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A previous study has revealed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ( Lp. plantarum ) dy-1 fermentation changed the structural properties and in vitro fecal fermentation characteristics of barley dietary fiber. However, the health-promoting effects of fermented dietary fiber in vivo remained unclear. This study was aimed at comparing the ameliorative effects of barley dietary fiber fermented with or without Lp. plantarum dy-1 on lipid metabolism, gut microbiota composition and hepatic energy metabolism. After a twelve-week intervention, fermented barley dietary fiber (FBDF) reduced the body weight and fat accumulation in liver and epididymal white adipose tissue, improved HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and glucose intolerance, and increased short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, exhibiting effects that were better than those of raw barley dietary fiber (RBDF). FBDF supplementation improved the gut microbiota composition, specifically enhancing the abundance of probiotic and SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Akkermansia and Muribaculaceae , while RBDF exhibited regulatory effects on harmful bacteria ( Escherichia - Shigella and Desulfovibrionaceae ). Additionally, FBDF up-regulated the expression of genes related to energy metabolic processes, such as aerobic respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, inhibited the genes related to lipid biosynthetic metabolism, and improved the activities of hepatic energy metabolism-related enzymes, demonstrating effects that were better than those of RBDF. Therefore, this study indicated the potential of using FBDFs as healthy food resources to prevent obesity or as prebiotics to improve gut microbiota.

Hydro-viscous clutch has become an inevitable choice for special vehicle transmissions. As a nonlinear dynamic system with large lagging link, its timing performance is affected by input rotational speed, lubricating oil temperature and pressure and other factors. However, from the control perspective, the speed regulation law, formation mechanism control characteristics, global model of hydro-viscous speed control system (HSCS) are unclear. To solve these problems, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the Hydro-viscous Speed Control System (HSCS), focusing on its steady-state and dynamic speed control characteristics. A data-driven model is established to describe the relationship between input rotational speed, output speed, control oil pressure, and lubricating oil temperature. The findings provide a foundation for optimizing HSCS structure and parameters, enhancing the performance and reliability of such systems in special vehicle transmissions and establishing a temperature-speed control system for special vehicle transmissions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: In patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors are suspected to increase the risk of amputation. "Traditional" diuretics may increase major adverse limb events (MALEs), but the evidence is weak. We studied the association between common diuretics (i.e. thiazides, loop- and potassium-sparing diuretics) and MALEs/amputations in patients with T2DM., Methods: Consecutive T2DM patients without cardiovascular history referred to our center for cardiovascular check-ups were retrospectively studied. Follow-up data on MALEs were collected. We used Cox models to assess the association between diuretics and MALEs, or amputation alone. A propensity score with inverse probability of diuretic treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed., Results: We studied 1309 patients, (59.5 ± 10.7 years, 51 % females) with diabetes duration of 9.1 ± 8.5 years, among whom 402 (30 %) were taking diuretics. During a follow-up of 3.8 ± 1.64 years, 121 (9.1 %) had MALEs, including 19 (1.4 %) amputations. Death occurred in 111 patients and the proportion of death was significantly different between groups: patients with diuretics n = 49, 44.1% vs patients without diuretics n = 62, 55.9 %, P = 0.001. Diuretics, in multivariable analysis, were associated with MALEs (aHR[95 %CI] 1.96[1.32;2.91] P = 0.001), even after adjustment on propensity score (aHR 1.66[1.08;2.56] P = 0.02) and IPTW analysis (aHR 1.76[1.67;1.84] P < 0.0001). This risk was particularly increased in case of an abnormal ankle-brachial index (aHR 2.29[1.32;3.96], P = 0.003) at baseline. Looking at diuretic classes separately, the adjusted risk was increased with loop diuretics (aHR 2.56[1.16;5.64] P = 0.020), thiazides (aHR 2.21[1.37;3.57] P = 0.001) or potassium sparing diuretics (aHR 2.56[1.16;5.64] P = 0.020)., Conclusion: Diuretic treatment weighting may be associated with increased risk of MALEs. We identified several markers of increased risk of limb events where the use of diuretics should be considered with caution., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: J Magne - Servier, AstraZeneca V Aboyans - Amarin, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS/Pfizer alliance, Boehringer-Ingelheim, NovoNordisk, Vifor., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

2D carbon nitride nanosheets, exemplified by g-C 3 N 4 , offers significant structural benefits and enhanced photocatalytic activity. Nonetheless, the quantum confinement effect prevalent in nanoscale photocatalysts would result in an enlarged bandgap, potentially restricting the spectral absorption range and impeding improvements in photocatalytic efficiency. Here, a high-performance 2D photocatalyst with an extended spectral response is achieved by incorporating a novel phenol-like structure into the conjugated framework of ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheet. This novel strategy features targeted pyrimidine doping to create a conjugated carbon zone in heptazine structure, offering a thermodynamically favorable pathway for hydroxyl functionalization during the annealing exfoliation process. Consequently, the π-π* transition energy in the material is significantly decreased, and the active lone pair electrons in phenol-like structure induces a new n-π* transition with notably enhanced absorption from 500 to 650 nm. The optimized material shows a dramatic enhancement in photocatalytic activity, achieving ≈72 times than the activity of bulk g-C 3 N 4 , and demonstrating a measurable H 2 production rate of 6.57 µmol g -1 h -1 under 650 nm light. This study represents a significant step forward in the strategic design of 2D photocatalysts, with tailored electronic structures that significantly boost light absorption and photocatalytic efficiency., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A recent study reported exaggerated false positives by popular differential expression methods when analyzing large population samples. We reproduce the differential expression analysis simulation results and identify a caveat in the data generation process. Data not truly generated under the null hypothesis led to incorrect comparisons of benchmark methods. We provide corrected simulation results that demonstrate the good performance of dearseq and argue against the superiority of the Wilcoxon rank-sum test as suggested in the previous study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The right to participate in political processes is fundamental to democratic governance, economic development and human rights., Objectives: We assessed participation in political processes and also explored factors associated with voting at the most recent election for people with and without disabilities., Method: We conducted cross-sectional survey in four cities in Senegal and three in Cameroon in 2021. Disability was assessed using the Washington Group Short Set of questions. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors associated with voting at the most recent elections., Results: Among 4180 participants in Cameroon and 4171 in Senegal, disability prevalence was 9.77% and 10.89%, respectively. More than half of the participants had voted at the most recent elections in both Cameroon (52.31%) and Senegal (58.27%). Participants with an interest in politics, having all the key documents or registered with a political party were more likely to have voted in both countries. Adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, people with disabilities were less likely to have voted compared to those without disabilities in Cameroon (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58 [0.40, 0.84]) and in Senegal (OR = 0.36 [0.26, 0.44])., Conclusion: There is an urgent need to address the socio-political and environmental factors that have been identified so as to close the disability gaps in voting and ensure equitable opportunities and levels of political participation between people with and without disabilities., Contribution: This article contributes to the existing knowledge base on the political participation of people with and without disabilities in Cameroon and Senegal., Competing Interests: This study was funded by Irish Aid. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript., (© 2024. The Authors.)

Photocatalytic generation of H₂O₂, involving both oxygen reduction and water oxidation without sacrificial agents, necessitates maximized light absorption, suitable band structure, and efficient carrier transport. Leveraging the redox capacity this study designs and constructs a step-scheme heterostructured SnO₂/Zn₃In₂S₆ catalyst for H₂O₂ production from seawater under ambient conditions for the first time. This photocatalyst demonstrates a remarkable H₂O₂ production rate of 43.5 µmol g⁻¹ min⁻¹ without sacrificial agents, which can be increased to 80.7 µmol g⁻¹ min⁻¹ with additional O₂ injection. Extensive in situ and ex situ characterizations, supported by theoretical calculations, reveal efficient carrier transport and robust redox ability, enabling complete photosynthesis of H₂O₂ at the oxidation and reduction sites in the S-scheme SnO₂/Zn₃In₂S₆ heterojunction. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that substituting SnO₂ with other semiconductors such as TiO₂, WO₃, and BiVO₄ can all form S-scheme and the results confirm the feasibility of such catalyst design. Additionally, it demonstrates the recycling and further utilization of the H₂O₂ produced. These findings offer new insights into the design of heterostructure catalyst architectures and present new opportunities for H₂O₂ production from seawater at ambient conditions without sacrificial agents., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objectives: This study aims to compare the sedative effects of remimazolam and midazolam during impacted tooth extraction to provide a comfortable sedation treatment for patients with dental anxiety., Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which 60 patients undergoing intravenous sedation for mandibular impacted third molar extraction were evenly divided into either the remimazolam or midazolam group. Prior to receiving a nerve blocker, the patients were sedated with remimazolam or midazolam. Various parameters were recorded and analyzed, including onset time, awakening time, recovery time, modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) scores before and after surgery, patient-doctor satisfaction levels, postoperative side effects within 24 hours, heart rate (HR), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at different time points., Results: Compared with the midazolam group, patients in the remimazolam group demonstrated significantly shorter onset, awakening, and recovery times as well as lower postoperative MDAS scores and higher levels of patient-doctor satisfaction. Fewer postoperative side effects were reported in the remimazolam group, although the differences were not statistically significant., Conclusions: The use of remimazolam demonstrates faster onset and recovery, superior efficacy in reducing dental anxiety, and enhanced satisfaction among patients and doctors, thereby presenting distinct advantages for sedation treatment for patients with dental anxiety.

Constructing π-conjugated polymer structures through covalent bonds dominates the design of organic framework photocatalysts, which significantly depends on the selection of multiple donor-acceptor building blocks to narrow the optical gap and increase the lifetimes of charge carriers. In this work, self-bipolarized organic frameworks of single aromatic units are demonstrated as novel broad-spectrum-responsive photocatalysts for H 2 O 2 production. The preparation of such photocatalysts is only to fix the aromatic units (such as 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene) with alkane linkers in 3D space. Self-bipolarized aromatic units can drive the H 2 O 2 production from H 2 O and O 2 under natural sunlight, wide pH ranges (3.0-10.0) and natural water sources. Moreover, it can be extended to catalyze the oxidative coupling of amines. Experimental and theoretical investigation demonstrate that such a strategy obeys the mechanism of through-space π-conjugation, where the closely face-to-face overlapped aromatic rings permit the electron and energy transfer through the large-area delocalization of the electron cloud under visible light irradiation. This work introduces a novel design concept for the development of organic photocatalysts, which will break the restriction of conventional through-band π-conjugation structure and will open a new way in the synthesis of organic photocatalysts., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures are considered as promising candidates for realizing multifunctional applications, including photodetectors, field effect transistors and solar cells. In this work, we performed first-principles calculations to design a 2D vdW MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure and investigate its electronic properties, contact types and the impact of an electric field and in-plane biaxial strain. We find that the MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure is predicted to be structurally, thermally and mechanically stable. It is obvious that the weak vdW interactions are mainly dominated at the interface of the MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure and thus it can be synthesized in recent experiments by the transfer method or chemical vapor deposition. The construction of the vdW MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure forms a staggered type II band alignment, effectively separating the electrons and holes at the interface and thereby extending the carrier lifetime. Interestingly, the electronic properties and contact types of the type II vdW MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure can be tailored under the application of external conditions, including an electric field and in-plane biaxial strain. The semiconductor-semimetal-metal transition and type II-type I conversion can be achieved in the vdW MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure. Our findings underscore the potential of the vdW MoTe 2 /MoS 2 heterostructure for the design and fabrication of multifunctional applications, including electronics and optoelectronics., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The precise design and synthesis of active sites to improve catalyst's performance has emerged as a promising tactic for electrochemistry. However, it is challenging to combine different types of active sites and manipulate them simultaneously at atomic resolution. Here, we present a strategy to synthesize Re atom-doped Cu twin boundaries (TBs), through pulsed electrodeposition and boundary segregation. The Re-doped Cu TBs demonstrate a highly efficient nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) performance. Re-doped Cu TBs showed a turnover frequency of ∼5889 s -1 , ∼800 times higher than the pure Cu TB active centers (∼7 s -1 ). In addition to the "acceptance-donation" activation of N 2 molecules, theoretical calculations also reveal that the Re-Re dimer on TB can boost the NRR and impede the hydrogen evolution reaction synchronously, rendering Re-doped Cu TB catalysts with high NRR activity and selectivity.

In this work, cyano contained g-C 3 N 4 comodified by In 2 S 3 and polypyrrole (C≡N─CN/IS/Ppy) materials are synthesized for the photocatalytic production of H 2 O 2 and photocatalysis-self-Fenton reaction for highly efficient degradation of metronidazole. The results from UV-vis spectrophotometry, surface photovoltage, and Kelvin probe measurements reveal the promoted transport and separation efficiency of photoinduced charges after the introduction of In 2 S 3 and Ppy in the heterojunction. The existence of a built-in electric field accelerates the photoinduced charge separation and preserves the stronger oxidation ability of holes at the valence band of C≡N─CN. Linear sweep voltammetry measurements, zeta potential analyzations, nitroblue tetrazolium determination, and other measurements show that Ppy improves the conversion ratio of • O 2 - to H 2 O 2 and the utilization ratio of • O 2 - , as well as suppresses decomposition of H 2 O 2 . Accordingly, the H 2 O 2 evolution rate produced via a two-step single-electron reduction reaction reaches almost 895 µmol L -1 h -1 , a value 80% and 7.2-fold higher than those obtained with C≡N─CN/IS and C≡N─CN, respectively. The metronidazole removal rate obtained via photocatalysis-self-Fenton reaction attains 83.7% within 120 minutes, a value much higher than that recorded by the traditional Fenton method. Overall, the proposed synthesis materials and route look promising for the H 2 O 2 production and organic pollutants degradation., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Although S-scheme artificial photosynthesis shows promise for photocatalytic hydrogen production, traditional methods often overly concentrate on a single reduction site. This limitation results in inadequate redox capability and inefficient charge separation, which hampers the efficiency of the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. To overcome this limitation, a double S-scheme system is proposed that leverages dual reduction sites, thereby preserving energetic photo-electrons and holes to enhance apparent quantum efficiency. The design features a double S-scheme junction consisting of CdS nanospheres decorated with anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles coupled with graphitic C 3 N 4 . The as-prepared catalyst exhibits a hydrogen evolution rate of 26.84 mmol g -1  h -1 and an apparent quantum efficiency of 40.2% at 365 nm. This enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is ascribed to the efficient charge separation and transport induced by the double S-scheme. Both theoretical calculations and comprehensive spectroscopy tests (both in situ and ex situ) affirm the efficient charge transport across the catalyst interface. Moreover, substituting the reduction-type catalyst CdS with other similar sulfides like ZnIn 2 S 4 , ZnS, MoS 2 and In 2 S 3 further confirms the feasibility of the proposed double S-scheme configuration. The findings provide a pathway to designing more effective double S-scheme artificial photosynthetic systems, opening up fresh perspectives in enhancing photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The realization of a controllable transparent conducting system with selective light transparency is crucial for exploring many of the most intriguing effects in top-illuminated optoelectronic devices. However, the performance is limited by insufficient electrical conductivity, low work function, and vulnerable interface of traditional transparent conducting materials, such as tin-doped indium oxide. Here, it is reported that two-dimensional (2D) titanium carbide (Ti 3 C 2 T x ) MXene film acts as an efficient transparent conducting electrode for the lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) photodiode with controllable near infrared transmittance. The solution-processed interface engineering of MXene and PbS layers remarkably reduces the interface defects of MXene/PbS CQDs and the carrier concentration in the PbS layer. The stable Ti 3 C 2 T x /PbS CQDs photodiodes give rise to a high specific detectivity of 5.51 × 10 12  cm W -1  Hz 1/2 , a large dynamic response range of 140 dB, and a large bandwidth of 0.76 MHz at 940 nm in the self-powered state, ranking among the most exceptional in terms of comprehensive performance among reported PbS CQDs photodiodes. In contrast with the traditional photodiode technologies, this efficient and stable approach opens a new horizon to construct widely used infrared photodiodes with CQDs and MXenes., (© 2023 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: Timely and effective treatments of pericoronitis are very important. We aimed to evaluate the role of ornidazole in the treatment of pericoronitis, to provide insights for clinical pericoronitis treatment., Material and Methods: The PubMed, Clinical trials, EMBASE, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Weipu and Wanfang databases were searched to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ornidazole in the treatment of pericoronitis from the establishment of the database to March 15, 2023. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis., Results: A total of 16 RCTs involving 2004 patients were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the effective rate of ornidazole treatment was significantly higher than that of the routine treatment group (RR = 1.22, 95% CI (1.15, 1.29), p < 0.001). Ornidazole treatment was beneficial to reduce the oral bacterial density (MD = -26.13, 95% CI (-32.08, -21.51)), time to pain disappearance (MD = -0.64, 95% CI (-0.92, -0.17)) and time to disappearance of redness and swelling of the teeth crown (MD = -1.45, 95% CI (-2.43, -1.01)) compared to the routine treatment (all p = 0.05). No publication bias was found by the funnel plots and Egger test ( p = 0.206)., Conclusions: Ornidazole is effective in the treatment of pericoronitis, with more advantages. Still, the effects and safety of ornidazole in the treatment of pericoronitis need to be evaluated by more high-quality RCTs with larger sample sizes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Termedia & Banach.)

Legged robots have shown great adaptability to various environments. However, conventional walking gaits are insufficient to meet the motion requirements of robots. Therefore, achieving high-speed running for legged robots has become a significant research topic. In this paper, based on the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) model and the optimized Double leg-Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (D-SLIP) model, the running control strategies for the double flying phase Bound gait and the Rotatory gallop gait of quadruped robots are designed. First, the dynamics of the double flying phase Bound gait and Rotatory gallop gait are analyzed. Then, based on the "three-way" control idea of the SLIP model, the running control strategy for the double flying phase Bound gait is designed. Subsequently, the SLIP model is optimized to derive the D-SLIP model with two touchdown legs, and its dynamic characteristics are analyzed. And the D-SLIP model is applied to the running control strategy of the Rotatory gallop gait. Furthermore, joint simulation verification is conducted using Adams virtual prototyping and MATLAB/Simulink control systems for the designed control strategies. Finally, experimental verification is performed for the double flying phase Bound gait running control strategy. The experimental results demonstrate that the quadruped robot can achieve high-speed and stable running.