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We present extensive optical/ultraviolet observations and modelling analysis for the nearby SN 1987A-like peculiar Type II supernova (SN) 2018hna. Both photometry and spectroscopy covered phases extending to $>$500 days after the explosion, making it one of the best-observed SN II of this subtype. SN 2018hna is obviously bluer than SN 1987A during the photospheric phase, suggesting higher photospheric temperature, which may account for weaker BaII $\mathrm{\lambda}$6142 lines in its spectra. Analysis of early-time temperature evolution suggests a radius of $\sim$45 $\mathrm{R_{\odot}}$ for the progenitor of SN 2018hna, consistent with a blue supergiant (BSG). By fitting the bolometric light curve with hydrodynamical models, we find that SN 2018hna has an ejecta mass of $\sim$(13.7--17.7) $\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$, a kinetic energy of $\sim$ (1.0--1.2) $\times 10^{51}$ erg, and a $^{56}$Ni mass of about 0.05 $\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$. Moreover, based on standard stellar evolution and the oxygen mass (0.44--0.73 $\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$) deduced from nebular [OI] lines, the progenitor of SN 2018hna is expected to have an initial main-sequence mass $, Comment: 18 pages; accepted for publication in MNRAS

Nitrogen-doping in Ga2O3 films is proposed to decrease the concentration of oxygen vacancies and further improve the performance of solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors.

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is common and independently correlated with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to explore whether atrial cardiomyopathy (ACM) markers improve NOAF risk assessment and contribute to therapy decision-making to improve prognosis.We retrospectively analyzed 4713 patients with AMI without a documented history of atrial fibrillation (AF). We measured markers of ACM including P-wave terminal force in ECG lead V1 (PTFV1), Left atrial dimension (LAD), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Patients were stratified into tertiles of PTFV1, LAD, and BNP levels. Associations between markers and NOAF were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.Overall, 222 (4.71%) patients had NOAF out of 4713 patients. The prevalence of NOAF increased gradually with PTFV1, LAD, and BNP tertiles. On multivariable regression analysis with potential confounders, elevated PTFV1, LAD, and BNP markers were significantly associated with an increased risk of NOAF. The addition of PTFV1, LAD, and BNP to the AF risk factors recommended by the 2020 ESC Guidelines significantly improved risk discrimination for NOAF.Atrial cardiomyopathy markers including PTFV1, LAD, and BNP were strongly associated with NOAF after AMI. The prediction performance of the clinical model for NOAF was increased by the addition of these markers.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of atrial remodeling. However, the differentially expressed genes in atria during the development of AF induced by hyperglycemia have rarely been reported. Here, we showed time-dependent increased AF incidence and duration, atrial enlargement, inflammation, fibrosis, conduction time and action potential duration in db/db mice, a model of T2DM. RNA sequencing analysis showed that 2256 genes were differentially expressed in the atria at 12, 14 and 16 weeks. Gene Ontology analysis showed that these genes participate primarily in cell adhesion, cellular response to interferon-beta, immune system process, positive regulation of cell migration, ion transport and cellular response to interferon-gamma. Analysis of significant pathways revealed the IL-17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, and cAMP receptor signaling. Additionally, these differentially expressed genes were classified into 50 profiles by hierarchical clustering analysis. Twelve of these profiles were significant and comprised 1115 genes. Gene coexpression network analysis identified that mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10) was localized in the core of the gene network and was the most highly expressed gene at different time points. Knockdown of MAPK10 markedly attenuated DM-induced AF incidence, atrial inflammation, fibrosis, electrical disorder and apoptosis in db/db mice. In summary, the present findings revealed that many genes are involved in DM-induced AF and that MAPK10 plays a central role in this disease, indicating that strategies targeting MAPK10 may represent a potential therapeutic approach to treat DM-induced AF.

IntroductionAnaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) plays a vital role in the global nitrogen cycle by oxidizing ammonium to nitrogen under anaerobic environments. However, the existence, abundance, and diversity of anammox bacteria between different temperatures are less studied, particularly in purple paddy soils.Methods13C-DNA stable-isotope probe combined with Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing was employed to explore soil abundance and diversity of anammox bacteria. In doing so, 40–60 cm depth soils from typical purple paddy soils in Chongqing, southwest China, were cultured under 12CO2-labeled and 13CO2-labeled at 35°C, 25°C, 15°C, and 5°C for 56 days.Results and DiscussionAnammox bacteria were not labeled at all by 13CO2 at 5°C. The highest abundance of anammox bacteria was found at 25°C (3.52 × 106~3.66 × 106 copies·g−1 dry soil), followed by 35°C and 15°C (2.01 × 106~2.37 × 106 copies·g−1 dry soil) and almost no increase at 5°C. The relative abundance of Candidatus Jettenia sp. was higher at 25°C and 15°C, while Candidatus Brocadia sp. was higher at 35°C and 5°C. Our results revealed differences in anammox bacteria at different temperatures in purple paddy soils, which could provide a better understanding of soil N cycling regulated by anammox bacteria.

This article introduces a capacitor-voltage-balancing method based on optimal zero-sequence voltage injection in a stacked multicell converter (SMC). The proposed method is implemented using hybrid carrier pulsewidth modulation and is capable of balancing and regulating the voltages of dc-link capacitors and floating capacitors in the topology. The dynamic model of voltage fluctuation and the coupling relationship of voltage-balancing control between dc-link capacitors and floating capacitors are analyzed. The optimal zero-sequence voltage selection method is presented to address the voltage deviations of dc-link capacitors with the maximal regulation ability for floating capacitor-voltage-balancing control. Compared with the active capacitor-voltage-balancing (ACVB) method, the proposed method calculates the compensation current of the neutral point (NP) and chooses the optimal zero-sequence voltage in the whole available range. As a result, the low-frequency voltage ripples in NP can be suppressed with excellent dynamic performance under wider load conditions. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

ObjectiveThe study aims to assess two refractive instrument-based methods of vision screening (SureSight and PlusoptiX) to detect refractive amblyopia risk factors (ARFs) and significant refractive errors in Chinese preschool children and to develop referral criteria according to the 2021 AAPOS guidelines.MethodsEye examinations were conducted in children aged 61 to 72 months (n = 1,173) using a PlusoptiX photoscreener, SureSight autorefractor, and cycloplegic retinoscopy (CR). The Vision Screening Committee of AAPOS's preschool vision screening guidelines from 2021 were adopted for comparison. Paired t-test analysis and Bland–Altman plots were used to assess the differences and agreement between the PlusoptiX photoscreener, SureSight autorefractor, and CR. In addition, the validity of the cut-off values of the several ARFs measured with the SureSight and PlusoptiX was estimated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and compared to the age-based 2021 AAPOS examination failure levels.ResultsA total of 1,173 children were tested with comprehensive eye examinations. When the referral numbers based on the 2013 (43/3.67%) and 2021 (42/3.58%) AAPOS guidelines were compared, significant differences between the values of astigmatism (72.09 vs. 52.38%) and anisometropia (11.63 vs. 38.10%) were found. The 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of the spherical value and the cylindrical value between PlusoptiX and CR were 95.08 and 96.29%. It was 93.87 and 98.10% between SureSight and CR. Considering refractive failure levels, the ROC curves obtained the optimal cut-off points. However, the PlusoptiX and the SureSight showed lower efficiency in hyperopia (Youden index, 0.60 vs. 0.83) and myopia (Youden index, 078 vs. 0.93), respectively. After adjusting the above cut-off points, the optimized NES (Nanjing Eye Study) referral criteria for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia were –0.75, 1.25, –1.0, and 0.5 with PlusoptiX and –1.25, 2.75, –1.5, and 0.75 with SureSight.ConclusionsSureSight and PlusoptiX showed a good correlation with CR and could effectively detect refractive ARFs and visually significant refractive errors. There were obvious advantages in detecting hyperopia using SureSight and myopia using PlusoptiX. We proposed instrumental referral criteria for age-based preschool children based on AAPOS 2021 guidelines.

BackgroundContemporary data on atrial cardiomyopathy (ACM) markers and ischemic cerebrovascular events (ICVE) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is lacking. We aimed to examine whether ACM markers predict ICVE among AMI patients.Materials and methodsA total of 4,206 AMI cases diagnosed in clinical examinations between January 2016 and June 2021 were assessed for markers of ACM including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), P-wave terminal force in ECG lead V1 (PTFV1), and left atrium diameter (LAD). Left atrial enlargement (LAE) and abnormal PTFV1 were defined by previously published cut-off points. The primary outcome was incident ICVE composed of ischemic stroke (IS) and transient ischemic attack (TIA). Receiver operating curve analyses were used to compare the predictive performance of the CHA2DS2-VASc score combined with ACM markers to the CHA2DS2-VASc score alone.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 44.0 months, 229 (5.44%) ICVE occurred. Of these, 156 individuals developed IS and the remaining 73 cases were diagnosed with TIAs. The ICVE group showed larger PTFV1 and increased LAD as well as elevated BNP levels at baseline. In the multivariate analysis, we found significant associations with ICVE for PTFV1 (HR per 1,000 μV*ms, 1.143; 95% CI, 1.093–1.196), LAD (HR per millimeter, 1.148; 95% CI, 1.107–1.190), but not BNP after adjusting for known ICVE risk factors and interim atrial fibrillation (AF). The addition of abnormal PTFV1 and LAE improved the predictive accuracy of the CHA2DS2-VASc score with C-statistic increasing from 0.708 to 0.761 (p < 0.001).ConclusionAtrial cardiomyopathy markers including PTFV1 and LAD were associated with incident ICVE independent of well-established risk factors and AF occurrence. The addition of ACM markers with CHA2DS2-VASc score may well discriminate individuals at high risk of ICVE in AMI patients.

Left atrial thrombus (LAT)/left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (LASEC) still exists in CHAA total of 834 NVAF patients with complete data on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors that associate with LAT/SEC, and a nomogram was established based on the results. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis were performed to verify the predictive power of nomogram.The rates for LAT/SEC for the training and validation cohorts were 84 (14.7%) and 30 (11.4%), respectively. Independent factors including age, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial diameter (LAD), smoke, non-paroxysmal AF (NPAF), and E/e' were considered to construct the nomogram for LAT/SEC. The AUC for nomogram was 0.839 and 0.811 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The calibration and decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had a good prediction capacity and would be clinically useful.Age, LVEF, LAD, smoke, NPAF, and E/e' are independently associated with LAT/SEC in NVAF patients with low/borderline CHA

Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive disease, could cause extra-esophageal symptoms. Peroral endoscopic cardial constriction with band ligation (PECC-b) is a minimally invasive method for the treatment of GERD in recent years. The goals of this study were to evaluate the clinical efficacy of PECC-b to treat gastroesophageal reflux-related symptoms. Methods A retrospective study of patients undergoing PECC-b between January 2017 and December 2018 at a single institution was conducted. All patients confirmed GERD by endoscopy, esophageal PH-impedance monitoring, esophageal manometry and symptom questionnaires. The outcome measures included reflux-related scores, patients’ satisfaction and drug independence after 12 months following surgery. Results A total of 68 patients, with follow-up of 12 months post surgery, were included in the final analysis. The symptom scores were all significantly decreased as compared with preoperation (P P Conclusions The PECC-b is a safe, effective and recommended approach for the control of GERD-related symptoms. Further multicenter prospective studies are required to confirm these outcomes.

Fe-zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)@C (Fe-ZIF wrapped by carbon) anode material has been manufactured. It has porous nanostructure, which can effectively shorten the distance of lithium ion transmission, thus achieving excellent rate performance, and can also reduce the volume expansion in the charging and discharging process, thus reducing the attenuation of capacity. The external carbon coating avoids direct contact between Fe-ZIF and the electrolyte, inhibits decomposition of the electrolyte, and impedes formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film, thus obtaining higher reversible capacity in the cycling process. At a current density of 100 mA/g, Fe-ZIF@C achieves a high discharge capacity of 719 mAh/g after 100 cycles. This research shows that Fe-ZIF@C has potential for use as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

In this work, the unique Zn-Co nitrogen-doped porous carbon (Zn-Co/NPC) polyhedrons have been successfully synthesized via pyrolysis of bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) precursor under N2, wherein the metallic Co and Zn particles are dispersed in the porous carbon matrix. The obtained porous carbons show a high surface area (315.67 m2 g−1) and contain plenty of mesopores. The unique mesoporous structure benefits from either the carbonization of organic ligands and the catalytic effect of metallic Co in calcination process or the elimination of a certain amount of metal species in acid dissolution. As an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the Zn-Co/NPC particles exhibit superior lithium storage capabilities with excellent cycling properties. It demonstrates a high discharge capacity of 970 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Besides, a reversible capacity of 813.5 mA h g−1 was retained at a much higher current density of 0.5 A g−1 after 500 cycles. The enhanced electrochemical performance was attributed to the unique microstructure, nitrogen doping, and the synergistic effect of Zn and Co embedded in carbon matrix.

In this paper, Co3O4/NiO/C composites were prepared by in situ co-precipitation and heat treatment with Zn/Co-ZIF-derived N-doped porous carbon as carbon matrix. The structure and constituent of Co3O4/NiO/C composites were detected by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and other test methods. The result showed that NiCo-LDH nanosheets grew evenly on the surface of porous carbon matrix. Co3O4/NiO/C composites retained the dodecahedral shape of the carbon matrix. Electrochemical performance was investigated through electrochemical workstation and LAND-CT2001A battery test system. The results showed that the Co3O4/NiO/C electrode has a higher initial discharge specific capacity of 1673.0 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, and it could still maintain the discharge specific capacity of 1167.8 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles. The Co3O4/NiO/C showed a high reversible capacity of 812.3 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. The Co3O4/NiO/C electrode exhibited excellent lithium storage performance, which can be attributed to the unique functionalities of the ternary components: NiO and Co3O4 can guarantee high specific capacity, while the carbon matrix can improve the conductivity and the stability of the structure. Therefore, Co3O4/NiO/C composite was expected to be anode material for lithium storage equipment.

The design of scaffolds for tissue engineering has to consider two trade-off properties: mechanical and mass-transport properties. This is particularly true for additively manufactured scaffolds with the structures of minimal surfaces, and notably, the influence of the surface curvature of the structure on the mechanical and mass-transport properties remains unclear. This work presents our study on the scaffolds designed with the structure of triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), with a focus on discovering the influence of surface curvature on the mechanical response and the mass-transport property or permeability of the scaffolds. Based on the entropy weight fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, a model representative of both mechanical and permeable properties of scaffolds was developed; scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and finite element analysis (FEA) were also used to reveal the influence mechanism of curvature on structural fracture and deformation behavior. AlSi10Mg samples of scaffolds designed with different surface curvatures were manufactured using selective laser melting (SLM), and their mechanical and permeable properties were examined and characterized by both experiments and simulations. Our results illustrate that at the same porosity, the more concentrated the curvature distribution of the same type of unit, the better trade-off mechanical and mass-transport properties the scaffolds have. Particularly, at the porosity of 55%, the compressive elastic modulus and permeability of the Dte structure are increased by 2.03 times and 1.95 times compared with the Diamond unit, respectively. The fusion structure can greatly improve permeability performance at the cost of mechanical properties. Our results also show that porosity has the greatest influence on mechanical and permeable properties, followed by the surface curvature. The study illustrates that the surface curvature has a significant influence on the mechanical and permeable properties of scaffolds, and that the developed scaffold performance evaluation scheme is an effective means for the optimization and evaluation of scaffold performance.

BackgroundRecurrence after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is still common.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the predictive abilities of AF duration and early recurrence (ER) to discriminate high-risk patients for recurrence.MethodsWe enrolled 1,763 consecutive patients with AF who were scheduled to receive the index radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) from January 2016 to August 2021 in Dalian, China. Long AF duration (LAFD) was considered if the course of AF lasted for ≥ 12 months. ER was defined as any atrial tachycardia (AT) or AF event longer than 30 s occurring within a 3-month post-RFCA.ResultsLate recurrence occurred in 643 (36.5%) of the 1,763 patients at a median of 35 months after RFCA. Multivariate analysis identified LAFD (hazard ratio (HR): 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38–2.35, p < 0.001) and ER (HR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.82–3.01, p < 0.001) as strong independent predictors of late recurrence in non-paroxysmal AF. Similarly, LAFD (HR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.20–1.84, p < 0.001) and ER (HR: 3.40, 95% CI: 2.68–4.30, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with late recurrence in paroxysmal AF. Receiver operating curve analyses revealed that the CAAP-AF (CAD, Atrial diameter, Age, Persistent or longstanding AF, Antiarrhythmic drugs failed, Female) had the highest predict power [area under ROC curve (AUC) 0.586]. The addition of ER and LAFD to the CAAP-AF score significantly improved risk discrimination for late recurrence after AF ablation from 0.586 to 0.686.ConclusionLong AF duration and ER were independently associated with late recurrence. The prediction performance of the CAAP-AF model for recurrence was improved by the addition of LAFD and ER.

We present multi-band photometric and spectroscopic observations of the type II supernova, (SN) 2019va, which shows an unusually flat plateau-phase evolution in its V-band light curve. Its pseudo-bolometric light curve even shows a weak brightening towards the end of the plateau phase. These uncommon features are related to the influence of 56Ni decay on the light curve during the plateau phase, when the SN emission is usually dominated by cooling of the envelope. The inferred 56Ni mass of SN 2019va is 0.088+/-0.018 solar mass, which is significantly larger than most SNe II. To estimate the influence of 56Ni decay on the plateau-phase light curve, we calculate the ratio (dubbed as eta_Ni) between the integrated time-weighted energy from 56Ni decay and that from envelope cooling within the plateau phase, obtaining a value of 0.8 for SN 2019va, which is the second largest value among SNe II that have been measured. After removing the influence of 56Ni decay on the plateau-phase light curve, we found that the progenitor/explosion parameters derived for SN 2019va are more reasonable. In addition, SN 2019va is found to have weaker metal lines in its spectra compared to other SNe IIP at similar epochs, implying a low-metallicity progenitor, which is consistent with the metal-poor environment inferred from the host-galaxy spectrum. We further discuss the possible reasons that might lead to SN 2019va-like events., Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures, accepted by MNRAS

Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) has a promising application in the design of bone scaffolds due to its relevance in bone structure. Notably, the mechanical properties of TPMS scaffolds can be affected by many factors, including the spatial angle and surface curvature, which, however, remain to be discovered. This paper illustrates our study on the mechanical properties of tissue scaffolds consisting of TPMS structures (Primitive and I-WP) by considering the influence of spatial angle and surface curvature. Also, the development of a novel model representative of the mechanical properties of scaffolds based on the entropy weight fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is also presented. For experimental investigation and validation, we employed the selective laser melting technology to manufacture scaffolds with varying structures from AlSi10Mg powder and then performed mechanical testing on the scaffolds. Our results show that for a given porosity, the Gaussian curvature of the stretched TPMS structures is more concentrated and have a higher elastic modulus and fatigue life. At the spatial angle θ = 27°, the shear modulus of the primitive unit reaches its largest value; the shear modulus of the I-WP unit is positively correlated with the spatial angle. Additionally, it is found that the comprehensive mechanical properties of TPMS structures can be significantly improved after changing the surface curvature. Taken together, the identified influence of spatial angle and surface curvature and the developed models of scaffold mechanical properties would be of significant advance and guidance for the design and development of bone scaffolds.

Background: The predictive power of the CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores for the presence of Left atrial thrombus (LAT)/ spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is modest. The aim of this analysis is to define clinical and ultrasonic variables associated with LAT/SEC and to propose nomograms for individual risk prediction.Methods: Data on 1,813 consecutive NVAF patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) from January 2016 to January 2021 were collected. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to construct a nomogram. We examined the predictive ability of the risk scores by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Moreover, the performance of the nomogram was assessed with respect to calibration, discrimination, and clinical usefulness.Results: LAT/SEC was found in 260 (21.0%) and 124 (21.6%) patients in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. On multivariate analysis, independent factors for LAT/SEC were Age, left atrial diameter (LAD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), hypertension (HTN), previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, Non-paroxysmal AF and a nomogram was built based on these variables. The calibration curve for the probability of LAT/SEC showed good prediction agreement with actual observation. The nomogram achieved good concordance indexes of 0.836 and 0.794 in predicting LAT/SEC in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram would be clinically useful.Conclusions: In this study, a nomogram was constructed that incorporated six characteristics of NVAF patients. The nomogram may be of great value for the prediction of LAT/SEC in NVAF patients.

Parity-time $(\mathcal{PT})$ symmetry, originally conceived for non-Hermitian open quantum systems, has opened an exciting avenue towards coherent control of light for significant applications. Here we propose a paradigm towards non-Hermitian photonics based on the charge-parity $(\mathcal{CP})$ symmetry, in which the charge conjugation and parity symmetries are broken individually but preserved jointly. Such a symmetry-breaking scheme induces a transition from dielectric to hyperbolic dispersions in chiral dielectrics, leading to lossless all-dielectric hyperbolic metamaterials. More interestingly, the $\mathcal{CP}$-symmetry transition represents a non-Hermitian topological phase transition that occurs at infinite energy and requires no explicit band gap closing. We further showcase broad applications of $\mathcal{CP}$-symmetric photonics such as an all-angle polarization-dependent beam splitter and enhanced spontaneous emission. The $\mathcal{CP}$ symmetry opens an unexplored pathway for non-Hermitian topological photonics by bringing new physics into strong chiral metamaterials, therefore providing a powerful tool for engineering many promising applications in photonics and other related fields.

In this research, the precursors of ZnO/ZnFe2O4 microcubes are synthesized by a facile mixed solution method using Prussian blue (PB) and Zn(AC)2. The precursors were heat-treated at the right temperature to obtain the desired compound. The structure and shape of desired specimens are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis techniques. The electrochemical properties of the samples are researched by battery testing system. The results show that ZnO/ZnFe2O4 samples obtained by solution method have good electrochemical properties. The ZnO/ZnFe2O4 shows a high discharge capacity of 863 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles under a current density of 100 mA g−1. This study shows that ZnO/ZnFe2O4 has the potential as a novel anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Micro-nanostructure metal oxides derived from metal organic frameworks had attracted widely attention due to their potential application in high energy density lithium ion batteries. In this work, ZnO/Co3O4/CoO/Co composite materials were successfully synthesized by a facile approach through calcination of preformed Zn-Co-ZIF precursor and tested as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. This porous composite materials exhibit superior lithium storage capabilities with good cycling stability and rate capability. It demonstrates a reversible capacity (972.6 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1 after 100 cycles), excellent rate capability (681.2 mA h g−1 at 1000 mA g−1). The enhanced electrochemical performance of the porous ZnO/Co3O4/CoO/Co hybrid composite materials can be ascribed to the synergetic effect of multi-component functional micro/nanoparticles systems.

In this study, a model test system of shield driving adjacent to pile is realized to study the response of surrounding rock and pile induced by an advanced shield tunnel in silty clay layer in a coastal area. The function of automatic pushing and the synchronous grouting of the shield were partially simulated. Similar materials of lining, soft rock and pile, were developed. A total of 33 sets of orthogonal model tests were designed to study the progressive failure caused by excavation in silty clay and the change in stratum displacement and soil pressure; the displacement and internal force response of the pile were also analyzed. The following conclusions can be given: (1) the best grouting filling coefficient range of the shield test for the case study is 1.4 to 1.6; (2) the fitting of the experimental data to obtain the settlement through the width parameter suggests that the K value of the surrounding rock is decreased by 0.075 at least, and the K value increases with the increase in pile-tunnel distance and decreases with the increase in pile depth; and (3) the weak surrounding rock in the tunnel system can be divided into five zones according to the displacement and pressure change in soft surrounding rock and the pile response in the case study. The key condition control factor was also determined.

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is an incurable pathological lesion in chronic kidney diseases. Pericyte activation is the major pathological characteristic of RIF. Fibroblast and macrophage activation are also involved in RIF. Studies have revealed that core fucosylation (CF), an important post-translational modification of proteins, plays a key role in pericyte activation and RIF by regulating multiple profibrotic signaling pathways as a hub-like target. Here, we reveal that mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes reside specifically in the injured kidney and deliver microRNA (miR)-34c-5p to reduce cellular activation and RIF by inhibiting CF. Furthermore, we showed that the CD81-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand-receptor complex aids the entry of exosomal miR-34c-5p into pericytes, fibroblasts, and macrophages. Altogether, our findings reveal a novel role of MSC-derived exosomes in inhibiting multicellular activation via CF and provide a potential intervention strategy for renal fibrosis.

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is an incurable pathological lesion in progressive chronic kidney diseases. Myofibroblast proliferation and microvascular damage are two important events in RIF, and pericytes are a major source of myofibroblasts in the kidney. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly characterized. We report that core fucosylation (CF), a post-translational modification of proteins, is essential for pericyte activation by regulating profibrotic and antifibrotic signaling pathways as a “hub-like” target. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes reside specifically in the obstructed kidney and deliver microRNA (miR)-34c-5p to inhibit CF, reducing pericyte activation and renal fibrosis. Furthermore, we clarify that the CD81–EGFR ligand–receptor complex aids the entry of exosomal miR-34c-5p into pericytes. Our results reveal a novel mechanism of pericyte activation based on CF and suggest a potential use of MSC exosomes as a new therapeutic strategy for RIF by inhibiting CF, the hub-like target of profibrotic signaling activation.

One major hurdle in the progress of hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) is their lossy nature due to the metal constituent. In this work, we design a gain-assisted active HMM utilizing the recently emerged, solution-processed perovskite gain material. Our HMM is consisted of MAPbI3 perovskite and Au subwavelength multi-layer. We theoretically and experimentally investigate the strong emission polarization anisotropy that is unique to HMMs. Our work opens the way towards applications such as high-speed light emission, super resolution imaging and lithography, electro-optical modulators and perfect light absorbers.

Light absorption in a 2D gold nanotrench grating at azimuth angles of incidence is investigated. It is found that the spectral linewidth of the absorption spectrum decreases as the azimuth angle of incidence increases.

Li Wang,1 Feng Ji,1 Gang Liu,2 Wei Wang,3,4 Zhitong Li,1 Yongqiang Yue,1 Zhonggao Wang1,5,6 1Department of Interventional Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China; 2Department of Center for Clinical Single Cell Biomedicine, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China; 3Department of Clinical Research Center, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China; 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China; 5Department of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Rocket Force General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing 100088, China; 6Department of Vascular Surgery, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China Background: Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is one of the major known risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Circulating miRNAs are emerging as predictive biomarkers for early detection of malignancy. However, the potential for circulating miRNAs to be used as biomarkers for BE neoplastic progression to EAC has not been well characterized. Method: We performed a systematic screening approach to identify spectrum miRNAs in the serum of both BE and EAC patients. Results: miRNA-array web-based software identified 116 sequences differentially expressed between BE patients and healthy controls. Subsequent study revealed that miR130a was significantly upregulated in serum samples of BE and EAC patients compared to healthy controls. We found an increase in serum miR130a in low-grade and high-grade dysplasia BE patients compared to individuals with metaplasia. We also observed that miR130a expression levels increased gradually from early-stage (I, II) to advanced-stage (III, IV) EAC patients. Conclusion: Our preliminary results provide evidence that circulating miR130a is correlated with the development of BE and EAC. Keywords: Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal adenocarcinoma, microRNA, miR130a, biomarker

Benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are widely applied ultraviolet absorbing compounds in industrial materials and personal care products. Due to their ubiquitous use and reports of bio-accumulation in aquatic organisms, these compounds are significant environmental pollutants; however, data are limited for BUVSs toxicity. In this study, juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to 4 commonly used BUVSs (UV-234, UV-326, UV-329, and UV-P) at one dose of 10 or 100 μg/L for 28 days. To characterize the underlying mechanisms of different BUVSs-induced toxicities, we performed global transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) in the brain (100 μg/L). There were 390, 575, 483, and 470 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) detected following UV-234, UV-326, UV-329, and UV-P exposure at 100 μg/L, respectively. Only 59 genes were identified as DEGs following exposure to each of the BUVSs, suggesting that these chemicals can induce unique responses in fish. Noteworthy was that there were 81 common gene networks (~10%) identified following exposure to BUVSs, many of which were related to inflammation and immune function. Uniquely regulated pathways affected by different BUVSs included those related to mitochondrial respiration, interleukin 1/brain-damaging signaling, dopaminergic signaling, and adrenergic receptor cascades. Furthermore, quantitative PCR (qPCR) results revealed that mgst1 levels were increased in fish from the 100 μg/L UV-329 treatment, while the expression of pck2 was significantly down-regulated in fish from both the 10 and 100 μg/L UV-P treatment. Transcriptomic data suggest that BUVSs can alter mitochondrial bioenergetics, alter expression of a broad range of genes in the oxidative stress response, and can induce pathways related to the immune system in zebrafish brain.

It is important to maintain the neutral-point (NP) voltage balanced for the three-phase four-wire three-level neutral-point clamped (NPC) inverter. In this paper, after detailed discussion, a mathematical model of the neutral-point voltage are derived. Then a novel control strategy is proposed based on the disassembly of zero level (O Level) to maintain the neutral-point potential. A variable named neutral-point control margin (NPCM) is defined to represent the disassembly margin of each phase. The zero level of one of the three phase is disassembled quantitatively after calculation. Furthermore, the neutral-point voltage can keep balanced while the average output voltage remains unchanged. The proposed control strategy is verified by simulation and experiments.

Microscopic tests on the interface of ZChSnSb/Steel bimetallic composite specimens were conducted using such methods as SEM, EDS and XRD. The results indicate that the transition layer on FeSn2 could be produced when ZChSnSb was bonded with Steel. Based on test results, the three-layer composite model on ZChSnSb/FeSn2/Steel was constructed, and the model was optimized using Newton-Raphson methods. The formulas on the interface energy of the three-layer composites were deduced, and the interface bonding energy at different temperatures was calculated. The calculated results proved that the optimal bonding temperature of the model is 280 °C and the optimal interlayer thickness of transition layer on FeSn2 at 280 °C is 15.396 A.

MnO/MnFe2O4 composite as anode materials for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) is reported in this article. The MnO/MnFe2O4 composite inherits the regular cubic structure of the Prussian blue (PB) precursor, which can buffer volume expansion. The porous structure provides more insertion sites for lithium ions, so that the presence of bimetals can better play the role of increasing capacity. The MnO/MnFe2O4 anodes demonstrate high capacity of 898 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1. It exhibits long-cycle stability during 350 cycles at a current density of 500 mA g−1, and the discharge capacity is still 684 mAh g−1.

In this paper, Prussian blue (PB) prepared by simple liquid phase synthesis method derives CoFe2O4 microcubes, which show remarkable rate performance and cycle stability when used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The cubic frame inherited from PB template and the synergistic effect of bimetallic elements gave the CoFe2O4 microcubes excellent electrochemical performance. At a current density of 100 mA g−1, the discharge capacity stabilized at 932 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. Even at 500 mA g−1, after 350 cycles, the discharge specific capacity is still 602 mAh g−1. This work provides ideas for the development of LIBs anodes.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a heterogeneous myocardial disorder with a broad spectrum of clinical presentation and morphologic features. Previous reports indicated that protein kinase C pathway as a major determinant of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Population-based analyses of the association between PRKCH gene (encoded PKCη) and HCM has not been performed yet. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of the nonsynonymous SNP (1425G/A) in PRKCH gene and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a Chinese population. 323 patients with HCM and 326 controls were examined using a case-control methodology. The 1425G/A SNP in PRKCH was genotyped by allele-specific real-time PCR assay. The 1425G/A SNP in PRKCH increased the risk of HOCM (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy) (OR=1.427, 95% confidence interval, 1.013 to 2.012, P=0.046) under a dominant model. After age- and sex-adjustment, the significant associations remained in HOCM (for GG +AG versus AA, OR= 2.497, 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 6.17; P=0.047). The 1425G/A SNP in PRKCH increases the risk of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy in the Chinese population.

Hibiscus moscheutos L. is an herbaceous hibiscus native to eastern North America that has been a popular landscape and container plant exhibiting large and colorful flowers in the summer. However, unsightly fruit develop and remain on the stalks at the end of the blooming season, which greatly decreases the ornamental value. Thus, breeding for sterility was attempted through ploidy level manipulation to reduce formation and growth of seed stalks, and to improve blooming vigor and longevity. Colchicine and oryzalin were used as mitotic inhibitors to induce tetraploid breeding lines that could be used to develop sterile triploids. Germinated seedlings of ‘Luna Red’ were soaked in three concentrations of each doubling agent for three different durations. Exposure to a low concentration of colchicine solution for a long time or to a low concentration of oryzalin for a short period was found to be effective in yielding a high number of tetraploids with a low rate of mortality. Triploids were obtained from the traditional method of crossing tetraploids with diploids. Triploid and tetraploid plants showed a decrease in height with a more compact form. Leaves of tetraploid plants were more ruffled, with an increase in overall leaf thickness, but were not different from leaves of diploids and triploids in regard to leaf mass per area (LMA). Triploid plants bloomed longer but had smaller flowers than diploid plants. Although the whole planting was infected by aerial phytophthora, diploid, tetraploid, and triploid plants were significantly different in their tolerances: all diploid branches were infected, but only a minor infection occurred on one triploid branch, and the transmission remained slow. Flowers of tetraploid plants failed to produce pollen, whereas flowers of triploid plants produced only nonviable pollen grains and fruits aborted after pollination, which led to infertility of induced triploids.