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Abstract Background Aleutian mink disease, mink viral enteritis and canine distemper are known as the three most serious diseases that cause great economic loss in the mink industry. In clinical practice, aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), mink enteritis virus (MEV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) are common mixed infections, and they have similar clinical clinical signs, such as diarrhoea. Therefore, a rapid and accurate differential diagnosis method for use on mink ranches is essential for the control of these three pathogens. Here, we developed multiplex one-step real-time quantitative PCR (RT‒qPCR) assays for the simultaneous detection and quantification of AMDV, MEV and CDV by using three primers and probes based on the conserved NS1, VP2 and N genes, respectively. Results The results showed that the established method can not cross-react with other mink pathogens, with a detection sensitivity of 25 copies/µL and a coefficient of variation less than 3.51%. Moreover, the interference experiment showed that the presence of AMDV, MEV and CDV templates at different concentrations would not interfere with the detection results. Furthermore, two hundred clinical samples of mink with diarrhoea were simultaneously analysed using multiplex RT‒qPCR and single RT‒qPCR, the Kappa values were all greater than 0.921, indicating that there was a high degree of coincidence between the two detection methods. Conclusions In conclusion, multiplex RT‒qPCR exhibited high specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility, indicating that this method can be used as a reliable and specific tool for the differential detection and quantification of AMDV, MEV and CDV.

Abstract Background Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis (IE) in native valves is associated with high mortality rates and is prone to various complications, including embolic strokes, which often result in poor prognoses. Contezolid, a novel oxazolidinone antibiotic, exhibits superior therapeutic efficacy with a reduced risk of hematologic toxicity. However, there are currently no reports on the treatment of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications. Case Presentation We reported a young female patient with MSSA IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications. She was diagnosed through blood culture, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and cranial imaging, but the therapy using piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin failed. Therefore, the combination therapy of cefazolin and linezolid was applied, and her body temperature gradually returned to normal, and the infection symptoms were controlled. However, the platelets (PLT) dropped to 114 × 109/L, so contezolid was used as an alternative therapy. Subsequently, the PLT returned to normal. The patient received contezolid therapy for 3 weeks and was free of adverse events during the 2 years of follow-up. Conclusion This was the first case of MSSA IE accompanied by cerebrovascular complications in a young woman, who was successfully treated with an antibiotic regimen containing contezolid, without the need for surgical intervention, demonstrating remarkable efficacy and safety.

Abstract The coal-fired power sector is facing unprecedented pressure due to the shift to low-carbon energy sources and the need to prevent climate change. It is imperative to incorporate advanced technologies into conventional coal-fired power plants to enhance their efficiency, flexibility, and environmental sustainability. One advantage of post-combustion CCS methods is that they may be retrofitted into power plants that are already in place. The goal of this work is to design a CO2 flue gas cleaning retrofit system that will meet the most stringent air quality regulations in an operational coal power station in Southern Africa. It will operate and expedite the removal of undesired gas (CO2) in order to attain ideal requirements for air quality in one of Southern Africa's current coal-fired power plants, the Duvha Coal Power Plant. This study is based on chemical absorption, and explores the mechanistic design of the scrubber, which was accomplished through simple computations and Ansys simulations. The approach for developing a wet CO2 scrubber and LSTG system is based on chemical absorption and is integrated with a pilot plant. The results of the parametric study provide a foundation for a comprehensive industrial system design for South Africa's coal-powered industry. The results show that the scrubber's cylinder height and diameter can be used for an LSTG system and are appropriate for CO2 gas flow and capture. The application of the suggested scrubber design and the LTSG's contributions will allow the coal power station to operate with minimal GHG emissions released into the atmosphere. Instead of shutting down coal power facilities, this cleaning system that completely absorbs CO2 emissions can be used to maintain a robust power infrastructure, rather than being phased out. This will boost the power plant's efficiency over its initial operating efficiency and benefit the nation's economy and the power industry.

Transparent materials are essential to our daily lives. It's very well recognized that their use in windshields, cars, windows, mirrors, and eyewear makes our everyday tasks more comfortable. In addition to these, several other instances may be found in the culinary, medical, and solar industries, among other spheres of human endeavor. Unfortunately, under typical operating conditions, this material experiences fogging owing to the unavoidable condensation of water vapor on solid surface. Researchers are becoming more and more interested in antifogging nano-coatings with remarkable water repellence as a result of the growth of the coating industries and material engineering. Numerous compounds have been created by researchers thus far to prepare antifogging films. There have been reports on the mechanisms and guidelines for the creation of these agents by various technologies as a result of the core requirements of various fields. We present the latest developments in antifogging nanocoatings and antifogging performance test procedures in this review. Additionally, there has been a focus on offering understanding of the latest advancement in superhydrophobic coating through the application of nanotechnology. According to the literature, the reported antifogging films do not show sufficient results and continue to pose a practical issue that requires real-world application. As a result, antifogging techniques need to be improved further.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide. eIF3a is highly expressed in a variety of cancer types, yet its role in CRC remains unclear. We introduced ectopic eIF3a expression in CRC cells to investigate its relevance to various malignant behaviors. Further, we silenced eIF3a to explore its effect on tumor growth in a nude mouse tumor xenograft model. Finally, the molecular mechanisms through which eIF3a regulates malignancy in CRC cells were explored through bioinformatics analysis combined with the use of a specific PI3K inhibitor (LY294002). eIF3a was highly expressed in the peripheral blood and cancer tissue of CRC patients. Malignancy and tumor growth were significantly inhibited by silencing eIF3a, while overexpression promoted malignant behaviors, with a positive correlation between PI3K/AKT activation and eIF3a expression. Taken together, eIF3a plays an oncogenic role in CRC by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling and is a potential biomarker for CRC diagnosis and prognostic monitoring.

Abstract Background β-catenin, acting as the core effector of canonical Wnt signaling pathway, plays a pivotal role in controlling lineage commitment and the formation of definitive endoderm (DE) during early embryonic development. Despite extensive studies using various animal and cell models, the β-catenin-centered regulatory mechanisms underlying DE formation remain incompletely understood, partly due to the rapid and complex cell fate transitions during early differentiation. Results In this study, we generated new CTNNB1-/- human ES cells (hESCs) using CRISPR-based insertional gene disruption approach and systematically rescued the DE defect in these cells by introducing various truncated or mutant forms of β-catenin. Our analysis showed that a truncated β-catenin lacking both N- and C-terminal domains (ΔN148C) could robustly rescue the DE formation, whereas hyperactive β-catenin mutants with S33Y mutation or N-terminal deletion (ΔN90) had limited ability to induce DE lineage. Notably, the ΔN148C mutant exhibited significant nuclear translocation that was positively correlated with successful DE rescue. Transcriptomic analysis further uncovered that two weak β-catenin mutants lacking the C-terminal transactivation domain (CTD) activated primitive streak (PS) genes, whereas the hyperactive β-catenin mutants activated mesoderm genes. Conclusion Our study uncovered an unconventional regulatory function of β-catenin through weak transactivation, indicating that the levels of β-catenin activity determine the lineage bifurcation from mesendoderm into endoderm and mesoderm.

Abstract How to accurately assess logistics industry efficiency to identify production issues and provide support for optimizing logistics efficiency has become a current research challenge. Range adjust measure (RAM) is a method for efficiency assessment in data envelopment analysis. Currently, the RAM model only applies under the variable returns to scale condition and not to other conditions. This paper aims to establish a modified RAM (MRAM) model by revising the ranges for inputs and outputs of the RAM model. Under the constant returns to scale (CRS) condition, we first develop the RAM-CRS model. Then, by introducing radial models to define the lower bounds of inputs and the upper bounds of outputs, the MRAM is proposed. The logistics data from 18 provinces are collected to validate the practicality of the MRAM model. We compare the results of the MRAM with those of the RAM-CRS and conclude that the range bounds under RAM-CRS are too tight, which results in efficiency values at a relatively low level. The MRAM with modified bounds appropriately alleviates this restriction. We also compare the MRAM and the additive model. The results show that the efficiency of the MRAM is more accurate.

Generally, diabetic wounds heal very slowly and inefficiently with an increasing risk of infections. Recent nanotechnology and biomaterial advances elaborate developed multi-functional hydrogels and nanoparticles offer promising solutions to accelerate wound healing for diabetic patients. This research work demonstrates to use of solvent diffusion method to develop hydrogel nanocomposites composed of chitosan (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), gold (Au), and fibroblast growth factors (FGF). The biological analysis of nanocomposites exhibited enhanced wound healing efficiency by incorporating bioactive molecules like FGF and bioactive Au nanoparticles. In vitro, cell compatibility analysis (MTT assay) of prepared hydrogel nanocomposites was studied on fibroblast cell lines NIH-3T3-L1 and L929 and exhibited greater cell survival ability (>90 %), cell proliferation and migration ability, which demonstrated the suitability of nanocomposite for wound healing treatment. In vitro, anti-bacterial analyses established that FGF-Au@CS/HA has strong antibacterial effectiveness against gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. The observation of the present research revealed that prepared FGF-Au@CS/HA hydrogel composites could be a suitable biomaterial for diabetic wound care, potentially improving its antibacterial and healing efficacies.

The rising measure of waste produced from polyethene terephthalate (PET) and the interest in eco-accommodating energy storage arrangements have prompted escalated examination into reusing waste PET into supercapacitors. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most recent advancements in the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste (PETW), as a supercapacitor electrode precursor. The review looks at different methodologies for recovering PET from waste, including mechanical, chemical, enzyme, etc. It further explores the combination strategies for electrode materials produced using PET. Besides, PET-derived materials' electrochemical performance in supercapacitor application is likewise broken down, with an emphasis on key electrochemical boundaries like capacitive behaviour, cyclic stability, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The need for scalable and cost-effective recycling methods, the creation of eco-friendly electrolytes, and the improvement of the electrochemical performance of recycled PET-based supercapacitors are just a few of the issues and opportunities highlighted in this expanding eco-friendly industry. Overall, the goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the cutting-edge developments in the use of recycled PETW as a precursor for supercapacitor electrodes, highlighting the eco-friendly energy storage solution's potential and contributing to a sustainable future.

The imperative to address traditional energy crises and environmental concerns has accelerated the need for energy structure transformation. However, the variable nature of renewable energy poses challenges in meeting complex practical energy requirements. To address this issue, the construction of a multifunctional large-scale stationary energy storage system is considered an effective solution. This paper critically examines the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage systems. Both technologies face limitations hindering them from fully meeting future energy storage needs, such as large storage capacity in limited space, frequent storage with rapid response, and continuous storage without loss. Batteries, with their rapid response (90 ​%), excel in frequent short-duration energy storage. However, limitations such as a self-discharge rate (>1 ​%) and capacity loss (∼20 ​%) restrict their use for long-duration energy storage. Hydrogen, as a potential energy carrier, is suitable for large-scale, long-duration energy storage due to its high energy density, steady state, and low loss. Nevertheless, it is less efficient for frequent energy storage due to its low storage efficiency (∼50 ​%). Ongoing research suggests that a battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system could combine the strengths of both technologies to meet the growing demand for large-scale, long-duration energy storage. To assess their applied potentials, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the research status of both energy storage technologies using proposed key performance indices. Additionally, application-oriented future directions and challenges of the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system are outlined from multiple perspectives, offering guidance for the development of advanced energy storage systems.

Each year, the rising demand for palm oil generates large amounts of palm kernel shell waste. Discarded palm kernel shells can produce activated carbon, crushed shells, liquified fumes, and other derivatives; however, their indiscriminate disposal persists, raising issues related to the environment and economy. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the use of palm kernel shell as a corrosion inhibitor for thermo-mechanically treated steel in a seawater environment using gravimetric and electrochemical techniques, as well as surface tests at varying concentrations. The findings demonstrated that the palm kernel shell inhibited the cathodic and anodic processes by adsorption on the steel surface, which followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibitor exhibited a 98% inhibitory efficiency at 500 ppm concentration. Scanning electron microscopy analysis verified the thin films of the inhibitor on steel surface in seawater solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that the extract’s components prevent the steel corrosion through an adsorptive mechanism. According to the inhibitor economic evaluation, employing the palm kernel shell extract is less expensive than utilizing conventional inhibitors.

Abstract Background The prevalence of infections with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) pose great challenges for anti-infective therapy. Previous research on MDRO infections after cardiac surgery was limited. Therefore, understanding and mastering the clinical characteristics and risk predictors of MDRO infection after cardiac surgery is of great significance for standardized management of perioperative patients. Methods The medical records of adult patients with MDRO infection after cardiac surgery from January 2018 to October 2021 were collected, and patients were divided into MDR infection group (n = 176) and non-MDR infection group (n = 233). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis of variables was performed to determine the risk predictors of MDRO infection. Results The incidence of MDRO infection was 8.6%. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common, accounting for 37.3%, 23.5% and 18.0%, respectively. The main infection type were lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI = 29.0%). Univariate analysis showed that underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (P = 0.001) and secondary operation (P = 0.008), pre-infection exposure to vancomycin (P

Several cases of the hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) caused by immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-M antibodies have been reported, in which almost all the HDFN-associated anti-M were warmly reacting. Here we report two cases of severe HDFN associated with cold-reacting IgG anti-M. In both cases, pregnancy was terminated, in weeks 33 and 23 respectively, due to a diagnosis of fetal growth retardation (FGR). To our knowledge, these are the most severe HDFN cases caused by cold-reacting IgG anti-M.

Abstract Climate change and its related side effects are generating a demand for innovative ways to enhance desalination performance by adopting cost-effective and energy-efficient membrane materials. Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2), a two-dimensional (2D) material, holds the potential to address the deficiency of the current polymeric reverse osmosis (RO) membrane by maximizing the water-energy nexus. The nanoscale thickness of the MoS2 membrane promises better water permeability benefiting from the small diffusion length of the transport of the molecules while maintaining good chemical and mechanical robustness. Although many advantages have been projected, the experimental realization of such near-atomic thickness has not been fully explored because of the technological difficulties associated with the production. This review first highlights the remarkable combination of the ion’s rejection and permeability properties of the MoS2 membrane by discussing two distinct reported approaches for using MoS2 as a membrane for water desalination. Subsequently, the engineering challenges of the MoS2 membrane scalability for water desalination are discussed. Lastly, the possible opportunities for a well-controlled fabrication process critical to achieving and advancing MoS2 membranes from research laboratories to the industrial-scale application are outlined. We aim to provide a collective understanding of the realization of a high permi-selective MoS2 membrane for water desalination.

Background Hypertension is a leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure (SBP) more than 160 mmHg was thought to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. The present study was performed to explore the clinical characteristics and management of hemodialysis patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg.Methods A total of 1233 patients undergoing hemodialysis from nine hemodialysis centers were enrolled. Pre-dialysis and home BP were measured and clinical data were collected. The characteristics of patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg were explored. Clinical parameters between hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients were compared. The partial correlation analyses performed to identify the associations between BP and clinical parameters.Results There were 24.6% of the hemodialysis patients had pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg and the average SBP was 173.8 ± 10.9 mmHg. Only 21.4% of the patients achieved dry weight after dialysis and up to 30.2% of patients were not given combination therapies of antihypertensive drugs. Compared to patients with pre-hemodialysis SBP < 160 mmHg, patients with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had lower target-reaching rate of Kt/v and higher incidences of intradialytic hypotension and muscle spasm. Most patients (96%) with pre-dialysis SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had home SBP≥ 135 mmHg. Patients with home SBP ≥ 160 mmHg had higher left ventricular weight index and lower hemoglobin levels when compared to their counterparts with home SBP

Abstract In situ stress and groundwater have important effects on the deformation and stability of deep underground rock masses. Therefore, it is extremely important to study the mechanical properties and permeability evolutionary processes of rocks under hydromechanical (HM) coupling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties and permeability evolution of sandstone using triaxial compression tests under different confining and seepage pressures. The test results show that the confining pressure can increase the strength of sandstone, whereas the seepage pressure has the opposite effect. The initial and maximum permeabilities were positively correlated with seepage pressure and negatively correlated with confining pressure. The confining and seepage pressures had little effect on the change in initial permeability. As a common parameter of acoustic emission (AE), cumulative AE counts can intuitively reflect the permeability evolutionary process in the sandstone failure process. A permeability evolutionary early warning model for the sandstone failure process under HM coupling is proposed. The results are helpful for understanding the influence of in situ stress and seepage pressure on deep sandstone and the permeability evolutionary mechanism, and they can be used to provide early warning of water inrush disasters in deep underground structures.

Designing nanocomposites with heterointerface as bifunctional electrocatalysts is a potential strategy to overcome the intrinsic activity limitation of electrocatalytic water splitting in acidic media, but it remains challenging. Herein, the highly efficient RuO2/Co3O4 electrocatalyst with a uniform nanoflower structure is prepared by hydrothermal growth combined with interface engineering. Benefiting from the unique nanostructure, the migration of electrons and intermediates is optimized by the sufficient exposure of abundant micropores and defects. Moreover, the formation of strong electronic interaction at the RuO2/Co3O4 heterointerfaces boosts the electrochemical active surface area and accelerates the reaction kinetics, which effectively improve the catalytic activity and stability of the catalyst. Based on enhanced intrinsic activity and electron transfer, the as‐synthesized RuO2/Co3O4 displays impressive hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction activity, which respectively require low overpotentials of 240 and 100 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 m H2SO4. As a bifunctional electrode, RuO2/Co3O4 exhibits a low operating voltage of 1.58 V at 10 mA cm−2 for overall electrochemical water splitting. This study demonstrates the importance of heterostructure engineering in providing an avenue to achieve acid‐stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.

The depletion and overuse of fossil fuels present formidable challenge to energy supply system and environment. The human society is in great need of clean, renewable and sustainable energy which can guarantee the long-term utilization without leading to escalation of greenhouse effect. Hydrogen, as an extraordinary secondary energy, is capable of realizing the target of environmental protection and transferring the intermittent primary energy to the application terminal, while its nature of low volumetric energy density and volatility need suitable storage method and proper carrier. In this context, liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), among a series of storage methods such as compressed and liquefied hydrogen, provokes a considerable amount of research interest, since it is proven to be a suitable carrier for hydrogen with safety and stability. However, the dehydrogenation of hydrogen-rich LOHC materials is an endothermic process and needs large energy consumption, which hampers the scale up of the LOHC system. The heat issue is thus essential to be addressed for fulfilling the potential of LOHC. In this work, several strategies of heat intensification and management for LOHC system, including the microwave irradiation, circulation of exhaust heat and direct LOHC fuel cell, are summarized and analyzed to provide suggestions and directions for future research.

In this study, machine learning algorithm was used to model measurements of corrosion rates of stainless steel Type 904 in 0.5 M H2SO4 media as a function of exposure time, and temperature, when corrosion inhibitors are added in different dosage. Hyper-parameter optimization of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and artificial neural network (ANN) was carried out to select the best model that accurately predicts the corrosion rate. A range of 1–10 neurons in a single hidden layer neural network with varying prominent training algorithms and activation functions was tested. The FCM-clustered ANFIS model tested a range of 2–20 cluster numbers. The models’ performance was evaluated using correlation determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and mean absolute deviation (MAD). The experiments show that the FCM-clustered ANFIS model with 20 clusters outperformed all other models with MAPE, MAD, RMSE, and R2 values of 1.9222, 0.5543, 0.7317, and 0.9308 at the testing phase respectively, and 0.5457, 0.3943, 2.9258 and 0.9993 at the training phase respectively. The entire FCM-ANFIS model produced the optimum prediction with a 96.40% level of robustness and accuracy. Therefore, ANFIS and ANN can be used to predict corrosion inhibition using agricultural waste in acidic media with great degree of success. These models are reliable, cheap, fast, efficient, and effective tools for corrosion inhibition prediction.

Bacillus subtilis is an important part of the gut microbiota and a commonly used probiotic. In the present study, to assess the biological characteristics and probiotic properties of B. subtilis derived from mink, we isolated B. subtilis MG-1 isolate from mink fecal samples, characterized its biological characteristics, optimized the hydrolysis of casein by its crude extract, and comprehensively analyzed its potential as a probiotic in combination with whole-genome sequencing. Biological characteristics indicate that, under low-pH conditions (pH 2), B. subtilis MG-1 can still maintain a survival rate of 64.75%; under the conditions of intestinal fluid, gastric acid, and a temperature of 70 °C, the survival rate was increased by 3, 1.15 and 1.17 times compared with the control group, respectively. This shows that it can tolerate severe environments. The results of hydrolyzed casein in vitro showed that the crude bacterial extract of isolate MG-1 exhibited casein hydrolyzing activity (21.56 U/mL); the enzyme activity increased to 32.04 U/mL under optimized reaction conditions. The complete genome sequencing of B. subtilis MG-1 was performed using the PacBio third-generation sequencing platform. Gene annotation analysis results revealed that B. subtilis MG-1 was enriched in several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways, and most genes were related to Brite hierarchy pathways (1485–35.31%) and metabolism pathways (1395–33.17%). The egg-NOG annotation revealed that most genes were related to energy production and conversion (185–4.10%), amino acid transport and metabolism (288–6.38%), carbohydrate transport and metabolism (269–5.96%), transcription (294–6.52%), and cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis (231–5.12%). Gene Ontology (GO) annotation elucidated that most genes were related to biological processes (8230–45.62%), cellular processes (3582–19.86%), and molecular processes (6228–34.52%). Moreover, the genome of B. subtilis MG-1 was predicted to possess 77 transporter-related genes. This study demonstrates that B. subtilis MG-1 has potential for use as a probiotic, and further studies should be performed to develop it as a probiotic additive in animal feed to promote animal health.

The toxic nature and low-inhibition potency of some conventional organic molecules in corrosion inhibition of engineering materials against the acid-containing solutions requires further investigation. Subsequently, the use of nontoxic, durable and environmental friendly palm kernel shell-derived extracts for the development of biodegradable inhibitor in stainless steel corrosion management is the purpose of this study. The anticorrosive property of the extract was evaluated by gravimetric and electrochemical tests. The hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and microstructure were also examined. The scanning electron microscopy examination was used to verify the protection performance of the inhibitor while X-ray diffraction was used to confirm the crystallinity of the inhibitor. The results obtained show that the palm kernel shell can suppress acid corrosion in all ranges of concentrations. Microscopic analysis revealed a lower population density and degree of pitting corrosion on the inhibited samples as compared to the uninhibited sample, which was covered with various dimensions of pits. Electrochemical results reflected that the palm kernel shell complex could retard corrosion of stainless steel by 93% inhibition efficiency via mixed anodic and cathodic inhibition mechanisms. The mechanical property of the inhibited samples was improved compared to the uninhibited samples. The extract adsorption on stainless steel surface was found to conform the Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Therefore, palm kernel waste extract on the metal surface enhances the mass and charge barrier resulting in the reduction of the corrosion rate. However, this study provides new opportunity for the synthesis and design of effective corrosion inhibitors based on waste materials .

Abstract Steroid 5α‐reductase type 2 deficiency (5α‐RD2) and androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) are difficult to distinguish clinically and biochemically, and adrenal‐derived androgens have not been investigated in these conditions using modern methods. The objective of the study was to compare Chinese patients with 5α‐RD2, AIS, and healthy men. Sixteen patients with 5α‐RD2, 10 patients with AIS, and 39 healthy men were included. Serum androgen profiles were compared in these subjects using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). Based on clinical features and laboratory tests, 5α‐RD2 and AIS were diagnosed and confirmed by genotyping. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T) were both significantly lower in patients with 5α‐RD2 than AIS (p < 0.0001). The T/DHT ratio was higher in 5α‐RD2 (4.5–88.6) than AIS (13.4–26.7) or healthy men (7.6–40.5). Using LC‐MS/MS, a cutoff T/DHT value of 27.3 correctly diagnosed 5α‐RD2 versus AIS with sensitivity 93.8% and specificity 100%. Among the adrenal‐derived 11‐oxygenated androgens, 11β‐hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4) and 11‐ketoandrostenedione (11KA4) were also lower in patients with 5α‐RD2 than those of patients with AIS. In contrast, 11β‐hydroxytestosterone (11OHT) was higher in 5α‐RD2 than AIS. Furthermore, a 11OHT/11OHA4 cutoff value of 0.048 could also distinguish 5α‐RD2 from AIS. Thus, both elevated T/DHT values above 27.3 and the unexpected 11‐oxygenated androgen profile, with a 11OHT/11OHA4 ratio greater than 0.048, distinguished 5α‐RD2 from AIS. These data suggest that the metabolism of both gonadal and adrenal‐derived androgens is altered in 5α‐RD2.

The phase transition kinetics of A508-3 steel during continuous cooling were studied by high temperature transition instrument which was based on thermodilatometry in this paper. The microstructures during continuous heating and cooling were also observed. The transition points were determined to be austenite formation temperatures, Ac1 = 757 °C, Ac3 = 823 °C, and martensitic transformation start and final temperatures, Ms = 382 °C, Mf = 222 °C at the cooling rate of 5 °C/s. The curves of Austenite transition fraction and time during continuous heating show a typical S shape. And the Austenite will show a maximum transition rate value at the middle temperature. The volume fraction of new phases translated from Austenite as functions of time and temperature during the cooling process can be obtained using the lever law. The pearlite transitions can occur in high temperature region at cooling rate smaller than 0.1 °C/s. And Bainite can be gotten at a lower temperature region. The S type curves can be used to describe the relationships between the transition volume fraction and time. Increasing the cooling rate enhances the volume fraction of Martensite at the cooling rate ≥5 °C/s. And only Martensite transition can be observed at the cooling rate > 10 °C/s. And Ms and Mf increase with increasing cooling rate. The Martensite transition kinetics equation with changing temperature were obtained. Finally, the continuous cooling transformation curves of A508-3 steel was constructed, which can be used to predict the microstructure and design the heat treatment technologies.

Etimicin is a fourth-generation aminoglycoside antibiotic. It has potent activity and low toxicity when employed for the treatment of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial infections. The pharmacokinetics of etimicin in humans have not been elucidated completely. Two liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) bioanalytical methods, without the use of any ion-pairing reagents, were developed and validated for the quantification of etimicin in human samples of serum and urine. Using a deuterated reagent as the internal standard, analytes in serum and urine samples were extracted by protein precipitation and dilution before LC-MS/MS analysis, respectively. For the two methods, chromatographic separations were undertaken under isocratic elution of water–ammonia solution–acetic acid (96:3.6:0.2, v/v/v) and methanol at 50%:50% and a flow rate of 0.35 ml/min within 5 min. A Waters XTerra MS C18 column (2.1 × 150 mm, 3.5 μm) and a column temperature of 40°C were chosen. A Sciex Qtrap 5500 mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ion source was used in both methods under multiple-reaction monitoring in positive-ion mode. The two methods showed good linearity, accuracy, and precision with high recovery and a minimal matrix effect in the range of 50.0–20000 ng/ml for serum samples and 50.0–10000 ng/ml for urine samples, respectively. Carry-over effects were not observed. Etimicin remained stable in human samples of serum or urine under the storage, preparation, and analytical conditions of the two methods. These two simple and reliable methods were applied successfully to a dose-escalation, phase I clinical trial of etimicin in Chinese healthy volunteers after intravenous administration of single and multiple doses. Based on these two methods we ascertained, for the first time, the comprehensive pharmacokinetics of etimicin in humans, which will be used for the exploration of the breakpoint research further.

The advanced manufacturing industry is located at the top of the manufacturing value chain. Its development is restricted by supply chain collaboration (SCC), the level of which is affected by many factors. Few studies comprehensively summarize what influences SCC and distinguish the impact level of each factor. Practitioners have difficulty isolating the primary factors that affect SCC and managing them effectively. Therefore, based on synergetics and the theory of comparative advantage, this study analyzes what influences SCC in the advanced manufacturing industry and how these influencing factors work, using data from 94 manufacturing enterprises and the Haken model to identify the influencing factors. The results show that China’s advanced manufacturing supply chain underwent a phase change and entered a new stage during 2017–2018. In the new stage, the competitive advantages of enterprises are one order parameter (slow variable) and are primary factors affecting SCC. The interest demands of enterprises are a fast variable and are secondary factors affecting SCC. The competitive advantages of enterprises dominate the interests of enterprises in affecting the collaboration level of China’s advanced manufacturing supply chain. In addition, in the process of influencing SCC, there is a positive correlation between the competitive advantages of enterprises and the interest demands of enterprises, and the two factors have a positive feedback mechanism. Finally, when the enterprises in the supply chain cooperate based on their differential advantages, the collaboration capability of the supply chain is at the highest level, and the overall operation of the supply chain is orderly. In terms of theoretical contribution, this study is the first to propose a collaborative motivation framework that conforms to the characteristics of sequential parameters, which provides a theoretical reference for subsequent studies on SCC. In addition, the theory of comparative advantage and synergetics are linked for the first time in this study, and both of them are enriched and developed. Equally importantly, this study compares the bidirectional influence between firms’ competitive advantages and firms’ interest demands and the ability of both to influence SCC, enriching previous validation studies of unidirectional influence. In terms of practical implications, this study guides top managers to focus on the management practice of collaborative innovation in the supply chain and advises purchasing managers and sales managers on selecting supply chain partnerships.

Aluminium corrosion in hydrochloric acid media is a huge challenge in the chemical industry; hence, creating green and more efficient inhibitors is an urgent task. Furthermore, the increasing amount of solid waste and its disposal consequences has been a major economic and environmental problem. Therefore, this study aims to determine the protective effect of coconut shell as a potential corrosion inhibitor for AA2024-T3 aluminium alloy in 1 M hydrochloric acid solutions using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The results show that the inhibition efficiency increases with an increase in the coconut shell concentration, and the maximum inhibition efficiency reaches 97.91% at 1 g/L. The potentiodynamic polarization study shows that the inhibitor acts as a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor. The adsorption of the inhibitor obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The surface characterization confirmed the presence of barrier layers covering the aluminum surface. The mechanical properties were also determined and discussed. As compared to the wide range of reported corrosion inhibitors in the literature, the coconut shell has shown to be highly effective for AA2024-T3aluminium alloy. Therefore, it can be suggested that coconut shell waste is a potential corrosion inhibitor for AA2024-T3aluminium alloy in the chemical industry.

Abstract The exostosin (EXT) protein family is involved in diverse human diseases. However, the expression and prognostic value of EXT genes in human lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the association between expression of EXT1 and EXT2 genes and survival in patients with LUSC using bioinformatics resources such as Oncomine and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) server and Kaplan–Meier plotter. Furthermore, regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) were predicted for EXT1 and used to establish a potential miRNA‐messenger RNA (mRNA) regulation network for LUSC using the ENCORI platform. We observed that EXT1 and EXT2 expression levels were higher in LUSC than those in normal tissues. However, only EXT1 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in LUSC patients. Functional annotation enrichment analysis showed that genes co‐expressed with the EXT1 gene were enriched in biological processes such as cell adhesion and migration, and KEGG pathways such as extracellular matrix receptor interactions, complement and coagulation cascades, and cell death. Furthermore, three miRNAs, hsa‐mir‐190a‐5p, hsa‐mir‐195‐5p, and hsa‐mir‐490‐3p, were identified to be potentially involved in the regulation of EXT1. In summary, we identified EXT1 expression as a novel potential prognostic marker for human LUSC and the regulatory miRNAs that could possibly contribute to the prognosis of the disease.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a leading cause of death in critically ill patients due to hypoxemic respiratory failure. The specific pathogenesis underlying ARDS has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we constructed a triple regulatory network involving competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to investigate the potential mechanism of ARDS and evaluated the immune cell infiltration patterns in ARDS patients. Overall, we downloaded three microarray datasets that included 60 patients with sepsis-induced ARDS and 79 patients with sepsis alone from the public Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs, including 9 DElncRNAs, 9 DEmiRNAs, and 269 DEmRNAs) by R software. The DEGs were subjected to the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) for functional enrichment analysis, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was generated for uncovering interactive relationships among DEmRNAs. Then, a ceRNA network that contained 5 DElncRNAs, 7 DEmiRNAs, and 71 DEmRNAs was established according to the overlapping genes in both DEGs and predicted genes by public databases. Finally, we identified the TUG1/miR-140-5p/NFE2L2 pathway as the hub pathway in the whole network through Cytoscape. In addition, we evaluated the distribution of 22 subtypes of immune cells and recognized three differentially expressed immune cells in patients with sepsis-induced ARDS by “Cell Type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of Known RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT)” algorithm, namely, naive B cells, regulatory T cells, and eosinophils. Correlations between differentially expressed immune cells and hub genes in the ceRNA network were also performed. In conclusion, we demonstrated a new potential regulatory mechanism underlying ARDS (the TUG1/miR-140-5p/NFE2L2 ceRNA regulatory pathway), which may help in further exploring the pathogenesis of ARDS.

Graphical Abstract

The creation of interface heterojunction could be an effective strategy to improve the activity of the catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this work, chain-like CoB alloy was firstly synthesized by magnetic field induction, and cationic corrosion approach was applied to create a heterojunction between NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) and magnetic CoB alloy surfaces. The results showed that OER performance was improved by achieving a current density of 10 mA cm−2 on the NiFe LDH@CoB electrode at an overpotential of 280 mV. The heterojunction of NiFe/LDH provided the catalytic sites and CoB alloy served as a good conductive support by improving the electron transfer rate.

Abstract Background Lack of accurate and effective assessment tools of fluid status is one of the major challenges to reach proper dry weight (DW) in chronic hemodialysis (HD) population. The aim of this randomized study was to evaluate the effect of bioimpedance guided DW assessment on long-term outcomes in Chinese HD patients. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to two groups in each center, the control group and body composition monitor (BCM) group. In the BCM group, DW has been evaluated by bioimpedance technic every 2 months during follow-up. The primary composite endpoint consisted of death, acute myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and peripheral vascular disease. Methods A total of 445 patients were recruited from 11 hemodialysis centers from Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang cities from Jan 1, 2013 to Dec 31, 2014. They were randomized into either BCM group or control group. All patients have been followed up for 1 year or until Dec 31, 2014 or censoring. Results At baseline, there were no significant differences between two groups in terms of demographic parameters, dialysis vintage, percentage of vascular access, and comorbid conditions. At the end of the study, 18 (4.04%) patients had died (11 in control group and 7 in BCM group). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference in survival rates between two groups (log-rank test P = 0.07). However, there was an increasing trend of survival rates in BCM group compared to the control group. In the multivariable Cox analysis, there was a nonsignificant trend toward less primary composite end points in the BCM group in the adjusted analysis, the hazard ratio was impressive (0.487, 95% CI 0.217–1.091, P = 0.08). Conclusion Bioimpedance technic has been applied to assess fluid status for decades and has been proved to be a promising tool for clinical practice. Although short-term outcomes were not improved in the randomized, controlled trial, the ascending trend in survival has been observed. Further studies are needed to investigate the survival benefit of bioimpedance method in DW assessment in a larger sample with longer follow-up period. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.org, NCT01509937 . Registered 13 January 2012,

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) has emerged as one of the foremost intriguing energy storage systems in the last decade, due to its higher energy density (ED), less expensive, and more environmentally friendly. However, the interface chemistries of electrode–electrolyte such as the shuttling effect of polysulfide and inadequate dynamic sulfur use have not yet been completely understood and managed when in operations, thus the employment of single-atom catalysts (SACs) provides the possibility to address these problems through the proper identification of structure–activity connexions and the chemical reaction processes at the atomic level. In this mini review, the usage of incredibly active SACs is examined with applications in long-lifecycle, higher-energy LSBs, as well as the possibility of SAC preparation using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) process to boost efficiency. Conclusively, the significant problems and future prospects for enhanced SACs via ALD in LSBs development are also discussed.

Probiotics, also referred to as “living microorganisms,” are mostly present in the genitals and the guts of animals. They can increase an animal’s immunity, aid in digestion and absorption, control gut microbiota, protect against sickness, and even fight cancer. However, the differences in the effects of different types of probiotics on host gut microbiota composition are still unclear. In this study, 21-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice were gavaged with Lactobacillus acidophilus (La), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (Lp), Bacillus subtilis (Bs), Enterococcus faecalis (Ef), LB broth medium, and MRS broth medium. We sequenced 16S rRNA from fecal samples from each group 14 d after gavaging. According to the results, there were significant differences among the six groups of samples in Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Desferribacter (p < 0.01) at the phylum level. Lactobacillus, Erysipelaceae Clostridium, Bacteroides, Brautella, Trichospiraceae Clostridium, Verummicroaceae Ruminococcus, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, Shigella, and Clostridium Clostridium differed significantly at the genus level (p < 0.01). Four kinds of probiotic changes in the composition and structure of the gut microbiota in mice were observed, but they did not cause changes in the diversity of the gut microbiota. In conclusion, the use of different probiotics resulted in different changes in the gut microbiota of the mice, including genera that some probiotics decreased and genera that some pathogens increased. According to the results of this study, different probiotic strains have different effects on the gut microbiota of mice, which may provide new ideas for the mechanism of action and application of microecological agents.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the numerical simulation of damage process and results of a new environmentally friendly material, recycled coarse aggregate self-compacting concrete (RCASCC). Random aggregate model of mesoscopic viewpoint was used for the experimental simulation of RCASCC. Results show that the specimens with 50% substitution rate exhibited the best performance among the specimens (i.e., with rates of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The stress-strain curves after dimensionless treatment were fitted using the uniaxial compressive principal equation of concrete with control parameters a = 0.9 and b = 11, and the fitting degree of the curve was relatively good. Meanwhile, the change process of internal cracking was shown intuitively. The crack expansion process became more obvious in the specimens and beams with a high substitution rate of RCA. The simulation results of the bending process of RCASCC beams analyzed by the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) model and extended finite element (XFEM) were compared with the test results. Both simulation results validated the applicability of the CDP model and XFEM in the mechanical tests of RCASCC and can provide valuable reference for future research on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate self-compacting concrete.

The development of responsive materials in a predictable manner is high on the list of the material industry’s trends. In this work, responsive Ag@NiCo2O4 nanowires were, firstly, anchored on N-doped carbon cloth (NC) and, then, employed as array electrodes for a nonenzymatic glucose-sensing application. The results showed that the highly conductive NiCo2O4 nanowires supported Ag nanoparticles and exhibited high conductivity and electrocatalytic properties. The fully exposed crystalline planes of Ag nanoparticles provided more active surface sites. As a result, the assembled Ag@NiCo2O4-NC electrodes for the glucose-sensing evaluation delivered a selectivity of 2803 μA mM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 1.065 μM, which outperformed the literature-reported Ag- and NiCo2O4-based glucose-sensing catalysts.

Many production activities generate undesirable outputs apart from desirable outputs. In addition, the data related to undesirable outputs may be fuzzy (imprecise) in some cases. Based on the fuzzy data theory, we propose a group of additive integer-valued data envelopment analysis (DEA) models with fuzzy undesirable outputs. The advantages of the proposed models are as follows: (1) they enable decision-makers to evaluate the efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) with integer-valued variables and fuzzy undesirable outputs; (2) they can be easily solved without any transformation because they are linear programming models; (3) they are better than radial DEA models as they can identify inefficiencies in all the selected inputs and outputs. Particularly, minimum distance-based additive integer-valued DEA models with fuzzy undesirable outputs are developed in this paper to find the closest benchmarking targets for inefficient DMUs, and additive super-efficiency integer-valued DEA models with fuzzy undesirable outputs are presented to differentiate and rank efficient DMUs. The validity of the proposed models is examined by an empirical application in the pallet rental industry.

The development of the pallet rental industry is moving at a rapid pace. However, there is no literature on the performance evaluation of pallet rental companies except our previous study. This paper contributes to extending our previous super-efficiency integer-valued DEA (data envelope analysis) model to a group of integer-valued DEA models with generalized reference sets (G-IDEA). According to the proposed approach, the reference sets for decision-making units (DMUs) are composed of proper efficient sample units instead of efficient DMUs. These sample units, which may or may not be the same as DMUs, can be selected by decision-makers according to their demand. The advantages of the G-IDEA models are as follows: (1) they can be applied to find the projections of pallet rental companies with real-valued and integer-valued variables on the efficient frontier; (2) they are able to help the decision-makers in inefficient pallet rental companies make a step by step efficiency improvement scheme. Particularly, we develop a non-oriented integer-valued DEA model with generalized reference sets (NG-IDEA). The NG-IDEA model can be used to figure out how to improve the performance of inefficient pallet rental companies by simultaneously decreasing inputs and increasing outputs. The proposed models are applied to the performance evaluation of ten pallet rental companies. The results of the case study prove the effectiveness of our models. Furthermore, some valuable suggestions on how to improve the efficiency of inefficient pallet rental companies are presented based on the results.

Pallets play an important role in logistics. It is well known that pallet rental is beneficial to both pallet users and society, and the pallet rental industry is very large nowadays. A non-oriented super-efficiency integer-valued DEA (data envelopment analysis) model for the performance evaluation of pallet rental companies is presented. The method differs from traditional models in that (1) it can be used to accurately estimate the performance of efficient pallet rental companies with integer-valued and real-valued variables; (2) it is an alternative approach to providing numerical super-efficiency scores for efficient pallet rental companies when input-oriented or output-oriented VRS (variable returns to scale) super-efficiency models are infeasible for them. A case study of nine pallet rental companies proves the advantages of the proposed model, and it shows that the efficiency gap among pallet rental companies is very large. Based on the results, some suggestions on the development of the pallet rental industry are proposed. The methodology and results would provide valuable contributions to the decision-making processes of both pallet rental companies and their customers.

Abstract Background Cultured human cells are pivotal models to study human gene functions, but introducing complete loss of function in diploid or aneuploid cells has been a challenge. The recently developed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homology-independent knock-in approach permits targeted insertion of large DNA at high efficiency, providing a tool for insertional disruption of a selected gene. Pioneer studies have showed promising results, but the current methodology is still suboptimal and functional outcomes have not been well examined. Taking advantage of the promoterless fluorescence reporter systems established in our previous study, here, we further investigated potentials of this new insertional gene disruption approach and examined its functional outcomes. Results Exemplified by using hyperploid LO2 cells, we demonstrated that simultaneous knock-in of dual fluorescence reporters through CRISPR/Cas9-induced homology-independent DNA repair permitted one-step generation of cells carrying complete disruption of target genes at multiple alleles. Through knocking-in at coding exons, we generated stable single-cell clones carrying complete disruption of ULK1 gene at all four alleles, lacking intact FAT10 in all three alleles, or devoid of intact CtIP at both alleles. We have confirmed the depletion of ULK1 and FAT10 transcripts as well as corresponding proteins in the obtained cell clones. Moreover, consistent with previous reports, we observed impaired mitophagy in ULK1−/− cells and attenuated cytokine-induced cell death in FAT10−/− clones. However, our analysis showed that single-cell clones carrying complete disruption of CtIP gene at both alleles preserved in-frame aberrant CtIP transcripts and produced proteins. Strikingly, the CtIP-disrupted clones raised through another two distinct targeting strategies also produced varied but in-frame aberrant CtIP transcripts. Sequencing analysis suggested that diverse DNA processing and alternative RNA splicing were involved in generating these in-frame aberrant CtIP transcripts, and some infrequent events were biasedly enriched among the CtIP-disrupted cell clones. Conclusion Multiallelic gene disruption could be readily introduced through CRISPR/Cas9-induced homology-independent knock-in of dual fluorescence reporters followed by direct tracing and cell isolation. Robust cellular mechanisms exist to spare essential genes from loss-of-function modifications, by generating partially functional transcripts through diverse DNA and RNA processing mechanisms.

Data is provided to show the detailed fatty acid and lipidomic composition of normal and tumor rat colon tissues. Rats were fed either a Western fat diet or a fish oil diet, and half the rats from each diet group were treated with chemical carcinogens that induce colon cancer (azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate). The data show total fatty acid profiles of sera and of all the colon tissues, namely normal tissue from control rats and both normal and tumor tissues from carcinogen-treated rats, as obtained by gas chromatography with mass spectral detection. Data from lipidomic analyses of a representative subset of the colon tissue samples is also shown in heat maps generated from hierarchical cluster analysis. These data display the utility lipidomic analyses to enhance the interpretation of dietary feeding studies aimed at cancer prevention and support the findings published in the companion paper (Effects of fish oil supplementation on prostaglandins in normal and tumor colon tissue: modulation by the lipogenic phenotype of colon tumors, Djuric et al., 2017 [1]). Keywords: Fatty acids, Colon tumorigenesis, Diet, Fish oils, Lipidomics

Pallets are the most common equipment for transporting and storing goods. More and more companies are willing to rent pallets. Pallet rental companies need to transport pallets from their pallet rental service stations to customers and take these pallets back when they are unloaded. Hence, managers should scientifically configure vehicles for their pallet rental service stations. The fleet size, which indicates the amount and types of vehicles, can significantly affect the efficiency and costs of empty pallet allocation. Therefore, an optimization model for fleet sizing and empty pallet allocation is proposed using the methods of mixed-integer programming and stochastic programming. The objectives of this model are to maximize the profits of pallet rental companies and minimize carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from vehicles. A particle swarm optimization algorithm with inertia weight (IPSO) is developed to solve the proposed model because IPSO can avoid becoming trapped in local optima and is able to find a globally optimal solution within a reasonable number of iterations. A numerical example proves the effectiveness of the proposed model and IPSO. The results of numerical tests show that the amount of CO2 emissions from vehicles can affect the decision on fleet sizing and empty pallet allocation. However, if the price, rental fees, or idle costs of the vehicles with low CO2 emissions are too high, managers would not choose them.

Traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) models assume that all the inputs and outputs data are available. However, missing data is a common problem in data analysis. Although several scholars have developed techniques to conduct DEA with missing data, these techniques have some disadvantages. A multi-criteria evaluation approach is proposed to measure the efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) with missing data. In this approach, analysts first estimate the upper and lower bounds of DMUs' efficiency using the proposed I-addIDEA-U models (interval additive integer-valued DEA models with undesirable outputs) that can be applied to address integer-valued variables and undesirable outputs. Then, DMUs' "relative" efficiency is evaluated using the proposed "Halo + Hot deck" DEA method (if there is no correlation between variables) or regression DEA techniques (if there is a correlation between variables). Finally, the multi-index comprehensive evaluation method is applied to determine which scenario (the lower bound of efficiency, the "relative" efficiency, or the upper bound of efficiency) should be selected. With a case study, it is shown that the proposed multi-criteria evaluation approach is more effective than traditional approaches such as the mean imputation DEA method, the deletion DEA method, and the dummy entries DEA method.

Porous materials such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), zeolite templated carbons (ZTC), and some porous polymers have endeared the research community for their attractiveness for hydrogen (H2) storage applications. This is due to their remarkable properties, which among others include high surface areas, high porosity, tunability, high thermal, and chemical stability. However, despite their extraordinary properties, their lack of processability due to their inherent powdery nature presents a constraining factor for their full potential for applications in hydrogen storage systems. Additionally, the poor thermal conductivity in some of these materials also contributes to the limitations for their use in this type of application. Therefore, there is a need to develop strategies for producing functional porous composites that are easy-to-handle and with enhanced heat transfer properties while still retaining their high hydrogen adsorption capacities. Herein, we present a simple shaping approach for ZTCs and their MOFs composite using a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1). The intrinsic characteristics of the individual porous materials are transferred to the resulting composites leading to improved processability without adversely altering their porous nature. The surface area and hydrogen uptake capacity for the obtained shaped composites were found to be within the range of 1,054–2,433 m2g−1 and 1.22–1.87 H2 wt. %, respectively at 1 bar and 77 K. In summary, the synergistic performance of the obtained materials is comparative to their powder counterparts with additional complementing properties.

Pallet is a very important innovation in logistics industry. Pallets are so widely used that we can find them in nearly every logistical operation scenario. In order to manage pallets efficiently, researchers have developed several pallet management strategies (PMS). The most common and widely accepted PMS includes extensive management of pallets (EMP), transfer of pallet's ownership (TPO), and pallet rent (PR). This paper addresses mainly on how to help pallet managers choose a certain kind of PMS from the perspective of supply chain cost. Firstly, cost models of three kinds of PMS are presented. Secondly, all parameters involved in the models are valued based on data that is collected from industry survey. The results show that the cost of PR is constantly lower than EMP, and also lower than TPO when the operation period is no more than 37 months. Finally, the effect of several important parameters on the cost is studied by sensitivity analysis. The selection strategies of PMS are proposed based on the results.

4G technologies with high data rate is flexible and has matured sufficiently,it has a promising application prospect in automatic distribution systems.However,communication networks for power grid should be more security,but the security protection of 4G network for power gird is not mature.Based on the application mode of 4G network in power system,the security risk was analyzed,then the specific safety protection methods were presented,which would guide the further application of 4G network in power system.

Peer to peer systems are widely deployed in the internet.Its self-healing and self-organizing framework will facilitate plug and play,high reliability and other features of the energy internet.But it brings new threat.The abstract features were researched.The threats introduced by peer to peer networking in the energy internet scenario were analyzed,and accordingly countermeasures were given.

In order to solve the problem that the power PTN equipment management system vulnerable to be attacked and vulnerability,the risk factors of electric power PTN equipment network management system were proposed based on the architecture of PTN equipment network management system.From the factors of economic,security and maintenance efficiency,the network deployment of equipment network management system based on MPLS-VPN power data communication network was proposed.The out-band and in-band DCN security deployment plan of province-level,city-level and country-level was put forward.Finally,the boundary security program was proposed for the interaction between the PTN equipment network management system and other systems.

In a pallet pool, pallets would be delivered through a supply chain. The operation procedure that consists of at least five operation processes as distribution, reposition, recycling, purchase (or rent), and maintenance is quite complex. These pallets are likely to be damaged, lost, destroyed, and so on. So, it is necessary to monitor the pallets using radio-frequency identification technology. However, there is no literature on the management of a pallet pool with both radio-frequency identification–tagged pallets and non-tagged pallets being put into consideration. In our research, an optimization model is presented to manage such a pallet pool. The objective of the optimization model is to minimize the total operation cost of a pallet pool including distribution cost, reposition cost, recycling cost, purchase or rent cost, loss cost, maintenance cost, loading and unloading cost, storage cost, and punishment cost. A particle swarm optimization algorithm is developed in Microsoft Visual Basic. Our numerical example shows that the optimization model and particle swarm optimization algorithm are effective. It is proved that the model and algorithm also can be used to measure whether the investment of a radio-frequency identification system is valuable or not. We proposed some suggestions for the pallet pools management.

Bearing capacity of belled pier foundation is critical in designing transmission lines in coarse saline soil region. This paper describes model test results on belled pier foundations. Axial uplift behaviours including failure modes, load-displacement curves, and ultimate uplift bearing capacity were discussed. The failure planes in four cases were obtained from pulled out cone-shaped bodies. An empirical equation was developed with a critical parameter of an uplift angle in design. Results indicate the range where the ground uplift shows circular extension at higher loads and the overall shear failure finally occurred. The load-displacement curves are primarily softening, and the uplift bearing capacity for coarse-grained saline soils (CSS) in the crystalline state increases at larger thickness, higher than that in dissolved state. Failure planes all exhibit approximately linear change from bottom to up. The angles of uplift for soils in crystalline and dissolved states can be taken as 34° and 18°, while 32° for the conventional for the sake of safety. Uplift behaviour of belled piers in CSS was modelled incorporating a practical interface model, with both failure planes and plastic range.