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Grain boundary (GB) segregation models are derived for multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) and high-entropy alloys (HEAs). Differing from classical models where one component is taken as a solvent and others are considered solutes, these models are referenced to the bulk composition to enable improved treatments of MPEAs and HEAs with no principal components. An ideal solution model is first formulated and solved to obtain analytical expressions that predict GB segregation and GB energy in MPEAs and HEAs. A regular solution model is further derived. The GB composition calculated using the simple analytical expression derived in this study and data from the Materials Project agrees well with a prior atomistic simulation for NbMoTaW. The simplicity of the derived analytical expressions makes them useful for not only conveniently predicting GB segregation trends in HEAs but also analyzing nascent interfacial phenomena in compositionally complex GBs. As an application example, the models are used to further derive a set of equations to elucidate an emergent concept of high-entropy grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic scintillators are praised for their abundant element reserves, facile preparation procedures, and rich structures. However, the weak X‐ray attenuation ability and low exciton utilization efficiency result in unsatisfactory scintillation performance. Herein, a new family of highly efficient organic phosphonium halide salts with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are designed by innovatively adopting quaternary phosphonium as the electron acceptor, while dimethylamine group and halide anions (I−) serve as the electron donor. The prepared butyl(2‐[2‐(dimethylamino)phenyl]phenyl)diphenylphosphonium iodide (C4‐I) exhibits bright blue emission and an ultra‐high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 100 %. Efficient charge transfer is realized through the unique n‐π and anion‐π stacking in solid‐state C4‐I. Photophysical studies of C4‐I suggest that the incorporation of I accounts for high intersystem crossing rate (kISC) and reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC), suppressing the intrinsic prompt fluorescence and enabling near‐pure TADF emission at room temperature. Benefitting from the large Stokes shift, high PLQY, efficient exciton utilization, and remarkable X‐ray attenuation ability endowed by I, C4‐I delivers an outstanding light yield of 80721 photons/MeV and a low limit of detection (LoD) of 22.79 nGy ⋅ s−1. This work would provide a rational design concept and open up an appealing road for developing efficient organic scintillators with tunable emission, strong X‐ray attenuation ability, and excellent scintillator performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic scintillators are praised for their abundant element reserves, facile preparation procedures, and rich structures. However, the weak X‐ray attenuation ability and low exciton utilization efficiency result in unsatisfactory scintillation performance. Herein, a new family of highly efficient organic phosphonium halide salts with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) are designed by innovatively adopting quaternary phosphonium as the electron acceptor, while dimethylamine group and halide anions (I−) serve as the electron donor. The prepared butyl(2‐[2‐(dimethylamino)phenyl]phenyl)diphenylphosphonium iodide (C4‐I) exhibits bright blue emission and an ultra‐high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 100 %. Efficient charge transfer is realized through the unique n‐π and anion‐π stacking in solid‐state C4‐I. Photophysical studies of C4‐I suggest that the incorporation of I accounts for high intersystem crossing rate (kISC) and reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC), suppressing the intrinsic prompt fluorescence and enabling near‐pure TADF emission at room temperature. Benefitting from the large Stokes shift, high PLQY, efficient exciton utilization, and remarkable X‐ray attenuation ability endowed by I, C4‐I delivers an outstanding light yield of 80721 photons/MeV and a low limit of detection (LoD) of 22.79 nGy ⋅ s−1. This work would provide a rational design concept and open up an appealing road for developing efficient organic scintillators with tunable emission, strong X‐ray attenuation ability, and excellent scintillator performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Aims Design Methods Results Conclusion Reporting Method Relevance to Clinical Practice Patient or Public Contribution Although heart failure (HF) symptoms affect patients' quality of life (QoL), improving patients' QoL requires certain self‐care behaviours. However, the specific role of self‐care behaviours in the relationship between HF symptoms and QoL has not been clarified.To evaluate the status of symptom clusters, self‐care behaviours and QoL in HF patients, and to analyse and test the moderating effect of self‐care behaviours between symptom clusters and QoL.This study is a cross‐sectional study.A total of 320 HF patients who treated in the three hospitals in Chengdu, China, from December 2022 to July 2023 were selected as the research subjects. The patients were evaluated using The General Information Questionnaire, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale Heart Failure, Self‐Care of Heart Failure Index and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. The statistical analysis methods were exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis and simple slope analysis.There were five symptom clusters in HF patients: emotional symptom cluster (sadness, anxiety, irritability, feeling nervous), digestive symptom cluster (lack of appetite, dry mouth, weight loss, nausea, abdominal distension), ischemic symptom cluster (dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, fatigue), dyspnoea symptom cluster (difficulty breathing when lying flat, waking up breathless at night, sleep difficulty) and congestion symptom cluster (cough, shortness of breath, oedema). There was a significant correlation between HF symptom group, self‐care behaviours and QoL (p < 0.05). Both self‐care maintenance (β = −0.262, p < 0.001) and self‐care management (β = −0.258, p < 0.001) had a moderating effect between symptom clusters and QoL.There are a variety of symptom clusters in HF patients. Improving the self‐care behaviours ability of HF patients is conducive to reducing the impact of HF symptom clusters on QoL.The study used the STROBE checklist for reporting.Medical staff should focus on the impact of HF symptom clusters and self‐care behaviours on QoL, and formulate corresponding interventions for HF symptom clusters and self‐care behaviours to improve the QoL of patients.The head nurse of the cardiovascular department actively assisted us in collecting questionnaires from HF patients, and all HF patients surveyed participated in this study seriously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most widespread neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by a gradual onset and slow progression, presenting a substantial challenge to global public health. The mitochondrial-associated membrane (MAMs) functions as a crucial center for signal transduction and material transport between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, playing a pivotal role in various pathological mechanisms of AD. The dysregulation of mitochondrial quality control systems is considered a fundamental factor in the development of AD, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent neurodegenerative events. Recent studies have emphasized the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. This review will delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying the imbalance in mitochondrial quality control in AD and provide a comprehensive overview of the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short videos have become an important driving force of social media. This study aims to understand how the perception of luxury goods, their associated brand experience and purchase intentions are affected by hedonism and social media influencers via social media videos. This research collects 383 samples from Mainland China using an online survey. The data are analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate hedonism and influencer leadership directly and indirectly influence purchase intentions. The results show that more hedonic consumers or consumers who believe in influencers are more likely to have a positive first-class flight experience. This study also confirmed that brand experience and perceived luxury provide a mediating role on virtual world content. The findings offer new knowledge to researchers and industry in the luxury tourism context. Finally, theoretical and managerial implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross‐electrophile coupling (XEC) between aryl halides and alkyl halides is a streamlined approach for C(sp2)−C(sp3) bond construction, which is highly valuable in medicinal chemistry. Based on a key NiII aryl amido intermediate, we developed a highly selective and scalable Ni‐catalyzed electrochemical XEC reaction between (hetero)aryl halides and primary and secondary alkyl halides. Experimental and computational mechanistic studies indicate that an amine secondary ligand slows down the oxidative addition process of the Ni‐polypyridine catalyst to the aryl bromide and a NiII aryl amido intermediate is formed in situ during the reaction process. The relatively slow oxidative addition is beneficial for enhancing the selectivity of the XEC reaction. The NiII aryl amido intermediate stabilizes the NiII–aryl species to prevent the aryl–aryl homo‐coupling side reactions and acts as a catalyst to activate the alkyl bromide substrates. This electrosynthesis system provides a facile, practical, and scalable platform for the formation of (hetero)aryl–alkyl bonds using standard Ni catalysts under mild conditions. The mechanistic insights from this work could serve as a great foundation for future studies on Ni‐catalyzed cross‐couplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross‐electrophile coupling (XEC) between aryl halides and alkyl halides is a streamlined approach for C(sp2)−C(sp3) bond construction, which is highly valuable in medicinal chemistry. Based on a key NiII aryl amido intermediate, we developed a highly selective and scalable Ni‐catalyzed electrochemical XEC reaction between (hetero)aryl halides and primary and secondary alkyl halides. Experimental and computational mechanistic studies indicate that an amine secondary ligand slows down the oxidative addition process of the Ni‐polypyridine catalyst to the aryl bromide and a NiII aryl amido intermediate is formed in situ during the reaction process. The relatively slow oxidative addition is beneficial for enhancing the selectivity of the XEC reaction. The NiII aryl amido intermediate stabilizes the NiII–aryl species to prevent the aryl–aryl homo‐coupling side reactions and acts as a catalyst to activate the alkyl bromide substrates. This electrosynthesis system provides a facile, practical, and scalable platform for the formation of (hetero)aryl–alkyl bonds using standard Ni catalysts under mild conditions. The mechanistic insights from this work could serve as a great foundation for future studies on Ni‐catalyzed cross‐couplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the cultural distances between gaming tourists and service providers based on Hofstede’s culture model and aims to identify the correlation between cultural distances and various experience components. Online reviews of casino resorts in Macau are collected from TripAdvisor. Seven key experience categories in casino resorts and their correlations with cultural distances of six national cultural dimensions are revealed by combining the topic modeling method and correlation analysis. The significance of correlations is found to vary with distinct types of experience categories, which provides new insight into the convergence-divergence debate of culture in tourism studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging employees' green behaviour is one of the effective environmental strategies in the hotel industry. Previous studies have primarily investigated the organisation-level factors influencing employees' green behaviour. In contrast, this study shifts the focus to the employee-level factors and introduces generativity in the current research topic. Generativity reflects individuals' concerns for the well-being of future generations. This study aims to explore the relationships among employees' generativity, green behaviour, green policy attitude, and environmental commitment. 304 valid samples were collected from hotel employees in Macau. The structural equational model analysis revealed that generativity has a significantly positive influence on green policy. Employees' green attitude and environmental commitment play a mediating role between generativity and green behaviour. This study expands on the literature by exploring how employees' generativity promotes organizational environmental management. The findings suggest how hotel managers can promote green behaviour and design green policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding visitors’ park experience in urban tourist destinations to enhance their satisfaction is crucial for effective park management and urban planning. Through a topic modelling analysis using user-generated data from TripAdvisor and employing the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm, 20 attributes of urban park experience are identified and grouped into three categories and five dimensions. Besides confirming some of the attributes of park experience identified in previous research, this study also uncovers new attributes that provide insights into visitors’ urban park experience related to the historical and cultural aspects (e.g. filming location, carriage rides and rickshaws). Furthermore, positive and negative effects of each attribute on visitor satisfaction are identified. Findings also suggest significant seasonal difference in attributes of visitors’ urban park experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the differential effects of varying doses of atorvastatin on antagonizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endothelial inflammation based on heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression. Method: Vascular endothelial inflammatory injury was induced in 40 Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of LPS. These rats were randomly divided into control, low-dose atorvastatin, high-dose atorvastatin, and HO-1 blocking groups. Seven days after treatment, all rats were sacrificed, and heart-derived peripheral blood was collected to measure the serum concentrations of bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol, malondialdehyde, endothelial cell protein C receptor, endothelin-1, von Willebrand factor, and soluble thrombomodulin. Meanwhile, the number of circulating endothelial cells was determined using flow cytometry. Vascular tissues from descending aorta of rats from each group were extracted to detect the expression level of HO-1. Results: After different doses of atorvastatin intervention, the above inflammatory indices were decreased, and HO-1 expression and ALT concentration were increased in the atorvastatin-treated group of rats compared with the control group. These changes were more pronounced in the high-dose statin group (P < 0.05). Conversely, no significant decrease in the above inflammatory indices and no significant increase in HO-1 expression were observed in rats in the blocking group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: For LPS-induced vascular inflammation, high-dose atorvastatin exerts potent anti-inflammatory and vascular endothelial protection effects by inducing HO-1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antigenically divergent H7N9 viruses pose a potential threat to public health, with the poor immunogenicity of candidate H7N9 vaccines demonstrated in clinical trials underscoring the urgent need for more-effective H7N9 vaccines. In the present study, mice were immunized with various doses of a suspended-MDCK-cell-derived inactivated H7N9 vaccine, which was based on a low-pathogenic H7N9 virus, to assess cross-reactive immunity and cross-protection against antigenically divergent H7N9 viruses. We found that the CRX-527 adjuvant, a synthetic TLR4 agonist, significantly enhanced the humoral immune responses of the suspended-MDCK-cell-derived H7N9 vaccine, with significant antigen-sparing and immune-enhancing effects, including robust virus-specific IgG, hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI), neuraminidase-inhibiting (NI), and virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody responses, which are crucial for protection against influenza virus infection. Moreover, the CRX-527-adjuvanted H7N9 vaccine also elicited cross-protective immunity and cross-protection against a highly pathogenic H7N9 virus with a single vaccination. Notably, NI and VN antibodies might play an important role in cross-protection against lethal influenza virus infections. This study showed that a synthetic TLR4 agonist adjuvant has a potent immunopotentiating effect, which might be considered worth further development as a means of increasing vaccine effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bay areas have experienced a rapid development in their city integration and tourism industry over the past decade. However, city integration has rarely been studied in the tourism literature along with its dimensions and impact on tourism development. Therefore, this study examines city integration and its effects on tourism development from the perspective of residents in the Greater Bay Area, China. Through a qualitative research method with 73 semi-structured interviews, this study identified five dimensions of the effects of city integration on tourism development were also determined, including resource, community, product, marketing and economic dimensions. The theoretical contributions and practical implications of the findings were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory multi-principal element alloys exhibiting promising mechanical properties such as excellent strength retention at elevated temperatures have been attracting increasing attention. Although their inherent chemical complexity is considered a defining feature, a challenge arises in predicting local chemical ordering, particularly in grain boundary regions with an enhanced structural disorder. In this study, we use atomistic simulations of a large group of bicrystal models to sample a wide variety of interfacial sites (grain boundary) in NbMoTaW and explore emergent trends in interfacial segregation and the underlying structural and chemical driving factors. Sampling hundreds of bicrystals along the [001] symmetric tilt axis and analyzing more than one hundred and thirty thousand grain boundary sites with a variety of local atomic environments, we uncover segregation trends in NbMoTaW. While Nb is the dominant segregant, more notable are the segregation patterns that deviate from expected behavior and mark situations where local structural and chemical driving forces lead to interesting segregation events. For example, incomplete depletion of Ta in low-angle boundaries results from chemical pinning due to favorable local compositional environments associated with chemical short-range ordering. Finally, machine learning models capturing and comparing the structural and chemical features of interfacial sites are developed to weigh their relative importance and contributions to segregation tendency, revealing a significant increase in predictive capability when including local chemical information. Overall, this work, highlighting the complex interplay between the local grain boundary structure and chemical short-range ordering, suggests tunable segregation and chemical ordering by tailoring grain boundary structure in multi-principal element alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paired redox‐neutral electrolysis offers an attractive green platform for organic synthesis by avoiding sacrificial oxidants and reductants. Carboxylates are non‐toxic, stable, inexpensive, and widely available, making them ideal nucleophiles for C−C cross‐coupling reactions. Here, we report the electro/Ni dual‐catalyzed redox‐neutral decarboxylative C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling reactions of pristine carboxylates with aryl bromides. At a cathode, a NiII(Ar)(Br) intermediate is formed through the activation of Ar−Br bond by a NiI‐bipyridine catalyst and subsequent reduction. At an anode, the carboxylates, including amino acid, benzyl carboxylic acid, and 2‐phenoxy propionic acid, undergo oxidative decarboxylation to form carbon‐based free radicals. The combination of NiII(Ar)(Br) intermediate and carbon radical results in the formation of C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling products. The adaptation of this electrosynthesis method to flow synthesis and valuable molecule synthesis was demonstrated. The reaction mechanism was systematically studied through electrochemical voltammetry and density functional theory (DFT) computational studies. The relationships between the electrochemical properties of carboxylates and the reaction selectivity were revealed. The electro/Ni dual‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions described herein expand the chemical space of paired electrochemical C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling and represent a promising method for the construction of the C(sp3)−C(sp2) bonds because of the ubiquitous carboxylate nucleophiles and the innate scalability and flexibility of electrochemical flow‐synthesis technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paired redox‐neutral electrolysis offers an attractive green platform for organic synthesis by avoiding sacrificial oxidants and reductants. Carboxylates are non‐toxic, stable, inexpensive, and widely available, making them ideal nucleophiles for C−C cross‐coupling reactions. Here, we report the electro/Ni dual‐catalyzed redox‐neutral decarboxylative C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling reactions of pristine carboxylates with aryl bromides. At a cathode, a NiII(Ar)(Br) intermediate is formed through the activation of Ar−Br bond by a NiI‐bipyridine catalyst and subsequent reduction. At an anode, the carboxylates, including amino acid, benzyl carboxylic acid, and 2‐phenoxy propionic acid, undergo oxidative decarboxylation to form carbon‐based free radicals. The combination of NiII(Ar)(Br) intermediate and carbon radical results in the formation of C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling products. The adaptation of this electrosynthesis method to flow synthesis and valuable molecule synthesis was demonstrated. The reaction mechanism was systematically studied through electrochemical voltammetry and density functional theory (DFT) computational studies. The relationships between the electrochemical properties of carboxylates and the reaction selectivity were revealed. The electro/Ni dual‐catalyzed cross‐coupling reactions described herein expand the chemical space of paired electrochemical C(sp3)−C(sp2) cross‐coupling and represent a promising method for the construction of the C(sp3)−C(sp2) bonds because of the ubiquitous carboxylate nucleophiles and the innate scalability and flexibility of electrochemical flow‐synthesis technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-dimensional GTAW arc model is insufficient to fully explain the effects of the external longitudinal magnetic field on the arc. Therefore, a three-dimensional GTAW arc model was established to elucidate the recirculation flow and negative pressure arc characteristic of magnetic-controlled arc. The external magnetic field controls the surface temperature, pressure, and current density distribution of the workpiece by controlling the flow of arc plasma. When the magnetic flux density is 0.04T, the surface temperature, pressure, and current density of the workpiece exhibit a bimodal distribution. Under the negative pressure of the GTAW arc, the arc plasma on both sides flowed counterclockwise around the center in the spiral upward direction and then counterclockwise downward from 0.9 mm below the tungsten electrode. By controlling the welding current and magnetic flux density, the occurrence of negative surface pressure on the workpiece can be effectively controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the validity and reliability of the Sleep Health Index (SHI) in a Chinese clinical sample, and thereby provide more evidence for the assessment of sleep health in future research and clinical practice. This study used a cross-sectional design. A convenient sample of 265 participants with spinal degenerative diseases was recruited from outpatient clinics. The SHI, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) were administered via REDCap. Structural, concurrent, convergent, known-group validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were evaluated. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a 3-factor structure (sleep duration, sleep quality, and disordered sleep). The overall SHI score had a high correlation with PSQI and ISI (r = -0.62 and -0.70, respectively) as well as a moderate correlation with PHQ-9 (r = -0.50, p<0.001). The overall SHI was significantly associated with VAS, ESS, and EQ-5D-5L (r = -0.15 to -0.23, p<0.05). Participants with pain had a lower score on the sleep quality sub-index than those without (p<0.001). Those with chronic diseases had a significantly lower score on the sleep duration sub-index than those without (p<0.05). Those with depression, poor sleep quality, and insomnia had lower scores on the overall scale and the three sub-indices than those without (p<0.05). The overall SHI showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.74) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.73). The Chinese version of SHI showed good validity and acceptable reliability and could be used to assess sleep health among clinical populations. • The SHI is a valid and reliable tool for measuring overall sleep health among a clinical sample. • The SHI may be used to assess overall sleep health in clinical practice. • There is a need to refine items within the sleep duration and disordered sleep sub-indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entertainment tourism experience is an emerging but largely overlooked phenomenon. The current study, adopting a qualitative approach, explored travel motivation and entertainment tourism experience from tourists' and industry professionals' perspectives. A total of 33 tourists and 18 industry professionals in Macao were interviewed. Three layers of entertainment tourism experience were identified, namely, behavioural, functional and affective aspects of experience. Furthermore, the three layers of experience were reported to be interrelated and played different roles in creating tourists' entertainment experience. The study accordingly established an integrated flow of entertainment tourism experience. Moreover, the study offered practical implications to destination marketing organizations, industry practitioners, and tourists on cultivating a desired entertainment tourism experience for the tourists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is a lack of standard salvage treatment options for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC) that has failed platinum-containing regimens. Breakthroughs in immunotherapy have opened up new options for these patients. However, the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy have not been clarified. This study aimed to summarize and assess the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with RM-NPC who failed platinum-containing chemotherapy. Methods: Up to August 25, 2022, clinical trials of PD-1 inhibitors in RM-NPC patients who failed platinum-containing regimens were searched in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Retrieval subject terms included "nasopharyngeal carcinoma", "metastatic", "recurrence", "PD-1", and "PD-L1". The clinical trials eligible for inclusion were systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed. Results: A total of 9 studies including 842 patients with RM-NPC were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed that PD-1 inhibitors had promising efficacy in patients with RM-NPC who failed platinum-containing regimens: objective response rate (ORR) was 24% (95% confidence interval [CI] 21–26%), disease control rate (DCR) was 52% (95% CI 45–58%), 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 25% (95% CI 18–32%), and 1-year overall survival (OS) rate was 53% (95% CI 37–68%). In terms of treatment-related adverse events (AEs), the incidence of grade ≥ 3 treatment-related AEs was 19% (95% CI 13–24%). In addition, we found that PD-1 inhibitors were more effective in patients with PD-L1 positive than in patients with PD-L1 negative nasopharyngeal carcinoma who had failed platinum-containing regimens (ORR 31% (95%CI 26–35%) vs. 21% (95% CI 17–25%)). Conclusion: PD-1 inhibitors may provide a survival benefit for patients with RM-NPC who have failed platinum-containing regimens and have the advantage of a good safety profile, making them a promising treatment option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleavage of C(CO)–C bonds is a fascinating transformation that offers exciting opportunities for development of new synthetic methodologies through reconstruction of the molecular skeleton. However, the catalytic insertion of heteroallenes into C(CO)–C bonds of unstrained 1,3-diketones is so far challenging and still unknown. Herein, we report an environmentally friendly and green synthetic approach to prepare racemic or enantioenriched 3,4,6-trisubstituted α-pyrones through the cheap K2CO3-catalyzed formal C(CO)–C bond insertion reaction of ketenimines with 1,3-diketones. In addition, a one-pot procedure leading to either 3,4,6-trisubstituted α-pyrones or 4,6-disubstituted α-pyrones through an unprecedented sequential Pd(0) or Co(II)/K2CO3 catalysis has also been developed. The synthetic utility of this methodology was demonstrated by the broad substrate scope, the concise synthesis of analogues of pharmaceutically active compounds, and the diverse derivatization of the pyrone framework. More importantly, this work not only opens up a new avenue for designing structurally non-traditional α-pyrones, but also unlocks the huge potential of some extended π-conjugated α-pyrones with optoelectronic application in organic light-emitting diodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) behaviors in metal halide perovskite and perovskite derivatives are rarely reported due to the absence of suitable TADF molecules that can serve as the A‐site cations. Herein, a series of novel donor‐π‐acceptor type of molecules are developed by adopting substituted phosphine and phosphonium as the electron donor and acceptor linked by the polarized π‐spacer. The prepared ((diphenylphosphaneyl)phenyl)diphenylphosphonium‐X (BzDPP‐X, X = counterions: Cl−, Br−, I−, NO3−, CH3COO− etc.) salts show bright emission in the visible range with TADF characteristics due to the strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). Benefiting from the spatially separated highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, small singlet‐triplet energy splitting (ΔEST) is obtained, facilitating the reverse intersystem crossing process. It turns out that the emission of BzDPP‐X is dependent on the counter anions, and the counterions help to stabilize the ICT state. Intriguingly, the emission can be tuned by integrating metal‐halide units into the above phosphonium salt. Remarkably, the zinc‐based halide exhibits a higher photoluminescence quantum yield (36.2%) than the pure benzyl(2‐(diphenylphosphaneyl)phenyl)diphenylphosphonium bromide (26.9%). This work exemplifies an easy design concept and a facile synthetic method toward ionic luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of regional economic development, China has begun to shift its focus from prioritizing speed to increasing efficiency and productivity. The Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) is the latest urbanization initiative in the country. This study develops a measurement scale for tourist attitudes toward the city integration in the GBA through a qualitative and quantitative mixed method. Tourist attitude in this study is operationalized by cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions. After confirming the reliability of the proposed factors, we use factor analysis and multidimensional scaling to establish a survey instrument. Our results confirm the reliability of the proposed measurement scale. Finally, we provide theoretical and practical implications in our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the distinct interfacial structures that form at grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystals due to the adsorption of impurities, specifically focusing on a GB transition in a titanium-iron alloy induced by iron segregation. Topics discussed include the formation of unique 2D interfacial phases, the impact of GB adsorption on material properties, and the potential for engineering these interfaces to enhance characteristics like ionic conductivity.

Melanin is a complex natural pigment that is widely present in fungi. The mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis has a variety of pharmacological effects. The active substances of O. sinensis have been extensively studied, but few studies have focused on the O. sinensis melanin. In this study, the production of melanin was increased by adding light or oxidative stress, namely, reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS), during liquid fermentation. Subsequently, the structure of the purified melanin was characterized using elemental analysis, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and pyrolysis gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GCMS). Studies have shown that O. sinensis melanin is composed of C (50.59), H (6.18), O (33.90), N (8.19), and S (1.20), with maximum absorbance at 237 nm and typical melanin structures such as benzene, indole, and pyrrole. Additionally, the various biological activities of O. sinensis melanin have been discovered; it can chelate heavy metals and shows a strong ultraviolet-blocking ability. Moreover, O. sinensis melanin can reduce the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species and counteract the oxidative damage of H2O2 to cells. These results can help us to develop applications of O. sinensis melanin in radiation resistance, heavy metal pollution remediation, and antioxidant use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft magnetic composite materials have important applications in many fields. With the development of technology, the performance requirements of soft magnetic composite materials are constantly improving. In order to meet the application requirements of high frequency and high power working conditions, it is necessary to develop soft magnetic composites with low loss and high permeability. SiO2, as an insulating coating medium, has high resistivity and thermal stability, and can be coated on magnetic particles by a variety of methods, so it has been widely used in the field of developing new soft magnetic composites. This paper summarizes the application of sol-gel method, chemical liquid deposition method, reverse microemulsion method, chemical vapor deposition method, double-layer coating method and modified resin coating method in SiO2 insulation coating of iron-based soft magnetic composites. The characteristics of various insulating coating method are summarized and classified according to their characteristics. Some problems faced by SiO2 insulating coating at present are pointed out, and the development prospect of insulating coating methods is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament of the knee joint. Avulsion fracture of the tibial insertion point of the ACL accounts for 14% of all ACL injuries. However, no gold standard approach for treating ACL avulsion fractures exists. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of the treatment of ACL avulsion fracture with gate-shaped Kirschner wire fixation via arthroscopy. METHODS: Clinical data of 46 patients (male:female, 1:1.3; age, 3 5. 3 ± 8. 2 years) with ACL avulsion fracture who were treated with gate-shaped Kirschner wire fixation via arthroscopy in the People's Hospital of Zhongjiang County from February 2018 to March 2021 were collected. The clinical effect was retrospectively analyzed using preoperative and postoperative joint range of motion (ROM), Lysholm score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score. RESULTS: After the operation, the ROM (mean ± standard deviation, 7 2. 2 2 ± 2 7. 9 2 ∘ and 1 3 7. 7 8 ± 7. 3 8 ∘ , P < 0. 0 5), Lysholm score (4 5. 8 1 ± 1 0. 9 4 ∘ and 9 3. 0 4 ± 9. 5 8 ∘ , P < 0. 0 5), and IKDC score (4 3. 8 9 ± 1 1. 1 6 ∘ and 9 0. 2 6 ± 5. 8 6 ∘ at the last follow-up, P < 0. 0 5) significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: The Kirschner wire fixation technique via arthroscopy displayed good therapeutic efficacy, was simple and effective, and is worth recommending for treating ACL avulsion fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscale porous silicon materials have shown great application potential as anodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs); however, they face significant challenges, including mechanical structure instability, low intrinsic conductivity, and uncontrollable processing. In this study, a modified etching strategy combined with a facile sol–gel method is demonstrated to prepare microscale porous Si microspheres encapsulated by an inner amorphous carbon shell (≈10 nm) and an outer rigid anatase titanium oxide (TiO2) shell (≈20 nm) (PSi@C@TiO2), with the intact porous framework and core–shell–shell spherical structure. The interconnected pores can sufficiently accommodate the expansion of the Si core during lithiation. Moreover, the double shells can not only enhance the kinetic behavior of the PSi@C@TiO2 microspheres, but can act as a compact fence to force the Si core to expand toward the internal pores during lithiation, ensuring the integrity of the porous spherical structure. As a result, the PSi@C@TiO2 anodes show greatly superior high specific capacity, excellent rate capability, stable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) films and steady mechanical structure. It delivers a high reversible capacity of 1004 mA h g−1 after 250 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. This study provides a modified method to prepare microscale porous Si anodes with a stable mechanical structure and long cycle life for LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorine-containing coatings play an essential role in waterproof paint, but the harm of fluoride to the environment does not meet the current environmental protection requirements. The present study reports an eco-friendly and fluoride-free waterproof hybrid coating prepared by a semi-continuous seed emulsion method employing vinyl tributbutoxy silane (VTBS) as the functional monomer and octyl triethoxysilane modified SiO2 (OTES@ SiO2) as the inorganic filler. In vinyl acetate/butyl acrylate hybrid coatings, the surface covering of OTES@SiO2 and the cross-linking structure produced by VTBS not only significantly improve the thermal stability, mechanical properties, and strong hydrophobicity but also reduce the water absorption. In addition, the gloss loss of the organic–inorganic hybrid layer is <30% after being exposed to UV-irradiation for 720 h. The obtained coating could be a lovely environmental-friendly protective coating for many functional areas, especially for outdoor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass is a group of materials with appealing qualities, including simplicity in fabrication, durability, and high transparency, and they play a crucial role in the optics field. In this paper, a new organic–inorganic metal halide luminescent glass exhibiting >78 % transmittance at 506–800 nm range together with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 28.5 % is reported through a low‐temperature melt‐quenching approach of pre‐synthesized (HTPP)2MnBr4 (HTPP=hexyltriphenylphosphonium) single crystal. Temperature‐dependent X‐ray diffraction, polarizing microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations were combined to investigate the glass‐crystal interconversion process, revealing the disordered nature of the glassy state. Benefiting from the transparent nature, (HTPP)2MnBr4 glass yields an outstanding spatial resolution of 10 lp mm−1 for X‐ray imaging. The superb optical properties and facility of large‐scale fabrication distinguish the organic–inorganic metal halide glass as a highly promising class of materials for optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass is a group of materials with appealing qualities, including simplicity in fabrication, durability, and high transparency, and they play a crucial role in the optics field. In this paper, a new organic–inorganic metal halide luminescent glass exhibiting >78 % transmittance at 506–800 nm range together with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 28.5 % is reported through a low‐temperature melt‐quenching approach of pre‐synthesized (HTPP)2MnBr4 (HTPP=hexyltriphenylphosphonium) single crystal. Temperature‐dependent X‐ray diffraction, polarizing microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations were combined to investigate the glass‐crystal interconversion process, revealing the disordered nature of the glassy state. Benefiting from the transparent nature, (HTPP)2MnBr4 glass yields an outstanding spatial resolution of 10 lp mm−1 for X‐ray imaging. The superb optical properties and facility of large‐scale fabrication distinguish the organic–inorganic metal halide glass as a highly promising class of materials for optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanization mediated by the prophenoloxidase (PPO)-activating system is an important innate immunity to fight pathogens in insects. In this study, the in vitro time-dependent increase in the intensity of melanization and phenoloxidase (PO) activity from the hemolymph of Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki) challenged by pathogenic bacteria was detected. PPO is one of the key genes in melanization pathway, whereas the molecular characteristics and functions of O. formosanus PPO are unclear. The OfPPO gene was cloned and characterized. The open reading frame of OfPPO is 2085 bp in length and encodes a 79.497 kDa protein with 694 amino acids. A BLASTx search and phylogenetic analyses revealed that OfPPO shares a high degree of homology to the Blattodea PPOs. Moreover, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis showed that OfPPO is ubiquitously expressed in all castes and tissues examined, with the highest expression in workers and variable expression patterns in tissues of different termite castes. Furthermore, the expression of OfPPO was significantly induced in O. formosanus infected by pathogenic bacteria. Intriguingly, in combination with silencing of OfPPO expression, pathogenic bacteria challenge caused greatly increased mortality of O. formosanus. These results suggest that OfPPO plays a role in defense against bacteria and highlight the novel termite control strategy combining pathogenic bacteria application with termite PPO silencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Castration is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in dogs. However, based on increasing evidence, male animals experience significant pain after castration. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), one of the main bioactive components in A. membranaceus bunge, has been widely used as part of Fu‐Zheng therapy to enhance natural defense mechanisms. Introduction: This study was carried out to determine the effects of supplementing different doses of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS; control, 0 mg/kg; APSL, 400 mg/kg; and APSH, 800 mg/kg) for 8 weeks on the haematology and serum chemistry profiles, immune response, and oxidative stress status in weanling beagle dogs. Methods: After adapting to the experimental environment for 1 week, 18 male beagle dogs (Sichuan Institute of Musk Deer Breeding, China; average initial weight, 3.80 ± 0.43 g; age, 3‐month‐old) were randomly allotted to diets supplemented with three doses of APS (Control, 0 mg/kg; low, 400 mg/kg; and high, 800 mg/kg), referred to as control, APSL, and APSH, respectively; six dogs were assigned to each treatment. The dogs were fed the respective diets twice daily at 08:30 and 16:30 h in sufficient quantity to supply the metabolizable energy requirements for 8 weeks. On day 43 (19 weeks old), the dogs were castrated. On days 42 (prior to castration, 19 weeks old), 50 (day 7 after castration, 20 weeks old), and 57 (day 14 after castration, 21 weeks old) to measure the haematology, blood chemistry, immune response, and oxidative stress status parameters. Results: Based on our findings, the APSH diet decreased weight gain and increased the feed to gain ratio in dogs (P < 0.05). At 14 days after castration, the wound was almost closed, slightly swollen, dry, and clean in the groups supplemented with APS. In addition, optimal APS supplementation was found to decrease erythrocyte count (RBC), haematocrit (HCT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), C‐reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 1β (IL‐1β), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels, and cortisol and protein carbonyl (PC) concentrations (P < 0.05). Moreover, the mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and platelet (PLT) levels, interleukin 10 (IL‐10) and glutathione (GSH) content, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (Se‐GPx) activities were increased in the APS supplemented groups (P < 0.05) Conclusion: This study demonstrated that supplementing weanling beagle dogs with optimum APS could positively affect wound healing by improving their haematological profile (decreased RBC and HCT content, increased MCH and PLT levels), serum biochemical parameters (decreased ALP and ALT content), immune status (decreased CRP, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α levels; increased IL‐10 content), and antioxidant defense (decreased cortisol and PC content; increased GSH content, and SOD1, CAT, and Se‐GPx activities). However, the detailed mechanism whereby APS regulates these changes requires further investigation. In addition, the results of this study suggest that 400 mg/kg diet is the optimum APS dose for beagle dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil roughness was measured based on structure-from-motion in a dune-meadow cascade ecosystem. • The main controlling factors of soil roughness variation varied greatly in different ecosystems. • Soil roughness in various ecosystems could be well predicated using k-nearest neighbors' algorithm. As an important indicator of ecological restoration, soil roughness changes exhibit a synergistic evolutionary relationship with near-surface characteristics such as soil and vegetation. However, the main controlling factors for changes in soil roughness in different ecosystems are still unclear. This study was conducted to clarify the changes in soil roughness in different ecosystems and to decouple and quantify the impact of near-surface characteristics on soil roughness in the Horqin Sandy Land (China). Soil roughness was measured using the structure-from-motion (SfM) technique, showing a pattern of farmland (14.08 mm) > semi-mobile dune (12.59 mm) > meadow (6.19 mm) > woodland (5.67 mm). Redundancy analysis (RDA) results showed that the near-surface characteristics of the dune-meadow cascade ecosystem that explained soil roughness, in descending order of importance, were as follows: sand, soil moisture content (MC), silt, plant stem diameter (SD), clay, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), soil shear resistance (SC), litter thickness (LT), water-stable aggregates (WSA), litter density (LD) and bulk density (BD). Specifically, in the semi-mobile dune ecosystem, the order of total effects on soil roughness was as follows: sand (1.311) > pH (0.447) > clay (0.387). In the woodland ecosystem, SC (0.226), pH (|-0.216|), and LD (0.179) were important factors controlling soil roughness. In the farmland ecosystem, MC (0.380), LT (|-0.378|), and SOM (|-0.336|) were the main controlling factors of soil roughness. In the meadow ecosystem, silt (0.574), SOM (|-0.413|), and clay (|-0.380|) significantly influenced soil roughness. Compared to other machine learning models and stepwise regression models, the k-nearest neighbors (KNN) model could predict soil roughness changes more accurately. The findings of this research are of great significance for ecological restoration and sustainable development of the ecologically fragile areas in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are reshaping society's production methods and productivity, and also changing the paradigm of scientific research. Among them, the AI language model represented by ChatGPT has made great progress. Such large language models (LLMs) serve people in the form of AI-generated content (AIGC) and are widely used in consulting, healthcare, and education. However, it is difficult to guarantee the authenticity and reliability of AIGC learning data. In addition, there are also hidden dangers of privacy disclosure in distributed AI training. Moreover, the content generated by LLMs is difficult to identify and trace, and it is difficult to cross-platform mutual recognition. The above information security issues in the coming era of AI powered by LLMs will be infinitely amplified and affect everyone's life. Therefore, we consider empowering LLMs using blockchain technology with superior security features to propose a vision for trusted AI. This survey mainly introduces the motivation and technical route of blockchain for LLM (BC4LLM), including reliable learning corpus, secure training process, and identifiable generated content. Meanwhile, this survey also reviews the potential applications and future challenges, especially in the frontier communication networks field, including network resource allocation, dynamic spectrum sharing, and semantic communication. Based on the above work combined with the prospect of blockchain and LLMs, it is expected to help the early realization of trusted AI and provide guidance for the academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Scale-specific controls of sediment load were identified in a seasonal inland river. • The combined method of MEMD and TDIC effectively address sediment transport process. • Predictions of sediment load using MEMD outperformed those made with the original dataset. Sediment transport is a multi-scale and non-linear process controlled by multiple variables. Given the intricate nature of sediment transport mechanisms and the overlap of different factors' effects on it at various time scales, unraveling the relationship between sediment load and its influencing factors is challenging. This study aimed to elucidate the multi-timescale effects of factors on monthly suspended sediment load in a seasonal inland river. In this study, monthly sediment loads measured by the depth-integrating method were obtained from the Tabu River Basin in northern China from 2007 to 2021, alongside data on four controlling factors: runoff, precipitation, water surface evaporation, and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results showed that sediment load, runoff, and precipitation showed strong variability during 2007–2021, while water surface evaporation and NDVI exhibited moderate variability. Multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) decomposed the temporal patterns of sediment load and associated variables into five intrinsic mode functions (IMF) and a residue. IMF1 (4.7 months), IMF2 (9.0 months) and IMF3 (14.2 months) collectively explained 115.88 %, 91.73 %, 91.28 %, 107.69 %, and 106.09 % of the total variability in sediment load, runoff, precipitation, water surface evaporation, and NDVI, respectively. Subsequently, the time-dependent intrinsic correlation (TDIC) was utilized to illustrate the inherent relationships between sediment load and its controlling factors across various time scales. The associations between sediment load and the controlling factors changed significantly with the scale. Runoff was the dominant factor controlling sediment load at IMF1 (4.7 months), IMF2 (9.0 months), IMF3 (14.2 months), and IMF4 (25.1 months). Water surface evaporation controlled the sediment transport process at IMF5 (63.6 months). The prediction of sediment load on the measurement scale, using scale-specific controls analyzed with MEMD (R2 = 0.993), demonstrated superior performance compared to traditional multiple linear regression prediction (R2 = 0.748). This study will provide a theoretical basis for effective prevention and control of soil erosion and watershed management in inland river basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthritis is a common disease in joints, causing tenderness, swelling and joint pain. Early identification of arthritis helps to prevent joint erosion, slow erosive disease progression, and achieve remission after treatment. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine biomarker that is overexpressed in response to inflammation, injury, and infection. Since elevation of IL-6 was found by researchers with arthritis patients, quantification of IL-6 helps for the early identification of arthritis. In this research, high affinity dual probed ELISA was introduced to identify IL-6 at low levels. On the gold nanourchin, the antibody and aptamer were attached and used as the detection probes to identify IL-6 on the ELISA surface. The dual probe was found to be highly sensitive and selective to IL-6 and bound more IL-6. The detection limit of IL-6 with the dual probe was calculated as 0.5 pg/mL by linear regression with an R2 value of 0.9889. Furthermore, control experiments without detection probes or target and with the control protein IL-6 receptor did not show significant absorbance changes, confirming the specific detection of IL-6. This ELISA method with a dual probe identifies a lower abundance of IL-6 and helps to diagnose arthritis. [Display omitted] • Dual probed ELISA was to identify Interleukin-6 (IL-6) on gold nanourchin. • Antibody and aptamer were attached to make highly sensitive & selective. • The detection limit was as 0.5 pg/mL by a linear regression with R2 of 0.9889. • Control experiments did not show absorbance changes, confirms specific detection. • ELISA strategy identifies the lower abundance of IL-6, helps to diagnose arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the critical success factors is common in tourism research because it can bring many benefits to the tourism industry. Related research is mainly concentrated in accommodation, events, ecotourism, catering, travel agencies, wine tourism, urban tourism, and business tourism. Entertainment tourism is becoming increasingly popular. However, research on the critical success factors of entertainment tourism destination has been overlooked. This study examined these factors from the supply-side perspective with the aim to discover the critical success factors of entertainment tourism in Macau using qualitative research method. The data is collected from managers in the entertainment tourism industry. Eight CSFs, with a total of 21 sub-factors from data collected from semi-structured interviews are observed. These CSFs are product, financial and economic support, service quality, planning and policy, facility and transportation, marketing, human resources and security. The result also indicates the strength of these identified factors in improving and sustaining the development of entertainment tourism. Furthermore, the implications of the success of such development are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the vibration noise generated by the centrifugal pump in the working process and improve the working efficiency of the centrifugal pump, the sound field numerical calculation of IS80-65-160 single-stage single-suction centrifugal pump was carried out. Under the condition that the parameters of the pump body and the impeller remain unchanged, the number of blades of the prototype pump impeller was designed as 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively. The flow-induced vibration and noise characteristics of centrifugal pumps were studied from two aspects of numerical simulation and test, and the renormalization group k-ε model was used to simulate the steady and unsteady state of centrifugal pumps with different blade numbers. The external characteristics, pressure pulsation characteristics, vibration, and noise of the centrifugal pump were obtained, and the flow-induced vibration and noise test platform of the centrifugal pump was built for experimental verification. The research showed that the flow induction in the model pump was the main factor affecting the vibration of the prototype pump, and the shaft frequency and blade frequency were the main reasons causing the noise of the prototype pump. The vibration of each blade was the most concentrated at onefold blade frequency, and the peak of the sound field acoustic pressure level of the pump body was higher than other frequencies at threefold blade frequency, which was most obvious in the tongue region of the volute. With the increase of blades, the noise in volute decreased. The vibration intensity of the 4-blade prototype pump was lower, but the efficiency and head were also lower. The vibration intensity of the 5-blade prototype pump was the highest, the comprehensive performance of the 6-blade prototype pump was better, and the vibration of the 7-blade prototype pump was unstable. The test results showed that six blades could effectively reduce the flow-induced vibration noise of centrifugal pumps and improve the working environment, which provided certain application value and guiding significance for the hydraulic design of the subsequent low-noise centrifugal pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a well known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Mitochondria are the center of intracellular energy metabolism and the main source of reactive oxygen species. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a key factor in diabetes-associated brain alterations contributing to neurodegenerative events. Defective insulin signaling may act in concert with neurodegenerative mechanisms leading to abnormalities in mitochondrial structure and function. Mitochondrial dysfunction triggers neuronal energy exhaustion and oxidative stress, leading to brain neuronal damage and cognitive impairment. The normality of mitochondrial function is basically maintained by mitochondrial quality control mechanisms. In T2DM, defects in the mitochondrial quality control pathway in the brain have been found to lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Here, we discuss the association of mitochondrial dysfunction with T2DM and cognitive impairment. We also review the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial quality control and impacts of mitochondrial quality control on the progression of cognitive impairment in T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc metal represents a low‐cost, high‐capacity anode material to develop energy‐dense aqueous redox‐flow batteries (RFB). However, the energy‐storage applications of traditional inorganic Zn halide flow batteries are primarily plagued by the material challenges of traditional halide cathode electrolytes (e.g., bromine), including corrosion, toxicity, and severe crossover. Herein, we report a bipolar zinc–ferrocene salt compound, zinc 1,1′‐bis(3‐sulfonatopropyl)ferrocene, Zn[Fc(SPr)2] (1.80 M solubility or 48.2 Ah L− charge storage capacity)—a robust, energy‐dense, bipolar redox‐active electrolyte material for RFBs. Zn[Fc(SPr)2]‐based redox‐flow batteries operated at high current densities of up to 200 mA cm−2 and delivered an energy efficiency of up to 81.5 % and a power density of up to 270.5 mW cm−2. A Zn[Fc(SPr)2] flow battery demonstrated an energy density of 20.2 Wh L−1 and displayed nearly 100 % capacity retention for 2000 cycles (1284 h or 53.5 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc metal represents a low‐cost, high‐capacity anode material to develop energy‐dense aqueous redox‐flow batteries (RFB). However, the energy‐storage applications of traditional inorganic Zn halide flow batteries are primarily plagued by the material challenges of traditional halide cathode electrolytes (e.g., bromine), including corrosion, toxicity, and severe crossover. Herein, we report a bipolar zinc–ferrocene salt compound, zinc 1,1′‐bis(3‐sulfonatopropyl)ferrocene, Zn[Fc(SPr)2] (1.80 M solubility or 48.2 Ah L− charge storage capacity)—a robust, energy‐dense, bipolar redox‐active electrolyte material for RFBs. Zn[Fc(SPr)2]‐based redox‐flow batteries operated at high current densities of up to 200 mA cm−2 and delivered an energy efficiency of up to 81.5 % and a power density of up to 270.5 mW cm−2. A Zn[Fc(SPr)2] flow battery demonstrated an energy density of 20.2 Wh L−1 and displayed nearly 100 % capacity retention for 2000 cycles (1284 h or 53.5 days). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites that infect a wide variety of hosts ranging from invertebrates to vertebrates. These parasites have evolved strategies to directly hijack host mitochondria for manipulating host metabolism and immunity. However, the mechanism of microsporidia interacting with host mitochondria is unclear. In the present study, we show that microsporidian Encephalitozoon greatly induce host mitochondrial fragmentation (HMF) in multiple cells. We then reveal that the parasites promote the phosphorylation of dynamin 1-like protein (DRP1) at the 616th serine (Ser616), and dephosphorylation of the 637th serine (Ser637) by highly activating mitochondrial phosphoglycerate mutase 5 (PGAM5). These phosphorylation modifications result in the translocation of DRP1 from cytosol to the mitochondrial outer membrane, and finally lead to HMF. Furthermore, treatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi1) significantly reduced microsporidian proliferation, indicating that the HMF are crucial for microsporidian replication. In summary, our findings reveal the mechanism that microsporidia manipulate HMF and provide references for further understanding the interactions between these ubiquitous pathogens with host mitochondria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular pathogens infecting nearly all animal phyla. The microsporidian Nosema bombycis has been isolated from several lepidopteran species, including the economy-important silkworms as well as several crop pests. Proteins secreted by parasites can be important virulent factors in modulating host pathways. Ricin is a two-chain lectin best known for its extreme vertebrate toxicity. Ricin B lectin-like proteins are widely distributed in microsporidia, especially in N. bombycis. In this study, we identify 52 Ricin B lectin-like proteins (RBLs) in N. bombycis. We show that the N. bombycis RBLs (NbRBLs) are classified into four subfamilies. The subfamily 1 was the most conserved, with all members having a Ricin B lectin domain and most members containing a signal peptide. The other three subfamilies were less conserved, and even lost the Ricin B lectin domain, suggesting that NbRBLs might be a multi-functional family. Our study here indicated that the NbRBL family had evolved by producing tandem duplications firstly and then expanded by segmental duplications, resulting in concentrated localizations mainly in three genomic regions. Moreover, based on RNA-seq data, we found that several Nbrbls were highly expressed during infection. Further, the results show that the NbRBL28 was secreted into host nucleus, where it promotes the expressions of genes involved in cell cycle progression. In summary, the great copy number, high divergence, and concentrated genome distribution of the NbRBLs demonstrated that these proteins might be adaptively evolved and played a vital role in the multi-host N. bombycis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]