cNK cells and aggravated liver injury. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of CCR5 by maraviroc reduced cNK cell infiltration in the liver and liver injury in the MHV-3-FHF model. Conclusion: The CCR5-MIP-1β/RANTES axis played a critical role in the recruitment of cNK cells to the liver during MHV-3-induced liver injury. Targeted inhibition of CCR5 provides a therapeutic approach to ameliorate liver damage during virus-induced acute liver injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residences in poor regions always depend on rain-fed agriculture, so they urgently need suitable tools to make accurate meteorological predictions. Unfortunately, meteorological observations in these regions are usually sparse and irregularly distributed. Conventional LSTM networks only handle temporal sequences and cannot utilize the links of meteorological variables among stations. GCN-LSTM networks only capture local spatial structures through the simple structures of fixed adjacency matrices, and the CNN-LSTM can only mine gridded meteorological observations for further predictions. In this study, we propose an optimization hybrid of multiple-lag LSTM networks for meteorological predictions. Our model can make full use of observed data at partner stations under different time-lag windows and strong links among the local observations of meteorological variables to produce future predictions. Numerical experiments on the meteorological predictions of Bangladesh demonstrate that our networks are superior to the classic LSTM and its variants GCN-LSTM and CNN-LSTM, as well as the SVM and DT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a formal mental disorder leading to personal and social impairment. Although it shares similar physical and psychosocial effects to substance use disorder, the psychological mechanisms underlying IGD remain unclear, although several researches have made significant contributions to its understanding. This study aims to elucidate the correlation between IGD, impulsive personality and risk preference of medical college students in China, from a questionnaire-based investigation. Methods: Based on the cluster random sampling method, a questionnaire survey was conducted among medical college students in Northern Anhui, China from September 3 to October 27, 2020. The questionnaires included the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGD-20), Chinese revised of Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), and risk appetite index (RPI). Perform independent sample t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and moderating effect analysis using SPSS 23.0. P < 0. 05 is considered statistically significant. Results: 624 participants completed the survey, including 257 males (41.19%) and 367 females (58.81%). All participants were between 18 and 24 years. We found that in IGD and its six different dimensions and RPI, males scored significantly higher than females. Additionally, our finding revealed there is statistical significance in IGD and impulsiveness between gaming group with game time greater than or equal to 4 h and non-gaming group. The IGD and its six different dimensions, among which all except for mood modification are positively correlated with impulsiveness and RPI. Mediating effects indicate that RPI plays a partial mediating role between motor impulsiveness and IGD. Conclusion: The findings shows that there is a certain relationship between impulsivity and RPI, as well as IGD and its dimensions. RPI may be a mediator between impulsivity and IGD, and men have higher IGD. The findings supported the compensatory hypothesis. These findings may contribute to further research and development of intervention and prevention measures for IGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinylene‐linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are emerging as promising crystalline materials, but their narrow pore engineering is severely impeded by the weak reversibility of the carbon‐carbon double bond formation reaction, which has led to less exploration of their ultramicroporous structures and properties. Herein, we developed a single aromatic ring‐based tetratopic monomer, tetramethylpyrazine, which undergoes a smooth Knoevenegal condensation at its four arylmethly carbon atoms with linear aromatic dialdehyde monomers upon the self‐catalyzed activation of pyridine nitrogen‐containing monomers in the presence of an organic anhydride. This has resulted in the formation of two vinylene‐linked COFs, which both crystallized in orthorhombic lattices, and layered in AA stacking fashions along the vertical directions. They exhibit high surface areas and well‐tailored ultramicropore sizes up to 0.5 nm. The unique cross‐linking mode at two pairs of para‐positions of each pyrazine unit through carbon‐carbon double bonds afford them with π‐extended conjugation over the in‐plane backbones and substantial semiconducting characters. The resultant COFs can be well‐dispersed in water to form stable sub‐microparticles with negative charges (zeta potentials: ca. −30 mV), and exhibiting tunable aggregation behaviors through protonation/deprotonation. As a consequence, they exhibit pore‐size‐dependent colorimetric responses to various anions with different pKa values in high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinylene‐linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are emerging as promising crystalline materials, but their narrow pore engineering is severely impeded by the weak reversibility of the carbon‐carbon double bond formation reaction, which has led to less exploration of their ultramicroporous structures and properties. Herein, we developed a single aromatic ring‐based tetratopic monomer, tetramethylpyrazine, which undergoes a smooth Knoevenegal condensation at its four arylmethly carbon atoms with linear aromatic dialdehyde monomers upon the self‐catalyzed activation of pyridine nitrogen‐containing monomers in the presence of an organic anhydride. This has resulted in the formation of two vinylene‐linked COFs, which both crystallized in orthorhombic lattices, and layered in AA stacking fashions along the vertical directions. They exhibit high surface areas and well‐tailored ultramicropore sizes up to 0.5 nm. The unique cross‐linking mode at two pairs of para‐positions of each pyrazine unit through carbon‐carbon double bonds afford them with π‐extended conjugation over the in‐plane backbones and substantial semiconducting characters. The resultant COFs can be well‐dispersed in water to form stable sub‐microparticles with negative charges (zeta potentials: ca. −30 mV), and exhibiting tunable aggregation behaviors through protonation/deprotonation. As a consequence, they exhibit pore‐size‐dependent colorimetric responses to various anions with different pKa values in high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Hispanic (or Latinx), Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander groups are underrepresented in the biomedical workforce, which is one of the barriers to addressing cancer disparities among minority populations. The creation of a more inclusive biomedical workforce dedicated to reducing the burden of cancer health disparities requires structured, mentored research and cancer-related research exposure during the earlier stages of training. The Summer Cancer Research Institute (SCRI) is a multicomponent 8-week intensive summer program funded under the Partnership between a Minority Serving Institute and a National Institutes of Health-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. In this survey study, we found that students who participated in the SCRI Program reported greater knowledge and interest in pursuing careers in cancer-related fields than their counterparts who did not participate in SCRI. Successes, challenges, and solutions in providing training in cancer and cancer health disparities research to improve diversity in the biomedical fields were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic coatings are limited by complex preparation processes and poor mechanical durability in practical applications. In this study, a mechanically robust superhydrophobic composite coating was applied to an aluminum surface that underwent processing with a nanosecond laser (referred to as a superhydrophobic aluminum surface). It exhibits a high water contact angle (WCA) of 158.81°, a low sliding angle (SA) of less than 5°, and excellent self-cleaning ability. The wear test shows its durability, and the corrosion test shows its excellent corrosion resistance. This study provides a framework for the preparation of robust superhydrophobic surfaces that may have potential applications in many fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The ammonia assimilation process is the key process of nitrogen cycle. • The glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) pathway dominates the ammonia assimilation process. • 20 obligate core nitrogen transformation functional bacteria were identified. • 10 easily regulated stable obligate core ammonia-assimilating bacteria were screened. Nitrogen loss from compost is a serious concern, causing severe environmental pollution. The NH 4 +-N content reflects the release of NH 3. However, the nitrogen conversion pathway that has the greatest impact on NH 4 +-N content is still unclear. This study attempted to explore the key pathways, core functional microorganisms, and mechanisms involved in the transformation of ammonia nitrogen during composting. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) metabolic pathways revealed that ammonia assimilation was dominated by the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) pathway (53.4%), which is crucial for nitrogen preservation. The combined analysis of KEGG, NR species annotation, and co-occurrence network identified 20 easy-to-regulate obligate core nitrogen-transforming functional microorganisms, including 18 ammonia-assimilating bacteria. Furthermore, the effects of environmental parameters on the obligate core functional microorganisms were investigated. The present study results provided a theoretical basis for the utilization of ten ammonia-assimilating bacteria, such as Paenibacillus , Erysipelatoclostridium, and Defluviimonas to improve the quality of compost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the Garden of Mount Yu in the late Ming Dynasty, owned by the prestigious scholar-official and drama critic Qi Biaojia. As seen in his literature on Mount Yu, Qi had projected his theatrical sensitivity onto his viewing of the garden, imagining the emotional interactions between his 'theatrical self' and the garden, which emerged again on the night of his martyrdom upon Ming's collapse. In both circumstances, the alienation of a 'theatrical self' enabled Qi to immerse himself in the imagined theatrics while apprehending their illusory quality. This paper takes the nocturnal obscurity and mutability of temporal stages as opposites of daytime normality and demonstrates the obsession with theatricality and its manipulation in seventeenth-century China. Such obsession, when examined in the context of the Ming-Qing transition, reflects a philosophy of living in the post-conquest world, wherein the significance of a garden was highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop a novel method for the dynamic equivalence of a renewable power plant, ultimately contributing to power system modeling and enhancing the integration of renewable energy sources. In order to address the challenge posed by clusters of renewable generation units during the equivalence process, the paper introduces the degree of similarity to assess similarity features under data. After leveraging the degree of similarity in conjunction with data-driven techniques, the proposed method efficiently entails dividing numerous units in a large-scale plant into distinct clusters. Additionally, the paper adopts practical algorithms to determine the parameters for each aggregated cluster and streamline the intricate collector network within the renewable power plant. The equivalent model of a renewable power plant is thereby conclusively derived. Comprehensive case studies are conducted within a practical offshore wind plant setting. These case studies are accompanied by simulations, highlighting the advantages and effectiveness of the proposed method, offering an accurate representation of the renewable power plant under diverse operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving multi‐sodium storage and high operating voltage is key to boosting energy density of NASICON‐type materials. However, the activation of more redox couples is usually accompanied by asymmetric and irreversible electrochemical reactions, thus causing fast capacity fading. To address this issue, a medium‐entropy concept is proposed, and a novel medium‐entropy Na3Mn2/3V2/3Ti2/3(PO4)3/C@CNTs (ME‐NMVTP) cathode is designed. The as‐prepared ME‐NMVTP achieves a successive redox reaction, delivering a highly reversible specific capacity of 147.9 mA h g−1 at 50 mA g−1 together with a long‐term lifespan of 1000 cycles at 500 mA g−1 (capacity retention of 88.3%), which is superior to low‐entropy cathodes such as Na4MnV(PO4)3/C@CNTs (LE‐NMVP) and Na3MnTi(PO4)3/C@CNTs (LE‐NMTP). Moreover, benefiting from the entropy effect, solid‐solution and biphasic reactions with reversible structure evolution and small volume change are achieved during the multi‐sodium storage process. First‐principles calculation and kinetic analysis results affirm the enhanced electronic conductivity and facilitated Na+ migration of the ME‐NMVTP cathode derived from the synergistic effect of the three transition‐metal elementals in a medium‐entropy crystalline state. The strategy of engineering medium‐entropy to construct cathodes with superior performance is expected to be widely applicable to other electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A heteroleptic copper(I) bis(phenanthroline) complex with aldehyde groups at the 4,7 positions of the phenanthroline ligand was synthesized. The complex is responsive to alcohol, resulting in a distinct colour change caused by the facile reaction of the aldehyde group with alcohol, forming a hemiacetal product. The aldehyde species can be regenerated after heating the intermediate at 80 °C for 10 minutes, demonstrating the reusability of the complex for alcohol detection. This work presents a new strategy for applying transition metal complexes in small molecule sensing by installing functional groups in the secondary coordination sphere which reversibly react with analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The successful development of novel materials for widespread alkaline water splitting has the potential to significantly reduce costs and accelerate industrialization. In this study, the commercialized materials ceramic structure TiBO x /h-BN was processed with a bench-scale facility, reaching the 480 mV overpotential at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Notably, this modified structure demonstrated stability in harsh industrial environments (6 M KOH, 60 °C), maintaining a current density of 580 mA cm−2 for 640 h, which suggests its potential to replace existing nickel-based anode materials. During the laboratory modification process, we selectively leached the OER unfavorable structures in the multicomponent ceramics based on the excellent properties of the narrow bandgap of the conductive ceramic bulk. As a result, an interfacial amorphous structure and a highly conductive bulk that synergistically achieves high OER performance were formed. The effectiveness of this method was corroborated by both X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) results. This study provides a new strategy for developing stable and cost-effective OER materials for industrial alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolism of cells and blood circulation allow for the constant production and destruction of red blood cells. Erythrocyte formation allows red blood cells to regenerate, which is crucial for maintaining the equilibrium of the organism. Erythrocyte formation is a multi‐step, intricate process with distinct structural and functional characteristics at each stage. Erythropoiesis is regulated by a number of signaling pathways; malfunctional regulatory mechanisms may result in disease and aberrant erythropoiesis. Therefore, this article focuses on a review of the erythroid formation process, related signaling pathways, and red blood cell lineage diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to illustrate the importance of cystoscopy for the diagnosis and prognosis of bladder pain syndrome (BPS) or interstitial cystitis (IC). Methods and materials: We designed a 4-year prospective follow-up study. Patients who underwent cystoscopy between May 2011 and July 2021 with a diagnosis of BPS/IC before surgery or positive cystoscopic findings during initial surgery at Peking University People's Hospital were enrolled. Data related to symptom recurrence were obtained through clinic visits and telephone follow-up. We compared the differences in clinical features of BPS/IC subtypes differentiated by cystoscopy and first created clinical predictive nomograms for BPS/IC. Results: A total of 141 patients were included. There was an 8.51% chance of BPS/IC being misdiagnosed as other diseases or other diseases being misdiagnosed as BPS/IC without cystoscopy. Patients with HIC had higher pain scores and ICPI, higher residual urine volume, lower first-sense-to-void, and maximum cystometric bladder capacities than NHIC. Nomogram Models showed that patients who with higher ICPI, ICSI and lower AMBC have a greater recurrence probability, and lesions in the trigone may indicate a greater likelihood of recurrence than lesions in other bladder walls. Conclusions: Timely detection of bladder cancer and other diseases using cystoscopy can avoid poor treatment effects. BPS/IC subtypes can be classified according to mucosal changes under cystoscopy. Lesions in the bladder triangle can indicate a higher recurrence risk, which is important in follow-up treatment. We strongly recommend that cystoscopy should be included in the international BPS/IC diagnostic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemokine-mediated neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. The chemokine CC motif ligand 7 (CCL7) and its receptor CCR2 have been reported to contribute to neuropathic pain via astrocyte-microglial interaction in the spinal cord. Whether CCL7 in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) involves in trigeminal neuropathic pain and the involved mechanism remain largely unknown. Methods: The partial infraorbital nerve transection (pIONT) was used to induce trigeminal neuropathic pain in mice. The expression of Ccl7, Ccr1, Ccr2, and Ccr3 was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The distribution of CCL7, CCR2, and CCR3 was detected by immunofluorescence double-staining. The activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was examined by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The effect of CCL7 on neuronal excitability was tested by whole-cell patch clamp recording. The effect of selective antagonists for CCR1, CCR2, and CCR3 on pain hypersensitivity was checked by behavioral testing. Results: Ccl7 was persistently increased in neurons of TG after pIONT, and specific inhibition of CCL7 in the TG effectively relieved pIONT-induced orofacial mechanical allodynia. Intra-TG injection of recombinant CCL7 induced mechanical allodynia and increased the phosphorylation of ERK in the TG. Incubation of CCL7 with TG neurons also dose-dependently enhanced the neuronal excitability. Furthermore, pIONT increased the expression of CCL7 receptors Ccr1, Ccr2, and Ccr3. The intra-TG injection of the specific antagonist of CCR2 or CCR3 but not of CCR1 alleviated pIONT-induced orofacial mechanical allodynia and reduced ERK activation. Immunostaining showed that CCR2 and CCR3 are expressed in TG neurons, and CCL7-induced hyperexcitability of TG neurons was decreased by antagonists of CCR2 or CCR3. Conclusion: CCL7 activates ERK in TG neurons via CCR2 and CCR3 to enhance neuronal excitability, which contributes to the maintenance of trigeminal neuropathic pain. CCL7-CCR2/CCR3-ERK pathway may be potential targets for treating trigeminal neuropathic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological changes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and astrocytes are closely associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Voluntary running has been found to effectively delay AD. However, the effects of voluntary running on mPFC astrocytes in AD are unclear. A total of 40 10‐month‐old male amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) mice and 40 wild‐type (WT) mice were randomly divided into control and running groups, and the running groups underwent voluntary running for 3 months. Mouse cognition was assessed by the novel object recognition (NOR), Morris water maze (MWM), and Y maze tests. The effects of voluntary running on mPFC astrocytes were investigated using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and stereology. APP/PS1 mice performed significantly worse than WT mice in the NOR, MWM, and Y maze tests, and voluntary running improved the performance of APP/PS1 mice in these tests. The total number of mPFC astrocytes was increased, cell bodies were enlarged, and protrusion number and length were increased in AD mice compared with WT mice, but there was no difference in component 3 (C3) levels in the mPFC (total mPFC level); however, C3 and S100B levels in astrocytes were increased in AD mice. Voluntary running reduced the total number of astrocytes and S100B levels in astrocytes and increased the density of PSD95+ puncta in direct contact with astrocyte protrusions in the APP/PS1 mouse mPFC. Three months of voluntary running inhibited astrocyte hyperplasia and S100B expression in astrocytes, increased the density of synapses in contact with astrocytes, and improved cognitive function in APP/PS1 mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ureteral obstruction is a urinary system disease that causes urinary retention, renal injury, renal colic, and infection. Ureteral stents are often used for conservative treatment in clinics, and their migration usually results in ureteral stent failure. The migrations include proximal migration to the kidney side and distal migration to the bladder side, but the biomechanism of stent migration is still unknown. Method: Finite element models of stents with lengths from 6–30 cm were developed. The stents were implanted into the middle of the ureter to analyze the effect of stent length on its migration, and the effect of stent implantation position on 6-cm-long stent migration was also observed. The stents' maximum axial displacement was used to assess the ease of stent migration. A time-varying pressure was applied to the ureter outer wall to simulate peristalsis. The stent and ureter adopted friction contact conditions. The two ends of the ureter were fixed. The radial displacement of the ureter was used to evaluate the effect of the stent on peristalsis. Results and discussion: The maximum migration occurs in the positive direction for a 6-cm-long stent implanted at the proximal ureter (CD and DE), but in the negative direction at the distal ureter (FG and GH). The 6-cm-long stent demonstrated almost no effect on ureteral peristalsis. The 12-cm-long stent diminished the radial displacement of the ureter from 3–5 s. The 18-cm stent diminished the radial displacement of the ureter from 0–8 s, and the radial displacement within 2–6 s was weaker than other time. The 24-cm stent diminished the radial displacement of the ureter from 0–8 s, and the radial displacement within 1–7 s was weaker than other time. Conclusion: The biomechanism of stent migration and ureteral peristalsis weakening after stent implantation was explored. Shorter stents were more likely to migrate. The implantation position had less influence on ureteral peristalsis compared with the stent length, which provided a reference for stent design aimed at reducing stent migration. Stent length was the main factor affecting ureteral peristalsis. This study provides a reference for the study of ureteral peristalsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital revolution has swept the world, but the construction industry, the backbone of the global economy, has lagged. Government policy is expected to promote the development of digital technologies centered around building information modeling (BIM) in the construction industry. However, how digital technology–related policies diffuse within a country and influence innovation regionally remains unknown. Using 2011–2019 panel data from 31 provinces in mainland China, we found that BIM policy diffuses not only vertically among national and regional governments, but also horizontally among neighboring regional governments, both of which accelerate the adoption of BIM policy in various regions across the country. We also found that there is a causal relationship between regional BIM policies and related BIM innovation. Further, the positive influence of policies on innovation is more significant in regions with low economic development and high openness levels. This study not only contributes to understanding the impact of policy diffusion on BIM innovation, but also offers insights into the research on policies and innovation of digital technology in the construction industry from a macro perspective. The empirical evidence provides a practical reference for policymakers to accelerate the adoption of digital technology policy within the country and promote technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop the quadratic inference function method to the parameter estimation of the marginal models with general relative risk form and common baseline hazard function for multivariate failure time data. The usual exponential relative risk form is relaxed to an non-negative twice differentiable form. The proposed estimator, under some regularity conditions, is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal with a covariance matrix that can be consistently estimated. In addition, a test statistic based on the quadratic inference function for the parameter inference has been provided. The simulation results show that the proposed method taking the correlation between the failure times into the estimation procedure gains more efficiency than the method using the independent structure when the correlation cannot be ignored, and can easily deal with the situation when the cluster size is large. The proposed method is illustrated by analysis of a real data from the Diabetic Retinopathy Study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible strain sensors, particularly crack‐based ones, have evoked great interests in recent years because of their excellent sensitivity and promising applications in health monitoring and human‐machine interactions. However, the poor durability originated from the weak interfacial bonding between fragile conductive layer and stretchable elastic substrate makes it difficult to meet the needs of practical use. Herein, a strategy enabled by interfacial click chemistry is proposed for effectively enhancing the adhesion strength (τ), thereby improving the durability of the flexible strain sensors. It is found that the strong interfacial adhesion can bear larger cyclic shear force, effectively suppress the crack propagation of the conductive layer, and prevent the conductive layer from peeling off, thus stabilize the conductive path under specific strain during cyclic test, resulting in excellent durability. Moreover, the device durability (number of stable cycles, i.e., Cn) is found to linearly depend on τ, based on which "durability‐adhesion coefficient (CDA)" is defined. So far it is known, this is the first report to quantitatively establish the relationship between interfacial adhesion strength and cycling durability of crack‐based strain sensors, providing a new viewpoint for future design of flexible devices with high reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]