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High energy composite films made from high explosives has important applications in pyrotechnics. In this study, electrostatic spraying was used to prepare energy-containing films based on 1,2,3,4-butanetetrol tetranitrate (ETN). The results show that all energy containing films are made of nanofibres. They have excellent hydrophobicity and combustion properties. In particular, monolayer films in which ETN is the main energy containing substance. Once ignited, the trace monolayer film generates a maximum pressure of 0.85 MPa and an adiabatic flame temperature of 2,855 °C. For single and double layer films, the heat of combustion can reach 9899 J/g and 11975 J/g respectively. The level of combustion heat can also be controlled by adjustment of the ETN content. The results of the thermo-properties performance evaluation show that by optimizing the nanostructure, the ETN-based energy-containing fiber membranes can meet the requirements of advanced pyrotechnic products. In particular, there is great potential in the metastable intermixed composites (MICs) field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among uranium extraction materials, amidoxime polymers are very promising. But the conformation of molecular chains is not well understood. Herein, conformation behavior of polyamidoxime (PAO) was analyzed via molecular dynamics. In water, the conformation of PAO is extended, its radius of gyration (Rg) is 12.5 Å. However, the Rg of polyacrylonitrile is merely 6.2 Å. The PAO conformation collapses due to uranyl and sodium ions. Moreover, small angle X-ray scattering showed that Rg from 11.6 to 11.0 nm after uranium adsorption. Overall, this work will be beneficial to the design of new uranium adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on UnDBot, a novel unsupervised research framework for detecting social bots, designed to be interpretable and effective in identifying complex bot behaviors. Topics include developing social relationship metrics like posting influence, follow-to-follower ratio, and posting type distribution, constructing a weighted social multi-relational graph to capture user behavior similarities, and optimizing heterogeneous structural entropy to enhance bot detection accuracy.

Water pollution deteriorates ecosystems and has a great threaten to the environment. The environmental benefits of wastewater treatment are extremely important to minimize pollutants. Here, the biochar purchased from the related industry was used to treat the wastewater which contained high concentration of vanadium (V). The concentration of vanadium was measured by the IC-OES and the results showed that 96.1% vanadium (V) was reduced at selected reaction conditions: the mass ratio of biochar to vanadium of 5.4, reaction temperature of 90 °C, reaction time at 60 min and concentration of H2SO4 of 10 g/L, respectively. Response surface methodology confirmed that all the experimental parameters had positive effect on the reduction of vanadium (V), which could improve the reduction efficiency of vanadium (V) as increased. The influence of each parameter on the reduction process followed the order: A (Concentration of H2SO4) > C (mass ratio of biochar to vanadium) > B (mass ratio of biochar to vanadium). Especially, the mass ratio of biochar to vanadium and concentration of H2SO4 had the greatest influence on the reduction process. This paper provides a versatile strategy for the treatment of wastewater containing vanadium (V) and shows a bright tomorrow for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advantages of the Gatling gun, such as high firing rate, large interception range, and wide range of use, have made it an indispensable weapon system in the defense field. At present, the analysis of shooting vibration of the Gatling gun is a challenging key point in related research. In response to the lack of research on the shooting vibration characteristics of Gatling gun weapon systems, this paper carries out a numerical simulation study of the launch dynamic characteristics of the Gatling gun based on the nonlinear launch dynamics theory of artillery. The results of muzzle disturbance under continuous shooting conditions are obtained, and the shooting density of Gatling guns under different situations is analyzed and compared based on the method of shooting density calculation. This research fills the gap in the study of launch dynamics of Gatling weapons, providing design references and theoretical support for the overall design and performance verification of Gatling guns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Objective Methods Results Conclusion Atrophic acne scars (AAS) are disfiguring and permanent changes caused by inflammatory acne. Fractional carbon dioxide is a common ablative device used to treat this condition. However, issues such as unclear effectiveness, frequent treatments, and potential side effects exist. In recent years, recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) has also been frequently reported for its application in the treatment of acne scars.To explore the potential synergistic effect of fractional carbon dioxide laser combined with rhEGF in AAS treatment.We enrolled 15 patients with AAS. They received fractional carbon dioxide laser treatment and were then randomly assigned to receive either rhEGF or a placebo on one side of the face. The procedure was repeated three times, and the results were evaluated using the échelle d'évaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acné (ECCA) score and analyzed using the CBS camera system, 3D analysis (3DMD). Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) examination was also conducted.Both sides exhibited significant improvement in the appearance of the acne scars after treatment, as confirmed by the ECCA score, 3DMD data, and CBS texture score. On the rhEGF‐treated side, the pore number and epidermal pigment area significantly improved as compared to the control side, whereas no significant differences were observed in the other data. Under RCM, a significant increase in epidermal thickness and appearance of reticular collagen fibers in the dermal layer after treatment was observed.Compared to the sole use of laser, the combination of fractional carbon dioxide laser and rhEGF does not significantly enhance scar therapeutic effects. However, it does shorten the recovery period after laser treatment and improves the pore appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an innovative design approach for a voltage‐controlled (variable) attenuator that allows continuous control of attenuation through analog voltage. Different from fixed attenuators, this work employs PIN diodes and compensated gold wire inductors to configure the attenuation network. It is based in imperfect matching theory, ensuring to obtain the acceptable S‐parameters over the operating band. Measurement results demonstrate effective performance of the attenuator within the voltage range of 0.7–1.03 V. Return losses of the attenuator are all better than 15 dB in the operating range of 10.5–19 GHz. The insertion losses exhibit continuous variation from 2 to 15 dB, requiring only a single controlled voltage to adjust the attenuation value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis is a promising route to convert solar light into chemical energy for H 2 evolution and pollutants degradation. Hence, Ni 2 P decorated ZnCr 2 O 4 (Ni 2 P/ZnCr 2 O 4) nanofibers were prepared for boosting solar-light induced water splitting and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) degradation. For comparison to ZnCr 2 O 4 nanofibers, Ni 2 P/ZnCr 2 O 4 composites exhibited the better photocatalytic activities for water splitting and TCH removal. Owing to the co-catalytic effect of Ni 2 P for the efficient photon capture, the charge carriers were rapidly separated and migrated at the interface between Ni 2 P and oxygen-defected ZnCr 2 O 4. H 2 evolution rate of optimal C–Ni 2 P/ZnCr 2 O 4 with a nominal Ni 2 P content of 9.0 wt% was 575.89 μmol g−1 h−1, and its apparent quantum yield at 420 nm was 15.25 %, while its H 2 evolution decreased from 2815.13 to 2602.51 μmol g−1 after fifth cycle. In addition, the removal efficiency of C–Ni 2 P/ZnCr 2 O 4 was 93.68 % within 90 min, and declined to 88.76 % after five cycles for solar-light driven degradation of 50 mg L−1 TCH solution. The deactivation of C–Ni 2 P/ZnCr 2 O 4 was due to the photo-corrosion for the change in valence states of compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: West Nile virus (WNV) is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne virus accounted for neuroinvasive diseases. An insight into WNV-host factors interaction is necessary for development of therapeutic approaches against WNV infection. CD11b has key biological functions and been identified as a therapeutic target for several human diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine whether CD11b was implicated in WNV infection. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells with and without MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 or AKT inhibitor MK-2206 treatment were infected with WNV. CD11b mRNA levels were assessed by real-time PCR. WNV replication and expression of stress (ATF6 and CHOP), pro-inflammatory (TNF-α), and antiviral (IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ) factors were evaluated in WNV-infected SH-SY5Y cells with CD11b siRNA transfection. Cell viability was determined by MTS assay. Results: CD11b mRNA expression was remarkably up-regulated by WNV in a time-dependent manner. U0126 but not MK-2206 treatment reduced the CD11b induction by WNV. CD11b knockdown significantly decreased WNV replication and protected the infected cells. CD11b knockdown markedly increased TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ mRNA expression induced by WNV. ATF6 mRNA expression was reduced upon CD11b knockdown following WNV infection. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that CD11b is involved in maintaining WNV replication and modulating inflammatory as well as antiviral immune response, highlighting the potential of CD11b as a target for therapeutics for WNV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many real-world phenomena, such as the reconstruction of disaster areas after an earthquake or the stock market's recovery after an economic crisis, damaged networks are spontaneously active after receiving assistance. To reveal how the recovery process, the research of dynamic network recovery has become a hot topic in the field of network science. Previous studies on network recovery have been limited to simple networks with pairwise interactions. However, real-world systems are usually networks with higher-order interactions that are composed of multiple units. To better understand the recovery phenomenon on complex networks in the real world, we propose a novel spontaneous recovery model applied to hypergraphs. The model considers two types of recovery, internal recovery and fast recovery, where inactive nodes in the network can either recover internally with independent probabilities or receive sufficient resources from the hyperedge for fast recovery. We find that the number of active nodes in the system shows a phase change from continuous to discontinuous as the fast recovery condition is relaxed. Moreover, under the influence of higher-order interactions, increasing both average hyperedge cardinality and network heterogeneity contribute to increasing the network resilience. These findings help us understand the recovery mechanisms of complex networks and provide essential insights into designing highly resilient systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DAP-4(C6H18N3Cl3O12) is a novel molecular perovskite energetic materials compound that is characterized by high energy, high thermal stability and high oxidation stability. The properties of DAP-4 were enhanced by preparing mixtures of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30%SnO2/Al/DAP-4 using the solvent evaporation method. The morphology and structure of the samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The thermal decomposition characteristics of the samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry and thermal reconnection techniques. The combustion performance test device was used to comparatively analyze the burning pressure, flame temperature, and heat of combustion of the samples. The optimal preparation ratio was determined, and the thermal decomposition mechanism of the SnO2/Al/DAP-4 mixture was deduced. The findings suggest that: The SnO2 and Al powders can be uniformly mixed with DAP-4, leading to the creation of a SnO2/Al/DAP-4 composite that displays outstanding dispersion properties. At the optimal preparation ratio of 20%SnO2/Al, the activation energy required for the thermal decomposition of SnO2/Al/DAP-4 is the lowest, at 106 kJ mol−1. This leads to a significant decrease in the peak temperature of the exothermic decomposition of DAP-4. During the combustion process, the addition of 20%SnO2/Al significantly increased the combustion intensity of DAP-4. This resulted in an increase in the combustion pressure up to 1.1 MPa and a rise in the flame temperature up to 3136 ℃, releasing more combustion heat compared to the feedstock and other proportions of the SnO2/Al/DAP-4 mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of polymer electrolytes is hindered due to the low ionic conductivity and the interfacial instability between the electrodes. Herein, a strategy for designing solid polymer electrolytes is developed that facilitates the rapid lithium‐ion migration through weak coordination with polymer chain segments, as well as the fast ion channel transport of oligomers. Moreover, the in situ‐produced solid polymer electrolyte (PFVS) can form stable LiF‐rich interfaces with both the lithium metal anode and different cathodes. When the PFVS is applied in Li‐metal batteries, excellent properties are achieved at room temperature. A Li||Li symmetric cell can be stably cycled for 4000 h at a current density of 0.1 mA cm−1, a Li||LiFePO4 full cell can maintain capacity retention as high as still 94.4% after 600 cycles at 1 C, and a Li||NCM811 full cell can retain 80% capacity after 180 cycles at 1 C. A 2.6 Ah Graphite|PFVS|NCM90 pouch cell is made for demonstrating the practical application potential, and it can be also stably cycled. The developed strategy provides a promising path for designing solid polymer electrolytes that can effectively extend the lifespan of Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the Internet of Things, there is a growing demand for real-time monitoring of water distribution systems (WDS). Among the various leak detection methods, acoustic leak detection is considered to be a suitable method. However, existing methods are not very effective in environments with high daytime ambient noise. To address this issue, this paper conducted on-site data collection experiments and designed a monitoring system that combines traditional nighttime monitoring with daytime monitoring, combining water company pipeline inspections and repair work. A large number of daytime audio samples were collected. In this paper, the logarithmic spectrogram (log spectrogram) was used to represent the features of the leak signal. By comparing the features of the signal during day and night, noisy and quiet environments, and leak and normal signals, we identified the interfering frames that required noise reduction, and applied frame-level noise reduction processing to the signal. Based on this, a log PS-ResNet18 model was developed to identify leaks, and its performance was compared with other classification models [including traditional nighttime detection methods, random forests, XGBoost, and convolutional neural network (CNN)]. The results showed that the log PS-ResNet18 model had the best performance, with an all-day accuracy rate of 99.4% and a daytime accuracy rate of 99.3%. In addition, by conducting ablation experiments to explore the role and contribution of the log PS-ResNet18 and noise reduction methods in the model, the results showed that the log spectrogram and noise reduction methods increased the all-day accuracy rate by 18.8% and 23.2%, respectively, and by 24.7% when used together. In another practical application, the log PS-ResNet18 model achieved an all-day detection accuracy rate of 99.6%. This study demonstrated the applicability of the log spectrogram and CNN combination in daytime leak detection, overcoming research limitations in the field. This research presents the log PS-ResNet18 framework, which combines deep learning models and denoised logarithmic spectrograms to improve leak detection in water supply pipelines under daytime environmental noise. The research focuses on field data collection and analysis of cast iron pipes with different diameters in Hangzhou (HZ). The model was tested on cast iron pipes in Lishui (LS) and proved to be effective. The proposed method is highly versatile and can be applied to different regions and pipe materials after sufficient sample collection and model training validation. The research recommends a comprehensive leak monitoring solution that involves initial intelligent detection using front-end noise meters and secondary identification of suspicious audio signals using the log PS-ResNet18 model in the cloud. This enables water utility operators to respond quickly to pipeline leaks, leading to more efficient water resource conservation and improved water supply service quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order relationships are prevalent in the real world, and the strength differences between these relationships are often significant and cannot be ignored. Weighted hypernetworks can more accurately represent these prevalent relationships than simple graphs. Due to various limitations, we may not be able to observe all Higher-order relationships that exist within the network. Therefore, algorithms that can perform weighted hyperlink prediction are of great significance. However, current research on link prediction often focuses on simple networks or ordinary higher-order relationships, without considering the important factor of weight. This paper proposes an algorithm based on topologic similarity to predict whether weighted hyperedges are included in weighted hypernetworks, complementing research in this area. On the artificial weighted hypernetwork, the co-author network of various subjects, and the patent Chinese medicine prescription network, we tested the algorithm's robustness and achieved higher accuracy than other methods. Applying this algorithm can handle the prediction of weighted many-to-many relationships and improve accuracy by utilizing the weights on the weighted hypernetwork. Compared to the unweighted version, the algorithm's accuracy on the patent Chinese medicine prescription network has been improved from 97 to 99%. It has been improved from 94 to 96% on the geology co-author network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The network alignment problem refers to how to find the node correspondence across different networks in multiplex networks. This study has significant implications in various disciplinary fields. However, current network alignment work focuses on simple networks. These methods based on simple networks are doomed to fail to capture high-order relationships. In order to fill the gap in this area, this paper will introduce a prediction method of inter-layer connectivity based on multi hypernetwork structure attributes. Among them, the hyperedge similarity index of nodes is specially designed for higher-order relationships in hypernetworks, and a degree punishment mechanism is designed to reasonably evaluate the similarity of higher-order relationships between nodes in different environments. This method further considers the quantity and strength information of the similarity of higher-order relations, which helps to further increase the accuracy rate on the hypernetwork. We compare this method with other advanced methods on different real-world hypernetworks and artificial hypernetworks. Experiments show that the method has good performance and robustness. In the biological metabolic network, the accuracy of this method can even be improved by 29.8% compared with the comparison method. In the 38 groups of data we tested, the accuracy rate was 78.9% when it was stably higher than other methods, 15.9% when it was not lower than the comparison method, and only 5.2% when the method performed poorly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of polymer emulsion, pigment filler, and dispersant on the corrosion resistance of polymer cement-based composite anti-corrosion coatings were investigated in this study. Adhesion loss rate tests and electrochemical tests were conducted on samples. The research results show that optimal corrosion resistance can be achieved with a 45 wt% dosage of emulsion, a 6 wt% dosage of pigment filler, and a 0.30 wt% dosage of dispersant. The bonding properties of bare steel bars, epoxy-coated steel bars, and polymer cement-based composite anti-corrosion coated steel bars with grout were compared. The results show that the polymer cement-based composite anti-corrosion coating can enhance the bonding properties of the samples. Furthermore, the microscopic analysis was conducted on the samples. The results demonstrate that the appropriate addition of emulsion can fill internal pores of the coating, tightly bonding hydration products with unhydrated cement particles. Moreover, incorporating a suitable dosage of functional additives enhances the stability of the coating system and leads to a denser microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pollution deteriorates ecosystems and has a great threaten to the environment. The environmental benefits of wastewater treatment are extremely important to minimize pollutants. Here, the biochar purchased from the related industry was used to treat the wastewater which contained high concentration of vanadium (V). The concentration of vanadium was measured by the IC-OES and the results showed that 96.1% vanadium (V) was reduced at selected reaction conditions: the mass ratio of biochar to vanadium of 5.4, reaction temperature of 90 °C, reaction time at 60 min and concentration of H2SO4 of 10 g/L, respectively. Response surface methodology confirmed that all the experimental parameters had positive effect on the reduction of vanadium (V), which could improve the reduction efficiency of vanadium (V) as increased. The influence of each parameter on the reduction process followed the order: A (Concentration of H2SO4) > C (mass ratio of biochar to vanadium) > B (mass ratio of biochar to vanadium). Especially, the mass ratio of biochar to vanadium and concentration of H2SO4 had the greatest influence on the reduction process. This paper provides a versatile strategy for the treatment of wastewater containing vanadium (V) and shows a bright tomorrow for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock mechanics parameters are important indicators for risk assessment in tunnel construction. However, rock mechanical parameters estimated by traditional mechanical testing in the field are subject to considerable uncertainties due to limitations testing technology, which can directly lead to unreliable risk assessment results. Deformation data for parametric back analysis is a reliable and efficient method for estimating mechanical parameters of rock masses. Deformation monitoring data used for parameter back analysis is an efficient and reliable method for estimating rock mechanical parameters, but the current research generally suffers from inaccurate constitutive models, confusing selection of input data, and failure to consider the intrinsic correlation of mechanical parameters. In this paper, a deformation-based back analysis method for rock mechanical parameters was proposed by XGBoost with RC. Taking the Changning Tunnel in Yunnan Province, China, as an example, the construction process of the back analysis model was described in detail. To improve the reliability of the sample data, the Ubiquitous-Joint constitutive model was used and a more characteristic deformed data selection method was proposed. Furthermore, the performance of the back analysis model was improved through Bayesian Optimization of hyperparameters and order filtering of Regressor Chain, and the intrinsic correlation of the parameters was effectively considered through the Regressor Chain. The results showed that applying the rock mechanics parameters obtained from the back analysis model to numerical simulation can effectively predict deformation during tunnel construction, and the error rate of deformation prediction was within 10%, which demonstrates the reliability of the method in this paper. This method can be extended to other heavily fractured tunnels. Highlights: Summarized the technical process of back analysis of mechanics parameters based on machine learning, analyzed the current research status, and put forward the existing problems. Through the spatial–temporal effect analysis of deformation of rock mass, a reasonable selection method of the surrounding rock deformation index in the sample data is proposed. The performance of the back analysis model of rock mechanics parameters is effectively improved by hyperparameter optimization of Bayesian and order filtering of Regressor Chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Making accurate forecasts for a complex system is a challenge in various practical applications. The major difficulty in solving such a problem concerns nonlinear spatiotemporal dynamics with time-varying characteristics. Takens' delay embedding theory provides a way to transform high-dimensional spatial information into temporal information. In this work, by combining delay embedding theory and deep learning techniques, we propose a novel framework, delay-embedding-based forecast Machine (DEFM), to predict the future values of a target variable in a self-supervised and multistep-ahead manner based on high-dimensional observations. With a three-module spatiotemporal architecture, the DEFM leverages deep neural networks to effectively extract both the spatially and temporally associated information from the observed time series even with time-varying parameters or additive noise. The DEFM can accurately predict future information by transforming spatiotemporal information to the delay embeddings of a target variable. The efficacy and precision of the DEFM are substantiated through applications in three spatiotemporally chaotic systems: a 90-dimensional (90D) coupled Lorenz system, the Lorenz 96 system, and the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation with inhomogeneity. Additionally, the performance of the DEFM is evaluated on six real-world datasets spanning various fields. Comparative experiments with five prediction methods illustrate the superiority and robustness of the DEFM and show the great potential of the DEFM in temporal information mining and forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of process mineralogy plays a very important role in the field of mineral processing and metallurgy, in which the measurement of mineral-embedded particle size is one of the main research areas. The manual measurement method using a microscope has many problems, such as heavy workload and low measurement accuracy. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a Gaussian mixture model based on an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm to measure the embedded particle sizes of minerals of polished metal sections. Experiments are here performed on the polished section images of ilmenite and pyrite, and we compared the results with a microscope. The experimental results show that the proposed method has higher precision and accuracy in measuring the embedded particle sizes of metal minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aimed to assess clinical effect of three-port inflatable robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in mediastinal tumor resection by comparing results of the robot group with the video group. Methods: Retrospectively analyze 179 patients diagnosed with anterior mediastinal tumor from May 2017 to August 2021. Two groups were divided according to the surgical approach, including 92 cases in the RATS group and 87 cases in the VATS group. The results were analyzed between two groups with variables of age, sex, BMI, tumor size, and diagnosis. Perioperative clinical data was gathered to compare. Result: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups with regards to demographic data and clinical features. There were no significant differences inoperative time and duration of chest tube via RATS vs. VATS. The intraoperative blood loss was statistically significantly different among the RATS and VATS groups (75.9 ± 39.6 vs. 97.4 ± 35.8 ml p = 0.042). The postoperative stay of patients in RATS group were significantly shorter than that in VATS group (2.3 ± 1.0 vs. 3.4 ± 1.4 day p = 0.035), Conclusion: Three-port inflatable robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for mediastinal tumor is feasible and reliable it is more advantageous, and it provides the surgeon with advice on treatment choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot stamping (or press hardening) is a new technology that is widely used in the production of advanced high-strength steel parts for automotive applications. Electrochemical measurements, including potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and accelerated corrosion tests (the neutral salt spray test and periodic immersion test) were conducted on press-hardened samples produced from uncoated (cold-rolled and cold strip production (CSP) hot-rolled) and Al–Si-coated press-hardened steels to elucidate their distinct anti-corrosion mechanisms. The cross-sectional micromorphology and element distribution of three types of press-hardened steels after a neutral salt spray test were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The corrosion resistance of Al–Si-coated press-hardened steel was found to be significantly diminished following the hot stamping process due to the presence of microcracks and elevated iron content in the coating subsequent to austenitizing heat treatment. On the other hand, the corrosion resistance of uncoated press-hardened sheets produced from cold-rolled and CSP hot-rolled press-hardened steel was found to be proximal due to their nearly identical composition and microstructure (fully martensite) after the hot stamping process. Considering the high efficiency and energy-saving properties of hot-rolled press-hardened steel, it holds the potential to replace cold-rolled and even aluminum–silicon-coated press-hardened steel in automobile manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, a novel design of electrically tunable substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) equalizer, based on PIN diodes, is proposed. Compared to previous SIW equalizers, this one introduces PIN diodes that exhibit varying impedance under different direct current (DC) voltages. The equalizing values of the SIW equalizer are directly linked to the DC voltage applied to the PIN diode within a specific voltage range. This feature allows it to be considered as an electrically tunable SIW equalizer. The experimental results demonstrate that the equalizing values are consistently monotonic and adjustable within the range of 1.59–7.56 dB in Ku‐band. This adjustment is attained through a DC voltage step of −0.01 V, applied within the range of 1.23–1.11 V. Additionally, the microwave equalizer is a planar structure that can be conveniently implemented on traditional printed circuit board, resulting in lower costs, easier realization, and integration. This SIW equalizer can be applied in amplitude compensation circuits and networks to compensate flatness dynamically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) for resecting benign tumors of the cervicothoracic junction. Between 2017 and 2021, a total of 54 patients with benign cervicothoracic junction tumors were included. Among them, 46 underwent RATS while 8 underwent open surgery. Using a propensity score based on four variables (age, sex, comorbidity, and tumor size). The outcomes compared included short-term outcomes such as blood loss, as well as long-term outcomes including respiratory function and patients' postoperative health-related quality of life. No operative deaths occurred in this study. RATS was associated with less intraoperative blood loss (102 < 380 ml, P = 0.001) and a shorter length of hospital stay (1.8 < 4.8, P < 0.001). After a median follow-up of 37 months, no recurrences were reported, and no statistically significant differences were found in the 3-year survival between the two groups. The postoperative respiratory function of patients with open surgery showed a significant decrease compared to preoperative levels and were lower than those of RATS patients. In terms of health-related quality of life, RATS was associated with a better mean EQ-5D-5L index than open surgery (0.808 > 0.650, P < 0.05). In RATS, tumor sizes > 5 cm (mean ± SD = 0.768 ± 0.111, P = 0.028) and neurogenic tumors (mean ± SD = 0.702 ± 0.082, P < 0.001) remained significantly and independently associated with a lower EQ-5D-5L index. This study demonstrated that robot-assisted thoracic surgery for benign tumors of the cervicothoracic junction is a safe and technically feasible procedure, particularly for tumors < 5 cm and non-neurogenic tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantization-based approaches not only are the effective methods for solving the problems of approximate nearest neighbor search, but also effectively reduce storage space. However, many quantization-based approaches usually employ fixed nprobes to the search process for each query. This will lead to extra query consumption. Additionally, we observed that as the number of points in each cluster center of product quantization increases, the query cost also increases. To address this issue, we propose an acceleration strategy based on the IVF-HNSW framework to further speed up the query process. This strategy involves introducing an adaptive termination condition for queries and reducing the number of data points accessed by building HNSW results. Through extensive experiments, we have shown that our proposed method significantly accelerates the nearest neighbor search process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Heart and Brain Investigation in Taicang (HABIT) study is a large-scale research project conducted in Taicang City, China. The study aims to examine the risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and neurodegenerative diseases in Chinese adults and understand the relationship between the two conditions. The study involves collecting data on various risk factors at baseline and follow-up examinations. The findings of this study could improve the prevention and management of these disorders. The HABIT study is ongoing and welcomes collaborations with researchers interested in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. [Extracted from the article]

Phase change materials (PCMs) are paramount for the thermal management of electronics. However, the present PCMs encounter a dilemma in balancing the thermal conductivity and effective latent heat, compromising the heat dissipation function of PCMs for electronics. This work successfully integrates ternary metals and polymer science to design novel PCMs composed of a ternary metal (TM, Ga0.20In0.46Sn0.34) with precise composition and polyethylene glycol (PEG) by physical blending. Due to the introduction of PEG with high melting enthalpy, the ternary metal in PEG (TM@PEG) simultaneously has high thermal conductivity (7.086 W m−1 K−1), desirable effective latent heat (143.6 J cm−3), suitable phase change range, and durability. During thermal management, the thermal conductivity and effective latent heat of TM@PEG contribute to suppressing the working temperature and delaying the temperature rise rate of electronics, respectively. Hence, the TM@PEG effectively behaves as the thermally conductive grease for LEDs and CPU to control the working temperature of electronics in a reasonable range. This work offers a new perspective for TM applied in thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium–chromium-reducing residue (VCRR) was generated using a sodium-roasting-leaching-precipitation process for vanadium recovery. The retained vanadium and chromium could be utilized for an important sources. Here, a novel process was developed that utilized ultrasonic to enhance the alkaline leaching process of vanadium from VCRR. The effect of various parameters was studied, and a corresponding kinetic model was established. It was found that the maximum vanadium leaching efficiency of 96.9% was obtained at optimum reaction conditions: reaction temperature of 90°C, reaction time of 60 min, dosage of NaOH at m(NaOH)/m(VCRR) = 0.5 g/g, liquid-to-solid ratio of 5 mL/g, stirring rate of 500 rpm, and ultrasonic frequency of 40 kHz. The leaching kinetics analysis showed that the leaching process was controlled by diffusion through a product layer both in normal leaching and ultrasonic leaching. The calculated Ea for vanadium leaching out was 20.56 kJ · mol−1 for ultrasonic leaching and 23.06 kJ · mol−1 for normal leaching. Ultrasonic-assisted leaching might be a potential industrial application technique for recovery of valuable metals from metal ores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the war against the Manchus began in 1618, the Ministry of Revenue of the Ming Dynasty shifted its focus to financing armies in Liaodong .... In contrast, garrisons located on the northwestern border (Shanxi ... and Shaanxi ...) were not granted adequate funding and therefore fell behind in paying their soldiers, who had hardly been able to make ends meet and were nursing grievances. During the Jisi ... Incident, the first Manchurian invasion of China proper in 1629, the northwestern garrisons dispatched large-scale reinforcements to Beijing to fight against the Manchus. However, many within these troops deserted and even launched mutinies for being ill-supplied, boosting the peasant rebellion which eventually toppled the Ming regime. Despite the dramatically weakening military capacity of Shanxi garrisons and the increasingly popular violent uprising in Shaanxi, the Ministry of Revenue remained reluctant to invest more resources in those northwestern garrisons than in Liaodong. This indicates that the Ministry of Revenue was subject to the national defense strategy as an executive agency for military supplies with little power to audit military expenditures, much less play a positive role in political decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic and progressive disease characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and progressive airflow obstruction, has attracted extensive attention due to its high morbidity and mortality. Although the understanding of the pathogenesis of COPD has gradually increased because of increasing evidence, many questions regarding the mechanisms involved in COPD progression and its deleterious effects remain unanswered. Recent advances have shown the potential functions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in causing airway inflammation, emphasizing the vital role of unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways in the development of COPD. Methods: A comprehensive search of major databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted to retrieve original research articles and reviews related to ER stress, UPR, and COPD. Results: The common causes of COPD, namely cigarette smoke (CS) and air pollutants, induce ER stress through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). UPR promotes mucus secretion and further plays a dual role in the cell apoptosis-autophagy axis in the development of COPD. Existing drug research has indicated the potential of UPR as a therapeutic target for COPD. Conclusions: ER stress and UPR activation play significant roles in the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of COPD and discuss whether related genes can be used as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities of bacteria, especially symbionts, are vital for the growth and development of insects and other arthropods, including Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED), a destructive and invasive insect pest. However, the infection density patterns and influence factors of bacteria in whiteflies, which mainly include symbionts, remain largely unclear. To reveal the different density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED populations and the impacts of high temperatures on whiteflies with different Cardinium density infection patterns, 2 isofemale lines isolated from B. tabaci MED from the same geographical population of China and from B. tabaci MED collected from other countries and locations were examined using several techniques and methods, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and 2b‐RAD sequencing. The results showed that there were 2 different infection density patterns of Cardinium in B. tabaci MED (including 1 high‐density pattern and 1 low‐density pattern). For whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium, conventional PCR could not detect Cardinium, but the other techniques confirmed that there was a low level of Cardinium within hosts. High temperature significantly decreased the diversity of bacterial communities: the relative titer of Cardinium increased but the density of Rickettsia decreased in the isofemale line with high‐density Cardinium. However, high temperature did not influence the diversity and symbiont density in the line with low‐density Cardinium. Moreover, high temperature influenced the functions of bacterial communities in whiteflies with high‐density Cardinium but did not affect the bacterial functions in whiteflies with low‐density Cardinium. Our results provide novel insights into the complex associations between symbionts and host insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an intelligent task planning strategy for an Earth Observing Satellite (EOS) monitoring the Ozone distribution using multi-step Bayesian Optimization (BO). Significant improvement in observation performance can be achieved by implementing an offset-pointing strategy using single-step or classical BO compared to the simple nadir-pointing approach, which does not consider the possible future outcomes when deciding the current action. To account for future considerations, this paper presents a modified Continuous Belief Tree Search (CBTS) algorithm that enables a non-myopic multi-step look-ahead optimization in the continuous action domain. The design utilizes a Control-effort based Upper Confidence Bound function as the acquisition function for BO. Simulation results demonstrate that the multi-step BO is capable of significantly reducing the model uncertainty compared to the single-step BO. Additionally, using BO provides a superior way to determine the first actions than obtaining them randomly. Moreover, sampling the training data set provides a way to reduce the computational time without reducing the computation tree size. • Intelligent task planning creates informative models from satellite data. • Task planning is designed based on Multi-step Bayesian Optimization. • Control-effort based acquisition function is constructed for action planning. • First action determination based on Bayesian Optimization is investigated. • Randomly sampled training dataset is devised to reduce computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible charge transfer and promoted photocatalytic H 2 evolution mechanism of Ti 3 C 2 QD/PGCN. [Display omitted] A new heterostructure between Ti 3 C 2 MXene quantum dot and 3D macroscopic porous graphitic carbon nitride (PGCN) was successfully obtained by integrating Ti 3 C 2 quantum dots onto porous graphitized carbon nitride (Ti 3 C 2 QDs/PGCN) using in situ electrostatic self-assembly techniques. The photocatalytic H 2 evolution rate of optimized 5.5 wt% Ti 3 C 2 QD/PGCN composites is nearly 15.24 and 3.53 times higher than pristine CN, and PGCN, respectively. Ti 3 C 2 quantum dots can significantly enhance the hydrogen production activity of PGCN. In addition, their good photothermal conversion ability accelerates the overall reaction process and enhances the light absorption and carrier density. Furthermore, to elucidate the photocatalytic mechanism, a series of tests involving electron spin resonance (ESR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed. The results confirmed that the Schottky barrier between PGCN and Ti 3 C 2 QD can effectively promote spatial charge separation and significantly improve the photocatalytic performance. This work provides a new approach for the construction of photocatalytic systems and the application of MXene QD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: DNA methylation has previously been associated with ischemic stroke, but the specific genes and their functional roles in ischemic stroke remain to be determined. Here we aimed to identify differentially methylated genes that play a functional role in ischemic stroke in a Chinese population. Results: Genome-wide DNA methylation assessed with the Illumina Methylation EPIC Array in a discovery sample including 80 Chinese adults (40 cases vs. 40 controls) found that patients with ischemic stroke were characterized by increased DNA methylation at six CpG loci (individually located at TRIM6, FLRT2, SOX1, SOX17, AGBL4, and FAM84A, respectively) and decreased DNA methylation at one additional locus (located at TLN2). Targeted bisulfite sequencing confirmed six of these differentially methylated probes in an independent Chinese population (853 cases vs. 918 controls), and one probe (located at TRIM6) was further verified in an external European cohort (207 cases vs. 83 controls). Experimental manipulation of DNA methylation in engineered human umbilical vein endothelial cells indicated that the identified differentially methylated probes located at TRIM6, TLN2, and FLRT2 genes may play a role in endothelial cell adhesion and atherosclerosis. Conclusions: Altered DNA methylation of the TRIM6, TLN2, and FLRT2 genes may play a functional role in ischemic stroke in Chinese populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-walled cylindrical shells are key load-carrying components for aerospace structures. Axial compression is the most common load for cylindrical shells; however, critical buckling loads obtained experimentally are significantly lower than the theoretical values, owing to the presence of initial geometric imperfections (GIs). Previous studies often determined only the knockdown factor through the statistics of experimental data; it is an approximate lower limit of the load-carrying capacity and cannot accurately predict the buckling mode in real time. In this paper, an image-driven framework for the intelligent prediction of buckling load and mode based on measured GIs is proposed. First, through measured samples and the random field method, the GI data pool is obtained. Subsequently, two convolutional neural network (CNN) models are trained to predict the buckling load and mode for cylindrical shells, respectively. The active learning strategy is adopted to discern beneficial sample sets and enhance the prediction accuracy and training speed of the CNN models. A numerical example demonstrates that the proposed framework can effectively predict the buckling behavior of cylindrical shells with GIs. Furthermore, using the proposed prediction framework, it was observed that a common feature of unfavorable GIs is a large fluctuation in magnitude along the axial direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, amorphous + nanocrystalline Ti-BN mixed powders were obtained through first-step mechanical alloying; subsequently, almost completely amorphous SiBCN-Ti mixed powders were achieved in the second-step milling. The SiBCN-Ti bulk ceramics were consolidated through hot pressing sintering at 1900 °C/60 MPa/30 min, and the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the as-sintered composite ceramics were investigated using SEM, XRD, and TEM techniques. The as-sintered SiBCN-Ti bulk ceramics consisted of substantial nanosized BN(C), SiC, and Ti(C, N) with a small amount of Si2N2O and TiB2. The crystallized BN(C) enwrapped both SiC and Ti(C, N), thus effectively inhibiting the rapid growth of SiC and Ti(C, N). The sizes of SiC were ~70 nm, while the sizes of Ti(C, N) were below 30 nm, and the sizes of Si2N2O were over 100 nm. The SiBCN-20 wt.% Ti bulk ceramics obtained the highest flexural strength of 394.0 ± 19.0 MPa; however, the SiBCN-30 wt.% Ti bulk ceramics exhibited the optimized fracture toughness of 3.95 ± 0.21 GPa·cm1/2, Vickers hardness of 4.7 ± 0.27 GPa, Young's modulus of 184.2 ± 8.2 GPa, and a bulk density of 2.85 g/cm3. The addition of metal Ti into a SiBCN ceramic matrix seems to be an effective strategy for microstructure optimization and the tuning of mechanical properties, thus providing design ideas for further research regarding this family of ceramic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The etiology and mechanism of persistent geotropic horizontal direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN) are still unclear. Whether this pattern of nystagmus is a subtype of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to observe the clinical characteristics of persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN involving the lateral semicircular canal. METHODS: The analysis was performed to participants with episodic positional vertigo in our clinic from 2014 to 2021. Participants were included via positional test. We observed and summarized the distribution data, vertigo history, follow-up tests, and recurrence situations of 189 persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN participants. RESULTS: The mean age at the first time showing of persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN was 56±14.7 and more women than men were affected by persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN (female-to-male ratio 2.4 : 1). Overall, 58.7% (57/94) of participants who came for the first-week follow-up test were asymptomatic. Thirty-three participants experienced recurrence (female-to-male ratio: 4.5 : 1). Fifty-three (28.0%) participants experienced the conversion of the patterns of DCPN in the history, the follow-up tests and the recurrence compared to the first showing of persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN. 24(12.1%) participants still experienced persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN attack in the follow-up tests and the recurrences without benign paroxysmal positional vertigo history. CONCLUSION: Persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN affected more women than men. The persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN that with conversion to transient geotropic horizontal DCPN or to persistent apogeotropic horizontal DCPN might be a subtype of BPPV or in a stage of BPPV process. However, the persistent geotropic horizontal DCPN without conversion might be an independent disease that is not related to BPPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work for the first time reports that liquid metal (LM, gallium) behaves as a nucleating agent for the plastic poly(l‐lactide) (PLLA). The LM‐PLLA composites with different content (0–10%, by weight) of LM are fabricated by a twin crew extruder. The impacts of LM content on non‐isothermal and isothermal crystallization behavior are systematically investigated by calorimetry combing with Avrami's theory, determining an optimal LM content (2.5%) for advancing the crystallization of PLLA. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) shows that the excessive LM will interfere with the crystal structure of X%LM‐PLLA. As a kind of liquid state nucleating agent in plastic, the nucleation mechanism of LM for PLLA is attributed to the production of carboxylate ion clusters from the reaction between carboxylic acid on the end group of the PLLA chain and gallium, which is distinct from the epitaxy mechanism of previous solid nucleating agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical interactions between thorium(IV) and O2- in the LiF-BeF2 (2 : 1 mol%) (FLiBe) and LiF-NaF-KF (46.5 : 11.5 : 42 mol%) (FLiNaK) molten salt systems were studied at 873 K. The precipitation-dissolution behavior of Th(IV) oxide/oxyfluoride species, as well as the speciation law of these species and their relationship with oxide concentration in fluoride melts, were clarified. The results showed that the interactions between Th(IV) and O2- in the FLiBe melt would only produce ThO2. The saturated solubility of ThO2 in the FLiBe melt was 0.057 mol/kg, and its corresponding apparent solubility product ( K s p ′ ) was 8.8 ± 0.1 × 10 − 4 mol3/kg3 and 8.6 ± 0.7 × 10 − 4 mol3/kg3 by dissolution and oxide titration methods, respectively. However, in the FLiNaK melt, the interactions between Th(IV) and O2- were more complex than that in FLiBe, and Th(IV) oxyfluoride species (i.e., Th2OF104- and ThOF2) were produced. Th2OF104- was initially formed with the ratio of r ≤ 0.5 (r = O 2 − added / Th IV initial ), and the Th2OF104- was converted to ThOF2 precipitate when r > 0.5. Therefore, the soluble Th2OF104- is the important intermediate between Th(IV), O2-, and ThOF2 precipitation. The difference in results of the FLiBe and FLiNaK melts was attributed to the difference of free F- content in the two systems. The present work provided important reference and fundamental data for understanding the nature of thorium fuel precipitation and how to control it in the molten fluoride media, which is of significant importance for the safe operation of molten salt reactor (MSR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic light emitting diodes based on thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) emitters with both high external quantum efficiency (EQE) and low efficiency roll‐off are under urgent pursuing. Three TADF emitters based on fluorene‐spiro‐acridine derivatives as donors are developed. Composing of rigid donor and acceptor, all emitters exhibit high PLQYs of 96–99%. Direct conjugation attached on acridine offers an enhanced reverse intersystem crossing (kRISC) in IA‐TRZ, while the extension via spiro‐junction accelerates the radiative decay rate (kr) in 2S‐TRZ and IT‐TRZ. Remarkably, all emitters enable high electroluminescent performance with EQE of 35.6% for 2S‐TRZ, 36.1% for IT‐TRZ and 32.0% for IA‐TRZ, respectively, and very high luminance of up to 100 000 cd m−2. Surprisingly, 2S‐TRZ and IT‐TRZ that hold larger kr and smaller kRISC than that of IA‐TRZ exhibit more relieved efficiency roll‐off, indicating the significance of kr. More importantly, IT‐TRZ with a moderate kr and kRISC among these emitters shows the lowest roll‐off which demonstrates that the comprehensive consideration of all photophysical processes is important to attain excellent devices. It also emphasizes the molecular modulation method through side group that can induce elaborate control on decay channels for finely optimizing emitters. This study can provide a useful perspective in designing practical emitters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim to overcome the excessive temperature and uneven temperature distribution on cells in high concentrator photovoltaic (HCPV) system, a novel cooling method based on double-layer tree-shaped fractal microchannel heat sink (FMCHS) is proposed. A three-dimensional heat transfer and flow model is established. The effects of four different flow modes and inlet velocity on thermal-hydraulic performance, cell surface temperature and electrical efficiency are investigated. The results show that compared with single-layer FMCHS, under unilateral, bilateral, inner and cross flow modes, the average temperature of cell surface (T cell) are decreased by 2.14%, 1.65%, 1.61% and 1.41%, respectively; while the temperature difference of cell surface (Δ T) are decreased by 84.9%, 82.6%, 70.9% and 72.8%, respectively. For double-layer FMCHS, Δ T under four flow modes are all less than 3 K; the inner flow has the best cooling effect, which can minimize T cell and Δ T to 339.2 and 2.1 K respectively, and maximize electrical efficiency (η cell) to 41.68%. With increasing inlet velocity from 0.5 to 2 m s−1, for double-layer FMCHS under inner flow, T cell is decreased by 11.7 K. The designed double-layer FMCHS has higher cooling performance than single-layer FMCHS, and can ensure the efficient and safe operation of HCPV system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a machine learning (ML) approach that can improve orbit prediction precision and reduce uncertainties with a properly designed fusion strategy. The ML models are trained based on historical TLE sets and then ML-modifications are generated for the future states and uncertainty predictions. The ML-modification is first interpreted as a pseudo-measurement of the true orbit prediction error and then fused with the conventional orbital state and uncertainty propagation result. The regularized particle filter (PF) with progressive correction and systematic sampling is adopted for uncertainty propagation while using the Simplified General Perturbations #4 (SGP4) model. Comprehensive experiments are conducted and analyzed on over 100 resident space objects (RSOs) in different orbit types. The results demonstrate that the fusion strategy enables the ML approach to work with the advanced PF prediction method. The prediction precision can be significantly improved for the majority of the cases. The prediction accuracy is observed to be improved in some cases but without a clear pattern. The results and analysis also suggest that future studies of a monitoring system facilitating the fusion process would be helpful in practical applications. • Machine learning (ML) learns from data to improve orbit prediction accuracy. • ML reduces prediction uncertainty of Resident Space Objects (RSOs) in TLE catalog. • A medium-scale ML study over 100 RSOs in the TLE catalog was carried out. • RSOs in SSO, LEO, MEO, GEO can all be improved. • RSOs classified as debris, rocket bodies, or normal satellites can all be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas control ball valves are fluid control devices that regulate the flow and direction of the medium in a natural gas transportation system, and nowadays the requirements for valve intelligence are increasing. To implement the intelligent control of the valve system, the precise acquisition of the operating parameters of the control ball valve was studied in this paper. A numerical simulation of the internal flow field of a V-shaped ball valve was conducted based on a finite volume method and an renormalization group (RNG) k–ε turbulence model. A valve performance test bench was established, and the pressures at the inlet and outlet of the valve at various relative openings were measured, in which the accuracy of the numerical model was verified. Through numerical simulations, the internal flow characteristics at various relative openings and spool cone angles were studied. By comparing the influence of three different relative openings on the valve internal flow field, it was found that the valve showed better flow characteristics under the relative opening of 80%, and the increase of the cone angle effectively improved the unstable flow in the valve. An accurate expression between the external parameters of the valve operating condition and the internal flow was established, and the expression is the theoretical basis to implement intelligent control. This study provides strong technical support for an efficient operation of natural gas pipelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nodes usually cooperate to form groups and survive or fail in real-world systems. Researchers typically consider the interdependence between node groups in studying the interdependent network. This paper studies the robustness of interdependent hypergraph networks under different attack strategies. According to the characteristics of the network model, we propose a series of target attack strategies and compare the destructive effect of these strategies on the network. Second, we analyze the impact of the random edge removal strategy on the robustness of hypergraph networks under different edge removal ratios. Finally, we propose four target-node edge removal strategies and compare their destructive effects on the network at the same edge removal ratios. Simulation results show that target attack and edge removal strategies can appreciably reduce the robustness of interdependent hypergraph networks and accelerate the networks' collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis use is a worldwide issue with the development of legalization. Prenatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis, is related to affect fetal nervous system development. In our present study, we administered THC to pregnant mice from gestational day 5.5–12.5. Differences in neuronal cell composition and organization between the two groups were found by staining sections of the offspring hippocampus at PND21. In addition, RNA-seq of hippocampal tissue also suggested differences in gene expression due to THC treatment, especially significant enrichment to neurogenesis and neural differentiation. Subsequently, the effect of THC treatment on the proliferation and differentiation capacity of neural stem cells (NSCs) was confirmed. Based on the RNA-seq results, we selected the differentially expressed transcription factor MEF2C for validation. The effect of THC treatment on NSCs differentiation was found to be regulated by knocking down the expression of MEF2C in NSCs. Considering that THC is an agonist of cannabinoid receptor (CB1R), the differentiation outcome of NSC after THC treatment was significantly rescued, by pretreating with the CB1R inhibitor Rimonabant. Notably, pretreatment with Rimonabant restored the expression of MEF2C. Taken together, the present results suggested that THC regulated the MEF2C pathway through CB1R and had an impact on hippocampal neurodevelopment. [Display omitted] • Prenatal THC exposure affects hippocampal development in the offspring. • Cannabis exposure during pregnancy affects hippocampal neurogenesis and neural differentiation. • THC affects the proliferation and differentiation function of mouse hippocampal neural stem cells. • CB1 receptor-mediated THC affects neurodevelopment via MEF2C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid metals (LMs) and conjugated polymers are both critically important materials in modern technologies including soft robotics, printable circuits, and stretchable electronics. Although broadly applied, the joint use of LMs and conjugated polymers are rarely explored due to the notoriously interfacial challenges of the high surface tension of LMs and the unfavorable rigid backbones of conjugated polymer chains. This work successfully introduced conjugated polymers (poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate, (PEDOT:PSS)) into the system of liquid metals to provide a highly stable, aqueous, and electrically conductive ink (LM‐PEDOT:PSS inks, LMPInks) for flexible electronics. The PSS segments act as a strong ionic bridge to effectively stabilize core‐shell structure of the PEDOT and LMs in the homogenous ink. Different from previous insulated LM‐inks, LMPInk is aqueous and more importantly, electrically conductive without posttreatments due to the intrinsically conductive PEDOT:PSS. Interestingly, with low content of LM particles (<2 wt%), the printed circuits inherit the valuable transparency of PEDOT:PSS (transmission >92% in visible region), which has never been observed in LM‐based organic systems. Furthermore, such LMPInks show distinguished electrical robustness, which can automatically recover their initial electrical conductivity even after severe physical damage. With the above phenomenal advantages, various flexible circuits on different substrates are successfully provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The placenta is an important organ for fetal and maternal health during pregnancy and impacts offspring health late in life. Defects in placental vasculature and trophoblast have been identified in several pregnancy complications. Thus, the detailed molecular profile and heterogeneity of endothelial cells and trophoblasts in placentas will aid us in better understanding placental behaviors and improving pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed to profile the transcriptomics of human placental villous tissues from eleven patients with normal pregnancies in the first and second trimesters (6–16 weeks of gestation). Results: The transcriptomic landscape of 52,179 single cells was obtained, and the cells were classified as trophoblasts, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, erythroid cells, Hofbauer cells, and macrophages. Our analysis further revealed the three subtypes of placental endothelial cells, with distinct metabolic signatures and transcription factor regulatory networks. We also determined the transcriptomic features of the trophoblast subpopulations and characterized two distinct populations of progenitor cells in cytotrophoblasts, which were capable of differentiating to extravillous trophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts, respectively. Conclusions: Our study provided a high-resolution molecular profile of the human placenta between 6 and 16 weeks of gestation. Our data revealed the placental cell complexity and demonstrated the transcriptional networks and signaling involved in placental endothelial and trophoblast differentiation during early pregnancy, which will be a resource for future studies of the human placental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cattle industry is critical for China’s livestock industry, whereas E. coli infection and relevant diseases could lead huge economic loss. Traditional mammalian models would be costly, time consuming and complicated to study pathological changes of bovine E. coli. There is an urgent need for a simple but efficient animal model to quantitatively evaluate the pathological changes of bovine-derived E. coli in vivo. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has a broad host range of diverse E. coli strains with advantages, including a short life cycle, a simple structure, a transparent body which is easily visualized, a well-studied genetic map, an intrinsic immune system which is conservable with more complicated mammalians. Results: Here, we considered that O126 was the dominant serotype, and a total of 19 virulence factors were identified from 41 common E. coli virulence factors. Different E. coli strains with diverse pathogenicity strengths were tested in C. elegans in E. coli with higher pathogenicity (EC3/10), Nsy-1, Sek-1 and Pmk-1 of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway cascade and the expression of the antimicrobial peptides Abf-3 and Clec-60 were significantly up-regulated comparing with other groups. E. coli with lower pathogenicity (EC5/13) only activated the expression of Nsy-1 and Sek-1 genes in the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, Additionally, both groups of E. coli strains caused significant upregulation of the antimicrobial peptide Spp-1. Conclusion: Thirteen E. coli strains showed diverse pathogenicity in nematodes and the detection rate of virulence factors did not corresponding to the virulence in nematodes, indicating complex pathogenicity mechanisms. We approved that C. elegans is a fast and convenient detection model for pathogenic bacteria virulence examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of proof-of-concept models with different degrees of hydration in the same donor–acceptor system were obtained through a functional motif-oriented structural design and screening strategy. The effect of water molecules on photoinduced electron transfer was explored from a crystallographic perspective for the first time. The reasons for the structural differences caused by different degrees of hydration were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a simple, sensitive, and rapid method was developed for the simultaneous determination of 99 kinds of pesticides in fatty milk samples. This novel emulsification-demulsification clean-up approach, coupled with an automatic demulsification-dehydration cartridge, allowed rapid single-step clean-up operation and high throughput. It also achieved effective and selective removal of lipids. The analysis was performed using low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC–MS/MS). Based on the optimal conditions, the targeted pesticides showed good linearity in the range of 5–250 μg/kg, with recoveries of 70–120% at spiking levels of 5, 10, and 20 μg/kg in cow milk, goat milk, and almond milk, respectively. The limit of quantification for most pesticides was 5 μg/kg, and the RSDs were lower than 20%. Analysis of real dairy products obtained from local markets revealed a potential risk in plant-derived almond milk, but no significant risks were found for cow and goat milk. • Different clean-up methods were compared for multi-residue analysis in dairy products. • A single-step emulsification/demulsification clean-up procedure was established. • LPGC-MS/MS method was optimized and evaluated. • The LOQ was 5 μg/kg for majority of pesticides, below the established MRLs. • Main advantages of the method: simplicity, high throughput, reliably of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]