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Polyhedral boranes have potential applications in medicine and material science due to their unique structure and stability. However, tedious and low-yield synthetic methods limited their application. Herein, we have developed a facile large-scale synthetic method for M2[B12H12] (M = Na, K) by the reaction of MBH4with N,N-dipropylaniline borane in diglyme at 120 or 140 °C in up to 88% yield. The mechanistic studies indicated that intermediates, such as [B3H8]−and [B9H14]−, were formed in the formation process of [B12H12]2–anion, similar to previously reported. The formation of B2H6from the N,N-dipropylaniline borane adducts is most important. The developed method avoided using toxic materials, with high yield, easily scaled up, raw materials are readily available. Additionally, the starting material, N,N-dipropylaniline, could be repeatedly used at least three times with similar yields, which is an economical way to facilitate industrial synthesis. It is believed that this method will support further application of Na2[B12H12] and K2[B12H12] as solid electrolytes for an all-solid-state batteries.

Anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the role of PD-1 blockade remains unknown in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the addition of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, to standard chemoradiotherapy in this patient population.

Accurate modeling for highly non-linear coupling of a damaged ship with liquid sloshing in waves is still of considerable interest within the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and AI framework. This paper describes a data-driven Stacking algorithm for fast prediction of roll motion response amplitudes in beam waves by constructing a hydrodynamics model of a damaged ship based on the dynamic overlapping grid CFD technology. The general idea is to optimize various parameters varying with four types of classical base models like multi-layer perception, support vector regression, random forest, and hist gradient boosting regression. This offers several attractive properties in terms of accuracy and efficiency by choosing the standard DTMB 5415 model with double damaged compartments for validation. It is clearly demonstrated that the predicted response amplitude operator (RAO) in the regular beam waves agrees well with the experimental data available, which verifies the accuracy of the established damaged ship hydrodynamics model. Given high-quality CFD samples, therefore, implementation of the designed Stacking algorithm with its optimal combination can predict the damaged ship roll motion amplitudes effectively and accurately (e.g., the coefficient of determination 0.9926, the average absolute error 0.0955 and CPU 3s), by comparison of four types of typical base models and their various forms. Importantly, the established Stacking algorithm provides one potential that can break through problems involving the time-consuming and low efficiency for large-scale lengthy CFD simulations.

Tryptoquivalines are highly toxic metabolites initially isolated from the fungus Aspergillus clavatus. The relative and absolute configuration of tryptoquivaline derivates was primarily established by comparison of the chemical shifts, NOE data, and ECD calculations. A de novo determination of the complete relative configuration using NMR spectroscopy was challenging due to multiple spatially separated stereocenters, including one nonprotonated carbon. In this study, we isolated a new tryptoquivaline derivative, 12S-deoxynortryptoquivaline (1), from the marine ascidian-derived fungus Aspergillus clavatusAS-107. The correct assignment of the relative configuration of 1was accomplished using anisotropic NMR spectroscopy, while the absolute configuration was determined by comparing calculated and experimental ECD spectra. This case study highlights the effectiveness of anisotropic NMR parameters over isotropic NMR parameters in determining the relative configuration of complex natural products without the need for crystallization.

In this paper, the finite-time control and bumpless transfer control are investigated for switched systems under asynchronously switching. First, a class of dynamic output feedback controllers are designed to stabilize the switched system with measurable system outputs. Considering the improvement of transient performance, the bumpless transfer control and finite-time control are further studied in the controller design. To avoid the control bumps, a practical filter is introduced to make the control signal smoother and continuous. Furthermore, to derive a finite-time bounded system state over short-time intervals, the finite-time analysis is considered in managing the switching process with the average dwell time. New criteria are proposed to analyze the finite-time stability and finite-time boundedness for the closed-loop system and solvable conditions are newly proposed to optimize the controller gain. Finally, the superiorities of the proposed method are validated through an application to a boost converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brain-computer interface (BCI) system serves as a critical link between external output devices and the human brain. A monitored object’s mental state, sensory cognition, and even higher cognition are reflected in its electroencephalography (EEG) signal. Nevertheless, unprocessed EEG signals are frequently contaminated with a variety of artifacts, rendering the analysis and elimination of impurities from the collected EEG data exceedingly challenging, not to mention the manual adjustment thereof. Over the last few decades, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has contributed to the development of BCI technology. Algorithms derived from AI and machine learning have significantly enhanced the ability to analyze and process EEG electrical signals, thereby expanding the range of potential interactions between the human brain and computers. As a result, the present BCI technology with the help of AI can assist physicians in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of their patients’ physical and psychological status, thereby contributing to improvements in their health and quality of life.

This paper aims to design a non-asymptotic and robust state estimator applicable both for Caputo fractional linear and nonlinear systems with noisy outputs. For this purpose, a fractional observable canonical form is considered to show the idea of the proposed method. First, the considered form is transformed by taking a fractional derivative operator. Second, based on the new form, the modulating functions method with the additive index law of fractional derivatives is used to get exact formulas for the sought variables in continuous noise-free case, which only contain the integrals involving the output and the fractional derivative of the input, without producing any source of errors. Moreover, the integral forms can reduce noisy effect as low-pass filters. Hence, fast convergent and robust estimation can be obtained using discrete noisy outputs. After constructing the required modulating functions, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed estimator by comparing with the fractional order Luenberger-like observer.

This brief proposes the fuzzy switched active disturbance rejection controller (FSADRC) for generators with load switchings. First, to better reflect the working dynamics of generators, the switched Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy models are established. Then, the FSADRC is designed, which can eliminate the load-switching effect on the system performance. By constructing the mode-dependent Lyapunov function, the stability is analyzed for the closed-loop system with the persistent dwell-time restriction. Subsequently, a new criterion is proposed to optimize the controller gains and ensure the $L_{\infty}$ performance. Finally, superiorities are validated through the DC-link voltage control experiments.

Self‐discharging is a natural behavior that occurs in all batteries. In this work, to reduce the self‐discharging behavior of Al‐ion battery, the graphite materials were coated with different thickness of Al2O3coatings (3, 5, 7, and 10 nm) by using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. Because there is no solid electrolyte interface (SEI) formed in Al‐ion battery with using ionic liquid electrolyte, ALD–Al2O3coating could play a role in artificial SEI in Al‐ion battery. The aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer on the graphite electrode was deposited via ALD. During the deposition, the growth temperature for Al2O3was kept at 80°C. High‐purity N2was used to carry the gas precursors of trimethylaluminium Al2(CH3)6(TMA) and H2O alternately into the reacting chamber of ALD. Each injection of gas precursor was followed by purging the reacting chamber with high‐purity N2. By controlling different reaction times, the different thickness of ALD–Al2O3coatings on the surface of graphite materials can be obtained. We found that SP1 graphite coated with 5 nm Al2O3(SG–ALD‐5 nm) as cathode materials in Al‐ion battery exhibited a superior anti‐self‐discharging behavior (260 h) with long stability (∼900 cycles). The battery capacity can achieve up to 85 mAh/g at a current density of 300 mA/g (3C) with a coulombic efficiency (CE) of 98.5%. Furthermore, the ALD–Al2O3coating method can also be applied to other graphite materials. The battery based on flexuous graphite with an ALD–Al2O3coating (FG–ALD) also exhibited excellent discharging capacity of 140 mAh/g with good cycle stability over 3000 cycles at a current density of 3000 mA/g. Overall results indicated that ALD coatings on graphite materials demonstrated significantly promising on not only reducing the self‐discharging problem but also remaining the superior battery performance. Self‐discharging is a natural behavior that occurs in all batteries. To reduce the self‐discharging behavior of Al‐ion battery, the graphite materials were coated with different thickness of Al2O3coatings. We found that graphite materials with 5 nm ALD–Al2O3coating as cathode materials in Al‐ion battery not only exhibited good anti‐self‐discharging behavior but also remained superior battery performance.

The utilization of carboranes in supramolecular chemistry has attracted considerable attention. The unique spatial configuration and weak interaction forces of carboranes can help to explore the properties of supramolecular complexes, particularly via host–guest chemistry. Additionally, certain difficulties encountered in carborane development─such as controlled B–H bond activation─can be overcome by judiciously selecting metal centers and their adjacent ligands. However, few studies are being conducted in this nascent research area. With advances in this field, novel carborane-based supramolecular complexes will likely be prepared, structurally characterized, and intrinsically investigated. To expedite these efforts, we present major findings from recent studies, including π–π interactions, host–guest associations, and steric effects, which have been leveraged to implement a regioselective process for activating B(2,9)–, B(2,8)–, and B(2,7)–H bonds of para-carboranes and B(4,7)–H bonds of ortho-carboranes. Future studies should clarify the unique weak interactions of carboranes and their potential for enhancing the utility of supramolecular complexes. Although carboranes exhibit several unique weak interactions (such as dihydrogen-bond [Bδ+–Hδ−···Hδ+–Cδ−], Bδ+–Hδ−···M+, and Bδ+–Hδ−···π interactions), the manner in which they can be utilized remains unclear. Supramolecular complexes, particularly those based on host–guest chemistry, can be utilized as a platform for demonstrating potential applications of these weak interactions. Owing to the importance of alkane separation, applications related to the recognition and separation of alkane isomers via dihydrogen-bond interactions are primarily summarized. Advances in the research of unique weak interactions in carboranes will certainly lead to more possibilities for supramolecular chemistry.

In this study, a spiking cortical model (SCM) based n-γdiscrimination method is proposed. The SCM-based algorithm is compared with three other methods, namely: (i) the pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN), (ii) the charge comparison, and (iii) the zero-crossing. The objective evaluation criteria used for the comparison are the FoM-value and the time consumption of discrimination. Experimental results demonstrated that our proposed method outperforms the other methods significantly with the highest FoM-value. Specifically, the proposed method exhibits a 34.81% improvement compared with the PCNN, a 50.29% improvement compared with the charge comparison, and a 110.02% improvement compared with the zero-crossing. Additionally, the proposed method features the second-fastest discrimination time, where it is 75.67% faster than the PCNN, 70.65% faster than the charge comparison and 38.4% slower than the zero-crossing. Our study also discusses the role and change pattern of each parameter of the SCM to guide the selection process. It concludes that the SCM's outstanding ability to recognize the dynamic information in the pulse signal, improved accuracy when compared to the PCNN, and better computational complexity enables the SCM to exhibit excellent n-γdiscrimination performance while consuming less time.

Chloroform is a volatile organic solvent and a contaminant that is slightly soluble in water, making the reversible separation of chloroform from water a critical and challenging task within the chemical and environmental industries. In this study, we present a newly developed coordination framework, [Zn(4-pmntd)(opa)] [4-pmntd, N,N′-bis(4-pyridylmethyl)naphthalene diimide; opa, o-phthalic acid], which demonstrates a high adsorption capacity for chloroform (2.5 mmol/g) and an excellent ability to separate chloroform from water. The effectiveness of chloroform extraction by Zn(4-pmntd)(opa) was confirmed through vapor sorption, grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The porous framework was also utilized to create a filtration film using natural rubber, which successfully separated chloroform from water with a minimum test concentration of approximately 1 × 10–6mol/L and a chloroform purity of 99.2%. [Zn(4-pmntd)(opa)] therefore has significant potential for low-energy separation and recycling of chloroform from water under ambient conditions.

Cavitation within the tip vortex (TV) flow remains a challenging issue in the design of high-speed and low-noise hydraulic machinery. In this paper, the TV cavitating flow around an elliptical hydrofoil is calculated by using large eddy simulation (LES) combined with a modified Schnerr-Sauer (S-S) cavitation model. The original S-S cavitation model is modified by taking into account the typical effect of vortex flow. The partial pressure term which can describe the vortex quantitatively and qualitatively is confirmed as ρmωx2rc2, and is considered into the R-P equation of the modified S-S cavitation model. Comparison between the numerical and experimental results shows good agreement in the form and evolution of cavities, including attached cavities (AC) and tip vortex cavities (TVC). The vorticity transport equation is utilized to investigate the dynamic mechanisms of the vortex development around the TVC. Further analyses indicate that cavitation in the TV flow influences the pressure in the core of the cavity and the local flow patterns. Typical vortex structures in the TV cavitating flow include TV, secondary vortex (SV) and wake vortex (WV). The direction and magnitude of the rotation effect can be described by axial vorticity which is drawn on the iso-surface of Q= 1 × 105s−2. The development of the TV cavitating flow can be divided into two stages: Stage I, the development and fusion of TV, SV, stage II, the dissipation of SV. The stretching term dominates the evolution of TV, and the dilatation term is the main reason in the mergence process of SV.

Developing novel assembly methods for supramolecular compounds has long been a research challenge. Herein, we describe how to integrate the B–C coupling reaction and “cage walking” process into coordination self-assembly to construct supramolecular cages. In this strategy, dipyridine linkers containing alkynes react with the metallized carborane backbone through B–C coupling and then “cage walking” resulting in metallacages. However, dipyridine linkers without alkynyl groups can form only metallacycles. We can regulate the size of metallacages based on the length of the alkynyl bipyridine linkers. When tridentate-pyridine linkers participate in this reaction, a new type of ravel is formed. The metallization of carboranes, the B–C coupling reaction, and especially the “cage walking” process of carborane cages play a vital role in this reaction. This work provides a promising principle for the synthesis of metallacages and opens up a novel opportunity in the supramolecular field.

In insects, ecdysteroids are synthesized by genes of the Halloween family and play important roles in several key developmental events, including molting and metamorphosis. However, the roles of these genes in Agasicles hygrophilaare still largely unknown. In this study, the expression patterns of the two Halloween genes AhCYP307A2and AhCYP314A1were determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) at different developmental stages. Moreover, the functions of these two genes were explored using RNA interference (RNAi), and ovarian development was observed by dissecting the ovaries of A. hygrophilafemales. The qPCR results showed that AhCYP307A2and AhCYP314A1were highly expressed in last instar larvae and in adult females. In addition, AhCYP307A2was also highly expressed in eggs and pupae but was markedly lower than in third-instar larvae and females. The RNAi results showed that the injection of dsAhCYP307A2or dsAhCYP314A1markedly inhibited their expression and the transcription levels of three related AhVgs. Knockdown of AhCYP307A2or AhCYP314A1significantly inhibited larval molting, impaired last instar larva–pupa–adult transition, delayed ovarian development, and stopped egg production (i.e., no eggs were laid). These results indicate that AhCYP307A2and AhCYP314A1play important regulatory roles in last instar larva–pupa–adult transition and reproduction in A. hygrophila.

Aero-engine fault prediction aims to accurately predict the development trend of the future state of aero-engines, so as to diagnose faults in advance. Traditional aero-engine parameter prediction methods mainly use the nonlinear mapping relationship of time series data but generally ignore the adequate spatiotemporal features contained in aero-engine data. To this end, we propose a brain-inspired spike echo state network (Spike-ESN) model for aero-engine intelligent fault prediction, which is used to effectively capture the evolution process of aero-engine time series data in the framework of spatiotemporal dynamics. In the proposed approach, we design a spike input layer based on Poisson distribution inspired by the spike neural encoding mechanism of biological neurons, which can extract the useful temporal characteristics in aero-engine sequence data. Then, the temporal characteristics are input into a spike reservoir through the current calculation method of spike accumulation in neurons, which projects the data into a high-dimensional sparse space. In addition, we use the ridge regression method to read out the internal state of the spike reservoir. Finally, the experimental results of aero-engine states prediction demonstrate the superiority and potential of the proposed method.

The modulating functions based non-asymptotic method is applied in this paper for state and derivative estimation for a class of linear singular systems, using noisy output observation. First, after studying the observability condition and obtaining a form similar to the Brunovsky's observable canonical form for the studied system, the system's input-output differential equation is derived. Second, algebraic formulas are obtained for the sought unknown variables in different situations without knowing the system's initial condition. At last, an example is given to verify the efficiency of the proposed method in noise environment by adopting a sliding integration window.

Polyhedral boranes are a class of well-known boron molecular clusters with unique physical and chemical properties, and great efforts have been made in the past decades to find more effective synthetic methods. However, the established synthetic methods suffer from low efficiency and low selectivity because the mechanism of the B–H bond condensation reaction, critical for the synthesis of the polyhedral boranes, is not well understood. Here we report highly selective and efficient synthetic methods of the salts of the tetradecahydridoundecaborate (1–) (B11H14−) and dodecahydrido-dodecaborates (2–) (B12H122−) anions by employing commercially available and inexpensive starting materials. Both theoretical and experimental investigations are carried out to elucidate the reaction mechanisms. We have found that the nature of the B–H bond condensation is the dihydrogen bonding interaction in which the positively charged hydrogens (bridged hydrogens) play a crucial role. The current study has not only led to more effective and selective synthetic methods for B11H14−and B12H122−but also unveiled the nature of the B–H bond condensation and the general formation mechanisms of polyhedral boranes. This finding will facilitate the development of more effective synthetic methods for polyhedral boranes and spur their wide application.

Cardiovascular diseases have posed a great threat to human health. Fortunately, gene therapy holds great promise in the fight against cardiovascular disease (CVD). In gene therapy, it is necessary to select the appropriate carriers to deliver the genes to the target cells of the target organs. There are usually two types of carriers, viral carriers and non-viral carriers. However, problems such as high immunogenicity, inflammatory response, and limited loading capacity have arisen with the use of viral carriers. Therefore, scholars turned their attention to non-viral carriers. Among them, nanocarriers are highly valued because of their easy modification, targeting, and low toxicity. Despite the many successes of gene therapy in the treatment of human diseases, it is worth noting that there are still many problems to be solved in the field of gene therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we give a brief introduction to the common nanocarriers and several common cardiovascular diseases (arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, myocardial hypertrophy). On this basis, the application of gene delivery nanocarriers in the treatment of these diseases is introduced in detail.

The specific recognition and separation of alkanes with similar molecular structures and close boiling points face significant scientific challenges and industrial demands. Here, rectangular carborane-based metallacycles were designed to selectively encapsulate n-pentane from n-pentane, iso-pentane, and cyclo-pentane mixtures in a simple-to-operate and more energy-efficient way. Metallacycle 1, bearing 1,2-di(4-pyridyl) ethylene, can selectively separate n-pentane from these three-component mixtures with a purity of 97%. The selectivity is ascribed to the capture of the preferred guest with matching size, C–H···π interactions, and potential B–Hδ−···Hδ+–C interactions. Besides, the removal of n-pentane gives rise to original guest-free carborane-based metallacycles, which can be recycled without losing performance. Considering the variety of substituted carborane derivatives, metal ions, and organic linkers, these new carborane-based supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) may be broadly applicable to other challenging recognition and separation systems with good performance.

“Spin” has been recently reported as an important degree of electronic freedom to improve the performance of electrocatalysts and photocatalysts. This work demonstrates the manipulations of spin-polarized electrons in CsPbBr3halide perovskite nanoplates (NPLs) to boost the photocatalytic CO2reduction reaction (CO2RR) efficiencies by doping manganese cations (Mn2+) and applying an external magnetic field. Mn-doped CsPbBr3(Mn-CsPbBr3) NPLs exhibit an outstanding photocatalytic CO2RR compared to pristine CsPbBr3NPLs due to creating spin-polarized electrons after Mn doping. Notably, the photocatalytic CO2RR of Mn-CsPbBr3NPLs is significantly enhanced by applying an external magnetic field. Mn-CsPbBr3NPLs exhibit 5.7 times improved performance of photocatalytic CO2RR under a magnetic field of 300 mT with a permanent magnet compared to pristine CsPbBr3NPLs. The corresponding mechanism is systematically investigated by magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, and density functional theory simulation. The origin of enhanced photocatalytic CO2RR efficiencies of Mn-CsPbBr3NPLs is due to the increased number of spin-polarized photoexcited carriers by synergistic doping of the magnetic elements and applying a magnetic field, resulting in prolonged carrier lifetime and suppressed charge recombination. Our result shows that manipulating spin-polarized electrons in photocatalytic semiconductors provides an effective strategy to boost photocatalytic CO2RR efficiencies.

Laser-welded structures are often subjected to dynamic service loads ranging from cyclic fluctuations to completely random ones. The laser-welded lap joints suffer from defects resulting in notch effects, surface cracks, residual strains and stresses. The fatigue strength of the laser-welded lap joints is reduced significantly because of the presence of these defects, and the size of the welded joints is small. Therefore, the mechanical strength of laser-welded structures must be defined in terms of the fatigue strength and residual stress of the obtained joints or assemblies. To analyze the above-discussed effects, this paper proposed two approaches: numerical and experimental methods. The originality of the work is to weld the rolled sheet in three directions (0°, 45°, 90°). The residual stresses before and after low cyclic tensile tests of assemblies obtained from overlapped thin DP600 steel sheets were calculated by ABAQUS. The obtained results were compared to the experimental data by neutron diffraction. The presented results in terms of residual stresses curves, spatial distributions of residual stresses obtained at the end of laser welding and low-cycle fatigue. It showed the relaxation effect of residual stresses and the direction effect of welding. These results have been explained by several factors.

Separation of light hydrocarbons (C1–C9) represents one of the “seven chemical separations to change the world”. Boron clusters can potentially play an important role in chemical separation, due to their unique three-dimensional structures and their ability to promote a potentially rich array of weak noncovalent interactions. Herein, we report the rational design of metallacages with carborane functionality and cooperative dihydrogen binding sites for the highly selective capture of cyclohexane molecules. The metallacage 1, bearing the ligand 2,4,6-tris(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPT), can produce cyclohexane with a purity of 98.5% in a single adsorption–desorption cycle from an equimolar mixture of benzene and cyclohexane. In addition, cyclohexene molecules can be also encapsulated inside the metallacage 1. This selective encapsulation was attributed to spatial confinement effects, C–H···π interactions, and particularly dihydrogen-bond interactions. This work suggests exciting future applications of carborane cages in supramolecular chemistry for the selective adsorption and separation of alkane molecules and may open up a new research direction in host–guest chemistry.

Background: Although observational studies suggest that estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women, use of unopposed ERT for prevention of coronary heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women remains untested. Objective: To determine the effect of unopposed ERT on the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in healthy postmenopausal women without preexisting cardiovascular disease. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: University-based clinic. Patients: 222 postmenopausal women 45 years of age or older without preexisting cardiovascular disease and with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels of 3.37 mmol/L or greater (>=130 mg/dL). Intervention: Unopposed micronized 17beta-estradiol (1 mg/d) or placebo. All women received dietary counseling. Women received lipid-lowering medication if their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level exceeded 4.15 mmol (160 mg/dL). Measurements: The rate of change in intima-media thickness of the right distal common carotid artery far wall in computer image processed B-mode ultrasonograms obtained at baseline and every 6 months during the 2-year trial. Results: In a multivariable mixed-effects model, among women who had at least one follow-up measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (n=199), the average rate of progression of subclinical atherosclerosis was lower in those taking unopposed estradiol than in those taking placebo (-0.0017 mm/y vs. 0.0036 mm/y); the placebo-estradiol difference between average progression rates was 0.0053 mm/y (95% CI, 0.0001 to 0.0105 mm/y) (P=0.046). Among women who did not receive lipid-lowering medication (n-77), the placebo-estradiol difference between average rates of progression was 0.0147 mm/y (CI, 0.0055 to 0.0240) (P=0.002). Average rates of progression did not differ between estradiol and placebo recipients who took lipid-lowering medication (n=122) (P>0.2). Conclusions: Overall, the average rate of progression of subclinical atherosclerosis was slower in healthy postmenopausal women taking unopposed ERT with 17beta-estradiol than in women taking placebo. Reduction in the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis was seen in women who did not take lipid-lowering medication but not in those who took these medications.

In this work, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) based on 2,6-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)naphthalene (L) and biphenyl-3,4′,5-tricarboxylic acid (H3bptc), namely [Co(L)(Hbptc)(H2O)] (1), has been prepared. 1has a distinct infinite chain structure, further linked together by winding interactions to give the three-dimensional (3D) network structure. 1was characterized by X-ray crystallography, infrared spectra (IR) spectroscopy, elemental and thermal analysis. Photoluminescence studies revealed that 1shows a strong emission at 361 nm upon excitation at 290 nm at room temperature. Moreover, 1can efficiently detect Fe3+ions by luminescence quenching.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a new technical discipline that uses computer technology to research and develop the theory, method, technique, and application system for the simulation, extension, and expansion of human intelligence. With the assistance of new AI technology, the traditional medical environment has changed a lot. For example, a patient’s diagnosis based on radiological, pathological, endoscopic, ultrasonographic, and biochemical examinations has been effectively promoted with a higher accuracy and a lower human workload. The medical treatments during the perioperative period, including the preoperative preparation, surgical period, and postoperative recovery period, have been significantly enhanced with better surgical effects. In addition, AI technology has also played a crucial role in medical drug production, medical management, and medical education, taking them into a new direction. The purpose of this review is to introduce the application of AI in medicine and to provide an outlook of future trends.

As modern science and technology constantly progresses, the fields of artificial intelligence, mixed reality technology, remote technology, etc. have rapidly developed. Meanwhile, these technologies have been gradually applied to the medical field, leading to the development of intelligent medicine. What’s more, intelligent medicine has greatly promoted the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), causing huge changes in the diagnosis of TCM ailments, remote treatment, teaching, etc. Therefore, there are both opportunities and challenges for inheriting and developing TCM. Herein, the related research progress of intelligent medicine in the TCM in China and abroad over the years is analyzed, with the purpose of introducing the present application status of intelligent medicine in TCM and providing reference for the inheritance and development of TCM in a new era.

Objective: To explore a new artificial intelligence (AI)-aided method to assist the clinical diagnosis of tibial plateau fractures (TPFs) and further measure its validity and feasibility. Methods: A total of 542 X-rays of TPFs were collected as a reference database. An AI algorithm (RetinaNet) was trained to analyze and detect TPF on the X-rays. The ability of the AI algorithm was determined by indexes such as detection accuracy and time taken for analysis. The algorithm performance was also compared with orthopedic physicians. Results: The AI algorithm showed a detection accuracy of 0.91 for the identification of TPF, which was similar to the performance of orthopedic physicians (0.92±0.03). The average time spent for analysis of the AI was 0.56 s, which was 16 times faster than human performance (8.44±3.26 s). Conclusion: The AI algorithm is a valid and efficient method for the clinical diagnosis of TPF. It can be a useful assistant for orthopedic physicians, which largely promotes clinical workflow and further guarantees the health and security of patients.

Background: Carotid arterial intima-media thickness is used as a noninvasive surrogate end point to measure progression of atherosclerosis, but its relation to coronary events has not been fully explored. Objective: To determine whether carotid arterial intima-media thickness predicts coronary events. Design: Long-term follow-up (average, 8.8 years) of a previously assembled cohort of persons who completed the 2-year Cholesterol Lowering Atherosclerosis Study, a randomized arterial imaging trial designed to study the effects of lipid lowering on progression of atherosclerosis. Setting: University-based ultrasonography laboratory. Patients: 146 men 40 to 59 years of age who had previously had coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Measurements: Preintrusive atherosclerosis in the common carotid artery was evaluated every 6 months with B-mode ultrasonography, and intrusive atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries was evaluated at baseline and at 2 years with quantitative coronary angiography. After the trial, the incidences of coronary events (nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, coronary death, and coronary artery revascularization) were documented. Results: For each 0.03-mm increase per year in carotid arterial intima-media thickness, the relative risk for nonfatal myocardial infarction or coronary death was 2.2 (95% Cl, 1.4 to 3.6) and the relative risk for any coronary event was 3.1 (Cl, 2.1 to 4.5) (P < 0.001). Absolute intima-media thickness was also related to risk for clinical coronary events (P < 0.02). Absolute thickness and progression in thickness predicted risk for coronary events beyond that predicted by coronary arterial measures of atherosclerosis and lipid measurements (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Noninvasive B-mode ultrasonographic measurement of progression of intima-media thickness in the distal common carotid artery is a useful surrogate end point for clinical coronary events., Measuring the thickness of the inside of the carotid arteries with ultrasound may assist physicians in predicting which patients are at high risk of a heart attack. Researchers used this technique every six months on 146 men with a history of coronary artery disease and followed them for an average of 9 years. The risk of a heart attack or death from heart disease doubled for every 0.03 millimeter increase in thickness per year.

Objective: To assess the effects of lipid-lowering therapy on the progression of early, preintrusive carotid arterial atherosclerosis. Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, serial carotid arterial imaging trial. Setting: University Atherosclerosis Research Unit. Patients: 188 patients from the Monitored Atherosclerosis Regression Study who were 37 to 67 years of age and had angiographically defined coronary artery disease. Intervention: Cholesterol-lowering diet plus placebo or lovastatin, 80 mg/d. Measurements: High-resolution B-mode ultrasonographic quantification of the combined thickness of the distal common carotid arterial far wall intima-media complex (carotid arterial intima-media thickness) at baseline and every 6 months for as long as 4 years. Results: The annual rate of change in carotid arterial intima-media thickness differed significantly between the lovastatin group and the placebo group at 2 and 4 years (P < 0.001). Patients receiving lovastatin had consistent reduction of the intima-media thickness (P < 0.001 as early as 1 year), whereas patients receiving placebo had consistent increase of intima-media thickness at 2 and 4 years (P < 0.02). On-trial levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoproteins B, C-III, and E correlated significantly with the annual rate of change in carotid arterial intima-media thickness (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Lipid-lowering therapy reverses the progression of early, preintrusive atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. Both cholesterol-rich and triglyceride-rich lipoproteins correlate with the progression of early, preintrusive atherosclerosis of the carotid artery. These findings, together with earlier reports of the effects of lovastatin therapy on the progression of atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, indicate that carotid arterial far wall intima-media thickness is a useful end point for anti-atherosclerosis trials., Evidence suggests that lovastatin therapy and a low-fat diet may reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a vessel wall thickening or blockage of the major blood vessels around the heart. Researchers measured the vessel wall thickness of the carotid artery every six months over a four-year period in 188 patients with artery disease who ate a low-fat diet and took either lovastatin or placebo. They also evaluated blood cholesterol and lipid levels in these patients. There was a significant reduction in vessel wall thickness after one year of lovastatin therapy, particularly in patients with the greatest initial vessel wall thickness. This trend continued in the following three years and was similar for men and women. Vessel wall thickness increased in patients taking placebo. Patients in the treatment group also experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, total triglycerides, and an increase in HDL cholesterol.

ABSTRACTThe temporal dimension makes it difficult and complex to learn the Dynamic Bayesian Networks structure for huge search space. We propose a new hybrid K2-Bat algorithm to learn the structure of Dynamic Bayesian Networks. This work contains two optimal strategies: an ordering-based algorithm INOK2 to learn initial network structure and an adaptive binary bat algorithm to learn transition network structure. Based on the requirement of K2 algorithm for prior knowledge, a fitness function is built to quantitatively score node order in INOK2. The initial population is generated by the node block sequence constructed by directional support tree. A dynamic learning factor, inverted mutation s`node sequence to improve the global searching ability and the convergence speed. Then, the optimal initial network structure can be obtained. In addition, an improved binary bat algorithm is proposed to improve the development behavior of bat algorithm by using dynamic selection strategy in transitional network learning. Finally, experiments on four well-known benchmark problems are performed. The results show that the proposed algorithm can successfully learn the structure of Dynamic Bayesian Networks without prior knowledge, and balance solutions quality and computational effort.

The sequence stratigraphic framework of Shanxi Formation in the northeast Zhoukou Depression was established based on detailed sequence stratigraphical and sedimentological analysis by utilizing the logging and core data of six wells drilled in the eastern tectonic unit of Zhoukou Depression. It was divided into three third-order sequences, namely SQs1, SQs2, and SQs3 from bottom to top. Each sequence can be divided into a transgressive system tract (TST) and a highstand system tract (HST). Furthermore, four sequence boundaries and three maximum flooding surfaces were identified, and they are the bottom interface SBs and maximum flooding surface mfss1 of SQs1, the bottom interface SBs1 and maximum flooding surface mfss2 of SQs2, the bottom interface SBs3 and maximum flooding surface mfss3 of SQs3, and the top interface SBx from bottom to top. Carbonate tidal flat –clastic tidal flat sedimentary system developed in Shanxi Formation in the northeast Zhoukou Depression (also referred to as the study area) under the control of regression. Meanwhile, four sedimentary microfacies were identified in the sedimentary system, which are lime-mud flats, sand flats, mixed flats, and mud flats. The transgression in the study area occurred from the southeast to the northwest. Therefore, the northwestern part is the seaward side, and the southeastern part is the landward side. As revealed by relevant drilling data, SQs1 of the Shanxi Formation is characterized by the development of limestone and carbonaceous mudstone, with limestone, dark mudstone, and carbonaceous mudstone mainly developing. Meanwhile, lime-mud flats were mainly deposited in it. During the periods of SQs2 and SQs3, the sedimentary environment of the study area changed from the carbonate tidal flats to clastic tidal flats as the coastline migrated towards the sea. In these periods, sand flats mainly developed near the maximum flooding surfaces and were relatively continuous in the eastern and southern parts of the transgressive system tract; mixed flats were relatively continuous in the western and northern parts of the transgressive system tract as well as the eastern and southern parts of the highstand system tract; mud flats widely developed in the highstand system tract. Peat flats mainly developed in the period of HSTs2, with coal seams relatively developing in the southeastern part of the study area as revealed by drilling data. The peat flats in SQs2 are favorable hydrocarbon source layers, the lime-mud flats in SQs1 and sand flats formed in the transgression periods of SQs2 and SQs3 constitute favorable hydrocarbon reservoirs, and the mud flats form in the transgressions periods serve as favorable cap rocks. Therefore, the study area features a reservoir-cap assemblage for self-generating and self-storing of hydrocarbon, and the southeastern part of the study area can be taken as a favorable exploration area.

Batch hydrothermal reactor is known as a closed system, and what happens in this “black box” is mysterious. Now, by using the tendency of graphene oxide (GO) to align along the flow and the fixation effect of thermoset resin, the hydrothermal annular convection can be inferred from the axisymmetric poloidal structure and GO-assembled annular distribution. Temperature difference and geometric symmetricity of the reactor account for the annular convection, which is also found to be affected by solution viscosity and reactor parameters. Numerical simulations reproduce the annular convection and are used to investigate the parameter space beyond experiments. Plume flows occur at the bottom of the reactor due to flow instability. Irregular and intensive flow is against the synthesis of high-aspect-ratio nanomaterials and monolithic gels. It is noteworthy that large-scale batch hydrothermal synthesis may not be feasible for some nanowires, nanosheets, and particularly gels due to the non-negligible flow influence.

Coal measure gas (also known as coal-bearing unconventional gas) is the key field and development direction of unconventional natural gas in recent years. The exploration and evaluation of coal measure gas (coalbed methane, coal shale gas and coal measure tight sandstone gas) from single coalbed methane has greatly expanded the field and space of resource evaluation, which is of positive significance for realizing the comprehensive utilization of coal resources, maximizing the benefits and promoting the innovation of oil and gas geological theory and technological advances in exploration and development. For the first time, in Yangmeishu Syncline of Western Guizhou Province, the public welfare coalbed methane geological survey project of China Geological Survey has been carried out a systematic geological survey of coal measure gas for the Upper Permian Longtan Formation, identified the geological conditions of coal measure gas and found high quality resources. The total geological resource quantity of coalbed methane and coal shale gas is 51.423×109m3and the geological resource abundance is up to 566×109m3/km2. In this area, the coal measures are characterized by many layers of minable coal seams, large total thickness, thin to the medium thickness of the single layer, good gas-bearing property of coal seams and coal measure mudstone and sandstone, good reservoir physical property and high-pressure coefficient. According to the principle of combination of high quality and similarity of key parameters of the coal reservoir, the most favorable intervals are No.5−2, No.7 and No.13−2coal seam in Well YMC1. And the pilot tests are carried out on coal seams and roof silty mudstone, such as staged perforation, increasing hydraulic fracturing scale and “three gas” production. The high and stable industrial gas flow with a daily gas output of more than 4000 m3has been obtained, which has realized the breakthrough in the geological survey of coal measure gas in Southwest China. Based on the above investigation results, the geological characteristics of coal measure gas in the multi-thin-coal-seam-developed area and the co-exploration and co-production methods, such as the optimization method of favorable intervals, the high-efficiency fracturing and reservoir reconstruction method of coal measures, and the “three gas” drainage and production system, are systematically summarized in this paper. It will provide a reference for efficient exploration and development of coal measure gas in similar geological conditions in China.

To date, flexible, sensitive and biocompatible pressure sensors for fluctuation signals in human body have been mainly demonstrated for detecting body and muscle motion, pulse rate, heart rate and arterial blood pressure. However, because of the lack of sufficient sensitivity and flexibility, pulse signals with relatively low intensity cannot be identified and captured, such as signals derived from microcirculation in human body. As confirmed and validated by researchers, once PVDF and its copolymer based nanocomposite sensing material are applied in piezoelectric sensors, its sensitivity and piezoelectricity are highly relevant. Therefore, as one of the most effective methods to improve the permittivity and piezoelectricity of PVDF and its copolymer based nanocomposite, the effect of increasing the content of β-phase crystal was investigated in this work. In this project, the sensor possessing a novel sensing layer with the nanofiller was investigated and fabricated. The proposed sensor was designed in a simple but efficient sandwich structure. The sensing layer of the proposed sensor was made of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE) based nanocomposite with Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanostructure acting as a filler portion which was fabricated by the method of Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD). The fabricated nanocomposite sensing layers were characterized. The microstructures and morphologies of pristine PVDF (P), PVDF-TrFE (PT), PVDF/ZnO (P/Z) and PVDF-TrFE/ZnO (PT/Z) with different concentration were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The degree of crystallinity for P, PT, P/Z and PT/Z was obtained by X-ray Diffraction meter (XRD). In conclusion, PT exhibited better performance in both morphology and crystallinity as a sensing membrane material. More β‐phase in PT was obtained than that in P. ZnO, as a semiconductor filler, would have substantial influence on enhancing the dielectric constant by acting as a nucleating agent and forming a nanostructure with large aspect ratio.

Poly(citric acid-co-glutamic acid) (PCA-GLU) was prepared successfully by using citric acid and glutamic acid as monomers. The synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. The static scale inhibition method was utilized to test the performance of PCA-GLU. The polymerization conditions, such as reaction time, reaction temperature, catalyst dosage, and monomer ratio, were optimized to gain the high-performance scale inhibitor. The scale inhibition rate exceeded 95% in simulated CaSO4fouling solution which initially contained 3,000 mg L–1Ca2+and SO42–ions when the dosage of the optimized polymer scale inhibitor was 10 mg L–1. The results of calcium ion titration experiments in static scale inhibition experiments showed that PCA-GLU can chelate with Ca2+ions, increase the content of Ca2+ions stayed in simulated water and reduce the amount of deposition of CaSO4scale. The CaSO4scale collected from the simulated water was observed by scanning electron microscopy and characterized by X-ray diffraction. PCA-GLU significantly inhibited the crystal growth of CaSO4and distorted the lattice of the crystal. Therefore, PCA-GLU is a potent inhibitor of a highly-effective green CaSO4scale.

Constructing a C–N bond by merging electrochemistry and nickel catalysis is considered a powerful strategy. Herein, we investigate highly efficient intramolecular amination at room temperature with excellent functional group tolerance. Mechanistic studies suggest that the rapid ligand exchange may lead to the NiI/NiIIIcatalytic cycle. This method not only provides a new perspective for intramolecular amination but also offers a novel approach for constructing the benzothiazine scaffold.

Fusarium pseudograminearumis a devastating pathogen that causes Fusariumcrown rot (FCR) in wheat and poses a significant threat to wheat production in terms of grain yield and quality. However, the mechanism by which F. pseudograminearuminfects wheat remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by constructing a T-DNA insertion mutant library for the highly virulent strain WZ-8A of F. pseudograminearum.By screening this mutant library, we identified nine independent mutants that displayed impaired pathogenesis in barley leaves. Among these mutants, one possessed a disruption in the gene FpRCO1that is an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RCO1and an essential component of the Rpd3S histone deacetylase complex in F. pseudograminearum. To further investigate the role of FpRCO1in F. pseudograminearum, we employed a split-marker approach to knock out FpRCO1in F. pseudograminearumWZ-8A. FpRCO1deletion mutants exhibit reduced vegetative growth, conidium production, and virulence in wheat coleoptiles and barley leaves, whereas the complementary strain restores these phenotypes. Moreover, under stress conditions, the FpRCO1deletion mutants exhibited increased sensitivity to NaCl, sorbitol, and SDS, but possessed reduced sensitivity to H2O2compared to these characteristics in the wild-type strain. RNA-seq analysis revealed that deletion of FpRCO1affected gene expression (particularly the downregulation of TRIgene expression), thus resulting in significantly reduced deoxynivalenol (DON) production. In summary, our findings highlight the pivotal role of FpRCO1in regulating vegetative growth and development, asexual reproduction, DON production, and pathogenicity of F. pseudograminearum. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying F. pseudograminearuminfection in wheat and may pave the way for the development of novel strategies to combat this devastating disease.

A fundamental concern on the robustness of hypergraphs lies in comprehending how the failure of individual nodes affects the hyperedges they are associated with. To address the issue, we propose a simple but novel percolation model that takes into account the dependency of hyperedges on their internal nodes, where the failure of a single node can lead to the dissolution of its associated hyperedge with a probability β. Based on a newly proposed analytical method of percolation theory on hypergraphs, our research reveals that the impact of mean cardinality on the system robustness varies with β. For a large value of β , a larger mean cardinality increases the fragility of hypergraphs, while for a small β , a larger mean cardinality enhances the robustness of hypergraphs. Additionally, our research uncovers divergent effects of hyperdegree distribution on system robustness between monolayer and double-layer hypergraphs. Specifically, monolayer hypergraphs with scale-free hyperdegree distribution exhibit higher robustness, while Poisson hyperdegree distributions lead to stronger robustness in double-layer hypergraphs. These findings provide valuable insights into the robustness of hypergraphs and its dependency on hyperdegree distributions and mean cardinality, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities of robustness in complex systems. Furthermore, the development of the percolation model enriches our understanding of node-hyperedge interactions within complex systems. • A percolation model capturing hyperedge dependency on internal nodes is proposed. • Monolayer: Power-law hyperdegree distribution shows higher robustness than Poisson. • Double-layer: Power-law hyperdegree distribution shows lower robustness than Poisson. • Effect of mean cardinality on system robustness relates to the dependency strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the excellent elastic properties and chemical stability, binary metal or light element borides, carbides and nitrides have been extensively applied as hard and low-compressible materials. Researchers are searching for harder materials all the time. Recently, the successful fabrication of nano-twinned cubic BN (Tian et al. Nature 493:385–388, 2013) and diamond (Huang et al. Nature 510:250–253, 2014) exhibiting superior properties than their twin-free counterparts allows an efficient way to be harder. From this point of view, the borides, carbides and nitrides may be stronger by introducing twins, whose formation tendency can be measured using stacking fault energies (SFEs). The lower the SFEs, the easier the formation of twins. In the present study, by means of first-principles calculations, we first calculated the fundamental elastic constants of forty-two borides, seventeen carbides and thirty-one nitrides, and their moduli, elastic anisotropy factors and bonding characters were accordingly derived. Then, the SFEs of the {111} < 112 > glide system of twenty-seven compounds with the space group F$$\bar{4}$$4¯3m or Fm$$\bar{3}$$3¯m were calculated. Based on the obtained elastic properties and SFEs, we find that (1) light element compounds usually exhibit superior elastic properties over the metal borides, carbides or nitrides; (2) the 5dtransition-metal compounds (ReB2, WB, OsC, RuC, WC, OsN2, TaN and WN) possess comparable bulk modulus (B) with that of cBN (B = 363 GPa); (3) twins may form in ZrB, HfN, PtN, VN and ZrN, since their SFEs are lower or slightly higher than that of diamond (SFE = 277 mJ/m2). Our work can be used as a valuable database to compare these compounds.

The effect of simulated acidified marine aerosols on the corrosion morphology of carbon steel was studied using an in situ optical stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersive spectrometer and a white-light interferometer. The morphologies of the carbon steel were identified under marine aerosols with different droplet diameters, pH, and acidifications. The results showed that corrosion was initiated in tens of seconds under aerosol droplets acidified by HCl or H2SO4. Despite the differences in the acidifier and diameter, corrosion for acidified droplets with pH > 2 was general corrosion. For acidified droplets with pH < 1, the corrosion morphology depended on the acidifier species, the ring-like morphology for HCl and ridge-like morphology for H2SO4. The segregation of Cl−was believed to be the main factor for the formation of the corrosion morphology under acidified droplets with pH < 1. Also, the concentration of SO42−in the droplets had some effect on the segregation of Cl−ions when pH < 1.

In regular perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the commonly used electron transport layer (ETL) is titanium oxide (TiO2). Nevertheless, the preparation of a high-quality TiO2ETL demands an elevated-temperature sintering procedure, unfavorable for fabrication of PSCs on flexible substrates. Besides, TiO2-based devices often suffer from notorious photocurrent hysteresis and serious light soaking instability, limiting their potential commercialization. Herein, a novel pyridine-functionalized fullerene derivative [6,6]-(4-pyridinyl)-C61-ethyl acid ethyl ester (PyCEE) was synthesized and applied as an ETL to replace TiO2in n–i–p PSCs. PyCEE-based devices achieved a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.27% with significantly suppressed hysteresis, superior to that of TiO2-based devices. PyCEE has suitable energy levels and high electron mobility, which facilitate electron extraction/transport. Besides, the pyridine moiety within PyCEE affords coordination interactions with the Pb2+ion within CH3NH3PbI3, passivating the trap states of CH3NH3PbI3and thus improving the device performance and suppressing hysteresis greatly. Moreover, PyCEE ETLs were applied in flexible PSCs, achieving a PCE of 15.25%. Our results demonstrated the applicability of PyCEE ETLs in flexible devices and provided new opportunity for the commercialization of PSCs.

The synergistic effect of NaCl and SO2on the atmospheric corrosion of zinc has been studied at equivalent total but different ratios of molar deposition rate under wet–dry cyclic conditions. The results show that the corrosion rates, corrosion morphologies and the composition of the corrosion products are strongly influenced by the molar deposition rate ratio of NaCl and SO2(NaCl/SO2). The corrosivity of NaCl and SO2toward zinc increases in order of SO2< 1:3 < 3:1 < NaCl < 1:1. The corrosion morphology is patchy corrosion for Group 1:1, while it is pocking corrosion for the other four experimental groups. The corrosion product containing sulfur and chlorine detected on zinc is Gordaite (NaZn4SO4(OH)6Cl·6H2O), which has quite porous structure and was supposed to cause the patchy corrosion tendency of zinc in Group 1:1. In addition, soluble zinc corrosion products, which can inhibit the atmospheric corrosion process of zinc, were found on zinc samples in Groups 1:3 and SO2and connected to the lower corrosion rates of zinc in these two groups.

Higher-order interactions are ubiquitous in the real world and play a critical role in maintaining the overall function of complex systems. To investigate the effects of higher-order interactions on cascading dynamics, we propose a threshold model of cascading failure on hypergraphs that describes the propagation mechanism of failures among nodes and hyperedges. We assume that a hyperedge fails when the fraction of failed nodes within the hyperedge exceeds a specified threshold. Additionally, once a hyperedge fails, all its remaining nodes also fail. Through numerical simulations and theoretical analysis, we reveal a dual effect of hyperedges on the robustness of hypergraphs: they can not only strengthen the connections among nodes and promote the emergence of giant components in the hypergraph but also increase the risk of failure transmission among nodes and debilitate the hypergraph. Our work provides a theoretical framework for understanding the cascading failure of complex systems with high-order interactions and offers a useful tool for designing robust complex systems with such interactions. • A threshold model of cascading failure with higher-order interactions has been proposed. • Hyperedges have a dual effect on the robustness of hypergraphs. • A proper average hyperdegree or average cardinality can lead to the optimal robustness of a hypergraph. • hypergraphs may collapse in the manners of the first-order, second-order, or double phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify potential determinants of early atherosclerosis in women at high risk for type 2 diabetes, we performed oral (OGTT) and intravenous (IVGTT) glucose tolerance tests; fasting serum lipid determinations; [...]

Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation has been shown to promote the lung respiration in acute lung injury (ALI) in vivo, its overall restorative capacity appears to be restricted mainly because of low retention in the injured lung. Angiotensin II (Ang II) are upregulated in the injured lung. Our previous study showed that Ang II increased MSCs migration via Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R). To determine the effect of AT2R in MSCs on their cell migration after systemic injection in ALI mice, a human AT2R expressing lentiviral vector and a lentivirus vector carrying AT2R shRNA were constructed and introduced into human bone marrow MSCs. A mouse model of lipopolysaccharide‐induced ALI was used to investigate the migration of AT2R‐regulated MSCs and the therapeutic potential in vivo. Overexpression of AT2R dramatically increased Ang II‐enhanced human bone marrow MSC migration in vitro. Moreover, MSC‐AT2R accumulated in the damaged lung tissue at significantly higher levels than control MSCs 24 and 72 hours after systematic MSC transplantation in ALI mice. Furthermore, MSC‐AT2R‐injected ALI mice exhibited a significant reduction of pulmonary vascular permeability and improved the lung histopathology and had additional anti‐inflammatory effects. In contrast, there were less lung retention in MSC‐ShAT2R‐injected ALI mice compared with MSC‐Shcontrol after transplantation. Thus, MSC‐ShAT2R‐injected group exhibited a significant increase of pulmonary vascular permeability and resulted in a deteriorative lung inflammation. Our results demonstrate that overexpression of AT2R enhance the migration of MSCs in ALI mice and may provide a new therapeutic strategy for ALI. StemCellsTranslationalMedicine2018;7:721–730 AT2R overexpression could increase MSC migration to the injured lung in ALI mice. Meanwhile, the presence of more MSCs at the site of injury reduce the permeability of pulmonary endothelial, downregulate the inflammation reaction in ALI and promote the restoration of injured lung. This finding offer a new strategy for improved stem cell therapy for ARDS patients in future.

Copper matrix composites were prepared through spark plasma sintering (SPS) process, mixing fixed amount of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with the different amounts of Cr. In the sintered bulk composites, the layered rGO network and uniform Cr particles distributed in the Cu matrix. Both of mechanical blending and freeze-drying stages of the wet-mixing process obtained the Cu/Cr/rGO mixture powders, and then SPS solid-phase sintering realized the faster densification of these mixture powders. The hardness and compressive yield strength of the Cu–Cr–rGO composites depicted the higher values than those of pure Cu and single rGO-added composite, and they were gradually increased with increasing Cr. The rGO/Cr hybrid second-phases are believed to be beneficial to strengthening Cu matrix. The relevant formation and strengthening mechanisms involved in Cu–Cr–rGO composites were discussed.