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As an emerging technology in liquid inactivation, one of the main challenges of pulsed electric fields (PEFs) inactivation lies in quantitatively describing and predicting its lethality to microorganisms. However, due to its cross-scaled complexity and the consequent numerous regulatory factors, there is currently still no unified framework to understand the PEF dose–response relationship and the population dynamics theoretically. In this study, a simple yet powerful model from multiscale coarse-graining method is proposed to simulate the bacterial inactivation in suspensions during PEF processing. The complex dose–response effects at the macroscale are successfully reconstructed from simple evolution rules and several coarse-graining parameters, while considering the damage and death of a single bacterium at the microscale. Our model uncovers the seemingly chaotic and even controversial dose–response relationship of PEF in literatures and systematically explores the regulatory effect of experimental parameters in a unified framework. One of the interesting findings is that PEF with shorter pulsed width enhances lethality and reduces the minimal inhibitory time at a constant energy output per pulse, owing to the phase transitions in three bacterial population dynamics (Bistability mode, Avalanche mode, and Hybrid mode). Our study provides a new insight for numerically modeling PEF lethality in liquid inactivation and could serve as a guide for dosage management in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is an effective strategy for improving the photoluminescence (PL) performance of metal nanoclusters (MNCs). However, the origin of AIE in MNCs is still not fully understood, which is pivotal for the design of AIE luminogens (AIEgens). Here, water soluble silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) with AIE properties were synthesized. These as-synthesized non-luminescent Ag NCs will become photoluminescent when transferred from water to ethanol, and the emission peak was redshifted from ∼560 to ∼600 nm and largely intensified with the addition of Cu2+. The addition of Cu2+ makes a big difference in the PL properties of Ag NCs. That is, the PL will be enhanced if Cu2+ is added with the sequence "Ag NCs + Cu2++EtOH." In contrast, the PL will be quenched if Cu2+ is added with the sequence "Ag NCs + EtOH + Cu2+." The PL was from the supramolecular clusters formed by the assembly of capping ligands on the confined surface of individual silver clusters through weak interactions. The addition of Cu2+ could regulate the assembly structure and further affect the energy lever (p-band) through space electron interactions. These results provide new insights into the AIE process in metal nanoclusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma(ERMS) is a rare malignancy. To date, no cases of ERMS diagnosed by cervical cytology have been reported. In this study, we report a case of cervical ERMS identified by a liquid-based cytology test and cell blocks in a 46-year-old postmenopausal woman. We describe the cytological features of ERMS, with the aim of helping cytopathologists recognize this rare cervical tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the microscopic pore systems in shale reservoirs is crucial for understanding their impact on shale oil and gas enrichment. Although significant strides have been made in understanding the pore structure characteristics, research on pore structures related to small-scale sedimentary structures remains limited. This study investigated the multi-scale nanopore structure characterization and its coupling relationship with sedimentary structures using comprehensive analyses of cores, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and gas (CO2 and N2) physisorption quantification from the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, Southern Songliao Basin, NE China. Three lithofacies were identified based on sedimentary structures: wavy laminated shale, horizontally laminated shale, and homogeneously laminated shale. Both organic and inorganic pores (interparticle pores and intraparticle pores) are generally present in shale samples. The pore size distribution displays a multi-peak pattern, with mesopores contributing to approximately 57% of the total pore volume, micropores contributing to about 31%, and macropores accounting for a small portion of the total pore volume. The pore evolution of different lithofacies shales varies due to the influence of clay minerals, quartz content, and total organic carbon (TOC) content, resulting in the substantial heterogeneity and complex pore structure characteristics of existing reservoirs. Additionally, wavy laminated shales are more favorable to lacustrine shale exploration than other lithofacies. This study offers an enhanced methodology for determining which lithofacies may be most advantageous for future shale oil exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis, a common chronic gynecological disease, refers to the presence and proliferation of endometrial tissue in locations other than the uterine cavity. Approximately 6 to 10% of the population of women of childbearing age are known to have endometriosis; the most common clinical signs are pelvic pain and infertility. Although endometriosis is a benign disease, it exhibits some typical features of malignant tumors, such as proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and recurrence. Endometriosis is considered a chronic, inflammatory, and estrogen-dependent disease, and multiple factors contribute to its occurrence and development. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the role of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of this disease. Some researchers believe that spontaneous apoptosis of the endometrium is critical in maintaining its normal structure and function, and abnormal apoptosis can promote the occurrence and development of endometriosis. Inflammation is another likely process in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Inflammation mediates the adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and invasion of ectopic lesions of endometriosis, primarily by regulating the function of immune cells and increasing the level of proinflammatory cytokines in body fluids. The ultimate initiators of apoptosis and inflammatory cell death (pyroptosis) are the caspase family proteases. In this article, we review the progress in recent years in caspase function as well as the possible role of these enzymes in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, indicating potential treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been widely studied for biomedical applications due to their excellent properties, such as good biocompatibility, degradability, interlayer ion exchangeability, high loading capacity, pH‐responsive release, and large specific surface area. Furthermore, the flexibility in the structural composition and ease of surface modification of LDHs makes it possible to develop specifically functionalized LDHs to meet the needs of different applications. In this review, the recent advances of LDHs for biomedical applications, which include LDH‐based drug delivery systems, LDHs for cancer diagnosis and therapy, tissue engineering, coatings, functional membranes, and biosensors, are comprehensively discussed. From these various biomedical research fields, it can be seen that there is great potential and possibility for the use of LDHs in biomedical applications. However, at the same time, it must be recognized that the actual clinical translation of LDHs is still very limited. Therefore, the current limitations of related research on LDHs are discussed by combining limited examples of actual clinical translation with requirements for clinical translation of biomaterials. Finally, an outlook on future research related to LDHs is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Conclusion How to minimize postoperative pain following knee replacement surgery has been a great challenge. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of applying a topical nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) lateral to the incision for postoperative pain following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA).The randomized controlled trial enrolled 100 patients from August 2023 to January 2024. One hundred patients who underwent UKA were randomized into two groups. The intervention group received a topical NSAID lateral to the incision postoperatively, and the control group received a placebo lateral to the incision postoperatively. The primary outcome measures were the amount of opioid consumption and the visual analogue scale (VAS) score (12, 24, 36, 48, and 72 h after operation) for pain. The secondary outcome measures were the American Knee Society Score (AKSS, preoperation and 1‐month follow‐up after operation), the time of first analgesic demand, side effects of opioids, operation time, postoperative stay, surgery‐related complications, and postoperative incision healing grade. Independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to compare continuous data. Chi‐square test and Fisher's precision probability tests were used to analyze the categorical data.Ninety‐eight patients (intervention group, 48 patients; control group, 50 patients) were analyzed. Opioid consumption was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group during the first 12 h, 12 to 24 h, and 24 to 48 h postoperatively (p < 0.05). The VAS score for pain within 72 h postoperatively was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the AKSS, operation time, postoperative stay, complications, or postoperative incision healing grade between the two groups. The time of first analgesic demand for patient‐controlled analgesia was significantly later in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). There were fewer side effects of opioids in the intervention group (8.3%) than in the control group (18.0%).Postoperative application of topical NSAIDs lateral to the incision is an effective and safe method for pain management after UKA, helping to decrease the pain score and reduce opioid consumption postoperatively with no increase in side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many efforts have been made to improve the precision of Cas9-mediated gene editing through increasing knock-in efficiency and decreasing byproducts, which proved to be challenging. Results: Here, we have developed a human exonuclease 1-based genome-editing tool, referred to as exonuclease editor. When compared to Cas9, the exonuclease editor gave rise to increased HDR efficiency, reduced NHEJ repair frequency, and significantly elevated HDR/indel ratio. Robust gene editing precision of exonuclease editor was even superior to the fusion of Cas9 with E1B or DN1S, two previously reported precision-enhancing domains. Notably, exonuclease editor inhibited NHEJ at double strand breaks locally rather than globally, reducing indel frequency without compromising genome integrity. The replacement of Cas9 with single-strand DNA break-creating Cas9 nickase further increased the HDR/indel ratio by 453-fold than the original Cas9. In addition, exonuclease editor resulted in high microhomology-mediated end joining efficiency, allowing accurate and flexible deletion of targeted sequences with extended lengths with the aid of paired sgRNAs. Exonuclease editor was further used for correction of DMD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, where 30.0% of colonies were repaired by HDR versus 11.1% in the control. Conclusions: Therefore, the exonuclease editor system provides a versatile and safe genome editing tool with high precision and holds promise for therapeutic gene correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In electronic packaging products in the service process, the solder joints experience thermal fatigue due to temperature cycles, which have a significant influence on the performance of electronic products and the reliability of solder joints. In this paper, the thermal fatigue failure mechanism of solder joints in microelectronic packages, the microstructure changes of the thermal fatigue process, the influence factors on the joint fatigue life, and the simulation analysis and forecasting of thermal fatigue life are reviewed. The results show that the solder joints are heterogeneously coarsened, and this leads to fatigue cracks occurring under the elevated high-temperature phase of alternating temperature cycles. However, the thickness of the solder and the hold time in the high-temperature phase do not significantly influence the thermal fatigue. The coarsened region and the IMC layer thicken with the number of cycles, and the cracks initiate and propagate along the interface between the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer and coarsened region, eventually leading to solder joint failure. For lead-containing and lead-free solders, the lead-containing solder shows a faster fatigue crack growth rate and propagates by transgranular mode. Temperature and frequency affect the thermal fatigue life of solder joints to different degrees, and the fatigue lifetime of solder joints can be predicted through a variety of methods and simulated crack trajectories, but also through the use of a unified constitutive model and finite element analysis for prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effects of organic amendments on saline-alkali soil improvement were compared. • The optimal blending ratio of organic amendments was 20%. • High-temperature pretreatment compost favored soil improvement and plant growth. • High-temperature pretreatment composting improved plant antioxidant capacity. • Plant growth was improved by altering soil-dominant microflora and composition. Short-term high-temperature pretreatment can effectively shorten the maturity period of organic waste composting and improve the fertilizer efficiency and humification degree of products. To investigate the effect and mechanism of the end products on the saline–alkali soil improvement and plant growth, the short-term high-temperature pretreatment composting (SHC) and traditional composting (STC) were separately blended with saline–alkali soil in a ratio of 0–40 % to establish a soil–fertilizer blended matrix for cultivating Lolium perenne L. The pot experiments combined with principal component analysis showed Lolium perenne L. planted in 20 % SHC-blended saline–alkali soil had the best growth effect, and its biomass, chlorophyll content, and plant height were 109–113 % higher than STC. The soil physicochemical property analysis showed that SHC and STC increased the soil nutrient content, humification degree, and enzyme activity at any blending ratio. The microbial analysis showed that 20 % SHC in the saline–alkali soil stimulated the growth of functional microorganisms and the addition of SHC promoted the sulfur cycle, nitrogen fixation, and carbon metabolism in the soil–plant system. The correlation analysis showed that pH; nutrient contents; and urease, catalase, sucrase, and phosphatase activities in the saline–alkali soil were significantly correlated with plant growth indexes (p < 0.05). Georgenia and norank_f__Fodinicurvataceae had a stronger correlation with four types of enzyme activities (p < 0.01). SHC improved the saline–alkali soil and promoted plant growth by adjusting soil pH, increasing soil nutrients, and influencing soil enzyme activity and dominant flora. This study provides a theoretical basis for applying SHC products in soil improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of artificial intelligence to point-of-care testing (POCT) disease detection has become a hot research field, in which breath detection, which detects the patient's exhaled VOCs, combined with sensor arrays of convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms as a new lung cancer detection is attracting more researchers' attention. However, the low accuracy, high-complexity computation and large number of parameters make the CNN algorithms difficult to transplant to the embedded system of POCT devices. A lightweight neural network (LTNet) in this work is proposed to deal with this problem, and meanwhile, achieve high-precision classification of acetone and ethanol gases, which are respiratory markers for lung cancer patients. Compared to currently popular lightweight CNN models, such as EfficientNet, LTNet has fewer parameters (32 K) and its training weight size is only 0.155 MB. LTNet achieved an overall classification accuracy of 99.06% and 99.14% in the own mixed gas dataset and the University of California (UCI) dataset, which are both higher than the scores of the six existing models, and it also offers the shortest training (844.38 s and 584.67 s) and inference times (23 s and 14 s) in the same validation sets. Compared to the existing CNN models, LTNet is more suitable for resource-limited POCT devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine Th2 cells have usually been characterized by IL4 mRNA expression, but it is unclear whether their IL4 protein expression corresponds to transcription. We found that grass-fed healthy beef cattle, which had been regularly exposed to parasites on the grass, had a low frequency of IL4+ Th2 cells during flow cytometry, similar to animals grown in feedlots. To assess the distribution of IL4+ CD4+ T cells across tissues, samples from the blood, spleen, abomasal (draining), and inguinal lymph nodes were examined, which revealed limited IL4 protein detection in the CD4+ T cells across the examined tissues. To determine if bovine CD4+ T cells may develop into Th2 cells, naïve cells were stimulated with anti-bovine CD3 under a Th2 differentiation kit in vitro. The cells produced primarily IFNγ proteins, with only a small fraction (<10%) co-expressing IL4 proteins. Quantitative PCR confirmed elevated IFNγ transcription but no significant change in IL4 transcription. Surprisingly, GATA3, the master regulator of IL4, was highest in naïve CD4+ T cells but was considerably reduced following differentiation. To determine if the differentiated cells were true Th2 cells, an unbiased proteomic assay was carried out. The assay identified 4212 proteins, 422 of which were differently expressed compared to those in naïve cells. Based on these differential proteins, Th2-related upstream components were predicted, including CD3, CD28, IL4, and IL33, demonstrating typical Th2 differentiation. To boost IL4 expression, T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation strength was reduced by lowering anti-CD3 concentrations. Consequently, weak TCR stimulation essentially abolished Th2 expansion and survival. In addition, extra recombinant bovine IL4 (rbIL4) was added during Th2 differentiation, but, despite enhanced expansion, the IL4 level remained unaltered. These findings suggest that, while bovine CD4+ T cells can respond to Th2 differentiation stimuli, the bovine IL4 pathway is not regulated in the same way as in mice and humans. Furthermore, Ostertagia ostertagi (OO) extract, a gastrointestinal nematode in cattle, inhibited signaling via CD3, CD28, IL4, and TLRs/MYD88, indicating that external pathogens can influence bovine Th2 differentiation. In conclusion, though bovine CD4+ T cells can respond to IL4-driven differentiation, IL4 expression is not a defining feature of differentiated bovine Th2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atom‐transfer radical addition (ATRA) reaction simultaneously forges carbon‐carbon and carbon‐halogen bonds. However, frequently‐used photosensitizers such as precious transition metal complexes, or organic dyes have limitations in terms of their potential toxicity and recyclability. Three β‐ketoenamine‐linked covalent organic frameworks (COFs) from 1,3,5‐triformylphloroglucinol and 1,4‐phenylenediamines with variable transient photocurrent and photocatalytic activity have been prepared. A COF bearing electron‐deficient Cl atoms displayed the highest photocatalytic activity toward the ATRA reaction of polyhalogenated alkanes to give halogenated olefins under visible light at room temperature. This heterogeneous photocatalyst exhibited good functional group tolerance and could be recycled without significant loss of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of crown ether into metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) is garnered significant attention because these macrocyclic units can fine‐tune the inherent properties of the frameworks. However, the synthesis of flexible crown ethers with precise structures as the fundamental building blocks of crystalline MOFs remains a challenging endeavor, with only a limited number of transition metal examples existing to date. Herein, 18‐crown‐6 and 24‐crown‐8 struts are successfully incorporated into the skeleton of zirconium‐based MOFs to obtain two new and stable crown ether‐based MOFs, denoted as ZJU‐X100 and ZJU‐X102. These newly developed MOFs displayed high porosity and remarkable stability when exposed to various solvents, boiling water, pH values, and even concentrated HCl conditions. Thanks to their highly ordered porous structure and high‐density embedding of specific binding sites within tubular channels, these two MOFs exhibited extremely fast sorption kinetics and demonstrated outstanding performance in the uptake of strontium and cesium ions, respectively. Furthermore, the structures of Sr‐adsorbed ZJU‐X100 and Cs‐adsorbed ZJU‐X102 are solved and confirmed the precise location of Sr2+/Cs+ in the cavity of 18‐crown‐6/24‐crown‐8. This makes modular mosaic of different crown ethers into the skeleton of stable zirconium‐based MOFs possible and promote such materials have broad applications in sorption, sensing, and catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Schiff–base porous polymer has been impregnated with ruthenium trichloride for acceptor–free dehydrogenation coupling (ADC) of secondary alcohols with γ‐amino‐ and 2‐aminobenzyl alcohols to give pyridines and quinolines. This heterogenous catalyst exhibited high catalytic efficiency over repeated cycles with wide functional group tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the well logging requirements of horizontal stripper wells, the flow characteristics of the oil-water two-phase flow in the invisible horizontal tri-electrode capacitive sensor (HTCS) measurement pipeline are studied. First, an experimental device and a numerical validation model of a horizontal 20 mm glass pipeline are established to study the flow characteristics of the oil-water two-phase flow. Then, the flow characteristics of the horizontal oil-water two-phase flow in the measurement pipeline under different horizontal inclination angles are studied and the flow patterns and inclination angles suitable for the new tri-electrode capacitive sensor are discussed. Finally, using the horizontal oil-water two-phase flow loop platform of the largest oil and gas testing center in China, the dynamic response of the new capacitive sensor is studied under different inclination angles, flow rates, and water-cut conditions, and the dynamic response law is analyzed based on the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and insomnia by two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. Methods The summary statistics of gut microbiota came from a meta-analysis of the largest genome-wide association study conducted by the MiBioGen Alliance. The summary statistics for insomnia came from the genome-wide association study of insomnia measurement. Inverse variance weighted, MR -Egger, weighted median, simple mode method, and weighted mode method were used to study the causal relationship between gut microbiota and insomnia. The stability of the results was evaluated by a series of sensitivity analyses. Results MR analysis showed that soft membrane Mollicutes RF9 [β-0.86, OR(95% CI): 0.42(0.25-0.71)] and unknown family [β=-0.86, OR(95% CI): 0.42(0.25-0.71)] had protective effect on insomnia. In addition, 14 other groups were found to be potentially causally associated with insomnia in this study including Oxalobacteraceae (F=170.153, P=0.034), Marvinbryantia (F=162.702, P=0.006), Ruminococcaceae UCG002 (F=298.323, P=0.046), Subdoligranulum(F=198.442, P=0.045), Anaerostipes(F=222.074, P=0.032), Gammaproteobacteria(F= 91.816, P= 0.006), Pasteurellales (F=231.141, P=0.010), Lachnospiraceae UCG010 (F=138.761, P=0.045), Peptococcus (F= 287.210, P=0.036), Ruminococcus gnavus group (F=162.913, P=0.031), Dorea (F=112.086, P=0.049), Flavonifractor (F= 95.307, P=0.020), and unknown genus (F=89.189, P=0.001). No significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy was detected. Conclusion Mendelian randomization shows that the flexurales, unknown families, and 14 other taxa are causally related to in-somnia. The gut microbiota may be one of the treatments to improve insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythritol has shown excellent insecticidal performance against a wide range of insect species, but the molecular mechanism by which it causes insect mortality and sterility is not fully understood. The mortality and sterility of Drosophila melanogaster were assessed after feeding with 1M erythritol for 72 h and 96 h, and gene expression profiles were further compared through RNA sequencing. Enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG revealed that expressions of the adipokinetic hormone gene (Akh), amylase gene (Amyrel), α-glucosidase gene (Mal-B1/2, Mal-A1-4, Mal-A7/8), and triglyceride lipase gene (Bmm) were significantly up-regulated, while insulin-like peptide genes (Dilp2, Dilp3 and Dilp5) were dramatically down-regulated. Seventeen genes associated with eggshell assembly, including Dec-1 (down 315-fold), Vm26Ab (down 2014-fold) and Vm34Ca (down 6034-fold), were significantly down-regulated or even showed no expression. However, there were no significant differences in the expression of three diuretic hormone genes (DH44, DH31, CAPA) and eight aquaporin genes (Drip, Big brain, AQP, Eglp1, Eglp2, Eglp3, Eglp4 and Prip) involved in osmolality regulation (all p value > 0.05). We concluded that erythritol, a competitive inhibitor of α-glucosidase, severely reduced substrates and enzyme binding, inhibiting effective carbohydrate hydrolysis in the midgut and eventually causing death due to energy deprivation. It was clear that Drosophila melanogaster did not die from the osmolality of the hemolymph. Our findings elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the mortality and sterility in Drosophila melanogaster induced by erythritol feeding. It also provides an important theoretical basis for the application of erythritol as an environmentally friendly pesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid progress in a power conversion efficiency reaching up to 26.1%, which is among the highest efficiency for single-junction solar cells, organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have become a research focus in photovoltaic technology all over the world, while the instability of these perovskite solar cells, due to the decomposition of its unstable organic components, has restricted the development of all-inorganic perovskite solar cells. In recent years, Br-mixed halogen all-inorganic perovskites (CsPbI3−xBrx) have aroused great interests due to their ability to balance the band gap and phase stability of pure CsPbX3. However, the photoinduced phase segregation in lead mixed halide perovskites is still a big burden on their practical industrial production and commercialization. Here, we demonstrate inhibited photoinduced phase segregation all-inorganic CsPbI1.2Br1.8 films and their corresponding perovskite solar cells by incorporating a 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium tetrafluoroborate ([BMP]+[BF4]−) compound into the CsPbI1.2Br1.8 films. Then, its effect on the perovskite films and the corresponding hole transport layer-free CsPbI1.2Br1.8 solar cells with carbon electrodes under light is investigated. With a prolonged time added to the reduced phase segregation terminal, this additive shows an inhibitory effect on the photoinduced phase segregation phenomenon for perovskite films and devices with enhanced cell efficiency. Our study reveals an efficient and simple route that suppresses photoinduced phase segregation in cesium lead mixed halide perovskite solar cells with enhanced efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major cause of lower back pain. The pathophysiological development of IDD is closely related to the stimulation of various stressors, including proinflammatory cytokines, abnormal mechanical stress, oxidative stress, metabolic abnormalities, and DNA damage, among others. These factors prevent normal intervertebral disc (IVD) development, reduce the number of IVD cells, and induce senescence and apoptosis. Stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs), particularly, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), control cell signaling in response to cellular stress. Previous studies have shown that these proteins are highly expressed in degenerated IVD tissues and are involved in complex biological signal-regulated processes. Therefore, we summarize the research reports on IDD related to JNK and p38 MAPK. Their structure, function, and signal regulation mechanisms are comprehensively and systematically described and potential therapeutic targets are proposed. This work could provide a reference for future research and help improve molecular therapeutic strategies for IDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the World Health Organization's guidelines for rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation [≤7 days after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis], China implemented Treat-All in 2016 and has made significant efforts to provide timely ART since 2017. This study included newly diagnosed HIV adults from Tianjin, China, between 2016 and 2022. Our primary outcome was loss to follow-up (LTFU) at 12 months after enrollment. The secondary outcome was 12-month virological failure. The association between rapid ART and LTFU, as well as virological failure, was assessed via Cox regression and logistic regression. A total of 896 (19.1%) of 4688 participants received ART ≤7 days postdiagnosis. The rate of rapid ART has increased from 7.5% in 2016 to 33.3% by 2022. The rapid ART group had an LTFU rate of 3.3%, as opposed to 5.0% in the delayed group. The rapid ART group had a much reduced virological failure rate (0.6% vs. 1.8%). Rapid ART individuals had a reduced likelihood of LTFU [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.65, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.44–0.96] and virological failure (adjusted odds ratio: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.12–0.80). The real-world data indicated that rapid ART is practicable and beneficial for Chinese people with HIV, providing evidence for its widespread implementation and scaling up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with a large number of studies on the magnetic field properties of sintered NdFeB, the study on its dynamic mechanical behavior is insufficient, which restricts the further development of materials in a dynamic environment. To break through the above situation, the dynamic mechanical property of sintered NdFeB materials is discussed based on the split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experimental principle. The experimental data show that the material has obvious strain rate correlation characteristics at medium and high strain rates. To describe the dynamic behavior characteristics of material so as to better guide engineering practice, a new dynamic compression damage constitutive model of sintered NdFeB is proposed. The damage is defined on the basis of Weibull distribution. In addition, the wing crack growth model considering the crack gap is established. Thus the damage evolution model can be obtained. Combining the damage evolution model with Zhu-Wang-Tang (ZWT) constitutive model, the dynamic damage ZWT constitutive model of sintered NdFeB under one-dimensional impact load is constructed. The key parameters of the model are identified according to the experimental data and the non-linear phenomenon of the stress-strain curve of sintered NdFeB under one-dimensional impact load can be well explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been significant interest in AgNbO 3 -based antiferroelectric ceramics, recently, due to their ability to achieve high energy storage density (W rec). However, fabricating their commercial products faces challenges due to chemically unstable and expensive Ag 2 O. To reduce Ag 2 O contents, we fabricated (Ag 0.5 Na 0.5)(Nb 1- x Ta x)O 3 (ANNT100 x) ceramics. The results reveal that Ta-substitution plays a dual role: inducing chemical pressure to compress the unit cell along spontaneous polarization direction, enhancing antiferroelectric stability; and increasing the band gap (E g), boosting intrinsic breakdown strength (E b). These crucial factors contribute to the enhanced W rec achieved in ANNT50. Notably, ANNT50 ceramics fabricated by the rolling process exhibit higher E b (=578 kV/cm) than the conventional process, favoring the complete triggering of "double" polarization with significantly enhanced W rec (= 6.5 J/cm3). Discharge results indicate that the ceramic displays high power density (P avg = 78 MW/cm3) and discharge energy (W dis = 5.86 J/cm3), which can rival currently reported Ag(Nb, Ta)O 3 ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new SM model of the CDS with multi-different and S-dependent components is studied. • The diverse and dependent component degradation is depicted by an extended DRI model. • Explicit reliability functions of systems with arbitrary configurations are provided. • Examples verified the great effects of multi-difference and S-dependency on strategy. Selective maintenance (SM) is often performed on systems having limited maintenance resources to enhance mission reliability. In practical engineering, components within a system are typically distinct and correlated, leading to differences in the degradation processes and sensitivity to working conditions, as well as stochastic dependencies (S-dependencies) among the components. However, in most studies on the SM of continuously degrading systems (CDSs), these features are not considered, thereby limiting the accuracy of reliability evaluations and the efficiency of maintenance strategies. Therefore, considering the differences and S-dependencies of components, we investigate SM optimization for CDSs. Focusing on the diverse and stochastically dependent degradation processes of non-identical components, we first propose an extended degradation rate interaction model integrated with a general stochastic process to describe the multiple degradation processes of components and manifest the sensitivity differences to working conditions in the degradation states and rates. Next, a derivation method is developed to obtain explicit mission reliability functions for systems with arbitrary configurations. Subsequently, an SM optimization model that incorporates the effects of multiple differences and S-dependencies of the components is formulated and used to obtain an optimal maintenance strategy that considers resource and mission reliability constraints. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated using two numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A layered LiNi 0.95 Mg 0.02 Al 0.03 O 2 @Li 2 ZrO 3 cathode material was synthesized. • The Li 2 ZrO 3 coating layer helps to reduce the degree of Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing. • The Li 2 ZrO 3 coating layer can accommodate the volume variations during cycling. • The Li 2 ZrO 3 coating layer can enhance the electricity of the active materials. • The cathode exhibits a capacity of 146.9 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.5 C. High-nickel cobalt-free layered cathode is regarded as a highly potential cathode material for the next generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high energy density, low cost and environmentally benign. However, the poor cycle performance caused by its intrinsic unstable structure and chemo-mechanical instability frustrates its practical applications. Herein, we have developed a new core–shell high-nickel cobalt-free layered LiNi 0.95 Mg 0.02 Al 0.03 O 2 @Li 2 ZrO 3 (LZO-NMA9523) cathode for high-performance LIBs. The Li 2 ZrO 3 coating layer firstly helps to suppress and reduce the degree of Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing during the material preparation process. In addition, the Li 2 ZrO 3 coating layer can not only accommodate the volume variations and enhance the electricity of the active materials, but also effectively inhibit the harmful irreversible phase transition during the charging/discharging process, thus greatly stabilizing the structure of the high-nickel cobalt-free cathode. As an advanced cathode for LIBs, the LZO-NMA9523 exhibits an excellent reversible capacity of 146.9 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.5 C with capacity retention of about 80%. This study provides a possible high-nickel cobalt-free layered cathode material for the next generation LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic damage to components and structures may cause extensive degradation of the seismic capacities of the damaged buildings. The analysis of the residual hysteretic behavior of post-earthquake damaged components and structures is a critical step in the assessment of their residual seismic capacities. Whereas, the difficulty in quantifying the damage distribution of materials in post-earthquake damaged components leads to the challenge of quantitative analysis of their residual behavior (i.e. residual stiffness, strength, energy dissipation). In this study, a visual data-informed fiber beam-column model was developed to analyze the residual hysteretic behavior of post-earthquake damaged RC columns under cyclic loads. To begin with, the method for quantifying the damage strain fields of the columns according to their inspected visual data was proposed. Then, the stress-strain relations of the materials considering the effect of damage strain fields were constructed, and the visual data-informed fiber beam-column model was proposed for the analysis of the residual hysteretic behavior of post-earthquake damaged RC columns subjected to cyclic lateral loads. At last, the proposed model was validated by comparing model results with existing test data. The comparison shows that the proposed visual data-informed fiber beam-column model can accurately analyze the concrete crushing surfaces, the residual load-displacement responses, and the energy dissipation capacities of post-earthquake damaged RC columns, facilitating the evaluation of the residual seismic capacities of post-earthquake damaged RC columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heading date is one of the important agronomic traits that affects rice yield. In this study, we cloned a new rice B3 family gene, OsL1, which regulates rice heading date. Importantly, osl1-1 and osl1-2, two different types of mutants of OsL1 were created using the gene editing technology CRISPR/Cas9 system and exhibited 4 days earlier heading date than that of the wild type under short-day conditions. Subsequently, the plants overexpressing OsL1, OE-OsL1, showed a 2-day later heading date than the wild type in Changsha and a 5-day later heading date in Lingshui, but there was no significant difference in other yield traits. Moreover, the results of subcellular localization study indicated that OsL1 protein was located in the nucleus and the expression pattern analysis showed that OsL1 gene was expressed in rice roots, stems, leaves, and panicles, and the expression level was higher at the root and weak green panicle. In addition, the OsL1 gene was mainly expressed at night time under short-light conditions. The transcriptomic analysis indicated that OsL1 might be involved in the Hd1-Hd3a pathway function. Together, our results revealed that the cloning and functional analysis of OsL1 can provide new strategy for molecular design breeding of rice with suitable fertility period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The laminated structure of continental shale oil reservoirs introduces significant macro and micro heterogeneity, posing challenges for efficient shale oil extraction. Existing microscopic experimental and simulation methods are insufficient to accurately simulate the fluid flow behavior in mud–lime interactive laminated shale reservoirs. This study delves into the complexities of laminated shale reservoirs with a focus on their heterogeneous structure and wettability. Using scanning electron microscopy, we extracted the structural features of laminated shale reservoirs and established a Multicomponent and multiphase -multi relaxation time-Lattice Boltzmann model(MCMP-MRT-LBM) that considers nanoscale effects such as wall adsorption, liquid–solid slippage, and liquid–liquid slippage. We investigated the occurrence state, the flow behavior, and the phase seepage characteristics of crude oil in laminated shale at different water saturation stages and explored the reasons behind interlayer channeling and the conditions under which crude oil is mobile within limestone and mudstone layers. Then, we examined the impact of varying factors, including heterogeneous wettability, displacement pressure gradients, and pore size, on relative permeability, water injection capacity, sweep efficiency, and crude oil recovery in laminated reservoirs. The results indicate that wettability and pore size distribution, driven by capillary and viscous forces, dictate the occurrence state of remaining oil. Wettability primarily influences fluid distribution, whereas pore size distribution substantially impacts fluid morphology. It also highlights the pivotal role of flow velocity differences between layers in causing interlayer channeling. Increasing the capillary number promotes crude oil mobility within mudstone layers, with the initiation pressure gradient in mudstone layers being 2.5 times that of the limestone layer. The examination of the oil–water relative permeability reveals the dominance of pressure gradients in affecting oil flow capabilities, while pore size significantly influences water flow capacity. By optimizing various factors, it is possible to enhance water injection capacity and sweep efficiency, resulting in a substantial 5%–10% increase in crude oil recovery from laminated shale reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mutualist model with nonlocal diffusions and a free boundary is first considered. We prove that this problem has a unique solution defined for t ≥ 0 , and its dynamics are governed by a spreading-vanishing dichotomy. Some criteria for spreading and vanishing are also given. Of particular importance is that we find that the solution of this problem has quite rich longtime behaviors, which vary with the conditions satisfied by kernel functions and are much different from those of the counterpart with local diffusion and free boundary. At last, we extend these results to the model with nonlocal diffusions and double free boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the biotite weathering activities of strain S41 and mutants with deletion of the iron response regulator genes fur, rirA, and irr were compared. S41ΔrirA had a 35%–60% increase in Fe and Al concentrations, a 95%–112% increase in siderophore production, and a 18%–22% increase in EPS concentration, while S41Δirr had a 29%–48% decrease in Fe and Al concentrations and a 32%–42% decrease in siderophore production, compared with strain S41. Under iron-sufficient conditions, S41ΔrirA had a 1.5-fold–2.7-fold increase in siderophore production, while there was similar siderophore production between strain S41 and S41Δirr. Under iron-limited conditions, S41Δirr had a 34%–40% decrease in siderophore production compared with strain S41. The expression of genes related to the synthesis of siderophores, iron uptake and transporters, and EPS production in strain S41 significantly increased in iron-limited conditions compared with that in iron-sufficient conditions. The expression of genes associated with the synthesis of siderophores and iron uptake and transporters significantly increased in S41ΔrirA in iron-sufficient and iron-limited conditions but decreased in S41Δirr in iron-limited conditions. Our results suggested that rirA- and irr-modulated multiple genes may be related to the mineral weathering activities of strain S41. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South China Sea is a hotspot for regional climate research. Over the past 40 years, considerable improvement has been made in the development and utilization of the islands in the South China Sea, leading to a substantial change in the land-use of the islands. However, research on the impact of human development on the local climate of these islands is lacking. This study analyzed the characteristics of local climate changes on the islands in the South China Sea based on data from the Yongxing Island Observation Station and ERA5 re-analysis. Furthermore, the influence of urbanization on the local climate of the South China Sea islands was explored in this study. The findings revealed that the 10-year average temperature in Yongxing Island increased by approximately 1.11 °C from 1961 to 2020, and the contribution of island development and urbanization to the local warming rate over 60 years was approximately 36.2%. The linear increasing trend of the annual hot days from 1961-2020 was approximately 14.84 days per decade. The diurnal temperature range exhibited an increasing trend of 0.05 °C per decade, whereas the number of cold days decreased by 1.06 days per decade. The rapid increase in construction on Yongxing Island from 2005 to 2021 led to a decrease in observed surface wind speed by 0.32 m s-1 per decade. Consequently, the number of days with strong winds decreased, whereas the number of days with weak winds increased. Additionally, relative humidity exhibited a rapid decline from 2001 to 2016 and then rebounded. The study also found substantial differences between the ERA5 re-analysis and observation data, particularly in wind speed and relative humidity, indicating that the use of re-analysis data for climate resource assessment and climate change evaluation on island areas may not be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of pumping, the segregation of concrete mixture will lead to the difficulty of construction, and even the possibility of pipe blocking. There is a lack of a quickly evaluation for on‐site construction. In order to solve this problem, a rapid wet‐sieved test was proposed in this study and then its feasibility was evaluated based on concrete mixes with different water–cement ratios. Subsequently, the influence of sand ratio on the segregation degree of concrete was investigated. The test results show that a combination of 2.36 mm screen size and 20 s vibrating time did the best. The wet‐sieved mortar content and stratification degree were increased by 4.6%–25.2% and 0.3%–17.9% by pumping, respectively. With the sand ratio increasing from 0.40 to 0.60, the pumping pressure decreased by 51.9%. The linear fitting correlation between pumping pressure and wet‐sieved mortar content (0.96) is better than that between pumping pressure and stratification degree (0.85), which indicates that the proposed test method can reliably characterize the degree of segregation during the pumping of ready‐mixed concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The number of CKD patients is on the rise worldwide, and diet has become an essential aspect influencing the treatment and prognosis of CKD. However, limited research has explored the association of the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) with CKD progression and the essential kidney function indicator, eGFR, in CKD patients. This study aimed to analyze the association between DII and CKD progression and eGFR in the US CKD population using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: This study utilized data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 2007 to 2018, with a total sample size of 2,488 individuals. Study used multiple imputation, based on 5 replications and a chained equation approach method in the R MI procedure, to account for missing data. Weighted multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between DII and the risk of higher CKD stage and a weighted multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between DII and eGFR. Weighted Generalized Additive Models and smoothed curve fitting were applied to detect potential non-linear relationships in this association. Results: In all three models, it was found that DII was positively associated with the risk of higher CKD stage (P < 0.0001), and an increase in DII was associated with a decrease in eGFR (P < 0.0001). The trend across quartiles of DII remained statistically significant, revealing a gradual elevation in higher CKD stage risk and reduction in eGFR levels for the second, third, and fourth quartiles compared to the lowest quartile (P for trend < 0.0001). Upon adjusting for age, gender, race, education level, poverty income ratio (PIR), marital status, body mass index (BMI), metabolic equivalent (MET) score, drinking, smoking, history of hypertension, history of diabetes, cotinine, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total triglycerides, and total cholesterol, we found a positive correlation between DII and the risk of higher CKD stage (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.14–1.40). Further investigation revealed that an increase in DII was associated with a decrease in eGFR (β = -1.29, 95% CI: -1.75, -0.83). Smooth curves illustrated a non-linear positive correlation between DII and CKD risk, while a non-linear negative correlation was observed between DII and eGFR. Conclusions: Our study results indicate that an increase in DII is associated with an increased risk of higher CKD stage and a decrease in eGFR in all three models. In the fully adjusted model, the risk of higher CKD stage increased by 26% and the eGFR decreased by 1.29 ml/min/1.73 m2 for each unit increase in DII. This finding suggests that in patients with CKD in the US, improved diet and lower DII values may help slow the decline in eGFR and delay the progression of CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infections usually cause immune dysregulation in the human body. Studies of immunological changes resulting from coinfections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) or HIV are limited. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study focusing on patients with COVID-19. A total of 550 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled in our study and categorized into four groups based on the presence of coinfections; 166 Delta-infected patients, among whom 103 patients had no coinfections, 52 who were coinfected with Mtb, 11 who were coinfected with HIV, and 384 Omicron-infected patients. By collecting data on epidemiologic information, laboratory findings, treatments, and clinical outcomes, we analyzed and compared clinical and immunological characteristics. Results: Compared with those in the Delta group, the median white blood cell, CD4 + T-cell and B-cell counts were lower in the Mtb group and the HIV group. Except for those in the Omicron group, more than half of the patients in the three groups had abnormal chest CT findings. Among the three groups, there were no significant differences in any of the cytokines. Compared with those in the Delta group, the disease duration and LOS were longer in the Mtb group and the HIV group. For unvaccinated Delta-infected patients, in the Mtb and HIV groups, the number of B cells and CD4 + T cells was lower than that in the Delta group, with no significant difference in the LOS or disease duration. In the Mtb group, three (6%) patients presented with a disease duration greater than four months and had decreased lymphocyte and IL17A counts, possibly due to double infections in the lungs caused by SARS-CoV-2 and M. tuberculosis. Conclusions: We found that SARS-CoV-2 patients coinfected with Mtb or HIV exhibited a longer disease duration and longer LOS, with a decrease in B cells and CD4 + T cells, suggesting that these cells are related to immune function. Changes in cytokine levels suggest that coinfection with Mtb or HIV does not result in dysregulation of the immune response. Importantly, we discovered a chronic course of coinfection involving more than four months of Mtb and SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breath analysis may provide a convenient and non-invasive method for clinical monitoring of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. However, few breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) indicating progression of CKD have been reported. In this study, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for untargeted detection of breath VOCs in stage 1, 3, and 5 CKD patients. The results showed that, the levels of breath 4-heptanone, n-octane, and n-dodecane gradually increased from CKD stage 1 to stage 5, and their increasing rates from CKD stage 3 to stage 5 were higher than those from CKD stage 1 to stage 3. Gender, smoking habits, age, and body mass index (BMI) had insignificant impact on the levels of the three breath VOCs. The accuracies of the polynomial support vector machine (SVM) and K-nearest neighbour (KNN) models based on 4-heptanone + n-octane + n-dodecane combination in distinguishing CKD stages 1, 3, and 5 were 76.3% and 72.8%, respectively. The combination of 4-heptanone + n-octane + n-dodecane was superior to any single component for monitoring CKD progression. These discoveries have valuable implications for long-term clinical monitoring of CKD and improving our understanding of CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin plays a key role in physical and chemical reactions, such as oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER/HER), but the spin–activity correlation has remained unclear. Based on a transition metal (TM)-doped PtN2 monolayer model with a well-defined spin center as an adsorption site, we here reveal that only an active spin state can enhance the strength of hydrogen adsorption, while an inert spin state offers very little influence. Specifically, the an unpaired electron along the out-of-plane direction such as in the d z 2 orbital, acting as an active spin state, will strongly hybridize with hydrogen, resulting in enhanced hydrogen binding energy because the d z 2 orbital is just enough to accommodate two electrons to form a bonding orbital. While the in-plane unpaired electron such as in the d x 2 − y 2 orbital plays a negligible role in an adsorbing hydrogen atom. This is verified by a series of single atom catalysts comprising of PtN2 monolayer by replacing a Pt atom with a TM (Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, or Ir) atom or subsequent adsorbing a Cl atom. One of the most promising materials is Pd@PtN2-Cl that offers superior HER activity, even better than pure Pt. This work uncovers the nature of spin–activity correlation, thus paving the way for the design of high-performance catalysts through spin-engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the accuracy and convergence speed of the steering law under the conditions of high dynamics, high bandwidth, and a small deflection angle, and in an effort to improve attitude measurement and control accuracy of the spacecraft, a spacecraft attitude measurement and control method based on variable speed magnetically suspended control sensitive gyroscopes (VSMSCSGs) and the fractional-order zeroing neural network (FO-ZNN) steering law is proposed. First, a VSMSCSG configuration is designed to realize attitude measurement and control integration in which the VSMSCSGs are employed as both actuators and attitude-rate sensors. Second, a novel adaptive steering law using FO-ZNN is designed. The matrix pseudoinverses are replaced by FO-ZNN outputs, which solves the problem of accuracy degradation in the traditional pseudoinverse steering laws due to the complexity of matrix pseudoinverse operations under high dynamics conditions. In addition, the convergence and robustness of the FO-ZNN are proven. The results show that the proposed FO-ZNN converges faster than the traditional zeroing neural network under external disturbances. Finally, a new weighting function containing rotor deflection angles is added to the steering law to ensure that the saturation of the rotor deflection angles can be avoided. Semi-physical simulation results demonstrate the correctness and superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high-precision deflection control of a Magnetically Suspended Control and Sensitive Gyroscope rotor under high dynamic conditions, a deflection decoupling method using Quantum Radial Basis Function Neural Network and fractional-order terminal sliding mode control is proposed. The convergence speed and time complexity of the neural network controller limit the control accuracy and stability of rotor deflection under high-bandwidth conditions. To solve the problem, a quantum-computing-based structure optimization method for the Radial Basis Function Neural Network is proposed for the first time, where the input and the center of hidden layer basis function of the neural network are quantum-coded, and quantum rotation gates are designed to replace the Gaussian function. The parallel characteristic of quantum computing is utilized to reduce the time complexity and improve the convergence speed of the neural network. On top of that, in order to further address the issue of input jitter, a fractional-order terminal sliding mode controller based on the Quantum Radial Basis Function Neural Network is designed, the fractional-order differential sliding mode surface and the fractional-order convergence law are proposed to reduce the input jitter and achieve finite-time convergence of the controller, and the Quantum Radial Basis Function Neural Network is used to approximate the residual coupling and external disturbances of the system, resulting in improving the rotor deflection control accuracy. The semi-physical simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the value of ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy and nephrostomy tube replacement for treating a solitary kidney with hydronephrosis due to renal tuberculosis. Methods: Clinical data of patients with a solitary kidney with hydronephrosis caused by renal tuberculosis who underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy in our hospital from January 2011 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The associated success rate and complications were statistically analyzed, pre- and post-catheterization changes in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels were compared, success rate and complications of nephrostomy tube replacement in patients with long-term catheterization were statistically analyzed, and the impact of long-term catheterization on patient life was investigated. Results: Overall, 32 patients aged 17–75 years (average age: 44.1 ± 16.9 years) underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy. Sixty-three punctures were performed; the puncture success rate was 100%. The levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen of patients decreased after catheterization, and the differences between the pre-catheterization and post-catheterization were significant (P < 0.05). There were 1, 3, and 12 cases of serious, minor, and fistula-related complications, respectively. The mean duration of the indwelling catheter was 56.7 ± 36.2 (range, 13–120) months. The number of nephrostomy tube replacements was 344 times, and the success rate was 100%. All patients could take care of the puncture point by themselves. Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy and nephrostomy tube replacement have a high success rate and few complications, which can improve the renal function of patients. It is of great value for treating a solitary kidney with hydronephrosis caused by renal tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of CD147, a protein found on certain immune cells, in the development and recurrence of psoriasis. The study discovered that high levels of CD147 on CD4+ T cells were associated with the effectiveness of IL-17A inhibitor treatment and the likelihood of psoriasis returning. The researchers developed two models that accurately predicted treatment outcomes and long-term effectiveness based on CD147 levels. Additionally, the study found that a lack of CD147 on CD4+ T cells worsened psoriasis and increased the chances of it coming back. These findings provide valuable insights into the causes of psoriasis and could inform personalized treatment approaches. [Extracted from the article]

Rational construction of high-performance and robust electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is highly desirable and challenging. Herein, we report a facile strategy to fabricate a novel VO-NiFe2O4@Ni2P heterostructure consisting of the host NiFe2O4 and in situ generated Ni2P through the selective phosphorylation method. The as-prepared VO-NiFe2O4@Ni2P catalyst exhibited remarkable OER activity with a much low overpotential of 220 mV at 10 mA cm−2, which is superior to the commercial IrO2 catalyst. Furthermore, VO-NiFe2O4@Ni2P, when directly used as bifunctional electrodes for overall water splitting, exhibited a low voltage of 1.52 V at 10 mA cm−2 and remarkable durability for 40 h. Such excellent OER performance is mainly contributed to the interfacial effects between NiFe2O4 and Ni2P, and the presence of rich oxygen vacancies. This work provides a promising strategy for the development of highly efficient heterostructure electrocatalysts toward OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesized of bimetallic Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 via the solvent‐thermal method, which retained the same structure as that of monometallic MOF‐74, and the two metals were uniformly dispersed in the crystals of Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74. The introduction of Mn gave the Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 a higher pore number than the monometallic MOF‐74, exposing more accessible metal active sites, and the in situ IR demonstrated that NO adsorption on Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 was modelled as the linear adsorption of metal‐centred Co (II)⸱⸱⸱NO and Mn (II)⸱⸱⸱NO, with strong interactions of adsorbed NO with both metal sites, suggesting that the introduction of Mn provided new accessible metal adsorption sites for NO that increased the adsorption of NO. The NO adsorption capacity of bimetallic Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 was significantly increased to 160.3 cc.g−1 at ambient conditions, and the adsorption selectivity of NO/CO2 achieved 397, which was 37% higher than monometallic Co‐MOF‐74, and 214% higher than Mn‐MOF‐74 at low pressure. Furthermore, when exposed to a simulated mixed atmosphere, the Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 exhibited a NO/CO2 adsorption selectivity of 35.5 and demonstrated favourable recyclability. These findings indicated that the bimetallic Mn0.17Co0.83‐MOF‐74 outperforms traditional materials in the adsorption separation of flue gas NO, positioning it as a material of choice in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider three operations on the positive definite cones of C ∗ -algebras which are Schatten p-norm of various versions of the quantum Rényi relative entropy. The main results concern how Jordan ∗ -isomorphisms between C ∗ -algebras can be characterized by the preservation of the Schatten p-norms of those operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is central to meeting the challenge of climate change. The lack of infrastructure to produce, store, and deliver hydrogen is a significant obstacle to transitioning toward a hydrogen economy. For two decades, researchers have been interested in modeling the hydrogen supply chain network to provide managerial insights for decision-makers. We contribute to this research domain by introducing the life cycle optimization (LCO) modeling framework into the hydrogen supply chain network design (HSCND). Specifically, the life cycle costing (LCC) methodology and the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach are integrated through a bi-objective optimization. The two objectives are levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) and global warming potential (GWP) intensity. The problem is solved by implementing an ε -constraint method. The developed LCO framework is applied to a case study in Franche-Comté, France. Results obtained suggest that the introduction of LCC has a major impact on capital costs. The LCA, especially the life cycle inventory (LCI) approach, enables the LCO model to estimate emissions reasonably. The Pareto front obtained by solving the bi-objective model provides a holistic view of turning points. It is concluded that the modeling framework proposed in the paper can provide decision-makers with (i) comprehensive reflection of hydrogen supply network costs; (ii) a detailed description of hydrogen supply chain network-related emissions; and (iii) the quantification and visualization of the trade-off between costs and emissions. • The life cycle costing is applied within hydrogen supply chain network design. • The life cycle inventory for the hydrogen supply chain network is illustrated. • A life cycle optimization framework for hydrogen supply chain network is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an ultra-wide-angle and broadband metamaterial absorber with a monopole top loading structure (MA-MTLS) was proposed. The resistive films printed on the dielectric are on the top layer. The dielectric square cylindrical shells with resistive films on the outside are in the middle, and a metal plate is on the bottom layer. The whole structure can be regarded as a top loading monopole antenna that has a good omnidirectional radiation capability. According to reciprocity, when a composite structure is used as an absorber, it will have a good absorption performance. The impedance matching characteristics were demonstrated by Smith chart and equivalent circuit, and then, the absorption performance was optimized. The simulated results show that the absorption of the MA-MTLS is more than 90% under TM polarized waves of 3.6–13.8 GHz as the incident angle changes from 0° to 80°. When the incident angle increases to 83°, the absorption is higher than 80% in the frequency band of 3.7–14.5 GHz. At the stage of experiment, the dielectric substrate was made by three-dimensional printing technology, the resistive films on the top layer were printed using screen printing techniques, and the resistive films on the outside of the square cylindrical shells were completed by pasting. The consistency between the experimental results and simulation data indicates that the design method is feasible and has good application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the role of immune and inflammatory indicators in cognitive dysfunction and disease severity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A total of 123 patients with Parkinson's disease were enrolled in the PD group and 49 healthy volunteers in the control group. The patients with PD were further divided into 2 subgroups by evaluating cognitive function using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): the normal cognitive function (PD-NCI) group and the mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) group. Moreover, the PD patients were also divided into 2 subgroups using the defined scale of the Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) stage: the early-stage group and the middle- and late-stage group. Immune and inflammatory indicators, including serum Aβ1−42, Tau, CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, B lymphocytes cell, NK cell, Th17 cell, Treg cell, IL-6, IL-17, and TNF-α levels, were evaluated and analyzed to explore the potential correlation with the cognitive dysfunction and disease severity of PD. Among the 123 PD patients, 60 (48.8%) were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Aβ1−42, CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, and Treg levels observed in the PD-NCI group were lower than the control group (P < 0.001), while higher than the PD-MCI group (P < 0.001). The levels of Tau, Th17, IL-6, IL-17, and TNF-α observed in the PD-NCI group were higher than the control group (P < 0.001), while lower than in the PD-MCI group (P < 0.01). Using the same method, the results of the early-stage group and the middle- and the late-stage group were the same as above. Logistic regression analysis and ROC curve estimation were performed and indicated that the variation of Tau, CD8+, Treg, TNF-α levels was associated with cognitive decline in PD patients, and may serve as markers of PD onset. Furthermore, the variation of Aβ1−42, IL-6, and TNF-α levels was found to correlate with the disease severity of PD. The immune and inflammatory-related indicators may represent an important factor in the pathogenesis of PD, cognitive dysfunction, and disease severity. The variation of Tau protein, CD8+, Treg, and TNF-α levels are associated with the cognitive dysfunction of PD, which may be considered as onset markers. Moreover, the variation of Aβ1−42, IL-6, and TNF-α levels can predict the progression of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mars Ion and Neutral Particle Analyzer (MINPA) onboard Tianwen-1 aims to study the interaction between Mars and the solar wind via in situ ion measurement and energetic neutral atom imaging. Despite the efforts for Ultra-Violet suppression in MINPA design, 0.48% of ion observations from November 2021 to July 2022 were identified as UV-contaminated. The UV emissions primarily penetrate into the instrument through the ENA entrance. Statistically, the distribution of the UV contamination in phase space typically spans 3 to 4 azimuth sectors. The contamination is uniformly distributed across the polar dimension while, in the energy and mass dimensions, it is proportional to the time-of-flight duration. Comparisons between the in-flight performance and ground calibration suggest that azimuthal broadening and intensity variations of the contamination may result from differing responses across the azimuthal sectors. Based on the characteristics of the UV impact on MINPA ion observations, a removal algorithm is proposed to reduce contamination while preserving valid signals, which improves the data quality effectively and benefits the interpretation of MINPA's ion measurements in the Martian space environment. The cause, effect, and distribution of the UV contamination obtained by this study may serve as a reference for other space ion observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sugar transporters have significant contributions to regulate metabolic flux towards products and they are general potential targets for engineering of high-yield microbial cell factories. Streptomyces, well-known producers of natural product pharmaceuticals, contain an abundance of sugar transporters, while few of them are well characterized and applied. Here, we report a previously unidentified ATP-binding cassette (ABC) sugar transporter TP6568 found within a Streptomyces avermitilis transposon library, along with its key regulator GM006564. Subsequent in silico molecular docking and genetic experiments demonstrated that TP6568 possessed a broad substrate specificity. It could not only promote uptake of diverse monosaccharides and disaccharides, but also enhance the utilization of industrial carbon sources such as starch, sucrose, and dextrin. Constitutive overexpression of TP6568 resulted in decrease of residual total sugar by 36.16%, 39.04%, 38.40%, and 30.21% in engineered S. avermitilis S0, Streptomyces caniferus NEAU6, Streptomyces bingchenggensis BC-101-4, and Streptomyces roseosporus NRRL 11379 than their individual parent strain, respectively. Production of avermectin B1a, guvermectin, and milbemycin A3/A4 increased by 75.61%, 56.89%, and 41.13%, respectively. We then overexpressed TP6568 in combination with the regulator GM006564 in a high-yield strain S. avermitilis S45, and further fine-tuning of their overexpression levels boosted production of avermectin B1a by 50.97% to 7.02 g/L in the engineering strain. Our work demonstrates that TP6568 as a promising sugar transporter may have broad applications in construction of high-yield Streptomyces microbial cell factories for desirable natural product pharmaceuticals. Key points: • TP6568 from Streptomyces avermitilis was identified as a sugar transporter • TP6568 enhanced utilization of diverse industrially used sugars in Streptomyces • TP6568 is a useful transporter to construct high-yield Streptomyces cell factories [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the asynchronous stabilization for discrete semi-Markovian switching systems under input quantization. The jumps between different modes are based on the framework of incomplete semi-Markov kernel information, which is more general than the traditional Markovian process. Owing to an asynchronous phenomenon between the system mode and the control mode, a hidden semi-Markovian model is adopted to describe this mismatch situation. A logarithmic quantizer is used to characterize the quantized input signal before the data transmission. By using the Lyapunov function, a new stability condition is proposed for the underlying model. Finally, a space robot manipulator model is studied to verify the effectiveness of the designed controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen as a new energy source, it can be made by photocatalytic technology. However, the photocatalyst is the key to the efficient decomposition of water to produce hydrogen. Functional complexes are porous materials with high crystallinity, which have the characteristics of both organic and inorganic materials. For this reason, two complexes [Mn3(Medpq)2(CIN)6]·H2O (1) and [Cd3(Medpq)2(CIN)2(Ac)4] (2) (HCIN = cinnamic acid, Medpq = 2-methyldipyrido[3,2-f:2′,3′-h]quinoxaline) were synthesized by a hydrothermal process. Combined with the unique electronic structure and group of the complex and the unique semiconductor energy band structure and excellent chemical stability of g-C3N4, the complex/g-C3N4 composite materials were constructed to solve the defect of low utilization rate of light energy and improve quantum efficiency in the internal structure. The experiment proved that complex 1/g-C3N4 photocatalytic rates of hydrogen production 715.8 μmol h−1 g−1, and complex 2 photocatalytic rates of hydrogen production 1622.9 μmol h−1 g−1, about double and fourfold that of pure g-C3N4 (407.6 μmol h−1 g−1) consequently, high-performance of the hydrogen production from water decomposition was realized. The two functional complexes [Mn3(Medpq)2(CIN)6]·H2O (1) and [Cd3(Medpq)2(CIN)2(Ac)4] (2) have the characteristics of both organic and inorganic materials and significantly enhance visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]