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Background: Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke have been linked to a higher risk of dementia. We examined whether high levels of cognitive reserve (CR) can attenuate the increased dementia risk and brain pathologies associated with CMDs. Methods: Within the UK Biobank, 216,178 dementia-free participants aged ≥ 60 were followed for up to 15 years. Baseline CMDs and incident dementia were ascertained from medical records, medication use, and medical history. Latent class analysis was used to generate an indicator of CR (low, moderate, and high) based on education, occupational attainment, confiding in others, social contact, leisure activities, and television watching time. A subsample (n = 13,663) underwent brain MRI scans during follow-up. Volumes of total gray matter (GMV), hippocampus (HV), and white matter hyperintensities (WMHV) were ascertained, as well as mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter tracts. Results: At baseline, 43,402 (20.1%) participants had at least one CMD. Over a mean follow-up of 11.7 years, 6,600 (3.1%) developed dementia. The presence of CMDs was associated with 57% increased risk of dementia (HR 1.57 [95% CI 1.48, 1.67]). In joint effect analysis, the HRs of dementia for people with CMDs and moderate-to-high CR and low CR were 1.78 [1.66, 1.91] and 2.13 [1.97, 2.30]), respectively (reference: CMD-free, moderate-to-high CR). Dementia risk was 17% lower (HR 0.83 [0.77, 0.91], p < 0.001) among people with CMDs and moderate-to-high compared to low CR. On brain MRI, CMDs were associated with smaller GMV (β -0.18 [-0.22, -0.13]) and HV (β -0.13 [-0.18, -0.08]) as well as significantly larger WMHV (β 0.06 [0.02, 0.11]) and MD (β 0.08 [0.02, 0.13]). People with CMDs and moderate-to-high compared to low CR had significantly larger GMV and HV, but no differences in WMHV, MD, or FA. Conclusions: Among people with CMDs, having a higher level of CR was associated with lower dementia risk and larger gray matter and hippocampal volumes. The results highlight a mentally and socially active life as a modifiable factor that may support cognitive and brain health among people with CMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosocial working conditions have been linked to mental health outcomes, but their association with well-being is poorly studied. We aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial working conditions and well-being before retirement, and to explore the role of gender and leisure activities in the association. From the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, 598 community dwellers aged 60–65 years were included in the cross-sectional study. Lifelong occupational history was obtained through an interview. Job demands and job control in the longest-held occupation were graded with job exposure matrices. Psychosocial working conditions were classified into high strain (high demands, low control), low strain (low demands, high control), passive job (low demands, low control), and active job (high demands, high control). Well-being was assessed with the 10-item version of positive and negative affect schedule, and scored using confirmatory factor analysis. Engagement in leisure activities was categorized as low, moderate, and high. Data were analyzed using linear regression. Both high job control and high job demands were dose-dependently associated with higher well-being. Overall, compared to active jobs, passive jobs were associated with lower well-being (β −0.19, 95% CI −0.35 to −0.02, P = 0.028). Passive (β −0.28, 95% CI −0.51 to −0.04, P = 0.020) and high strain (β −0.31, 95% CI −0.52 to −0.10, P = 0.004) jobs were associated with lower well-being in men, but not in women. The association between passive jobs and well-being was attenuated by high leisure activities, while the association between high strain and well-being was magnified by low leisure activities. In conclusion, negative psychosocial working conditions are associated with poor well-being, especially in men. Leisure activities may modulate the association. Our study highlights that promoting favorable working conditions can be a target to improve well-being among employees and active participation in leisure activities is encouraged to cope with work-related stress for better well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the association between reproductive duration and postmenopausal depression (taking the use of hormone replacement therapy [HRT] into account). Methods: In this population‐based cohort study, 11 320 postmenopausal women (mean age 63.6 years) were followed for up to 18 years. Reproductive duration was categorized into three groups: short (≤34 years), average (35–39 years), and long (≥40 years). Depression was ascertained from the Sweden National Patient Registry. Results: During the follow up, 593 (5.24%) women developed depression. In the multi‐adjusted generalized estimating equation model, the odds ratios (ORs) of depression were 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.55) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.01–1.55) for women with short and long reproductive durations, respectively, compared with those women with average reproductive duration. Women with a non‐typical reproductive duration (≤34 or ≥40 years) who received HRT were at a higher risk of depression (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.42–2.33). There was a significant additive interaction between non‐typical reproductive duration and the use of HRT on depression (attributable proportion 0.26, 95% CI 0.03–0.50). Conclusion: Women with a short or long reproductive duration, especially those with a history of HRT use, have a higher risk of depression after menopause compared with those with an average reproductive duration. Synopsis: Women with a short or long reproductive duration, especially those with a history of HRT use, have a higher risk of depression after menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminated foods are a major source of bisphenol A (BPA) and are widely used in food packaging. Prolonged exposure to BPA can cause reproductive dysfunction in humans. Procyanidine (PC) is a potent natural antioxidant; however, the exact mechanism by which PC mitigates Leydig cell damage caused by BPA is unknown. In this study, the protective effect of PC against BPA-induced TM3 cell damage was investigated, and the underlying mechanism was assessed. PC treatment attenuates BPA-induced TM3 cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress and inhibiting TM3 apoptosis. In addition, PC upregulates the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant target genes. Treatment with the NRF2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the PC-induced upregulation of the mRNA expression of these genes. Overall, PC may mitigate BPA-induced cell damage by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, suggesting that PC supplementation may alleviate BPA toxicity in TM3 cells. • Procyanidine reduced BPA-induced TM3 cell cellular oxidative stress, apoptosis. • Procyanidine upregulated Nrf2 expression and downstream target genes in TM3 cells. • ML385 counteracts effect of procyanidine in alleviating BPA toxicity in TM3 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking a new type of special threaded drill pipe joint as the research object, a 3D nonlinear finite element model of the double-shoulder tool joint (DSJ) including the engage and retract groove structure is established by considering the factors of structural asymmetry and contact of each engaging surface. ABAQUS/Explicit finite element method (FEM) is used to study the stress and contact pressure distribution characteristics of the critical structure of DSJ under make-up torque and axial tension. The accuracy of the finite element model was verified by combining with a full-scale physical test, and the connection strength and sealing performance of DSJ are evaluated. The results show that the stress concentration occurs at the key structure of DSJ under the make-up torque. The geometry size and structural discontinuity at the transition fillet of the double-shoulder structure have a significant effect on the stress and contact pressure distribution on the shoulder. Under axial tension, the stress level and stress concentration area of the whole joint and the key structure change, especially in the thread section. The sealing performance on the shoulder decreases significant, while that of the thread section increases slightly. The test results are consistent with the finite element analysis findings, and this joint shows good mechanical properties, which can meet the design requirements of drilling tool manufacturers and provide data support for its optimal design and application. • Evaluation of mechanical properties of a new type of special threaded tool joint. • A nonlinear 3D double-shoulder tool joint finite element model was established. • Complex loads have a significant effect on stress distribution at key structures. • This new tool joint provides better connection strength and sealing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese sweet lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor), the only edible lily in the world, has high nutritional value. At present, the application of preservation technology is relatively backward, resulting in a large loss of lily. Therefore, the preservation has become one of the key factors limiting the development of the edible lily bulbs industry. This paper reviews the various application of pretreatment and storage technologies for the preservation of lily bulbs. It is considered that irradiation and proper preservative can be used for pretreatment. Vacuum packaging can be used for short-term storage and transportation. Phase temperature storage could be as a long-term storage mode of lily bulbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravity plays an important role in enhanced oil recovery and groundwater hydrology. A two-dimensional visual homogeneous micromodel was used in this study to describe the role of gravity in displacement processes. A theoretical analysis is proposed for three flow modes, i.e., vertical-upward, vertical-downward, and horizontal displacements, in which water and decane are used for the displacing and the displaced phases, respectively. A relatively compact displacement front was obtained at high flow rates in the three displacement modes, and the front gradually became unstable with a decrease in the flow rate. Compared with horizontal displacement, in vertical-upward displacements, gravity can hinder the evenness of the flow and aggravate the front finger formations at the inlet. This process forces the heavier displacing phase to expand horizontally at the midpoint and weakens the front's fingers. In the vertical-downward displacement process, two states occurred at the same low flow rate: stable flow and unstable flow. Unstable flows occurred more frequently with a decrease in the flow rate. To better understand the role of gravity in displacement, we proposed a theoretical prediction model for the flow state transition of the three displacement modes by combining the capillary force, viscous force, and gravity based on pore-filling events. Finally, to predict the final recovery factor for various displacement modes, four dimensionless formulations were produced using the capillary number, the gravity number, the bond number, and the viscosity ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will study the arithmetic geometry of rank-2 attractors, which are Calabi-Yau threefolds whose Hodge structures admit interesting splits. We will develop methods to analyze the algebraic de Rham cohomologies of rank-2 attractors, and we will illustrate how our methods work by focusing on an example in a recent paper by Candelas, de la Ossa, Elmi and van Straten. We will look at the interesting connections between rank-2 attractors in string theory and Deligne's conjecture on the special values of L-functions. We will also formulate several open questions concerning the potential connections between attractors in string theory and number theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a hyperglycemia-induced ischemic disorder characterized by microvascular dysfunction and neovascularization. It is a leading cause of blindness in many countries, yet efficient drugs are limited now for prevention and treatment of DR. Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF), extract from brown algae, has been shown to possess multiple biological activities like anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-aggregation, which all could be beneficial for attenuating ischemia-induced tissue damages. Here, by comparing with calcium dobesilate, the potent antioxidant compound currently used for the treatment of DR, we investigated the protective effect of LMWF against DR in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and high glucose-promoted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and cell proliferation in microvascular endothelial cells. One week after diabetes induction, the mice were administered with LMWF (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg/day) or calcium dobesilate (200 mg/kg/day) for four months, then the retinal pathological changes and neovascularization were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining and fluorescein dextran angiography, respectively. Immunofluorescence staining, ELISA and RT-PCR were used to examine the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VEGF in retina and endothelial cells. Here, we found that LMWF resembled calcium dobesilate, in alleviating retinal pathological change and hindering neovascularization due to diabetes in vivo. The relative levels of VEGF expression and HIF-1α induction were also less in retinas of LMWF- or calcium dobesilate-treated diabetic mice than those in retinas of control mice. Furthermore, high glucose-induced VEGF overexpression and cell proliferation in primary cultured vascular endothelial cells were also inhibited by LMWF in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, this study demonstrated that LMWF alleviates diabetic retinal neovascularization and damage likely through lowering HIF-1α and VEGF expressions, providing a potential candidate drug for prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we will study the connections between the mirror symmetry of K3 surfaces and the geometry of the Legendre family of elliptic curves. We will prove that the mirror map of the Dwork family is equal to the period map of the Legendre family. This result provides an interesting explanation to the modularities of counting functions for K3 surfaces from the mirror symmetry point of view. We will also discuss the relations between the arithmetic geometry of smooth fibers of the Fermat pencil (Dwork family) and that of the smooth fibers of the Legendre family, e.g. Shioda-Inose structures, zeta functions, etc. In particular, we will study the relations between the Fermat quartic, which is modular with a weight-3 modular form η (4 z) 6 , and the elliptic curve over λ = 2 of the Legendre family, whose weight-2 newform is labeled as 32.2.a.a in LMFDB. We will also compute the Deligne's periods of the Fermat quartic, which are given by special values of the theta function θ 3. Then we will numerically verify that they satisfy the predictions of Deligne's conjecture on the special values of L -functions of critical motives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will study the connections between the mirror symmetry of Calabi-Yau threefolds and Deligne's conjecture on the special values of the L -functions of critical motives. Using the theory of mirror symmetry, we will develop a method to compute the Deligne's period for a Calabi-Yau threefold in the mirror family of a one-parameter mirror pair. We will give two examples to show how this method works, and we will express the Deligne's period in terms of the classical periods of the threeform. Using this method, we will compute the Deligne's period of a Calabi-Yau threefold studied in a recent paper by Candelas, de la Ossa, Elmi and van Straten. Based on their numerical results, we will explicitly show that this Calabi-Yau threefold satisfies Deligne's conjecture. A second purpose of this paper is to introduce the Deligne's conjecture to the physics community, and provide further evidence that there might exist interesting connections between physics and number theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between past/current sleep duration and macro-/micro-structural brain outcomes and explore whether hypertension or social activity plays a role in such association. Within the UK Biobank, 40 436 dementia-free participants (age 40–70 years) underwent a baseline assessment followed by a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan 9 years later. Past (baseline) and current (MRI scans) sleep duration (hours/day) were recorded and classified as short (≤5), intermediate (6–8), and long (≥9). Brain structural volumes and diffusion markers were assessed by MRI scans. Compared with past intermediate sleep, past short sleep was related to smaller cortex volumes (standardized β [95 % CI]: −0.04 [-0.07, −0.02]) and lower regional fractional anisotropy (FA) (−0.08 [-0.13, −0.03]), while past long sleep was related to smaller regional subcortical volumes (standardized β: −0.04 to −0.07 for thalamus, accumbens, and hippocampus). Compared to current intermediate sleep, current short sleep was associated with smaller cortex volumes (−0.03 [-0.05, −0.01]), greater white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volumes (0.04 [0.01, 0.08]), and lower regional FA (−0.07 [-0.11, −0.02]). However, current long sleep was related to smaller total brain (−0.03 [-0.05, −0.02]), grey matter (−0.05 [-0.07, −0.03]), cortex (−0.05 [-0.07, −0.03]), regional subcortical volumes [standardized β: −0.05 to −0.09 for putamen, thalamus, hippocampus, and accumbens]), greater WMH volumes (0.06 [0.03, 0.09]), as well as lower regional FA (−0.05 [-0.09, −0.02]). The association between current long sleep duration and poor brain health was stronger among people with hypertension or low frequency of social activity (all P interaction <0.05). Both past and current short/long sleep are associated with smaller brain volume and poorer white matter health in the brain, especially in individuals with hypertension and low frequency of social activity. Our findings highlight the need to maintain 6–8 h' sleep duration for healthy brain aging. [Display omitted] • Long or short sleep is associated with poorer brain health. • People with hypertension or lack of social activity particularly need healthy sleep to delay brain aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The distributed karst Xinanjiang hydrological model was modified for large karst basins. • The model can reveal the hydrological response with the spatial heterogeneity of karstification. • The model can characterize the spatial variability of karst system inertia in large karst basin. • The simulated sub-basin outlet and lateral inflow stream discharge hydrographs were satisfactory. Hydrological modelling is important to flood hazard prevention in the flood-prone karst area of Southwest China. Due to the special hydrogeological features with strong spatial heterogeneities and whose information is rarely obtained in large-scale karst-dominated basins; thus, it's still a challenge to conduct accurate sub-daily distributed precipitation-streamflow simulation in these regions. To reveal the characteristics of hydrological response and the inertia of karst systems that are influenced by the spatial heterogeneity of the degree of karstification, a new Grid-based Distributed Karst Hydrological Model (GDKHM) is developed by this study to simulate streamflow in Li River Basin (LRB), which is a typical large-scale karst-dominated basin of Southwest China. The GDKHM considers the duality of hydrological behavior and the spatial heterogeneities of land uses types and karstification of each grid and river channels routing characteristics between different sub-basins. The results show the GDKHM using calibrated parameters could reflect the spatial distribution characteristics of hydrological response in the LRB. The mean NSE , KGE , R2 and RRE of the streamflow of all the sub-basin outlets during validation period reached 0.82, 0.84, 0.83 and 4.64%, respectively. The hydrograph simulation result of nested interior grid without recalibration was also satisfied. Furthermore, the GDKHM was able to reproduce the Auto-correlation function (ACF) shapes of simulated lateral inflow time series in sub-basins with different percentage of karst terrain areas (PKTAs) during validation period, and the ACF characteristics information including memory effect, slopes of rapid-conduit and slow-matrix flow phases could be captured, which indicates the model can characterize the spatial variability of karst system inertia in large karst basin. Due to the better performance in hydrograph and ACF of streamflow, GDKHM has the potential to successfully support flood forecasting in large-scale karst-dominated basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Poor pulmonary function (PF) has been linked to mortality, but the timing of PF changes before death remains unclear. We aimed to examine the association between PF and mortality and identify different PF trajectories precedes death. Methods Within the Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1 438 participants without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were followed for up to 22 years. PF was assessed annually using a composite score (tertiled as low, medium, and high) based on forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Survival status was observed during the follow-up period. Data were analyzed using Cox regression, Laplace regression, and mixed-effect models. Results During the follow-up, 737 (51.25%) participants died. Compared to high PF, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of mortality was 1.35 (1.05, 1.72)/1.63 (1.25, 2.12) for medium/low PF. The median survival time (95% CI) was shortened by 0.80 (0.01–1.61)/1.72 (0.43–3.01) years for participants with medium/low PF, compared to high PF. In multiadjusted trajectory analysis, the significant differences between decedents and survivors occurred at 7 years before death for composite PF (mean difference [95% CI]: 0.14 [0.02–0.25]), 6 years for FEV1 (0.21 [0.08–0.33]) and FVC (0.21 [0.08–0.34]), and 8 years for PEF (0.21 [0.06–0.37]), and became greater thereafter. Conclusion Poor PF is associated with elevated mortality and shortens survival for nearly 2 years. An acceleration in PF decline tends to occur 7 years before death. Poor PF, together with its decline, might be a predictor of mortality among community-dwelling older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic variability and the quantification of climate change impacts on hydrological parameters are persistently uncertain. Remote sensing aids valuable information to streamflow estimations and hydrological parameter projections. However, few studies have been implemented using remote sensing and CMIP6 data embedded with hydrological modeling. This research studied how changing climate influences the hydro-climatic parameters based on the earth system models that participated in the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). GRACE evapotranspiration data were forced into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to project hydrologic responses to future climatic conditions in the Hongshui River basin (HRB) model. A novel approach based on climate elasticity was utilized to determine the extent to which climate variability affects stream flow. CMIP6 SSPs (shared socio-economic pathways) for the second half of the 20th century (1960–2020) and 21st century (2021–2100) projected precipitation (5–16%) for the whole Hongshui River basin (HRB). The ensemble of GCMs projected an increase of 2 °C in mean temperature. The stream flow is projected to increase by 4.2% under SSP-1.26, 6.2% under SSP-2.45, 8.45% under SSP-3.70, and 9.5% under SSP-5.85, based on the average changes throughout the various long-term future scenarios. We used the climate elasticity method and found that climate change contributes 11% to streamflow variability in the Hongshui River basin (HRB). Despite the uncertainty in projected hydrological variables, most members of the modeling ensemble present encouraging findings for future methods of water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of phenol–formaldehyde resin (nHAP) in the oil displacement process influences its flooding and profile control capabilities. There aren't many studies that compare how various surfactants affect PFR stability. The surfactants CTAB, Tween 60, and SDS were selected as representative ones. To look at the changes in stability, spectral turbidity and dynamic light scattering experiments were employed. It was found that the cationic surfactant CTAB can connect with the surface of PFR, just as metal cations, lowering electrostatic repulsion and facilitating the aggregation of PFR composite molecules. Anionic and nonionic surfactants both have some degree of system stability stabilizing properties. When Tween 60 and SDS adsorbed on the surface of the PFR molecule formed a hydrogen bond network with the hydroxymethyl or phenolic hydroxyl group, for example by hydrogen bond interaction, the PFR molecule's dispersion stability was increased. The Tween 60 and PFR composite systems have bigger particle sizes in addition to being more stable. Additionally, the energy barrier of the Tween 60/PFR composite system is determined using the modified DLVO theory for Lewis acid–base hydration, and it is discovered to be consistent with the experimental findings. The findings demonstrate that the stability of the composite system can be impacted by changes in the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the composite system. The findings demonstrate that the stability of the composite system can be impacted by changes in the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the composite system. Understanding the co-migration of PFR and surface activity during oil displacement depends heavily on the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H2S is an endogenous gas signaling molecule and its multiple biological effects have been demonstrated. The abnormal level of H2S is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases, and H2S donors has important pharmacological implications. In recent years, H2S donors represented by ADTOH (5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione) are often used to synthesize new 'conjugate' compounds that can release H2S and parent drugs. These hybrids retain the pharmacological activity of the parent drugs and H2S and have a synergistic effect. ADTOH and parent drug hybrids have become one of the important strategies for the development of H2S donor conjugate drugs. This review summarizes molecular hybrids between ADTOH and clinical drugs to provide new ideas for the study of H2S donor drug design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometric structure variation of the nonwetting phase (NWP) in porous media plays a critical role in numerous energy-related processes. This work conducted a series of gas/liquid displacements in three rock cores using high resolution x-ray microcomputed tomography (micro-CT), including two sandstones and a Berea core with different pore architectures. The morphological and topological characteristics of NWP were investigated at the pore scale in a full cycle of primary drainage (PD), main imbibition (MI), and main drainage (MD). It is found that roof and distal snap-off occurred during drainage, resulting in nonwetting (NW) singlets and ganglia. These NW bubbles occupied 10%–20% NWP volume. Both throat snap-off and pore snap-off were observed in MI, which generally occur at a single-pore scale. The effect of viscous force is significant even at a capillary dominant displacement. The trapped NWP during PD can be partially or totally displaced in MI through further snap-off events or viscous remobilization. Due to the temporal and spatial scale diversion in pore scale events, the amplitude of pressure drop fluctuations among PD, MI, and MD is different. The significant difference in NWP characteristics between PD and MD is connectivity, thus leading to hysteresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the timing of incident injurious falls at different stages of dementia diagnosis is unclear. Objectives to identify when the occurrence of injurious falls begins to increase among individuals who are going to develop dementia, to explore the time point at which people living with dementia are at highest risk of injurious falls and to ascertain differences in fall-related factors pre- and post-dementia diagnosis. Design this study included 2,707 participants with incident dementia and 2,707 1:1 matched (i.e. same birth year and sex) controls without dementia. Methods dementia diagnosis and date of onset were identified from the National Patient Registry (NPR) and the Swedish Cause of Death Register following international criteria. Information on injurious falls and history of chronic disease was obtained from the NPR. Data were analysed using conditional Poisson regression and generalized estimating equation models. Results compared with controls, the incidence of injurious falls among participants with dementia started to increase beginning 4 years pre-diagnosis (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–2.22), reaching a peak (IRR 3.73, 95% CI 3.16–4.41) in the year of dementia diagnosis. Heavy drinking, physically active and cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) were associated with incident falls among those with dementia. Conclusion people with dementia have a higher incidence of injurious falls beginning 4 years leading up to diagnosis and peaking during the year of diagnosis. Older age, female, heavy drinking, physically active and CMDs may predict injurious falls among people with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• End chaos indicator provides feedback on operating conditions of pulsating heat pipe. • Mid-range correlation dimension identifies fluid purity. • Reconstructed attractor restores properties of original dynamics. • Soft-threshold wavelet noise reduction effective for attractors. As a result of their superior capillary effect, pulsating heat pipes containing nanofluids offer a great deal of potential for cooling tiny and medium-sized electronic equipment. The traditional analytical methods are unable to completely reveal the operating characteristics of the pulsating heat pipe because of the typical chaotic system's inherent randomness in the distribution of the number of vaporized cores, the speed of air plug rupture, the number of collisions of fluid microclusters, and the boiling time of fluid columns when the pipe is in its operating state. In order to achieve this, we present nonlinear chaos analysis tools, using ethanol-based copper oxide nanofluids as an example, and suggest a new characterization technique based on the phase space reconstruction theory, the Takens embedding theorem, the mutual information recursive selection method, and the correlation dimension estimation algorithm. The method reasonably estimates the chaos indicators, such as correlation dimension and K2-Kolmogorov Entropy, by calculating the optimal embedding dimension and the optimal delay time. It also reconstructs the attractor phase diagram, which provides a basis for feeding back the operating conditions of the nano-pulsating heat pipe. The evaporation section's results demonstrate that the end-related dimension and Kolmogorov entropy can intuitively reflect the stability of the system. The addition of CuO particles improves the system's stability at mass concentrations of 0–2.5 wt%, which decreases from 1.2834 to 1.2285 as the concentration increases; when the concentration of CuO particles exceeds 6 wt%, the system's complexity increases rather than decreases, rising to 1.2774; the mid-end correlation dimension performs better than other methods in determining fluid purity, and its value increases by 58 %, from 4.5767 to 7.2385 with the addition of CuO particles at a weight percentage of only 1 wt%. In contrast, the chaos indicators in the condensation section are relatively stable. The reconstructed attractors after wavelet noise reduction are more regular in shape, and the system can be judged whether it is in a "destabilized" state by the size of its volume and the density of its vectorial flow pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Applications of SC-CO 2 for renewable conversion of biomass were reviewed. • Scenarios included extraction, drying, pretreatment, and reaction medium. • Influential parameters of SC-CO 2 and their working mechanisms were explored. • Impacts of SC-CO 2 on physi-chemical properties of biomass were analyzed. • Economic performance and future perspectives of different routes were discussed. Biomass can be converted into various chemicals, materials, and biofuels through different chemical and biological technologies. In recent years, applications of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2) in biomass conversion processes are drawing growing attention due to its non-toxic nature and satisfactory physical properties. Several works have reviewed the performance of SC-CO 2 in these processes, but the mechanism and relevant potential are rarely concerned. In fact, the mechanisms vary for different applications of SC-CO 2 , and insights into mechanisms contribute to the development of efficient biomass conversion processes based on SC-CO 2 technology. It is widely accepted that operation parameters including temperature, pressure, co-solvent, and treatment time could affect the performance of SC-CO 2 on biomass, leading to their physic-chemical property changes. Previous studies proved that the changes are likely to significantly affect the downstream bioenergy recovery and overall economic performance. Accordingly, this review provides a comprehensive review of (i) Mechanisms for different applications of SC-CO 2 for extraction, drying, pretreatment and acting as reaction medium, (ii) State-of-the-art applications of SC-CO 2 involved biomass utilization processes, (iii) impacts on the physiochemical properties and bioenergy recovery of raw materials after SC-CO 2 treatment, (iv) economic analysis of SC-CO 2 technology, (v) future outlook for SC-CO 2 applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adversely affects the hydrological cycle at the basin level. This study integrated two models, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for future climate prediction, and Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) for the simulation of water quantity in the Hongshui River Basin (HRB), to evaluate the impacts of climate change, which plays a significant role in the lives of inhabitants downstream of the basin. Downscaled monthly rainfalls and temperatures under four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) emission scenarios from five global circulation models (GCMs) were used to generate streamflow using the SWAT model. Streamflow data (1991–2001) were used to calibrate and validate, with the period of 1991–1997 used for calibration and that of 1998–2001 used for validation. Six scenarios were established to evaluate the response of the basin under socio-economic scenarios. The simulated results show that precipitation and streamflow would likely undergo a slight increase. The available water resources would be sufficient to meet the existing needs until 2050. The results indicated that no water shortages exist under socio-economic, low, and medium climate change emission scenarios, however the basin will experience a water shortage under the high climate change emission scenario (RCP-8.5). The study proposed that, to ensure the sustainability of water resources, better long-term management policies are required to be implemented in the basin and to meet future downstream water needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effects of disordered porous size were studied using X-ray CT and a micromodel. • Water film was observed inside pores, which caused snap off and isolated bubbles. • The effects of heterogeneous porosity are different in upward and downward drainage. CO 2 sequestration in saline aquifers is considered to be a promising method for climate mitigation. Studies of the subsurface flow mechanisms of CO 2 –brine are important for evaluation of sequestration potential and security. However, this process is complicated by the intrinsic heterogeneity of reservoir rocks. The main objective of this study was to identify CO 2 distribution and saturation related to changing injection conditions, and to comprehensively compare the characteristics of different drainage processes, under small scale heterogeneous condition. An X-ray computed tomography machine and a micromodel were introduced to investigate the CO 2 /brine drainage process from pore to core scale in a wide range of injection rates at static and transient states, respectively. Four types of drainage experiments were conducted. Horizontal and vertical (upward) flow directions in a micromodel setup at ambient conditions and vertical (upward and downward) flow directions in a core-flood setup at in-situ conditions. Based on experimental results, it is found that, a higher injection rate gives rise to a higher displacement efficiency but a lower sweep efficiency. The stability of CO 2 displacing front become weak with drainage development. The difference in pore structure leads to different CO 2 saturation variation with CO 2 injection rates change. Even the sand pack is almost homogenous at core scale, the impact of heterogeneous porosity is enhanced with increasing flow rates in upward drainage, while it weakens in downward drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two antioxidant peptides were identified and characterized from the alcalase-hydrolysate of housefly (Musca domestica L.) pupae guided by ABTS cation radical scavenging activity. Peptides sequences were identified as DFTPVCTTELGR (DR12, 1338.48 Da) and ARFEELCSDLFR (AR12, 1485.66 Da) using nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Both DR12 and AR12 exert strong ABTS cation radical scavenging ability with EC50 values of 0.39 and 0.35 mM, respectively. Moreover, AR12 can effectively protect PC12 cells from oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malonaldehyde (MDA), recovering cellular mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and increasing the activity of intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD). Stability tests suggest that AR12 is competent for the challenge of heating, acid, alkali or simulated gastrointestinal (GI) digestion and exhibits great activity to remove ABTS cation radical. DR12 shows a great stability against heating, but its antioxidative ability declines after being treated with acid, alkali or simulated GI digestion. In general, both DR12 and AR12 identified from housefly pupae hydrolysate stand a chance of being potential antioxidants or precursors to antioxidants and AR12 might be applied in the field of neuroprotection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) stands out as a prospective technology for freshwater production, playing a significant role in mitigating global water scarcity. Herein, a cyclodextrin polymer/chitosan composite aerogel (PPy-La/Al@CDP-CS) with vertically aligned channels was prepared as a solar evaporator for efficient solar steam generation. The vertically aligned pore structure, achieved through directional freezing assisted by liquid nitrogen, not only improves water transport during evaporation but also enhances light absorption through multiple reflections of sunlight within the pores. The polypyrrole particles sprayed on the surface of the aerogel acted as a light-absorbing layer, resulting in an impressive absorbance of 98.15 % under wetting conditions. The aerogel has an evaporation rate of 1.85 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m − 2 irradiation. Notably, the vertical pore structure of the aerogel allows it to exhibit excellent evaporation performance and salt resistance even in highly concentrated salt solutions. Furthermore, this aerogel is an excellent solar-driven interfacial evaporator for purifying seawater and fluoride-containing wastewater. This photothermal aerogel has the advantages of excellent performance, low cost, and environmental friendliness, and thus this work provides a new approach to the design and fabrication of solar photothermal materials for water treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wound infection and inflammation hinder the process of wound healing and bother human beings chronically. As a naturally degradable macromolecule, chitosan (CS) has been widely used in antibacterial wound dressings. However, the antibacterial property of chitosan is inhibited by its water insolubility. In this study, we prepared a bilayered asymmetric nanofibrous membrane with the hydrophilic CS/chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) nanofibrous membrane as the bottom layer and the hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous membrane as the top layer. Results showed that incorporating COS improved the CS membrane's wettability, and adding 0.5 % COS increased the inhibition zone diameter of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by 23 % and 26 %, respectively. Moreover, the PCL layer could prevent the adhesion of water and bacteria. The PCL-CS/COS 0.5% membrane showed relatively good mechanical properties, excellent water absorptivity (460 %), and appropriate cytocompatibility. This asymmetric wettable membrane has a massive potential to serve as a new antibacterial dressing for wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vehicle detection based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images is a challenging task. One reason is that the objects are small size, low-resolution, and large scale variations, resulting in weak feature representation. Another reason is the imbalance between positive and negative examples. In this paper, we propose a novel architecture for UAV vehicle detection to solve above problems. In detail, we use anchor-free mechanism to eliminate predefined anchors, which can reduce complicated computation and relieve the imbalance between positive and negative samples. Meanwhile, to enhance the features for vehicles, we design a multi-scale semantic enhancement block (MSEB) and an effective 49-layer backbone which is based on the DetNet59. The proposed network offers appropriate receptive fields that match the small-sized vehicles, and involves precise localization information provided by the contexts with high resolution. The MSEB strengthens discriminative feature representation at various scales, without reducing the spatial resolution of prediction layers. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves the state-of-the-art performance. Particularly, the main part of vehicles, much smaller ones, the accuracy is about 2% higher than other existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proteins belonging to the cecropin family were found in TPF. • TPF markedly decreased release of TNF-α in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. • TPF lower DI of the experimental mice induced by Folium Sennae decoction. • TPF significantly alleviated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 production against inflammatory reactions. Our objective was to investigate whether a thermostable protein fraction (TPF) obtained from the larvae of Musca domestica , which contains cecropin family AMPs, is effective in treating senna leaf (Folium Sennae)-induced diarrhea in mice and its possible underlying mechanism. We did the experiments both in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The expression level of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was assessed using kits and immunofluorescence assay. A mice model of total diarrhea was established using a decoction of Folium Sennae. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β in mice serum and of TNF-α in the supernatant of jejunal tissue homogenate were measured using commercially available ELISA kits. Hematoxylin–eosin staining was employed to evaluate pathological lesions, and immunohistochemistry was used for determining IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α expression levels. Results display that TPF markedly inhibited NO and TNF-α production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages in vitro. Moreover, TPF significantly lowered the diarrhea index (DI) in diarrheic mice; when TPF was administered at a high dose (120 mg/kg) to mice, in comparison with mice in the model group, DI was markedly reduced. TPF could also decrease the expression levels of some pro-inflammatory factors, high dose TPF treated mice were with the reduction of (202.29 ± 18.58) pg/ml (tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-α), (53.69 ± 7.83) pg/ml (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1β), (48.44 ± 3.77) pg/ml (IL-6I, L-6) to the model separately. In comparison with berberine hydrochloride, which was used as the positive control in this study, TPF could confer better intestinal protection. To conclude, our results demonstrate that TPF has potent anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and antidiarrheal effects on mice with Folium Sennae-induced diarrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]