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We show that a transversely geometrically controlling boundary damping strip is sufficient but not necessary for t^{-1/2}-decay of waves on product manifolds. We give a general scheme to turn resolvent estimates for impedance problems on cross-sections to wave decay on product manifolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of mechanical and electrical topologies can affect piezoelectric energy harvesting efficiency, but the problem of achieving high-efficiency energy conversion in energy harvesters stacked as cantilevers has not been perfectly solved. This study focuses on the topology of piezoelectric elements in a stacked vehicle suspension vibration energy harvesting device. Through theoretical analysis, the stress expressions of the excited and driven elements are derived. The stress of the piezoelectric elements is affected by the positions of the connection and excitation points. A stress model was established for a four-piece piezoelectric element connected by a thin light rod in ANASYS. The simulation results show that the average stress in the piezoelectric bending element model is maximum when the excitation and connection points are located at both ends of the free end. Compared with the middle position of the free end of the piezoelectric element, the average stress of the model is increased by 92.904%. Considering the difference in voltage generated by piezoelectric elements, four kinds of electrical topology are designed and analyzed experimentally. When the driven elements are connected in parallel and then connected in series with the excited element, the output power varied the least with the change of load resistance. The system produces a high power and offers a wide selection of load resistors. When the load is 26 kΩ, a single set of four piezoelectric elements produces 86.407 mW of output power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusion The pathology of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) has yet to be fully understood, but there have been proposed hypotheses for the cause of this condition. Our team previously reported a possible association of TD with the Complement Component C4 gene in the HLA region. In this study, we explored the HLA region further by examining two previously identified schizophrenia‐associated HLA‐region single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely rs13194504 and rs210133.The SNPs rs13194504 and rs210133 were tested for association with the occurrence and severity of TD in a sample of 172 schizophrenia patients who were recruited for four studies from three different clinical sites in Canada and USA.The rs13194504 AA genotype was associated with decreased severity for TD as measured by Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) scores (p = 0.047) but not for TD occurrence. SNP rs210133 was not significantly associated with either TD occurrence or AIMS scores.Our findings suggest that the rs13194504 AA genotype may play a role in TD severity, while SNP rs210133 may not have a major role in the risk or severity of TD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe development of an urban greenway as part of a major regeneration project may encourage usage and recreational physical activity (PA). However, how the awareness and perceptions of such a project influence the usage of the greenway and recreational PA after regeneration remains unclear. This study focused on these relationships in the context of a major urban regeneration project, the Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Data were collected from residents living near the CCG at 6 months postimplementation (2016/2017). Awareness, perceptions, and expectations of the CCG were assessed using several self-reported questions. Respondents were split into intervention and control groups based on a 1-mile threshold distance to the CCG from their home address (intervention group ≤1 mile; control group >1 mile). Self-reported CCG usage included both frequency and duration of visits. Recreational PA was evaluated with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and PA stages of change measure. We used multilevel linear and logistic regressions to examine awareness, perceptions, and expectations of the CCG on visitation and recreational PA. Results showed that favorable awareness, perceptions, and expectations were positively associated with CCG visits and recreational PA. Frequent and longer durations of CCG visits were also important for encouraging recreational PA. These findings provide evidence that it is important to include awareness-raising programs and education regarding the urban greenway development for health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer‐targeting carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with red‐light absorption/emission featuring inherent biological functionality and deep biological penetration depth are promising for biomedical applications. However, traditional high‐temperature and high‐pressure synthesis processes result in unpredictable functionalities and uncontrollable optical properties due to the functional group loss. Here, plasma electrochemical treatment is introduced to overcome this issue. The synthesized CQDs in this work have excellent folate receptor cancer‐targeting ability, red‐light absorption/emission, and pronounced photodynamic therapy effect. The CQDs produced by the plasma electrochemical method preserve most of the functional groups from precursors, thus making them to fully inherit the bio‐functionality and photophysical properties of precursors. This work opens new opportunities for plasma‐based processes to controllably synthesize functionalized CQDs for diverse biomedical and environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of highly secure and inexpensive aqueous zinc ion energy storage devices is impeded by issues, including dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution and corrosion of zinc anodes. It is essential to modify the interface of zinc anodes that homogenizes ion flux and facilitates highly reversible zinc planarized deposition and stripping. Herein, by coupling zinc ion coordination with acid‐base neutralization under the driving of electrophoresis, manageable mesoscopic phase separation for constructing chitosan frameworks was achieved, thereby fabricating interconnected mesoporous chitosan membranes based heterogeneous quasi‐solid‐state electrolytes integrated with anodes. The framework is constructed by twisted chitosan nanofiber bundles, forming a three‐dimensional continuous spindle‐shaped pore structure. With this framework, the electrolyte provides exceptional ion conductivity of 25.1 mS cm−1, with a puncture resistance strength of 2.3 GPa. In addition, the amino groups of chitosan molecule can make the surface of the framework positively charged. Thus, reversible zinc planarized deposition is successfully induced by the synergistic effect of stress constraint and electrostatic modulation. As a result, as‐assembled zinc ion capacitor has an excellent cycle life and sustains the capacity by over 95 % after 20000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g−1. This research presents a constructive strategy for stable electrolytes‐integrated zinc anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of highly secure and inexpensive aqueous zinc ion energy storage devices is impeded by issues, including dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution and corrosion of zinc anodes. It is essential to modify the interface of zinc anodes that homogenizes ion flux and facilitates highly reversible zinc planarized deposition and stripping. Herein, by coupling zinc ion coordination with acid‐base neutralization under the driving of electrophoresis, manageable mesoscopic phase separation for constructing chitosan frameworks was achieved, thereby fabricating interconnected mesoporous chitosan membranes based heterogeneous quasi‐solid‐state electrolytes integrated with anodes. The framework is constructed by twisted chitosan nanofiber bundles, forming a three‐dimensional continuous spindle‐shaped pore structure. With this framework, the electrolyte provides exceptional ion conductivity of 25.1 mS cm−1, with a puncture resistance strength of 2.3 GPa. In addition, the amino groups of chitosan molecule can make the surface of the framework positively charged. Thus, reversible zinc planarized deposition is successfully induced by the synergistic effect of stress constraint and electrostatic modulation. As a result, as‐assembled zinc ion capacitor has an excellent cycle life and sustains the capacity by over 95 % after 20000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g−1. This research presents a constructive strategy for stable electrolytes‐integrated zinc anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated that anticipating positive effects from cannabis use may be linked with increased frequency of cannabis consumption, yet these expectancies remain poorly understood in adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Thus, our study aimed to investigate the expectancies of the effects of cannabis use in 26 frequently using adults with SAD (age: 27.9 ± 7.3 years; 54% female) and 26 (age: 27.4 ± 6.7 years; 50% female) without. While no between-group differences were observed, both groups reported expecting tension reduction and relaxation (F = 0.001; p = 0.974), cravings, and physical effects (F = 1.10; p = 0.300), but denied global negative effects (F = 0.11; p = 0.744). The trajectory of cannabis use perceptions (further investigated in 12/26 participants/group) also showed no between-group differences. Before the initial use, positive perceptions may have led to initial and continuous cannabis consumption, while the symptoms of cannabis use disorder may have contributed to repeated use. Our data indicate that, regardless of psychiatric history, frequent cannabis-using adults are more likely to report positive expectancies, which are often associated with increased patterns of cannabis consumption. Psychoeducational programs and openly discussing the risks of cannabis may be beneficial in preventing and/or reducing cannabis use in people with SAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ideal thermoelectric material requires the multi‐valley and strong dispersion band structure, for relieving the competition between thermopower and electrical conductivity, whereas the two features barely coexist in natural compounds. Here, the significantly improved thermoelectric performance in n‐type PbSe‐xAgSbS2 with the purposefully renormalized conduction band structure is reported. It is shown that the strong spin‐orbit coupling effect splits the single valley at “L” point into three individuals delicately, as the Dirac point is shifted away from the high symmetry point by the decreasing lattice constant. Compared with the common PbSe‐based compounds, the renormalized system exhibits a range of distinctive properties, such as the 2–3 times larger band gap, 5–10 times lower optimal carrier concentration, and weakly temperature‐dependent Seebeck coefficient. Owing to the achieved giant band convergence and the low thermal conductivity, a high peak zT of 1.75 at 850 K and an outstanding average zT of 1.04 are obtained. Furthermore, the mechanical property and thermal stability of PbSe are considerably improved for the introduced high entropy effect and lattice shrinkage. This study reveals the remarkable impact of spin‐orbit coupling on thermoelectric performance, and suggests that the optimized PbSe material holds great promise for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the design of a dual-loop control system for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). An improved linear extended state observer (LESO) with excellent estimation capability is employed to develop an improved linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) suitable for PMSM speed regulation, achieving outstanding disturbance suppression in PMSM speed control. The use of an internal model control scheme to initialize the parameters of the proportional-integral- (PI-) based current controller simplifies the search space of the control system parameter optimization. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to optimize the controller parameters, thereby enhancing the overall system performance. Finally, through a series of simulations and experiments, we validate that our proposed controller exhibits superior performance compared to some other control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition. Consequently, it is common for those affected to resort to cannabis to cope with their symptoms. The primary objective of this study was to understand the differences between motivations for cannabis use in adults with and without SAD. We employed convergent, mixed methods to collect the data. Twenty-six individuals (age: 27.9 ± 7.3 years; 54% female) with and twenty-six (age: 27.4 ± 6.7 years; 50% female) without SAD were administered Marijuana Motives Measure (MMM). Motivations to initiate, continue, and maintain cannabis use were assessed in 12/26 participants in both groups using in-depth interviews. Cannabis weekly consumption was 3.8-fold and frequency 1.3-fold higher in the SAD group. Coping (F = 10.02; p <0.001; η2 = 0.46) and social (F = 2.81; p = 0.036; η2 = 0.19) motivations were also higher in the SAD group, after controlling for age, sex, and current CUD. The need to cope with symptoms of SAD may have been the driving force for repeated cannabis consumption. Psychoeducational programs educating children about the risk of using cannabis to cope with SAD should be implemented in vocational settings early on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information from multiple data sources is increasingly available. However, some data sources may produce biased estimates due to biased sampling, data corruption or model misspecification. Thus there is a need for robust data combination methods that can be used with biased sources. In this paper, a robust data fusion-extraction method is proposed. Unlike existing methods, the proposed method can be applied in the important case where researchers have no knowledge of which data sources are unbiased. The proposed estimator is easy to compute and employs only summary statistics; hence it can be applied in many different fields, such as meta-analysis, Mendelian randomization and distributed systems. The proposed estimator is consistent, even if many data sources are biased, and is asymptotically equivalent to the oracle estimator that uses only unbiased data. Asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator is also established. In contrast to existing meta-analysis methods, the theoretical properties are guaranteed for our estimator, even if the number of data sources and the dimension of the parameter diverge as the sample size increases. Furthermore, the proposed method provides consistent selection for unbiased data sources with probability approaching 1. Simulation studies demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method empirically. The method is applied to a meta-analysis dataset to evaluate surgical treatment for moderate periodontal disease and to a Mendelian randomization dataset to study the risk factors for head and neck cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel circRNA named circSQSTM1 (hsa_circRNA_075320) was screened out in atorvastatin (ATV) stimulated endothelial cells (ECs) by our group. Considering the anti-atherosclerotic function of ATV, we hypothesized the circSQSTM1 could protect ECs functions in AS progression. The effects of circSQSTM1 on ECs inflammation, oxidative stress and autophagy were measured by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, monocyte-endothelial adhesion assay, dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate and mCherry-GFP-LC3 labeling. A luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, MS2-tagging system and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed to identify the biological functions of circSQSTM1. The partial left carotid artery ligation model and atherosclerosis model were established to analyze the effects of circSQSTM1 on atherosclerosis progression in vivo. Our results revealed that ATV induced the accumulation of circSQSTM1 in ECs via suppressing m6A modified degradation. In the cytoplasm, circSQSTM1 could relieve Sirt1 by competitively sponging miR-23b-3p. In the nucleus, circSQSTM1 directly interacts with eIF4A3 and promoting the efficient nuclear export of FOXO1 mRNA, which encodes FOXO1 transcription factor to directly activate Sirt1 promoter activity. Hence, circSQSTM1 reduced inflammation, inhibited oxidative stress and promoted autophagy by upregulating Sirt1 in ECs. Moreover, circSQSTM1 overexpression in ECs attenuated the progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice. Taken together, the unique noncoding RNA known as circSQSTM1 took a protective role to the ECs in atherosclerosis. [Display omitted] • A novel circRNA named circSQSTM1 is screened out in ATV stimulated ECs. • CircSQSTM1 exerts its anti-atherosclerotic role by suppressing inflammation, oxidative stress and promoting autophagy in ECs. • CircSQSTM1 directly binds with miR-23b-3p and eIF4A3, thereby upregulating Sirt1 expression through different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, a novel true random number generator (TRNG) with high energy‐efficient and throughput is proposed for cryptographic systems. The current starve based ring oscillator (CSRO) is biased in the subthrehold region as an entropy source. An individual ring oscillator (RO) is sampled using multiple sampling points of the CSRO working in the sub‐threshold region to obtain a multi‐channel sequence output, thereby fully exploiting the randomness of the entropy source. The proposed TRNG is implemented using a standard 40nm CMOS technology and the simulation results show that it provides high‐quality and 20.66 Mbps random sequences while only consuming 11.46 μW at 1.1 V, 25°C. In addition, the proposed TRNG passes the NIST SP 800‐22 and the NIST SP 800‐90B tests without post‐processing and outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art in terms of energy consumption per bit of the output bitstream, reaching 0.555pJ/bit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the association between neighborhood-level factors and COVID-19 incidence in Scotland from a spatiotemporal perspective. The outcome variable is the COVID-19 incidence in Scotland. Based on the identification of the wave peaks for COVID-19 cases between 2020 and 2021, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Scotland can be divided into four phases. To model the COVID-19 incidence, sixteen neighborhood factors are chosen as the predictors. Geographical random forest models are used to examine spatiotemporal variation in major determinants of COVID-19 incidence. The spatial analysis indicates that proportion of religious people is the most strongly associated with COVID-19 incidence in southern Scotland, whereas particulate matter is the most strongly associated with COVID-19 incidence in northern Scotland. Also, crowded households, prepandemic emergency admission rates, and health and social workers are the most strongly associated with COVID-19 incidence in eastern and central Scotland, respectively. A possible explanation is that the association between predictors and COVID-19 incidence might be influenced by local context (e.g., people's lifestyles), which is spatially variant across Scotland. The temporal analysis indicates that dominant factors associated with COVID-19 incidence also vary across different phases, suggesting that pandemic-related policy should take spatiotemporal variations into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hyperuricemia has become a public health problem that needs to be solved urgently. • Sulforaphane may have great potential in reducing uric acid. • Sulforaphane provides benefits in epigenetic modification of Nrf2, intestinal homeostasis, and host metabolism. • Succinic acid and oxoglutaric acid were the critical host-gut microbiome co-metabolites of hyperuricaemic rats treated with sulforaphane. • The findings may provide a good means for efficiently preventing and treating hyperuricemia. Currently, revealing how to prevent and control hyperuricemia has become an essential public health issue. Sulforaphane has a wide range of applications in the management of hyperuricemia. The study objective was to verify the uric acid-lowering effects and the regulation of the gut-kidney axis mediated by sulforaphane and identify host-microbial co-metabolites in hyperuricemia. A hyperuricemia model was established by administering feedstuffs with 4% potassium oxonate and 20% yeast. Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control, hyperuricemia, allopurinol, and sulforaphane groups. Animals were treated by oral gavage for six consecutive weeks, and then phenotypic parameters, metabolomic profiling, and metagenomic sequencing were performed. Sulforaphane could lower uric acid by decreasing urate synthesis and increasing renal urate excretion in hyperuricemic rats (P ＜0.05). We identified succinic acid and oxoglutaric acid as critical host-gut microbiome co-metabolites. Moreover, sulforaphane improved the diversity of microbial ecosystems and functions, as well as metabolic control of the kidney. Notably, sulforaphane exerted its renoprotective effect through epigenetic modification of Nrf2 and interaction between gut microbiota and epigenetic modification in hyperuricemic rats. We revealed that sulforaphane could ameliorate the progression of hyperuricemia by reprogramming the gut microbiome and metabolome. Our findings may provide a good means for efficiently preventing and treating hyperuricemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber loop ring‐down spectroscopy (FLRDS) is a highly sensitive spectroscopic technology. Here, a spectral processing method is proposed for low‐cost fiber loop ring‐down systems. In the proposed method, the amplitude modulation theory is used to establish a new ring‐down spectral model, and the particle swarm optimization algorithm is introduced into FLRDS. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively process the ring‐down spectral signals acquired from the low‐cost fiber loop ring‐down system. Moreover, this method demonstrates higher accuracy and stronger adaptability than the current widely used method. Owing to its excellent performance, the proposed method has considerable potential to be applied in low‐cost fiber loop ring‐down systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 sequestration engineering is promising for carbon‐negative biosynthesis, and artificial communities can solve more complex problems than monocultures. However, obtaining an ideal photosynthetic community is still a great challenge. Herein, we describe the development of a highly compatible photosynthetic community (HCPC) by integrating a sucrose‐producing CO2 sequestration module and a super‐coupled module. The cyanobacteria CO2 sequestration module was obtained using stepwise metabolic engineering and then coupled with the efficient sucrose utilization module Vibrio natriegens. Integrated omics analysis indicated that enhanced photosynthetic electron transport and extracellular vesicles promote intercellular communication. Additionally, the HCPC was used to channel CO2 into valuable chemicals, enabling the overall release of −22.27 to −606.59 kgCO2e kg−1 in the end products. This novel light‐driven community could facilitate circular economic implementation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 sequestration engineering is promising for carbon‐negative biosynthesis, and artificial communities can solve more complex problems than monocultures. However, obtaining an ideal photosynthetic community is still a great challenge. Herein, we describe the development of a highly compatible photosynthetic community (HCPC) by integrating a sucrose‐producing CO2 sequestration module and a super‐coupled module. The cyanobacteria CO2 sequestration module was obtained using stepwise metabolic engineering and then coupled with the efficient sucrose utilization module Vibrio natriegens. Integrated omics analysis indicated that enhanced photosynthetic electron transport and extracellular vesicles promote intercellular communication. Additionally, the HCPC was used to channel CO2 into valuable chemicals, enabling the overall release of −22.27 to −606.59 kgCO2e kg−1 in the end products. This novel light‐driven community could facilitate circular economic implementation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting efficiency of semiconductor photoelectrodes is mainly limited by the effective separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. Zinc indium sulfide-cuprous oxide (ZnIn 2 S 4 -Cu 2 O) p-n heterojunction is constructed to enhance the PEC properties of ZnIn 2 S 4. The nickel hydroxide iron oxide (NiFeOOH) layer on the surface of the heterojunction can be used as a hole depletion layer under the induction of plasmon resonance of the most surface silver (Ag) (the holes transferred from Cu 2 O valence band to NiFeOOH layer can be excited by Ag to produce hot electron consumption, which makes the last remaining hot holes participate in the water oxidation reaction) to further promote the carrier separation and transfer. The results exhibit that ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 O/NiFeOOH/Ag photoelectrode with dramatically enhanced photocurrent density of 1.22 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (V RHE), which is 9.4 times higher than the pure ZnIn 2 S 4. This work provides a promising concept to design photoelectrodes efficiently in PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting efficiency of semiconductor photoelectrodes is mainly limited by the effective separation and transfer of photogenerated charges. Zinc indium sulfide-cuprous oxide (ZnIn 2 S 4 -Cu 2 O) p-n heterojunction is constructed to enhance the PEC properties of ZnIn 2 S 4. The nickel hydroxide iron oxide (NiFeOOH) layer on the surface of the heterojunction can be used as a hole depletion layer under the induction of plasmon resonance of the most surface silver (Ag) (the holes transferred from Cu 2 O valence band to NiFeOOH layer can be excited by Ag to produce hot electron consumption, which makes the last remaining hot holes participate in the water oxidation reaction) to further promote the carrier separation and transfer. The results exhibit that ZnIn 2 S 4 /Cu 2 O/NiFeOOH/Ag photoelectrode with dramatically enhanced photocurrent density of 1.22 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (V RHE), which is 9.4 times higher than the pure ZnIn 2 S 4. This work provides a promising concept to design photoelectrodes efficiently in PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we summarize the fundamental understanding and recent progresses on hollow MFI-type zeolite synthesis, hollow cavity formation mechanism, and mass transport/catalytic performance intensification, especially from the viewpoints of industrial application. Obviously, introduction of hollow cavities into the micropores of MFI-type zeolites significantly facilitates both internal mass transport and catalytic performance in many Brönsted or Lewis acid catalyzed reactions, i.e. catalytic oxidation, methanol to hydrocarbons and catalytic cracking reaction. It is majorly assigned to the shortened diffusion path length within zeolite crystal, while there is no change of external surface, thus leading to lower mass transport energy barrier. In general, hollow zeolites are synthesized by two strategies, including selective desilication method and in-situ dissolution-recrystallization (also remarked as crystalline rearrangement) method, ascribing to the reassembly of dissolved species with low aggregation under the effect of organic templates in hydrothermal conditions in latter process. Notably, selective dissolution is the driving force of these two synthesis routes, thus it is key to tune the composition and dispersion of framework elements and intracrystalline defects for controlling the size and distribution of internal hollow cavities. Moreover, through rearrangement, previously impregnated metal nanoparticles with tunable composition and size can be encapsulated within zeolite crystal, thus showing relatively high thermal stability and catalytic activity in catalytic oxidation reactions, selective hydrogenation, cross-coupling, esterification, and C 1 transformation. [Display omitted] • Hollow MFI zeolites are prepared by selectivie desilication and in-situ dissolution-recrystallization methods. • Metal nanoparticles can be encapsulated in hollow zeolite crystal via in-situ dissolution-recrystallization method. • Hollow MFI zeolites exhibit excellent internal mass transport property, owing to the shortened diffusion path length. • Hollow cavities within MFI-type zeolites favor higher catalytic performance in many reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have disentangled the perceived benefits of vegetation on subjective well‐being (SWB). Yet, scant attention has been paid to the joint effect of vegetation and building density on SWB. This study explores the relationship between streetscape vegetation (SV), building density and SWB in Beijing, China. Our analysis relies on rich measures of street view data to assess SV exposure at the neighbourhood level. Notably, we distinguish between trees (SV‐tree) and grasses (SV‐grass) when evaluating SV metrics. The results suggest that streetscape trees and grasses are positively associated with SWB, though estimated effects are dependent upon tree and grass density exposures. We also find that the effects of streetscape trees and grass are moderated by building density in the neighbourhood. Additional decomposition analysis provides the insight that the well‐being implications of street vegetation and building density are varied significantly by individual sociodemographic characteristics such as sex, age and income. The findings of this study suggest the importance of considering density in SV planning and land use policies to enhance people's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient microplasma chemistry method to synthesize highly stable Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) that can be stored for 2 months is presented. The sucrose, maltose, lactose, and glucose are applied to stablize the produced AgNPs, respectively, and the pH value of the solution is controlled by using NaHCO3 with different concentrations. It can be concluded that AgNPs with different sizes can be achieved by selecting different stabilizers and adjusting the pH value of solution. Finally, by checking the UV absorbance of AgNPs solution within 2 months, the stability of the AgNPs is investigated. It is found that the stability of AgNPs in water solution can also be improved by changing the pH of the solution and the kind of colloidal stabilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the aircraft industry seeks an increase in compressor loading, bringing unique flow phenomena and design problems; thus, insights into the ultrahigh loaded compressor are in great need. To reveal the loss characteristics of the ultrahigh loaded subsonic axial compressors, four well comparable compressor stages are carefully designed with the loading coefficient varying from 0.41 to 0.65. A novel flow-based loss decomposition method is performed to investigate the variation of different kinds of losses (including blade profile loss, tip leakage loss, casing endwall loss, and hub endwall loss) with the change in compressor loading level and operating condition. Results show that the blade profile loss always occupies the largest part of the total loss. In rotor passages, the percentage of the blade profile loss at the design point is increased from 69% to 76% with the increase in the compressor loading. Meanwhile, the proportion of the tip leakage loss decreases as the loading increases. For a specific compressor stage, the total loss of the rotor passage tends to increase with the increase in stage pressure rise coefficient along the operation line, whereas the proportion of the blade profile loss is squeezed by the tip leakage loss. As for stator passages, the proportion of blade profile loss to the total passage loss is nearly constant along the compressor operating line, but increases from 79% to 90% with the increase in the compressor loading level. By correlating the losses with blade solidity, it was found that the increase in flow losses in the highly loaded compressor, i.e., the decrease in efficiency, stems mainly from the high blade solidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asphalt pavements can be damaged by moisture and salt, and the bond strength between asphalt and aggregate is related to the erosion of the salt solution. In this study, considering the migration and diffusion of the solution at the interface, a molecular dynamics modeling method was used to simulate the process where the salt solution erodes the asphalt-aggregate interface, and results show that the solution invades the asphalt-aggregate interface, gradually squeezing the asphalt away from the aggregate surface in a wedge shape, and the interaction force between the asphalt and the aggregate is gradually reduced to 0. The diffusion rate of the solution at the interface is related to the position of the solution. If the solution is farther away from the aggregate, it will be less restricted by the aggregate. NaCl affects the diffusion of water molecules. The greater the concentration of NaCl solution, the lower the height of the wedge formed by the solution at the interface. Compared to quartz, calcite has a stronger limiting effect on the solution, which is manifested by a greater resistance to water damage. Under the attraction of NaCl solution, the polar components are more likely to move toward the solution surface, while the less polar components show different distribution and diffusion states. In this study, we observed the conformational changes in the erosion process of different concentrations of NaCl solutions and calculated the change rule of interaction force, which helps understand the erosion process of salt solutions and provides a new idea for the study of chloride on asphalt pavement spalling. • Studied chlorine salt impacts on asphalt-aggregate via interfacial migration. • Chlorine salt diffusion and asphalt distribution relate to chloride concentration and aggregate type. • The strength of hydrogen bonding at the interface varies with aggregate type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor frost resistance of supersulfated cement (SSC) is of great concerns for its application. This research assessed the frost resistance performance of SSC with 1 wt. % and 3 wt. % cement clinker activator (C1 and C3) and explored the effects of nano-SiO 2 (NS) (1 wt. % and 3 wt. %, N1 and N3) on the frost resistance of SSC through macro- and micro-evaluation on loss of the compressive strength/the mass/the relative dynamic elastic modulus and XRD/MIP/SEM. Results showed that the frost resistance of C1 sample was superior than those of C3 sample. The addition of NS enhanced the frost resistance of SSC: the maximum mass loss was reduced by about 92.8% and the maximum relative dynamic elastic modulus loss was decreased by about 34.6%. This could be ascribed to the change of the porous microstructure: the portion of micro-pores smaller than 20 nm increased and the microstructure was densified. Moreover, Moreover, NS changes the long needle-like crystalline phase (AFt) shape to a short rod-like shape, the latter of which was more tightly wrapped by the gel phase, leading to a more compact microstructure, and the detachment of AFt from gel matrix (would be introduced by the difference of their contraction/expansion rate under F-T cycles) could result in the poor performance of SSC, while this could be relieved by the reduction of the AFt-to-gel ratio as seen from the NS-added SSC sample. • Nano-SiO 2 (1%) can improve the frost resistance of supersulfated cement (SSC). • The compaction of the microstructure of SSC by Nano-SiO 2 is the reason for the improvement of frost resistance. • The crystalline AFt peels from the C-S-H gel and forms a fragile structure after freeze-thaw cycles. • The poor frost resistance of SSC is related to the higher crystalline-to-gel ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • NiCoMnS/rGO was synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method. • NiCoMnS/rGO nanocomposite showed good peroxidase-like activity. • NiCoMnS/rGO/GCE can catalyze H 2 O 2 reduction and glucose oxidation. It is attractive to develop non-noble-metal nanomaterials with large surface area and good conductivity as a high-active catalyst electrode for molecular detection in electrochemical sensors. In this work, we successfully fabricated NiCoMnS/rGO by one-step hydrothermal method, which showed good peroxidase-like activity in an acidic environment. The NiCoMnS/rGO modified electrode exhibited excellent enzyme-free electrochemical catalysis performance for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) reduction in acidic solutions and glucose oxidation in alkaline solutions. For the detection of H 2 O 2 , this electrochemical sensor displayed a wide linear range from 10.0 μM to 7.5 mM with a low limit of detection of 1.1 μM. As for glucose, it also showed a wide linear range from 50.0 μM to 1.3 mM with a low limit of detection of 1.0 μM. Moreover, it had good stability and reproducibility. It was also used for the determination of H 2 O 2 and glucose in real samples. This nanomaterial held great promise as an enzyme-free sensing platform toward H 2 O 2 and glucose detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quarantine measure is a commonly used nonpharmaceutical intervention during the outbreak of infectious diseases. A key problem for implementing quarantine measure is to determine the duration of the quarantine. Different from the existing methods that determine a constant quarantine duration for everyone, we develop an individualized quarantine rule that suggests different quarantine durations for individuals with different characteristics. The proposed quarantine rule is optimal in the sense that it minimizes the average quarantine duration of uninfected people with the constraint that the probability of symptom presentation for infected people attains the given value closing to 1. The optimal solution for the quarantine duration is obtained and estimated by some statistical methods with application to analyzing COVID‐19 data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning techniques have been utilized on gene expression profiling for cancer diagnosis. However, the gene expression data suffer from the curse of high dimensionality. Different kinds of feature reduction methods have been proposed to decrease the features for specific cancer diagnosis. However, with the difficulty of obtaining the samples of a particular tumor, the lack of training samples may lead to the overfitting problem. In addition, the feature reduction model on a specific tumor may lead to the problem that the model is not scalable and cannot be generalized to new cancer types. To handle these problems, this paper proposes an unsupervised feature learning method to reduce the data dimensionality of gene expression data. This method amplifies the training samples of feature learning by utilizing the unlabeled samples from different sources. Two heuristic rules are devised to check if the unlabeled samples could be used for amplifying the training set. The amplified training set is used to train the feature learning model based on sparse autoencoder. Since the method leverages the knowledge among the expression data from different sources, it improves the generalization of unsupervised feature learning and further boosts the cancer diagnosis performance. A series of experiments are carried out on the gene expression datasets from TCGA and other sources. Experimental results prove that our method improves the generalization of cancer diagnosis when unlabeled data are used for latent feature learning. The flowchart of our proposed feature learning method [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-based relaxor ferroelectric crystals, such as Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -PbTiO 3 , are promising for functional applications due to their outstanding ferroelectric properties. Revealing ferroelectric domain structure and phase distribution at the nanoscale are important to understand the basic theory of ferroelectricity and promote their practical applications. In this study, the ferroelectric domain structure and atomic-scale phase distribution in a Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 - 35 at.% PbTiO 3 single crystal in the region of morphotropic phase boundary are systematically investigated by a combination of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. It is found that 90° and 180° coarse domains are formed simultaneously in the ferroelectric single crystal. Moreover, there are tweed-like nano-domains formed inside each coarse single domain. Through careful investigations of distribution of stress and tetragonality, it is revealed that the tweed-like nano-domains are composed of nano-sized rhombohedral (R), monoclinic (M), and tetragonal (T) phases. The nano-scale T, M, R phases have the best, moderate, and lowest ferroelectricity, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H 2 S is an essential byproduct in refineries during the hydrodesulfurization process, serving as the largest sulfur resource in the industry. However, most of the H 2 S is processed with the two-step Claus Process, where the hydrogen is converted into water. As the development of the chemical industry creates growing energy demand and sustainability requirements, more efficient utilization of H 2 S to produce clean hydrogen and other value-added chemicals has attracted much research interest. Intending to bridge the gap between current research and industrial application, recent advances in thermo- and photocatalytic H 2 S decomposition are summarized based on strategies taken to alleviate their intrinsic restriction, thereby increasing single-run conversion. Thermal-based H 2 S decomposition is limited by its unfavorable thermodynamics, and this can be relieved or circumvented by shifting the equilibrium or implementing multistep reaction routes. Photocatalytic H 2 S decomposition is hampered by the photocatalysts' low stability and quantum efficiency, and surface modifications and electronic structure engineering have been applied to design novel photocatalysts. Future research directions are suggested to achieve more efficient H 2 S decomposition and more sustainable sulfur recovery. [Display omitted] • H 2 S decomposition is a promising strategy to produce green hydrogen while recovering sulfur • The thermodynamic restriction of direct H 2 S decomposition can be circumvented by lowering feed gas partial pressure, removal of products, and stepwise reaction • Photocatalytic conversion of H 2 S decomposition can be enh anced through surface modification and electronic structure engineering. • Current challenges and future directions of H 2 production from H 2 S are discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Molecular dynamics simulation of mixed inorganic salt in supercritical water. • Experimental analysis of mixed inorganic salt deposit in supercritical water. • Crystallization mechanism of mixed inorganic salts in supercritical water revealed. • High density favors the cluster process of inorganic salts in supercritical water. • Completed the calculation of crystallization kinetic parameters. Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) technology is one of the more promising approaches for processing oily wastewater. However, there needs to be more research on the sedimentation of mixed inorganic salts in the supercritical water reactor while treating oily wastewater. In this study, the clustering process of mixed inorganic chlorides containing NaCl, KCl, and CaCl 2 in supercritical water was simulated through molecular dynamics simulation. Molecular dynamics simulation was mainly conducted for mixed inorganic salts within the parameter range of 673 K-1073 K and 22 MPa-28 MPa. Combined with Yasuoka and Matsumoto's cluster theory, it can be concluded that the nucleation process of mixed inorganic salts in the supercritical water environment is mainly affected by density. Although the ion diffusion coefficient increases with temperature, the nucleation rate of inorganic salts gradually decreases due to the decrease in density. In the temperature range of 673 K-1073 K, the nucleation rate of mixed inorganic salts decreased from 34.96 to 1.65 1036 m−3·s−1. At the same pressure, the crystal growth rate parameter decreased gradually with increasing temperature, reaching about 168.25–60.09 m·s−1. Finally, the simulation results were verified experimentally, confirming that the crystal growth rate decreases with increasing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) have the potential to make a significant contribution to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research shows the need for UGBS to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of urbanisation and provide equitable access to resources that reduce social and health inequalities. However, no previous review has attempted to consolidate this evidence within the context of the SDGs. The aim of this study was to review the evidence pertaining to the role of UGBS in achieving the SDGs and identify important knowledge gaps. Using systematic review methods, we developed an evidence gap map of the literature that explores the role of UGBS in the achievement of the SDGs. Five databases (Scopus, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and GreenFILE) were searched for studies published since 2015 that investigated at least one outcome that corresponded to the SDGs. Following screening, study characteristics were extracted, and the data were imported into EPPI-Mapper to create the interactive evidence gap map. In total n = 1872 studies were identified. Following screening, n = 181 eligible studies were included in the evidence synthesis. The majority of studies focused on the impact of UGBS on health and wellbeing (SDG3; n = 115), pollution, and urban heat island effects (SDG11 and SDG13; n = 73 and n = 46, respectively). SDGs that were not addressed by the studies included SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG12 (responsible consumptions and production), SDG14 (life below water) and SDG17 (partnership for the goals). In addition, there was a relative lack of studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Theoretically, UGBS could contribute to 15 of the 17 SDGs. More research is needed to address the evidence gaps towards SDGs 5,9, and 12. Related research in low- and middle-income countries must also be accelerated and more research is needed that assesses the multifunctional benefits of UGBS, drawing explicit links between UGBS and the SDGs. • This is the first evidence gap map showing the contribution of UGBS to the SDGs. • The majority of studies were concentrated around health and wellbeing (SDG3), urban heat island and air pollution (SDG11 and SDG13. • Excluding China, there is a lack of evidence in low- and middle-income countries. • Few studies attempted to capture the multifunctional benefits of UGBS. • A more robust evidence base showing the role of UGBS in the achievement of the SDGs is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malware is still a challenging security problem in the Android ecosystem, as malware is often obfuscated to evade detection. In such case, semantic behavior feature extraction is crucial for training a robust malware detection model. In this paper, we propose a novel Android malware detection method (named SeGDroid) that focuses on learning the semantic knowledge from sensitive function call graphs (FCGs). Specifically, we devise a graph pruning method to build a sensitive FCG on the base of an original FCG. The method preserves the sensitive API (security-related API) call context and removes the irrelevant nodes of FCGs. We propose a node representation method based on word2vec and social-network-based centrality to extract attributes for graph nodes. Our representation aims at extracting the semantic knowledge of the function calls and the structure of graphs. Using this representation, we induce graph embeddings of the sensitive FCGs associated with node attributes using a graph convolutional neural network algorithm. To provide a model explanation, we further propose a method that calculates node importance. This creates a mechanism for understanding malicious behavior. The experimental results show that SeGDroid achieves an F-score of 98% in the case of malware detection on the CICMal2020 dataset and an F-score of 96% in the case of malware family classification on the MalRadar dataset. In addition, the provided model explanation is able to trace the malicious behavior of the Android malware. • We devise a novel Android malware detection framework. • We propose a graph pruning method that preserves the context of sensitive APIs. • We propose a node representation method for learning semantic knowledge of APIs and opcodes. • We propose a node importance calculation method for understanding mobile malicious behavior. • Our method achieves an F-score of 98% for malware detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the trend of high density and miniaturization, the current that the connector transmits per unit volume is getting higher and higher, which makes the reliability design of the connector more challenging. Under the pressure of high performance and low cost requirements, the design has to be more accurate and more efficient. Thus, in the design process, a systematic approach for reliability evaluation is required. However, there is no valid enough approach that is integrated, well-organized, and quantitative. In this article, a systematic approach for the reliability evaluation of connector was proposed, and by applying it on a typical object named a blade-spring connector, the validity of this approach was verified. After the framework of this approach has been established, the methods and models needed were provided, including the method to build up material selection criterion and the assessment models of stress relaxation, thermal diffusion, and sliding wear, respectively. Then, the feasibility of a newly developed copper alloy on the connector and the reliability behaviors of this connector were determined through this approach. The unsatisfactory aspects of reliability were pointed out and some possible redesign choices were provided. Results and discussion revealed that the proposed approach is a helpful tool for designing electric connectors, especially on the reliability design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese hornwort mosaic virus (JHMV; genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) is a widespread virus that infects angelica (Angelica sinensis [Oliv.] Diels), an important Chinese herbal medicine plant grown in Gansu, China. JHMV infection has contributed to the deterioration in angelica quality and a reduction in yield. Consequently, there is a need to develop a reliable, simple and rapid detection method to accurately identify JHMV infection and help limit its spread. We describe here, a reverse transcription loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (RT‐LAMP) developed to detect the coat protein gene of JHMV. RT‐LAMP amplification products were assessed through real‐time fluorescence detection and by gel electrophoresis and SYBR Green I DNA staining for visual observation. This assay successfully detected JHMV in infected plants without cross reactivity recorded from six other plant viruses. Optimum LAMP reactions were conducted in betaine‐free media with 6 mM Mg2+ at 60°C for 60 min for JHMV. The detection limit was 0.28 pg/ml using RT‐LAMP for JHMV plasmids. This detection limit for the RT‐LAMP assay was 100 times lower than that of the conventional RT‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay. Our field survey of angelica crops for JHMV using RT‐LAMP further demonstrated a higher sensitivity than RT‐PCR, detecting 78% versus 72%. Agreement (κ) between the results obtained from the two tests was 0.844. We found RT‐LAMP is accurate and efficient in diagnosis and potentially improving JHMV disease management and forecasting in A. sinensis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina materials, as one of the cornerstones of the modern chemical industry, possess physical and chemical properties that include excellent mechanical strength and structure stability, which also make them highly suitable as catalyst supports. Alumina-supported Pd-based catalysts with the advantages of exceptional catalytic performance, flexible regulated surface metal/acid sites, and good regeneration ability have been widely used in many traditional chemical industry fields and have also shown great application prospects in emerging fields. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent advances in alumina and its supported Pd-based catalysts. Specifically, the synthesis strategies, morphology transformation mechanisms, and structural properties of alumina with various morphologies are comprehensively summarized and discussed in-depth. Then, the preparation approaches of Pd/Al2O3 catalysts (impregnation, precipitation, and other emerging methods), as well as the metal–support interactions (MSIs), are revisited. Moreover, Some promising applications have been chosen as representative reactions in fine chemicals, environmental purification, and sustainable development fields to highlight the universal functionality of the alumina-supported Pd-based catalysts. The role of the Pd species, alumina support, promoters, and metal–support interactions in the enhancement of catalytic performance are also discussed. Finally, some challenges and upcoming opportunities in the academic and industrial application of the alumina and its supported Pd-based are presented and put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the control conditions for 0th-order pseudodifferential operators |$\textbf{P}$| whose real parts satisfy the Morse–Smale dynamical condition. We obtain microlocal control estimates under the control conditions. As a result, we show that there are no singular profiles in the solution to the evolution equation |$(i\partial _{t}-\textbf{P})u=f$| when |$\textbf{P}$| has a damping term that satisfies the control condition and |$f\in C^{\infty }$|⁠. This is motivated by the study of a microlocal model for the damped internal waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a high-risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cellular immune responses are essential for HCC development, and the CD4+ and CD8+ T subtypes are identified as the primary anti-tumor immune cells. In the study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of amygdalin in the cellular immune response in HBV-related HCC and HCC progression.Methods: The cell proliferation was examined by MTT analysis. Cells metastasis ability was detected by Invasion and migration assays. Quantification of apoptotic cells was performed with Flow cytometer assay. The protein levels of p-STAT3, STAT3, p-JAK2, JAK2, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 were detected by performing immunoblotting assays.Results: We demonstrate that amygdalin treatment could rescue the HBV-T cell viability and IFN-γ and TNF-αproduction. In HBV-T cells, the MFI levels of CD8+ are lower than that in NC-T cells. Moreover, the phosphorylation levels of STAT3 and JAK2 are higher in HBV-T cells, compared to those in NC-T cells, and then reduced by amygdalin treatment. Co-culture with HBV-T cells could reduce IFN-γ and TNF-α, production while increase IL-6 and IL-10 production in HepG2.2.15 cells; these alterations could be partially reversed by amygdalin pretreatment. Finally, co-culture with HBV-T cells significantly promoted the cell viability, inhibited the apoptosis, and promoted the migration of HepG2.2.15 cells, and these alterations could be partially reversed by amygdalin treatment.Conclusion: Our findings provide a rationale for further studies on the functions and mechanism of amygdalin inhibiting HBV-related HCC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration via T cell-mediated tumor immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sensitivity of FLRDS is improved by adopting a bi-cavity differential technology. • A novel sensor based on the improved FLRDS is developed for robot fingers. • A robot-finger sensing network system with great performances is proposed. Contemporary intelligent robots typically necessitate the implementation of a distributed sensing network system within their digits to execute a range of intricate tasks collaboratively. In this investigation, we have introduced a novel fiber sensor founded on an enhanced fiber-loop ring-down spectral technology. This sensor employs double differential ring-down cavities to mitigate prevalent sources of interference, such as temperature and humidity. Consequently, it exhibits a robust linear response with remarkable sensitivity, quantified at 105.2 n s / N for force measurement and 53.2 n s / m m for displacement measurement, as validated by experimental outcomes. Furthermore, the sensor boasts a compact and diminutive sensing structure that can be effortlessly integrated into the robotic finger casing. Of utmost significance, it facilitates a cost-effective time-division multiplexing system for distributed measurements. Considering these distinctive advantages, this sensor lends itself to the establishment of a practical robot-finger distributed network system, characterized by superior performance attributes, encompassing high precision (up to 19 μ m for contact detection and 0.0095 N for grasping and other manipulations), relatively modest expenses, and versatile applicability across a broad spectrum of scenarios, in stark contrast to the presently prevalent systems. In light of these noteworthy merits, the developed sensor exhibits tremendous potential for integration into robotics applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental inequalities generated by transit—oriented development (TOD) are of planning and policy relevance in developing countries. Existing literature has pointed out that TOD has the effect of 'place making', which means the newly developed transit systems may be able to change the environment and amenities of a certain area. While previous studies have largely focused on environment hazards such as noise and pollution induced by transit systems, scant attention has been paid to visible green space provision at station areas. This study develops a new and systematic framework to assess potential disparities in quality and quantity aspects of visible green space provision around subway stations. We explore the effects of TOD on visible green space provision around subway stations using spatial regression models. The results show that there are disparities in visible green space provision around subway stations, but such disparities tend to fade with distance away from stations. We also find that population density, land use mix, intersection density and bus stop density are significantly associated with quantity and quality aspects of visible green space provision around subway stations. • There are disparities in visible green space provision around subway stations. • The association between TOD and visible green space provision around subway stations is examined. • Such associations tend to fade with distance away from stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging and freely available urban big data, Street View Imagery (SVI) has proven to be a useful resource to examine various urban phenomena in human behavior, the built environment and their interactions. However, due to technical limitations, previous studies often focused on general pedestrians and ignored certain population subgroups such as older adults. In this study, we develop an innovative method for detecting older pedestrians using SVI. We adopted transfer learning to train a model which can accurately detect older pedestrians on SVI with an accuracy of 87.1%. Using Hong Kong as a case study, we created a dataset consisting of 72,689 street view panoramas and detected 7763 older pedestrians and 29,231 non-older pedestrians. We further visualized the distribution of detected older pedestrians and found a significant spatial discrepancy between older pedestrians and residential population of older adults. To account for this spatial discrepancy, this study proposed a novel index to assess pedestrian demand and walking environment based on the ratio of the number of pedestrians and the residential population. We also found pedestrian demand assessed with this index has a stronger correlation with the built environment compared with population-level travel survey. This novel approach can be used to assess pedestrian demand for older adults, as well as aging-friendly walking environment. • An approach for assessing aging-friendly environments at large scale was developed. • The approach was automatic, cost-efficient and accurate. • Transfer learning was employed to train the model. • Spatial discrepancy between older pedestrians and residents was observed. • A new index was proposed and validated for assessing aging-friendly walkability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional capacitive deionization (CDI) with carbon electrodes is a desalination process based on the formation of electrical double layer. Intercalation capacitive deionization (ICDI), a category of CDI based on intercalation materials as electrodes, achieves desalination by inserting ions into the crystal lattice of the electrode when a voltage is applied. It has been proven numerically that a thermodynamically reversible CDI cycle always consumes electrical work that equals the Gibbs free energy of the separation. We conducted a thermodynamic analysis of a four-stage reversible cycle for both symmetric and asymmetric ICDI using Frumkin isotherm to describe the electrode-solution chemical equilibrium. We provided both analytical and numerical proof showing the electrical work to complete a four-stage ICDI cycle is exactly identical to the Gibbs free energy of separation. Our thermodynamic analysis also shows ICDI is typically more energy efficient than CDI if constant voltage charging and discharge are performed to complete the same separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding colloid transport in porous media under transient‐flow conditions is crucial in understanding contaminant transport in soil or the vadose zone where flow conditions vary constantly. In this article, we provide a review of experimental studies, numerical approaches, and new technologies available to determine the transport of colloids in transient flow. Experiments indicate that soil structure and preferential flow are primary factors. In undisturbed soils with preferential flow pathways, macropores serve as main conduits for colloid transport. In homogeneously packed soil, the soil matrix often serves as filter. At the macroscale, transient flow facilitates colloid transport by frequently disturbing the force balance that retains colloids in the soil as indicated by the offset between colloid breakthrough peaks and discharge peaks. At the pore‐scale and under saturated condition, straining, and attachment at solid–water interfaces are the main mechanisms for colloid retention. Variably saturated conditions add more complexity, such as immobile water zones, film straining, attachment to air–water interfaces, and air–water–solid contact lines. Filter ripening, size exclusion, ionic strength, and hydrophobicity are identified as the most influential factors. Our review indicates that microscale and continuum‐scale models for colloid transport under transient‐flow conditions are rare, compared to the numerous steady‐state models. The few transient flow models that do exist are highly parameterized and suffer from a lack of a priori information of required pore‐scale parameters. However, new techniques are becoming available to measure colloid transport in real‐time and in a nondestructive way that might help to better understand transient flow colloid transport. This article is categorized under:Science of Water > Hydrological ProcessesScience of Water > Water Quality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Air pollution, especially PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of below 2.5 μm), has been recognized as a key environmental factor that affects mental health, but few studies have focused on its influence on older adults, who are a vulnerable group.Objective: This study focused on the influence of PM2.5 on health-related behaviors, such as physical activities and social contact, to assess their role as mediators of depression among older adults in China.Methods: We used data (N = 24 623) from the CHARLS (China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study) of 2011-2015. CES-D 10 (Center for Epidemiology Studies of Depression scale) was used to measure depression. Using multilevel linear models, we examined the relationships between the variables, with different times nested within the same individual and individuals nested within the cities.Results: Before mediators were added, depression symptoms among older adults increased with annual concentration of PM2.5 (Coeff = 0.57, SE = 0.11). However, after the mediators were added, the coefficient of the annual concentration of PM2.5 decreased (Coeff = 0.37, SE = 0.10). While both physical activities (Sobel test Z score = 2.37, P value = .02) and social contact (Z score = 7.33, P value = .00) mediated the relationship between PM2.5 and depression, the mediating effects decreased with increasing PM2.5 .Conclusions: Exposure to PM2.5 , therefore, increases depressive symptoms in older Chinese adults by decreasing their physical activities and social contact. Also, the positive effects of physical activities and social contact on depression decreased with increasing PM2.5 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has found a negative linkage between neighbourhood social participation and depressive symptoms in Western countries, but the cross‐sectional design of these studies limits the ability to infer causality. Little attention has been paid to socio‐psychological pathways linking neighbourhood social participation to depressive symptoms among older adults in China. This study aimed to examine the impact of neighbourhood social participation on depressive symptoms among older adults in China. It also further explored the mediating roles of physical activity, social contact among neighbours, and contact with own children in the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms. Data obtained through three waves (2011, 2013, and 2015) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used. The sample consisted of 10,105 individuals aged 60 and above and 24,623 person‐year records captured during these three waves. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiology Studies of Depression scale. Results showed that respondents' depression decreased with an increasing level of neighbourhood social participation, more time spent on physical activities, and a higher frequency of contact with neighbours and with own children. These factors were found to partly mediate the relationship between neighbourhood social participation and depression. The negative relationships between social contact and depression and contact with own children and depression were both strengthened by neighbourhood social participation. In conclusion, physical activity, social contact among neighbours and contact with own children are mechanisms through which neighbourhood social participation lowers the risk of depression among older adults in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate computed tomography (CT)‑guided 125I implantation for the treatment of recurrent and malignant pelvic tumors. Materials and Methods: Fifteen cases of pelvic malignant tumors were studied. Tumor length/diameter was 4–10 cm (average: 6.8 ± 2.3 cm). In patients with pelvic recurrence or metastasis of malignant tumors, comprehensive treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, was performed alongside CT‑guided 125I implantation. The follow‑up clinical benefit rate, rate of pain relief, quality of life score, and status of any complications were analyzed. Results: The patients were followed up for 6 months after the operation, and evaluation of lesions revealed complete response (CR) in 3/15 cases, partial response (PR) in 8/15 cases, stable disease in 3/15 cases, and progressive disease in 1/15 cases. The total effective rate (CR + PR) was 73.3% (11/15), and the pain relief rate was 86.6% (13/15). No bleeding, pelvic abscesses, intestinal fistulas, intestinal perforations, or other complications were reported. Conclusions: When using CT‑guided 125I implantation, patients with malignant abdominal tumors undergo a convenient operation, sustain little trauma, and have an improved quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CGMD found an asymmetric Janus structure forming at interface by surfactant-NP. • The adsorption of modified NPs at interface change the interfacial properties. • Stability of surfactant-NPs foam increased with increasing surfactant chain length. Silica nanoparticles (NPs) have shown tremendous application potential as stabilising agents in foams. The adsorption of cationic surfactants on the surface of NPs through electrostatic interactions forms integrated surfactant-NP compounds and endows the NPs with surfactancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the alkane chain length of cationic surfactants on NP surfactancy and foam stability. The results demonstrate that the surface tension decreases and dilational elasticity modulus increases with surfactant chain length. Simultaneously, coalescence of bubbles is markedly suppressed and the stability of surfactant-NP foams is enhanced in static and dynamic tests. With a coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation (CGMD), it was found that the surfactant-NP complexes evolve into an asymmetric Janus structure at the gas-liquid interface from their symmetric configuration in the aqueous phase. In addition, the resistance force during the pulling of a NP away from the interface increases with surfactant chain length. The simulation results imply that surfactant-NPs have a high surfactancy and the adsorption stability is improved with increasing surfactant chain length, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we show the design of a photoregulated split aptaswitch (PSA) for the challenging small-molecule biorecognition and its sensing application. The PSA specifically binds with the target in a binary reaction, and can easily rule out false positive signals by azobenzene photoisomerization, exhibiting an approximately 50-fold improved sensitivity over a control assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]