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High pressure processing (HPP) offers the benefits of safety, uniformity, energy-efficient, and low waste, which is widely applied for microbial inactivation and shelf-life extension for foods. Over the past forty years, HPP has been extensively researched in the food industry, enabling the inactivation or activation of different enzymes in future food by altering their molecular structure and active site conformation. Such activation or inactivation of enzymes effectively hinders the spoilage of food and the production of beneficial substances, which is crucial for improving food quality. This paper reviews the mechanism in which high pressure affects the stability and activity of enzymes, concludes the roles of key enzymes in the future food processed using high pressure technologies. Moreover, we discuss the application of modified enzymes based on high pressure, providing insights into the future direction of enzyme evolution under complex food processing conditions (e.g. high temperature, high pressure, high shear, and multiple elements). Finally, we conclude with prospects of high pressure technology and research directions in the future. Although HPP has shown positive effects in improving the future food quality, there is still a pressing need to develop new and effective combined processing methods, upgrade processing modes, and promote sustainable lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molten microdroplet printing technology takes the uniform metal droplet as the basic forming unit, and it is a kind of rapid printing technology based on the shape characteristics of the parts to realize the manufacturing parts. This paper is investigated that during the microdroplet 3D printing (three-dimensional printing), electronics is studied based on the coupled level collective integral number method (coupled level set and volume of fluid) and the equivalent heat capacity method. The influence of the regional wettability characteristics of the heterogeneous functional wettability surface and its matching mode on the droplet spreading and coalescence behavior and the phase transition thermal process is explored. The precise regulation mechanism of heterogeneous functional wettability surfaces on the coalescence and forming of molten droplets is revealed. The results show that the wettability matching schemes of dual-functional-region surfaces and spaced multiple functional region surfaces can effectively regulate the dimensionless feature spreading lengths, dimensionless feature average heights, and dimensionless spreading edge spreading uniformities of the double-droplet and multiple droplet simultaneous impingement and coalescence morphologies, respectively. Under the condition of uniform wettability characteristics of the surface, the heat flow density and average temperature inside the molten fluid at the initial stage of the coalescence of double/multiple droplets show more regular symmetrical characteristics. The heat transfer effectiveness at the gap position is low and decreases with the increase in contact angle; when the surfaces are under heterogeneous bifunctional vs spaced multifunctional wettability conditions, the evolution of the overall heat transfer effectiveness of each type of wettability matching scheme increases with the increase in the wall contact angles of the single type of regions. In addition, when the surface wettability matching scheme includes a transition stage from neutral to superlyophobic, the liquid–gas interface is highly susceptible to overcoming the limitation of the energy barrier and thus instability gradually emerges, resulting in fluctuations of the heat transfer characteristics in its domain. The results of this study further enrich the droplet forming law and its phase transition heat transfer mechanism and provide a general strategy for the high-quality and high-effectiveness preparation of complex flexible electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni-W catalysts find extensive application in catalysis; however, the impact of diverse morphologies on their catalytic activity remains a relatively unexplored area. Using hydrothermal/solvothermal synthesis methods, we successfully synthesized Ni-W catalysts with various morphologies, including sheet-like, sphere-like, rod-like, flower-like, and particulate-like structures. Comprehensive investigations into the influence of morphology on the catalytic activity of these Ni-W catalysts were conducted, employing techniques such as SEM, XRD, XPS, TG-DTG, BET, H2-TPR, and H2-TPD. Remarkably, the flower-like Ni-W catalyst displayed exceptional catalytic properties in ethylbenzene hydrogenation, exhibiting not only high hydrogenation activity but also superior sulfur resistance. Consequently, the flower-like Ni-W catalyst holds great potential for applications in industrial catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible light‐induced polymerization, as a promising and green strategy, is showing great potential in preparing value‐added polymers. Herein, a visible light photoredox catalysis method is reported to afford a library of polyamide with high yields (up to 99%) and high molecular weights (Mws) (up to 71 000 g mol−1). Dithioacids and diamines as the monomers, and 9‐mesityl‐10‐methylacridinium tetrafluoroborate (Mes‐Acr‐MeBF4) as the organic photoredox catalyst give the polyamides with structural diversity in air under mild conditions without extra metal, base, or additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish growth models are crucial for fisheries stock assessments and are commonly estimated using fish length-at-age data. This data is widely collected using length-stratified age sampling (LSAS), a cost-effective two-phase response-selective sampling method. The data may contain age measurement errors (MEs). We propose a methodology that accounts for both LSAS and age MEs to accurately estimate fish growth. The proposed methods use empirical proportion likelihood methodology for LSAS and the structural errors in variables methodology for age MEs. We provide a measure of uncertainty for parameter estimates and standardized residuals for model validation. To model the age distribution, we employ a continuation ratio-logit model that is consistent with the random nature of the true age distribution. We also apply a discretization approach for age and length distributions, which significantly improves computational efficiency and is consistent with the discrete age and length data typically encountered in practice. Our simulation study shows that neglecting age MEs can lead to significant bias in growth estimation, even with small but non-negligible age MEs. However, our new approach performs well regardless of the magnitude of age MEs and accurately estimates SEs of parameter estimators. Real data analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model validation device. Computer codes to implement the methodology are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study were to propose a quantitative method of bearing overhang to minimize the effect of bearing spinning on mobile‐bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (MB UKA), suggest and apply safe bearing regions in daily activities. The overhang distance and area were calculated for neutral and spinning positions. The safe bearing regions were based on the relationship between bearing overhang and linear wear rate. Eleven patients were included in an in‐vivo experiment under dual fluoroscopic imaging following medial MB UKA. The bearing position was tracked by minimal joint space width, and the bearing overhang was calculated accordingly. Due to an equal contribution of 1 mm increase in medial overhang and 30 mm2 overhang areato wear rate, the maximum effect of potential bearing spinning on medial overhang distance was approximately three times as large as the overhang area. The safe bearing distance and area regions were rectangles and arches with different scales for different size combinations of bearing, femoral and tibial components. The maximum bearing overhang area during lunge (R = 0.76, p = 0.006) and open‐chain exercise (R = 0.68, p = 0.02) significantly correlated with the overhang area in standing. The overhang area can be an appropriate parameter for evaluating dislocation degree less affected by potential bearing spinning than the overhang distance in clinical practice. The corresponding safe overhang area regions were proposed for surgical planning and postoperative dislocation degree evaluation. The bearing overhang area in static standing posture can be a valuable reference to estimate the dynamic overhang area and dislocation degree during motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, the resolution loss is severe in light‐field display due to the spatial multiplexing of several neighboring pixels to display images from different directions. However, limited by the resolution of the flat panel display, the light‐field 3D display shows insufficient display size, 3D image depth, or resolution. This article uses optimized ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) shutters with high contrast (~1000:1), ultra‐fast response (<20 μs), and polarity‐related binary switching at low operating voltage (5 V). This article utilized 32 time‐sequentially opened FLC light valve arrays refreshed at 2 kHz to display images from different directions. Because of the polarity‐sensitive switching nature of FLC, the reverse phase induces serious crosstalk between different images. This work uses the timing synchronization method of dual‐FLC liquid crystal cells to achieve independent control of 32 light valves without reverse phase, reducing the crosstalk and increasing the equivalent 3D resolution by multiplexing the flat panel display 32 times within 60 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automated vehicles (AVs) will appear on the road soon and will influence the properties of road traffic networks such as capacity and safety. While the impact of AV on traffic operations has been discussed extensively, most existing literature in this direction focuses on microscopic and mesoscopic levels. This study examines the effect of AVs on traffic flow operations and crash risks at a network scale. In addition, this study discusses the implications for designing and operating safe, low-speed urban road networks. Simulation experiments were carried out in a grid road network with AVs and human-driven vehicles operating in mixed flow conditions. To assess traffic performance, the macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) relationships were estimated, specifically focusing on speed-density correlations. From this analysis, it was possible to extract key traffic performance indices such as capacity and critical speed. Using time-to-collision surrogate safety measures, macroscopic safety diagrams were generated which associate the level of congestion with the potential crash conflicts among vehicles at an aggregated spatial scale. Utilizing this knowledge, a novel multiobjective optimization based on the NSGA-II algorithm was applied to identify the optimal trade-off between efficiency and safety. The presence of AVs was found to have a positive impact on the capacity, critical density, and average speed on a system level, even in low-speed scenarios. Moreover, AVs can result in increased critical density in the network, which suggests that the road system can serve more vehicles at its capacity, thus improving efficiency, while decreasing the number of conflicts. These findings are useful for both traffic planners and operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanocomposite EVAL-CNT was produced by chemical grafting in the solution system through the esterification of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAL) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (O-MWCNT), and its structural properties were characterized. The improvement of the rheological properties of the waxy oil system by the novel pour point depressant was investigated using macroscopic rheological measurements and microscopic observations. The results showed that EVAL-CNT nanocomposite pour point depressant (PPD) could significantly reduce the pour point and improve the low temperature fluidity of crude oil and had better performance than EVAL-GO at the same addition level. The best effect was achieved at the dosing concentration of 400 ppm, which reduced the pour point by 13 °C and the low-temperature viscosity by 85.4%. The nanocomposites dispersed in the oil phase influenced the precipitation and crystallization of wax molecules through heterogeneous crystallization templates, which led to the increase of wax crystal size and compact structure and changed the wax crystal morphology, which had a better effect on the rheological properties of waxy oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new perspective for in-station transfer flow estimation, utilising data collected by WiFi sensor system, which is critical for path choice modelling and pedestrian management. The full in-station transfer flow can be estimated by scaling up a 'seed matrix', which is constructed based on the identification of inter-platform transfer activities. Due to sensor failures, the main problem comes from handling the missing elements in the constructed 'seed matrix'. We address this problem with a novel kernel-based framework, named self-measuring multi-task Gaussian process (SM-MTGP). The heterogeneous correlations in temporal features are captured by the designed task-based and input-based kernels separately. Moreover, a self-measuring kernel is designed for learning the correlations carried by the observations. The performance of the proposed method is validated with data from a busy railway station. The results show that the proposed algorithm achieves the best imputation accuracy in both accuracy and robustness, especially at high missing rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an approach to achieve a fast and analog geometrical phase modulation based on the optical axis rotation of the defect‐free Deformed Helix Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal (DHFLC) with a short pitch. This study demonstrates a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) prototype with a feature size of 3 µm without Fringe Field Effect (FFE), having a phase depth of 1.9π, fast switching time (<250 µs) at a low operating voltage (<7 V), and high diffraction efficiency (>77%). The high phase modulation depth is achieved by developing DHFLC with a cone angle of up to 85˚, which is inherently immune to FFE. The ellipticity is minimized by using a compensation film that can suppress the changes in birefringence under the applied electric field. The proposed SLM is promising in applications such as a real‐time hologram and dynamic beam steering in Light Ranging and Detector (LiDAR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thiolation of C(sp3)–H with thioacids is for the first time reported through a new visible light-induced radical relay strategy. This strategy features metal-free and additive-free conditions, excellent atom economy, and high yields (up to 98%). The present methodology shows good functional group tolerance such as cyanos, halogens, or heterocycles and could be further applied to the one-pot preparation of ketones from thioacids by a tandem photocatalytic radical coupling reaction and the Liebeskind–Srogl cross-coupling reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how public perception of threat and efficacy (on self and others) influence their tendency to take preventive action against the Zika virus by surveying 1,152 U.S. adults in Texas and Florida. Findings show that individuals were likely to take protective actions when they: (1) saw a high risk of the disease (high threat) and were confident about their ability to reduce the danger (high efficacy); and (2) perceived others as having a high risk (high threat), but lacked the ability to reduce the danger (low efficacy). Further, the study discusses practical implications for the design of public health campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modified phase field crystal (MPFC) model is a sixth-order evolutive nonlinear partial differential equation which can describe many crystal phenomena. In this paper, we propose a highly efficient and accurate numerical method to construct linear and unconditionally energy stable schemes for the MPFC model. In recent years, the scalar auxiliary variable (SAV) and SAV-based methods have attracted much attention in numerical solution for dissipative systems due to their inherent advantage of preserving certain discrete analogues of the energy dissipation law. The considered numerical schemes are based on a new SAV-type approach which named new scalar auxiliary variable (nSAV) approach. We first give a first-order energy stable numerical scheme by introducing a new SAV R(t). Then, the high-order nSAV schemes based on the k-step backward differentiation formula (BDFk) are constructed. The considered nSAV schemes allow us to construct high-order schemes for both the phase variable ϕ and ψ while only using a first-order approximation of the energy balance equation. To our knowledge, there is no careful research to give high-order accurate but energy stable schemes for the MPFC model. Meanwhile, the proposed approach only needs to solve linear equation with constant coefficients in one time step which is easy to use fast Fourier transform (FFT) to save more CPU time in calculation. Some numerical simulations are demonstrated to verify the accuracy and efficiency of our proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antithrombotic regimens and their combinations in preventing thrombotic incidents in patients with stable atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (S-ASCVD). Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The primary comprehensive endpoint was a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, or myocardial infarction, while the secondary endpoints were cardiovascular death, all-cause stroke, ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause death. The safety endpoint was major bleeding. Bayesian network meta-regression analysis in R software was used to calculate the final effect size and to correct for the effect of follow-up time on the outcome effect size. Results: Twelve studies reporting 122,190 patients with eight antithrombotic regimens were included in this systematic review. For the primary composite endpoint, low-dose aspirin plus clopidogrel 75 mg (hazard ratio [HR] 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–0.87) and low-dose aspirin plus rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34–0.82) showed significantly better efficacy than clopidogrel monotherapy, and the efficacy was comparable among the first two regimens. Unfortunately, none of the active regimens significantly decreased all-cause death, cardiovascular death branch, and all-cause stroke as part of the secondary endpoints. Low-dose aspirin plus ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.94) and low-dose aspirin plus ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.74–0.95) had a significant advantage in myocardial infarction compared with low-dose aspirin monotherapy, while low-dose aspirin plus 2.5 mg rivaroxaban twice daily (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.41–0.94) was better than low-dose aspirin in the treatment of ischemic stroke. In the major bleeding branch, low-dose aspirin plus ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.70–2.90), low-dose aspirin plus ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.70–2.60), low-dose aspirin plus rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.30–2.00), and rivaroxaban 5 mg twice daily (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.20–1.90) showed higher major bleeding risk compared with low-dose aspirin. Conclusions: Considering MACEs, myocardial infarction, all kinds of stroke, ischemic stroke, and major bleeding, low-dose aspirin plus rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily should be considered the preferred regimen for S-ASCVD patients with low bleeding risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-powered multi-generation systems contribute to efficiently reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This study proposes a solar-driven CCHP system combined with a novel photovoltaic thermal collector, proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer, solid oxide fuel cell, and thermal energy storage to meet the user's multiple dynamic energy demands. Multi-criteria performance analysis of the CCHP system is conducted from the perspectives of energy efficiency, sustainability, energy savings, environmental benefits, and economy for typical hotel and office buildings. The multi-objective optimization is carried out to optimize the parameter configurations and equipment capacities of the proposed system. The results demonstrate that the PV coverage ratio of the partially covered parabolic trough photovoltaic thermal (PCPTPVT) collector has noteworthy influences on the PCPTPVT outputs, the determination of the equipment capacities of the CCHP system, and further affects the overall comprehensive performance. The sustainability indicators of the hotel and office rise with the increasing PV coverage ratio, and that of the office is gradually larger than that of the hotel. The optimal comprehensive performance and annual total cost of the CCHP system from the multi-objective optimization are 1.004 and 87601 $ for the hotel and 1.049 and 92759 $ for the office, respectively. The PV coverage ratios of the preferred optimal solution for the hotel and office are 0.659 and 0.859, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The air kerma is a key parameter in medical diagnostic radiology. Radiologists use the air kerma parameter to evaluate organ doses and any associated patient hazards. The air kerma can be simply described as the deposited kinetic energy once a photon passes through the air, and it represents the intensity of the radiation beam. Due to the heel effect in the X-ray sources of medical imaging systems, the air kerma is not uniform within the X-ray beam's field of view. Additionally, the X-ray tube voltage can also affect this nonuniformity. In this investigation, an intelligent technique based on the radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is presented to predict the air kerma at every point within the fields of view of the X-ray beams of medical diagnostic imaging systems based on discrete and limited measured data. First, a diagnostic imaging system was modeled with the help of the Monte Carlo N Particle X version (MCNPX) code. It should be noted that a tungsten target and beryllium window with a thickness of 1 mm (no extra filter was applied) were used for modeling the X-ray tube. Second, the air kerma was calculated at various discrete positions within the conical X-ray beam for tube voltages of 40 kV, 60 kV, 80 kV, 100 kV, 120 kV, and 140 kV (this range covers most medical X-ray imaging applications) to provide the adequate dataset for training the network. The X-ray tube voltage and location of each point at which the air kerma was calculated were used as the RBFNN inputs. The calculated air kerma was also assigned as the output. The trained RBFNN model was capable of estimating the air kerma at any random position within the X-ray beam's field of view for X-ray tube voltages within the range of medical diagnostic radiology (20–140 kV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlaminar delamination is the most prevalent failure mode for carbon fiber reinforced epoxy (CF/EP) composites, which limits its applications. In this work, the interlaminar fracture toughness of CF/EP composites has been enhanced by the self-interlocked network arisen from Ti 3 C 2 T x /polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aerogel (TPA). The failure mode and toughening mechanism of interlocked TPA/CF/EP laminates has been explored from crack path behaviour and fracture morphology. The results show that the surface-modified MXene effectively improved the mechanical properties of TPA aerogels. The optimized loading of Ti 3 C 2 T X (7.69 wt%) and TPA areal density (27 g/mm2) can significantly enhance the G IC Init , G IC Prop and G IIC by 76%, 40% and 32%, respectively, without appreciably reducing the in-plane mechanical properties. The enhanced fracture toughness can be ascribed to cohesive failure at the interface facilitated by stitching-like effect of TPA, deflection and twisting of the main crack, the generation of numerous microcracks and pull-out of TPA skeleton and Ti 3 C 2 T x , etc. Compared with the traditional interleave toughening, interlocked TPA not only achieves a comprehensive balanced mechanical enhancement of CF/EP laminates, but also avoids the toxicity of organic solvents. A novel, low-cost and green approach to enhance interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon fibre/epoxy composites via self-interlocked MXene/polyvinyl alcohol aerogel network. [Display omitted] • A self-interlocked Ti 3 C 2 T x /PVA (TPA) aerogel network was introduced into CFRP. • Surface-modified MXene enhanced mechanical properties of TPA aerogel. • TPA aerogel significantly improved interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP. • The synergistic toughening mechanism of interlocked laminates was explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (UC-BSCs) are cells with low immunogenicity and differentiation potential, and the transfer of exosomes carried by UC-BSCs can regulate innate and adaptive immunity and affect immune homeostasis. This is an area of focus for autoimmune illnesses such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The target of this research was to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of exosomes produced from mesenchymal stem cells on SLE and its mechanism. After isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the SLE group and healthy group and treatment of SLE-derived PBMCs with UC-BSC-derived exosomes, the mRNA levels of corresponding factors in cells under different treatments were determined by RT-PCR, Th17/Treg content was analyzed by FCM (flow cytometry), and the targeted binding of microRNA-19b (miR-19b) to KLF13 was identified by in vitro experiments and bioinformatics analysis. The findings demonstrated that PBMC cells from SLE patients had higher proportions of Th17 subsets than the control group, whereas Treg subgroups with lower percentages were discovered. miR-19b's expression level was markedly reduced, which was inversely associated to the concentration of KLF13. In vitro experiments show that UC-BSC-derived exosome treatment can target KLF13 expression by increasing the miR-19b level, thereby regulating Th17/Treg balance and inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors. According to the study's findings, SLE patients have dysregulated expression of the genes miR-19b and KLF13, and UC-BSC exosomes could regulate Th17/Treg cell balance and inflammatory factor expression in SLE patients through miR-19b/KLF13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of metal-free and water-compatible photocatalysts for visible light-induced environmentally friendly transformation in water is highly desirable. Herein, two types of polyporphyrin based heterogeneous photocatalysts with different water-solubility in water, namely, an insoluble polymer and a water-dispersible nanoparticle, were disclosed. Both of them exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in visible-light induced functionalization of C(sp3)–H bonds on a wide range of substrates in water. The reusable and recyclable photocatalysts provided a green and sustainable approach for photocatalysis in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to study the effect of curcumin derivative WZ10 on the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of ovarian cancer OVCAR3 cells, and to explore its mechanism. MTT assay was used to detect the effect of WZ10 on the proliferation of ovarian cancer OVCAR3 cells; Annexin V/PI double staining flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of WZ10 on cell apoptosis; Transwell method was used to detect the effect of WZ10 on cell invasiveness; Western blot was used to investigate the effect of WZ10 Mechanisms affecting OVCAR3 activity in ovarian cancer in vitro. Our results show that WZ10 treatment could significantly inhibit the proliferation and invasion of OVCAR3 cells, induce apoptosis of OVCAR3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. After knockdown of Hippo expression with sh-RNA, further combined treatment with WZ10 had no significant image on ovarian cancer OVCAR3 cells. In conclusion: WZ10 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of OVCAR3 cells, reduce cell invasion and proliferation by downregulating the activation of Hippo-YAP pathway, and induce cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present study, 195 cow milk, 100 goat milk, 50 buffalo milk, 50 camel milk, and 50 yak milk samples were collected in China in May and October 2016. The presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. For all cow milk samples, 128 samples (65.7%) contained AFM1 in concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.191 µg/L, and 6 samples (3.1%) from Sichuan province in October were contaminated with AFM1 above 0.05 µg/L (EU limit). For all goat milk samples, 76.0% of samples contained AFM1 in concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.135 µg/L, and 9 samples (9.0%) from Shanxi province in October were contaminated with AFM1 above 0.05 µg/L. For all buffalo milk samples, 24 samples (48.0%) contained AFM1 in concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.089 µg/L, and 2 samples collected in October were contaminated with AFM1 above 0.05 µg/L. Furthermore, 28.0% of samples contained AFM1 in concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.007 µg/L in camel milk samples, and 18.0% of samples contained AFM1 in concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.007 µg/L in yak milk samples. Our survey study has expanded the current knowledge of the occurrence of AFM1 in milk from five dairy species in China, in particular the minor dairy species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cr and Mn atoms are the main active sites over CrMn 1.5 O 4 (1 0 0) surface. • A reaction scheme for the reduction of NO on the surface of CrMn 1.5 O 4 catalyst is proposed. • The generation of N 2 is accomplished in two main steps. • The energy barrier for the reaction to generate NO 2 is extremely low and contributes significantly to the reduction of NO. A comprehensive study of the catalytic behavior of CrMn 1.5 O 4 catalysts in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides (NO x) using NH 3 as the reductant was presented. The active sites for NO x reduction and NH 3 adsorption on the CrMn 1.5 O 4 surface were identified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The study elucidates the mechanism of NH 3 dehydrogenation and NO reduction, revealing key intermediates and reaction pathways. DFT calculation results showed that the chromium and manganese atoms on the surface, participating in the specifically d − sp hybridization with NH 3 , NO, played a key role in adsorption, and that NH 3 dehydrogenation led to the formation of NH 2 , which was a key intermediate in the selective catalytic reduction reaction. To further understand the process of NO generation to NO 2 and N 2 O on the surface of CrMn 1.5 O 4 catalyst, the chain reaction steps of NO reduction were proposed. Among them, NO was oxidized to NO 2 , and the very low reaction energy barrier contributed greatly to the fast SCR reaction, while the generation of the unwanted product N 2 O had a relatively high energy barrier, so the reaction was not easy to occur. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate catalytic behavior of CrMn 1.5 O 4 catalysts, which will aid in the development of better SCR catalysts for the effective removal of NO x in industrial settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration was investigated based on the potentiometric titration method during the summer of 2018 in the Bohai Sea, China. The measured Ca2+ concentration ranged from 7760 to 9739 μmol kg−1 and deviated from the theoretical Ca2+ values, which were estimated from the calcium/salinity ratio. The excess calcium (Ca2+ excess) ranged from 186 to 1229 μmol kg−1, showing a decreasing trend from the estuary to the nearshore, and then the offshore areas. Riverine input was an important source of seawater Ca2+ excess in the Bohai Sea. Biological activity was another factor in regulating seawater Ca2+ excess by precipitation in the Yellow River estuary and dissolution in other area of the Bohai Sea. Furthermore, the aragonite saturation state (Ω arag) values calculated from the measured Ca2+ concentrations showed a significant deviation from the values calculated from the theoretical Ca2+ concentrations, especially in the estuarine area with a maximum difference of 18.5%. Therefore, the disregard of the calcium addition would lead to an underestimation of the calcium carbonate saturation state and a deviation in the assessment of ocean acidification in marginal seas. • The seawater Ca2+ in the Bohai Sea exhibited a significant non-conservative behavior. • Riverine input was the most important source of seawater Ca2+ excess in the Bohai Sea. • Biological processes regulated Ca2+ excess by precipitation in the Yellow River estuary and dissolution in other areas. • In estuaries, there were large differences between the Ω arag calculated from measured and theoretical Ca2+ concentrations. • Ignoring the calcium addition would lead to an underestimation of the Ω arag in marginal seas, especially the estuaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The dual fluoroscopic imaging system was used for recording in vivo knee motions. • The dynamic joint spaces for FB and MB UKA knees and their native knees were calculated. • Compared to the MB UKA, FB UKA had a significant enlargement of joint space to their native knees. • The postoperative alignment was correlated with joint spaces. The progression of osteoarthritis in lateral compartment has been identified as a primary complication in medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) revisions, irrespective of whether employing fixed bearing (FB) or mobile bearing (MB) designs. Compared to the previous contact point analyses, the tibiofemoral contacts during knee movements are comprehended by a more comprehensive understanding of joint spaces. This study aims to dynamically map the joint spaces in the lateral compartment during the single-leg lunge following FB and MB UKA procedures, and compare them with the respective contralateral native knees. It is hypothesized that the significant change in joint space for post-UKA compared to their native knees. Twelve patients with unilateral medial FB UKA and eleven patients with unilateral medial MB UKA were included and underwent computed tomography scans. The exclusion criteria included anterior cruciate ligament deficiency, postoperative knee pain, any postoperative complications, and musculoskeletal illnesses. A dual fluoroscopic imaging system was utilized to capture the single-leg lunge, and 2D-to-3D registration facilitated the visualization of knee motion. According to the knee motions, joint spaces on tibial and femoral surfaces in the lateral compartments of native, FB, and MB UKA knees were calculated and mapped. In comparison to the native knees, FB UKA knees exhibited significant increases in medial, lateral, central, and posterior joint spaces in the lateral compartment (p < 0.05), while MB UKA knees showed significant increases only in central and posterior joint spaces (p < 0.05). Moreover, FB UKA demonstrated greater increases in medial, central, and posterior joint spaces compared to MB UKA. Tibial varus and valgus during lunges, as well as the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and Hip-Knee-Ankle angle (HKA), correlated with joint spaces. Dynamic joint space analysis provided a more comprehensive insight into contact dynamics. FB UKA led to an enlargement of joint spaces, whereas MB UKA resulted in joint spaces closer to native knees. These findings contribute to understanding potential postoperative complication in UKAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the lately discovered van der Waals ferromagnet Fe 3 GaTe 2 , a two-dimensional material with magnetic order and large perpendicular magnetic anisotropy above room temperature, we investigate two kinds of spin filters based on it. One is a flat pure Fe 3 GaTe 2 monolayer and the other is a sandwich structure where the left and right parts are connected by a side-contacting graphene nanoribbon; both structures can be set in magnetic parallel or antiparallel configuration by external fields. Our first-principle calculation shows that the flat structure has large magnetoresistance (∼640 %) but relatively low spin filter efficiency (<50 %) at equilibrium, while the side-contacting structure shows a great enhancement in spin filter efficiency along with a relatively small magnetoresistance. Spin filter efficiency refers to the degree of spin polarization of the current passing through the device. For both structures, parallel configuration turns out to render a better filter than antiparallel configuration at equilibrium while the difference can be suppressed by applying a finite bias voltage. For side-contacting structure, different hybridization in different spins leads to very large spin filter efficiency (∼95.2 %) at equilibrium in parallel configuration, which may have a great potential in the application of future spintronics. • Fe 3 GaTe 2 monolayer shows a certain amount of magnetoresistance. • The side-contacting of graphene as a channel lead to a higher polarization. • With the increase of bias voltage, the current polarization can further rise. • The hybridization of Fe 3 GaTe 2 and graphene in different spins is different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the rapid development in additive manufacturing, the potential to fabricate intricate structures has become a reality, emphasizing the importance of designing structures conducive to additive manufacturing processes. A crucial consideration is the ability to design structures requiring no additional support during manufacturing. This paper employs implicit B-spline representations for self-supporting structure design by integrating a topology optimization model with self-supporting constraints derived analytically from the implicit representation. This analytical derivation for detecting overhang regions enables accurate and efficient calculation of constraints, outperforming other B-spline-based methods. Compared to the traditional voxel-based methods, the implicit B-spline representation significantly expedites the optimization process by reducing the number of design variables. Additionally, several acceleration techniques are implemented to enhance the efficiency of our method, allowing simulations of 3D models with millions of finite elements to be completed within one and half an hour, excelling other B-spline-based methods and voxel-based methods. Various numerical experiments validate its excellent performance, confirming the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. [Display omitted] • Analytical conditions for non-self-supporting constraints are derived based on the implicit B-spline representation. • Several acceleration techniques are employed to achieve high computational performance. • The self-supporting constraints are imposed on boundary points, significantly reducing unnecessary constraint calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical inference for high-dimensional parameters (HDPs) can leverage their intrinsic correlations, as spatially or temporally close parameters tend to have similar values. This is why nonlinear mixed-effects models (NMMs) are commonly used for HDPs. Conversely, in many practical applications, the random effects (REs) in NMMs are correlated HDPs that should remain constant during repeated sampling for frequentist inference. In both scenarios, the inference should be conditional on REs, instead of marginal inference by integrating out REs. We summarize recent theory of conditional inference for NMM, and then propose a bias-corrected RE predictor and confidence interval (CI). We also extend this methodology to accommodate the case where some REs are not associated with data. Simulation studies indicate our new approach leads to substantial improvement in the conditional coverage rate of RE CIs, including CIs for smooth functions in generalized additive models, compared to the existing method based on marginal inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate several estimation methods based on marginal and conditional likelihoods to estimate the negative binomial (NB) dispersion parameter for highly stratified count data, for which the statistical model has a separate mean parameter for each stratum. If the number of samples per stratum is small, then the model is highly parameterized, and the maximum likelihood estimator of the NB dispersion parameter can be seriously biased and inefficient. For marginal likelihoods, we assume either a lognormal or beta prior for functions of strata means. We demonstrate using simulations that the marginal and conditional likelihood-based estimators give much improved estimates compared to other methods for highly stratified count data, such as the double-extended quasi-likelihood estimator and the restricted maximum likelihood estimator. We prefer the conditional approach that does not rely on assumptions about the distribution of stratum means; however, this estimator may be less efficient in some situations. We demonstrate in a case study that these estimators can give substantially different results. We also provide simulation results about the power of likelihood ratio tests for change in the NB over-dispersion parameter. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear on-line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cylindrical core-shell nanowire was described by an anisotropic XXZ Heisenberg model. The spontaneous magnetization, critical temperature, and hysteresis behavior were calculated by using the double-time spin Green's function method. For the nanowire with antiferromagnetic interfacial exchange interaction, the spin quantum fluctuation of the core is more obvious than that of the shell. The critical temperature of the system does not change for the same values of the antiferromagnetic or ferromagnetic interfacial exchange interaction, and it reduces to zero when the exchange anisotropy parameter reaches 1.0. The asymptotic value of the ratio of magnetizations from the shell to the core as the temperature approaches the critical temperature shows interesting behaviors during the interaction between spins in the core or the shell changing from Ising limit to Heisenberg limit. The magnetic hysteresis of the system with antiferromagnetic interfacial exchange interaction shows behaviors of magnetization plateaus, single loop, double loops, and tricyclic loops. When the interfacial exchange interaction is ferromagnetic, the hysteresis only shows single loops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient utilization of solar energy could effectively alleviate dependence on fossil fuels and contribute to the ambitious target of carbon neutrality. This study first proposes a novel partially covered parabolic trough photovoltaic thermal (PCPTPVT) collector to efficiently exploit solar energy. The thermodynamic model and iterative procedure are built based on the thermal resistance circuit method. Energy, exergy, exergoenvironmental, and exergoeconomic analyses are conducted to evaluate the thermodynamic, environmental, and economic performances of the novel PCPTPVT collector. Besides, multi-objective optimization of the tradeoff between cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness is also carried out. The results show that 12.42% of the solar energy beamed on the PCPTPVT is converted into solar electricity and 61.38% of that is transformed into thermal energy for heating fluid. The electrical and thermal efficiencies of the PCPTVPT can reach 27.9% and 64.3%, respectively, and the energy and exergy efficiencies have notable improvements of 11.11% and 6.19% when the solar irradiation changes from 300 W/m2 to 1100 W/m2. The unit exergy emissions of CO 2 , NO X , and SO 2 of the PCPTPVT under design conditions are 18.39 g/kWh, 117.8 mg/kWh, and 149.4 mg/kWh, and life cycle pollutant emission reductions reach 136.08 t, 971.92 kg, and 1125.35 kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(−)-Anisomelic acid, isolated from Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze (Labiatae) leaves, is a macrocyclic cembranolide with a trans -fused α-methylene-γ-lactone motif. Anisomelic acid effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication and viral-induced cytopathic effects with an EC50 of 1.1 and 4.3 μM, respectively. Challenge studies of SARS-CoV-2-infected K18-hACE2 mice showed that oral administration of anisomelic acid and subcutaneous dosing of remdesivir can both reduce the viral titers in the lung tissue at the same level. To facilitate drug discovery, we used a semisynthetic approach to shorten the project timelines. The enantioselective semisynthesis of anisomelic acid from the naturally enriched and commercially available starting material (+)-costunolide was achieved in five steps with a 27% overall yield. The developed chemistry provides opportunities for developing anisomelic-acid-based novel ligands for selectively targeting proteins involved in viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, through data analysis of multimodal knowledge graph optimized neural network and visual analysis of college students' sports performance, we use huge graph, a graph database supporting distributed storage, to store domain knowledge in the form of the knowledge graph, use Spring Boot to build a server-side framework, use Vue framework combined with vis.js to visualize relational network graphs, and design and implement a knowledge-oriented. This paper proposes a visual analytics system based on the theory of visual analytics. Based on the idea of visual analytics, this paper presents a visual analytics framework combining predictive models. This framework combines the automated analysis capability of predictive models with interactive visualization as a new idea to explore the visual analysis of student behavior and performance changes. Using relevant predictive algorithms in machine learning, corresponding models are built to refine the importance of features for visual analysis and correlate behavioral data with achievement data. In this process, multiple prediction algorithms are used to build prediction models. The model effects are analyzed and compared to select the optimal model for use in the visual analytics framework. The graphical analytic view is integrated. EduRedar, an optical analytical system for sports data based on the performance prediction model, is designed and implemented to support multidimensional and multiangle data analysis and visualize the changes in college students' sports and performance based on accurate campus exercise data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bionic geometric modification inspired by the trailing-edge serrations of owl wings provides a new approach for controlling the aerodynamic noise of rotary fluid machinery. The effect of different serrated trailing-edges (STEs) on aerodynamic performance and noise of a single-stage variable-pitch axial fan was numerically investigated using steady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes and large eddy simulation model, respectively. Results show that STEs could improve fan efficiency at the design and low flow rates, and significantly reduce the noise in the middle- and low-frequency as well as suppress the pressure pulsation of airflow. STEs split large-scale vortices into small ones by intensifying the turbulent flow mixing. STEs with appropriate serration parameters improve the spanwise distribution of the vortex, reduce the span dimension of wake vortices, and induce wake vortices distribution to be more uniform. The innovation of this paper is that a novel blade with partial serrations is presented for the realization of the apparent noise reduction and more preferred aerodynamic performance of the axial fan by improving serration parameters and rearranging the region of the serration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel solar-based polygeneration system incorporated with a partially covered parabolic trough photovoltaic thermal (PCPVPVT) collector, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB), thermal energy storage, and absorption chiller/heat pump is proposed. A robust energy management strategy is developed to alter the operating states of the system to respond to the inevitable intermittent source inputs and varying demands throughout the year. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison of the techno-economic performance differences between the novel system and the Power to Hydrogen to Power (P2H2P) combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system is carried out. In addition, the sensitivity analysis of the key technical and external economic parameters as well as a multi-objective optimization are investigated. The results illustrate that: the charging, discharging, and round-trip efficiencies of the VRFB unit reach 88.99%, 88.23%, and 78.52%, respectively, and the current of the VRFB has significant effects on the termination voltage, charge and discharge time, efficiencies, and stored and output energy of the VRFB. The PV coverage ratio of the PCPVPVT and the capacity of the VRFB unit considerably affect the system's thermodynamic and economic performance. The exergy efficiency of the proposed system is always greater than that of the P2H2P CCHP system because the efficiency of the VRFB with 78.52% is significantly higher than that of the P2H2P electricity storage with 41.73%, and the maximum difference reaches 4.25%. The levelized cost of energy of the present system is 0.0503 $/kWh, which is less than that of the P2H2P CCHP system by approximately 6.85%, indicating superior economic strengths. • A solar-driven polygeneration system with energy storage is proposed. • Efficient vanadium redox flow battery is introduced to store surplus solar power. • A robust energy management strategy considering source-demand responses is developed. • A techno-economic comparison of the present system and the hydrogen storage CCHP system is studied. • The present system exhibits superior techno-economic strengths compared with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel solar-based polygeneration system incorporated with a partially covered parabolic trough photovoltaic thermal (PCPVPVT) collector, vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB), thermal energy storage, and absorption chiller/heat pump is proposed. A robust energy management strategy is developed to alter the operating states of the system to respond to the inevitable intermittent source inputs and varying demands throughout the year. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison of the techno-economic performance differences between the novel system and the Power to Hydrogen to Power (P2H2P) combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system is carried out. In addition, the sensitivity analysis of the key technical and external economic parameters as well as a multi-objective optimization are investigated. The results illustrate that: the charging, discharging, and round-trip efficiencies of the VRFB unit reach 88.99%, 88.23%, and 78.52%, respectively, and the current of the VRFB has significant effects on the termination voltage, charge and discharge time, efficiencies, and stored and output energy of the VRFB. The PV coverage ratio of the PCPVPVT and the capacity of the VRFB unit considerably affect the system's thermodynamic and economic performance. The exergy efficiency of the proposed system is always greater than that of the P2H2P CCHP system because the efficiency of the VRFB with 78.52% is significantly higher than that of the P2H2P electricity storage with 41.73%, and the maximum difference reaches 4.25%. The levelized cost of energy of the present system is 0.0503 $/kWh, which is less than that of the P2H2P CCHP system by approximately 6.85%, indicating superior economic strengths. • A solar-driven polygeneration system with energy storage is proposed. • Efficient vanadium redox flow battery is introduced to store surplus solar power. • A robust energy management strategy considering source-demand responses is developed. • A techno-economic comparison of the present system and the hydrogen storage CCHP system is studied. • The present system exhibits superior techno-economic strengths compared with others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an increasing emphasis on food safety and public health, there is an ongoing effort to develop reliable, non-invasive methods to assess the freshness of diverse food products. Chitosan-based food freshness indicators, leveraging properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and high stability, offer an innovative approach for real-time monitoring of food quality during storage and transportation. This review introduces intelligent food freshness indicators, specifically those utilizing pH-sensitive dyes like anthocyanins, curcumin, alizarin, shikonin, and betacyanin. It highlights the benefits of chitosan-based intelligent food freshness indicators, emphasizing improvements in barrier and mechanical properties, antibacterial activity, and composite film solubility. The application of these indicators in the food industry is then explored, alongside a concise overview of chitosan's limitations. The paper concludes by discussing the challenges and potential areas for future research in the development of intelligent food freshness indicators using chitosan. Thus, chitosan-based smart food preservation indicators represent an innovative approach to providing real-time data for monitoring food quality, offering valuable insights to both customers and retailers, and playing a pivotal role in advancing the food industry. • Introduction of smart food preservation indicators made from pH-sensitive dyes. • The advantages of chitosan-based smart food preservation indicators are presented. • Application of chitosan indicators in food industry and its limitations. • Challenges for chitosan-based smart indicators and potential areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In vivo finite element model of knee lunge was built by dual fluoroscopic imaging system. • The finite element model was validated by experiments of three-dimensional printed model. • The simulation of in vivo knee movements would help the substantial research of knee. Biomechanical modeling of the knee during motion is a pivotal component in disease treatment, implant designs, and rehabilitation strategies. Historically, dynamic simulations of the knee have been scant. This study uniquely integrates a dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS) to investigate the in vivo dynamic behavior of the meniscus during functional activities using a finite element (FE) model. The model was subsequently validated through experiments. Motion capture of a single-leg lunge was executed by DFIS. The motion model was reconstructed using 2D-to-3D registration in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) scans. Both CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data facilitated the development of the knee FE model. In vivo knee displacements and rotations were utilized as driving conditions for the FE model. Moreover, a 3D-printed model, accompanied with digital imaging correlation (DIC), was used to evaluate the accuracy of the FE model. To a better inner view of knees during the DIC analysis, tibia and femur were crafted by transparent resin. The availability of the FE model was guaranteed by the similar strain distribution of the DIC and FE simulation. Subsequent modeling revealed that the compressive stress distribution between the medial and lateral menisci was balanced in the standing posture. As the flexion angle increased, the medial meniscus bore the primary compressive load, with peak stresses occurring between 60 and 80° of flexion. The simulation of a healthy knee provides a critical theoretical foundation for addressing knee pathologies and advancing prosthetic designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we disclose a fast (ON time ∼50 μs and OFF time ∼25 μs at 55 °C), high‐contrast, continuous phase modulator without fringe field effect (FFE). The phase modulator uses the Kerr effect of vertically aligned deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystals (VADHFLCs). Specifically, FFE is a long‐term problem for nematic liquid crystals (NLCs). In this article, we are disclosing, for the first‐time found, that no FFE exists for VADHFLCs, even for phase modulator with 1‐μm pixel pitch. It is an attractive feature for ultra‐high‐resolution display and photonic applications. Moreover, the Kerr constant is 88 nm/V2, and the contrast ratio is larger than 1000:1. It is a promising candidate for high‐PPI augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) displays, wavelength selective switch (WSS), hologram, adaptive optics, and LiDARs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When torsional vibration is measured with the zebra-tape method, the modulation signals can be contaminated by electrical noise, environmental noise, step noise, sensor nonlinearities, and so on. Although the amplitudes of these types of noise are very weak relative to the amplitude of the ideal pulse test signal, they may introduce large-scale random broad-spectrum noise to the signal phases. Such noise is difficult to remove using frequency domain, time-frequency-domain, or threshold sampling methods and seriously affects the accuracy of torsional vibration measurements. This paper presents a phase demodulation algorithm based on downsampling and local resampling (DSLR) to improve the accuracy of torsional vibration measurements. To verify the proposed DSLR algorithm, torsional vibration simulations and experiments are conducted under a time-varying rotation speed. The results show that the angular displacement signal obtained from the torsional vibration test using zebra tapes is the superposition of the dynamic and static angular displacements, with the latter generated because of the varying rotation speed with respect to time. The DSLR algorithm effectively reduces the phase noise and demodulates the pulse signal phases. The work in this paper provides a method for obtaining reference torsional vibration measurements of rotors based on the zebra-tape method under time-varying speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The incidence of early-onset rectal cancer (EORC) has been increasing since the past decade, while its underlying cause remained unknown. This study was aimed at clarifying the relationship between perirectal fat area (PFA) and EORC. Patients and Methods. All patients with rectal cancer who received radical excision between January 2016 and December 2017 at our hospital were included. The fat series images of pelvic magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained and PFA at the ischial spine level was calculated using the ImageJ software. Results. A total of 303 patients were finally included and divided into two groups according to the median PFA: Group 1 (<20.2 cm2, n = 151) and Group 2 (≥20.2 cm2, n = 152). PFA positively correlated with body weight and body mass index. PFA increased with invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, tumor deposits, and vascular invasion. Patients with EORC had higher PFA than those with late-onset rectal cancer (LORC; P = 0.009). Among patients with stage I–III rectal cancers, those in Group 2 had significantly shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.010) and overall survival (P = 0.034) than those in Group 1, and PFA was an independent predictor of disease-free survival (OR: 1.683 [1.126-3.015], P = 0.035) and overall survival (OR: 1.678 [1.022-2.639], P = 0.046). Conclusions. Patients with EORC had significantly higher PFA than those with LORC. PFA is positively correlated with T stage, N stage, TNM stage, tumor deposit, and vascular invasion and is an independent predictor of disease-free survival and overall survival. Therefore, perirectal fat may be involved in the carcinogenesis and development of EORC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical synthesis has been rapidly developing over the past few years. Here, we report a practical and eco-friendly electrocatalytic isomerization of allylic alcohols to their corresponding carbonyl compounds. This reaction can be carried out in undivided cells without the addition of external chemical oxidants and metal catalysts. Moreover, this reaction features a broad substrate scope including challenging allylic alcohols bearing tri- and tetra-substituted olefins and affords straightforward access to diverse β-aryl-ketones. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the reactions proceed through a radical process. This study represents a unique example in which electrochemistry enables hydrogen atom transfer in organic allylic alcohol substrates using a simple organocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of prokaryotic CRISPR/Cas system proteins as a defensive shield against invasive nucleic acids has been studied extensively. Non-canonical roles in pathogenesis involving intracellular targeting of certain virulence-associated endogenous mRNA have also been reported for some Type I and Type II CRISPR/Cas proteins, but no such roles have yet been established for Type III system proteins. Here, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis (Type III-A system) CRISPR/Cas proteins Csm1, Csm3, Csm5, Csm6, and Cas6 are secreted and induce host immune responses. Using cell and animal experiments, we show that Cas6, in particular, provokes IFN-γ release from PBMCs from active tuberculosis (TB) patients, and its deletion markedly attenuates virulence in a murine M. tuberculosis challenge model. Recombinant MTBCas6 induces apoptosis of macrophages and lung fibroblasts, and interacts with the surface of cells in a caspase and TLR-2 independent manner. Transcriptomic and signal pathway studies using THP-1 macrophages stimulated with MTBCas6 indicated that MTBCas6 upregulates expression of genes associated with the NF-κB pathway leading to higher levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α release, cytokines known to activate immune system cells in response to M. tuberculosis infection. Our findings suggest that, in addition to their intracellular shielding role, M. tuberculosis CRISPR/Cas proteins have non-canonical extracellular roles, functioning like a virulent sword, and activating host immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When aircraft make a maneuvering during flight, additional loads acting on the engine rotor system are generated, which may induce rub-impact faults between the rotor and stator. To study the rub-impact response characteristics of the rotor system during hovering flight, the dynamic model of a rub-impact rotor system is established with lateral-torsional vibration coupling effect under arbitrary maneuvering flight conditions using the finite element method and Lagrange equation. An implicit numerical integral method combining the Newmark-β and Newton–Raphson methods is used to solve the vibration response. The results indicate that the dynamic characteristics of the rotor system will change during maneuvering flight, and the subharmonic vibrations are amplified in both lateral and torsional vibrations due to maneuvering overload. The form of the rub-impact is different during level and hovering flight conditions: the rub-impact may occur at an arbitrary phase of the whole cycle under the condition of level flight, while only local rub-impact occurs during hovering flight. Under the both flight conditions, the rub-impact has a large effect on the spectral characteristics, periodicity, and stability of the rotor system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stock-recruitment relationships (SRRs) may differ substantially among environmental regimes. We developed a methodology including a Hidden Markov Stock-recruitment Model (HMSM), the maximum likelihood approach and a model selection procedure to identify abrupt changes of stock-recruitment (SR) dynamics. This method allows us to objectively identify the unobserved regimes, estimate regime-specific parameters, and predict the transition probabilities among regimes. First, we used simulation to verify that our method could identify the correct number of regimes and estimate the model parameters well. Then, we applied the models to an Atlantic cod stock on the southern Grand Bank off Newfoundland, Canada. Results indicated that the HMSM assuming 2 regimes performed the best, and the cod stock shifted to a regime characterized with lower productivity and higher density dependence in late 1980s. Additionally, the estimated probability to return to the previous high-productivity regime was very low, suggesting the cod stock may remain at the low-productivity regime for a prolonged period. Overall, we consider the methodology proposed in this paper as a useful tool to model regime shifts of SRRs in fisheries stock assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct several efficient scalar auxiliary variable (SAV) schemes based on the Fourier-spectral method in space for the Cahn-Hilliard-Hele-Shaw system. The temporal discretizations are built upon the first-order Euler and second-order BDF method, respectively. We derive the unconditional energy stability for both schemes and also establish the rigorous error estimates for the first-order SAV Fourier-spectral scheme. Finally, various numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and performance for the constructed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Sb x Bi 2-x S 3 solid solution photocatalysts with certain sulfur vacancy were constructed by adjusting the molar ratio of Sb to Bi through a simple hydrothermal strategy and applied for the efficient elimination of Cr(VI). [Display omitted] • Sb x Bi 2-x S 3 solid solution was constructed by a simple hydrothermal strategy. • Sb 1.75 Bi 0.25 S 3 can effectively remove Cr(VI) and exhibit excellent stability. • The certain sulfur vacancy effectively accelerates the separation of charge. The development of environmentally friendly and cost-effective photocatalysts is of vital significance for the effective removal of heavy metal contamination in water, but it is still a crucial challenge. Herein, the novel Sb x Bi 2-x S 3 solid solution photocatalysts with a certain amount of sulfur vacancy were prepared by adjusting the molar ratio of Sb to Bi through a simple hydrothermal strategy, and was applied to the effective photocatalytic reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Sb 1.75 Bi 0.25 S 3 with optimized ratio has superior reduction performance of Cr(VI), and the photocatalytic efficiency of Cr(VI) can achieve 91.9 % within 1 h of visible light illumination. The remarkable catalytic efficiency is due to the more applicable band structure of the solid solution photocatalyst, which is conducive for the photocatalytic reaction. Moreover, the substitution of Bi causes the crystal distortion of Sb 2 S 3 and induce the generation of sulfur defects, which can effectively capture photoelectrons, accelerate the carriers separation, and improve the reduction performance. This study provides a hopeful photocatalyst for wastewater purification and promotes the exploration of solid solution photocatalyst in water environment remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemistry has been widely used in energy storage, metallurgy, chemical synthesis and other fields since its birth using electricity as one of the cheapest reagents. However, compared with the revival of electrochemical synthesis of small molecules, the electrochemical polymerization for preparing macromolecules is still rudimentary due to formidable challenges. Herein, A unique electrochemical polymerization is disclosed between CS2 and diamines at room temperature in an electrolyte‐free manner to access poly thioureas. Polythioureas have high selectivity for four metal ions, including Au3+, Ag+, Pt4+, and Hg2+, and can be used as an efficient adsorbent for recovering gold from metal waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reveals a ferroelectric liquid crystal Dammann grating (FLCDG) based polarisation-modulation system for three-dimensional imaging (3D-imaging) device, which seriously increases the detection speed for Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). Innovatively the FLC modulator with FLCDG that offers a high-speed shutter having frame frequency >50k frames/s. The proposed FLCDG replaces the iterative scanning and enables LiDAR as a one-shot capturing system. The proposed device shows a fast-switching speed (~5 μs) and precisely detects the translational as well as the rotational movement. Furthermore, low fabrication cost, lightweight, and small size make this device perfectly suitable modern LiDARs, particularly for short distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 20 years into newspapers' digital experiment, most are still struggling in search of a business model while digital revenue remains a fraction of total revenue. To examine the sustainability of digital journalism, this study assesses the top 50 U.S. newspapers' digital readership with the Multidimensional Web Attention Model. Empirical analyses using Nielsen and Comscore data identified problems with newspapers' online readership across multiple dimensions (reach, popularity, loyalty, depth, and stickiness). Seven-day market reach is around 13%. Popularity varies but loyalty is low across the board – an average user makes no more than three visits a month (M = 2.53). Depth and stickiness are also underwhelming, with about two pages viewed per visit (M = 2.21) and slightly more than one minute spent on a page (M = 1.18). While local papers do not benefit from the economies of scale, national newspapers, despite more resources, outperform their local counterparts only on the popularity dimension. Mobile users constitute the majority but fall short on loyalty and depth. Users aged 18–24 remain a small portion of the newspaper audience. These findings parse out the industry-wide failure to engage online readers. At the core of newspapers' digital sustainability problem is a readership that falls short in multiple ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]