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Interface strain significantly affects the band structure and electronic states of metal‐nanocrystal‐2D‐semiconductor heterostructures, impacting system performance. While transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful tool for studying interface strain, its accuracy may be compromised by sample overlap in high‐resolution images due to the unique nature of the metal‐nanocrystals‐2D‐semiconductors heterostructure. Utilizing digital dark‐field technology, the substrate influence on metal atomic column contrasts is eliminated, improving the accuracy of quantitative analysis in high‐resolution TEM images. Applying this method to investigate Pt on MoS2 surfaces reveals that the heterostructure introduces a tensile strain of ≈3% in Pt nanocrystal. The x‐directional linear strain in Pt nanocrystals has a periodic distribution that matches the semi‐coherent interface between Pt nanocrystals and MoS2, while the remaining strain components localize mainly on edge atomic steps. These results demonstrate an accurate and efficient method for studying interface strain and provide a theoretical foundation for precise heterostructure fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A semi-packed gas chromatographic column has the advantages of high specific surface area and low column pressure. We report that the stagnation regions formed in the adjacent posts along the channel of the semi-packed columns can decrease the area and height of chromatographic peaks, which makes it difficult to detect low-concentration mixed gases. A semi-packed column with staggered elliptic cylindrical post arrays (SC-S) made using a micro-electro-mechanical system technique is presented, and the separation performance of SC-S is compared with that of a semi-packed column with aligned elliptic cylindrical post arrays (SC-A). The simulation results show that the width of stagnation regions in SC-S is 86.89% smaller than that in SC-A. The experimental results indicate that the area and height of chromatographic peaks increased as stagnation regions reduced. In the separation of the alkane mixture from C8 through C10 with 10 ppm concentration, the chromatographic peak of decane was hardly identified in SC-A while the chromatographic peak in SC-S was still clearly visible. The chromatographic peak heights of octane and nonane were increased by 65.06% and 130.00%, respectively, in SC-S. The peak areas of octane and nonane were increased by 120.45% and 168.18%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite interference‐fit joints are widely used in aerospace due to their reliability and load‐bearing capacity. However, they are vulnerable to lightning damage. This analyzes the prediction resistance model of a composite interference‐fit joint subjected to a current strike, focusing on electrical conductivity. Analyzing various lightning strike stages, the study establishes analytical expressions for the initial resistance related to interference‐fit size and structural dimensions before the lightning strike. Additionally, the dynamic resistance change after the lightning strike is investigated, considering the influence of the current waveform. Non‐destructive tests are employed for verification and refinement. The findings reveal a correlation between the initial resistance and the interference‐fit size in pre‐strike stage, while both the interference‐fit size and the peak current influence the equivalent resistance under low lightning current conditions. Notably, an intermediate interference‐fit size provides a substantial protective gain for the composite connection. This approach eliminates the need for destructive tests and offers a dependable data reference for aircraft component assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arc floating in surface flashover can be controlled by reducing the interfacial charge-transfer resistance of ceramics. However, thus far, only a few studies have been conducted on methods of treating ceramic surfaces directly to reduce the interfacial charge-transfer resistance. Herein, we explore the flash sintering behavior of a ceramic surface (3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ)) onto which loose metal (iron) powder was spread prior to flash sintering at room temperature (25 °C). The iron powder acts as a conductive phase that accelerates the start of flash sintering while also doping the ceramic phase during the sintering process. Notably, the iron powder substantially reduces the transition time from the arc stage to the flash stage from 13.50 to 8.22 s. The surface temperature (~1600 °C) of the ceramic substrate is sufficiently high to melt the iron powder. The molten metal then reacts with the ceramic surface, causing iron ions to substitute Zr4+ ions and promoting rapid densification. The YSZ grains in the metal-infiltrated area grow exceptionally fast. The results demonstrate that spreading metal powder onto a ceramic surface prior to flash sintering can enable the metal to enter the ceramic pores, which will be of significance in developing and enhancing ceramic–metal powder processing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) has been recognized as a typical hepatotoxic cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria. Nowadays, due to the frequent occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms, the underlying hepatotoxic mechanism of MC-LR has become the focus of attention. In our present work, the mutagenic effect of MC-LR on human normal hepatic (HL-7702) cells regulated by cGAS was mainly studied. Here, we showed that exposure to MC-LR for 1–4 days could activate the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and then trigger immune response in HL-7702 cells. Notably, relative to the treatment with 1 μM MC-LR for 1–3 days, it was observed that when HL-7702 cells were exposed to 1 μM MC-LR for 4 days, the mutation frequency at the Hprt locus was remarkably increased. In addition, cGAS in HL-7702 cells was also found to complete the nuclear translocation after 4-day exposure. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation and homologous recombination (HR)-directed DSB repair assay were applied to show that homologous recombination repair was inhibited after 4-day exposure. However, the intervention of the nuclear translocation of cGAS by transfecting BLK overexpression plasmid restored homologous recombination repair and reduced the mutation frequency at the Hprt locus in HL-7702 cells exposed to MC-LR. Our study unveiled the distinct roles of cGAS in the cytoplasm and nucleus of human hepatocytes as well as potential mutagenic mechanism under the early and late stage of exposure to MC-LR, and provided a novel insight into the prevention and control measures about the hazards of cGAS-targeted MC-LR. [Display omitted] • Exposure to MC-LR inflicted the mutation at the Hprt locus in HL-7702 cells. • MC-LR activated the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and induced inflammatory response. • MC-LR induced the nuclear translocation of cGAS and impeded HRR. • BLK inhibited the nuclear translocation of cGAS and mutagenesis induced by MC-LR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper applies fractal theory to the structure of fractal coal pores and calculates the fractal dimension and integrated fractal dimension for each pore section >100 nm, 100 nm > d > 5.25 nm, and <2 nm. In the experiment, we performed the full stress–strain-seepage experiment of methane-bearing coal, revealed the deformation–seepage characteristics of methane-bearing coal under load, and deduced the dynamic prediction mechanical model of methane-bearing coal permeability based on pore heterogeneity, followed by practical verification. The results show that the permeability change in methane-bearing coal is an external manifestation of coal pore deformation, and the two are closely related and affected by changes in the effective stress coefficient. The derived fractal-deformation-coupled methane permeability mechanics model based on coal pore heterogeneity has high accuracy, a general expression for the stress–strain-permeability model based on coal heterogeneity is given, and the fractal Langmuir model is verified to be highly accurate (>0.9) and can be used for coal reservoir permeability prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro gas chromatography column (μGCC) is one of the key components of the miniaturized gas chromatography system. However, light alkanes are difficult to be separated by a micro gas chromatography column, especially for methane and ethane, because the length of μGCC is limited by the area of a silicon substrate. More importantly, the heterogeneous microchannel surface formed by silicon glass bonding causes uneven stationary phase coating and the forces between the untreated microchannel surfaces and the stationary phase materials are weak, which will prevent the improvement of separation performance. In this paper, a micro gas chromatography column (μGCC) with uniform HKUST-1 stationary phase is reported. Significantly, an alumina film prepared by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is used to homogenize the heterogeneous microchannels. The alumina is a hydrophilic material and the alumina made by the ALD technique is uniform. The forces between hydrophilic alumina film and HKUST-1 are strong, which can greatly improve the coating uniformity of the hydrophilic stationary phase HKUST-1. The test results show that the μGCC could baseline separate the light alkane mixtures (CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 , and C 4 H 10) at the high testing temperature of 120 °C. The maximum resolution of the difficult-separated methane and ethane reached 19.2, which is 108 % higher than the μGCC using the same stationary phase without homogenizing the microchannel inner surface. The μGCC uses ALD alumina film to homogenize the microchannel inner surface; meanwhile, hydrophilic ALD alumina has a strong electrostatic attraction with the hydrophilic stationary phase HKUST-1. Homogeneous microchannel surface and strong electrostatic attraction are favorable to obtain uniform stationary phase which greatly improves the separation performance, resulting in a large resolution for methane and ethane. The μGCC has broad application prospects in light alkane separation. [Display omitted] • A novel μGCC with a homogeneous microchannel. • The uniform distribution of the HKUST-1 stationary phase is obtained. • Baseline separation of light alkanes (C1–C4) at 120 °C is obtained. • The resolution of methane and ethane can reach 19.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the significant characteristics of decentralization and tamper resistance of blockchain technology, it helps to solve the problems of timeliness and slow permission control in traditional information sharing. However, most researchers are committed to exploring how to improve the efficiency, reliability, and privacy security of digital twin data. There is a lack of research on issues such as blockchain participants free-riding and not actively participating in information sharing, and how to promote information sharing through incentives. Therefore, this paper designs a distance grouping based practical byzantine fault tolerance consensus algorithm to address the credibility issue of transmitted data, thereby improving the efficiency of negotiation. The feasibility of the algorithm is verified through cases analysis. In addition, for the problem of low subjective willingness of information sharing, this paper designs an information sharing incentive strategy based on blockchain intelligent contracts, establishes digital twin data sharing evolutionary game models with reputation incentives and non-reputation incentives, so as to explore the impact of reputation incentive on evolutionary stability strategies. Finally, simulation analysis is conducted on the evolutionary game model of digital twin data sharing. The impact of several key indicators such as data complementarity, trust, positive incentive coefficient, and data sharing cost on the evolution process of information sharing are considered, and corresponding management insights are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Mg, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn)1−xLixO is a type of high-entropy oxide that has high ionic conductivity at room temperature and is used as a solid electrolyte. (Mg, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn)1−xLixO was successfully synthesized from precursor powder by applying reactive flash sintering for less than 4 min at room temperature (25 °C). AC and DC electric fields were independently applied to sinter ceramic samples; consequently, AC and DC electric field application resulted in relative densities that exceeded 90% and 80%, respectively. X-ray diffraction spectra of samples revealed the existence of a clear halite structure with an insignificant impurity phase, proving that (Mg, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn)1−xLixO crystals were successfully produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas chromatography column is one of the key components of the gas chromatograph and typically be miniaturized using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology. Due to the limited area of the Si wafer, the column length of micro gas chromatographic column (μGCC) is usually much smaller than that of commercial chromatographic columns. Therefore, it is always difficult to use μGCCs to separate small molecule gas components such as light hydrocarbons. More importantly, the heterogeneous microchannel surface formed by silicon glass bonding causes uneven stationary phase coating, further preventing the improvement of separation performance. In this paper, a novel all-glass based μGCC with 2 m length for the separation of light hydrocarbons is proposed. The microchannels of the μGCC were directly prepared in the glass substrate by ultrafast laser assisted chemical etching (ULAE). The all-glass microchannels make the coating of the hydrophilic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) stationary phase continuously because of the homogeneous material composition. Therefore, a widely used copper based hydrophilic MOFs HKUST-1 was used as stationary phase for coating and testing. The test results show that the μGCC which is an open tubular column can realize the baseline separation of light hydrocarbons at 100 °C. And the resolution of difficult separated compounds, methane and ethane, can reach 12.98, which is 201.86 % higher than the silica-based monolithic capillary column in the relevant research. The resolution of ethane and ethylene reaches 6.81 at 120 °C. The μGCC fabricated by ULAE method is composed of all-glass and has the uniform stationary phase coating because of the homogeneous microchannel surface which greatly improve the separation performance, resulting in a large resolution for methane and ethane. The all-glass μGCC has broad application prospects in light hydrocarbon separation. [Display omitted] • A novel all-glass based μGCC prepared by ULAE method. • The microchannels made by homogeneous material resulting continuous stationary phase coating. • Baseline separation of light hydrocarbons (C 1 –C 4) at 100 °C. • The resolution of methane and ethane can reach 12.98. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial growth has led to increased electronic component integration, resulting in higher working temperatures and technological failures. Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) could reach cryogenic temperatures with fast-responding, but its heat transfer limitation due to liquid film deposition is potentially challenging. In this study, CSC cooling is incorporated with either a cold air jet (CAJ) or a sweeping jet (SWJ) to enhance heat and fluid flow. A K-type thermocouple is used for measuring the surface temperature, while the improved Duhamel theorem is used to estimate the heat flux. The spray and film intensities are recorded through the Mie-scattering methodology via high-speed camera. The results demonstrated that the CAJ/SWJ exhibited a significant reduction in surface temperature and film intensity, enhanced heat dissipation and spray efficiency compared to CSC cooling. More precisely, it demonstrated a 26%–36% heat transfer coefficient improvement, along with a 52% increase in the corresponding time of the critical heat flux. Meanwhile, the CAJ/SWJ intensifies heat transfer during film and transition boiling, inspired by the fast liquid film evaporations. In contrast, the SWJ is much preferred due to its wider and stable coolant coverage throughout film evaporation, as seen by its greater heat transfer coefficient. The combined results demonstrated the need to promptly eliminate the deposited film, as it holds the potential to serve as a pivotal resolution for the advancement of thermal management technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study investigated the influence of ultrasonic treatments on the chemical conversions of catechins. Ultrasound treatments significantly enhanced the epimerisation and the hydrolysis of catechins in both the catechins solution and the tea extract solution. Catechins are more stable in the tea extract solution compared to the catechins solution. The conversion of catechins induced by ultrasound can be controlled by temperature and pH. Regard to the pyrogallol‐type catechins, both the epimerisation and the hydrolysis were enhanced at the higher temperatures (60 and 70 °C) and the acidic condition (pH 6). The epimerisation and the hydrolysis of (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) improved by 47% and 18%, respectively, when the temperature rose from 50 to 70 °C. Compared to pH 8, the epimerisation and the hydrolysis of EGCG at pH 6 improved by 27% and 39%, respectively. This study can be utilised to develop appropriate ultrasound‐assisted method to produce particular catechin monomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The composite FG-HKUST-1 was used as a stationary phase for the μGCC. • The μGCC can effectively separate light hydrocarbon mixtures (C 1 -C 4) with a resolution of 9.2 for methane and ethane. • The difference in the retention time between methane and ethane was 1.11 min. • The retention factor of ethane and the resolution of methane and ethane were increased by 166 % and 114 %. A composite material was synthesized at room temperature by performing modification of the copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (HKUST-1) metal-organic framework material by multilayer fluorinated graphene (FG). The FG-HKUST-1 composite was used as a stationary phase for a micro gas chromatography column (μGCC) fabricated using micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology. The separation results showed that the μGCC with the FG-HKUST-1 composite stationary phase achieved a baseline separation of C 1 -C 4 in 8 min. The retention factors for C 2 -C 4 were 2.13, 7.14, and 12.04, respectively. The maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) of the retention times was 0.14 %. The difference in the retention time between methane and ethane was 1.11 min, with a resolution of 9.2 for methane and ethane. The retention factor of ethane and the resolution of methane and ethane were increased by 166 % and 114 %. Therefore, this μGCC is promising for separating light hydrocarbons with widely differing concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves are the primary structures responsible for photosynthesis, making leaf morphology one of the most important traits of rice plant architecture. Both plant architecture and nutrient utilization jointly affect rice yield, however, their molecular association is still poorly understood. We identified a rice mutant, leaf width 5 (lw5), that displayed small grains and wide leaves and possesses characteristics typical of a small "sink" and a large "source". Map-based cloning and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing indicated that LW5 affects both the plant architecture and yield. It is an allele of D1 , encoding the rice G protein α subunit. The loss of LW5 functioning leads to an increase in the rate of photosynthesis, vascular bundles, and chlorophyll content. However, the grain-straw ratio and the rate of grain filling decreased significantly. The detection results of 15N-ammonium nitrate and an expression analysis of genes associated with nitrogen demonstrated that LW5 serves an important role in nitrate uptake and transport. LW5 affects plant architecture and grain size by regulating nitrogen transfer. These results provide a theoretical foundation for further research surrounding the molecular mechanism of "source-sink" balance in rice and suggest novel methods of molecular design for the cultivation of breeding super rice in ideal plant types. • The plant architecture and the nutrients utilization are jointly affect rice yields. • lw5 displayed small grains and wide leaves, and possessed typical characteristics of small "sink" and large "source". • LW5 encoded the rice G protein α subunit. • LW5 affects the plant architecture and grain size by regulating nitrogen uptake and transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Stöber method was used to synthesize silicon sphere carriers with uniform size. The surface of the silicon sphere carrier was treated with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and 2-bromopropionyl bromide as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator and grafted with polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA) by ATRP. Bismuth nitrate was used as bismuth source to form polymer-metal complex with PHEMA. Sodium borohydride was used to reduce the bismuth ions in the composite material to metallic bismuth, and the metal bismuth on the surface of the composite material was oxidized in air atmosphere at 450 °C to obtain the inorganic–organic bismuth oxide composite. The morphology, elemental composition and photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B by bismuth oxide composite were characterized by various measurements. The TG and TEM results show that the composite material has good thermal stability, and Bi2O3 has very good dispersibility and stability in the prepared Bi2O3 composite. When the pH value is 4 with a catalyst dosage of 1.2 g/L, the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B can reach 99.3% after 4 h of light irradiation, which is 24.2% higher than that of pure bismuth oxide. After 5 cycles, Bi2O3 composites still have a strong degradation effect with a degradation rate of 90.1% for Rhodamine B dye solution, which illuminates that the prepared Bi2O3 composite has good cyclic degradation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) and the Thoracolumbar AOSpine Injury Score (TL AOSIS) have any superiority to each other in terms of the reliability of their recommendations for guiding the treatment strategy of thoracolumbar spine injuries. A total of 110 consecutive patients with thoracolumbar injuries hospitalized from January to September 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The TLICS and the TL AOSIS systems were compared based on patients' therapeutic decisions suggested by each system. A total of 110 patients were studied. The TL AOSIS matched treatment decision-making in 108 patients (98.18%), and the TLICS matched 96 patients (87.27%). Of the patients without neurologic deficit, according to TL AOSIS system, 12 of 62 received >5 points, 12 received 4 or 5 points, and 38 received <4 points. According to TLICS system, 12 of 62 received ≥5 points, 50 received ≤3 points, and none received 4 points. The TL AOSIS matched 60 patients (96.77%), and the TLICS matched 48 patients (77.42%). Of the patients with neurologic deficits, according to TL AOSIS system, 36 of 48 received >5 points, and 12 received 4 or 5 points. According to TLICS system, 22 received >4 points, and 26 received 4 points, and the systems achieved agreement. Recommendations of TL AOSIS might be more reliable than those of TLICS particularly for guiding the surgical management of complete burst fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Not a large number of previous studies have reported the normal sagittal balance of the cervical spine and physiological cervical lordosis (CL) has not been clearly defined yet. Methods: This was a prospective radiological analysis of asymptomatic subjects. The following cervical sagittal parameters were measured: CL, thoracic inlet angle (TIA), T1 slope (T1S), neck tilt (NT), and C2–7 sagittal vertical axis (C2–7 SVA). The Pearson correlation test was calculated, and the stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted by using the CL (dependent variable) and the other cervical sagittal parameters (independent variables) to determine the best sets of predictors. A paired sample t test was conducted between the predicted and measured values. Results: The mean age of 307 participants was 24.54 + 3.07. The mean CL, TIA, T1S, NT, and C2–C7 SVA was 17.11° ± 6.31°, 67.87° ± 7.78°, 25.84° ± 5.36°, 42.53° ± 6.68°, and 14.60 ± 8.20 mm, respectively. The formula was established as follows: CL = 0.762 × T1S − 0.392 × C2–C7 SVA + 0.25 × TIA − 13.795 (R = 0.812, R2 = 0.660) (stepwise multiple regression) and CL = 0.417 × TIA − 11.193 (R = 0.514, R2 = 0.264) (simple linear regression). There was no statistical difference between the predicted CL and the measured CL (t = 0.034, P = 0.973). Conclusions: There was a significant correlation between CL and other cervical sagittal parameters, including TIA, T1S, NT, and C2–C7 SVA in asymptomatic Chinese population. The results of this study may serve as a normal reference value for the study of asymptomatic population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the flash sintering behavior of zinc oxide nanopowder at an onset furnace temperature as low as 50 °C without sintering aids under an AC electric field up to 2800 V/cm. As the electric field applied in the specimens increased and the flash sintering occurred in air, the onset furnace temperature decreased from 190 to 126 °C, while with the thermal insulation method, the onset furnace temperature decreased to 50 °C. The surface temperature of the specimens was observed with a thermal infrared camera, and the peak temperature was 1404 °C. A high density >92% was achieved with thermal insulation flash sintering and an electric field of 2800 V/cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasion of the exotic cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora , has become a global crisis and its spread is leading to significant alterations in the functions of ecosystems. However, alteration in nutrient levels caused by invasion of non-native plant species is poorly understood, and the effects of invasive plants on sediment nutrients found in previous studies are contradictory. In this study, we hypothesized that an exotic plant species invasion will change the chemical characteristics of an ecosystem over time. To test this hypothesis, the spatial distribution of S. alterniflora in 2006, 2010 and 2014 was analyzed by aerial images, Google Earth satellite images and field investigations. Furthermore, according to the space–time reciprocal principle, a primary field survey with three locations (S1, S2 and S4) was conducted in 2014, and sediment nutrient levels, including total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were quantified to investigate the invasive effects of S. alterniflora. We also investigated six locations (S1–S6) in 2016 in the same manner to compare the changes in sediment nutrients between the two years. The area infested with S. alterniflora increased from 10.8 ha in 2006, to 26.2 ha in 2010, and 37.5 ha in 2014, with a 35.6% annual expansion rate between 2006 and 2010, and a 10.8% annual expansion rate between 2010 and 2014, respectively. Considering the two field survey results, we found that S. alterniflora invasion increased sediment nutrient levels in the early-term (i.e., S1–S4 period, approximately 10 years), and then significantly decreased TC, TN and TP content to levels even lower than bare beach. Analyses of stoichiometry characteristics of the sediment nutrients also verified these two apparent stages. The results showed that early-term invasion of S. alterniflora and subsequent invasion alter sediment nutrients differently, and these results may explain the seemingly contradictory increases and decreases in nutrient levels reported in previous studies. Our results provide important information that furthers our understanding of the impact of S. alterniflora invasion. • The annual expansion rate of S. alterniflora was 35.6% in 2006–2010. • The annual expansion rate of S. alterniflora was 10.8% in 2010–2014. • Early-term invasion of S. alterniflora increased sediment TC, TN and TP. • Subsequent invasion about 10 years later decreased sediment nutrients. • TC, TN and TP were significantly related to C;N ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has emerged as a promising candidate for the dielectric layer in implantable sensors due to its exceptional biocompatibility, stability, and flexibility. This study introduces an innovative approach to produce graphene-reinforced PDMS (Gr-PDMS), where graphite powders are exfoliated into mono- and few-layer graphene sheets within the polymer solution, concurrently forming cross-linkages with PDMS. This method yields a uniformly distributed graphene within the polymer matrix with improved interfaces between graphene and PDMS, significantly reducing the percolation threshold of graphene dispersed in PDMS from 10% to 5%. As-synthesized Gr-PDMS exhibits improved mechanical and electrical properties, tested for potential use in capacitive pressure sensors. The results demonstrate an impressive pressure sensitivity up to 0.0273 kpa−1, 45 times higher than that of pristine PDMS and 2.5 times higher than the reported literature value. The Gr-PDMS showcases excellent pressure sensing ability and stability, fulfilling the requirements for implantable intracranial pressure (ICP) sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The equivalent discharging circuit of the hybrid cascaded LCC/MMC inverter is simplified into a first-order RL circuit by assuming the firing-advance angle is constant after the fault. • The mathematical fault current expressions of the hybrid cascaded LCC/MMC high voltage direct current system are analyzed. • By changing the inserted sequence of submodules, an active fault current limiting strategy based on the submodule sorting algorithm is proposed. • The proposed active current limiting strategy can cooperate with other current limiting strategies to further suppress the fault current. The hybrid cascaded LCC/MMC high voltage direct current (HC-HVDC) system is a prospective topology that can avoid the commutation failure problem of LCC-HVDC while ensuring bulk power transmission capability. However, the complex topology results in different DC fault characteristics at the receiving end, which brings challenges to fault detection and current limiting technology. As a result, it is of great theoretical importance to investigate the fault characteristics of the HC-HVDC system and propose the corresponding fault current limiting strategy. Firstly, this paper simplifies the equivalent discharging circuit of the hybrid cascaded LCC/MMC inverter into a first-order RL circuit by assuming the firing-advance angle is constant after fault, and proposes the fault current expressions by Laplace transform. Secondly, by changing the insertion sequence of submodules, an active fault current limiting strategy based on the submodule sorting algorithm (SMS-FCL) is proposed, which can accomplish fault current suppression, reactive power and DC voltage support, and energy loss reduction simultaneously. Moreover, the proposed SMS-FCL can cooperate with other FCLs to further suppress the fault current, and the cooperation prerequisites are analyzed. Finally, an LCC-LCC/MMC HVDC system is built in PSCAD/EMTDC to validate the accuracy of the proposed fault current expressions and the effectiveness of the current limiting strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuciferine aporphine alkaloid mainly exists in Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn and is a beneficial to human health, such as anti-obesity, lowering blood lipid, prevention of diabetes and cancer, closely associated with inflammation. Importantly, nuciferine may contribute to its bioactivities by exerting intense anti-inflammatory activities in multiple models. However, no review has summarized the anti-inflammatory effect of nuciferine. This review critically summarized the information regarding the structure-activity relationships of dietary nuciferine. Moreover, biological activities and clinical application on inflammation-related diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, liver, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, as well as their potential mechanisms, involving oxidative stress, metabolic signaling, and gut microbiota has been reviewed. The current work provides a better understanding of the anti-inflammation properties of nuciferine against multiple diseases, thereby improving the utilization and application of nuciferine-containing plants across functional food and medicine. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The removals of chlorothalonil, pyrazophos, and carbendazim residues form pakchoi by ultrasonic treatment were investigated in this study. The ultrasonic treatment has higher efficiency on the removal of pesticides compared to traditional water soaking. The removal rates of ultrasonic treatment for chlorothalonil, pyrazophos, and carbendazim residues were in the range of 13.87–74.86%, 21.74–45.68%, and 5.12–24.63%, respectively. The removal rates increased with the increase of ultrasonic power, while decreased with the increase of ultrasonic frequency. Besides, the physical damage and vitamin C loss for pakchoi leaves caused by ultrasonic treatment were also evaluated. Results showed that both the physical damage and vitamin C loss increased with the increase of ultrasonic power but decreased with the increase of ultrasonic frequency. A simple three-variable linear model was built up to estimate the loss of vitamin C according to the physical damage on leaves. In conclusion, ultrasonic treatment is an effective technique for the removal of pesticide residues from leafy vegetables. Ultrasonic condition should be considered to avoid the physical damage and the vitamin C loss for vegetables. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Removal of pesticide residues increased when ultrasonic power increased. • Removal of pesticide residues decreased when ultrasonic frequency increased. • Leaves damage increased with the increase of cleaning efficiency. • Vitamin C loss increased with the increase of cleaning efficiency. • Linear model was built to estimate the loss ratio of vitamin C by leaves damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel micro gas chromatography column (μGCC) with straight-sided elliptic microchannel cross sections was prepared by ultrafast laser-assisted chemical etching inside a glass substrate. The straight-sided elliptic cross sections resulted in a uniform distribution of the flow velocity field. This uniform distribution and the use of a microchannel with a consistent composition led to a uniform stationary phase coating. Upon the separation of a test mixture of C7–C11 alkanes, highly symmetrical chromatographic peaks were obtained. The tailing factors of the chromatographic peaks ranged from 0.95 to 1.05, which satisfies the relevant provisions of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (ChP). The test results show that the improvement of the tailing factors is mainly due to the optimization of the cross-section structure rather than the optimization of the test conditions. Notably, due to the simple preparation processes and the low cost of the glass substrate, the total manufacturing cost of this novel μGCC is low. [Display omitted] • A novel μGCC was fabricated by ULAE inside the glass substrate. • The μGCC has straight-sided elliptic microchannel cross sections. • The μGCC has uniform stationary phase distribution with T f of 0.95–1.05. • The μGCC is suitable for high accuracy qualitative and quantitative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aid of the reciprocal transformation between the modified short pulse (mSP) equation and the sine-Gordon (sG) equation, certain periodic solutions of the mSP equation are constructed. Both one-phase and two-phase periodic solutions are presented. Taking the proper limits of those periodic solutions, various solitary wave solutions such as one-cuspon, two-cuspon and one-breather solutions are recovered. In addition, three novel standing wave solutions for the mSP equation are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Measles-containing vaccine (MCV) has been effective in controlling the spread of measles. Some countries have declared measles elimination. But recently years, the number of cases worldwide has increased, posing a challenge to the global goal of measles eradication. This study estimated the relationship between meteorological factors and measles using spatiotemporal Bayesian model, aiming to provide scientific evidence for public health policy to eliminate measles. Methods: Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on monthly data of measles and meteorological variables in 136 counties of Shandong Province from 2009 to 2017. Spatiotemporal Bayesian model was used to estimate the effects of meteorological factors on measles, and to evaluate measles risk areas at county level. Case population was divided into multiple subgroups according to gender, age and occupation. The effects of meteorological factors on measles in subgroups were compared. Results: Specific meteorological conditions increased the risk of measles, including lower relative humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure; higher wind velocity, sunshine duration, and diurnal temperature variation. Taking lowest value (Q1) as reference, RR (95%CI) for higher temperatures (Q2–Q4) were 0.79 (0.69–0.91), 0.54 (0.44–0.65), and 0.48 (0.38–0.61), respectively; RR (95%CI) for higher relative humidity (Q2–Q4) were 0.76 (0.66–0.88), 0.56 (0.47–0.67), and 0.49 (0.38–0.63), respectively; RR (95%CI) for higher wind velocity (Q2–Q4) were 1.43 (1.25–1.64), 1.85 (1.57–2.18), 2.00 (1.59–2.52), respectively. 22 medium-to-high risk counties were identified, mainly in northwestern, southwestern and central Shandong Province. The trend was basically same in the effects of meteorological factors on measles in subgroups, but the magnitude of the effects was different. Conclusions: Meteorological factors have an important impact on measles. It is crucial to integrate these factors into public health policies for measles prevention and control in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the reactivity of free guanidine and arginine in the formation of imidazolinone derivatives, model systems of guanidine or arginine/glucose or 13 [C-6]-glucose were heated in aqueous solutions at110 °C for 3 h and the residues were analyzed by ESI/qTOF/MS using MS/MS and isotope labeling techniques. The analysis of the data indicated that guanidine and arginine formed both covalent and non-covalent interaction products. Covalent interactions included Amadori rearrangement at the α-nitrogen with glucose and imidazolinone formation with 3-deoxy-glucosone at the guanidine side-chain. Non-covalent interactions, such as self-interaction and interaction with free guanidine or arginine and glucose, were also observed. Guanidine underwent three sequential Amadori rearrangements and the free and mono-glycated guanidine also formed imidazolinone derivatives and their corresponding dehydration products and at the same time exhibiting various non-covalent interactions. On the other hand, arginine formed free Amadori product, free imidazolinone and Amadori-derived imidazolinone derivative in addition to methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pu-erh ripened tea is produced through a unique microbial fermentation process from the sun-dried leaves of large-leaf tea species ( Camellia sinensis (Linn.) var. assamica (Masters) Kitamura) in Yunnan province of China. In this study, the changes of amino acid profiles during fermentation of Pu-erh tea were investigated, based on the improved HPLC–UV method with PITC pre-column derivatization for the simultaneous determination of twenty free amino acids. Results showed that aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, alanine, theanine and tyrosine were the major amino acids in tea samples. Fermentation significantly influenced on the amino acid profiles. The total free amino acid contents significantly decreased during fermentation ( p < 0.05). Meanwhile, low amount of acrylamide were detected. Its concentration increased after 7-days’ fermentation and then decreased gradually. The results provided the useful information for the manipulation of fermentation process according to the changes of amino acids and acrylamide contents in Pu-erh ripened tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Acrylamide ( AA) is a potential carcinogen which widely exists in heat-processed foods. The addition of glycine (Gly) has been shown to reduce the formation of AA. The objective of this work was to investigate the kinetics of the inhibition of AA by Gly in both asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc) and Asn/Glc/Gly potato model systems during heating at 160 °C, 180 °C, and 200 °C. RESULTS The simplified two consecutive first-order kinetic model fitted well to the changes of AA in both systems. No significant difference in rate constant ( kF) and apparent activation energy ( EaF) was observed for AA formation between the two systems ( P > 0.05). Whereas EaE and only kE at 200 °C for AA elimination in the Asn/Glc/Gly system was significantly higher than Asn/Glc system ( P < 0.05). The elimination reaction between Gly and AA was confirmed by the identification of their major reaction product 2-((3-amino-3-oxopropyl)amino)acetic acid in the Asn/Glc/15 N-Gly system. CONCLUSION The reduction of AA by Gly is predominantly attributed to the elimination reaction between Gly and AA. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing variety of researches and related applications on terahertz (THz). It is a new type of radiation source whose radiation lies in the so-called terahertz gap. However, due to the limitations of natural materials, the terahertz band rarely has effective response. Metamaterials, which have emerged in recent years, are artificial composite electromagnetic materials composed of periodic elements. In the terahertz band, it has special physical properties not found in natural materials. Toroidal dipoles can be detected by modeling tunable terahertz metamaterials. A tunable toroidal dipole device based on a perovskite terahertz metamaterial combining perovskite with organic and inorganic hybrid halide perovskite films is proposed. The optical parameters of perovskite can be changed from toroidal dipole to magnetic dipole and electric dipole by pumping light. This research is of great significance to the design of terahertz devices such as filters and modulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cit significantly enhanced the formation of AA in a dose-dependent manner. • Cit rather than its oxidation product played a major role in the formation of AA. • Cit directly reacted with Asn via the Maillard reaction producing AA. • Cit promoted the formation of AA between Asn and Glc. This work aimed to evaluate the role of citral (Cit) in the formation of acrylamide (AA) in model systems. The asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc), Asn/Glc/ginger essential oil (GEO), and Asn/Glc/Cit model systems were prepared and analysed by UPLC-MS/MS. Cit was implicated to be a major product that contributed to the enhancement of AA formation by GEO. The addition of Cit significantly enhanced the formation of AA in the Asn/Glc model system in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis showed Cit rather than its oxidation product played a major role in AA formation. Cit not only directly reacted with Asn via the Maillard reaction producing AA but also promoted the formation of AA between Asn and Glc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• His decreased the concentrations of HMF and AA in model systems and cookies. • Competitive reaction between Asn and His with Glc attributed to AA inhibition. • His eliminated the formed HMF via the carbonyl–amine reaction. • His eliminated two AA molecule via the Michael addition. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acrylamide (AA) are neoformed food contaminants. In this study, the simultaneous inhibition of HMF and AA by histidine (His) were investigated. In the asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc) model system, the inhibition ratios of HMF and AA were in the range of 28–58% and 0–71% when 20 mmol/L His was added. In cookies, His also exhibited excellent inhibition effects on both HMF and AA. At the His concentration of 2% (w/w), the inhibition ratios of HMF and AA reached 90% and 65%. Additionally, the sensory quality of cookies was not affected significantly. Qualitative results suggested that His inhibited the formation of AA by the competitive reaction between His and Asn for Glc, as well as directly eliminated the formed HMF and AA via the carbonyl–amine reaction and the Michael addition, respectively. This study revealed that His could be applied for the inhibition of HMF and AA in heated food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ambient pressure and less sodium hydroxide were used, demonstrating the sustainability of the process. • Agglomeration of metalloporphyrin could be suppressed due to the existence of lignin with larger steric hindrance. • Self-assembly process of deprotected lignin affords the catalyst with large specific surface area and high recoverability. • Larger O* amount and better dispersion of active oxygen species in supported catalyst promoted the improvement in catalytic activity and the decrease in the activation energy. Cobalt (II)-meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin supported by deprotected lignin was synthesized through the covalent linkage between carboxy groups in the porphyrin and hydroxyl groups in the lignin. The resulting supporting catalysts were applied in the selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Through solvent optimization, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid could be selectively obtained. Steric effect of lignin prevented unwanted aggregation-caused quenching, avoiding catalyst deactivation. Thus, supported catalysts displayed better catalytic efficiency compared free metal porphyrin catalyst. Unlike the excessive use of sodium hydroxide in the oxidation of HMF catalyzed by metal catalysts, an equivalent amount of sodium hydroxide was used in this oxidation process. Meanwhile, lower activation energy was detected when metal porphyrin supported by deprotected lignin was used. By adjusting the pH in the reaction, supported catalysts could be reused. The catalytic activity remained stable during the recycling experiments. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the plagiarism accusation of Pan Zhichang, a well-known scholar in Chinese aesthetics and media research circles and a director of Nanjing University's Media Development Research Center, resulting to the investigation of his academic conduct, in China. The report exposes the incident when the alleged copied five classical citations approximately similar to the composition of Zhang Yuanshan entitled "Five Classics for Entering into Classical China". It further talks on the move of the university's academic committee to gather all the information in order to investigate the Pan Zhichang's case and to deal with it accordingly.

• Inhibition of GSH on AA in the Glc/Asn model system and cookies. • Inhibition of GSH on AA caused by the competitive reaction and declined pH value. • GSH could be used as a potential inhibitor to decrease AA formation in foods. • Presence of GSH improved cookies lightness, but not affected cookies texture. The inhibition effects of glutathione (GSH) on acrylamide (AA) in the asparagine/glucose model systems and cookies were investigated. The formation of AA was significantly inhibited by GSH addition in the model systems. The decreasing levels of AA were in the range of 38–86%, 57–82%, and 3–41% at 120, 140, and 160 °C, respectively. In addition, the presence of GSH in cookies also inhibited the AA formation, but with no corresponding relationship between the GSH level and the inhibition ratio. The addition of 0.05 g/kg GSH in cookie dough resulted in the decreasing of AA by 48%, some improvement in cookie lightness, but no influence on cookie texture. Kinetic analysis showed that the application of GSH not only inhibited the formation of AA but also improved the elimination of AA. In the summary, GSH could be a potential inhibitor to reduce the AA formation in food during the heating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GSH inhibited AA formation in the Glc/Asn model system. • Competitive reaction between Asn and GSH with Glc attributed to AA inhibition. • Elimination reaction between AA and -SH of Cys and GSH attributed to AA inhibition. Glutathione (GSH) is a potential inhibitor for acrylamide (AA) in heated food. In the present study, the inhibition pathways of GSH on AA were investigated in the asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc)/GSH model system. In comparison to the Asn/Glc model system, three unique molecular ions (m / z 470, 379, and 193) were identified in the Asn/Glc/GSH model system. Those molecular ions were confirmed as the Amadori rearrangement products which formed in the reaction between Glc and GSH, as well as the addition reaction products between AA and the sulfhydryl group (-SH) of GSH and cysteine (Cys). The competition between Asn and GSH for Glc in the competitive reactions was assumed to be the major pathway. Additionally, the elimination reaction between AA and GSH or between AA and Cys also played a minor role in the inhibition of AA. The variances of precursors, intermediates, and final products provided quantitative evidence for the above pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified genetic susceptible variants for complex diseases. However, the underlying mechanism of such association remains largely unknown. Most disease-associated genetic variants have been shown to reside in noncoding regions, leading to the hypothesis that regulation of gene expression may be the primary biological mechanism. Current methods to characterize gene expression mediating the effect of genetic variant on diseases, often analyzed one gene at a time and ignored the network structure. The impact of genetic variant can propagate to other genes along the links in the network, then to the final disease. There could be multiple pathways from the genetic variant to the final disease, with each having the chain structure since the first node is one specific SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) variant and the end is disease outcome. One key but inadequately addressed question is how to measure the between-node connection strength and rank the effects of such chain-type pathways, which can provide statistical evidence to give the priority of some pathways for potential drug development in a cost-effective manner. Results: We first introduce the maximal correlation coefficient (MCC) to represent the between-node connection, and then integrate MCC with K shortest paths algorithm to rank and identify the potential pathways from genetic variant to disease. The pathway importance score (PIS) was further provided to quantify the importance of each pathway. We termed this method as "MCC-SP". Various simulations are conducted to illustrate MCC is a better measurement of the between-node connection strength than other quantities including Pearson correlation, Spearman correlation, distance correlation, mutual information, and maximal information coefficient. Finally, we applied MCC-SP to analyze one real dataset from the Religious Orders Study and the Memory and Aging Project, and successfully detected 2 typical pathways from APOE genotype to Alzheimer's disease (AD) through gene expression enriched in Alzheimer's disease pathway. Conclusions: MCC-SP has powerful and robust performance in identifying the pathway(s) from the genetic variant to the disease. The source code of MCC-SP is freely available at GitHub (https://github.com/zhuyuchen95/ADnet). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gelatin has been identified as a valuable material for controlled release of food ingredients because of its highly ramified three‐dimensional network. In the present work, gelatin was further modified with glutaraldehyde (GA) and prepared as microspheres to further improve its control to release of food ingredients. Features (i.e., chemical structures, thermal properties, network structures, and methylene blue (MB) release kinetics) of both the unmodified and GA‐modified gelatin microspheres were investigated. Results showed that the application of GA enhanced the formation of intramolecular and/or intermolecular crosslinking of gelatin and improved its thermal stability. Besides, the release efficiency of MB from the GA‐modified gelatin was less affected by temperature and pH value compared to the unmodified gelatin. Kinetics analysis proved that the release of MB from gelatin followed the first‐order kinetics. Both the release constant (k) of MB and the diffusion coefficient (Da) of GA‐modified gelatin were significantly lower than those of the unmodified gelatin. Practical applications: Gelatin is a valuable material for the release control of food ingredients (e.g., oils, vitamins, antioxidants, and flavor compounds) attributes to its highly ramified three‐dimensional network. However, the low mechanical strength of gelatin makes it susceptible to many environmental factors and has restricted its application. In the present work, gelatin was modified by glutaraldehyde (GA). The chemical structure, thermal properties, network structure, and methylene blue release kinetics of the GA‐modified gelatin microspheres were properly investigated. This research proved that GA‐modified gelatin could be a potential carrier for the release control of given food contents in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallium oxide (Ga 2 O 3) semiconductor has attracted increasingly interested in the optoelectronic field, due to the wide bandgap of 4.9 eV. However, the fabrication of Ga 2 O 3 pn junction is still an enormous challenge since p-Ga 2 O 3 doping technology is in its infancy. Taking into consideration the α -Ga 2 O 3 and β -Ga 2 O 3 with comparable band gap structure, a solar-blind photodetector was constructed by the vertical α / β -Ga 2 O 3 junction nanorod arrays (NRAs) with a top electrode for a Ti 3 C 2 -silver nanowires (Ag NWs). Compared to a standard metal electrode, the Ti 3 C 2 -Ag NWs electrode with tight coupling of the α / β -Ga 2 O 3 demonstrated outstanding conductivity and optical transparency, optimizing the photodetector with excellent photoelectric performance. Meanwhile, the photogenerated carriers were easier to automatically separate and transfer to their corresponding electrodes because of the internal electric field of the α / β -Ga 2 O 3 phase junction could drive the photogenerated charge transfer, promoting the photogenerated electrons transfer. Even without external power, the photodetector demonstrated improved performance, large detectivity of 1.45 × 1014 Jones, and high responsivity of 5.2 mA/W. The solar-blind photodetector with self-powered shows high photoelectric performance, which has prospective applications in space missile detection, UV communication, and deep ultraviolet light monitoring. • A high performance solar-blind photodetector was built based on α / β -Ga 2 O 3 junction nanorods with Ti 3 C 2 -Ag NWs top electrode. • The highly improved electrical conductivity of the Ti 3 C 2 -Ag NWs can be attributed to synergy from percolation by the Ag NWs. • Ti 3 C 2 -Ag NWs electrode exhibits highly electrical conductivity and UV transmittance. • Comparison with the device of the α -Ga 2 O 3 and β -Ga 2 O 3 , the phase junction photodetector shows enhanced performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complete understanding of groundwater circulation as well as the transport and distribution of solutes in arid-semiarid basin regions is a prerequisite for the safe use of groundwater resources. The distributions of the groundwater flow systema and solutes are affected by the basin morphology, lithology, and climate variations; therefore, they can change over geologic time. In this study, we performed a case study of the Qaidam Basin in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, in which we utilized reactive solute transport simulations to build a numerical model in TOUGHREACT for a typical section of the eastern Qaidam Basin since the last glacial period. The results show that the groundwater in the eastern Qaidam Basin developed into a three-level groundwater flow system and that the seepage velocity of the local water flow system is significantly higher than that of the intermediate and regional water flow systems. Although groundwater in the discharge region has been continuously concentrated and enriched since the last glacial period, the distributions of the groundwater flow system and solutes have been greatly affected by climate variations. During warm periods, the centres of groundwater discharge and solute concentration shifted to areas with more groundwater recharge; in contrast, both centres shifted to the central basin during drought periods. The groundwater in the basin mainly contains Na+ and Cl− ions, which vary significantly from the recharge region to the discharge region. Evaporation of groundwater results in increases in the concentrations of most of the components except HCO3−. The groundwater in the discharge region is currently in the stage of carbonate precipitation and is far from gypsum and halite precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we focus on the critical exponent for the Cucker–Smale model in R d (d ≥ 1) under group-hierarchical multi-leadership (GHML) topology. The GHML is an asymmetric topology with a group hierarchical structure and multiple leaders. The exponent β in communication weight function measures the decay rate with respect to the distance of particles. In literature, for d ≥ 2 , the critical exponent for unconditional flocking is proven to be 1 / 2 only for symmetric topologies or hierarchical leadership. For general digraphs, the exponent below which the unconditional flocking occurs depends on the digraph and is less than 1 / 2. In this paper, we prove that the critical exponent is 1 / 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Acrylamide (AA) is a potential carcinogen formed in food rich in carbohydrate during heating. Recently, AA has been found in several fruit products, such as prune juice, sugarcane molasses and canned black olives. This study focused on the role of galacturonic acid (GalA), the main acid hydrolysis product of fruit pectin, in AA formation in three model systems – asparagine (Asn)/glucose (Glc), Asn/GalA, and Asn/Glc/GalA – during heating under different pH values (pH 3.8–7.8), Glc concentration (0–0.1 mol L−1), molar ratio of substrates (Asn/Glc = 1:1, 0.025–0.5 mol L−1) and temperature (120–180 °C) for 30 min, respectively. RESULTS: The results suggested that the addition of 0.1 mol L−1 GalA strongly accelerated AA formation in a manner dependent on pH value and temperature (P < 0.05). AA concentration under different Glc concentration and molar ratio of substrates suggested that GalA was more reactive than Glc when reacted with Asn. Furthermore, the Amadori rearrangement product/Schiff base/oxazolidine‐5‐one were identified as the intermediates formed in the Asn/GalA model system using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight–mass spectrometry. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that Maillard reaction between Asn and GalA might contribute to AA formation. This study is significant in elucidating the contribution of interaction between components for AA formation in fruit products. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The nonlinear variation process of trigger angle is approximately fitted by the least square method, and the LCC side fault current expression with high accuracy is obtained. Similarly, the general PI controller model is used to deduce the feeding component of the AC current, and the VSC side fault current expression with high accuracy is also obtained. • Considering the factors such as the fast rising speed and large amplitude of the DC fault current, this paper proposes a new ZCLC topology and combines it with DCCB to apply to HVDC system. The DC-side fault analysis of Line commutated converter based high voltage direct current (LCC-HVDC) and Voltage source converter based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) networks has been studied by most researchers and achieved fruitful results. However, the traditional fault analysis method does not consider in detail the change process of the trigger angle of the LCC converter station and the AC current feeding of the VSC converter station caused by the control strategy. Therefore, this paper proposes a new DC side fault transient analysis method suitable for hybrid multi-terminal HVDC transmission networks. In addition, considering the deficiency that the active fault current suppression method only relying on the control strategy cannot fundamentally clear the DC fault, this paper proposes a new Z-source current-limiting circuit (ZCLC) with reference to the topology of the Z-source dc circuit breaker (DCCB). Then, ZCLC will cooperate with DCCB to improve the fault clearing capacity of the whole system. Firstly, this paper establishes the equivalent Laplace transform model of the three-terminal LCC-VSC-VSC, and analyzes the short-circuit current expression on both sides. Then, the change process of trigger angle is approximately linearized by the least square method, which obtains a new expression of fault transient current on the LCC side. Similarly, the composition of AC current fed to DC side is deduced by using the commonly used inner-loop PI controller model, which also obtains a new expression of fault transient current on the VSC side. Secondly, referring to the traditional crossed-type Z-source DCCB, series-type Z-source DCCB, and parallel-type Z-source DCCB, this paper also proposes a new ZCLC and analyzes its working principle and parameter design. Then, the newly proposed ZCLC is combined with DCCB to be applied to the hybrid multi-terminal HVDC network. Finally, the simulation results based on Matlab/Simulink verify the effectiveness of the fault analysis and passive fault clearing methods, and the semi-physical experimental platform based on PLECS/RTbox verifies the superiority of the new ZCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant disease with a poor prognosis, and mechanisms of initiation and development are not well characterized. It is long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) acting as miRNA decoys to regulate cancer-related RNAs in competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks that suggest a possible molecular mechanism in CCA. The current study aims to find potential prognosis biomarkers and small molecule therapeutic targets based on the construction of a CCA prognosis-related ceRNA network. A transcriptome dataset for CCA was downloaded from the TCGA database. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), DEmiRNAs and DEmRNAs were identified based on the differential expression and a DEceRNA network was constructed using predicted miRNA-lncRNA and miRNA-mRNA interactions. Heat maps, PCA analysis, and Pathway enrichment analysis and GO enrichment analysis were conducted. The prognostic risk model and molecular docking were constructed based on identified key ceRNA networks. A DElncRNA-miRNA-mRNAs network consisting of 434 lncRNA-miRNA pairs and 284 miRNA-mRNA pairs with 200 lncRNAs, 21 miRNAs, and 245 mRNAs was constructed. There were three lncRNAs (AC090772.1, LINC00519, and THAP7-AS1) and their downstream mRNAs (MECOM, MBNL3, RCN2) screened out as prognostic factors in CAA. Three key networks (LINC00519/ hsa-mir-22/ MECOM, THAP7-AS1/hsa-mir-155/MBNL3, and THAP7-AS1/hsa-mir-155/RCN2) were identified based on binding sites prediction and survival analysis. A prognostic risk model was established with a good predictive ability (AUC = 0.66–0.83). Four anticancer small molecules, MECOM and 17-alpha-estradiol (−7.1 kcal/mol), RCN2 and emodin (−8.3 kcal/mol), RCN2 and alpha-tocopherol (−5.6 kcal/mol), and MBNL3 and 17-beta-estradiol (−7.1 kcal/mol) were identified. Based on the DEceRNA network and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, we identified three important ceRNA networks associated with the poor prognosis of CCA. Four anti-cancer small molecules were screened out by computer-assisted drug screening as potential small molecules for the treatment of CCA. This study provides theoretical support for the development of ceRNA network-based drugs to improve the prognosis of CCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented visible-light-induced direct C−H bond difluoroalkylation of aldehyde-derived hydrazones was developed. This reaction represents a new way to synthesize substituted hydrazones. The salient features of this reaction include difluorinated hydrazone synthesis rather than classical amine synthesis, extremely mild reaction conditions, high efficiency, wide substrate scope, ease in further transformations of the products, and one-pot syntheses. Mechanistic analyses and theoretical calculations indicate that this reaction is enabled by a novel aminyl radical/polar crossover mechanism, with the aminyl radical being oxidized into the corresponding aminyl cation through a single electron transfer (SET) process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unprecedented visible-light-induced direct C−H bond difluoroalkylation of aldehyde-derived hydrazones was developed. This reaction represents a new way to synthesize substituted hydrazones. The salient features of this reaction include difluorinated hydrazone synthesis rather than classical amine synthesis, extremely mild reaction conditions, high efficiency, wide substrate scope, ease in further transformations of the products, and one-pot syntheses. Mechanistic analyses and theoretical calculations indicate that this reaction is enabled by a novel aminyl radical/polar crossover mechanism, with the aminyl radical being oxidized into the corresponding aminyl cation through a single electron transfer (SET) process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA), a component of polycarbonate and epoxy resins, has been reported to adversely impact the central nervous system, especially with respect to learning and memory. However, the precise effect and specific mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered with BPA at 0.05, 0.5, 5 or 50mg/kg·body weight (BW) per day from embryonic day 9 (E 9) to E 20. We examined the effects of maternal BPA exposure on memory and synaptic structure in the hippocampus of male offspring at postnatal day (PND) 21. Maternal BPA exposure significantly affected locomotor activity, exploratory habits, and emotional behavior in open field test, and increased reference and especially working memory errors in the radial arm maze during the postnatal developing stage. Maternal BPA exposure had an adverse effect on synaptic structure, including a widened synaptic cleft, a thinned postsynaptic density (PSD), unclear synaptic surface and disappeared synaptic vesicles. Furthermore, maternal BPA exposure decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of synaptophysin, PSD-95, spinophilin, GluR1 and NMDAR1 in the hippocampus of male offspring on PND 21. These results showed that fetal growth and development was more sensitive to BPA exposure. The decreased learning and memory induced by maternal exposure to BPA in this study may be involved in synaptic plasticity alteration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Acrylamide (AA) is a neoformed compound in heated foods, mainly produced between asparagine (Asn) and glucose (Glc) during the Maillard reaction. Galacturonic acid (GalA), the major component of pectin, exhibits high activity in AA formation. This study investigated the pathway for AA formation between GalA and Asn. Three possible pathways were proposed: 1) The carbonyl group of GalA directly interacts with Asn to produce AA; 2) GalA undergoes an oxidative cleavage reaction to release α-dicarbonyl compounds, which subsequently leads to AA production; 3) 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid, the thermal degradation product of GalA, reacts with Asn to generate AA. Structural analysis revealed that the COOH group in GalA accelerated intramolecular protonation and electron transfer processes, thereby increasing the formation of AA precursors such as decarboxylated Schiff base and α-dicarbonyl compounds, promoting AA formation. This study provides a theoretical basis and new insights into the formation and control of AA. • GalA directly interacts with Asn to produce AA. • GalA releases α-dicarbonyl compounds to produce AA. • The thermal degradation product of GalA reacts with Asn to generate AA. • Carboxyl group of GalA accelerates the formation of decarboxylated Schiff bases. • Carboxyl group of GalA accelerates the formation of α-dicarbonyl compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Currently, nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) stands as a significant cancer posing a threat to human health, with approximately three-quarters of cases being diagnosed at the locally advanced stage. • While multiple treatment options exist for locally advanced NPC, the determination of the most clinically beneficial and cost-effective approach remains unclear. • The objective of this study is to construct Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) models to assess which treatment strategy yields the maximum benefit. • Our research team specializes in clinical diagnosis, treatment, and efficacy prediction for NPC, with notable achievements in pharmacoeconomics. • Through this study, we aim to provide a therapeutic guidance for clinical practitioners by evaluating the comparative benefits of different treatment modalities. The ultimate goal is to contribute valuable insights for healthcare professionals in the field. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of various induction chemotherapy (IC) regimens as first-line treatment for Locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC), aiming to provide clinicians and patients with informed insights to aid in treatment decision-making. We conducted a network meta -analysis (NMA) and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) based on data from 10 clinical trials investigating IC regimens for the treatment of LA-NPC. A Bayesian NMA was performed, with the primary outcomes being hazard ratios (HRs) for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). To model the disease progression of LA-NPC, we developed a dynamic partitioned survival model consisting of three disease states: progression-free survival (PFS), progression disease (PD), and death. The model was run on a 3-week cycle for a research period of 10 years, with quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) serving as outcome measures. According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) estimates derived from the NMA, TPC and TP, as IC regimens, appear to exhibit superior efficacy compared to other treatment modalities. In terms of CEA, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), TPF + CCRT, and GP + CCRT were found to be dominated (more costs and less QALYs). Comparatively, TPC + CCRT emerged as a cost-effective option with an ICER of $1260.57/QALY when compared to PF + CCRT. However, TP + CCRT demonstrated even greater cost-effectiveness than TPC + CCRT, with an associated increase in costs of $3300.83 and an increment of 0.1578 QALYs per patient compared to TPC + CCRT, resulting in an ICER of $20917.62/QALY. Based on considerations of efficacy and cost-effectiveness, the TP + CCRT treatment regimen may emerge as the most favorable first-line therapeutic approach for patients with LA-NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]