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Spatial homoscedasticity of the error term is commonly assumed in mixed geographically weighted regression analysis. In many practical situations, however, rarely can we know a priori whether the error term is homoscedastic or not. Therefore, it is necessary to first detect the spatial heteroscedasticity of the error term before the mixed geographically weighted regression model is used. In this paper, a statistic is constructed based on the square root of the absolute value of the residuals obtained by the two step estimation. The three moment $ \chi ^2 $ χ 2 approximation is applied to compute the p value of the test. Furthermore, simulation results show that the proposed test method has high accuracy and satisfactory power in detecting spatial heteroscedasticity, even when the model errors follow non-normal distributions. A real-world data set is analysed to demonstrate the application of the proposed test method and the paper is ended with a conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, MgO‐MgAl2O4 ceramic filters were fabricated from microporous MgO powder and α‐Al2O3 micro‐powder, in which microporous MgO powder was prepared using Mg(OH)2 as initial raw material. With the α‐Al2O3 micro‐powder content increased from 0 to 15 wt%, the tight packing and reaction sintering between MgO microparticles and Al2O3 microparticles promoted the formation and growth of magnesium aluminate spinel necks, reduced the apparent porosity of ceramic filter skeletons, decreased the pore size, and improved the strength of the filters. When the α‐Al2O3 micro‐powder content further raised to 20 wt%, the thermal mismatch between MgO microparticles and spinel microparticles caused a small amount of crack generation, which lowered the strength of the filter. Besides, after introducing the α‐Al2O3 micro‐powder, more spinel necks were produced due to a small amount of MgO solid dissolved in the spinel lattice during the thermal shock test, which enhanced the thermal shock resistance of the filters. When the α‐Al2O3 micro‐powder content was 15 wt%, the filter had excellent comprehensive performance, the bulk density and apparent porosity of the filter skeleton were 3.09 g/cm3 and 10.7%, and the compressive strength before and after thermal shock test was 3.48 and 3.70 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to uncover gender-specific relationships and pathways that contribute to the perpetration of violent crimes, using sophisticated analytical tools to analyze the complex interactions between various factors. Employing Mixed Graphical Models and Bayesian networks, the study analyzes a sample of 1,254 prisoners (61.64% males and 38.36% females) to investigate the relationships among demographic factors, mental health issues, and violent crime. The study utilizes comprehensive measures, including the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, to assess participants' mental health status. Key findings reveal significant gender differences in the pathways to violent crime. For males, incomplete parental marriages strongly correlate with criminal behavior severity, while marriage status emerges as a significant factor, with married males less likely to commit violent crimes. In contrast, these relationships are not significant for females. Bayesian network analysis indicates that living in urban areas differently influences education and emotional expression across genders, emphasizing the importance of contextual factors. The study highlights the need for gender-specific considerations in criminal justice policies and interventions. It underscores the complex interplay of demographic and mental health factors in influencing violent crime pathways, providing insights for developing more effective prevention strategies. Despite its cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, the research significantly contributes to understanding the gendered dimensions of criminal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a chemical study conducted on the plant species Croton yanhuii, which is known for its medicinal properties and is commonly used in folk medicine. The study aimed to identify new bioactive compounds from this plant. The researchers isolated and identified several terpenoids, phenolics, and sterols from Croton yanhuii, which have potential cytotoxic, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal properties. The study provides valuable information for further research on the therapeutic potential of this plant. The compounds identified include trans-Phytol, Phytyl palmitate, (E,E)-Farnesyl acetone, Alismol, 5-Hydroxy-3,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone, Monomethyl olivetol, 2,6-Dihydroxy-3,4-dimethylbenzoic acid methyl ester, Citrostadienol, and β-sitosterol. The research was supported by the Key Laboratory and Science and Technology Innovation Team of Higher Education in Yunnan, China. [Extracted from the article]

In this work, microporous MgO–Al2O3 refractory aggregates were prepared with Mg(OH)2 and Al(OH)3 via the in situ decomposition synthesis method. The effect of Al(OH)3 addition on the microstructure and properties of microporous MgO–Al2O3 refractory aggregates was investigated with scanning electron microscope and mercury intrusion porosimetry. The results indicated that the improved green density of the samples and the reaction sintering accelerated the mass transport rate with adding Al(OH)3 from 0 to 4.0 wt%. Besides, a small amount of Al3+ diffused into porous MgO particles, accelerating the merging and growth of nanopores in the porous MgO particles. The intra‐particle pore size and the densification degree of microparticles were increased, and thus the strength of the samples was improved. Due to the formation of Kirkendall voids by interdiffusion of Mg2+ and Al3+, the inter‐particle pore size increased. Adding Al(OH)3 from 4.0 to 17.6 wt%, the Kirkendall voids weakened the mass transport rate and improved the inter‐particle pore size. The merging and growth of nanopores in the MgO particles were limited, resulting in the reduced intra‐particle pore size and increased intra‐particle pore number. The densification degree of microparticles was reduced, and thus the strength of the samples decreased. At the Al(OH)3 addition of 4.0 wt%, microporous MgO–Al2O3 refractory aggregates had the best comprehensive properties, a bulk density of 2.48 g/cm3, an apparent porosity of 29.4%, a median pore size of 1.6 μm with 42.2 vol% nanopores and the thermal conductivity of 4.0 W/(m K). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like metallic materials, fiber metal laminate (FML) lets the material has a simple metal structure behavior but with such advantages as specialized strength properties, impact, fire resistance, weight savings, corrosion resistance, and metal fatigue. The main focus of this article is to indicate the dynamic response of circular size-dependent circular plates made of FML material via 3D-elasticity theories. The size-dependent structure is simulated by coupling the modified nonlocal couple stress and 3D-elasticity theories (MNCS-3DET). For accurate modeling of the elastic substrate, torsional and linear spring and Pasternak foundation are modeled using the equations of horizontal friction force and torsional interaction. Harmonic differential quadrature method and Chebyshev–Gauss–Lobatto grid distribution points are coupled for solving the partial differential equations of the current micro/nano-structure. Novelties of this work consider the effects of MCS-3DET, torsional interaction, horizontal friction force, and FML material in the construction of the circular micro/nanoplate. In the results section, the outputs are verified with other published articles, and the outcomes show that the MCS-3DET parameter, elastic foundation coefficient, horizontal friction force coefficient, and geometry have an essential role in the dynamic stability of the FML micro/nano-structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from national meteorological stations in 90 counties of Jiangxi province during 2012-2021 and 8 microclimate stations in rice fields during 2017-2021 were used to analyze the differences in temperature between rice fields and stations, and the statistical results based on H1 (NS)(daily max temperature of national stations ≥35 °C), H1 (RS)(daily max temperature of rice fields ≥35 °C), H2 (NS)(daily max temperature of national stations ≥37°C) and H2 (RS) (daily max temperature of rice fields ≥ 37 °C ) were compared. Furthermore, proposing high-temperature damage indicators more suitable for early rice in Jiangxi, which would promoting capabilities of high-temperature monitoring and defense. The results showed that: (1) compared with the national stations, the rice fields had a cooling effect, and the Tmax(daily maximum temperature), T(daily average temperature), and Tmin(daily minimum temperature) were 0.6 °C, 0.4 °C, and 0.3 °C lower than national stations. What's more, the cooling effect increased with the growth of early rice, which showed as heading-maturity period>transplanting-booting period>sowing-transplanting period. (2) The cooling effect was higher in sunny days than in cloudy and rainy days during the high temperature period, and T, Tmax and Tmin of early rice field were 0.7 °C, 0.8 °C and 0.6 °C lower than that of the national stations. On cloudy and rainy days, the decrease in temperature of rice fields was similar. (3) There were significant differences in daily and hourly air temperature between 6 rice fields and the corresponding national stations during H1 (NS) heat damage occurred, and the cooling intensity of the rice field was greater at night than in the daytime. The Tmax, T and Tmin of the 6 fields were generally about 1.2 °C lower, which was strongest in Jinxi filed with T, Tmax and Tmin was 1.5 °C, 1.1 °C and 2.6 °C lower. (4) H1 (NS) was the largest and H2 (RS) was the smallest in terms of the number of counties affected by heat damage, the average duration, the average yield reduction simulation value of affected counties and the simulation value of the whole in recent 10 years based on different heat damage index. There was no significant difference in the result of average duration, the simulated average yield reduction rate of affected counties, and the simulated yield reduction rate of the whole based on H2 (NS) and H1 (RS), while they were all different with the result based on H1 (NS) or H2 (RS). And the simulated value of the reduction rate of the whole calculated by H2 (NS) was closer to the actual value. Therefore, national stations Tmax ≥37°C was more suitable as an index of heat damage for early rice in Jiangxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the hydrate adhesion is important to tackling hydrate accretion in petro-pipelines. Herein, the relationship between the Tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate adhesion strength (AS) and surface stiffness on elastic coatings is systemically examined by experimental shear force measurements and theoretical methods. The mechanical factor-elastic modulus of the coatings greatly dictates the hydrate AS, which is explained by the adhesion mechanics theory, beyond the usual factors such as wettability and structural roughness. Moreover, the hydrate AS increases with reducing the thickness of the elastic coatings, resulted from the decrease of the apparent surface elastic modulus. The effect of critical thickness for the elastic materials with variable elastic modulus on the hydrate AS is also revealed. This study provides deep perspectives on the regulation of the hydrate AS by the elastic modulus of elastic materials, which is of significance to design anti-hydrate surfaces for mitigation of hydrate accretion in petro-pipelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the novel Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic filter prepared by replacing dense Al 2 O 3 raw material with microporous corundum-spinel raw material is proposed and enhanced. The effects of nano-Al 2 O 3 powder content (0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 wt%) on the rheological properties of the slurries, microstructures, pore characteristics and mechanical properties of the filters were investigated. When the nano-Al 2 O 3 powder content increased from 0 to 5 wt%, the rheological properties of the slurries were optimized, resulting in a larger thickness diameter and uniform distribution of the filter skeleton. The nano-Al 2 O 3 powder with a high reactivity accelerated the diffusion mass transfer rate of ions and increased the sintering driving force, thus promoting the development and growth of the spinel grains. It also led to the formation of more spinel neck connections between the microporous corundum-spinel particles, which enhanced the cold compressive strength and thermal shock resistance of the filters, while the pore size slightly increased due to the spinel volume expansion between the particles. When the nano-Al 2 O 3 powder content further reached 7.5 wt%, the yield stress of the slurry increased markedly due to the agglomeration phenomenon, leading to an uneven distribution of the filter skeleton and a lower cold compressive strength of the filter. Overall, the mechanical properties of the novel Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic filters were greatly enhanced by the addition of 5 wt% nano-Al 2 O 3 powder. The filter skeleton had a bulk density of 2.19 g/cm3 and an apparent porosity of 41.8%. The novel Al 2 O 3 -based ceramic filter also exhibited a high cold compressive strength of 2.37 MPa and an excellent thermal shock resistance. It contained a rougher surface structure compared to existing filters and has the potential for better purification efficiency on molten metal in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of a search for radio pulsars in five supernova remnants (SNRs) with the FAST telescope. The observations were made using the 19-beam receiver in "snapshot" mode. The integration time for each pointing was 10 min. We discovered a new pulsar, PSR J1845–0306, which has a spin period of 983.6 ms and a dispersion measure of 444.6 ± 2.0 cm−3⋅pc, in observations of SNR G29.6+0.1. To judge the association between the pulsar and the SNR, further verification is needed. We also re-detected some known pulsars in the data from SNRs G29.6+0.1 and G29.7–0.3. No pulsars were detected in the observations of the other three SNRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) are among the most promising next‐generation energy storage systems due to their high level of safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost. However, the dendritic growth of Zn deposition leads to low Coulombic efficiency and severe capacity degradation, which limits their large‐scale application. In this study, silicon nanoparticles are used as electrolyte additives which can regulate the uniform electrodeposition of Zn by the formation of SiOZn bonds. Theoretical calculations and experimental investigations demonstrate that the silicon layer regulates the interfacial charge distribution, resulting in a lower nucleation energy barrier for the Zn anode. Consequently, Zn|Zn symmetric cells with nano‐Si electrolyte additives achieve remarkable cycling stability for 1250 cycles at 5 mA cm−2. When coupled with NaV3O8 cathodes, the resulting ZIBs deliver a high reversible capacity of 250 mAh g−1 and significantly improved capacity retention after long‐term cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of spinel powder on the fracture behavior and mechanical properties of lightweight magnesia‐based refractories containing microporous magnesia aggregates with high apparent porosity (37.4%) were investigated by the wedge splitting test (WST) with the digital image correlation and acoustic emission. With the addition of spinel powder, lightweight magnesia spinel refractories showed a higher cold compressive strength compared with lightweight pure magnesia refractories. From the WST, the addition of spinel powder increased the specific fracture energy and characteristic length of lightweight magnesia spinel refractories, which improved the crack propagation resistance. The increased tortuosity of main crack and a higher ratio of crack propagation along the aggregates/matrix interface were main reasons for reducing the brittleness of lightweight magnesia spinel refractories. Besides, acoustic emission (AE) signal activity indicated that the propagation of pregenerated micro‐cracks by the thermal mismatch and the development of fracture progress zone were primary ways to consume energy in lightweight magnesia spinel refractories. The reduced proportion of crack propagation within aggregates was also detected by the peak frequency of AE signals in lightweight magnesia spinel refractories. For microporous magnesia aggregates with high apparent porosity (37.4%), lightweight magnesia spinel refractories also showed reduced brittleness fracture behavior than lightweight pure magnesia refractories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, five sets of MgO-based ceramic filters were prepared using porous MgO powder and α-Al 2 O 3 micro-powder as raw materials. The effect of α-Al 2 O 3 content on the microstructures, mechanical properties and purification efficiency of MgO-based filters were investigated via SEM, EDS, and immersion test in molten steel, etc. The results indicate that the reactive sintering between α-Al 2 O 3 and MgO promoted the formation and growth of neck connections of magnesium aluminate spinel between grains, increased the density of the filter skeleton, and decreased the pore size inside the skeleton. The higher density and smaller pore size of the skeleton, as well as the neck connection of spinel and crack deflection effect caused by magnesium aluminate spinel, comprehensively improved the strength and thermal shock resistance of MgO-based ceramic filters. Furthermore, the results from the immersion test in molten steel revealed that an appropriate amount of high-temperature liquid phase, smaller pore size, and in-situ generated spinel were beneficial for the filters to adsorb dissolved aluminum, dissolved oxygen, alumina inclusions, and secondary spinel inclusions in the steel. The filter with 20 wt% α-Al 2 O 3 had the best overall performance with a compressive strength of 2.35 MPa, a compressive strength after thermal shock test of 1.91 MPa and an efficiency of 77.3% in reducing the total oxygen content of the steel. • In this work, MgO-based ceramic filters with excellent overall performance were successfully prepared and tested by steel immersion. • The mechanical properties and purification efficiency of MgO-based filters were improved via the introduction of α-Al 2 O 3. • The effects of α-Al 2 O 3 content on the microstructures and properties of MgO-based filters were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous MgO–Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractory aggregates were prepared by the in-situ decomposition synthesis method using the magnesite, Al(OH) 3 and Fe 2 O 3 as raw materials. The effect of raw material composition (theoretical Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 contents were 0–55 wt %) on their microstructure and strengths was investigated. When the theoretical Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 contents were relatively low (0–5.5 wt %), the number of neck connections between the particles in the microporous MgO–Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractory aggregates was small. As the theoretical Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 contents increased to be 11–22 wt %, the number of neck connections increased and the compressive strengths were enhanced. When the theoretical Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 contents increased to be excessive (33–55 wt %), the inter-particle pore size further increased due to the increase of volume expansion caused by the formation of more spinel, resulting in a decrease of compressive strength. Overall, when the theoretical Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 contents were 11–22 wt %, the microporous MgO–Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractory aggregates showed the excellent performances with the median pore sizes of 17.37–25.46 μm, the apparent porosities of 23.4–28.1%, the bulk densities of 2.57–2.79 g/cm3 as well as the compressive strengths of 41.2–75.8 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue life prediction of Inconel 718 fabricated by laser powder bed fusion was investigated using a miniature specimen tests method and machine learning algorithms. A small dataset-based machine learning framework integrating thirteen kinds of algorithms was constructed to predict the pore-influenced fatigue life. The method of selecting random seeds was employed to evaluate the performance of the algorithms, and then the ranking of various machine learning algorithms for predicting pore-influenced fatigue life on small datasets was obtained by verifying the prediction model twenty or thirty times. The results showed that among the thirteen popular machine learning algorithms investigated, the adaptive boosting algorithm from the boosting category exhibited the best fitting accuracy for fatigue life prediction of the additively manufactured Inconel 718 using the small dataset, followed by the decision tree algorithm in the nonlinear category. The investigation also found that DT, RF, GBDT, and XGBOOST algorithms could effectively predict the fatigue life of the additively manufactured Inconel 718 within the range of 1 × 105 cycles on a small dataset compared to others. These results not only demonstrate the capability of using small dataset-based machine learning techniques to predict fatigue life but also may guide the selection of algorithms that minimize performance evaluation costs when predicting fatigue life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite sucker rods are widely used in oil fields because of light weight, high strength, and corrosion resistance. Bonded technology becomes the primary connection method of composites. However, the joints with composite sucker rods are prone to debone and fracture. The connected characteristics are less considered, so the failure mechanism of the joint is still unclear. Based on the cohesive zone model (CZM) and the Johnson-Cook constitutive model, a novel full-scale numerical model of the joint with composite sucker rod was established, and verified by pull-out experiments. The mechanical properties and slip characteristics of the joint were studied, and the damaged procession of the joint was explored. The results showed that: a) the numerical model was in good agreement with the experimental results, and the error is within 5%; b) the von Mises stress, shear stress, and interface stress distributed symmetrically along the circumferential path increased gradually from the fixed end to the loading end; c) the first-bonded interface near the loading end was damaged at first, followed by debonding of the second-bonded interface, leading to the complete shear fracture of the epoxy, and resulted in the debonding of the joint with composite sucker rod, which can provide a theoretical basis for the structural design and optimization of the joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous aggregates are the key to the lightweight design and preparation of refractories for the working linings of the high temperature furnaces. In this work, the lightweight MgO-MgAl 2 O 4 refractory aggregates with core-shell structures were prepared by in-situ decomposition synthesis technology using Mg(OH) 2 and nano-size Al 2 O 3 as raw materials. The influence of the nano-size Al 2 O 3 content on the microstructures and properties was thoroughly studied. The results demonstrated that the microporous MgO core structures were formed after the decomposition of Mg(OH) 2 , and the MgAl 2 O 4 bonds between the microporous MgO core structures were formed through the reaction between the nano-size Al 2 O 3 and MgO. When the nano-size Al 2 O 3 contents were less than 9 wt%, the MgAl 2 O 4 bonds were discontinuous. With the increase of the nano-size Al 2 O 3 contents to 9–15 wt%, more continuous MgAl 2 O 4 bonds (i.e. MgAl 2 O 4 shell structures) were formed at the surface of the microporous MgO core structures. Overall, the optimized specimens were lightweight MgO-MgAl 2 O 4 refractory aggregates with the addition of 9 wt% nano-size Al 2 O 3 , which exhibited the microporous MgO@MgAl 2 O 4 core-shell structures, a median pore size of 268 nm, a high compressive strength of 105 MPa, and a low thermal conductivity of 4.1 W/(m·K) at 800 ℃. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of light hydrocarbon compounds is an important process in the chemical industry. Currently, its separation methods mainly include distillation, membrane separation, and physical adsorption. However, these traditional methods or materials have some drawbacks and disadvantages, such as expensive equipment costs and high energy consumption, poor selectivity, low separation ratios, and separation efficiencies. Therefore, it is important to develop novel separation materials for light hydrocarbon separation. As a new type of organic–inorganic hybrid crystalline material, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials for light hydrocarbon separation due to their designability of structure and easy modulation of function. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the design, synthesis, and application of MOFs for light hydrocarbon separation in recent years, with a focus on the separation of alkane, alkene, and alkyne. We discuss strategies for improving the adsorption selectivity and capacity of MOFs, including pore size limitation, physical adsorption, and chemisorption. In addition, we discuss the advantages/disadvantages, challenges, and prospects of MOFs in the separation of light hydrocarbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared sensors incorporating suspended zinc oxide (ZnO) pyroelectric films and thermally insulated silicon substrates are fabricated using conventional MEMS-based thin-film deposition, photolithography, and etching techniques. The responsivity of the pyroelectric film is improved via annealing at 500 °C for 4 h. The voltage response of the fabricated sensors is evaluated experimentally for a substrate thickness of 1 µm over a sensing range of 30 cm. The results show that the voltage signal varies as an inverse exponential function of the distance. A positioning system based on three infrared sensors is implemented in LabVIEW. It is shown that the position estimates obtained using the proposed system are in excellent agreement with the actual locations. In general, the results presented in this study provide a useful source of reference for the further development of MEMS-based pyroelectric infrared sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: To investigate the oral health literacy (OHL) of nurses and explore the factors affecting their OHL. Background: OHL is important for improving the oral health outcomes. Nurses' OHL may affect the oral health of themselves, families, and patients. Few studies have examined the OHL and its related factors among nurses. Design: A cross‐sectional design following the STROBE guideline. Methods: A total of 449 nurses were recruited from tertiary hospitals in the minority areas of southwest China. The participants completed an online questionnaire, which contained questions related to the OHL, sociodemographic factors, general health, oral health and related behaviours, oral health knowledge, attitudes, and oral health‐related quality of life. OHL was measured using the validated Chinese version of the short‐form Health Literacy of Dentistry (HeLD‐14) scale. Descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results: The median HeLD‐14 score (p25–p75) was 50.0 (44.0–54.0). The regression model for OHL was found to be significant. The factors that influenced OHL included oral health knowledge, oral health attitudes, self‐reported oral health, annual household income, and dental flossing; these factors accounted for 13.9% of the variance in OHL. Conclusions: The nurse' OHL has room for improvement. Nurses' OHL could be improved by enriching their oral health knowledge, promoting their positive oral health attitudes, increasing their household income, and helping them build correct oral health behaviours. Relevance to clinical practice: The findings of the study could be used to make a case for changing nursing curricula. Oral health knowledge curriculum or programmes targeted towards nurses should be developed to improve their OHL. Patient or public contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, two kinds of MgO ceramic filters were prepared by using porous magnesia powder and fused magnesia powder as raw material, respectively. The microstructures, mechanical properties and purification efficiency on the molten steel of two MgO ceramic filters were investigated by mercury porosimetry measurement, SEM, EDS and immersion test with molten steel, etc. The results demonstrate that compared with the filter FM prepared from the fused magnesia powder, the rheological property of the slurry of the filter PM was improved via the finer and uniformly distributed nano-sized Mg(OH) 2 particles generated by the hydration of the porous magnesia powder, which not only optimized the macropore structure but also promoted the growth of the sintering neck between the microparticles of the skeleton. Therefore, the MgO filter skeleton with a microporous structure was obtained, which elevated the strength and thermal shock resistance of the filter PM. According to the immersion tests with the molten steel, both filters significantly reduced the number of inclusions with size < 5 µm2 in the molten steel as well as their total oxygen contents, and the filter PM had better purification efficiency than the filter FM. The reason for the better purification efficiency of the filter PM was related to its smaller micro-sized pores, larger surface roughness, and certain high-temperature liquid phase in their skeletons. In general, the porous magnesia powder resulted in higher compressive strength, better thermal shock resistance and superior purification efficiency on the molten steel of the filter compared with the fused magnesia powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the construction of the indane skeleton through palladium‐catalyzed ring‐opening diarylation of Cyclobutanols with aryl 1,2‐dihalides has been described. The ring‐expansion reaction involves β‐carbon elimination of Cyclobutanols and subsequent α‐carbon arylation of ketone to give 2‐acylindanes in 42–93% yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of sintering atmosphere on the microstructure and strength of magnesite were investigated using magnesite powder as raw material through X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, mercury porosimetry measurement, and so on. The results showed that the sintering atmosphere strongly affected the sintering behavior of magnesite. The specimens sintered in the reducing atmosphere had more and finer micro‐sized pores inside the MgO particles compared with that in the oxidizing atmosphere at the same sintering temperature. Besides, MgO refractory raw material containing porous MgO microparticles with core–shell structure was obtained through the carbothermal reduction of MgO microparticles and subsequent oxidation of Mg vapor at the surface of MgO particles at 1500°C in the reducing atmosphere. At the reducing atmosphere and 1500°C, the microporous MgO refractory raw material with the core–shell structure of external dense and internal porous had an apparent porosity of 22.1% and a compressive strength of 51.6 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphorus pesticides (OP) have extensive applications in agriculture, while their overuse causes inevitable residues in food, soil, and water, ultimately being harmful to human health and even causing diverse dysfunctions. Herein, a novel colorimetric platform was established for quantitative determination of malathion based on peroxidase mimic AuPt alloy decorated on CeO2 nanorods (CeO2@AuPt NRs). The synthesized nanozyme oxidized colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2. Besides, the oxidized TMB was inversely reduced by ascorbic acid (AA), which were originated from hydrolysis of L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphate (AA2P) with the assistance of acid phosphatase (ACP). Based upon this observation ACP analysis was explored by colorimetry, showing a wid linear range of 0.2 ~ 3.5 U L−1 and a low limit of detection (LOD = 0.085 U L−1, S/N = 3). Furthermore, malathion present in the colorimetric system inhibited the activity of ACP and simultaneously affected the generation of AA, in turn promoting the recovery of the chromogenic reaction. Based on this, the LOD was decreased to 1.5 nM (S/N = 3) for the assay of malathion with a wide linear range of 6 ~ 100 nM. This simple colorimetric platform provides some informative guidelines for determination of other pesticides and disease markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractory aggregates were prepared using magnesite, Al(OH) 3 and Fe 2 O 3 applying an in-situ decomposition synthesis method. At 1400–1600 °C, there was a Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 with Fe3+, which had two structures. One was a ring structure formed from Al(OH) 3 pseudomorph particle as a template and a low content of Fe3+. The other was the dot and strip structures precipitated in magnesite pseudomorph particles with a high content of Fe3+. Besides, at 1550–1600 °C, microporous MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractory aggregates had an excellent compressive strength (75.8–81.5 MPa) and apparent porosity (26.8%−28.2%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a novel adaptive interval Type-II fuzzy fault-tolerant control for constrained uncertain 2-DOF robotic multi-agent systems with an active fault-detection algorithm. This control method can realize the predefined-accuracy stability of multi-agent systems under input saturation constraint, complex actuator failure and high-order uncertainties. Firstly, a novel active fault-detection algorithm based on pulse-wave function was proposed to detect the failure time of multi-agent systems. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that an active fault-detection strategy had been used in multi-agent systems. Then, a switching strategy based on active fault detection was presented to design the active fault-tolerant control algorithm of the multi-agent system. In the end, based on the interval type-II fuzzy approximated system, a novel adaptive fuzzy fault-tolerant controller was proposed for multi-agent systems to deal with system uncertainties and redundant control inputs. Compared with other relevant fault-detection and fault-tolerant control methods, the proposed method can achieve predefinition of stable accuracy with smoother control input. The theoretical result was verified by simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The laparoscopic and open approaches have comparable safety and oncological efficacy to treat early (T1b or T2) stage incidental gallbladder cancer (IGBC). However, their effects on T3 stage or above tumors unclear. Methods: Data of IGBC patients who underwent radical re-resection were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, surgical variables, and tumor characteristics were evaluated for association with survival. Results: We analyzed retrospectively 201 patients (72 men, 129 women; median age 63 years; range, 36–85 years). 84 underwent laparoscopic re-resection and 117 underwent open surgery. The 5-year OS post-resection was 74.7%, with a median survival of 74.52 months. The median OS (73.92 months vs. 77.04 months, P = 0.67), and disease-free survival (72.60 months vs. 71.09 months, P = 0.18) were comparable between the laparoscopic re-resection and open surgery groups. The survival of patients with T1/T2 (median: 85.50 months vs. 80.14 months; P = 0.67) and T3 (median: 68.56 months vs. 58.85 months; P = 0.36) disease were comparable between the open re-resection and laparoscopic re-resection groups even after PS matching. Open surgery group lost significantly more blood, while laparoscopic surgery took longer. The postsurgical stay in the laparoscopic re-resection group was significantly shorter. Combined extrahepatic bile duct resection, gallbladder perforation, pT, pStage, histological grade, microscopic liver invasion, status of the resected margin, and adjuvant therapy comprised significant independent prognostic indicators for IGBC. Conclusions: Laparoscopic and open surgery can achieve similar short and long-term outcomes for T3 IGBC; however, careful surgical manipulation is necessary to avoid secondary injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser is a fast-growing deciduous tree species and belongs to the Neolamarckia genus of the Rubiaceae family. This species has great economic and medical values in addition to being an important timber species for multiple industrial purposes. However, few studies have examined the genetic diversity and population structure in the natural distribution of this species in China. Here, we applied both the haploid nrDNA ITS (619 bp for aligned sequences) and mtDNA (2 polymorphic loci) markers to investigate 10 natural populations (239 individuals in total) that covered most of the distribution of the species in China. The results showed that the nucleotide diversity was π = 0.1185 ± 0.0242 for the nrDNA ITS markers and π = 0.00038 ± 0.00052 for the mtDNA markers. The haplotype diversity for the mtDNA markers was h = 0.1952 ± 0.2532. The population genetic differentiation was small ( F s t n = 0.0294) for the nrDNA ITS markers but large ( F s t m = 0.6765) for the mtDNA markers. There were no significant effects of isolation by distance (IBD), by elevation, and by two climatic factors (annual average precipitation and tem perature). A geographic structure among populations ( N s t < G s t ) was absent. Phylogenetic analysis showed a highly genetic mixture among individuals of the ten populations. Pollen flow was substantially greater than seed flow ( m p / m s   ≫ 1.0) and played a dominant role in shaping population genetic structure. The nrDNA ITS sequences were neutral and all local populations did not undergo demographic expansion. The overall results provide fundamental information for the genetic conservation and breeding of this miraculous tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture behaviour of lightweight magnesia spinel refractory is simulated in this work and compared with common one with dense aggregates to demonstrate the influence of porous composite aggregate. With the consideration of aggregate-matrix microstructure as well as the high heterogeneity of refractory and porous composite aggregate, a microstructure-based heterogeneous continuum modelling strategy is proposed for establishing respectively both the meso-scale interfacial model and refractory multiscale wedge splitting test model. Due to the existence of fine pores and two mineral phases of periclase and spinel, the porous composite aggregate has rougher surface and localized microcracks caused by the thermal misfit of phases. The better interlocking of aggregate/matrix interface and diminishment of wall effect promote the propagation of transgranular cracks. Although the main failure is still in matrix and along interface, the sub-fracture process zone development within the porous composite aggregate further dissipates the energy, which results in the higher fracture energy compared with common magnesia spinel refractory. Two kind of magnesia spinel refractory present very different fracture mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we provide a solution to the problem of computing collision stress in particle-tracking simulations. First, a formulation for the collision stress between particles is derived as an extension of the virial stress formula to general-shaped particles with uniform or non-uniform mass density. Second, we describe a collision-resolution algorithm based on geometric constraint minimization which eliminates the stiff pairwise potentials in traditional methods. The method is validated with a comparison to the equation of state of Brownian spherocylinders. Then we demonstrate the application of this method in several emerging problems of soft active matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D bioprinting technology can rapidly process cell-loaded biomaterials to prepare personalized scaffolds for repairing defective tissues, tissue regeneration, and even printing tissues or organs. 3D bioprinting relies on bioinks with appropriate rheology and cytocompatibility, and hydrogels are among the most promising bioink materials for 3D bioprinting. Among many hydrogel precursor materials, hyaluronic acid (HA) stands out due to its excellent physicochemical and biological properties, such as biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, nonimmunogenicity, and complete biodegradability, and has become the most attractive hydrogel precursor for bioinks. In this review, we discuss the strategies adopted for the application of HA-based hydrogels as bioinks, including printability, improving their mechanical properties, and printing with loaded cells. Finally, we summarize the application of 3D bioprinted HA-based hydrogels in various tissue engineering applications in recent years, with the aim to provide fresh inspiration for further development of HA-based hydrogels for 3D bioprinting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven microporous MgO–Al2O3 ceramics with an Al2O3 content of 15–90 wt% were prepared using Al(OH)3 and calcined magnesite as raw materials. A wet mixing process was employed during sample preparation to transform the calcined magnesite with a larger particle size to smaller Mg(OH)2 particles. The in situ decomposition synthesis method and the Kirkendall effect were utilized to produce and control the pore structure of the microporous MgO–Al2O3 ceramics. There were two kinds of pores in the microporous MgO–Al2O3 ceramics. The first one resulted from the in situ decomposition of Al(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2 particles, which were small and equally distributed. Another one originated from the position of the Mg(OH)2 particles due to the Kirkendall effect caused by MgO diffusion. They were similar in size to the Mg(OH)2 pseudomorph particles. Simultaneously, the Al2O3 content affected the packing behavior and the spinel formation, which changed the characteristics of the pores and necks among the particles. These mechanisms also affected the strengths of the microporous MgO–Al2O3 ceramics. Thus, when the Al2O3 content was 45–90 wt%, the microporous MgO–Al2O3 ceramics had a high compressive strength (10.0–18.3 MPa) and apparent porosity (52.2%–58.4%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Network analysis depicts the emotion-network and the surprise is the most repulsive to other emotions. • AU25 and related mouth-open actions are the center of the AU-network. • Matrix calculation found that AU25 weights first in contributing to perceived emotion. • AU4 and AU25 are most frequently presented in the common ambiguous facial expressions Ambiguous facial expressions are common and cannot be classified as specifically prototypical or compound in nature. We have very little understanding of the relationships connecting such expressions to perceived human emotions, such as in terms of compatibility or repulsion. This ignorance also exists with regards to their relationship to action units (AUs). This research employed network analysis to depict the network of perceived emotions and AUs in nearly 5,000 facial expressions obtained from the RAF-AU database, and calculated the centrality indices. We then used a matrix calculation to analyze the relationships between AU combinations and perceived emotions to better understand how people interpret the actions appearing on faces. The results showed that: (1) surprise was the most repulsive to other emotions in the emotion network, (2) AU25 and related open-mouth actions stay in the center of the AU network, (3) AU25 was weighted first in terms of contributing to perceived emotion, and (4) AU4 and AU25 were the most frequently presented in common ambiguous facial expressions. The results were not consistent with those of previous research, mainly due to differences in research methods and materials. The results imply that emotions perceived from ambiguous facial expressions cannot be predicted by core AUs of prototypical facial expressions. The implications and limitations of these conclusions are also discussed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preemptive analgesia may improve postoperative pain management, but the optimal regimen is unclear. This study aimed to compare the effects and adverse events of preemptive analgesia on postoperative pain and opioid consumption.Methods: In this network meta-analysis, 19 preemptive analgesia regimens were compared. Two authors independently searched databases, selected studies, and extracted data. Primary outcomes were the intensity of postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes included the time to first analgesia rescue and incidence of postoperative nausea or vomiting (PONV).Results: In total, 188 studies were included (13 769 subjects). Ten of 19 regimens reduced postoperative pain intensity compared with placebo, with mean differences 100-point scale ranging from -4.79 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -8.61 to -0.96.) for gabapentin at 48 h to -21.99 (95% CI: -36.97 to -7.02) for lornoxicam at 6 h. Eight regimens reduced opioid consumption compared with placebo, with mean differences ranging from -0.48 mg (95% CI: -0.89 to -0.08) i.v. milligrams of morphine equivalents (IMME) for acetaminophen at 12 h to -2.27 IMME (95% CI: -3.07 to -1.46) for ibuprofen at 24 h. Five regimens delayed rescue analgesia from 1.75 (95% CI: 0.59-2.91) h for gabapentin to 7.35 (95% CI: 3.66-11.04) h for epidural analgesia. Five regimens had a lower incidence of PONV compared with placebo, ranging from an odds ratio of 0.22 (95% CI: 0.11-0.42) for ibuprofen to 0.59 (95% CI: 0.40-0.87) for pregabalin.Conclusions: Use of preemptive analgesia reduces postoperative pain, opioid consumption, and postoperative nausea or vomiting, and delays rescue analgesia.Systematic Review Protocol: PROSPERO CRD42021232593. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the pnictogen atoms, the first two levels 4 S ∘ and 2 D ∘ may couple together through the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) effects with the aid of the third level 2 P ∘ , leading to a complicated computational procedure to take SOC into account. In this work, we theoretically study the low-lying valence states of BiPn (Pn = N, P, As, and Sb), where 102 Λ -S states from nine dissociation asymptotes split into 242 Ω states. In view of too many Λ -S and Ω states, some special treatments have been considered. In the Λ -S state calculation, which is the most computationally intensive part, we employ the recently developed multi-reference configuration interaction (MRCI) method in the efficient static-dynamic-static (SDS) framework. The more reliable two-component MRCI method has also been performed to compute some spectroscopic parameters for validation. The calculated spectroscopic constants of low-lying Ω states are generally in good agreement with the available experimental ones, but the experimental dissociation energies of BiP and BiSb seem seriously underestimated and need to be remeasured. Some new spectral transitions have also been predicted, which provide useful references for future experiments. • Highly accurate ab initio calculations of BiPn (Pn = N, P, As, and Sb) with scalar relativistic effect and spin–orbit coupling. • Potential energy curves and spectroscopic constants of low-lying Ω states of BiP, BiAs, and BiSb are obtained for the first time. • Reliable dissociation energies of the four molecules are reported. • New transitions that may be detected in absorption and emission spectra are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, lightweight refractories were successfully prepared by using microporous MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 aggregates and magnesia powder as raw materials. The effect of the Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 content of microporous aggregates on the microstructures, strengths and fracture behavior of the lightweight refractories was studied and compared with the dense periclase-hercynite refractory obtained from the markets via SEM, EDS and the wedge splitting test (WST) with the digital image correlation (DIC), etc. The results showed that the porous surface of the microporous aggregates increased the contact area between the aggregates and the matrix, and then promoted the formation of interface bonding between them. Meanwhile, the Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 in microporous aggregates possessed the ability to induce crack deflection. And the microporous structure effectively absorbed the stress. Furthermore, the aggregate/matrix interface bonding, the Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 as well as microporous structure of the aggregates jointly affected the mechanical properties of the lightweight MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractories. Compared with the dense periclase-hercynite refractories, the thermal conductivity of the lightweight MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractories (LPCS11) reduced by 40.8 %, and then the compressive strength, the flexural strengths before and after thermal shock were enhanced by 78.5 %, 246.8 % and 114.9 %, respectively. The lightweight MgO-Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 refractories prepared from the microporous aggregates with 11.0 wt% Mg(Al, Fe) 2 O 4 exhibited better comprehensive properties with the apparent porosity of 26.0 %, compressive strength of 105.7 MPa, flexural strength before the thermal shock of 21.5 MPa, flexural strength after the thermal shock of 10.1 MPa and thermal conductivity of 1.262 W/(m•K). • A novel lightweight refractory for burning zone in cement rotary kiln was provided. • Micropores and Mg(Al, Fe)2O4 jointly affected the mechanical properties of lightweight refractories. • Mechanical properties of lightweight refractories were researched by WST with DIC. • Lightweight MgO-Mg(Al, Fe)2O4 refractory had excellent comprehensive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study is focused on the effect of target materials (quartz plate, copper sheet, and quartz plate with a grounded copper sheet on the back) on the propagation of atmospheric-pressure helium plasma jets. The dynamics of ionization waves (IWs) and the relative amount of reactive oxygen species (OH and O) in the IW front were compared by using spatial and temporal images and relative optical emission spectroscopy. Our measurements show that the targets can significantly affect the propagation and intensity of the IWs. In addition, strong OH emission lines were detected when the IWs impinged upon the damp surface. Numerical simulations have been carried out to explain the experimental observation. The propagation velocity of IWs predicted by the simulation was in good agreement with the experimental results. Simulation results suggest that the density and velocity of IWs mainly depend on the electric field between the high voltage electrode tip and the target. Analysis indicates that the targets could change the electric field distribution between the high voltage electrode and targets and thus affect the dynamics and the density of the IWs, the generation of reactive oxygen species, and the corresponding sterilization efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five microporous mullite‐corundum refractory aggregates were prepared from Al(OH)3 and kaolinite gangue through in situ decomposition synthesis technique. The effects of the sintering temperature (1400–1600°C) and the particle sizes of raw materials (20.6–94.5 μm) on the microstructures and strengths of the aggregates were investigated through X‐ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, and energy‐dispersive spectrometer etc., to find out the technological conditions to be controlled in industrial production. The higher sintering temperature promoted the reaction between Al(OH)3 and kaolinite gangue, leading to the development of primary‐mullite as well as the generation of secondary‐mullite, which promoted the formation of the neck and improved the strength. Meanwhile, the dense mullite layers were formed continuously on the surface of Al(OH)3 pseudomorphs, making the micropores inside the pseudomorphs become closed pores, which increased the closed porosity of the aggregates. The reduction of the particle sizes of raw materials changed the particle packing behavior, accelerated the rearrangement of the Al(OH)3 pseudomorph particles during the process of reactive sintering, and then reduced the closed porosity. To realize the industrial production of microporous mullite‐corundum refractory aggregate with high strength (103 MPa) and high closed porosity (16.1%), the sintering temperature should be at about 1600°C, and the median diameter of raw materials should be at 94.5 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we propose a novel method to decrease the pore size as well as to enhance the strength of microporous Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 refractory raw materials, which were prepared by the vacuum impregnation treatment of porous Al 2 O 3 powders with at MgCl 2 solution. The effect of the MgCl 2 content (0–32.5 wt%) on the phase distribution, microstructures, and physical properties of the refractory raw materials was thoroughly investigated. The results demonstrated that the sub-micron pore structure inside the pseudomorph particles was effectively preserved due to the volume expansion effect of spinel and the spinel sintering neck formation between Al 2 O 3 microcrystallites. With the MgCl 2 content increasing from 0 to 11.9 wt%, the pseudomorph particles contained many sub-micron pores resulting from the introduction of the MgCl 2 solution, resulting in the decrease of the intra-particle pore size as well as the development of spinel sintering necks between pseudomorph particles. The strength of the aggregates was therefore enhanced. With a further increase of MgCl 2 content to 24.2 and 32.5 wt%, the inter-particle pore sizes increased due to the volume expansion and Kirkendall effect associated with the spinel formation between pseudomorph particles, which were responsible for the progressive decrease of the strength. Overall, the optimized samples were microporous Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 refractory aggregates with the addition of 11.9 wt% MgCl 2 , which exhibited an apparent porosity of 45.0%, a high compressive strength of 45.6 MPa, a median pore size of only 1.49 µm, and a high sub-micron pore volume content of 42.5 vol%. Meanwhile, it is possible to obtain the porous Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 powders with a large number of sub-micron pores by crushing and sieving the optimized aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess the acquisition rate and agreement of axial length (AL) measurements with the OA-2000, Anterion, and IOLMaster 500 in cataractous patients. Methods: In total, 298 eyes of 191 cataractous patients were enrolled and scanned with the three devices in random order. The success rate of AL measurements per device was calculated and a chi-square test was utilized to identify the differences in acquisition rate between the three devices. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the association of different cataract types and severity with the AL measurement acquisition rate. Bland–Altman plots were mapped to appraise the agreement of AL values. Results: AL measurements were successfully achieved in 288 eyes (96.64%) with the OA-2000, in 282 eyes (94.30%) with the Anteiron, and in 246 eyes (82.55%) with the IOLMaster 500. Significant differences in the acquisition rate were found between either of the SS-OCT devices and IOLMaster 500 by chi-square analysis (P < 0.001). No significant difference was noted between OA-2000 and Anterion. Increasing severity of posterior subcapsular cataract was associated with a higher failure rate with the IOLMaster 500. Bland–Altman analysis identified good agreement between the three biometers with narrow 95% limits of agreement. Conclusions: The OA-2000 and Anterion showed similarly higher acquisition rate of AL measurements than IOLMaster 500 in cataractous patients. Good agreement for AL values was found between the three biometers in cataractous patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of craters is important not only for planetary research but also for engineering applications. Although the existing crater detection approaches (CDAs) based on terrain analysis consider the topographic information of craters, they do not take into account the spatial structural information of real craters. In this article, we propose an automatic crater detection approach by training random forest classifiers with data from legacy crater map and spatial structural information of craters derived from digital terrain analysis. In the proposed two-stage approach, first, the cells in a legacy crater map are used as samples to train the random forest classifier at a cell level based on multiscale landform element information. This trained classifier is then applied to identify crater candidates in the areas of interest. Second, an object-level random forest classifier is trained with radial elevation profiles of craters and is subsequently applied to evaluate whether each crater candidate is real. A case study using the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter crater map and lunar digital elevation model with 500-m resolution showed that the proposed approach performs better than AutoCrat (a representative CDA), and can mine the implicit expert knowledge on the spatial structures of real craters from legacy crater maps. The proposed approach could be extended to extract other geomorphologic types in similar application situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralong hydroxyapatite nanofibers (UHANFs) have received much more attention and been widely used in recent years for their inherent size‐dependent properties. However, the intrinsic agglomeration and brittleness of this material limited its application in some aspects. To overcome the agglomeration of UHANFs and instability of the molding slurry, a model was established inspired by the zeta potential and DLVO theory. The model was of utmost importance to provide a theoretical basis to link potential changes and material properties, and the most desirable state was achieved when the solid content was 2 wt%. In addition, the composites of UHANFs and organics could resolve part of the brittleness problem. Herein, we proposed a simple and environment‐friendly approach to manufacturing the biomimetic UHANFs/(chitosan‐gelatin) composite films. The synthesized products with different proportions of UHANFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), swelling, and mechanical studies. The results showed that the ratio of UHANFs to organic matter had a profound influence on the combination properties of the composites. When the UHANFs content reached 70% in the films, the tensile strength and Young's modulus were 66.7% and 70.5% higher than that of samples containing 80% UHANFs. The respectable biological and mechanical properties of these films made them have the potential application in bone defect repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the efficacy of Minocycline hydrochloride combined with multiple antibiotic pastes in the treatment of chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions in elderly patients, as well as to analyze the changes in the levels of inflammatory markers. Methods. 100 patients suffering from chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions treated in our hospital from July 2018 to January 2020 were selected as the study subjects, and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 50) or a control group (n = 50). Patients in the experimental group were treated with Minocycline hydrochloride combined with multiple antibiotic pastes, while those in the control group were treated with Minocycline hydrochloride alone. The treatment efficacy in the two groups was then assessed using such factors as periodontal probing depth, dental plaque index, gingival index, periodontal attachment level, and the presence or absence of adverse effects. We also measured and compared the levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, and others in both groups, before treatment, as well as after a week of treatment. Results. There was a statistically significant difference in the treatment efficacy between the two groups (P < 0.05), with a higher treatment efficacy seen in the experimental group as compared to the control group. When compared to the control group, the experimental group had lower depths of periodontal probing, lower dental plaque indices, lower gingival indices, lower periodontal attachment levels, as well a significantly lower incidence of adverse reactions (P < 0.05). Before treatment, the levels of inflammatory markers such as CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-5, and IL-6 were elevated in both groups. After a week of treatment, there were reductions in the levels of inflammatory markers in both groups, but a more significant reduction was seen in the experimental than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Minocycline hydrochloride combined with various antibiotic pastes is more effective in the treatment of chronic periodontitis with concomitant pulp lesions in elderly patients than monotherapy with Minocycline hydrochloride alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid chaotic mapping algorithm(HCM) based on 1‐DCM (one‐dimensional chaotic map) and Lorenz is proposed to address the security issues of low‐dimensional chaotic systems and the complexity of high‐dimensional chaotic systems. Firstly, the color images are divided into three high 4‐bit planes (BP) and low 4‐bit planes. By optimizing the parameters and structure of trigonometric function, the new arcsine‐sine (AS) function is designedto generate the 1‐DCM and permutation matrix, which is constructed to change the plane position and pixel position of the high 12BP to obtain the scrambling plane, which is encrypted by Lorenz chaotic system to produce the selfencryption matrix, with which the low 12BP is encrypted to generate the low bit encryption planes. Then, the ciphertext image is obtained by combining the high bit scrambling plane and low bit encryption plane. The SHA function is also used as the chaotic system's parameter generator, which improves the correlation between plaintext images and the key and resists selective plaintext attacks. The simulation results show that by modularizing the image's high and low bit planes, the encryption process is simplified and improved. The security and reliability of color image transmission are also improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the "dead flat" transverse thickness profile requirement of electrical steel strip in 5‐stand 6‐high universal crown mill (UCM) tandem cold rolling mills, a random forest predictive model for electrical steel strip profile is established to reduce the dimension of the data and make predictions for the strip transverse thickness difference (TTD), based on the collected and processed real‐time data of the steel strip transverse thickness profile and multi‐methods of the industrial production mills. The control strategy of multi‐methods including positive and negative hydraulic work roll bending system (WRB), positive hydraulic intermediate roll bending system (IRB), and hydraulic intermediate roll shifting system (IRS) of different stands in 5‐stand 6‐high mills is proposed by comprehensively considering association rules mining which shows the optimal combination of ranges of key control parameters and analysis of 5‐stand 6‐high mills with the developed edge drop control work rolls for non‐shifting of work rolls (EDW‐N) with divided width groups technology on stand No. 1 and No. 2. The strategy is continuously and stably applied to 1420 mm 5‐stand 6‐high UCM tandem cold rolling mills and shows remarkable results. The rate of TTD less than or equal to 7 μm increases from 38.58% to 67.74%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous ceramic filter is mainly utilized in the final stage of molten steel casting and serves as an important means for adsorbing non-metallic inclusions in order to improve the quality of the steel. In this study, Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 -C filter (filter AM) was prepared from porous Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 micropowder, and referenced Al 2 O 3 -C filter (filter A) was prepared from α-Al 2 O 3 micropowder. The phase composition, microstructure, mechanical properties and purification efficiency on molten steel of filter AM were compared with filter A by XRD, SEM, EDS and immersion test with molten steel. The results indicate that the filter AM exhibited a uniform skeleton without cracks, and plenty of β-SiC whiskers were generated internally. However, there were some cracks in the strut of filter A with the formation of many SiC/SiO 2 spheres inside. The different microstructures resulted in the retention rate of cold compressive strength after thermal shock test as high as 91.11 % for filter AM and only 58.06 % for filter A, respectively. According to the immersion test, an Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 layer was formed on the rougher surface of filter AM and contributed to the adsorption of the inclusions, leading to about 80 % reduction in the quantity of inclusions of various sizes. The cleanliness of steel was significantly improved as the T.O content was reduced from 56.3 ppm to 11.7 ppm. Finally, the mechanisms underlying the enhancement of thermal shock resistance and the improvement of purification efficiency by porous Al 2 O 3 -MgAl 2 O 4 micropowder were proposed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) occupies a key position as the initiating and rate-limiting enzyme in the sulfur transfer pathway and plays a vital role in health and disease. CBS is responsible for regulating the metabolism of cysteine, the precursor of glutathione (GSH), an important antioxidant in the body. Additionally, CBS is one of the three enzymes that produce hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in mammals through a variety of mechanisms. The dysregulation of CBS expression in cancer cells affects H 2 S production through direct or indirect pathways, thereby influencing cancer growth and metastasis by inducing angiogenesis, facilitating proliferation, migration, and invasion, modulating cellular energy metabolism, promoting cell cycle progression, and inhibiting apoptosis. It is noteworthy that CBS expression exhibits complex changes in different cancer models. In this paper, we focus on the CBS synthesis and metabolism, tissue distribution, potential mechanisms influencing tumor growth, and relevant signaling pathways. We also discuss the impact of pharmacological CBS inhibitors and silencing CBS in preclinical cancer models, supporting their potential as targeted cancer therapies. • CBS is a key enzyme that regulates the production of cysteine, GSH and H 2 S. • CBS plays a key role in the occurrence and development of cancer. • CBS inhibitors show broad therapeutic promise in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Then these catalysts are applied to electrochemical CO SB 2 sb reduction reaction to explore the effect of additives and current density on the selectivity of electrochemical CO SB 2 sb reduction reaction. In this review, the authors introduce three techniques for CO SB 2 sb reduction, including solar thermochemical conversion CO SB 2 sb reduction, photochemical CO SB 2 sb reduction, and electrochemical CO SB 2 sb reduction. Robert L. Sacci et al. [[2]] prepare an inexpensive copper-tin alloy to convert CO SB 2 sb to CO in acetonitrile/imidazolium-based electrolyte and modulate the efficiency of the CO SB 2 sb reduction reaction by varying the alloy composition ratio. [Extracted from the article]