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Heterogeneous photocatalysts, characterized by well-defined atomic structures and the capacity for rapid, directional electron transfer, are pivotal in the exploration and development of highly efficient systems for visible-light-driven diluted CO2reduction. Herein, we constructed highly reduced phosphomolybdates crystalline materials 1–3to help this process, with the formula of [Co2(C8N3H7)4][Co2(C8N3H7)4(H2O)2][Co(H7P4Mo6O31)2]·8H2O (1), [Ni2(C8N3H7)4(H2O)2][Ni2(C8N3H7)4][Ni(H2O)4][Ni(H6P4Mo6O31)2]·3H2O·2C2H5OH (2), and [Zn2(C8N3H7)2][Zn2(C8N3H7)4][Zn2(C8N3H7)2(H2O)2][Zn(H5P4Mo6O31)2] (3) [C8N3H7= 2-(1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine]. Specifically, catalyst 1demonstrated a CO production rate of 3276.4 μmol g–1h–1in an environment with 20% CO2concentration, and an impressively elevated rate of 10740.3 μmol g–1h–1in a pure CO2atmosphere. Steady-state photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed that the directional migration of photoelectrons from the Ru complexes to the catalyst was instrumental in enhancing the catalytic activity. This study provides valuable insights into the rational operation of low-concentration CO2conversion treatment and the design and synthesis of photocatalysts.

In cross-device federated learning, verifiable secure aggregation enables clients to aggregate their locally trained model parameters through a malicious server to obtain a global model. To prevent the malicious server from tampering with the results, solutions have been proposed to ensure verifiability during this aggregation process. However, previous solutions either failed to achieve non-interactivity, which is critical in the cross-device setting, or failed to achieve malicious server resistance due to their underlying approach. Thus in this paper, we propose a lightweight non-interactive multi-client verifiable computation scheme (lwMVC) and then construct the malicious-resistant non-interactive verifiable aggregation (MRNIVA) for cross-device federated learning by the newly introduced underlying approach lwMVC. By combining Half Gates and non-iterative proxy oblivious-transfer, lwMVC meets both the non-interactivity and malicious resistance properties. Then, after solving the user dropout and efficiency problem, we construct the MRNIVA by lwMVC. Since we focus on the cross-device scenario, we conduct experiments on a Single Board Computer. The experiment result demonstrates that MRNIVA remains efficient compared to previous works after achieving both non-interactive and malicious resistance properties. As far as we know, we are the first to carry out verifiable aggregation experiments using such resource-constrained devices.

Antiferroelectric materials have shown great potential in electronic devices benefiting from the reversible phase transition between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases. Understanding the dipole arrangements and clear phase transition pathways is crucial for design of antiferroelectric materials-based energy storage and conversion devices. However, the specific phase transition details remain largely unclear and even controversial to date. Here, we have grown a series of PbZrO3on SrTiO3substrates and elucidated the fine atom structures and phase transition pathways using atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Specifically, a roadmap for ferroelectric to antiferroelectric phase transitions, here with increasing film thickness, is determined as ferroelectric rhombohedral (R3c)–ferroelectric monoclinic (Pc)–ferrielectric orthorhombic (Ima2)–antiferroelectric orthorhombic (Pbam), where Pcand Ima2 phases act as structural bridges. Moreover, the phase transition pathway is strongly related to the synergistic effect of oxygen octahedral tilting and cation displacement. These findings provide an insightful understanding for the theories and related properties of antiferroelectrics.

Photocatalytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction to value-added chemicals is a multielectron transfer process, and the crucial step is the synthesis of photocatalysts. The introduction of small conjugated organic ligands can make the catalytic active site of the compound easier to be exposed in the reaction system and fully contact with the substrate, accelerating the photocatalytic reaction process. In this paper, we synthesized two isomorphic compounds, namely, {[Co(mtrz)3·(H2O)2]2·[SiW12O40]}·6H2O (1) and {[Ni(mtrz)3·(H2O)2]2·[SiW12O40]}·6H2O (2) (mtrz = 1-methyl-1,2,4-triazole). We found that compound 1has a great photocatalytic performance through a series of experiments, with a CO reduction yield of 7364.92 μmol g–1h–1and a CO selectivity of 82.5%. Furthermore, the high catalytic activity can be maintained over four cycle experiments. The catalytic mechanism of its photocatalytic system is also elucidated, which provides an idea for realizing efficient catalytic reduction of CO2to CO.

Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a commonly used sampling approach in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy as well as peripheral lesions. As a very important tool, the continued innovation of TBNA needles is a vital driving force for the development of the technique. Although TBNA plays an important role in interventional pulmonology, there are no clear standards guiding operators to choose an appropriate needle for their operation. In recent decades, with the advent of endobronchial ultrasound-guided TBNA (EBUS-TBNA), the real-time visualization of TBNA has been enabled. These modern TBNA needles, such as ViziShot2, FLEX 19G, Acquire FNB, and EchoTip ProCore, have made significant progress in specimen collection, convenience, and safety, though still remain grounded in the basic premise and initial upgrades to the original conventional TBNA (cTBNA) needles. This review introduced the developmental history of WANG cTBNA needles, and summarized the lessons of success and failure and the enlightenments for currently used EBUS- and other emerging TBNA needles, aiming to provide a significant reference for pulmonologists who lived through the cTBNA era and for junior physicians who start working in the EBUS-TBNA era. Despite its long history, TBNA is still playing significant roles in the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases. A deeper understanding from the historical perspectives would facilitate continued innovations in the field of TBNA and beyond.

Capturing and separating the greenhouse gas SF6from nitrogen N2have significant greenhouse mitigation potential and economic benefits. We used a pore engineering strategy to manipulate the pore environment of the metal–organic framework (MOF) by incorporating organic functional groups (−NH2). This resulted in an enhanced adsorption of SF6and separation of the SF6/N2mixture in the MOF. The introduction of amino (−NH2) groups into YTU-29 resulted in a reduction of the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface but an increase in interactions with SF6within the confined pores. Water-stable YTU-29-NH2showed a significantly higher SF6uptake (95.5 cm3/g) than YTU-29 (77.4 cm3/g). The results of the breakthrough experiments show that YTU-29-NH2has a significantly improved separation performance for SF6/N2mixtures, with a high SF6capture of 0.88 mmol/g compared to 0.56 mmol/g by YTU-29. This improvement is due to the suitable pore confinement and accessible −NH2groups on pore surfaces. Considering its excellent regeneration ability and cycling performance, ultrastable YTU-29-NH2demonstrates great potential for SF6capturing and SF6/N2separation.

•Multiplicative noise is used to develop a novel two-dimensional stochastic resonance system.•It is theoretically analyzed why stochastic resonance is enhanced in the new system.•The effect of the alpha-stable noise characteristic index on stochastic resonance response is investigated.•A novel detection method is proposed by adjusting noise and parameters.•The superiority of the method has been demonstrated in bearing fault diagnosis experiments.

In recent decades of research, organic coatings have been considered the most effective and economical measure for corrosion protection of metals. However, defects in organic coatings created during the curing reaction provide corrosion channels for corrosive media, which in turn accelerate the failure of metallic materials. Functional nanomaterials are considered to be the key to solving this challenge. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) materials, as an emerging nanomaterial, show great potential as a durable and efficient nano-corrosion filler in organic anti-corrosion coatings. Therefore, this paper reviews the application of MOFs materials as solid corrosion inhibitors, small molecule corrosion inhibitor vehicles and modified graphene oxide in anti-corrosion coatings and looks forward to the prospect of research on their application in engineering practice.

Binaural rendering is of great interest to virtual reality and immersive media. Although humans can naturally use their two ears to perceive the spatial information contained in sounds, it is a challenging task for machines to achieve binaural rendering since the description of a sound field often requires multiple channels and even the metadata of the sound sources. In addition, the perceived sound varies from person to person even in the same sound field. Previous methods generally rely on individual-dependent head-related transferred function (HRTF) datasets and optimization algorithms that act on HRTFs. In practical applications, there are two major drawbacks to existing methods. The first is a high personalization cost, as traditional methods achieve personalized needs by measuring HRTFs. The second is insufficient accuracy because the optimization goal of traditional methods is to retain another part of information that is more important in perception at the cost of discarding a part of the information. Therefore, it is desirable to develop novel techniques to achieve personalization and accuracy at a low cost. To this end, we focus on the binaural rendering of ambisonic and propose 1) channel-shared encoder and channel-compared attention integrated into neural networks and 2) a loss function quantifying interaural level differences to deal with spatial information. To verify the proposed method, we collect and release the first paired ambisonic-binaural dataset and introduce three metrics to evaluate the content information and spatial information accuracy of the end-to-end methods. Extensive experimental results on the collected dataset demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method and the shortcomings of previous methods.

Objective: Obesity-induced kidney injury contributes to the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Here, we identified the functions of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 19 (USP19) in HK-2 cells exposed to a combination of high glucose (HG) and free fatty acid (FFA) and determined its association with TGF-beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1). Methods: HK-2 cells were exposed to a combination of HG and FFA. USP19 mRNA expression was detected by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and protein analysis was performed by immunoblotting (IB). Cell growth was assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) viability and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) proliferation assays. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. The USP19/TAK1 interaction and ubiquitinated TAK1 levels were assayed by coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays and IB. Results: In HG+FFA-challenged HK-2 cells, USP19 was highly expressed. USP19 knockdown attenuated HG+FFA-triggered growth inhibition and apoptosis promotion in HK-2 cells. Moreover, USP19 knockdown alleviated HG+FFA-mediated PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)/Parkin pathway inactivation and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in HK-2 cells. Mechanistically, USP19 stabilized the TAK1 protein through deubiquitination. Importantly, increased TAK1 expression reversed the USP19 knockdown-mediated phenotypic changes and PINK1/Parkin pathway activation in HG+FFA-challenged HK-2 cells. Conclusion: The findings revealed that USP19 plays a crucial role in promoting HK-2 cell dysfunction induced by combined stimulation with HG and FFAs by stabilizing TAK1, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for combating DN.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was widely used for the removal of esophageal tumors, and post-endoscopic submucosal dissection electrocoagulation syndrome (PEECS) was one of the postoperative adverse events. The aim of this research was to develop and validate a model to predict electrocoagulation syndrome after endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal tumors. Materials and methods: Patients who underwent esophageal ESD in our hospital were retrospectively included. A predictive nomogram was established based on the results of multivariate logistic regression analysis, and bootstrapping resampling was used for internal validation. Besides, the clinical usefulness of the nomogram was evaluated using decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve. Results: A total of 552 patients who underwent esophageal ESD were included in the study, and the incidence of PPECS was 12.5% (69/552). Risk factors associated with PEECS (p< 0.1) were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis, and the final model included four variables, namely gender, diabetes, tumor size and operation time. The predictive nomogram was constructed based on the above four variables, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.811 (95% CI 0.767–0.855). The calibration curve of the nomogram presented good agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities. DCA showed that the model improved patient outcomes by helping to assess the risk of PEECS in patients compared to an all-or-no treatment strategy. In addition, the clinical impact curve of the model also indicates that the nomogram has a high clinical net benefit. Conclusion: In conclusion, we have developed a predictive nomogram for PEECS after ESD for esophageal tumors with good predictive accuracy and discrimination. This predictive nomogram can be effectively used to identify high-risk patients with PEECS, which will help clinicians in clinical decision-making and early intervention.

Background and aims: Knowledge of how intrinsic capacity (IC) shape functional ability (FA) trajectories in later life remains unclear. We investigated the changes in IC and their impact on 5-years FA trajectories in the Chinese older population. Methods: A total of 1640 older adults from the Rugao Longitudinal Ageing Study were included and analyzed. FA was assessed by The Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADLs). We used cognition, psychology, locomotion, sensory capacity, and vitality to capture the multiple domains of IC according to the ICOPE method. The IC was derived retrospectively from variables collected before this was described by WHO. Results: At baseline, a higher IC was associated with higher IADLs (β= 0.98, 95% CI 0.90, 1.06, P< 0.001). Individuals with declines in IC between wave1 and wave2 experienced a faster decline in IADLs over time (β= − 0.28, 95% CI − 0.40, − 0.16, P< 0.001) after considering covariates. One or more impairment IC scores at baseline strongly predicted death (HR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.11, 1.30, P< 0.001). In addition, according to the IC scores at baseline, we stratify IC in low, middle, and high, compared with those in the high IC score, those in the low were associated with a 2.56-fold (95% CI 1.64, 4.01, P< 0.001) higher risk of mortality, after adjustment for variables. Conclusion: Changes in IC shape FA trajectories. IC impairment is associated with an increased risk of death. Assessing intrinsic capacity would facilitate early identification of older adults at high risk of adverse outcomes and prompt targeted interventions.

ABSTRACT The corrosion inhibition effect of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) on steel reinforcement in simulated concrete pore solutions was investigated by stereo-microscope and various electrochemical techniques including linear polarization resistance, electrochemical [...]

LiDAR is an indispensable sensor for autonomous driving that can provide precise 3D information about the environment. Among various types of LiDARs, mechanical LiDARs are the most commonly used on vehicles that uniformly perceive the scene utilizing rotating motors. However, accurate perception of foreground objects is considered as the most important task in automotive LiDARs, therefore the current operating mode of mechanical LiDARs wastes a significant amount of sensing resources on the useless background. Besides, the development of LiDAR hardware and software systems is currently split into two independent segments, lacking real-time interaction between physical entities and digital models in cyberspace. To address these issues, we propose software-defined active LiDARs for autonomous driving based on parallel intelligence. Active LiDARs redefine LiDAR's hardware operation through software systems to achieve adaptive sensing resource allocation, constituting a closed loop between physical space and cyberspace. During the working process, it calculates scenario heatmaps with the constructed high-definition maps (HD maps) in cyberspace at first. Then it takes prescriptive control of physical LiDARs based on heatmaps to improve sensing resource utilization. We build two adaptive LiDAR models in CARLA and construct a hardware prototype in the parallel sensing platform, DAWN. Active Point Cloud (APC), a new dataset collected in CARLA, is proposed and a 3D object detection task is selected to demonstrate the effectiveness of active LiDARs. Our experimental results show that active LiDARs can both improve raw data quality and model performance compared with mechanical LiDARs, especially for the perception of distant objects.

Hydrazine oxidation-assisted water electrolysis provides a promising way for the energy-efficient electrochemical hydrogen (H2) and synchronous decomposition of hydrazine-rich wastewater, but the development of highly active catalysts still remains a great challenge. Here, we demonstrate the robust and highly active Ru nanoparticles supported on the hollow N-doped carbon microtube (denoted as Ru NPs/H-NCMT) composite structure as HER and HzOR bifunctional electrocatalysts. Thanks to such unique hierarchical architectures, the as-synthesized Ru NPs/H-NCMTs exhibit prominent electrocatalytic activity in the alkaline condition, which needs a low overpotential of 29 mV at 10 mA cm–2for HER and an ultrasmall working potential of −0.06 V (vs RHE) to attain the same current density for HzOR. In addition, assembling a two-electrode hybrid electrolyzer using as-prepared Ru NPs/H-NCMT catalysts shows a small cell voltage of mere 0.108 V at 100 mA cm–2, as well as the remarkable long-term stability. Density functional theory calculations further reveal that the Ru NPs serve as the active sites for both the HER and HzOR in the nanocomposite, which facilitates the adsorption of H atoms and hydrazine dehydrogenation kinetics, thus enhancing the performances of HER and HzOR. This work paves a novel avenue to develop efficient and stable electrocatalysts toward HER and HzOR that promises energy-saving hybrid water electrolysis electrochemical H2production.

In the field of recycling CO2, the photocatalytic CO2reduction reaction (CO2RR) is a typical example, and researchers have designed a variety of photocatalysts to improve the conversion rate of CO2over the years. In this paper, two metal–oxygen clusters are designed and formulated as [Co3Zn(OH)6(SO4)]·4H2O (1) and [Ni3Zn(OH)6(SO4)]·4H2O (2). As for compound 1, the main structure is composed of {CoO6} octahedra connected by edge-sharing to form a two-dimensional layer, on which {ZnO4} and {SO4} tetrahedra are supported. More interestingly, compound 1has outstanding photocatalytic activity, which is mainly attributed to the open-framework structure and the cobalt ions as active sites. Upon catalysis for eight hours, its maximum CO generation rate is 9982.13 μmol g–1h–1, with a selectivity of 81.8%. Additionally, compound 1takes on weak antiferromagnetic coupling due to Co(II) ions.

Additives which share a similar molecular structure with the crystallizing parent molecule are called tailor-made additives (TMAs). The inclusion of well-chosen TMAs often has a significant impact on crystallization behaviors. However, how TMAs affect the solution crystallization has seldom been systematically summarized in recent years. Herein this paper reviews the role of TMAs in solution crystallization. First, the effects and action mechanisms of TMAs on crystal nucleation and growth are discussed, respectively. Next, the applications of TMAs in the regulation of crystal properties including the polymorphism, crystal habit, crystal size, and chirality are introduced. Then the recent progress of molecular simulation in predicting the role of TMAs is discussed. Finally, we analyze the existing problems in this field and give an outlook on the future development. This paper is helpful and useful to readers interested in the use of TMAs to control crystallization and design crystals with desired properties.

Antiferroelectrics characterized by voltage-driven reversible transitions between antiparallel and parallel polarity are promising for cutting-edge electronic and electrical power applications. Wide-ranging explorations revealing the macroscopic performances and microstructural characteristics of typical antiferroelectric systems have been conducted. However, the underlying mechanism has not yet been fully unraveled, which depends largely on the atomistic processes. Herein, based on atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the deterministic phase transition pathway along with the underlying lattice-by-lattice details in lead zirconate thin films was elucidated. Specifically, we identified a new type of ferrielectric-like dipole configuration with both angular and amplitude modulations, which plays the role of a precursor for a subsequent antiferroelectric to ferroelectric transformation. With the participation of the ferrielectric-like phase, the phase transition pathways driven by the phase boundary have been revealed. We provide new insights into the consecutive phase transformation in low-dimensional lead zirconate, which thus would promote potential antiferroelectric-based multifunctional devices.

Background: Endoscopic full-thickness resection is a common endoscopic procedure for treating gastrointestinal submucosal tumors. Nasogastric tube placement is frequently performed after abdominal surgery, but the routine use of this approach remains controversial. The aim of this research was to explore whether nasogastric tube placement after gastric endoscopic full-thickness resection is necessary. Methods: A retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent gastric endoscopic full-thickness resection in our hospital between January 2014 and January 2019, and all the patients had a tumor size ≤ 2 cm. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether a nasogastric tube was placed. Postprocedural adverse events and hospital stay duration were compared between the two groups using 1:1 propensity score matching. Results: A total of 461 patients were enrolled in this study, including 385 patients in the nasogastric tube group (NGT group) and 76 patients in the non-nasogastric tube group (non-NGT group). After matching, the baseline characteristics of 73 patients in the NGT group and 73 patients in the non-NGT group were balanced (p> 0.05). The postprocedural fever rate in the NGT group was significantly higher than that in the non-NGT group (23.3% vs. 9.6%, p= 0.044). 6.9% (5/73) of patients experienced severe nasogastric tube-related throat discomfort. However, the duration of hospitalization stay was not different between the two groups. Conclusions: For patients with tumor size ≤ 2 cm, routine nasogastric tube placement after gastric endoscopic full-thickness resection may be unnecessary.

Inducing clear ferroelectricity in the quantum paraelectric SrTiO3is important for triggering methods to discover hidden phases in condensed matter physics. Several methods such as isotope substitution and freestanding membranes could introduce ferroelectricity in SrTiO3toward nonvolatile memory applications. However, the stable transformation from quantum paraelectric SrTiO3to ferroelectricity SrTiO3at room temperature still remains challenging. Here, we used multiple nano-engineering in (SrTiO3)0.65/(CeO2)0.35films to achieve an emergent room-temperature ferroelectricity. It is shown that the CeO2nanocolumns impose large out-of-plane strains and induce Sr/O deficiency in the SrTiO3matrix to form a clear tetragonal structure, which leads to an apparent room-temperature ferroelectric polarization up to 2.5 μC/cm2. In collaboration with density functional theory calculations, it is proposed that the compressive strains combined with elemental deficiency give rise to local redistribution of charge density and orbital order, which induce emergent tetragonality of the strained SrTiO3. Our work thus paves a pathway for architecting functional systems in perovskite oxides using a multiple nano-design.

Materials with multiple order parameters, typically, in which ferroelectricity and magnetism are coupled, are illuminative for next-generation multifunctional electronics. However, searching for such single-phase multiferroics is challenging owing to antagonistic orbital occupancy and chemical bonding requirements for polarity and magnetism. Appropriate multiferroic candidates have been proposed, but their practical implementation is impeded by the low working temperature, weak coupling between ferroic orders, or antiparallel spin alignment in magnetic sublattices. Here, we report a family of single-phase multiferroic materials in which high-temperature magnetism and voltage-switchable ferroelectricity are coupled. Using pulsed laser deposition, we have fabricated single-crystalline thin films incorporating a uniformly percolated open-shell dnframework, which are composed of Fe cations with B-site occupancy and exhibit long-range spin ordering into the displacive ferroelectric PbTiO3lattice, as demonstrated by atomically resolved chemical analysis. The tetragonal polar Pb(Ti1–x,Fex)O3(PFT(x), x≤ 0.10) family exhibits a switchable ferroelectric nature and magnetic interaction with a moderate coercive field of around 300 Oe at room temperature. Notably, the magnetic order even persists above 500 K, which is higher than already reported potential multiferroic candidates until now. Our strategy of merging a spin-ordered sublattice into inherent ferroelectrics via atomic occupancy engineering provides an available pathway for highly thermally stable multiferroic and spintronic applications.

Background: There has been great progress in the use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage in acute pancreatitis patients using a novel lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) in the last decade, but some patients experience bleeding. Our research analyzed the preprocedural risk factors for bleeding. Methods: From July 13, 2016 to June 23, 2021, we retrospectively analyzed all patients who received endoscopic drainage by the LAMS in our hospital. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to identify the independent risk factors. We plotted ROC curves based on the independent risk factors. Results: A total of 205 patients were analyzed and 5 patients were excluded. A total of 200 patients were included in our research. Thirty (15%) patients presented with bleeding. In the multivariate analysis, computed tomography severity index score (CTSI) score [odds ratio (OR), 2.66; 95% CI: 1.31–5.38; P= 0.007], positive blood cultures [odds ratio (OR), 5.35; 95% CI: 1.31–21.9; P= 0.02], and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score [odds ratio (OR), 1.14; 95% CI: 1. 01–1.29; P= 0.045] were associated with bleeding. The area under the ROC curve of the combined predictive indicator was 0.79. Conclusion: Bleeding in endoscopic drainage by the LAMS is significantly associated with the CTSI score, positive blood cultures, and APACHE II score. This result could help clinicians make more appropriate choices.

The efficient and safe disposition of arsenic (As)-containing copper slag depends on the accurate understanding of the As species and their corresponding leaching toxicity. The As species in copper smelting slag were investigated by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, electron probe microanalyzer, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selectively sequential extraction scheme. Based on the accurate fractionation of As species, the potential source of As toxicity of copper slag was investigated. The results show that As can be associated with smelting slag in the forms of water-soluble As, Cu−As intermetallics, Cu−As sulfides, as well as the As incorporated in fayalite and glassy silicates. The removal of readily soluble As and Cu−As intermetallics from smelting slag by flotation can reduce the As leaching toxicity of slag tailings, making them conform to the USEPA and SEPA regulatory thresholds for As.

Hydrogen energy is a renewable and clean source, which makes a great difference in future sustainable energy systems. Visible-light-driven photocatalysis reaction involves harnessing the abundance of sunlight for hydrogen production among many catalytic technologies. However, the fabrication of photocatalysts that have distinctive performance in visible light is still the primary challenge. Herein, two new Cu-modified polyoxotungstate hybrids, {[Cu2(bim)4(H2O)2](HBW12O40)2·(H2bim)2·8H2O} (1) (bim = [1,1′-methylenebis(1H-imidazole)]) and {[Cu2(bim)4(H2O)2](H3PW10Ti2O40)2·(H2bim)2·8H2O} (2), have been successfully isolated by bridging two saturated Keggin polyoxotungstates and copper-azole complexes. Not surprisingly, 2holds higher reduction activity due to the more negative charge and stronger basicity on the terminal oxygen of Ti═O and bridge oxygen of Ti–O–W. The H2yield was 17075 μmol g–1h–1for 2in the tunable light-driven H2production system, which is promising in the field of photocatalysis.

The concept of metaverses has received extensive attention recently and cyber-physical-social systems (CPSS) is its academic foundation. In almost all the applications of metaverses, the sensing system is an essential part and intelligent sensing capacity must be provided. However, due to the insufficient consideration of human factors in most of the studies, digital twins’ sensing in cyber-physical systems cannot achieve smart sensing in metaverses. For this reason, a novel framework for intelligent sensing in metaverses, MetaSensing, is proposed based on parallel intelligence in CPSS. Within the framework of MetaSensing, there are four states of sensing: physical sensing, descriptive sensing, predictive sensing, and prescriptive sensing. To protect sensors’ data privacy in metaverses, DAO-based decentralized sensing is introduced as a mechanism of the operation and maintenance for smart sensing industries.

Sulfur oxides from the combustion of petrol and excessive emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are currently the main causes of environmental pollution. Considerable interest has been paid to solving the challenge, and catalytic reactions seem to be the desired choice. Due to the high density of Lewis acid active sites, polyoxometalates are considered to be the ideal choice for these catalytic reactions. Herein, two captivating polyoxometalate-based metal–organic complexes, formulated as [Co(H2O)2DABT]2[CrMo6(OH)5O19] ({Co-CrMo6}) and [Zn(H2O)2DABT]2[CrMo6(OH)5O19] ({Zn-CrMo6}) (DABT = 3,3′-diamino-5,5′-bis(1H-1,2,4-triazole)) were successfully obtained under hydrothermal conditions. The structural analysis demonstrates that {Co-CrMo6}and {Zn-CrMo6}are isostructural with two different transition metal (Co/Zn) ions based on quadridentate Anderson-type [CrMo6(OH)5O19]4–polyanions. A fan-shaped unit of {Co-CrMo6}/{Zn-CrMo6}is linked to generate a one-dimensional (1D) ladder-like structure. Intriguingly, benefitting from rich Co centers with a suitable energy band structure, {Co-CrMo6}displays better photocatalytic activity than {Zn-CrMo6}for converting CO2into CO, endowing the CO formation of 1935.3 μmol g–1h–1with high selectivity. Meanwhile, {Co-CrMo6}also exhibits a satisfactory removal rate of 99% for oxidizing dibenzothiophene at 50 °C, which suggests that {Co-CrMo6}may be utilized as a potential dual functional material with immense prospects in photocatalytic CO2reduction and sulfur oxidation for the first time.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold standard for evaluating myocardial fibrosis. Few studies have explored the association between ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and fibrosis in apparently normal hearts. We aimed to investigate the association between the occurrence and morphology of VAs and left ventricular late gadolinium enhancement (LV-LGE) in patients without known structural heart diseases. This study enrolled 78 patients with apparently normal hearts who underwent 24-h ambulatory Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) and CMR examinations simultaneously. The presence and extent of LGE was determined using CMR imaging and compared based on occurrence and morphology of VAs. The clinical characteristics were also recorded and calculated. LV-LGE was observed in 19 (37.3%) and 4 (14.8%) patients with and without VAs, respectively (P = 0.039). It was more frequently observed in patients with polymorphic VAs (P = 0.024). The polymorphic VAs had a higher tendency of LGE extent than monomorphic VAs, while the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.055). In multivariable analyses, the presence of polymorphic VAs [hazard ratio (HR) 11.19, 95% CI 1.64–76.53, P = 0.014] and hypertension (HR 4.64, 95% CI 1.08–19.99, P = 0.039) were associated with greater prevalence of LV-LGE. In patients without structural heart diseases, besides hypertension, multiple VA morphologies on Holter ambulatory ECG measurements is another important marker of increased incidence of myocardial fibrosis.

This study aims to critically reassess existing systematic reviews (SR) on Traditional Chinese Exercises (TCE) for treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The primary objectives include synthesizing available evidence, evaluating the methodological quality of reviews and overall evidence, and providing comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of different TCE types in managing COPD. Sinomed, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched from inception to April 2023 for SR literature on the treatment of COPD with TCE. The extracted data from the included SRs encompassed various aspects such as general information, study population, intervention measures, meta-analysis results, and conclusions. The methodological quality of the included SRs was assessed using the AMSTAR II tool. Additionally, the GRADE tool was used to determine the evidence level of outcome indicators. This study included 17 SRs and 4 types of TCE. The CCA was 0.041, indicating a slight overlap between the primary studies. Notably, one study was rated as low quality on the AMSTAR II scale, while the rest were classified as critically low quality. The results from the GRADE evaluation revealed 26 pieces of very low-quality evidence, 55 pieces of low-quality evidence, and 17 pieces of moderate-quality evidence. The moderate-quality evidence suggests that Liuzijue effectively improves TCM syndrome scores in patients with COPD. Additionally, low-quality evidence suggests that Liuzijue improves patients’ lung function (FEV1, FVC) and quality of life (CAT, MRC/mMRC). Similarly, low-quality evidence suggests that Baduanjin can improve patients’ lung function (FEV1%, FVC) and quality of life (SGRQ). Low-quality evidence also suggests that Health Qigong can significantly improve patients’ exercise endurance (6MWD). No SR reported TCE-related adverse reactions. TCE interventions are effective and safe in the treatment of COPD. Different types of TCE have varying effects on outcomes in COPD patients. However, these findings are limited by the generally low methodological and evidence quality of the included SRs. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to improve study designs to obtain higher-quality clinical evidence and to strictly follow SR protocols.

The rational design of inexpensive peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activators with high efficiencies is still in high demand. Herein, a composite with highly dispersed FeS2anchored on nitrogen-doped biochar (FeS2@NBC) was prepared via a hydrothermal process and used for PMS activation to degrade the pollutant tetracycline (TC). Benefiting from in situ growth of FeS2on the NBC surface, FeS2@NBC alleviated the side effects caused by FeS2agglomeration, and the synergistic catalytic effect of the FeS2nanoparticles and N-doped biochar resulted in excellent performance. The optimal FeS2@NBC/PMS system could degrade 87.6 % of TC within 10 min, and it exhibited adaptability to pH changes and the presence of common inorganic anions. A comprehensive study involving radical scavenging experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, electrochemical tests and XPS analyses revealed that the singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) were the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS), the sulfate radical (SO4•−) and electron transfer were involved in the TC degradation process. Moreover, three degradation pathways were indicated by LC−MS detection, and the toxicities of the degradation intermediates were predicted and evaluated. Finally, FeS2@NBC showed excellent reusability and stability after five cycles of TC degradation. This work provides a reference for designing efficient catalysts that can be combined with metal sulfides and biochar for efficient PMS activation.

Ferroelectric ultrathin films have great potential in electronic devices and device miniaturization with the innovation of technology. In the process of product commercialization, understanding the domain evolution and topological properties of ferroelectrics is a prerequisite for high-density storage devices. In this work, a series of ultrathin PbTiO3(PTO) films with varying thicknesses were deposited on cubic KTaO3substrates by pulsed laser deposition and were researched by Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), reciprocal space mapping (RSM), and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). RSM experiments indicate the existence of a/cdomains and show that the lattice constant varies continuously, which is further confirmed by atomic-scale STEM imaging. Diffraction contrast analysis clarifies that with the decrease in PTO film thickness, the critical thickness for the formation of a/cdomains could be missing. When the thickness of PTO films is less than 6 nm, the domain configurations in the ultrathin PTO films are the coexistence of a/cdomains and bowl-like topological structures, where the latter ones were identified as convergent and divergent types of meron. In addition, abundant 90° charged domain walls in these ultrathin PTO films were identified. PFM studies reveal clear ferroelectric properties for these ultrathin PTO films. These results may shed light on further understanding the domain evolution and topological properties in ultrathin ferroelectric PTO films.

The instinctive protective stress responses of tumor cells hamper low-temperature photothermal therapy (LTPTT), resulting in tumor recurrence and metastasis. The rapid blood clearance and low-efficiency tumor enrichment of nanomedicines also decrease the efficacy of LTPTT. In this study, we fabricated coassembled photothermal agents (indocyanine green, ICG) and autophagy inhibitors (chloroquine, CQ) and red blood cell and cancer cell hybrid membrane (RCm)-camouflaged ICGCQ@RCm nanoparticles (ICGCQ@RCm NPs) to enhance tumor LTPTT. The ICGCQ@RCm NPs exhibited prolonged blood drug circulation and markedly enhanced drug accumulation in tumor tissues. The ICGCQ@RCm NPs reduced the thermal tolerance of tumor cells to sensitize ICG-mediated LTPTT by inhibiting protective autophagy. The ICGCQ@RCm NPs exerted strong immunogenic cell death (ICD) after efficient LTPTT to activate antitumor immunity. In addition, ICGCQ@RCms optimized the therapeutic efficacy by imaging-guided LTPTT, taking advantage of the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence of ICG. Consequently, the ICGCQ@RCm NPs effectively inhibited tumors under mild LTPTT, significantly suppressed tumor metastasis and prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the ICGCQ@RCm NPs showed high biosafety in vitroand in vivo. The ICGCQ@RCm NPs demonstrated tumor-targeting and imaging-guided autophagy inhibition-sensitized LTPTT using two Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, which have great potential for clinical application.

Electrocatalytic H2generation under mild neutral conditions is an attractive proposition yet underdeveloped. Herein, a series of nonconsecutive carbon-coated RuP2porous microsheets (RuP2@InC-MSs) was synthesized through an environmentally benign one-pot thermolysis route using low-cost and safe P-containing small molecules as phosphorization agents, including guanidine phosphate, amidinourea phosphate, and ammonium phosphate. Benefitting from the unique dual active site exposure, the RuP2@InC-MSs acted as superior bifunctional electrocatalysts in neutral electrolyte towards both the hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR, −48 mV@10 mA cm−2) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER, −83 mv@10 mA cm−2), thus demonstrating the energy-saving H2production in a two-electrode hybrid water electrolyzer (0.366 V@10 mA cm−2). Further, an integrated solar-to-H2device generated abundant green H2gas with a current of 146 mA under natural sunlight, demonstrating its great potential for coupling applications with sustainable energy resources. This work provides guidelines for constructing metal phosphide–carbon nanohybrids, and facilitates the development of energy-efficient neutral H2production.

Chemical fixation of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an energy-saving method for alleviating the greenhouse gas emissions, whereas it persists a challenge posed by the demand for efficient catalysts. Herein, four unprecedented examples of tetradecanuclear vanadium clusters, namely, [(C2H8N2)6(CH3O)8(CH3OH)2VIV10VV4O26] (V14−1), [(C3H10N2)6(CH3O)8(CH3OH)2VIV10VV4O26](V14−2), [(C6H14N2)6(CH3O)8(CH3OH)2VIV10VV4O26]·5H2O (V14−3) and [(C4H12N2O)4(C4H11N2O)2(CH3O)2VIV10VV4O28]·6H2O (V14−4), have been triumphantly designed and constructed under solvothermal conditions. Among them, compounds V14−1–4are the first cases of tetradecanuclear vanadium clusters without the introduction of inorganic acid radical ions. Two main units [VIV10VV4O26]8+and [VIV10VV4O28]4+represent brand-new configurations of tetradecanuclear vanadium clusters. Given the fact that the presence of VIV/VVcan potentially facilitate electron transfer and consequently expedite catalytic reactions, we explored the catalytic activities of these compounds. Remarkably, V14−1was further used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the CO2fixation into cyclic carbonates under milder conditions (60 °C, 0.5 MPa) and exhibited higher catalytic activity. Also, the experimental results indicated that V14−1could efficiently catalyze the sulfoxidation, which could fully convert most sulfides within 40 min at room temperature. Moreover, as a stable heterogeneous catalyst employed in CO2fixation with epoxides and oxidation of sulfides, V14−1could be consecutively used multiple cycles without losing its catalytic activity.

JAPAN: A slow year as exports suffer the effects of a strong Yen The Japanese currency, which had been trading at around Yen 100 against the US dollar in early [...]

Background: The goal of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of needle-knife fistulotomy (NKF) to that of conventional cannulation methods (CCMs) when used for primary biliary access in patients with duodenal papillary tumors. Methods: Consecutive patients who had duodenal papillary tumors and who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were retrospectively enrolled. Successful cannulation rates, cannulation and procedure times, and the prevalence of adverse events were compared between the NKF and CCM groups. Results: A total of 404 patients (NKF, n= 124; CCM, n= 280) with duodenal papillary tumors were included. The primary and overall cannulation rates were 92.1% (372/404) and 96.0% (388/404), respectively. Compared to CCMs, NKF was associated with a significantly higher successful cannulation rate (99.2% versus 88.9%, P< 0.001) and significantly lower cannulation times (2.1 ± 2.0 min versus 4.7 ± 5.2 min), procedure times (8.8 ± 3.8 min versus 12.9 ± 7.6 min), and unintentional pancreatic duct cannulation rates (1.6% versus 20%), with P< 0.001 for all. Overall adverse events occurred less frequently in the NKF group (3.2% versus 10.7%, P= 0.011). Of these adverse events, post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) was significantly lower in the NKF group than in the CCM group (1.6% versus 6.8%, P= 0.03). Bleeding and cholangitis rarely occurred with either cannulation method (0.8% versus 2.1%, P= 0.681, and 0.8% versus 1.7%, P= 0.671, respectively). Conclusion: NKF is a more effective and safer procedure than CCMs for patients with duodenal papillary tumors.

Common pursuits of developing nanometric logic and neuromorphic applications have motivated intensive research studies into low-dimensional resistive random-access memory (RRAM) materials. However, fabricating resistive switching medium with inherent stability and homogeneity still remains a bottleneck. Herein, we report a self-assembled uniform biphasic system, comprising low-resistance 3 nm-wide (Bi0.4,La0.6)FeO3−δnanosheets coherently embedded in a high-resistance (Bi0.2,La0.8)FeO3−δmatrix, which were spinodally decomposed from an overall stoichiometry of the (Bi0.24,La0.76)FeO3−δparent phase, as a promising nanocomposite to be a stable and endurable RRAM medium. The Bi-rich nanosheets accommodating high concentration of oxygen vacancies as corroborated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy function as fast carrier channels, thus enabling an intrinsic electroforming-free character. Surficial electrical state and resistive switching properties are investigated using multimodal scanning probe microscopy techniques and macroscopic I–Vmeasurements, showing high on/off ratio (∼103) and good endurance (up to 1.6 × 104cycles). The established spinodal decomposition-driven phase-coexistence BLFO system demonstrates the merits of stability, uniformity, and endurability, which is promising for further application in RRAM devices.

Low chemodynamic catalytic efficiency at weakly acidic microenvironment, inadequate H2O2and high glutathione (GSH) levels in tumor cells severely limit the efficacy of chemodynamic therapy (CDT). To address these problems, a bimetallic coordination-driven self-assembly nanoparticle named AZC@HA NP is fabricated using the catalase inhibitor 3-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole (3-AT) as the coordination ligands of both copper (II) and zinc (II) ions. Interestingly, parts of Cu2+converted into Cu+after coordination. Cu+ions in AZC@HA NPs catalyze the Fenton-like reaction at weakly acidic and neutral microenvironment to produce •OH for CDT. 3-AT elevates intracellular H2O2level thus augments the •OH generation by inactivating the catalase. AZC@HA NPs decrease intracellular GSH level thus reduce the resistance of tumor cells to CDT through both Cu2+-mediated GSH depletion and “Zn2+interference” mediated GSH synthesis suppression. Surface coating of hyaluronic acid (HA) allow the targeted accumulation of AZC@HA NPs on CD44 overexpressed tumor cells. The AZC@HA NPs show significantly enhanced tumor inhibition in vitro and in vivo. Overall, the as-prepared tumor targeting, H2O2elevating and dual GSH exhausting coordination-driven self-assembly nanodrugs AZC@HA NPs provide an innovative strategy for high efficient CDT.

Designing highly active transition-metal-based electrocatalysts for energy-saving electrochemical hydrogen evolution coupled with hydrazine oxidation possesses more economic prospects. However, the lack of bifunctional electrocatalysts and the absence of intrinsic structure–property relationship research consisting of adsorption configurations and dehydrogenation behavior of N2H4molecules still hinder the development. Now, a V-doped Ni3N nanosheet self-supported on Ni foam (V-Ni3N NS) is reported, which presents excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic performance toward both hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The resultant V-Ni3N NS achieves an ultralow working potential of 2 mV and a small overpotential of 70 mV at 10 mA cm–2in alkaline solution for HzOR and HER, respectively. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the vanadium substitution could effectively modulate the electronic structure of Ni3N, therefore facilitating the adsorption/desorption behavior of H* for HER, as well as boosting the dehydrogenation kinetics for HzOR.

As the typical unconventional reservoir, shale gas is believed to be the most promising alternative for the conventional resources in future energy patterns, attracting more and more attention throughout the world. Generally, the majority of shale gas is trapped within the tight shale rock with ultralow porosity (<10%) and ultrasmall pore size (as less as several nanometers). Thus, the accurate understanding of gas transport characteristic and its underlying mechanism through these microporous/nanoporous media is critical for the effective exploitation of shale reservoir. In this context, we present a comprehensive review on the current advances of multiscale transport simulations of shale gas in microporous/nanoporous media from molecular to pore-scale. For the gas transport in shale nanopores using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the structure and force parameters of various nanopore models, including organic models (graphene, carbon nanotubes, and kerogen) and inorganic models (clays, carbonate, and quartz), and flow simulation strategies (such as nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations) are systematically introduced and clarified. The significant MD simulation results about gas transport characteristic in shale nanopores then are elaborated respectively for different factors, including pore size, ambient pressure, nanopore type, atomistic roughness, and pore structure, as well as multicomponent. Besides, the two-phase transport characteristic of gas and water is also discussed, considering the ubiquity of water in shale formation. For the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and pore network model (PNM) approaches to conduct pore-scale simulations, we briefly review its origins, modifications, and applications for gas transport simulations in a microporous/nanoporous shale matrix. Particularly, the upscaling methods to incorporate MD simulation into LBM and PNM frameworks are emphatically expounded in the light of recent attempts of MD-based pore-scale simulations. It is hoped that this Review would be helpful for the readers to build a systematical overview on the transport characteristic of shale gas in microporous/nanoporous media and subsequently accelerate the development of the shale industry.

ABSTRACTEarly dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP), although the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we investigated the role of crosstalk between NLRP3 and the gut microbiota in the development of AP utilizing gut microbiota deficient mice, as well as NLRP3 knockout (KO) mouse models. Pancreatic damage and systemic inflammation were improved in antibiotic-treated (Abx) and germ-free (GF) mice, accompanied by weakened activity of the intestinal NLRP3 inflammasome. Interestingly, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) reactivated the intestinal NLRP3 inflammasome and exacerbated the disease in Abx and GF mice. Although the gut barrier in GF and Abx mice was disrupted, gut microbiota deficiency ameliorated the severity of AP, probably due to the reduction in bacterial translocation from the gut to the pancreas. The composition of the gut microbiota was significantly different between NLRP3 KO mice and wild-type (WT) mice at baseline, and there were alterations in response to the induction of AP. While a dramatic shift in the gut microbiota with overgrowth of Escherichia-Shigellawas observed in WT mice suffering from AP, there was no significant change in NLRP3 KO mice with or without AP, suggesting that NLRP3 deficiency counteracts AP-induced microbial disturbance. With a strengthened gut barrier and decreased systemic inflammation, NLRP3 KO mice showed less severe AP, as revealed by reduced pancreatic neutrophilic infiltration and necrosis. Taken together, these results identified the bidirectional modulation between the gut microbiota and NLRP3 in the progression of AP, which suggests the interplay of the host and microbiome during AP.

ABSTRACTHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the strongest known risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. DNA damage response (DDR) and autophagy play key roles in tumorigenic transformation. However, it remains unclear how H. pylorimodulate DDR and autophagy in gastric carcinogenesis. Here we report that H. pyloriinfection promotes DNA damage via suppression of Rad51 expression through inhibition of autophagy and accumulation of p62 in gastric carcinogenesis. We find that H. pyloriactivated DNA damage pathway in concert with downregulation of repair protein Rad51 in gastric cells, C57BL/6 mice and Mongolian gerbils. In addition, autophagy was increased early and then decreased gradually during the duration of H. pyloriinfection in vitro in a CagA-dependent manner. Moreover, loss of autophagy led to promotion of DNA damage in H. pylori-infected cells. Furthermore, knockdown of autophagic substrate p62 upregulated Rad51 expression, and p62 promoted Rad51 ubiquitination via the direct interaction of its UBA domain. Finally, H. pyloriinfection was associated with elevated levels of p62 in gastric intestinal metaplasia and decreased levels of Rad51 in dysplasia compared to their H. pylori-counterparts. Our findings provide a novel mechanism into the linkage of H. pyloriinfection, autophagy, DNA damage and gastric tumorigenesis.

Background and aims: This study aimed at investigating whether depression symptoms are associated with prevalent and incident physical frailty in Chinese older population. Methods: We analyzed data of 1168 older Chinese adults aged 70 and above in the aging arm of the Rugao Longevity and Aging Study (RuLAS). Depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale ≥ 6) were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale. Frailty was defined using Fried phenotype criteria at baseline and 3-year survey. Results: At baseline, 8.9% of the participants had depression symptoms. The prevalence of pre-frailty and frailty were 34.5% and 5.9%, respectively. The percentages of depressive symptoms increase from robust (5.3%) to pre-frail (11.2%), and then to frail (31.9%) groups. After adjustments of multiple covariates, depressive symptoms were associated with both prevalent pre-frailty (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.08–2.84) and prevalent frailty (OR = 5.64, 95% CI 2.85–11.14) at baseline. At 3-year survey, 9.3% participants reported the development of frailty. After multiple adjustments, depressive symptoms were associated with a 2.79-fold (95% CI 1.09–7.10) increased risk of 3-year incident frailty. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are associated with prevalent and incident frailty in Chinese older population. Together with the observations of the European populations, depressive symptoms may be a candidate risk factor of frailty.

Background and aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was developed as a feasible and reliable treatment for gastrointestinal mucosal or submucosal lesions. Bacteremia may occur after ESD. Currently, the use of prophylactic antibiotics after gastric ESD is controversial. This study was designed to explore the value of prophylactic antibiotics in the treatment of gastric mucosal and submucosal lesions after ESD. Methods: In this prospective study, in total, 103 patients who underwent gastric ESD were included, and the frequency of bacteremia and changes in inflammation-related indicators before and after the procedure were investigated. The patients did not receive prophylactic antibiotics. Results: The body temperature (T), white blood cell count (WBC), and procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels did not significantly differ between the perforation group (N= 40) and nonperforation group before gastric ESD (N= 63) (all P > 0.05). The T, WBC, and CRP levels (all P &lt; 0.05) in the patients with perforation were significantly higher than those in the patients without perforation 24 h after gastric ESD. The incidence of bacteremia did not significantly differ between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In total, 6 of 309 blood cultures were cultured with bacteria. The total frequency of bacteremia in the perforation and nonperforation groups was 2.5% and 3.2%, respectively. No sepsis occurred in any patients. Conclusion: Regardless of whether perforation occurred after gastric ESD, the incidence of bacteremia was transient and low. Therefore, based on our single-center study in China, prophylactic antibiotics may not be necessary in patients with intraoperative perforation during gastric ESD. Trial registration: A single-center prospective study at chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR1800019668).

A new chromatographic method for isolation of W from large masses of silicate samples (>1 g) for ultrahigh precision isotopic analysis was developed. The purification of W was achieved through two stages of rapid chromatographic separations. In the first step, Ti, Zr, Hf, and W were separated collectively from the sample matrix through an AG1-X8 (100–200 mesh) column with a 10 mL resin volume. Subsequently, W was rapidly separated from Ti and Zr–Hf with high purity by a two-step extraction chromatographic method using 0.6 and 0.3 mL TODGA resin columns (50–100 μm particle size), respectively. The total yield of W, including the anion exchange and the TODGA chromatographic separation steps, is greater than 90%. The procedure was employed to isolate W from rock reference materials GSJ JB-3 and USGS BHVO-2; the separated W was analyzed by TRITON Plus TIMS, yielding a 182W/184W of 0.864898 ± 0.000005 (n= 8, 2 SD) for JB-3 and 182W/184W of 0.864896 ± 0.000006 (n= 5, 2 SD) for BHVO-2, which are in agreement with previously reported values within analytical errors.

A direct aerobic oxidative dehydrogenative coupling reaction of glycine esters with β-naphthols has been achieved via the synergistic combination of photoredox catalysis and Lewis acid catalysis. A wide range of glycine esters and β-naphthols are suitable substrates for this reaction. A variety of 1,3-benzoxazines were obtained in good yields with excellent diastereoselectivities under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, this protocol could be performed on a gram-scale without considerable loss in activity.

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.

Despite the fact that lithium–sulfur batteries are regarded as promising next-generation rechargeable battery systems owning to high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mA h g–1) and energy density (2600 W h kg–1), several issues such as poor electrical conductivity, sluggish redox kinetics, and severe “shuttle effect” in electrodes still hinder their practical application. MXenes, novel two-dimensional materials with high conductivity, regulable interlayer spacing, and abundant functional groups, are widely applied in energy storage and conversion fields. In this work, a Ti3C2/carbon hybrid with expanded interlayer spacing is synthesized by one-step heat treatment in molten potassium hydroxide. The subsequent experiments indicate that the as-prepared Ti3C2/carbon hybrid can effectively regulate polysulfide redox conversion and has strong chemisorption interaction to polysulfides. Consequently, the Ti3C2/carbon-based sulfur cathode boosts the performance in working lithium–sulfur batteries, in terms of an ultrahigh initial discharge capacity (1668 mA h g–1at 0.1 C), an excellent rate performance (520 mA h g–1at 5 C), and an outstanding capacity retention of 530 mA h g–1after 500 cycles at 1 C with a low capacity fade rate of 0.05% per cycle and stable Coulombic efficiency (nearly 99%). The above results indicate that this composite with high catalytic activity is a potential host material for further high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries.

A photoredox catalyst free, visible-light-induced aerobic oxidative [2 + 3] cycloaddition reaction between glycine derivatives and styrene oxides has been disclosed that provides an efficient approach for the rapid synthesis of 1,3-oxazolidines under mild conditions. This photoinduced process is enabled by the formation of an electron donor–acceptor complex between glycine derivatives and benzyl iodides.

Background and aims: To explore whether frailty, defined by frailty index (FI), is associated with the risk of elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), a surrogate endpoint of cardiovascular events. Methods: Data of 1382 community-dwelling elders who had no documented cardiovascular diseases aged 70–84 years from the ageing arm of the Rugao Longevity and Ageing Study was used. Traditional risk factor index (TI) was constructed using eight established cardiovascular-related risk factors. FI was constructed using 36 health deficits. Elevated BNP was defined as BNP ≥ 100pg/mL. Cardiovascular events include incident major cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death. Results: During a 3-year follow-up period, 97 participants had cardiovascular events. TI was not associated with the risk of elevated BNP, but was associated with cardiovascular events (HR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.34). Frailty index was not only associated with cardiovascular events (HR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.06–1.64), but also associated with elevated BNP with an OR of 1.22 (95% CI 1.02–1.47) for each 0.1 increment. Further, both frailty (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.67–3.17) and pre-frailty (OR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.06–2.25) were associated with increased risk of elevated BNP. Conclusion: FI is associated with increased risks of both cardiovascular events and surrogated endpoint of cardiovascular disease—elevated BNP. Frailty may be a non-traditional risk factor of cardiovascular diseases and frailty index may be a measurement for early identifying high risk elderly individuals of cardiovascular abnormities.

Bio-sourced nanocellulosic materials are promising candidates for spinning high-performance sustainable macrofibers for advanced applications. Various strategies have been pursued to gain nanocellulose-based macrofibers with improved strength. However, nearly all of them have been achieved at the expense of their elongation and toughness. Inspired by the widely existed hierarchical helical and nanocomposite structural features in biosynthesized fibers exhibiting exceptional combinations of strength and toughness, we report a design strategy to make nanocellulose-based macrofibers with similar characteristics. By combining a facile wet-spinning process with a subsequent multiple wet-twisting procedure, we successfully obtain biomimetic hierarchical helical nanocomposite macrofibers based on bacterial cellulose nanofibers, realizing impressive improvement in their tensile strength, elongation and toughness simultaneously. The achievement certifies the validity of the bioinspired hierarchical helical and nanocomposite structural design proposed here. This bioinspired design strategy provides a potential platform for further optimizing or creating many more strong and tough nanocomposite fiber materials for diverse applications.