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We aimed to investigate the potential correlation between the placement factors of various retrievable inferior vena cava filters and retrieval outcomes. Additionally, we aimed to identify the factors affecting the placement tilt of the filter.

Ambient electrochemical NO reduction presents a dual solution for sustainable NO reduction and NH3synthesis. However, their complex kinetics and energy demands necessitate high-performance electrocatalysts to ensure effective and selective process outcomes. Herein, we report that a two-dimensional Cu-based metal–organic framework (MOF), {[Cu(HL)]·H2O}n, (Cu-OUC, H3L = 5-(2′-carboxylphenoxy)isophthalic acid) acts as a stable electrocatalyst with high efficiency for NO-to-NH3conversion. Electrochemical experimental studies showed that in 0.1 M K2SO4solution, the as-prepared Cu-OUCachieved a peak Faradaic efficiency of 96.91% and a notable NH3yield as high as 3415.82 μg h–1mg–1. The Zn–NO battery in aqueous solution can produce electricity possessing a power density of 2.04 mW cm–2while simultaneously achieving an NH3yield of 616.92 μg h–1mg–1. Theoretical calculations revealed that the surface of Cu-OUCeffectively facilitates NO activation through a two-way charge transfer mechanism of “electron acceptance and donation”, with the *NO formation step being the potential-determining stage. The study pioneers the use of a MOF as an electrocatalyst for ambient NO-to-NH3conversion.

Electrocatalytic CO2reduction serves as an effective strategy to tackle energy crises and mitigate greenhouse gas effects. The development of efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts has been a research hotspot in the field. In this study, we designed four Co-doped single-atom catalysts (Co–Nχ@C) using carbon nanotubes as carriers, these catalysts included tri- and dicoordinated N-doped carbon nanoribbons, as well as tri- and dicoordinated N-doped graphene, respectively denoted as H3(H2)-Co/CNT and 3(2)-Co/CNT. The stable configurations of these Co–Nχ@C catalysts were optimized using the PBE+D3 method. Additionally, we explored the reaction mechanisms of these catalysts for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2into four C1 products, including CO, HCOOH, CH3OH and CH4, in detail. Upon comparing the limiting potentials (UL) across the Co–Nχ@C catalysts, the activity sequence for the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2was H2–Co/CNT > 3-Co/CNT > H3–Co/CNT > 2-Co/CNT. Meanwhile, our investigation of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with four catalysts elucidated the influence of acidic conditions on the electrocatalytic CO2reduction process. Specifically, controlling the acidity of the solution was crucial when using the H3–Co/CNT and H2–Co/CNT catalysts, while the 3-Co/CNT and 2-Co/CNT catalysts were almost unaffected by the solution’s acidity. We hope that our research will provide a theoretical foundation for designing more effective CO2reduction electrocatalysts.

1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C8mim]Br), one of the ionic liquids (ILs), has been used in various fields as an alternative green solvent of conventional organic solvents. Increased application and stabilization of imidazole ring structure lead to its release into the aquatic environment and long-term retention. Structure-activity relationship consideration suggested that ILs may be acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; however, neurotoxicity in vivo, especially the underlying mechanisms is rarely studied. In this study, the zebrafish were exposed to 2.5–10 mg/L [C8mim]Br for 28 days to comprehensively evaluate the neurotoxicity of ILs on adult zebrafish from the behavioral profiles and neurotransmitter systems for the first time. The results indicate that zebrafish exhibit suppressed spatial working memory and anxious behaviors. To assess the potential neurotoxic mechanisms underlying the behavioral responses of zebrafish, we measured the levels of neurotransmitters and precursors, key enzyme activities, and expression levels of relevant genes. Nissl staining showed significant neural cell death in zebrafish after 28-day [C8mim]Br exposure, with corresponding decreases in the levels of neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, glutamate, 5-hydroxytryptophan, gamma-aminobutyric acid, dopamine, and norepinephrine). Furthermore, these results were associated with mRNA expression levels of the disrupted neurotransmitter key genes (th, tph2, mao, slc6a3, ache, gad67). Overall, our study determined that [C8mim]Br caused potential mental disorders like anxiety and memory deterioration in zebrafish by impairing neurotransmitter systems, providing recommendations for the industrial production and application of [C8mim]Br.

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy regimen has been shown to be effective in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, due to the small number of patients, its efficacy remains controversial in Asian populations, particularly in mainland China. Here a randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of finotonlimab (SCT-I10A), a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody, combined with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (C5F) for the first-line treatment of R/M HNSCC. Eligible patients (n= 370) were randomly 2:1 assigned to receive finotonlimab plus C5F (n= 247) or placebo plus C5F (n= 123). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). In the finotonlimab plus C5F group, OS was 14.1 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.1–16.4), compared with 10.5 months (95% CI 8.1–11.8) in the placebo plus C5F group. The hazard ratio was 0.73 (95% CI 0.57–0.95, P= 0.0165), meeting the predefined superiority criteria for the primary endpoint. Finotonlimab plus C5F showed significant OS superiority compared with C5F alone and acceptable safety profile with R/M HNSCC, supporting its use as a first-line treatment option for R/M HNSCC. These results validate the efficacy and safety of the combination of finotonlimab and C5F in Asian patients with R/M HNSCC. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04146402.

The vibroacoustic level has become a key factor for evaluating permanent magnet motor performance in recent years. However, the influence of tangential force is usually ignored, which will lead to errors in vibration noise calculation and limit the idea of reducing motor vibration noise. In this article, a comprehensive investigation of the tangential - and radial forces and their effects on the motor vibration is conducted. First, the analytical method of the electromagnetic force is presented. Next, the finite element method is applied to analyze the electromagnetic laws of radial force and tangential force. Then, the Theorem of Translation of A Force (TTF) is introduced to describe the influence of tangential force on radial vibration. After that, the influencing factors of stator teeth and load on the radial- and tangential-force are discussed, especially the phase relationship. Finally, the electromagnetic vibration law caused by radial force and tangential force is simulated and verified by experiments. The results can provide guidance for design of low vibroacoustic motor considering radial force and tangential force.

The Hot Dry Rock (HDR) is considered as a clean and renewable energy, poised to significantly contribute to the global energy decarbonization agenda. Many HDR projects worldwide have accumulated valuable experience in efficient drilling and completion, reservoir construction, and fracture simulation. In 2019, China Geological Survey (CGS) initiated a demonstration project of HDR exploration and production in the Gonghe Basin, aiming to overcome the setbacks faced by HDR projects. Over the ensuing four years, the Gonghe HDR project achieved the first power generation in 2021, followed by the second power generation test in 2022. After establishing the primary well group in the initial phase, two directional wells and one branch well were drilled. Noteworthy progress was made in successfully constructing the targeted reservoir, realizing inter-well connectivity, power generation and grid connection, implementing of the real-time micro-seismic monitoring. A closed-loop technical validation of the HDR exploration and production was completed. However, many technical challenges remain in the process of HDR industrialization, such as reservoir fracture network characterization, efficient drilling and completion, multiple fracturing treatment, continuous injection and production, as well as mitigation of induced seismicity and numerical simulation technology.

The chemical modification of the achiral carbon nanohoops to break the symmetry will result in inherently chiral structures with interesting optical properties. Herein, we report two novel π-extended chiral macrocycles, cyclo[10]paraphenylene-pyrene ([10]CPP-2Pyrene) and cyclo[10]paraphenylene-hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene ([10]CPP-2HBC). The large substituents on the nanohoop peripheries effectively prevented free rotation and the racemization process. The conformation of each enantiomer is stable enough to be resolved by recycling HPLC.

Adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration is known to be the only cryogenic refrigeration technology that can achieve ultralow temperatures (≪1 K) at gravity-free conditions. The key indexes to evaluate the performance of magnetic refrigerants are their magnetic entropy changes (−ΔSm) and magnetic ordering temperature (T0). Although, based on the factors affecting the −ΔSmof magnetic refrigerants, one has been able to judge if a magnetic refrigerant has a large −ΔSm, how to accurately predict their T0remains a huge challenge due to the fact that the T0of magnetic refrigerants is related to not only magnetic exchange but also single-ion anisotropy and magnetic dipole interaction. Here, we, taking GdCO3F (1), Gd(HCOO)F2, Gd2(SO4)3·8H2O, GdF3, Gd(HCOO)3and Gd(OH)3as examples, demonstrate that the T0of magnetic refrigerants with very weak magnetic interactions and small anisotropy can be accurately predicted by integrating mean-field approximation with quantum Monte Carlo simulations, providing an effective method for predicting the T0of ultralow-temperature magnetic refrigerants. Thus, the present work lays a solid foundation for the rational design and preparation of ultralow-temperature magnetic refrigerants in the future.

Background:: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a highly invasive malignant tumor with a poor prognosis. Traditional treatment methods have not been effective. However, advancements in targeted therapy and immunotherapy in recent years have shed new light on the management of ATC. The aim of this study was to examine the treatment plan and prognostic factors of ATC. Methods:: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of ATC patients who received treatment at our institution between 2000 and 2023 to evaluate the clinical characteristics, treatment methods, and factors influencing survival. Survival analysis was performed by the Kaplan‒Meier method and log-rank test, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Results:: The 6-month and 1-year disease-specific OS rates were 49% and 29%, respectively. The presence of clinical symptoms and the timing of treatment significantly impacted patient prognosis (P< 0.05). Compared with surgery + radiotherapy/chemotherapy and only surgery, targeted therapy and targeted + immunotherapy represented an improved overall survival, The 6-month/1-year survival rates of which were 81%/61% and 91%/73% (P< 0.05), respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the symptoms at initial diagnosis, year of presentation, performance status and treatment plan were independent factors affecting the prognosis. The year of presentation (P= 0.048) and the treatment plan (P= 0.038) were significantly meaningful in predicting prognosis. Conclusion:: Targeted therapy and targeted+immune therapy can effectively prolong the survival period of ATC patients. Symptoms at initial diagnosis and treatment plan have a significant impact on the prognosis.

Our goal is to improve the convergence theory of the one-step modulus-based synchronous multisplitting (MSM) and the two-step modulus-based synchronous multisplitting (TMSM) iteration methods for a class of nondifferentiable nonlinear complementarity problems (NCPs) with H+-matrices. The analysis is developed and the results are renewed under some conditions weakened than before.

Explainable recommender systems can explain their recommendation decisions, enhancing user trust in the systems. Most explainable recommender systems either rely on human-annotated rationales to train models for explanation generation or leverage the attention mechanism to extract important text spans from reviews as explanations. The extracted rationales are often confined to an individual review and may fail to identify the implicit features beyond the review text. To avoid the expensive human annotation process and to generate explanations beyond individual reviews, we propose to incorporate a geometric prior learnt from user-item interactions into a variational network which infers latent factors from user-item reviews. The latent factors from an individual user-item pair can be used for both recommendation and explanation generation, which naturally inherit the global characteristics encoded in the prior knowledge. Experimental results on three e-commerce datasets show that our model significantly improves the interpretability of a variational recommender using the Wasserstein distance while achieving performance comparable to existing content-based recommender systems in terms of recommendation behaviours.

The structural optimization of electric vehicles involves numerous design variables and constraints, making it a complex engineering optimization task over the past decades. Many population-based evolutionary algorithms encounter issues such as converging to local optima and lacking population diversity when tackling such optimization problems. Consequently, the solutions obtained for the optimization may be flawed or suboptimal. To address these problems, an improved genetic algorithm (GA) based on reinforcement learning is proposed in this paper. The proposed method introduces a population delimitation method based on individual fitness ranking. The population is divided into two parts: the excellent population and the ordinary population, and different selection and cross-mutation methods are applied to each part separately. More efficient crossover and mutation methods are then applied to the ordinary population to enhance the generation of excellent individuals. Furthermore, the proposed approach replaces the traditional fixed crossover and mutation rates with a dynamic selection method based on reinforcement learning to enhance optimization efficiency. A markov decision process model is constructed based on GA environment in this context. The population state determination method and reward method are designed for reinforcement learning in the GA environment, dynamically selecting the most appropriate genetic parameters based on the current state of the population. Finally, the uncertainty in the manufacturing process is introduced into the optimization problem and the case study results demonstrate that the proposed reinforcement learning-based GA significantly outperforms other evolutionary algorithms when applied to solving the structural optimization of electric vehicles.

The performance of wireless communication systems is fundamentally constrained by random and uncontrollable wireless channels. Recently, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) has emerged as a promising solution to enhance wireless network performance by smartly reconfiguring the radio propagation environment. While significant research has been conducted on RIS-assisted wireless systems, this paper focuses specifically on the deployment of RIS in a wideband millimeter wave (mmWave) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system to achieve maximum sum-rate. First, we derive the average user rate as well as the lower bound rate when the covariance of the channel follows the Wishart distribution. Based on the lower bound of users’ rate, we propose a heuristic method that transforms the problem of optimizing the RIS’s orientation into maximizing the number of users served by the RIS. Simulation results show that the proposed RIS deployment strategy can effectively improve the sum-rate. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed RIS deployment algorithm is only approximately 7.6% lower on average than that of the exhaustive search algorithm.

MgO participates in all stages of sintering, pelletizing, and blast furnace ironmaking, and synergistically optimizing the distribution of MgO in ferrous burden can effectively enhance the interaction within the ferrous burdens and optimize the softening–melting properties of the mixed burden. Magnesium-containing pellets mixed with low-MgO sinter or mixed with high-MgO sinter in the blast furnace ferrous burden structure have opposite softening–melting performance laws. When the structure of the ferrous burden is magnesium-containing pellets mixed with low-MgO sinter, the magnesium-containing pellets can enhance the interaction of the ferrous burden in the process of softening–melting, which can optimize the composition of the slag phase and improve the slag liquidity. When the structure of the ferrous burden is magnesium-containing pellets mixed with high-MgO sinter, the magnesium-containing pellets weaken the interaction of the ferrous burden in the process of softening–melting, increase the content of the high melting point solid-phase particles in the slag, lead to an increase in the viscosity of the slag and difficult separation of the slag and iron, and decrease the permeability of the charge layer. Therefore, to ensure good permeability of the mixed burden, the following measures are suggested: optimizing the MgO distribution of the ferrous burden, reducing the MgO content of the sinter to 1.96 wt.%, increasing the MgO content of the pellets to 1.03–1.30 wt.%, controlling the MgO/Al2O3ratio of the mixed burden within 1.15–1.32, narrowing the position of the cohesive zone, and maintaining an Svalue (permeability index) of approximately 150 kPa °C.

Molecular solid solutions of metal clusters containing different metal centers with well-defined structures can accurately regulate the HOMO-LUMO gap, but are rarely available. Herein, a series of colorless lanthanide-titanium-oxo clusters Ln2Ti4(μ2-O)2(μ3-O)4(Piv)10(THF)2(Ln2Ti4, Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb, and Ce, HPiv = pivalic acid) were synthesized by the reaction of pivalic acid with Ln(Ac)3and titanium isopropoxide. The light yellow crystal of cluster solid solutions Eu2Ti4−xCdx, containing a mixture of Eu2Ti4and Eu2Ti3Cd, was obtained by in situdoping Cd2+and S2−. Eu2Ti3.92Cd0.08displays efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity without a co-catalyst, which is up to 2.6 times that of Eu2Ti4. Femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy and spin-polarized density functional calculations showed that the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Eu2Ti4−xCdxcan be attributed to the narrower HOMO-LUMO gap and lower LUMO position than that of Eu2Ti4. This studyprovides an in situdoping method to realize the simple preparation of cluster solid solution.

The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of a Fe–0.12C–0.2Si–1.6Mn–0.3Cr–0.0025B (wt.%) steel with different initial microstructures, i.e., hot rolled (HR) and cold rolled–annealed (CRA), were studied through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron channeling contrast imaging, microhardness and room temperature uniaxial tensile tests. After water quenching from 930 °C to room temperature, a fully martensitic microstructure was obtained in both as-quenched HR and CRA specimens, which shows a microhardness of 480 ± 5 HV, and no significant difference in microstructure and microhardness was observed. Tensile test results show that the product of tensile strength and total elongation (UTS × TE) of the as-quenched HR specimen, i.e., 24.1 GPa%, is higher than that of the as-quenched CRA specimen, i.e., 18.9 GPa%. While, after being tempered at 300 °C, the martensitic microstructures and mechanical properties of the two as-quenched specimens change significantly due to the synergy role of the matrix phase softening and the precipitation strengthening. Concerning the maximum UTS × TE, it is 18.9 GPa% obtained in the as-quenched CRA one, while that is 24.4 GPa% obtained in the HR specimen after tempered at 300 °C for 5 min.

Drug delivery systems based on porous soft biomaterials have been widely reported because of stimuli-responsive drug release and their inherent reservoirs for drug storage. Especially, magnetic-responsive porous soft biomaterials achieve rapid and real-time control of drug release due to the magnetic field-triggered large deformation. However, the drug release profiles of these materials are difficult to predict and repeat, which restrict them from releasing drugs in the required dosage. Here, we report a soft capsule based on a flexible hard-magnetic elastomer foam (HEF) for magnetically controlled on-demand drug delivery. The HEF capsule contains an inner HEF and an outer elastomer shell. The HEF exhibits low elastic modulus (10 kPa) and highly interconnected pores (81% interconnected pores). Benefitting from the novel precompressed magnetization, the compressive deformation of HEF reaches 66%. Thus, an adjustable drug release rate ranging from 0.02 to 1.7 mL/min in the HEF capsule is achieved. The deformation-triggered drug release profiles of the HEF capsule under the magnetic field are accurately predicted, allowing 85% accuracy in drug dosage regulation and more than 90% maximum cumulative drug release. Especially, the HEF capsule is proven capable of acting as a soft robot to perform magnetically driven drug delivery in a human stomach model. HEF can potentially serve as a soft robot for biomedical applications in the human body.

For abrasive belt grinding, although machine processing selection has been well studied to achieve good machinability, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the influence of feed direction and its mechanism, even though it is a common matter. This paper investigates the differences between up- and down-grinding in belt grinding of TC4, where the grinding forces, material removal performance, surface quality, and chip morphology are captured for the grinding process evaluation and mechanistic analysis In up grinding, it was observed that approximately 21.1 % more material removal can be achieved due to the larger penetration depth of scratching grains when maintaining a constant normal grinding force. Furthermore, the higher tangential grinding force resulting from increased cutting behavior and an additional sliding phase leads to more severe abrasive belt wear, as evidenced by a 22.7 % higher grinding ratio. Comparatively, down grinding mode generates a machined surface with lower roughness in the transverse and longitudinal direction, which can be explained by the minimum chip thickness effect and undeformed chip thickness model. The microscopic characteristics of chips and ground surface provide more evidence on the different chip formation mechanisms between two grinding modes.

In traditional analysis, several studies have discussed the vibration behavior of electric machines from the point of view of radial force. With the increasingly strict vibroacoustic index, the tangential force effects on the vibration are analyzed and investigated, and it shows the contribution of tangential force on electromagnetic vibration cannot be ignored. However, these studies are based mainly on finite element multi-physics models, and experiments are not conducted. Furthermore, the mechanism of tangential force is not clearly explained. In this paper, a special motor stator structure is proposed to explore the effect of tangential force on vibration. First, the analytical calculation of the tangential force and the tangential effect on motor vibration are described. Next, the Theorem of Translation of A Force is introduced to convert the effective tangential tooth force to a radial force couple acting on the stator yoke. Then, a novel motor stator is proposed to investigate the vibration characteristics caused only by tangential force, and the simulation is analyzed. Finally, a vibration test of the prototype is conducted and the result shows the tangential force can induce the radial vibration with corresponding order.

Metal oxide nanozymes have emerged as the most efficient and promising candidates to mimic antioxidant enzymes for treatment of oxidative stress-mediated pathophysiological disorders, but the current effectiveness is unsatisfactory due to insufficient catalytic performance. Here, we report for the first time an intrinsic strain-mediated ultrathin ceria nanoantioxidant. Surface strain in ceria with variable thicknesses and coordinatively unsaturated Ce sites was investigated by theoretical calculation analysis and then was validated by preparing ∼1.2 nm ultrathin nanoplates with ∼3.0% tensile strain in plane/∼10.0% tensile strain out of plane. Compared with nanocubes, surface strain in ultrathin nanoplates could enhance the covalency of the Ce–O bond, leading to increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD)-mimetic activity by ∼2.6-fold (1533 U/mg, in close proximity to that of natural SOD) and total antioxidant activity by ∼2.5-fold. As a proof of concept, intrinsic strain-mediated ultrathin ceria nanoplates could boost antioxidation for improved ischemic stroke treatment in vivo, significantly better than edaravone, a commonly used clinical drug.

Electrically conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been extensively studied for their potential uses in energy-related technologies and sensors. However, achieving that goal requires MOFs to be highly stable and maintain their conductivity under practical operating conditions with varying solution environments and temperatures. Herein, we have designed and synthesized a new series of {[Ln4(μ4-O)(μ3-OH)3(INA)3(GA)3](CF3SO3)(H2O)6}n(denoted as Ln4-MOFs, Ln = Gd, Tm, and Lu, INA = isonicotinic acid, GA = glycolic acid) single crystals, where electrons are found to transport along the π–π stacked aromatic carbon rings in the crystals. The Ln4-MOFsshow remarkable stability, with minimal changes in conductivity under varying solution pH (1–12), temperature (373 K), and electric field as high as 800 000 V/m. This stability is achieved through the formation of strong coordination bonds between high-valent Ln(III) ions and rigid carboxylic linkers as well as hydrogen bonds that enhance the robustness of the electron transport path. The demonstrated lanthanide MOFs pave the way for the design of stable and conductive MOFs.

In this study, the mechanism of migration/plugging and the main performance of polymer nano-microspheres (HQ) were investigated using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), swelling hydration experiments, sand-filling pipe flooding experiments, and microscopic displacement experiments. Results show that the swelling ratio of HQ in salt solution first increases and then reaches equilibrium with the increase in swelling time. The expansion ratio of HQ increases rapidly at the initial stage of swelling and reaches its maximum value after swelling for 7 days. The maximum value of the expansion ratio was 15. In addition, the higher the salinity, the smaller the particle size of the studied microspheres. The particle size of the microspheres increases with increasing temperature. According to the visualized microscopic experiments, the migration and blocking mechanism of microspheres in the pore throat were discovered. When the particle size is 1/3–1/7 times the pore throat diameter, the microsphere particles can enter the interior of the pores. The microspheres aggregate together, and bridge plugging occurs due to the mechanical trapping of pore throats. In this case, the pore throats are blocked by the produced inner filter cake. The pressure at each point fluctuates up and down in a zigzag pattern during the displacement experiment, revealing the “migrated-plugged-breakthrough-replugged” mechanism for HQ. It can be seen from the oil displacement experiment that the final cumulative recovery and the enhanced oil recovery were 65.71 and 17.31%, respectively. Thus, the studied nano-microspheres have excellent oil displacement performance.

The efficacies of biological and conventional chemical insecticides against two major insect pests of alfalfa (aphids and thrips) were compared in three sites across China’s alfalfa belt. In addition, the persistence of the residues of chemical insecticides in alfalfa and their influence on the quality of alfalfa hay were examined. Efficacy varied among the different biological and chemical insecticides. The chemical insecticides were significantly more effective than biopesticides in a short time-frame. The efficacy period of biopesticides was significantly longer than that of chemical insecticides, and the corrected mortality rate of aphids in all regions was above 50% at 14 days after application. The analysis of pesticide residues showed that the residual doses of all the pesticides were within the allowed ranges after the safe period. The acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber contents in alfalfa hay were higher and the protein content was lower in chemical insecticide treatments than in biopesticide treatments in Hebei. The relative feeding value of alfalfa hay treated with Metarhizium anisopliaeIPP330189 was the highest among the treatments. Compared with chemical insecticides, the yield of alfalfa hay was higher in the biopesticides treatments. Biopesticides show a stronger control effect on insect populations and also a better improvement in the quality of alfalfa hay than chemical insecticides. This study provides a basis for exploring and developing a comprehensive control regime for alfalfa insect pests in the different alfalfa-growing regions in China, and for reducing chemical insecticide usage and improving forage quality.

Background: Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are non-suppurative and autoimmune inflammatory diseases of striated muscle. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a group of heterogeneous diseases that mainly involve the pulmonary interstitium, alveoli, and/or bronchioles, also known as diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD). A significant cause of death in persons with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) is concurrent interstitial lung disease (ILD). However, research on the clinical characteristics and associated influencing factors of PM/DM combined with ILD (PM/DM-ILD) is currently scarce in China. Objective: The study aimed to probe the clinical features and risk factors of PM/DM-ILD. Methods: The data of 130 patients with PM/DM were gathered. General medical status, clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters, high-resolution CT, therapeutic outcomes, and prognoses were retrospectively reviewed in patients with PM/DM with (ILD group) and without (NILD) ILD. Results: The age of the ILD group (n=65) was more than the NILD group (n=65), and the difference was statistically significant; there were no significant between-group variations in the PM/DM ratio, sex, or duration of the disease. The initial symptoms were arthritis and respiratory symptoms in the ILD group, and myasthenia symptoms in the NILD group. Incidences of Raynaud’s phenomenon, dry cough, expectoration, dyspnea on exertion, arthritis, fever, total globulin (GLOB), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and anti-Jo-1 antibody rate were higher for ILD; however, albumin (ALB), creatine kinase aspartate aminotransferase activity ratio (CK/AST) and CK levels were significantly lower in the ILD group. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed age, dry cough, arthritis, dyspnea on exertion, anti-Jo-1 antibody, and elevated GLOB to be independent risk factors for ILD among patients with PM/DM. Conclusion: Advanced age, dry cough, arthritis, dyspnea on exertion, anti-Jo-1 antibody positivity, and elevated GLOB level are risk factors for PM/DM-ILD. This information could be utilized to carefully monitor changing lung function in these patients.

ABSTRACTThis study aims to evaluate the effects of dietary concentrate: forage ratio (C:F) on the development of the gastrointestinal tract in Tibetan lamb. A total of 60 healthy two-month-old weaned black Tibetan sheep (approximately 10.50 kg of initial body weight) were assigned to three treatments and fed C:F of 70:30 (HC group), 50:50 (MC group) and 30:70 (LC group). Using the haematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, morphological results showed that the increase of dietary roughage level from 30 to 70% exerts a positive effect on the development of the forestomach including rumen, reticulum and omasum, especially in papillae and muscle layer. Both submucosa thickness and muscle layer of abomasum are significantly increased in the LC group when compared with the HC group. Moreover, the mucosal thickness of the small intestine is higher in the LC group than that in the HC group, whereas crypt depth is higher in HC compared to the LC group. These data suggest that increased dietary forage levels promote gastrointestinal tract growth in black Tibetan sheep by changing in papilla, muscle layer and mucosal thickness, and concentrate can be supplemented up to 30% to fulfil the nutrient requirements without restriction on the development of the gastrointestinal tract.

In this issue of Chem Catalysis, Peng et al. utilized a computational-aided strategy to synthesize oxygen-enriched Ni-NOC single-atom catalysts with the coordination geometry of Ni-N4O1, featuring the excellent performance of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formation coupled with 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation. This research advances the development of rationally designed high-performance electrocatalysts for H₂O₂ generation.

•Older age and males were correlated with poorer OS and CSS in patients with head and neck mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC).•No surgery was associated with poor OS.•No significant difference was detected between partial and total organ excision on patients’ OS.•There was no significant difference between surgery only and surgery combined with radiotherapy on patients’ OS.•Surgical resection only may be a better survival option for head and neck MEC.

Drug-resistant bacterial infections pose a serious threat to human public health. Biofilm formation is one of the main factors contributing to the development of bacterial resistance, characterized by a hypoxic and microacidic microenvironment. Traditional antibiotic treatments have been ineffective against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Novel monotherapies have had little success. On the basis of the photothermal effect, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoparticles were used to link quaternized polyethylenimine (QPEI), dihydroporphyrin e6 (Ce6), and Panax notoginsengsaponins (PNS) in a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). A multifunctional nanoplatform (MQCP@ZIF-8) was constructed with dual response to pH and near-infrared light (NIR), which resulted in synergistic photothermal and photodynamic antibacterial effects. The nanoplatform exhibited a photothermal conversion efficiency of 56%. It inhibited MDR Escherichia coli(E. coli) and MDR Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus) by more than 95% and effectively promoted wound healing in mice infected with MDR S. aureus. The nanoplatform induced the death of MDR bacteria by promoting biofilm ablation, disrupting bacterial cell membranes and intracellular DNA, and interfering with intracellular material and energy metabolism. In this study, a multifunctional nanoplatform with good antibacterial effect was developed. The molecular mechanisms of MDR bacteria were also elucidated for possible clinical application.

Hot dry rock (HDR) is a kind of clean energy with significant potential. Since the 1970s, the United States, Japan, France, Australia, and other countries have attempted to conduct several HDR development research projects to extract thermal energy by breaking through key technologies. However, up to now, the development of HDR is still in the research, development, and demonstration stage. An HDR exploration borehole (with 236 °C at a depth of 3705 m) was drilled into Triassic granite in the Gonghe Basin in northwest China in 2017. Subsequently, China Geological Survey (CGS) launched the HDR resources exploration and production demonstration project in 2019. After three years of efforts, a sequence of significant technological breakthroughs have been made, including the genetic model of deep heat sources, directional drilling and well completion in high-temperature hard rock, large-scale reservoir stimulation, reservoir characterization, and productivity evaluation, reservoir connectivity and flow circulation, efficient thermoelectric conversion, monitoring, and geological risk assessment, etc. Then the whole-process technological system for HDR exploration and production has been preliminarily established accordingly. The first power generation test was completed in November 2021. The results of this project will provide scientific support for HDR development and utilization in the future.

A family of nanoclusters, [Ln33(EDTA)12(OAc)2(CO3)4(μ3-OH)36(μ5-OH)4(H2O)38]·OAc·xH2O (x≈ 50, Ln = Sm for 1; x≈ 70, Ln = Eu for 2) and [Gd32(EDTA)12(OAc)2(C2O4)(CO3)2(μ3-OH)36(μ5-OH)4(H2O)36]·x(H2O) (x≈ 70 for 3; H4EDTA = ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), was prepared through the assembly of repeating subunits under the action of an anion template. The analysis of the structures showed that compounds 1and 2containing 33 Ln3+ions were isostructural, which were constructed by three kinds of subunits in the presence of CO32–as an anion template, while compound 3had a slightly different structure. Compound 3containing 32 Gd3+ions was formed by three types of subunits in the presence of CO32–and C2O42–as a mixed anion template. The CO32–anions came from the slow fixation of CO2in the air. Meanwhile, one kind of high-nuclearity lanthanide clusters showed high chemical stability. The quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) calculation suggested that weak antiferromagnetic interactions were dominant between Gd3+ions in 3. Magnetocaloric studies showed that compound 3had a large entropy change of 43.0 J kg–1K–1at 2 K and 7 T. Surprisingly, compound 2showed excellent recognition and detection effects for permanganate in aqueous solvents based on the fluorescence quenching phenomenon.

In TDS-OFDM (Time-Domain Synchronous Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) systems, pseudonoise (PN) sequences rather than cyclic prefixes are inserted as guard interval, between consecutive inverse discrete Fourier transformed (IDFT) symbol blocks. Since the PN sequences can also be used as training symbols, such system can provide higher spectrum efficiency. However, due to non-cyclic property of the signal, the simple channel estimation and equalization techniques for conventional cyclic prefixed OFDM (CP-OFDM) can not be applied to TDS-OFDM. In this paper, we propose a channel estimation and equalization method for TDS-OFDM. Channel estimation depends on time domain correlation and iterative interference cancellation techniques, while equalization is based on tail cancellation and cyclic restoration algorithm (TCCR). It is shown that our proposed method can provide satisfactory performance in TDS-OFDM based terrestrial high-definition television (HDTV) broadcasting system Index Terms--Channel estimation, Correlation, DMB-T, Equalization, HDTV, Interference cancellation, OFDM.

At present, the dynamic studies of cylindrical shells are mostly limited to free- and forced vibration, the transient response of which is very limited. It is worth noting that no one has conducted research on the transient response of cylindrical shells with rotating speed and initial geometrical imperfection. Based on this fact, the present article is dedicated to discussing the transient response of rotating carbon nanotubes reinforced composite cylindrical shells with initial geometrical imperfection for the first time. Firstly, four distribution patterns of carbon nanotubes are taken into consideration, in which the material properties are calculated with the help of the mixing rule. Subsequently, considering the effect of initial geometric imperfection, the dynamic model is built according to Love's thin shell theory. Then, the motion equation of the shell is derived based on the Hamilton principle. Assuming three different boundary conditions, the Galerkin principle is applied to reduce the dimensionality of the motion equation, which leads to a nonlinear equation containing central radial displacement, pulse load, and time. Simultaneously, two comparative analyses are developed to confirm the validity of this article, and the results indicate that there is no significant difference between the current results and existing literature. By summarizing the characteristics of four pulse loads, the blast load is determined for numerical analysis. Finally, the Runge–Kutta method is employed to acquire the transient response with various influence factors. The current research provides theoretical guidance for structural design and vibration reduction of the spacecrafts subjected to pulse loads.

Battery energy storage stations (BESSs) hold promising market potential within microgrids, serving as a complementary solution to mitigate fluctuations in renewable distributed generations and providing backup power during microgrid outages or emergencies. However, the distinct fault signatures of BESSs, compared to conventional synchronous generator (SG)-based sources, can result in misoperation of the widely-used superimposed current magnitude (SCM)-based faulty phase selector (FPS), which has received limited attention in previous research. Moreover, the variable operation modes of the microgrid further deteriorate the working condition of the SCM-based FPS. As a consequence, the potential misidentification of faulty phase(s) in the presence of BESS violates the selective phase tripping requirements in existing microgrids. To achieve precise selection of faulty phase(s), this paper proposes a novel FPS based on the generalized magnitude ratio (GMR). Firstly, the proposed FPS applies a compensation method to SCM and extends it to the superimposed voltage magnitude (SVM), mitigating the adverse impacts caused by the unbalanced sequence impedance of BESS. Subsequently, the GMR, which integrates both the compensated SCM and SVM information, is constructed to enhance the adaptability of phase selection to the uncertain infeed level at the BESS side. Finally, the faulty type and specific faulty phase(s) are determined based on the sorted results of the GMR values for each phase. Comprehensive simulation results affirm the expected performance of the proposed FPS under various microgrid modes, as well as different BESS discharge/charge statuses.

In a digital terrestrial broadcasting environment, the channel characteristic maybe severely distorted due to multipath interference. And there is a need of using an equalizer to counteract with the interference. The equalizer algorithm has to meet two performance requirements: fast convergence capability and low noise enhancement. This paper proposes a simple, fast and efficient channel estimate algorithm used for the equalizer. Simulation results prove that an equalizer with the proposed algorithm can combat with multipath of 0dB magnitude and low noise enhancement. The proposed algorithm has low hardware complexity, and has its perspective to be applicable for VSB receivers in digital television terrestrial broadcasting (DTTB). Keywords--LMS, RLS, AWGN, ISI, MLSE, channel estimate, channel impulse response

The design of high-performance single-atom catalysts (SACs) for two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e–ORR) is of great importance for the large-scale commercial application of H2O2electrosynthesis. Herein, utilizing the combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculation and ab initio molecular dynamic (AIMD) simulation, an effective computational framework was built to identify the critical role of coordination fields and hydrosolvents in the 2e–ORR catalytic properties of SAC-based two substrates [pristine γ-type graphyne (γ-GY) and B-doped γ-GY]. The screening calculations of 168 TM@(B-doped) γ-GY (TM = transition metal) revealed that both Co@B1-2-γ-GY and Pd@B3-2-γ-GY feature outstanding catalytic properties with low overpotentials (0.06, 0.02 V) and excellent stability. The electronic structure results uncovered that viewing from the coordination field, electron-deficient boron atoms can manipulate the electron back-donation effect (d→ π2p*) of the TM–O bond to mediate the H2O2property. Solvent effect calculations revealed that the hydrogen-bond (H-bond) framework plays an important role in the high selectivity of H2O2by facilitating the H transfer from water (>99.9 and 98.6% for Co@B1-2-γ-GY and Pd@B3-2-γ-GY), shedding light on the higher accuracy of an explicit solvent than that of an implicit one. This work will provide one way to better design high-selectivity SACs for H2O2synthesis effectively.

A total of 11 new (1–11) and 2 known (12and 13) ent-kaurane diterpene derivatives were identified from the roasted beans of Coffeacultivar S288. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (heteronuclear single-quantum correlation, heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation, correlation spectroscopy, and rotating-frame Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and X-ray analyses. Cafespirone acid A (1) represents the first example of diterpene featuring a spirocyclic skeleton constructed from a 6/6/5 tricyclic system. Cafeane acid A (2) possesses a 6/6/6/5 tetracyclic system as a result of the C/D ring rearrangement. Furthermore, compounds 1–12were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The results showed that compounds 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 11had a moderate inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of compounds 4, 6, 7, and 10were 18.76 ± 1.46, 4.88 ± 0.03, 12.35 ± 0.91, and 12.64 ± 0.59 μM, respectively, compared to the positive control acarbose (60.71 ± 16.45 μM). Additionally, the molecular docking experiments showed that the carbonyl group at C-19 of compounds 4, 6, and 7formed strong hydrogen bonds with ARG315, which may make them have moderate inhibitory activity.

To use vanadium–titanium magnetite (VTM) resources for sintering, a composite agglomeration process (CAP) is applied. This paper studies the effects of pelletizing parameters, including particle size, moisture content and bentonite content on VTM green pellets, composite agglomeration process and mineralogy. The experimental results show that the optimal pellets particle size, water and bentonite content are 5–8 mm, 8.75% and 2.0%, respectively, for the strength of VTM pellets. In the sintering process, the economic and technical indexes obtained by using VTM pellets based on CAP are significantly better than those obtained by traditional sintering process. When using CAP, VTM pellets with the particle size of 5–8 mm have more advantages in the air permeability of the feed layer compared with those with the particle size of 10–12 mm, and accordingly have higher sintering speed, yield, productivity and lower fuel consumption. The addition of 15% ordinary magnetite concentrates into VTM pellets did not improve the productivity, but it was helpful to reduce the solid fuel consumption. By analysing the mineral phase structure of sintering products under different schemes, it is found that the pellets are closely bound to the matrix in the CAP. The main phase in the pellet part is hematite phase, and a large amount of SFCA phase can be observed in the matrix part. When ordinary magnetite concentrate is added, the crystal connections within the particles become more complete.

Solid-state phase transformation is usually associated with excellent mechanical properties in steel materials. A deep understanding of the formation and evolution of phase structure is essential to tailor their service performance. As a powerful tool for capturing the evolution of complex microstructures, phase-field simulation quantitatively calculates the phase structures evolution without explicit assumptions about transient microstructures. With the development of advanced numerical technology and computing ability, phase-field methods have been successfully applied to solid-state phase transformation in steels and greatly support the research and development of advanced steel materials. The phase-field simulations of solid-phase transformation in steels were summarized, and the future development was proposed.

Chemotherapy is a conventional treatment method for metastatic bone cancer, but it has limitations, such as lower drug-targeting of bone tissues and serious side effects. Bone metastasis almost always occurs in advanced cancer, and most patients in this period have strong drug resistance, which further worsens the curative effect. To address the above-mentioned difficulties, a drug delivery platform is proposed in this paper that accomplishes the bone-targeting of drugs to efficiently inhibit tumors. First, the anti-cancer drugs 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) and indocyanine green (ICG) were loaded into a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-90) to form 5-Fu/ICG@ZIF-90. Polyethylene glycol with zoledronic acid (ZOL) was encapsulated using 5-Fu/ICG@ZIF-90 to synthesize 5-Fu/ICG@ZIF-90-PEG-ZOL nanoparticles, which showed dimensional stability, good thermal stability, and bone-targeting ability. Second, the in vitroanti-cancer activity of the designed platform was investigated using cytotoxicity, apoptosis, live–dead staining, cell cycle, and cell ultrathin section analysis. The results indicated that the nanoparticles inhibited MCF-7 cell activity when chemotherapy was combined with PTT. Finally, H&E staining and TUNEL detection were performed in mouse organs and tumors. The nanoparticles combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) and triggered by near-infrared irradiation induce apoptosis of tumor cells in vivo, displaying a better efficacy of combined chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. Experiments conducted on the 5-Fu/ICG@ZIF-90-PEG-ZOL nanoparticles demonstrated their promising performance for cancer bone metastasis inhibition.

A series of solvates based on a dinuclear Fe(II) complex [(TPA)2Fe2(μ-DHBQ)][BF4]2·S [S = CH3OH (1·CH3OH), 2CH3OH (2·2CH3OH), 4DMF (3·4DMF), 2Et2O (4·2Et2O), Et2O·MeCN (5·Et2O·MeCN), and 2CH2Cl2(6·2CH2Cl2)] were synthesized. Upon solvent removal, single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-to-SC) transitions could occur for the first four solvates to give 1, 2, 3, and 4·0.5Et2O. Within the temperature range of 400–10 K, these compounds exhibited abundant variations in their spin crossover (SCO) properties. 2,5·Et2O·MeCNand 6·2CH2Cl2displayed half high-spin (HS) to low-spin (LS) transitions, and 4·2Et2Ounderwent incomplete LS-to-HS conversion, whereas other solvatomorphs showed complete SCO. As all these solvatomorphs possessed the identical [(TPA)2Fe2(μ-DHBQ)][BF4]2core, these variations in SCO behavior emphasized the critical role of the crystal lattice contributions. With the aim of deciphering their origin, periodic DFT+U+D3 computations were performed on these solvatomorphs to quantify the importance of all possible intramolecular and intermolecular effects on their spin-state energetics. Computationally, the isolated [(TPA)2Fe2(μ-DHBQ)]2–molecule in the gas phase would undergo SCO around 350 K in one step intrinsically. However, distinctive roles of the crystal-lattice effects in the solid state resulted in varying SCO behaviors. Different reasons were discovered for the incomplete spin transitions of different solvatomorphs. For 2, although serious volume shrinkage of the LS state caused efficient packing of the overall crystal-lattice organization, the originally close-packing SCO cations got loose and thus strongly destabilized its LS state. For 5·Et2O·MeCNand 6·2CH2Cl2, severe molecular distortions kinetically trapped their LS state.These computationally magneto-structural studies on dinuclear solvatomorphs have great importance for designing SCO compounds with selected properties, which is critical for their actual application.

C40H32N2O12, triclinic, P1‾$P\overline{1}$ (no. 2), a= 7.403(3) Å, b= 8.275(3) Å, c= 14.571(4) Å, α= 106.115(15)°, β= 98.239(16)°, γ= 95.054(19)°, V= 840.9(5) Å3, Z= 1, Rgt(F) = 0.0353, wRref(F2) = 0.0980, T = 170 K.

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A promising route toward the enantioselective recognition and separation of racemic molecules is the design of chiral metal–organic frameworks (CMOFs) with high enantioselectivity and stability. Herein, we report porous CMOFs Δ- and Λ-RuEu-MOFs constructed from the D3-symmetry helical chiral Ru(phen)3-derived tricarboxylate ligand and Eu2units, which can be utilized as adsorbents for the enantioselective recognition and separation of 1,1′-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL) derivatives. Investigation of the circular dichroism enantiodifferentiation between the host and guest suggested that Δ- and Λ-RuEu-MOFs can be employed as chiral sensors to discriminate axial enantiomers due to their diastereomeric host–guest relationship. Density functional theory calculations reveal that chiral recognition is attributed to the distinguishing binding affinities stemming from N···H–O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking between the host and guest. Moreover, the reticulate structure of Δ- and Λ-RuEu-MOFs can be readily recycled and reused for the successive enantioselective separation of BINOL up to 80% ee.