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Personal growth and self‐expressive goals have become increasingly important in modern marriages. In dual‐earner couples, sharing work‐related experiences with the partner can be particularly important in promoting mutual support for each other's personal growth. The current study examined dual‐earner couples' sharing of work‐related experiences and how it influenced both partners' relationship satisfaction and personal well‐being. A total of 102 heterosexual dual‐earner couples were recruited from communities in Hong Kong. They completed a pretest survey, a 14‐day daily diary study, and a follow‐up survey 1 year later. The Actor‐Partner Interdependence Model was adopted to analyze the dyadic effects of sharing positive and negative work‐related experiences on relationship satisfaction and personal well‐being on the same day and 1 year later. In general, the sharing of both positive and negative work‐related experiences had beneficial effects on the outcomes. Specifically, wives' sharing had more immediate effects on both partners' relational and personal well‐being, whereas husbands' sharing had more long‐term effects on the partner's personal well‐being. The findings highlight the importance of work‐related sharing in dual‐earner couples. Practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Marital goals reflect individuals' understanding of the purpose of marriage and could influence the dyadic interactions and satisfaction in intimate relationships. The current study examines how each partner's marital goals and the concordance of marital goals between the partners influence dating couples' relationship satisfaction through dyadic coping. Method: The sample consisted of 200 heterosexual dating couples from Hong Kong. Both partners completed a survey that assessed three types of marital goals, dyadic coping, relationship satisfaction, and other background variables. Path analysis was conducted to estimate the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) with each partner's three types of marital goals and marital goal concordance between the two partners as the predictors, each partner's dyadic coping as the mediators, and each partner's relationship satisfaction as the outcomes. Results: Women's dyadic coping significantly mediated the effects of women's companionship goals and marital goal concordance on both partners' marital satisfaction. Meanwhile, men's dyadic coping significantly mediated the effects of men's companionship goals and marital goal concordance on their own relationship satisfaction. Conclusion: The current study offered the first evidence supporting the importance of marital goals, the goal concordance between the partners, and dyadic coping in dating relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An October, 2021 review of Public Health Ontario's COVID-19 guidance for congregate settings such as shelters and long-term care homes demonstrated that this guidance did not include references to ventilation or filtration. In April 2022, an interdisciplinary team with expertise in indoor air quality (IAQ), engineering, epidemiology, community programming and knowledge translation launched a virtual ventilation and filtration consultation program for community spaces in Toronto, Ontario. The program gives people working in community spaces direct access to IAQ experts through 25-min online appointments. The program aims to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in community spaces, and was designed to help compensate for gaps in public health guidance and action. Methods: Representatives from participating organizations (n. 27) received a link to an online survey via email in April 2023. Survey questions explored the impacts of the program on topics such as: purchase and use of portable air filters; maintenance and use of bathroom fans; and, maintenance and modification of HVAC systems. Survey participation was anonymous, and no demographic information was collected from participants. Results: Representatives from 11 organizations completed the survey (40%). Of those who responded, nine (82%) made changes as a result of the program, with eight (73%) making two or more changes such as purchasing portable air filters and increasing routine maintenance of HVAC systems. Conclusions: When presented with brief access to expert support and tailored plain language guidance, people working in community spaces increased their use of ventilation and filtration strategies for COVID-19 infection prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults report higher marital satisfaction than younger adults even after negative interactions. The current study examined affect valuation as a potential moderator to explain age‐related differences in the relationship between negative interactions and marital satisfaction. We conducted a 14‐day daily diary study among 66 heterosexual couples (132 participants) aged from 21 to 80 years. At both person and daily levels, we found that valuing negative affect weakened the negative association between negative interactions and marital satisfaction in husbands. The moderating effect of negative affect valuation was stronger in older than younger husbands at the person but not daily level. Valuing positive affect more was associated with a stronger negative association between negative interactions and marital satisfaction in husbands at the person but not daily level. Such effect was again stronger in older than younger husbands. No significant results were found in wives. These findings shed light on the importance of affect valuation in understanding age‐related differences in marital dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Exploring the potential action mechanisms of reactive oxygen species during the callus inducing, they can activate specific metabolic pathways in explants to regulate callus development. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the regulation of plant growth and development, but the mechanism of their action on plant callus formation remains to be elucidated. To address this question, kiwifruit was selected as the explant for callus induction, and the influence of ROS on callus formation was investigated by introducing propyl gallate (PG) as an antioxidant into the medium used for inducing callus. The results have unveiled that the inclusion of PG in the medium has disturbed the equilibrium of ROS during the formation of the kiwifruit callus. We selected the callus that was induced by the addition of 0.05 mmol/L PG to the MS medium. The callus exhibited a significant difference in the amount compared to the control medium without PG. The callus induced by the MS medium without PG was used as the control for comparison. KEGG enrichment indicated that PG exposure resulted in significant differences in gene expression in related pathways, such as phytohormone signaling and glutathione in kiwifruit callus. Weighted gene co-expression analysis indicated that the pertinent regulatory networks of both ROS and phytohormone signaling were critical for the establishment of callus in kiwifruit leaves. In addition, during the process of callus establishment, the ROS level of the explants was also closely related to the genes for transmembrane transport of substances, cell wall formation, and plant organ establishment. This investigation expands the theory of ROS-regulated callus formation and presents a new concept for the expeditious propagation of callus in kiwifruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public Health Ontario (PHO) is mandated by legislation to share scientific advice during infectious disease outbreaks and help reduce health inequities in Ontario, Canada. PHO was founded in part to address the failures of Ontario's public health system during the 2003 outbreak of SARS-CoV-1, which included the failure to address airborne transmission. By January 2021, public health authorities had access to a body of literature suggesting SARS-CoV-2 was airborne, and had received urgent warnings from scientists. We set out to document how PHO responded to the likelihood – and, eventually, the certainty – of airborne transmission in the context of its guidance for congregate settings such as long-term care and shelters. In October 2021, we reviewed PHO's public, written COVID-19 guidance for these settings, with a focus on indoor air quality (IAQ) measures that mitigate airborne transmission, such as ventilation. We identified 11 PHO documents for congregate settings. They contained no references to IAQ measures. We did, however, find references to IAQ measures in parallel documents for schools, summer camps, and clinical offices. Our findings demonstrate PHO omitted key infection prevention measures from its COVID-19 guidance for congregate settings, putting workers and residents at greater risk of exposure, illness and death, and exacerbating health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) typically have poor prognoses, and predicting survival is challenging. The present study aimed to identify prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with MPE in the time of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. Methods: Data of 344 consecutive NSCLC patients with MPE on clinical, radiological, and molecular characteristics and treatment options were collected. The risk factors in the training cohort were assessed using univariate and multivariate proportional hazards analyses. A clinical prognostic score was established and validated. Results: According to the results of the multivariable survival analysis, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score (PS), antiangiogenic therapy, immunotherapy, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in pleural fluid (CAIL) prognostic score was developed (n = 275) and subsequently validated (n = 69). Patients who underwent risk stratification into low‐, moderate‐, and high‐risk groups had median OS of 46.1, 23.1, and 9.6 months, respectively (P < 0.0001). The area under the curve (AUC) analysis showed the CAIL score to be superior at predicting survival compared with the LENT score at 6 (0.84 vs. 0.77, P < 0.01), 12 (0.87 vs. 0.82, P < 0.01), and 36 months (0.80 vs. 0.77, P < 0.01). Conclusions: For NSCLC patients with MPE, the validated CAIL prognostic score integrates clinical characteristics and therapeutic modalities to predict survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in the past decade have shown that lipid droplets stored in liver cells under starvation are encapsulated by autophagosomes and fused to lysosomes via the endocytic system. Autophagy responds to a variety of environmental factors inside and outside the cell, so it has a complex signal regulation network. To this end, we first explored the role of Hedgehog (Hh) in autophagy and lipid metabolism. Treatment of normal mouse liver cells with SAG and GDC-0449 revealed elevated phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and increased lipidation of LC3. SAG, and GDC-0449 were agonist and antagonist of Smoothened (Smo) in canonical Hh pathway, respectively, but they played a consistent role in the regulation of autophagy in hepatocytes. Moreover, SAG and GDC-0449 did not affect the expression of glioma-associated oncogene (Gli1) and patched 1, suggesting the absence of canonical Hh signaling in hepatocytes. We further knocked down the Smo and found that the effects of SAG and GDC-0449 disappeared, indicating that the non-canonical Smo pathway was involved in the regulation of autophagy in hepatocytes. In addition, SAG and GDC-0449 promoted lipid degradation and inhibited lipid production signals. Knockdown of Smo slowed down the rate of lipid degradation rather than Sufu or Gli1, indicating that Hh signaling regulated the lipid metabolism via Smo. In summary, activates AMPK via Smo to promote autophagy and lipid degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalised recommendation is a difficult problem that has received a lot of attention to academia and industry. Because of the sparse user–item interaction, cold-start recommendation has been a particularly difficult problem. Some efforts have been made to solve the cold-start problem by using model-agnostic meta-learning on the level of the model and heterogeneous information networks on the level of data. Moreover, using the memory-augmented meta-optimisation method effectively prevents the meta-learning model from entering the local optimum. As a result, this paper proposed memory-augmented meta-learning on meta-path, a new meta-learning method that addresses the cold-start recommendation on the meta-path furthered. The meta-path builds at the data level to enrich the relevant semantic information of the data. To achieve fast adaptation, semantic-specific memory is utilised to conduct the model with semantic parameter initialisation, and the method is optimised by a meta-optimisation method. We put this method to the test using two widely used recommended data set and three cold-start scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a type of novel composite structure coil applied in the coreless stator is proposed and studied to improve the output performance and efficiency of the axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machine. In which the effective conductor is changed to be wedge-shaped by the rolling technology so that the turns of coils and filling factor can be further increased, and the ends are kept in the cylinder with a larger diameter to reduce the DC copper loss. Meanwhile, the air region between the double rotors of the machine is also modified to be wedge-shaped, which fully matches the proposed coils and shortens the air gap length. The advantages of performance can be verified by the three-dimensional (3D) finite element analysis (FEA) and analytical method so that the output characteristics of no-load and load can be improved, and the DC copper loss and eddy current loss of coils can be reduced. The coreless AFPM machine finally performs a high efficiency of 95.34% according to these valuable optimizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalised recommendation is a difficult problem that has received a lot of attention to academia and industry. Because of the sparse user–item interaction, cold-start recommendation has been a particularly difficult problem. Some efforts have been made to solve the cold-start problem by using model-agnostic meta-learning on the level of the model and heterogeneous information networks on the level of data. Moreover, using the memory-augmented meta-optimisation method effectively prevents the meta-learning model from entering the local optimum. As a result, this paper proposed memory-augmented meta-learning on meta-path, a new meta-learning method that addresses the cold-start recommendation on the meta-path furthered. The meta-path builds at the data level to enrich the relevant semantic information of the data. To achieve fast adaptation, semantic-specific memory is utilised to conduct the model with semantic parameter initialisation, and the method is optimised by a meta-optimisation method. We put this method to the test using two widely used recommended data set and three cold-start scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional diode laser pretreatment for facilitating surgery for orbital venous malformations (OVMs). Methods: This is a retrospective, non-comparative, interventional cohort involving 23 consecutive OVM patients undergoing intralesional laser pretreatment followed by surgical excision. The main outcome measures included volumetric changes, exophthalmometry, cosmesis, and symptom scores as well as treatment-related adverse events. Results: Following intralesional diode laser, the mean volume dropped significantly from 2366 ± 1887 to 129 ± 119 mm3 (t = 5.716; p < 0.001). After a single treatment session, a mean 90 ± 13% volume shrinkage was achieved in all 23 OVM. The mean Hertel exophthalmometry decreased significantly from 14 ± 3 to 13 ± 1 mm (t = 2.515; P < 0.02). The resolution of periocular dyschromasia and swelling were evident in 20 patients (87%). Symptom scores improved significantly from 6.5 ± 1.4 (very intense discomfort or effect on daily living) to 1.2 ± 1.0 (very mild discomfort or effect on daily living; p < 0.001). Short-term bruises and swelling were reported in 20 patients (87%). Conclusion: Intralesional laser pretreatment is effective to facilitate surgery especially for the deep involving orbital venous malformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Older age has been found to relate to a higher level of empathic concern and prosocial tendencies in many studies, but there are also studies that found contradictory results. To fully understand the phenomenon, we propose that socioeconomic status (SES) is an important factor to consider when examining differences in empathic concern and prosocial tendencies. Method Two studies with Hong Kong Chinese participants were conducted to test the moderating effect of SES on the relationship between age and empathic concern. Both studies assessed participants' age, SES, empathic concern, and background information, while Study 2 also examined different indicators of prosocial tendencies. Results SES consistently moderated age differences in empathic concern in the two studies. The positive association between age and empathic concern was only significant for individuals with low SES, but not for those with high SES. Study 2 further revealed that the positive indirect effects from age to prosocial tendencies through a higher level of empathic concern were only significant for individuals with low SES as well. Discussion The results highlighted the importance to consider contextual factors when studying age-related differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle filters are used in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to protect equipment and reduce exposure to airborne particles. Filtration standards such as ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2 are used to evaluate filter performance in a laboratory setting. In this work, we examined the lab-tested performance of new filters with different nominal efficiencies as determined by ASHRAE Standard 52.2 and compared these results to the lab-tested and in-situ performance of filters deployed in 21 occupied residential environments. The lab-tested results comparison shows that the dust loading and conditioning procedure in ASHRAE Standard 52.2 provides a reasonable range of efficiencies for the used filters, but the target final pressure drop of 250 Pa is an overestimation of the realistic pressure drops. Moreover, the specified test dust was not a good representation of the dust in this sample of residential environments. The lab-tested and in-situ results comparison suggests that even for the same filter, its lab-tested performance could differ greatly from its in-situ performance because of variations in system and loading conditions, which are not captured in the laboratory setting. Overall, the lab-tested results are an overestimation of the in-situ efficiency and an underestimation of the in-situ pressure drop for both new and used filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both the dynamic goal theory of marital satisfaction and the suffocation model of marriage argue that whether people are satisfied with their marriage largely depends on their marital goals. However, the lack of a validated measure has greatly limited empirical investigations about marital goals. The current study developed the Marital Goal Scale (MGS) using Rasch modeling. We provided evidence for the validity of the scale scores and confirmed its factorial structure using confirmatory factor analysis. The MGS contains 3 subscales assessing personal growth, instrumental, and companionship goals, respectively. The functioning of each subscale with a 4-point rating scale was supported by Rasch modeling in a married sample (from Hong Kong and the United States) and an unmarried sample (from Hong Kong). The discriminant and convergent validity of the subscale scores were supported in both samples. Major assumptions of the dynamic goal theory were also examined and partially supported. The MGS provides a useful tool to support empirical research about marital goals. Future studies are encouraged to utilize this tool to further investigate the important role of marital goals in marital dynamics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐efficiency filtration in residential forced‐air heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems protects equipment and can reduce exposure to particulate matter. Laboratory tests provide a measure of the nominal efficiency, but they may not accurately reflect the in situ efficiency of the filters because of variations in system conditions and changes in filter performance over time. The primary focus of this paper is to evaluate the effective filtration efficiency, which is inclusive of any loading and system impacts, in 21 occupied residential homes through in‐duct concentration measurements. We considered the role of filter media by testing both electret and non‐electret media, as well as the role of loading by considering new and used filters. The results show that filters with higher nominal efficiency generally had higher effective filtration efficiency in the same home. In terms of performance change, there is no significant difference in efficiency between initial and 3‐month non‐electret filters, but the efficiency of electret filters generally decreased over time. However, both nominal efficiency and performance change were vastly overshadowed by the wide variety in loading and system conditions across homes, making it hard to predict filter efficiency in a given home without in situ measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research proposed the concept of dynamic relationship orientation and tested it as a mediator accounting for the relation between the within-individual variations of perceived stress and interpersonal interactions in close relationships. Communal and exchange orientation were considered to be two interaction schemas that could be dynamically activated in different relationships across different situations. Participants' daily stress and interaction with their mother and romantic partner were measured for 14 consecutive days. Results confirmed that lower activation of the communal schema on a day significantly mediated the negative association between daily perceived stress and constructive interactions in both relationships. The findings supported the important role of dynamic relationship orientation in linking situational factors with interpersonal interactions. The concept of dynamic relationship orientation provides a new theoretical framework to integrate research on contextual factors and relationship dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper builds a unilateral and bilaterally internal leakage detection experimental platform based on the pressure detection method. • The proposed CSA-SVR-Adaboost is used to achieve the prediction of the internal leakage rate of ball valves. • The proposed DBO-KELM is used to establish the identification model of unilateral and bilateral internal leakage of ball valves. In the petrochemical industry, the ball valve internal leakage has been identified as a significant cause of production safety accidents, leading to mass casualties and economic losses. Depending on the flowing direction of the fluid, the form of ball valve internal leakage can be separated into unilateral and bilateral internal leakage. If a ball valve has a unilateral internal leakage, it is capable to play a sealing role, which can reduce gas venting and economic losses during natural gas fire operations. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a method for predicting the internal leakage rate and recognizing the unilateral and bilateral internal leakage used in gas transmission pipelines. For predicting the ball valve internal leakage rate, an Adaboost Integrated Circular Search Algorithm Optimised Support Vector Regression (CSA-SVR-Adaboost) model was employed and compared with other models. The CSA-SVR-Adaboost model demonstrated superior performance, displaying the lowest errors and highest correlation coefficients compared to the other models considered. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify unilateral and bilateral internal leakage of ball valves. To achieve this, a Dung Beetle Optimization Algorithm for Optimizing Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (DBO-KELM) model was adopted and evaluated based on its recognition performance. The recognition accuracy of DBO-KELM was 85.19%, surpassing the recognition accuracy of the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (KELM) algorithms by 9.5% and 14.9%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grandparents play a critical role in child-rearing both in the evolutionary history of human beings and in modern societies. The current study examined how grandparental involvement might contribute to young adults’ cognitive and social adjustment and whether grandchildren’s filial piety beliefs might moderate the impact of grandparental involvement. A total of 287 Hong Kong college students completed questionnaire measures of grandparental involvement, cognitive well-being, breadth and depth of friendships, and reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety beliefs. Results indicated that grandparental involvement was positively associated with young adults’ cognitive well-being and friendship quality even after controlling for parental influences, but only for young adults with strong filial piety beliefs. Moreover, reciprocal filial piety was a significant moderator for both cognitive well-being and friendship quality, whereas authoritarian filial piety only moderated the association between grandparental involvement and cognitive well-being. Findings highlighted the relevance of grandparental involvement in understanding youth development, and the importance of considering cultural values when investigating intergenerational interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Many previous studies have investigated older adults' attentional preference toward different emotions. Interdependent self-construal is identified to be an important moderator of this phenomenon. However, despite the important social functions of emotions, the social consequence of older adults' emotional preferences in attention have not yet been examined. The current study tested how older adults' attentional preferences assessed in the laboratory influenced changes in their real-life social network, and how interdependent self-construal moderated this effect. Methods A total of 45 older adults aged 60-84 years participated in an eye-tracking session that measured their attentional preference to emotional faces versus neutral faces. After that, participants completed the Self- Construal Scale. Participants' social network was then assessed by the Social Convoy Questionnaire twice over a 2-year period. Results Interdependent self-construal significantly moderated the effect of attention to angry and sad faces on older adults' real-life social network changes. For older adults with a higher level of interdependent self-construal, more attention toward negative emotions was related to longitudinal decreases in the number of their emotionally close social partners. Conclusions The present study shows the important role of attentional preferences in older adults' social network maintenance. It identified a real-life macro level social outcome of a micro level laboratory phenomenon, which can be an important direction for future research. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 1079-1086. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Population aging is a global challenge in the 21st century. As social relationships contribute significantly to older adults’ well-being and trust lays the foundation of constructive social interactions, it is theoretically and practically significant to examine age differences in trust in a worldwide sample. Method. The current study examined age differences in generalized trust and trust toward family members, friends, neighbors, and strangers, using data from the World Value Survey based on 57,497 individuals from 38 countries. Results. Age was positively related to generalized trust and trust toward the four target groups across the 38 countries. Age differences in trust toward friends, neighbors, and strangers were also moderated by contextual factors (i.e., income inequality, developing status, and individualism). Discussion. The results suggest that, across countries, enhancing trust toward others may be one mechanism through which older adults maintain emotional connectedness with others. Future studies are encouraged to investigate the mechanism underlying the age differences in trust. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In previous deep learning-based fault diagnosis methods for rotating machinery, the method of directly feeding one-dimensional data into convolutional neural networks can lead to the loss of important fault features. To address the problem, a novel rotating machinery fault diagnosis model based on a rainbow recursive plot (RRP) is proposed. Our main innovation and contributions are: First, a RRP is proposed to convert the one-dimensional vibration signal from the rotating machinery into a two-dimensional color image, facilitating the capturing of more significant fault information. Second, a new CNN based on LeNet-5 is devised, which extracts a feature that describes substantial fault information from the converted two-dimensional color image, thus performing fault diagnosis recognition accurately. The public rolling bearing datasets and the online fault diagnosis platform are adopted to verify proposed method performance. Experiments on public datasets show that the proposed method can improve the accurate rate of recognition to 97.86%. More importantly, online experiment on the self-made fault diagnosis platform demonstrates that our approach achieves the best comprehensive performance in terms of recognition speed and accuracy compared to mainstream algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Previous studies have observed a rebound of marital quality in later adulthood. This study tested whether partner discrepancy was a mediator of the age differences in marital quality. Method. The present study assessed partner discrepancies and marital quality in 56 couples, 20–79 years old. Two levels of partner standards (ideal and expected standards) and 2 domains of partner characteristics (personality and support) were examined. Results. Husbands’ partner discrepancies, but not wives’, were found to mediate the curvilinear age differences in martial quality. Discussion. Consistent with the life-span theory of control, the results suggest that adjusting cognition about the partner is essential to the typically higher marital quality in later adulthood. The results also suggest that the level of comparison standards and the specific domain of partner characteristics should be considered in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adult attachment has been studied as an important predictor of romantic relationship quality in many empirical studies. This meta-analysis quantitatively summarized the associations between the two insecure adult attachment dimensions, anxiety and avoidance, and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral indicators of romantic relationship quality based on 73 previous studies with 118 independent samples of 21 602 individuals. More importantly, we examined the different effects of anxiety and avoidance on relationship quality. We also tested the potential moderating effects of gender on the strength of these associations. Meta-analytic results confirmed that both anxiety and avoidance were detrimental to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of relationship quality. Compared with anxiety, avoidance was more negatively associated with general satisfaction, connectedness, and general support in relationships. In contrast, anxiety was more positively associated with general conflict in relationships. The moderating effect of gender was weak. However, supplementary analyses found that the type of couple interaction measures (self-report versus observation) significantly moderated the relations between insecure attachments and the behavioral indicators of relationship quality. Our results integrate and extend previous findings about the dynamics of adult attachment and romantic relationship quality. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study aimed to clarify mixed findings about whether older adults have a cognitive bias toward positive and/or away from negative information (the positivity effect) by examining whether dispositional cognitive reappraisal (a disposition to reinterpret an event to lessen its negative emotional impact) could moderate this effect. Methods. Participants from 19 to 79 years old watched a video that simultaneously showed a positive and a negative image. Two layers of their emotion regulation process, attention (measured by percent fixation duration) and cognitive effort (measured by pupil dilation), toward each image were recorded. One dispositional emotion regulation strategy, dispositional cognitive reappraisal, was also assessed. Results. In general, older age was related to less percent fixation duration but not to differential pupil dilation toward the negative image. However, among those with higher dispositional cognitive reappraisal, older age was related to smaller pupil dilation for the negative image. Discussion. Findings suggest that whether the age-related positivity effect occurs depends on the matching between cognitive processes and dispositional emotion regulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The introduction of nitrogen can effectively refine the grain size of FeCoHfN films. • Amorphization and the enrichment of HfN improve the high-frequency magnetic properties of the films. • Appropriate nitrogen pressure plays a key role in forming favorable microstructure and phase composition. • The transition of nanocrystalline-amorphous structure can be realized by adjusting the N element. • The film deposited at R (N 2) = 12% exhibits a high 4π M s of 16.2 kGs, a great initial μ of 293, and a high f r of 2.97 GHz. The microstructure and electro-magnetic properties of FeCoHfN thin films deposited by reactive sputtering under an in-situ magnetic field have been studied as a function of nitrogen partial pressure (R (N 2)). As the (R (N 2)) increases, the grain size of α-FeCo phase can be effectively reduced, and the structure of the films changes from an amorphous/nanocrystalline dual-phase structure with ultrafine α-FeCo magnetic nanoparticles isolated by a nonmagnetic insulating layer to a single amorphous structure. The structural transformation and the enrichment of HfN layer improve the resistivity and static and dynamic soft magnetic properties of the films. Higher resistivity is expected to reduce eddy current losses at high frequencies. The critical (R (N 2)) when the film shows indications of excellent high-frequency magnetic properties is 8%. The deposited FeCoHfN thin films have high saturation magnetization of 14.9–16.2 kGs, great permeability of 222–322 at GHz, and high ferromagnetic resonance frequency up to 3.5 GHz, showing the promise of high-frequency applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A proposal of reconstruction of the second Homo erectus skull from Yunxian (China). In 1989 and 1990, two Homo erectus crania were recovered from Yunxian (Hubei province) in archaeological levels dated to more than 780 000 years. Considered along with Lantian, these skulls represent the oldest human remains discovered in China to date, constituting important palaeontological finds. Nevertheless, the crania were badly deformed during the course of fossilization, necessitating extensive cranial reconstruction. Of the two crania, only Yunxian II was in sufficient condition to carry out this reconstruction. Using sophisticated techniques only recently applied in human palaeontology, including computed tomography and rapid prototyping, and incorporating taphonomic and morphometrically-based hypotheses, we were able to correct virtually the deformation and to produce a 3D prototype of Yunxian II. To cite this article: A. Vialet et al., C. R. Palevol 4 (2005) . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Continuous filtration systems operation maximizes exposure reduction and energy use. • Operation strategies based on monitoring and cycling can optimize filtration. • Concentration threshold can reduce runtime while causing little increase in exposure. • The benefits come from synchronizing operation with high concentration periods. • Benefits depends on outdoor concentration, infiltration, HVAC sizing, and emissions. Particle filtration systems are widely used indoors to reduce particle concentration. Increasing the runtime, the fraction of time a system operates, can improve the removal performance but also comes at a greater energy cost. Thus, operation strategies are needed to improve performance while conserving energy. In this work, we used exposure reduction, a metric for filtration effectiveness, and removal efficacy, the ratio of exposure reduction to runtime to provide a quantitative assessment on four operation strategies including strategies sensitive to concentration and/or presence of emission events, pulsing the system regardless of concentration, and pulsing during elevated concentration periods. A time-varying mass balance model is used to estimate indoor concentration with stochastic emission events. The results show that the concentration strategy, which synchronizes the system operation with high indoor concentrations has the highest removal efficacy. It could achieve a comparable level of concentration reduction as continuous operation at runtimes as low as 80%. The runtime of this strategy can be further reduced by increasing its concentration threshold. This strategy provides opportunities to regulate indoor concentration while conserving fan energy use, especially in regions with relatively low ambient concentrations and strong episodic sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Asphaltenes played a greater role in oil–water emulsification than resins. • The increase in asphaltenes reduced the oil–water wetting angle, interfacial tension and emulsion droplet size. • Alkaline conditions exhibited weaker impacts on emulsion stability compared to acidic conditions. • Demulsifier disrupts the oil–water interface film. Currently, the effects of natural emulsifiers such as resin and asphaltene in crude oil on the stabilities of the emulsions as well as the demulsification mechanism of oil–water separation are still not well understood. In this study, the changes in oil–water wetting angle and interfacial tension (IFT) of crude oil emulsions were compared by extracting resin and asphaltene from crude oil to expound the effects of resin and asphaltene on the stabilities of crude oil emulsions. Meanwhile, the mechanism of demulsifier was discussed based on the competitive adsorption test of demulsifier and asphaltene. It was found that asphaltene was the main emulsifier in the process of oil–water emulsification. With the increase of asphaltene contents, the oil–water wetting angle decreased from 72.9° to 37°, the IFT decreased from 27.13 mN/m to 11.23 mN/m, and the emulsion droplet decreased from 10.3 mm to 1 mm. Demulsifier mainly reduced the stability of crude oil emulsion and realized oil–water separation by the replacement of the interface film-forming substances, the reduction of the oil–water interface tension, and the neutralization of interface charges. The results provide useful information for the demulsification and oil removal of oil-bearing wastewater emulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of filtration on energy use in residences based on yearlong measurements in 19 homes in Toronto, Canada. Results show that permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor fans drew approximately 40% more power than electronically commutated motor (ECM) fans and the median efficacy (flow divided by power) of ECM fans was 43% higher than that of PSC motor fans. In response to a pressure drop of 150 Pa, ECM fans drew more power (46% − 58% increase) and generally tended to maintain airflow rate, while PSC motor fans drew less power (10% − 23% decrease), but generally tended to reduce airflow rate. Filter pressure drop was not strongly correlated with filter nominal efficiency; thus, the use of higher-efficiency filters may not impact fan power draw. Fan energy consequences of high-efficiency filters are negligible in our sample, and because HVAC runtimes were generally low (median = 11%), the difference between the energy consumption of ECM and PSC motor fans at typical runtimes was small (less than 10 kWh per month). Filters in systems with ECM fans have higher effectiveness per unit of power draw than those in systems with PSC motor fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cassava is one of three major potato crops and the sixth most important food crop globally. Improving yield remains a primary aim in cassava breeding. Notably, plant height significantly impacts the yield and quality of crops; however, the mechanisms underlying cassava plant height development are yet to be elucidated. Results: In this study, we investigated the mechanisms responsible for cassava plant height development using phenotypic, anatomical, and transcriptomic analyses. Phenotypic and anatomical analysis revealed that compared to the high-stem cassava cultivar, the dwarf-stem cassava cultivar exhibited a significant reduction in plant height and a notable increase in internode tissue xylem area. Meanwhile, physiological analysis demonstrated that the lignin content of dwarf cassava was significantly higher than that of high cassava. Notably, transcriptome analysis of internode tissues identified several differentially expressed genes involved in cell wall synthesis and expansion, plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and flavonoid biosynthesis between the two cassava cultivars. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that internode tissue cell division, secondary wall lignification, and hormone-related gene expression play important roles in cassava plant height development. Ultimately, this study provides new insights into the mechanisms of plant height morphogenesis in cassava and identifies candidate regulatory genes associated with plant height that can serve as valuable genetic resources for future crop dwarfing breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a novel and low-toxic anti-tumor drug used for various cancers. However, cancer cells usually develop mechanisms to acquire the resistance against TRAIL. Among these changes, dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) usually occurs in cancer cells and is responsible for induction of drug resistance. Methods: Expression of miR-494 in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines was detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase real time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Effect of miR-494 on regulating the TRAIL sensitivity to gastric cancer cell lines was evaluated by MTT assays. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporter assays were used to confirm the regulation of miR-494 on survivin. Mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in gastric cancer cells was tested by western blot and flow cytometry analysis. Results: Obvious downregulation of miR-494 was observed in gastric cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that expression profile of miR-494 was associated with TRAIL-sensitivity in gastric cancer. Enforced expression of miR-494 was found to sensitize the gastric cancer cells to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. Mechanically, Luciferase reporter assays proved that survivin was the target of miR-494 in gastric cancer cells. Enforced expression of miR-494 decreased the expression of survivin, and thus promoted the TRAIL-induced mitochondria collapse and apoptosis pathway. Conclusion: MiR-494/survivin axis represents a potential mechanism which is responsible for TRAIL resistance in gastric cancer cells. Increasing the miR-494 expression may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy to sensitize gastric cancer cells to TRAIL treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mugagangri Group (MG), located at the southern margin of the Qiangtang terrane in Tibet, is a crucial research target for understanding the subduction and accretion history of the Meso-Tethys Ocean. Extensional crack-seal veins restricted within sandstone blocks from the broken formation in the MG (Gaize) formed synchronously in the mélange formation. The primary inclusions trapped in the veins recorded multiple pieces of information during the formation of the accretionary wedge. To precisely constrain the MG subduction–accretion processes, we investigated the trapping temperature, salinity, density, and composition of the fluid inclusions within the crack-seal veins derived from the broken formation in the MG (Gaize). The primary inclusions indicate that the crack was sealed at ~151–178 °C. The salinity of the primary inclusions exhibited a well-defined average of 3.3 ± 0.7 wt% NaCl equivalent, slightly lower than the average of seawater (3.5 wt%). There were no nonpolar gases, and only H2O (low salinity) was detectable in the primary inclusions. These characteristics suggest that the syn-mélange fluids were a type of pore fluid in the shallow subduction zone, with the principal source being pore water from sediments overlying the oceanic crust. Because of mineral dehydration and compaction, the pore fluids became more diluted with H2O and fluid overpressure owing to a pore fluid pressure that was greater than the hydrostatic pressure. Subsequently, the creation of cracks through hydraulic fracturing provided a novel pathway for the flow of fluids which, in turn, contributed to the décollement step-down and underthrusting processes. These fractures acted as conduits for fluid movement and played a crucial role in facilitating these peculiar occurrences of quartz veins. The depth (~5 km) and temperature estimates of the fluid expulsion align with the conditions of the décollement step-down, thereby leading to the trapping of fluids within the sandstone blocks and their subsequent underplating to the accretionary complex. In our preferred model, such syn-mélange fluids have the potential to provide valuable constraints on the subduction–accretion processes occurring in other accretionary complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vibration and noise of the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is mainly caused by its electromagnetic force. Harmonic currents affect the vibration, and noise performance of PMSM by influencing its electromagnetic force. The regularity of electromagnetic force, vibration, and noise characteristics of PMSM for electric vehicles (EVs) under different working conditions influenced by the harmonic currents is studied. Firstly, the analytical model of electromagnetic force under the action of a harmonic current is derived, and the influence of harmonic currents on the electromagnetic force of PMSM is summarised. Secondly, a multi‐physical field coupled vibration, and noise calculation model considering harmonic currents is established using the finite element method, and the vibration, and noise characteristics of PMSM under different operating conditions are analysed. The results show that the harmonic currents have different patterns of influence on the vibration, and noise of the PMSM due to the different advance angles and the saturation degree of the magnetic material under different working conditions. Finally, the validity of the theoretical analysis is verified by experiments, which has academic significance for vibration, and noise reduction of PMSMs for EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medulloblastoma (MB) is one of the most common malignant pediatric brain tumors. Metastasis and relapse are the leading causes of death in MB patients. The initiation of the SHH subgroup of MB (SHH-MB) is due to the aberrant activation of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling. However, the mechanisms for its metastasis are still unknown. Results: AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK) restrains the activation of Shh signaling pathway, thereby impeding the proliferation of SHH-MB cells. More importantly, AMPK also hinders the growth and metastasis of SHH-MB cells by regulating NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, Vismodegib and TPCA-1, which block the Shh and NF-κB pathways, respectively, synergistically restrained the growth, migration, and invasion of SHH-MB cells. Conclusions: This work demonstrates that AMPK functions through two signaling pathways, SHH-GLI1 and NF-κB. AMPK-NF-κB axis is a potential target for molecular therapy of SHH-MB, and the combinational blockade of NF-κB and Shh pathways confers synergy for SHH-MB therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The 3D fictive temperature model of fused silica optics was established. • Role of fictive temperature 3D distribution of fused silica optics was explored. • The fictive temperature after CO 2 laser polishing was reduced from 1854 K to 1687 K. • An optimization strategy was proposed with even distribution of fictive temperature. CO 2 laser polishing process is a highly effective way for enhancing the surface quality and laser-induced damage threshold of fused silica optics. Nevertheless, due to the thermal history and spatial gradient of the thermodynamic temperature, the heat-affected zones can be formed unevenly on the surface with an increased fictive temperature, which causes the material densification and residual stress. In this work, a 3D model of structural relaxation coupled with temperature and flow fields was innovatively established to explore the role of fictive temperature distribution involved in CO 2 laser polishing of fused silica. The Raman spectrum was applied to verify this model. Subsequently, the impacts of laser beam power, scanning speed, track overlapping, substrate temperature on the fictive temperature were discussed. The results indicate that decreasing the scanning speed and increasing the substrate temperature can decrease the fictive temperature. Additionally, a higher track overlapping can reduce the height of the fictive temperature "tool mark". Moreover, an optimization strategy based on laser beam scanning speed was proposed based on the uniform distribution of fictive temperature. The depth difference of the heat-affected zones was reduced from 164.26 μm to 31.74 μm. This work could be used to quantitatively predict the 3D fictive temperature distribution and proposed an optimization strategy based on scanning speed to suppress the non-uniformity of fictive temperature distribution, which can provide significant theoretical guidance for CO 2 laser polishing technology of fused silica optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly increasing urbanization in recent decades has elevated the subway as the primary public transportation mode in metropolitan areas. Indoor air quality (IAQ) inside subways is an important factor that influences the health of commuters and subway workers. This review discusses the subway IAQ in different cities worldwide by comparing the sources and abundance of particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10) in these environments. Factors that affect PM concentration and chemical composition were found to be associated with the subway internal structure, train frequency, passenger volume, and geographical location. Special attention was paid to air pollutants, such as transition metals, volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs), and bioaerosols, due to their potential roles in indoor chemistry and causing adverse health impacts. In addition, given that the IAQ of subway systems is a public health issue worldwide, we calculated the Gini coefficient of urban subway exposure via meta-analysis. A value of 0.56 showed a significant inequity among different cities. Developed regions with higher per capita income tend to have higher exposure. By reviewing the current advances and challenges in subway IAQ with a focus on indoor chemistry and health impacts, future research is proposed toward a sustainable urban transportation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing new materials through traditional trial-and-error is time-consuming and costly due to the vast potential compositions to explore. Moreover, some desirable properties are mutually exclusive, presenting challenges for materials design. Herein, we employed an active learning strategy to address the strength-ductility trade-off in SAC105 lead-free solders. We developed two Gaussian regression models, one for strength and one for elongation representing ductility. The Gaussian Upper Confidence Boundary algorithm, a Bayesian optimization method, was used to balance exploitation and exploration by considering prediction uncertainty. The variance weight was designed to decay with adaptive iterations. The two models were linearly combined and the maximal combined model recommended alloys on the Pareto front for experiments. After just three iterations, a new 91.4Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu-1.5Bi-4.4In-0.2Ti low-silver SAC solder was discovered, exhibiting 73.94±5.05 MPa strength and 24.37±5.92% elongation, representing the best comprehensive mechanical properties. Weldability experiments also showed excellent performance. Based on Ab initio molecular dynamics, a precise machine learning potential revealed the alloying mechanism in Sn-In solid solutions with quantum accuracy in systems of over 103 atoms, closely matching experimental X-ray diffraction pattern. To facilitate materials informatics development, all active learning algorithms was made open-source in our designed framework, Bgolearn. • The active learning approach dynamically balances exploration and exploitation. • A new low-silver SAC solder is discovered shows exceptional mechanical properties. • All active learning algorithms in Bgolearn framework are open-sourced, supporting materials informatics development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Volunteering has consistently been associated with better mental, physical, and cognitive health in older adulthood. However, the volunteering rate of older adults in Hong Kong is much lower than in Western countries. Few studies have examined whether interventions can be effective in motivating older adults to volunteer in Hong Kong. To fill this gap, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of a theory-based social-cognitive intervention on volunteering. Research Design and Methods A total of 264 community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong (M age = 69.95 years, SD age = 6.90 years, 81.06% female) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or an active control group. Participants in the experimental group received 4 weekly 1-hr face-to-face volunteering intervention sessions. Those in the active control group received parallel sessions targeting physical activity instead of volunteering. The time spent on volunteering per month was self-reported and measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after the intervention. Self-efficacy, intention, action planning, and self-monitoring of volunteering were measured as mediators. Results Monthly volunteering minutes increased among participants in the experimental group when compared with the active control group at 6-week, 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Self-efficacy, intention, and action planning consistently mediated the effect of the intervention on volunteering minutes. Discussion and Implications The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the intervention on volunteering behavior in older adults in Hong Kong through well-established behavior change techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research enhanced the extraction procedure for Auricularia auricula crude polysaccharides by utilizing a modified Fenton reagent as a solvent, and obtained A. auricula polysaccharides (AAPs-VH) via alcohol precipitation and deproteinization. The HPLC profile revealed that the purified AAPs-VH using Sepharose 6FF was mainly a heteropolysaccharide, consisting primarily of mannose, glucuronic acid, glucose, and xylose. The M w and M n of the purified AAPs-VH were 87.646 kDa and 48.854 kDa, respectively. The FT-IR and NMR spectra revealed that the purified AAPs-VH belonged to pyranose and were mainly formed by (1 → 3)-linked-β-D glucan formation. In vivo experiments conducted with Caenorhabditis elegans , AAPs-VH was found to notably influence the lifespan, improve the antioxidant system, and decrease the level of cell apoptosis. This might be achieved by up-regulating the expression of genes in the IIS and TOR pathways. The study concludes that the modified Fenton reagent can increase Auricularia auricula polysaccharide solubleness and active sites, which may be an essential prompt for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li, J.; Song, Y.; Mao, C., and Li, T., 2018. Assessing the distribution characteristics of surface water geochemistry and pollution of heavy metals within soil in the Changjiang River Delta, China. In: Wang, D. and Guido-Aldana, P.A. (eds.), Select Proceedings from the 3rd International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE2017). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 84, pp. 109–113. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. This study aimed to understand the spatial distribution and geochemical characteristics of heavy metals in soil in Changjiang River Delta, and also the impact of surface water geochemistry on the mobility of heavy metals in soil. The levels of Ca2+ and Na+ in surface water reached 80% of total cation level, ranging 33.00–97.50 mg/L and 9.00–334.90 mg/L, respectively. HCO3− was more than 50% of total anion concentration, making the type of surface water as Ca-HCO3 or Ca-Na-HCO3. The concentration of cations and anions followed the order: coastal > middle > inland. The soils were strongly polluted with Cd in this study. More than 50% of Cd concentration exceeded the standard. Spatial changes in As, Cd, and Pb levels followed the order: middle > coastal > inland, same as that for soil pH. Speciation results of heavy metals showed that more than 50% of Cd was exchangeable. Principal component analysis results showed that the change in exchangeable fraction of As, Hg, and Pb followed the same order: middle > coastal > inland. Exchangeable Cd followed a trend different from that of Cr. Three areas were characterized by the mobility of As, Hg, and Pb. Scores of samples from different areas implied the influence of surface water on the mobility of heavy metals in soil. Geochemical variation in surface water indicated the mobility of heavy metals through correlation and spatial analysis of geochemistry of surface water and speciation of heavy metals in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is an extremely aggressive disease with rapid progression, high metastatic potential and recurrence. Simultaneous correction of multiple tumor-specific gene abnormalities has become an attractive approach for developing therapeutics to treat melanoma. To potentiate anti-melanoma activity, we tested a "domino effect-like" therapeutic approach by uniquely targeting one defect and automatically triggering the endogenous corrections of other defects. Using this strategy, in a suspicious INK4b-ARF-INK4a gene cluster at chromosome 9p21, aberrant INK4a and INK4b defects were simultaneously endogenously auto-corrected after targeting the suppression of abnormal ANRIL lncRNA. In cell culture, this treatment significantly reduced the tumor metastatic capacity and tumor formation compared with absence of treatment. In animals harboring tumor xenografts, this therapeutic approach significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced the tumor weight. Our results reveal a novel therapeutic strategy that significantly potentiates anti-melanoma efficiency by reprogramming the aberrant INK4-hub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional characteristics of extreme precipitation indices (EPI) of precipitation magnitude, intensity and persistence were analyzed based on a daily rainfall dataset of 135 stations during the period of 1961-2010 in the Yangtze River basin, China. The spatial distribution of temporal trends of the selected indices was regionally mapped and investigated by using non-parametric test method. Future projections of EPI changes derived from the output of general circulation model (HadCM3) under the SRES A2 and B2 emission scenarios were downscaled and analyzed. The results show that: (a) there is not a general significant increasing or decreasing trend in EPI for the Yangtze River basin based on historical recorded data; (b) the automated statistical downscaling method-based precipitation captures some spatial distribution of the EPI and the bias correction can improve the simulation results; (c) a mixed pattern of positive and negative changes is observed in most of the nine indices under both scenarios in the first half of twenty-first century, and they increase continuously in the second half of twenty-first century; and (d) the concurrent increase in the heavy rain and drought indices indicates the possibility of the sudden change from drought to water logging in the lower region of Yangtze River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a renewably sourced substitution for petroleum-derived terephthalic acid, at a high concentration is highly demanding but challenging. Herein, the efficient conversion of HMF (10–25 wt%) in 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O was achieved, and a desirable FDCA yield of 98% was obtained from HMF (10 wt%) over commercial Ru/C (2 Equiv. NaHCO 3 , 4 MPa O 2 , 3 h, and 140 ℃). In addition, a two-step cascade reaction was developed for FDCA production, in which FDCA was employed as the acid catalyst to promote the dehydration of fructose (10 wt%) to HMF, followed by oxidation in 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O to FDCA over Ru/C. As compared to pure water or 1,4-dioxane, the better stability of HMF in 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O with a weak alkaline environment and the enhancement of superoxide radicals (·O 2 -) in 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O could ensure high FDCA yield at high HMF concentration. 1,4-Dioxane/H 2 O mixture was demonstrated as an effective medium for the production of FDCA at high substrate concentration [Display omitted] • An FDCA yield ranging from 87% to 98% was obtained from concentrated HMF (10–25 wt%). • Fructose-derived HMF in 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O offered a FDCA yield up to 79%. • 1,4-dioxane/H 2 O mixed system is able to stabilize HMF in an alkaline environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PVDF-poly(octafluoropentyl acrylate)-sulphonated PPS (P-PFA/sPPS) blend was reported. • Electrospun 1-D nanofiber samples with uniform diameter were prepared. • Higher piezoelectric output voltage observed for P-PFA/sPPS compared to neat P-PFA. • The fast-charging efficiency and time taken to charge fully were also studied. • Overall, the hybrid sensor could measure both piezo-electric and -capacitive signals. In this study, sulfonated Poly(phenylidene sulfide) (sPPS) of varying content (0, 3, 5, 7 and 10 wt.-%) is used as a filler to study the β -crystalline phase changes in electrospun Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-Poly(octafluoropentyl acrylate) (POFPA) blend (90/10 ratio, abbreviated as P-PFA) nanofiber. FTIR and XRD studies confirmed the changes in P-PFA crystalline phases as a function of varying sPPS content, and among them, 5 wt.-% sPPS content exhibited a maximum increase in β -crystallinity. SEM micrographs of P-PFA/sPPS confirmed the appropriate formation of nanofibers with average fiber diameters of around 90 ∼ 150 nm. Using electrospun neat P-PFA and P-PFA/sPPS blend nanoweb fibers, piezoelectric sensors were fabricated and measured for output voltage signals. Among the five different samples, P-PFA/sPPS (5 wt.-%) exhibited higher output voltage (V p-p = 1.2 V) than neat P-PFA (V p-p = 0.4 V), revealing the nucleating effect of sPPS in P-PFA. The unexpected values obtained in the tensile strength (35.09 ± 0.102 kPa) and capacitance hysteresis (C max = 0.158 nF) of P-PFA/sPPS (5 wt.-%) sample opens up the possibility of using this material as a flexible hybrid sensor capable of measuring both piezoelectric and piezocapacitive signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]