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A copper/polydimethylsiloxane (Cu/PDMS) microfluidic chip was designed to synthesize SERS substrates through a displacement reaction between silver and copper in microfluidic channels to form a microfluidic SERS nanoparticles (AgNPs)/Cu chip. This SERS substrate fabrication method doesn't require complex manufacturing processes or expensive equipment, and it can be achieved at room temperature in just 4 min. Meanwhile, the AgNPs grown on copper foil could offer ample hot spots, effectively boosting Raman signals of target molecules, and the enhancement factor (EF) was 5.12 × 107 for methylene blue, 4.08 × 107 for crystal violet, and 4.81 × 105 for sulfadiazine. The chip could be reused at least 9 times with consistent signal performance. Combined with the concentration gradient microchannel network design, we could establish the standard curve for samples through one injection on a single chip. A rapid SERS method for detecting sulfadiazine in aquatic products was developed. The linear range for sulfadiazine analysis was 75.0–1000 μg L−1 with a limit of detection of 28.4 μg L−1. Sulfadiazine was found in aquatic products (43.8 μg kg−1), with recovery rates ranging from 82.7% to 110%. The result was validated using high-performance liquid chromatography, showing a relative error of 9.3%. The entire detection procedure could be completed in just 20 min to detect sulfadiazine. These results demonstrate that the developed SERS method is fast, accurate, and reliable for analysis of sulfadiazine in aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current fluorine wastewater treatment method mainly relies on neutralization, which has the drawback of high alkali consumption, solid waste generation, and re-dissolution of heavy metals. Similar problems exist in the vanadium (V) industry. This study aims to minimize fluorine wastewater generation, reducing CaF2 consumption by internally reusing raffinate at certain stages of the V extraction process. In the raffinate reuse leaching process, Al-F complex in the raffinate is decomposed and HF is produced under the action of sulfuric acid. This enhances the destruction of muscovite and improves the leaching efficiency of V. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the raffinate reuse leaching process, and when the CaF2 dosage was reduced from 3 wt.% to 1.8 wt.% and the H2SO4 concentration was as low as 14 vol%, the process maintained the optimal V recovery efficiency of more than 86%. This methodology can achieve a 100% reuse rate of the raffinate, and has great potential for its application in the vanadium leaching industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanitary sewer overflows caused by excessive rainfall derived infiltration and inflow is the major challenge currently faced by municipal administrations, and therefore, the ability to correctly predict the wastewater state of the sanitary sewage system in advance is especially significant. In this paper, we present the design of the Sparse Autoencoder-based Bidirectional long short-term memory (SAE-BLSTM) network model, a model built on Sparse Autoencoder (SAE) and Bidirectional long short-term memory (BLSTM) networks to predict the wastewater flow rate in a sanitary sewer system. This network model consists of a data preprocessing segment, the SAE network segment, and the BLSTM network segment. The SAE is capable of performing data dimensionality reduction on high-dimensional original input feature data from which it can extract sparse potential features from the aforementioned high-dimensional original input feature data. The potential features extracted by the SAE hidden layer are concatenated with the smooth historical wastewater flow rate features to create an augmented previous feature vector that more accurately predicts the wastewater flow rate. These augmented previous features are applied to the BLSTM network to predict the future wastewater flow rate. Thus, this network model combines two kinds of abilities, SAE's low-dimensional nonlinear representation for original input feature data and BLSTM's time series prediction for wastewater flow rate. Then, we conducted extensive experiments on the SAE-BLSTM network model utilizing the real-world hydrological time series datasets and employing advanced SVM, FCN, GRU, LSTM, and BLSTM models as comparison algorithms. The experimental results show that our proposed SAE-BLSTM model consistently outperforms the advanced comparison models. Specifically, we selected a 3 months period training dataset in our dataset to train and test the SAE-BLSTM network model. The SAE-BLSTM network model yielded the lowest RMSE, MAE, and highest R2, which are 242.55, 179.05, and 0.99626, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lead-free all-inorganic double perovskite Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 is regarded as an attractive alternative to lead-based organic-inorganic counterparts in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) because of the superb durability, nontoxicity and distinct optical properties. Nevertheless, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based cells are significantly limited by both inherent and external defects in Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 films caused by structural/optical features and fabrication processes, respectively. Thus, it is necessary to conduct a review to enhance fundamental knowledge regarding the decisive performance-limiting factors and relevant performance improvement strategies of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs. Herein, fundamental knowledge of the decisive performance-limiting factors and relevant origins of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs is presented, including inferior sunlight absorption capability, inferior film quality, high defect amount and unsuitable energy level alignment. On this basis, some distinct strategies to improve the PCEs of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based cells are proposed such as dye sensitization, band gap regulation, interface control, additive engineering and (anti-)solvent design. Finally, the remaining key problems and future research directions of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs are provided. Our review aims to present important guidance for future research on Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs to break the efficiency record. [Display omitted] • The superiorities of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs over Pb-based counterparts are illustrated. • The fundamental understanding of the decisive performance-limiting factors is presented. • Several distinct strategies to enhance the performance of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs have been proposed. • The remaining key problems and future directions of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based PSCs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 has caused millions of deaths, and, since Aug 11, 2020, 20 intramuscular COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use. We aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an aerosolised adenovirus type-5 vector-based COVID-19 vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) in adults without COVID-19 from China.Method: This was a randomised, single-centre, open-label, phase 1 trial done in Zhongnan Hospital (Wuhan, China), to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine by aerosol inhalation in adults (≥18 years) seronegative for SARS-CoV-2. Breastfeeding or pregnant women and people with major chronic illnesses or history of allergies were excluded. Participants were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1:1:1:1) into five groups to be vaccinated via intramuscular injection, aerosol inhalation, or both. Randomisation was stratified by sex and age (18-55 years or ≥56 years) using computer-generated randomisation sequences (block sizes of five). Only laboratory staff were masked to group assignment. The participants in the two aerosol groups received an initial high dose (2 × 1010 viral particles; HDmu group) or low dose (1 × 1010 viral particles; LDmu group) of Ad5-nCoV vaccine on day 0, followed by a booster on day 28. The mixed vaccination group received an initial intramuscular (5 × 1010 viral particles) vaccine on day 0, followed by an aerosolised booster (2 × 1010 viral particles) vaccine on day 28 (MIX group). The intramuscular groups received one dose (5 × 1010 viral particles; 1Dim group) or two doses (10 × 1010 viral particles; 2Dim group) of Ad5-nCoV on day 0. The primary safety outcome was adverse events 7 days after each vaccination, and the primary immunogenicity outcome was anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor IgG antibody and SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibody geometric mean titres at day 28 after last vaccination. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT04552366.Findings: Between Sept 28, 2020, and Sept 30, 2020, 230 individuals were screened for inclusion, of whom 130 (56%) participants were enrolled into the trial and randomly assigned into one of the five groups (26 participants per group). Within 7 days after vaccination, adverse events occurred in 18 (69%) in the HDmu group, 19 (73%) in the LDmu group, 19 (73%) in the MIX group, 19 (73%) in the 1Dim group, and 15 (58%) in the 2Dim group. The most common adverse events reported 7 days after the first or booster vaccine were fever (62 [48%] of 130 participants), fatigue (40 [31%] participants), and headache (46 [35%] participants). More adverse events were reported in participants who received intramuscular vaccination, including participants in the MIX group (49 [63%] of 78 participants), than those who received aerosol vaccine (13 [25%] of 52 participants) after the first vaccine vaccination. No serious adverse events were noted within 56 days after the first vaccine. At days 28 after last vaccination, geometric mean titres of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibody was 107 (95% CI 47-245) in the HDmu group, 105 (47-232) in the LDmu group, 396 (207-758) in the MIX group, 95 (61-147) in the 1Dim group, and 180 (113-288) in the 2Dim group. The geometric mean concentrations of receptor binding domain-binding IgG was 261 EU/mL (95% CI 121-563) in the HDmu group, 289 EU/mL (138-606) in the LDmu group, 2013 EU/mL (1180-3435) in the MIX group, 915 EU/mL (588-1423) in the 1Dim group, and 1190 EU/mL (776-1824) in the 2Dim group.Interpretation: Aerosolised Ad5-nCoV is well tolerated, and two doses of aerosolised Ad5-nCoV elicited neutralising antibody responses, similar to one dose of intramuscular injection. An aerosolised booster vaccination at 28 days after first intramuscular injection induced strong IgG and neutralising antibody responses. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of aerosol vaccination should be evaluated in future studies.Funding: National Key Research and Development Programme of China and National Science and Technology Major Project.Translation: For the Chinese translation of the Summary see Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aim to explore the safety and feasibility of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC‐MSCs) transplantation in patients with severe and critically severe coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19). Methods: We conducted a small sample, single arm, pilot trial. In addition to standard therapy, we performed four rounds of transplantation of UC‐MSCs in sixteen patients with severe and critically severe COVID‐19. We recorded adverse events from enrolment to Day 28. We evaluated the oxygenation index, inflammatory biomarkers, radiological presentations of the disease and lymphocyte subsets count on the 7th day (D7 ± 1 day), the 14th day (D14 ± 1 day) and the 28th day (D28 ± 3 days). Results: There were no infusion‐related or allergic reactions. The oxygenation index was improved after transplantation. The mortality of enrolled patients was 6.25%, whereas the historical mortality rate was 45.4%. The level of cytokines estimated varied in the normal range, the radiological presentations (ground glass opacity) were improved and the lymphocyte count and lymphocyte subsets (CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and NK cells) count showed recovery after transplantation. Conclusions: Intravenous transplantation of UC‐MSCs was safe and feasible for treatment of patients with severe and critically severe COVID‐19 pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Illness-related costs experienced by tuberculosis patients produce a severe economic impact on households, especially poor families. Few studies have investigated the full costs, including direct and indirect costs, at the patient and household levels in south-east China. Methods: A case follow-up study was conducted in the Bao'an district of Shenzhen City, China. Eligible new and previously treated individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) during January 1st 2013 to June 30th 2013 were enrolled. Medical and non-medical costs as well as income loss were calculated in diagnosis and treatment periods, respectively. Factors associated with costs due to TB diagnosis, treatment and TB care (diagnosis + treatment) were explored respectively with a linear regression model. Results: Of the total 514 TB patients enrolled, 95% were from the migrant population, and 65% were males, with a mean age of 32.25 (±10.11). The median costs due to TB diagnosis and TB treatment were 79 United States dollar (USD), 748USD (6.2897 China Yuan (CNY) = 1USD, 2013) per patient, respectively. The median costs due to TB care (diagnosis and treatment) per patient was 1218USD, corresponding to 26% of patients' annual income pre-illness. Those who visited more times to health facilities, hospitalized, received higher education, or occupied in national civil servant/services/retired staff might expense more before diagnosis. Costs due to TB treatment was significantly higher among migrant patients, sputum smear positive patients, and widowed/divorced population. Factors associated with less total costs were native patients, fewer times of visiting to health-care facilities and those with no hospitalization history due to TB. Conclusions: Although a free TB control policy is in force, patients with TB are still facing a heavy economic burden. More available interventions to reduce the financial burden on tuberculosis patients are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vincristine, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, produces painful peripheral neuropathy. The underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we investigated whether voltage-gated sodium channels are involved in the development of vincristine-induced neuropathy. We established a mouse model in which repeated systemic vincristine treatment results in the development of significant mechanical allodynia. Histological examinations did not reveal major structural changes at proximal sciatic nerve branches or distal toe nerve fascicles at the vincristine dose used in this study. Immunohistochemical studies and in vivo two-photon imaging confirmed that there is no significant change in density or morphology of intra-epidermal nerve terminals throughout the course of vincristine treatment. These observations suggest that nerve degeneration is not a prerequisite of vincristine-induced mechanical allodynia in this model. We also provided the first detailed characterization of tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and resistant (TTX-R) sodium currents in dorsal root ganglion neurons following vincristine treatment. Accompanying the behavioural hyperalgesia phenotype, voltage-clamp recordings of small and medium dorsal root ganglion neurons from vincristine-treated animals revealed a significant upregulation of TTX-S Na+ current in medium but not small neurons. The increase in TTX-S Na+ current density is likely mediated by Nav1.6, because in the absence of Nav1.6 channels, vincristine failed to alter TTX-S Na+ current density in medium dorsal root ganglion neurons and, importantly, mechanical allodynia was significantly attenuated in conditional Nav1.6 knockout mice. Our data show that TTX-S sodium channel Nav1.6 is involved in the functional changes of dorsal root ganglion neurons following vincristine treatment and it contributes to the maintenance of vincristine-induced mechanical allodynia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A sulfonated chitosan (SCS) was prepared via nucleophilic substitution and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C NMR spectra, gel permeation chromatography, elemental analysis, and thermo gravimetric analysis. The inhibition activities of bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation against E. coli and S. aureus of SCS were assessed in comparison with those of unmodified chitosan hydrochloride (WCS) which was commercially available. The metabolic activity and secretion of exopolysaccharide in biofilms of E. coli and S. aureus were significantly decreased after the treatment of SCS. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy also demonstrated that SCS and WCS at 1MIC concentrations could obviously inhibit the formation of biofilm. Upon the experimental data obtained, it can be concluded that the alkylsulfonation of chitosan could significantly improve efficacy in killing biofilm-embedded bacteria, and the inhibition activities against biofilm formation of E. coli and S. aureus. The exploitation of SCS in this study is helpful to extend the understanding to an alternative to antibiotics and chemical preservatives in food and medicine fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is very attractive to find a cheap and efficient cocatalyst for enhancing the H 2 generation of graphitic carbon nitride (CN) under visible light. To achieve that, we proposed a novel two-step method to deposit sub-10 nm metallic Ni 2 P particles on the surface of CN sheets for a maximized interfacial contact. Characteristic results confirmed the establishment of ohmic heterojunction upon Ni 2 P-modification of CN, which deemed to be an effective measure to alleviate photo-charges recombination. In addition to facilitating spatial separation of charges, Ni 2 P could also enhance the optical properties of CN while reducing its impedance for interfacial electron shuttling. Better still, the P-end of Ni 2 P is highly electronegative, offering desirable H+-capturing capability for enhanced H 2 generation. These give rise to an improved H 2 production of Ni 2 P/CN composite, optimally at 645.3 μmol g−1·h−1 as compared to immeasurable H 2 yielded by the pristine CN. Such photocatalytic performance is even comparable to the Pt-modified CN photocatalyst (640.6 μmol g−1·h−1). In recyclability test, a notable activity suppression of 33.17% was recorded after four reaction cycles. This can be ascribed to the pronounced photo-corrosion of the Ni 2 P cocatalyst during photoreaction. Nonetheless, a remarkably high H 2 generation (1328.6 μmol g−1 in 3 h) was still attained at 4th cycle. This justifies the effectiveness of our synthesized Ni 2 P cocatalyst in enhancing H 2 generation of CN under visible light irradiation. • Sub-10 nm Ni 2 P was deposited on g-C 3 N 4 for enhanced H 2 generation. • Ohmic contact was successful formed at the interface Ni 2 P/g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst. • 3 wt% Ni 2 P/g-C 3 N 4 prompts comparable H 2 generation to 3 wt% Pt/g-C 3 N 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a translucent superhydrophobic coating was fabricated by a simple spray-coating technique using fluorine-free and easily available materials, viz , the hybrids of PDMS and PMMA in THF solution, without any pre-/post-treatment. The combination of the microscale roughness of the sprayed-PMMA, along with the low surface energy PDMS, has contributed to the observed superhydrophobicity. The as-prepared PDMS/PMMA@superhydrophobic surface has displayed a water contact angle of 157.5° and sliding angle of 2.8°. Furthermore, the liquids with various surface tension, ranging from water to various organic liquids, displayed nearly spherical shapes on the superhydrophobic substrate. In addition, this coating has also shown significant stability against sand abrasion and water droplet impact, and was able to maintain its superhydrophobicity after being soaked in strong acid and salkali solutions. Moreover, the superhydrophobic coating was found to be translucent with good visibility of the characters through the coated glass substrate. The transformation from a superhydrophobic state to superhydrophilic state can be realized via a hot-press process, and such a facile technique can be easily applied to potential applications in surface patterning. Additionally, the super-antiwetting surface has been demonstrated for applications in highly efficient oil-water emulsion separation, anti-fouling, and self-cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting the uses of proteins and polysaccharides is of increasing interest because the combination of the attributes of these two types of biopolymers can produce small emulsion droplets with good physical stability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding chitosan to a bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution at different pH values, and the consequent conformational changes were monitored using UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. Spectroscopic observations were further combined with rheological analysis results to illustrate the interaction mechanism. The results showed that the pH and BSA/chitosan ratio significantly affected the interaction between BSA and chitosan. Additionally, the microenvironment and the secondary structure of BSA were changed with the addition of chitosan, and chitosan was found to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. The experimental results provide theoretical guidance for the design of new ingredients for the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superhydrophobic TiO 2 coating was fabricated on cotton fabric through a facile one step hot-pressing process after being dipped in n-octyltriethoxysilane and Ti-containing precursor mixed solution. The as-prepared fabric exhibited robust superhydrophobic with a water contact angle higher than 150° and realized an optimized UV protective factor of 45. The as-constructed superhydrophobic fabric was able to withstand more than 800 cycles of abrasion. Moreover, there was not apparent decrease of superhydrophobicity after 10 cycles of accelerated machine wash and the as-constructed fabric also showed a strong ability to resist acidic and alkaline solutions. Finally, the potential applications of such value-added fabrics self-cleaning, anti-fouling, and water-oil separation were investigated as well. The results demonstrated that the combination of n-octyltriethoxysilane and Ti-containing precursor coating endowed the pristine fabrics with excellent self-cleaning for dusts and anti-fouling for methylene blue dye, as well as excellent separation efficiency for the oil-water mixtures. This facile synthesis stragegy can also be extended to quickly construct multifunctional fabrics with speical wettability in a large scale and utilized in some promising fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the global warming trend is still increasing due to CO 2 emissions from various sources, such as electricity, heat production, industry, and transportation. In the vanadium industry, the vanadium bearing shale is of low grade, and the extraction of the required elemental vanadium produces large quantities of vanadium tailings (VTs). Both the roasting pretreatment of vanadium shale during vanadium extraction and the high-temperature calcination process for the preparation of vanadium products generate large amounts of CO 2 gas. Therefore, it is particularly important to find an effective and environmentally friendly method for the treatment of vanadium tailings and CO 2 generated by the vanadium industry. In this study, a potential method for the indirect carbonation of low calcium VTs under atmospheric pressure conditions was investigated. The carbonation reaction was investigated for different ammonia addition factors and different introduced CO 2 concentrations and temperatures. The carbonation experiments showed that under the conditions of coefficient of ammonia addition of 1.4, reaction time of 60 min and reaction temperature of 60 °C, the utilization rate of calcium in VTs reached 97.9% and the CO 2 uptake of VTs at 0.073 g-CO 2 /g, indicating that the carbonation of vanadium with low-calcium VTs was effective. The carbonation product was analyzed and measured using TG, XRD, and SEM-EDS, and it was discovered to be CaCO 3 , confirming the feasibility of carbonation reaction with vanadium tailings. Furthermore, the characterization of the carbonation product confirmed the mechanism and safety of the carbonation reaction, laying the groundwork for future applications. • The application of vanadium tailings for CO 2 capture and sequestration. • It has higher carbon capture efficiency among other low-calcium wastes. • For effective Ca, the process has a utilization rate of more than 97%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This is the first meta-analysis of the worldwide prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum in dairy calves. • The degree of intensive rearing and age are important risk factors for C. parvum infection in dairy calves. • There are many subtypes of C. parvum in dairy calves in different regions. • The subtype families of C. parvum vary in different geographical regions. Cryptosporidium is a significant zoonotic pathogen that often occurs in dairy cattle. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum infection in dairy calves worldwide to help improve global animal husbandry and public policy implementation. Published articles were obtained from PubMed and Web of Science from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2021. The prevalence of C. parvum infection in dairy calves was estimated using a random effects model, and the sources of heterogeneity were explored using meta-regression. In total, 118 datasets were included in the final quantitative analysis. The results showed that the global prevalence of C. parvum in dairy calves was 21.9% (7755/42,890; 95% confidence interval: 19.9–23.9%). C. parvum infection was high in pre-weaned dairy calves (24.9%, 6706/29,753) and diarrhea dairy calves (33.6%, 1637/6077). In countries with low dairy stocking density (<10 cows/farm), the prevalence of C. parvum in dairy calves was also relatively low (15.2%, 1960/16,584). Three subtype families [IIa (72.2%, 2293/3177), IId (27.4%, 872/3177), and IIl (0.4%, 12/3177)] were detected in dairy calves globally from selected studies. C. parvum IIa was the dominant zoonotic subtype. In the IIa subtype family of C. parvum , the proportions of subtypes from high to low (top nine) were IIaA15G2R1 (32.4%, 742/2293), IIaA18G3R1 (11.8%, 271/2293), IIaA13G2R1 (8.2%, 187/2293), IIaA16G1R1 (6.4%, 147/2293), IIaA20G1R1 (3.5%, 81/2293), IIaA16G3R1 (3.4%, 78/2293), IIaA17G2R1 (2.7%, 62/2293), IIaA18G1R1 (2.5%, 58/2293), and IIaA15G1R1 (2.4%, 56/2293). In the IId subtype family of C. parvum , the proportions of subtypes (top four) were IIdA19G1 (36.0%, 314/872), IIdA15G1 (27.3%, 238/872), IIdA20G1 (16.2%, 141/872), and IIdA14G1 (13.0%, 113/872). Furthermore, IId is commonly found in China (771/872). The study results indicated that the IIa subtype family is globally prevalent, while IId is found in Asia, Europe, and Africa and IIl is only found in Europe. Diarrhea in dairy calves is associated with C. parvum infection and a significantly higher prevalence is observed in diarrheic calves. Age and stock density are two significant risk factors in the prevalence of C. parvum in dairy calves. The prevention and control of this zoonosis in dairy calves should receive greater attention, especially in regions with a high degree of intensive dairy farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intelligent fiber actuator that can sense, adapt, and interact with environmental stimuli is highly desirable for numerous applications. However, conventional fiber sensors have difficulty in responding to complex environments with fast sensing and actuation. Herein, water/light dual‐responsive double‐twisted RGO@HHF (hollow hydrogel fiber loaded with reduced graphene oxide) actuators are successfully developed based on dynamic self‐contraction/elongation via twisting, folding, plying, and re‐plying process. Under stimuli by water and light, the twisted RGO@HHF provides a forward and reverse torsional stroke of 3168 and 60° cm−1, respectively. The excellent swelling properties endow the fiber with highly effective water‐responsive ability, and the hollow structure can reduce the water required for fiber to swell. Meanwhile, the RGO loading further accelerates water evaporation and enhances the light response rate of the fiber. After twisting and re‐plying, the double‐twisted RGO@HHF exhibits highly increased elongation and contraction under light/water stimulation. On this basis, a new strategy is proposed for efficient desalination and anti‐salt accumulation. The double‐twisted RGO@HHF can elongate to absorb water and contract to evaporate seawater under sunlight/water stimulation, respectively. The accumulated salt can be dissolved in the seawater during the dynamic process. This study provides a promising approach for realizing sustainable seawater desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A multihole and high ion-exchange adsorbent were synthesized by waste. • It can efficiently adsorb fluorine from raffinate and other wastewater. • Its maximal fluorine adsorption capability was 277.78 mg/g. • It can be easily produced on a large scale and has potential in real applications. Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-d HAP), an adsorbent of high defluoridation capacity with lattice defect, was prepared from vanadium industrial waste neutralization slag (NS). The adsorption performance was compared to commercially available stoichiometric HAP (S-HAP) under different solution conditions, and Ca-d HAP was superior to S-HAP. The specific surface area of Ca-d HAP was considerable (118.32 m2/g), which was 3.176 times larger than that of S-HAP (37.25 m2/g), and this was the main reason for the strong adsorption performance of Ca-d HAP. Meanwhile, due to the presence of minor impurities, such as Al and Fe, in NS, the doping of Al and Fe reduced the crystallinity after Ca-d HAP synthesis, which provided additional active sites for binding to other ions. In addition, combined with characterization analysis, it was speculated that some Ca ions in Ca-d HAP were replaced by Na ions with stronger ion-exchange properties, enhancing its adsorption performance. The adsorption mechanism of Ca-d HAP on F- ions was further investigated by discussing the surface potential, initial pH, adsorbent dosage, initial fluorine concentration, adsorption thermodynamics, and kinetics. Results showed that the Langmuir isothermal model well predicts the adsorption behavior of Ca-d HAP on F- ions at pH 3.5, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 277.78 mg/g, which is larger than most HAP adsorbents reported in the literature. In addition, the percentage adsorption of Ca-d HAP on F- ions was > 99 % in the raffinate and the NaF solution. In addition, the percentage adsorption of Ca-d HAP on F- ions was > 99 % both in the raffinate and in the NaF solution. The adsorption of F- ions by Ca-d HAP is a heat absorption process, with the ΔG° < 0 at various temperatures, demonstrating the reaction's spontaneity of the reaction. The pseudo-second-order model better described the adsorption kinetics data at 303 to 333 K, and the adsorption was regulated by chemical reactions. Overall, Ca-d HAP with lattice defects has a large ion-exchange rate and specific surface area, which is the key reason for the high adsorption performance of Ca-d HAP. Therefore, this technology provides a prospect for treating acidic wastewater with high fluorine content in the vanadium industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this prospective, randomized clinical trial (RCT) was to evaluate whether the supplemental protein concentration in embryo transfer (ET) medium affects the clinical outcomes in IVF–ET. A total of 750 patients undergoing IVF–ET who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into three groups, according to the concentration of synthetic serum substitute (SSS) in ET medium as follows: 10% (Group A), 20% (Group B) and 50% (Group C). The patient characteristics and embryology data were all similar among the groups. The rates of implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth were compared. Clinical pregnancy (44.61%, 48.79% and 45.49%), multiple pregnancy (24.18%, 28.71% and 25.0%), implantation (28.21%, 30.68% and 29.86%) and live birth (41.67%, 43.96% and 41.70%) rates in the three groups (A, B and C, respectively) showed no significant differences. This RCT demonstrates that supplemental protein concentration in the ET medium does not affect the treatment outcomes in IVF–ET. There was no statistical evidence to support the hypothesis that supplemental protein concentration in the ET medium influences treatment outcomes in IVF–ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium channel Nav1.9 is expressed in peripheral nociceptive neurons, as well as visceral afferents, and has been shown to act as a threshold channel. Painful peripheral neuropathy represents a significant public health challenge and may involve gain-of-function variants in sodium channels that are preferentially expressed in peripheral sensory neurons. Although gain-of-function variants of peripheral sodium channels Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 have recently been found in painful small fibre neuropathy, the aetiology of peripheral neuropathy in many cases remains unknown. We evaluated 459 patients who were referred for possible painful peripheral neuropathy, and confirmed the diagnosis of small fibre neuropathy in a cohort of 393 patients (369 patients with pure small fibre neuropathy, and small fibre neuropathy together with large fibre involvement in an additional 24 patients). From this cohort of 393 patients with peripheral neuropathy, we sequenced SCN11A in 345 patients without mutations in SCN9A and SCN10A, and found eight variants in 12 patients. Functional profiling by electrophysiological recordings showed that these Nav1.9 mutations confer gain-of-function attributes to the channel, depolarize resting membrane potential of dorsal root ganglion neurons, enhance spontaneous firing, and increase evoked firing of these neurons. Our data show, for the first time, missense mutations of Nav1.9 in individuals with painful peripheral neuropathy. These genetic and functional observations identify missense mutations of Nav1.9 as a cause of painful peripheral neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aetiology of painful peripheral neuropathy is often unknown. Huang et al. sequence the gene encoding sodium channel Nav1.9 in 393 patients with small fibre neuropathy and identify eight variants in 12 individuals. Functional analysis of two variants reveals that they confer gain-of-function attributes to Nav1.9, and induce nociceptor hyperexcitability.Sodium channel Nav1.9 is expressed in peripheral nociceptive neurons, as well as visceral afferents, and has been shown to act as a threshold channel. Painful peripheral neuropathy represents a significant public health challenge and may involve gain-of-function variants in sodium channels that are preferentially expressed in peripheral sensory neurons. Although gain-of-function variants of peripheral sodium channels Nav1.7 and Nav1.8 have recently been found in painful small fibre neuropathy, the aetiology of peripheral neuropathy in many cases remains unknown. We evaluated 459 patients who were referred for possible painful peripheral neuropathy, and confirmed the diagnosis of small fibre neuropathy in a cohort of 393 patients (369 patients with pure small fibre neuropathy, and small fibre neuropathy together with large fibre involvement in an additional 24 patients). From this cohort of 393 patients with peripheral neuropathy, we sequenced SCN11A in 345 patients without mutations in SCN9A and SCN10A, and found eight variants in 12 patients. Functional profiling by electrophysiological recordings showed that these Nav1.9 mutations confer gain-of-function attributes to the channel, depolarize resting membrane potential of dorsal root ganglion neurons, enhance spontaneous firing, and increase evoked firing of these neurons. Our data show, for the first time, missense mutations of Nav1.9 in individuals with painful peripheral neuropathy. These genetic and functional observations identify missense mutations of Nav1.9 as a cause of painful peripheral neuropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • An environmentally-friendly and fluorine-free superhydrophobic finishing system. • A sandwich-like structured superhydrophobic fabric bag is rationally constructed. • Superhydrophobic fabric showed excellent chemical stability and mechanical durability. • On-demand superhydrophobic bags are effective for versatile emulsion separation. The complexity and diversity of oily wastewater calls for versatile and efficient separation of emulsified oil/water mixtures. Herein, a facile method is applied to fabricate superhydrophobic cotton fabric for highly efficient separation of surfactant-stabilized oil/water mixtures. The fabric was prepared by repeated dip-coating of the pretreated cotton fabric in a dispersion containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and epoxy resin E-44 (ER). This strategy could avoid not only the conventionally sophisticated fabrication process but also the usage of expensive low energy materials involved in preparing superhydrophobic materials. The modified cotton fabric exhibited remarkable separation of surfactant stabilized water-in-oil emulsion with a separation efficiency beyond 99%. Moreover, the superhydrophobic cotton fabric showed excellent chemical stability and mechanical durability. In addition, it could be applied to different types of emulsions prepared from various oils and emulsions with different water content, showcasing promising potential for practical water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Water-soluble quaternary chitin/chitosan derivatives, O-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium)propyl chitin (OHT-chitin), N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium)propyl chitosan (NHT-chitosan), and N,N,N-trimethylchitosan (TMC), having identical molecular weight and same anion, were prepared, and their antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were evaluated. Their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values varied from 0.04mg/mL to 20.48mg/mL, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values varied from 0.16mg/mL to 40.96mg/mL against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly showed that there was serious damage on the bacterial walls, whereas there was some dissimilarity between TMC-treated E. coli and S. aureus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] Lead-free inorganic Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 double perovskites have emerged as promising materials in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to tackle the inferior stability and toxicity issues of organic–inorganic hybrid PSCs. However, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 solar cells are remarkably restricted by the intrinsic and extrinsic defects of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 films. More specifically, the fast crystallization process in the formation of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 films strongly prevents the homogeneous growth of perovskite crystals, leading to inferior Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 film quality. This work introduces a facile strategy to retard the crystallization of Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 perovskites by introducing Lewis base additives into the precursor solution. The incorporation of a strongly coordinated thiourea additive with a sulfur donor leads to the generation of a Lewis acid base adduct, which retards the crystallization process for Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 crystals, improves the quality of the Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 film, decreases the defect density and inhibits charge carrier recombination. After optimization, the cell delivers a superior PCE of 3.07%, surpassing that reported for most Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based solar cells in the literature, and exhibits outstanding stability with a PCE retention rate of 95% after 20 days of storage in air. This work provides an effective strategy for further improvements in the performance of inorganic lead-free Cs 2 AgBiBr 6 -based photovoltaic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postharvest shrimp is highly susceptible to both microbiological spoilage and endogenous enzymatic browning, so it should be preserved properly using effective and appropriate methods. The effects of 1.0% and 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and 1.0% and 1.5% chitosan (CH) coatings on the quality changes of whiteleg shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei) during refrigerated storage (0 ± 1 °C) of 10 d were investigated. The pretreatment with CMC and CH solution (1.0% or 1.5%) retarded growth of psychrophilic bacteria throughout storage in comparison with the control ( P < 0.05). The lower increases in pH and total volatile base (TVB) content were obtained in the shrimp treated with CMC and CH solution at both levels, compared with the control samples ( P < 0.05). Loss in freshness and melanosis decreased after the shrimp was treated with CMC and CH. In addition, CMC and CH (1.0% or 1.5%) showed inhibitory activity toward total viable bacteria counts of white shrimp in a dose-dependent manner. Therefore, chitosan and O-carboxymethyl chitosan can be used as promising melanosis inhibitors as well as antimicrobial agents during refrigerated storage. Practical Application: The main practical application behind the development of chitosan (CH) and O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) used to preserve postharvest whiteleg shrimp lies with the fact that these polysaccharides represent a renewable source of natural biodegradable polymers and meet with the emergence of more and more food safety problems. Both CMC and CH can be used as food preservatives to extend shrimp shelf life. However, CMC is more convenient due to its solubility. In the future, CMC will be used in the food processing industry because of its soluble, compatible, antimicrobial, and antioxidative characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic strategies such as using channel blockers and reducing culture temperature have been used to rescue some long QT-associated voltage-gated potassium Ky trafficking defective mutant channels. A hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide- gated HCN4 pacemaker channel mutant (D553N) has been recently found in a patient associated with cardiac arrhythmias including long QT. D553N showed the defective trafficking to the cell surface, leading to little ionic current expression (loss-of-function). We show in this report that enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation mediated by Src, Fyn, and Yes kinases was able to restore the surface expression of D553N for normal current expression. Src or Yes, but not Fyn, signfficantly increased the current density and surface expression of D553N. Fyn accelerated the activation kinetics of the rescued D553N. Co-expression of D553N with Yes exhibited the slowest activation kinetics of D553N. Src, Fyn, and Yes significantly enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of D553N. A combination of Src, Fyn, and Yes rescued the current expression and the gating of D553N comparable with those of wild-type HCN4. In conclusion, we demonstrate a novel mechanism using three endogenous Src kinases to rescue a trafficking defective HCN4 mutant channel (D553N) by enhancing the tyrosine phosphorylation of the mutant channel protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction of tosylbis[2-(tosyloxy)ethyl]amine with ethylenediamine gives 1-tosyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane in good yield. A similar reaction of tosylbis[2-(tosyloxy)ethyl]amine with diethyl?enetriamine gives 1-tosyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane. These tosylated compounds can be further transformed to give 1,4,7-tri?aza?cyclononane (tacn) or 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) or their derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic pathogen of the phylum Microspora that infects humans as well as a variety of animal species worldwide. While molecular epidemiologic studies have characterized this parasite in various hosts, isolates from many susceptible hosts have not yet been examined. In this study, E. bieneusi was isolated from 47 Pere David's deer ( Elaphurus davidianus ) in Henan, China and characterized via PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene. E. bieneusi was detected in 16 out of 47 (34.0%) fecal specimens examined. Sequence analysis of the ITS revealed six known genotypes: type IV (4), EbpC (4), EbpA (4), BEB6 (2), COS-I (1), and COS-II (1). Of these, type IV, EbpC, and EbpA are known to cause human microsporidiosis worldwide, whereas the remaining genotypes are generally specific to ruminants. The present study indicated that Pere David's deer are naturally infected with E. bieneusi , predominantly with zoonotic genotypes, and may pose a risk for human transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Antifouling coatings play a crucial role in preventing the adhesion of marine organisms, bacteria, and blood, making them a primary strategy for combating biofouling in the marine industry. However, conventional antifouling coatings suffer from drawbacks such as high toxicity, limited abrasion resistance, and unstable polymer degradation rates, which can have adverse effects on the environment, economy, and human health. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of sustainable and nontoxic antifouling coatings. This review first presents four major antifouling strategies: traditional coatings based on wettability, traditional coatings with protective structures, nontoxic coatings based on main chain degradable polymers, and nontoxic coatings combining main chain degradation with branch chain hydrolysis polymers. Second, the review provides a comprehensive overview of antifouling coatings with diverse functionalities, including antibacterial, anti-protein, anti-blood, anti-incrusting, adhesive, self-healing, and corrosion-resistant properties. Then, the application of antifouling coatings in marine environments and the medical field is thoroughly explored. Additionally, the review addresses the current challenges encountered by antifouling coatings. Finally, a forward-looking perspective is presented, envisioning future advancements in this field. By addressing these aspects, this review aims to stimulate further development and innovation in the realm of antifouling coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real‐time monitoring of respiration plays a very important role in human health assessment, especially in monitoring and analyzing respiration during exercise and sleep. However, traditional humidity sensors still have problems in flexibility, sensitivity, and durability, so there is an urgent need to develop humidity sensors with high sensitivity, stretchability, and environmental resistance as respiratory monitoring applications. Here, based on the double network hydrogel structure of polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylamide, a highly sensitive, highly stretchable, and environmentally stable organic hydrogel humidity sensor has been manufactured by using the synergistic effect of lithium chloride and MXene. The hydrogel humidity sensor shows rapid response in the humidity range of 40–85% RH, and has a high sensitivity of −103.4%/% RH. In addition, it exhibits more than 3000% mechanical strain and excellent environmental resistance, which is attributed to the chemical cross‐linking in the hydrogel network and the synergistic effect of multiple hydroxyl groups in glycerol forming rich hydrogen bonds with water and polymer chains. The hydrogel humidity sensor is used for real‐time monitoring of breathing and sleep processes. This work provides a new strategy for preparing high‐performance, extensibility, and environmental stability hydrogel‐based sensors for respiratory monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Robust graphene aerogel filter is rationally designed and constructed. • Particulate matters (PMs) were captured by the imposed electrostatic force. • Filter displays a good removal efficiency under an ultrahigh PMs concentration. • Renewable filters are sustainable for PMs capturing under a low pressure drop. Fine particles pose a dangerous threat to our environment and human health. Although a series of air filters have been developed, to achieve high removal efficiency while maintaining a low pressure drop is still a challenging task. Herein, we introduce an additional force into action – the space charge when designing the filter to capture the particulate matters (PMs). The corona discharge drives the PMs toward graphene aerogel filter under the imposed electrostatic force. The prepared filter displays a very high PM removal efficiency and low pressure drop under an extremely high concentration (>10000 μg/m3) of both non-oily particles (>99.9%) and oily particles (>99.6%). In addition, the filter also has the advantages of being active, reusable, and flame-retardant. This charged graphene aerogel filter (CGAF) is very stable and can withstand 10 times washing and 5-min burning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durable superhydrophobic anti‐erosion/anticorrosion coatings are highly demanded across various applications. However, achieving coatings with exceptional superhydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance remains a grand challenge. Herein, a robust microstructure coating, inspired by the cylindrical structures situated on the surface of conch shell, for mitigating erosion and corrosion damages in gas transportation pipelines is reported. Specifically, citric acid monohydrate as a pore‐forming agent is leveraged to create a porous structure between layers, effectively buffering the impact on the surface. As a result, the coating demonstrates remarkable wear resistance and water repellency. Importantly, even after abrasion by sandpaper and an erosion loop test, the resulting superhydrophobic surfaces retain the water repellency. The design strategy offers a promising route to manufacturing multifunctional materials with desired features and structural complexities, thereby enabling effective self‐cleaning and antifouling abilities in harsh operating environments for an array of applications, including self‐cleaning windows, antifouling coatings for medical devices, and anti‐erosion/anticorrosion protection, among other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A PNIPAAm hydrogel and PDA/PPy modified 3D raised-fabric was developed for atmospheric water harvesting. • It exhibits high moisture absorption (3.1 g·g−1) and water desorption properties (1.75 kg·m−2·h−1). • The PNIPAAm hydrogel based 3D raised-fabric can be readily fabricated for scalable production. • The collected water is in full compliance with the drinking requirements of WHO and EPA. Atmospheric water harvesting is a promising approach for obtaining freshwater resources, but achieving high levels of light absorption, hygroscopic capacity, and desorption efficiency simultaneously remains a challenge. In this study, we developed an innovative atmospheric water harvester that incorporates a poly(N -isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel and a polydopamine/polypyrrole-modified 3D raised-fabric. The interlacing structure and polydopamine/polypyrrole synergistically enhance the harvester's photothermal conversion capability, while the hydrogel-modified raised-fabric with its increased pore structure and high specific surface area ensures effective contact between the internal adsorbent and external moisture, thereby improving moisture capture and storage capacity. Our results indicate that the hydrogel-modified 3D raised-fabric has excellent photothermal conversion performance, as evidenced by its rapid temperature rise to 75.9 °C under 1 sun light intensity, which effectively promotes water evaporation and harvesting. Furthermore, the 3D raised-fabric exhibits exceptional water absorption (3.1 g g−1, RH 90%) and water desorption (1.75 kg m-2h−1, 1 sun) properties. Overall, the 3D raised-fabric with its integrated photothermal, hygroscopic, and hydrophobic properties can effectively collect water under low humidity conditions, making it a promising solution for water scarcity issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Abiraterone acetate, a prodrug of abiraterone (ABI), provides an efficient therapeutic option for metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer patients. ABI undergoes extensive metabolism in vivo and is transformed into active metabolites Δ4‐abiraterone and 3‐keto‐5α‐abiraterone as well as inactive metabolites abiraterone sulfate and abiraterone N‐oxide sulfate. We aimed to examine the effect of polymorphisms in SLCO2B1, CYP3A4 and UGT1A4 on the pharmacokinetics of ABI and its metabolites. Methods: In this study, 81 healthy Chinese subjects were enrolled and divided into 2 groups for fasted (n = 45) and fed (n = 36) studies. Plasma samples were collected after administering a 250 mg abiraterone acetate tablet followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Genotyping was performed on a MassARRAY system. The association between SLCO2B1, CYP3A4, UGT1A4 genotype and pharmacokinetic parameters of ABI and its metabolites was assessed. Results: Food effect study demonstrated high fat meal remarkedly increased systemic exposure of ABI and its metabolites. The geometric mean ratio and 90% confidence interval of area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to the time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0‐t) and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of ABI in fed state vs. fasted state were 351.64% (286.86%–431.04%) and 478.45% (390.01%–586.94%), respectively, while the corresponding results were ranging from 145.11% to 269.42% and 150.10% to 478.45% for AUC0‐t and Cmax of ABI metabolites in fed state vs. fasted state, respectively. The SLCO2B1 rs1077858 had a significant influence on AUC0‐t and Cmax, while 7 other SLCO2B1 variants prolonged half‐life of ABI under both fasted and fed conditions. As for ABI metabolites, the systemic exposure of Δ4‐abiraterone, abiraterone sulfate and abiraterone N‐oxide sulfate as well as the elimination of 3‐keto‐5α‐abiraterone were significantly affected by SLCO2B1 polymorphisms. Polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and UGT1A4 did not significantly affect pharmacokinetics of ABI and its metabolites. Conclusion: Polymorphisms in SLCO2B1 were significantly related to the pharmacokinetic variability of ABI and its metabolites under both fasted and fed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-modified Ni(OH)2/NiSe2 enhances oxygen vacancies, expanding the electrochemically active surface area, which exhibiting superior selectivity and stability in urea oxidation reaction, outperforming pristine Ni(OH)2@NiSe2. It also demonstrates superior catalytic performance in the oxidation reactions of other small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive hydrogels have recently attracted extensive attention in the field of smart wearable electronics. Despite the current versatility of conductive hydrogels, the balance between mechanical properties (tensile properties, strength, and toughness) and electrical properties (electrical conductivity, sensitivity, and stability) still faces great challenges. Herein, a simplified method for constructing hydrophobic association hydrogels with excellent mechanical and electrical properties is proposed. The prepared conductive hydrogels exhibit high tensile properties (≈1224%), high linearity in the whole‐strain–range (R2 = 0.999), and a wide strain sensing range (2700%). The conductive hydrogel can realize more than 1000 cycles of sensing under 500% tensile strain. As an application demonstration, an underwater communication device is assembled in combination with polydimethylsiloxane/Triton X‐100 film coating, which successfully transmits underwater signals and provides warning of potential hazards. This study provides a new research method for developing underwater equipment with excellent mechanical properties and sensing properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study evaluated the effects of SHR0302 on the pharmacokinetics of cytochrome P450 (CYP) probe substrates. Methods: We performed a single‐centre, open‐label, three‐period drug–drug interaction (DDI) study in 24 healthy subjects (NCT05392127). Subjects received a single oral dose of 5 mg warfarin (CYP2C9), 20 mg omeprazole (CYP2C19) and 15 mg midazolam (CYP3A4) on Days 1, 8 and 22, and received 0.5 mg repaglinide (CYP2C8) on Days 7, 14 and 28. Multiple oral doses of 8 mg SHR0302 were administered once daily from Day 8 to Day 28. Results: The exposure of S‐warfarin and repaglinide were comparable before and after SHR0302 administration. AUC of midazolam was not affected by SHR0302, whereas the administration of SHR0302 slightly decreased the Cmax of midazolam by 7.6% (single dose) and 15.7% (once daily for 14 days). The AUC0‐t, AUC0‐inf, and Cmax of omeprazole were slightly decreased after a single dose of SHR0302 by 19.2%, 21.8% and 23.5%, respectively. In the presence of SHR0302 for 14 days, the AUC0‐t, AUC0‐inf, and Cmax of omeprazole were marginally reduced by 3.0%, 16.4% and 8.3%, respectively. According to the induction mechanism of the CYP enzyme, for the investigation of the induction effect, the results of multiple administrations of the perpetrator were more reliable than those of the single dose. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that co‐administration of SHR0302 8 mg once daily is unlikely to have a clinically meaningful effect on the exposure of drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, CYP2C8, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 in healthy subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image recognition is one of the key technologies for worker's helmet detection using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). By analyzing the image feature extraction method for workers' helmet detection based on convolutional neural network (CNN), a double-channel convolutional neural network (DCNN) model is proposed to improve the traditional image processing methods. On the basis of AlexNet model, the image features of the worker can be extracted using two independent CNNs, and the essential image features can be better reflected considering the abstraction degree of the features. Combining a traditional machine learning method and random forest (RF), an intelligent recognition algorithm based on DCNN and RF is proposed for workers' helmet detection. The experimental results show that deep learning (DL) is closely related to the traditional machine learning methods. Moreover, adding a DL module to the traditional machine learning framework can improve the recognition accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the prevalence and zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in deer in China. In this study, 662 fecal samples were collected from 11 farms in Henan and Jilin Provinces between July 2013 and August 2014, and were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis with genotyping and subtyping methods. Results: Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis were detected in 6.80% (45/662) and 1.21% (5/662) of samples, respectively. Six Cryptosporidium species/genotypes were identified based on the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) gene: C. parvum (n = 11); C. andersoni (n = 5); C. ubiquitum (n = 3); C. muris (n = 1); C. suis-like (n = 1); and Cryptosporidium deer genotype (n = 24). When five of the 11 C. parvum isolates were subtyped by sequencing the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene, zoonotic subtypes IIaA15G2R2 (n = 4) and IIdA19G1 (n = 1) were found. According to a subtype analysis, three C. ubiquitum isolates belonged to XIIa subtype 2. In contrast, only assemblage E was detected in the five Giardia-positive samples with small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) gene sequencing. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report C. andersoni, as well as C. parvum zoonotic subtypes IIaA15G2R2 and IIdA19G1 in cervids. These data, though limited, suggest that cervids may be a source of zoonotic Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Cervids in the present study are likely to be of low zoonotic potential to humans, and more molecular epidemiological studies are required to clarify the prevalence and public health significance of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis in cervids throughout China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the complicated environments, the service life of bag-filter or electrostatic-bag composite precipitators with polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is greatly deviated from the ideal time. In this paper, the structural transformation of PPS-based bag filter materials collected from the coal-fired power plants with different loading units were investigated systematically. As the SO2 content increases, the surface evolution of PPS fibers from smoothness to crack occurs. An opposite trend is observed for melting point and cross breaking strength. The major reason for the failure of PPS-based bag filters is that working temperature (T) often passes through acid dew gas point (Ta), and the SO3 would be produced during the condensing of H2SO4 when T is lower than Ta. The SO3 with strong oxidation would attack the weak C-S bonds of PPS, resulting in the oxidation or even sulfonation of PPS-based bag filters. This work discloses the actual structural evolution of PPS and some corresponding rules under the complicated corrosive gases with high temperatures, which provides a guidance for prolonging the service life of PPS-based bag filters during the usage of coal-fired power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Rational co-solvent induced non-particle super-antiwetting coating with excellent self-healing ability. • Superhydrophobic ability can be recovered within a short duration upon facile heat treatment. • A universal and cost-effective PDMS based co-solvent system with facile solvent-recycling. • Robust superhydrophobic membranes for effective and versatile oil-water separation. Abstract Despite of the extensive effort made to construct a superhydrophobic surface in labs, achieving a short processing time and via a sustainable production route remains a challenge for practical applications. Here, with tetrahydrofuran and n-hexane as co-solvent, we demonstrate that roughness can be induced on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings to achieve superhydrophobic coatings on different types of substrates including woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and melamine sponge. The sample constructed without adding particles exhibited excellent performance for versatile oil-water separation of mixtures of heavy oil and water, light oil and water, as well as oil-water emulsion. Due to the good solubility of the PDMS in the co-solvent, the dipping solution exhibited a long-time stability. Moreover, the abundant CH 3 provided by the self-roughness PDMS coating helped the substrates recover its superhydrophobic property even after destroyed by plasma for 10 times. We believe that this extremely easy dipping-curing method would open up a new direction for fabricating a series of self-roughed superhydrophobic surface with self-healing property. Besides, the developed strategy is fast and easily scalable for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoS 2 quantum dots (QDs) are loaded onto TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) via a facile strategy of combining electrochemical exfoliation with electrophoretic deposition (EFED). The optimal MoS 2 @TiO 2 NTAs exhibits a low onset potential (76 mV vs RHE) with the Tafel slope of 93 mV dec −1 . The reported synthesis strategy is suitable for the heterojunction construction of other two-dimensional layered materials and semiconductor composites with excellent photoelectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of organophosphorus pesticide (OPS) residues is of great significance to the evaluation and monitoring of food quality. In this study, nitrogen-, sulfur-, and silicon-co-doped carbon dots (CDs) were prepared from broccoli leaves and stems using a hydrothermal method and applied in fluorescent detection of organophosphorus pesticides. The prepared N-, S-, Si-doped CDs are water-dispersible and hydrophilic with good fluorescent properties. It was found that fluorescence of the prepared CDs could be selectively quenched by Fe3+ derived from Fe2+ oxidation by hydrogen peroxide. A linear relationship between the fluorescence of CDs and concentration of Fe3+ was established in a range of 0 − 200 µM, and its specific detection limit was 1.43 µM. CDs/Fe2+/acetylcholinesterase (AChE) fluorescent system was subsequently established to detect and quantify OPs residues in food samples based on the AChE inhibition strategy with a good linear range of 0.01 − 1.0 µM of O,O-dimethyl-O-2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate (DDVP) concentration. A low detection limit of 8.0 nM was achieved. The hetero-atoms-doped CDs, which could be prepared from agro-wastes on a large scale, have great potential for the rapid real-time detection of OPs in authentic food samples with low detection values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Among diverse wetting phenomena in surface science, superamphiphobicity is regarded as one of the most special super‐antiwetting states. In this paper, a systematic summary is presented to cover the characterization of surface wettability, the construction techniques, and selected functional applications. With respect to fabrication techniques, the following three types of technology routes, viz., “pre‐texturing + post‐modifying,” “pre‐modifying + post‐texturing,” and in situ one‐step construction will be discussed. The merits and demerits of each technology route are discussed. It is vital to rationally design or adopt appropriate construction strategies in diverse conditions. Appropriately constructed superamphiphobic multifunctional surfaces can be applied in many fields, however, most have not been scaled‐up and utilized for practical applications due to some specific difficulties required to be resolved in the future. These challenges and further outlook for super‐antiwetting surfaces are discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the existing effort, fabricating superhydrophobic substrate through an environmental friendly approach remains a great challenge. In the current work, we present a simple approach to fabricate robust superhydrophobic surfaces on different kinds of substrates using phase-separation method. This method uses polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the binder, tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the solvent, and water as nonsolvent. The emulsion prepared under optimum proportion of THF and water was stable and showed no obvious change even after being stored for 6 weeks. The coated substrates exhibit superhydrophobic property with a water contact angle (CA) larger than 155.0°. Moreover, because the solution is rich of water, and the surface modification condition is mild, the PDMS coating enjoys a high degree of transparency. Finally, superhydrophobic cotton and sponge were successfully demonstrated for oil-water and oil-in-water emulsion separation. This facile synthesis method has a potential for a broad range of applications in large-scale fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces and filtration membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a great challenge to prepare multi-functional fabrics using a low-cost and scalable method with fluorine-free materials. In this paper, we report a new procedure for producing fluorine-free super hydrophobic cotton fabrics, via a simple dip-coating process. Firstly, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) adhesive layer is deposited onto the cotton substrate, followed by the subsequent deposition of ZnO nanoparticles to enhance the surface roughness through an oil bath process. Finally, a second PDMS dip-coating is applied to construct a multi-layered PDMS-ZnO-PDMS composite coating on the cotton fabrics. The multi-layer coated samples display superhydrophobic properties, with a water contact angle (CA) exceeding 160°. Additionally, the new PDMS-ZnO-PDMS@cotton fabric exhibits excellent multi-functions, including UV-blocking, self-cleaning and oil-water separation. The prepared superhydrophobic fabric can withstand a large number of abrasion cycles and 20 cycles of accelerated washing without obvious decline in the water contact angle. This facile preparation method is of low-cost, environmentally friendly, and suitable for large-scale production of a series of specialty fabrics including sports clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Base-mediated treatment of the protected amino alcohol (I) with amines results in mild and convenient formation of a number of N≈-alkylated tosylpiperazines including heteroalkyl-substituted ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of immersion of green asparagus spears in stigmasterol solution (0, 0.5 and 1.0 g l−1, 15 min, 25°C) on weight loss, surface colour, enzyme activities and content of malondialdehyde, total phenol, lignin and chlorophyll were investigated during 40 days of storage at 4 ± 0.5°C. Of the concentrations tested, 0.5 g l−1treatment was most effective. Stigmasterol (0.5 g l−1) treatment significantly reduced colour changes and losses of fresh weight and chlorophyll content. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities were maintained higher in stigmasterol-treated (0.5 g l−1) asparagus, whereas the activity of peroxidase (POD) was significantly reduced. Stigmasterol treatment (0.5 g l−1) also significantly decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased total phenol content. Accumulation of lignin was positively correlated to activity of guaiacol-POD (r = 0.960,p < 0.01) in stigmasterol-treated (0.5 g l−1) asparagus. The polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity decreased and showed a significant negative correlation with the chromaL* value (r = –0.899,p < 0.01) in stigmasterol-treated (0.5 g l−1) asparagus. It was concluded that stigmasterol treatment (0.5 g l−1) could inhibit the senescence of green asparagus, and therefore prolong its shelf-life, maintaining the quality of post-harvest green asparagus. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hydrogel-based conductive materials for smart wearable devices have attracted increasing attention due to their excellent flexibility, versatility, and outstanding biocompatibility. This review presents the recent advances in multifunctional conductive hydrogels for electronic devices. First, conductive hydrogels with different components are discussed, including pure single network hydrogels based on conductive polymers, single network hydrogels with additional conductive additives (i.e., nanoparticles, nanowires, and nanosheets), double network hydrogels based on conductive polymers, and double network hydrogels with additional conductive additives. Second, conductive hydrogels with a variety of functionalities, including self-healing, super toughness, self-growing, adhesive, anti-swelling, antibacterial, structural color, hydrophobic, anti-freezing, shape memory and external stimulus responsiveness are introduced in detail. Third, the applications of hydrogels in flexible devices are illustrated (i.e., strain sensors, supercapacitors, touch panels, triboelectric nanogenerator, bioelectronic devices, and robot). Next, the current challenges facing hydrogels are summarized. Finally, an imaginative but reasonable outlook is given, which aims to drive further development in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the core component of wearable electronic devices, flexible energy storage materials play an irreplaceable role. At present, it is still a challenge to prepare flexible electrode materials with high energy density. In this paper, a polyaniline‐based composite flexible conductive hydrogel (PPG‐P) with a two‐level conductive network is successfully prepared by a secondary induced assembly in situ polymerization method. The special conductive structure greatly promotes the efficiency of charge transfer and the utilization of electroactive substances, so that PPG‐P exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. In a three‐electrode system, PPG‐P has a mass‐specific capacitance as high as 989 F g−1 (0.5 A g−1). After 1000 charge and discharge cycles, the capacitance retention is 87%. Symmetrical flexible supercapacitors based on PPG‐P have high specific capacitance (176 F g−1/0.5 A g−1) and high energy density (15.6 Wh kg−1). After 1000 cycles of constant current charge and discharge, the capacitance maintains 78.1%. The preparation of PPG‐P with a hierarchical structure demonstrates the possibility of achieving high energy density in flexible electrode materials, which has great application potential in the development of energy storage elements in wearable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]