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Zero-dimensional (0D) hybrid metal halides (HMHs) have emerged as a promising platform for exploring excitation-dependent multicolor luminescent materials owing to their diverse crystal structures and chemical compositions. Nevertheless, understanding the mechanism behind excitation-dependent emissions (EDEs) in 0D HMHs and achieving precise modulation remains challenging. In this work, the delicate regulations on the EDE of 0D (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3 (DMEDA: N, N′-dimethylethylenediamine) with mixed halogens are achieved under low temperature and high pressure, respectively. The inhomogeneous halogen occupation at the atomic scale leads to the formation of Br-rich and I-rich SnX6 (X = Br, I) octahedra, which act as distinct luminescent centers upon photoexcitation. At low temperatures, the narrowed photoluminescence spectra could distinguish the individual emissions from different luminescent centers, resulting in a pronounced EDE of (DMEDABr)4SnBr3I3. In addition, the contraction and distortion of the luminescent SnX6 (X = Br, I) centers at high pressure further result in different degrees of emission shifts, giving rise to the gradual emergence and disappearance of EDE. This work elucidates the underlying mechanism of EDE in 0D HMHs and highlights the crucial role of halogens in determining the optical properties of metal halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effects of the frequent reservoir earthquakes (REs) and the severe degradation of the hydrofluctuation belt (HFB) on the long-term stability of bedding bank slope since the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) impoundment were considered fully in this paper. Under such complex conditions, the dynamic response pattern and instability mechanism of typical bank slopes were investigated systematically by using a method of combining field survey, laboratory shaking table (ST) model test, and Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) numerical exploration. The research shows that the degradation forms of the HFB of typical bank slopes in the key field survey of the TGRA can be arranged into four types: erosion (denudation), corrosion (suffosion), avalanche (collapse), and slip (flow). The dynamic response of slope shows obvious characteristics of "surface effect" and "elevation effect," and the cumulative displacement (CD), damping ratio (DR) and natural frequency (NF) of slopes show a trend of gradually increasing, and increasing and decreasing, respectively. Meanwhile, the "S–type" cubic function and "Steep rise type" exponential function can be used to characterize the cumulative damage degree (CDG) of slope at the excitation stages of microseisms—small seisms and strong seisms, respectively. Subsequently, the dynamic evolvement process for cumulative damage and unstable failure of slope considering the impact of degradation of rock mass in the HFB was obtained, and there are good agreement between the model test and numerical exploration results. Furthermore, fully considering the influence of slope height (SH), slope angle (SA), thickness of bedding plane (TBP), dip angle of bedding plane (DABP), dynamic load amplitude (DLA), dynamic load frequency (DLF), height of water level of the HFB (HWHB), degradation range of the HFB (DRHB), and degradation shape of the HFB (DSHB), the CD of slope subjected to continuous excitation of multiple seismic loads increases in the form of exponential function, the dynamic stability coefficient (DSC) of slope decreases slowly first and then drops sharply, and the response degree of slope deformation and sliding velocity is obviously different. Especially, the sensitivity level of every preceding factor to the dynamic stability of slope based on the orthogonal analysis method (OAM) is in the order of DLA > DRHB > SA > SH > DLF > HWHB > DSHB > DABP > TBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study sought to elucidate the associations of cardiometabolic index (CMI), as a metabolism-related index, with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among the older population. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we further explored the potential mediating effect of inflammation within these associations. Methods: A cohort of 3029 participants aged over 65 years old, spanning six NHANES cycles from 2005 to 2016, was enrolled and assessed. The primary endpoints of the study included all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality utilizing data from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Cox regression model and subgroup analysis were conducted to assess the associations of CMI with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The mediating effect of inflammation-related indicators including leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were evaluated to investigate the potential mechanism of the associations between CMI and mortality through mediation package in R 4.2.2. Results: The mean CMI among the enrolled participants was 0.74±0.66, with an average age of 73.28±5.50 years. After an average follow-up period of 89.20 months, there were 1,015 instances of all-cause deaths and 348 cardiovascular deaths documented. In the multivariable-adjusted model, CMI was positively related to all-cause mortality (Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.11, 95% CI=1.01-1.21). Mediation analysis indicated that leukocytes and neutrophils mediated 6.6% and 13.9% of the association of CMI with all-cause mortality. Conclusion: Elevated CMI is positively associated with all-cause mortality in the older adults. The association appeared to be partially mediated through inflammatory pathways, indicating that CMI may serve as a valuable indicator for poor prognosis among the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn order to improve the efficiency and safety of shield machine cutting reinforced concrete piles, abrasive waterjets (AWJs) assisted mechanical combined cutting technology is considered a feasible solution. However, the water-rich flooding environment will cause the cutting performance of AWJs to weaken, which brings great challenges to the application of this technology. In order to analyze the influence of submerged conditions on the cutting performance of AWJs, the cross-sectional morphology of reinforced concrete piles cut by AWJs is explored using indoor experiments, and the weakening law of pile foundation cutting depth is revealed. The results show that the submerged environment greatly weakens the cutting ability, and the average cutting depth is reduced by about 20.0%. Rebar materials are more difficult to remove due to their high strength and strong plastic toughness, which is the root reason of the difficulty in cutting off piles. As the cutting times increases, the cutting depth discount factor initially decreases rapidly before stabilizing. At 380 MPa, the cutting depth discount factor remains stable at 0.49, while at 280 MPa, it stabilizes at 0.62. The findings presented in this paper can provide guidance and suggestions on waterjet parameters for AWJs assisted shield machine pile breaking.HIGHLIGHTSThe cross-sectional change rules of reinforced concrete pile foundation cut by abrasive waterjets is clarified.The depth weakening effect of pile foundations cut by abrasive waterjets under submerged conditions is revealed.The cutting depth discount factor for rebars is established.The cross-sectional change rules of reinforced concrete pile foundation cut by abrasive waterjets is clarified.The depth weakening effect of pile foundations cut by abrasive waterjets under submerged conditions is revealed.The cutting depth discount factor for rebars is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recursive integral terminal sliding mode control with combined extended state observer (ESO) and adaptive Kalman filter (AKF) is proposed in this article for micromechanical system gyroscopes. To accurately estimate the unmeasured system states in the presence of measurement noises, external disturbances and system uncertainties, the special combination of ESO and AKF is proposed. The AKF is employed to deal with measurement noises and prepare necessary signals for the ESO, while the ESO constantly provides the updated estimate of the lumped disturbance for the AKF. Furthermore, a robust control scheme is designed by using the recursive integral terminal sliding mode variable. Simulation results verify that more accurate unmeasured state estimation and higher tracking accuracy are achieved under the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding significant arthropods that can harbour various microorganisms, including pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. Tick-symbiont microorganisms are believed to influence tick development, but the intricate interactions between these microbes and the relationships between different tick-borne microorganisms remain largely unexplored. Results: Based on 111 tick pool samples presenting questing and engorged statuses including 752 questing tick and 1083 engorged tick from cattle and goats, which were collected in two types of geographic landscape (semi-desert and alpine meadow). We observed significant variations in the composition of tick-borne microorganisms across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses, with a pronounced divergence in symbionts compared to environmental bacteria. Metabolic predictions revealed over 90 differential pathways for tick-borne microorganisms in distinct environments and more than 80 metabolic variations in response to varying blood engorgement statuses. Interestingly, nine pathways were identified, particularly related to chorismate synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, microbial network relationships within tick-borne microorganism groups were highly distinct across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses. The microbial network relationships of symbionts involve some pathogenic and environmental microorganisms. Regression modelling highlighted positive correlations between the Coxiella symbiont and related pathogens, while some environmental bacteria showed strong negative correlations with Coxiella abundance. We also identified commensal bacteria/pathogens in bacterial cooccurrence patterns. Furthermore, we tested pathogenic microorganisms of each tick sample analysis revealed that 86.36% (1601/1855) of the tick samples carried one or more pathogenic microorganisms, The total carrier rate of bacterial pathogens was 43.77% ((812/1855). Most blood samples carried at least one pathogenic microorganism. The pathogens carried by the ticks have both genus and species diversity, and Rickettsia species are the most abundant pathogens among all pathogens. Conclusion: Our findings underscore that the bacterial pattern of ticks is dynamic and unstable, which is influenced by the environment factors and tick developmental characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely used in skyscrapers and long-span bridges. Non-uniformly distributed hydration heat during curing, inadequate compaction during construction and unavoidable shrinkage and creep of mass concrete in service most likely lead to interface debonding defects between concrete core and steel tube, which has been a common concern. The development of effective non-destructive inspection methods for interface bonding condition of existing CFST members is critical. In this study, an interface debonding defect detection method based on electromechanical impedance (EMI) measurement using surface-mounted piezoelectric-lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) sensors is proposed at first. Then, experimental study on the feasibility of the proposed approach is carried out with scaled CFST specimens with artificially mimicked interface debonding defects. EMI of surface-mounted PZT sensors at different frequency bands are measured and compared to verify the detectability of the proposed approach for the mimicked interface debonding defects. Thirdly, a multi-physics CFST-PZT coupling finite element model (FEM) with interface debonding defects is established, and EMI of surface-mounted PZT sensors at different locations is simulated. The influence of interface debonding defects on EMI measurements is illustrated. Finally, a blind inspection on the interface bonding condition of selected CFST columns in an existing skyscraper in service using the proposed approach is carried out. Both bonding and debonding defect in the tested CFST columns are detected correctly and validated with drilling hole observation. Experimental, numerical and engineering application results show the proposed approach is effective for interface debonding detection of CFST members and sensitive to minor debonding defect of 0.3 mm in CFST members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Recently, there have been attempts to improve prognostication and therefore better guide treatment for patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). In 2022, the International MTC Grading System (IMTCGS) was developed and validated using a multi‐institutional cohort of 327 patients. The aim of the current study was to build upon the findings of the IMTCGS to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram to predict recurrence‐free survival (RFS) in MTC. Methods and Results: Data from 300 patients with MTC from five centres across the USA, Europe, and Australia were used to develop a prognostic nomogram that included the following variables: age, sex, AJCC stage, tumour size, mitotic count, necrosis, Ki67 index, lymphovascular invasion, microscopic extrathyroidal extension, and margin status. A process of 10‐fold cross‐validation was used to optimize the model's performance. To assess discrimination and calibration, the area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, concordance‐index (C‐index), and dissimilarity index (D‐index) were calculated. Finally, the model was externally validated using a separate cohort of 87 MTC patients. The model demonstrated very strong performance, with an AUC of 0.94, a C‐index of 0.876, and a D‐index of 19.06. When applied to the external validation cohort, the model had an AUC of 0.9. Conclusions: Using well‐established clinicopathological prognostic variables, we developed and externally validated a robust multivariate prediction model for RFS in patients with resected MTC. The model demonstrates excellent predictive capability and may help guide decisions on patient management. The nomogram is freely available online at https://nomograms.shinyapps.io/MTC_ML_DFS/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Curcubita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) has high value as a food crop and medicinal plant, and also has horticultural value as rootstock for other melon species. China is home to many different cultivars, but the genetic diversity of these resources and the evolutionary relationships among them, as well as the differences between C. ficifolia and other Cucurbita species, remain unclear. Results: We investigated the chloroplast (cp) genomes of 160 C. ficifolia individuals from 31 populations in Yunnan, a major C. ficifolia production area in China. We found that the cp genome of C. ficifolia is ~151 kb and contains 128 genes, of which 86 are protein coding genes, 34 encode tRNA, and eight encode rRNAs. We also identified 64 SSRs, mainly AT repeats. The cp genome was found to contain a total of 204 SNP and 57 indels, and a total of 21 haplotypes were found in the 160 study individuals. The reverse repeat (IR) region of C. ficifolia contained a few differences compared with this region in the six other Cucurbita species. Sequence difference analysis demonstrated that most of the variable regions were concentrated in the single copy (SC) region. Moreover, the sequences of the coding regions were found to be more similar among species than those of the non-coding regions. The phylogenies reconstructed from the cp genomes of 61 representative species of Cucurbitaceae reflected the currently accepted classification, in which C. ficifolia is sister to the other Cucurbita species, however, different interspecific relationships were found between Cucurbita species. Conclusions: These results will be valuable in the classification of C. ficifolia genetic resources and will contribute to our understanding of evolutionary relationships within the genus Cucurbita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely used in civil engineering due to their advanced mechanical properties. However, internal defects such as the concrete core voids and interface debonding in CFST structures are likely to weaken their load-carrying capacity and stiffness, which affects the safety and serviceability. Visualizing the inner defects of the concrete cores in CFST members is a critical requirement and a challenging task due to the obvious difference in the material mechanical parameters of the concrete core and steel tube in CFST members. In this study, a curved ray theory-based travel time tomography (TTT) with a least square iterative linear inversion algorithm is first introduced to quantitatively identify and visualize the sizes and positions of the concrete core voids in CFST members. Secondly, a numerical investigation of the influence of different parameters on the inversion algorithm for the defect imaging of CFST members, including the effects of the model weighting matrix, weighting factor and grid size on the void's imaging quality and accuracy, is carried out. Finally, an experimental study on six CFST specimens with mimicked concrete core void defects is performed in a laboratory and the mimicked defects are visualized. The results demonstrate that TTT can identify the sizes and positions of the concrete core void defects in CFST members efficiently with the use of optimal parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous asphalt pavements are widely used in rainy and wet areas for their skid resistance, noise reduction, runoff minimization and environmental sustainability. Long-term moisture vapor erosion and the destabilization of large pore structures can easily result in pavement problems such as fragmentation, spalling, cracking, and excessive permanent deformation. To this end, four different preventive maintenance materials, including the rejuvenation (RJ), cohesion reinforcement (CEM), polymerization reaction, and emulsified asphalt (EA) types, were selected in this paper to improve the high-viscosity porous asphalt pavement. The effects of the different preventive maintenance materials on the temperature sensitivity, rheological properties and fatigue performance of high-viscosity modified asphalt were evaluated through temperature sweep, frequency sweep, multi-stress creep recovery (MSCR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests. The results showed that the four preventive maintenance materials exhibit different enhancement mechanisms and effects. RJ improves the fatigue properties, deformation resistance and low-temperature cracking resistance of aged asphalt by adding elastomeric components; CEM materials are more conducive to increasing the low-temperature crack resistance of aged asphalt; while GL1 and EA improve the viscoelastic behavior of aged asphalt, but the effect of the dosing ratio needs to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors presents a low‐profile wideband circularly polarised (CP) millimetre‐wave (mmWave) elliptical integrated lens antenna (ILA) fabricated by dielectric 3D printing technology. The proposed lens is integrated with a dielectric polariser and an air cavity for phase compensation, which can transfer incident waves from linearly polarised (LP) to planar CP waves over a wide bandwidth. Compared to the classic bifocal ILA, the proposed lens has a low profile. The phase compensation is performed by introducing a specifically shaped air cavity, which greatly reduces the length and weight of the lens. The polariser causes the two electric field components Ex and Ey to degenerate with an orthogonal phase difference, which results in the wideband characteristics of the antenna. The polariser, air cavity and lens can be conveniently and precisely fabricated by low‐cost 3D printing technology. Measurements show that the proposed ILA has a wide axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 21.9–32.6 GHz, while the gain reaches 22.54 dBic with a 38% size reduction and a 60.7% weight reduction. Benefiting from the low profile, high gain, wide bandwidth and low cost, the proposed ILA has great potential to be the candidate antenna for 5G applications and satellite communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western Xihu Basin (WXB), part of the East China Sea Shelf Basin (ECSSB), demonstrates distinct structural differences between different sub-areas. Understanding the origin and mechanism of these differences is critical for unravelling the formation and evolution of the Western Xihu Basin and the ECSSB. Based on high-resolution 2D and 3D seismic data, we investigate the structural characteristics and evolution of the hinged margin and discuss the underlying formation mechanisms. The results suggest that, while controlled by NNE-, NE- and NW-striking major faults, there are distinct differences in the fault geometry, margin structure, fault displacement rate, and margin evolution in different basin areas. In contrast to the conventional division scheme which divides the WXB into three general sub-areas, our results suggest that the WXB should be divided into seven sub-areas with different tectonic structures and stress histories. The evolution of the WXB can be divided into three stages: (1) the synrift stage in the Palaeocene and early Eocene, when NNE-, NE- and NW-striking major faults were highly active and controlled the initial formation of the hinged margin structure; (2) late synrift stage in the late Eocene, when the faulting activity diminished, and the control of faults on the margin evolution decreased; (3) postrift stage from the Oligocene onwards, when active faulting ceased and sedimentation and differential basement subsidence became the main factors controlling basin evolution. The formation and reactivation of NW-striking faults under influence of the Izanagi-Pacific ridge subduction during the Mesozoic provided the basis for the differential evolution of the WXB in Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, we revealed noticeable dynamic fluctuations in syndecan-1 levels in the peripheral blood of post-stroke patients. We further investigated the clinical prognostic value of syndecan-1 as a biomarker of glycoprotein damage in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Methods: We examined 105 patients with acute large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, all of whom underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Peripheral blood syndecan-1 levels were measured 1 day after MT, and patients were categorised into favourable and unfavourable prognostic groups based on the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Additionally, we compared the clinical outcomes between groups with high and low syndecan-1 concentrations. Results: The findings revealed a significantly lower syndecan-1 level in the group with an unfavourable prognosis compared to those with a favourable prognosis (p < 0.01). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lower syndecan-1 levels were identified as a predictor of unfavourable prognosis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.965, p = 0.001). Patients displaying low syndecan-1 expression in the peripheral blood (< 29.51 ng/mL) experienced a > twofold increase in the rates of unfavourable prognosis and mortality. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that syndecan-1, as an emerging, easily detectable stroke biomarker, can predict the clinical outcomes of patients with AIS. After MT, low levels of syndecan-1 in the peripheral blood on the first day emerged as an independent risk factor for an unfavourable prognosis, suggesting that lower syndecan-1 levels might signify worse clinical presentation and outcomes in stroke patients undergoing this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of sustainable development strategies, the recycling of discarded products has become increasingly important with the development of electronic technology. Choosing the human–robot collaborative disassembly mode is the key to optimizing the disassembly process and ensuring maximum efficiency and benefits. To solve the problem of human–robot cooperative parallel dismantling line balance, a mixed integer programming model is established and verified by CPLEX. An improved Moth-Flame Optimization (IMFO) algorithm is proposed to speed up convergence and optimize the disassembly process of various products. The effectiveness of IMFO is evaluated through multiple cases and compared with other heuristics. The results of these comparisons can provide insight into whether IMFO is the most appropriate algorithm for the problem presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the lightweight and dexterous design, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely used to perform near-surface target detection missions in various complex environments. The camouflaged personnel detection in the images captured by the UAVs plays an essential role in the information acquisition, which determines the success of detection missions. However, the camouflaged personnel are not easily discovered due to the high similarity between the camouflage style and the background. In addition, there is only available few labeled sample images. To address above-mentioned problems, a camouflaged personnel dataset is first established, and a novel anchor-based method is then proposed to detect the camouflaged personnel. In addition, the efficient channel attention and the improved receptive fields block are added in the anchor-based convolutional network to focus on more features about the camouflaged targets. Besides, the non-maximum suppression is applied to determine the optimal bounding box on the targets. The quantitative results and visualization effects demonstrate that the mean average precision of the proposed method can reach 85%, and the recall can reach 83% on the developed dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the crushing efficiency of drilling machinery, laser-assisted mechanical rock-breaking technology has gained wide attention in the field of engineering construction. In this method, the weakening effect of the laser on the compressive strength of the rock is a key factor of the technology. To reveal the weakening effect of the laser on the compressive strength of rocks, standard uniaxial compression tests were carried out on irradiated rocks using a uniaxial compression testing machine. The weakening effect of laser power and irradiation time on rock strength and rock failure mode was investigated. The experimental results show that the laser power and irradiation time have similar effects on the mechanical properties of the rocks. With the increase of laser power and irradiation time, the peak stress of the specimens shows a tendency to decrease rapidly and then slowly. At the same time, the rock elastic modulus decreases and peak strain increases, and the behavior eventually transform from brittle damage to plastic damage. Melting pit holes and crack networks are the root cause of the weakness of the compressive strength. On one hand, the vertical melting pit hole provides a conical free surface, which reduces the rock deformation constraint and generates stress concentration at the bottom of the hole, so that it facilitates the splitting-tension damage of the specimen. On the other hand, the axial load induces symmetric tensile cracks in the thermal cracks, and adjacent tensile cracks interpenetrate to create a surface of tensile damage, leading to fragmentation of the specimen in the form of rock blocks, ultimately undermining the rock. This work provides an improved understanding of the effect of lasers on the compressive strength of rocks in engineering applications. Highlights: The effect of laser irradiation on the compressive strength weakening of rock was investigated. Failure modes and strength weakening mechanisms of irradiated rocks were revealed. The advantage parameters of laser-assisted rock breaking were clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The prognostic importance of RET and RAS mutations and their relationship to clinicopathologic parameters and outcomes in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) need to be clarified. Experimental Design: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed utilizing data from 290 patients with MTC. The molecular profile was determined and associations were examined with clinicopathologic data and outcomes. Results:RET germ line mutations were detected in 40 patients (16.3%). Somatic RET and RAS mutations occurred in 135 (46.9%) and 57 (19.8%) patients, respectively. RETM918T was the most common somatic RET mutation (n = 75). RET somatic mutations were associated with male sex, larger tumor size, advanced American Joint Committee Cancer (AJCC) stage, vascular invasion, and high International Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Grading System (IMTCGS) grade. When compared with other RET somatic mutations, RETM918T was associated with younger age, AJCC (eighth edition) IV, vascular invasion, extrathyroidal extension, and positive margins. RET somatic or germ line mutations were significantly associated with reduced distant metastasis-free survival on univariate analysis, but there were no significant independent associations on multivariable analysis, after adjusting for tumor grade and stage. There were no significant differences in outcomes between RET somatic and RET germ line mutations, or between RETM918T and other RET mutations. Other recurrent molecular alterations included TP53 (4.2%), ARID2 (2.9%), SETD2 (2.9%), KMT2A (2.9%), and KMT2C (2.9%). Among them, TP53 mutations were associated with decreased overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), independently of tumor grade and AJCC stage. Conclusions:RET somatic mutations were associated with high-grade, aggressive primary tumor characteristics, and decreased distant metastatic-free survival but this relationship was not significant after accounting for tumor grade and disease stage. RETM918T was associated with aggressive primary tumors but was not independently associated with clinical outcomes. TP53 mutation may represent an adverse molecular event associated with decreased OS and DSS in MTC, but its prognostic value needs to be confirmed in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on optical image enhancement, this paper uses convolutional neural network to detect key points of swimming posture. In swimming posture analysis, key point detection can provide information about posture accuracy and evaluation. However, due to the change of illumination conditions, the reduction of image quality and occlusion, the accuracy and stability of key point detection are limited. In order to solve this problem, an optical image enhancement method based on convolutional neural network is proposed in this paper. First, a specific convolutional neural network architecture is used to extract features from input images. Then optical image enhancement technology is used to preprocess the input image to improve the image quality. Next, the trained convolutional neural network model is used to detect key points. Experimental results show that the proposed method has good performance under different illumination conditions and image quality. Therefore, this study provides a new idea and method for the application of optical image enhancement in the detection of key points in swimming posture analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, we revealed noticeable dynamic fluctuations in syndecan-1 levels in the peripheral blood of post-stroke patients. We further investigated the clinical prognostic value of syndecan-1 as a biomarker of glycoprotein damage in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Methods: We examined 105 patients with acute large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation, all of whom underwent mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Peripheral blood syndecan-1 levels were measured 1 day after MT, and patients were categorised into favourable and unfavourable prognostic groups based on the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Additionally, we compared the clinical outcomes between groups with high and low syndecan-1 concentrations. Results: The findings revealed a significantly lower syndecan-1 level in the group with an unfavourable prognosis compared to those with a favourable prognosis (p < 0.01). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, lower syndecan-1 levels were identified as a predictor of unfavourable prognosis (odds ratio (OR) = 0.965, p = 0.001). Patients displaying low syndecan-1 expression in the peripheral blood (< 29.51 ng/mL) experienced a > twofold increase in the rates of unfavourable prognosis and mortality. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that syndecan-1, as an emerging, easily detectable stroke biomarker, can predict the clinical outcomes of patients with AIS. After MT, low levels of syndecan-1 in the peripheral blood on the first day emerged as an independent risk factor for an unfavourable prognosis, suggesting that lower syndecan-1 levels might signify worse clinical presentation and outcomes in stroke patients undergoing this procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a special issue of Grass and Forage Science focused on grassland, forage, and turfgrass science in China. The issue highlights the developments in these areas in China and includes papers on topics such as genetics and grass breeding, forage production and utilization, grassland degradation, and turfgrasses. The article emphasizes the breadth of Chinese grassland science and notes an increase in the number of papers published from China in recent years. The authors express their gratitude to those who contributed to the special issue and anticipate continued growth in research from China in the future. [Extracted from the article]

• The energy bands of Fe and Mn co-adsorbed monolayers of SnSe 2 exhibit semi-metallicity. • As tensile strain increases, the adsorption system transitions from semi-metallic to metallic, accompanied. • The co-adsorption system's curie temperature is calculated to be 205.2 K. • The application of Fe and Mn double transition metal atoms to monolayer SnSe 2 may have potential. Pure 2D SnSe 2 is not magnetic, which limits its application in spintronics. However, magnetic properties can be induced in pure 2D SnSe 2 by introducing transition metal elements. In this study, we used first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory to predict the electronic structure and magnetic properties of monolayer SnSe 2 under adsorption of Fe and Mn double transition metal atoms. Our findings show that the energy bands of Fe and Mn co-adsorbed monolayers of SnSe 2 exhibit semi-metallicity. As tensile strain increases, the adsorption system transitions from semi-metallic to metallic, accompanied by an increase in total magnetic moment. Based on the Heisenberg model, the co-adsorption system's Curie temperature is calculated to be 205.2 K. Our studies suggest that the application of Fe and Mn double transition metal atoms to monolayer SnSe 2 may have potential in spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esketamine has been revealed to improve cognitive impairments under different conditions, while its function in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has not been well characterized. We expounded the effects and detailed mechanism of esketamine in triple transgenic AD (3xTg-AD) mice in the present study. The impaired spatial learning and memory retention of 3xTg-AD mice were ameliorated by esketamine, whereas tripartite motif-containing protein 24 (TRIM24) depletion reversed the ameliorative effects of esketamine in 3xTg-AD mice. Esketamine elevated the extent of PI3K and AKT phosphorylation in the hippocampus by promoting TRIM24 expression, and knockdown of TRIM24 impaired the PI3K/AKT pathway. AD-like mice had increased expression of pro-inflammatory molecules and elevated expression of GFAP and p-Tau. Esketamine reduced inflammation, but its therapeutic effect was reversed by TRIM24 knockdown. The PI3K/AKT pathway blockage exacerbated cognitive deficits and neuroinflammatory responses in mice. Thus, esketamine has the potential to improve the cognitive and memory functions of 3xTg-AD mice by repressing neuroinflammation by activating TRIM24 and the downstream PI3K/AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterized by thermal energy storage and controllability, aggregated air conditioner load is a significant flexible resource in distribution power system. The transformation of this aggregated load into an actual controllable resource is a crucial technical challenge. This study focuses on optimal control of aggregated air conditioner load considering multiple uncertainties in the power system. Firstly, the operational characteristics and adjustability of the air conditioner load are analyzed. A linearized second-order equivalent thermal parameter model is proposed to achieve the balance between modeling accuracy and complexity. On this basis, a rolling optimal control strategy is developed for the aggregated load to minimize the operational cost, wherein multiple uncertainties including load profiles, electricity price, solar irradiance, and outdoor temperature are considered. Case studies verify the effectiveness of the proposed method and highlight the significance of aggregated air conditioner load in power system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has the advantages of safety, non-polluting operation and energy savings. Molecular-designed covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an ideal material for achieving efficient photosynthesis of H2O2. However, the current COFs photocatalyst systems have various issues. Most of them harness only ultraviolet light and a small portion of visible light, unable to utilize 52% of the infrared (IR) light in the solar spectrum. Additionally, there are drawbacks such as the need for sacrificial agents and insufficient activity for large-scale production of H2O2. In this study, H2O2 production of 7.6 μmol h−1 was achieved using IR light irradiation without a sacrificial agent, and this photocatalyst ensured 6-times H2O2 production over Pristine COFs. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) under 900 nm light was 3.2%, which is 1.2-times higher than that when using Pristine COFs. This research outcome will contribute to the development of efficient and stable organic polymer photocatalysts for IR-driven H2O2 photocatalysis.Graphical Abstract: Photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has the advantages of safety, non-polluting operation and energy savings. Molecular-designed covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an ideal material for achieving efficient photosynthesis of H2O2. However, the current COFs photocatalyst systems have various issues. Most of them harness only ultraviolet light and a small portion of visible light, unable to utilize 52% of the infrared (IR) light in the solar spectrum. Additionally, there are drawbacks such as the need for sacrificial agents and insufficient activity for large-scale production of H2O2. In this study, H2O2 production of 7.6 μmol h−1 was achieved using IR light irradiation without a sacrificial agent, and this photocatalyst ensured 6-times H2O2 production over Pristine COFs. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) under 900 nm light was 3.2%, which is 1.2-times higher than that when using Pristine COFs. This research outcome will contribute to the development of efficient and stable organic polymer photocatalysts for IR-driven H2O2 photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The transient stability model is established for VSC-HVDC connected offshore wind farms with different fault positions. • The initial and subsequent fault characteristics are analyzed, the requirements for optimal voltage profile are revealed. • An adaptive current injecting strategy is proposed, both the voltage profile and synchronization stability are enhanced. For the voltage source converter based high voltage direct current transmission (VSC-HVDC) connected offshore windfarm, loss of synchronization (LOS) during the AC collection and transmission system faults can lead to frequency shift and low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) failure. Moreover, the fault characteristics, such as voltage profile and phase angle difference between currents at both ends of transmission lines, are significantly affected by the frequency shift. In this paper, the mechanism of synchronization is theoretically explained. Specifically, the parametric impact of the ratio between the active current and reactive current of wind turbines (WTs) is revealed analytically. Then, the fault characteristics including the AC system voltage profile with the frequency deviation and equilibrium points considered and the initial states during the faults are derived. Based on the fault characteristics and demands for optimal voltage profile, an adaptive current injecting strategy for full-scale type-4 WTs is proposed to enhance synchronization capability and optimize voltage profile during the high voltage transmission line faults. Simulations in EMTP demonstrated the analysis and effectiveness in improvement of transient stability and voltage profile of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, two-dimensional materials are ideal for fabricating optoelectronic and spintronic devices. We have investigated the optical and magnetic properties of −6 % to 6 % strain on Mn-adsorbed monolayer SnSe 2 films using a first-principles approach. The Mn-adsorbed monolayer SnSe 2 is a magnetic semiconductor in the absence of strain effects. As the tensile strain increases, the band gap of the Mn-adsorbed monolayer SnSe 2 decreases and the structure becomes unstable, and Mn adsorption changes to exothermic adsorption at −6 % strain. The magnetic moment of the system increases slightly with increasing tensile strain and decreases rapidly when the strain reaches 4%. As the compressive strain increases, the magnetic moment first decreases slightly and then decreases rapidly when the strain reaches −4 %. Calculations of the optical properties show that the static dielectric constants at −6 %, −4 %, −2 %, 0 %, 2 %, 4 % and 6 % strains are 15.23, 10.19, 8.67, 7.78, 6.38, 5.99 and 5.92, respectively, which increase with increasing compressive strain. It decreases with increase in tensile strain. The static dielectric function increases as the compressive strain increases and decreases as the tensile strain increases. In the visible light region, the reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient and photoconductivity in the XX and ZZ directions increase with increasing tensile strain. Our study shows that the optoelectronic and magnetic properties of the SnSe 2 adsorbed Mn system can be improved to some extent by applying strain, and this study is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the fabrication of SnSe 2 -based magnetic optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emissivity design of building surfaces is crucial for radiative cooling (RC) heat dissipation. This work explores regularities of the influence of the emissivity inside and outside the atmospheric window (AW, 8-13 μm) on the window RC effect using a verified transient building heat transfer model. Results show that the RC effect brought by the radiant heat transfer of the window in non-atmospheric window bands (NAW) may exhibit a reversal phenomenon of first improvement and then weakening with the increase of the outer surface emissivity ε ‾ NAW. The occurrence of this reversal phenomenon is influenced by multiple factors such as meteorological parameters like ambient temperature and solar radiation, as well as architectural features including window orientation and window-to-wall ratio. In addition, as the window-to-wall ratio increases, when no reversal phenomenon occurs, the average RC regulation ability gap between the emissivity inside and outside the AW decreases from 7–40 times, which is observed when the reversal phenomenon occurs, to about 2–5 times, and the relative importance of ε ‾ NAW greatly increases. Regularities revealed provide more reliable guidance for the performance research and material design of RC windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Porous CaO-based spherical pellets were prepared via indirect and direct polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) method. • Energy storage property as well as CO 2 capacity was evaluated under different operating conditions. • CaO pellets possessed excellent energy storage density of 2741 kJ/kg during ten energy storage cycles. • The cyclic CO 2 capture performance of CaO pellets was positively correlated with the tested carbonation temperatures. Calcium looping (CaL) exhibits great prospects for both thermochemical energy storage and CO 2 capture. The granulation of CaO into spherical pellets is a crucial step for its practical application. In this study, a PVA solution was utilized as a binder to prepare CaO spherical pellets. Two different methods including the direct method and indirect method assisted with PVA solution were employed to produce CaO pellets. The experimental results indicated that the carbonation conversion of the sorbents from the indirect method was significantly superior to those from the direct method. For energy storage, CaO pellets decomposed from calcium hydroxide using indirect method exhibited satisfying energy storage density, starting with 3200 kJ/kg at the 1st cycles and ending with a high level of ∼2400 kJ/kg over 10 cycles. In the CO 2 capture performance test, CaO spheres prepared with calcium citrate as a precursor showed promising CO 2 capture performance at around 700 °C. In addition, the effects of carbonation temperature on the energy storage and CO 2 capture performance were also studied. It was indicated that CaO pellets exhibited better cyclic energy storage performance at 750 and 800 °C, and that performed best when carbonated at 700 °C for cyclic CO 2 capture. Besides, the pellets also demonstrated good mechanical properties such as satisfactory long-term anti-attrition ability, further supporting the practical viability of CaO pellets for both thermochemical energy storage and CO 2 capture applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquefaction of gravelly soil has been demonstrated in many earthquakes, but the constitutive model to predict its liquefaction behavior is limited. The dilatancy equation plays an important role in establishing elastoplastic models of geotechnical materials. Recognizing the unique dilatancy characteristics of gravelly soil, this study introduces an improved nonlinear dilatancy equation into the generalized plasticity model. Consequently, a unified elastoplastic constitutive model is proposed, aimed at accurately predicting both the monotonic and cyclic behaviors of saturated gravelly soil under diverse drainage conditions. A series of drained and undrained triaxial tests of gravelly soil under monotonic and cyclic loadings are carried out to validate the model performance. In addition, the model performance is also examined through monotonic and liquefaction tests of gravelly soil obtained from prior publications. Furthermore, the proposed model is implemented into the nonlinear finite element program GEODYNA and applied to the numerical simulation of the Kobe Port Island liquefaction to better validate the capabilities of the proposed model. From the comprehensive analysis of triaxial tests and numerical simulations, the proposed model performs well in predicting mechanical behavior of gravelly soil and can provide a powerful tool for seismic liquefaction analysis of gravelly soil sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third-generation wave model, WAVEWATCH III, is adopted for numerical simulation during the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season (AHS). This study examines the effects of data assimilation using significant wave height (SWH) from six satellite altimeters, notably the CRYOSAT-2, JASON-3, SENTINEL-3A, SENTINEL-3B, HY-2B, and CFOSAT. Two packages of wind input and wave dissipation (ST4 and ST6) are compared during 22 tropical cyclones, revealing that ST4 is better suited for farshore regions, while ST6 is more appropriate for nearshore areas. Additionally, satellite assimilation has the potential to enhance the predictive capabilities of wave models using diverse parameterization schemes. In farshore regions characterized by high sea conditions and distances less than 200 km from satellite data, a significant reduction in Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) is evident in assimilation experiments, with the degree of improvement escalating as more satellite altimeters are assimilated. Moreover, when model simulations display substantial negative biases, the assimilation of additional altimeters effectively rectifies these biases. However, in nearshore areas, substantial enhancements resulting from increased satellite data assimilation are observable only when the distance to the nearest satellite data is less than 50 km. Future assimilation endeavors should contemplate the inclusion of in-situ observations from nearshore sites. • Satellite assimilation can improve wave models using diverse parameterization schemes. • The degree of assimilation improvement increases as more satellite data is assimilated. • Assimilating more satellite data can correct the significant negative biases in high sea states. • Future assimilation endeavors should include in-situ observations from nearshore sites. • Calibration of altimetry data can slightly improve the assimilation results by reducing biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of a filling body is the main control index of the filling effect, which is significantly affected by the strength and damage characteristics, and its stress increases nonlinearly with damage evolution. In this study, the uniaxial compression test and digital image correlation (DIC) method were used to investigate the stress and damage characteristics of a gangue-cemented backfill, and the stress–strain characteristics and crack propagation laws of the backfill under different curing ages were analyzed. A modified damage model of the gangue-cemented backfill based on the Weibull distribution characteristics of the microelement damage of the backfill and pore closure characteristics in the compression stage was constructed. Through numerical simulations, the nonlinear growth characteristics of stress in the specimen were revealed from the perspective of energy dissipation. The results showed that the nonlinear increase in stress originated mainly from pore closure and crack extension. The crack propagation in the backfill was divided into intermediate crack budding and symmetric crack propagation at the corners. The key signs of the peak stress and fracture of the specimen are the connection of the surface cracks and fracture surfaces on both sides. The proposed modified damage model was proven to be in relatively close agreement with the experimental results. The stress growth in the backfill exhibited a nonlinear-linear-nonlinear growth pattern before the peak stress. This study provides a theoretical basis for studying the strength characteristics and damage evolution of backfill, which is important for optimizing the material proportions and analyzing the stability of the quarry and other aspects. • The backfill deformation corresponding to the nonlinear growth of stress is obtained. • Clarified the generation mechanism of two-stage nonlinear stress growth. • Established a modified damage evolution model for backfill considering nonlinear stress growth during compaction stage. • From the perspective of energy evolution, the nonlinear growth mechanism of stress in the filling body has been revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Our study included 208 eligible patients with unresectable or advanced HCC who received immunotherapy as first line therapy. We found that PLR < 100 was an independent factor associated with better tumor response of immunotherapy. • Patients with PLR < 100 had longer PFS than other patients, while OS showed no significant difference. In subgroup analysis, we found that PLR had better prognostic value in patients received bevacizumab plus anti-PD-1 antibody therapy. • Our data indicate baseline PLR can serve as a predictor of objective response and survival outcome to immunotherapy in patients with unresectable or advanced HCC, especially who treated with bevacizumab plus anti-PD-1 antibody. • We have provided a clinically feasible approach, since patients with advanced or unresectable HCC are unlikely to provide tumor samples, and standard-of-care blood cell counts can be easily obtained in the clinic. Lymphocyte-related factors were associated with survival outcome of different types of cancers. Nevertheless, the association between lymphocytes-related factors and tumor response of immunotherapy remains unclear. This is a retrospective study. Eligible participants included patients with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent immunotherapy as their first-line treatment. Radiological assessment of tumor response adhered to RECIST 1.1 and HCC-specific modified RECIST (mRECIST) criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were employed to analyze clinical factors associated with tumor response. Kaplan-Meier survivial analysis were employed to compare progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) across different clinical factors. Furthermore, patients who received treatment with either a combination of bevacizumab and anti-PD-1(L1) antibody (Beva group) or tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) and anti-PD-1 antibody (TKI group) were examined to explore the relation between clinical factors and tumor response. A total of 208 patients were enrolled in this study. The median PFS and OS were 9.84 months and 24.44 months,respectively. An independent factor associated with a more favorable tumor response to immunotherapy was identified when PLR<100. Patients with PLR<100 had longer PFS than other patients, while OS showed no significant difference. Further analysis revealed that PLR exhibited superior prognostic value in patients of the Beva group as compared to those in the TKI group. There exisits an association between PLR and tumor response as well as survival outcomes in patients receiving immunotherapy, particularly those treated with the combination of bevacizumab and anti-PD-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necroptosis is a type of regulated cell death known for its pro-inflammatory nature due to the substantial release of cellular contents. The phosphorylation of key proteins, namely RIP1, RIP3, and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL), plays a pivotal role in the processes associated with necroptosis. Consequently, inhibiting the phosphorylation of any of these three key protein kinases could effectively block necroptosis. Utilizing a scaffold hopping strategy, we have successfully designed and synthesized a series of novel RIP1 inhibitors with selective and anti-necrotic properties, using compound o1 as the lead compound. In comparison to o1 , SY1 has demonstrated heightened antinecroptosis activity and binding affinity in vitro studies. Moreover, SY1 has exhibited superior efficacy in both in vivo studies, specifically in the context of SIRS, and pharmacokinetic assessments. Furthermore, SY1 has proven effective in significantly suppressing the central inflammatory response induced by epilepsy. [Display omitted] • We used compound o1 as the lead compound to discover the novel necroptosis inhibitor SY1 through the scaffold hopping strat. • SY1 specifically binds to RIPK1, and it is effective in animal models of SIRS and epilepsy. • After structure optimization, the oral bioavailability of SY1 had significantly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic reliability analysis of actual slopes considering the spatial variability of soil materials is crucial. However, for the discretization of large-scale random fields, high-precision finite element analysis and analysis of small failure probability events, the random analysis of slopes under seismic loads is inefficient. To address this situation, this study proposes a collaborative reliability analysis framework based on the modified linear estimation method (MLEM) and optimized subset simulation (OSS). First , the random field of the uncertain parameters of the Jinping-I left bank slope model is efficiently discretized by the MLEM, and a sensitivity analysis is carried out. Then , considering the adoption of different degrees of cross-correlation of the sensitive random parameters, the OSS method is used to perform random finite element analysis on the coarse mesh model. Finally , the fine mesh samples are obtained according to the response conditioning method (RCM). The MLEM is used to ensure the consistency of the two sets of random fields, and the seismic failure probability and reliability index of the slope under different cross-correlation coefficients of uncertain parameters are obtained. The results suggest that the degree of cross-correlation of parameters has a great influence on the seismic reliability of the slope. Considering that the shear strength parameters of geotechnical materials are often negatively correlated, the fine analysis based on a fine model is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) has been widely regarded as an important environmental risk factor that has widely influenced health of both animals and humans. Lung injury is the main cause of PM 2.5 affecting respiratory tract health. Gut microbiota participates in the development of lung injury in many pathological processes. However, there is still unknown the specific effects of PM 2.5 on the gut-lung axis in broilers. Thus, we conducted a broiler model based on 3-wk-old male Arbor Acres broiler to explore the underlying mechanism. Our results showed that PM 2.5 exposure triggered TLR4 signaling pathway and induced the increase of IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α expression as well as the decrease of IL-10 expression in the lung. Inhaled PM 2.5 exposure significantly altered the gut microbiota diversity and community. Specifically, PM 2.5 exposure decreased α diversity and altered β diversity of gut microbiota, and reduced the abundance of DTU089, Oscillospirales, Staphylococcus , and increased the Escherichia-Shigella abundance, leading to the increase of gut-derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Moreover, PM 2.5 significantly disrupted the intestinal epithelial barrier by reducing the expression of muc2 and claudin-1 to increase intestinal permeability, which possibly facilitated the LPS translocation into the blood. Spearman analysis revealed that gut microbiota dysbiosis was positively related to TLR4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ expression in the lung. In summary, our results showed that PM 2.5 exposure induced lung injury by causing inflammation and triggering TLR4 signaling pathway, and also induced gut microbiota dysbiosis resulting in the overproduction of gut-derived LPS. And gut microbiota dysbiosis may be associated with lung injury. The above results provide basis data to comprehend the potential role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in the lung injury as well as providing a new regulatory target for alleviating lung injury associated with environmental pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel photocatalyst CeO 2 /ZnTCPP was synthesized by two-step solvothermal. • CeO 2 /ZnTCPP exhibits excellent photocatalytic hydrogen production performance. • The type-II heterojunction is favorable for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this work, a two-step solvothermal method was used to design CeO 2 /ZnTCPP composites for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Systematic characterization including morphological, structural, optical and electrochemical measurements revealed a correlation between the sample structure and photocatalytic activity. Compared with pure CeO 2 and ZnTCPP, the optimized CeO 2 /ZnTCPP photocatalyst has good hydrogen production performance (1314.6 μmol g-1h-1). At the same time, the catalyst can still maintain a high hydrogen production rate (1162.7 µmol g-1h-1) under visible light. The experimental results showed that the CeO 2 /ZnTCPP composites have high carrier separation efficiency, which is attributed to the formation of a type-II heterojunction in the structure between the CeO 2 and ZnTCPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An IEKF-UI method is proposed for identifying the structural parameters, unknown dynamic responses, excitation and NRF. • A general nonparametric model is used to express the structural nonlinearity simulated by MR dampers of different parametric model. • Generality of nonparametric nonlinearity identification approach is validated numerically and experimentally considering different polynomial models. • The displacement and input identified by the proposed method can be accurately identified using only partial noisy acceleration responses. Severe dynamic excitation frequently gives rise to local nonlinear structural behavior in structures. Therefore, due to the diversity of structural nonlinearities, a novel method is proposed for identifying the nonlinear restoring force (NRF) and dynamic loading in a nonparametric manner for multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structures, which utilizes an improved extended Kalman filter with unknown input (IEKF-UI) using partial degree-of-freedoms (DOFs) acceleration measurements. The first Chebyshev polynomial model (FCPM) and Legendre polynomial model (LPM) are used as the nonparametric models for NRF, respectively. To investigate the generality of the proposed method, numerical simulations and experimental test with MDOF frame structures fitted with different parametric magnetorheological (MR) dampers mimicking diverse nonlinearities are conducted. Results considering different noise levels imply that the nonparametric identification method using different polynomial models is general for the identification of nonlinear structures involving different parametric MR dampers, where identified energy dissipation curves of MR damper are also compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A crack growth model with mixed-mode and frictional damage is implemented into the phase field method to comprehensively investigate crack nucleation, growth, and interaction in heterogeneous rock. • A gradual shift in wing crack initiation from the middle to the end tip of the pre-existing macrocrack, accompanied by a systematic decrease in wing crack length as an increase in macrocrack inclination angle. • Significant increase in the peak strength and Young's modulus of macrocracked samples with increasing macrocrack inclination and homogeneity index. Heterogeneous rocks often exhibit a complex failure pattern of distributed tensile and shear cracks (mixed-mode cracks). In the present paper, we propose a modified phase field modeling (PFM) approach to simulate mixed-mode cracking in rocks, taking into account the effects of material heterogeneity and frictional damage. The proposed model combines the phase field method with a heterogeneous material representation and incorporates a frictional damage to capture the complex behavior of cracks in rocks. A variational formulation is derived based on the Mohr-Coulomb criterion to describe the evolution of the crack phase field. The proposed PFM-based mixed-mode crack growth model is validated against laboratory uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests on sandstone samples that contain a single macroscopic crack using digital image correlation (DIC). We performed a systematic characterization of the cracking and failure process as a function of macrocrack inclination angle, and found that the simulations well match the laboratory results. The results show that the length of wing cracks gradually decreases, and the nature of the damage gradually changes from tensile to shear as a function of macrocrack inclination angle. Based on this validation, we further developed a PFM model that considers multiple macrocracks. In these multi-crack simulations, we found that the crack initiation stress and peak stress decrease and then increase as the ligament angle increases. The proposed PFM-based mixed-mode crack growth model allows for the transition from single to multi-crack simulations and enables a more accurate assessment of the cracking evolution in rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal insulation coating (TIC) is beneficial for reducing building energy consumption. In this work, a joint optimization and analysis approach for multi-parameters of TIC was proposed to determine its optimization trend, importance order of parameter and available parameter combinations. Its radiation characteristics and thermal resistance were comprehensively considered. Based on the approach, TIC was evaluated from energy saving rate of cooling (ESR cool), heating (ESR heat), and total energy consumption (ESR total) in two climates: hot summer cold winter (Shanghai), and hot summer warm winter (Guangzhou). Results indicated that constantly positive ESR cool was only achieved by optimizing solar absorptivity, while constantly positive ESR heat can be obtained by optimizing different parameters. To guarantee positive ESR total , thermal resistance should exceed 0.11 m2·K·W−1 or solar absorptivity should be between 0.2 and 0.6 in Shanghai, while solar absorptivity should be between 0.1 and 0.3 in Guangzhou. For these two cities, the most important parameter was thermal resistance or solar absorptivity. The optimal TIC for Shanghai was "high thermal resistance + low solar absorptivity + low emissivity", while high emissivity was suitable for Guangzhou. By utilizing the approach and results, energy-saving effect of TIC can be optimized during material design, and influence of material aging can be predicted. • A joint optimization and analysis approach for multi-parameters of TIC is proposed. • Optimization and deterioration impact of TIC multiple parameters is evaluated. • Parameter combination law for positive or negative energy saving rate is obtained. • Importance order of parameter is used for optimization design and material aging. • Effect of energy consumption caused by material aging consequences is predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO) has excellent electrochemical performance and chemical stability, and has a promising application in solid-state batteries. However, the ionic conductivity needs to be improved when comparing with liquid electrolytes. And doping is a common strategy to improve the ionic conductivity. In this paper, investigated the optimal doping conditions and calcination temperature for the synthesis of Li 7-3x-y Al x La 3 Zr 2-y M y O 12 (M = Ta,Nb;x = 0.2–0.3;y = 0–1) by high-temperature solid-phase method, and the effects of Al Ta and Al Nb co-doping modification on the crystal structure, morphology, densification, and electrical properties of LLZO. The results show that Ta and Nb doping between 0.4 and 0.8 can be synthesized garnet-type LLZO solid electrolytes with stable cubic phase. The calcination temperature and time of Al Ta co-doping is 950 °C and >8 h, Al Nb co-doping is 900 °C and >6 h. Among them, the electrolyte made of Al Nb co-doping is better than Al Ta co-doping in terms of morphology and densification, and the highest ionic conductivity of both of them can reach up to 8.483 × 10−4 S·cm−1 and 7.928 × 10−4 S·cm−1, respectively, and activation energies can reduce to 0.298 eV and 0.301 eV, which are a significant enhancement of the electrical properties. However, the oxides of Nb element are cheaper, and the calcination synthesis temperature is lower and the time is shorter. Therefore, the synthesis of Al Nb co-doped modified LLZO by high-temperature solid-phase method is a low-cost, low energy consumption and high performance industrial production routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid urbanization in China, a large number of rural students have enrolled in urban schools. We investigate the impact of the proportion of rural students on urban students' cognitive ability in urban schools. Using the sample of students who are randomly assigned to classes, we find that in urban schools, the proportion of rural students in the class has a negative effect on the cognitive ability of urban students. This negative effect is more pronounced for boys and students whose parents have a high level of education. We also find that the effect is less salient in schools located closer to the center of the city or in more developed cities. Evidence suggests that urban students in classes with a higher proportion of rural students are more likely to be late for class, have poorer quality friends, and receive more criticism from their head teachers, which consequently hurts their cognitive performance. The poor academic performance of rural students is a plausible explanation instead of the bad behaviors of rural students or social integration. Improving the level of teaching in classes with heterogeneous populations will be the focus of policymakers in the future. • The proportion of rural students negatively affects urban students' cognitive test scores. • This negative effect is more pronounced for boys. • Urban students have lower attendance in classes with more rural students. • Urban students have poorer quality friends in classes with more rural students. • In classes with more rural students, teachers are more critical of urban students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have systematically investigated the effect of i :ZnO window layer with different thickness on the performance of CZTSSe solar cells. The i :ZnO films were deposited on SLG substrate by adjusting the supttering time, and the accurate thickness was determined by XRR spectra. GIXRD, AFM images and absorption spectra show that the crystalline quality is stable and increases with the increase of thickness, while transmittivity declines. Furthermore, CZTSSe solar cells with the structure of SLG/Mo/CZTSSe/CdS/ i :ZnO/ITO/Al were fabricated. It is found that V oc and FF of solar cell are affected by the thickness of i :ZnO layer obviously. The i :ZnO window layer plays an important role in reducing the channels of current leakage. Meanwhile, a compromise among the parallel conductance, series resistance and transmittivity are needed. By optimized the process, the efficiency of CZTSSe solar cell was significantly improved to 10.74 % when the thickness of i :ZnO was about 26 nm. • Investigated the optical properties of i -ZnO thin films with different thicknesses. • Explored the effects of i -ZnO layers on the performance of CZTSSe devices systematically. • The current leakage channels and shunt resistance of CZTSSe devices is significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

QR codes, as information carriers, have been extensively applied in numerous fields. However, relative movement between imaging targets and the camera can lead to severe motion blur, which hinders the recognition of the QR code. Achieving high-quality deblurring while maintaining efficiency is a challenging task in practice. In this paper, we propose a robust and fast deblurring method for QR code images using the local maximum and minimum intensity (LMMI) prior. First, in the process of image blur degradation, a general feature emerges: local maximum intensity tends to decrease, while local minimum intensity increases. This characteristic can be effectively harnessed in the deblurring process of QR code images. Second, the novel algorithm flexibly binarizes the LMMI within the maximum a posteriori (MAP) framework, as opposed to directly applying the semi-quadratic splitting algorithm, resulting in a significant enhancement in computational efficiency. Finally, latent image estimation and kernel estimation are alternately solved within the MAP framework until convergence. Experimental results reveal that the proposed method exhibits considerable improvements in both deblurring effect and computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy characterized by a high fatality rate. Increasing evidence indicating that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a regulatory role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, the correlation between LINC02298 and HCC remains unknown. The expression and subcellular localization of LINC02298 in HCC tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Furthermore, the correlation between the expression of LINC02298 and clinicopathological features of HCC patients was analyzed. The regulatory effects of LINC02298 in HCC were investigated using colony formation, cell count Kit-8(CCK8), Transwell, EDU, cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. In addition, the expression of EMT-related proteins were detected by western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter, RT-qPCR and rescue assays were employed to validate the involvement of the LINC02298/miR-28-5p/CCDC6 axis in the progression of HCC. The up-regulation of LINC02298 was observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cells, and it was found to be correlated with a negative prognosis in patients with HCC. Overexpression of LINC02298 enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and induction of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) while suppressing apoptosis in HCC cells. LINC02298 bind to miR-28-5p to regulate the expression of CCDC6. Inhibition of miR-28-5p saved the inhibitory effect of shLINC02298, and knockdown of CCDC6 also saved the inhibitory effect of miR-28-5p on HCC in vitro and in vivo. LINC02298 regulates the expression of CCDC6 by sponging of miR-28-5p, thereby facilitating the the malignancy and EMT of HCC.The expression of LINC02298 exhibited an elevation in HCC tissues and cell lines. LINC02298 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs) to modulate the expression of PDLIM5. Furthermore, it has been observed that LINC02298 plays a significant role in enhancing the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of HCC cells, while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis.Graphical Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy characterized by a high fatality rate. Increasing evidence indicating that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a regulatory role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among them, the correlation between LINC02298 and HCC remains unknown. The expression and subcellular localization of LINC02298 in HCC tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Furthermore, the correlation between the expression of LINC02298 and clinicopathological features of HCC patients was analyzed. The regulatory effects of LINC02298 in HCC were investigated using colony formation, cell count Kit-8(CCK8), Transwell, EDU, cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. In addition, the expression of EMT-related proteins were detected by western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter, RT-qPCR and rescue assays were employed to validate the involvement of the LINC02298/miR-28-5p/CCDC6 axis in the progression of HCC. The up-regulation of LINC02298 was observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cells, and it was found to be correlated with a negative prognosis in patients with HCC. Overexpression of LINC02298 enhanced the proliferation, migration, invasion, and induction of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) while suppressing apoptosis in HCC cells. LINC02298 bind to miR-28-5p to regulate the expression of CCDC6. Inhibition of miR-28-5p saved the inhibitory effect of shLINC02298, and knockdown of CCDC6 also saved the inhibitory effect of miR-28-5p on HCC in vitro and in vivo. LINC02298 regulates the expression of CCDC6 by sponging of miR-28-5p, thereby facilitating the the malignancy and EMT of HCC.The expression of LINC02298 exhibited an elevation in HCC tissues and cell lines. LINC02298 functions as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs) to modulate the expression of PDLIM5. Furthermore, it has been observed that LINC02298 plays a significant role in enhancing the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of HCC cells, while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The electrodes prepared by EPD without binder exhibited excellent electrochemical properties. • Enhancement of arsenic removal was achieved by a combination of capacitive deionization and chemical adsorption. • The trace arsenic (0.1 mg/L) was effectively removed to below 2 ppb. • The co-existence of chlorine ion, fluoride ion or sulfate didn't affect arsenic removal. In this paper, functionalized CNTs and Fe 3 O 4 were compounded by co-precipitation method and the binder-free capacitive deionization (CDI) electrodes were innovative prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique. The effects of applied voltage, flow rate and solution pH on the adsorption capacity of arsenic were investigated. The results confirmed that introduction of different functional groups (–COOH, -SO 3 H and -PO 3 H 2) and composite transition metal oxide (Fe 3 O 4) led to the materials not only with enhanced hydrophilicity but also with higher capacitance. The CDI test showed that trace arsenic can be effective treated to less 2 μg/L, which satisfied the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard (below 10 μg/L). The CNTs-X@Fe 3 O 4 electrode was found to maintain specific adsorption of arsenic through selectivity experiments. In addition, the combined electro-sorption and chemisorption effectively produce higher adsorption capacity, faster adsorption rate and high selectivity. Therefore, the electrode prepared by EPD has a high prospect of application in arsenic removal by CDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing material design studies assume that radiative cooling (RC) windows should be ideal radiators with high emissivity (ε λ ∼ 1) in wide infrared band (IR, 2.5–20 μm). However, whether this assumption is universal has not been tested. Different from previous studies based on experiments and steady-state theoretical calculation models, a transient building heat transfer model with facade windows verified by experiments is used to explore the optimal design of IR emissivity of RC windows. Results show that the RC effect of windows is not always improved as traditionally expected with the increase of emissivity ( ε ‾ NAW) in the infrared " non-atmospheric window (NAW) " band. In fact, the adjustment trend of ε ‾ NAW for the RC effect of windows is reversed. Smaller ε ‾ NAW can weaken the heat flow into the room and prolong the time that windows become " coolers ". A wider range of window-to-wall ratios are also studied, and it is found that the design of selective high emissivity ( ε ‾ NAW ∼0) is more conducive to the RC of windows. It is proved that the current default design of the RC window emissivity in IR band is non-universal, and new laws found provide an enlightening guide for the material development of RC windows. • A reversal trend of RC regulation of window emissivity outside the AW is revealed. • Smaller window emissivity outside the AW extends the time windows become coolers. • Designs with selective high emissivity may be more favorable for the RC of windows. • The default "broadband, high emissivity" of RC windows in IR band is not universal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical approach is presented to comprehensively describe a meticulously designed gold nanoarray situated on a silicon waveguide(length (L) and width(W) are 12 µm and 3 µm). The incorporation of a glass substrate with an L and W of 12 µm is proposed as a means to achieve broadband focusing. At the same time, a demultiplexing element utilizing surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves is introduced, employing a novel phase modulation method that uses in-plane diffraction processes. The analytical calculations are focused on the sublattice arrays, which are currently under investigation to enhance the performance of demultiplexers and confocal SPP beams. The suggested method exhibits various functionalities that make it a promising approach. Its planar construction ensures a streamlined and integrated design, and the absence of SPP coupling processes adds to its practicality for implementation in photonic integrations. By leveraging the unique properties of the gold nanoarray on the silicon waveguide, combined with the glass substrate for broadband focusing and the novel phase modulation method for demultiplexing SPP waves, this approach holds great potential for advancing the field of photonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide. The logistics industry is the second largest source of CO 2 emissions, second only to the manufacturing industry. Therefore, developing effective environmental regulations to achieve low-carbon transformation in the logistics industry is an urgent task for government managers. Based on the 2005–2021 panel data of China's 30 provinces, this article adopts a data-driven nonparametric additive model to investigate the role of environmental regulations in CO 2 emission reduction in the logistics industry. The results display that overall, environmental regulations contribute to carbon reduction in the logistics industry (an inverted N-shaped effect). After endogeneity test and various robustness tests such as replacing the variable value of core variable, this conclusion still has good reliability. Further heterogeneity analysis indicates that the carbon reduction effect of mandatory environmental regulations fluctuates frequently (a W-shaped impact). However, the carbon reduction impact of incentive environmental regulations has gradually shifted from insignificant in the early stages to prominent in the later stages (an inverted U-shaped pattern). Regional heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of environmental regulations on carbon reduction in the eastern, central, and western regions also has significant nonlinear characteristics. Finally, this article verifies that technological innovation and energy consumption structure are effective intermediate mechanisms for environmental regulations to affect emission reduction. The research findings provide practical inspiration for the government to formulate relevant environmental policies and promote the green development of the logistics industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease that typically develops after a previous gastrointestinal (GI) infection. However, the exact association between Gut Microbiota (GM) and GBS still remains unknown due to various challenges. This study aimed to investigate the potential causal association between GM and GBS by using a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (TSMR) analysis. Utilizing the largest available genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis from the MiBioGen consortium (n = 13,266) as a foundation, we conducted a TSMR to decipher the causal relationship between GM and GBS. Various analytical methods were employed, including the inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-PRESSO, MR-Egger, and weighted median. The heterogeneity of instrumental variables (IVs) was assessed using Cochran's Q statistics. The analysis identified three microbial taxa with a significantly increased risk association for GBS, including Ruminococcus gnavus group (OR = 1.40, 95 % CI: 1.07–1.83), Ruminococcus gauvreauii group (OR = 1.51, 95 % CI: 1.02–2.25), and Ruminococcaceae UCG009 (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI: 1.02–1.97), while Eubacterium brachy group (OR = 1.44, 95 % CI: 1.10–1.87) and Romboutsia (OR = 1.67, 95 % CI: 1.12–2.47) showed a suggestively causal association. On the other hand, Ruminococcaceae UCG004 (OR = 0.61, 95 % CI: 0.41–0.91) had a protective effect on GBS, while Bacilli (OR = 0.60, 95 % CI: 0.38–0.96), Gamma proteobacteria (OR = 0.63, 95 % CI: 0.41–0.98) and Lachnospiraceae UCG001 (OR = 0.69, 95 % CI: 0.49–0.96) showed a suggestively protective association for GBS. The MR analysis suggests a potential causal relationship between specific GM taxa and the risk of GBS. However, further extensive research involving diversified populations is imperative to validate these findings. • The association between Gut Microbiota (GM) and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) remains unknown due to various challenges; • This is the first study to identify the causal effects of GM on GBS through Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis; • Our results may provide new evidence for potential causal relationship between specific GM taxa and the risk of GBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]