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Considering that different regions and races have different skeletal development stages, it is imperative to adopt appropriate standards for the age assessment of specific populations. The study aimed to identify a suitable method for knee epiphysis grading and evaluate the feasibility of age estimation based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray in the Chinese population. MRI images and X-ray images of the knee were collected from 1018 volunteers and 833 volunteers aged 6–20 years old, respectively. A modified Kramer's classification method was used for the experiment. The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of radiography and MRI were defined for males and females in each age group. The ossification process in knee joints of the female volunteers occurred earlier compared to the male, and the X-ray grading was higher than that of the MRI during the same period. In the regression analysis, the R2 value with age of MRI was generally higher than the X-ray in males. MRI can be used as an effective, reliable, non-invasive, and non-radiation method for evaluating bone age. This study verified the feasibility of applying the knee epiphysis grading for forensic investigations in Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency hopping sequences (FHSs) are employed to mitigate the interferences caused by the hits of frequencies in frequency hopping spread spectrum systems. In this paper, four new constructions for FHSs are presented, including a direct construction of FHSs by using cyclotomic cosets and three extension constructions of FHSs by using units of rings and multiplicative groups of finite fields. By these constructions, a number of series of new FHSs are then produced. These FHSs are optimal with respect to the Lempel-Greenberger bound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) have increased risk of developing glaucoma. Methods: Patients diagnosed with CSC between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2018 were included in this study using data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The CSC cohort was matched with a non-CSC cohort using the propensity score matching method, based on sex, age (in 10-year intervals), index date year, comorbidities, and steroid use, resulting in equal numbers of patients in both cohorts. Patients were followed up until 31 December 2019 or until they were withdrawn from the NHIRD. The incidence of glaucoma was compared between the two cohorts using the Cox regression model, and the risk of developing glaucoma was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, comorbidities, and steroid use, the CSC cohort showed a significantly higher risk of developing glaucoma compared to those without CSC (adjusted HR = 3.99; 95% CI = 3.44–4.62). The cumulative incidence of glaucoma in the CSC cohort was also significantly higher than in the non-CSC cohort (log-rank test, p < 0.001). Among the glaucoma subtypes, normal tension glaucoma had the highest risk (adjusted HR = 5.79; 95% CI = 3.41–9.85), followed by primary open-angle glaucoma (adjusted HR = 2.77; 95% CI = 2.12–3.62). Conclusions: In conclusion, our study shows that CSC patients are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma, especially NTG. Awareness and regular glaucoma screenings are essential for patients with CSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To validate the enhanced therapeutic effect of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (TWHF) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by restoring homeostasis of M1/M2 macrophages. Methods: This study, using random walk models and network pharmacology, examined the molecular targets and mechanism of TWHF in RA. Based on clinical observations and experiments in arthritis animal models, the effects of TWHF on macrophage polarization, related signal pathways, and targets were examined. Triptolide, a component of TWHF, was used to intervene arthritis rats. Key findings: Network pharmacological analysis revealed the key RA target genes related to TWHF. TWHF showed a strong correlation with the improvement of inflammatory indicators. TWHF inhibited the factors secreted by M1 macrophages such as IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL8, TNF-α, and VEGF-A, but promoted IL-10 from M2 macrophages. Quantitative liquid-phase chip assay showed that triptolide reduced the levels of TNF-α, CXCL2, and VEGF, while IL-4 and IL-10 were increased in arthritis model. Meanwhile, triptolide inhibited the NF-κB, PI3K/AKT, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, which in turn improved the RA joint inflammation and fixed immune imbalance. Conclusions: Triptolide downregulate the expression of M1 macrophage-secreted factors that inhibit the overactivation of inflammatory signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-fibre failure analysis of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, under biaxial loading conditions, has been a longstanding challenge and is addressed in this study. Biaxial failure analysis of IM7/8552 CFRP unidirectional (UD) composites is conducted under various stress states. Two widely accepted failure criteria, the interactive Tsai-Wu and non-interactive Hashin failure criteria, are comprehensively assessed with finite element-based micromechanical analysis. High-fidelity three-dimensional representative volume elements (RVEs) are subjected to biaxial loadings with imposed periodic boundary conditions. Carbon fibres are assumed to be transversely isotropic and linearly elastic. The Drucker-Prager plastic damage constitutive model and cohesive zone model are utilised to simulate the mechanical response of the matrix and fibre-matrix interface, respectively. Coulomb friction is assumed between the fibres and matrix after interface failure. Two sets of biaxial loading scenarios (i.e. transverse stress dominated and shear stress dominated) with the associated failure modes are selected for the failure analysis and assessment of these failure criteria. A data-driven failure envelope for the composites under biaxial loadings is developed using a univariate cubic spline function. Failure mode transition points are determined under biaxial loadings. It is found that the micromechanics-based numerical model is effective in assessing these two existing criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to improve the corrosion resistance of anodized 6063 Al alloy inertial air–water separator by means of silane technology and to investigate the effect of corrosion-generated surface roughness changes on aerodynamic performance. Design/methodology/approach: The BTSE-KH560 double-layer silane film treatment technique is used to close micropores on the anodic oxide film surface. The microstructure of the coating is observed by scanning electron microscopy, the coating structure of the specimens is determined by X-ray diffraction (XPS) and the corrosion resistance is determined by electrochemical and salt-spray tests. Computational fluid dynamics is also used to calculate the effect of roughness and analyse the change in separator performance. Findings: The silane film deposited on the surface of the anodic oxide film acts as a good seal against microporous defects on the surface of the anodic oxide film and reduces the surface roughness. Electrochemical and salt-spray tests show that the silane film improved the corrosion resistance of the anodized film. The roughness produced by the corrosion deteriorates the performance of the separator. Originality/value: The porous structure of the anodized coating makes it easier for corrosive ions to enter the substrate and cause pitting corrosion. Therefore, in this study, the corrosion behaviour of the coating in the marine environment and its effect on aerodynamic performance are investigated using a BTSE-KH560 double-layer silane coating with a sealing effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ab initio calculations are implemented to investigate the structural and helium diffusion behaviour in Fe 6.25 at.% Cr binary alloys based on FCC–Fe. Our simulation results confirmed that the increase of Cr contents in the AFM phase is beneficial to strengthen the shear deformation resistance and hardness of the alloys, and also leads to greater lattice distortion. The presence of Cr atoms accelerates the migration of mono-helium atoms between tetrahedral and octahedral gaps in varying degrees, but greatly impedes the migration of helium atoms between tetrahedral interstitials or within the main lattice. The tetrahedral model is more stable than the octahedral model by 0.213 and 0.433 eV under the AFM and NM phase, respectively. The stability of the helium gap models depends on the electrostatic interaction between helium and surrounding metal atoms, and impurity atoms and magnetism do not directly affect its stability. There is a strong bonding interaction between Fe and Cr atoms, and the presence of interstitial helium atom results in net charge redistribution. This study provides valuable information for the interpretation of complex experimental phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea spray icing poses risks to vessels and offshore structures in cold ocean regions. Compared to many research works dealing with the freezing of fresh water, the freezing process of sessile seawater drop was less discussed. The coupled level set and volume of fluid method combined with the enthalpy–porosity method is used to solve the Stefan problem. A two-dimensional (2D) axis-symmetric model is adopted to describe the freezing and temperature variation process. Numerical results were verified by our experiment results. The initial geometric profile of sessile drops was characterized by the Young–Laplace equation. Various salinities within the oceanographic range (10–40 g/kg) were adopted, and results showed that the freezing time increases dramatically with increasing salinity. The influence of the contact angle and substrate temperature in the freezing process was also concentrated. All these results contributed to a better understanding of the icing mechanism on marine surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most prevalent chemical modification in eukaryotic mRNA and is associated with the development of various immune diseases. However, the role of m6A methylation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development is unclear. We preliminarily explored the role of m6A methylation-related mRNAs in RA for its clinical application. The discovery of m6A methylation-modifying genes in this study may provide a fresh perspective on the development of drugs for RA treatment. High-throughput sequencing combined with methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP-seq) and RNA sequencing were used to assess whole-transcriptome m6A modifications in the synovium of patients with RA. The relationship between m6A-modified target genes and RA inflammation and macrophages was determined. The expression of the m6A-modified significant transcript-enriched inflammatory signaling pathway was assessed through animal experiments. Differentially expressed m6A genes were correlated with macrophage activation involved in immune response, vascular endothelium, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K − Akt signaling pathway, and other inflammatory processes. Furthermore, combined analysis with m6A-seq and RNA-seq revealed 120 genes with significant changes in both m6A modification and mRNA expression. We selected the top 3 candidate mRNAs that were upregulated and downregulated simultaneously. The expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) mRNA and protein in RA patients was lower than that in healthy control (HC). SHC-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) and neurexophilin-3 (NXPH3) mRNA expressions were increased in RA patients. The expression of M1 macrophages was increased in RA patients. RA markers are such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and peptide containing citrulline (CCP). Further animal experiments showed that the expression of synovial MAPK, PI3K, and Akt1 proteins in the RA model was increased, and the PTEN, p-PTEN protein expression was decreased. PI3K, Akt1, PTEN, and p-PTEN were correlated to RA joint inflammation. This study revealed a unique pattern of differential m6A methylation modifications in RA and concluded that m6A modification is related to the occurrence of RA synovial inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most prevalent chemical modification in eukaryotic mRNA and is associated with the development of various immune diseases. However, the role of m6A methylation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development is unclear. We preliminarily explored the role of m6A methylation-related mRNAs in RA for its clinical application. The discovery of m6A methylation-modifying genes in this study may provide a fresh perspective on the development of drugs for RA treatment. High-throughput sequencing combined with methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP-seq) and RNA sequencing were used to assess whole-transcriptome m6A modifications in the synovium of patients with RA. The relationship between m6A-modified target genes and RA inflammation and macrophages was determined. The expression of the m6A-modified significant transcript-enriched inflammatory signaling pathway was assessed through animal experiments. Differentially expressed m6A genes were correlated with macrophage activation involved in immune response, vascular endothelium, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K − Akt signaling pathway, and other inflammatory processes. Furthermore, combined analysis with m6A-seq and RNA-seq revealed 120 genes with significant changes in both m6A modification and mRNA expression. We selected the top 3 candidate mRNAs that were upregulated and downregulated simultaneously. The expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) mRNA and protein in RA patients was lower than that in healthy control (HC). SHC-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) and neurexophilin-3 (NXPH3) mRNA expressions were increased in RA patients. The expression of M1 macrophages was increased in RA patients. RA markers are such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and peptide containing citrulline (CCP). Further animal experiments showed that the expression of synovial MAPK, PI3K, and Akt1 proteins in the RA model was increased, and the PTEN, p-PTEN protein expression was decreased. PI3K, Akt1, PTEN, and p-PTEN were correlated to RA joint inflammation. This study revealed a unique pattern of differential m6A methylation modifications in RA and concluded that m6A modification is related to the occurrence of RA synovial inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel gain‐scheduling fault estimation is developed on the direction of improving algorithm efficiency based on discrete‐time Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy models. Different from the traditional results in which the zero‐order free matrices are applied, a novel free matrix approach is proposed and the higher‐order free matrices are for the first time introduced in designing conditions of the fuzzy gain‐scheduling fault estimation observer. For each working mode, its proprietary properties about current‐time normalized fuzzy weighting functions are made full use and thus the anti‐interference ability of the developed fuzzy gain‐scheduling fault estimation observer is enhanced without any increase of either the consumed time of solving the required designing criterion or the number of gain scalars needed to be stored in random access memory of the computer in real time. It does provide a good chance to obtain equal or better results of fuzzy gain‐scheduling fault estimation with the usage of much less computing resource than before, which is much meaningful to the applications of theoretical methods. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of our developed free matrix approach are tested and validated by using performance comparisons on the benchmark example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct C–H/N–H dehydrogenative coupling is a promising yet thermodynamically unfavorable transformation in the absence of a sacrificial hydrogen acceptor. Herein, a conceptually novel oxidant-free dehydrogenative amination of alkenes through a synergistic photoredox and cobalt catalysis with H2 evolution has been achieved. With this approach, a wide range of five-membered N-heterocycles were synthesized with excellent atom-economy. The green system will address the challenges that are sensitive to traditionally oxidative conditions. Furthermore, the scope and mechanistic details of the method are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world, almost every domain has certain and mandatory requirements to understand at least one of the programming languages which is defined as a way of interaction with a computer to resolve real world problems or more specifically for the implementation of algorithms. Language programming is a course with strong theory and practice. In view of the fact that C language beginners in colleges and universities generally report that it is difficult to learn well due to various reasons. Therefore, in this paper, we have discussed the development and teaching of interactive virtual animation of C language programs. The proposed approach relies on a typical recursive algorithm case to analyze the teaching strategy of virtual algorithm animation brought into the classroom, the application in the algorithm teaching of C language and the teaching strategy in improving students' understanding of abstract knowledge using computer C language program interactive virtual animation development and implementation of the teaching system is the research content. According to the basic flow of the interactive virtual algorithm of the C language program, a reasonable system structure design is carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Continuous nursing based on 5E rehabilitation mode can improve the physiology and psychology of patients to some extent. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of continuous nursing of 5E rehabilitation mode on the prevention and prognosis of severe respiratory tract infection in patients with severe tracheotomy in neurosurgery. Objective. To explore the effect of 5E rehabilitation nursing model on the prevention of severe respiratory tract infection and prognosis in patients with severe tracheotomy in neurosurgery. Methods. The starting and ending time of this study is from February 2019 to July 2021. In this paper, 60 patients with severe tracheotomy were divided into the control group and research group according to random number table method. The former group received routine nursing, and the latter group received rehabilitation nursing model based on 5E. The patients' satisfaction, oxygenation index, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of oxygen, SAS, SDS score, incidence of severe respiratory tract infection, and quality of life scores were compared. Results. The nursing satisfaction of the research group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). 24 hours after weaning, the oxygenation index and partial pressure of oxygen in the research group were higher than those in the control group, while the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the research group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After nursing, the scores of self-rating anxiety scale and self-rating depression scale in the research group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The incidence of severe respiratory tract infection in the research group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After nursing, the scores of physiological function, psychological function, social function, and health self-cognition in the research group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The nursing program of neurosurgical patients with severe tracheotomy based on 5E rehabilitation model can effectively enhance patients' nursing satisfaction, activities of daily living, anxiety, and depression and promote the prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of 3D animation design and generation, the expression generation method of animation is not obvious due to the lack of image details, which leads to the lack of realism of the generated animation expressions. In order to solve this problem, a deep learning-based animation character expression generation method is proposed. The method, based on the real facial expression images, uses improved deep learning to design cascade classifiers, extracts facial expression feature images from real images, softens image edges, and enhances feature details. The content and style of images are unified, the loss function is designed from the content constraints and style constraints, the judgment network is optimized, and the feature information is fused under the constraints of the loss function to generate the facial expressions of animated characters. The experimental results show that the design based on the feature point location of the improved deep learning expression generation method is accurate, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the input image and the generated image is high, the root mean square error is small, and the realism of the generated facial expression is enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-transfer torque (STT) magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is gaining commercial traction in low-density embedded and standalone memories, but the available market opportunities would grow exponentially if STT-MRAM could approach dynamic random access memory (DRAM) bit density. Of course, achieving DRAM density will require, among other things, demonstrating the ability to pattern MRAM bits at an extremely tight pitch. Here, an experimental demonstration of fabrication and electrical testing of a STT-MRAM bit array are reported. By optimizing the hard mask and ion beam etching (IBE) processes, MRAM bit arrays with a full pitch down to 50 nm are fabricated, in which the bits are individually tested using a novel bottom-point-contact method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the failure mechanisms exhibited by unidirectional Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites under longitudinal compression, while considering the interplay of three types of manufacturing-induced defects: initial waviness of fibres, void volume fraction, and void size. The study employs 3D high-fidelity intact representative volume element (RVE) models, incorporating the initial waviness of fibres and voids based on Micro-CT imaging. A novel algorithm is proposed to generate more accurate 3D void shapes, departing from conventional circular or triangular approximations. The results highlight the substantial influence of the initial waviness angle on the reduction of predicted compressive stiffness and strength. The volume and size of voids play a significant role in determining damage initiation within the composites. The failure mechanisms of the composite under the coupled effects of initial waviness of fibres and voids are discussed, exhibiting reasonable agreement with experimental observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported herein a highly efficient and selective structured adsorbent of PAN@LDH-Hpdc, which can remove 10 ppm of Cu2+ ions to 3 ppb in 60 min with a removal efficiency of 99.97%. And a maximum adsorption capacity of 200.0 mg/g for Cu2+ ions can be obtained. [Display omitted] • When 10 ppm of Cu2+ ions was treated with 1.3 g L−1 of PAN@LDH-Hpdc, the concentration of Cu2+ ions can be decreased to 3 ppb in 60 min. • The PAN@LDH-Hpdc exhibited maximum adsorption capacity of 200.0 mg/g for Cu2+ ions. • The PAN@LDH-Hpdc showed excellent selectivity for Cu2+ ions. • The adsorption mechanisms involved the coordination by the intercalated Hpdc2- and surface adsorption by LDH laminate. The effective removal of Cu2+ ions from contaminated wastewater is greatly significant for environmental remediation. Herein, the PAN@LDH-Hpdc (PAN = polyacrylonitrile; LDH = layered double hydroxide; Hpdc = pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylate) was prepared using the "Seeds Embedded-Epitaxial Growth-Ion exchange" strategy. Benefiting from the high surface area and abundant exposed active sites, the PAN@LDH-Hpdc showed the removal efficiency of 99.6 % in 25 min, and the Cu2+ ions (10 ppm) can be decreased to reach the WHO drinking water standard in 10 min. When the concentration of Cu2+ ions was ∼ 1000 ppm, the adsorption capacity of PAN@LDH-Hpdc was as high as 200.0 mg/g. In addition, the PAN@LDH-Hpdc exhibited high selectivity for Cu2+ ions with the removal efficiency of 99.9 % in the mixed solution containing Na+, Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+ and Co2+ ions. The adsorption mechanisms of PAN@LDH-Hpdc involved the coordination by the intercalated Hpdc anions and surface adsorption by the LDH laminate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reported the fabrication of Au0Pdδ+ alloy co-modified with Na 12 [α-P 2 W 15 O 56 ] (P 2 W 15) on Al 2 O 3. The as-prepared AuPd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 exhibited 92% conversion, 96% selectivity of benzaldehyde with the reaction rate of 4.9×104h−1 when applied for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol. The electrons transfer from P 2 W 15 to Au0Pdδ+ alloy resulted in the electron-rich Au0Pdδ+ alloy species, which facilitated activation of O 2 to generate superoxide radicals •O 2 –, and thereby accelerated the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. [Display omitted] • The AuPd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 was fabricated by covalent immobilization and deposition–precipitation. • The AuPd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 exhibited excellent benzyl alcohol oxidation performance. • Interfacial interaction promoted electrons transfer from P 2 W 15 to Au0Pdδ+ alloy. • Electron enriched Au0Pdδ+ alloy facilitated O 2 activation to generate rich • O 2 –. It is significant to gain insights into the electronic interfacial interactions on non-reducible oxides as they can effectively improve the catalytic performance. Herein, we reported the fabrication of Au0Pdδ+ alloy (average size: 1.9 nm) co-modified with Na 12 [α-P 2 W 15 O 56 ] (P 2 W 15) nanoclusters on aluminum oxide (denoted as AuPd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3) by deposition–precipitation and covalent immobilization strategy. The as-prepared AuPd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 exhibited 92 % conversion, 96 % selectivity of benzaldehyde with the reaction rate of 4.9 × 104h−1 when applied for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol, which was superior to AuPd/Al 2 O 3 , Au/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 and Pd/P 2 W 15 -Al 2 O 3 catalysts. Such excellent catalytic performance can be ascribed to the fact that: the electrons transfer from P 2 W 15 to Au0Pdδ+ alloy resulted in the electron-rich Au0Pdδ+ alloy species, and the enhanced interfacial interactions between Au0Pdδ+ alloy and P 2 W 15 nanoclusters facilitated activation of O 2 to generate superoxide radicals •O 2 –. Moreover, density-functional theory (DFT) calculation confirmed that the P 2 W 15 clusters modulated the d-band center of Au0Pdδ+ alloy and accelerated the adsorption of benzyl alcohol, O 2 activation and desorption of benzaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is largely caused by the inflammatory response triggered by macrophage polarization. Through epigenetic reprogramming, the inflammatory state of macrophages can be modified. Macrophage polarization is associated with the RNA epigenetic alteration N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation. However, the specific function and underlying mechanisms of m6A methylation in the role of macrophage polarization in RA remain to be elucidated. The mRNA expression levels of m6A methylase genes and signaling pathway components associated with RA macrophages were determined in the present study using reverse-transcription quantitative PCR. Methyltransferase 14 (METTL14) protein expression levels were determined using western blot analysis, and the levels of specific cellular secretion factors were determined using ELISA and flow cytometry. The results of the present study demonstrated that elevated METTL14 expression was associated with joint tenderness, and METTL14 expression was positively correlated with both C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor expression levels. Moreover, METTL14 exhibited potential in the prediction of visual analogue scale. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) and M1 macrophage markers (CD68+CD86+) were also positively associated with METTL14 expression. The results of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that METTL14 was strongly associated with the MAPK signaling pathway. Notably, JNK and ERK2 exhibited a positive correlation with the M1 macrophage marker, CD68+CD86+, which was positively associated with the pro-inflammatory factor, TNF-α. JNK and ERK2 expression levels were markedly increased in the METTL14 high-expression group, compared with in the low-expression group; however, p38 and ERK1 expression levels were not significantly different between these groups. Collectively, the results of the present study demonstrated that METTL14 expression was significantly increased in the peripheral blood and synovial tissue of patients with RA, highlighting the potential association with both immunoinflammatory markers and clinical symptoms. In addition, it was suggested that METTL14 may exacerbate the downstream inflammatory response, through mediating macrophage polarization via the MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a viable therapeutic option against various immune disorders as a chemotherapeutic agent. Nevertheless, its application has been undermined by the gastrotoxic metabolites (mycophenolic acid glucuronide, MPAG) produced by microbiome-associated β-glucuronidase (βGUS). Therefore, controlling microbiota-produced βGUS underlines the potential strategy to improve MMF efficacy by overcoming the dosage limitation. In this study, the octyl gallate (OG) was identified with promising inhibitory activity on hydrolysis of PNPG in our high throughput screening based on a chemical collection of approximately 2000 natural products. Furthermore, OG was also found to inhibit a broad spectrum of BGUSs, including mini-Loop1, Loop 2, mini-Loop 2, and mini-Loop1,2. The further in vivo experiments demonstrated that administration of 20 mg/kg OG resulted in predominant reduction in the activity of BGUSs while displayed no impact on the overall fecal microbiome in mice. Furthermore, in the MMF-induced colitis model, the administration of OG at a dosage of 20 mg/kg effectively mitigated the gastrointestinal toxicity, and systematically reverted the colitis phenotypes. These findings indicate that the OG holds promising clinical potential for the prevention of MMF-induced gastrointestinal toxicity by inhibition of BGUSs and could be developed as a combinatorial therapy with MFF for better clinical outcomes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast neutron imaging offers unique advantages in the non-destructive detection of large volume samples. We have proposed a novel method to enhance the spatial resolution and detector efficiency of fast neutron imaging detectors by adding a stopping layer and conversion array. In the Geant4 simulation, incorporating a 300 μm thick boron carbide stopping layer behind the conversion layer can enhance the spatial resolution by 40.4 %. The cube array structure leads to a 28.7 % increase in the conversion efficiency for recoil protons as compared with the flat polyethylene layer. The simulation results illustrate that a spatial resolution of the microchannel plate fast neutron detector of 123 μm can be achieved with a detection efficiency of 0.2 % for fast neutrons. Indeed, this work holds significant reference for the design and optimization of fast neutron imaging detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is a promising battery system for next-generation energy storage systems due to their high theoretical specific capacity, energy density, low cost, and environmental friendliness. Co 3 Mo 3 N can effectively anchor and catalyze the conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), thereby accelerating electrochemical reaction kinetics and giving LiPSs outstanding electrochemical properties. This work simulates the effect of LiPSs on the surface of Co 3 Mo 3 N(1 1 1) through first-principles calculations. This interaction between sulfur and metal occurs, forming covalent bonds. Co 3 Mo 3 N(1 1 1) surface adsorbs Li 2 S, which the Co-Mo bridge site has the lowest energy and is the best adsorption site. LiPSs were placed on the surface of Co 3 Mo 3 N(1 1 1) in two ways: horizontally and vertically. Co 3 Mo 3 N can adsorb and catalyze LiPSs in both extreme adsorption states. The horizontal adsorption position has better adsorption catalytic ability for LiPSs. This work provides theoretical support for the good catalytic effect of Co 3 Mo 3 N on LiPSs, and is expected to promote the use and development of bimetallic nitrides in lithium-sulfur batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective C–C bond deconstruction/refunctionalization via a photoredox/nickel dual-catalyzed hydroalkylation of alkynes is developed under mild reaction conditions. In this protocol, a broad range of alkyl- and aryl-alkynes could react smoothly with cycloalkanols, affording the corresponding distal and site-specific vinyl-substituted ketones with high yields and excellent regioselectivities. Moreover, DFT calculations verified that the electron-rich behavior of aromatics and weak Brønsted bases have a common effect on the photocatalytic oxidant ring-opening of cyclobutanols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A flexible margin is adopted to filter out easy training samples gradually. • A dynamic sampling strategy is proposed for deep metric learning. • The proposed sampling approach is compatible with several popular loss functions. • With dynamic sampling, performance gap between different loss functions is minor. Deep metric learning maps visually similar images onto nearby locations and visually dissimilar images apart from each other in an embedding manifold. The learning process is mainly based on the supplied image negative and positive training pairs. In this paper, a dynamic sampling strategy is proposed to organize the training pairs in an easy-to-hard order to feed into the network. It allows the network to learn general boundaries between categories from the easy training pairs at its early stages and finalize the details of the model mainly relying on the hard training samples in the later. Compared to the existing training sample mining approaches, the hard samples are mined with little harm to the learned general model. This dynamic sampling strategy is formulated as two simple terms that are compatible with various loss functions. Consistent performance boost is observed when it is integrated with several popular loss functions on fashion search and fine-grained image search. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 4 SiO 4 crystal is a candidate material for tritium breeder material. Vacancy defects and He atoms will be produced in the crystal after neutron irradiation in fusion reactor. In previous research, we learned vacancy defects mainly include V O 0, V O 2+, and V Li 0, meanwhile, He atoms are easy to migrate and aggregate in the crystal. In order to understand the relationship between vacancy defects and He atoms, we use density functional theory (DFT) to study the interaction mechanism between vacancy and He atom. The results show that the local stable sites of He atoms are related to the surrounding charge distribution. V O 2+ and V Li 0 can capture interstitial He atoms, and it is difficult to escape the vacancies, thereby increasing the nucleation center of He atoms. V O 0 promotes the diffusion of He atoms in the interstitial space, which will cause small helium bubbles to merge more easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the risk of Alzheimer's disease among patients with age-related macular degeneration and its association with confounding comorbidities. Method: This was a population-based, retrospective cohort study. By accessing data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, we identified 10,578 patients aged 50–100 years who were newly diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration between 2000 and 2012 and 10,578 non- age-related macular degeneration individuals. The comorbidities assessed were osteoporosis, diabetes, cirrhosis, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Results: Patients with age-related macular degeneration had a 1.23-fold increased risk of their condition advancing to Alzheimer's disease (aHR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04–1.46). The younger patients were diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, the more likely patients got Alzheimer's disease (50–64 age group: aHR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.04–3.73; 65–79 age group: aHR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.02–1.58; 80–100 age group: aHR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.78–1.45). In addition, there were significantly higher risks of Alzheimer's disease for patients with cirrhosis (aHR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.09–2.06) in the age-related macular degeneration cohort than in the non-age-related macular degeneration cohort. Conclusion: Patients with age-related macular degeneration may exhibit a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease than people without age-related macular degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a 3D Discrete Element Method (DEM) model for the progressive failure analysis of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite materials subjected to uniaxial tensile loading. Particles in the model are packed and bonded in regular patterns (hexagonal or square). The relationship between the bond stiffness and material properties is established based on the average strain energy method. The random distribution of bond strengths calibrated from experiments with a variation of 30% and 10% following a normal distribution law is assigned to the bonds in 0∘ and 90∘ plies to capture random cracks, respectively. Tsai-Hill failure criterion is utilized for the calibration of bond strength of ± 45 ° plies to predict their failures in composite laminates. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted for predicting the damage initiation and propagation of the cross-ply and Quasi-Isotropic (QI) composite laminates under tensile loading, respectively. Two interface stiffnesses were utilized in the failure prediction of cross-ply composite laminates, and it was found that the numerical results with the interface stiffness calculated from fracture energy are in good, quantitative agreements with the experiments. All the four stages of the failure process of QI composite laminates are well captured by the 3D DEM model, including isolated cracks, inner delamination cracks, outer delamination cracks and final failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry eye and diabetic keratopathy represent the major diabetic complications in ocular surface. Here we found that diabetic mice exhibited the early onset of reduced tear secretion and lacrimal gland weight compared to the symptoms of diabetic keratopathy. Considering to the high bioenergetic needs in lacrimal gland and cornea, we hypothesized that hyperglycemia may cause different severity of mitochondrial bioenergetic deficit between them. Through the measurement of oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and basal extracellular acidification rate (ECAR), we found the apparent alterations of mitochondrial bioenergetic profiles in diabetic lacrimal gland and cornea, accompanied with the mtDNA damage and copy number reduction, as well as the reduced glutathione content. Comparative analysis revealed that mouse lacrimal gland cells exhibited 2–3 folds higher of basal, ATP production, maximal OCR and basal ECAR than corneal epithelial cells in normoglycemia. However, the differences were slightly significant or even not detected in hyperglycemia. Accordingly, the mitochondrial bioenergetic metabolism of lacrimal gland was more compromised than that of corneal epithelium in diabetic mice. Through the administration of mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant SkQ1, the severity of dry eye and diabetic keratopathy was significantly attenuated with the improved mitochondrial function. These results indicate that the susceptibility of mitochondrial bioenergetic deficit in diabetic lacrimal gland may contribute to the early onset of dry eye, while mitochondria-targeted antioxidant possesses therapeutic potential for diabetic dry eye and keratopathy. [Display omitted] • Hyperglycemia induces early onset of dry eye in advance of diabetic keratopathy. • Severe mitochondrial dysfunction in diabetic lacrimal gland than corneal epithelium. • SkQ1 has therapeutic potential in diabetic dry eye and keratopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is known and objective: Propofol is effective in sedation for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy. However, the optimum dose is ill‐defined. This study aimed to estimate the effective dose of propofol mono‐sedation for successful endoscope insertion in healthy, non‐obese Chinese adults undergoing single UGI endoscopy. Methods: Twenty‐six adult patients undergoing elective single UGI endoscopy were enrolled in this study. A modified Dixon's up‐and‐down method was utilized to assess the effective dose of propofol for successful endoscope insertion. The initial dose of propofol administered, 1.6 mg/kg, was adjusted with 0.1 mg/kg as a step size. The patient's responses to endoscope insertion were classified as either 'movement' or 'no movement'. When patient's responses were changed from 'movement' to 'no movement' or from 'no movement' to 'movement', a crossover was defined. After eight crossovers had been obtained, patient recruitment was stopped. The mean of midpoints of all crossovers obtained by the modified Dixon's up‐and‐down method in all 26 patients was defined as calculated median effective dose (ED50) of propofol for successful endoscope insertion. Furthermore, probit regression analysis was used to determine the dose of propofol where 50% (ED50) and 95% (ED95) of endoscope insertion attempts were successful. Results: The calculated ED50 of propofol for successful endoscope insertion was 1.89 ± 0.12 mg/kg. The probit regression analysis showed that ED50 and ED95 of propofol for successful endoscope insertion were 1.90 mg/kg (95% CI, 1.78–2.10 mg/kg) and 2.15 mg/kg (95% CI, 2.01–3.56 mg/kg), respectively. No any patient had hypoxaemia and gag reflex during the UGI endoscopy with propofol mono‐sedation. What is new and conclusion: In healthy, non‐obese Chinese adults, propofol mono‐sedation can provide excellent conditions of UGI endoscopy and the estimated ED50 of propofol for successful endoscope insertion is 1.89 ± 0.12 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal hydroxides (TMHs) nanosheets have attracted wide attention in electrochemical energy storage and conversion because of their superior surface area, highly tunable composition, and low cost. Moreover, the self-supported electrode has been extensively studied for electrochemical devices due to its fast electron transfer and mass transport, resulting in enhanced stability and electrode performance. Hence, reviewing the recent advances in self-supported TMHs nanosheets is crucial for developing high-performance electrodes for electrochemical devices. In this review, we first introduce the fundamental properties of TMHs in terms of layered single metal hydroxides (LSHs) and layered double hydroxides (LDHs). Then, we review various synthetic approaches utilized to construct self-supported TMHs nanosheets with tunable compositions and structures. Afterwards, the electrode performance and durability of self-supported TMHs nanosheets in various electrochemical applications (water electrolysis, zinc-air battery and supercapacitor) are comprehensively summarized. Finally, the further perspectives on current challenges and research directions of self-supported TMHs nanosheets towards electrochemical energy storages and conversion applications are proposed. Image 1 • The recent research progress on self-supported TMHs nanosheets is summarized. • The synthesis methods and applications of self-supported TMHs nanosheets are reviewed. • The perspectives for further development of self-supported TMHs nanosheets are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality and evaluate the chemical composition of Chinese Ningdu yellow chicken of different weights once they have reached market age. Thirty hens at the day of age 118 were selected and divided into three groups according to their weight: light weight (1288.00 ± 69.78 g, n = 10), medium weight (1407.17 ± 39.40 g, n = 10), heavy weight (1581.6 ± 46.59 g, n = 10), and the differences in weight among these three groups are significant. Biochemical, histological, and metabonomic approaches were used to obtain index values of meat quality and chemical composition. Compared with meat from lighter chickens, muscle fiber density was significantly lower in heavier chickens, and meat pH was positively correlated with chicken weight. Though the amount of all measured amino acids were not different among three weight groups of chicken, the levels of several kinds of fatty acids exhibited significant differences or correlations, including linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These results contribute to help customers choose the optimal chicken weight depending upon the food to be cooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, experimental method and first-principles calculations were combined to study the properties of pure hydroxyapatite and Zn-doped hydroxyapatite. Pure and Zn-doped hydroxyapatite (HA) powders were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The FTIR spectra show that the adding of Zn atoms makes the intensity of PO43− stretching peaks become weaken and obscure. In addition, the O-H bending peaks at 3570 and 632 cm−1 become weaker and broader. The XRD patterns show that the replacement of Zn ion in the HA structure leads to the distortion in HA lattice, which is shown and proved by the TEM analysis. First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) method were applied to investigate the Zn-doped hydroxyapatite. The elastic properties of HA, HA with Ca2+(II) vacancy, and Zn doped HA systems were calculated. Through the calculation, we found that the doping of Zn atoms made the elastic modulus of HA crystal becoming soft. The elastic properties dropped dramatically when there is a vacancy in the Ca2+(II) position. Compared with the HA-VCa2+ structure, the Zn-doped HA has better elastic properties and stability. The local structure of the substitution position was presented and analyzed. In the Zn-doped HA structure, the OH− group adjacent to Zn2+ is significantly displaced from the c axis toward to the Zn2+, making the lattice distorted. The distortion of the crystal lattice is responsible for the weakness of the P-O stretching peaks and O-H bending peaks in the FTIR spectra of the Zn doped HA crystal. The softness of the elastic modulus is also caused by the distortion of the lattice and the weak bonding force between Zn atom and O atom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a micromechanics-based 3D finite element model for predicting the damage initiation, propagation, and failure strength of TC33/Epoxy carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) unidirectional lamina under biaxial loadings. The finite element model is generated by introducing representative volume element (RVE) with a random distribution of fibers and a non-zero thickness, numerically identified interface phase via cohesive elements. In the finite element model, the carbon fibers are considered as elastic, while the elasto-plastic behavior and damage of the matrix are governed by extended Drucker–Prager plastic yielding model and ductile damage criterion. By imposing periodic boundary conditions to the RVEs, various cases subjected to uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions are carried out. During the combined transverse and in-plane shear stress states, a failure transition from compression- or tension-dominated to shear-dominated is captured, and the effects of the interfacial strength on the transition damage mechanisms are discussed. The corresponding failure locus is compared with the upper bound and lower bound predictions of three phenomenological failure criteria (Hashin, Tasi–Wu, and Puck failure criteria) for composites. It was found that in the interface-dominated failure of a CFRP lamina with a weak interface, the Hashin failure criterion performs best among the currently popular failure criteria. However, in the matrix-dominated failure with a strong interface, the Puck failure criterion performs best. Comparing these three criteria, it can be seen the Tsai–Wu may be generally better than both of others as it presents more neutral predictions in both of the examined cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear vibration control of the Euler–Bernoulli beam is studied based on capacitive micro-mechanical acoustic sensors The graphene film has the characteristics of high sensitivity and high accuracy which can be applied to sense the vibration signal. Capacitive micro-mechanical acoustic sensors can be used to detect the acoustic signal of the vibration of the nano-beam. The nonlinear vibration control equation of nano-beam can be established with the displacement and velocity voltage feedback controller based on capacitive micro-mechanical acoustic sensors. The amplitude-frequency response equation of the primary resonance of nano-beam can be gotten by using the multiple scales method. The relationship between the nonlinear vibration of nano-beam and system parameters is investigated. The influencing factors of how to weak system nonlinearity and enhance system stability are analyzed. The static bifurcation behavior of the system is discussed. The numerical results show that the nonlinearity of vibration can be reduced and the stability of the system can be improved by selecting the appropriate control gains and appropriately reducing the amplitude of DC and AC excitation voltages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The density functional theory (DFT) + U method is adopted to study the electronic structure, magnetism, chemical bonding, and thermodynamic properties of USiO4. A bandgap of 3.1 eV is obtained by analyzing the band diagram of USiO4. The calculated structural parameters are consistent with the recent experimental results. The charge density and charge density differences are studied in order to analyze the chemical bonds in USiO4. The results indicate that interactions within USiO4 are mostly ionic and exhibit weak covalent character. In addition, phonon behavior is studied in detail. We predict phonon frequencies and assign and analyze the Raman-active and infrared-active modes at the Γ point. Furthermore, thermodynamic properties such as the internal energy ΔE, Helmholtz free energy ΔF, constant-volume specific heat CV, and entropy S are investigated in the region between 0 K and 1000 K. The results are expected to provide useful information for subsequent experiments on USiO4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediastinal biopsy is essential for the clinical diagnosis of mediastinal disease. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a well-established approach for obtaining diagnostic samples from mediastinal masses or enlarged lymph nodes which is proven to be minimally invasive and effective. However, the insufficiency of intact samples acquired might restrict the diagnostic efficacy of EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lesions such as rare malignancy and granulomatous disorder. We here present an EBUS-guided approach for the cryobiopsy of mediastinal diseases that is capable of providing larger amounts of intact tissue with few observed complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence indicates some G protein-coupled receptors function as a heterodimer, which provide a novel target for therapeutics investigation. However, study on the receptor-receptor interaction interface, a potent target on interfering dimer formation, are still limited. Here, using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) combined with co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), we found a new constitutive GPCR heterodimer, apelin receptor (APJ)-orexin receptor type 1 (OX1R). Both APJ and OX1R co-internalized when constantly subjected to cognate agonist (apelin-13 or orexin-A) specific to either protomer. Combined with BRET and immunostaining, the in vitro synthesized transmembrane peptides (TMs) interfering experiments suggests that TM4 and 5 of APJ act as the interaction interface of the APJ-OX1R heterodimer, and co-internalization could be disrupted by these peptides as well. Our study not only provide new evidence on GPCR heterodimerization, but address a novel heterodimerization interface, which can be severed as a potential pharmacological target. • APJ and OX1R could form a constitutive heterodimer. • Transmembrane peptides 4 and 5 serve as the interaction interface of the dimer. • Both protomers co-internalize when subject to agonist specific to either protomer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed an accurate kinetic model for simulating the FCC-RR reaction. • Implemented the improved SPEA-2 algorithm using a novel path evolution reproduction operator. • Utilized a specialized population generation strategy to improve the solving speed in the FCC-RR process. • Successful implementation of the requirements on an industrial-grade FCC-RR unit. The multi-objective optimization of the economics and environmental protection of the fluidized catalytic cracking reaction-regeneration (FCC-RR) process can achieve a balanced production of light olefins, and other chemicals while mitigating pollutant gas emissions. This paper proposes a novel multi-objective optimization framework that integrates the FCC-RR lumped kinetic model and SPEA-2 algorithm based on the path evolution reproduction operator. The proposed FCC-RR model not only provides insights into the influence of various reaction variables on product yields from a mechanistic perspective but also accurately simulates the distribution of products during the reaction-regeneration process. Additionally, we present an improved SPEA-2 algorithm that incorporates the path evolution operator and applies it to a real FCC-RR device to speed up the optimization process in terms of solution speed and quality. The results of the case study demonstrate that the proposed optimization framework has significant advantages in solving multi-objective optimization in the catalytic cracking process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the path-following control problem for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) subject to external disturbances and unknown model parameters. An event-triggered model-free adaptive control (ETMFAC) method is designed with a practical experimental platform. Firstly, a line-of-sight (LOS) guidance law is employed to obtain the desired heading angle for the AUV. Secondly, an improved model-free adaptive control method is used, in which an adaptive law is introduced to compensate for the effects caused by external disturbances. Subsequently, an event-triggering mechanism that can reduce the communication and calculation burden of the control system is proposed. As for the state mutation caused by variable disturbances, an adaptive triggering threshold is designed based on the state vector of the AUV to maintain satisfactory following performance. The stability of the control system is proved by theoretical analysis. Finally, both numerical simulations and practical experiments are conducted to evaluate the efficacy and prove the superiority of the proposed method. • Adaptive law is introduced into MFAC algorithm to improve the robustness of AUV in complex environment. • The improved event triggering mechanism reduces the system channel occupancy. • A novel adaptive threshold is proposed, which can make the AUV converge to the desired domain smoothly. • The effectiveness of the algorithm in engineering is verified by practical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-rich sludge produced during textile wastewater treatment has brought serious environmental burden, and usually undergoes incineration disposal without creating added value. In this work, novel adsorbents were fabricated through sintering treatment with dried iron-rich sludge (denoted as B) as precursor, aiming at the deep Sb(V) removal from textile wastewater. Structural characterization confirmed the presence of various iron oxides including α-Fe 2 O 3 and amorphous ferrihydrite in the as-prepared adsorbents. Screening tests indicated that adsorbent obtained after sintering at 400 °C for 2 h (B-400) exhibited a significantly improved maximum adsorption capacity (161.36 mg g−1) as compared to B (51.72 mg g−1). The B-400 possesses lager specific surface area, and more favorable phases for Sb(V) adsorption as compared to B. Satisfying Sb(V) removal efficiency of B-400 is accomplished within a wide pH window ranging from 4 to 10, at varying ionic strengths. The co-existing ions, dyes and surfactants in textile wastewater trigger different degrees of negative impacts on Sb(V) adsorption by B-400, except for Cl− and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The Sb(V) adsorption by B-400 is a heterogeneous surface adsorption process, which can be well described by the Freundlich and Elovich models. The possible mechanisms include electrostatic interaction, inner-sphere complexation, and hydrogen bonding. The findings in this study fulfill the 'waste control by waste' strategy by removing Sb(V) from textile wastewater with textile sludge derived adsorbent materials, which achieves the self-recycling of waste during textile wastewater treatment, and contributes to sustainable development goals. [Display omitted] • Self-recycling of waste during textile wastewater treatment is achieved. • Textile sludge is sintered to fabricate novel adsorbents for Sb(V) removal. • Novel adsorbents contain abundant α-Fe 2 O 3 and amorphous ferrihydrite. • Satisfying Sb(V) removal is fulfilled at various pH and ionic strengths. • The co-existing ions, dyes, and surfactants show negative impacts on adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Co 3 S 4 /Ni 3 S 4. nanowires grown on nickel foam are obtained by a two-step hydrothermal method. • The Co 3 S 4 /Ni 3 S 4 cathode exhibits an excellent electrocatalytic dechlorination performance of Florfenicol. • High electron transfer performance is achieved by unique morphology and heterogeneous structure. • Innovative application of non-noble metals in electrocatalytic dechlorination. Chlorinated antibiotics, particularly Florfenicol (FF), pose a serious global threat to humans and animals by contaminating freshwater and causing water pollution. Electrocatalytic dechlorination (ECH) is effective for removing chlorinated organic compounds during wastewater treatment and water remediation, however, there are limited reports on high-performance, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly cathode materials. In this study, a catalyst was prepared using a two-step hydrothermal process, and a vertically grown 2D Co 3 S 4 /Ni 3 S 4 heterostructure was constructed on a nickel foam electrode. Owing to its inherently high electron transfer performance and H* adsorption properties, extensive dechlorination of FF could be achieved via cathodic reduction. The electrode formed using a 100 mM Na 2 S concentration during the hydrothermal reaction exhibited an optimal crystal composition and morphology, resulting in a substantial electrocatalytic dechlorination effect exhibiting nearly 100 % FF removal after 120 min at −1 V vs Ag/AgCl. The experimental results indicated that the dechlorination of FF is primarily achieved via direct electron transfer, with the degradation rate decreasing by only 5 % after the addition of 400 mM tert -butanol, confirming that H* played a supporting role. Therefore, this study proposes a cost-effective and sustainable electrochemical approach for reducing chlorinated antibiotics using a highly efficient non-noble metal electrode material. It can be successfully utilized as an effective, eco-friendly electrochemical strategy for the removal of similar antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective conversion of alcohols to ketones using air as the oxidant is achieved with high rates and efficiency using an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode in which an alcohol dehydrogenase and a photosynthetic NADPH recycling enzyme are confined within nanopores. The massive catalytic enhancement arising from nanoconfinement is exploited in an air-driven electrochemical cell, which requires no complicating control features yet allows continuous monitoring of the reaction via the current that flows between anode (ITO: organic chemistry) and cathode (Pt: O2 from air). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synergistic catalytic method combining photoredox catalysis, hydrogen‐atom transfer, and proton‐reduction catalysis for the dehydrogenative silylation of alkenes was developed. With this approach, a highly concise route to substituted allylsilanes has been achieved under very mild reaction conditions without using oxidants. This transformation features good to excellent yields, operational simplicity, and high atom economy. Based on control experiments, a possible reaction mechanism is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synergistic catalytic method combining photoredox catalysis, hydrogen‐atom transfer, and proton‐reduction catalysis for the dehydrogenative silylation of alkenes was developed. With this approach, a highly concise route to substituted allylsilanes has been achieved under very mild reaction conditions without using oxidants. This transformation features good to excellent yields, operational simplicity, and high atom economy. Based on control experiments, a possible reaction mechanism is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curative effect and prognosis of 3D printing titanium alloy trabecular cup and pad in revision of acetabular defect of hip joint were investigated. Forty-two patients who underwent acetabular revision in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Luohe Medical College were divided into observation and control groups according to different methods of acetabular revision and revision materials. 3D printed titanium alloy trabecular cups and pads were used in the observation group, and non-3D printed titanium trabecular cups and pads were used in the control group. Preoperative and postoperative pain visual analog scale (VAS score), hip Harris scores and quality of life Health Survey Scale (SF-36) scores were compared between the groups. At 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, Harris score and SF-36 score of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and VAS score was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). Stability and bone ingrowth of prosthesis in the observation group were better than those in the control group. Revision of the hip prosthesis with 3D printed titanium trabecular metal cups and pads resulted in satisfactory outcomes. Short-term prognosis is satisfactory but the long-term prognosis remains to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report a strategy to prepare electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation based on MoS 2 grown on highly conductive CoS 2 decorated carbon cloth (MoS 2 /CoS 2 /CC) through a two-step method. The rational design of sandwich structure of MoS 2 /CoS 2 /CC electrode was significant for homogenously dispersing MoS 2 on the carbon substrate, tuning the properties of the MoS 2 and improving long-term durability. Benefiting from the sandwich structure with highly exposed edges, fast electron transport and additional active sites brought by interfacial sulfur of Mo S Co, the resulting MoS 2 /CoS 2 /CC electrode exhibited superior HER activity and excellent stability in acid solution including an overpotential of 118 and 159 mV at current density of 10 and 100 mA/cm2, respectively, a Tafel slope of 37 mV per decade and excellent cycling stability in acid solution. The high catalytic performance and simplicity of the preparation method suggest applicability of the MoS 2 /CoS 2 /CC electrode for large-scale practical applications. • A sandwich-structured MoS 2 /CoS 2 /CC electrode was proposed for hydrogen evolution in acid electrolyte. • The interlayer plays a crucial role for MoS 2 homogenous growth on carbon substrate surface. • The electrode exhibits superior catalytic performance and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of aggregate gradation, asphalt content and loading velocity on the indirect tensile test (IDT) strength of asphalt mixtures using three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM). A microstructure-based cohesive zone discrete element model for predicting the IDT strength at 20 °C was established by a discrete element program called Particle Flow Code in Three Dimensions. Based on this model, the effects of aggregate gradation, asphalt content and loading velocity on the IDT strength were numerically simulated. The simulation results were verified by performing an actual IDT test. Results reveal that the IDT test at 20 °C can be simulated well based on the cohesive zone DEM. Furthermore, the IDT strength of asphalt mixtures is remarkably affected by the aggregate gradation, asphalt content and loading velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine (DEX) on sevoflurane EC50 for supraglottic airway device (SAD) insertion in spontaneously breathing morbidly obese patients. Patients and methods: Thirty-eight morbidly obese patients with a body mass index 40-57 kg/m2 who were scheduled for bariatric surgery under general anesthesia requiring tracheal intubation were randomly allocated to two groups receiving the different treatments: group S, saline was given intravenously, and group D, a bolus dose of DEX 1 μg/kg was administered intravenously over 10 mins, followed by intravenous DEX infusion at a rate of 0.5 μg/kg/h. Five percent sevoflurane was initially inhaled for anesthesia induction and then end-tidal expiratory sevoflurane concentration (ETsev) was adjusted to a target value as to the modified Dixon's up-and-down method. Patients' response to SAD insertion was classified as "movement" or "no movement". The average of the midpoints of all crossover points was defined as calculated sevoflurane EC50 for successful SAD insertion. Furthermore, the probit regression analysis was used to determine sevoflurane end-tidal concentrations where 50% (EC50) and 95% (EC95) insertions of SAD were successful. After the observation was completed, flexible bronchoscope-guided intubation was performed through the SAD. Results: The calculated sevoflurane EC50 for successful SAD insertion was significantly lower in group D than in group S (1.75±0.32% vs 2.92±0.26%, p<0.001). By the probit regression analysis, EC50 and EC95 of sevoflurane for successful SAD insertion were 1.59% (95% CI, 1.22-1.90%) and 2.15% (95% CI, 1.86-3.84%) in group D, respectively, and 2.81% (95% CI, 2.35-3.29%) and 3.32% (3.02-6.74%) in group S. Conclusion: When sevoflurane inhalational induction is performed in spontaneous breathing morbidly obese patients, intravenous DEX can reduce sevoflurane EC50 for successful SAD insertion by about 40%. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: No. ChiCTR1800016868. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]