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Abstract Background Lung cancer is one of the most frequent cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide with poor prognosis. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS4) is crucial in the regulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), impacting its formation, homeostasis and remodeling, and has been linked to cancer progression. However, the specific involvement of ADAMTS4 in the development of lung cancer remains unclear. Methods ADAMTS4 expression was identified in human lung cancer samples by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and the correlation of ADAMTS4 with clinical outcome was determined. The functional impact of ADAMTS4 on malignant phenotypes of lung cancer cells was explored both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms underlying ADAMTS4-mediated lung cancer progression were explored by ubiquitination-related assays. Results Our study revealed a significant upregulation of ADAMTS4 at the protein level in lung cancer tissues compared to para-carcinoma normal tissues. High ADAMTS4 expression inversely correlated with the prognosis of lung cancer patients. Knockdown of ADAMTS4 inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells, as well as the tubule formation of HUVECs, while ADAMTS4 overexpression exerted opposite effects. Mechanistically, we found that ADAMTS4 stabilized c-Myc by inhibiting its ubiquitination, thereby promoting the in vitro and in vivo growth of lung cancer cells and inducing HUVECs tubule formation in lung cancer. In addition, our results suggested that ADAMTS4 overexpression activated MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusions We highlighted the promoting role of ADAMTS4 in lung cancer progression and proposed ADAMTS4 as a promising therapeutic target for lung cancer patients.

Abstract This commentary article explores the impact of ChatGPT on Urban Planning Ph.D. programs within universities in the United States. Our survey reveals a high awareness of Artificial Intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT) among faculty yet highlights a cautious approach to integrating ChatGPT into curricula and preliminary exam settings. While some educators recognize ChatGPT’s potential to enhance research efficiency and language proficiency, especially for international students, concerns about academic integrity and the over-reliance on AI are prevalent. The commentary underscores the need for a balanced approach, advocating for ChatGPT’s use as a supplementary tool while maintaining critical thinking in doctoral preliminary exams.

Abstract The safety of energy storage devices is increasingly crucial due to the growing requirements for application under harsh conditions. Effective methods for enhancing robustness without compromising functionality are necessary. Here we present an impact-resistant, ready-to-use supercapacitor constructed from self-healable hydrogel electrolyte-infused lattice electrodes. Three-dimensional-printed carbon-coated silicon oxycarbide current collectors provide mechanical protection, with compressive stress, Young’s modulus, and energy absorption up to 70.61 MPa, 2.75 GPa, and 92.15 kJ/m3, respectively. Commercially viable polyaniline and self-healable polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel are used as active coatings and electrolytes. I-wrapped package structured supercapacitor electrode exhibits a static specific capacitance of 585.51 mF/cm3 at 3 mA/cm3, with an energy density of 97.63 μWh/cm3 at a power density of 0.5 mW/cm3. It maintains operational integrity under extreme conditions, including post-impact with energy of 0.3 J/cm3, dynamic loading ranging from 0 to 18.83 MPa, and self-healing after electrolyte damage, demonstrating its promise for applications in extreme environments.

Currently, the development in shell-based lattice, is increasingly focused on multifunctionality, with growing interest in combining sound and energy absorption. However, few studies have explored the multi-objective inverse design process. Herein, we propose a new approach using machine learning (ML) to optimise both the mechanical and acoustic performances of shell-based lattices. Firstly, the K-Nearest Neighbour and Artificial Neural Network are employed to predict the properties of different configurations. Then the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is employed to generate the desired structures. Finally, the lightweight metamaterials generated achieve optimal multifunctional performances (an energy absorption capacity of 50% higher than typical Gyroid structure and a sound absorption coefficient near 1 at specific frequency band). Besides, the potential trade-off phenomenon of mechanical and acoustic properties is also presented by our work. Overall, this work presents a new concept to use ML and genetic algorithm for multi-functional inverse design for shell lattice metamaterials.

ABSTRACTThe increasingly distressing problem of noise pollution prompts the rapid research and development of lattice-based acoustic materials for practical applications. These lattices boast excellent mechanical properties and unlimited design freedom made possible using additive manufacturing technologies. Currently, there is a lack of analytical mathematical models relating the lattice geometry to the acoustic models and the absence of software dedicated to the acoustic modelling of strut lattice-based sound absorbers. This work presents LattSAC, an acoustics calculator that takes in all the geometrical parameters of the lattice structure and outputs directly the sound absorption coefficients (SAC) and their statistics. Hidden within the code is the novel Multi-layered Micropore-Cavity (MMC) model with semi-empirical mathematical models well-trained using experimental data to output the SACs with excellent accuracies. This software aims to accelerate the research and development of lattice-based acoustic absorbers for actual applications. It also functions as a valuable tool for users looking to design sound-absorbing materials using lattice structures. The software installer may be downloaded for free from the following GitHub repository: https://github.com/JunWeiChua/LattSAC. If there are any suggestions or contributions, the user may write to zhaiweigroup@gmail.com.

ABSTRACTEnhancing energy absorption in mechanical metamaterials has been a focal point in structural design. Traditional methods often include introducing heterogeneity across unit cells. Herein, we propose a straightforward ribbed strategy to achieve exceptional energy absorption. We demonstrate our concept through modified body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) ribbed truss-lattice metamaterials (BCCR and FCCR). Using stainless-steel 316L samples, compression tests indicate a 111% and 91% increase in specific energy absorption (SEA) for BCCR and FCCR, respectively, along with an enhancement in compression strength by 61.8% and 40.7%. Deformation mechanisms are comprehensively elucidated through both finite element analysis and theoretical calculations. The mitigation of stress concentration at nodes, redistribution of load transfer pathways within struts, and introduction of multiple plastic hinges collectively contribute to increased energy absorption and higher compression strength. Using rein-based polymer samples, the ribbed truss-lattice metamaterials also exhibit exceptional damage tolerance, experiencing only a 15% loss in maximum strength after cyclic compression at 20% strain, while maintaining a 73% higher SEA compared to their non-ribbed counterpart. This strategy extends beyond the discussed structures, presenting itself as a generic approach to enhance plateau strength and SEA.

Abstract Lattice materials are an emerging family of advanced engineering materials with unique advantages for lightweight applications. However, the mechanical behaviors of lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities are still not well understood, and this severely limits their lightweighting potential. Here, a high‐precision micro‐laser powder bed fusion technique is dveloped that enables the fabrication of metallic lattices with a relative density range much wider than existing studies. This technique allows to confirm that cubic lattices in compression undergo a yielding‐to‐buckling failure mode transition at low relative densities, and this transition fundamentally changes the usual strength ranking from plate > shell > truss at high relative densities to shell > plate > truss or shell > truss > plate at low relative densities. More importantly, it is shown that increasing bending energy ratio in the lattice through imperfections such as slightly‐corrugated geometries can significantly enhance the stability and strength of lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities. This counterintuitive result suggests a new way for designing ultra‐lightweight lattice materials at ultra‐low relative densities.

The development of high-energy-density Li-ion batteries is hindered by the irreversible capacity loss during the initial charge-discharge process. Therefore, pre-lithiation technology has emerged in the past few decades as a powerful method to supplement the undesired lithium loss, thereby maximizing the energy utilization of LIBs and extending their cycle life. Lithium oxalate (Li2C2O4), with a high lithium content and excellent air stability, has been considered one of the most promising materials for lithium compensation. However, the sluggish electrochemical decomposition kinetics of the material severely hinders its further commercial application. Here, we introduce a recrystallization strategy combined with atomic Ni catalysts to modulate the mass transport and decomposition reaction kinetics. The decomposition potential of Li2C2O4 is significantly decreased from ∼4.90V to ∼4.30V with a high compatibility with the current battery systems. In compared to the bare NCM//Li cell, the Ni/N-rGO and Li2C2O4 composite (Ni-LCO) modified cell releases an extra capacity of ∼11.7 ​%. Moreover, this ratio can be magnified in the NCM//SiOx full cell, resulting in a 30.4 ​% higher reversible capacity. Overall, this work brings the catalytic paradigm into the pre-lithiation technology, which opens another window for the development of high-energy-density battery systems.

Abstract Fabrication of composite hydrogels can effectively enhance the mechanical and functional properties of conventional hydrogels. While ceramic reinforcement is common in many hard biological tissues, ceramic-reinforced hydrogels lack a similar natural prototype for bioinspiration. This raises a key question: How can we still attain bioinspired mechanical mechanisms in composite hydrogels without mimicking a specific composition and structure? Abstracting the hierarchical composite design principles of natural materials, this study proposes a hierarchical fabrication strategy for ceramic-reinforced organo-hydrogels, featuring (1) aligned ceramic platelets through direct-ink-write printing, (2) poly(vinyl alcohol) organo-hydrogel matrix reinforced by solution substitution, and (3) silane-treated platelet-matrix interfaces. Unit filaments are further printed into a selection of bioinspired macro-architectures, leading to high stiffness, strength, and toughness (fracture energy up to 31.1 kJ/m2), achieved through synergistic multi-scale energy dissipation. The materials also exhibit wide operation tolerance and electrical conductivity for flexible electronics in mechanically demanding conditions. Hence, this study demonstrates a model strategy that extends the fundamental design principles of natural materials to fabricate composite hydrogels with synergistic mechanical and functional enhancement.

Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a substantial pathology of the urinary system with a growing prevalence rate. However, current clinical methods have limitations for managing RCC due to the heterogeneity manifestations of the disease. Metabolic analyses are regarded as a preferred noninvasive approach in clinics, which can substantially benefit the characterization of RCC. This study constructs a nanoparticle‐enhanced laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (NELDI MS) to analyze metabolic fingerprints of renal tumors (n = 456) and healthy controls (n = 200). The classification models yielded the areas under curves (AUC) of 0.938 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.884–0.967) for distinguishing renal tumors from healthy controls, 0.850 for differentiating malignant from benign tumors (95% CI, 0.821–0.915), and 0.925–0.932 for classifying subtypes of RCC (95% CI, 0.821–0.915). For the early stage of RCC subtypes, the averaged diagnostic sensitivity of 90.5% and specificity of 91.3% in the test set is achieved. Metabolic biomarkers are identified as the potential indicator for subtype diagnosis (p

Interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) can combine the distinctive properties of two materials, and customized manufacturing processes are applied to design reinforced skeletons in IPCs. In this study, a porous ceramic featuring diverse structural regions with different direction-aligned pore channels is fabricated by multi-directional freeze-casting. The size of samples can be efficiently adjusted by controlling the size and amount of freezing sources. After infiltration, the resulting multi-directional freeze-casting ceramic/polymer composite (MFCC) has isotropic and satisfactory mechanical properties. Meanwhile, it remains lightweight and performs the highest specific strength (66.7 kN m/kg) and specific energy absorption (19.2 kJ/kg) among tested materials. The vertical-aligned structural regions are responsible for the robust strength, and horizontal-aligned regions prompt energy absorption capacity. Radial-aligned regions induce slant crack propagation and alignment shift between two regions leads to crack deflection, further enhancing energy absorption capacity. Additionally, the MFCC samples with different sizes or pore sizes, demonstrate isotropic thermal conductivity due to the multi-directional alignment of ceramic walls, which provide efficient thermal pathways across different directions. The MFCC and its structural design are promising for enhancing material performance, especially in applications where isotropic mechanical properties and thermal conductivity are important.

Background: Anxiety refers to the pathological persistence and intensification of emotional responses to danger, affecting health from psychological and physical aspects. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter involved in the onset of anxiety. Methods and Results: To explore the biological changes in the formation of anxiety in crustaceans under the regulation of serotonin, we applied the open field-like test method for assessing anxiety states of larval Portunus trituberculatus, a highly aggressive crustacean species with a more simple neural structure compared with rodents and mammals. Compared with the control group, serotonin treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the time spent by the larvae in the central zone, suggesting anxiety-like behavior. Clonazepam treatment reversed this result and provided further evidence that the behavior of larval P. trituberculatus displayed anxiety. Moreover, a non-targeted metabolomic analysis found a significant alteration in the metabolites involved in tryptophan metabolism pathways associated with anxiety, including L-kynurenine, N-acetyl serotonin, and serotonin. These metabolites are involved in the serotonin pathway, the kynurenine pathway, and other pathways that affect anxiety through tryptophan metabolism. There were no significant differences in tryptophan metabolism levels between the control and clonazepam treatment groups. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the possible existence of anxiety-like behavior in the larvae of P. trituberculatus from two perspectives. Being a species with a simpler neural structure than that of mammals, the larvae of P. trituberculatus offer a convenient model for studying the mechanisms of anxiety in crustaceans.

Background A combination of axitinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) demonstrated promising efficacy in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study aims to prospectively evaluate the safety, efficacy, and biomarkers of neoadjuvant toripalimab plus axitinib in non-metastatic clear cell RCC.Methods This is a single-institution, single-arm phase II clinical trial. Patients with non-metastatic biopsy-proven clear cell RCC (T2-T3N0-1M0) are enrolled. Patients will receive axitinib 5 mg twice daily combined with toripalimab 240 mg every 3 weeks (three cycles) for up to 12 weeks. Patients then will receive partial (PN) or radical nephrectomy (RN) after neoadjuvant therapy. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints include disease-free survival, safety, and perioperative complication rate. Predictive biomarkers are involved in exploratory analysis.Results A total of 20 patients were enrolled in the study, with 19 of them undergoing surgery. One patient declined surgery. The primary endpoint ORR was 45%. The posterior distribution of πORR had a mean of 0.44 (95% credible intervals: 0.24–0.64), meeting the predefined primary endpoint with an ORR of 32%. Tumor shrinkage was observed in 95% of patients prior to nephrectomy. Furthermore, four patients achieved a pathological complete response. Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 25% of patients, including hypertension, hyperglycemia, glutamic pyruvic transaminase/glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (ALT/AST) increase, and proteinuria. Postoperatively, one grade 4a and eight grade 1–2 complications were noted. In comparison to patients with stable disease, responders exhibited significant differences in immune factors such as Arginase 1(ARG1), Melanoma antigen (MAGEs), Dendritic Cell (DC), TNF Superfamily Member 13 (TNFSF13), Apelin Receptor (APLNR), and C-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 3 Like 1 (CCL3-L1). The limitation of this trial was the small sample size.Conclusion Neoadjuvant toripalimab combined with axitinib shows encouraging activity and acceptable toxicity in locally advanced clear cell RCC and warrants further study.Trial registration number clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04118855.

Abstract Background A lot of kitchen waste oil is produced every day worldwide, leading to serious environmental pollution. As one of the environmental protection methods, microorganisms are widely used treating of various wastes. Lipase, as one of the cleaning agents can effectively degrade kitchen waste oil. The composting process of pig carcasses produces many lipase producing microorganisms, rendering compost products an excellent source for isolating lipase producing microorganisms. To our knowledge, there are no reports isolating of lipase producing strains from the high temperature phase of pig carcass compost. Methodology Lipase producing strains were isolated using a triglyceride medium and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The optimal fermentation conditions for maximum lipase yield were gradually optimized by single-factor tests. The extracellular lipase was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephadex G-75 gel isolation chromatography. Amino acid sequence analysis, structure prediction, and molecular docking of the purified protein were performed. The pure lipase's enzymatic properties and application potential were evaluated by characterizing its biochemical properties. Results In this study, a lipase producing strain of Bacillus sp. ZF2 was isolated from pig carcass compost products, the optimal fermentation conditions of lipase: sucrose 3 g/L, ammonium sulfate 7 g/L, Mn2+ 1.0 mmol/L, initial pH 6, inoculum 5%, temperature 25 ℃, and fermentation time 48 h. After purification, the specific activity of the purified lipase reached 317.59 U/mg, a 9.78-fold improvement. Lipase had the highest similarity to the GH family 46 chitosanase and molecular docking showed that lipase binds to fat via two hydrogen bonds at Gln146 (A) and Glu203 (A). Under different conditions (temperature, metal ions, organic solvents, and surfactants), lipase can maintain enzymatic activity. Under different types of kitchen oils, lipase has low activity only for ‘chicken oil’, in treating other substrates, the enzyme activity can exceed 50%. Conclusions This study reveals the potential of lipase for waste oil removal, and future research will be devoted to the application of lipase.

Abstract As cities increasingly look for sustainable transportation options to alleviate congestion and solve the “first mile, last mile” problem, micro-transit has emerged as a promising solution. However, to ensure the long-term success of micro-transit programs, it’s essential to establish sustainable funding strategies. This research aims to investigate what factors influence people’s willingness to pay for micro-transit, with a particular focus on their perceptions of climate change and their commuting experiences. Additionally, the study explores the differences in experiences between current micro-transit users and non-users. Using the Downtowner service in downtown Tampa as a case study, we conducted online surveys in July 2020, gathering responses from 706 micro-transit users and 311 non-users. We then applied statistical analysis to understand the factors affecting willingness to pay. This study sheds light on the relatively underexplored topic of willingness to pay for micro-transit and its connection to climate change perceptions, contributing to existing research. Furthermore, recognizing differences in preferences between these groups provides valuable insights for tailoring strategies to encourage willingness to pay. As policymakers and transportation agencies aim to combat climate change and promote sustainable transportation, understanding these factors becomes increasingly important for developing effective and eco-friendly mobility solutions.

Abstract Background Cisplatin (CDDP) is a common anticancer drug whose side effects limit its clinical applications. Tannins (TA) are plant-derived polyphenols that inhibit tumor growth in different types of cancer. Here, we evaluated the anticancer effect of TA combined with CDDP on lung cancer cell lines (GLC-82 and H1299) and investigated the underlying molecular mechanism of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis. Methods Cell lines were treated with CDDP, TA, and CDDP + TA, and the effect of the combination was assessed using MTT assay and observed under light and fluorescence microscopes. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and the levels of ERS apoptosis pathway related genes were valuated by qRT-PCR and western blotting. The effects of the drug combination on the tumors of nude mice injected with H1299 cells were investigated, and the expression of key factors in the ER stress apoptotic pathway was investigated. Results The combination of CDDP and TA significantly inhibited lung cancer cell viability indicating a synergistic antitumoral effect. The mRNA and protein expression levels of key ER stress factors in the CDDP + TA group were considerably higher than those in the CDDP and TA groups, the tumor volume in tumor-bearing mice was the smallest, and the number of apoptotic cells and the protein expression levels of the key ER stress in the combination group were considerably higher. Conclusions The combination of TA and CDDP may produce synergistic antitumoral effects mediated by the PERK-ATF4-CHOP apoptotic axis, suggesting a novel adjuvant treatment for lung cancer.

This study assesses the commonly adopted adaptation planning strategies of infrastructures in Northwest Florida (USA) based on economic analysis under different objective years. Specifically, the economic analysis considers both direct and indirect impacts of sea level rise by deploying the interdependence of infrastructures. We demonstrate the difference and significance of considering indirect economic impacts in the process of cost-benefit analysis under sea level rise. Based on the results, we recommend that the most effective strategy is partial protection of land use plus inundated transportation network upgrade, even though the total shoreline protection can make more benefits. Furthermore, we compare the performance of objective planning year from two criteria: total benefits and cost-effectiveness. The result indicates that the year 2080 could be the most economical if it is set as the objective year for the long-term infrastructure planning. The result also highlights that the economic analysis of infrastructure should be conducted over time since the total costs are distributed over many years. It is not to say that the farther the year is, the more effectiveness the strategy would be, although the total benefits would be greater.

This study investigates the dynamics of innovation element flows among metropolitan areas and examines the underlying proximity mechanisms that are crucial for elevating urban agglomerations’ innovation levels and spurring their development. Utilizing collaborative publication and patent data, this research constructs knowledge and technological innovation networks within the Nanjing metropolitan area (NMA) from 2013 to 2020. It analyzes the evolution of network structures and applies the Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure to discern the proximity mechanisms driving the urban innovation networks’ evolution in NMA. The main findings are as follows: (1) The knowledge collaborations within NMA cities remain largely confined to cities within Jiangsu province, whereas the technological collaborations are shifting from intra-province to cross-province cooperation. (2) Both knowledge and technological innovation networks display a “core-periphery” configuration, with Nanjing maintaining a dominant central position. The scale of the KIN surpasses that of the TIN, while the latter’s growth rate outpaces the former’s. Technological collaborations demonstrate more pronounced spillover effects than their knowledge counterparts. (3) At the metropolitan area level, organizational, social, cognitive, and technological proximities exert varying degrees of influence on innovation cooperation among different innovation entities across various years. Cognitive proximity exhibits the most substantial explanatory power. Based on these findings, the study proposes relevant policy recommendations for constructing an innovative NMA and promoting collaborative innovation development among cities within the NMA.

Abstract The reduction of noises, achieved through absorption, is of paramount importance to the well‐being of both humans and machines. Lattice structures, defined as architectured porous solids arranged in repeating patterns, are emerging as advanced sound‐absorbing materials. Their immense design freedom allows for customizable pore morphology and interconnectivity, enabling the design of specific absorption properties. Thus far, the sound absorption performance of various types of lattice structures are studied and they demonstrated favorable properties compared to conventional materials. Herein, this review gives a thorough overview on the current research status, and characterizations for lattice structures in terms of acoustics is proposed. Till date, there are four main sound absorption mechanisms associated with lattice structures. Despite their complexity, lattice structures can be accurately modelled using acoustical impedance models that focus on critical acoustical geometries. Four defining features: morphology, relative density, cell size, and number of cells, have significant influences on the acoustical geometries and hence sound wave dissipation within the lattice. Drawing upon their structural‐property relationships, a classification of lattice structures into three distinct types in terms of acoustics is proposed. It is proposed that future attentions can be placed on new design concepts, advanced materials selections, and multifunctionalities.

Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a prevalent malignancy with a rising incidence in developing countries. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) constitutes 70% of RCC cases and is prone to metastasis and recurrence, yet lacks a liquid biomarker for surveillance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promise as biomarkers in various malignancies. In this study, we investigated the potential of serum EV-derived miRNAs as a biomarker for ccRCC metastasis and recurrence. Materials and methods Patients diagnosed with ccRCC between 2017 and 2020 were recruited in this study. In the discovery phase, high throughput small RNA sequencing was used to analyze RNA extracted from serum EVs derived from localized ccRCC (LccRCC) and advanced ccRCC (AccRCC). In the validation phase, qPCR was employed for quantitative detection of candidate biomarkers. Migration and invasion assays were performed on ccRCC cell line OSRC2. Results Serum EVs derived hsa-miR-320d was significantly up-regulated in patients with AccRCC than in patients with LccRCC (p

Abstract Epitaxial growth is one of the most commonly used strategies to precisely tailor heterostructures with well-defined compositions, morphologies, crystal phases, and interfaces for various applications. However, as epitaxial growth requires a small interfacial lattice mismatch between the components, it remains a challenge for the epitaxial synthesis of heterostructures constructed by materials with large lattice mismatch and/or different chemical bonding, especially the noble metal-semiconductor heterostructures. Here, we develop a noble metal-seeded epitaxial growth strategy to prepare highly symmetrical noble metal-semiconductor branched heterostructures with desired spatial configurations, i.e., twenty CdS (or CdSe) nanorods epitaxially grown on twenty exposed (111) facets of Ag icosahedral nanocrystal, albeit a large lattice mismatch (more than 40%). Importantly, a high quantum yield (QY) of plasmon-induced hot-electron transferred from Ag to CdS was observed in epitaxial Ag-CdS icosapods (18.1%). This work demonstrates that epitaxial growth can be achieved in heterostructures composed of materials with large lattice mismatches. The constructed epitaxial noble metal-semiconductor interfaces could be an ideal platform for investigating the role of interfaces in various physicochemical processes.

The detection of seismic activity precursors as part of an alarm system will provide opportunities for minimization of the social and economic impact caused by earthquakes. It has long been envisaged, and a growing body of empirical evidence suggests that the Earth’s electromagnetic field could contain precursors to seismic events. The ability to capture and monitor electromagnetic field activity has increased in the past years as more sensors and methodologies emerge. Missions such as Swarm have enabled researchers to access near-continuous observations of electromagnetic activity at second intervals, allowing for more detailed studies on weather and earthquakes. In this paper, we present an approach designed to detect anomalies in electromagnetic field data from Swarm satellites. This works towards developing a continuous and effective monitoring system of seismic activities based on SWARM measurements. We develop an enhanced form of a probabilistic model based on the Martingale theories that allow for testing the null hypothesis to indicate abnormal changes in electromagnetic field activity. We evaluate this enhanced approach in two experiments. Firstly, we perform a quantitative comparison on well-understood and popular benchmark datasets alongside the conventional approach. We find that the enhanced version produces more accurate anomaly detection overall. Secondly, we use three case studies of seismic activity (namely, earthquakes in Mexico, Greece, and Croatia) to assess our approach and the results show that our method can detect anomalous phenomena in the electromagnetic data.

Precise Point Positioning (PPP), coupled with the ambiguity resolution (AR) method, has demonstrated substantial potential in fields like agricultural navigation and airborne mapping. However, there remains a notable deficiency in the comprehensive comparative evaluation of its performance when using rapid and real-time satellite products, especially for mass low-cost receivers. Stations equipped with geodetic and low-cost receivers are analyzed in kinematic and static mode. In the kinematic mode, the GPS+Galileo-combined PPP, employing ambiguity fixing with “WHU” rapid products, achieves the highest positioning accuracy of 0.9 cm, 0.9 cm, and 2.6 cm in the North, East, and Up components, respectively. Real-time PPP using “CNT” products attains accuracies of 2.1 cm, 2.7 cm, and 4.8 cm for these components, utilizing GPS ambiguity-fixed PPP. BDS positioning accuracy is inferior to standalone GPS, but improves when the number of visible BDS satellites exceeds 10. Convergence time analysis shows that approximately 38.2 min are required for single GPS or BDS PPP using the “WHU” products and geodetic receivers, which can be reduced to 18.5 min for dual-system combinations and further to 14.8 min for triple-system combinations. The time can be further reduced by ambiguity fixing. In the static mode, multi-GNSS combination does not significantly impact convergence times, which are more influenced by the precision of the products used. Real-time products require approximately 22 min to achieve horizontal accuracy below 0.1 m, while rapid products reach this accuracy within 10 min. For PPP using low-cost GNSS receivers, more than two hours are necessary to achieve an accuracy better than 0.1 m for kinematic PPP, which is considerably longer than the convergence time observed at MGEX stations. However, the accuracy achieved after convergence, as well as the performance of static PPP, is comparable to that of MGEX stations.

ABSTRACTMetallic lattice structures based on triply periodic minimum surfaces (TPMS) have attracted extensive attention for their potential application in lightweight and energy absorption. The underlying phenomena, mechanisms and modelling under the crushing responses from quasi-static to shock conditions still remain to be revealed. This work systematically investigates the mechanical behaviour of graded additively Schoen-F-RD (FRD) lattice structures under various loading rates. Under dynamic compression, FRD lattices exhibit the ability to withstand larger densification strains at higher plateau strengths, thus, holding enhanced energy absorption capabilities. At medium strain rates, it is the rate-dependence of lattice base material dominates in the strength enhancement, while, at higher strain rates, the role of inertia effect becomes notable. Furthermore, an empirical formula is introduced to predict the shock stress responses. Finally, constitutive models with strain-rates are proposed for the uniform and graded lattices. These findings can provide excellent guidance on the design of energy-absorbing structures.

Dental implants are key components in treating dental diseases and correcting dental defects, and they have gained widespread utilisation in various medical operations. However, traditional screw thread implants have been associated with certain drawbacks, including issues such as poor consistency with the alveolar bone and difficulty in customisation. Root analogue implants (RAI) are considered a promising substitute; however, they are not widely applied until now as their geometry design needs more improvements. The utilisation of porous structures, such as triply periodic minimal surfaces, in dental implants can reduce the elastic modulus, increase interconnectivity, and allow for strictly controllable structural characteristics. To achieve optimal initial and long-term stability, it is essential to have a moderate geometry that promotes a proper fit between the dental implants and the natural bone. Different porous and macro-retention structures of RAIs have been investigated due to the above two demands. However, owing to their complex porosity, such structures can only be effectively manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques. Various additive manufacturing technologies have been employed for the fabrication of dental implants and have provided good surface quality and mechanical properties. In vivo tests have demonstrated that their performance is similar to that of commercial implants fabricated using subtractive manufacturing techniques. In this review, we comprehensively examine the design concepts and processes involved in the development of dental implants, along with the application of additive manufacturing methods for their fabrication, while also offering recommendations for the future advancement of dental implant designs.

It is of significance, but still remains a key challenge, to attain excellent sound-absorbing and mechanical properties in a material simultaneously. To overcome this challenge, herein, novel multifunctional microlattice metamaterials based on a hollow truss-plate hybrid design are proposed and then realised by digital light processing 3D printing. Quasi-perfect sound absorption ($\alpha$ > 0.999) and broadband half-absorption have been measured. The sound-absorbing capacity is verified to be based on the designed cascaded Helmholtz-like resonators. Physical mechanisms behind the absorptive behaviours are fully revealed by numerical analyses. The present microlattices also display superior modulus and strength to the conventional cellular materials and modified microlattices, which is attributed to their near-membrane stress state of the plate architecture. The mechanically robust behaviour of the present microlattices in turn derives from the hollow struts. This work represents an effective approach for the design and engineering of multifunctional metamaterials through 3D printing.

A high-speed imaging technique was used to observe the phase separation process of water (H2O)-20 %succinonitrile (SCN) immiscible solution within ultrasound field. Combining with numerical simulation, the effects of ultrasonic cavitation and acoustic streaming on the fragmentation and migration of secondary droplets were revealed. It was found that the previously spherical or near-spherical secondary H2O-rich droplets formed under static condition were dynamically transformed into several novel forms, such as tadpole-like, string-beads, gourd-like, and threadlike patterns. The calculated results showed that the cavitation could fragment micron-scale H2O-rich droplets because of the produced higher shock wave pressure than the droplets’ Laplace pressure, and the subsequent droplet morphology evolution mainly depended on the liquid ejection volume determined by the distance between the droplets and the collapsing bubbles. Meanwhile, acoustic streaming, which generated shear force exceeding the surface tension of H2O-rich phase, stretched, split and finally fractured millimeter-sized or even larger secondary droplets into several smaller spherical sub-droplets. In comparison, the observed secondary droplet distribution characteristics in H2O-20 %SCN solution were similar to the Bi-rich particles in the ultrasonic solidification microstructures of Al-30 %Bi immiscible alloy, confirming that this work provided a deep understanding of the liquid phase separation mechanism within ultrasonic field.

With noises being omnipresent in the modern society, sound-insulating materials are implemented in almost all walks of life. For implementations in practical applications, those that are air-ventilating and mechanically robust are highly sought-after. Herein, we present a novel concept of using lattice structures as potential ventilated sound-insulating structural materials. Focusing on a superimposed tubular and plate morphology, using a defined geometrical factor, a wide range of elastic properties can be achieved. For the isotropic lattice consisting of three layers at a cell size of 20 mm, experimentally measured, a maximum sound attenuation occurs at 1810 Hz with a high intensity of 32 dB. Past 5000 Hz, another strong attenuation band appears. Being porous, the lattice is highly ventilating with 35% of the airflow retainable. Through numerical simulations, the attenuation mechanisms are found to attribute to local Helmholtz resonance and Bragg scattering, successively. Discretizing the lattice microstructure, we propose a microstructure-based analytical model that can be used to predict and design the transmission properties of lattices. Through these, we thus come up with an overall sound transmissibility and mechanical property map based on geometrical factors. Overall, we show the potential of lattice structures as multifunctional sound-insulating materials.

Abstract Background Dead swine carcass composting is an excellent method for harmless treatment and resource utilization of swine carcass. However, poor biodegradation ability of traditional composting results in poor harmless treatment effect. Researches report that the biodegradation ability of composting can be improved by inoculation with enzyme-producing microorganisms or by inoculation with enzyme preparations. At present, the researches on improving the efficiency of dead swine carcass composting by inoculating enzyme-producing microorganisms have been reported. However, no work has been reported on the development of enzyme preparations for dead swine carcass composting. Methodology The protease-producing strain was isolated by casein medium, and was identified by 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. The optimal fermentation conditions for maximum protease production were gradually optimized by single factor test. The extracellular protease was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephadex G-75 gel exclusion chromatography. The potential for composting applications of the purified protease was evaluated by characterization of its biochemical properties. And based on amino acid sequence analysis, molecular docking and inhibition test, the catalytic hydrolysis mechanism of the purified protease was elucidated. Results In this study, a microbial protease was developed for swine carcass composting. A protease-producing strain DB1 was isolated from swine carcass compositing and identified as Serratia marcescen. Optimum fermentation conditions for maximum protease production were 5 g/L glucose, 5 g/L urea, 1.5 mmol/L Mg2+, initial pH-value 8, inoculation amount 5%, incubation temperature 30 °C and 60 h of fermentation time. The specific activity of purified protease reached 1982.77 U/mg, and molecular weight of the purified protease was 110 kDa. Optimum pH and temperature of the purified protease were 8 and 50 °C, respectively, and it had good stability at high temperature and in alkaline environments. The purified protease was a Ser/Glu/Asp triad serine protease which catalyzed substrate hydrolysis by Glu, Arg, Ser, Asp and Tyr active residues. Conclusions In general, the microbial protease developed in this study was suitable for industrial production and has the potential to enhance composting at thermophilic stage. Moreover, the catalytic hydrolysis mechanism of the protease was further analyzed in this study.

Abstract Microvibration induced by natural disturbance and human activities has an adverse effect on the operation of the large-scale and ultraprecise facilities in the world. Under such circumstances, a passive vibration control method is generally deployed for such vibration-sensitive facilities, taking the High Energy Photo Source (HEPS) in Beijing as an example, a 3 m-thick mass concrete layer forming a ring foundation was cast at the facility, where a 1 m-thick reinforced concrete slab (RC slab) lies. Since microvibration control plays a crucial role in the operation of such large-scale scientific and ultraprecise facilities and few studies have been reported for large-scale concrete layer as antimicrovibration devices, this paper presents four field tests in Beijing, China, to evaluate the vibration control capacity of a mass concrete layer. Based on a large number of field tests, the effect of applying the concrete layer is discussed, and a reference is provided for the construction of similar facilities. The vibration signals, generated by shock excitation and ambient excitation, are measured through a highly sensitive and high-accuracy vibration acquisition system. It is concluded that the existence of the 1 m-thick RC slab has little influence on the microvibration signal frequency distribution in the vertical direction and that the signals from the concrete layer and subsoil differ by approximately 10 Hz in the vertical direction while differing by approximately 5 Hz in the horizontal direction. The microvibration control ability of the concrete layer is favorable in a higher frequency band over 20 ~ 30 Hz and more than 50% attenuation can be gained through the concrete layer; however, the microvibration control ability is not significant below 20 ~ 30 Hz. The vibration levels across different heights of the concrete layer section are the same. To prevent adverse vibration disturbance below 20 ~ 30 Hz, it is suggested that the traffic and road surface conditions should be taken into consideration when choosing the construction location. In addition, a long-term monitoring shows that 75% vibration energy at the site is firmly related to the construction activities which are approximately 1.4 km from the site.

Abstract Background Early studies indicated that the androgen receptor (AR) could promote renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development and metastasis, but its linkage to RCC progression under hypoxia, remains unclear. Results Here we found AR expression in RCC cells decreased in response to hypoxia, which might then lead to increase the cancer stem cells (CSC) phenotype through the lncTCFL5-2-modulated YBX1/SOX2 signals. The consequences of such hypoxia-modulated AR/lncTCFL5-2/YBX1/SOX2 signals ablity to alter the CSC phenotype might render RCC cells more resistant to targeted therapy with Sunitinib. Mechanism dissection revealed that AR might alter the lncTCFL5-2/YBX1/SOX2 signaling through transcriptional suppression of the lncTCFL5-2 expression via the AR-response-elements (AREs) on the lncTCFL5-2 promoter. The lncTCFL5-2 interacts with YBX1 to increase its stability, which in turn increases SOX2 expression at a transcriptional level via the YBX1-response-elements (YBX1Es) on the SOX2 promoter. The in vivo mouse model with orthotopic xenografts of RCC cells also validates the in vitro data, and a human RCC sample survey demonstrated the clinical significance of the AR/lncTCFL5-2/YBX1/SOX2 signaling axis for the RCC prognosis, likely as a result of regulating CSC phenotypes. Conclusions Together, these findings suggest that hypoxia may increase the RCC CSC phenotype via altering the AR/lncTCFL5-2/YBX1/SOX2 signaling axis and a potential therapy to target this newly identified signal perhaps may help improve the targeted therapy with Sunitinib to better suppress RCC progression.

Acoustic metamaterials with broadband sound-absorbing capacity open up applications in aerospace, automotive, marine, defense, etc. For such applications, sound-absorbing materials that can withstand complex loading conditions are essential. Hence, to address acoustic and mechanical requirements simultaneously, we propose plate-reinforced dual-functional micro-lattice metamaterials (PDMMs) that exhibit elastic isotropy, dual crushing stages with a specific energy absorption up to 25.82 kJ/kg, and ultra-broadband sound absorption from 0.97 kHz to 6.30 kHz. The remarkable elastic isotropy lies in the topology-induced structural stiffness homogenising effect. The transition from single to dual plateau anti-compression stages is controlled by tailoring the structural local strength. On-demand broadband sound absorption is achieved by modulating the parallel coupling and cascade resonance effects, and the physical mechanism is revealed by examining impedance matching and system damping states. Overall, the presented novel metamaterials exhibit exceptional application potentials by overcoming the trade-offs usually found in traditional mechanical and acoustic metamaterials.

Abstract There is significant variability with respect to the prognosis of nonmetastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients with venous tumor thrombus (VTT). By applying multiregion whole‐exome sequencing on normal‐tumor‐thrombus‐metastasis quadruples from 33 ccRCC patients, we showed that metastases were mainly seeded by VTT (81.8%) rather than primary tumors (PTs). A total of 706 nonmetastatic ccRCC patients with VTT from three independent cohorts were included in this study. C‐index analysis revealed that pathological grading of VTT outperformed other indicators in risk assessment (OS: 0.663 versus 0.501–0.610, 0.667 versus 0.544–0.651, and 0.719 versus 0.511–0.700 for Training, China‐Validation, and Poland‐Validation cohorts, respectively). We constructed a risk predicting model, TT‐GPS score, based on four independent variables: VTT height, VTT grading, perinephric fat invasion, and sarcomatoid differentiation in PT. The TT‐GPS score displayed better discriminatory ability (OS, c‐index: 0.706–0.840, AUC: 0.788–0.874; DFS, c‐index: 0.691–0.717, AUC: 0.771–0.789) than previously reported models in risk assessment. In conclusion, we identified for the first‐time pathological grading of VTT as an unheeded prognostic factor. By incorporating VTT grading, the TT‐GPS score is a promising prognostic tool in predicting the survival of nonmetastatic ccRCC patients with VTT.

ObjectiveThe prevalence of mental distress has been noted in shelter hospitals set up for COVID-19. Potential risk demographic and hospitalization factors were screened. We also aimed to determine whether humanistic care established in the shelter hospital was effective in ameliorating mental distress.MethodsA cross-sectional observational survey-based single-centered study was conducted from 28th April to 5th May 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai. Asymptomatic adult inpatients and those with mild symptoms were recruited for this study, and humanistic care measures were carried out by the administrative office according to the Work Program on Psychological Assistance and Social Work Services at the Shelter Hospital launched on 5th March 2020. Symptoms of mental distress, such as reported stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia were measured using the Chinese Stress Response Questionnaire-28, the Chinese version of Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Insomnia Severity Index-7, respectively.ResultsIn total, 1,246 out of 9,519 inpatients, including 565 (45.35%) women and 681 (54.65%) men, with a median age of 36 years responded to the survey. The overall prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia in inpatients was 94 (7.54%), 109 (8.75%), 141 (11.32%), and 144 (11.56%), respectively. Mental distress was aggravated by COVID-19-related symptoms, comorbidities, and prolonged hospital stays. A stable internet connection was the most effective measure to reduce stress and depression. Offering inpatient with study or work facilitations, and mental health education help to ameliorate anxiety and depression. Organizing volunteering was a potential protective factor against stress.ConclusionHumanistic care is crucial and effective for protecting against mental distress, which should be emphasized in shelter hospitals.

Passive control is typically implemented to regulate ground vibration in advanced ultra-precision and large-scale synchrotron radiation facilities. This paper presents the field test to evaluate the influence of cracks on the vibration control capacity of a mass concrete layer used as a passive control method of an advanced synchrotron radiation facility. Simplified finite element model (FEM) analysis is utilized to simulate the cracks and analyze the key factor that influences the vibration control capacity of the mass concrete layer. In the field test, cracks are artificially formed by creating cuts in two orthometric directions on the surface of a 3-m-thick concrete layer. Measurement points and a vibrator capable of generating simple harmonic excitation (1–100 Hz) are positioned along a straight line. Velocity signals vertical to the ground are obtained to study the vibration attenuation in the vertical direction. Test results indicate that the velocity signals on the concrete layer are sensitive to the cracks; the vibration control ability of the concrete layer is slightly affected by the depth, length and location of the cracks in the frequency band of 1–100 Hz. The proposed simplified FEMs can reflect the cracked concrete layer’s vibration control ability from 1 to 100 Hz. Numerical study results indicate that the thickness of the concrete layer rather than the density or elastic modulus is the key factor in vibration control ability.

Abstract During a natural disaster, mining messages from social media platforms can facilitate local agencies, rescue teams, humanitarian aid organizations, etc., to track the situational awareness of the public. However, for different stakeholders, the concerns about people’s situational awareness in a natural disaster event are different. Therefore, I developed a Twitter-based analytic framework to take perception-level situational awareness, humanitarian-level situational awareness, and action-level situational awareness into consideration. Specifically, perception-level situational awareness mainly reflects people’s perception of the ongoing natural disaster event (i.e., if people are discussing the disaster event). Decision-makers can rapidly have a big picture of severely impacted regions. Humanitarian-level situational awareness represents tweets that are associated with the humanitarian categories based on the definition from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The detection of humanitarian-level situational awareness can help response teams understand the specific situations and needs of local communities. In terms of the action-level situational awareness, I extracted noun-verb pairs in each tweet to explicitly represent the specific event described in a given tweet, so that the response teams can quickly act on the situation case by case. Moreover, to shed light on disaster resilience and social vulnerability, I further examined the demographic characteristics of three levels of situational awareness. I empirically demonstrated the analytic framework using geo-tagged tweets during 2018 Hurricane Michael.

This study was conducted to assess the effects of the dietary supplementation of riboflavin (as a bile salt hydrolase [BSH] inhibitor) and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance and woody breast of male broilers challenged with Eimeria spp. Intestinal bacteria, including supplemented probiotics, can produce BSH enzymes that deconjugate conjugated bile salts and reduce fat digestion. A 3 × 2 × 2 (riboflavin × Bacillus subtilis × Eimeria spp. challenge) factorial arrangement of treatments in randomized complete block design was used. On d 14, birds were gavaged with 20× doses of commercial cocci vaccine (CoccivacR-B52, Merck Animal Health, Omaha, NE). Dietary treatment of riboflavin and B. subtilis did not affect body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion (FCR) d 0 to 14 and overall d 0 to 41. Eimeria spp challenge reduced BWG, feed intake (FI), and increased FCR between d 14 to 28, but increased BWG and lowered FCR between d 28 to 35. There were no effects of the Eimeria spp. challenge on the overall d 0 to 41 FCR and FI, but BWG was reduced. Eimeria spp. challenge increased the abdominal fat pad weight and slight woody breast incidences on processed birds on d 42. Dietary inclusion of B. subtilis and riboflavin at tested levels did not help birds to mitigate the negative impact of Eimeria spp. challenge to enhance the growth performance.

Spurs have played an important role in the radiation of the genus Aquilegia, but little is known about how the spurless state arose in A. ecalcarata. Here we aim to characterize the genetic divergence within A. ecalcarata and gain insights into the origin of this species. A total of 19 populations from A. ecalcarata and 23 populations from three of its closest relatives (Aquilegia kansuensis, Aquilegia rockii and Aquilegia yabeana) were sampled in this study. We sequenced fifteen nuclear gene fragments across the genome and three chloroplast loci to conduct phylogenetic, PCoA and STRUCTURE analyses.Our analyses indicate that A. ecalcarata may not be monophyletic and can be divided into two distinct lineages (A. ecalcarata I and A. ecalcarata II). A. ecalcarata I is genetically close to A. kansuensis, whereas A. ecalcarata II is close to A. rockii. Isolation-with-migration analysis suggested that historical gene flow was low between A. ecalcarata I and A. rockii, as well as between A. ecalcarata II and A. kansuensis. The two distinct lineages of A. ecalcarata show significant divergence in 13 floral traits and also have distinct distributions. In addition, both A. ecalcarata I and II are adapted to a stony environment that differs from that of their closest relatives, indicating a habitat shift may have driven new adaptations. Our findings enrich the understanding of how floral evolution contributes to species diversification.

During the COVID-19 early outbreak, the effects of built environment on individuals’ urban park visitation are understudied. We employed structural equation modeling to disentangle such complex relationships and investigate the impacts over time at the census tract level across the 100 largest American cities. The results show that density and design both explain park visitation, while only the dimension of density has major influences on the distance to urban parks.

A high-temperature acoustic field measurement and analysis system (HTAFS) was self-designed and developed to achieve real-time acoustic field analysis and quantitative cavitation characterization within high-temperature liquids. The acoustic signal was acquired by a high-temperature resistant waveguide and calibrated by separate compensation of line and continuous spectra to eliminate frequency offsets. Moreover, a new method was proposed to derive from the continuous-spectrum sound intensity and line-spectrum sound intensity in the frequency band above 1.5 times the fundamental frequency to characterize the intensity of transient cavitation and stable cavitation. The acoustic field characteristics within solidifying liquid Al-7 %Si alloy were successfully determined by this system. With the increase of ultrasound amplitude, the acoustic pressure in the alloy melt increased to be stable, the transient cavitation intensity first rose and then declined, and the stable cavitation intensity remained unchanged. Combined with the structural evolution of the primary α(Al) phase, the transient cavitation intensity was determined to be the dominant factor for the ultrasound-induced grain refinement effect.

Countries around the world have resorted to issuing stay-at-home orders to slow viral transmission since the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdown, access to public park plays a central role in the public health of surrounding communities. However, we know little about how such an unprecedented policy may exacerbate the preexisting unequal access to green space (i.e., green space justice). To address this research void, we used difference-in-difference models to examine socioeconomic disparities, urban-rural disparities, and mobility disparities in terms of public park access in the United States. Our national analysis using the weekly mobile phone movement data robustly suggests the following three key findings during COVID-19: (1) The elderly, non-college-educated people, poor people, and blacks are less likely to visit public parks frequently, while unemployed people appear to be the opposite. (2) Compared to rural areas, populations in urban neighborhoods appear to visit public parks more frequently and they generally go to larger parks to minimize the risk of infection. (3) Populations in neighborhoods with higher private vehicle ownership or those with a higher density of transit stops would more frequently visit and travel a longer distance to public parks during the stay-at-home order. Our results imply that conventional inequality in green space access may still exist and even become worse during COVID-19, which could negatively impact people's health during isolation. We suggest that special attention should be paid to park-poor neighborhoods during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic recovery phase.

Cacti have an excellent ability to capture and store water in the air because of their unique hierarchical porous structure. Inspired by this, we proposed a hierarchical emulsion-tube-lattice (ETL) material, comprised of the lattice structure, tubular struts, and porous walls, with superior oil–water separation and storage capabilities. A one-step coaxial direct ink writing process was developed, with a silicone emulsion serving as the typical ink. After that, the oil absorption performances of the sample were evaluated. The results showed that the ETL material possesses higher oil absorption and retention capacity, and could allow the water of the water–oil mixture to pass through while absorbing the oil. Besides, the sample could reuse after squeezing out the oil and keep the soft mechanical properties. In summary, with the bio-inspiring design, the sample showed promising application in water–oil separation and storage. Furthermore, the method could be easily extended to other materials.

Homalocladium platycladum is a fascinating ornamental plant that has long been used in Chinese medicine. Here, we characterize the complete chloroplast genome sequence of this plant (GenBank: NC_062330). This circular genome has a total length of 163,202 bp containing a large single-copy region (87,820bp), a small single-copy region (13,538bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (30,922bp). A total of 130 predicted genes were identified, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that H. platycladum belongs to the Polygonaceae family and is highly analogous with Homalocladium and Muehlenbeckia families.

ObjectiveTo explore the meaning of cycle threshold (Ct) value fluctuation and the appropriateness of setting the discharge Ct value to 35, which is the current standard in Chinese guidelines.MethodA retrospective study was conducted on 95 patients with Ct value fluctuation (Ct value below 35 on day 3; group A) and 97 patients with a normal discharge process (control; group B). Their clinical characteristics and follow-up data were collected.Results(1) There was no significant difference between the groups in age, gender distribution, number of vaccinations, initial ORF-Ct value, and initial N-Ct value. The proportion of patients complicated with chronic internal disorders, respiratory symptoms, and abnormal chest radiology in group A was significantly higher than that in group B. (2) Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in the ORF-Ct or N-Ct value on day 1, but the ORF-Ct and N-Ct values of group B on days 2 to 4 were significantly higher than those of group A. (3) There was no significant difference between the groups in the ORF-Ct value at discharge, but there was a significant difference in the N-Ct value at discharge. Seven days after discharge, almost 100% of the patients had been cured. The mean negative conversion interval of nucleic acid of the patients in group A was 14.5 ± 4.6 days, which was longer than that of the patients in group B (11.8 ± 4 days). (4) Logistic regression analysis showed that the ORF-Ct value on day 2 was the key factor influencing the Ct value fluctuation.ConclusionThe fluctuation of Ct value is only a normal phenomenon in the recovery period of the disease, and there is no need for excessive intervention. It is reasonable to set the Ct value of the discharge standard to 35 and retest the nucleic acid on the 10th day after discharge for patients with underlying diseases or symptoms.

Porous ceramics are favored in a multitude of applications, such as filters, catalyst supports, and tissue engineering scaffolds. However, conventional fabrication techniques find it particularly challenging to preserve sufficient mechanical strength in highly porous ceramics. Although unidirectional freeze casting can fabricate porous ceramics with high strength vertically, the strength in other directions is inadequate due to a lack of lateral structural control. Herein, inspired by the cancellous bone, we propose a novel multi-directional freeze casting technique to prepare highly mechanically efficient porous ceramics. A multi-directional temperature field is ingeniously designed to mimic the stress-responsive growth pattern of the cancellous bone. To further the lateral structural control, ceramic fibers are incorporated to form mineral bridging. In this process, alumina-mullite composite ceramics are prepared with hierarchical structures, including micro-level multi-oriented struts, sub-micro-level interlamellar bridges and nano-level eutectic phases. They endow the ceramics with high porosity (∼75%) and high strength in all 3D spatial directions (8.4–20.1 MPa), while effectively preventing the catastrophic brittle failure. Therefore, the mechanically enhanced porous ceramics demonstrate the remarkable controllability of multi-directional freeze casting in hierarchical structures. Also, our work opens up a new horizon for fabricating highly mechanically efficient porous materials, including hierarchically structured biomimetic ceramics.

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 patients re-experiencing positive nucleic acid test results after recovery is a concerning phenomenon. Current pandemic prevention strategy demands the quarantine of all recurrently positive patients. This study provided evidence on whether quarantine is required in those patients, and predictive algorithms to detect subjects with infectious possibility.MethodsThis observational study recruited recurrently positive patients who were admitted to our shelter hospital between May 12 and June 10, 2022. The demographic and epidemiologic data was collected, and nucleic acid tests were performed daily. virus isolation was done in randomly selected cases. The group-based trajectory model was developed based on the cycle threshold (Ct) value variations. Machine learning models were validated for prediction accuracy.ResultsAmong the 494 subjects, 72.04% were asymptomatic, and 23.08% had a Ct value under 30 at recurrence. Two trajectories were identified with either rapid (92.24%) or delayed (7.76%) recovery of Ct values. The latter had significantly higher incidence of comorbidities; lower Ct value at recurrence; more persistent cough; and more frequently reported close contacts infection compared with those recovered rapidly. However, negative virus isolation was reported in all selected samples. Our predictive model can efficiently discriminate those with delayed Ct value recovery and infectious potentials.ConclusionQuarantine seems to be unnecessary for the majority of re-positive patients who may have low transmission risks. Our predictive algorithm can screen out the suspiciously infectious individuals for quarantine. These findings may assist the enaction of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic prevention strategies regarding recurrently positive patients in the future.

Being lightweight, strong, and tough, are qualities often sought-after in practical engineering materials. Herein, we present interpenetrating phase composites (IPC), based on the combination of additively manufactured alumina microlattices and infiltrated epoxy, that display an excellent combination of such characteristics. Experimental and simulation studies on the compressive behaviours of different truss-microlattices and their functionally-graded variants have been carried out. Lengthened stress plateau up to −0.6 strain and co-enhanced strength up to 65 % higher than the linear sum of their constituents have been observed. This constitutes a simultaneous high specific strength and specific energy absorption up to 113.5–142.6 MPa/(g/cm3) and 25.3–35.6 J/g, respectively, for the IPCs, at low densities of around 1.8 g/cm3. The mechanism of the co-enhanced strength attribute to the improved alumina fracture toughness whilst the lengthened plateau attributes to the progressive material failure and strain energy relaxation. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of using a strong ceramic and epoxy to achieve simultaneously high specific strength and energy absorption.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) seriously endangers global public health. Pupingqinghua prescription (PPQH) is an herbal formula from traditional Chinese medicine used for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of PPQH in Chinese participants infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.Methods: A total of 873 SARS-CoV-2 (Omicron)-infected patients were included. Among them, the patients were divided into the PPQH group (653 cases) and LHQW group (220 cases) according to different medications. The effectiveness indicators (hematological indicators, Ct values of novel Coronavirus nucleic acid tests, and viral load-shedding time) and safety indicators (liver and kidney function and adverse events) were analyzed.Results: There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the PPQH group and the LHQW group, except the gender; After the treatment, the levels of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, NK cells, and INF-α of the patients in the PPQH group showed a downward trend (p < 0.05); The viral load shedding time was 5.0 (5.0, 7.0) in the PPQH group and 5.0 (4.0, 7.0) in the LHQW group; both PPQH and LHQW can shorten the duration of symptoms of fever, cough, and sore throat. The re-positive rate of COVID-19 test was 1.5 % in the PPQH group and 2.3 % in the LHQW group. In terms of safety, the levels of γ-GTT decreased significantly (p < 0.01); gastrointestinal reaction was the primary adverse reaction, and the reaction rate was 4.7 % in the PPQH group and 9.5 % in the LHQW group.Conclusion: PPQH can shorten the length of hospital stay and improve clinical symptoms of patients with SARS-COV-2 (Omicron), and it also has a good safety profile.