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The content-centric data sharing in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) becomes increasingly imperative to improve road safety and traffic efficiency. In order to protect the privacy of vehicle users, data is generally encrypted prior to being shared, whereas it hinders data searching and utilization. Proxy re-encryption with equivalence test (PREET) has been proposed to test the equivalence between encrypted messages, and to delegate the decryption right of searched data to the specified user. However, existing PREET schemes primarily focus on the equivalence test between two ciphertexts, which aren't suitable for the most practical scenarios that more than two ciphertexts need to be verified, due to the exposure of users' extra information and the redundant computation. In this paper, to tackle these problems, we present a lightweight certificateless proxy re-encryption with multi-ciphertext equivalence test (CL-PREMET) for shared data to address the data search and authorized utilization over encrypted data in ITS. In our design, the users are allowed to efficiently and accurately search over massive encrypted data based on flexible multi-ciphertext analysis and to utilize their own keys rather than data owner's key to decrypt the searched data after being authorized, without revealing any private and sensitive information. The CL-PREMET achieves the IND-CCA security and the OW-CCA security. Furthermore, the simulation experiment displays that the CL-PREMET is feasible. Compared with existing PREET schemes, in addition to being suitable for multi-ciphertext equivalence analysis, our scheme leverages the certificateless public key cryptography (CL-PKC) to avoid certificate management and key escrow problems.

The uranium recovery from high concentration fluorine-containing uranium wastewater is a desired research target in the field of environmental radiochemistry but is very challenging due to the formation of stable uranium fluoride complexes that are quite difficult to extract. By employing surface defect engineering and interfacial heterostructure design, we present here the rational design of an efficient photocatalyst (Ag/WO3–x) for U(VI) uptake from fluorine-containing uranium wastewater without any sacrificial agents. The defect-rich surface of Ag/WO3–xfacilitates confined adsorption of uranium, while the introduction of Ag nanoparticles enables both efficient electron–hole separation and a plasmon effect upon light irradiation. Ag/WO3–xshows high U(VI) removal efficiency of 96.3% at 8 mg/L U(VI) within 60 min. Notably, even when the ratio of F–to U(VI) is as high as 20:1, the removal efficiency of U(VI) by Ag/WO3–xreaches up to 95%. Additionally, the maximum capture capacity of U(VI) on Ag/WO3–xreaches 676.8 mg/g at 200 mg/L of U(VI) within 60 min, which is superior to ever-reported photocatalysts in fluorine-containing uranium wastewater. This work provides an effective way for the uranium capture from fluorine-containing wastewater through the synergy of plasmon effect and defect engineering.

The gasification ash slag (GAS) is a solid waste that is difficult to degrade and causes serious environmental pollution. In this study, a new type of mine fire prevention and extinguishing gel material was prepared from gasified ash as a base material for spontaneous combustion control of coal in the mining airspace. To better enhance the gel fire prevention process pipeline conveying efficiency, and fire extinguishing performance, the selection of seven gelling agent formulation gasification slag gel, through the thermal stability, water retention, and rheological experiments preferred the best performance of the gelling agent. Thermal stability experiments showed that the thermal decomposition of the gel was divided into three stages: water loss, gel decomposition, and secondary decomposition of decomposition products, and the analysis of the initial decomposition temperature and mass loss rate yielded the best thermal stability of CB-GAS; Water retention experiments show that XG-GAS still retains 72.33 % of water at the 11 h in high-temperature environment, which is the best water retention performance; The rheological experiments showed that the viscosity of the gel decreased continuously with the increase of shear stress, and the analysis of the parameters yielded the best rheological properties of CB-GAS. Combining the four performance indicators, the hierarchical analysis method was used to calculate the influence weight value of the indicators and carry out comprehensive scoring, which resulted in the best performance of the gasification ash fireproofing gel prepared with the optimal gelling agent CB, followed in order by XG, CMC, HPG, MC, SA, and HPMC. This study provides an important reference for gel grouting fireproofing.

Although the synthesis of polycyclic (hetero)aromatics via the [4 + 2] benzannulation process has been thoroughly explored, the restricted availability of energy sources (including thermal, light, and electrical energy) mandates the utilization of substantial quantities of organic solvents, inevitably leading to environmental pollution, resource wastage, and low reaction efficiency. Herein, we report a new method for the synthesis of polycyclic (hetero)aromatics from diazonium salts and alkynes under ball-milling conditions. This mechanochemical approach requires only substoichiometric amounts of DMSO as a liquid-assisted grinding additive and furnishes the desired product in a short time.

Long-term monitoring of human vital signs like respiration and heartbeat is crucial for the early detection of diverse diseases and overall health monitoring. Contact-free vital signs monitoring using wireless signals, particularly mmWave-based methods, has gained attention due to its sensitivity and privacy-preserving benefits. However, we observe that even minor human movements could lead to significant mutations in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the wireless signal, which cannot be explained by the commonly used model that represents the human chest as a single reflection point. These fluctuations challenge the robustness of heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring due to the vulnerability of faint heartbeats to noise interference. To tackle this, we introduce a multi-point reflection model to understand the underlying causes of SNR fluctuations and propose a frequency diversity based algorithm to enhance sensing SNR. Our solution, Robust-Vital, was rigorously evaluated using commercial mmWave radar systems and demonstrated superior performance on long-term heart rate and heart rate variability tracking in a user study with 12 participants.

Microscopic traffic simulation is vital to assess the performances of various traffic operation and management schemes. Microscopic traffic simulation is usually not parameter-free, and it relies on independent parameters to predict traffic evolution. Thus, parameter calibration is indispensable to conveying trustworthy simulation results. Heuristic algorithms are widely used for parameter calibration. Its logic is for achieving iterative optimization through continuous trial-and-error simulations. This process is time-consuming and usually takes several hours, making the calibration unable to meet the requirements of speed and efficiency. In recent years, parallel computing technology has been gradually applied in the engineering realm, which makes rapid calibration possible. Following the three steps of parallel framework selection, algorithm bottleneck identification, and subtask load balancing, this paper designs and implements the parallelization of genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization (PSO) calibration algorithms. Finally, the proposed parallel framework is applied to simulation parameter calibration of a section of a 5 km long highway in Australia, and the effectiveness of parallel computing is evaluated from the two dimensions of reduction in calibration computational time and scalability. The results show that the proposed parallel calibration algorithm can shorten the 5 h calibration process to less than 1 h, reducing the calibration time by 80%. The parallel PSO calibration algorithm has better scalability, and its acceleration effect is better when more processors are used.

ABSTRACTThe use of reactive magnesium oxide (MgO) is widely recognized in carbonated concrete formulations associated with permanent sequestration of C[O.sub.2]. Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) is an advanced fiber reinforced cement-based [...]

Cancer is a profound danger to our life and health. The classification and related studies of epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes of cancer cells are key scientific questions in cancer research. Here, we investigated cancer cell colonies from a mechanical perspective and developed an assay for classifying epithelial/mesenchymal cancer cell colonies using the biomechanical fingerprint in the form of “nanovibration” in combination with deep learning. The classification method requires only 1 s of vibration data and has a classification accuracy of nearly 92.5%. The method has also been validated for the screening of anticancer drugs. Compared with traditional methods, the method has the advantages of being nondestructive, label-free, and highly sensitive. Furthermore, we proposed a perspective that subcellular structure influences the amplitude and spectrum of nanovibrations and demonstrated it using experiments and numerical simulation. These findings allow internal changes in the cell colony to be manifested by nanovibrations. This work provides a perspective and an ancillary method for cancer cell phenotype diagnosis and promotes the study of biomechanical mechanisms of cancer progression.

In the presence of visible light irradiation, organophoto/nickel dual catalysts, and the mild base K2HPO4, 1,3-enynes react with silanecarboxylic acids to give the corresponding α-silylallenes with high selectivity. In this uniquely decarboxylative hydrosilylation of 1,3-enynes, a silyl radical process is involved and diverse electron-rich and -poor substrates proceed smoothly in moderate to excellent yields. This transformation is particularly synthetically worthwhile when using MeOD as the solvent, which furnishes new access to α-silyldeuteroallenes.

Surrogate models are important in real-time optimization (RTO) when the first-principles model is unavailable or computationally challenging for online optimization. Among different surrogate models, the continuous piecewise linear (CPWL) model enjoys the universal approximation ability and potential computational benefits. However, the CPWL surrogate model poses three challenges to current RTO algorithms. First, the solution of a CPWL model is always located on the boundary of a polytopic subregion, while the plant optimum may be in the interior of a subregion. Second, the CPWL model is nonsmooth, which cannot be handled by RTO methods that rely on gradient matching. Third, the resulting nonsmooth optimization subproblems are hard to solve. This paper addresses the difficulties by adding a quadratic function to the CPWL surrogate model, extending a classical RTO method to accommodate nonsmoothness, and exploiting the diffierence-of-convex structure of the surrogate model for Efficient solution. The advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated through a benchmark problem in the RTO literature.

The pathogenesis of cancer and cardiovascular diseases is subjected to spatiotemporal regulation by the tissue microenvironment. Multiplex visualization of the microenvironmental components, including immune cells, vasculature and tissue hypoxia, provides critical information underlying the disease progression and therapy resistance, which is often limited by imaging depth and resolution in large-volume tissues. To this end, light sheet fluorescence microscopy, following tissue clarification and immunostaining, may generate three-dimensional high-resolution images at a whole-organ level. Here we provide a detailed description of light sheet fluorescence microscopy imaging analysis of immune cell composition, vascularization, tissue perfusion and hypoxia in mouse normal brains and hearts, as well as brain tumors. We describe a procedure for visualizing tissue vascularization, perfusion and hypoxia with a transgenic vascular labeling system. We provide the procedures for tissue collection, tissue semi-clearing and immunostaining. We further describe standard methods for analyzing tissue immunity and vascularity. We anticipate that this method will facilitate the spatial illustration of structure and function of the tissue microenvironmental components in cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The procedure requires 1–2 weeks and can be performed by users with expertise in general molecular biology.

We present a semi-infinite program (SIP) solver for trajectory optimizations of general articulated robots. These problems are more challenging than standard nonlinear program by involving an infinite number of nonconvex, collision constraints. Prior SIP solvers based on constraint sampling cannot guarantee the satisfaction of all constraints. Instead, our method uses a conservative bound on articulated body motions to ensure the solution feasibility throughout the optimization procedure. We further use subdivision to adaptively reduce the error in conservative motion estimation. Combined, we prove that our SIP solver guarantees feasibility while approaching the optimal solution of SIP problems up to arbitrary user-provided precision. We demonstrate our method toward several trajectory optimization problems in simulation, including industrial robot arms and UAVs. The results demonstrate that our approach generates collision-free locally optimal trajectories within a couple of minutes.

A novel immunodetection sensing platform for Salmonella based on a CoFe-MOF-carbon nanotube composite was developed. The CoFe-MOF-CNT composite exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, providing a highly conductive and stable matrix for antibody immobilization and signal amplification. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor demonstrated a wide linear range of 102to 107CFU/mL, with a low detection limit of 37 CFU/mL and a high sensitivity of 6.061 µA/log(CFU/mL). The immunosensor showed excellent specificity towards Salmonella, with a relative response of 100% for Salmonella and less than 10% for non-target bacteria. The immunosensor exhibited good reproducibility (RSD of 4.2%) and stability, retaining 88.7% of its initial response after 30 days of storage at 4 °C. The practical applicability of the immunosensor was demonstrated by analyzing spiked milk samples, with recoveries ranging from 96.7% to 105.2% and RSD less than 6.5%.

Accurate reorientation and segmentation of the left ventricular (LV) is essential for the quantitative analysis of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). This study proposes an end-to-end model, named as multiscale spatial transformer UNet (MS-ST-UNet), which involves the multiscale spatial transformer network (MSSTN) and multiscale UNet (MSUNet) modules to perform simultaneous reorientation and segmentation of LV region from nuclear cardiac images. The multiscale sampler produces images with varying resolutions, while scale transformer (ST) blocks are employed to align the scales of features. The proposed method is trained and tested using two different nuclear cardiac image modalities: $^{13}\text{N}$ -ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) and $^{99m}$ Tc-sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). MS-ST-UNet attains dice similarity coefficient (DSC) scores of 91.48% and 94.81% for PET LV myocardium (LV-MY) and SPECT LV-MY, respectively. Additionally, the mean-square error (MSE) between predicted rigid registration parameters and ground truth decreases to below $1.4 \times 10^{-2}$ . The experimental findings indicate that the MS-ST-UNet yields notably reduced registration errors and more precise boundary detection for the LV structure compared to existing methods. This joint learning framework promotes mutual enhancement between reorientation and segmentation tasks, leading to cutting edge performance and an efficient image processing workflow.

Due to the influences of inductance, resistance, and the third harmonic back electromotive force (back EMF), there is the third harmonic current in five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with model predictive torque control (MPTC) based on finite control set (FCS). To suppress the third harmonic current while improving operating performance, a novel virtual-FCS-based MPTC strategy with harmonic current suppression was proposed in this article. The novelty of the proposed strategy is the development of new groups of FCSs and the concept of virtual FCS based on closed-loop regulation of harmonic current. Consequently, the double closed-loop control is simultaneously achieved in two orthogonal subspaces by the FCS. Thus, without the harmonic current term of cost function, the third harmonic current suppression is enhanced and the total harmonic distortion (THD) of phase current is reduced. In addition, lower switching frequency, higher efficiency, good steady-state performance, and high dynamic torque response can be obtained without heavy computation burden. Simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

In the human body, almost all cells interact with extracellular matrices (ECMs), which have tissue and organ-specific compositions and architectures. These ECMs not only function as cellular scaffolds, providing structural support, but also play a crucial role in dynamically regulating various cellular functions. This comprehensive review delves into the examination of biofabrication strategies used to develop bioactive materials that accurately mimic one or more biophysical and biochemical properties of ECMs. We discuss the potential integration of these ECM-mimics into a range of physiological and pathological in vitromodels, enhancing our understanding of cellular behavior and tissue organization. Lastly, we propose future research directions for ECM-mimics in the context of tissue engineering and organ-on-a-chip applications, offering potential advancements in therapeutic approaches and improved patient outcomes.

Intra-driver heterogeneity is defined as transition of driver’s behavior between usual and unusual, which is an intrinsic feature of drivers while yet to be extensively explored. This study used a large-scale naturalistic driving data set to investigate intra-driver heterogeneity in car-following. We constructed an IDM-based baseline model to represent a driver’s usual behavior; by measuring difference between observed behavior with baseline, unusual behavior was identified. Then, multi-level logit model with random effects was fitted to uncover contributing factors. Among 41 drivers’ 1356 trips, intra-driver heterogeneity was identified in 3194 episodes, which accounts for 15% of the time. Within investigated 24 factors, we found that intra-driver heterogeneity was statistically related with vehicle kinematic features, then traffic flow and surrounding environment, but not driver sociodemographics. Being cut in is the most prominent trigger for intra-driver heterogeneity. These findings garner some remarkable insights into improvement of car-following modeling and many other engineering practices.

The first and asymmetric total syntheses of rhodomollins A and B, two rhodomollane type grayanoids featuring a d-homograyanane carbon skeleton and an oxa-bicyclo[3.2.1] core, were accomplished via a convergent strategy. A Stille coupling and a lithium-halogen exchange/intramolecular nucleophilic addition to the aldehyde sequence were employed to assemble two enantioenriched fragments. The oxa-bicyclo[3.2.1] core was achieved through an intramolecular SN2 substitution of cyclic sulfate of 1,2-diols (Williamson ether synthesis). The A ring oxidation states were adjusted by a Payne/Meinwald rearrangement sequence and subsequent redox transformations.

Different types of separator modification strategies have been proposed for Mg-S batteries to effectively suppress the shuttle effect of polysulfides and achieve a high-level battery performance.

In this study, chloride ion concentration in the water extracted solution was measured. For comparison, it was also calculated based on the electrical double layer model under extraction equilibrium. The [...]

Defects in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can significantly change their local microstructures, thus notably leading to an alteration-induced performance in sorption or catalysis. However, achieving de novo defect engineering in MOFs under ambient conditions without the scarification of their crystallinity remains a challenge. Herein, we successfully synthesize defective ZIF-7 through 60Co gamma ray radiation under ambient conditions. The obtained ZIF-7 is defect-rich but also has excellent crystallinity, enhanced BET surface area, and hierarchical pore structure. Moreover, the amount and structure of these defects within ZIF-7 were determined from the two-dimensional (2D) 13C–1H frequency-switched Lee–Goldburg heteronuclear correlation (FSLG-HETCOR) spectra, continuous rotation electron diffraction (cRED), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Interestingly, the defects in ZIF-7 all strongly bind to CO2, leading to a remarkable enhancement of the CO2sorption capability compared with that synthesized by the solvothermal method.

Storage phosphors displaying defect emissions are indispensable in technologically advanced radiation dosimeters. The current dosimeter is limited to the passive detection mode, where ionizing radiation-induced deep-trap defects must be activated by external stimulation such as light or heat. Herein, we designed a new type of shallow-trap storage phosphor by controlling the dopant amounts of Ag+and Bi3+in the host lattice of Cs2NaInCl6. A distinct phenomenon of X-ray-induced emission (XIE) is observed for the first time in an intrinsically nonemissive perovskite. The intensity of XIE exhibits a quantitative relationship with the accumulated dose, enabling a real-time radiation dosimeter. Thermoluminescence and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verify that the emission originates from the radiative recombination of electrons and holes associated with X-ray-induced traps. Theoretical calculations reveal the evolution process of Cl–Cl dimers serving as hole trap states. Analysis of temperature-dependent radioluminescence spectra provides evidence that the intrinsic electron–phonon interaction in 0.005 Ag+@ Cs2NaInCl6is significantly reduced under X-ray irradiation. Moreover, 0.025 Bi3+@ Cs2NaInCl6shows an elevated sensitivity to the accumulated dose with a broad response range from 0.08 to 45.05 Gy. This work discloses defect manipulation in halide double perovskites, giving rise to distinct shallow-trap storage phosphors that bridge traditional deep-trap storage phosphors and scintillators and enabling a brand-new type of material for real-time radiation dosimetry.

This article proposes a novel discrete event-triggered scheme (DETS) for the synchronization of delayed neural networks (NNs) using the dynamic output-feedback controller (DOFC). The proposed DETS uses both the current and past samples to determine the next trigger, unlike the traditional event-triggered scheme (ETS) that uses only the current sample. The proposed DETS is employed in a dual setup for two network channels to significantly reduce redundant data transmission. A DOFC is designed to achieve the synchronization of the NNs. Stability criteria of the synchronisation error system are derived based on the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method, and the co-design of the DOFC and DETS parameters are accomplished using the Cone-complementarity linearization (CCL) approach. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are illustrated considering an example of the chaotic system.

• Bu@PGMA m /GO microcapsules have the compact multi-shell structure, including the inner layer of PGMA m polymers, the outer layer of GO sheets, giving them excellent closure and stability properties. • The PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag marine anti-fouling coating on the surface of imitation crab shells is constructed by assembling the Bu@PGMA m /GO microcapsules and AgNPs step by step on the PU-FPDMS matrix. • The PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag bionic anti-fouling coatings achieve long-term and stable anti-fouling effect under the combination of robust PU-FPDMS matrix with low surface energy, steady-state sustained release of butenolide encapsulated by the compact multilayer shell, bionic surface formed by the microcapsules and AgNPs, and the release of Ag+. Polyurethane-fluorinated polysiloxane (PU-FPDMS) with high-strength, high-bonding and low surface energy is synthesized as the matrix, and the PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag marine anti-fouling coating on the surface of imitation crab shells is constructed by assembling butenolide@1,1-stilbene-modified hydrolyzed polyglycidyl methacrylate/graphene oxide microcapsules (Bu@PGMA m /GO MCs) with compact multi-shell structure and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) step by step on the PU-FPDMS matrix. The PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag bionic anti-fouling coatings achieve long-term and stable anti-fouling effect under the combination of robust low-surface-energy PU-FPDMS matrix, steady-state sustained release of butenolide encapsulated by the compact multi-shell, bionic surface formed by the microcapsules and AgNPs, and the release of Ag+. The shear strength, tensile strength, and elongation at break of the PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag are 3.53 MPa, 6.7 MPa, and 192.83 %, respectively. Its static contact angle and sliding angle are 161.8° and 3.6°, respectively. The antibacterial rate of PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus , and Candida albicans can reach 100 %. Compared with glass blank, PU, PU-FPDMS, PU-FPDMS/Ag, and PU-FPDMS/MCs, both the adhesion number and coverage percentage of chlorella adhere to PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag are the minimum values, which are 600 cell mm–2 and 1.53 %, respectively. After 6 months of marine field test, the primer blank, PU, PU-FPDMS all show different degrees of attachment by shellfish, spirorbis, algae and other biofouling, while the PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag coating is still not covered with biofouling, while the PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag coatings still exhibit little attachment of marine fouling. The PU-FPDMS/MCs/Ag bionic anti-fouling coatings are expected to be widely used in the fields of anti-fouling, anti-icing, anti-fogging, drag reduction, self-cleaning, and antibacterial. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Critically ill patients are often prescribed both inhaled beta-agonists and intravenous vasoactive; however, the interaction of the additive beta-agonist effects of these 2 agents remains largely uncharacterized.Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate how concomitant use of albuterol and vasoactive or inotropes affected ventilator-free days (VFDs) by re-analyzing the data from the Albuterol to Treat Acute Lung Injury (ALTA) trial.Methods: In this study, subjects were grouped to albuterol-vasoactive (n = 84) versus(vs) placebo-vasoactive (n = 62). Ventilator-free days, intensive care unit (ICU)-free days, organ failure-free days, cardiovascular adverse events, and 90-day mortality were compared. The primary outcome was VFDs.Results: Patients in the albuterol-vasoactive group had significantly fewer VFDs than patients in the placebo-vasoactive group (11 vs 19, P= 0.05). Patients in the albuterol-vasoactive group also had significantly fewer ICU-free days (9.5 vs 18.5, P= .006). The 90-day mortality was similar between groups (36.9% vs 27.4%, P= .20). Similarly, no significant difference in cardiac adverse events between the groups (14.3% vs 11.3%, P= 0.59).Conclusion and Relevance: This study has shown fewer VFDs for patients who received both vasoactive and albuterol. There were also fewer ICU-free days when compared to those on vasoactive only. Given the common use of both agents, a prospective evaluation of the additive adverse effects of beta-agonism is warranted.

ABSTRACT Early carbonation curing of concretes was developed for accelerating the strength gain and promoting carbon dioxide utilization in concrete. However, the effect of early carbonation curing on chloride penetration [...]

ABSTRACT Carbonation is considered detrimental to reinforced concrete. However if carbonation is performed at early age through curing, the process could be beneficial. This paper is to present a study [...]

In this paper, early-age ambient pressure carbonation curing was successfully developed to lower the corrosion risk by avoiding deep CO2penetration and preserving high pH around the steel surface. The effect of ambient pressure carbonation on the resistance of chloride-induced rebar corrosion was evaluated by applying an accelerated impressed current (IC) as a trigger. Due to improved physical properties, carbonation-cured concrete had a lowered current reading, a reduced rebar mass loss, a lessened total or free chloride content, and a decreased chloride diffusivity. Its time-to-corrosion-initiation and corrosion-propagation stages were also extended, which could strengthen the structural integrity and extend the residual service life of reinforced concrete components after corrosion initiation. Ambient pressure carbonation-cured concrete is corrosion resistant while still having the capacity to sequestrate carbon dioxide, which could contribute to the sustainability and circular carbon economy.

Platinum recovery from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in highly acidic solutions is significant to the electronics industry and environmental remediation. However, the lack of ingenious design and synergetic coordination gives rise to unsatisfied PtCl42−extraction capacities and selectivities in most previously reported adsorbents (e.g., polymeric and inorganic materials). Herein, we proposed a synergistic strategy that realizes highly selective PtCl42−uptake through first- and second-sphere coordinations. The proof-of-concept imine-linked covalent organic framework (SCU-COF-3) was found to chelate PtCl42−viathe direct N⋯Pt coordination and the synergistically interlaminar N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, which was disclosed by the comprehensive analysis of extended X-ray adsorption fine structure (EXAFS) characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The unique adsorption mechanism imparts a superior adsorption capacity (168.4 mg g−1) and extraordinary Pt(II) selectivity to SCU-COF-3 under static conditions. In addition, SCU-COF-3 exhibits an upgraded distribution coefficient of 1.62 × 105mL g−1, one order of magnitude higher than those of reported natural adsorbents. Specifically, SCU-COF-3 can extract PtCl42−quantitatively from a simulated acidic waste solution coexisting with other 12 competitive ions, suggesting its promising application in practical scenarios.

The mechanical durability of superhydrophobic surfaces is of significance for their practical applications. However, few reports about superhydrophobic coating on certain substrates took into consideration both the mechanical stability of the superhydrophobic coating and adhesion stability between the coating and the substrate. Herein, we put forward a facile and efficient strategy to construct robust superhydrophobic coatings by simply spray-coating a composite suspension of SiO2nanoparticles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and epoxy resin (EP) on substrates pretreated with an EP base-coating. The as-obtained coating exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity with water contact angle of 163° and sliding angle of 3.5°, which could endure UV irradiation of 180 h, immersion in acidic or basic solutions for 168 h, and outdoor exposure for over 30 days. Notably, the coating surface retained superhydrophobicity after being successively impacted with faucet water for 1 h, impinged with 360 g sand grains, and abraded with sandpaper of 120 grid under a load of 500 g for 5 m distance. The outstanding mechanical stability was mainly attributed to the cross-linking of EP and the elastic nature of PDMS which ensured strong cohesion inside the whole coating and to the substrate. Additionally, the coating showed self-healing capacity against O2plasma etching. The method is simple with the materials commercially available and is expected to be widely applied in outdoor applications.

Magnesium–sulfur (Mg-S) batteries are emerging as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries, due to their high energy density and low cost. Unfortunately, current Mg-S batteries typically suffer from the shuttle effect that originates from the dissolution of magnesium polysulfide intermediates, leading to several issues such as rapid capacity fading, large overcharge, severe self-discharge, and potential safety concern. To address these issues, here we harness a copper phosphide (Cu3P) modified separator to realize the adsorption of magnesium polysulfides and catalyzation of the conversion reaction of S and Mg2+toward stable cycling of Mg-S cells. The bifunctional layer with Cu3P confined in a carbon matrix is coated on a commercial polypropylene membrane to form a porous membrane with high electrolyte wettability and good thermal stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, polysulfide permeability tests, and post-mortem analysis reveal that the catalytic layer can adsorb polysulfides, effectively restraining the shuttle effect and facilitating the reversibility of the Mg-S cells. As a result, the Mg-S cells can achieve a high specific capacity, fast rates (449 mAh g–1at 0.1 C and 249 mAh g–1at 1.0 C), and a long cycle life (up to 500 cycles at 0.5 C) and operate even at elevated temperatures.

Polymeric ionic liquid (such as poly[ViEtIm]Br)-modified reduced graphene oxide (rGO), rGO-poly[ViEtIm]Br, was nominated as an open carrier to construct a degradation platform. The large specific surface of rGO together with the anion-exchange property of poly[ViEtIm]Br terminals led to the wide growth of heteropolyanions (like [PW12O40]3–, [PMo12O40]3–, and [SiW12O40]4–), thus assembling the integrated catalyst rGO-poly[ViEtIm][heteropolyanions]. The grafted poly[ViEtIm]Br provided an anchor point to interlink the polar heteropolyanions and the nonpolar rGO substrate, endowing this graphene-based catalyst with excellent dispersibility. The adequate exposure of heteropolyanions further promoted the decolorization capability during the degradation procedure. Morphology, structure, and properties of materials were confirmed and monitored via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, etc. rGO-poly[ViEtIm][PW12O40] was selected as the optimal catalyst with degradation efficiency toward methyl orange reaching 98.7% in 3 h. In addition, the excellent structural stability of the catalyst improved the decolorization efficiency, which reached 95% after recycling five times.

The genesis of geogenic iodine (I)-contaminated groundwater poses a significant threat to long-term water exploitation. Safe and sustainable water supply, particularly in the northern arid basins, demands a quantitative prediction of the high variability of I distribution over hydrogeological timescales. Here, bioenergetics-informed reactive transport modeling was combined with high-resolution molecular characterization of fueling organic matter to decipher the time-controlled interactions between vertical flow and (bio)geochemical processes in I transport within the Datong aquifers. The declining reactivities of I-bearing organic matter and Fe oxides in the 15–40 m depth decreased the rate of I release, while a growing number of pore volumes flushed through the aquifers to leach out I–and organic I. This removal effect is compensated by the desorption of I–from Fe oxides and secondary FeS generated from the concurrent reduction of Fe oxides and SO42–. Consequently, peak concentrations of groundwater I–may have appeared, depending upon the vertical recharge rate, at the first several pore volumes flushed through the aquifers. The current vertical distributions of the various I species likely represent a quasi-steady state between I mobilization and leaching. These new mechanistic insights into the dynamic hydrogeological–(bio)geochemical processes support secure groundwater use in the I-affected northern arid basins.

Objective: Accurate preoperative prediction of sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP) malignant transformation is essential and challenging. In this study, 3.0T magnetic resonance was used for qualitative, quantitative, and multi-parametric analysis to evaluate the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in malignant transformation. Methods: The data of patients with SNIP (n=83) or SNIP-transformed squamous cell carcinoma (SNIP-SCC) (n=21) were analysed retrospectively. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to establish models to predict the risk factors for the malignant transformation of SNIP. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the ability of independent risk factors and related combination models to predict the malignant transformation of SNIP. Results: Convoluted cerebriform pattern (CCP) mutation, apparent diffusion coefficient ratio (ADCr), and wash-in index (WII) 2 and 3 were independent risk factors for predicting malignant transformation of SNIP, with area under the ROC curve (AUC) values of 0.845, 0.862, 0.727, and 0.704, respectively. The AUC of the quantitative parameter model combined with ADCr and WII 2 and 3 was 0.910 for diagnosing malignant transformation. The AUC of the comprehensive model comprising all independent risk factors was 0.937, with a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 90.48%, 90.36%, and 92.31%, respectively. Conclusion: Compared with assessing independent risk factors of CCP mutation, ADCr and WII, and the quantitative parameter model, the comprehensive model could improve the differential diagnosis ability of SNIP and SNIP-SCC, which provides an important imaging basis for the possible accurate preoperative evaluation of the malignant transformation of SNIP.

In this work, covalent organic frameworks (COF-5) are synthesized based on the dehydration reaction of organic ligands and serve as the sensitive layers to realize the reliable detection of CO2. The as-prepared COF-5 based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor shows a humidity-enhanced CO2 response. Under 80% RH, the response to 8000 ppm CO2 is 154 Hz at room temperature. In addition, the sensor also shows the great selectivity and repeatability. The large specific surface area and -OH group of COF-5 provide the great platform for the adsorption/desorption of CO2 molecules on the sensitive membrane surface. This work paves the way for rational design of QCM CO2 sensors with the high performances.

This paper investigates the finite-time synchronization (FTSY) issue of fuzzy inertial neural networks (FINNs) with time-varying delays via an improved event-triggered control (ETC). First, a generalized finite-time stable lemma is developed. A tight upper bound than the existing work is obtained. And two kinds of different ETC rules are designed. Second, with the finite-time stable lemma and Lyapunov function methods, novel criteria are presented to ensure the FTSY of drive-response FINNs (DRFINNs) under feedback control. Third, algebraic inequalities instead of complicated matrix inequalities are used to derive the sufficient conditions of delay independent or delay dependent. Meanwhile, Zeno behavior can be well excluded by the new criteria in this paper. Finally, to illustrate how the achieved results can be measured, two examples are given. The application is provided by the image encryption/decryption process based on the novel finite-time synchronization results of DRFINNs. An image diffusion algorithm based on XOR operation is adopted. The plain image is encrypted by the sender using the key generated from the drive system. The key generated by the response system is used to decrypt the cryptographic image. The result shows that the proposed method is extremely effective.

With the rapid development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), vehicle networks will generate large amounts of data. Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) data sharing can improve driving experience and quality of service, and Vehicle-to-Roadside unit (V2R) communication can improve road transport efficiency. A certain amount of bandwidth is consumed in the process of data sharing between V2V and V2R, and when multiple vehicles request data from the RSU at the same time, there may be network delay or congestion. Therefore, the vehicle obtains data faster by requesting high bandwidth from the RSU. However, since the bandwidth resources of RSUs are limited, optimal bandwidth service strategies need to be investigated. In addition, in order to ensure the safety, efficiency and traceability of data sharing between V2V and V2R, a blockchain-supported IoV needs to be established. Therefore, we design a blockchain-based framework for V2V and V2R transaction framework that integrates DAG blockchain and modern cryptography. The framework ensures security and scalability during the execution of data exchange and completion of bandwidth transactions, improves the service quality of vehicles and realizes decentralized payment. In this work, a two-stage Stackelberg game is established under two pricing schemes of uniform pricing and discriminatory pricing to jointly maximize the benefits of vehicles and RSUs. In Stage I, the RSU sets the corresponding bandwidth service and pricing strategy. In Stage II, the vehicle decides the service demand according to the observed pricing strategy. The optimal bandwidth allocation and pricing strategy between the RSU and the vehicle is determined through the game of both parties, and the existence and uniqueness of the two-stage subgame Nash equilibrium is analyzed by applying backward induction. The correctness of the model is verified by experiments, and the comparative analysis shows that the proposed model has high throughput.

Aerodynamic cavitation, employed as a method for preventing coal and gas outbursts, has produced good results in the Huainan mining area in China. In this study, unloading confining pressure triaxial compression experiments were utilised to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of coals subjected to this rapid unloading process. Aerodynamic cavitation was simulated using physical similarity experiments, and the gas injection pressure and pressure duration were utilised as variables to assess the damage in a coal seam caused by a gas injection-blowout event. According to the results, a gas injection-blowout event causes damage that extends to a depth of approximately 45 mm. The study reveals that the damage caused by aerodynamic cavitation depends on the pressure condition of the pores in the coal. This study provides a theoretical basis for increasing the cavitation effect caused by a gas injection-blowout event, simultaneously saving construction costs. [Received: March 29, 2023; Accepted: July 13, 2023]

Most existing approaches of attributed network embedding often combine topology and attribute information based on the homophily assumption. In many real-world networks, such an assumption does not hold since the nodes are usually associated with many noisy or irrelevant attributes. To tackle this issue, we propose a noise-resistant graph embedding method, called NGE, by leveraging the subspace clustering information (i.e., the formation of communities is driven by different latent features in distinct subspaces). Specifically, we first construct a tensor to represent a given attributed network and then map it into different feature subspaces to capture community structure via tensor decomposition. For structure embedding, the link-level and community-level constraints are imposed. For attribute embedding, the feature-selection constraint is used to reinforce the relationship between topology and noise-removal attributes. By learning structure and attribute embedding with subspace clustering information, NGE can benefit both community detection, link prediction, and node classification. Extensive experimental results have demonstrated the superiority of NGE over many state-of-the-art approaches.

The comparison of the synthesis properties and electrochemical performance of the TMPLA electrolyte with the common Mg-Li dual-salt APC + LiCl electrolyte.

Byline: Xiao-Peng. Wang, Duo-Jun. Zhang, Xiao-Dong. Wei, Jian-Ping. Wang, Dong-Zhi. Zhang Objective: To critically assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for treating hot flashes (HFs) among breast cancer (BC) [...]

AbstractTo evaluate the settlement of saturated clay ground under the time-dependent loading, the unified hardening (UH) constitutive model considering the time effect was used to describe the elastic visco-plasticity of the soil and Hansbo's flow equation was applied to reflect non-Darcian flow. Thus, the classical Terzaghi consolidation equation was modified considering the influence of gravitational stress of the ground. The finite volume method was introduced to solve the numerical solution of the modified equation, and the corresponding program was compiled based on the above algorithm. The applicability of the present program was validated by comparing with the existing results in the literature. Then the effect of some parameters on the consolidation behaviour was investigated. The calculated results showed that the excess pore water pressure in the ground is accumulated at the initial stage of loading. Furthermore, when the viscosity of the soil is considered, the maximum excess pore water pressure in the ground away from the permeable boundary can even exceed the load imposed on the upper surface of the ground. In addition, prolonging the construction period, thickening the soil layer, increasing the secondary consolidation coefficient and the parameters of Hansbo's flow will delay the consolidation process of ground.

The combination of bulk Fe2ZrO5and surface FeFxlayer in hematite can greatly improve the charge transfer and provide more active sites for enhanced solar water splitting.

•The pDC percentage was markedly higher in tumor tissue than in para-carcinoma tissue.•TI-pDC percentage is significantly higher in N+stage patients compared to N0 stage, indicating a potential prognostic marker.•High levels of TI-pDC infiltration are associated with poor outcomes in LSCC patients.•TI-pDCs have an inhibitory role in suppressing CD8+ tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TILs) within LSCC tumors.•pDCs expressed an inhibitory surface molecule PD-L2 rather than PD-L1 within PT.

Hall (2001a) argues that the value of intangible assets can be inferred from firms' stock market value and the value of tangible assets, which suggests rational valuation in the market. This paper investigates the relationship between firms' future stock returns and their inferred intangibles and indirectly tests Hall's hypothesis by using various trading strategies. It is found that the inferred intangibles have predictive power for stock returns, which might be because of mean-reverting misvaluation by the stock market; and the way the inferred intangibles predict stock returns is consistent with the three-factor model of Fama and French (1992). However, I find that the predictive power of inferred intangibles is consistent with market inefficiency, rather than a rational premium for distress risk related to the book-to-market equity ratio. Thus the intangible assets hypothesis of Hall does not hold and the discrepancy between market equity and book equity suggests market inefficiency. JEL Classification Number: G12 Keywords: intangible assets, stock returns, stock market overreaction, mean reversion of stock prices, book-to-market-equity ratio.

With the dramatically increase in the scale of Internet data, industrial cloud platforms have put forward higher requirements for data access control and keyword search. Although existing attribute-based encryption technology is suitable for realizing data access control, the problems of large number of matching contents of search results and high computational overhead remain exist. In light of this, an authorized data secure access scheme with specified time and relevance ranked keyword search is proposed to achieve accurate matching of the search results and reduce user’s cost. First, an authorization token on attribute-based access policy and the specified time is constructed. According to the token, the data meeting the access policy is selected within the specified time. Second, we leverage order-preserving index and extended keyword vector to construct keyword index, then the search results of user specified amount are sorted by relevance score. With the use of specified time and relevance for twice screening, the user can get the relevant search results accurately. Finally, the security proof and efficiency analysis show that the scheme is of feasibility.

Bidirectional signalling between the tumour and stroma shapes tumour aggressiveness and metastasis. ATF4 is a major effector of the Integrated Stress Response, a homeostatic mechanism that couples cell growth and survival to bioenergetic demands. Using conditional knockout ATF4 mice, we show that global, or fibroblast-specific loss of host ATF4, results in deficient vascularization and a pronounced growth delay of syngeneic melanoma and pancreatic tumours. Single-cell transcriptomics of tumours grown in Atf4Δ/Δmice uncovered a reduction in activation markers in perivascular cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Atf4Δ/Δfibroblasts displayed significant defects in collagen biosynthesis and deposition and a reduced ability to support angiogenesis. Mechanistically, ATF4 regulates the expression of the Col1a1gene and levels of glycine and proline, the major amino acids of collagen. Analyses of human melanoma and pancreatic tumours revealed a strong correlation between ATF4 and collagen levels. Our findings establish stromal ATF4 as a key driver of CAF functionality, malignant progression and metastasis.