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Abstract The global energy demand has greatly impacted greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Since buildings are responsible for a large portion of global energy consumption, this study investigates the energy-saving potential of green roofs and cool roofs in reducing building energy consumption. Using an integrated approach that combines climate change modeling and building energy simulation, the study evaluates these strategies in six global cities (Cairo, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Los Angeles, and Sao Paulo) under current and future climate change scenarios. The results show that in future climates, the implementation of green and cool roofs at the city level can lead to substantial annual energy reductions, with up to 65.51% and 71.72% reduction in HVAC consumption, respectively, by 2100. These findings can guide the implementation of these strategies in different climatic zones worldwide, informing the selection and design of suitable roof mitigation strategies for specific urban contexts.

Acute portal vein thrombosis (PVST), a serious complication of liver cirrhosis, is characterized as abdominal pain secondary to intestinal ischemia, and even intestinal necrosis. Anticoagulation is recommended for the treatment of acute PVST, but is often postponed in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding or those at a high risk of variceal bleeding. Herein, we reported a 63-year-old male with a 14-year history of alcoholic liver cirrhosis who developed progressive abdominal pain related to acute portal vein and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis immediately after endoscopic variceal ligation combined with endoscopic cyanoacrylate glue injection for acute variceal bleeding. Fortunately, acute PVST was successfully recanalized by the use of low molecular weight heparin. Collectively, this case suggests that acute symptomatic PVST can be secondary to endoscopic variceal therapy in liver cirrhosis, and can be safely and successfully treated by anticoagulation.

The very fast transient overvoltage/overcurrent (VFTO/VFTC) signals generated during disconnectors switching operation may result in a significant threat to the reliability of power grids. While there are several commercial types of disconnectors, there is still a lack of understanding of the electromagnetic interference characteristics that is generated during the very fast transient process of the disconnectors. Based on the transient voltage and current data of disconnector capacitive small current test, this paper extracts the characteristics of the corresponding macropulse and monopulse waveforms. Also, the paper presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of the transient waveform characteristic data through probability density function fitting and Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K–S) test of the sample cumulative empirical distribution. The statistical results show that the probability density distribution of the switching operation macropulse waveform follows generalized extreme value and inverse gaussian distribution. The maximum peak values of VFTO and VFTC monopulse are found to be 50 kV and 370 A with a respective rise time at the range of nano- and micro-seconds.​ The frequency bands of VFTO and VFTC macro waveforms are basically distributed within 16 MHz. Results of this paper can pave the way into a more scientific basis for the design of disconnectors considering the strong electromagnetic disturbance and the formulation of system level electromagnetic compatibility standard tests, ensure the safe and stable operation of the power grid.

Abstract Background Abnormal lipid metabolism is one of the most prominent metabolic changes in cancer. Studies have shown that lipid metabolism also plays an important role in neuroblastoma. We recently discovered that the insulinoma-associated 2 gene (INSM2) could regulate lipid metabolism in neuroblastoma (NB) and is improperly controlled by super enhancers, a mammalian genome region that has been shown to control the expression of NB cell identity genes. However, the specific molecular pathways by which INSM2 leads to NB disease development are unknown. Results We identified INSM2 as a gene regulated by super enhancers in NB. In addition, INSM2 expression levels were significantly upregulated in NB and correlated with poor prognosis in patients. We found that INSM2 drives the growth of NB cell lines both in vitro and in vivo. Knocking down INSM2 inhibited fatty acid metabolism in NB cells. Mechanistically, INSM2 regulates the expression of SREBP1 by regulating the mTOR signaling pathway, which in turn affects lipid metabolism, thereby mediating the occurrence and development of neuroblastoma. Conclusion INSM2 as a super-enhancer-associated gene could regulates lipid metabolism by modulating mTOR signaling pathway in neuroblastoma.

This paper proposes a new technical route of solar-biomass assisted thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system for power generation which uses renewable fuel and contributes to carbon neutrality. Here, a thermophysics model is established for solar-biomass assisted TPV based on energy-balance principle. The effects of some key parameters on the new system performance are investigated, including concentrate ratio, emitter area, biomass fuels, etc. Besides, biomass fuel saving after adding solar energy is investigated. The results show that the solar-biomass assisted TPV system can not only increase the output power of photovoltaic cells by more than 10 kW/m2 compared to biomass-driven TPV but also increase the electrical efficiency by nearly 10 percentage points. It is pointed out that improving the absorptance of solar absorber is the key for system optimization. Furthermore, the annual performance analysis shows that it also saves biomass fuel by up to 60% in one year. This study provides a reference for the design and application of renewable TPV technology.

BackgroundTension-type headache (TTH) is one of the most common primary headaches. Several studies have confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture therapies for TTH, but it is uncertain which treatment is most effective.ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of different acupuncture therapies for TTH using Bayesian Network Meta-analysis to provide new ideas for treating TTH.MethodsNine databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about different acupuncture therapies for TTH up to December 1, 2022. The outcome indicators analyzed in our study were total effective rate, visual analog scale (VAS), headache frequency, and safety. Pairwise meta-analysis and risk of bias assessment were performed using Review Manager 5.4. Stata 15.0 generated a network evidence plot and detected publication bias. Finally, a Bayesian network meta-analysis of the data was used by RStudio.ResultsThe screening process resulted in 30 RCTs that met the inclusion criteria, including 2,722 patients. Most studies failed to report details of trials and were therefore assessed as unclear risks. Two studies were considered high risk because they did not report on all pre-specified outcome indicators or had incomplete data on outcome indicators. The NMA results showed that for total effective rate, bloodletting therapy had the most considerable SUCRA value (0.93156136), for VAS, head acupuncture combined with Western medicine ranked first (SUCRA = 0.89523571), and acupuncture combined with herbal medicine was the most effective in improving headache frequency (p > 0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture can be used as one of the complementary or alternative therapies for TTH; bloodletting therapy better improves the overall symptoms of TTH, head acupuncture combined with Western medicine is more effective in reducing VAS scores, and acupuncture combined with herbal medicine seems to reduce headache frequency, but the difference is not statistically significant. Overall, acupuncture for TTH is effective with mild side effects, but future high-quality studies are still necessary.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO [CRD42022368749].

To ensure the safe operation of a transmission line, it is necessary to study the radial temperature rise and the stress and strain distribution of the transmission line under on-load state. A three-dimensional solid finite element model of reinforced aluminum conductor steel was established, and the temperature and stress distribution of the conductor were calculated. The effects of operating tension, wind speed, and radial temperature difference on the temperature and stress distribution were analyzed. The radial temperature difference increases about 1.40–3.16 °C with the rise of the mean temperature of the conductor. When the ambient temperature decreases from 20 to −40 °C, the mean temperature of the conductor decreases from 50.34 to −9.31 °C, and the external layer stress increases from 44.59 to 60.19 MPa. At the same time, the external layer stress of the conductor increases with the increase in wind speed and operating tension. The stress of the outermost aluminum conductor of the conductor under the radial temperature difference load increases with the rise in the temperature difference, and the stress of the inner aluminum conductor and the inner steel core decreases with the rise in the temperature difference.

Autophagy has dual roles in cancer, resulting in cellular adaptation to promote either cell survival or cell death. Modulating autophagy can enhance the cytotoxicity of many chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs and is increasingly considered to be a promising cancer treatment approach. Cynaropicrin (CYN) is a natural compound that was isolated from an edible plant (artichoke). Previous studies have shown that CYN exhibits antitumor effects in several cancer cell lines. However, it anticancer effects against neuroblastoma (NB) and the underlying mechanisms have not yet been investigated. More specifically, the regulation of autophagy in NB cells by CYN has never been reported before. In this study, we demonstrated that CYN induced apoptosis and protective autophagy. Further mechanistic studies suggested that ER stress-induced autophagy inhibited apoptosis by activating the p62/Keap1/Nrf2 pathways. Finally, in vivo data showed that CYN inhibited tumour growth in xenografted nude mice. Overall, our findings suggested that CYN may be a promising candidate for the treatment of NB, and the combination of pharmacological inhibitors of autophagy may hold novel therapeutic potential for the treatment of NB. Our paper will contribute to the rational utility and pharmacological studies of CYN in future anticancer research.

Abstract The world is experiencing a rapid loss in the biodiversity of pollinator insects. Habitat segmentation caused by infrastructures is one of the contributing factors. To improve the habitat connectivity of pollinator insects, it is proposed in this study to build green corridors for pollinators over linear infrastructures such as highways. In the context of suburban areas of a large city, this study examines differences in air parameters between natural environments and a roadside environment based on monitored and estimated data. Influences of different green corridor designs on floral scent dispersion are also investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and simulation. It is found that, if flower plants are installed on highway overpasses, the floral scents would be better preserved as compared with those in a natural environment due to the lower concentrations of oxidative radicals in the air above highways. The stronger floral scents and their wider dispersion may help attract pollinators. Conversely, highway air contains a variety of volatine organic compounds (VOCs) that are traced to highway operations and pavements. Hence, the overall profile of VOCs in a highway environment differs from that in a natural environment. Results from CFD modeling and simulation suggest that the use of green corridors planted with flowers on the highway overpass can greatly improve the connectivity of floral scents. Hence, with proper engineering design and right combination of plant species, green corridors built on highway overpasses have the potential to facilitate pollinators to cross the road, thereby improving their habitat connectivity and resilience against declining biodiversity.

Background: Depression after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with poor prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram to predict the risk of depression in patients with MI. Methods: This retrospective study included 1615 survivors of MI aged >20 years who were selected from the 2005–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. The 899 subjects from the 2005–2012 survey comprised the development group, and the remaining 716 subjects comprised the validation group. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified variables significantly associated with depression. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) binomial regression model was used to select the best predictive variables. Results: A full predictive model and a simplified model were developed using multivariate analysis and LASSO binomial regression results, respectively, and validated using data from the validation group. The receiver operator characteristic curve and Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness of fit test were used to assess the nomogram's performance. The full nomogram model included 8 items: age, BMI, smoking, drinking, diabetes, exercise, insomnia, and PIR. The area under the curve for the development group was 0.799 and for the validation group was 0.731, indicating that our model has good stability and predictive accuracy. The goodness of fit test showed a good model calibration for both groups. The simplified model includes age, smoking, PIR, and insomnia. The AUC of the simplified model was 0.772 and 0.711 in the development and validation groups, respectively, indicating that the simplified model still possessed good predictive accuracy. Conclusion: Our nomogram helped assess the individual probability of depression after MI and can be used as a complement to existing depression screening scales to help physicians make better treatment decisions.

The urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon is becoming increasingly severe due to unprecedented urbanization and global warming paces. The increasing heat stress threatens the environment, the health of residents, and also the city the walkability. However, greenspace can generate a cooling effect to mitigate the UHI. To gain a better understanding of how urban greening contributes to the optimization of outdoor thermal comfort and the improvement of city walkability, this study investigates the relationships between outdoor thermal environment, the thermal comfort of pedestrians, and their traveling behaviours. Thermal environment was simulated using a microclimatic computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model – ENVI-met. Travel behaviour of pedestrians was simulated through agent-based modelling (ABM). A total of 337 pedestrians were monitored and interviewed across several outdoor sites with different urban morphologies in Hong Kong, along with the simultaneous collection of site-specific climatic data. Based on the data, relationships between outdoor thermal conditions, human thermal perceptions, and walking speeds were analysed exploratively and quantitatively. It is found that the walking speed of pedestrians is notably reduced with increased thermal stress levels. The walking speed can be well predicted by a polynomial regression model (R2=0.719), artificial neural network (ANN) models (R2=0.907), and a deep neural network (DNN) model (R2=0.931). Street trees can improve outdoor thermal comfort effectively (a maximum reduction of the mean radiant temperature at 4.23 °C and a maximum reduction of the universal thermal index at 0.88 °C). Simulation results of ABM demonstrate that street trees can cause a reduction in perceived travel time (PTT) of up to 3 s per 100 m. The research findings are expected to mitigate urban warming and constitute thermally comfortable and walkable outdoor environments.

Lead halide perovskite is a new photovoltaic material with excellent material characteristics, such as high optical absorption coefficient, long carrier transmission length, long carrier lifetime and low defect state density. At present, the steady-state photoelectric conversion efficiency of all-perovskite laminated cells is as high as 28.0%, which has surpassed the highest efficiency of monocrystalline silicon cells (26.7%). In addition to its excellent photovoltaic properties, perovskite is also a type of direct bandgap semiconductor with low cost, solubilization, high fluorescence quantum efficiency and tunable radiation wavelength, which brings hope for the realization of electrically pumped low-cost semiconductor lasers. In recent years, a variety of perovskite lasers have emerged, ranging from the type of resonator, the wavelength and pulse width of the pump source, and the preparation process. However, the current research on perovskite lasers is only about the type of resonator, the type of perovskite and the pump wavelength, but the performance of the laser itself and the practical application of perovskite lasers are still in the initial stages. In this review, we summarize the recent developments and progress of solution-processed perovskite semiconductors lasers. We discuss the merit of solution-processed perovskite semiconductors as lasing gain materials and summarized the characteristics of a variety of perovskite lasers. In addition, in view of the issues of poor stability and high current density required to achieve electrically pumped lasers in perovskite lasers, the development trend of perovskite lasers in the future is prospected.

As an effective manufacturing technology, inkjet printing is very suitable for the fabrication of perovskite light-emitting diodes in next-generation displays. However, the unsatisfied efficiency of perovskite light-emitting diode created with the use of inkjet printing impedes its development for future application. Here, we report highly efficient PeLEDs using inkjet printing, with an external quantum efficiency of 7.9%, a current efficiency of 32.0 cd/A, and the highest luminance of 2465 cd/m2; these values are among the highest values for the current efficiency of inkjet-printed PeLED in the literature. The outstanding performance of our device is due to the coffee-ring-free and uniform perovskite nanocrystal layer on the PVK layer, resulting from vacuum post-treatment and using a suitable ink. Moreover, the surface roughness and thickness of the perovskite layer are effectively controlled by adjusting the spacing of printing dots. This study makes an insightful exploration of the use of inkjet printing in PeLED fabrication, which is one of the most promising ways for future industrial production of PeLEDs.

In this study, a thermal-balance model is established for energy calculation of a new solar-fuel assisted thermophotovoltaic system, which could save fossil fuels and improve the grade of solar energy. The coupling effects of key parameters such as concentrate ratio, absorber area, emitter area, etc. on the system efficiency are determined. Besides, the effect of solar energy on the fuel saving is investigated. The results show that the solar-fuel assisted thermophotovoltaic system cannot only increase the output power of photovoltaic cells by nearly 25 kW/m2 compared to fuel-driven thermophotovoltaic but also increase the electrical efficiency by nearly 10 percentage points. Furthermore, it also saves fuel by up to 76%. It is pointed out that improving the absorptance of solar absorber is the key for system optimization. This study provides a reference for the design and application of solar thermophotovoltaic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]