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Graphene-based materials (GBMs) have become potential soil pollutants due to their wide applications in agricultural environments. Although physiological mechanisms of plant responses to GBMs have been previously explored, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, we analysed the physiological and transcriptomic changes of buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) roots exposed to 100 mg/L graphene oxide (GO) with different diameter. GO negatively affected root growth and higher diameters of GO caused more adverse effects on the root. In total 3 724 GO-responsive genes were identified in root by transcriptome analysis. 70 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in ROS detoxification, and 37 transporter-encoding genes were found to be involved in GO response. These transporters may regulate the uptake and transport of GO in buckwheat. The gene expression of 84 transcription factors (TFs) showed a response to GO stress in the root, which may regulate the transporters and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification-related genes. Finally, the difference in the transcriptomic response of the root to the three GO materials with different diameters was investigated. 49 GO-responsive genes may be involved in the difference in the toxicity of GO with different diameters. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of plant roots to GBMs.

Abstract Background Frailty becomes more pronounced with advancing age, tightly intertwined with adverse clinical outcomes. Across diverse medical disciplines, frailty is now universally recognized as not only a risk factor but also a predictive indicator for unfavorable clinical prognosis. Methods This study was a retrospective cohort study that included clinical data from patients (aged ≥ 65 years) with esophageal cancer treated surgically at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University in 2021. For each patient, we calculated their 11-index modified frailty index(mFI-11) scores and categorized the patients into a frailty group (mFI-11hign) and a non-frailty group (mFI-11low) based on the optimal grouping cutoff value of 0.27 from a previous study. The primary study index was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection, arrhythmia, anastomotic fistula, chylothorax, and electrolyte disturbance complications. Secondary study indicators included postoperative ICU stay, total hospitalization time, readmission rate within 30 days of discharge, and mortality within 30 days after surgery. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to assess the association between mFI-11 and adverse outcomes as well as postoperative complications. Results Five hundred and fifteen patients were included, including 64.9% (334/515) in the non-frailty group and 35.1% (181/515) in the frailty group. Comparing postoperative complication rates between the two groups revealed lower incidences of postoperative anastomotic fistula (21.5% vs. 4.5%), chylothorax (16.0% vs. 2.1%), cardiac arrhythmia (61.9% vs. 9.9%), pulmonary infections (85.1% vs. 26.6%), and electrolyte disturbance (84.5% vs. 15.0%) in patients of the non-frailty group was lower than that in the frailty group (p

Accurate and reliable load forecasting is crucial for ensuring the security and stability of the power grid. This paper proposes a combined prediction method based on Empirical Wavelet Transform (EWT) and Autoformer time series prediction model for the non-stationary and non-linear time series of electric load. The original sequence is first decomposed by EWT to obtain a set of stable subsequences, and then the Autoformer time series prediction model is used to predict each subsequence. Finally, the prediction results of each subsequence are combined to obtain the final prediction results. The proposed EWT-Autoformer prediction model is applied to an electric load example, and the experimental results are compared with the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) method, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) method, and Informer method under the same conditions. The experimental results indicate that compared to LSTM, the method proposed in the paper has an R2 improvement of 9–20 percentage points, an improvement of 6–8 percentage points compared to RNN, an improvement of 3–7 percentage points compared to Informer, and an improvement of 2–3 percentage points compared to Autoformer. In addition, the RMSE and MAE are also significantly lower than other models.

Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The involvement of C–C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) in COPD pathogenesis, particularly in macrophage regulation and activation, is poorly understood despite its recognized role in chronic inflammation. Our study aims to elucidate the regulatory role and molecular mechanisms of CCL2 in the pathogenesis of COPD, providing new insights for therapeutic strategies. Methods This study focused on the CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathway, exploring its role in COPD pathogenesis using both Ccl2 knockout (KO) mice and pharmacological inhibitors. To dissect the underlying mechanisms, we employed various in vitro and in vivo methods to analyze the secretion patterns and pathogenic effects of CCL2 and its downstream molecular signaling through the CCL2-CCR2 axis. Results Elevated Ccl2 expression was confirmed in the lungs of COPD mice and was associated with enhanced recruitment and activation of macrophages. Deletion of Ccl2 in knockout mice, as well as treatment with a Ccr2 inhibitor, resulted in protection against CS- and LPS-induced alveolar injury and airway remodeling. Mechanistically, CCL2 was predominantly secreted by bronchial epithelial cells in a process dependent on STAT1 phosphorylation and acted through the CCR2 receptor on macrophages. This interaction activated the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, which was pivotal for macrophage activation and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, further influencing the progression of COPD. Conclusions The study highlighted the crucial role of CCL2 in mediating inflammatory responses and remodeling in COPD. It enhanced our understanding of COPD's molecular mechanisms, particularly how CCL2's interaction with the CCR2 activates critical signaling pathways. Targeting the CCL2-CCR2 axis emerged as a promising strategy to alleviate COPD pathology. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Challenges associated with stretchable optoelectronic devices, such as pixel size, power consumption and stability, severely brock their realization in high-resolution digital imaging. Herein, we develop a universal detachable interface technique that allows uniform, damage-free and reproducible integration of micropatterned stretchable electrodes for pixel-dense intrinsically stretchable organic transistor arrays. Benefiting from the ideal heterocontact and short channel length (2 μm) in our transistors, switching current ratio exceeding 106, device density of 41,000 transistors/cm2, operational voltage down to 5 V and excellent stability are simultaneously achieved. The resultant stretchable transistor-based image sensors exhibit ultrasensitive X-ray detection and high-resolution imaging capability. A megapixel image is demonstrated, which is unprecedented for stretchable direct-conversion X-ray detectors. These results forge a bright future for the stretchable photonic integration toward next-generation visualization equipment.

Abstract Nanoclusters with atomically precise structures and discrete energy levels are considered as nanoscale semiconductors for artificial intelligence. However, nanocluster electronic engineering and optoelectronic behavior have remained obscure and unexplored. Hence, we create nanocluster photoreceptors inspired by mantis shrimp visual systems to satisfy the needs of compact but multi-task vision hardware and explore the photo-induced electronic transport. Wafer-scale arrayed photoreceptors are constructed by a nanocluster-conjugated molecule heterostructure. Nanoclusters perform as an in-sensor charge reservoir to tune the conductance levels of artificial photoreceptors by a light valve mechanism. A ligand-assisted charge transfer process takes place at nanocluster interface and it features an integration of spectral-dependent visual adaptation and circular polarization recognition. This approach is further employed for developing concisely structured, multi-task, and compact artificial visual systems and provides valuable guidelines for nanocluster neuromorphic devices.

In order to optimize the operational safety and reliability of the upper launcher for the CFETR ECRH system, a design of the launcher based on the remote steering concept is currently being carried out for comparison with the front steering equivalent. This paper presents the remote steering system's conceptual design and simulation analysis. A Square Corrugated Waveguide (SCW) of 65 × 65 mm has been designed with an optimized length of 9.35 m. By changing the relative length of the waveguide, the transmission efficiency of the SCW is optimized within the range of steering angles ±12°. Different error factors are investigated in detail, and corresponding acceptable error ranges are provided. Considering these error factors and ignoring ohmic losses and thermal effects, the relative transmission efficiency of the SCW is estimated to be >98 % within the steering angle range. A matching steering unit for the SCW is designed, which consists of an ellipsoidal focusing mirror and a steerable flat mirror. The detailed design of the steerable mirror motion trajectory is presented. Also, the influence of the possible beam incident errors caused by the steering unit on the transmission efficiency is analyzed in detail.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are a promising solution for large-scale energy storage due to their safety and cost-effectiveness. However, challenges like zinc dendrite growth and electrolyte corrosion hinder their practical use. Surface engineering methods have shown potential in stabilizing the zinc metal anode interface. In this study, we propose a successful approach by combining 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets with 3D ZIF8 nanoparticles to form a g-C3N4@ZIF8 artificial interface. The 3D ZIF8 support on the 2D g-C3N4 enables precise regulation of Zn2+ flux and efficient charge transfer, leading to improved electrochemical performance. Density functional theory confirms ZIF8's superior adsorption energy compared to g-C3N4. Strategically anchoring 3D ZIF8 nanoparticles within 2D g-C3N4 allows robust 3D diffusion of Zn2+, preventing dendrite formation and enabling dendrite-free Zn deposition. This structural design can enhance the performance of symmetric cells with an ultralong cycling lifespan of up to 6200 h at 0.25 mA cm−2/0.25 mA h cm−2 and superior rate capability, even at 40 mA cm−2. When combined with a V2O5 nanopaper cathode, our assembled AZIBs exhibit stable long-term performance. This research paves the way for more efficient and reliable AZIBs for large-scale energy storage.

ObjectiveTo identify cortical and subcortical volume, thickness and cortical area features and the networks they constituted related to anxiety in Parkinson’s disease (PD) using structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), and to integrate multimodal features based on machine learning to identify PD-related anxiety.MethodsA total of 219 patients with PD were retrospectively enrolled in the study. 291 sMRI features including cortical volume, subcortical volume, cortical thickness, and cortical area, as well as 17 clinical features, were extracted. Graph theory analysis was used to explore structural networks. A support vector machine (SVM) combination model, which used both sMRI and clinical features to identify participants with PD-related anxiety, was developed and evaluated. The performance of SVM models were evaluated. The mean impact value (MIV) of the feature importance evaluation algorithm was used to rank the relative importance of sMRI features and clinical features within the model.Results17 significant sMRI variables associated with PD-related anxiety was used to build a brain structural network. And seven sMRI and 5 clinical features with statistically significant differences were incorporated into the SVM model. The comprehensive model achieved higher performance than clinical features or sMRI features did alone, with an accuracy of 0.88, a precision of 0.86, a sensitivity of 0.81, an F1-Score of 0.83, a macro-average of 0.85, a weighted-average of 0.92, an AUC of 0.88, and a result of 10-fold cross-validation of 0.91 in test set. The sMRI feature right medialorbitofrontal thickness had the highest impact on the prediction model.ConclusionWe identified the brain structural features and networks related to anxiety in PD, and developed and internally validated a comprehensive model with multimodal features in identifying.

Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated their vast potential and value in natural language processing tasks and beyond. However, when these models are applied to develop consultation systems for industrial domains, such as e-government, intelligent diagnosis, and legal consultancy, they encounter many unresolved technical issues. These include the vast scale of the models, lack of tight fusion with existing industry knowledge, along with occurrences of model hallucinations and inadequate explainability. Unlike general-purpose dialogue systems, building a consultation system for a specific industrial domain requires not only the integration of extensive external knowledge from the Internet but also the incorporation of precise, specialized knowledge from specific industries, making the challenges even more complex. In response to these challenges, we propose the Inter-External Knowledge Fusion Contrastive Learning Technique. This technique facilitates the integration of internal industry knowledge with widely accessible external knowledge from the Internet and provides a universal framework for building lightweight, domain-specific consultation systems. Utilizing this technique enables the straightforward creation of precise, professional, and constantly updated domain-specific consultation systems applicable across various industries. Overcoming the inherent limitations associated with LLMs, this technique achieves a performance level comparable to LLMs. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed technique, we conducted extensive experiments in the development of real-world industry consulting systems. By testing on seven real datasets covering diverse tasks, we demonstrate the system’s exceptional performance: our lightweight consultation system utilizes only 4% of the parameters of an LLM but achieves over 90% of its performance level.

Abstract Primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma, also known as non‐pregnant choriocarcinoma, is a rare malignancy unrelated to pregnancy, with a higher incidence in males. And primary mediastinal choriocarcinoma is mostly associated with organ and lymph node metastasis, with rapid progression and poor prognosis. Here, we report an extremely rare case of the primary anterior mediastinal choriocarcinoma that occurred in an 18‐year‐old man with multiple metastases of the lung and brain.

Abstract Background Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen is a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant, but its commercial production is seriously affected by root rot caused by some pathogenic fungi, including Fusarium solani. Nevertheless, the genetic breeding for disease resistance of P. notoginseng remains limited. The WRKY transcription factors have been revealed to play important roles in plant defense responses, which might provide an inspiration for resistance improvement in P. notoginseng. Results In this study, the regulatory mechanism of transcription factor PnWRKY15 on P. notoginseng resistance to F. solani infection was revealed. The suppressed expression of PnWRKY15 via RNA interference increased the sensitivity of P. notoginseng to F. solani and decreased the expression levels of some defense-related genes, including PnOLP1, which encodes an osmotin-like protein that confers resistance to F. solani. Ectopic expression of PnWRKY15 in the model plant tobacco significantly enhanced the resistance to F. solani. Moreover, the transcriptome sequencing analysis discovered that some pathogenesis-related genes were expressed at higher levels in the PnWRKY15-overexpressing tobacco than that in the wild-type tobacco. In addition, the jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathways were evidently induced by PnWRKY15-overexpression, that was evidenced by that the JA and SA contents were significantly higher in the PnWRKY15-overexpressing tobacco than that in the wild-type. Furthermore, PnWRKY15, which was localized in the nucleus, can trans-activate and up-regulate PnOLP1 expression according to the EMSA, yeast one-hybrid and co-expression assays. Conclusions PnWRKY15 contributes to P. notoginseng resistance to F. solani by up-regulating the expression of resistance-related gene PnOLP1 and activating JA/SA signaling pathways. These findings will help to further elucidate the transcriptional regulatory mechanism associated with the P. notoginseng defense response to F. solani.

Abstract Background Amarogentin (AMA) is a secoiridoid glycoside extracted from Swertia and Gentiana roots and exhibits many biological effects such as antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, and antitumor activities. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease caused by disorders in the regulation of multiple inflammatory cytokines. No effective cure has been found for AD now. Methods We constructed the HaCat and splenocyte model and tested the inhibitory effect of AMA on IL‐4, IL‐6, and IL‐13 secretions using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The AD mouse model was constructed and treated with AMA, the severity of skin lesions was observed, epidermal tissue was collected, and epidermal thickness and mast cell infiltration were observed using hematoxylin and eosin and toluidine blue staining, respectively. The expression of kallikrein‐related peptidase 7 (KLK7) and filaggrin (FLG) was detected using immunostaining and Western blot analysis. The mRNA expression of KLK7 and FLG was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) secretion was detected. Results AMA inhibited IL‐6 secreted by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐induced HaCaT cells and reduced IL‐4 and IL‐13 secreted by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐induced primary cells in the mice spleen. It was found that the treatment of AMA with 2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene‐induced AD‐like mice could promote the recovery of dermatitis, reduce the score of dermatitis severity and the scratching frequency, treat the skin lesions, reduce the epidermal thickness, decrease the infiltration of mast cells, reduce the IgE level in serum, decrease the expression levels of AD‐related cytokines, increase protein and mRNA expression of FLG, and reduce the protein and mRNA expression of KLK7 in the skin tissues of AD‐like mice. Conclusion In conclusion, AMA inhibits inflammatory response at the cellular level, and AMA reduces the validation response of specific dermatitis mice, relieves pruritus, and repairs the damaged skin barrier.

The CFETR is the next generation magnetic confinement tokamak, its increasing heating needs and stringent shielding requirements present new challenges for the ECRH launcher. In an effort to evaluate the viability of the equatorial launcher, a port plug prototype is designed and its performance under steady state or some interrupted events is assessed. The well-configured steel/water ratio is beneficial to improve its shielding capability and effectively mitigate the 493 kW heat. The maximum temperature of the port plug is less than 300 °C when the inlet temperature is 70 °C, and the average outlet water temperature reaches 142 °C. The worst EM case is a major disruption of the plasma, which would induce about 200 kN force on the port plug at the end of the plasma current linear decay. The combined heat and EM force loads on the port plug would result in a total deformation of 1.7 mm and a maximum equivalent stress of 320 MPa, with little impacts on the port plug or the surrounding vacuum vessel. As the installation of the port plug, the H and He generation rates of the surrounding vacuum vessel have increased by about 2 % and 1 % separately, but remain lower than the limit of 1 appm/FPY, and the nuclear heat density of the toroidal field coils has increased by about 5%.

Resistance of FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients to FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3i) remains an urgent clinical challenge. Here, the authors identify C/EBPα activation as a mechanism of FLT3i resistance and therapeutically target C/EBPα activation in combination with FLT3i in preclinical models FLT3-ITD AML.

Abstract Background This study aims to construct and verify a nomogram model for microvascular invasion (MVI) based on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor characteristics and differential protein expressions, and explore the clinical application value of the prediction model. Methods The clinicopathological data of 200 HCC patients were collected and randomly divided into training set and validation set according to the ratio of 7:3. The correlation between MVI occurrence and primary disease, age, gender, tumor size, tumor stage, and immunohistochemical characteristics of 13 proteins, including GPC3, CK19 and vimentin, were statistically analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyzes identified risk factors and independent risk factors, respectively. A nomogram model that can be used to predict the presence of MVI was subsequently constructed. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were conducted to assess the performance of the model. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that tumor size, GPC3, P53, RRM1, BRCA1, and ARG were independent risk factors for MVI. A nomogram was constructed based on the above six predictors. ROC curve, calibration, and DCA analysis demonstrated the good performance and the clinical application potential of the nomogram model. Conclusions The predictive model constructed based on the clinical characteristics of HCC tumors and differential protein expression patterns could be helpful to improve the accuracy of MVI diagnosis in HCC patients.

Abstract Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a crucial role in cancer metastasis, accompanied with vast epigenetic changes. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, plays regulatory roles in multiple biological processes. Although a few studies have shed light on AMPK regulating cancer metastasis, the inside epigenetic mechanisms remain unknown. Herein we show that AMPK activation by metformin relieves the repressive H3K9me2-mediated silencing of epithelial genes (e.g., CDH1) during EMT processes and inhibits lung cancer metastasis. PHF2, a H3K9me2 demethylase, was identified to interact with AMPKα2. Genetic deletion of PHF2 aggravates lung cancer metastasis and abolishes the H3K9me2 downregulation and anti-metastasis effect of metformin. Mechanistically, AMPK phosphorylates PHF2 at S655 site, enhancing PHF2 demethylation activity and triggering the transcription of CDH1. Furthermore, the PHF2-S655E mutant that mimics AMPK-mediated phosphorylation status further reduces H3K9me2 and suppresses lung cancer metastasis, while PHF2-S655A mutant presents opposite phenotype and reverses the anti-metastasis effect of metformin. PHF2-S655 phosphorylation strikingly reduces in lung cancer patients and the higher phosphorylation level predicts better survival. Altogether, we reveal the mechanism of AMPK inhibiting lung cancer metastasis via PHF2 mediated H3K9me2 demethylation, thereby promoting the clinical application of metformin and highlighting PHF2 as the potential epigenetic target in cancer metastasis.

Introduction: Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common chronic metabolic disease that seriously threatens human health. The pharmacological activity of unsaturated fatty acid-rich vegetable oil interventions in the treatment of MAFLD has been demonstrated. This study evaluated the pharmacological activity of Polygala tenuifolia Willd, which contains high levels of 2-acetyl-1,3-diacyl-sn-glycerols (sn-2-acTAGs).Methods: In this study, a mouse model was established by feeding a high-fat diet (HFD, 31% lard oil diet), and the treatment group was fed a P. tenuifolia seed oil (PWSO) treatment diet (17% lard oil and 14% PWSO diet). The pharmacological activity and mechanism of PWSO were investigated by total cho-lesterol (TC) measurement, triglyceride (TG) measurement and histopathological observation, and the sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP1), SREBP2 and NF-κB signaling pathways were evaluated by immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses.Results: PWSO attenuated the increases in plasma TC and TG levels. Furthermore, PWSO reduced the hepatic levels of TC and TG, ameliorating hepatic lipid accumulation. PWSO treatment effectively improves the level of hepatitic inflammation, such as reducing IL-6 levels and TNF-α level.Discussion: PWSO treatment inactivated SREBP1 and SREBP2, which are involved in lipogenesis, to attenuate hepatic lipid accumulation and mitigate the inflammatory response induced via the NF-κB signaling pathway. This study demonstrated that PWSO can be used as a relatively potent dietary supplement to inhibit the occurrence and development of MAFLD.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is an important pseudocereal crop with excellent edible, nutritional and medicinal values. However, the yield of Tartary buckwheat (TB) is very low due to old-fashioned cultivation techniques, particularly unreasonable application of nitrogen fertilizer. To improve the understanding on the theories of nitrogen use in TB, the effects of nitrogen application on growth, as well as chemical properties and microbial community of rhizosphere soil were investigated in this study. Nitrogen application could promote the plant height, stem diameter, nitrogen accumulation and yield of TB. The relative abundance and diversity of bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of TB were improved by nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen application increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lysobacter and Sphingomonas in rhizosphere soil, and decreased the abundance of pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium and Plectosphaerella. The results indicated that nitrogen application changed the distribution of microbial communities in TB rhizosphere soil. Furthermore, the specific enriched or depleted microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil of four TB varieties were analyzed at OTU level. 87 specific nitrogen-responsive genes with sequence variation were identified in four varieties by integrating genomic re-sequencing and transcriptome analysis, and these genes may involve in the recruitment of specific rhizosphere microorganisms in different TB varieties. This study provided new insights into the effects of nitrogen application on TB growth and rhizosphere microbial community, and improved the understanding on the mechanisms of TB root–microbe interactions.

Abstract A novel three-phase traction power supply system is proposed to eliminate the adverse effects caused by electric phase separation in catenary and accomplish a unifying manner of traction power supply for rail transit. With the application of two-stage three-phase continuous power supply structure, the electrical characteristics exhibit new features differing from the existing traction system. In this work, the principle for voltage levels determining two-stage network is dissected in accordance with the requirements of traction network and electric locomotive. The equivalent model of three-phase traction system is built for deducing the formula of current distribution and voltage losses. Based on the chain network model of the traction network, a simulation model is established to analyze the electrical characteristics such as traction current distribution, voltage losses, system equivalent impedance, voltage distribution, voltage unbalance and regenerative energy utilization. In a few words, quite a lot traction current of about 99% is undertaken by long-section cable network. The proportion of system voltage losses is small attributed to the two-stage three-phase power supply structure, and the voltage unbalance caused by impedance asymmetry of traction network is less than 1‰. In addition, the utilization rate of regenerative energy for locomotive achieves a significant promotion of over 97%.

Tin (Sn) can be used as an effective TiAl powder sintering aid, but it is unclear whether Sn will deteriorate its properties as a micro-alloyed element in TiAl intermetallic. This work focuses on the influence of Sn on the mechanical properties and oxidation resistance of TiAl alloys. The effect of Sn on the mechanical properties of TiAl alloys is investigated by experiments and first-principles calculations. Sn atoms preferentially occupy the Al sites in γ-TiAl alloys and increase the lattice volume, which is consistent with the XRD pattern. The elastic constants of TiAl alloys with different Sn contents are also systematically presented. It is found that 1.85 at.% Sn addition improves the ductility of TiAl, but a higher Sn content reduces the ductility. This result is also verified by room temperature compression test. The density of states is also used to prove the ductility improvement of TiAl alloys with a certain amount of Sn. Last, the diffusion barrier of O and Al/Ti–O bond strength were calculated to evaluate the oxidation resistance of TiAl–Sn alloys. The addition of Sn markedly increases the O diffusion barrier and Al–O bond force constant, indicating that Sn can improve the oxidation resistance of TiAl alloy.

Optimally designed bone implants with a suitable porous structure have similar mechanical properties to bone tissue and at the same time have good biocompatible and excellent bioactivity. The preparation of medical biological porous scaffolds by metal 3D printing technology is one of the most promising and attractive biomedical applications. The traditional regular porous and self-growing porous scaffolds were established by using CAD and C4D software, and the different scaffolds of three-dimensional models in similar porosity was obtained. A three-dimensional model of a scaffold with a porous structure was designed, and the porous scaffold was prepared by selective laser melting (SLM) technique, and its microstructure and mechanical properties were analysed. Under the similar porosity, the average hardness of the surface of the self-growing structure porous scaffold reached 236.5HV, and the stress at 5% compressive strain after heat treatment was close to 75 MPa. The original surface of the 316L porous scaffold made by SLM has the potential to effectively promote the differentiation of MG63 cells into osteoblasts. At the same time, the surface morphology and structure of the self-growth scaffold are similar to human cancellous bone, which is conducive to cell attachment and growth, so it is more suitable for repairing diseased parts of human bones.

The risk posed by heavy metals makes it difficult to dispose of sediment contaminants from dredging lakes in China. Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) can convert organic waste, such as restaurant waste and lake sediment, to high-value-added protein feed and fertilizer. Experimental groups were formed in this study to explore the conversion of heavy metals present in the mixture of restaurant waste and lake sediment by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). The results demonstrated that BSFL could survive in pure sediment with an 84.76% survival rate. Relative to the substrate, BSFL could accumulate 70-90% zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and 20-40% cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The experimental group 2:3, with 40% lake sediment and 60% restaurant waste, was the best group after conversion for 15 days, which showed a 95.24% survival rate of BFSL, 82.20 mg average weight of BFSL, 8.92 mm average length of BFSL, with varying content of heavy metals such as Cu (43.22 mg/kg), Zn (193.31 mg/kg), Cd (1.58 mg/kg), Cr (25.30 mg/kg) Cr, and Pb (38.59 mg/kg) in BSFL. Furthermore, the conversion residue conforms to the relevant standards of organic fertilizer in China and can be used as organic fertilizer. Overall, the present study shows that black soldier flies can improve the resource utilization of lake sediment, especially by reducing the effect of heavy metals.

BackgroundIt has been reported that postoperative adjuvant TACE (PA-TACE) treatment decreases recurrence and significantly improves the survival of patients who undergo radical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high-risk recurrence factors. However, when to perform PA-TACE has not been fully studied.MethodsWe retrospectively collected the clinicopathologic characteristics of the patients with HCC between October 2013 and June 2020. The optimal cutoff value for PA-TACE time was determined based on the R package “maxstat”. Logistic regression and Cox regression analysis were used to determine the effect of the choice of PA-TACE timing on prognosis.ResultsThe analysis was performed on 789 patients with HCC, and 484 patients were finally involved and were divided into training cohort (378) and validation cohort (106). The PA-TACE timing was found to be associated with survival outcomes. Multivariate logistic analysis found independent predictors of the PA-TACE timing, including gender and history of HBV. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that Ki-67, tumor size, MVI and the PA-TACE timing were independent prognostic factors for RFS in HCC patients.ConclusionsBased on this study, HCC patients with high-risk recurrence factors can receive personalized assistance in undergoing PA-TACE treatment and improve their survival outcomes.

PurposeTo develop and evaluate an integrated solution for automatic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases.MethodsA novel algorithm named as multi-objectives adjustment policy network (MOAPN) was proposed and trained to learn how to adjust multiple optimization objectives in commercial Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS), based on the multi-agent deep reinforcement learning (DRL) scheme. Furthermore, a three-dimensional (3D) dose prediction module was developed to generate the patient-specific initial optimization objectives to reduce the overall exploration space during MOAPN training. 114 previously treated NSCLC cases suitable for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) were selected from the clinical database. 87 cases were used for the model training, and the remaining 27 cases for evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of MOAPN in automatic treatment planning.ResultsFor all tested cases, the average number of adjustment steps was 21 ± 5.9 (mean ± 1 standard deviation). Compared with the MOAPN initial plans, the actual dose of chest wall, spinal cord, heart, lung (affected side), esophagus and bronchus in the MOAPN final plans reduced by 14.5%, 11.6%, 4.7%, 16.7%, 1.6% and 7.7%, respectively. The dose result of OARs in the MOAPN final plans was similar to those in the clinical plans. The complete automatic treatment plan for a new case was generated based on the integrated solution, with about 5-6 min.ConclusionWe successfully developed an integrated solution for automatic treatment planning. Using the 3D dose prediction module to obtain the patient-specific optimization objectives, MOAPN formed action-value policy can simultaneously adjust multiple objectives to obtain a high-quality plan in a shorter time. This integrated solution contributes to improving the efficiency of the overall planning workflow and reducing the variation of plan quality in different regions and treatment centers. Although improvement is warranted, this proof-of-concept study has demonstrated the feasibility of this integrated solution in automatic treatment planning based on the Eclipse TPS.

Mental rotation tasks have been widely used to assess individuals’ spatial cognition and the ability to mentally manipulate objects. This study employed a computerized adaptive training method to investigate the behavioral performance of participants of different genders in mental rotation tasks with different rotation angles before and after training. A total of 44 Chinese university students participated in the experiment, with the experimental group undergoing a five-day mental rotation training program. During the training phase, a three-down/one-up staircase procedure was used to adjust the stimulus levels (response time) based on participants’ responses. The results showed that the training had a facilitative effect on the mental rotation ability of both male and female participants, and it was able to eliminate the gender differences in mental rotation performance. Regarding the angles, we observed that the improvement in the angles involved in the training was significantly higher compared to untrained angles. However, no significant differences in improvement were found among the three trained angles. In summary, these findings demonstrate the effectiveness of computerized adaptive training methods in improving mental rotation ability and highlight the influence of gender and angles on learning outcomes.

Background Clear cell renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is resistant to most chemotherapeutic drugs and the molecular mechanisms have not been fully revealed. Genomic instability and the abnormal activation of bypass DNA repair pathway is the potential cause of tumor resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. IQ-motif GTPase activating protein 3 (IQGAP3) regulates cell migration and intercellular adhesion. This study aims to analysis the effects of IQGAP3 expression on cell survival, genome stability and clinical prognosis in ccRCC. Methods Multiple bioinformatics analysis based on TCGA database and IHC analysis on clinical specimens were included. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) were used to determine protein expression level. MTT assay and 3D spheroid cell growth assay were used to assess cell proliferation and drug resistance in RNAi transfected ccRCC cells. Cell invasion capacity was evaluated by transwell assay. The influence of IQGAP3 on genome instability was revealed by micronuclei number and γ H2AX recruitment test. Results The highly expressed IQGAP3 in multiple subtypes of renal cell carcinoma has a clear prognostic value. Deletion of IQGAP3 inhibits cell growth in 3D Matrigel. IQGAP3 depletion lso increases accumulated DNA damage, and improves cell sensitivity to ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, targeting DNA damage repair function of IQGAP3 in tumorigenesis can provide ideas for the development of new targets for early diagnosis.

Panax notoginseng (Burk) F.H. Chen is a rare and valuable Chinese herb, but root rot mainly caused by Fusarium solani severely affects the yield and quality of P. notoginseng herbal materials. In this study, we isolated 30 P. notoginseng WRKY transcription factors (TFs), which were divided into three groups (I, II, and III) on the basis of a phylogenetic analysis. The expression levels of 10 WRKY genes, including PnWRKY9, in P. notoginseng roots increased in response to a methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment and the following F. solani infection. Additionally, PnWRKY9 was functionally characterized. The PnWRKY9 protein was localized to the nucleus. The overexpression of PnWRKY9 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) considerably increased the resistance to F. solani, whereas an RNAi-mediated decrease in the PnWRKY9 expression level in P. notoginseng leaves increased the susceptibility to F. solani. The RNA sequencing and hormone content analyses of PnWRKY9-overexpression tobacco revealed that PnWRKY9 and the jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway synergistically enhance disease resistance. The PnWRKY9 recombinant protein was observed to bind specifically to the W-box sequence in the promoter of a JA-responsive and F. solani resistance-related defensin gene (PnDEFL1). A yeast one-hybrid assay indicated that PnWRKY9 can activate the transcription of PnDEFL1. Furthermore, a co-expression assay in tobacco using β-glucuronidase (GUS) as a reporter further verified that PnWRKY9 positively regulates PnDEFL1 expression. Overall, in this study, we identified P. notoginseng WRKY TFs and demonstrated that PnWRKY9 positively affects plant defenses against the root rot pathogen. The data presented herein provide researchers with fundamental information regarding the regulatory mechanism mediating the coordinated activities of WRKY TFs and the JA signaling pathway in P. notoginseng responses to the root rot pathogen.

The theory of embodied semantics holds that verbal metaphors are strongly grounded in sensorimotor experience. Many studies have proven that besides sensorimotor simulation, the comprehension of verbal metaphors also requires semantic abstraction. But the interaction between simulation and abstraction, as well as the time course of metaphorical meaning integration, is not well understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether embodiment or abstraction, or both, is employed in the processing of Chinese verbal metaphor. Participants were asked to read subject-verb metaphorical, verb-object metaphorical, literal-concrete and literal-abstract sentences, and the target words were measured at the verb and the object of each sentence. The results revealed that a similar N400 effect was elicited by the target verbs in the verb-object metaphorical and the literal-concrete sentences, and a similar P600/LPC effect was induced by the target verbs in the subject-verb metaphorical and the literal-abstract sentences, reflecting that the verb-object metaphors trigger a simulation process, while the subject-verb metaphors trigger an abstraction process in the verb processing stage. Moreover, the subject-verb metaphors elicited a stronger P600/LPC effect by the target verbs than the verb-object metaphors, but there was no difference of the P600/LPC caused by the target objects between the two kinds of metaphors, revealing that the metaphorical meaning of a subject-verb metaphor is integrated in the verb processing stage, while that of a verb-object metaphor is reanalyzed in the object processing stage. These results suggest that a verbal metaphor is processed both by simulation and abstraction, and the metaphorical meaning is integrated immediately with the unfolding of the sentence meaning. The position where the semantic conflict lies in a sentence (verb vs. object) modulates the time course of metaphor sentence comprehension.

It is critical to address the relationship between density label of Bangerter filters and expected visual acuity, and how filters modulate contrast sensitivity (CS) at different spatial frequency and external noise levels. In the current study, the monocular visual acuity and CS at ten spatial frequencies and three noise levels were measured in normal subjects wearing no filters, 0.8, 0.4, or 0.2 Bangerter filters. Compared with the baseline condition (no filter worn), Bangerter filters degraded both visual acuity and contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in zero-noise conditions, but the reduction of both visual functions did not correlate with each other at any filter level. In addition, the stronger the filter was, the worse both visual functions became. In contrast, when external noise was present, filters improved the contrast sensitivity at low frequencies but deteriorated it at intermediate and high spatial frequencies. The perceptual template model was used to reveal the corresponding mechanism accounted for filter-induced visual function changes. Although the internal process in visual system should not be affected by the filters, the measurement of parameters was biased. To be specific, (1) the internal additive noise was elevated at all frequencies; (2) the perceptual template was improved at low spatial frequencies but impaired at intermediate spatial frequencies; and (3) the changes in both factors were highly dependent on filter intensity. We conclude that Bangerter filters influence visual acuity and contrast sensitivity differently and that their effect on contrast sensitivity depends on spatial frequency and noise.

The primary focus of smart grid power analysis is on power load forecasting and data anomaly detection. Efficient and accurate power load prediction and data anomaly detection enable energy companies to develop reasonable production and scheduling plans and reduce waste. Since traditional anomaly detection algorithms are typically for symmetrically distributed time series data, the distribution of energy consumption data features uncertainty. To this end, a time series outlier detection approach based on prediction errors is proposed in this paper, which starts by using an attention mechanism-based convolutional neural network (CNN)-gated recursive unit (GRU) method to obtain the residual between the measured value and its predicted value, and the residual data generally conform to a symmetric distribution. Subsequently, for these residual data, a random forest classification algorithm based on grid search optimization is used to identify outliers in the power consumption data. The model proposed in this paper is applied to both classical and real energy consumption datasets, and the performance is evaluated using different metrics. As shown in the results, the average accuracy of the model is improved by 25.2% and the average precision is improved by 17.2%, with an average recall improvement of 16.4% and an average F1 score improvement of 26.8% compared to the mainstream algorithms.

Asian summer monsoons and their links to global temperature changes have been the subject of intense debate. Here the authors reconstruct the Asian monsoon climate since the late Miocene, using plant silica records of C4 and C3 grasses in central China, and find that global cooling caused Asian monsoon rainfall to decrease markedly in the late Pliocene.

Binocular summation is generally defined as the superiority of binocular over monocular performance. Here, we investigated how external noise modulates the effect of binocular summation on the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) and clarified the corresponding mechanisms with a perceptual template model (PTM). The contrast sensitivity (CS) over 10 spatial frequencies and three external noise levels was assessed under one binocular and two monocular viewing conditions. The binocular summation ratio (BSR) was calculated by dividing the area under the log CSF (AULCSF), or the CS of using both eyes, by that of only using the “good eye” (BSRG) or the “bad eye” (BSRB), respectively. We found that: (1) based on the AULCSF, the BSRB was higher than the BSRG; (2) based on the AULCSF, the BSR was more pronounced under zero-noise than under low-noise conditions, but the BSR was not higher than 1 under high-noise conditions due to a large individual difference; (3) based on the CS, with increasing spatial frequencies, the BSRB steadily increased; (4) both decreased internal additive noise and an improved perceptual template accounted for the gain in binocular summation. These results help us better understand the features of binocular CS and shed light on the clinical studies on populations with monocular CS loss.

Birds have been widely considered crucial indicators of biodiversity. It is essential to identify bird species precisely for biodiversity surveys. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, bird species identification has been facilitated by deep learning using audio samples. Prior studies mainly focused on identifying several bird species using deep learning or machine learning based on acoustic features. In this paper, we proposed a novel deep learning method to better identify a large number of bird species based on their call. The proposed method was made of LSTM (Long Short−Term Memory) with coordinate attention. More than 70,000 bird−call audio clips, including 264 bird species, were collected from Xeno−Canto. An evaluation experiment showed that our proposed network achieved 77.43% mean average precision (mAP), which indicates that our proposed network is valuable for automatically identifying a massive number of bird species based on acoustic features and avian biodiversity monitoring.

Aiming at the problem of lacking efficient distributed fault tolerant mechanism for data explosion in the distributed distribution power automation system, based on the record-level fault tolerance of a resilient distributed dataset (RDD) and micro-batch computing, a new lineage chain mark (LCM) fault-tolerant method is proposed. Using the distribution power network monitoring dataset as cache object, the programming model based on the micro-batch processing framework is comprehensively used to design the topology example of the distribution power network monitoring data, which can shorten the derivative chain of RDD. This paper takes the monitoring data in a dispatching and monitoring system of the Shijiazhuang-Dezhou distribution power network as the data source, which has deployed a flow calculation test cluster of one primary node and three working nodes. Taking the most frequent fault of single data node failure condition as an example, the test results based on 3 million monitoring data in RDD show that, the CPU usage volatility of this model in cluster nodes was less than 1.5%, the network consumption of read and write execution is decreased by about 3.1% and 5.0%, respectively, compared with the original model, and the disk usage was reduced by 4.2%; the iterative test shows that the number of iterations is positively correlated with the computational time, which is consistent with the calculation formula for the worst execution time of the lineage chain labeling model. When the number of iterations is more than 400, the greater the number of iterations, the more significant the LCM method improves the performance of the calculation. The results show that the long pedigree chain can be cut off by using the pedigree chain marker sequence, so that multi-computer parallel processing can be carried out in the nodes, which reduces the computational overhead of iterative operation and effectively improves the performance of fault-tolerant computing.

Background/Aims: Gap junctions, which are assembled by connexins, can directly connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells and enable gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) as well as metabolic coupling between neighboring cells. Here, we investigated the role of connexin 43 (Cx43) and its derived GJIC in the interplay between non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Methods: CAFs and NSCLC cells were co-cultured with direct contact and separated using flow cytometry. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and the expression and activity of PKM-2 and LDH-A in sorted CAFs were measured by a colorimetric assay, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Meanwhile, E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression and the migration and invasion of sorted NSCLC cells were detected by western blotting, wound width, and Transwell assays. Pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and citric acid levels, ATP levels, and LDH-B and α-KG activity in sorted NSCLC cells were determined by a colorimetric or fluorometric assay and ELISA, respectively. Functional GJIC between cells and the subcellular location of connexins were detected by a “Parachute” assay and immunofluorescence. Levels of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B in tissue from patients with NSCLC were determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Cx43 accumulated in the plasma membrane, which favored the assembly of asymmetric unidirectional GJIC from CAFs to NSCLC cells. CAFs underwent increased aerobic glycolysis and promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In contrast, NSCLC cells experienced enhanced oxidative phosphorylation upon CAF stimulation, with an increase in ATP generation and thereby activation of the PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways. Metabolic coupling between CAFs and NSCLC cells was under the strict control of Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC. Patients with high tri-expression of α-SMA, Cx43, and LDH-B had the shortest overall survival and relapse-free survival compared with those with individual overexpression or high bi-expression. Conclusion: Cx43-formed unidirectional GJIC plays a critical role in mediating close metabolic cooperation between CAFs and NSCLC cells to support the malignant progression of NSCLC.

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) inevitably developed oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance after long‐term treatment, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we found that LncRNA UCA1 was upregulated in most of OXA‐resistant HCC tissues and cells (HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA). Follow‐up analysis and online Kaplan–Meier Plotter revealed that HCC patients with high UCA1 level had a shorter survival compared with those with low expression. Overexpression of UCA1 increased OXA IC50 in HepG2 and SMMC‐7721 cells, whereas knockdown of UCA1 decreased OXA IC50 in resistant counterparts. Moreover, dual luciferase reporter assay showed that co‐transfection of UCA1‐WT plasmid with miR‐138‐5p mimics enhanced fluorescence signals, whereas co‐transfection of UCA1‐Mut plasmid and miR‐138‐5p mimics did not induce any changes. Consistently, UCA1 levels in HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA cells were downregulated after transfected with miR‐138‐5p mimics. UCA1 silencing or transfection of miR‐138‐5p mmics inhibited the activation of AKT and mTOR in HepG2/OXA and SMMC‐7721/OXA cells, whereas UCA1 overexpression increased the phosphorylated AKT and mTOR levels in parental counterparts. Rapamycin or miR‐138‐5p mimics similarly suppressed the activation of AKT and mTOR, whereas UCA1 overexpression exert opposite roles. Interestingly, administration of rapamycin or miR‐138‐5p mimics apparently antagonized the effects of UCA1 on AKT and mTOR activation. Besides, depletion of UCA1 triggered more dramatic regression of HepG2 xenografts than that of HepG2/OXA xenografts with OXA treatment and impaired the p‐AKT and p‐mTOR levels in vivo. In conclusion, our findings provide the evidence that UCA1 may contribute to OXA resistance via miR‐138‐5p‐mediated AK /mTOR activation, suggesting that UCA1 is a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Abstract Self‐assembly of semiconducting (macro)molecules enables the development of materials with tailored‐made properties which could be used as active components for optoelectronics applications. Supramolecular nanostructures combine the merits of soft matter and crystalline materials: They are flexible yet highly crystalline, and they can be processed with low‐cost solution methods. Photodetectors are devices capable to convert a light input into an electrical signal. To achieve high photoresponse, the photogenerated charge carriers should be transported efficiently through the self‐assembled nanostructures to reach the electrodes; this can be guaranteed via optimal π–electron overlapping between adjacent conjugated molecules. Moreover, because of the high surface‐to‐bulk ratio, supramolecular nanostructures are prone to enhance exciton dissociation. These qualities make supramolecular nanostructures perfect platforms for photoelectric conversion. This review highlights the most enlightening recent strategies developed for the fabrication of high‐performance photodetectors based on supramolecular nanostructures. We introduce the key figure‐of‐merit parameters and working mechanisms of organic photodetectors based on single components and p–n heterojunctions. In particular, we describe new methods to devise unprecedented planar and vertical devices to ultimately realize highly integrated and flexible photodetectors. The incorporation of ordered mesoscopic supramolecular nanostructures into macroscopic optoelectronic devices will offer great promise for the next generation of multifunctional and multiresponsive devices.

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Using optical excitation and acoustic detection, we developed a functional connectivity photoacoustic tomography system, which allows noninvasive imaging of resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain, with a large field of view and a high spatial resolution. Bilateral correlations were observed in eight functional regions, including the olfactory bulb, limbic, parietal, somatosensory, retrosplenial, visual, motor, and temporal regions, as well as in several subregions. The borders and locations of these regions agreed well with the Paxinos mouse brain atlas. By subjecting the mouse to alternating hyperoxic and hypoxic conditions, strong and weak functional connectivities were observed, respectively. In addition to connectivity images, vascular images were simultaneously acquired. These studies show that functional connectivity photoacoustic tomography is a promising, noninvasive technique for functional imaging of the mouse brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to solve problems, i.e., increasingly significant processing delay of massive monitoring data and imbalanced tasks in the scheduling and monitoring center for a railway network. To tackle these problems, a method by using a smooth weighted round-robin scheduling based on backpressure flow control (BF-SWRR) is proposed. The method is developed based on a model for message queues and real-time streaming computing. By using telemetry data flow as input data sources, the fields of data sources are segmented into different sets by using a distributed model of stream computing parallel processing. Moreover, the round-robin (RR) scheduling method for the distributed server is improved. The parallelism, memory occupancy, and system delay are tested by taking a high-speed train section of a certain line as an example. The result showed that the BF-SWRR method for clusters can control the delay to within 1 s. When the parallelism of distributed clusters is set to 8, occupancy rates of the CPU and memory can be decreased by about 15%. In this way, the overall load of the cluster during stream computing is more balanced.

Aim. To reveal the role of bacterial translocation (BT) and autophagy in severe acute pancreatitis-induced acute lung injury (SAP-ALI). Methods. Rats were separated into a control (sham-operation) group (n=10) and a SAP group (n=30). Sodium taurocholate (5%) was retrogradely injected into the cholangiopancreatic duct to induce SAP-ALI in rats. Then, 16S rDNA sequencing was used to detect bacterial translocation (BT). Hematoxylin eosin staining (HE) was used to detect morphological changes to the pancreas, intestine, and lung. And lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio (W/D ratio) was used to assess the extent of pulmonary edema. The expressions of LC3II and Beclin1 proteins were analyzed by western blot and immunofluorescence. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were used to assess oxidative stress in lung tissue. Results. Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, lipase, and amylase in the SAP group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P

Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is widely used in hybrid marine propulsion systems due to its high power output, excellent emission control and wide fuel suitability. However, the operating temperature in SOFC will rise up to 800–1000 ℃ due to redox reaction among hydrogen and oxygen ions. This provides a suitable environment for ions transporting through ceramic materials. Under such operation temperatures, degradation may occur in the electrodes and electrolyte. As a result, unstable voltage, low capacity and cell failure may eventually occur. This study presents thermomechanical analysis of a porous SOFC cell plate which contains electrodes, electrolytes and pores. A microscale specimen in the shape of a plate is considered in order to maintain uniform temperature loading and increase the accuracy of estimation. A new computational technique, peridynamics, is utilized to calculate the deformations and stresses of the cell plate. Moreover, the crack formation and propagation are also obtained by using peridynamics. According to the numerical results, damage evolution depends on the electrolyte/electrode interface strength during the charging process. For weak interface strength case, damage emerges at the electrode/electrolyte interface. On the other hand, for stronger interface cases, damage emerges on pore boundaries especially with sharp corner.

In this study, the effect of small cracks on the dynamic propagation of a macrocrack is investigated by using a new continuum mechanics formulation, peridynamics. Various combinations of small cracks with different number, location and density are considered. Depending on the location, density and number of small cracks, the propagation speed of macrocrack differs. Some combinations of small cracks slows down the propagation of a macrocrack by 34%. Presented results show that this analysis can be useful for the design of new microstructurally toughened materials.

Jarosite residues produced by zinc hydrometallurgical processing are hazardous solid wastes. In this study, monoclinic pyrrhotite (M-Po) was prepared by the pyrolysis of jarosite residues in H2S atmosphere. The influence of gas speed, reaction temperature, and time was considered. The mineral phase, microstructure, and elemental valence of the solids before and after pyrolysis were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The performances of the prepared M-Po on the removal of Zn and Pb from aqueous solution were evaluated. The results show M-Po to be the sole product at the reaction temperatures of 550 to 575 °C. Most of the M-Po particles are at the nanometer scale and display xenomorphic morphology. The phase evolution process during pyrolysis is suggested as jarosite → hematite/magnetite → pyrite → pyrite+M-Po → M-Po+hexagonal pyrrhotite (H-Po) → H-Po. The formation rate, crystallinity, and surface microtexture of M-Po are controlled by reaction temperature and time. Incomplete sulfidation may produce coarse particles with core–shell (where the core is oxide and the shell is sulfide) and triple-layer (where the core is sulfate, the interlayer is oxide, and the shell is sulfide) structures. M-Po produced at 575 °C exhibits an excellent heavy metal removal ability, which has adsorption capacities of 25 mg/g for Zn and 100 mg/g for Pb at 25 °C and pH ranges from 5 to 6. This study indicates that high-temperature sulfidation is a novel and efficient method for the treatment and utilization of jarosite residues.