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We have determined the bond dissociation energy of O2 by measuring fully state-to-state resolved threshold fragment yield spectra in the XUV energy region, O 2 X 3 Σ g − , N ″ , J ″ → O ( P J 3 ) + O ( S 1 o 3 ) / O ( S 2 o 5 ). Our results have yielded a bond dissociation energy value of 41 269.19 ± 0.10 cm−1, which is consistent with previous measurements but exhibits a significantly lower uncertainty, approximately five times smaller. It is noteworthy that this study is the first to simultaneously achieve fine structure state resolution for the parent O2 molecule and spin–orbit state resolution for the O(3PJ) fragments in the measurement of O2 bond dissociation energy. As a result, our findings have established a solid foundation for the obtained data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a study on the variations of the fragment anisotropy parameters (β) along the Fano profiles for the predissociation of the D2 molecule. These variations, known as β profiles, were measured for the D(2l) fragments from the predissociation of the 4 p π D ′ Π u 1 υ ′ = 1 and 4 p σ B ″ Σ u + 1 υ ′ = 2 states. The measured β profiles show significant asymmetry and broader linewidths compared to the corresponding Fano profiles. By fitting the β profiles, we were able to determine the fragment anisotropy parameters associated with the resonance state, continuum state, and the interference effect between them. Additionally, we determined the ratios of the absorption cross sections between the unperturbed and perturbed continuum states interacting with the resonance states although these ratios were found to be very small. Furthermore, we derived approximate formulas to calculate the parameters characterizing the β profile. Despite the linewidths of the four Fano profiles being narrower than our instrumental resolution, we were still able to determine the product of the linewidth with the Fano q parameters. These findings demonstrate the utility of the β profile as an effective tool for studying the predissociation dynamics in diatomic molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precise determination of the bond dissociation energy of N2 is crucial for thermochemistry database and theoretical calculations. However, there has been ongoing debate regarding its exact value. In this study, we used the velocity map imaging method combined with an extreme ultraviolet laser to measure the threshold fragment yield (TFY) spectra of N2 in the N(2D) + N(2D) photodissociation channels. By integrating the signals within a small circular area on the fragment velocity map images, we were able to obtain TFY spectra at nine different dissociation thresholds. These spectra are rotational state-resolved for the N2(J″) molecules and spin–orbit state-resolved for the dissociation channels involving N(2D) fragments. By employing the Wigner threshold law to simulate the TFY spectra and conducting statistical analysis on the comprehensive dataset, we determined the N2 bond dissociation energy to be 78 691.09 ± 0.15 cm−1. This work now places N2 among the few diatomic molecules with bond dissociation energies measured at sub-wavenumber precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional (2D) ferroionics is appealing in performing complex artificial intelligence tasks due to the interesting property of coexistence of ferroelectricity and ionic activities. CuInP2S6 (CIPS), as a typical 2D ferroionic material, is highly conducive to rich functions of information devices due to the displacement of Cu+ inducing both ferroelectricity and ionic conductivity. However, the coupling and modulation of polarization and ion migration in CIPS for multifunctional information devices has not been fully explored. Here, this study demonstrates that digital memory and synaptic simulations are realized in Au/CIPS/Au device via engineering ferroelectric polarization reversal and the long‐distance migration of the Cu+ to change conductive modes. Steep resistive switching behavior based on ion‐migration is observed with a high on/off ratio of over 108, long retention time (>2 × 104 s), and current compliance engineered multilevel resistance states, demonstrating reliable nonvolatile high‐density memory characteristics. Based on the continuous modulation of polar order, the key synaptic behaviors are successfully simulated. Moreover, by the co‐modulation of polarization state and ions migration, the paired‐pulse facilitation, paired‐pulse depression, and potentiation following depression are achieved. These results suggest that CIPS is a promising candidate for constructing high‐performance, function‐enriched devices for data storage, information processing, and neuromorphic computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the discrete octonion linear canonical transform (DOCLCT) is presented. According to the definition of DOCLCT, its shift transform and modulation transform are explored. In addition, based on a new convolution operator, we obtain the convolution theorem of DOCLCT. The DOCLCT can be derived by the three-dimensional (3D) linear canonical transform. So, the fast algorithm of 3D DOCLCT is discussed. Finally, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle associated with DOCLCT is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No reliable clinical tools exist to predict acute kidney injury (AKI) progression. We aim to explore a scoring system for predicting the composite outcome of progression to severe AKI or death within seven days among early AKI patients after cardiac surgery. Methods: In this study, we used two independent cohorts, and patients who experienced mild/moderate AKI within 48 h after cardiac surgery were enrolled. Eventually, 3188 patients from the MIMIC-IV database were used as the derivation cohort, while 499 patients from the Zhongshan cohort were used as external validation. The primary outcome was defined by the composite outcome of progression to severe AKI or death within seven days after enrollment. The variables identified by LASSO regression analysis were entered into logistic regression models and were used to construct the risk score. Results: The composite outcome accounted for 3.7% (n = 119) and 7.6% (n = 38) of the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Six predictors were assembled into a risk score (AKI-Pro score), including female, baseline eGFR, aortic surgery, modified furosemide responsiveness index (mFRI), SOFA, and AKI stage. And we stratified the risk score into four groups: low, moderate, high, and very high risk. The risk score displayed satisfied predictive discrimination and calibration in the derivation and validation cohort. The AKI-Pro score discriminated the composite outcome better than CRATE score, Cleveland score, AKICS score, Simplified renal index, and SRI risk score (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: The AKI-Pro score is a new clinical tool that could assist clinicians to identify early AKI patients at high risk for AKI progression or death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of renewable energy is intricately relied on the development of diverse sustainable electrochemical devices. Persuing exceptionally efficient multifunctional electrocatalysts is imperative, as it promises to significantly streamline the electrode fabrication process, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of these devices. Herein, a trifunctional electrocatalysts of N‐doped carbon (NC) supported intermetallic PtZn catalyst (PtZn‐IMC@NC) are reported, which performs highly attractively toward the electrocatalysis of glycerol oxidation reactions (GOR), oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), and hydrogen evolution reactions (HER). Its effectiveness are demonstrated as electrocatalysts for both the anode and cathode in a hybrid acid/alkali direct glycerol fuel cell (AA‐DGFC) and a hybrid acid/alkali glycerol‐hydrogen electrolyzer (AA‐GHEC). The AA‐DGFC can release an impressive peak power density of 286.8 mW cm−2, while the AA‐GHEC achieves a noteworthy current density of 100 mA cm−2 at a significantly low applied voltage of 0.47 V. Such intermetallic PtZn‐based trifunctional electrocatalyst empowers them to establish a self‐powered integrated electrochemical device with the AA‐DGFC driving the AA‐GHEC. This setup exemplifies efficient valorization of glycerol into formate in both cells and hydrogen production in electrolyzer device. This study sparks innovation across diverse applications of multifunctional electrocatalysts and infuses renewed momentum into the realm of advanced energy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially dual-confined Ni-dope CoS 2 @NC@C microrods (Ni-CoS 2 @NC@C) are developed via structural design, heteroatom doping and carbon confinement to boost sodium storage performance of the material. [Display omitted] Currently, conversion-type transition metal sulfides have been extensively favored as the anodes for sodium-ion batteries due to their excellent redox reversibility and high theoretical capacity; however, they generally suffer from large volume expansion and structural instability during repeatedly Na+ de/intercalation. Herein, spatially dual-confined Ni-doped CoS 2 @NC@C microrods (Ni-CoS 2 @NC@C) are developed via structural design, heteroatom doping and carbon confinement to boost sodium storage performance of the material. The morphology of one-dimensional-structured microrods effectively enlarges the electrode/electrolyte contact area, while the confinement of dual - carbon layers greatly alleviates the volume change-induced stress, pulverization, agglomeration of the material during charging and discharging. Moreover, the introduction of Ni improves the electrical conductivity of the material by modulating the electronic structure and enlarges the interlayer distance to accelerate Na+ diffusion. Accordingly, the as-prepared Ni-CoS 2 @NC@C exhibits superb electrochemical properties, delivering the satisfactory cycling performance of 526.6 mA h g−1 after 250 cycles at 1 A g−1, excellent rate performance of 410.9 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1 and superior long cycling life of 502.5 mA h g−1 after 1,500 cycles at 5 A g−1. This study provides an innovative idea to improve sodium storage performance of conversion-type transition metal sulfides through the comprehensive strategy of structural design, heteroatom doping and carbon confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is concerned with the L1$$ {L}_1 $$ bumpless transfer control issue for switched positive delayed systems on finite horizons. A bumpless transfer input scheme and a state‐dependent limited frequency switching scheme, induced by the transient control input discontinuities during controller switching and by the frequent switching for multiple subsystems, respectively, are jointly introduced. The main advantages of the presented schemes are that the amplitude of the control input discontinuities and the frequent switches are all reduced by the dual design of bumpless transfer controllers for subsystems and a state‐dependent limited frequency switching scheme. By utilizing the multiple linear copositive Lyapunov functionals, sufficient conditions are also offered so as to achieve the desirable closed‐loop performances, including positivity, finite‐time boundedness, bumpless transfer property and a prescribed L1$$ {L}_1 $$‐gain property. Finally, a practical example is borrowed which validates the proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clogging of a soil pile in vacuum preloading of dredged soil combined with a prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) was investigated through laboratory model tests and analytical modelling. Variation in the water content and permeability of soil around the PVD clarified the formation of a soil pile. Seepage and consolidation tests on the formed soil pile indicated that the clogging effect slowed down the drainage of pore water rather than stopping it. Taking the soil pile as a filter layer, an analytical model was established incorporating the clogging effect and the varying permeability and compressibility of soil. Finally, based on a comparison of existing results and the analytical model, an empirical linear relationship was developed for estimating the likely range of the permeability and scale of a soil pile in terms of the reduction in the void ratio for vacuum-assisted soil consolidation. The proposed model simulated the consolidation process of soil with a high water content appropriately. A soil pile with lower permeability or larger diameter led to more serious clogging effects on the soil consolidation. The development of the clogging effect decreased with an extension of the soil pile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter describes a case of glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy (GFAP-A), an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. The patient presented with symptoms such as headache, confusion, and seizure, and was diagnosed with GFAP-A based on the presence of GFAP antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum. The imaging findings showed linear enhancement in the white matter, which is a characteristic feature of GFAP-A. Additionally, the patient exhibited diffusion restriction on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), which is a rare finding in GFAP-A. The patient responded well to treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and corticosteroids. The diffusion restriction on DWI could be attributed to either inflammation caused by GFAP-A or complications associated with IVIg therapy. Overall, this case highlights the unique presentation of GFAP-A and the potential complications of treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is widely used to sample populations with higher risk of HIV infection for whom no sampling frames exist. However, few studies have been done to assess the reliability of RDS in real world settings. We assessed the reliability of naïve RDS samples using five rounds of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance – People Who Inject Drugs surveys in Newark, New Jersey from 2005 to 2018. Specifically, we compared the distributions of time-insensitive demographic characteristics in temporally adjacent RDS samples with Monte Carlo Two-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test with 100,000 replicates. The distributions of time-sensitive demographic characteristics were also compared as sensitivity analyses. The study showed that repeated RDS samples among people who inject drugs in the greater Newark area, New Jersey were reliable in most of time-insensitive demographics and recruitment homophily statistics. Sensitivity analyses of time-sensitive demographics also presented consistencies in most of temporally adjacent samples. In conclusion, RDS has the potential to provide reliable samples, but demographic characteristics of RDS samples may be easily biased by homophily. Future studies using RDS may need to pay more attention to potential homophily bias and consider necessary diagnostic procedures and sample adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New fractional gradient representation of generalized Birkhoff system is studied. New definition of fractional gradient system for generalized Birkhoff system is given. New condition for generalized Birkhoff system transforms into arbitrary fractional-order (integer or non-integer) gradient system is deduced. The fractional dynamical modelling method by fractional gradient system is also discussed. We apply our results into several classical nonlinear models, such as van der Pol equation, Hénon–Heiles equation and four-order generalized Birkhoff's equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the industrial wastewater discharge of 27 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. It selects five water pollutant indicators from industrial wastewater discharge, including chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), petroleum pollutants (PP), and major heavy metal content (HM). A shadow price model for industrial wastewater discharge pollutants in each city of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is constructed, and empirical research is conducted using government-provided statistical data. The study reveals that the economic losses associated with industrial wastewater discharge in the 27 cities of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration range from 5.9296 billion to 6.448 billion yuan. Shanghai demonstrates the highest economic losses caused by industrial wastewater discharge, surpassing 0.45 billion yuan annually. In contrast, Anqing city experiences the lowest economic losses, approximately ranging from 93 million to 104 million yuan per year due to industrial wastewater discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dexmedetomidine has repeatedly shown to improve anxiety, but the precise neural mechanisms underlying this effect remain incompletely understood. This study aims to explore the role of corticotropin-releasing hormone–producing hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (CRHPVN) neurons in mediating the anxiolytic effects of dexmedetomidine. Methods: A social defeat stress mouse model was used to evaluate the anxiolytic effects induced by dexmedetomidine through the elevated plus maze, open-field test, and measurement of serum stress hormone levels. In vivo Ca2+ signal fiber photometry and ex vivo patch-clamp recordings were used to determine the excitability of CRHPVN neurons and investigate the specific mechanism involved. CRHPVN neuron modulation was achieved through chemogenetic activation or inhibition. Results: Compared with saline, dexmedetomidine (40 µg/kg) alleviated anxiety-like behaviors. Additionally, dexmedetomidine reduced CRHPVN neuronal excitability. Chemogenetic activation of CRHPVN neurons decreased the time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and in the central area of the open-field test. Conversely, chemogenetic inhibition of CRHPVN neurons had the opposite effect. Moreover, the suppressive impact of dexmedetomidine on CRHPVN neurons was attenuated by the α2-receptor antagonist yohimbine. Conclusions: The results indicate that the anxiety-like effects of dexmedetomidine are mediated via α2-adrenergic receptor–triggered inhibition of CRHPVN neuronal excitability in the hypothalamus. In mice, dexmedetomidine attenuated anxiety-like behavior, and this was correlated with a decrease in the activity of corticotropin-releasing hormone–producing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. A combination of chemogenetic, pharmacologic, and electrophysiologic experiments in mice demonstrated a central role of these neurons in mediating anxiety-like behaviors. Altogether, these results indicate that the anxiety-like effects of dexmedetomidine may be mediated via α2 -adrenergic receptor–triggered inhibition of corticotropin-releasing hormone–producing neuronal activity in the hypothalamus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to create a method for promptly predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) in intensive care patients by applying interpretable, explainable artificial intelligence techniques. Methods: Population data regarding intensive care patients were derived from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database from 2008 to 2019. Machine learning (ML) techniques with six methods were created to construct the predicted models for AKI. The performance of each ML model was evaluated by comparing the areas under the curve (AUC). Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) method and Shapley Additive exPlanation values were used to decipher the best model. Results: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 53,150 severely sick individuals were included in the present study, of which 42,520 (80%) were assigned to the training group, and 10,630 (20%) were allocated to the validation group. Compared to the other five ML models, the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model greatly predicted AKI following ICU admission, with an AUC of 0.816. The top four contributing variables of the XGBoost model were SOFA score, weight, mechanical ventilation, and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II. An AKI and Non-AKI cases were predicted separately using the LIME algorithm. Conclusion: Overall, the constructed clinical feature-based ML models are excellent in predicting AKI in intensive care patients. It would be constructive for physicians to provide early support and timely intervention measures to intensive care patients at risk of AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Phosphate starvation response (PHR) transcription factors play essential roles in regulating phosphate uptake in plants through binding to the P1BS cis‐element in the promoter of phosphate starvation response genes. Recently, PHRs were also shown to positively regulate arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization in rice and lotus by controlling the expression of many symbiotic genes. However, their role in arbuscule development has remained unclear. In Medicago, we previously showed that arbuscule degradation is controlled by two SPX proteins that are highly expressed in arbuscule‐containing cells. Since SPX proteins bind to PHRs and repress their activity in a phosphate‐dependent manner, we investigated whether arbuscule maintenance is also regulated by PHR. Here, we show that PHR2 is a major regulator of the phosphate starvation response in Medicago. Knockout of phr2 showed reduced phosphate starvation response, symbiotic gene expression, and fungal colonization levels. However, the arbuscules that formed showed less degradation, suggesting a negative role for PHR2 in arbuscule maintenance. This was supported by the observation that overexpression of PHR2 led to enhanced degradation of arbuscules. Although many arbuscule‐induced genes contain P1BS elements in their promoters, we found that the P1BS cis‐elements in the promoter of the symbiotic phosphate transporter PT4 are not required for arbuscule‐containing cell expression. Since both PHR2 and SPX1/3 negatively affect arbuscule maintenance, our results indicate that they control arbuscule maintenance partly via different mechanisms. While PHR2 potentiates symbiotic gene expression and colonization, its activity in arbuscule‐containing cells needs to be tightly controlled to maintain a successful symbiosis in Medicago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been recognized as a potential inflammatory biomarker, with elevated levels associated with adverse outcomes in various diseases. However, its role in predicting outcomes after brain tumor craniotomy remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether preoperative RDW influences mortality and postoperative complications in patients undergoing brain tumor craniotomy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed serum RDW levels in patients undergoing brain tumor craniotomy at West China Hospital. RDW was evaluated in two forms: RDW-CV and RDW-SD, and was categorized into four quartiles for analysis by using logistic regression and multivariate analysis to adjust for confounding. Results: The study encompassed 10,978 patients undergoing brain tumor craniotomy. our analysis revealed no significant difference in 30-day mortality across various RDW-CV levels. However, we observed a dose-response relationship with preoperative RDW-CV levels in assessing long-term mortality risks. Specifically, patients with RDW-CV levels of 12.6–13.2% (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.18), 13.2–13.9% (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04–1.26), and > 13.9% (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.18–1.51) exhibited a significantly higher hazard of long-term mortality compared to those with RDW-CV < 12.6%. When preoperative RDW-CV was analyzed as a continuous variable, for each 10% increase in RDW-CV, the adjusted OR of long-term mortality was 1.09 (95% CI 1.05–1.13). we also observed significant associations between preoperative higher RDW-CV levels and certain postoperative complications including acute kidney injury (OR 1.46, 95% CI: 1.10–1.94), pneumonia infection (OR 1.19 95% CI: 1.05–1.36), myocardial infarction (OR 1.32, 95% CI: 1.05–1.66), readmission (OR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01–1.30), and a prolonged length of hospital stay (OR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.21). For RDW-SD levels, there was no significant correlation for short-term mortality, long-term mortality, and postoperative complications. Conclusions: Our study showed elevated preoperative RDW-CV is significantly associated with increased long-term mortality and multiple postoperative complications, but no such association is observed with RDW-SD. These findings show the prognostic importance of RDW-CV, reinforcing its potential as a valuable tool for risk stratification in the preoperative evaluation of brain tumor craniotomy patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Cassava bacterial blight significantly affects cassava yield worldwide, while major cassava cultivars are susceptible to this disease. Therefore, it is crucial to identify cassava disease resistance gene networks and defence molecules for the genetic improvement of cassava cultivars. In this study, we found that MeHB16 transcription factor as a differentially expressed gene in cassava cultivars with contrasting disease resistance, positively modulated disease resistance by modulating defence molecule lignin accumulation. Further investigation showed that MeHB16 physically interacted with itself via the leucine‐Zippe domain (L‐Zip), which was necessary for the transcriptional activation of downstream lignin biosynthesis genes. In addition, protein kinase MeKIN10 directly interacted with MeHB16 to promote its phosphorylation at Ser6, which in turn enhanced MeHB16 self‐association and downstream lignin biosynthesis. In summary, this study revealed the molecular network of MeKIN10‐mediated MeHB16 protein phosphorylation improved cassava bacterial blight resistance by fine‐tuning lignin biosynthesis and provides candidate genes and the defence molecule for improving cassava disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTerrain visibility analysis is vital in geospatial research, employing computer geometry and graphics principles for computing and visualizing visibility between observation and target points. The observation point setup problem is crucial for tasks like sentry point selection and signal base station placement. This problem involves choosing the minimum viewpoints on terrain for optimal joint view coverage, presenting a combinatorial optimization challenge. As technology advances, data can be acquired with increasing precision, the number of viewpoints that can be extracted from the same area is gradually increasing as well, obtaining candidate viewpoints and determining optimal combinations become challenging. This paper proposes a novel method, Stepwise Maximum Viewshed (SMV), addressing observation point setup by stepwise filtering the maximum viewshed and can customize the size of the observation point combination. In complex mountainous terrain, the SMV algorithm demonstrates superior joint view coverage compared to Candidate Viewpoints Filtering (CVF) and Simulated Annealing (SA) algorithms. Experimental results reveal up to 5.59% improvement over CVF and a maximum of 12.52% over SA in joint viewshed coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea surface salinity (SSS) variability at mesoscales has become an important research topic in recent decades, thanks to satellite missions enabling observations of SSS with global capacity and mesoscale resolution. Here, we analyze the near-global data of the Aquarius/SAC-D along-track SSS, focusing on the slopes of SSS variance spectra in the mesoscale range from 180 to 430 km. In the vast extratropics, the spectral slope is close to −2, indicating a dynamical regime for the inverse cascade of depth-integrated energy identified by the surface quasi-geostrophic theory. However, the spectral slopes in regions near the mouths of the largest rivers are steeper than −2, reaching −3, possibly due to the large river freshwater flux. In addition, data from high-resolution thermosalinograph are used to validate satellite measurements and show good consistency in terms of SSS variance spectral slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improving spatiotemporal image fusion (STIF) incorporating unmixing step by considering the point spread function (PSF) effect model (CPSF) is proposed to address the problem that unmixing accuracy in STIF models incorporating unmixing step is vulnerable to the PSF effect. First, an unsupervised clustering algorithm is used to cluster the fine image at previous date into a land cover map, and the coarse class fraction matrix is generated from this land cover map. Second, the fine class fraction matrix uncontaminated by the PSF effect is calculated by upsampling the coarse class fraction matrix using the Area-to-Point Kriging (ATPK) method under the PSF constraint. Third, this fine class fraction matrix is convolved with the ideal square wave filter to downsample, and then normalized to obtain the coarse class fraction matrix without the influence of the PSF effect. Finally, the CPSF-processed class fraction matrix is used to replace the original one in the following unmixing and prediction process to generate the fine resolution image at the prediction date. Experiments on two remote sensing data sets show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of spatiotemporal image fusion methods incorporating unmixing step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate measurement of complicated multiphase flow is crucial to the safety and efficiency of petroleum and chemical industrial facilities. However, the existing multiphase flow detection techniques are not applicable to pipelines in remote regions including deserts or deep seas, due to the high cost of providing a stable power supply. Herein, a self‐powered multiphase flow sensor, composed of a liquid‐driven triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) ‐based signal generator, a ring‐type transmitter, and a string‐type receiver, is proposed. Theoretical modeling of displacement current between transmitter and receiver implies that the received current signal can accurately reflect the wetting state of the receiver, validated by a combined experimental (accuracy above 97%) and simulation study. Coupling with a quantitative analysis algorithm, a multiphase flow detection system with numerous receiver measurement points is developed to precisely monitor various flow parameters, including slug frequency (one point), slug length (two points), and flow pattern (four points), which is verified by spontaneous high‐speed camera recordings of water–air flow. The present work provides a paradigm‐shift way to develop a self‐powered, inexpensive, and accurate technique to detect multiphase flow at remote industrial facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advanced aqueous zinc–ion batteries (AZIBs) are still challenging due to the harmful reactions including hydrogen evolution and corrosion. Here, a natural small molecule acid vitamin C (Vc) as an aqueous electrolyte additive has been selectively identified. The small molecule Vc can adjust the d band center of Zn substrate which fixes the active H+ so that the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is restrained. Simultaneously, it could also fine–tune the solvation structure of Zn ions due to the enhanced electrostatics and reduced Pauli repulsion verified by energy decomposition analysis (EDA). Hence, the cell retains an ultra–long cycle performance of over 1300 cycles and a superior Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.5 %. The prepared full cells display increased rate capability, cycle lifetime, and self–discharge suppression. Our results shed light on the mechanistic principle of electrolyte additives on the performance improvement of ZIBs, which is anticipated to render a new round of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advanced aqueous zinc–ion batteries (AZIBs) are still challenging due to the harmful reactions including hydrogen evolution and corrosion. Here, a natural small molecule acid vitamin C (Vc) as an aqueous electrolyte additive has been selectively identified. The small molecule Vc can adjust the d band center of Zn substrate which fixes the active H+ so that the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is restrained. Simultaneously, it could also fine–tune the solvation structure of Zn ions due to the enhanced electrostatics and reduced Pauli repulsion verified by energy decomposition analysis (EDA). Hence, the cell retains an ultra–long cycle performance of over 1300 cycles and a superior Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.5 %. The prepared full cells display increased rate capability, cycle lifetime, and self–discharge suppression. Our results shed light on the mechanistic principle of electrolyte additives on the performance improvement of ZIBs, which is anticipated to render a new round of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D shape recognition with few examples is crucial for applications involving 3D scenes, but typical methods based on surface and view suffer the failure to describe the interior and exterior features uniformly. Thus, we propose 3D orthogonal integral transform (OIT). OIT is composed of three individual integrals over a group of three orthogonal planes rotating to cover all orientations by which the volumetric shape is bisected in integrals. OIT offers the following advantages: (1) It describes a 3D shape structurally from interior to exterior uniformly, which brings about discriminative shape characteristics; and (2) the shape descriptor built on OIT is invariant with respect to translation, scaling and rotation. Furthermore, a fine-grained 3D model dataset (FGModele40) is built on ModelNet40. Experiments show that OIT can provide both discriminative and robust descriptors for 3D shape recognition with few examples. Our proposed OIT outperforms typical state-of-the-art benchmarks evaluated by the protein shape retrieval contest; additionally, it also surpasses other typical deep learning models with respect to the task of 3D shape recognition with few examples on FGModele40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feature matching algorithm based on deep learning has achieved superior performance compared to traditional algorithms in terms of both matching quantity and accuracy, but there are still some high-error matching results in complex scenes, which adversely affects the subsequent work. Based on SuperGlue, we propose an accurate feature matching algorithm via outlier filtering. Firstly, DBSCAN real-time superpixel segmentation (RTSS-DBSCAN) is used to divide the image into regions, and then the outlier filtering module is designed according to the local similarity principle of feature matching. On the premise of not affecting the correct matching results, the matching results with high errors will be filtered to improve the matching accuracy. Meanwhile, due to the lag of traditional Exponential Moving Average algorithm (EMA), an adaptive EMA is designed and integrated into the SuperGlue training process to further improve the training speed and matching accuracy. We evaluate the overall performance of the matching method using the AUC of pose error at the thresholds (5°, 10°, 20°), a common evaluation metric, to provide a more detailed and intuitive evaluation of the matching effectiveness using precision and recall. The experimental results show that the method in this paper can effectively filter the matching results with large errors and has high accuracy and robustness. The AUC of pose error at thresholds (5°, 10°, 20°) reaches 36.53, 56.23, and 73.68, and the precision and recall reach 80.07 and 91.52, respectively, which have better matching results compared with other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent polysiloxane elastomers with good self-healing and reprocessing abilities have attracted significant attention in the field of artificial skin and flexible displays. Herein, we propose a simple one-pot method to fabricate a room temperature self-healable polysiloxane elastomer (HPDMS) by introducing dynamic and reversible imine bonds and boroxine into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) networks. The presence of imine bonds and boroxine is proved by FT−IR and NMR spectra. The obtained HPDMS elastomer is highly transparent with a transmittance of up to 80%. The TGA results demonstrated that the HPDMS elastomer has good heat resistance and can be used in a wide temperature range. A lower glass transition temperature (Tg, −127.4 °C) was obtained and revealed that the elastomer is highly flexible at room temperature. Because of the reformation of dynamic reversible imine bonds and boroxine, the HPDMS elastomers exhibited excellent autonomous self-healing properties. After healing for 3 h, the self-healing efficiency of HPDMS reached 96.3% at room temperature. Moreover, the elastomers can be repeatedly reprocessed multiple times under milder conditions. This work provides a simple but effective method to prepare transparent self-healable and reprocessable polysiloxane elastomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of microstructure on the corrosion behaviors of ultralow‐carbon bainitic (ULCB) steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution is discussed. Four ULCB steel specimens with different microstructures are designed via controlling the cooling routes after austenization, namely, furnace cooling (FC), air cooling (AC), oil cooling (OC), and water cooling (WC). Their corrosion behaviors are investigated by alternating immersion test (including weight loss and rust layer observation) and electrochemical tests (including polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurements). Results show that the corrosion resistance of ULCB steel specimens decreases with increase of cooling rate, that is, in the following sequence: FC > AC > OC > WC. Furthermore, the electron backscatter diffraction characterization and scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy are performed to build the relationship between microstructure and corrosion behaviors of ULCB steels. The reduced corrosion resistance of ULCB steels results from the increased number of microgalvanic couples because of the significantly increased density of grain boundaries with increase of cooling rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurethane (PU) is a versatile polymer with many applications in a wide range of products. A novel 3D printing technology called liquid additive manufacturing (LAM) extended its possibilities by generating PU elastomers with gradient properties in continuous processing. LAM, being a relatively new technique, has not been extensively researched, particularly in terms of the curing behavior of the liquid resin. In this work, we investigated the effect of composition on gelation time tGP as measured by time-resolved mechanical spectroscopy (TRMS) and analyzed using the Winter–Chambon criterion with the assistance of the IRIS software. This method is more accurate than the previous approach, which involved time sweeps with a constant frequency. It was found that the gel time tGP first decreased and then increased with increasing polyol ratio, ranging from 231 to 378 min. Furthermore, the crosslink densities of the different PU elastomers measured from the rheological and tensile tests were calculated and compared based on the theory of rubber elasticity. The crosslink density decreased with an increasing polyol ratio in both methods. However, the crosslink density values obtained from the rheological measurements were higher than those from the tensile tests. These findings demonstrate that adjusting the polyol ratio is an effective means of achieving gradient properties. The composition effects we measured offer valuable insights for the design of LAM–PU elastomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the rapid development of the digital economy, it's an important topic how to play the role of digital technology in improving innovation efficiency. Employing the spatial econometric model with province-level panel data during 2006–2018, the article explores the impact of the development of the digital economy on innovation efficiency in China. The analysis unveils three major findings. First, the innovation efficiency has significant positive spatial externalities and the digital economy has significantly positive direct effects and spatial spillover effects on innovation efficiency, but the above effects are heterogeneous for different regions and innovation subjects. Second, the impact of digital economy development on innovation efficiency has characteristics of a certain degree of lag effect and continuity. Third, the threshold effect analysis reveals the non-linear characteristic of the increasing marginal effect of the digital economy on innovation efficiency. Altogether, the development of the digital economy has become an important driving force for promoting China's innovation efficiency. The findings of this paper provide empirical evidence for understanding the relationship between the digital economy development and innovation efficiency, giving significant implications for the innovative development of developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ chemical injection technology is widely used in groundwater contamination remediation projects because of its high efficiency and low disturbance. Hydrodynamic dispersion is the basis for reagent transport in groundwater. Efficient diffusion and directional delivery processes of reagents in contaminated groundwater areas are key to controlling remediation efficiency. The complex subsurface environment and the limited efficacy of existing treatment technologies pose significant challenges for groundwater contamination remediation. Inhomo-geneous hydrodynamics in groundwater channels with heterogeneous media lead to significant uncertainties in the migration of reagents. Here, we conducted a systematic review to assess the nonideal transport behavior of remediation reagents under convection-dispersion, the blocking effect of heterogeneous media pores, and the kinetic process of reactive migration in saturated aquifers. The dilemma problems of low migration rate, unknown directionality, and nontargeted reactions encountered by reagents in porous groundwater media are systematically discussed from an environmental geological perspective. On this basis, we emphasize the strategies for the targeted control of reagent transport based on the regulation of the anthropogenic hydrodynamic flow field and density effects, an auxiliary strategy for regulating the target action of remediation to reduce nontarget reactions. Finally, future research needs are proposed to advance the development of engineering practices for green and sustainable in situ remediation technologies for contaminated groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-invasive tool, ultrasound waves can be applied to probe gaseous content of the drilling fluid in offshore oil-drilling operations. The approach is believed to improve sensitivity and accuracy of a gas-kick detection system. In this research, four types of bubble flow are designed to simulate undeveloped gas kicks, and their effects on changes of ultrasound waves are investigated. The bubbles are found to have changed power distribution of the sound waves that have been reflected by the bubbles and received by side sensors. The pattern of power spectrum changes around the master frequency is found to be closely related to the type of bubble flow. Such changes are grouped on the basis of cluster analysis, and it is found that bubble strings and bubble groups would produce substantially different effects and that bubble mergences would largely alter spectral property of the sound waves. By establishing relationship between power-change pattern of sound waves and the behavior of a bubble flow, the research is intended to seek a more predictive way of recognizing early-stage gas kicks for offshore oil-drilling practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral emitters capable of producing circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with high dissymmetry factors (g) are crucial for circularly polarized organic light‐emitting diodes (CP‐OLEDs) and 3D display. Herein, sulfonyl binaphthalene is incorporated as both electron acceptor and chiral source into three pairs of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) enantiomers, (R/S)‐BPSTCZ, (R/S)‐BPSDMAC, and (R/S)‐BPSPXZ, for the first time, combining tert‐butylcarbazole, 9,9‐dimethyl‐9,10‐dihydro‐acridine and phenoxazine electron donors, respectively. These TADF compounds exhibit tunable emissions spanning from deep blue to green, accompanied by high photoluminescence quantum yields. Due to the large distorted angles caused by two sulfonyl units, all enantiomers exhibit pronounced CPL with |gPL| factors of up to 6.0 × 10−3 in doped films. The corresponding CP‐OLEDs display good performances with external quantum efficiencies of up to 28.5% and notable |gEL| factors of up to 8.8 × 10−3, surpassing most CP‐OLEDs based on chiral TADF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale symmetric and asymmetric matrices have emerged in predicting the relationship between genes and diseases. The emergence of large-scale matrices increases the computational complexity of the problem. Therefore, using low-rank matrices instead of original symmetric and asymmetric matrices can greatly reduce computational complexity. In this paper, we propose an approximation conjugate gradient method for solving the low-rank matrix recovery problem, i.e., the low-rank matrix is obtained to replace the original symmetric and asymmetric matrices such that the approximation error is the smallest. The conjugate gradient search direction is given through matrix addition and matrix multiplication. The new conjugate gradient update parameter is given by the F-norm of matrix and the trace inner product of matrices. The conjugate gradient generated by the algorithm avoids SVD decomposition. The backtracking linear search is used so that the approximation conjugate gradient direction is computed only once, which ensures that the objective function decreases monotonically. The global convergence and local superlinear convergence of the algorithm are given. The numerical results are reported and show the effectiveness of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a wide range of applications in many fields, such as electronic devices, composites, sensors, catalysts, hydrogen storage materials, biomedicine, and energy, due to their unique structure and excellent physicochemical properties. As new composite materials require more and more precise control of carbon nanotube growth, the traditional research on carbon nanotube growth mechanism and growth parameter mechanism is difficult to meet the demand for precise control of carbon nanotube growth under complex conditions such as in-situ growth on the surface of composite materials. Given, Because of, it has become one of the hotspots to explore the growth mechanism of CNTs on the microscopic scale by high-end characterization tests and simulations under complex conditions, and then precisely regulate the growth of CNTs. This paper summarizes the latest research progress on the growth mechanism, preparation, and application of CNTs in recent years, and focuses on the research progress on the latest application of CNTs in different fields of high-end materials, especially in the control of carbon nanotube growth by intelligent algorithms and other aspects of the proposed new understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) is one of the most commercially important crustacean species in China. The aim of this study was to characterize the toxic effects of butachlor (an herbicide of the acetanilide class) on juvenile E. sinensis crabs. The lethal effects and the acute toxicity of butachlor on juvenile E. sinensis specimens were assessed through a semi-static in vitro experiment. We determined the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as the levels of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the gills and the hepatopancreas of the juvenile crabs, at different time points over a 14-day short-term exposure to butachlor. Moreover, we measured the residual levels of butachlor in three different tissues (gills, hepatopancreas, and muscles) of the juvenile crabs over a longer period. Our findings revealed that butachlor is highly toxic for juvenile E. sinensis crabs. In fact, the median lethal concentration (LC50) values of butachlor at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h were found to be 4.22, 1.84, 0.34, and 0.14 mg/L, respectively, while the safe concentration was 0.014 mg/L. The antioxidant defense ability of the juvenile E. sinensis crabs against butachlor was induced after exposure to the herbicide at a concentration of 0.01 mg/L. After 14 days of exposure to butachlor at 0.04 and 0.16 mg/L, both SOD and CAT were found to be significantly inhibited (p < 0.05), the GSH levels were found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.05) and the MDA levels were identified as significantly increased (p < 0.05). Moreover, after 14 days of exposure to butachlor at 0.16 mg/L, the activities of SOD and CAT as well as the content of GSH in the hepatopancreas were found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Our results revealed that a high concentration of butachlor was capable of inducing oxidative stress and damage in juvenile E. sinensis crabs. The maximal residual value of butachlor was obtained in the gills, with a content of 4.56 μg/kg. Butachlor was not detected after 24 days in the aforementioned three tissues of the juvenile crabs, thereby indicating that it was effectively metabolized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulating perovskite crystallization and understanding hot carriers (HCs) dynamics in perovskite films are very critical to achieving high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a small organic molecule (6BAS) with multisite anchors (C═O) as an efficient additive is introduced into PbI2 precursors to modulate perovskite crystallization during two‐step sequential deposition. The chemical interaction between 6BAS and PbI2 enables more preferential PbI2 crystal with enlarged interplanar spacing of PbI2 lattice, which is beneficial to the penetration of organic ammonium salts into PbI2 layer and the complete conversion to perovskite, consequently promoting the preferential crystallization of perovskite to realize high‐quality perovskite films with larger grain size and reduced defect state. By ultrafast spectroscopy, it is found that the incorporation of 6BAS can efficiently prolong HCs cooling, which helps to enhance HCs transfer and retard the charge carrier recombination in device. As a result, 6BAS doped‐PSCs efficiency significantly enhances to 25.32% from 22.91%. The target device achieves the enhanced long‐term stability. Only a 6% efficiency degradation is realized for un‐encapsulated device with 6BAS after 70 days under N2. Meanwhile, the 6BAS‐treated device retains 95% of its initial PCE after 1160 h of operation at the maximum power point under continuous AM 1.5 G illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancement in technologies such as robotic industries and artificial intelligence bring fear among human being that jobs will be substituted by robots. Base on the panel data of 28 China's manufacturing industries, this research analyzed the impact of technical progress bias on employment. First, we calculate the technical progress bias index of 28 industries base on the stochastic frontier model with transcendental logarithm function found 16 industries were toward the skilled labor while the remaining 12 industries were toward the unskilled labor. Second, the empirical results show that technical progress bias has a positive impact on the total manufacturing employment and significant positive effect on the unskilled labor, while no significant impact on skilled labor employment. Third, the threshold effect test proves that if taking industry value-added per capita or R&D capital stock as threshold variable, the threshold about the impact exist, making the impact on skilled labor was insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aerosol ammonium (NH 4 +), mainly produced from the reactions of ammonia (NH 3) with acids in the atmosphere, has significant impacts on air pollution, radiative forcing, and human health. Understanding the source and formation mechanism of NH 4 + can provide scientific insights into air quality improvements. However, the sources of NH 3 in urban areas are not well understood, and few studies focus on NH 3 /NH 4 + at different heights within the atmospheric boundary layer, which hinders a comprehensive understanding of aerosol NH 4 +. In this study, we perform both field observation and modeling studies (the Community Multiscale Air Quality, CMAQ) to investigate regional NH 3 emission sources and vertically resolved NH 4 + formation mechanisms during the winter in Beijing. Both stable nitrogen isotope analyses and CMAQ model suggest that combustion-related NH 3 emissions, including fossil fuel sources, NH 3 slip, and biomass burning, are important sources of aerosol NH 4 + with more than 60% contribution occurring on heavily polluted days. In contrast, volatilization-related NH 3 sources (livestock breeding, N-fertilizer application, and human waste) are dominant on clean days. Combustion-related NH 3 is mostly local from Beijing, and biomass burning is likely an important NH 3 source (∼15%–20%) that was previously overlooked. More effective control strategies such as the two-product (e.g., reducing both SO 2 and NH 3) control policy should be considered to improve air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a microfluidic system designed for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing, incorporating integrated microvalves. This system is built from a layered structure of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The functionality of the microvalves is verified through a conductance method involving electrodes positioned at the microfluidic channels' inlets and outlets. These microvalves can fully close at a control pressure of 0.3 MPa, with their operation depending on the duration of the applied pressure. The study further explores the coordinated operation of multiple microvalves to regulate the sequential flow of samples and reagents in the system. In SPR detection experiments, the microfluidic system is integrated with an SPR array sensing system to control the injection of NaCl solutions via the microvalves, and the observation of phase change curves in different chip regions are observed. The findings validate the microvalves' dependability and suitability for use in SPR array sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the classification of depressive symptoms in college students and the relationship between those symptoms and physical activity. A convenience sampling method was employed to enlist college students from Songjiang University Town in Shanghai to complete in the General Information Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Physical Activity Scale-3. A total of 3541 students were analyzed, averaging 19.34 years of age with a male composition of 53 %. The participants can be classified into four categories, namely: Group 1, which exhibits the most severe depressive symptoms, including suicidal ideation and cognitive symptoms (11.07 %); Group 2, which only manifests cognitive symptoms without suicidal ideation (14.35 %); Group 3, which presents mild depressive symptoms (23.61 %); and Group 4, consisting of normal college students (50.97 %). Students with strained family and interpersonal relationships, high levels of academic stress, and low frequency of social activities were at higher risk for detecting suicidal intention and cognitive symptoms. The level of physical activity was significantly higher in the normal group than in the other groups (all P < 0.001), and only the frequency of exercise was significantly different among the remaining three groups (χ2 = 14.716, P = 0.005). The detection rate of cognitive symptoms was significantly lower when exercising >3 times per week for 30–59 min (OR = 0.740, 95 % CI: 0.590–0.928; OR = 0.596, 95 % CI: 0.427–0.831).The detection rate of suicidal thoughts was significantly lower when exercising 2 times per month to 2 times per week or >3 times per week (OR = 0.585, 95 % CI: 0.404–0.847; OR = 0.392, 95 % CI: 0.258–0.595). Suicidal ideation and cognitive symptoms can differentiate between various categories of depressive symptoms among college students. Engaging in physical activity serves as a protective factor against depressive symptoms among college students. • Depressive symptoms of college students were classified into four categories. • Engaging in physical activity serves as a protective factor against depressive symptoms among college students. • There was a negative association between the frequency of physical exercise and suicidal thoughts among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of high modulus solution and high Al/Si residue via leaching SiO2 is a key for large amount utilization of coal gangue based on ferric oxide assisted roasting – alkali leaching silica process. This work focuses on leaching mechanism of SiO2 in activated kaolinite clinker with low modulus sodium silicate solution. The results show that the lattice distorted cristobalite produced in the roasting process is readily soluble in sodium silicate solution, however the leaching of SiO2 was only 75% and the modulus of lixiviant reached 2.5 through leaching in sodium silicate solution with a modulus of ~1.0. The leaching kinetics and dissolution mechanism have also been analyzed by model fitting and microstructural observation. The leaching reaction was controlled by diffusion across the pore. The slit – shaped pores formed by the stacking of hercynite particles prevent the diffusion of the bulk solution, thus inhibiting the leaching of cristobalite inside the particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions in promoting the mental health of children and adolescents. It compares and discusses interventions targeting the prevention of mental disorders versus the promotion of mental health. Additionally, the roles of teachers and psychologists as intervention conductors are examined. Methods: A comprehensive search of the Psycinfo, Pubmed, and Web of Science databases was conducted without any time restrictions to identify relevant literature on universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions promoting children and adolescents' mental health. Results and discussion: The findings reveal that universal school-based transdiagnostic promotion/prevention programs have a small to medium overall effect size. These interventions demonstrate a broad coverage of different aspects of children and adolescents' mental health. However, the relative effectiveness of teacher-led versus psychologist-led interventions remains unclear. Interventions focused on preventing mental disorders exhibit a higher effect size, albeit on a narrower range of mental health aspects for children and adolescents. Significance: This study enhances our understanding of universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions and their impact on children and adolescents' mental health. Further research is needed to elucidate the comparative efficacy of teacher-led and psychologist-led interventions and to explore the specific dimensions of mental health targeted by these interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground and objective: Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for somatoform disorders (SFDs) is understudied in China. Western findings may not be applicable to Chinese culture. This preliminary study evaluated the efficacy of CBT for patients in China, relative to treatment-as-usual (TAU). Methods: Seventy patients with SFDs randomly received either combined CBT and TAU (CBT + TAU), or TAU alone between January 2018 to May 2019. The CBT + TAU group received 12 weekly individual 50-minute CBT sessions. Participants were blindly assessed at 4 timepoints (baseline, week 6, end of treatment: week 12; 12 weeks post-treatment: week 24) using the following outcome measures: SQSS (Self-screening Questionnaire for Somatic Symptoms); PHQ-15 (Patient-Health-Questionnaire-15) and the WI (Whiteley Index); GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7); HAMD-17 (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17); Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS); Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS); and the Short Form of Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF). The primary endpoint was the difference between the SQSS total score at week 24 and the baseline. A mixed model for repeated measures was used to analyze inter- and intra-group changes from the baseline. Results: At week 24, The least-squares mean (LSM) change of the total score on the SQSS was −18.87 points and −9.69 points, respectively in the CBT + TAU group and in the TAU group (LSM difference, −9.18 points; 95% confidence interval, −15.72 to −2.64; P = 0.0068). At week 24, the LSM changes from baseline in the WI, HAMD, PHQ15, FBIS and SDS total scores were significantly different between the two groups, however, there was no significant difference in the Q-LES-Q-SF. The SQSS of group effect sizes were 0.63 at 24 weeks. The dropout rates of the CBT + TAU and TAU groups were comparable (22.9% and 19.3%). Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that CBT may be helpful for improving the symptoms of patients with SFDs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Cuixiang' (Actinidia deliciosa) is recognized as a highly valued fruit with significant economic importance. Its distinctive and pleasant flavor sets it apart from other species of kiwifruit, contributing to its stellar reputation. However, the flavor profile of 'Cuixiang' kiwifruit is susceptible to change during storage, and the underlying mechanisms responsible for these changes have yet to be fully investigated. Herein, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of volatile profiles and transcriptome on 'Cuixiang' samples at different storage times, aiming to uncover the mechanism underlying the flavor biotransformation. A total of 63 volatiles were quantified by HS–SPME–GC–MS, of which 16 were identified as key compounds distinctive of aroma quality during storage by PLS-DA and OAV analysis. Besides, a total of 13,922 differentially expressed genes in fruits were identified and used to identify key candidate genes that may regulate volatiles during storage. The results of KEGG analysis showed that Achn072171, Achn270621, and Achn012241 were involved in the synthesis of key aroma compounds and verified by qRT-PCR. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that NAC and BHLH transcription factors were positively correlated with the expression of these genes. Our findings elucidate the underlying metabolic processes that regulate aroma during the storage of 'Cuixiang' kiwifruit, and the identification of key genes involved in flavor regulation presents promising targets for flavor regulation and quality assurance of 'Cuixiang' fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is frequently employed in micropore machining of difficult-to-cut materials as a result of the contactless characteristics. However, debris produced by electrode discharge ablation of the workpiece tends to accumulate at the bottom of the hole and is difficult to discharge, resulting in abnormal discharge, which reduces processing efficiency and increases electrode loss. These issues can be resolved with the introduction of ultrasonic-assisted technology, but since it is difficult to obviously observe micro phenomena like bubble rupture, fluid movement, and debris movement, there has been little real-situation study on fluid environments. In this study, first, mathematical models of the improvement of ultrasonic-assisted discharge energy and erosion efficiency were developed. Then, the ultrasound-assisted electrical discharge machining (UEDM) process was simulated on the basis of gas–liquid-solid three-phase fluid coupling analysis to investigate the influence law of the ultrasonic cavitation effect and pumping effect on fluid movement and debris movement. Then, the comparative test of EDM and UEDM in machining titanium alloy plate was carried out to explore the impact of ultrasonic-assisted technology on the level of single process parameters, taking the processing time, electrode loss, and hole taper as indicators, respectively. Finally, multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) was used to obtain the optimal parameter group of EDM and UEDM, and this parameter group was used for drilling test to examine the effects of ultrasonic-assisted technology on the process parameter level. According to the research, the fluid stability is destroyed by the effects of ultrasonic cavitation and pumping, which also increase the local fluid speed by a hundred times and encourage the discharge of debris, thereby reducing the processing time, lowering electrode loss, lowering hole taper, and improving the surface quality of micropores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a high-entropy alloy characterized by high strength and plasticity, (NiCoV) 100-x Ga x (x ​= ​0, 5, 7) was successfully prepared, cold-rolled, and heat-treated. The microstructure was analyzed to correlate Ga content with the performance of the system. The addition of Ga can produce alloying effects, including solid solution strengthening effect, second phase precipitation strengthening effect, and layer misalignment energy reduction effect. The experimental results show adding Ga elements can enrich Ni, Co, V, and Ga above the grain boundaries, causing the alloy to produce annealed twins inside. The alloy is strengthened mainly by precipitation, and the formation of the precipitation phase effectively enhances the strength of the alloy. The low stacking fault energy promotes the toughening of NiCoV but makes the plasticity of the alloy decrease. Still, the formation of annealed twins effectively increases the plasticity, which makes the alloy harder but does not reduce the plasticity too much. By comparing the experimental properties, (NiCoV) 93 Ga 7 showed the best mechanical properties at the annealing temperature of 900 ​°C, yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of 906 ​MPa, 1321 ​MPa and 21.36 ​%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dwarf satellites in galaxy groups are distributed in an anisotropic and asymmetric manner, which is called the 'lopsided satellite distribution'. This lopsided signal has been observed not only in galaxy pairs but also in isolated systems. However, the physical origin of the lopsided signal in isolated systems is still unknown. In this work, we investigate this in the state-of-the-art hydrodynamical simulation of the MillenniumTNG Project by tracing each system back to high redshift. We find that the lopsided signal is dominated by satellites located in the outer regions of the halo and is also dominated by recently accreted satellites. The lopsided signal originates from the anisotropic accretion of galaxies from the surrounding large-scale structure and that, after accretion, the non-linear evolution of satellites inside the dark matter halo weakens the lopsidedness. The signal decreases as cosmic time passes because of a competition between anisotropic accretion and internal evolution within dark matter haloes. Our findings provide a useful perspective for the study of galaxy evolution, especially for the origin of the spatial satellite galaxy distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]