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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether double‐level (femur + tibia) derotational osteotomy is superior to single‐level femoral derotational osteotomy for recurrent patellar dislocation with severe femoral and tibial rotational deformities (femoral anteversion >30° and external tibial torsion >30°). Methods: Between January 2015 and June 2020, a total of 115 knees with recurrent patellar dislocation treated with combined medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFL‐R) and derotational osteotomies were evaluated after a minimum follow‐up of 2 years. Among these cases, 15 knees that underwent double‐level derotational osteotomy were included in the double‐level group, which was propensity‐matched in a 1:2 ratio to a single‐level group of patients who underwent single‐level femoral derotational osteotomy (30 knees). The clinical and radiological outcomes were evaluated and compared between the groups. Furthermore, the foot progression angle was measured preoperatively and 2 years after surgery. Results: The patient‐specific variables did not differ significantly between the double‐ and the single‐level groups after propensity score matching. The postoperative mean foot progression angle was significantly lower in the double‐level group than in the single‐level group (9° ± 8° vs. 15° ± 11°; p = 0.014); however, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of any other clinical and radiological assessments. Conclusion: For patients with severe femoral and tibial torsional deformities (femoral anteversion >30° and external tibial torsion >30°), the double‐level derotational osteotomy is superior to single‐level osteotomy in maintaining normal foot progression angle, but it does not show an advantage in terms of patient‐reported outcomes, radiological results and redislocation rate at minimum 2 years of follow‐up. Furthermore, concomitant excessive external tibial torsion (>30°) did not have an adverse effect on clinical outcomes in patients who underwent derotational distal femoral osteotomy with MPFL‐R due to excessive femoral anteversion. Level of Evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolites are widely used for removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in industrial processes. However, the understanding of the competitive adsorption behavior of multicomponent VOCs on zeolites remains insufficient. This study employed grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation to investigate the adsorption behaviors of nonpolar benzene and polar ethyl acetate in both pure and mixed forms on FAU, LTA and MFI zeolites. The effects of zeolite topology, Si/Al ratio, and compensating cations on competitive adsorption were explored. The results revealed that the adsorption capacities of benzene and ethyl acetate on FAU and LTA zeolites gradually increased with increasing Si/Al ratio, consistent with the increasing trends in their specific surface areas and pore volumes. However, the MFI zeolite shows no significant change in these properties with varying Si/Al ratios. Zeolites modified with Ca2+ significantly improved the benzene and ethyl acetate adsorption capacities, while impact on ethyl acetate adsorption is minimal. Zeolites modified with K+ reduced the adsorption capacities for both benzene and ethyl acetate. For binary mixtures, Na-FAU-1, Na-LTA-1, and Na-MFI-15 exhibited high selectivity for ethyl acetate. Increasing the Si/Al ratio and K+-modification reduced the adsorption selectivity of these zeolites for ethyl acetate. Ca2+-modification reduces the selectivity of LTA-1 toward ethyl acetate, with minimal impact on FAU-1 and MFI-15. Dynamic adsorption experiments with commercial zeolites confirm the reliability of the simulation results in predicting benzene and ethyl acetate adsorption performance. This study is expected to provide guidance for selecting appropriate zeolites for VOCs mixtures in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Level of Evidence This study compared the radiological characteristics between habitual and recurrent patellar dislocation in skeletally mature patients.From 2017 to 2019, 77 skeletally mature patients with habitual patellar dislocation were surgically treated at a single institution and reviewed retrospectively. A total of 55 knees from these patients were included in the habitual patellar dislocation group. During the same period, 55 knees with recurrent patellar dislocation were randomly selected from 242 patients and included in the recurrent patellar dislocation group. Various bony deformities were measured and compared between the two groups. Additionally, a subgroup analysis was conducted among patients with habitual patellar dislocation, comparing those with and without an ‘invisible patella’ observed on true lateral views with 30° of knee flexion.The femoral anteversion angle (21.8° vs. 26.3°, p = 0.041), tibiofemoral rotation angle (9.7° vs. 12.4°, p = 0.042) and external tibial rotation angle (24.3° vs. 29.6°, p = 0.001) in the habitual patellar dislocation group were significantly lower than those in the recurrent patellar dislocation group. 54% of knees in the habitual patellar dislocation group had a patella baja, and this was in sharp contrast to the recurrent patellar dislocation group in which none of the knees had a patella baja. 49.1% of knees in the habitual patellar dislocation group showed ‘invisible patella’ at 30° of knee flexion, and knees with ‘invisible patella’ had significantly higher tibial tubercle‐trochlear groove (TT‐TG) distance (30.4 vs. 19.8, p < 0.001) and tibiofemoral rotation angle (13.2° vs. 6.4°, p < 0.001) than knees with a visible patella.A distinct difference in bony anatomical features was observed between habitual and recurrent patellar dislocation in skeletally mature patients. Habitual patellar dislocation exhibited less severe rotational deformities of the lower extremity but showed poorer trochlear and patellar development, a larger TT‐TG distance and a higher incidence of patella baja compared with recurrent patellar dislocation.Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed an intensification of energy metabolism in rice grains under DMA stress, possibly causing the consumption of sugars or non-sugars and the development of unfilled grains Excessive dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) causes rice straighthead disease, a physiological disorder typically with erect panicle due to empty grain at maturity. Although the toxicity of DMA and its uptake and transport in rice are well recognized, the underlying mechanism of unfilled grains remains unclear. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted using a susceptible variety (Ruanhuayou1179, RHY) and a resistant one (Nanjingxiangzhan, NJXZ) via the metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to explore the mechanisms of empty grains in diseased rice under DMA stress. The results demonstrate an increase in total and methylated As in grains of RHY and NJXZ under DMA addition, with RHY containing higher levels of DMA. DMA addition increased the soluble sugar content in grains of RHY and NJXZ by 17.1% and 14.3% compared to the control, respectively, but significantly reduced the levels of amino acid, soluble protein, and starch. The decrease of grain Zn and B contents was also observed, and inadequate Zn might be a key factor limiting rice grain yield under DMA stress. Notably, DMA addition altered the expression levels of genes involved in the transport of sugar, amino acids, nitrates/peptides, and mineral ions. In sugar and amino acid metabolism, the reduction of metabolites and the upregulated expression of genes reflect positive regulation at the level of energy metabolism, implying that the reduction of grain starch and proteins might be ascribed to generate sufficient energy to resist the stress. This study provides a useful reference for understanding the molecular mechanism of grain emptying under DMA stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the relationship between preoperative J‐sign grading and structural bone abnormalities in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on RPD patients over 5 years. Patients were categorised based on J‐sign grade into low (J‐ and J1+), moderate (J2+) and high groups (J3+). Trochlear dysplasia (TD) and osseous structures (femoral anteversion angle [FAA], knee torsion, tibial tuberosity‐trochlear groove [TT‐TG] distance, Caton–Deschamps index) were assessed and grouped according to risk factor thresholds. The χ2 test was used to compare composition ratio differences of structural bone abnormalities among the groups. Results: A total of 256 patients were included, with 206 (80.5%) females. The distribution of J‐sign grade was as follows: 89 knees (34.8%) of low grade, 86 moderate (33.6%) and 81 high (31.6%). Among the five structural bone abnormalities, TD was the most common with a prevalence of 78.5%, followed by increased TT‐TG at 47.4%. Excessive tibiofemoral rotation had the lowest occurrence at 28.9%. There were 173 (67.6%) patients who had two or more abnormalities, while 45 (17.6%) had four to five bony abnormalities. Among patients with any bony abnormality, the proportion of high‐grade J‐sign surpassed 40%. Patients with moderate and high‐grade J‐sign had more increased FAA and more pronounced patella alta (all p < 0.001). The proportion of excessive knee torsion and TD increased with increasing each J‐sign grade, with the more notable tendency in knee torsion (high vs. moderate vs. low‐grade: 61% vs. 22% vs 7%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the higher J‐sign grade was also associated with more combined bony abnormalities (p < 0.001). In the high‐grade J‐sign group, 90.2% of the knees had two or more bony risk factors and 40.7% had four or more, which were significantly higher than the moderate and low‐grade J‐sign groups (40.7% vs. 11.6% vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In patients with a high‐grade J‐sign, over 90% of the lower limbs had two or more structural bone risk factors, and more than 40% had four or more. These proportions were significantly higher compared to knees with low‐grade and moderate J‐sign. In clinical practice, when treating high‐grade patellar mal‐tracking, it is important to focus on and correct these strongly correlated abnormal bone structures. Level of Evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is a common disease with a high disability rate and mortality, which brings heavy pressure on families and medical insurance. Nowadays, the golden treatments for ischemic stroke in the acute phase mainly include endovascular therapy and intravenous thrombolysis. Some drugs are used to alleviate brain injury in patients with ischemic stroke, such as edaravone and 3-n-butylphthalide. However, no effective neuroprotective drug for ischemic stroke has been acknowledged. 2-Oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (2OGDDs) are conserved and common dioxygenases whose activities depend on O2, Fe2+, and 2OG. Most 2OGDDs are expressed in the brain and are essential for the development and functions of the brain. Therefore, 2OGDDs likely play essential roles in ischemic brain injury. In this review, we briefly elucidate the functions of most 2OGDDs, particularly the effects of regulations of 2OGDDs on various cells in different phases after ischemic stroke. It would also provide promising potential therapeutic targets and directions of drug development for protecting the brain against ischemic injury and improving outcomes of ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing global demand for biodegradable plastics, the hydrogenation of dimethyl maleate (DMM) to produce 1,4-butanediol (BDO), raw materials for poly(butylene succinate), has become one of the hot spots in chemical industry. In this work, we synthesized a series of Cu@C/ZnO–Sx catalysts by the method of sorbitol modification for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of DMM. The modification with appropriate sorbitol led to a decoration of carbon on catalyst surface, which improved the copper dispersion and Cu+/(Cu0 + Cu+) molar ratio in the Cu@C/ZnO–S0.08 catalyst. The carbon decoration not only promoted the formation of more copper species having stronger interaction with ZnO, but also enhanced the absorption of ester on catalyst surface. These distinctive properties contributed to the high performance of the Cu@C/ZnO–S0.08 catalyst in DMM hydrogenation, achieving an excellent BDO yield of 98.4% and superior reusability. The insights into the roles of sorbitol modification could give valuable guidance to the further design of high performance catalysts for esters hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart disease is the world's leading cause of death. Diagnostic models based on electrocardiograms (ECGs) are often limited by the scarcity of high-quality data and issues of data imbalance. To address these challenges, we propose a conditional generative adversarial network (CECG-GAN). This strategy enables the generation of samples that closely approximate the distribution of ECG data. Additionally, CECG-GAN addresses waveform jitter, slow processing speeds, and dataset imbalance issues through the integration of a transformer architecture. We evaluated this approach using two datasets: MIT-BIH and CSPC2020. The experimental results demonstrate that CECG-GAN achieves outstanding performance metrics. Notably, the percentage root mean square difference (PRD) reached 55.048, indicating a high degree of similarity between generated and actual ECG waveforms. Additionally, the Fréchet distance (FD) was approximately 1.139, the root mean square error (RMSE) registered at 0.232, and the mean absolute error (MAE) was recorded at 0.166. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, continuous- and discrete-time models of a zeroing neural network (ZNN) have been developed to provide online solutions for the time-dependent linear equation (TDLE) with boundary constraint. This paper presents a novel approach to address the bound-constrained TDLE (BCTDLE) problem by proposing a new discrete-time ZNN (DTZNN) model. The proposed DTZNN model is designed using the Taylor difference formula to discretize the previous continuous-time ZNNN (CTZNN) model. Theoretical analysis indicates the computational property of the proposed DTZNN model, and numerical results further demonstrate its validity. The applicability of the proposed DTZNN model is finally confirmed via its application to the motion planning of a PUMA560 robotic arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assist-as-needed control with a soft robotic hand glove for active rehabilitation is studied in this work. There are two resources of the grasping force, the robotic glove and the subject. Compared with traditional passive rehabilitation where the grasping force is merely provided by a robotic hand rehabilitation device (such as hand exoskeleton, robotic glove), assist-as-needed control accounts for the user contribute to performing grasping tasks collaboratively. In this control method, the human muscle strength for grasping is estimated through the myoelectrical signals of the human forearm collected by the MYO armband. A neural network is used for the recognition of human-object contact estimation. The assist-as-needed control is finally implemented to assist humans in grasping tasks. Experiment results on a soft robotic glove show the effectiveness of the proposed assistive control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In comparing the repeatability of the internal diameter and hemodynamic parameters of the dorsalis pedis artery measured by immersion ultrasound and contact ultrasound, the factors affecting the accuracy and repeatability of measurement were analyzed. This study aimed to provide a better method for ultrasound evaluation of the dorsalis pedis artery before flap transplantation. Methods: Two senior sonographers measured the diameter of the dorsalis pedis artery (D) of 56 healthy volunteers, measuring at the same location and at different time points using water immersion and contact ultrasound. Color Doppler ultrasound was used to measure the hemodynamics of the dorsalis pedis artery, including peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistance index (RI). The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the intraobserver and interobserver repeatability for each group's measurements. Results: The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of D, PSV, EDV, and RI measurements by water immersion ultrasound was very good. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of the contact ultrasound measurements of D, PSV, EDV, and RI was good. Conclusion: The repeatability of water immersion ultrasound is better than that of contact ultrasound in the measurement of the dorsalis pedis artery. Water immersion ultrasound can improve the near-field resolution of superficial tissues and increase the display of the lengths of blood vessels in images, thereby suggesting its superiority in ultrasound examination of dorsalis pedis arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are excellent solvers for time-variant linear matrix–vector inequality (TVLMVI). However, it is difficult for traditional RNNs to track the theoretical solution of TVLMVI under non-ideal conditions [e.g., noisy environment]. Therefore, by introducing a novel nonlinear activation function (NNAF) and time-variant-gain, a new super-predefined-time convergence and noise-tolerant RNN (SPCNT-RNN) is proposed to acquire an online solution to TVLMVI in noisy environment. The difference between SPCNT-RNN and traditional fixed-parameter RNNs (FP-RNNs) is that the error function equation of SPCNT-RNN has NNAF and time-variant-gain coefficient. Due to this difference, the SPCNT-RNN can achieve super-predefined-time convergence in both noise-free and noisy environments, which is superior to that of existing RNNs. The stability, super-predefined-time convergence, and robustness of SPCNT-RNN are theoretically demonstrated. Moreover, the simulation results between various existing RNNs and SPCNT-RNN verify the feasibility, validity, robustness and rapid convergence effect of the proposed SPCNT-RNN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fossil scorpion, Cretaceoushormiops elegans sp. nov., is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, representing the third record of Cretaceoushormiops. Here, we provide more details about the trichobothrial pattern of this genus using green epifluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The generic diagnosis is also revised based on the discovery of new characters, including major and minor lateral ocelli, presence of a single prolateral pedal spur, and truncate laterodistal lobes of the telotarsi. In addition, our specimen reveals numerous morphological similarities between the genus Cretaceoushormiops and hormurid scorpions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to systematically review and quantitatively analyse the clinical outcomes of combined derotational distal femoral osteotomy (D‐DFO) and medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFL‐R) in the treatment of recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD) with increased femoral anteversion angle (FAA). Methods: This study was performed in line with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses) and AMSTAR (Assessing the Methodological Quality Of Systematic Reviews) Guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify studies reporting clinical outcomes of combined D‐DFO and MPFL‐R in RPD patients with increased FAA. Data on patient‐reported outcome measures, radiological parameters, patellar tracking as revealed by J‐sign and complications were extracted based on the inclusion criteria. The Methodological Index for Non‐Randomized Study score was used for quality assessment. Review Manager and R statistical software were used to perform the statistical analysis. Results: Eleven studies with a total of 569 knees in 553 patients were included. Patients were predominantly female (79%). The weighted mean of FAA decreased from 33.6° to 13.0° (weighted mean difference = 20.59; p < 0.00001) after the combined procedure. Significant improvements (p < 0.00001) were identified in the Lysholm score (weighted mean: 55.5 vs. 80.4), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score (weighted mean: 52.8 vs. 78.6) and Kujala score (weighted mean: 54.5 vs. 80.6). The incidence of residual J‐sign ranged from 14.3% to 38.3% with an overall pooled rate of 28.2% (95% confidence interval = 22.8%–33.6%). The overall redislocation rate was 1.1%. No patients experienced surgical site infection or bone nonunion. Two studies compared the clinical outcomes of MPFL‐R with and without D‐DFO. Compared with isolated MPFL‐R, the combined procedure yielded a better Lysholm score (weighted mean: 84.9 vs. 79.3, p < 0.0001), IKDC score (weighted mean: 84.1 vs. 79.9, p = 0.001), Kujala score (weighted mean: 84.3 vs. 79.4, p < 0.0001) and a lower residual J‐sign rate (26/97 [26.8%] vs. 44/105 [41.9%], p = 0.02), respectively. Conclusion: The combination of D‐DFO and MPFL‐R led to improved clinical outcomes and a low redislocation rate in patients with RPD and increased FAA. Additional D‐DFO can achieve more favourable results in subjective function and patellar tracking than isolated MPFL‐R in the setting of excessive FAA. Level of Evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an economically important insect pest, the flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa (Trybom) causes great damage to host plants by directly feeding and indirectly transmitting various pathogenic viruses. The lack of a well-assembled genomic resource has hindered our understanding of the genetic basis and evolution of F. intonsa. In this study, we used Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) long reads and High-through chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) linked reads to construct a high-quality reference genome assembly of F. intonsa, with a total size of 225.5 Mb and a contig N50 of 3.37 Mb. By performing the Hi-C analysis, we anchored 91.68% of the contigs into 15 pseudochromosomes. Genomic annotation uncovered 17,581 protein-coding genes and identified 20.09% of the sequences as repeat elements. BUSCO analysis estimated over 98% of genome completeness. Our study is at the first time to report the chromosome-scale genome for the species of the genus Frankliniella. It provides a valuable genomic resource for further biological research and pest management of the thrips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a cloud-edge-end collaboration-based control architecture is established for frequency regulation in interconnected power systems (IPS). A model predictive control (MPC)-based load frequency control strategy for the IPS with photovoltaic aggregation and energy storage systems under model uncertainty and communication delay is proposed. This can effectively overcome the issues of model uncertainty, random load perturbation and communication delay. First, a state space model for the IPS is constructed. To coordinate the frequency and contact line power fluctuation of the IPS, a robust controller based on the theory of MPC is then designed. Then, considering the communication delay of frequency response commands during transmission, a predictive compensation mechanism is introduced to eliminate the effect of delay while considering model uncertainty. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature plays an impactful role in mushroom cultivation. To obtain insights of transcriptomic response in macrofungi against heat stress, we performed RNA-seq analysis using Pleurotus tuoliensis mycelium cells that were treated under 32 °C and 36 °C for consecutive 96 h. By comparing the growth rate data, we found mycelium cells could maintain normal growth rate almost the same as control under 32 °C, yet halted the growths under 36 °C. In total, 2724 differential expressed genes were identified from the three pair-wise comparisons, which were classified to four clusters based on their expression patterns. We also performed gene set enrichment analysis using both GO and KEGG databases, and revealed 48, 113 and 105 enriched GO terms, and 1, 5, and 6 enriched KEGG pathways for three pair-wise comparisons accordingly. In addition, we identified 9 overlapping GO terms and 1 overlapping KEGG pathway shared by the three comparisons. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in cell communication, amino acid metabolic process, intracellular signal transduction and small molecule biosynthesis were identified in two heat stress treatments despite of the stress intensity. However, the expression of two heat shock protein genes (HSP10 and HSP60) were induced by increasing temperature. Our findings also suggested the DEGs associated with cell cycle regulation had various expression patterns under two heat stress conditions possibly due to different functions. Furthermore, 11 DEGs related to ergosterol biosynthesis were identified with similar expression trends, indicating the ergosterol levels and cell membrane composition may have a tight connection to the acquisition of thermotolerance, which warrant further investigations for deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms in fungal stress responses. Key points: Almost 82% DEGs showed consistent gene regulation trends in both heat stress treatments. The study revealed that 9 overlapping GO terms and 1 overlapping KEGG pathway were found across three comparisons, implying several essential biological processes, pathways and organelles involved in mycelial HS response. The differential expression levels of ergosterol biosynthesis genes suggests that the ergosterol level may have a significant impact on mycelial acquired thermotolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solving matrix equation with noise interference is a challenging problem in mathematical and engineering applications. Unlike the traditional recurrent neural network, a novel varying-parameter periodic rhythm neural network (VP-PRNN) is proposed and used to solve the time-varying matrix equation in finite energy noise environment online. Particularly, VP-PRNN can enable the state solution to converge to the theoretical solution rapidly and robustly, which is also proved by theoretical analysis. Four kinds of noise are used to test the system, which proves the effectiveness of VP-PRNN. Compared with the zeroing neural network and circadian rhythms learning network with fixed parameters, VP-PRNN with variable parameters shows superior convergence performance in the disturbance of finite energy noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further explore the pharmacological effect of pachymaran, this article studied the inhibition of pachymaran on oxidative stress and genetic damage induced by formaldehyde. 40 adult Kunming male mice were randomly divided into four groups with different interventions. One week later, the contents of serum SOD, GR, MDA, DNA–protein crosslink (DPC), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHDG) and DNA adduct were determined by ELISA. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the contents of SOD, GR and MDA among the four groups (P < 0.01). The activity of SOD and GR increased along with the increase of pachymaran dosage (SOD: rs = 0.912, P < 0.01; GR: rs = 0.857, P < 0.01), while the content of MDA showing a significant negative correlation (rs = − 0.893, P < 0.01). There were statistically significant differences in the levels of DPC, 8-OHDG and DNA adduct among the four groups (DPC and DNA adduct: P < 0.01, 8-OHDG: P < 0.05), the concentration decreased along with the increase of pachymaran dosage (DPC: rs = − 0.855, P < 0.01; 8-OHDG:rs = − 0.412, P < 0.05, DNA adduct: γs = − 0.869, P < 0.01). It can be inferred that pachymaran can inhibit oxidative stress and DNA damage induced by formaldehyde with the dose–effect relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly heterogeneous mental disorder, and its complex etiology and unclear mechanism are great obstacles to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Studies have shown that abnormal functions of the visual cortex have been reported in MDD patients, and the actions of several antidepressants coincide with improvements in the structure and synaptic functions of the visual cortex. In this review, we critically evaluate current evidence showing the involvement of the malfunctioning visual cortex in the pathophysiology and therapeutic process of depression. In addition, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of visual cortex dysfunction that may underlie the pathogenesis of MDD. Although the precise roles of visual cortex abnormalities in MDD remain uncertain, this undervalued brain region may become a novel area for the treatment of depressed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the recommendation performance, session-based recommendations typically model based on graph neural networks (GNN). These models use the most recently clicked item as the user's short-term interest, as well as the query vector in the attention mechanism. Based on it, the attention score is calculated with the remaining items to obtain the user's long-term interest. However, the obtained representation of long-term interest is one-sided. Furthermore, unlike other recommendation technology, such as collaborative filtering that includes the user's entire history information, the session-based recommendation is more vulnerable to data sparsity. Existing models primarily make predictions based on observable user-item interactions and ignore items not interacted with by users. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose the denoising autoencoder integrated with self-supervised learning (SSL) in graph neural networks (DAS-GNN). In DAS-GNN, the query extraction module based on denoising autoencoder can mine multiple user interests and assist long-term interest to express user needs more comprehensively. We propose an effective way of dividing positive and negative samples in the SSL module and use adaptive thresholds to mine negative hard samples, thereby improving training efficiency and alleviating data sparsity. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed DAS-GNN outperforms state-of-the-art models on four benchmarks. The source code is available at: https://github.com/daijiuqian/DAS-GNN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the split Hopkinson tensile bar (SHTP) test method, the fracture behavior of the 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy compact tensile (CT) specimens has been investigated using experimental-simulation combination method in this paper. Upon validating the numerical approach by comparing with experimental results, the influence of specimen thickness has been analyzed. It is found that the J-integral curves are increasing exponentially with time, and specimens of different thickness have similar variation laws. With the increase of thickness, the dominant factor changes from plane stress area to plane strain area, and the J-integral value first increases and then decreases to a constant value at last. The percentage of plane strain area in the total thickness has been derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunologically "cold" microenvironment of triple negative breast cancer results in resistance to current immunotherapy. Here, we reveal the immunoadjuvant property of gas therapy with cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway activation to augment aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active luminogen (AIEgen)-based photoimmunotherapy. A virus-mimicking hollow mesoporous tetrasulfide-doped organosilica is developed for co-encapsulation of AIEgen and manganese carbonyl to fabricate gas nanoadjuvant. As tetra-sulfide bonds are responsive to intratumoral glutathione, the gas nanoadjuvant achieves tumor-specific drug release, promotes photodynamic therapy, and produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Upon near-infrared laser irradiation, the AIEgen-mediated phototherapy triggers the burst of carbon monoxide (CO)/Mn2+. Both H2S and CO can destroy mitochondrial integrity to induce leakage of mitochondrial DNA into the cytoplasm, serving as gas immunoadjuvants to activate cGAS-STING pathway. Meanwhile, Mn2+ can sensitize cGAS to augment STING-mediated type I interferon production. Consequently, the gas nanoadjuvant potentiates photoimmunotherapy of poorly immunogenic breast tumors in female mice. Gas-based therapy is an emerging therapeutic option for cancer treatment. Here the authors design a virus-mimicking hollow mesoporous tetrasulfide-doped organosilica for co-encapsulation of an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active luminogen and manganese carbonyl to fabricate a STING activating gas nano-adjuvant for photo-immunotherapy, promoting anti-tumor immune response in preclinical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the compact tensile specimens manufactured by glass fiber reinforced composites as the research object. Hopkinson tension bar experimental technique was used to study the dynamic fracture toughness. The dynamic fracture toughness of [0/90]n laminated and [45/− 45]n laminated compact tensile specimens was measured by Hopkinson tension bar experimental device; the simulation calculation under the same stress wave loading was carried out by ABAQUS, and the accuracy was verified by comparing with the experimental results; using the verified simulation model, the effect of specimen thickness and crack length on the dynamic fracture toughness of fiber reinforced composites was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles play an important role in mediating precise and effective magnetic neurostimulation and can help overcome limitations related to penetration depth and spatial resolution. However, nanoparticles readily diffuse in vivo, decreasing the spatial resolution and activation efficiency. In this study, we employed a microfluidic means to fabricate injectable microhydrogels encapsulated with SPIO nanoparticles, which significantly improved the stability of nanoparticles, increased the magnetic properties, and reinforced the stimulation effectivity. The fabricated magnetic microhydrogels were highly uniform in size and sphericity, enabling minimally invasive injection into brain tissue. The long-term residency in the cortex up to 22 weeks and the safety of brain tissue were shown using a mouse model. In addition, we quantitatively determined the magneto-mechanical force yielded by only one magnetic microhydrogel using a video-based method. The force was found to be within 7–8 pN under 10 Hz magnetic stimulation by both theoretical simulation and experimental measurement. Lastly, electrophysiological measurement of brain slices showed that the magnetic microhydrogels offer significant advantages in terms of neural activation relative to dissociative SPIO nanoparticles. A universal strategy is thus offered for performing magnetic neuro-stimulation with an improved prospect for biomedical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comparative study of the flocculation behavior of kaolinite induced by chitosan-graft-poly(acrylamide-dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride) (Chi-g-CPAM) and a commercial cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM). The flocculation behaviour was characterised in terms of both flocculation kinetics and the corresponding morphology changes during flocculation. Both Chi-g-CPAM and CPAM were grafted from silica wafers by means of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) tests were conducted. The equilibrium time flocculated by Chi-g-CPAM was found to be 0.46 times as that of CPAM, together with a larger total mass of kaolinite layer. The flocculation behaviour by Chi-g-CPAM can be well captured by a pseudo-first-order model. In contrast, the presence of CPAM leads to a more complex kinetics. A relatively larger fitting slope (0.4663) was obtained at the initial stage but the fitting slope droped to 0.2026 after 800 min, indicating a densification process caused by CPAM. The flocculation kinetics of CPAM can be captured by the Elovich model for the inital stage but the combination of pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models for the latter stages, which can be attributed to the long chain of CPAM. With a dosage of 75 g/t, the settling test with Chi-g-CPAM exhibits the same turbidity in the supernatant but a smaller layer thickness of the settlement compared to CPAM. The study enables a better understanding of the flocculation behavior and contributes to the development of efficient flocculants in mineral processing and tailings treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different rootstocks for grapes can significantly affect fruit color and quality, possibly by affecting hormone contents, related genetic pathways, and fruit coloring mechanisms in skin. 'Cabernet Sauvignon' was grafted to '5BB', 'SO4', '140R', 'CS', '3309M' and 'Vitis riparia' rootstocks, with self-rooting seedlings as the control (CS/CS), and sampled from the early stage of veraison to the ripening stage. The effects of rootstock on the contents of gibberellin (GA3), auxin (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) in grape skin were determined alongside the expression levels of eight anthocyanin synthesis related genes using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR methods. The rootstock cultivars exhibited accelerated fruit color change, and the CS/140R combination resulted in grapes with more color than the control group in the same period. With the development of fruit, the IAA and GA3 contents in the skin of different rootstock combinations showed trends of increasing initially, then decreasing, while the ABA content decreased initially and then increased. During the verasion (28 July), the various 'Cabernet Sauvignon' rootstock combinations exhibited varying degrees of increases in GA3, ABA, and IAA contents; correlation analysis showed that, at the start of veraison, the expression levels of the anthocyanin synthesis-related genes VvCHS, VvDFR, and VvUFGT had strong positive correlations with hormone contents, which indicated they are key genes involved in the endogenous hormone responsive anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. The results of this study showed that rootstock regulates the fruit coloring process by influencing the metabolism level of peel hormones in the 'Cabernet Sauvignon' grape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple integrative studies have been performed to identify the potential target genes of the non-coding schizophrenia (SCZ) risk variants. However, all the integrative studies used expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from bulk tissues. Considering the cell type–specific regulatory effect of many genetic variants, it is important to conduct integrative studies using cell type–specific eQTL data. Here, we conduct a Mendelian randomization (MR) study by integrating genome-wide associations of SCZ (74,776 cases and 101,023 controls) and eQTL data (N = 215) from dopaminergic neurons, which were differentiated from human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. For eQTL from young post-mitotic dopaminergic neurons (differentiation of iPSC for 30 days, D30), we identified 34 genes whose genetically regulated expression in dopaminergic neurons may have a causal role in SCZ. Among which, ARL3 showed the most significant associations with SCZ. For eQTL from more mature dopaminergic neurons (D52), we identified 37 potential SCZ causal genes, and ARL3 and GNL3 showed the most significant associations. Only 12 genes showed significant associations with SCZ in both D30 and D52 eQTL datasets, indicating the time point–specific genetic regulatory effects in young post-mitotic dopaminergic neurons and more mature dopaminergic neurons. Comparing the results from dopaminergic neurons with bulk brain tissues prioritized 2 high-confidence risk genes, including DDHD2 and GALNT10. Our study identifies multiple risk genes whose genetically regulated expression in dopaminergic neurons may have a causal role in SCZ. Further mechanistic investigation will provide pivotal insights into SCZ pathophysiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rarefied gas, thermal creep flows are induced by temperature gradients along the walls. The Knudsen pumps based on thermal creep flows have great application potential in the micro-power systems. In this paper, the performance of the compression system comprised of a cascading multi-stage Knudsen pump for rarefied gas mixtures is numerically researched using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The results demonstrate that, in the transition and free-molecular regimes, the gas compression effects of the device are observed, and the maximum compression effect occurs when Knudsen number is approximately at 0.2. In addition, with an increase in the cascading number of Knudsen pump, the replication characteristics of the flow fields can be observed, and the compression ratio (effect) increases significantly. Specifically, in the free-molecular regime, the dependence of compression ratio on the stage number is almost linear. However, in the transition regime with strong thermal creep flows, the dependence of compression ratio on the stage number is nonlinear. Lastly, according to the results of mass flow rates returned by different compression ratios, a dimensionless linear function correlation is proposed for practical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the combined static-dynamic loading tests on refabricated parallel fissured granite were conducted with SHPB system at six confining pressures (0, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 60% of the UCS) and three dip angle (0, 45, and 90 °). Moreover, a non-contact monitoring device, the DIC, was used to fully detect the full-field strain of the specimen. Comprehensively the initiation, expansion, penetration process and failure mode of double-fractured specimens were investigated, and the deformation and failure characteristics and strength change law during the failure process were discussed. The fractures had a significant degradation effect on the dynamic compressive strength of the rock. Parallel double fractures showed the large principal and shear strains at and near the fissure tips firstly during damage and extended through each other, causing damage to the specimens. There were two main types of cracks: tensile cracks and shear cracks in the failure process. The displacements of key cracks in 45 and 90 ° specimens were analyzed, which showed that the slip displacement gradually increased with the increase in axial pressure, while the tension displacement showed an increase first and then a decrease. The angle of inclination of parallel double fissures is critical to the initial generation of tensile strain zones and the subsequent development and expansion of tensile strain zones. The research results will provide an important theoretical basis for the development and utilization of underground engineering structures and disaster prevention and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper systematically reviews the mathematical modeling based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method of equilibrium and nonequilibrium hypersonic flows. First, some physicochemical phenomena in hypersonic flows (e.g., vibrational energy excitation and chemical reactions) and the flow characteristics at various altitudes (e.g., thermochemical equilibrium, chemical nonequilibrium, and thermochemical nonequilibrium) are reviewed. Second, the judgment rules of whether the CFD method can be applied to hypersonic flows are summarized for accurate numerical calculations. This study focuses on the related numerical models and calculation processes of the CFD method in a thermochemical equilibrium flow and two nonequilibrium flows. For the thermochemical equilibrium flow, the governing equations, chemical composition calculation methods, and related research on the thermodynamic and transport properties of air are reviewed. For the nonequilibrium flows, the governing equations that include one-, two-, and three-temperature models are reviewed. The one-temperature model is applied to a chemical nonequilibrium flow, whereas the two- and three-temperature models are applied to a thermochemical nonequilibrium flow. The associated calculations and numerical models of the thermodynamic and transport properties, chemical reaction sources, and energy transfers between different energy modes of the three models are presented in detail. Finally, the corresponding numerical models of two special wall boundary conditions commonly used in hypersonic flows (i.e., slip boundary conditions and catalytic walls) and related research, are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, foam materials have attracted people's attention in many fields. This study reveals the one-step preparation of polypropylene (PP) foam material with very low carbon nanotubes (CNTs) content via laser irradiation technology. A low-energy near-infrared (1064 nm) laser beam is used to scan the laser-sensitive PP/CNTs composite prepared in the air. The controllable instantaneous thermal energy generated by laser irradiation decomposes CNTs and PP, and forms a foaming layer in situ on the surface of the composite material. CNTs content, laser power and laser scanning rate are key parameters for controlling laser-induced foaming. The results show that the rich carbonized structure induced by the laser envelops the gas generated by thermal degradation to form a porous structure, and form a 3D white pattern with the naked eye. This study can provide a positive reference for directly writing 3D foamed structures on the surface of composite materials on a large scale through a simple and efficient one-step laser irradiation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommender systems are becoming a crucial part of several websites. The purpose of session-based recommendations is to predict the next item that users might click based on users' interaction behavior in a session. The latest research on session-based recommendation focuses on using graph neural networks to model transfer relationships between items. However, when the interaction of low-order relationships between adjacent items is insufficient, learning the high-order relationships between non-adjacent items becomes a challenge. Additionally, to distinguish the importance of nodes in the graph, different weights should be assigned to each edge. Therefore, we propose a novel high-order attentive graph neural network (HA-GNN) model for session-based recommendations. In the proposed method, first, we model sessions as graph-structured data. Then, we use the self-attention mechanism to capture the dependencies between items. Next, we use the soft-attention mechanism to learn high-order relationships in a graph. Finally, we update the embeddings of items using a simple fully connected layer. Experiments on two public e-commerce datasets show that HA-GNN has excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood–plastic composite (WPC) is a commonly used material in decking applications with good mechanical and physical properties. Due to their non-biodegradable property, WPC wastes can be converted by pyrolysis. In this study, the interactions of poplar wood components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and polypropylene (PP) during WPC pyrolysis (with or without HZSM-5 catalyst) were investigated using thermogravimetric (TGA) and Py-GC/MS analyses. TGA results showed that the decompositions of cellulose and hemicellulose were inhibited while lignin decomposition was slightly improved by PP. PP decomposition peak shifted to higher temperatures due to the thermal stabilization of biomass-derived char. The formation of carbonyl compounds and furans were inhibited, whereas the formation of anhydrosugars, cyclopentenones, and phenols were promoted in the presence of PP, indicating that PP changed the pyrolysis pathways of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin through H-transfer reactions. Biomass-derived components promoted the β-scission of PP chain and facilitated the formation of light hydrocarbons with carbon number of 3n. An increase in hydrocarbons (aromatics + olefins) demonstrated the existence of strong catalytic interactions between biomass-derived components and PP in the presence of HZSM-5 zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional fabrics with antibacterial performance are more welcome nowadays. However, the fabrication of functional fabrics with durable, steady performance via a cost-effective way remains a challenge. Polypropylene (denoted as PP) nonwoven fabric was modified by polyvinyl alcohol (denoted as PVA), followed by the in-situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (denoted as Ag NPs) to afford PVA-modified and Ag NPs-loaded PP (denoted as Ag/PVA/PP) fabric. The encapsulation of PP fiber by PVA coating contributes to greatly enhancing the adhesion of the loaded Ag NPs to the PP fiber, and the Ag/PVA/PP nonwoven fabrics exhibit significantly improved mechanical properties as well as excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (coded as E. coli). Typically, the Ag/PVA/PP nonwoven fabric obtained at a silver ammonia concentration of 30 mM has the best mechanical properties and the antibacterial rate reaches 99.99% against E. coli. The fabric retains excellent antibacterial activity even after washing for 40 cycles, showing prospects in reuse. Moreover, the Ag/PVA/PP nonwoven fabric could find promising application in industry, thanks to its desired air-permeability and moisture-permeability. In addition, we developed a roll-to-roll production process and conducted preliminary exploration to verify the feasibility of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The secondary prevention trials of Alzheimer's disease (AD) require an enrichment strategy to recruit individuals with imminent cognitive decline at the preclinical stage. Previously, we demonstrated a variant neural correlates of episodic memory (EM) function in apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers. Herein, we investigated whether this variation was associated with longitudinal EM performance. This 3-year longitudinal study included 88 normal elderly subjects with EM assessment and resting-state functional MRI data at baseline; 48 subjects (27 ε3 homozygotes and 21 ε4 carriers) underwent follow-up EM assessment. In the identified EM neural correlates, multivariable regression models examined the association between hippocampal functional connectivity (HFC) and longitudinal EM change. Independent validation was performed using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. At baseline, the EM neural correlates were characterized in the Papez circuit regions in the ε3 homozygotes, but in the sensorimotor cortex and cuneus in the ε4 carriers. Longitudinally, the ε4 carriers exhibited a negative association of the baseline HFC strength in the EM neural correlates with annual rate of EM change (R2 = 0.25, p = 0.05). This association also showed a trend in the ADNI dataset (R2 = 0.42, p = 0.06). These results indicate that hippocampal hyperconnectivity in the variant EM neural correlates is associated with imminent EM decline in ε4 carriers, which may serve as a promising enrichment strategy for secondary prevention trials of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine kinds of carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by using fruits with different varieties as carbon sources; meanwhile, the fluorescence characteristics, quantum yield, and response ability to different metal ions and free radicals were systematically studied. These CDs showed similar excitation and emission spectral ranges (λex ≈ 345 nm, λem ≈ 435 nm), but very different fluorescence quantum yield (QY), in which orange and cantaloupe CDs have the highest QY around 0.25 and green plum CDs showed the lowest quantum yield around 0.1. Interestingly, the fluorescence of all of these CDs can be significantly quenched by hydroxyl radical (•OH) and iron ion (Fe3+); however, these CDs showed very different response characteristics to other metal ions (e.g., Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Ce3+, Mn2+, Ag+, and Fe2+). Through in-depth analysis, we found some interesting patterns of the influence of carbon sources on the fluorescence characteristics of CDs. Finally, by using white pitaya CDs as fluorescence probe, we realized sensing of Fe3+ and •OH with limits of detection (LOD) of 19.4 μM and 0.7 μM, respectively. Moreover, the CDs were also capable for sensitive detection in immune cells and even in zebrafishes. Our work can provide valuable guidance for the rational design of functional CDs for biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of de-rotational distal femoral osteotomy (DDFO) in patients who underwent primary medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) failure with increased femoral anteversion along with high-grade J sign. Methods: Between 2011 and 2019, 14 patients underwent DDFO revision surgery due to failed MPFLR. The pre- and postoperative J sign grade, Caton-Deschamps index (CDI), tibial tuberosity–trochlear groove (TT–TG) distance, femoral anteversion angle (FAA), patellar lateral tilt angle (PLTA), MPFL graft laxity, and patient-reported outcomes (Kujala, Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective scores) were collected. The anterior–posterior and proximal–distal distances between the actual point and the Schöttle point were also calculated. Results: Fourteen patients underwent MPFLR revision by DDFO combined with MPFLR. The mean PLTA improved from 40.7° ± 11.9° to 20.5° ± 8.7° (P < 0.001). The mean FAA significantly decreased from 42.7° ± 12.0° to 14.1° ± 5.2° (P < 0.001). The mean patellar laxity index (PLI) decreased from 82.4% preoperatively to 15.1% postoperatively (P < 0.001). None of these patients experienced subluxation or re-dislocation during follow-up of 29.7 ± 5.0 months after revision surgery. Meanwhile, the Tegner score at the last follow-up ranged from 3 to 6, with a median of 5. The Kujala, Lysholm, and IKDC subjective scores showed significant improvements, from a mean of 51.0 ± 6.8 preoperatively to 75.4 ± 5.1 postoperatively (P < 0.001), 49.2 ± 7.9 to 75.2 ± 7.2 (P < 0.001), and 42.9 ± 6.2 to 76.8 ± 6.0 (P < 0.001), respectively. The proportion of patients with a high-grade J sign was significantly lower postoperatively than preoperatively (100% vs. 14%). Four out of 14 patients (29%) showed femoral tunnel mal-positioning. Conclusion: MPFLR revision by DDFO combined with MPFLR achieved favorable clinical outcomes in patients with increased femoral anteversion along with high-grade J sign. Level of evidence: IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a reading comprehension task, we explored whether body postures would influence mind wandering, a universal internally self-generated activity. Specifically, participants were instructed to perform a reading comprehension task under three postural conditions (lying supine, sitting, and standing upright). Probe-caught technique with prompts presented at irregular intervals was adapted to measure the frequency of mind wandering. Self-caught method was used to measure the meta-awareness of mind wandering by self-reports. Results indicated that the radio of mind wandering was significantly greater in lying than standing and sitting, but the meta-awareness of it was not different among three postures. Moreover, the reading performance, an indirect indicator of executive control, decreased in lying compared to standing and sitting. We suggested that the increase of mind wandering in lying posture may due to the dysfunction of executive control, which also results in the redistribution of cognitive resources. Suggestions for future research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rarefied gas flows triggered by temperature fields in the system of microbeams are numerically analyzed to investigate the effects of wall materials (surface accommodation coefficients) and roughness on the gas flow, pressure, Knudsen (thermal) force, and thermal characteristics. The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method coupled with the Cercignani–Lampis (CL) gas–surface interaction model imposed on the walls is applied. The variation in wall materials is achieved by changing normal energy accommodation coefficient (NEAC) and tangential momentum accommodation coefficient (TMAC). Moreover, the wall roughness is configured with a series of rectangular obstructions. The results indicate that the macroscopic characteristics of the gas flow are sensitive to the wall materials and wall roughness. Whether the surface of cold beam is rough or not, Knudsen force exhibits an approximately linear increase as NEAC reduces, but nonlinearly decreases with TMAC reducing. In particular, Knudsen force increases by approximately 3.21, 4.41, and 18.23 times at pressures of 155 Pa, 387 Pa, and 966 Pa, respectively, when NEAC varies from 1 to 0. However, Knudsen force can be reversed when TMAC ranges between 1 and 0 (or 2). At the same time, surface roughness weakens the effects of wall materials on Knudsen force. Regarding the variation in Knudsen force owing to the decrease in NEAC (or TMAC), a large Knudsen force is obtained corresponding to the cold beam with smooth (or rough) surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (lactic acid)/thermoplastic polyurethane (PLA/TPU) ductile fibrous porous material was obtained by electrospinning, which has better mechanical properties than pure PLA fibrous material. The effects of TPU on the morphology, hydrophobicity, thermal and mechanical properties of the porous fibrous material were studied. After adding TPU, the fiber diameter increased significantly. The static water contact angle of electrospinning fiber decreased as TPU increased. The addition of TPU reduced the crystallinity of the material, but the crystallinity built up over the rise of TPU. TPU substantially improved the toughness of the material, and the PLA/TPU strain energy can be enhanced by nearly 17 times. When the PLA/TPU mass ratio was 10, the maximum tensile strength could reach 9.2 MPa, and if the mass ratio is 20, it holds the highest elongation at break of 153.1%. The preparation of electrospun PLA ductile porous material would be a reliable foundation for broadening the application range of PLA fibrous material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]