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It is a formidable challenge to find the minority carrier recombination lifetime in low-dimensional devices as low-dimensionality increases the surface recombination rate and often reduces the recombination lifetime to a scale of picoseconds. In this work, we demonstrated a simple but powerful method to quantitatively probe the minority carrier recombination lifetime in silicon nanowires or microwires by fitting the experimental photoresponses with our recently established analytical photoresponse principle of photoconductors. The nanowires were passivated with small molecules and Al2O3 to suppress surface recombination, which will increase the minority recombination lifetimes. As expected, the minority carrier recombination lifetime found by this approach increases by orders of magnitude. These wires were also made into PIN diodes, the leakage of which was reduced at least 1 order of magnitude after surface passivation by Al2O3. The minority recombination lifetime found from the leakage current of these devices is largely consistent with what we found from our analytical photoresponse principle. As a further step, we performed scanning photocurrent microscopy to find the minority diffusion length from which we found that the minority recombination lifetime is close to what we found from the analytical photoresponses. In short, this work validated that our analytical response principle is a reliable method to find the minority recombination lifetime in low-dimensional semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task scheduling is the core research content of cloud computing. It studies how to allocate tasks between computing nodes, so that tasks are evenly allocated or the execution cost of each task is minimized or the overall performance of the system is optimized. Different from the previous task slices that perform independent tasks sequentially in a model with processing time as the goal, we construct a mathematical model with the goal of optimizing response time, in which task slices are executed in parallel. Then, a solution method based on the improved adjustment entropy function is given and a new task scheduling algorithm is designed. Finally, we implement our proposed task scheduling algorithm and compare it with the game theory algorithm and the balanced scheduling algorithm. From the experimental results, by comparing the response time of the task with the size of the control system, the system load and the communication bandwidth, it is found that the task scheduling algorithm we proposed is superior to the game theory algorithm and the balanced scheduling algorithm in response time, and the algorithm we proposed is fair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure‐induced emission enhancement (PIEE) is a novel phenomenon in contrast to conventional pressure‐induced emission quenching, and has attracted considerable attention owing to the potential application of materials with this effect as optical pressure‐sensing devices. The urgent need and significant significance lie in the design and exploration of systems that possess high‐efficiency PIEE. Here, a large PIEE in a novel zero‐dimensional (0D) hybrid manganese bromide is realized, (BPPH)2MnBr4·1.5CH3CN [BPPH+ = bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium]. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that such emission enhancement is primarily attributed to the pressure‐induced reconfiguration of electronic band alignment and resultant redistribution of band‐edge excitons. Under compression, the electronic bandgap of (MnBr4)2− experiences a more rapid reduction compared to that of the organic cations. Consequently, this leads to the gradual closure of the charge transfer pathway from (MnBr4)2− to BPPH+. This progression results in a higher retention of excitons on (MnBr4)2−, amplifying the efficiency of Mn2+d–d transitions, and leading to a substantial enhancement in emission. This study not only offers fresh insights into the behavior of carrier dynamics induced by pressure in hybrid manganese halides but also presents a promising avenue for the advancement of PIEE systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial instability including the high charge‐transfer resistance and the uncontrolled lithium dendrite growth have severely restricted the safety, fast‐charging, and high‐power capabilities of solid‐state polymeric lithium metal batteries (PLMBs). Here, the study demonstrates the ionic nanoclusters self‐assembled between the lithium ions and a rigid‐rod sulfonated aromatic polyamide Poly 2,2′‐disulfonyl‐4,4′‐benzidine terephthalamide (PBDT) can facilitate uniform lithium deposition; meanwhile, realizing 102–103 times lower interfacial charge‐transfer resistance than PEO‐based electrolytes and excellent lithium dendrite suppression at the interfaces. The cells assembled with this solid‐state polymer electrolyte at room temperature show a record high critical current density (6 mA cm−2/3 mAh cm−2), 80% capacity retention at 10 000 cycles (5 C) with the LiFePO4 cathode. With the temperature increased to 80 °C, the cells enable almost 100% of the theoretical capacity at 3 C and high specific power density (20 kW kg−1). According to the Cryo‐TEM imaging and computational simulation results, it is concluded that these nanoscale self‐assembled ionic nanoclusters play a critical role in realizing the superfast charge‐transfer kinetics by balancing the pre‐exponential factor and activation energy at the lithium‐polymer space‐charge interfaces. This interfacial design strategy based on thermodynamically favored ion‐association and self‐assembly between the metal ions and the polyanions guarantees superior charge‐transfer kinetics in PLMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilized a hydrothermal method to synthesize various metal‐modified rod‐like ceria catalysts (Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, La), achieving efficient COS removal at low temperatures. The research identified surface oxygen vacancies and basic sites as critical factors that influence the catalytic performance of COS hydrolysis. The addition of different metals to pristine ceria rods increased the specific surface area, oxygen vacancy content (Ov), and basicity, which enhanced the catalysts′ sulfur resistance and stability. Among all the catalysts tested, 10La‐CeO2 demonstrated the highest COS removal rate. This is because La doping significantly augmented Ov, providing more H2O adsorption and activation sites. Furthermore, 10La‐CeO2 showed enhanced Lewis basicity, making it easier for COS to adsorb and promote hydrolysis. The in situ DRIFTS results confirmed that appropriate oxygen vacancies and basic sites favored the formation of intermediates such as HCO3− and HSCO2−, promoting the decomposition of COS into H2S and CO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesterol metabolism has important roles in maintaining membrane integrity and countering the development of diseases such as obesity and cancers. Cancer cells sustain cholesterol biogenesis for their proliferation and microenvironment reprograming even when sterols are abundant. However, efficacy of targeting cholesterol metabolism for cancer treatment is always compromised. Here it is shown that CSN6 is elevated in HCC and is a positive regulator of hydroxymethylglutaryl‐CoA synthase 1 (HMGCS1) of mevalonate (MVA) pathway to promote tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, CSN6 antagonizes speckle‐type POZ protein (SPOP) ubiquitin ligase to stabilize HMGCS1, which in turn activates YAP1 to promote tumor growth. In orthotopic liver cancer models, targeting CSN6 and HMGCS1 hinders tumor growth in both normal and high fat diet. Significantly, HMGCS1 depletion improves YAP inhibitor efficacy in patient derived xenograft models. The results identify a CSN6‐HMGCS1‐YAP1 axis mediating tumor outgrowth in HCC and propose a therapeutic strategy of targeting non‐alcoholic fatty liver diseases‐ associated HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke is one of the most vital causes of high neurological morbidity and mortality in the world. Preconditioning exercise is considered as the primary prevention of stroke to resistance to subsequent injury. We tried to research the underlying biological mechanisms of this exercise. Forty-two SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, exercise group with MCAO (EX + MCAO) group, and sham group, with 14 rats in each group. The EX + MCAO group underwent exercise preconditioning for 3 weeks before occlusion, and the other two groups were fed and exercised normally. After 3 weeks, MCAO model was made by thread plug method in the EX + MCAO group and MCAO group. After successful modeling, the Longa scale was used to evaluate the neurological impairment of rats at day 0, day 1, and day 2. The rats in each group were killed on the third day after modeling. TTC staining measured the infarct volume of each group. The morphology and apoptosis of cortical cells were observed by HE and Tunel staining. Three rats in each group underwent high-throughput sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis was used to find the deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) and predict the transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) of the next-generation sequencing results. Gene enrichment (GSEA) was used to analyze potential functional genes and their corresponding signaling pathways. The Longa scale showed EX + MCAO group had the neurological function better than the modeling group (P < 0.001). TTC staining showed that the infarct size of EX + MCAO group was less than MCAO group (P < 0.05). HE and Tunel staining showed that the cells in the EX + MCAO group and the sham group had normal morphology and fewer apoptotic cells than MCAO group. A new gene named 7994 was discovered and TFBS of this gene was predicted, which could interact with key genes such as Foxd3, Foxa2, NR4A2, SP1, CEBPA, and SOX10. GSEA showed that EX + MCAO group could promote and regulate angiogenesis and apoptosis through PI3K–AKT pathway. Preconditioning exercise could improve nerve function and reduce infarct size in rats. The underlying mechanism is to regulate the PI3K–AKT pathway through several key genes, promote cerebral angiogenesis, and reduce apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional lateral heterostructures exhibit novel electronic and optical properties that are induced by their in-plane interface for which the mechanical properties of the interface are important for the stability of the lateral heterostructure. Therefore, we performed molecular dynamics simulations and developed a convolutional neural network-based machine learning model to study the fracture properties of the interface in a graphene/hexagonal boron nitride lateral heterostructure. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the shape of the interface can cause an 80% difference in the fracture stress and the fracture strain for the interface. By using 11 500 training samples obtained with help of high-cost MD simulation, the machine learning model is able to search out the strongest interfaces with the largest fracture strain and fracture stress in a large sample space with over 150 000 structures. By analyzing the atomic configuration of these strongest interfaces, we disclose two major factors dominating the interface strength, including the interface roughness and the strength of the chemical bond across the interface. We also explore the correlation between the fracture properties and the thermal conductivity for these lateral heterostructures by examining the bond type and the shape of the graphene/hexagonal boron nitride interface. We find that interfaces comprised of stronger bonds and smoother zigzag interfaces can relieve the abrupt change of the acoustic velocity, leading to the enhancement of the interface thermal conductivity. These findings will be valuable for the application of the two-dimensional lateral heterostructure in electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) has attracted great attention due to the recognition of its impact on extensive applications in high-resolution force sensing. However, its brittleness and the preparation challenges of ultrahigh aspect ratio nanostructures have hindered their practical application. Here, we present a nanoscale electrohydrodynamic jet 3D printing method capable of tailoring ultrahigh aspect ratio hierarchical PZT nanostructures with controllability, fast, and inexpensive. Thermally in situ curing and vertical shear stress of high viscous jet avoid introducing defects in the post-treatment sintering process and minimize internal defects providing a relatively smooth surface. The printed ultrahigh aspect ratio PZT structure exhibits Young's modulus of 99.4 GPa, which was smaller than the block PZT, greatly improving its flexibility. The experimental results show that it can detect forces in the nano-Newton scale. This finding provides a generally applicable strategy for preparing high-performance ultrahigh aspect ratio nanoscale piezoelectric materials for MEMS devices. • A novel E-Jet 3D nanoprinting method was proposed. • Various ultrahigh aspect ratio hierarchical PZT nanostructures were fabricated. • The printed ultrahigh aspect ratio PZT structure showed ultralarge elastic deformation. The printed force sensor could detect nanoscale Newton loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monomeric and dimeric uranium azide complexes {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]2U(N3)2} (2) and {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]2U(N3)2}2 (3) were synthesized by treating complex 1 with NaN3 at 60 and −20 °C, respectively. A temperature-induced single-crystal to single-crystal transformation of 3 to 2 was observed. The reduction of either 2 or 3 with KC8 yields a uranium nitride complex {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]4U2(μ-N)2} (4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoatomic dispersion of precious metals on the surface of CeO2 nanocrystals is a highly practical approach for dramatically reducing the usage of precious metals while exploiting the unique properties of single‐atom catalysts. However, the specific atomic sites for anchoring precious metal atoms on the CeO2 support and underlying chemical mechanism remain partially unknown. Herein, we show that the terminal hydroxyls on the (100) surface are the most stable sites for anchoring Ag atoms on CeO2, indicating that CeO2 nanocubes are the most efficient substrates to achieve monoatomic dispersion of Ag. Importantly, the newly identified chemical mechanism for single‐metal‐atom dispersion on CeO2 nanocubes appears to be generic and can thus be extended to other precious metals (Pt and Pd). In fact, our experiments also show that atomically dispersed Pt/Pd species exhibit morphology‐ and temperature‐dependent CO selectivity in the catalytic CO2 hydrogenation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoatomic dispersion of precious metals on the surface of CeO2 nanocrystals is a highly practical approach for dramatically reducing the usage of precious metals while exploiting the unique properties of single‐atom catalysts. However, the specific atomic sites for anchoring precious metal atoms on the CeO2 support and underlying chemical mechanism remain partially unknown. Herein, we show that the terminal hydroxyls on the (100) surface are the most stable sites for anchoring Ag atoms on CeO2, indicating that CeO2 nanocubes are the most efficient substrates to achieve monoatomic dispersion of Ag. Importantly, the newly identified chemical mechanism for single‐metal‐atom dispersion on CeO2 nanocubes appears to be generic and can thus be extended to other precious metals (Pt and Pd). In fact, our experiments also show that atomically dispersed Pt/Pd species exhibit morphology‐ and temperature‐dependent CO selectivity in the catalytic CO2 hydrogenation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise determination of subsurface thermal properties is critical for ground-source heating systems. The geomaterials are inherently heterogeneous, and their thermal conductivity measured in laboratory and field tests often exhibits anisotropic behaviours. However, the accurate measurement of thermal responses in geomaterials presents a challenging task due to the anisotropy’s variation with the observed scale. Hence, a numerical method is developed in this work and illustrated by taking a typical anisotropic structure of geomaterials with the porosity of 0.5 as an example. The differences in data from laboratory measurements and field tests are discussed to explore the scale effect on anisotropic thermal properties. A series of simulation tests are conducted on specimens with varying dimensions using the finite element method. Results indicate that the thermal properties show a substantial sensitivity to the observation scale, the variation of which decreases with the sample dimensions. By comparing in situ data and laboratory results, the values of average thermal conductivity and corresponding anisotropy ratio are lower than those at small scales, indicating that careful consideration should be given to the thermal properties to account for heterogeneity and anisotropy. In addition, four upscaling schemes based on the averaging method are discussed. This study sheds light on the gap between the laboratory results and the field’s inherent properties and provides guidelines for upscaling small-scale results to field-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the commercial fuel cell system efficiency is critical to reducing hydrogen consumption and improving the operational economy. This paper studies the power consumption pattern of the air supply subsystem, the most power-consuming auxiliary components, aiming to improve the system's efficiency. A method was proposed to get the extremum of the system net power by optimizing the oxygen excess ratio and cathode pressure. Mathematical models describing the fuel cell stack and air supply subsystem power characteristics were developed based on the mechanism analysis and estimation of unknown parameters. Then, a system net power model for energy efficiency optimization was developed. The operating conditions for optimal efficiency at a specific current density can be obtained by numerical calculation. To verify the method's effectiveness, a series of experiments were conducted, and the results show that the proposed method can maximize system net power output at various current density conditions. Compared with the conventional oxygen excess rate based one-dimensional optimization, the two-dimensional method can improve system efficiency by 2.06%, offering a good application prospect. • A mathematical model describing the fuel cell stack and air supply subsystem power characteristics was developed. • An energy efficiency optimization method based on the oxygen excess ratio and cathode pressure is proposed. • The operating conditions for optimal efficiency can be obtained by numerical calculation. • Maximum efficiency improvement of 2.06% can be achieved compared with One-dimensional optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn2+‐activated metal halides are widely reported in multi‐functional optoelectronic applications. However, Mn2+‐related optical thermometry is seldom discussed. In this work, all‐inorganic Cs3CdBr5 nanocrystals (NCs) are precipitated in glass. Incorporation of Mn2+ acts as a nucleation agent to promote the growth and improve the optical properties of Cs3CdBr5 NCs embedded in glass with a photoluminescence quantum yield of 66%. It is found that [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] structural units are strongly coupled in Cs3Cd1‐xMnxBr5 NCs, leading to efficient energy transfer from a single [MnBr4] unit to [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] couples and subsequent green‐red dual‐band emission with the same excitation spectra. The temperature‐dependence of green emission from the [MnBr4] unit and red emission from the [MnBr4]‐[MnBr4] couples results in high Sa (0.0241 K−1 at 168 K) and Sr (3.0346% K−1 at 74 K) from Cs3Cd1‐xMnxBr5 NCs embedded in glasses. These results pave the way for novel Mn2+‐activated metal halide NCs for high‐sensitive temperature sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous experimental studies have shown the type and gradation of coarse aggregates effect on the mechanical properties of concrete. The type and gradation of coarse aggregates have not been taken into account in the available machine learning prediction models. In this study, a two‐dimensional concrete microscopic image was generated by using a random aggregate model (RAM), and the coarse aggregate and other concrete ingredients were represented innovatively using polygons and trichromatic chromaticity values in the RAM images. The RAM image set was created by applying this method to represent 1110 sets of different concrete mixes. Then based on the Bayesian optimization algorithm and the image set, a compressive strength prediction model considering the effect of coarse aggregate types and gradations was developed utilizing a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. Meanwhile, an artificial neural network (ANN) compressive strength prediction model was developed using 1110 sets of mix ratio data. The results show that the proposed RAM image generation method has the capability to represent different concrete mix ratios collected in this study. The prediction performance of the CNN compressive strength model considering aggregate types and gradations is better than that of the ANN model. The method can provide a new perspective for predicting other concrete mechanical properties and technically support performance‐based intelligent concrete mix design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mercury ion (Hg2+) is a typical high-toxicity substance that can cause severe damage to the environment and human bodies. For the detection of Hg2+, there are still significant challenges in the detection range and limit of detection (LOD). In this study, three viologen-based fluorescent probes are developed, CdCl4(Btybipy) (1), ZnBr4(Btybipy) (2), CdBr4(Btybipy) (3) (Btybipy = bis-1-thiophen-3-ylmethyl-[4,4′]-bipyridinyl) through conventional solvent methods for detecting pH and Hg2+. Reversible discoloration and fluorescence response behaviour in the pH range of 4–12.8 is demonstrated by viologen-based fluorescent probes, which exhibit "ON–OFF–ON" signal changes. Compared with complex 1, it is surprising to find that complexes 2–3 display both fluorescence enhancement and fluorescence quenching simultaneously with the addition of different concentrations of Hg2+ (0–20 and 25–400 μM). There is broad linearity in the range of 0–20 and 50–300 μM with LODs of 2.14 and 3.13 nM, respectively. This occurrence of dual-signal modes is attributed to the participation of Br− and the thiophene S atom as dual chromophores in the coordination reaction of Hg2+. Dual-signal mode output, high sensitivity, wide detection range, and low LODs are exhibited by these fluorescent probes. The unique coordination reaction between Br− and the thiophene S atom with Hg2+ can provide a potential strategy for the exploitation of promising sensing platforms for monitoring Hg2+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Patients with diabetes mellitus have poor prognosis after myocardial ischemic injury. However, the mechanism is unclear and there are no related therapies. We aimed to identify regulators of diabetic myocardial ischemic injury. Methods and results: Mass spectrometry-based, non-targeted metabolomic approach was used to profile coronary sinus blood from diabetic and non-diabetic Bama-mini pigs at 0.5-h post coronary artery ligation. Six metabolites had a |log2 (Fold Change)|> 1.3. Among them, the most changed is arachidonic acid (AA), levels of which were 32 times lower in diabetic pigs than in non-diabetic pigs. The AA-derived products, PGI2 and 6-keto-PGF1α, were also significantly reduced. AA treatment of cultured cardiomyocytes protected against cell death by 30% at 48 h of high glucose and oxygen deprivation, which coincided with increased mitophagic activity (as indicated by increased LC3II/LC3I, decreased p62 and increased parkin & PINK1), improved mitochondrial renewal (upregulation of Drp1 and FIS1), reduced ROS generation and increased ATP production. These cardioprotective effects were abolished by PINK1(a crucial mitophagy protein) knockdown or the autophagy inhibitor 3-Methyladenine. The protective effect of AA was also inhibited by indomethacin and Cay10441, a prostacyclin receptor antagonist. Furthermore, diabetic Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to coronary ligation for 40 min and AA treatment (10 mg/day per animal gavaged) decreased myocardial infarct size, cell apoptosis index, inflammatory cytokines and improved heart function. Scanning electron microscopy showed more intact mitochondria in the border zone of infarcted myocardium in AA treated rats. Lastly, diabetic patients after myocardial infarction had lower plasma levels of AA and 6-keto-PGF1α and reduced cardiac ejection fraction, compared with non-diabetic patients after myocardial infarction. Plasma AA level was inversely correlated with fasting blood glucose. Conclusions: AA protects against diabetic ischemic myocardial damage by promoting mitochondrial autophagy and renewal, which is related to AA derived PGI2 signaling. AA may represent a new strategy to treat diabetic myocardial ischemic injury. Highlights: Diabetic myocardial ischemic injury causes plasma AA reduction. AA supplementation protects cardiomyocytes against diabetic ischemic injury in vitro and in vivo. The effect of AA is attributable to PINK-parkin mediated mitophagy, enhanced mitochondrial turnover and decreased cell apoptosis, which is PGI2 dependent. AA might be beneficial for diabetic patients at risk of ischemic injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a generalised framework for developing a hybrid machine learning (ML) model that combines support vector regression (SVR) with hyperparameter optimisation to predict thermal conductivity (k) with uncertainty. The framework contains four phases: data pre-processing, determining the best-performing hybrid model, selecting the optimal input combination, and uncertainty implementation. A database containing 2197 data points is first compiled to train the ML model. Three hyperparameter optimisation algorithms are adopted to tune hyperparameters, and their performance is evaluated by model evaluation metrics. Results show that SVR with Bayesian optimisation (SVR-BO) is the best-performing model since it produces more accurate predictions for k than models that employ grid and random searches. Given the sample insufficiency issue encountered in practice, the SVR-BO models with 144 input combinations are analysed. The compassion among models under various input combinations indicates that incorporating temperature as an additional input can provide moderate improvement in the accuracy and generalisability of the hybrid model. Based on the comparison, a five-input model is selected as the best candidate to implement the uncertainty evaluation for k. Results demonstrate that the predicted k possesses higher reliability for denser datasets and shows promising potential for applications in k with uncertainty assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the co-reference resolution model using a knowledge base mainly faces two problems: first, the knowledge is complex and diverse, and it is difficult to add appropriate knowledge to complement the conceptual relationships between entities; second, it is difficult to integrate the obtained external knowledge into the model. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional relational knowledge model (MDR) for co-reference resolution, which extends in both high-dimensional and low-dimensional directions according to the antecedent words to be parsed, abstracts upwards to high-dimensional concepts to represent the essential relations of things, and diffuses downwards to find intra-sentence words to make the knowledge closer to the sentence meaning, providing the model with more generalised multidimensional relational knowledge and higher sentence relevance. At the same time, in order for the model to make full use of the knowledge, the attention mechanism is adjusted to use external knowledge to guide the intra-sentence relationship changes and adjust the degree of knowledge dominance according to the back-propagation of the neural network. The knowledge noise reduction module is designed based on a multiplexed hybrid approach, using a hybrid approach to dilute the proportion of knowledge in the total information and reduce noise generation. The multidimensional relational knowledge model is evaluated on the Definite Pronoun Resolution Dataset and Winograd Schema Challenge datasets, showing its cross-sectional comparison with existing models in experiments and ablation experiments, and the role of knowledge is analyzed for experimental cases to demonstrate that the multidimensional relational knowledge is helpful for model co-reference resolution ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photometric and spectroscopic studies of three contact binaries, ASASSN-V J052036.28+144711.0, ASASSN-V J064846.22+241709.9, and ASASSN-V J073441.02+555833.0 were performed for the first time. The periods of all the three targets are longer than 0.5 d, and we discovered that their mass ratios are all smaller than 0.25. So, they are long-period low mass-ratio contact binaries. ASASSN-V J052036.28+144711.0 and ASASSN-V J064846.22+241709.9 are medium contact binaries. ASASSN-V J073441.02+555833.0 is a deep contact binary, which is also the only one existing O'Connell effect. We attached a dark spot on its secondary component for a better fit of light curves featuring asymmetry. From orbital period analysis, two of the three targets are believed to demonstrate a secular period increase, while one shows no long-term variation. We employed the spectral subtraction approach to investigate the LAMOST spectra, while all of the three binaries show no H α emission line, implying no chromospheric activity. Their initial masses, current average densities, and mass transfer rates between the two components were calculated. We obtained that the three targets are stable for the moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher innovative behavior is one of the vital factors, affecting student engagement, addresses diverse needs, promotes critical thinking, fosters lifelong learning, and contributes to educational research and development. By encouraging and supporting teacher innovation, we may can ensure that education remains relevant, effective, and impactful in preparing students for the future. Teacher innovative behavior is also needed to improve the mathematics skills of elementary school students, and it is important to determine the predictors that significantly affecting Teacher innovative behavior. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a model that predicted possible factors affecting mathematics teachers' innovative behavior based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Data were collected from 132 elementary school teachers in China to verify the model, and the analysis was conducted using a structural equation modelling approach. Theoretically, 10 of the 15 hypotheses were found to be significant. The results showed that facilitating conditions and self-efficacy significantly affect mathematics teachers' innovative behavior. Meanwhile, Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) knowledge, Social Influences, Rewards, Work engagement and anxiety did not show any effect. The contribution developed a model and provided new knowledge about the factors affecting elementary school teachers' innovative behavior. Practically, this could be used to improve teachers' innovative behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart Connected Product(SCP) and Smart Environment(SE), typical product-service integrated system under intelligent manufacturing context, have attracted significant attentions from both researchers and practitioners owning to its effectiveness in enabling user interaction and improving user satisfaction. In this paper, we conduct a systematical literature review to summarize the current user-oriented SCP or SE researches. A totally 102 journal articles are fully analyzed to illustrate the current research concentration and highlight future research directions. Different from existing review articles that focus on specific SCP or SE, our research incorporates diverse SCPs or SEs and proposes an objective-based taxonomy, which distinguishes three objective dimensions, that is, integrated optimization within system, vertically iterative optimization of the system and the horizontally collaborative optimization between systems. Besides, we distill five user-oriented indictors, that is, user need identification, user interaction optimization, serve special group, user security protection as well as energy consumption improvement and combine them with three research objectives to unveil the mainstream research concentration. Finally, we summarize the research gap of existing works and propose seven future research directions for scholars and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a modified two-grid algorithm based on block-centred finite difference method is developed for the fourth-order nonlinear extended Fisher–Kolmogorov equation. To further improve the computational efficiency, an effective second-order accurate backward difference formula is considered. The modified two-grid method based on Newton iteration is constructed to linearize the nonlinear system. The method solves a miniature nonlinear system on a coarse grid accompanying a larger time step to get the numerical solution, then computes a linear system constructed by the previous result with the Taylor expansion on a fine grid accompanying a smaller time step to get the correct numerical solution. Theoretical analysis shows that the modified two-grid algorithm can achieve second-order convergence accuracy both in time and space domain. Several numerical experiments are provided to verify the theoretical result and the high efficiency of this approach. The practical problem illustrates the actual applicable value of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a cost‐effective, automated ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the detection of 14 β‐agonists in pork using a novel solid‐phase microextraction probe composed of polyacrylonitrile and molecularly imprinted polymer. Integrated into an automated extraction device, the probe optimizes extraction prior to analysis while reducing expenses and time compared to traditional solid‐phase extraction procedures. The method validation followed the Chinese National Standard (GB/T 27404‐2008) and examined limits of detection, limits of quantification, matrix effects, linearity, intraday, and interday precision. Average recovery rates ranged from 71.6% to 82.2%, with relative standard deviations less than 15%. Limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged from 0.09 to 0.39 and 0.27 to 0.99 μg/kg, respectively. The new method identified positive samples more accurately than the current National Standard GB/T 31658.22‐2022 and demonstrated its potential for routine assessment and regulatory compliance in the detection of β‐agonists in pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal management strategy for pancreatic trauma remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether the initial nonoperative management (NOM) strategy based on percutaneous drainage combined with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography guided stent placement would improve outcomes for blunt high-grade pancreatic trauma. Patients with blunt abdominal trauma who were hemodynamically stable without signs of diffuse peritonitis were consecutively enrolled at a high-volume center. The primary outcome was the occurrence of severe complications (Clavien‒Dindo classification ≥ Ⅲ b) for patients who underwent initial laparotomy (LAP) versus NOM. Modified Poisson regression was used to model the primary outcome. Propensity score matching and weighting models were included into a regression-based sensitivity analysis. Of 119 patients with grade III/IV pancreatic trauma, 29 patients underwent initial NOM, and 90 underwent initial LAP. The incidence of severe complications in the LAP group was higher than that in the NOM group (65/90 [72.2%] versus 9/29 [31.0%], P < 0.001). In the multivariable modified Poisson regression model, the relative risk for severe complications was decreased in the NOM group (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.90; P = 0.020). The results of the sensitivity analysis were consistent with those of the multivariable analysis. The mean number of reinterventions per patient was 1.8 in the NOM group and 2.6 in the LAP group (P = 0.067). For blunt high-grade pancreatic trauma patients with stable hemodynamics and no diffuse peritonitis, the NOM strategy was associated with a lower risk of severe complications (Clavien‒Dindo classification ≥ Ⅲ b) and did not require more invasive reintervention procedures. In high-volume centers with sufficient expertise, percutaneous drainage combined with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography guided stent placement may serve as an initial reasonable option for selected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of cell response to nanotopography has attracted considerable attentions for years. This article focuses on the influence of nanotopography on the intracellular Ca2+ dynamics, the most ubiquitous but ignored second messenger. The classic titanium nanotubes (NT) were fabricated by anodization to formulate nanoporous surfaces. Firstly, the store operative calcium entry (SOCE) in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and functional Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels were significantly enhanced on NT surfaces that revealed by live-cell Ca2+ imaging and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) identification of orai1-stim1 connection. To investigate the potential implication of Ca2+ elevation, the dynamic cell migration trajectory was monitored by a self-made holder, which could not only be suitable for the opaque implant surface but also guarantee the focus fields identical during samples shifting. The cell migration on NT surface was more vigorous and rapid, which was correlated with higher focal adhesion proteins expression, Ca2+-dependent calpain activity and stim1 level. In conclusion, this study has confirmed the novel ER Ca2+ hemostasis pathway on nanosurfaces and its crucial role in cell migration regulation, which may help for more biofavorable implant surface design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal proximal tubular cells are highly vulnerable to different types of assaults during filtration and reabsorption, leading to acute renal dysfunction and eventual chronic kidney diseases (CKD). The chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin elicits cytotoxicity causing renal tubular cell death, but its executing mechanisms of action are versatile and elusive. Here, we show that cisplatin induces renal tubular cell apoptosis and ferroptosis by disrupting glutathione (GSH) metabolism. Upon cisplatin treatment, GSH metabolism is impaired leading to GSH depletion as well as the execution of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and lipid oxidation-related ferroptosis through activating IL6/JAK/STAT3 signaling. Inhibition of JAK/STAT3 signaling reversed cell apoptosis and ferroptosis in response to cisplatin induction. Using a cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (CAKI) mouse model, we found that inhibition of JAK/STAT3 significantly mitigates cisplatin nephrotoxicity with a reduced level of serum BUN and creatinine as well as proximal tubular distortion. In addition, the GSH booster baicalein also reclaims cisplatin-induced renal tubular cell apoptosis and ferroptosis as well as the in vivo nephrotoxicity. In conclusion, cisplatin disrupts glutathione metabolism, leading to renal tubular cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. Rewiring glutathione metabolism represents a promising strategy for combating cisplatin nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Directional sweat-wicking by Janus fabrics has gained substantial attention in promoting personal wet-thermal management for optimal human comfort. During intense physical exercise, excessive sweating can cause the flooding of fabrics and weaken their wicking capabilities once the inner capillary channels are saturated. To address this issue, we develop a photothermal Janus fabric through a facile polydopamine (PDA) deposition followed by single-sided spray-coating of hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Such innovative fabrics enable directional sweat-wicking through a Janus structure and persistent removal of excessive sweat by solar-powered evaporation. Under sunlight, our photothermal Janus fabrics exhibit an enhanced evaporation rate, approximately twice compared with that of conventional Janus fabrics (∼1.143 ± 0.027 kg m-2h−1), making them suitable for high sweating rates during vigorous exercise. Furthermore, these fabrics help to maintain the skin temperature within the normal range, preventing hypothermia caused by profuse sweating. In addition, our photothermal Janus fabrics exhibit excellent washing durability even after multiple washing cycles, ensuring prolonged performance and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) patients with early recurrence usually suffer a poorer prognosis than those with late recurrence. We aimed to compare the treatment efficacy of repeat hepatectomy (RH) and percutaneous ablation (PA) in early-stage rHCC patients with early or late recurrence. Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 268 patients diagnosed with early-stage rHCC who received RH and PA. Overall survival (OS) and repeat recurrence-free survival (rRFS) were compared using log-rank analysis. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce the confounding bias. Results: Among the 268 patients with early-stage rHCC, 79 underwent RH and 189 underwent PA. Early (n = 174) and late (n = 94) recurrence was defined as recurrence within and after 2 years following initial hepatectomy, respectively. For patients with early recurrence, RH and PA provided similar 5-year OS (71.5% versus 74.4%, P = 0.87) and rRFS rates (24.7% versus 24.9%, P = 0.73). For patients with late recurrence, RH resulted in comparable 5-year OS (73.1% versus 86.1%, P = 0.62) and rRFS rates (36.6% versus 27.8%, P = 0.34) as PA. After PSM, RH continued to share similar 5-year OS and rRFS rates with PA in patients with early recurrence, and comparable efficacy of RH and PA was also observed in patients with late recurrence. Conclusion: RH can offer comparable OS and rRFS rates as PA for early-stage rHCC patients, regardless of whether they experience early or late recurrence. Therefore, both RH and PA are feasible treatment options for early-stage rHCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time and accurate estimation of surgical hemoglobin (Hb) loss is essential for fluid resuscitation management and evaluation of surgical techniques. In this study, we aimed to explore a novel surgical Hb loss estimation method using deep learning-based medical sponges image analysis. Whole blood samples of pre-measured Hb concentration were collected, and normal saline was added to simulate varying levels of Hb concentration. These blood samples were distributed across blank medical sponges to generate blood-soaked sponges. Eight hundred fifty-one blood-soaked sponges representing a wide range of blood dilutions were randomly divided 7:3 into a training group (n = 595) and a testing group (n = 256). A deep learning model based on the YOLOv5 network was used as the target region extraction and detection, and the three models (Feature extraction technology, ResNet-50, and SE-ResNet50) were trained to predict surgical Hb loss. Mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), coefficient (R2) value, and the Bland–Altman analysis were calculated to evaluate the predictive performance in the testing group. The deep learning model based on SE-ResNet50 could predict surgical Hb loss with the best performance (R2 = 0.99, MAE = 11.09 mg, MAPE = 8.6%) compared with other predictive models, and Bland–Altman analysis also showed a bias of 1.343 mg with narrow limits of agreement (− 29.81 to 32.5 mg) between predictive and actual Hb loss. The interactive interface was also designed to display the real-time prediction of surgical Hb loss more intuitively. Thus, it is feasible for real-time estimation of surgical Hb loss using deep learning-based medical sponges image analysis, which was helpful for clinical decisions and technical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is being increasingly performed without fluoroscopy. This study aims to determine the safety of fluoroless RFA for patients with pre‐existing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED). Methods: This is a single‐center, single‐operator, retrospective, observational study of 225 consecutive fluoroless RFA procedures for AF from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2022. All procedures were performed with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) support. Patients with pre‐existing CIED were extracted from the database. Each CIED was interrogated at the start and end of each procedure and at 30‐day follow‐up. Pre‐ and post‐procedure CIED interrogations were compared for any change in device or lead parameters. Patients were tracked for any subsequent device malfunction. Results: Out of 225 fluoroless AF ablations, 25 (10.2%) had pre‐existing CIED (14 dual‐chamber pacemakers, three dual‐chamber defibrillators, three single‐chamber defibrillators, one single chamber pacemaker, and four biventricular devices). Mean patient age was 71 ± 6 years. The mean duration of indwelling CIED was 1804 ± 1645 days (range: 78–6267 days). One (4%) patient had lead‐related fibrin on ICE imaging. There was no significant difference in lead(s) threshold, impedance, or sensing post procedure or at 30‐day follow‐up compared to pre procedure. None of the patients required lead revision. There were no intra‐ or post‐op thromboembolic events or subsequent device infection. One patient underwent CIED extraction after 11 months for an unrelated secondary device infection. Conclusions: Radiofrequency catheter ablation for AF can be safely performed without fluoroscopy in patients with pre‐existing CIED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving and controlling the desired movements of active machines is generally accomplished through precise control of artificial muscles in a distributed and serialized manner, which is a significant challenge. The emerging motion control strategy based on self-oscillation in active machines has unique advantages, including directly harvesting energy from constant ambient light, and it has no need for complex controllers. Inspired by the roller, we have innovatively developed a self-rolling roller that consists of a roller and a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fiber. By utilizing a well-established dynamic LCE model and subjecting it to constant illumination, we have investigated the dynamic behavior of the self-rolling roller. Based on numerical calculations, it has been discovered that the roller, when subjected to steady illumination, exhibits two distinct motion regimes: the static regime and the self-rolling regime. The self-rolling regime, characterized by continuous periodic rolling, is sustained by the interaction between light energy and damping dissipation. The continuous periodic rolling observed in the self-rolling regime is maintained through the interplay between the dissipation of damping and the absorption of light energy. In the static state, the rolling angle of the roller begins to decrease rapidly and then converges to zero. Detailed investigations have been conducted to determine the critical conditions required to initiate self-rolling, as well as the essential system parameters that influence its frequency and amplitude. The proposed self-rolling roller has superiorities in its simple structure, light weight, alternative to manual labor, and speediness. This advancement is expected to inspire greater design diversity in micromachines, soft robotics, energy harvesters, and similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the biomechanical changes of 2 conventional minimally invasive nonfusion surgical methods for treating disc herniation in adjacent segment disease using 3-dimensional finite element analysis. A model comprising L3 to the sacrum was validated and used to establish an L4-L5 fusion model, and an adjacent segment disease (ASD) model was developed by modifying the material properties of the intervertebral discs. The ASD model was used to simulate 2 conventional minimally invasive nonfusion surgical methods, which resulted in the creation of 2 postoperative models (M1 and M2). The range of motion and the equivalent stress for each model were recorded under 6 different working conditions. The data are descriptive and were analyzed comparatively under a normal load. Compared with the ASD group, the range of motion of the adjacent segment in the M1 and M2 groups remained unaffected. However, significant Von-Mises stress changes were found in the annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus (NP), especially during extension, ipsilateral bending, and rotation. Stress in the NP also shifted toward the surgical incision in the annulus fibrosus during these movements. The maximum Von-Mises stress in the NP of the cephalic segment increased more than did that of the caudal segment. Minimal nonfusion surgery for ASD might not affect adjacent segment stability significantly. Nonetheless, it can lead to segmental degeneration deterioration and postoperative recurrence. The cephalic segment is affected more than the caudal segment. Therefore, consideration of disc degeneration and appropriate selection of surgical methods for ASD are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of annulus fibrosus incision and foraminoplasty on lumbar biomechanics during posterior lateral approach translaminar percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) using a lumbar 4/5 segment model and three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). We created a model of the L4 to L5 segment and performed simulated foraminoplasty, annulus fibrosus incision, and a combined operation. The models were tested under six working conditions, and we recorded the deformation and equivalent strain/stress of each group. Results showed that foraminoplasty can affect the stability and rotation axis of the segment during rotation without significantly impacting discal stress. Conversely, annulus fibrosus incision significantly increases discal stress except for when the patient is doing a forward flexion movement. We recommend that surgical maneuvers minimize the removal and destruction of the annulus fibrosus and that rotation movements are avoided during the short-term recovery period following PELD surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between academic engagement and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), muscle-strengthening exercise (MSE) and sedentary behavior (SB) among adolescents, so as to provide evidence from the perspective of exercising for students to learn efficiently, teachers to improve classroom teaching, and schools to improve educational quality.Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in 12 junior high schools in Shanghai, China, which were selected by a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Then, with the valid data of 2078 students collected from the survey. A data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 26.0. Multiple linear regression models were adopted to analyze the factors affecting adolescent academic engagement and to determine whether MVPA, MSE, and SB play roles in it.Results: (1) The differences in academic engagement depended on the exercise adherence to the recommended amount of MVPA, MSE, and screen-based SB. (2) In terms of the three independent variables of total time, MSE (β = 0.206) and MVPA (β = 0.175) showed a significant positive correlation with academic engagement, while SB (β = − 0.155) was negatively correlated with academic engagement. (3) From the linear regression model of eight combination groups divided by the exercise adherence to the recommended amount of MVPA, MSE and SB, the group that met none of the recommendations (β = − 0.235) showed a significant negative effect on academic engagement, while the groups that met any two or all three of the recommendations demonstrated strong positive correlations with academic engagement (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Increasing adolescents' muscle-strengthening exercise and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior can effectively promote academic engagement. Therefore, adolescents are suggested to reach the recommended amounts of physical activity, muscle-strengthening exercise, and sedentary behavior so as to improve academic engagement more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the impact of plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle intervention on negative emotion and rehabilitation effects in older adults after hip replacement. Methods: Between January 2019 and 2021, 100 elderly adults who underwent hip replacements were randomly divided into control (n = 5 0) and study groups (n = 5 0), respectively. The control group received routine nursing, whilst the study group underwent PDCA cycle interventions. Anxiety [self-rating anxiety scale [SAS]), depression (self-rating depression scale (SDS), hip function score (Harris score), daily living activities (ADL score), and adverse complication incidence before and after intervention were compared. Results: No significant difference (P > 0. 0 5) in SDS and SAS scores occurred between groups before intervention, but were lower in both groups after intervention Moreover, study group scores were lower than control group (P < 0. 0 5). Before intervention, there was no significant difference (P > 0. 0 5) in Harris and ADL scores between groups. Scores of both groups increased following intervention, with the study group scoring higher than the control group (P < 0. 0 5). Lower limb venous thrombosis, phobia, delirium, and other adverse complications were lower in the study group than in the control group (P < 0. 0 5). Conclusion: PDCA is safe and effectively alleviates negative emotions, promotes limb function recovery, and improves the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, presenting a significant unmet medical need worldwide. The pathogenesis of AD involves various pathophysiological events, including the accumulation of amyloid and tau, neuro-inflammation, and neuronal injury. Clinical trials focusing on new drugs for AD were documented in 2020, but subsequent developments have emerged since then. Notably, the US-FDA has approved Aducanumab and Lecanemab, both antibodies targeting amyloid, marking the end of a nearly two-decade period without new AD drugs. In this comprehensive report, we review all trials listed in clinicaltrials.gov, elucidating their underlying mechanisms and study designs. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating numerous promising new drugs for AD. The main trends in these trials involve pathophysiology-based, disease-modifying therapies and the recruitment of participants in earlier stages of the disease. These trends underscore the significance of conducting fundamental research on pathophysiology, prevention, and intervention prior to the occurrence of brain damage caused by AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersphere Guided Embedding for Masked Face Recognition has been proposed to address the problem encountered in the Masked Face Recognition task, which arises due to non-biological information from occlusions. While some existing algorithms prefer to digesting the existence of masks by probing and covering, others aim to integrate face recognition and masked face recognition tasks into a unified solution domain. In this paper, we propose a framework to enable existing methods to accommodate multiple data distributions by orthogonal subspaces. Specifically, We introduce constraints on multiple hypersphere manifolds via Multi-Center Loss and employ a Spatial Split Strategy to ensure the orthogonality of base vectors associated with different hypersphere manifolds, corresponding to distinct distribution. Our method is extensively evaluated on publicly available datasets on face recognition, mask face recognition and occlusion, demonstrating promising performance. Our code is available on an anonymous website: https://github.com/CaptainKai/HE_MFR. [Display omitted] • Elucidated the adverse impact of mask information. • Explored the similarities and disparities between different data distribution. • Experiments proved the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling the morphology of ceria nanoparticles (CeNPs) has been proven an effective approach to mimic the activities of antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). However, the mechanism of the morphology-dependent enzyme-like activities was elusive. Energy-band structure tailoring of NPs through morphologies closely correlates with their catalytic activities. Herein, three kinds of CeNPs with octahedron, cube and rod morphologies were synthesized. Octahedron-CeO2 with exposed {111} facets, cube-shaped CeO2 with {100} facets and rod-shaped CeO2 with {110} and {111} facets were observed. Due to the lower formation energy of oxygen vacancy (VO) for {110} facets, higher VO content was detected for rod-CeO2, which directly correlated with the energy level of surface defect states (ESDS). The ESDS for rod-CeO2 (0.86 V) roughly lied in the middle point of E0 (H2O2, H+/H2O) and E0(O2, H+/H2O2) (0.83 V), which resulted in higher CAT-like activity. Likewise, the ESDS of octahedron-CeO2 (0.48 V) approximately located at the midpoint of two half-reaction potentials in SOD catalytic cycle (0.39 V) which was agreement with its enhanced SOD-like activity. Overall, regulating ESDS towards the midpoint of the half-reaction potentials becomes a feasible approach to achieve enhanced catalytic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A radiochemistry laboratory presents potential radiological hazards due to the handling of multiple radionuclides with various half-lives and modes of radiation emission. To minimize these hazards, appropriate safety management and radiation protection strategies should be in place. The radiochemistry laboratory at Soochow University is one such workplace that handles therapeutic radionuclides, fission products, and actinides in liquid, solid, and gas forms. This work highlights the significance of using safety precautions and radiation protection strategies before conducting experiments in such laboratories. The practical knowledge gained from a case of radioactive contamination is discussed to provide valuable experience for safely conducting radiochemistry experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time and accurate estimation of surgical hemoglobin (Hb) loss is essential for fluid resuscitation management and evaluation of surgical techniques. In this study, we aimed to explore a novel surgical Hb loss estimation method using deep learning-based medical sponges image analysis. Whole blood samples of pre-measured Hb concentration were collected, and normal saline was added to simulate varying levels of Hb concentration. These blood samples were distributed across blank medical sponges to generate blood-soaked sponges. Eight hundred fifty-one blood-soaked sponges representing a wide range of blood dilutions were randomly divided 7:3 into a training group (n = 595) and a testing group (n = 256). A deep learning model based on the YOLOv5 network was used as the target region extraction and detection, and the three models (Feature extraction technology, ResNet-50, and SE-ResNet50) were trained to predict surgical Hb loss. Mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), coefficient (R2) value, and the Bland–Altman analysis were calculated to evaluate the predictive performance in the testing group. The deep learning model based on SE-ResNet50 could predict surgical Hb loss with the best performance (R2 = 0.99, MAE = 11.09 mg, MAPE = 8.6%) compared with other predictive models, and Bland–Altman analysis also showed a bias of 1.343 mg with narrow limits of agreement (− 29.81 to 32.5 mg) between predictive and actual Hb loss. The interactive interface was also designed to display the real-time prediction of surgical Hb loss more intuitively. Thus, it is feasible for real-time estimation of surgical Hb loss using deep learning-based medical sponges image analysis, which was helpful for clinical decisions and technical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu additions notably strengthen Al-Mg-Si and Al-Si-Mg alloys due to the dense precipitation of quaternary nano precipitates during ageing. However, the chemical evolution and mechanical behaviors of the quaternary micro-scale Q constituent phase occurring in cast and homogenized states have rarely been studied. Meanwhile, there exists a type of AlCuMgSi cluster in the cast state, which has been regarded as Q particles. The accurate identification of phase constituents is the basis for the future design of alloys with better performance. In our work, this type of cluster was revealed to consist of α-Al, θ-Al2Cu, Q, and Si phases through micro-to-atomic scale studies using scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The skeleton of the dendrite was θ phase. The second phases in the dendritic eutectic cluster dissolved quickly during a 4 h homogenization at 550 °C. The Q phase was found to effectively absorb the Fe impurities during casting and homogenization. As a result, the formation of other harmful Fe-rich intermetallics was suppressed. These Q constituent particles were observed to break into separate pieces in an intermediately brittle manner when compressed in situ in a scanning electron microscope. These findings provide insights into the thermodynamic modeling of the Al-Mg-Si-Cu system and alloy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffuse phase transition (DPT) and domain structure are essential to the functional properties of relaxor ferroelectrics and are extremely sensitive to the ion doping. The utilization of acceptor doping has been observed to be an effective method in enhancing the high-power properties of relaxor ferroelectric materials. The present study aims to examine the acceptor-doped DPT and domain structure in single crystals of Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3. An unexpected physical phenomenon was identified in which Mn-doping increased dielectric diffusion and lowered domain size while suppressing dielectric relaxation. Traceability investigations suggest that Mn-doping inhibited the growth of polar nanoregions by enhancing random electric fields, which increases dielectric diffusion while decreasing the domain size. Meanwhile, Mn doping redistributes the relaxation time function, which results in a reduction in dielectric relaxation. The current research deepens the understanding of the physical basis of DPT and can be applied to the development of high-performance piezoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Recent evidence suggested that metallothionein 1 M (MT1M) may play a critical role in cancer development, progression, and drug resistance; however, its role in GC remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression and function of MT1M in GC both in vitro and in vivo. We found that MT1M expression was significantly downregulated in GC tissues and cell lines. Decreased expression of MT1M was associated with worse clinical prognosis, particularly in patients treated with 5-fluorouracil. Low expression of MT1M was indicative of poor overall survival (OS, HR 0.56 [95% CI 0.37–0.84], P < 0.005), first progression survival (FP, HR 0.54 [95% CI 0.36–0.79], P < 0.005), and post-progression survival (PPS, HR 0.65 [95% CI 0.45–0.94], P < 0.05). We also demonstrated that overexpression of MT1M inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in GC cells and in tumor xenografts, and it improved chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil. Furthermore, we found that MT1M overexpression could inhibit stem cell characteristics by targeting GLI1 and affecting GLI1 ubiquitination. Collectively, these findings indicated that MT1M may act as a tumor suppressor in GC and could serve as a potential therapeutic target to attenuate stemness and chemotherapy resistance of GC. [Display omitted] • MT1M is downregulated in GC tissues and is associated with poor prognosis. • Overexpression of MT1M inhibits malignant phenotypes in GC cells. • MT1M may suppress GC progression and stemness by inhibiting GLI1. • MT1M overexpression could be a potential therapeutic target for GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate complications, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results following Coflex implantation. Methods: We retrospectively studied 66 patients who had decompressive surgery combined with Coflex implantation to treat lumbar spinal stenosis. All imaging data were collected and examined for imaging changes. Clinical outcomes, included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), back and leg visual analog scale (VAS) scores, were evaluated before surgery, six months after surgery and at the last follow-up. The number of complications occurring after five years of follow-up was counted. All reoperation cases were meticulously recorded. Results: 66 patients were followed up for 5–14 years. The VAS and ODI scores were significantly improved compared with baseline. Heterotopic Ossification (HO) was detectable in 59 (89.4%). 26 (39.4%) patients had osteolysis at the contact site of Coflex with the spinous process. Coflex loosening was detected in 39 (60%) patients. Spinous process anastomosis was found in 34 (51.5%) patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the VAS score of back pain between patients with and without spinous process anastomosis. Nine cases of lumbar spinal restenosis were observed, and prosthesis fracture was observed in one case. Conclusion: Our study identified various imaging changes after Coflex implantation, and majority of them did not affect clinical outcomes. The majority of patients had HO, but osteolysis and Coflex loosening were relatively rare. The VAS score for back pain of these patients was higher if they have spinous process anastomosis. After five-year follow-up, we found lumbar spinal restenosis and prosthesis fracture cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of self-oscillating system has been developed with the potential to expand its applications in fields such as biomedical engineering, advanced robotics, rescue operations, and military industries. This system is capable of sustaining its own motion by absorbing energy from the stable external environment without the need for an additional controller. The existing self-sustained oscillatory systems are relatively complex in structure and difficult to fabricate and control, thus limited in their implementation in practical and complex scenarios. In this paper, we creatively propose a novel light-powered liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fiber-cantilever system that can perform self-sustained oscillation under steady illumination. Considering the well-established LCE dynamic model, beam theory, and deflection formula, the control equations for the self-oscillating system are derived to theoretically study the dynamics of self-vibration. The LCE fiber-cantilever system under steady illumination is found to exhibit two motion regimes, namely, the static and self-vibration regimes. The positive work done by the tension of the light-powered LCE fiber provides some compensation against the structural resistance from cantilever and the air damping. In addition, the influences of system parameters on self-vibration amplitude and frequency are also studied. The newly constructed light-powered LCE fiber-cantilever system in this paper has a simple structure, easy assembly/disassembly, easy preparation, and strong expandability as a one-dimensional fiber-based system. It is expected to meet the application requirements of practical complex scenarios and has important application value in fields such as autonomous robots, energy harvesters, autonomous separators, sensors, mechanical logic devices, and biomimetic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-oscillating coupled machines are capable of absorbing energy from the external environment to maintain their own motion and have the advantages of autonomy and portability, which also contribute to the exploration of the field of synchronization and clustering. Based on a thermally responsive liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) spring self-oscillator in a linear temperature field, this paper constructs a coupling and synchronization model of two self-oscillators connected by springs. Based on the existing dynamic LCE model, this paper theoretically reveals the self-oscillation mechanism and synchronization mechanism of two self-oscillators. The results show that adjusting the initial conditions and system parameters causes the coupled system to exhibit two synchronization modes: in-phase mode and anti-phase mode. The work conducted by the driving force compensates for the damping dissipation of the system, thus maintaining self-oscillation. The phase diagrams of different system parameters are drawn to illuminate the self-oscillation and synchronization mechanism. For weak interaction, changing the initial conditions may obtain the modes of in-phase and anti-phase. Under conditions of strong interactions, the system consistently exhibits an in-phase mode. Furthermore, an investigation is conducted on the influence of system parameters, such as the LCE elastic coefficient and spring elastic coefficient, on the amplitudes and frequencies of the two synchronization modes. This study aims to enhance the understanding of self-oscillator synchronization and its potential applications in areas such as energy harvesting, power generation, detection, soft robotics, medical devices and micro/nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimrocks are a kind of complex geological body composed of a matrix and rock block. There are significant differences in matrix strength within bimrocks induced by geological tectonics, weathering, and so on. In this study, double matrix bimrocks are defined as that there are two matrices in bimrocks. The artificial bimrocks containing 4 kinds of matrix strength differences were fabricated, and the type of artificial bimrocks belongs to strong matrix weak rock block. The strength and failure characteristics of double matrix bimrocks were studied by indoor uniaxial compression tests. The results show that the difference in cohesion between the two matrices under different block proportions has significant effects on the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the double matrix bimrocks. When the block proportion is less than 30%, the UCS of double matrix bimrocks with the small difference of matrix cohesion is lower than that of each single matrix bimrocks. As the difference of matrix cohesion increases, the UCS of double matrix bimrocks is between those of single matrix bimrocks with each matrix strength. When the block proportion is 50%, the UCS of the double matrix bimrocks is close to that of the single matrix bimrocks with stronger matrix. The difference of matrix cohesion has little effect on the UCS of the double matrix bimrocks when the block proportion range is 70 ~ 90%. In terms of failure characteristics, the failure modes of double matrix bimrocks are mainly summarized as penetrating failure, extended failure, and semi-penetrating failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shared decision making using patient decision aids (PtDAs) was established over a decade ago, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy in Asian countries. We therefore evaluated the application of PtDAs in a decision conflict between two muscle relaxant reversal agents, neostigmine and sugammadex, and sequentially analyzed the regional differences and operating room turnover rates. Methods: This multicenter, outcome-assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial included 3,132 surgical patients from two medical centers admitted between March 2020 and August 2020. The patients were randomly divided into the classical and PtDA groups for pre-anesthesia consultations. Their clinicodemographic characteristics were analyzed to identify variables influencing the choice of reversal agent. On the day of the pre-anesthesia consultation, the patients completed the four SURE scale (sure of myself, understand information, risk-benefit ratio, encouragement) screening items. The operating turnover rates were also evaluated using anesthesia records. Results: Compared with the classical group, the PtDA group felt more confident about receiving sufficient medical information (P < 0.001), felt better informed about the advantages and disadvantages of the medications (P < 0.001), exhibited a superior understanding of the benefits and risks of their options (P < 0.001), and felt surer about their choice (P < 0.001). Moreover, the PtDA group had a significantly greater tendency to choose sugammadex over neostigmine (P < 0.001). Conclusions: PtDA interventions in pre-anesthesia consultations provided surgical patients with clear knowledge and better support. PtDAs should be made available in other medical fields to enhance shared clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]