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Three-dimensionally printed (3DP) hydrogel-based vascular constructs have been investigated in response to the impaired function of blood vessels or organs by replicating exactly the 3D structural geometry to approach their function. However, they are still challenged by their intrinsic brittleness, which could not sustain the suture piercing and enable the long-term structural and functional stability during the direct contact with blood. Here, we reported the high-fidelity digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing of hydrogel-based vascular constructs from poly(vinyl alcohol)-based inks, followed by mechanical strengthening through engineering the nanocrystalline domains and subsequent surface modification. The as-prepared high-precision hydrogel vascular constructs were imparted with highly desirable mechanical robustness, suture tolerance, swelling resistance, antithrombosis, and long-term patency. Notably, the hydrogel-based bionic vein grafts, with precise valve structures, exhibited excellent control over the unidirectional flow and successfully fulfilled the biological functionalities and patency during a 4-week implantation within the deep veins of beagles, thus corroborating the promising potential for treating chronic venous insufficiency.

Recently, double network (DN) gels with dynamic non‐covalent interaction such as hydrogen bonds has drawn much attention as an innovative material having both high water content and high mechanical strength. Research efforts have identified DN gels as a promising class of materials due to their unique network architecture. These gels comprise two interpenetrating networks formed by different types of polymer. Herein, we report a tough DN hydrogel with high mechanical strength and high swelling ability. The DN gel is synthesized via a two‐step network formation. The first network gel was synthesized via frontal polymerization. Then, the first gel is immersed in an aqueous solution of a second monomer and carrying out a second polymerization in the presence of first network. The spectroscopic analysis and thermal behavior with differential scanning calorimeter measurements corroborated the existence of hydrogen bonds. The mechanical test and microscopic morphology were further explored to explain the strength and high imbibing characteristics. We expect that this facile strategy may explore a dynamic and tunable hydrogel to expand its potential applications in biomedical field.

The influencing mechanism of the electric field inhomogeneity on the microscopic streamer discharge in SF6/N2 is still unclear, which seriously limits the broad applications of electrical equipment filled with SF6/N2 gas. To investigate the impact of electric field nonuniformity on gas discharge, a streamer dc discharge simulation model with a semi-ellipsoidal-plate electrode with various discharge distances is constructed. The plasma parameters (particle density, space charge, reaction rate, streamer thickness, and velocity) evolution regularities of 20%SF6–80%N2 with different electric field inhomogeneity coefficients ( ${f}$ ) are investigated. The results indicate that as the ${f}$ increases, the collisional ionization reaction rate in the vicinity of the semi-ellipsoidal electrode increases during the corona stage of the discharge, leading to an improvement in the changing rate of the electrons and space charges in the region, which in turn enhances the electric field around the subsequent plasma channel. The enhanced electric field accelerates the gas ionization processes at the head of streamer, which promotes carrier mobility, improves the streamers’ velocity and thickness, and causes a decrement in the macroscopic gas breakdown strength. The findings in this work reveal the influence of electric field uniformity on the streamer evolution characteristics in SF6/N2, which further accelerates the applications of SF6/N2 gas in offshore gas-insulated switchgear/gas-insulated line.

This study investigated the enhancement of mechanical properties in wire-arc directed energy deposition (WA-DED) of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys through interlayer friction stir processing, integrating concurrent forced cooling (CFC) and post-deposition heat treatment to address the coarsening of grains and precipitates induced by arc and friction heat. The results demonstrated that CFC significantly refined the microstructure, with a 73.2 % reduction in grain size and a 46.3 % decrease in precipitate size, accompanied by the formation of substantial fine η' phases and GP zones within grains. These microstructural changes resulted in substantial mechanical enhancements: specimens subjected to CFC showed increases of 64.4 % in yield strength (YS) to 418.3 MPa and 20.6 % in ultimate tensile strength (UTS) to 512.5 MPa. Additionally, post-deposition heat treatment further increased YS by 22.4 % to 512.2 MPa and UTS by 9.6 % to 561.8 MPa, attributed to the precipitation of substantial fine η' phases within grains. The dual strategy not only refined microstructural features but also provided a comprehensive approach to enhancing mechanical performance in WA-DED fabricated components.

A primary challenge of dissimilar materials additive manufacturing is inferior interfacial strength attributed to cracks, intermetallic compounds (IMCs), and residual stresses. To address these issues, a novel approach for controlling interface melting, bypass circumferential current metal inert gas (BCC-MIG) welding, was developed to fabricate aluminum bronze (AB) /steel bimetallic component for ship and marine applications. This technique involved directing the arc heat concentration onto central wire rather than base material. This approach achieved localized partial melting of steel, resulting in a defect-free metallurgical bonding interface. Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties were systematically investigated with and without circumferential bypass current. In comparison to the non-bypass method, interface IMCs and cracks were eliminated, and the diffusion layer thickness was reduced to within 3.4 μm. The interfacial kernel average misorientation unveiled reduced interfacial residual stresses, attributable to lower peak temperature and reduced high-temperature dwell. Furthermore, the interfacial strength demonstrated a 13.3 % increase in yield strength (119.6 MPa), a substantial 39 % increase in ultimate tensile strength (558.7 MPa), and a remarkable 83.9 % increase in elongation (51.5 %), with fracture occurring within steel base material. This investigation provides valuable insights into controlling interfacial melting in additive manufacturing of different materials.

Chemo-photodynamic therapy is a treatment method that combines chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy and has demonstrated significant potential in cancer treatment. However, the development of chemo-photodynamic therapeutic agents with fewer side effects still poses a challenge. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel series of β-carboline/furylmalononitrile hybrids 10a–iand evaluated their chemo-photodynamic therapeutic effects. Most of the compounds were photodynamically active and exhibited cytotoxic effects in four cancer cells. In particular, 10fpossessed type-I/II photodynamic characteristics, and its 1O2quantum yield increased by 3-fold from pH 7.4 to 4.5. Most interestingly, 10fexhibited robust antiproliferative effects by tumor-selective cytotoxicities and hypoxic-overcoming phototoxicities. In addition, 10fgenerated intracellular ROS and induced hepatocellular apoptosis, mitochondrial damage, and autophagy. Finally, 10fdemonstrated extremely low acute toxicity (LD50= 1415 mg/kg) and a high tumor-inhibitory rate of 80.5% through chemo-photodynamic dual therapy. Our findings may provide a promising framework for the design of new photosensitizers for chemo-photodynamic therapy.

ABSTRACTThe objectives of this study were to translate the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) into a simplified Chinese version (ASSQ-CHN) and test its properties. Using a methodological study, a total of 160 elite athletes participated, and 133 athletes completed the experiment. Statistical results show the following: (1) a total of 4 factors were obtained by using exploratory factor analysis conducted on the ASSQ-CHN (sleep difficulty score, travel impact, sleep behaviour and habit, and electronic device use before bedtime). The sleep difficulty score (SDS) part consisted of items 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6. (2) the SDS showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.74), as well as test-retest reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.79, 95% CI 0.72–0.85), standard error of measurement = 1.37 points and minimum detectable change = 3.24 points, with no floor or ceiling effects. This suggests that the real change in ASSQ-CHN (SDS) score should be over 3.24 points and the measurement tool can distinguish between subjects with the highest or lowest scores. (3) the SDS was strongly correlated with the PSQI (rs = 0.74, P < 0.01). The correlation between SDS and SF-36 was only moderately correlated with general health (rs = −0.33, P < 0.01), and there was low or no significant correlation with other items. (4) the ASSQ-CHN (SDS) mean score of the sleep disorder group was significantly higher than that of the healthy groups (P < 0.01). The ASSQ-CHN is equivalent to the original version in terms of language and measurement properties. It can be used as an effective and reliable sleep screening tool to evaluate athletes’ sleep status.

Infected wounds pose a significant clinical challenge due to bacterial resistance, recurrent infections, and impaired healing. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based strategies have shown promise in eradicating bacterial infections. However, the excess ROS in the infection site after treatments may cause irreversible damage to healthy tissues. To address this issue, we developed bovine serum albumin-iridium oxide nanoclusters (BSA-IrOxNCs) which enable photo-regulated ROS generation and scavenging using near infrared (NIR) laser. Upon NIR laser irradiation, BSA-IrOxNCs exhibit enhanced photodynamic therapy, destroying biofilms and killing bacteria. When the NIR laser is off, the nanoclusters' antioxidant enzyme-like activities prevent inflammation and repair damaged tissue through ROS clearance. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that BSA-IrOxNCs inhibit bacterial nitric oxide synthase, blocking bacterial growth and biofilm formation. Furthermore, the nanoclusters repair impaired skin by strengthening cell junctions and reducing mitochondrial damage in a fibroblast model. In vivo studies using rat infected wound models confirmed the efficacy of BSA-IrOxNCs. This study presents a promising strategy for treating biofilm-induced infected wounds by regulating the ROS microenvironment, addressing the challenges associated with current ROS-based antibacterial approaches.

In the industrial field, a cross-bonding (CB) connection is adopted in long-distance multiphase transmission cables to reduce the induced voltage of metal sheath. Due to the mutual coupling of signals in the three-phase cable sheath, it is difficult to diagnose and locate the defects of CB cables. Therefore, this article proposes a location method for CB cable defects based on multiphase high-frequency high-voltage collaborative excitation. A novel high-frequency high-voltage cascade topology circuit is proposed, which breaks the gain–bandwidth product limit of traditional amplifiers and solves the severe attenuation problem that the signal amplitude is too low for long-distance CB cables. A multiphase differential frequency collaborative excitation testing system was constructed based on this topology, achieving synchronous triggering and injection of three-phase isolated differential frequency sinusoidal excitations into the initial terminals of the CB cables. The three-phase impedance spectrum under different defect location is synchronously obtained based on the proposed CB cables transmission line decoupling model and impedance spectrum difference-frequency decoupling algorithm. The experiment shows that the location error rate is no higher than 0.127% through the synchronous transformation location algorithm, which demonstrates the extremely high location accuracy and testing efficiency.

The germination process of seeds is influenced by the interplay between two opposing factors, pectin methylesterase (PME) and pectin methylesterase inhibitor (PMEI), which collectively regulate patterns of pectin methylesterification. Despite the recognized importance of pectin methylesterification in seed germination, the specific mechanisms that govern this process remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that the overexpression of GhPMEI53is associated with a decrease in PME activity and an increase in pectin methylesterification. This leads to seed cell wall softening, which positively regulates cotton seed germination. AtPMEI19, the homologue in Arabidopsis thaliana, plays a similar role in seed germination to GhPMEI53, indicating a conserved function and mechanism of PMEI in seed germination regulation. Further studies revealed that GhPMEI53 and AtPMEI19 directly contribute to promoting radicle protrusion and seed germination by inducing cell wall softening and reducing mechanical strength. Additionally, the pathways of abscicic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) in the transgenic materials showed significant changes, suggesting that GhPMEI53/AtPMEI19-mediated pectin methylesterification serves as a regulatory signal for the related phytohormones involved in seed germination. In summary, GhPMEI53 and its homologs alter the mechanical properties of cell walls, which influence the mechanical resistance of the endosperm or testa. Moreover, they impact cellular phytohormone pathways (e.g., ABA and GA) to regulate seed germination. These findings enhance our understanding of pectin methylesterification in cellular morphological dynamics and signaling transduction, and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the PME/PMEI gene superfamily in plants.

EPSPSis a key gene in the shikimic acid synthesis pathway that has been widely used in breeding crops with herbicide resistance. However, its role in regulating cell elongation is poorly understood. Through the overexpression of EPSPSgenes, we generated lines resistant to glyphosate that exhibit an unexpected dwarf phenotype. A representative line, DHR1, exhibits a stable dwarf phenotype throughout its entire growth period. Except for plant height, the other agronomic traits of DHR1are similar to its transgenic explants ZM24. Paraffin section observations showed that DHR1internodes are shortened due to reduced elongation and division of the internode cells. Exogenous hormones confirmed that DHR1is not a classical brassinolide (BR)- or gibberellin (GA)-related dwarfing mutant. Hybridization analysis and fine mapping confirmed that the EPSPSgene is the causal gene for dwarfism, and the phenotype can be inherited in different genotypes. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that genes associated with the phenylpropanoid synthesis pathway are enriched in DHR1compared with ZM24. Flavonoid metabolites are enriched in DHR1, whereas lignin metabolites are reduced. The enhancement of flavonoids likely results in differential expression of auxin signal pathway genes and alters the auxin response, subsequently affecting cell elongation. This study provides a new strategy for generating dwarfs and will accelerate advancements in light simplification in the cultivation and mechanized harvesting of cotton.

A cooperative Rh/achiral phosphoric acid-enabled [3+3] cycloaddition of in situ-generated carbonyl ylides with quinone monoimines has been developed. With the ability to build up the molecular complexity rapidly and efficiently, this method furnishes highly functionalized oxa-bridged benzofused dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane scaffolds bearing two quaternary centers in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. Moreover, the utility of the current method was demonstrated by gram-scale synthesis and elaboration of the products into various functionalized oxa-bridged heterocycles.

The complexity inherent in defining and computing fractional derivatives renders the development of a data-driven modeling framework for fractional-order systems more formidable than for their integer-order counterparts. This study introduces a methodology for sparsely identifying fractional chaotic systems by leveraging time-domain data to ascertain the system’s governing equations. Initially, we establish a sparse identification framework specifically tailored for fractional order systems and introduce a joint iterative thresholding method designed to identify these systems’ fractional and integer order components concurrently. Moreover, this study conducts a comparative analysis of two error criteria for model selection. It introduces a strategy predicated on minimizing the distance to balance sparsity and model fitting error optimally. To validate the efficacy and precision of the proposed methodology, numerical simulations were conducted on fractional order simplified Lorenz and Chua’s circuits, affirming the robustness and accuracy of our approach.

The delivery of proteins into the cytosol holds great promise for cell signaling manipulation and the development of precision medicine. However, this potency is challenged by achieving targeted and controlled delivery, specifically within diseased cells. In this study, we introduce a versatile and effective method for the precision delivery of therapeutic proteins to cancer cells by designing polyphenol-assisted biomineralization of zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8). We demonstrate that by leveraging the strong noncovalent binding affinity of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with both proteins and ZIF-8, our approach significantly enhances the biomineralization of ZIF-8, which in turn improves the efficiency of protein encapsulation and intracellular delivery. Moreover, the incorporation of EGCG within ZIF-8 enables controlled degradation of the nanoparticles and the selective release of the encapsulated proteins in cancer cells. This selective release is triggered by the oxidation of EGCG in response to the high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) found within cancer cells that destabilize the EGCG/ZIF-8 nanoparticles. We have further demonstrated the ability of EGCG/ZIF-8 to deliver a wide range of proteins into cancer cells, including bacterial virulence protein, to rewire cell signaling and prohibit tumor cell growth in a mouse xenograft model. Our strategy and findings underscore the potential of designing the EGCG/ZIF-8 interface for specific and controlled protein delivery for targeted cancer therapy.

The novel metal(II)-based complexes HA-Cu, HA-Co, and HA-Ni with phenanthroline, sulfamethazine, and aromatic–aromatic coupled disulfamethazines as ligands were synthesized and characterized. HA-Cu, HA-Co, and HA-Ni all showed a broad spectrum of cytotoxicity and antiangiogenesis. HA-Cu was superior to HA-Co and HA-Ni, and even superior to DDP, showing significant inhibitory effect on the growth and development of tripe-negative breast cancer in vivo and in vitro. HA-Cu exhibited observable synergistic effects of antiproliferation, antiangiogenesis, anti-inflammatory, pro-apoptosis, and cuproptosis to effectively inhibited tumor survival and development. The molecular mechanism was confirmed that HA-Cu could downregulate the expression of key proteins in the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pathway and the expression of inflammatory cytokines, enhance the advantage of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and enforce cuproptosis by weakening the expression of FDX1 and enhancing the expression of HSP70. Our research will provide a theoretical and practical reference for the development of metal-sulfamethazine and its derivatives as chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly malignancy with notable metabolic reprogramming, yet the pivotal metabolic feature driving ESCC progression remains elusive. Here, we show that methionine cycle exhibits robust activation in ESCC and is reversely associated with patient survival. ESCC cells readily harness exogenous methionine to generate S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM), thus promoting cell proliferation. Mechanistically, methionine augments METTL3-mediated RNA m6A methylation through SAM and revises gene expression. Integrative omics analysis highlights the potent influence of methionine/SAM on NR4A2 expression in a tumor-specific manner, mediated by the IGF2BP2-dependent stabilization of methylated NR4A2mRNA. We demonstrate that NR4A2 facilitates ESCC growth and negatively impacts patient survival. We further identify celecoxib as an effective inhibitor of NR4A2, offering promise as a new anti-ESCC agent. In summary, our findings underscore the active methionine cycle as a critical metabolic characteristic in ESCC, and pinpoint NR4A2as a novel methionine-responsive oncogene, thereby presenting a compelling target potentially superior to methionine restriction.

The effect of inorganic anion impurities in sodium aluminate solution on the composition, structure and micro-morphology of desilication products (DSPs) based on the low-temperature Bayer process was systematically investigated via XRD, FT-IR, SEM and PSD methods. The sodalites with chloride-type, carbonate-type and nosean-type precipitate in the presence of chloride, sulfate and carbonate in solution, and the aluminate ions in DSPs are partly replaced by the incorporation of anion impurities. The binding capability of sulfate to the DSPs cage is stronger than aluminate, chloride and carbonate. The particle size, agglomeration degree and thickness of the circular lamellar structure of DSPs are increased by rising the concentration of anion impurities. The anions enhance the dissolution of the zeolite framework and the formation of tetradentate rings in sodalite, which promotes the transformation of zeolite to sodalite.

Pyrolysis is a promising thermochemical conversion technology, which can convert biomass and cellulose into value-added products. Herein, a new approach of oxalic acid-assisted staged fast pyrolysis (OASFP) of cellulose was developed, achieving the coproduction of 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-α-d-glucopyranose (DGP), furfural (FF), and formic acid (FA) in separated pyrolysis stages. The lab-scale tests demonstrated that a selectivity of 71.6% and a yield of 31.5 wt % for FA in the aqueous phase, as well as a selectivity of 55.6% and a yield of 1.2 wt % for FF in the organic phase, were achieved in the primary pyrolysis stage under the optimized conditions (primary pyrolysis temperature of 220 °C and cellulose-to-oxalic acid (OA) ratio of 1:3). During the subsequent secondary pyrolysis process at 400 °C, the decomposition of the solid residue achieved a yield of 7.2 wt % and a selectivity of 32.7% for DGP. The interaction between OA and cellulose during the primary pyrolysis stage was essential for DGP generation. The formation mechanism of major products and the role of OA were revealed based on experiments and density functional theory calculations. In total, the OASFP of cellulose offers new possibilities and opportunities for biomass utilization.

To enhance microstructure and mechanical properties, arcing-wire arc additive manufacturing (AWAAM) with alternating deposition strategy was firstly employed to produce nickel‑aluminum bronze (NAB)-steel components. The implementation of alternating deposition strategy fostered the creation of interlocked microstructures, establishing robust bonds at the interface. Moreover, the convection within the melt pool during alternating deposition induced the formation of numerous precipitates, serving as a precipitation reinforcement. Simultaneously, these precipitates served as heterogeneous nucleation sites, facilitating the formation of substantial fine equiaxed crystals, resulting in grain boundary strengthening. A comprehensive examination of microstructure and mechanical properties was conducted using a variety of microscopy techniques and mechanical testing for components with and without arcing-wire. After applying arcing-wire, precise control was exerted over the melting of both matrix and wire, effectively preventing interface cracking caused by excessive melting. Moreover, with the arc heat input diminished, the temperature gradient in the melt pool decreased, leading to grain and precipitate refinement, consequently enhancing their strength. Owing to microstructural modifications, AWAAM demonstrated enhancements in ultimate tensile strength and yield strength by up to 20.1 % and 21.1 %, respectively, when compared to WAAM.

Flexible membranes with ultrathin thickness and excellent mechanical properties have shown great potential for broad uses in solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), on-skin electronics, etc. However, an ultrathin membrane (<5 μm) is rarely reported in the above applications due to the inherent trade-off between thickness and antifailure ability. We discover a protic solvent penetration strategy to prepare ultrathin, ultrastrong layered films through a continuous interweaving of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) with the assistance of simultaneous protonation and penetration of a protic solvent. The thickness of a pure ANF film can be controlled below 5 μm, with a tensile strength of 556.6 MPa, allowing us to produce the thinnest SPE (3.4 μm). The resultant SPEs enable Li–S batteries to cycle over a thousand times at a high rate of 1C due to the small ionic impedance conferred by the ultrathin characteristic and regulated ionic transportation. Besides, a high loading of the sulfur cathode (4 mg cm–2) with good sulfur utilization was achieved at a mild temperature (35 °C), which is difficult to realize in previously reported solid-state Li–S batteries. Through a simple laminating process at the wet state, the thicker film (tens of micrometers) obtained exhibits mechanical properties comparable to those of thin films and possesses the capability to withstand high-velocity projectile impacts, indicating that our technique features a high degree of thickness controllability. We believe that it can serve as a valuable tool to assemble nanomaterials into ultrathin, ultrastrong membranes for various applications.

The coupling strengthening principle of the double physical effect of plasma shock−cavitation was proposed, and the rationality of the cavitation effect in pulsed laser shock treatment under liquid−confined conditions needs to be confirmed urgently. The XRD testing method and 304 stainless steel, which is easy to obtain diffraction peaks, were selected to quantitatively detect and characterize the residual stress distribution in the action area of a single pulse laser beam. The test results and literature analysis show that the different process conditions of laser shock processing bring about different strength matching of the two stress effects of plasma shock and cavitation, and the main source of stress effect of femtosecond laser shock without coating is the cavitation effect. The actual effects of the laser pulse width and other process parameters such as the absorption layer and the constraint layer affect or determine the material modification principle of the pulsed laser surface treatment.

The smoothing reactor is prone to surface discharge at the end of the junction between the star frame and external insulation. To enhance the dc surface discharge voltage of the cladding insulation of the smoothing reactor, 3, $3'$ ,4, $4'$ -diphenylketetracylic anhydride (BTDA) is used to enhance the molecular chain crosslinking degree of epoxy/glass fiber (EP/glass) composites, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy, surface trap distribution, surface charge distribution, surface conductivity, and surface discharge voltage of modified fiber were conducted, and influence mechanism of BTDA on the surface flashover of EP/glass composites was clarified. The findings demonstrate that the surface discharge voltage increases to its maximum level with a 15 wt% addition of BTDA, which is 17.3% higher than the value for pure EP/glass material. The FTIR results illustrate a small amount of BTDA agent can introduce the carbonyl groups and improve the crosslinking degree of epoxy resin. The carbonyl groups can effectively improve the trap level and density of the EP/glass composites, forming a coulomb shield to inhibit the accumulation of surface charge, reducing the surface conductivity, and improving the surface discharge voltage. Excessive BTDA modification will make the orbital degeneracy of the outermost electrons of the polarity group, reducing the trap energy level and density and causing the buildup of surface charges, finally improving the surface conductivity and reducing the surface discharge voltage. This study provides a reliable route to raise the surface discharge voltage by directly promoting the crosslinking of molecular chains of polymer composites.

Background: Neurogenic bladder (NB) is a form of neurological bladder dysfunction characterized by excessive contraction of the bladder detrusor. Protein kinase A (PKA) signaling is involved in the contraction of the detrusor muscle.Aims: To investigate whether PKA signaling mediates the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the excessive contraction of the bladder detrusor in NB.Methods: Sixty rats were randomly divided into control, sham, NB, NB + EA, and NB + EA + H89 (a PKA receptor antagonist) groups. The modified Hassan Shaker spinal cord transection method was used to generate a NB model. After EA intervention for one week, urodynamic tests were used to evaluate bladder function, hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to assess morphological changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the concentration of PKA, and Western blotting was conducted to measure the protein levels of phosphorylated myosin light chain kinase (p-MLCK)/p-MLC.Results: The results showed that NB resulted in morphological disruption, impairment of urodynamics, and decreases in the concentration of PKA and the protein levels of p-MLCK/p-MLC. EA reversed the changes induced by NB dysfunction. However, the improvement in urodynamics and the increases in the concentration of PKA and the protein levels of p-MLCK/p-MLC were inhibited by H89.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the PKA signaling pathway mediates the beneficial effect of EA on excessive contraction of the bladder detrusor in a rat model of NB.

Quantum networks have emerged as a future platform for quantum information exchange and applications, with promising capabilities far beyond traditional communication networks. Remote quantum entanglement is an essential component of a quantum network. How to efficiently design a multi-routing entanglement protocol is a fundamental yet challenging problem. In this paper, we study a quantum entanglement routing problem to simultaneously maximize the number of quantum-user pairs and their expected throughput. Our approach is to formulate the problem as two sequential integer programming problems. We propose efficient entanglement routing algorithms for these two optimization problems and analyze their time complexity and performance bounds. Evaluation results highlight that our approach outperforms existing solutions in both the number of quantum-user pairs served and network throughput.

Unexpected facture without any room-temperature plasticity severely limits potential structural applications of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), especially La-, Mg- and Fe-based ones. In this study, a simple free corrosion method was provided to improve the plasticity of a brittle (La, Ce)-based BMG by the introduction of high-density corrosion defects on the surface. The influences of immersing time in 0.1 mol/L H2SO4aqueous solution on the surface morphology and mechanical properties of the BMG were evaluated. With increasing immersing time from 5 to 30 min, the degree of surface corrosion increased obviously, and the distribution of corrosion defects became more homogenous. In the samples, the yielding phenomenon and certain plasticity appeared up to 0.3% after the surface treatment. The yielding and plasticity can be attributed to easier nucleation of shear bands on the defect surface rather than on the glabrous surface. The results provided a novel method to improve the plasticity of BMGs.

1060/7N01/1060 laminated composites with reliable bonding interfaces were successfully fabricated via single-pass hot rolling at 475 °C. The effects of layer thickness ratios on microstructure and mechanical property of synthesized laminates were studied using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and electron backscattered diffraction technique accompanied with hardness and tensile testing. Moreover, microstructure and mechanical property of DCR (direct cold rolling) and ACR (solution annealing and peak ageing plus cold rolling) samples were also explored. The results show that layer thickness ratios have little effect on microstructure of each layer in hot-rolled sheets, and their mechanical properties are consistent with theoretical predictions based on the rule of mixture. In comparison, extra heat treatment has no obvious effect on grain size of pure aluminium layers. However, smaller strip-like grains along with dispersed, finer precipitates are formed in 7N01 layer of ACR samples, leading to stronger grain refinement strengthening, precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening.

Quantum Internet has the potential to support a wide range of applications in quantum communication and quantum computing by generating, distributing, and processing quantum information. Generating a long-distance quantum entanglement is one of the most fundamental functions of a quantum Internet to facilitate these applications. However, entanglement is a probabilistic process, and its success rate drops significantly as distance increases. Entanglement-swapping is an efficient technique used to address this challenge. How to efficiently manage the entanglement through swapping is a fundamental yet challenging problem. This article considers two entanglement-swapping methods: (1) Bell state measurement (BSM) entanglement-swapping: a classic entanglement-swapping method that is able to fuse two successful quantum links, (2) Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) measurement entanglement-swapping: a more general and efficient swapping method which is capable of fusing $n$ successful quantum links. The goal is to maximize the entanglement rate for multiple quantum processor unit (QPU) pairs over the quantum Internet with a general topology. Two efficient entanglement management protocols are proposed which respectively make use of the unique properties of BSM and GHZ. Evaluation results highlight that the proposed protocols outperform the existing ones.

Groundwater is an important source of drinking water in arid areas and groundwater quality can affect human health. In the present study, 42 groundwater samples were collected from the aeolian-sand area of Yulin City, Northwest China, to better understand the groundwater quality for drinking purpose. The water quality index (WQI) was employed to evaluate the groundwater quality, and the associated human health risk was assessed using the assessment models proposed by USEPA for infants, children, and adults. The results showed that the groundwater was slightly alkaline, soft, and fresh water in the study area. The main anion and cation were Ca2+and HCO3−, respectively, and the main processes controlling the groundwater quality were the dissolution of silicate minerals and cation exchange. NO3−concentration ranged from 0.50 to 98.00 mg/L, with a mean value of 19.13 mg/L. Among the 42 samples, 15 groundwater samples had high NO3−concentration exceeding the acceptable limit (20 mg/L) prescribed by the standard for groundwater quality of China for drinking purpose. In addition, WQI ranged from 5.5 to 132.5, indicating significant variation in water quality in the study area. Most of the groundwater samples (90.5%) were in the categories of excellent to good water for drinking purpose. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic risk of Hazard Quotient (NCHQ) for infants, children, and adults ranged from 0.0136 to 2.6630, 0.0130 to 2.5548, and from 0.0125 to 2.4500, respectively. The order of the NCHQ was infants > children > adults. The areas with high WQI and NCHQ were situated in the agricultural region, where the groundwater was polluted by nitrate due to excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers and large amount of untreated excreta of animals. These results would be helpful to establish reasonable management strategies for sustainable groundwater quality protection.

Surface flashover occurs at the external insulation of epoxy-based dry-type air-core reactors, which suffers from severe electric field distortion at the interface between the star-frame arm and epoxy/glass composites. A study on the triggering factors of ac and dc surface flashovers and their effects on the characteristics of ac/dc superimposed flashovers is urgently needed. In this study, the characteristics of surface flashover, partial discharge (PD), and surface charge were measured on the surface of epoxy composites using dc voltage, ac voltage, and ac/dc superposition with different voltage ratios. The PD intensity increases, the surface charge density decreases, and the flashover voltage lowers as the ac content of the ac/dc superimposed voltage increases. When the component of dc increases, the trends of flashover voltage, PD, and charge density are opposite to those for the ac component. According to the link between the three components, surface charge is the triggering issue of dc flashover, but PD rather than surface charge accumulation is the dominant factor of ac flashover. The main effect of surface charge accumulation is to distort the electric field at the high-voltage (HV) electrode’s triple junctions (HTJs) and generate more initial electrons under dc voltage, while the main effect of PD in ac flashover is to directly intensify the gas discharge and generate more electrons. This study reveals the predominant triggering factors of ac and dc flashover and their impact mechanisms on ac/dc superimposed surface flashover, providing theoretical guidance for subsequent enhancement of ac/dc superimposed flashover characteristics of power equipment.

The applications of SF6 alternatives in advanced electrical equipment face many challenges from the perspectives of insulation, decomposition, arc quenching, compatibility, and biosafety. Surface flashover, which is strongly affected by gas properties, is a basic insulation problem for most equipment, but its performance has not been investigated in perfluoropentanone (C5F10O) until now. In this work, the dc flashover performances of epoxy (EP) nanocomposites in C5F10O mixing gas are first investigated, and the applicability of C5F10O is discussed. The experimental results indicate that surface flashover voltage in C5F10O/carbon dioxide (CO2) is 20% lower than pure SF6 when the content of C5F10O is 20% but significantly higher than the SF6/CO2 with the same mixing ratio, and it indicates that C5F10O mixing gas is potential insulation gas to replace SF6. Then, the effects of gas and solid properties on surface flashover in C5F10O/CO2 are discussed using the density functional theory (DFT). It is founded that surface flashover voltage is dominated by positive surface area and average static electronic polarization of gas molecules, which determines the electron attachment process in the plasma propagation process. On the other hand, the incorporation of nanoparticles connects EP molecular chains and introduces large amounts of deep traps into the matrix. The enhanced deep trap level and density impede the surface charge injection from the cathode, reducing surface charge accumulation and electric field distribution and finally improving surface flashover voltage.

Coarsening of cuboidal γ′ precipitates and relevant diffusion process in Ni-based single-crystal superalloy CMSX-4 were investigated at 1000, 1020 and 1040 °C for specific times. The γ′ coarsening kinetics followed a cubic rate law with time and was presumably controlled by bulk diffusion of elements in γmatrix. The associated diffusion activation energy was experimentally determined to be about 300 kJ/mol when it is considered the temperature-dependent thermo-physical parameters in modified Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner theory. The influence of temperature on γ/γ′ microstructure is briefly discussed based on pseudo-binary [Ni]–[Al] phase diagram. Interactions among elements can effectively raise the local vacancy formation and vacancy–atom exchange barriers close to γ- and γ′-partitioning elements, respectively. Thus, it can significantly reduce the inter-coupling migrations of atoms during the macroscopic cross-diffusion process associated with γ′ coarsening of Ni-based superalloys.