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Background: Due to their location and growth patterns, retroperitoneal tumors often involve the surrounding blood vessels. Clinical decisions on a proper treatment depend on the information on this condition. Evaluation of blood vessels using non‐contrast‐enhanced vessel wall MRI may provide noninvasive assessment of the extent of tumor invasion to assist clinical decision‐making. Purpose: To investigate the performance and potential of non‐contrast‐enhanced vessel wall MRI in evaluating the degree of vessel wall invasion of retroperitoneal tumors. Study Type: Prospective. Population: Thirty‐seven participants (mean age: 60.59 ± 11.77 years, 59% male) with retroperitoneal tumors close to vessels based on their diagnostic computer tomography. Field Strength/Sequences: 3 T; vessel wall MRI sequences: two‐dimensional T2‐weighted MultiVane XD turbo spin‐echo (2D‐T2‐MVXD‐TSE) and three‐dimensional T1‐weighted motion sensitized driven equilibrium fat suppression turbo spin‐echo (3D‐T1‐MSDE‐TSE) sequences; conventional MRI sequences: T2‐weighted fat suppression turbo spin‐echo (T2‐FS‐TSE), T2‐weighted turbo spin‐echo (T2‐TSE), modified Dixon T1‐weighted fast field echo (T1‐mDixon‐FFE), and diffusion‐weighted echo planar imaging (DWI‐EPI) sequences. Assessment: All patients underwent preoperative imaging using both non‐contrast conventional and vessel wall MRI sequences. Images obtained from conventional and vessel wall MRI sequences were evaluated independently by three junior radiologists (3 and 2 years of experience in reading MRI) and reviewed by one senior radiologist (25 years of experience in reading MRI) to assess the degree of vessel wall invasion. MRI were validated results from the clinical standard diagnosis based on surgical confirmation or histopathological reports. Interobserver agreement was determined based on the reports from three readers with similar years of experiences. Intraobserver variability was assessed based on categorizing and recategorizing the vessels of 37 patients 1 month apart. Statistical Tests: Intra‐class correlation efficient (ICC), Chi‐square test, McNemar test, area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC), Delong test, P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The accuracy of vessel wall MRI (91.96%, 95% CI: 85.43–95.71; 103 of 112) in detecting the degree of vessel wall invasion was significantly higher than that of conventional MRI (75%, 95% CI: 66.24–82.10; 84 of 112). The interobserver variability or reproducibility in categorization of the degree of vascular wall invasion was good in evaluating images from conventional and vessel wall MRI sequences (ICC = 0.821, 95% CI: 0.765–0.867 and ICC = 0.881, 95% CI: 0.842–0.913, respectively). Data Conclusion: Diagnosis of vessel wall invasion of retroperitoneal tumors and assessment of its severity can be improved by using non‐contrast‐enhanced vessel wall MRI. Evidence Level: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of aircraft in recent years has attracted more attention, especially the issue of safe flight for aircraft. Some existing angle detection sensors are difficult to adapt to the development speed of the current aircraft due to the expensive price and large size, so there is an immediate need for new technology that can suit the current aircraft. Here, a self‐powered digital angle sensor that is compact, simple, and lightweight is introduced. This sensor eliminates the need for an external power supply and demonstrates highly sensitive signal detection at the volt level when the variable structure of the aircraft is working. The sensor is designed with a thickness of 7.3 mm, a volume of 16.6 cm3, and a weight of 9.85 g. Its lightweight and compact structure allows for seamless integration into aircraft without causing significant impact. The sensor not only provides real‐time monitoring the aircraft's variable structure deflection states, including deflection direction and angle but also alerts operators to any anomalies in deflection. Its small size and self‐powered capability make it an ideal solution for aircraft applications, enhancing safety and efficiency during flight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combinatorial optimization (CO) has a broad range of applications in various fields, including operations research, computer science, and artificial intelligence. However, many of these problems are classified as nondeterministic polynomial‐time (NP)‐complete or NP‐hard problems, which are known for their computational complexity and cannot be solved in polynomial time on traditional digital computers. To address this challenge, continuous‐time Ising machine solvers have been developed, utilizing different physical principles to map CO problems to ground state finding. However, most Ising machine prototypes operate at speeds comparable to digital hardware and rely on binarizing node states, resulting in increased system complexity and further limiting operating speed. To tackle these issues, a novel device‐algorithm co‐design method is proposed for fast sub‐optimal solution finding with low hardware complexity. On the device side, a piezoelectric lithium niobate (LiNbO3) microelectromechanical system (MEMS) oscillator network‐based Ising machine without second‐harmonic injection locking (SHIL) is devised to solve Max‐cut and graph coloring problems. The LiNbO3 oscillator operates at speeds greater than 9 GHz, making it one of the fastest oscillatory Ising machines. System‐wise, an innovative grouping method is used that achieves a performance guarantee of 0.878 for Max‐cut and 0.658 for graph coloring problems, which is comparable to Ising machines that utilize binarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchoring groups play an important role in the assembly of functional molecules onto semiconductor substrates for dye‐sensitized photocatalysis. In addition to directly influencing the adsorption stability, anchoring groups significantly impact the efficiency of electron or hole injection into the substrate, which is a crucial step for photocatalytic reactions. Most reported dye‐sensitized photocatalytic systems, including semiconductor nanoparticles and photoelectrochemical cells, are prepared using the carboxylic or phosphonic acid anchors. The systems prepared with these conventional anchors usually suffer from low adsorption stability in aqueous media. Alternatively, pyridine has emerged as an anchoring group of photosensitizers and molecular catalysts in the construction of photocatalytic systems. The resulting semiconductor nanoparticles and photoelectrodes show superior adsorption stability in aqueous media, providing a simple and efficient way to sensitize the metal or metal oxide substrate. This review focuses on the recent advances of such a pyridine anchoring strategy in the assembly of photosensitizers and molecular catalysts for photocatalytic applications, mainly including photocatalytic water oxidation, reduction, and splitting. The further exploration and understanding of the pyridine‐anchoring method are believed to boost the development of advanced dye‐sensitized photocatalytic devices and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of hybrid fiber structures on the ballistic performance of columnar ceramic/interlayer hybrid fiber composites. Three hybrid fiber composites and one single fiber‐component composite were fabricated. The accuracy of the numerical model was validated through quantitative analysis of matching micro‐CT images with simulation results. The error of the back convex height (BCH) values between the numerical simulation and the micro‐CT was only 2.8%. The error of delamination area at four thickness positions is only 0.7%, 14.7%, 0.3%, and 5.3%, respectively. The quantitative study on the ballistic performance of ceramic/fiber composites indicates that all hybrid fiber composites provide enhanced penetration resistance, with the sandwich structure outperforming the rest. Compared with the C‐U sample, the bullet's remaining velocity and the BCH in the C‐(A/U/A) sample were significantly improved, with reductions of 195 m∙s−1 and 16.6 mm, respectively. During the penetration process, the ceramic/fiber composites mainly exhibited damage failure mechanisms such as ceramic crushing to form ceramic cones, shear failure, and shear‐tensile‐delamination mixed failure. The energy absorption rate (EAR) of ceramic failure was 54.1%–60.2%, the EAR of tension was 12.5%–20.9%, and the EAR of the tension‐delamination‐shearing mixed model was 21.9%–32.8%. Highlights: The numerical model is quantitatively validated with micro‐CT results.Ballistic resistance and EARs in six stages are quantitatively analyzed.C‐(A/U/A) composite has superior ballistic resistance compared to C‐U. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusion Painful temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is the common cause of chronic oro‐facial pain, which may interfere with sleep. Previous studies have documented an association between sleep and TMD.This study aimed to further explore the association of night‐time sleep and daytime napping with painful TMD.A total of 419 patients (aged 31.88 ± 11.54 years with women forming 85.4%) from a TMD/Orofacial Pain center were enrolled. Patients' sleep conditions were evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and information on night‐time sleep duration, napping duration and napping frequency was interviewed. TMD was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD protocol and stratified into myalgia (muscle pain), arthralgia (joint pain) and combined (muscle and joint pain) subgroups. The severity of TMD was measured with the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) questionnaire. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression models were established to explore relationships between sleep and painful TMD subgroups.Patients with poor sleep quality (PSQI≥6) had higher FAI scores (median 60, p < .001) and higher proportions of painful TMDs. The myalgia subgroup had higher PSQI scores (median 8, p < .001) than the arthralgia subgroup. The RCS models indicated a non‐linear relationship between night‐time sleep duration and myalgia (p < .001), which was not observed in arthralgia. However, there were no significant findings concerning napping and painful TMD subgroups.This study found that the association between sleep and TMD is mainly related to painful TMD conditions, which are associated with night‐time sleep duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cationic waterborne polyurethane/acrylate (WPUA) was synthesized for water repellent in cotton fabrics to replace fluorine‐containing finishing agents with the concerns of ecosystems and human health. First, the tertiary amines monomers, N‐methyl diethanolamine, 3‐dimethylamine‐1, 2‐propylene glycol, N,N′‐bis (2‐hydroxyethyl)piperazine, were used as chain extenders to prepare waterborne polyurethane, respectively. Long‐chain octadecyl acrylate monomers were then grafted to the waterborne polyurethane by a self‐emulsifying method. The stable WPUA suspensions of positively charged latexes were obtained and could be finished on cotton fabrics via a simple pad‐curing process. The coated cotton fabrics were capable of repelling common liquids without any penetration, and the contact angles of the treated cotton fabrics could reach 150°. The WPUA latex films also exhibited good tensile mechanical properties and thermal dimensional stability. The cotton fabric coated with the WPUA showed good laundering durability, and its static water contact angle was still maintained at 142° even after 50 times washing. This work not only highlights the structural design and preparation but also provides a feasible strategy for fluorine‐free water repellency in cotton fabrics, which has great potential application prospects for a variety of fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sn–Pb mixed perovskite with a narrow bandgap is essential for the construction of all‐perovskite tandem solar cells. However, the oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ makes the fabrication of Sn–Pb perovskite solar cells (PSCs) challenging. Herein, a ferrocene (Fc) capping layer is introduced on the surface of Sn–Pb mixed perovskite to maintain a reducing environment. This is due to a strong electron supply capacity from the π‐orbitals in cyclopentadiene in Fc, which effectively suppresses the oxidation of Sn2+, reduces the defect density, and leads to an improvement in carrier lifetime. Therefore, the Fc capping layer significantly improves the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of single‐junction Sn–Pb PSCs from 17.49% to 21.02%. It maintains 87% of its initial PCE after light exposure at 1 sun condition in N2 atmosphere for 288 h, demonstrating good long‐term stability. The strategy outlined herein offers a straightforward and efficient approach to enhance the stability and PCE of narrow‐bandgap Sn–Pb mixed PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a hypertensive heart disease that significantly escalates the risk of clinical cardiovascular events. Its etiology potentially incorporates various clinical attributes such as gender, age, and renal function. From mechanistic perspective, the remodeling process of LVH can trigger increment in certain biomarkers, notably sST2 and NT‐proBNP. This multicenter, retrospective study aimed to construct an LVH risk assessment model and identify the risk factors. A total of 417 patients with essential hypertension (EH), including 214 males and 203 females aged 31–80 years, were enrolled in this study; of these, 161 (38.6%) were diagnosed with LVH. Based on variables demonstrating significant disparities between the LVH and Non‐LVH groups, three multivariate stepwise logistic regression models were constructed for risk assessment: the "Clinical characteristics" model, the "Biomarkers" model (each based on their respective variables), and the "Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers" model, which amalgamated both sets of variables. The results revealed that the "Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers" model surpassed the baseline models in performance (AUC values of the "Clinical characteristics + Biomarkers" model, the "Biomarkers" model, and the "Clinical characteristics" model were.83,.75, and.74, respectively; P <.0001 for both comparisons). The optimized model suggested that being female (OR: 4.26, P <.001), being overweight (OR: 1.88, p =.02) or obese (OR: 2.36, p =.02), duration of hypertension (OR: 1.04, P =.04), grade III hypertension (OR: 2.12, P <.001), and sST2 (log‐transformed, OR: 1.14, P <.001) were risk factors, while eGFR acted as a protective factor (OR:.98, P =.01). These findings suggest that the integration of clinical characteristics and biomarkers can enhance the performance of LVH risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room‐temperature sodium‐sulfur (RT Na‐S) batteries are promising for low‐cost and large‐scale energy storage applications. However, these batteries are plagued by safety concerns due to the highly flammable nature of conventional electrolytes. Although non‐flammable electrolytes eliminate the risk of fire, they often result in compromised battery performance due to poor compatibility with sodium metal anode and sulfur cathode. Herein, we develop an additive of tin trifluoromethanesulfonate (Sn(OTf)2) in non‐flammable phosphate electrolytes to improve the cycling stability of RT Na‐S batteries via modulating the Na+ solvation environment and interface chemistry. The additive reduces the Na+ desolvation energy and enhances the electrolyte stability. Moreover, it facilitates the construction of Na‐Sn alloy‐based anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). These interphases help to suppress the growth of Na dendrites and the dissolution/shuttling of sodium polysulfides (NaPSs), resulting in improved reversible capacity. Specifically, the Na‐S battery with the designed electrolyte boosts the capacity from 322 to 906 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. This study provides valuable insights for the development of safe and high‐performance electrolytes in RT Na‐S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, one of the major factors limiting the further improvement of inverted (p‐i‐n) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is trap‐assisted non‐radiative recombination at the perovskite/electron transporting layer (ETL) interface. Surface passivation with organic ammonium salt is a powerful strategy to improve the performance of PSCs. Herein, an effective method by using propylamine hydroiodide (PAI) and 1,3‐diaminopropane dihydroiodide (PDADI) is reported to modify the perovskite/ETL interface. These two ammonium salts do not form new perovskite but directly passivate the defects on the perovskite surface after annealing. The results show that the PDADI‐modified perovskite films possess a lower surface defect density and less non‐radiative recombination as well as improved charge carrier transport. Based on this strategy, the PDADI‐modified p‐i‐n PSCs deliver an impressive efficiency of 25.09% (certified 24.58%) with an open‐circuit voltage of 1.184 V. Furthermore, the unencapsulated PDADI‐modified PSCs also exhibit good storage stability, retaining 91% of initial PCE at 65 °C in a N2 glove box for 1300 h. This strategy provides an efficient route to fabricate highly efficient and stable inverted p‐i‐n structured PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal evaporation can significantly facilitate scalable, uniform, and conformal perovskite film, particularly well‐suited for the preparation of perovskite/silicon (Si) tandem solar cells. However, the perovskite material easily induces a phase transition from a photoactive phase to a photoinactive phase, limiting the development of the stability and efficiency of tandem cells. Introducing lead chloride (PbCl2) into wide‐bandgap perovskite materials is beneficial for the fabrication of efficient and stable light‐absorbing materials, but the microscopic mechanism of the effect of PbCl2 on perovskite is still unclear. The study here reports evidences that the addition of PbCl2 to improve perovskite film stability and optoelectronic performance is due to the minor octahedral tilting of the perovskite structure are reported. It also demonstrates that this strategy accelerates interfacial charge transfer and carrier diffusion in the perovskite bulk and heterojunction interfaces. Therefore, the wide‐bandgap perovskite solar cells (PSCs) prepared by adding PbCl2 exhibit a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.80%. The PSCs retain 97% of their performance following 200 h of operation at the maximum power point under full 1‐sun illumination. Finally, monolithic perovskite/Si tandem cells with record PCEs of 27.43% and an open‐circuit voltage of 1.817 V are fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice husk ash silica obtained from the chemical purification of rice husk ash is a bio‐based silica. As a sustainable raw material, the bio‐based silica has attracted much attention in recent years. It can be used to replace traditional carbon black and silica in tire rubbers. Our experimental results show that the bio‐based silica can bring similar mechanical properties and higher wet grip to natural rubber in comparison with traditional silica. The wet mixing method is successfully used to disperse the bio‐based silica in natural rubber latex, obtaining a bio‐based silica/natural rubber composite with higher abrasion resistance and lower rolling resistance than the composite prepared by traditional dry mixing. The mechanical properties of bio‐based silica/natural rubber composites depend on the silica loading and mixing methods. Mixing natural rubber and bio‐based silica through wet‐mixing method is a green and sustainable approach to the tread rubbers with excellent mechanical properties, low rolling resistance, high abrasion resistance, and wet grip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient photocathodes is of critical importance for the constructions of promising tandem photo‐electrochemical cells. Most known dye‐sensitized photocathodes are prepared with the conventional carboxylic or phosphonic acid anchors and require the presence of other terminal linking groups to connect catalysts; they suffer from high synthetic difficulty and low adsorption stability in aqueous media. Here, a compact bilayer photocathode has been prepared by using a pyrene‐based photosensitizer with multiple terminal pyridine moieties as both the anchoring and linking groups to connect a Co hydrogen‐evolution catalyst to the NiO substrate. The catalyst and dye molecule are assembled in a layer‐by‐layer manner on NiO through the metal‐pyridine coordination. This photocathode exhibits good dye adsorption stability in aqueous media. A stable cathodic photocurrent of 70 μA cm−2 was achieved, with H2 being generated at the photocathode under the visible‐light irradiation. The Faraday efficiency of H2 evolution was estimated to be 9.1 %. Transient absorption spectral studies suggest that the interfacial hole transfer occurs within a few picoseconds. The integration of the organic photosensitizer with pyridine anchoring and linking groups is expected to provide a simple method for the fabrication of stable and efficient photocathodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transamidation of acetamide with primary methylamine and benzylamine for secondary amide formation has been examined at the M06‐2X(SMD)/6‐311++G(2df,2p)//M06‐2X(SMD)/6‐31+G(d) level. Two alternative mechanisms are taken into account involving non‐covalent catalysis by hydrogen‐bonding (Path I) and covalent catalysis via hydroxamic acid formation (Path II). In Path I, hydroxylamine hydrochloride activates acetamide through hydrogen bonding in favor of nucleophilic attack of methylamine/benzylamine, while in Path II the initial nucleophilic attack of hydroxylamine generates the intermediate hydroxamic acid for subsequent aminolysis. In Path I and Path II, N‐path and O‐path are considered, where proton shifts to NH2 or via carbonyl oxygen with OH group generated for leaving NH3, respectively. Our computational results manifest that Path II via O‐path is more favorable with lower free energy barriers of 21.9 (ammonia‐mediated), 22.7 (methylamine‐mediated) and 23.0 kcal mol−1 (hydroxylamine‐mediated) than Path I for methylamine as nucleophile. The ammonia‐mediated Path II via O‐path for benzylamine as nucleophile is still the most favorable pathway, with a free energy barrier of 22.1 kcal mol−1. The preference of Path II over Path I is rationalized by NBO analysis. Our theoretical results give useful insight to design more effective catalysts for activating the carboxamide in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocytes have countless links with neurons. Previously, astrocytes were only considered a scaffold of neurons; in fact, astrocytes perform a variety of functions, including providing support for neuronal structures and energy metabolism, offering isolation and protection and influencing the formation, function and elimination of synapses. Because of these functions, astrocytes play an critical role in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The regulation of the secretiory factors, receptors, channels and pathways of astrocytes can effectively inhibit the occurrence and development of CNS diseases, such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO), multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease. The expression of aquaporin 4 in AS is directly related to NMO and indirectly involved in the clearance of Aβ and tau proteins in AD. Connexin 43 has a bidirectional effect on glutamate diffusion at different stages of stroke. Interestingly, astrocytes reduce the occurrence of PD through multiple effects such as secretion of related factors, mitochondrial autophagy and aquaporin 4. Therefore, this review is focused on the structure and function of astrocytes and the correlation between astrocytes and CNS diseases and drug treatment to explore the new functions of astrocytes with the astrocytes as the target. This, in turn, would provide a reference for the development of new drugs to protect neurons and promote the recovery of nerve function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano‐fluids' application for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has attracted noticeable attention and formed a new research area in recent years. Currently, the greatest challenge in this area is to formulate stable nano‐fluids for oil reservoirs with high temperatures and salinity. To overcome the limitations of its application in high‐temperature drilling, polymer‐coated nanoparticles (SiO2‐PAMPS NPs) were prepared via solution polymerization of 2‐acrylamide‐2‐methyl‐1‐propane sulphonic acid (AMPS) from the surface of aminopropyl‐functionalized silica nanoparticles. The SiO2‐PAMPS NPs were characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results indicated that the AMPS was successfully grafted onto the surface of silica nanoparticles, and the average diameter of SiO2‐PAMPS NPs was about 16 nm. The nano‐fluids showed noticeable stability in American Petroleum Institute (API) brine (2 wt.% CaCl2 and 8 wt.% NaCl) at 90°C beyond 46 days. When amphipathic nanoparticles were introduced to brine at 90°C, the potential of the nano‐fluids in recovering oil was evaluated by investigating the interfacial tension with kerosene oil and the oil contact angle in the nano‐fluids. The contact angle of the glass sheet surface before treatment was about 144°, while after SiO2‐PAMPS NPs treatment for 72 h, it became about 92°. Meanwhile, the nano‐fluids showed an excellent enhancing emulsibility property, which plays a vital role in promoting the development of EOR in high‐temperature and high‐salt environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meta‐aramids (poly(m‐phenylene isophthalamide), PMIA) have excellent flame, heat resistance, and electrical insulation. However, the rigid molecular backbone of PMIA and the strong hydrogen bonding force between its molecular chains make it poorly flexible, soluble, and processed. In this study, a series of modified PMIA containing methylene groups on the main chain (APMIA‐n, where n is the molar fraction of 4,4′‐methylenedianiline (MDA) in m‐phenylenediamine, and n = 0, 5, 10, 15, 20) is synthesized by introducing different ratios of MDA into PMIA by copolymerization. APMIA‐n films are prepared by the solution casting method. The results show some improvement in the solubility of APMIA‐n in polar organic solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. With the increase of the molar fraction of MDA, the tensile modulus of obtained APMIA‐n films decrease from 4.62 to 2.98 GPa, indicating that the flexibility of the films is evidently increased. APMIA‐n films are self‐extinguishing which suggests that the addition of MDA during copolymerization has a slight influence on the flame resistance of the synthesized PMIA. Moreover, APMIA‐n films containing MDA components exhibit good optical transparency, which may expand the application of PMIA in more fields such as packaging and screen display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is an important stage in forming one's identity and developing career inspirations. The current empirical study aims to investigate gender and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in adolescents' occupational possible selves. A total of 3336 sixth‐ to eighth‐grade students participated in the survey research and reported (1) hoped‐for occupation, (2) desire for the hoped‐for occupation, (3) likelihood of attaining the hoped‐for occupation, and (4) whether and what actions were taken toward the hoped‐for occupation. A series of regression models and advanced natural language processing techniques were applied to the survey data. Results revealed evident gender differences and some nuanced SES differences in the named occupational possible selves with a significant interaction between gender and SES on adolescents' career‐related actions. However, this study did not find gender or SES differences in adolescents' desire to pursue their occupational possible selves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 adducts of hydrophobically modified polyethylenimines (PEIs) are promising alternatives to global warming halogen‐containing blowing agents of polyurethanes (PUs), despite the high cost of the raw material PEIs. Herein, an economical synthesis of PEI‐like polymers was explored via condensation between pentaethylenehexamine and terephthalaldehyde, followed by chemical reduction of the as‐formed Schiff base linkages. The resultant p‐phenylene‐containing polyamine polymers (PEIPs) could be grafted with alkyl (Cn) side chains and adducted with CO2 to form a new type of CO2‐releasing blowing agents for PUs designated as yCn‐xPEIP‐CO2s, where x and y represent the backbone molecular weight and the side chain grafting rate, respectively. Among them, the specimen 10%C8−3.6 kPEIP‐CO2 was the most effective in terms of good dispersibility in PU raw materials, low foam density (about 51 kg/m3), and uniform pore morphology. Moreover, the phenylene linkages enhanced the hydrophobicity of the consequent CO2 adducts and weakened the intermolecular hydrogen bonding and ionic attraction, both facilitating the dispersion of the corresponding blowing agents into a castor oil‐derived polyol, Polycin M‐365. The specimen 10%C8−3.6 kPEIP‐CO2 could disperse as suspended fine floccules that finally aggregated into a flocculent, liquid‐like bottom layer, being easily redispersed into the bulk. The unique compatibility with plant oil‐derived polyols and the economic availability would make the PEIP‐based blowing agents suitable for the next generation of sustainable and biomass‐based PU foams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead‐free halide perovskites are emerging as promising eco‐friendly candidates for next‐generation solid‐state lighting because of their nontoxicity and availability for broad emission. Herein, a modified room‐temperature anti‐solvent precipitation method is developed to synthesize the Sb3+‐doped, In‐based, lead‐free halide perovskites in microplate/microcrystal structure with different emission colors. The layered structure of InCl3 serves as the template for the growth of Cs2InCl5(H2O):Sb3+ microplate phosphors. Moreover, the presence of HCl not only improves the solubility of precursors, but also provides the acid etching effect. The resultant Sb3+‐doped Cs2InCl5(H2O) microplate phosphors show bright yellow emission with photoluminescence quantum yield up to 92.4%. Furthermore, Cs3InCl6:Sb3+ and Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+ are synthesized through the similar method, which displays the bright green and deep‐blue emission, respectively. Subsequently, the proof‐of‐concept white light‐emitting diodes (WLEDs) are fabricated based on Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+ + Cs2InCl5(H2O):Sb3+ and Cs2NaInCl6:Sb3+ + Cs3InCl6:Sb3+ + Cs2InCl5(H2O):Sb3+ phosphors, which achieves high‐quality white light with the color rendering index (CRI) of 91.6 and 95.4, respectively. The results greatly advance the development of lead‐free halide perovskite phosphors synthesis, which may offer new possibilities for high CRI WLEDs fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The filler‐rubber interaction and filler dispersion in natural rubber (NR) composites are important factors in determining mechanical properties. Herein, Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and Al2O3‐coated MoS2 nanospheres are incorporated in NR/carbon black composites. The effects of MoS2 and Al2O3‐coated MoS2 on the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of the NR composites are investigated. The morphology analysis indicates that Al2O3‐coated MoS2 could greatly improve the dispersion of carbon black in NR composites. MoS2 filler and carbon black show a synergetic effect on improving the properties of NR composites, leading to high abrasion resistance, tensile strength, elongation at break and expected dynamic mechanical properties. The thermal conductivity of NR composites increases with increasing the content of MoS2 and Al2O3‐coated MoS2. The thermal stability of the NR composites is also effectively improved by filling MoS2 and Al2O3‐coated MoS2. Furthermore, a small amount of Al2O3‐coated MoS2 significantly improves the abrasion resistance, wet grip and decreases rolling resistance of the composites. Al2O3‐coated MoS2 exhibits its potential application in green tires with good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrinsic plasticity of neurons, such as spontaneous threshold lowering (STL) to modulate neuronal excitability, is key to spatial attention of biological neural systems. In‐memory computing with emerging memristors is expected to solve the memory bottleneck of the von Neumann architecture commonly used in conventional digital computers and is deemed a promising solution to this bioinspired computing paradigm. Nonetheless, conventional memristors are incapable of implementing the STL plasticity of neurons due to their first‐order dynamics. Here, a second‐order memristor is experimentally demonstrated using yttria‐stabilized zirconia with Ag doping (YSZ:Ag) that exhibits STL functionality. The physical origin of the second‐order dynamics, i.e., the size evolution of Ag nanoclusters, is uncovered through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which is leveraged to model the STL neuron. STL‐based spatial attention in a spiking convolutional neural network (SCNN) is demonstrated, improving the accuracy of a multiobject detection task from 70% (20%) to 90% (80%) for the object within (outside) the area receiving attention. This second‐order memristor with intrinsic STL dynamics paves the way for future machine intelligence, enabling high‐efficiency, compact footprint, and hardware‐encoded plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Disruption of B cell homeostasis and subsequent dominance of effector B cell subsets are critical for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Revealing the key intrinsic regulators involved in the homeostatic control of B cells has important therapeutic value for SLE. This study was undertaken to determine the regulatory role of the transcription factor Pbx1 in B cell homeostasis and lupus pathogenesis. Methods: We constructed mice with B cell–specific deletion of Pbx1. T cell–dependent and T cell–independent humoral responses were induced by intraperitoneal injection of nitrophenyl‐containing hapten (NP) conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin or NP‐Ficoll. The regulatory effects of Pbx1 on autoimmunity were observed in a Bm12‐induced lupus murine model. We investigated mechanisms of Pbx1 using RNA sequencing, the cleavage under targets and tagmentation assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation–quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. We transduced B cells from SLE patients with plasmids that overexpressed PBX1 to explore the in vitro therapeutic efficacy of PBX1. Results: Pbx1 was specifically down‐regulated in autoimmune B cells and negatively correlated with disease activity. The deficiency of Pbx1 in B cells resulted in excessive humoral responses following immunization. In the Bm12‐induced lupus model, mice with B cell–specific Pbx1 deficiency displayed enhancements in germinal center responses, plasma cell differentiation, and autoantibody production. Pbx1‐deficient B cells had increased survival and proliferative advantages after activation. Pbx1 regulated genetic programs by directly targeting critical components of the proliferation and apoptosis pathways. In SLE patients, PBX1 expression was negatively correlated with effector B cell expansion; when PBX1 expression was enforced, the survival and proliferative capacity of SLE B cells were attenuated. Conclusion: Our study reveals the regulatory function and mechanism of Pbx1 in adjusting B cell homeostasis and highlights Pbx1 as a therapeutic target in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interrelationship of science and engineering and the recent inclusion of engineering in K‐12 science standards have promoted the incorporation of engineering design in science classrooms. However, empirical studies on the impacts of engineering design on science learning show mixed findings and indicate that factors such as the complexity of design tasks, a lack of connections between design tasks and the underlying science concepts, and the limited experience with engineering among science teachers can influence learning gains from design activities. One useful approach for addressing these challenges is through the use of technologies such as interactive simulations, which have become increasingly prevalent in STEM education. In the present study, we used a simulation to investigate the effects of task context (science vs. engineering) on students' investigation behaviors and their understanding of science concepts. Furthermore, considering the relative novelty and complexity of an engineering context to many students, we examined how structuring students' responses in the engineering context affects their behaviors and learning. A total of 349 high school students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: science, structured engineering, and unstructured engineering. In the science condition, students used the simulation to investigate the effects of four variables on the saturation concentration of solutions. Using the same simulation, students in the structured and unstructured engineering conditions were directed to recommend the optimal variable values that meet a set of given constraints and maximize the saturation concentration for a commercial product. The only difference between the two engineering conditions was whether structuring was provided in the response fields presented to students as they entered responses for the target variables. Results suggested that the engineering context stimulated students to engage in more comprehensive investigation behaviors as compared to the science context. In contrast, students in the science condition exhibited more systematic behaviors. However, the increased comprehensiveness of behaviors in the engineering conditions did not translate into significantly greater learning of the science content in these conditions, indicating that students might have focused on the surface features associated with the engineering goal without making deep connections between the two domains. Furthermore, structuring students' responses within an engineering context as used in the current study did not lead to significant differences in investigation behaviors or learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased intrinsic slow delta oscillations during resting state are associated with brain aging and increased Alzheimer's disease/related dementia pathologies, i.e., synaptic network dysfunctions and astrocyte over‐reactivity in human (Wiseman et al., 2022) and animal models (Sompol et al., 2023). Here we examined the relations of working memory performance (accuracy and reaction time) with low frequency electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillations during resting and task. Method: 34 cognitively normal adults (26 female; mean age 77, education 17 years) from UK‐ADRC participated in the study. EEG was recorded using a wireless headset while participants performed a visual working memory task (Borhani et al., 2021), first using their dominant hand (DH, better cognitive motor) then using their nondominant hand (NDH) to indicate a working memory target. Additionally, they participated in resting state eyes closed (EC) and eyes open (EO) pre‐ and post‐task (Fig. 1). EEG data was cleaned and extracted for frequency power using a program developed by Zhao Lab. Pearson correlations were applied. Result: Under EC resting state, longer reaction times (during retrieval of memory target) positively correlated with increased Delta power in the left frontal site (FC5) during pre‐task (0.34) and the left parietal site (P7) during post‐task (0.35) (Fig. 2). In contrast, increased Theta power in the left frontal site (F3) associated with faster reaction times (‐0.32) during pre‐task EC. Under EO and the task, shorter reaction times negatively correlated with increased Delta power at F3 during post‐task EO (‐0.31) (Fig. 3) and the right frontal site (F4) during task NDH (‐0.33). At P7 (0.31) and F3 (0.32), increased Delta positively correlated with higher retrieval accuracy during pre‐task EO. Conversely, longer reaction times at F4 during task NDH (0.30) and decreased accuracy at P7 during pre‐task EO (‐0.31) correlated with increased Theta. Conclusion: Increased intrinsic slow Delta (0.5‐3.5 Hz) during eyes closed is associated with longer working memory retrieval time but during eyes open or task correlates with faster reaction times. Increased Theta power (4‐7 Hz) showed opposite relations with working memory performance compared to Delta power. Low frequency neural slowing has emerged as promising indicators of pathophysiological changes during brain and cognitive aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have previously reported distinct frontal signature of working memory related potentials (WMRP) in older adults with Normal Cognition (NC) versus age‐matched older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (Li et al., 2017; Fig 1A). Our Kentucky cohort demonstrates that asymptomatic older individuals with MCI‐like frontal brainwave patterns convert to MCI within a short 5‐year period, as opposed to individuals with NC‐like patterns that remain normal 10 years later (Jiang et al., 2021; Fig 1B). Leveraging blood‐based Vascular/AD biomarkers, we test the hypothesis that WMPR is associated with preclinical AD/ADRD pathologies. Method: 33 (19 women) cognitively intact older volunteers, average age 79 (SD 8.53) years old, from a longitudinal cohort followed by University of Kentucky ADRC participated. Each participant was assessed by electroencephalogram (EEG) recording (64‐ or 14‐channels headset) during a visual working memory task and vascular/AD plasma markers (Wilcock et al., 2022). Multiple linear regression analyses adjusting for age and sex were applied for examining several frontal WMRP difference waves (Target items held in working memory – Nontargets) and multiple vascular/AD plasma biomarkers Aβ 42/40, pTau181, and GFAP (astrocyte reactivity). Results: We examined the association between WMRP and the percentage changes of Aβ 42/40, pTau181, GFAP levels from plasma Vascular/AD biomarkers. The decrease of WMRP levels (MCI‐like) was significantly associated with increased level of pTau181 at the left frontal F7 site after adjusting for age and sex (b = ‐0.035 and p = 0.043) (Fig. 2). Aβ42/40 and GFAP levels were not significantly associated with working memory related brainwaves. Conclusion: Our results indicate that predictive WMRP are associated with tau pathologies. Working memory‐related EEG neuromarkers and plasma AD biomarkers are sensitive and affordable screening tools to predict continuous cognitive decline risk in healthy normal older adults. References Jiang, Y. et al. (2021). Memory‐Related Frontal Brainwaves Predict Transition to Mild Cognitive Impairment in Healthy Older Individuals Five Years Before Diagnosis. J. Alzheimer's Dis. 79, 531‐541. Li, J et al. (2017). A cognitive electrophysiological signature differentiates amnestic mild cognitive impairment from normal aging. Alzheimer's Res & Therapy, 9, 3. Wilcock D, et. al... (2021). MarkVCID cerebral small vessel consortium: I.Alzheimers Dement. 17:704‐715. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging evidence indicates that a distinct CD11c+T‐bet+ B cell subset, termed age/autoimmune‐associated B cells (ABCs), is the major pathogenic autoantibody producer in lupus. Human lupus is associated with significant metabolic alterations, but how ABCs orchestrate their typical transcription factors and metabolic programs to meet specific functional requirements is unclear. We undertook this study to characterize the metabolism of ABCs and to identify the regulators of their metabolic pathways in an effort to develop new therapies for ABC‐mediated autoimmunity. Methods: We developed a T‐bet–tdTomato reporter mouse strain to trace live T‐bet+ B cells and adoptively transferred CD4+ T cells from bm12 mice to induce lupus. We next sorted CD11c+tdTomato+ B cells and conducted RNA sequencing and an extracellular flux assay. A metabolic restriction to constrain ABC formation was tested in human and mouse B cells. We used a bm12‐induced lupus mouse model to conduct the metabolic intervention. Results: ABCs exhibited a hypermetabolic state with enhanced glycolytic capacity. The increased glycolytic rate in ABCs was promoted by interferon‐γ (IFNγ) signaling. T‐bet, a downstream transcription factor of IFNγ, regulated the gene program of the glycolysis pathway in ABCs by repressing the expression of Bcl6. Functionally, glycolysis restriction could impair ABC formation. The engagement of glycolysis promoted survival and terminal differentiation of antibody‐secreting cells. Administration of a glycolysis inhibitor ameliorated ABC accumulation and autoantibody production in the lupus‐induced bm12 mouse model. Conclusion: T‐bet can couple immune signals and metabolic programming to establish pathogenic ABC formation and functional capacities. Modulation of ABCs favored a metabolic program that could be a novel therapeutic approach for lupus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke triggers a cascade of events that facilitates neural protection and spontaneous recovery, which accounts for a major part of functional recovery. Despite the cellular and molecular facilitations on neural protection, the molecular mechanisms of spontaneous recovery have not been fully understood. Ca2+‐dependent activator protein for secretion 1 (CAPS1), a member of CAPS family, plays a major role in synaptic transmission and synaptic effectiveness by regulating vesicle exocytosis. Here, the molecular mechanism of CAPS1 in spontaneous recovery after ischemic stroke was studied. In this study, transient left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was used as the ischemic stroke model. The whole brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurological score analysis showed decreased infarct volume and neurological scores at 7 days as compared with 1 day after MCAO, suggesting the spontaneous recovery. Elisa and Western blot analysis showed elevated BDNF and CAPS1 expression levels in bilateral hippocampus at both 1 day and 3 days after MCAO. Then, inhibition of CAPS1 by adeno‐associated virus (AAV) microinjection in the hippocampus attenuated the spontaneous recovery of both motor and memory impairment induced by MCAO. In addition, elevated p‐TrkB levels were detected after MCAO, which were reduced by CAPS1‐AAV microinjection, indicating that CAPS1 could induce BDNF secretion after ischemic stroke. Moreover, we found elevated combination of CAPS1 with dense core vesicles (DCV) in the hippocampus at both 1 day and 3 days after MCAO, which could also be inhibited by CAPS1‐AAV microinjection, indicating the potential mechanism of CAPS1 in regulating BDNF release after MCAO. Finally, we found that CAPS1/BDNF signaling could influence the neurogenesis in the hippocampus after MCAO. In conclusion, CAPS1 regulates neurogenesis by up‐regulating BDNF release in the hippocampus, which finally facilitate spontaneous recovery after ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of circularly polarized electroluminescence (CPEL) is currently hampered by the high difficulty and cost in the syntheses of suitable chiral materials and the notorious chirality diminishment issue in electrical devices. Herein, diastereomeric IrIII and RuII complexes with chiral (±)‐camphorsulfonate counteranions are readily synthesized and used as the active materials in circularly polarized light‐emitting electrochemical cells to generate promising CPELs. The addition of the chiral ionic liquid (±)‐1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazole camphorsulfonate into the active layer significantly improves the device performance and the electroluminescence dissymmetry factors (≈10−3), in stark contrast to the very weak circularly polarized photoluminescence of the spin‐coated films of these diastereomeric complexes. Control experiments with enantiopure IrIII complexes suggest that the chiral anions play a dominant role in the electrically‐induced amplification of CPELs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous study, it was found that protein content was one of the most important factors affecting rice‐eating quality. Because rice cultivars have different phenotypes, they may also have different protein concentrations and eating quality. Based on published phenotypic and measured protein content of 706 rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars [453 tropical indica, (O. sativa indica) 61 tropical japonica (O. sativa japonica), 22 temperate indica, and 169 temperate japonica], we studied the potential relationship between grain protein content and the rice phenotype (culm length, panicle length, thousand grain weight, and grain length) through cluster analysis and canonical correlation analysis. The results demonstrated significant differences between japonica and indica rice, as well as between landrace rice and modern rice varieties. The protein content of japonica (average = 8.76%) was higher than that of indica (average = 8.11%). The protein content of all japonica was negatively correlated with culm length (p = 0.007) and panicle length (p = 0.006). The protein content of all indica was positively correlated with grain length (p = 0.0005) and grain length/width ratio (p = 0.043). Canonical correlation analysis showed that panicle length and grain width had the highest canonical loadings and canonical cross‐loadings on the external phenotype and grain characteristics in rice with different protein contents. Panicle length and grain width could better reflect rice phenotype traits under the identical grain protein content type. Core Ideas: Canonical correlations between protein content and key phenotypes were analyzed.The protein content of japonica was higher than that of indica rice.Japonica protein content was negatively correlated with culm length and panicle length.The protein content of all indica varieties was positively correlated with grain length.Panicle length and grain width better represented external phenotype and grain traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous one‐shot on‐the‐fly learning copes with the high privacy, small dataset, and in‐stream data at the edge. Implementing such learning on digital hardware suffers from the well‐known von‐Neumann and scaling bottlenecks. The optical neural networks featuring large parallelism, low latency, and high efficiency offer a promising solution. However, ex‐situ training of conventional optical networks, where optical path configuration and deep learning model optimization are separated, incurs hardware, energy and time overheads, and defeats the advantages in edge learning. Here, we introduced a bio‐inspired material‐algorithm co‐design to construct a hydrogel‐based optical Willshaw model (HOWM), manifesting Hebbian‐rule‐based structural plasticity for simultaneous optical path configuration and deep learning model optimization thanks to the underlying opto‐chemical reactions. We first employed the HOWM as an all optical in‐sensor AI processor for one‐shot pattern classification, association and denoising. We then leveraged HOWM to function as a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) of an optical memory augmented neural network (MANN) for one‐shot learning the Omniglot dataset. The HOWM empowered one‐shot on‐the‐fly edge learning leads to 1000× boost of energy efficiency and 10× boost of speed, which paves the way for the next‐generation autonomous, efficient, and affordable smart edge systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elpasolite Cs2AgBiBr6 also known as double perovskite has been touted in recent years as a promising alternative to the lead‐based perovskite for light harvesting. Its structure and properties mainly stem from the replacement of Pb2+ cation with a pair of aliovalent silver (Ag+) and bismuth (Bi3+) cations. Although the elpasolite Cs2AgBiBr6 exhibits improved stability, its photophysical properties and device performance are inferior to those of the Pb‐based perovskites. To date, numerous efforts have been geared toward the development of efficient Cs2AgBiBr6 solar cells. However, the indirect, wide bandgap and high exciton binding energy of Cs2AgBiBr6 have limited such efforts. This has been attributed to its low (zero) electronic dimensionality (0D), formation of small polaronic states, and interfacial imperfections with charge transporting layers. In this review, the different aspects of the elpasolite Cs2AgBiBr6 in relation to compositional and interlayer interactions in solar cell are discussed, and its suitability for photovoltaic application is assessed, accompanied by potential measures to further advance its performance. An alternate application of Cs2AgBiBr6 in photocatalysis, which takes advantage of its less toxicity and better stability, is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cosmetic adverse reactions (CARs) are becoming widespread in China. However, a comprehensive analysis of data is lacking. Objective: To analyse the clinical characteristics of patients with reported adverse reactions to cosmetics in Chongqing, China. Methods: Cases with CARs reported to the Chongqing Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring Centre System from 2017 to 2021 were analysed. Results: A total of 23 245 cases were identified, of which 94.5% were women. Contact dermatitis (84.3%) was the most common diagnosis of CARs, followed by acne (3.1%). The most frequently reported clinical signs were erythema (70.1%), followed by papules (35.5%). The majority of CARs were reported to be due to ordinary cosmetics (87.9%), of which 81.0% were skin care products and 7.1% were makeup products. Cosmetics with special functions constituted 12.2%, of these, skin whitening (54.0%) and sunscreen (28.0%) products were most frequently reported. Conclusion: Our results suggest that adverse reactions to cosmetics are of concern in China, and dermatologists should actively identify and diagnose CARs. In addition, we should establish a convenient and effective model for collecting, reporting, and evaluating CARs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic Na is a promising metal anode for large‐scale energy storage. Nevertheless, unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and uncontrollable Na dendrite growth lead to disastrous short circuit and poor cycle life. Through phase field and ab initio molecular dynamics simulation, we first predict that the sodium bromide (NaBr) with the lowest Na ion diffusion energy barrier among sodium halogen compounds (NaX, X=F, Cl, Br, I) is the ideal SEI composition to induce the spherical Na deposition for suppressing dendrite growth. Then, 1,2‐dibromobenzene (1,2‐DBB) additive is introduced into the common fluoroethylene carbonate‐based carbonate electrolyte (the corresponding SEI has high mechanical stability) to construct a desirable NaBr‐rich stable SEI layer. When the Na||Na3V2(PO4)3 cell utilizes the electrolyte with 1,2‐DBB additive, an extraordinary capacity retention of 94 % is achieved after 2000 cycles at a high rate of 10 C. This study provides a design philosophy for dendrite‐free Na metal anode and can be expanded to other metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disentangled ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (dis‐UHMWPE) has excellent processability but can be achieved under extreme conditions. Herein, we report ethylene polymerization with the binuclear half‐sandwich scandium complexes C1‐Sc2 and C2‐Sc2 to afford UHMWPE. C1‐Sc2 bearing a short linker shows higher activity and gives higher molecular weight PEs than C2‐Sc2 containing a flexible spacer and the mononuclear Sc1. Strikingly, all UHMWPEs isolated from C1‐Sc2 under broad temperature range (25–120 °C) and wide ethylene pressures (2–13 bar) feature very low degree of entanglement as proved by rheological test, DSC annealing study and SEM. These dis‐UHMWPEs are facilely mediated solid‐state‐process at 130 °C and their tensile strength and modulus reach up to 149.2 MPa and 1.5 GPa, respectively. DFT simulations reveal that the formation of dis‐UHMWPE is attributed to the binuclear synergic effect and the agostic interaction between the active center and the growing chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonic properties of the Nanping‐Ninghua tectonic belt (NNTB) play a crucial role in understanding the tectonic evolution of the Wuyi orogenic belt, which is related to the Neoproterozoic‐Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Cathaysian Block. In this study, We present comprehensive petrological, geochronological, and geochemical data on the metavolcanic rocks from the Louqian Formation in Changting, Fujian Province. Our results show that volcanism in Changting occurred between 740.4 and 723.5 Ma, based on zircon U–Pb data for the metavolcanic rocks. The metavolcanic rocks have SiO2 contents ranging from 68.22 to 71.56 wt %, high Al2O3 and Na2O + K2O contents (13.30–15.19 wt % and 7.56–8.25 wt %, respectively), and low CaO, MgO, and FeOT contents (0.09–1.25 wt %, 0.72–0.96 wt %, and 1.57–3.16 wt %, respectively). These samples are enriched in large‐ion lithophile elements (LILEs) such as Ba and Rb, and depleted in high‐field‐strength elements (HFSEs) including Nb, Ta, and Ti, with significant negative Eu anomalies, indicating an affinity for arc igneous rocks. Based on previous geological studies, we suggest that the NNTB formed in an active continental margin environment during the Nanhua Period. The subduction of oceanic crust led to the formation of the volcanic belt along the Nanping‐Ninghua continental margin, which was active until 696 Ma. During the Neoproterozoic, the North and South Wuyi terranes did not merge to form a single Wuyi terrane, and the Cathaysia Block was composed of several terranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high Schottky barrier height (ΦB) is one of the essential prerequisites for achieving high‐performance self‐powered Schottky‐barrier diode (SBD)‐based photodetector. The ΦB value is predominantly determined by the metal function and interface quality of the metal/semiconductor contact. 2D MXenes with adjustable work functions and dangling bond‐free properties are promising building blocks for constructing self‐powered SBD with high ΦB. Herein, a novel Ti3C2Tx MXene/Si hexagonal microhole array (SiHMA) van der Waals SBD is developed for the first time via a feasible solution process. Significantly, the device possesses a large ΦB up to ≈1.07 eV, which is among the highest for the Si‐based SBD. In consequence, the Ti3C2Tx/SiHMA SBD yields a large responsivity up to 302 mA W−1 and detectivity as high as 5.4 × 1013 Jones in a self‐powered model, surpassing the performance of most 2D material/Si photodiodes reported to date. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that featured and reliable fingertip photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals can be detected using the self‐powered SBD, enabling us to further accurately extract the heart rate (HR), and blood pressures (BP) using the PPG‐only method. This work paves the way for the construction of high‐performance MXenes‐based self‐powered SBDs for health monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents an automatic power‐stage implementation and optimization methodology for fully‐integrated reconfigurable switched‐capacitor (SC) DC‐DC converters with fine‐grained voltage conversion ratios (VCRs). The proposed technique resolves the design challenge of a simultaneous realization of full capacitance utilization, optimal sub‐cell sizing ratio, and implementation complexity reduction. It is based on the proposed partitioning algorithms and attains a significant sub‐cell number reduction, particularly for finer‐grained VCR designs, saving the power‐stage area overhead. With a given set of VCRs and hardware constraints, the proposed methodology can generate a specific power‐stage partitioning solution, including the total number and sizing ratio for the power stage sub‐cells, ensuring an optimal power‐stage conduction loss property under a given on‐chip capacitance area. The proposed methodology is applicable to both linear and binary types of SC converters. Compared with the advanced works, the proposed method realizes the number of sub‐capacitors reduction over 50% under the same VCRs. Meanwhile, over 90% of the sub‐cells can be eliminated for linear‐type SC converters with a VCR range of 10:1–2:1, theoretically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents two transient enhancement techniques for multi‐path switched‐capacitor‐inductor (MP‐SCI) hybrid DC–DC converters to eliminate the line‐transient‐induced voltage coupling to the converter output. Since the existing input‐feedforward method is hard to apply to the MP‐SCI converter, the proposed techniques tackle the intrinsic hard‐charging property with the MP‐SCI topology, preventing the line‐coupling current through topology operation reconfiguration and power‐switch modulation. The proposed controller also achieves adaptive line‐transition detection and automatic flying‐capacitor voltage balancing, ensuring a fast line regulation feature. Implemented with an MP‐SCI topology for a 9 to 14 V‐input to 5 V‐output conversion, the proposed control techniques provide an output (VOUT) overshoot and undershoot as low as 0.5% of the output DC level under a 3‐V input voltage step. From the simulation, the corresponding output variation reduction can be more than 94% when compared with the existing MP‐SCI operations. Besides, the proposed controller is compatible with a voltage‐mode (VM) V2 pulse‐width modulation (PWM) function, achieving a fast load‐transient recovery in six switching cycles and a VOUT variation of 75 mV at a 5 V DC level under a 0‐to‐3 A load step. The peak conversion efficiency can be as high as 95.5%, and the targeted load current delivery is up to 3 A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]