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As a novel material, liquid metal has attracted the attention of scientists for its unique properties and wide potential applications. In this paper, the basic concepts, properties, and behaviors of liquid metals under different conditions are introduced, and the latest advances in their synthesis methods and application fields are discussed. The development status of liquid metal in science and industry is also introduced. The latest research progress of liquid metals is systematically reviewed, and the potential and application prospect of liquid metals in materials science, engineering, and electronic technology are revealed. The research scope covers the wide application of liquid metals in nanotechnology, materials engineering, electronic technology, energy, and other fields, as well as the latest application cases of liquid metals in flexible electronic devices, sensors, catalysts, energy storage, and other fields. At the same time, the core disputes and problems to be solved in the field of liquid metals are discussed. Through the comments on liquid metals, we hope to provide reference and guidance for researchers and promote the further development in the field of liquid metals. This review would help stimulate more people’s interest in liquid metals and encourage innovation and application development in this field.

Abstract Background Amygdala plays an important role in schizophrenia (SC), but its mechanisms are still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between the resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rsMRI) signals of the amygdala and cognitive functions, providing references for future research in this area. Methods We collected 40 drug-naïve SC patients and 33 healthy controls (HC) from the Third People’s Hospital of Foshan. We used rsMRI and the automatic segmentation tool to extract the structural volume and local neural activity values of the amygdala and conducted Pearson correlation analysis with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) scores. Finally, we compared the clinical data, as well as the volume and functional changes of the amygdala in SC patients before and after treatment. Results Compared with HC, SC had widespread cognitive impairments, significant abnormalities in left amygdala function, while the reduction in volume of SC was not significant. Further Pearson correlation analysis with Bonferroni correction showed that only Immediate memory (learning) was significantly negatively correlated with fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (FALFF, r = -0.343, p = 0.001, p’ = 0.014 (Bonferroni correction)). When compared and analyzed the data difference of SC before and after treatment, we found that immediate memory and delayed memory of SC showed varying degrees of recovery after treatment (tlearning = -2.641, plearning = 0.011; tstory memory = -3.349, pstory memory = 0.001; tlist recall = -2.071, plist recall = 0.043; tstory recall = -2.424, pstory recall = 0.018). But the brain structure and function did not recover. Conclusion There was significant dysfunction in the amygdala in SC, and after conventional treatment, the function of the amygdala did not improve with the improvement of clinical symptoms and cognitive function.

Abstract The prestressed and steel-reinforced concrete slab (PSRCS) is an innovative composite structural member offering high load capacity and stiffness and exceptional anti-crack performance, making it a leading trend in composite structures. This paper presents the derived calculation formulas for bearing capacity, section stiffness, mid-span deflection of PSRCS. Additionally, a numerical analysis of PSRCS is conducted using ABAQUS software, with several models created to systematically investigate bearing capacity, section stiffness, anti-crack performance, and failure mode. Concurrently, PSRCS member parameters are analyzed for optimal design, and the results of finite element (FE) calculations are compared with theoretical formula calculations. The results demonstrate that PSRCS exhibits superior load capacity, section stiffness, and anti-crack performance comparing to conventional slabs. The parametric analysis offers optimal design for each parameter and presents the corresponding recommended span-to-depth ratios for various spans in PSRCS applications.

At appropriate scales, optimizing landscape pattern in urban green spaces is shown to augment carbon sink. However, existing research primarily concentrates on regional or city-wide areas, often overlooking the nuanced effects of landscape pattern on carbon sink within specialized urban ecological function areas. Focusing on the city of Xi'an and emphasizing the forest within green spaces as the principal subject, this study investigated the spatial interplay between forest landscape pattern and carbon sink across the Ecological Control Area, the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area. Grounded in field surveys, this study employed GF1-WFV remote sensing imagery to ascertain the 2021 land-use data in Xi'an and further classified forests into five distinct types: deciduous broad-leaved forest, evergreen coniferous forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, and evergreen-deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest. Employing the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model and landscape metrics methods, the study evaluated the carbon sink and landscape pattern at multi-scale. Through semi-variance analyses, we discerned the appropriate grid scales. Finally, multiple linear stepwise regression model elucidated the significant landscape metrics, while geographically weighted regression model were employed to scrutinize spatial relationships. Our findings suggested that grid scales of 5 km for the Ecological Control Area, 3 km for the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and 6 km for the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area are most appropriate for effective management and planning. Metrics related to area, edge, and fragmentation were pivotal in enhancing carbon sink, and their influence was spatially variable. This study furnished an in-depth analysis of how landscape pattern and carbon sink interact spatially within various urban ecological function areas at appropriate grid scales, thereby providing a scientific framework for the sustainable planning and management of green spaces.

Abstract Research on micro-machines is becoming popular. In this paper, the electric driving behavior of liquid metal columns in confining channel was studied. When the electric field was applied, the liquid metal near the negative electrode became flat, longer. The NaOH electrolyte (1.0 mol/L) could flow from the positive electrode to the negative electrode from a small space above the liquid metal column. Besides, the length and volume of the liquid metal would affect its motion and deformation behavior. Both cylindrical liquid column (R = 5 mm, L = 5 cm) and linear liquid column (R = 5 mm, L = 40 cm) exhibit deformable movements, which are similar to the bionic movements of earthworms. The electrically driven liquid metal in closed systems could provide a theoretical basis for droplet actuation in microtubes. It has a very wide application prospect in the field of micro-drive machines.

To investigate the hysteretic behavior of an X-shaped metal damper (XMD) with an oblique angle, cyclic loading tests were carried out on nine specimens, including two XMDs without buckling-restrained devices, four XMDs with stiffening ribs, and three XMDs with cover plates as references. The test results showed that the oblique angle could effectively increase the stiffness, strength, and energy dissipation of the XMD. When the oblique angle of an XMD with stiffening ribs increased from 0° to 30° at the applied displacement of 8.4 mm, the mean strengths and cumulative energy dissipation of specimens increased by about 80.77% and 80.57%, respectively. Although asymmetric hysteretic loops were also observed in specimens with an oblique angle and buckling-restrained devices, stable hysteretic curves were obtained. This indicated that the stiffening ribs and cover plates can effectively constrain the buckling behavior of XMDs. Additionally, the mean strengths of specimens with stiffening ribs were a little higher than those of specimens with cover plates. Subsequently, the finite element analysis models of the XMDs were proposed, in which the metal plasticity model considering isotropic and kinematical hardening was used to model the material properties of steel, and the simulation results matched well with the test results. Finally, the theoretical calculation method was proposed to predict the elastic stiffness of specimens, and the theoretical elastic stiffness matched well with the test results.

Building fire is one of the most frequent disasters. The mechanical properties of concrete and steel will deteriorate to different degrees under fire exposure, thus weakening the bearing capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) members. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to carry out research on the bearing capacity of RC members subjected to fire. To study the residual shear capacity of post-fire RC beams under indirect loading, static load tests were carried out on six full-scale RC beams to investigate the development of diagonal cracks and failure modes under an indirect load. Numerical models were established with ABAQUS to study the effect of the shear span-to-depth ratio and stirrup ratio on the residual shear capacity of the tested beams after fire exposure, and the shear capacity calculation method of indirectly loaded beams after high temperature is proposed. The results indicate that although the fire had no obvious affect on the failure mode of the beam under indirect loading, the fire aggravated the failure degree of the beams without additional transverse reinforcement. Moreover, the ultimate bending capacity of beams with additional transverse reinforcement decreased obviously after fire. The residual shear capacity of indirectly-loaded beams subjected to fire decreased compared with the directly-loaded beams due to the variation in the shear span-to-depth ratio and stirrup ratio. The shear capacity theoretical calculation results of the indirectly-loaded beam after high temperature were in good agreement with the tested results, and the average absolute error was 3.88%. Therefore, this calculation method for an indirectly loaded beam with a shear span-to-depth ratio less than 3.0 after fire as proposed in this paper was effective. The findings of this study are expected to provide a reference for the improved fire-resistant design of RC structures under indirect loading.

Background To investigate the mortality and health care resource use among patients with severe or critical coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in the first wave of pandemic in China. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the mortality, discharge rate, length of hospital stay, and use of invasive ventilation in severe or critical COVID-19 cases in China. We searched electronic databases for studies from China with no restrictions on language or interventions patients received. We screened records, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies in duplicate. We performed the meta-analysis using random-effect models through a Bayesian framework. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine studies by disease severity, study location and patient enrolment start date. We also performed sensitivity analysis using various priors, and assessed between-study heterogeneity and publication bias for the primary outcomes. Results Out of 6,205 titles and abstracts screened, 500 were reviewed in full text. A total of 42 studies were included in the review, of which 95% were observational studies (n = 40). The pooled 28-day and 14-day mortalities among severe or critical patients were 20.48% (7,136 patients, 95% credible interval (CrI), 13.11 to 30.70) and 10.83% (95% CrI, 6.78 to 16.75), respectively. The mortality declined over time and was higher in patients with critical disease than severe cases (1,235 patients, 45.73%, 95% CrI, 22.79 to 73.52 vs. 3,969 patients, 14.90%, 95% CrI, 4.70 to 39.57) and patients in Hubei compared to those outside Hubei (6,719 patients, 26.62%, 95% CrI, 13.11 to 30.70 vs. 244 patients, 5.88%, 95% CrI 2.03 to 14.11). The length of hospital stay was estimated at 18.48 days (6,847 patients, 95% CrI, 17.59 to 21.21), the 28-day discharge rate was 50.48% (3,645 patients, 95% CrI, 26.47 to 79.53), and the use of invasive ventilation rate was 13.46% (4,108 patients, 95% CrI, 7.61 to 22.31). Conclusions Our systematic review and meta-analysis found high mortality among severe and critical COVID-19 cases. Severe or critical COVID-19 cases consumed a large amount of hospital resources during the outbreak.

To investigate the shear capacity and failure mechanism of RC beams after fire exposure, fourteen full-scale beams without stirrups were tested at ambient temperature and after fire exposure. Three parameters, including the loading ratio, shear span-to-depth ratio and longitudinal reinforcement ratio, were considered in static load tests. The deterioration mechanism of the shear bearing capacity at the diagonal section of RC beams without stirrups after fire exposure was experimentally, numerically and theoretically revealed, and a calculation formula for the shear capacity of post-fire beams without stirrups was proposed. The results show that the shear capacity and stiffness of the specimens decreased after fire exposure, and the shear strength loss of the beams increased with fire exposure time. The shear capacity and stiffness of fire-damaged specimens decreased as the shear span ratio λ increased, and the shear strength loss of the beams decreased with λ. Compared with the theoretical calculation and experimental results of beams without stirrups, the average of the absolute errors was 10.48%. Therefore, this formula can better calculate the residual shear capacity of beam without stirrups after fire exposure.

Abstract Background Scientists and practitioners alike need reliable, valid measures of contextual factors that influence implementation. Yet, few existing measures demonstrate reliability or validity. To meet this need, we developed and assessed the psychometric properties of measures of several constructs within the Inner Setting domain of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Methods We searched the literature for existing measures for the 7 Inner Setting domain constructs (Culture Overall, Culture Stress, Culture Effort, Implementation Climate, Learning Climate, Leadership Engagement, and Available Resources). We adapted items for the healthcare context, pilot-tested the adapted measures in 4 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and implemented the revised measures in 78 FQHCs in the 7 states (N = 327 respondents) with a focus on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening practices. To psychometrically assess our measures, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis models (CFA; structural validity), assessed inter-item consistency (reliability), computed scale correlations (discriminant validity), and calculated inter-rater reliability and agreement (organization-level construct reliability and validity). Results CFAs for most constructs exhibited good model fit (CFI > 0.90, TLI > 0.90, SRMR

Conventional patterning methods for producing liquid metal (LM) electronic circuits, such as the template method, use chemical etching, which requires long cycle times, high costs, and multiple-step operations. In this study, a novel and reliable laser engraving micro-fabrication technology was introduced, which was used to fabricate personalized patterns of LM electronic circuits. First, by digitizing the pattern, a laser printing technology was used to burn a polyethylene (PE) film, where a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) or paper substrate was used to produce grooves. Then, the grooves were filled with LM and the PE film was removed; finally, the metal was packaged with PDMS film. The experimental results showed that the prepared LM could fabricate precise patterned electronic circuits, such as golden serpentine curves and Peano curves. The minimum width and height of the LM circuit were 253 μm and 200 μm, respectively, whereas the printed LM circuit on paper reached a minimum height of 26 μm. This LM flexible circuit could also be adapted to various sensor devices and was successfully applied to heart rate detection. Laser engraving micro-processing technologies could be used to customize various high-resolution LM circuit patterns in a short time, and have broad prospects in the manufacture of flexible electronic equipment.

Abstract Background Low income and uninsured individuals often have lower adherence to cancer screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. Health fairs are a common community outreach strategy used to provide cancer-related health education and services. Methods This study was a process evaluation of seven health fairs focused on cancer screening across the U.S. We conducted key-informant interviews with the fair coordinator and conducted baseline and follow-up surveys with fair participants to describe characteristics of participants as well as their experiences. We collected baseline data with participants at the health fairs and telephone follow-up surveys 6 months following the fair. Results Attendance across the seven health fairs ranged from 41 to 212 participants. Most fairs provided group or individual education, print materials and cancer screening during the event. Overall, participants rated health fairs as very good and participants reported that the staff was knowledgeable and that they liked the materials distributed. After the fairs, about 60% of participants, who were reached at follow-up, had read the materials provided and had conversations with others about cancer screening, and 41% talked to their doctors about screening. Based on findings from evaluation including participant data and coordinator interviews, we describe 6 areas in planning for health fairs that may increase their effectiveness. These include: 1) use of a theoretical framework for health promotion to guide educational content and activities provided, 2) considering the community characteristics, 3) choosing a relevant setting, 4) promotion of the event, 5) considerations of the types of services to deliver, and 6) evaluation of the health fair. Conclusions The events reported varied in reach and the participants represented diverse races and lower income populations overall. Most health fairs offered education, print materials and onsite cancer screening. Participants reported general satisfaction with these events and were motivated through their participation to read educational materials or discuss screening with providers. Public health professionals can benefit from this process evaluation and recommendations for designing and evaluating health fairs.

Seismic performance is basically required in precast shear wall. This study focuses on evaluation and improvement on precast shear wall seismic performance. By carrying out the finite-element simulation on a precast shear wall spatial model with new connector from a practical high-rise precast residential building, which was named as NPGCS and experimentally tested by low-cyclic reversed lateral loads in early studies, the performance results including strengths, stiffness, stress, and concrete damage ratio distributions were obtained, and the reliability of NPGCS spatial model was verified. According to the testing results, the finite-element simulation for the NPGCS spatial model is reliable and relatively accurate, especially for applying contact and beam elements into numerical analysis of precast interfaces and dowel shear actions, respectively. The strengths, stiffness, stress, and concrete damage ratio distributions from the simulation also supported the experimental results and conclusions.

To investigate fire-resistance behaviors of simple supported reinforced concrete (RC) beams with three faces exposed to fire, six full-scale specimens were designed in accordance with the principle of “strong bending and weak shearing.” One beam was treated as the control case of room temperature while the other five beams were exposed to high temperature. Parameters related to shear capacity were discussed, such as longitudinal reinforcement ratio and stirrup ratio. The experimental results show that brittle shear failure under room temperature may transfer to shear-bend failure at high temperature due to thermal expansion and strength degradation of concrete and steel. The greater the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, the longer the failure time of specimens. It indicates that the pinning action of longitudinal reinforcement can significantly improve the shear capacity of beams under high temperature. In addition, the configuration of stirrup reinforcement can effectively reduce the brittle change of vertical deflection when the beam enters the failure stage.

Considering the effect of confined end-zone and unbonded reinforcement, the yield curvature and ultimate curvature of rabbet-unbond horizontal connection (RHC) shear wall were calculated. Based on the curvature calculation result, the yield displacement and ultimate displacement were calculated using displacement superposition, which were compared with test values. The result showed that theoretical values were slightly smaller than test values; however, on the whole, both were in good agreement. The author studied the effect of unbonded reinforcement on yield displacement and ultimate displacement, and the result showed that the effect on ultimate displacement is more pronounced than yield displacement. The present work could be useful for the design of new prefabricated shear wall.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes are largely managed by primary care providers (PCPs), with significant patient self-management. This article describes the development, pilot testing, and fine-tuning of a Web-based digital health solution to help PCPs manage patients with cardiometabolic diseases during routine office encounters. It shows that such products can be successfully integrated into primary care settings when they address important unmet needs and are developed with input from end-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective To demonstrate the coexistence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) with type 2 neovascularisation (NV), we used multimodal imaging, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA), to identify both types of lesions in the same eye. Study design This retrospective case series reviewed patients with PCV diagnosed with indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fluorescein angiography (FA), SD -OCT and SD-OCTA. Results 15 eyes of 14 patients were imaged and diagnosed with PCV by ICGA. ICGA identified polyps in all these eyes, while SD-OCTA imaging identified polypoidal lesions in only 11 (73%) of these eyes with PCV. Branching vascular networks (BVNs) were detected in 12 eyes (80%) by ICGA and SD-OCTA. Type 2 NV was detected in four eyes (27%) by FA and SD-OCTA. In these eyes, a combination of polyps, BVNs and type 2 NV were detected using FA, ICGA and SD-OCTA. Conclusion BVN and type 2 NV can coexist in the same PCV eye and communicate with each other. This suggests that polyps may represent a structural variant of neovascular tissue rather than a distinct pathogenic process in NV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) to increase cancer screenings in safety net primary care systems has great potential for reducing cancer disparities. Yet there is a gap in understanding the factors and mechanisms that influence EBP implementation within these high-priority systems. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), our study aims to fill this gap with a multiple case study of health care safety net systems that were funded by an American Cancer Society (ACS) grants program to increase breast and colorectal cancer screening rates. The initiative funded 68 safety net systems to increase cancer screening through implementation of evidence-based provider and client-oriented strategies.Methods: Data are from a mixed-methods evaluation with nine purposively selected safety net systems. Fifty-two interviews were conducted with project leaders, implementers, and ACS staff. Funded safety net systems were categorized into high-, medium-, and low-performing cases based on the level of EBP implementation. Within- and cross-case analyses were performed to identify CFIR constructs that influenced level of EBP implementation.Results: Of 39 CFIR constructs examined, six distinguished levels of implementation. Two constructs were from the intervention characteristics domain: adaptability and trialability. Three were from the inner setting domain: leadership engagement, tension for change, and access to information and knowledge. Engaging formally appointed internal implementation leaders, from the process domain, also distinguished level of implementation. No constructs from the outer setting or individual characteristics domain differentiated systems by level of implementation.Conclusions: Our study identified a number of influential CFIR constructs and illustrated how they impacted EBP implementation across a variety of safety net systems. Findings may inform future dissemination efforts of EBPs for increasing cancer screening in similar settings. Moreover, our analytic approach is similar to previous case studies using CFIR and hence could facilitate comparisons across studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two models are tested on a shake-table. One of the models is a normal reinforced concrete megaframe structure and the other is a multifunctional vibration-absorption reinforced concrete megaframe structure in which the laminated rubber bearings are placed between the major frame and the minor frames. Two earthquake motions (the El Centro wave and the Taft wave) are used during the test. This paper presents the dynamic characteristic, the seismic responses and the failure mechanism of these two models under varying peak acceleration levels for each of the earthquake motions. The test results demonstrate that the aseismic behavior of a multifunctional vibration-absorption reinforced concrete megaframe structure is much better than that of a normal reinforced concrete megaframe structure. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the factors influencing parenting stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder （ASD）， aiming to provide personalized guidance and support for parental care in family interventions. Methods A total of 302 families with young children with ASD who received inpatient interventions at the Child Developmental and Behavioral Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from May 2022 to February 2024 and their parents were recruited to complete the questionnaires， which included Socioeconomic Status Scale （SES）， Parenting Stress Index-Short Form （PSI-SF）， Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition （SRS-2） and Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition （ABAS-Ⅱ） of the children. Subsequently， relevant data were analyzed. Results There were no statistical differences in parenting stress among parents based on the gender of child， the age of child， parenting style， gender of the primary intervention parent， family annual income， father’s education， and mother’s occupation （all P > 0.05）. However， there were statistical differences in parenting stress among parents in terms of the number of children in the family， mother’s education， and father’s occupation （all P < 0.05）. The scores of PSI-SF were negatively correlated with the comprehensive scores of ABAS-Ⅱ for young children with ASD （P < 0.01）， whereas were positively correlated with the total scores and the score of each dimension of SRS-2 （P < 0.01）. The number of children in the family and ABAS-Ⅱ comprehensive score could not predict parenting stress， while mother’s education， father’s occupation and SRS-2 total score could predict parenting stress， explaining 26.8% of the variance in parenting stress. The effect size of SRS-2 total score was 0.17， contributing the most to regression equation. The main predictor of SRS was the restricted and repetitive behavior dimension （B = 0.709， β = 0.213， P < 0.05）， explaining 21.8% of the variance in parenting stress. Conclusions The more severe the social impairment in the young children with ASD， particularly in terms of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors， the greater the parenting stress. This suggests that in promoting family interventions guided by parents， we should not only focus on alleviating core social communication impairments， but also emphasize parents’ understanding and intervention in children’s restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.

Abstract Direct 3D printing of liquid metal is difficult to form and easy to destroy. In this paper, we developed a 3D printed composite material consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix and liquid metal (LM) dispersed droplets, and introduced the method for realizing 3D printed devices with this composite material: First, the LM is added to 10~50wt %TPU at 190~200 °C through ultrasonic blending to prepare blended ink. After solid cooling, the LM‐TPU composite fiber with a diameter of 600 μm was prepared by Wellzoom desktop extruder at 190 °C at an extrusion speed of 400 mm/min. It has excellent elasticity, with a tensile limit of 0.637 N/m2, and the TPU could evenly wrap LM droplets. Finally, the LM‐TPU fiber is 3D printed at 240 °C by using a 3D printer, and 2D/3D flexible electronic devices with heating and conductive functions could be prepared. The microcircuit has good electrical conductivity; after adding voltage, the circuit has heat release; it could be used as heating equipment to keep warm and used in various flexible wearable electronic products.

Abstract Liquid metals (LM) have shown a very broad development prospect over the past decades. This review article focuses on the latest research dedicated to liquid metal materials and their applications in five significant areas: stretchable conductive composite, intelligent sensing electronic skin, catalysis, 3D printing material, and driving machines. The fabrication, specific properties and application of stretchable liquid metal‐polymer composites that can be used as self‐healing materials have been summarized. Liquid metal deposition printing technology, liquid phase 3D printing, suspension 3D printing technology, micro‐contact printing technology, and in vivo 3D printing molding technology have also been reviewed. Furthermore, the application of liquid metal catalyst in aldehyde reaction, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis have been discussed. We have shown that electricity, magnetism, sound, light and heat could stimulate the movement of liquid metal. Through this comprehensive overview of the latest research, the main practical application, development, and mechanism of liquid metal were summarized and described. The future development of liquid metal technology was prospected, thus providing a strong basic research support for the further development of LM materials and their applications.