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Resin-mineral composite materials (RMC) have attracted much attention due to their excellent dynamic properties. However, the mechanical models related to RMC have not fully considered the complex interactions between components and interface transition zones (ITZ), and have also given less consideration to the influence of initial defects in the material, resulting in lower prediction accuracy of RMC mechanical models. To address the problem, based on composite sphere model, generalized autonomous method, and improved Mori–Tanaka method, the theoretical prediction model of RMC elastic modulus considering the influence of ITZ and pores is established in this study. Then, based on the micromechanical analysis method and combined with the theoretical data, the numerical prediction model of RMC elastic modulus considering the impact of pores and ITZ is founded. Furthermore, the influence of ITZ, pore, aggregate, and matrix parameters on the elastic modulus of RMC is investigated. The research results indicate that: (1) The error between the predicted RMC effective elastic modulus and the corresponding experimental values is within a reasonable range, indicating that the theoretical and numerical models proposed in this study are theoretically feasible. (2) ITZ and pore parameters have remarkable impact on the effective elastic modulus of RMC, indicating that it is indispensable to take into account ITZ and pores. (3) It is the elastic modulus of RMC that can be sensitive concerning the volume fraction and effective modulus of aggregate and matrix. The research results provide a theoretical basis for the design and application of RMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to assess the impact of repairing the hip joint capsule during posterior-lateral approach total hip arthroplasty (THA) on postoperative hip joint function and late dislocation incidence. Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 413 patients, divided into experimental (hip joint capsule repair, n = 204) and control (hip joint capsule excision, n = 209) groups. Patients were followed for five years, evaluating postoperative hip range of motion (ROM), dislocation rate, VAS and HHS scores, inflammatory and coagulation markers, hospitalization, blood loss, and body composition. Statistical analysis included the Student's t-test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression for dislocation risk factors. Results: Joint capsule repair improved postoperative hip flexion and extension within six months and at two years postoperatively, internal and external rotation within three months, and abduction and adduction throughout the entire follow-up period (P < 0.05). Capsular repair also reduced early and late dislocation rates (P < 0.05). Significant differences in HHS and VAS scores, inflammatory and coagulation indicators, hospitalization, blood loss, and body composition were noted (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression indicated hip joint repair, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, and sarcopenia as dislocation risk factors (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Capsular repair during posterior-lateral THA improves postoperative hip function and mobility while reducing dislocation rates, blood loss, pain, inflammation, and economic burden. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, or sarcopenia require individualized planning and enhanced postoperative care to minimize complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional survival analysis is frequently used to assess the prognosis of ependymomas (EPNs); however, it may not provide additional survival insights for patients who have survived for several years. Thus, the conditional survival (CS) pattern of this disease is yet to be further investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the improvement of survival over time using CS analysis and develop a CS-based nomogram model for real-time dynamic survival estimation for EPN patients. Methods: Data on patients with EPN were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. In order to construct and validate the model effectively, the selected patients were randomly divided at 7:3 ratio. CS is defined as the probability of surviving for a specified time period (y years) after initial diagnosis, given that the patient has survived x years. The CS pattern of EPN patients were explored. Then, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression method with tenfold cross-validation was employed to identify prognostic predictors. Multivariate Cox regression was employed to develop a CS-based nomogram model, and we used this model to quantify EPN patient risk. Finally, the performance of the prediction model was also evaluated and verified. Results: In total, 1829 patients diagnosed with EPN were included in the study, with 1280 and 549 patients in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The CS analysis demonstrated that patients' OS saw gradual improvements over time. With each additional year of survival post-diagnosis, the 10-year survival rate of EPN patients saw an increase, updating from 74% initially to 79%, 82%, 85%, 87%, 89%, 91%, 93%, 96%, and 98% (after surviving for 1–9 years, respectively). The LASSO regression model, which implements tenfold cross-validation, identified 7 significant predictors (age, tumor grade, tumor site, tumor extension, tumor size, surgery and radiotherapy) to develop a CS-based nomogram model. And further risk stratification was conducted based on nomogram model for these patients. Furthermore, this survival prediction model was successfully validated. Conclusion: This study described the CS pattern of EPN patients and highlighted the gradual improvement of survival observed over time for long-term survivors. We also developed the first novel CS-nomogram model that enabled individualized and real-time prognosis prediction. But patients must be counselled that individual circumstances may not always accurately reflect the findings of the nomogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous image restoration algorithms have been proposed in the last several decades. These algorithms usually optimize an objective function consisting of an ℓ 2 norm based fidelity and a regularization term, whose optimality could be justified from the view of maximum a posteriori estimation with an assumption that the noise is Gaussian. However, it is known that the ℓ 2 norm based fidelity is very sensitive to gross errors that may appear in the observation. Since real-world image restoration tasks are usually hindered by abnormal pixels, impulsive noise, and other heavy-tailed noise, the utility of these traditional algorithms is limited. Although some robust algorithms have been proposed by replacing the ℓ 2 norm based fidelity with a robust one, they are designed for specific restoration tasks (e.g., multi-frame super-resolution) with a fixed image prior (e.g., the total-variation) and have not provided a principled way to justify the choice of a robust fidelity term. Currently designing a robust algorithm for general image restoration tasks is still an open problem. This paper studies the problem of robust image restoration in both theoretical and algorithmic manners. In the theoretical part, we point out that Huber function based fidelity could be justified from the pespective of minimax estimation, which facilities the choice of the robust fidelity term. In the algorithmic part, we first propose an adaptive approach to set the threshold of the Huber function, and then we derive an efficient and flexible method to solve the proposed robust formulation of the image restoration problem, which enables the proposed algorithm to incorporate various image priors. Experiments have demonstrated the robustness of the proposed algorithm and its utility in real-world image restoration tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammals, global passive demethylation contributes to epigenetic reprogramming during early embryonic development. At this stage, the majority of DNA-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) protein is excluded from nucleus, which is considered the primary cause. However, whether the remaining nuclear activity of DNMT1 is regulated by additional mechanisms is unclear. Here, we report that nuclear DNMT1 abundance is finetuned through proteasomal degradation in mouse zygotes. We identify a maternal factor, Pramel15, which targets DNMT1 for degradation via Cullin-RING E3 ligases. Loss of Pramel15 elevates DNMT1 levels in the zygote pronuclei, impairs zygotic DNA demethylation, and causes a stochastic gain of DNA methylation in early embryos. Thus, Pramel15 can modulate the residual level of DNMT1 in the nucleus during zygotic DNA replication, thereby ensuring efficient DNA methylation reprogramming in early embryos. Epigenetic reprogramming involves global loss of DNA methylation, but how this is regulated is not completely understood. Here, Tan et al. run a reverse genetic screen and report that nuclear DNMT1 is finetuned by maternal factor Pramel15 through proteasomal degradation in mouse zygotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiation of Leydig cells plays a key role in male reproductive function. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have emerged as a potential cell source for generating Leydig-like cells due to their multipotent differentiation capacity and accessibility. This study aimed to investigate the morphological and genetic expression changes of BMSCs during differentiation into Leydig-like cells. Testicular extract liquid, which simulates the microenvironment in vivo, induced the third passage BMSCs differentiated into Leydig-like cells. Changes in cell morphology were observed by microscopy, the formation of lipid droplets of androgen precursor was identified by Oil Red Staining, and the expression of testicular specific genes 3β-HSD and SF-1 in testicular stromal cells was detected by RT-qPCR. BMSCs isolated from the bone marrow of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were cultured for 3 generations and identified as qualified BMSCs in terms of morphology and cell surface markers. After 14 days of induction with testicular tissue lysate, lipid droplets appeared in the cytoplasm of P3 BMSCs by Oil Red O staining. RT-qPCR detection was performed on BMSCs on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 21st day after induction. Relative expression levels of 3β-HSD mRNA significantly increased after 14 days of induction, while the relative expression of SF-1 mRNA increased after 14 days of induction but was not significant. BMSCs can differentiate into testicular interstitial cells with reserve androgen precursor lipid droplets after induction by testicular tissue lysate. The differentiation ability of BMSCs provides the potential to reconstruct the testicular microenvironment and is expected to fundamentally improve testicular function and provide new treatment options for abnormal spermatogenesis diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of effective therapeutic targets plays a pivotal role in advancing cancer treatment outcomes. We employed a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis, complemented by experimental validation, to explore the potential of Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) as a promising therapeutic strategy for human cancers. By analyzing large-scale transcriptomic datasets across various cancer types, we consistently observed upregulated expression of NNMT. Furthermore, elevated NNMT expression correlated with inferior overall survival in multiple cancer cohorts, underscoring its significance as a prognostic biomarker. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between NNMT expression and the tumor immune microenvironment, which plays a crucial role in regulating anti-tumor immune responses. To confirm the malignant functions of NNMT in tumor cells, we conducted a series of cell-based experiments, revealing that NNMT promotes cancer cell proliferation and invasion, indicative of its oncogenic properties. The integration of computational analysis and experimental validation in our study firmly establishes NNMT as a potential therapeutic target for human cancers. Specifically, targeting NNMT holds promise for the development of innovative and effective cancer treatments. Further investigations into NNMT's role in cancer pathogenesis could potentially pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key mechanism employed by plants to adapt to salinity stress involves maintaining ion homeostasis via the actions of ion transporters. While the function of cation transporters in maintaining ion homeostasis in plants has been extensively studied, little is known about the roles of their anion counterparts in this process. Here, we describe a mechanism of salt adaptation in plants. We characterized the chloride channel (CLC) gene AtCLCf, whose expression is regulated by WRKY transcription factor under salt stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss-of-function atclcf seedlings show increased sensitivity to salt, whereas AtCLCf overexpression confers enhanced resistance to salt stress. Salt stress induces the translocation of GFP-AtCLCf fusion protein to the plasma membrane (PM). Blocking AtCLCf translocation using the exocytosis inhibitor brefeldin-A or mutating the small GTPase gene AtRABA1b/BEX5 (RAS GENES FROM RAT BRAINA1b homolog) increases salt sensitivity in plants. Electrophysiology and liposome-based assays confirm the Cl−/H+ antiport function of AtCLCf. Therefore, we have uncovered a mechanism of plant adaptation to salt stress involving the NaCl-induced translocation of AtCLCf to the PM, thus facilitating Cl− removal at the roots, and increasing the plant's salinity tolerance. In Arabidopsis roots, NaCl induces the translocation of AtCLCf from the Golgi to the plasma membrane, mediated by the small GTPase AtRABA1b, where AtCLCf functions as a Cl− efflux channel and confers salinity tolerance to the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How the four major processes affecting community assembly—selection, dispersal, drift, and diversification—solely or jointly shape co-occurring assemblages of macro- and microorganisms at the same scales remains poorly understood. Here, we delved into the distance pattern of similarity (DPS) in tree and soil fungal communities in three c. 20-hectare forest plots spanning tropical to temperate climates in Yunnan province, Southwest China. Specifically, we decrypted the assembly contribution of individual-based random sampling, selection and/or dispersal using drift-inexplicit ordination and drift-explicit baseline models. Surprisingly, our findings demonstrated that most soil fungal realized distribution ranges (RDR) were shorter than most trees. Because of explicitly integrating drift and the range of DPS is broader than the RDR of most trees and fungi, selection baseline models overwhelmingly captured the DPS structures in trees and fungi across spatial scales in tropical, subtropical, and subalpine forest ecosystems and that for fungi across taxonomic levels and fungal guilds. Under the premise that modeling frameworks, ecosystems, spatial scales, sample intensities, selection variables, and dispersal variables are well unified, the ubiquitous dominance of selection elucidates no fundamental difference in the assembly mechanism between trees and soil fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corresponding objectives and principles of the intermediate roll contour design are proposed to improve the strip edge drop problem in the process of 18-High mill production and enhance the regulation ability on strip shape. The intermediate roll contour is designed using the particle swarm optimisation algorithm to satisfy the production requirements. The elastic–plastic coupling finite element model of roll system–rolling piece integration is established, the application effect of the new roll contour is verified, and the regulation ability on strip shape under the new roll contour is analysed. Results show that, compared with the original roll contour, the strip edge drop phenomenon is remarkably improved. The regulation ability on strip shape is evidently improved compared with that of the original roll contour. The regulation ability on strip shape of the intermediate roll shifting is stronger than that of the intermediate roll bending force under the new roll contour. Finally, combined with field data of rolling, the finite element model is verified on site. The simulation and measured values are high, and the error is within 10%. The research results can provide a good theoretical basis for the improvement of the intermediate roll contour and improvement of the regulation ability on strip shape of 18-High mill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to review the multifaceted roles of a membrane protein named Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) expressed in tumor tissue, including its molecular functionalities, regulatory mechanisms governing its expression, prognostic significance, and its crucial role in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Articles that have uncovered the regulatory role of FAP in tumor, as well as its potential utility within clinical realms, spanning diagnosis to therapeutic intervention has been screened for a comprehensive review. Results: Our review reveals that FAP plays a pivotal role in solid tumor progression by undertaking a multitude of enzymatic and nonenzymatic roles within the tumor stroma. The exclusive presence of FAP within tumor tissues highlights its potential as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. The review also emphasizes the prognostic significance of FAP in predicting tumor progression and patient outcomes. Furthermore, the emerging strategies involving FAPI inhibitor (FAPI) in cancer research and clinical trials for PET/CT diagnosis are discussed. And targeted therapy utilizing FAP including FAPI, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, tumor vaccine, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers, FAP cleavable prodrugs, and drug delivery system are also introduced. Conclusion: FAP's intricate interactions with tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment make it a promising target for diagnosis and treatment. Promising strategies such as FAPI offer potential avenues for accurate tumor diagnosis, while multiple therapeutic strategies highlight the prospects of FAP targeting treatments which needs further clinical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discussed the effects of different mineral incorporations and the curing time on the strength of modified magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) mortars through mechanical tests, mathematical model analysis and microstructure characterization. Fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), and metakaolin (MK), which exhibit excellent durability and bonding properties, were used to modify the MPC. A quantitative relationship was established between the strength of modified MPC mortars and the mineral incorporation and curing time. First, the strength of each mineral-modified MPC mortar cured in air with different mineral incorporations and curing durations was evaluated. The strengths of MPC mortars containing 10% fly ash, 15% silica fume, and 10% metakaolin—which perform best in their incorporations—were compared to analyze the function of the three minerals. To establish the relationship between strength and mineral incorporation and curing time, three mathematical models, linear model, general nonlinear model, and data distribution shape nonlinear model (DDSNM), are commonly used for material property analysis based on statistics. DDSNM best describes the trend of strength change among the three models and the error is small for three minerals. Based on DDSNM, the influence of various minerals on the strength of MPC mortar was quantitatively evaluated by calculating the variable partial derivatives, and verified by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. MK performs the best in improving the flexural strength performance of MPC, while SF performs the best in the compressive strength. FA-MPC has low sensitivity to dosage fluctuations and is easy to prepare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Unreduced megagametophytes via second-division restitution were confirmed through heterozygosity analysis, and four candidate physical centromeres of rubber were located for the first time. The evaluation of maternal heterozygosity restitution (MHR) is vital in identifying the mechanism of 2n gametogenesis and assessing the utilization value of 2n gametes. In this study, three full-sib triploid populations were employed to evaluate the MHR of 2n female gametes of rubber tree clone GT1 and to confirm their genetic derivation. The 2n female gametes of GT1 were derived from second-division restitution (SDR) and transmitted more than half of the parental heterozygosity. In addition, low recombination frequency markers were developed, and four candidate physical centromeres of rubber tree were located for the first time. The confirmation that 2n female gametes of rubber tree clone GT1 are derived from SDR provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of 2n gametogenesis. In addition, the identified centromere location will aid in the development of centromeric markers for the rapid identification of the 2n gametogenesis mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olivine (Fo80-88) from the Shitoukengde deposit exhibits low levels of Ca, Cr, and Al (< 220 ppm) and varying Ni content. The low Ca-Cr-Al contents in olivine and subsolidus temperatures (600–900 °C) indicated by olivine-spinel thermometers align with subsolidus equilibria, emphasizing substantial postcumulus modifications. Therefore, the postcumulus effect must be considered when applying olivine-spinel oxybarometers to intrusive rocks. Back-calculating the spinel Fe–Mg contents to magmatic temperature, the estimated oxidation fugacity (fO2) range between FQM − 1.5 and FQM − 3.0, approximately 0.5 to 1.5 ΔFQM more reduced compared to those calculated from the raw spinel composition. Moreover, the fO2 aligns with results obtained from the olivine-sulfide pair (FMQ − 3.0 to FMQ 0). The considerably reducing state and wide oxidation variation are consistent with the graphite occurrence within the reduced intervals and the systematic fO2 indicated by olivine V/Sc ratios. Combined with the wide olivine Ni range (200–1500 ppm) and the restricted Ni tenor in coexisting sulfides, those findings imply that the olivine-sulfide interaction was predominantly controlled by fO2. Diffusion modeling at magmatic temperatures reveals that the core-level Fe–Ni re-equilibration after crystallization requires hundreds of years. The homogeneous olivine composition suggests that re-equilibrium has been achieved in Shitoukengde. However, in fast cooling systems, olivine may record the status approaching olivine-sulfide equilibration, leading to extensive intragrain Ni variation (up to 1000 ppm). This study highlights that extreme Ni depletion in olivine from sulfide-bearing rocks is a sign of reducing conditions. Strongly Ni-rich olivine, such as those in the Kevitsa deposit, could result from interaction with high-Ni tenor sulfides at oxidizing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, many progress has been made in crack detection methods based on deep neural networks. Compared to general cracks, fine-grained cracks are more difficult to detect not only due to their small and narrow shape, but also the various types of cluttered scenes. It is time-consuming to collect and label the samples of fine-grained cracks that makes most current data-driven models fail for poor generalization. To tackle these problems, a novel dense U-blocks network (DUNet) is proposed for fine-grained crack detection in this paper. Specifically, in order to preserve the integrity of accurate position information of the fine-grained cracks, a constant resolution U-block group (CRUG) is designed. Further, a dense feature connection strategy (DFCS) is proposed to enhance the information flow for better reuse of multi-scale features. DUNet achieves state-of-the-art performance on four fine-grained crack datasets, together on three general crack datasets with different environments. Moreover, we propose a lightweight version (DUNet-L) of DUNet for real-time practical applications with good accuracy and less parameters and computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the form of World Health Organization Central Nervous System (WHO CNS) tumor classifications is updated, there is a lack of research on outcomes for intracranial combined solitary-fibrous tumor and hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC). This study aimed to explore conditional survival (CS) pattern and develop a survival prediction tool for intracranial SFT/HPC patients. Methods: Data of intracranial SFT/HPC patients was gathered from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute. The patients were split into training and validation groups at a 7:3 ratio for our analysis. CS is defined as the likelihood of surviving for a specified period of time (y years), given that the patient has survived x years after initial diagnosis. Then, we used this definition of CS to analyze the intracranial SFT/HPC patients. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and best subset regression (BSR) were employed to identify predictive factors. The Multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to establish a novel CS-based nomogram, and a risk stratification system was developed using this model. Results: From the SEER database, 401 patients who were diagnosed with intracranial SFT/HPC between 2000 and 2019 were identified. Among them, 280 were included in the training group and 121 were included in the internal validation group for analysis. Our study revealed that in intracranial SFT/HPC, 5-year survival rates saw significant improvement ranging from 78% at initial diagnosis to rates of 83%, 87%, 90%, and 95% with each successive year after surviving for 1–4 years. The LASSO regression and BSR identified patient age, tumor behavior, surgery and radiotherapy as predictors of CS-based nomogram development. A risk stratification system was also successfully constructed to facilitate the identification of high-risk patients. Conclusion: The CS pattern of intracranial SFT/HPC patients was outlined, revealing a notable improvement in 5-year survival rates after an added period of survival. Our newly-established CS-based nomogram and risk stratification system can provide a real-time dynamic survival estimation and facilitate the identification of high-risk patients, allowing clinicians to better guide treatment decision for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple, efficient and well-tolerated delivery of CRISPR genome editing systems into primary cells remains a major challenge. Here we describe an engineered Peptide-Assisted Genome Editing (PAGE) CRISPR–Cas system for rapid and robust editing of primary cells with minimal toxicity. The PAGE system requires only a 30-min incubation with a cell-penetrating Cas9 or Cas12a and a cell-penetrating endosomal escape peptide to achieve robust single and multiplex genome editing. Unlike electroporation-based methods, PAGE gene editing has low cellular toxicity and shows no significant transcriptional perturbation. We demonstrate rapid and efficient editing of primary cells, including human and mouse T cells, as well as human hematopoietic progenitor cells, with editing efficiencies upwards of 98%. PAGE provides a broadly generalizable platform for next-generation genome engineering in primary cells. Peptide-assisted genome editing enables efficient single and multiplex editing in hematopoietic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atypical Rho GTPases are a subtype of the Rho GTPase family that are involved in diverse cellular processes. The typical Rho GTPases, led by RhoA, Rac1 and Cdc42, have been well studied, while relative studies on atypical Rho GTPases are relatively still limited and have great exploration potential. With the increase in studies, current evidence suggests that atypical Rho GTPases regulate multiple biological processes and play important roles in the occurrence and development of human cancers. Therefore, this review mainly discusses the molecular basis of atypical Rho GTPases and their roles in cancer. We summarize the sequence characteristics, subcellular localization and biological functions of each atypical Rho GTPase. Moreover, we review the recent advances and potential mechanisms of atypical Rho GTPases in the development of multiple cancers. A comprehensive understanding and extensive exploration of the biological functions of atypical Rho GTPases and their molecular mechanisms in tumors will provide important insights into the pathophysiology of tumors and the development of cancer therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics of apalutamide-associated skin rash and management of skin rash in real-world Chinese patients with prostate cancer. Methods: We investigated 138 patients with prostate cancer who received apalutamide in the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from January 2022 to March 2023. The primary end points were the incidence of skin rash and the time to skin rash. The second end points were the grade of skin rash, the time to remission, the rate of recurrence of skin rash, clinical risk factors and management of skin rash. Results: One hundred patients were analyzed. Patients were a median of 73 years old (IQR 68–77.75). Thirty-two patients (32%) developed apalutamide‑associated skin rash. The median time to incidence and remission of skin rash were 57.5 and 11.5 days, respectively. Of 32 skin rash, 27 patients had apalutamide therapy maintained after rash remission. There were seven patients having recurrence of skin rash. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, we revealed that hypertension history (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.09–9.53, p = 0.035), bad life-styles (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.11–9.8, p = 0.032), ECOG ≥ 1 (OR 3.92, 95% CI 1.33–11.55, p = 0.013), and high tumor burden (OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.07–9.14, p = 0.037) were independently associated with higher incidence of skin rash. Conclusion: Nearly one-third of Chinese patients experienced skin rash after taking apalutamide in our study. The poor health patients might have a higher incidence of apalutamide-associated skin rash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) can be classified into various molecular subtypes and benefit from some precise therapy. Nevertheless, the interaction between metabolic and immune subtypes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unknown. We hope to identify molecular subtypes related to metabolism and immunity in pancreatic cancer Methods: Unsupervised consensus clustering and ssGSEA analysis were utilized to construct molecular subtypes related to metabolism and immunity. Diverse metabolic and immune subtypes were characterized by distinct prognoses and TME. Afterward, we filtrated the overlapped genes based on the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the metabolic and immune subtypes by lasso regression and Cox regression, and used them to build risk score signature which led to PC patients was categorized into high- and low-risk groups. Nomogram were built to predict the survival rates of each PC patient. RT-PCR, in vitro cell proliferation assay, PC organoid, immunohistochemistry staining were used to identify key oncogenes related to PC Results: High-risk patients have a better response for various chemotherapeutic drugs in the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database. We built a nomogram with the risk group, age, and the number of positive lymph nodes to predict the survival rates of each PC patient with average 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year areas under the curve (AUCs) equal to 0.792, 0.752, and 0.751. FAM83A, KLF5, LIPH, MYEOV were up-regulated in the PC cell line and PC tissues. Knockdown of FAM83A, KLF5, LIPH, MYEOV could reduce the proliferation in the PC cell line and PC organoids Conclusion: The risk score signature based on the metabolism and immune molecular subtypes can accurately predict the prognosis and guide treatments of PC, meanwhile, the metabolism-immune biomarkers may provide novel target therapy for PC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anatomical and molecular staging strategies are needed for the personalized treatment of localized pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study evaluated the performance of [68 Ga]Ga–FAPI-04 and [18F]F-FDG PET/CT on the disease staging and prognostic value of patients with localized PDAC on contrast-enhanced (CE)-CT images. Methods: Patients with suspected localized PDAC on CE-CT were recruited for static [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and 18[F]F-FDG and PET/CT, and select patients underwent simultaneous 60-min dynamic 68 Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT. The diagnostic and staging performances of the static PET/CT results were evaluated by delineating regions of interest in the primary tumor, whole pancreas, and distal pancreas in both types of scans and then evaluating correlations between the PET/CT findings and clinicopathological characteristics. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier and hazard ratio (log-rank) methods were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the combined dynamic [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and static [18F]F-FDG PET/CT method. Results: We included 49 patients with histologically confirmed PDAC adenocarcinomas; 32 underwent 60-min dynamic [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging simultaneously. The static [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 method had significantly higher accuracy and uptake values than the static [18F]F-FDG method for primary PDAC lesions, metastatic lymph nodes, and distal metastases. Furthermore, 18.4% and 10.2% of the patients' stages changed after using the [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]F-FDG PET/CT methodologies, respectively, compared to the CE-CT-designated stage. The Ki values obtained from dynamic [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT did not differ between PDAC and distal obstructive pancreatitis lesions. Pathologically enlarged tumor size, poor differentiation, and perineural invasion were associated with increased [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 uptake but not with [18F]F-FDG uptake. The preoperative prognostic performance of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was better than that of [18F]F-FDG. Interestingly, combined [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]F-FDG uptake results in the whole pancreas could further stratify patients based on their postoperative prognosis. Conclusion: 6[68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT was more sensitive and accurate than [18F]F-FDG PET/CT for tumor, node, and metastasis staging of PDAC identified on CE-CT. Additionally, [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 uptake was significantly associated with pathologically aggressive tumor features. Combined [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]F-FDG PET/CT findings improved the prognostic value, potentially providing a non-invasive guide for clinical management. Finally, increased fibroblast activity in PDAC-induced obstructive pancreatitis may be associated with poor patient survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chatter is harmful for cutting processing, which can cause the surface quality of the workpiece to decline, violent tool wear, even broken tools and workpiece scrap. In order to achieve real-time monitoring and suppression of chatter during the machining process, a milling machining is employed as the research object in this study, and an online monitoring and suppression system for chatter are proposed. Firstly, an improved wavelet packet energy entropy (IWPEE) algorithm is proposed; the recognition accuracy and robustness are improved by this algorithm while the computational complexity is reduced. Secondly, in order to ensure the robustness of the monitoring system in practical application, a variance algorithm for the milling signal sampling is synchronized with the spindle speed (VASS) is proposed by analyzing milling cutter motion through Poincare section. In addition, the position of the spindle rotation is indirectly obtained through mathematical calculations; the signal sampling is ensured synchronized with the spindle rotation period, and the sensors are not necessary so the generalization besides economy is improved. Furthermore, VASS overcomes the defects of IWPEE which is vulnerable to high-frequency noise interference, thereby improving the reliability of chatter monitoring. Then, a dynamic modeling of the cutting system is conducted, and a chatter suppression method based on speed iteration is obtained. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed chatter monitoring and suppression system is verified through milling experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcapsules are widely used in various fields. However, there is no way to predict the mechanical response of microcapsules accurately. To address this problem, the improved Reissner theory and the Tatara theory are employed to establish the mechanical response models of the capsule shell and the capsule core, respectively. Moreover, the capsule core loss, which is always neglected in prior study, is obtained through the mass ratio of the capsule core. Therefore, a universal and effective mechanical response model with microcapsule characteristics is developed. In addition, a set of orthogonal tests are designed based on the mechanical response model to analyze the contributions of the microcapsule components to the mechanical response. The results show that: (1) the proposed microcapsule mechanical response model has prediction errors of less than 30% for various types of microcapsule mechanical response results, and the gray correlation degree of the prediction trend is above 0.6. Compared to traditional models that can only predict trends, with an error rate of 400%, the proposed model has an improvement; (2) the loss of core is inevitable, and the three microcapsules in the study all have a core loss volume of 10–30%; (3) when the strain is large, the mechanical response of overall microcapsules is determined by the size and core of microcapsules. The results provide a theoretical basis for designing the microcapsules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chloroplast (cp) genome holds immense potential for a variety of applications including species identification, phylogenetic analysis, and evolutionary studies. In this study, we utilized Illumina NovaSeq 6000 to sequence the DNA of Camellia sinensis L. cultivar 'Zhuyeqi', followed by the assembly of its chloroplast genome using SPAdes v3.10.1, with subsequent analysis of its features and phylogenetic placement. The results showed that the cp genome of 'Zhuyeqi' was 157,072 bp, with a large single-copy region (LSC, 86,628 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC,18,282 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (IR, 26,081 bp). The total AT and GC contents of the cp genome of 'Zhuyeqi' were observed to be 62.21% and 37.29%, respectively. The cp genome encoded 135 unique genes, including 90 protein-coding genes (CDS), 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Moreover, 31 codons and 247 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified. The cp genomes of 'Zhuyeqi' were found to be relatively conserved, with conservation observed in the IR region, which showed no evidence of inversions or rearrangements. The five regions with the largest variations were identified, with four regions (rps12, rps19, rps16, and rpl33) located in the LSC region and one divergent region (trnI-GAU) in the IR region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Camellia sinensis (KJ996106.1) was closely related to 'Zhuyeqi', indicating a close phylogenetic relationship between these two species. These findings could provide important genetic information for further research into breeding of tea tree, phylogeny, and evolution of Camellia sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of groundwater on sandy dolomite stratum renders it highly susceptible to disasters, resulting in frequent water inrush accidents during tunnel construction. Advanced dewatering is crucial in enhancing tunnel face stability. It is found that sandy dolomite comprises a porous permeable medium consisting of dolomite sand and dolomite powder, characterized by low shear resistance and deformation resistance. Through the fluid–solid coupling model test device developed, it has been proven that the release of pore water pressure via advanced dewatering substantially enhances the stability of the tunnel face in water-rich sandy dolomite stratum prone to seepage failure. By conducting fluid–solid coupling analysis, the impact of drainage pipe length on the dewatering effect is investigated, and the improvement in tunnel face stability due to varying drainage pipe lengths is evaluated using the limit equilibrium analysis method. It is observed that drainage pipes reduce the range of slip body in front of the tunnel face and mitigate seepage forces by dissipating pore water pressure, consequently enhancing tunnel face stability and reducing extrusion deformation. However, there exists an efficiency limit regarding drainage pipe length. For initial water levels of 30, 50, 80, and 120 m, it is recommended to employ advanced drainage pipes of 20, 25, 30, and 40 m or more, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the efficiency and safety of modified tissue-selecting therapy stapler combined with complete anal canal epithelial preservation operation (M-TST-CACP) in the treatment of circumferential mixed hemorrhoids. Methods: This was a single-center, statistical analyst-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 306 patients were finally included for analysis. The efficiency (efficacy, recurrence, anal smoothness, quality of life, and wound healing time) and safety (anal incontinence, pain level, anal stenosis, urinary retention, perianal edema, and postoperative bleeding) were evaluated. The statistical difference in continuous data between M-TST-CACP group and procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) group was compared using t-test or Mann–Whitney U test. The statistical difference in counting data between the two groups were compared using Pearson χ2 test. Difference within each group in different time points was evaluated using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: M-TST-CACP group showed a higher cure rate (6 months: 74.51% vs. 64.71%, P = 0.044), lower recurrence (6 months: 0% vs. 4.58%, P = 0.015; 12 months: 0.65% vs. 5.88%, P = 0.010), lower anal incontinence score (1 month: 1.29 ± 1.17 vs. 1.93 ± 1.33; 3 months: 1.07 ± 0.87 vs. 1.59 ± 1.01; 6 months: 0.58 ± 0.61 vs. 1.00 ± 0.90; all P < 0.001), and lower rate of anal stenosis (1 month: 0% vs. 7.84%; 3 months: 0% vs. 9.80%; both P < 0.001) than the PPH group. Conclusions: M-TST-CACP had better efficiency and safety than the PPH, which could be a reasonable adoption for the surgeons to treat circumferential mixed hemorrhoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TMEM151A, located at 11q13.2 and encoding transmembrane protein 151A, was recently reported as causative for autosomal dominant paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD). Here, through comprehensive analysis of sporadic and familial cases, we expand the clinical and mutation spectrum of PKD. In doing so, we clarify the clinical and genetic features of Chinese PKD patients harboring TMEM151A variants and further explore the relationship between TMEM151A mutations and PKD. Whole exome sequencing was performed on 26 sporadic PKD patients and nine familial PKD pedigrees without PRRT2 variants. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to assess the gene expression of frameshift mutant TMEM151A in a PKD patient. TMEM151A variants reported to date were reviewed. Four TMEM151A variants were detected in four unrelated families with 12 individuals, including a frameshift mutation [c.606_607insA (p.Val203fs)], two missense mutations [c.166G > A (p.Gly56Arg) and c.791T > C (p.Val264Ala)], and a non-pathogenic variant [c.994G > A (p.Gly332Arg)]. The monoallelic frameshift mutation [c.606_607insA (p.Val203fs)] may cause TMEM151A mRNA decay, suggesting a potential pathogenic mechanism of haploinsufficiency. Patients with TMEM151A variants had short-duration attacks and presented with dystonia. Our study provides a detailed clinical description of PKD patients with TMEM151A mutations and reports a new disease-causing mutation, expanding the known phenotypes caused by TMEM151A mutations and providing further detail about the pathoetiology of PKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Defining the phenotypic characteristics of CD8+T cell subsets in gastric cancer (GC) can help remodel the immune microenvironment of the tumor, thereby improving patient prognosis. CD226 has recently been shown to regulate the activity of CD8+T cell in several malignancies. However, the clinical relevance of CD226+CD8+T cells in GC remains unclear. Methods: Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) cohort (n = 316), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort (n = 407), KUGH/KUCM cohort (n = 202), and Asian Cancer Research Group (ACRG) cohort (n = 300) were included in prognosis and response to adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) analyses. Flow cytometry and multiplex immunostaining were used to characterize CD226+CD8+T cells. Results: CD226+CD8+T cells predicted favorable outcomes in patients undergoing curative resection for GC. GC patients with high CD226+CD8+T cell infiltration benefitted more from adjuvant chemotherapy. CD155 is upregulated in GC tissues and is associated with decreased intra-tumoral CD226+CD8+T cell infiltration. The combination of intra-tumoral CD226+CD8+T cells and CD155 is a strong prognostic predictor in patients with GC. Conclusion: CD226+CD8+T cells may represent a novel therapeutic target and a useful marker of prognosis and therapeutic response in patients with GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth elements (REEs) and Nd isotopes are frequently employed to determine provenance, although their characteristics and provenances in the surface sediments of mangrove wetlands are rarely analyzed. In this study, a thorough analysis of the characteristics and provenances of REEs and Nd isotopes in the surface sediments of mangrove wetland in the Jiulong River Estuary was carried out. According to the results, the mean concentration of REEs in the surface sediments was 290.9 mg·kg−1, which was greater than the background value. Unpolluted to moderately polluted for La and Ce, as well as a moderate ecological risk for Lu, were indicated by the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and potential ecological risk of individual factors ( E r i ), respectively. The surface sediments showed substantial negative Eu anomalies but no significant Ce anomalies. The enrichments in LREE and flat HREE patterns are visible in the chondrite-normalized REE patterns. REEs in the surface sediments might be attributed to both natural sources (granite and magmatic rocks) and anthropogenic activities, including coal combustion, vehicle exhaust, steel smelting, and fertilizer, based on the (La/Yb)N-∑REE and ternary (La/Yb)N-(La/Sm)N-(Gd/Yb)N plots. The three-dimensional ∑LREE/∑HREE-Eu/Eu*-εNd(0) plot, when combined with the Nd isotope, further demonstrated that the REEs in the surface sediments appeared to have come from additional nonlocal potential sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and has been correlated with coronary atherosclerosis (CAS). Since NAFLD was renamed metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD) in 2020, no studies have evaluated the correlation between MAFLD and CAS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between MAFLD and CAS. A total of 1330 patients underwent continuous coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and abdominal ultrasound as part of a routine physical examination. Ultrasonography was used to assess fatty liver, and CCTA was used to assess coronary artery plaques, degree of stenosis, and diseased blood vessels. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed with plaque type and degree of stenosis as dependent variables and MAFLD and traditional cardiovascular risk factors as independent variables to analyze the correlation between MAFLD and CAS. Among the 1164 patients, 680 (58.4%) were diagnosed with MAFLD through a combination of ultrasound and auxiliary examinations. Compared with the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had more cardiovascular risk factors,and the MAFLD group had more likely to have coronary atherosclerosis, coronary stenosis and multiple coronary artery stenosis.In the univariate logistic regression, MAFLD was significantly correlated with overall plaque, calcified plaques, noncalcified plaques, mixed plaques,and significant stenosis in the coronary arteries.(p < 0.05). After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors , MAFLD was correlated with noncalcified plaques (1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–2.43; p = 0.007) and mixed plaques (1.54; 95% CI 1.10–2.16; p = 0.011). In this study, MAFLD group had more cardiovascular risk factors, MAFLD was correlated with coronary atherosclerosis,and significant stenosis.Further study found independent associations between MAFLD and noncalcified plaques and mixed plaques, which suggest a clinically relevant link between MAFLD and coronary atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of deformable convolution, the kernel-based Video Frame Interpolation (VFI) has made significant progress. However, there are still some problems, such as the limited spatial-temporal freedom degree in the sampling point extraction stage and the insufficient utilization of spatial-temporal information in the feature extraction stage of the kernel-based methods. In this paper, we propose a video frame interpolation method based on Enhanced Spatial-Temporal Freedom (ESTF), which consists of four modules for VFI. Specifically, we first combine 3D and deformable convolutions to extract spatial-temporal feature information in the proposed enhanced spatial-temporal feature extraction module. Then, we utilize an enhanced freedom fusion module to adaptively estimate parameters and generate intermediate frames by adaptive estimators and deformable fusion layers, respectively. Finally, a context extraction module and a residual contextual refinement module are utilized to extract context features for optimizing the generated frames. Extensive experimental results on various popular benchmarks such as Vimeo90K, GOPRO, and Adobe240 demonstrate that the proposed method achieves competitive performance against most existing methods, especially when dealing with complex motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our aim was to assess the prognostic value of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 positron emission tomography (PET) uptake in PDAC and to evaluate the correlation between in vivo lesional radioactivity with pathological characteristics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed treatment‐naïve PDAC patients who underwent preoperative [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT followed by pancreatectomy. The tracer uptake was determined as maximum tumor standardized uptake value (SUVmax), FAPI-avid tumor volume (FTV), total lesion FAP expression (TLF) as well total pancreatic uptake (TSUVmax), total FAPI-avid pancreatic volume (FPV), and total pancreatic FAP expression (TPF). Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the association between [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging and ex vivo immunohistological FAP expression and pathological characteristics of surgical specimens (differentiation, size, vascularity, perineural invasion, and lymph node metastases). Kaplan–Meier and hazard ratio (HR, log-rank) methods were used to evaluate the prognostic value of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT and clinicopathological factors. Results: Thirty-seven surgical PDAC patients were included. The ex vivo expression of FAP was significantly associated with the tumor SUVmax and TLF. FAP expression was more abundant in poorly differentiated PDAC than in well- to moderately differentiated neoplasms. Tumor SUVmax or TLF and pancreatic TSUVmax or TPF were significantly correlated with tumor size, differentiation, and perineural invasion, respectively. SUVmax had a significant independent prognostic value for recurrence-free survival (HR = 2.46, P < 0.05), while [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 TPF predicted overall survival (HR = 12.82, P < 0.05). Conclusion: The in vivo [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 uptake in localized PDAC showed a significant correlation with ex vivo FAP expression and aggressive pathological characteristics. [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT also presented a potential for postoperative prognostication of PDAC. Elevated fibroblast activity induced by obstructive pancreatitis might be associated with the patient's survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mutations in the β-tubulin isotype, TUBB8, can cause female infertility. Although several mutations of TUBB8 have been reported, the full spectrum for guiding genetics counseling still needs to be further explored. Here, we sought to identify novel variants in TUBB8 and their phenotypic effects on microtubule network structure in vitro. Methods: Whole-exome sequence analysis was performed in two families with infertility to detect pathogenic variants, with validation by Sanger sequencing. All gene variants and protein structures were predicted in silico. Cells were transfected with wild-type and mutants, and immunofluorescence analysis was performed to visualize microtubule network changes. Results: We detected a novel compound heterozygous mutation, c.915_916delCC (p.Arg306Serfs*21) and c.82C > T (p.His28Tyr), and a benign heterozygous variant c.1286C > T (p.Thr429Met) in TUBB8 in the two families. Female patients with p.Arg306Serfs*21 and p.His28Tyr were infertile with early embryonic developmental arrest. The female patient with p.Thr429Met gave birth to a healthy baby in the second in vitro fertilization frozen embryo transfer cycle. The p.Arg306Serfs*21 mutation was predicted to cause large structural alteration in the TUBB8 protein and was confirmed to produce a truncated and trace protein by western blot analysis. Immunofluorescence analysis of transfected HeLa cells showed that p.Arg306Serfs*21 significantly disrupted microtubule structure. Conclusions: Our findings expand the known mutational spectrum of TUBB8 associated with early embryonic developmental arrest and female infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li-enriched oilfield brine is a very important lithium resource. It has gained much attention and become the target of active Li surveys with the growing global demand for Li. However, only little is known about their feature and nature. In the study, hydrochemical data from 155 oil wells tapping the Eocene to Lower Oligocene Qianjiang Formation of the Jianghan Basin, central China indicate that the brines are of the Na–Cl or Na–Ca–Cl type and are characterized by highly variable Li contents of 7.56 to 150 mg/L, with Mg/Li ratios less than 11.65. High Na/Cl and Cl/Br molar ratios indicate distinct contributions from halite dissolution. The Ca excess, Na deficit and Ca/Mg and Ca/Sr molar ratios in the brines imply multiple diagenetic processes, including halite dissolution, dolomitization, albitization and calcite or anhydrite cementation. The lithium contents of these brines have a weak relationship with the salinity and a negative correlation with Cl/Br ratios, possibly indicating that these Qianjiang oilfield brines have been diluted by secondary brines derived from halite dissolution. The spatial distribution patterns for Li and B concentrations of the brines are different from those for salinity and Br contents and show a geographic pattern, indicating that Li enrichment in the Qianjiang brines is likely connected with geothermal sources associated with volcanic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the variance of preload and vibration in working conditions, wind turbine bolt loosening is difficult to predict accurately. To address the problem, wind turbine bolts are employed as the study object, and the loosening mechanism of bolts as well as the prediction of preload variation are investigated by means of finite element analysis. The result shows that, under the action of transverse vibration load, the magnitude of vibration load is the main factor affecting the loosening, and the larger the load magnitude, the more likely the loosening occurs. Besides, a bolt loosening prediction model based on Gaussian process regression is developed to obtain confidence intervals for the variation of the preload in a probabilistic sense. This study provides a theoretical basis for solving the problem of bolt loosening and preload relaxation in wind power under vibration conditions, and improves the safety and reliability of wind turbine operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible-light-driven magnetic heterojunction as a promising photocatalysts has received much attention in environmental remediation. In this work, novel Z-scheme heterojunction MnZnFe2O4@Ag3PO4 (MZFO@APO) magnetic photocatalysts with excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity are successfully constructed and characterized. The photocatalytic activity for phenol degradation is measured, and photodegradation mechanism is investigated with EPR, radical trapping experiments, and LC–MS. It turns out that the heterojunction introduced MZFO exhibits good adsorption effect on visible light and the direct Z-scheme bandgap alignment of MZFO and APO significantly improves charge separation and electron transfer, outperforming that of pure APO. MZFO@APO-40% with 40% APO content shows the rapid photodegradation performance, obtaining a 100% removal efficiency of phenol (25 mg L−1) after 12-min visible light irradiation, and its kinetic constants are approximately 25.3 and 4.9 times higher than that of P25 TiO2 and pure APO, respectively. Especially, MZFO@APO-40% also possesses a high magnetic separation property and can be efficiently reused for 5 cycles. Additionally, EPR and radical trapping experiments confirm that h+, O2−, and 1O2 are the main active species in the photocatalytic process. Hydroquinone and small molecular organic acids such as maleic acid and oxalic acid are detected by LC–MS, which further indicates that the pathway of phenol degradation involves hydroxylation, open-ring reactions, and mineralization reactions. The novel addition of MZFO in photocatalyst construction has the potential to promote its application in environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microencapsulated self-healing composite (SHC) has received much attention for their ability to automatically detect and repair cracks. However, the general micromechanical models relating to SHC did not adequately consider the complex interaction between components and the interfacial transition zone. To address these problems, the four-phase micromechanical model containing core-wall-interface-matrix is proposed based on the composite-sphere theory and the Mori–Tanaka method in this study, and the effective properties of SHC are investigated by regarding the parameter of microscopic component as variables. The results showed that the predictive effective properties of SHC lie between the upper and lower limits obtained from the investigations of Walpole, indicating that the proposed micromechanical model is feasible, and the effect of interfacial strength and interfacial thickness on the properties of SHC is significant, indicating that it is necessary to build the micromechanical model consisting of the interfacial phase in this study, the core-to-wall ratio, size, and the strength of capsule wall have high sensitivity to the effective properties of SHC. These results can help investigate the influence of individual components on the properties of SHC, which are useful to guide the selection of individual components for functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]