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Low-energy ion beam irradiation, combined with the introduction of impurities, presents a promising approach for nanopatterning silicon (Si) surfaces. In this research, we investigate the surface evolution of Si (100) surfaces irradiated by 75 eV helium (He) plasma, in the presence of tantalum (Ta), traditionally regarded as an impurity incapable of initiating pattern formation, as evidenced in prior studies. The Ta impurities are pre-deposited onto the Si surfaces using the magnetron sputtering method, which offers a more controlled and quantifiable approach compared with the conventional co-deposition route. After irradiation at 800 K, dense cone arrays are produced on the Si surface. The growth of the cones is explored for fluence spanning (1–10) × 1025 m−2. The cross-sectional scanning electron microscope images indicate that the cone lengths and base width are well characterized by t1/2 dependence. The kinetics of the cone growth follow Fick's law, characterized by an effective diffusive mechanism with the coefficients of diffusion: D = 6.49 ± 0.83 × 10−16 m−2 s−1. Transmission electron microscope observations reveal that the cone has distinct inner and outer parts with different microstructures and a clear interface. The growth mechanism of these cones is elucidated as a composite process involving preferential sputtering, the destabilizing influence of He bubbles, and the migration of adatoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual variability in response to rewarding stimuli is a striking but understudied phenomenon. The mesolimbic dopamine system is critical in encoding the reinforcing properties of both natural reward and alcohol; however, how innate or baseline differences in the response dynamics of this circuit define individual behavior and shape future vulnerability to alcohol remain unknown. Using naturalistic behavioral assays, a voluntary alcohol drinking paradigm, in vivo fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology, and chemogenetics, we investigated how differences in mesolimbic neural circuit activity contribute to the individual variability seen in reward processing and, by proxy, alcohol drinking. We first characterized heterogeneous behavioral and neural responses to natural reward and defined how these baseline responses predicted future individual alcohol-drinking phenotypes in male mice. We then determined spontaneous ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron firing profiles associated with responses to natural reward that predicted alcohol drinking. Using a dual chemogenetic approach, we mimicked specific mesolimbic dopamine neuron firing activity before or during voluntary alcohol drinking to link unique neurophysiological profiles to individual phenotype. We show that hyperdopaminergic individuals exhibit a lower neuronal response to both natural reward and alcohol that predicts lower levels of alcohol consumption in the future. These findings reveal unique, circuit-specific neural signatures that predict future individual vulnerability or resistance to alcohol and expand the current knowledge base on how some individuals are able to titrate their alcohol consumption whereas others go on to engage in unhealthy alcohol-drinking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracrustal low-velocity zones (LVZs) indicate a mechanically weak crust and are widely observed in the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau. However, their spatial distributions and formation mechanisms remain controversial. To investigate their distribution and detailed morphology of the LVZs in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, here we used teleseismic events and continuous waveform data recorded by 40 broadband seismic stations newly deployed in the Sichuan-Yunnan region from December 2018 to October 2020. A total of 12,924 high-quality P-wave receiver functions and 5–40 s fundamental Rayleigh surface wave phase velocity dispersion curves from ambient noise cross-correlation functions were obtained. The S-wave velocity model at a depth interval of 0–100 km in the study area was inverted by using the trans-dimensional Markov chain Monte Carlo strategy to jointly invert the complementary data of the receiver function waveform and Rayleigh surface wave phase velocity dispersion. Our results show that there are two separate LVZs (∼3.5 km/s) surrounding the rigid Daliangshan subblock at crustal depths of approximately 30–40 km, providing new constraints on the geometry of the LVZs in our study region. The two LVZs obtained in this study may represent the middle crustal flow channels, through which the material in the center of the Tibetan Plateau extrudes to its southeast margin. Blocked by the rigid Sichuan Basin and the spindle-like Daliangshan subblock, the material continues to flow southward through the mechanically weak middle crustal channels surrounding the Daliangshan subblock. In addition, the existence of thin LVZs in the middle crust plays an important role in understanding the decoupling between the upper and lower crust in the study area. It also provides new constraint on the complex tectonic deformation process of the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau caused by the collision and compression of the Indian and the Eurasian plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZrC dispersion-strengthened W exhibits high strength/ductility, low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature, and excellent thermal shock resistance, making it a promising candidate plasma-facing material for future fusion devices. In this study, surface modification of 0.5 wt.% ZrC dispersion-strengthened W (WZrC) under low energy and high fluence He plasma irradiation at high temperature was presented. Under the energy of 90 eV and fluence ranging from 6 × 1024 He·m−2–2 × 1026 He·m−2 He irradiation at 920 °C, a typical fuzz nanostructure appeared on the W matrix of WZrC. The thickness of fuzz layer is proportional to the square root of He irradiation fluence. The fuzz showed comparable thickness and structural features to pure W, indicating limited effects of the particle's addition on resistance to high fluence He irradiation at high temperatures. Under continuous He injection, the fuzz would grow extending onto the particle area, making the particle obscured. Besides, the erosion behavior of particles under He plasma irradiation has been investigated, which is thought to be dominated by a sputtering process. Under the He influence of 6 × 1024 He·m−2, only nanopores were observed in the surface region. With fluence increasing to 5 × 1025 He·m−2, the surface became relatively uneven with larger holes. W aggregated in spots and distributed on the surface of the particle, which might be the result of subthreshold sputtering and deposition. When fluence further increased to 2 × 1026 He·m−2, the particles were eroded completely and covered by the extended fuzz, forming cavities. In addition, distinctive layered nanotendrils were observed above the cavities, which were characterized to consist of inner W-riched skeletons and outer Zr-riched layers. It indicates that the layered nanotendrils should be the result of fuzz extension combined with particle sputtering/deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione peroxisomal‐5 (Gpx5) promotes the elimination of H2O2 or organic hydrogen peroxide, and plays an important role in the physiological process of resistance to oxidative stress (OS). To directly and better understand the protection of Gpx5 against OS in epididymal cells and sperm, we studied its mechanism of antioxidant protection from multiple aspects. To more directly investigate the role of Gpx5 in combating oxidative damage, we started with epididymal tissue morphology and Gpx5 expression profiles in combination with the mouse epididymal epithelial cell line PC1 (proximal caput 1) expressing recombinant Gpx5. The Gpx5 is highly expressed in adult male epididymal caput, and its protein signal can be detected in the sperm of the whole epididymis. Gpx5 has been shown to alleviate OS damage induced by 3‐Nitropropionic Acid (3‐NPA), including enhancing antioxidant activity, reducing mitochondrial damage, and suppressing cell apoptosis. Gpx5 reduces OS damage in PC1 and maintains the well‐functioning extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by PC1, and the additional epididymal EVs play a role in the response of sperm to OS damage, including reducing plasma membrane oxidation and death, and increasing sperm motility and sperm‐egg binding ability. Our study suggests that GPX5 plays an important role as an antioxidant in the antioxidant processes of epididymal cells and sperm, including plasma membrane oxidation, mitochondrial oxidation, apoptosis, sperm motility, and sperm‐egg binding ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic β cell. It contributes to high mortality, frequent diabetic complications, poor quality of life in patients and also puts a significant economic burden on health care systems. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies is urgently needed. Recently, certain dietary compounds with potential applications in food industry, particularly polyphenols and polysaccharides, have gained increasing attention with their prominent anti-diabetic effects on T1D by modulating β cell function, the gut microbiota and/or the immune system. In this review, we critically discuss the recent findings of several dietary polyphenols and polysaccharides with the potential to protect against T1D and the underlying anti-diabetic mechanisms. More importantly, we highlight the current trends, major issues, and future directions of industrial production of polyphenols- and polysaccharides-based functional foods for preventing or delaying T1D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline in the total fertility rate (TFR) is a key driver of population change and has important implications for population health and social development. However, China's TFR has been a considerable controversy due to a lack of high-quality data. Therefore, this study used the 2020 national population census of China (NPCC) data and reverse survival method to reassess temporal trends in the TFRs and to reexamine rural–urban differences and regional variations in TFRs from 2000 to 2020 in China. Overall, there were significant gaps between the estimated and reported TFRs before 2020, and the estimated TFRs based on the 2020 NPCC data remained higher than the reported TFRs from government statistics. Although TFRs rebounded shortly in the years after the two-child policy, they have shown a wavelike decline since 2010. Additionally, the estimated TFRs fluctuated below 1.5 children per woman in urban areas compared to above 1.8 in rural areas, but the rural–urban differences continued to decrease. Regarding geographic regional variations, the estimated TFRs in all regions displayed a declining trend during 2010–2020, especially in rural areas. Large decreases of over 25% in TFRs occurred in the north, east, central, and northwest regions. In addition to changing the birth policy, the government and society should adopt comprehensive strategies, including reducing the costs of marriage, childbearing, and child education, as well as promoting work-family balance, to encourage and increase fertility levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous previous studies have reported an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and lung cancer risk, but the underlying mechanism of the interaction remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the shared genetic features and immune infiltration processes between lung cancer and T2DM. Methods: Epidemiological data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2000–2018 was used to explore the relationship between lung cancer and diabetes systematically. In addition, we also used bioinformatics methods to analyze the transcriptome data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to explore the potential functional mechanisms from the perspective of genes and immune infiltration. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that prediabetes (OR = 3.289,95%CI 1.231, 8.788, p = 0.01760, model 3)and type 2 diabetes (OR = 3.032 95%CI,1.015, 9.054, p = 0.04689) were significantly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer after adjusting for multiple covariates. Data from NHANES showed an inverted U-shaped relationship between fasting blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin and the risk of lung cancer (P for non-linear < 0.001). Transcriptome data showed that we screened 57 co-DEGs, of which 25 were up-regulated co-DEGs and 32 were down-regulated. Ten core DEGs were identified by bioinformatics analysis, which were SMC6, CDC27, CDC7, RACGAP1, SMC4, NCF4, NCF1, NCF2, SELPLG and CFP. Correlation analysis showed that some core DEGs were significantly associated with simultaneous dysregulation of immune cells. Conclusion: The identified core genes of NSCLC and T2DM are associated with dysregulated immune cells, which provides a potential research avenue for diagnosing and treating lung cancer combined with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports on the formation of self-organized silicon (Si) nanostructures by 75 eV helium (He) plasma irradiation at normal incidence without the presence of impurities. In contrast to the featureless surface after normal incidence argon (Ar) ion beam irradiation without the co-deposition of impurities, the Si surface exhibits the development of faceted nanostructures under 75 eV He plasma irradiation. The faceted structures are interspersed with valleys that extend in two orthogonal directions, imparting a mountain-like morphology to the surface. Our investigation verifies that the He bubbles align themselves along the direction perpendicular to the surface underneath these valleys. Furthermore, the presence of He bubbles induces distortion in the surface layer and leads to the formation of an amorphous Si layer. The underlying mechanism driving this surface evolution could be attributed to the instability induced by the presence of He bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents MQGeometry, a multi-layer quasi-geostrophic (QG) equation solver for non-rectangular geometries. We advect the potential vorticity (PV) with finite volumes to ensure global PV conservation using a staggered discretization of the PV and stream function (SF). Thanks to this staggering, the PV is defined inside the domain, removing the need to define the PV on the domain boundary. We compute PV fluxes with upwind-biased interpolations whose implicit dissipation replaces the usual explicit (hyper-)viscous dissipation. The discretization presented here does not require tuning of any additional parameter, e.g., additional eddy viscosity. We solve the QG elliptic equation with a fast discrete sine transform spectral solver on rectangular geometry. We extend this fast solver to non-rectangular geometries using the capacitance matrix method. Subsequently, we validate our solver on a vortex-shear instability test case in a circular domain, on a vortex–wall interaction test case, and on an idealized wind-driven double-gyre configuration in an octagonal domain at an eddy-permitting resolution. Finally, we release a concise, efficient, and auto-differentiable PyTorch implementation of our method to facilitate future developments on this new discretization, e.g., machine-learning parameterization or data-assimilation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acids and their derivatives play a variety of roles in living organisms. Fatty acids not only store energy but also comprise membrane lipids and act as signaling molecules. There are three main proteins involved in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway in plant peroxisomes, including acyl-CoA oxidase (ACX), multifunctional protein (MFP), and 3-ketolipoyl-CoA thiolase (KAT). However, genome-scale analysis of KAT and MFP has not been systemically investigated in tomatoes. Here, we conducted a bioinformatics analysis of KAT and MFP genes in tomatoes. Their physicochemical properties, protein secondary structure, subcellular localization, gene structure, phylogeny, and collinearity were also analyzed. In addition, a conserved motif analysis, an evolutionary pressure selection analysis, a cis-acting element analysis, tissue expression profiling, and a qRT-PCR analysis were conducted within tomato KAT and MFP family members. There are five KAT and four MFP family members in tomatoes, which are randomly distributed on four chromosomes. By analyzing the conserved motifs of tomato KAT and MFP family members, we found that both KAT and MFP members are highly conserved. In addition, the results of the evolutionary pressure selection analysis indicate that the KAT and MFP family members have evolved mainly from purifying selection, which makes them more structurally stable. The results of the cis-acting element analysis show that SlKAT and SlMFP with respect may respond to light, hormones, and adversity stresses. The tissue expression analysis showed that KAT and MFP family members have important roles in regulating the development of floral organs as well as fruit ripening. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expressions of SlKAT and SlMFP genes can be regulated by ABA, MeJA, darkness, NaCl, PEG, UV, cold, heat, and H2O2 treatments. These results provide a basis for the involvement of the SlKAT and SlMFP genes in tomato floral organ development and abiotic stress response, which lay a foundation for future functional study of SlKAT and SlMFP in tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) based on cold metal transfer (CMT) technology is very suitable for additive manufacturing of light metals such as aluminum and magnesium alloys due to its low heat input. The temperature field in CMT additive manufacturing determines the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties. However, the mechanism of CMT-related process parameters affecting the thermal process and molten pool geometry in additive manufacturing is still unclear. The finite element analysis model of the CMT additive manufacturing process was established based on element birth and death technology, and the temperature field and molten pool shape in the CMT additive manufacturing process were quantitatively studied. The results show that with the increase in welding speed, the maximum temperature of the molten pool decreases, the length of the molten pool decreases, and the depth of the molten pool changes little. The effect of interlayer cooling on the temperature field of CMT additive manufacturing was quantitatively analyzed. The study found that without cooling between the deposited layers, heat accumulation will occur in the component of additive manufacturing, and the peak temperature will be higher. With the increase of the additive manufacturing layer number, the peak temperature of the additive manufacturing layer increases. With the increase of additive layer number and no cooling between sedimentary layers, the length of the molten pool increases obviously. The correctness of the model is verified by the experimental measurement of weld geometry in CMT additive manufacturing of AA5356 aluminum alloy. This study provides a theoretical basis for the optimization of the CMT additive manufacturing process of aluminum alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang has abundant cotton by-products resources, but their utilization rate is relatively low. Cotton by-products include cotton stalks, cottonseed meal, cottonseed hulls, cottonseed residue, and more. Among them, cottonseed meal is an important protein source in livestock and poultry production, while cotton stalks, cottonseed hulls, and cottonseed residue can serve as coarse feed sources for ruminant animals. However, the long-term application of cotton by-products in the livestock and poultry breeding industry is constrained due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors such as free gossypol and the relatively high crude fiber content in cotton stalks, cottonseed hulls, and cottonseed residue. The article reviews the production, types, nutritional value of cotton by-products, and their research and application in the livestock and poultry breeding industry, aiming to provide a reference for further application of cotton by-products in the livestock and poultry breeding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to explore the nutritional characteristics and feeding value of a mixed silage containing cotton stalks, whole corn plants, and sugar beet residue. The experiment was divided into three groups: The control group (CK group) used whole corn plant silage, while Group A and Group B used a 1:1 mixture of cotton stalks with whole corn plants and sugar beet pulp for silage, with three replicates in each group. After 90 days of fermentation, samples were taken for analysis of silage fermentation quality, nutritional characteristics, and feeding value indicators. The results indicated that compared to the CK group, the pH values increased (P<0.05) and the Fisher's score decreased (P<0.05) in Group A and Group B. The CP, NDF, and ADF contentration increased (P<0.05), while the NFC content decreased in Group A and Group B (P<0.05). The RFV and RFQ of Group A were higher than those of Group B (P<0.05). Compared to the CK group, the in vitro gas production decreased in Group A and Group B, with Group A having higher gas production than Group B. The IVDMD of Group A and Group B was lower than that of the CK group (P<0.05). The study suggests that the feeding value of the mixed silage with cotton stalks, whole corn plants, and sugar beet residue is still lower than that of the whole corn plant silage. However, Group A exhibits a feeding value closer to that of the CK group, indicating higher application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracardiac thrombosis is a severe complication in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This study aims to develop and validate an individualized nomogram to evaluate the risk of intracardiac thrombosis in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy at first admission. Clinical baseline characteristics were acquired from electronic medical record systems. Multiple methods were applied to screen the key variables and generate multiple different variable combinations. Multivariable logistic regression was used to build the models, and the optimal model was chosen by comparing the discrimination. Then we checked the performance of the model in different thrombus subgroups. Finally, the model was presented using a nomogram and evaluated from the perspectives of discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness. Internal validation was performed by extracting different proportions of data for Bootstrapping. Ultimately, 564 eligible patients were enrolled, 67 of whom developed an intracardiac thrombosis. Risk factors included d-dimer, white blood cell count, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, pulse pressure, history of stroke, hematocrit, and NT-proBNP in the optimal model. The model had good discrimination and calibration, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.833 (0.782–0.884), and the model's performance in each subgroup was stable. Clinical decision curve analysis showed that the model had clinical application value when the high-risk threshold was between 2% and 78%. The AUC of interval validation (30% and 70% data resampling) was 0.844 (0.765–0.924) and 0.833 (0.775–0.891), respectively. This novel intracardiac thrombosis nomogram could be conveniently applied to facilitate the individual intracardiac thrombosis risk assessment in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) is a vital signaling molecule involved in various physiological processes within the body. In recent years, studies have revealed its significant role in male reproduction, particularly in sperm function. This review explores the multifaceted role of extracellular ATP in sperm function, from spermatogenesis to fertilization. We discuss the impact of extracellular ATP on spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and sperm-egg fusion, highlighting the complex regulatory mechanisms and potential clinical applications in the context of male infertility. By examining the latest research, we emphasize the crucial role of extracellular ATP in sperm function and propose future research directions to further. • Extracellular ATP is involved in intracellular physiological and pathological processes. • Extracellular ATP promotes spermatogenesis by affecting the paracrine pathway of the testes. • Extracellular ATP promotes sperm maturation. • Extracellular ATP is beneficial for sperm chemotaxis and IVF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production through ammonia decomposition at high temperatures is a promising approach, but lacks a simple and cost-effective process for efficient and rapid initiation of ammonia decomposition without external energy. To address this, the preparation of nanomaterials is crucial to achieve excellent ammonia oxidative decomposition performance. In this study, CeO 2 with an ordered mesoporous structure was synthesized and supported with Co and Ni bimetals using a co-deposition method. Through various experimental characterization methods (XRD, BET, TEM, H 2 -TPR and XPS), a structure-activity relationship was established and a catalytic reaction mechanism was proposed. The catalyst with the best activity performance was found to be 5 wt % Co-5wt % Ni/CeO 2 (CNC-55). With an NH 3 /O 2 ratio of 4:1, the reaction temperature increased rapidly from 130 °C to 570 °C, the NH 3 and O 2 conversion rate can reach 95% and 100% respectively, and the H 2 production rate can reaches 62%. The catalyst also exhibited good stability and reusability. Notably, the process only required ammonia and oxygen at low temperatures to produce hydrogen, nitrogen and water vapor, without the need for external energy or additional procedures. [Display omitted] • The catalyst has the benefits of simple synthesis, good stability and low price. • The CNC-55 catalyst exhibits superior catalytic performance. • Bimetallic catalyst has better catalytic properties than mono-metallic catalyst. • H 2 can be generated easily and rapidly at any time without complex process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt sulfides, especially Co9S8, have been widely studied as a potential earth-abundant electrocatalyst for many electrochemical reactions, such as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). However, the electrocatalytic performance of Co9S8 is not satisfactory because of its comparatively sluggish charge transport and reaction kinetics. Defect engineering and constructing hollow nanostructures are effective methods to improve their electrocatalytic performance, therefore, exploring an efficient route to obtain Co9S8 catalysts, simultaneously possessing sulfur vacancies and hollow nanostructure, is necessary. In this study, Co9S8−x core–shell hollow spheres with sulfur vacancies were prepared via a two-step solvothermal strategy, followed by thermal treatment under an H2/Ar atmosphere. The content of sulfur vacancies can be regulated by varying the temperature during the thermal treatment. The obtained Co9S8−x core–shell hollow spheres exhibited interesting sulfur vacancy defect-dependent activity, one of which showed outstanding electrocatalysis performance for OER with an overpotential (η) of 294 m V (at 10 mA cm−2) and MOR catalysis efficiency (164.9 mA cm−2 at 1.8 V vs. RHE) in an alkaline medium. This study provides a promising and feasible pathway for developing efficient trifunctional electrocatalysts for renewable energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the goal of " carbon peaking and carbon neutrality," how to create a low-carbon and green development path for cities is an urgent problem in China. One of the effective ways to solve this problem is through industrial collaborative agglomeration. In this paper, panel data of 276 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2020 was selected to investigate the relationship between the collaborative agglomeration of manufacturing and producer service and carbon emission intensity by using a fixed-effects model, intermediary model, and SDM in multiple dimensions. The study found that the collaborative agglomeration of manufacturing and producer service industries significantly influences carbon emission intensity with an inverted U-shaped curve, and the agglomeration of manufacturing and producer service industries can influence carbon emission intensity through technological progress. In addition, the inverted U-shaped impact of collaborative agglomeration of manufacturing and producer services on carbon emission intensity has a spatial spillover effect, and the spatial spillover effect generated is stronger than the impact on the local area. Moreover, from the perspective of industry heterogeneity, compared with low-end producer services, the agglomeration of manufacturing and high-end producer services can play a better role in carbon emission reduction. Regarding regional heterogeneity, compared with the central and western regions, the impact of manufacturing and production services agglomeration on carbon intensity is far more obvious in the more economically developed eastern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to distinguish other pathologies mimicking Ménière's disease (MD) clinically. This study aims to investigate the differences of imaging findings and features between MD and other menieriform diseases via intravenous gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 426 patients with menieriform symptoms, including MD, vestibular migraine (VM), and vestibular schwannoma (VS), underwent 3D-FLAIR and 3D-T2WI MRI 6 h after the intravenous gadolinium injection. MR images were analyzed for inner ear morphology, perilymphatic enhancement (PE), EH and other abnormalities. EH was observed at a higher rate in MD patients (85.71%) than patients with other menieriform diseases (VM group = 14.75%, VS group = 37.50%). The prevalence of unilateral EH as well as both cochlear and vestibular EH showed significant differences between MD and VM groups. The prevalence of cochlear EH (I and II) and vestibular EH (II and III) was different between MD and VM groups. The prevalence of PE was higher in MD than VM group. The degrees of cochlear and vestibular hydrops were higher in the definite than probable MD group (P < 0.05). Using these imaging features, MRI can be used to help differentiate MD from other menieriform diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although advances have been made in carbohydrate‐based macromolecular self‐assembly, harnessing epimers of carbohydrates to perform molecular assembly and further investigating the properties of supramolecular materials remain little explored. Herein, two classes of stereoisomeric glycolipid amphiphiles based on d‐N‐acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) are reported, and they can aggregate into ribbon‐like structures in the aqueous solution due to amphiphilic property, which allow to obtain glycocalyx‐mimicking supramolecular materials. The subtle distinction in glycoside configuration of GalNAc‐α‐SSA and GalNAc‐β‐SSA dictates the different molecular packing in self‐assembled structures. Since driven by the distinguishing carbohydrate–carbohydrate interactions, the ribbon‐like architectures transform into spherical nanostructures via mixing GalNAc‐α‐SSA and GalNAc‐β‐SSA. The resulting spherical micelles fabricated by blending glycolipid epimers can potentiate the macrophage‐ and dendritic cell‐mediated immune responses in vitro. Such glycolipid epimers will pave the way to create glycocalyx‐mimicking immune modulators by incorporating stereochemistry into supramolecular self‐assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An apparatus was developed to study the effects of operating parameters on liquid spreading and particle size in centrifugal atomisation. Different areas of aluminium spreading on the surface of the rotary disc were observed, in which the diameter of the 'Plane area' showed a linear relationship with the rotational speed. The microscopic morphology of the aluminium powder samples was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The variation of particle size distribution curve with rotational speed was explored, and the shape of the curve was changed from 'Single-peak' to 'Double-peak' when the rotating speed increased to a certain value. The effect of the fragmentation mode on the particle size distribution and median diameter was analysed. The variation of the median diameter of the powder with the rotating speed was obtained. The effect of different disc configurations on the particle size was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red-emitting Mn4+-doped fluoride phosphors are promising fluorescent material for use in high-performance warm white light emitting diodes (WLEDs). However, low stability and non-green synthesis method limit the development and commercialization of such phosphor. Herein, a series of novel (Li/Na/Cs) 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ phosphors with optimized fluorescence properties induced by alkaline metal ions replacement are successfully synthesized via a green and eco-friendly approach. Under the irradiation of 460 nm blue light, Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ red phosphor with narrow band emission peak has the best optical performance. The optimal doping concentration of Mn4+ in Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 host and the reason for concentration quenching are systematically analyzed. Furthermore, the moisture resistance and thermal stability of this phosphor are discussed. After being soaked in deionized water for 90 min, the PL intensity of Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ phosphor can maintain at 40% of that in air, which is 4 times higher than commercial K 2 SiF 6 :Mn4+. At the operating temperature of LED (423 K), Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ red phosphor can exhibit stable light output intensity and color. A warm WLED with low correlated color temperature of 4336 K, high color rendering index of 88.4 and high lumen efficiency of 105.96 lm/W is fabricated via using Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ phosphor as a component of red-light, and the warm WLED can maintain stable output even at high driving currents. Overall, the alkali metal ion replacement and green synthesis strategies have opened up a new perspective for the synthesis of efficient Mn4+-doped fluoride phosphors, which has dual benefits for optimizing the performance of WLED and environmental protection. Novel Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ phosphor with efficient water and thermal stability is synthesized by combining alkali metal ion substitution method with green synthesis route for high-performance warm WLED. [Display omitted] • An eco-friendly approach is adopted to synthetic Mn4+-activated fluoride phosphors. • Alkali metal ion replacement enhances the optical properties of Mn4+-doped phosphor. • Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ phosphor with excellent stability is obtained. • Warm WLED can be realized using Cs 0.4 Ba 0.8 SiF 6 :Mn4+ as the red light component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, a wideband and low‐profile multipolarization reconfigurable antenna based on metasurface (MTS) is proposed. The antenna mainly contains two parts, an upper layer of MTS and a bottom layer of circular slot antenna. The MTS acts as a polarization controller, by mechanically rotating the MTS layer at a proper angle while keeping the circular slot antenna remain stationary, the polarization mode of the antenna can be switched to linear polarization (LP), left‐hand circular polarization (LHCP), and right‐hand circular polarization (RHCP). The experimented −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 37.8% and 54% for LP and circular polarization (CP) modes, respectively. The measured overlapped 3‐dB AR bandwidth is 22.2% for both CP modes, covering from 3.2 to 4 GHz. Moreover, the measured peak gain of the presented antenna reaches 9 dBi and 8 dBic for LP and CP modes, with a lower profile of 0.05 λ0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased atmospheric N deposition and altered precipitation regimes are two important global-change factors influencing grassland communities by changing soil nutrient availability and acquisition by plants. These findings highlight that mowing cannot mitigate the negative effects of N enrichment on soil MBC, and that soil, plant and microbial properties play important roles in the response of soil MBC to mowing in N-enriched soil. Liu et al. ([22]) reported that water supply significantly affected plant C:N and N:P ratios, and these effects differed among plant species of Inner Mongolian grasslands. Given the importance of plant-soil interactions in grassland ecosystems, it is necessary to evaluate the roles of plant-soil interactions in response of grasslands in MP to global change and human activities. [Extracted from the article]

NiO has been widely studied as a potential Earth-abundant electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Defect engineering and constructing hollow nanostructures are effective methods to improve electrocatalytic performance, so exploring an efficient route to obtain NiO catalysts simultaneously possessing oxygen vacancies and hollow nanostructures is necessary. In this work, core–shell NiO1−x hollow spheres with oxygen vacancies are prepared through a solvothermal strategy followed by thermal treatment under an H2/Ar atmosphere. And the content of oxygen vacancies can be regulated by varying the calcination time. Importantly, the existence of rich oxygen vacancies in NiO and its unique core–shell hollow structure promote water adsorption and enhance charge transfer and thus the core–shell NiO1−x hollow spheres show appealing electrocatalytic performance, demonstrating efficient OER electrocatalysis with an overpotential (η) of 360 mV (at 10 mA cm−2) and Tafel slope of 103.9 mV dec−1 in an alkaline medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric micropositioning systems (PMSs) have been widely utilized in the high-precision manipulation applications, but are also subjected to undesired nonlinearities, like hysteresis, and parameter uncertainties. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new robust sliding mode control scheme for a class of nonlinear PMSs with time-varying uncertainties. Different from the conventional sliding mode control (SMC), the proposed controller further combines the Fourier series-based function estimation technique, fuzzy logic system and adaptive learning algorithm to realize online estimation and compensation of system time-varying uncertainties without their boundary information. The adaptive laws of Fourier coefficients and fuzzy adjustable parameters are obtained via the Lyapunov stability theory. Compared with the existing SMC methods, the proposed control effectively eliminates the control chattering problem, and guarantees the convergence of the tracking error in finite time in the presence of time-varying uncertainties. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results show that the proposed control strategy can meet the high-speed, high-precision robust tracking performance requirements of PMSs for micro/nano-manipulation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation and preservation of shadow puppet artifacts is an important task that requires accurate assessment of their preservation status. Currently, there are many shadow puppet artifacts in collections with varying degrees of deterioration, and an easy-to-use and accurate deterioration assessment method is urgently needed. To address this, this paper proposes a method to convert the color rendering characteristics of shadow puppet artifacts in two-dimensional images into digital information, which is used to create a pixel lattice in processing software Adobe Photoshop. The quantitative signal of the shadow puppet image is extracted and used to calculate the offset of the overall or local chromaticity of the shadow puppet relative to the average chromaticity, allowing for the assessment of the degree of cortical variation and risk of deterioration. A membership function is established based on the observed values of shadow puppet color in the pixel lattice, and the discrete fuzzy set and its scoring index are specified to assign corresponding weight values to the regions with different chromaticity attributes in the pixel lattice.The method of computing scores using the membership function involves ordinary mathematical operations, the overall scoring values are used to comprehensively evaluate the preservation status of the shadow puppet artifacts. This paper establishes a preliminary technical standard for the preventive conservation evaluation of shadow puppet artifacts using pixel lattice and membership function, providing an important guideline for the quantitative and standardized virtual restoration of shadow puppets. The proposed method provides a new approach to quantitatively assess the preservation status of shadow puppets, which is essential for their efficient scientific conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional materials with working temperatures near room temperature are crucial for practical applications. Until now, it is still a great challenge to obtain such materials. In this paper, a complex of (C5NH13Cl)2MnBr4 (1) with a structural phase transition near room temperature is reported. The phase transition induces switchable magnetic properties, dielectric anomalies and luminescent response over the same range of temperatures. It is the first time the synergetic effect of magnetism, dielectricity and luminescence near room temperature have been observed in the same molecular complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem that the least mean square (LMS) algorithm cannot balance the convergence rate and steady-state mean square error (MSE) well and require excessive manual adjustment of parameters, this paper proposes a parameter-free variable step-size LMS algorithm based on the hyperbolic tangent function. First, the algorithm uses the hyperbolic tangent function to establish a nonlinear relationship between the error and the step size. Based on this, the average value of the error signal is used to update the step size. Further, the accumulated error value is multiplied by its average value and added to the input signal energy. Then, the algorithm is normalized by using this value to prevent the algorithm divergence due to the sudden increase in the signal power. The convergence proof of the proposed algorithm is provided in this paper. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can automatically adjust the parameters. The convergence rate and the steady-state MSE are better than those of other algorithms for both high and low signal-to-noise ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uptake of nitrogen (N) during hydrothermal alteration of oceanic crust makes the altered oceanic crust (AOC) a significant N reservoir in parallel to seafloor sediments. While N enrichment in the upper (basaltic) oceanic crust during low-temperature alteration has been widely observed, the N characteristics of moderate- to high-temperature altered gabbroic oceanic crust, which accounts for ∼70 vol% of the crustal material in subducting slabs, have been rarely studied. The lack of these data resulted in large uncertainties in calculating the N input flux of global subducting slabs and modeling the N quantities released through the arc and subducted into the deep mantle. To fill this gap, we examined the N concentrations and isotope compositions of 38 altered gabbroic rocks recovered by ODP/IODP drillings from three oceans, i.e., Hole 735B at the Atlantis Bank in the Southwest Indian Ridge, Hole 1309D at the Atlantis massif in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Hole 1415P at the Hess Deep in the East Pacific Rise. All the gabbroic samples show significant N enrichment with mostly positive δ15N values (in average: 7.4±3.8 ppm and +0.6±2.0‰ for Hole 735B, 5.3±2.1 ppm and +1.4±1.3‰ for Hole 1309D and 7.9±1.9 ppm and +2.0±1.8‰ for Hole 1415P), which are comparable to those of altered basalts from global oceanic crust. The N concentrations and δ15N values of these gabbroic rocks can be readily explained by mixing between minor inherited mantle N and mainly secondary N derived from seawater. The secondary N-hosting minerals in altered gabbroic rocks are likely plagioclase, amphibole and chlorite formed during moderate- to high-temperature alteration stages. Using these new data, we obtained a global nitrogen input flux of 20.6 - 1.3 + 0.9 × 109 mol·yr−1 to 29.9±2.2 × 109 mol·yr−1 for subducting AOC, in which 50% – 64% is contributed by the altered gabbroic oceanic crust. Integrating with previous estimate of N input flux from seafloor sediments, a total N input flux of 74.9 - 1.3 + 0.9 – 84.2±2.2 mol·yr−1 was estimated for global subducting slabs. Mass balance between this input N flux and various estimates of N output flux in global arcs gave a large range (from 47% – 53% to 10% – 20%) for the fraction of slab N to be subducted beyond the sub-arc depth to the deeper mantle. The upper end (47% – 53%) of this range is more consistent with the results from other constraints, such as thermal structural control and comparison between altered gabbros and meta-gabbros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dimensional tin selenide nanoribbons (SnSe NRs) show a wide range of applications in optoelectronics fields such as optical switches, photodetectors, and photovoltaic devices due to the suitable band gap, strong light–matter interaction, and high carrier mobility. However, it is still challenging to grow high-quality SnSe NRs for high-performance photodetectors so far. In this work, we successfully synthesized high-quality p-type SnSe NRs by chemical vapor deposition and then fabricated near-infrared photodetectors. The SnSe NR photodetectors show a high responsivity of 376.71 A W−1, external quantum efficiency of 5.65 × 104%, and detectivity of 8.66 × 1011 Jones. In addition, the devices show a fast response time with rise and fall time of up to 43 μ s and 57 μ s, respectively. Furthermore, the spatially resolved scanning photocurrent mapping shows very strong photocurrent at the metal-semiconductor contact regions, as well as fast generation-recombination photocurrent signals. This work demonstrated that p-type SnSe NRs are promising material candidates for broad-spectrum and fast-response optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural frequency and life of the compressor blades of the aero-engine were obtained by the modal and high cycle fatigue (HCF) experiment. Two failure criteria of compressor blades: vibratory stress and fatigue crack growth were investigated through theoretical and simulation techniques. The study found that resonant generates a non-proportional loads history output in the different regions of the compressor blade in the HCF test. The predictions of the crack growth path are compared with the experiment results. The sensitivity of vibratory stress and resonant frequency to crack locations and lengths are researched. The distribution characteristics of stress and crack should be fully understood before to make a more accurate fracture failure analysis and life predictions are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, reliability models of competing failure processes for the product subject to degradation and random shocks are established, which are accompanied by degradation path slope change caused by specific shock patterns. The two related failure modes are hard failure arising from different random shocks, and soft failure due to consecutive structure damage or combined with a sudden increment of degradation because of an identical random shock. In sophisticated equipment like aircraft engine systems, the degradation path of performance parameters is characterized by multi‐stages when the product is more prone to fatigue or accelerated aging, as a consequence of experienced shocks. This article analyzes five random shock patterns that can change the slope of the degradation path and studies an example to explain the application of proposed reliability models as well as the sensitivity analysis of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An absence of reward in chronic stress may impair the reward circuit in the brain, resulting in major depressive disorder (MDD). In a part of chronically stressed individuals, MDD is not present, i.e., there is resilience, implying endogenous anti-depressive mechanisms in the brain. We studied social defeat model mice and analyzed the mRNA maps of the hippocampus from a control group and social defeat (SD)-susceptible and SD-resilient mice using high-throughput sequencing techniques. It was found that the immune response was associated with depression. Existing studies have proven that microglia play an important role in the brain immune response, and their activation level increases after chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). In our study, minocycline inhibited the activation of microglia, thereby improving the depressive state of CSDS mice. In addition, minocycline combined with fluoxetine enhanced the efficacy of fluoxetine. Thus, our results propose the most probable mechanism underlying different responses to CSDS and indicate the potential of a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants in treating refractory depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaining insight into the in situ receptor–ligand binding is pivotal for revealing the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological and pathological processes and will contribute to drug discovery and biomedical application. An important issue involved is how the receptor–ligand binding responds to mechanical stimuli. This review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding of the effect of several representative mechanical factors, such as tension, shear stress, stretch, compression, and substrate stiffness on receptor–ligand binding, wherein the biomedical implications are focused. In addition, we highlight the importance of synergistic development of experimental and computational methods for fully understanding the in situ receptor–ligand binding, and further studies should focus on the coupling effects of these mechanical factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel three nitro‐group‐bearing monomer 3,6‐dinitro‐9‐(2‐trifluoromethyl‐4‐nitrophenyl)‐carbazole (Car‐3NO2‐CF3) via a CN coupling reaction between 3,6‐dinitro‐9H‐carbazole (Car‐2NO2) and 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride is synthesized, and obtained single crystal and single crystal analysis data for this compound. The crystal system of Car‐3NO2‐CF3 is monoclinic and it has a P 21/c space group. This new monomer (Car‐3NO2‐CF3) is also utilized to synthesize a novel azo‐linked polymer (Azo‐Car‐CF3). The trifluoromethyl group has polar CF bonds, and thus it is an effective functional group for the capture of iodine. Azo‐Car‐CF3 has great thermal stability with a mass loss of only 10% at 414 °C, as well as good chemical stability as is demonstrated by its low solubility in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, methanol, ethanol, and N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The specific surface area of Azo‐Car‐CF3 can reach as high as 335 m2 g−1. Azo‐Car‐CF3 exhibits an excellent capacity for iodine adsorption and can reach up to 1198 mg g−1 in cyclohexane solution, and its adsorption capacity for iodine vapor can get to 2100 mg g−1. In addition, ethanol can be used to trigger the release of the captured iodine to be easily released from Azo‐Car‐CF3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intricately interwoven topologies are continually being synthesized and are ultimately equally versatile and significant at the nanoscale level; however, reports concerning ravel structures, which are highly entwined new topological species, are extremely rare and fraught with tremendous synthesis challenges. To solve the synthesis problem, a tetrapodontic pyridine ligand L1 with two types of olefinic bond units and two Cp*M‐based building blocks (E1, M=Rh; E2, M=Ir) featuring large conjugated planes was prepared to perform the self‐assembly. Two unprecedented [5+10] icosanuclear molecular 4‐ravels containing four crossings were obtained by parallel‐displaced π⋅⋅⋅π interactions in a single‐step strategy. Remarkably, reversible structural transformations between the 4‐ravel and the corresponding metallocage could be realized by concentration changes and solvent‐ and guest‐induced effects. X‐ray crystallographic data and NMR spectroscopy provide full confirmation of these phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the asymmetric construction of functionalized acyclic all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters and 1,3‐nonadjacent stereoelements has been developed via organo/metal dual catalyzed asymmetric allenylic substitution of branched and linear aldehydes, by developing an unknown acyclic secondary‐secondary diamine as the enabling organocatalyst. Although it is believed that secondary‐secondary diamines are difficult to be used as the organocatalysts in organo/metal dual catalysis, this study demonstrates that such diamines can be successfully combined with a metal catalyst in organo/metal dual catalysis. Our study enables the asymmetric construction of two important classes of motifs which were previously difficult to access, axially chiral allene‐containing acyclic all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters and 1,3‐nonadjacent stereoelements bearing allenyl axial chirality and central chirality, in good yields with high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intricately interwoven topologies are continually being synthesized and are ultimately equally versatile and significant at the nanoscale level; however, reports concerning ravel structures, which are highly entwined new topological species, are extremely rare and fraught with tremendous synthesis challenges. To solve the synthesis problem, a tetrapodontic pyridine ligand L1 with two types of olefinic bond units and two Cp*M‐based building blocks (E1, M=Rh; E2, M=Ir) featuring large conjugated planes was prepared to perform the self‐assembly. Two unprecedented [5+10] icosanuclear molecular 4‐ravels containing four crossings were obtained by parallel‐displaced π⋅⋅⋅π interactions in a single‐step strategy. Remarkably, reversible structural transformations between the 4‐ravel and the corresponding metallocage could be realized by concentration changes and solvent‐ and guest‐induced effects. X‐ray crystallographic data and NMR spectroscopy provide full confirmation of these phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the asymmetric construction of functionalized acyclic all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters and 1,3‐nonadjacent stereoelements has been developed via organo/metal dual catalyzed asymmetric allenylic substitution of branched and linear aldehydes, by developing an unknown acyclic secondary‐secondary diamine as the enabling organocatalyst. Although it is believed that secondary‐secondary diamines are difficult to be used as the organocatalysts in organo/metal dual catalysis, this study demonstrates that such diamines can be successfully combined with a metal catalyst in organo/metal dual catalysis. Our study enables the asymmetric construction of two important classes of motifs which were previously difficult to access, axially chiral allene‐containing acyclic all‐carbon quaternary stereocenters and 1,3‐nonadjacent stereoelements bearing allenyl axial chirality and central chirality, in good yields with high enantio‐ and diastereoselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a mononuclear Co(II) compound [Co(H2O)6]Cl2·2C6H12N4·4H2O (1) was synthesized and characterized. X‐ray single crystal diffraction analyses shows that the Co(II) ion adopts almost perfect octahedral coordination geometry with O6 donors provided by six water molecules. Magnetic properties studies show it has strong in‐plane anisotropy with D = +66.7 cm−1. AC susceptibility measurements indicate it is a field‐induced SMM with Ueff = 56.11 K via Raman relaxation process and/or direct process. It is rare for Co(II) ion in cobalt‐based compound showing almost perfect octahedral coordination geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moso bamboo is capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction during natural growth, resulting in four distinct types of culms: the bamboo shoot-culm, the seedling stem, the leptomorph rhizome, and a long-ignored culm—the outward-rhizome. Sometimes, when the outward rhizomes break through the soil, they continue to grow longitudinally and develop into a new individual. However, the roles of alternative transcription start sites (aTSS) or termination sites (aTTS) as well as alternative splicing (AS) have not been comprehensively studied for their development. To re-annotate the moso bamboo genome and identify genome-wide aTSS, aTTS, and AS in growing culms, we utilized single-molecule long-read sequencing technology. In total, 169,433 non-redundant isoforms and 14,840 new gene loci were identified. Among 1311 lncRNAs, most of which showed a positive correlation with their target mRNAs, one-third of these IncRNAs were preferentially expressed in winter bamboo shoots. In addition, the predominant AS type observed in moso bamboo was intron retention, while aTSS and aTTS events occurred more frequently than AS. Notably, most genes with AS events were also accompanied by aTSS and aTTS events. Outward rhizome growth in moso bamboo was associated with a significant increase in intron retention, possibly due to changes in the growth environment. As different types of moso bamboo culms grow and develop, a significant number of isoforms undergo changes in their conserved domains due to the regulation of aTSS, aTTS, and AS. As a result, these isoforms may play different roles than their original functions. These isoforms then performed different functions from their original roles, contributing to the transcriptomic complexity of moso bamboo. Overall, this study provided a comprehensive overview of the transcriptomic changes underlying different types of moso bamboo culm growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, probiotics have received constantly rising scientific attention in the field of public health including healthcare and functional foods developments. Among them, the abundance and bioactivity of Bifidobacterium has strongly correlation with human intestinal health through intervention of gut microbiota. As heteroglycan is an indispensable component of diet, it is of great significance to explore its unique metabolic mechanism by Bifidobacterium to promote intestinal function and expand its practical application in healthy foods. This review covers the recent research frontiers on the utilization mechanism of heteroglycan that interacted with several commercialized Bifidobacterium to human intestinal health, including the general features of carbohydrate metabolism system, the responsible carbohydrate active enzyme families, the bioactive metabolites and their potential functional contributions. The existing limitations and future research fields on Bifidobacterium -heteroglycan interaction are also with integrated discussion. Increasing evidences support the Bifidobacterium -heteroglycan interaction attribute to the human intestinal health, where the bioactive metabolites are strategic molecules that responsible for the normal intestinal function, pathogen prevention and diseases therapeutics. The different sources of heteroglycans and bifidobacterial strains/species both have dramatical influences on the utilization efficiency and the properties of bioactive metabolites. Considerable efforts will be needed to expand the research on the utilization strategies of heteroglycans from different sources by Bifidobacterium to lay a scientific foundation for a better understanding on the roles of the Bifidobacterium associated with gastrointestinal health under the different carbohydrate intake preferences in diets. • Bifidobacterium can utilize heteroglycans by complex carbohydrate metabolism system. • Heteroglycan utilization by Bifidobacterium spp. is beneficial to intestinal health. • Heteroglycan-derived metabolites play crucial roles in maintain intestinal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy crisis is one of the most critical and urgent problems in modern society; thus, harvesting energy from ubiquitous low-grade heat energy with thermoelectric (TE) materials has become an available strategy in sustainable development. Recently, emerging ionic TE materials have been widely used to harvest low-grade heat energy, owing to their excellent performance in high ionic Seebeck coefficient, low thermal conductivity, and mechanical flexibility. However, the instability of ionic conductive materials in the underwater environment seriously suppresses underwater energy-harvesting, resulting in a waste of underwater low-grade heat energy. Herein, we developed a water-resistant TE ionogel (TEIG) with excellent long-term underwater stability utilizing a hydrophobic structure. Due to the hydrophobic polymer network and hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), the TEIG exhibits high hydrophobicity and antiswelling capacity, which meets the requirement of environment stability for underwater thermoelectric application. Furthermore, the water resistance endows the TEIG with great thermoelectric performances in the underwater environment, including satisfactory ionic Seebeck coefficient, outstanding durability, and superior salt tolerance. Therefore, this investigation provides a promising strategy to design water-resistant TE materials, enabling a remarkable potential in harvesting low-grade heat energy under water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Exposed endoscopic full‐thickness resection (Eo‐EFTR) has proven effective and economical for patients with gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs), showing great prospects. However, the poor operative field of view, the risk of tumors falling into the peritoneal cavity, especially the difficulties in defect closure, have limited its widespread application. Herein, we described a modified traction‐assisted Eo‐EFTR technique aimed at simplifying both the dissection and defect closure procedures. Methods: Nineteen patients who underwent the modified Eo‐EFTR for gastric SMTs in the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital were enrolled in the study. Following a 2/3 circumferential full‐thickness incision, a clip with dental floss was anchored to the resected part of the tumor surface. With the dental floss traction, the gastric defect was reshaped into a V shape, which facilitated the deployment of clips to close the defect. The defect closure and tumor dissection procedures were then performed alternately. Patients' demographics, tumor characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes were evaluated retrospectively. Results: All tumors had an R0 resection. The median procedure time was 43 min (range 28–89 min). No severe perioperative adverse events occurred. Two patients experienced transient fever, and three patients complained of mild abdominal pain on the first day after the operation. All patients recovered on the next day with conservative management. No residual lesion or recurrence was reported during the follow‐up period of 30.1 months. Conclusion: The safety and practicability of the modified technique might allow for wide clinical applications of Eo‐EFTR in gastric SMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to study the strict convexity of the Mabuchi functional along a C 1 , 1 ¯ -geodesic, with the aid of the ε -geodesics. We proved the L 2 -convergence of the fiberwise volume element of the ε -geodesic. Moreover, the geodesic is proved to be uniformly fiberwise non-degenerate if the Mabuchi functional is ε -affine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to reveal the relationship between changes in the physical and chemical characterization of eggs during storage and to provide a new way to assess egg freshness at the molecular chemical level. In this study, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of egg albumin from 60 fresh eggs (ISA Brown layer) stored for 1, 10, 20, 30, and 40 days at 4°C and 10°C were measured (n = 6), and the amide I band of the egg albumin spectra was quantified by Fourier deconvolution and curve fitting to obtain the composition of the protein molecular structure. The results showed that different storage temperatures and storage times led to protein denaturation, resulting in changes in the conformation of the protein secondary structure. With increasing storage temperature and storage time, the content of the ordered structures β-sheet and α-helix in the egg protein secondary structure decreased significantly (p < 0.05), and the content of the disordered structure β-turn and random coil increased significantly (p < 0.05). Based on the pattern of protein secondary structure changes during storage, it was found that fresh eggs were better stored at 4°C for up to 15 days. Spearman's correlation analysis of egg protein height, Haugh unit, egg weight, and protein secondary structure in eggs stored at 4°C showed a significant positive correlation between β-sheet and α-helix and egg weight, protein height, and Haugh unit. And a significant negative correlation between random coil and egg weight, protein height, and Haugh unit. Therefore, a curve fitting method based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of deconvoluted spectra is an effective method for evaluating egg quality and freshness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directional fluid transport by electrowetting is an effective method for fluid management both on Earth and in the space environment. Exact control of the process is always hard because the fundamental dynamics of fluid flow and interface are not well understood. In this study, we examine the process of a sensible droplet transported directionally in an electrowetting channel. The electrodes of the channel are programmed to actuate the droplet at the most effective manner. We build a numerical model based on the phase field method, and a dynamic contact angle model is incorporated in the model. Based on simulated results, the basic process of droplet deformation and motion is explained. Three different stages are observed when the droplet starts to move in the electrowetting channel. The droplet can be transported at a high velocity of 17 mm/s at a voltage of V = 80 V. A wide range of influence factors, including voltage, droplet size, friction factor, pinning force, channel height, gravity level, and tilted angle of the channel, are considered. The contact line friction increases almost linearly with the contact line friction coefficient and the pinning force, both retarding the motion of the droplet at parabolic relations. With an increase in the gravity level, the transport velocity of large droplet decreases. However, the droplet smaller than the capillary length shows quite good anti-gravity capability, which can be transported smoothly even when the channel is tilted by 90° in a normal gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]