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Reducing non‐radiative energy loss (∆Enr) is critical for enhancing the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). To achieve this, a small molecular donor, LJ1, is introduced as the third component in the host system D: A system (D18: BTP‐eC9‐4F). The cascade‐like energy level alignment of D18, LJ1, and BTP‐eC9‐4F facilitates efficient charge transfer. LJ1's good solubility in the processing solvent and high miscibility with BTP‐eC9‐4F delay the precipitation of BTP‐eC9‐4F, leading to improved phase morphology in blend films. Additionally, LJ1 increases spacing between the polymer donor (PD) and the small molecule acceptor (SMA), optimizing blend film morphology and reducing non‐radiative energy loss in OSCs. Ternary OSCs based on D18:LJ1:BTP‐eC9‐4F achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.43% with reduced ∆Enr. Notably, the ternary device using D18:LJ1:L8‐BO attains an outstanding PCE of 19.78%, which is one of the highest device efficiency for ternary OSC. The work highlights the effectiveness of the ternary blend strategy in enhancing OSC performance while minimizing ∆Enr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene glycol can abrogate plant seed dormancy and alleviate salt–alkali stress damage to plants, but its role in embryonic dormancy abrogation and germination in Sorbus pohuashanensis is not yet clear. The mechanism by which polyethylene glycol promotes the release of embryonic dormancy may be related to the synthesis and metabolism of endogenous hormones, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen. In this article, germination in indoor culture dishes was used, and the most suitable conditions for treating S. pohuashanensis embryos, with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), were selected. Germination was observed and recorded, and related physiological indicators such as endogenous hormones, reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen were measured and analyzed to elucidate the mechanism of polyethylene glycol in alleviating salt–alkali stress in S. pohuashanensis embryos. The results showed that soaking seeds in 5% PEG for 5 days is the best condition to promote germination, which can increase the germination rate of embryos under salt–alkali stress by 1–2 times and improve indicators such as germination speed and the germination index. Polyethylene glycol led to an increase in gibberellin (GA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), ethylene (ETH), cytokinin (CTK), nitric oxide (NO), soluble protein and soluble sugar in the embryos under salt–alkali stress; increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), nitrate reductase (NR) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the embryos; a reduction in the accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Therefore, it is suggested that the inhibitory effect of polyethylene glycol on the salt–alkali-stress-induced germination of S. pohuashanensis embryos is closely related to the response of endogenous hormones, reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forecast uncertainty, particularly for precipitation, serves as a crucial indicator of the reliability of deterministic forecasts. Traditionally, forecast uncertainty is estimated by ensemble forecasting, which is computationally expensive since the forecast model is run multiple times with perturbations. Recently, deep learning methods have been explored to learn the statistical properties of ensemble prediction systems due to their low computational costs. However, accurately and effectively capturing the uncertainty information in precipitation forecasts remains challenging. In this study, we present a novel spatiotemporal transformer network (ST-TransNet) as an alternative approach to estimate uncertainty with ensemble spread and probabilistic forecasts, by learning from historical ensemble forecasts. ST-TransNet features a hierarchical structure for extracting multiscale features and incorporates a spatiotemporal transformer module with window-based attention to capture correlations in both spatial and temporal dimensions. Additionally, window-based attention can not only extract local precipitation patterns but also reduce computational costs. The proposed ST-TransNet is evaluated on the TIGGE ensemble forecast dataset and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) precipitation products. Results show that ST-TransNet outperforms both traditional and deep learning methods across various metrics. Case studies further demonstrate its ability to generate reasonable and accurate spread and probability forecasts from a single deterministic precipitation forecast. It demonstrates the capacity and efficiency of neural networks in estimating precipitation forecast uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights The study of lightweight epoxy syntactic foams is of great significance for the exploitation of marine resources. In this work, glass fibers reinforced epoxy hollow spheres (GFs‐EHS) were first prepared using a template method, and a lightweight three‐phase epoxy syntactic foam (LWTP‐ESF) with a multiscale ternary structure was prepared using a molding pressing method with epoxy resin as matrix, hollow glass microspheres (HGMs), and GF‐EHS as the lightweight fillers. The effect of HGMs content on the density, uniaxial compression properties, water absorption, and thermal conductivity of obtained LWTP‐ESF was evaluated. The results indicated that the density, uniaxial compression strength, and thermal conductivity of LWTP‐ESF were consistently decreased, while the water absorption was increased with the increase in HGMs content. The highest specific compression strength and lowest thermal conductivity of LWTP‐ESF could reach 52.77 ± 0.82 MPa·cm3/g and 0.113 ± 0.005 W/(m·K), respectively. Moreover, the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the water absorption and thermal conductivity of LWTP‐ESF were also systematically analyzed. This study provides a novel system and method to prepare lightweight epoxy syntactic foams, and the prepared composites have potential applications in the field of lightweight thermal insulation materials for marine. The composites with a multiscale ternary structure were designed. The composites possessed significantly lower density and thermal conductivity. The water absorption of composites under hydrostatic pressure was evaluated. The thermal conductivity of composites under hydrostatic pressure was evaluated. The water absorption mechanism and thermal insulation mechanism were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suitability of point focus X‐ray beam and area detector techniques for the determination of the uniaxial symmetry axis (fibre texture) of the natural mineral satin spar is demonstrated. Among the various diffraction techniques used in this report, including powder diffraction, 2D pole figures, rocking curves looped on ϕ and 2D X‐ray diffraction, a single simple symmetric 2D scan collecting the reciprocal plane perpendicular to the apparent fibre axis provided sufficient information to determine the crystallographic orientation of the fibre axis. A geometrical explanation of the 'wing' feature formed by diffraction spots from the fibre‐textured satin spar in 2D scans is provided. The technique of wide‐range reciprocal space mapping restores the 'wing' featured diffraction spots on the 2D detector back to reciprocal space layers, revealing the nature of the fibre‐textured samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the backing plate conditions significantly affect the ballistic performance of ceramic/metal composite armor, we have conducted impact experiments using 12.7 mm API projectiles (brittle-hard) to examine the influence of different material characteristics of metal backing plates on the ballistic impact performance of ceramic/metal composite armor. By weighing multilevel sieved fragments and employing the Rosin-Rammler fragment distribution model, we analyzed the influence of backing plate material parameters on the fragment size distribution patterns of the penetrator and ceramic panel. Further, we utilized numerical simulations to explore the impact of backing plate density, Young's modulus, and yield strength on ceramic fracture and energy absorption during penetration. Overall, a high-density backing plate provides better inertial support. Backing materials with a high Young's modulus can enhance the ballistic performance of the ceramic composite target, but there is a limit to this effect. The yield strength of the backing plate is not necessarily better when higher; instead, there is an optimal value. Either too high or too low yield strength can reduce the energy absorption efficiency of the ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: GCRV has severely threatened the grass carp cultivation industry. However, barbel chub, which share a close relationship with grass carp, have shown strong resistance to GCRV infection. To explore the reasons for GCRV resistance in barbel chub, we constructed gene expression profiles of its main immune tissues (i.e., liver, spleen, head kidney, and trunk kidney) after GCRV infection. We compared the transcriptome of grass carp and barbel chub and found that barbel chub respond to GCRV infection via PRRs, cytokine-related pathways, complement and coagulation cascades, apoptosis, and autophagy. Our study provides evidence that these pathways might be potential reasons for the GCRV resistance of barbel chub. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and barbel chub (Squaliobarbus curriculus)—both Leuciscinae subfamily species—demonstrate differences in grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection resistance. We infected barbel chubs with type II GCRV and subjected their liver, spleen, head kidney, and trunk kidney samples to investigate anti-GCRV immune mechanisms via RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We identified 139, 970, 867, and 2374 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver, spleen, head kidney, and trunk kidney, respectively. Across all four tissues, gene ontology analysis revealed significant immune response-related DEG enrichment, and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed pattern recognition receptor (PRR) and cytokine-related pathway enrichment. We noted autophagy pathway enrichment in the spleen, head kidney, and trunk kidney; apoptosis pathway enrichment in the spleen and trunk kidney; and complement- and coagulation-cascade pathway enrichment in only the spleen. Comparative transcriptome analysis between GCRV-infected barbel chubs and uninfected barbel chubs comprehensively revealed that PRR, cytokine-related, complement- and coagulation-cascade, apoptosis, and autophagy pathways are potential key factors influencing barbel chub resistance to GCRV infection. qRT-PCR validation of 11 immune-related DEGs confirmed our RNA-seq data's accuracy. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for the understanding of GCRV infection resistance in barbel chub and hybrid grass carp–barbel chub breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of heat and mass transfer between two porous disks containing porous media is the focus of this paper. In this research, (Ag–Al2O3/water)-based hybrid nanofluid is used. Governing partial differential equations are converted to nonlinear ordinary differential equations by similarity transformations. Numerical solutions to nonlinear systems of equations are achieved using the shooting technique. It is examined how the particle's diameter and nanolayer thickness affect the thermal conductivity of a hybrid nanofluid. Due to the increment of nanolayer thickness, the Nusselt number increases and vice versa for the radius of the particle. Tables and graphs show how the governing parameters influence velocity, temperature, and mass concentration profiles, as well as physical quantities such as skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number. As the values of the porous medium parameters ( P m = 7 –13) and nanolayer thickness (h = 4 –12) elevate, the flow of skin friction coefficient and Nusselt number escalate in both porous disks. Moreover, as the values of the particle radius (r = 9 % to 12%) and Reynolds number (Re = − 1 to 2) amplify, the flow of heat transfer rate is diminished in the lower disk. Porous materials have a high surface area, which increases the contact area between the nanofluids and the porous medium. Porous materials can enhance the permeability of the fluid, reducing the pressure drop in the system. This can be advantageous in applications where high flow rates and low-pressure drops are desired, such as in heat exchangers or cooling systems. Porous materials can provide trapping sites or adhesion points for the nanoparticles, enhancing their dispersion and stability within the hybrid nanofluids. The porosity of the flow medium can therefore influence the purification and filtration efficiency of the hybrid nanofluids, ensuring their cleanliness and functionality. Understanding and controlling the porosity can help optimize the flow characteristics of the nanofluids in various applications. Overall this field will focus on refining hybrid nanofluid compositions, improving modeling techniques, validating experimental findings, optimizing system designs, and exploring new applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex mental disorder that involves alterations in signal transmission across multiple scales and structural abnormalities. The development of effective antidepressants (ADs) has been hindered by the dominance of monoamine hypothesis, resulting in slow progress. Traditional ADs have undesirable traits like delayed onset of action, limited efficacy, and severe side effects. Recently, two categories of fast-acting antidepressant compounds have surfaced, dissociative anesthetics S-ketamine and its metabolites, as well as psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). This has led to structural research and drug development of the receptors that they target. This review provides breakthroughs and achievements in the structure of depression-related receptors and novel ADs based on these. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has enabled researchers to identify the structures of membrane receptors, including the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. These high-resolution structures can be used for the development of novel ADs using virtual drug screening (VDS). Moreover, the unique antidepressant effects of 5-HT1A receptors in various brain regions, and the pivotal roles of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (TrkB) in regulating synaptic plasticity, emphasize their potential as therapeutic targets. Using structural information, a series of highly selective ADs were designed based on the different role of receptors in MDD. These molecules have the favorable characteristics of rapid onset and low adverse drug reactions. This review offers researchers guidance and a methodological framework for the structure-based design of ADs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several commonly used ceramics in ballistic protection were compared in terms of ballistic resistance and failure behavior, including alumina (Al2O3), silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C), and silicon nitride (Si3N4). Hybrid ceramic ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene composite armors were impacted by 12.7 mm armor‐piercing incendiary projectiles, with a velocity of around 490 m/s. Moreover, there was a layer of aramid fabric composite covering on the impacted side of the ceramic plate. These composite armors were paneled with four different types of ceramics as faceplates and had the same sizes. The ballistic test results show that B4C ceramic provides the worst protection performance, and SiC provides the best protection performance. The angles of ceramic cones formed by different ceramic plates under the same impact load are different, SiC is the widest and Al2O3 is the narrowest. Numerical simulation shows that several ceramic composite targets have the same resistance to the projectile at the pit stage. The fragment mass was quantified by using the screening method, and the results show that the Schumann distribution is more consistent with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of hydrodynamic mixing on controlling Microcystis blooms or changing the algal community to diatom dominance has been widely studied; however, the effects of colonial Microcystis biomass on the development of the algal community are poorly known. Here, in order to study the changes in Microcystis blooms under continuous aeration mixing, an experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with factors of varying biomass of Microcystis and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment in summer. There were three chlorophyll a (Chl-a) levels in six treatments: low Chl-a level of 68.4 μg L-1 (treatments L, L-E), medium Chl-a level of 468.7 μg L-1 (treatments M, M-E), and high Chl-a level of 924.1 μg L-1 (treatments H, H-E). Treatments L-E, M-E and H-E were enriched with the same inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. During the experiment of 30 days, the concentration of Microcystis and Chl-a decreased, and diatom Nitzschia palea cells appeared in all the treatments, which became dominant in treatments M, M-E, H and H-E, with the highest biomass of 9.41 ± 1.96 mg L-1Nitzschia in treatment H-E on day 30. The rank order of the biomass of Nitzschia from low to high was (L = L-E) < (M = M-E) < H < H-E (P < 0.05). In addition, Nitzschia cells were aggregates attached to Microcystis colonies in all the treatments. The results showed that the initial biomass of colonial Microcystis affected the algal shift from Microcystis dominance to Nitzschia dominance. However, the enriched inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus was beneficial for the Nitzschia increase in the high biomass treatment alone. The shift from Microcystis dominance to diatom dominance under continuous aeration mixing may be caused by low light conditions as well as the nutrients released from Microcystis decay. Moreover, the aerobic condition caused by aeration mixing maintained the colonial mucilaginous sheath to support the growth of Nitzschia cells in aggregation. This study found for the first time that Microcystis blooms could shift to diatom Nitzschia dominance in aggregates. It provided a method to control and manipulate Microcystis blooms to diatom dominance through continuous aeration mixing to proper biomass of Microcystis colonies. The shift to diatoms dominance would provide more high quality food organisms for aquaculture and be beneficial to the material cycling and energy flowing in food web dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discovering tactical knowledge aims to extract tactical data derived from battlefield signal data, which is vital in information warfare. The learning and reasoning from battlefield signal information can help commanders make effective decisions. However, traditional methods are limited in capturing sequential and global representation due to their reliance on prior knowledge or feature engineering. The current models based on deep learning focus on extracting implicit behavioral characteristics from combat process data, overlooking the embedded martial knowledge within the recognition of combat intentions. In this work, we fill the above challenge by proposing a dual fusion pipeline introducing graph representation learning into sequence learning to construct tactical behavior sequence graphs expressing implicit martial knowledge, named TBGCN. Specifically, the TBGCN utilizes graph representation learning to represent prior knowledge by building a graph to induce deep learning paradigms, and sequence learning finds the hidden representation from the target's serialized data. Then, we employ a fusion module to merge two such representations. The significance of integrating graphs with deep learning lies in using the artificial experience of implicit graph structure guiding adaptive learning, which can improve representation ability and model generalization. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed TBGCN can effectively discover tactical knowledge and significantly outperform the traditional and deep learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis research focuses on investigating the impact of magnetized nanoparticles’ heat and mass transfer process two-dimensional (2D) porous medium ternary hybrid Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) ferrofluid flow through a two movable permeable porous surface, with a specific emphasis on the Darcy Forchheimer effect, activation energy, and chemical reaction parameters. Recently, motile microorganisms have become a significant area of interest in the study of heat and mass transfer. This study employs colored plots to analyze the optimum heat transfer over a double porous plate by altering different physical parameters. Using the shooting technique, the study provides numerical solutions to nonlinear systems of equations by transforming the partial differential equations (PDE) into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) via the dimensionless similarity transformation. Tables and graphs demonstrate how the governing parameters impact velocity, temperature, mass concentration profiles, and motile microorganisms, as well as physical quantities like skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number, Sherwood number, and motile number. Ternary hybrid ferrofluid exhibits a significantly improved heat transfer rate compared to both Ferro and hybrid ferrofluid. The convective flux of heat and mass transfer experiences a decrement with an escalation in the values of the activation energy (E) parameter. The presence of positive values for both the similarity variable (n) and Exothermic/Endothermic parameter (λ) leads to an enhancement in the flow of thermal transfer on both porous surfaces. This research will have far-reaching implications in various fields, including coolant technology in the manufacturing industry, heat dissipation in electronic modules, high-performance computing cooling facilities, the automotive sector, and space applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by morphological control and element doping, nanorod NFS-X ((NiFe)9S8 with different Ni : Fe molar ratios) was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. In this work, uniform and dense NF-X (X = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10) materials were prepared on NiFe foam, and as a precursor, the nanorod was formed in situ by sulfurization in ethanol. NFS-X (X = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10) with nanorod morphology was successfully obtained by controlling the Ni and Fe ratio. The optimized NFS-3 has a unique nanorod structure, which provides abundant electrochemical active sites and sufficient electron and electrolyte migration paths for fast and deep Faraday reactions. A specific capacitance of 3620 mF cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2 was obtained with significant cycling performance (83.3% retention after 7000 cycles at 20 mA cm−2). Furthermore, asymmetric supercapacitor CNHC//NFS-3 was prepared by using NFS-3 nanorods as a cathode and double-shell layer Co/Ni-based alkaline carbonate (CNHC) as an anode. The device presents an excellent energy density of 68.9 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 0.74 kW kg−1 while driving a small fan for operation, exhibiting potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric thin sheets/films hold a key position in the design of some advanced electromechanical structures, such as integrated actuators, energy harvesting devices and programmable structures. The development of new advanced materials, such as metamaterials, has generated a growing interest in utilizing the nonlinear response of piezoelectric elements to achieve new desired features. Nonetheless, there has been a lack of exploration into the modelling and analysis of thin-sheet piezoelectric actuators undergoing nonlinear deformation. The current paper presents a nonlinear model of a thin-sheet piezoelectric actuator partially bonded to a linear elastic, electrically insulative host. The formulation of the problem takes into account the associated effects of the debonding and the adhesive layer on the response of the piezoelectric structure. The thin-sheet actuator is assumed as a generalized electro-elastic Euler–Bernoulli beam, characterized by the piezoelectric effect, axial and bending deformation and nonlinear deflection in the debonded part. The developed nonlinear integral equations in terms of interfacial stresses are solved using Chebyshev polynomials to determine the deformation of the actuator and the local stress fields. This nonlinear model enables the analysis of the electromechanical behaviour of actuators subjected to different in-plane electric loading, considering a range of geometries. The bending moment, axial force, displacement and interfacial stress distribution along the actuator are carefully evaluated. The current study creates valuable insights into the behaviour of such actuators with nonlinear deformation, facilitating the enhancement of actuator performance for applications in specific metamaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of para-split laminotomy in the treatment of lumbar intraspinal tumors. We retrospectively review the clinical data of 15 patients suffering lumbar intraspinal tumors, who underwent tumor resection using the para-split laminotomy, from October 2016 to May 2018. Observation indicators were as follows: (1) surgical and postoperative recovery situations; (2) the neurological function of the spinal cord and the follow-up situations. Mean blood loss was 95.3 ± 58.2 ml, and the mean duration of the surgical procedure was 176.7 ± 35.2 min. All lumbar intraspinal tumors were resected completely. There were no operative complications. The postoperative CT scans showed no pedicle or vertebral fractures. During the follow-up period of 6–18 months (average 10.8 ± 3.9 months), no tumor recurrence or spinal deformation was found according to the imaging examination. CT 3D reconstructions showed that the split laminae tended to heal. The average preoperative JOA score was 15.5 ± 4.9 and the average postoperative JOA score improved to 24.0 ± 3.5 (average improvement rate 65.9 ± 19.6%). The para-split laminotomy could reduce the damage to the posterior spinal tension band and help to protect the stability of the spine. It is feasible and effective to apply the para-split laminotomy to the operation of a lumbar intraspinal tumor, and this technique may be a promising option when considering surgical methods for some multilevel well-circumscribed intraspinal tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of 10 formulas for calculating intraocular lens (IOL) power in cataract eye with an axial length (AL) of more than 28.0 mm. Methods: We searched scientific databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for research published over the past 5 years, up to Sept 2023. The inclusion criteria were case series studies that compared different formulas (Barrett II, EVO, Kane, Hill-RBF, Haigis, Hoffer Q, Holladay 1, SRK/T, Holladay 1 w-k and SRK/T w-k), in patients with extremely long AL undergoing uncomplicated cataract surgery with IOL implantation. The mean difference (MD) of mean absolute error (MAE) and the odds ratio (OR) of both the percentage of eyes within ±0.50D of prediction error (PPE±0.50D) and the percentage of eyes within ±1.00D of prediction error (PPE±1.00D) among different formulas were pooled using meta-analysis. Results: A total of 11 studies, involving 1376 eyes, were included to evaluate the 10 formulas mentioned above. Among these formulas, Barrett II, EVO, Kane, and Hill-RBF demonstrated significantly lower MAE values compared to SRK/T. Furthermore, Kane and Hill-RBF had lower MAE values than EVO. Additionally, Barrett II and Kane yielded significantly lower MAE values than Haigis while Hill-RBF showed significantly lower MAE values than Holladay 1. Moreover, Hill-RBF showed the highest values for both PPE±0.50D and PPE±1.00D, followed by Kane. Both EVO and Kane had higher values of PPE±0.50D and PPE±1.00D compared to Haigis and SRK/T. Conclusion: The Wang-Koch adjusted formulas and new-generation formulas have shown potential for higher accuracy in predicting IOL power for cataract patients with extremely long AL compared to traditional formulas. Based on the current limited clinical studies, Hill-RBF and Kane formulas seem to be a better choice for eyes with extremely long AL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study presents a comprehensive investigation into the intricacies of single-phase simulation concerning the behavior of fractal interfacial magnetized metallic chemical-reactive nanoparticles within fluid systems. The research focuses on unraveling the multifaceted phenomena associated with heat and mass transfer in complex nanoscale environments. To achieve this, we employ numerical techniques to address the intricate fluid flow problems that arise due to the presence of these nanoparticles. Fractal complexities are linked to critical phenomena, such as mixing and mass transport, at the turbulent/non-turbulent interface of shear layers and boundary layers. This study primarily concentrates on the phenomena of heat and mass transfer, with a focus on estimating thermal conductivity models that have significant impacts on the flow of metallic nanofluids under convective conditions. The combination of a high thermal conductivity model with a novel interfacial fractal theory reveals a substantial effect on heat and mass transfer enhancement. Furthermore, this research explores hybrid types of porous channel geometries under the combined influence of magnetohydrodynamics and chemical reaction mechanisms in the presence of metallic nanoparticles. A comprehensive numerical analysis of higher-order nonlinear differential equations is conducted, which exposes the flow field’s behavior concerning momentum, energy, and mass transfer. These insights are envisioned through single-phase simulations of nanofluids. The influence of the nanoparticles’ radius and diameter is found to play a significant role in thermal performance, with nanoparticles ranging from 1% to 8% exhibiting a notable impact on thermal conductivity. HighlightsA new mathematical relation of mass, as well as heat transfer for metallic-nanomaterial being affected by thermal conductivity (T.C.), has been established.The important role of the physical number is observed under the effect of T.C. and heat and mass transfer through orthogonal porous surfaces.An injection/suction, as well as an expansion/contraction phenomenon related to the porous surface is observed.A new mathematical relation of mass, as well as heat transfer for metallic-nanomaterial being affected by thermal conductivity (T.C.), has been established.The important role of the physical number is observed under the effect of T.C. and heat and mass transfer through orthogonal porous surfaces.An injection/suction, as well as an expansion/contraction phenomenon related to the porous surface is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a great challenge to sedation for infants with cleft lip and palate undergoing CT scan, because there is the younger age and no consensus on the type, dosage, and route of drug administration. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intranasal administration of dexmedetomidine combined with midazolam as a sedative option for infants with cleft lip and palate under imaging procedures. Methods: Infants scheduled for cleft lip and palate repair surgery were randomly assigned to the IND group (intranasal dexmedetomidine 2 µg/kg alone) and the INDM group (intranasal dexmedetomidine 2 µg/kg combined with midazolam 0.05 mg/kg). The primary outcome was the proportion of infants underwent successful computed tomography (CT) scans under intranasal sedation. The secondary outcomes included onset time and duration of sedation, recovery time, Ramsay sedation scale, hemodynamic parameters during sedation, and adverse events. Data analyses involved the unpaired t-test, the repeated-measures analysis of variance test, and the continuity correction χ2 test. Results: One hundred five infants were included in the analysis. The proportion of infants underwent successful CT scans under sedation was significantly greater in the INDM group than in the IND group (47 [95.9%] vs. 45 [80.4%], p = 0.016). Additionally, the INDM group had a shorter onset time and a longer duration of sedation statistically (12 [8.5, 17] min vs. 16 [12, 20] min, p = 0.001; 80 [63.6, 92.5] min vs. 68.5 [38, 89] min, p = 0.014, respectively), and their recovery time was significantly longer (43 [30, 59.5] min vs. 31.5 [20.5, 53.5] min, p = 0.006). The difference in Ramsay sedation scale values 20 min after administration was statistically significant between the groups. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in changes in heart rate and respiratory rate. Conclusion: Intranasal administration of dexmedetomidine in combination with midazolam resulted in higher sedation success in comparison with sole dexmedetomidine. However, it has a relatively prolonged duration of sedation and recovery time. Trial registration: ChiCTR2100049122, Clinical trial first registration date: 21/07/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an active learning smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ALSPH) method to simulate generalized Newtonian free surface flows. First, an improved smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ISPH) method is established to obtain more reliable results for free surface flows by coupling the modified kernel gradient, the artificial viscosity, the density diffusive term, and the optimized particle shifting technique. Second, based on data and Gaussian process regression (GPR), an active learning strategy is developed to provide an effective constitutive relation. It is the first time that the ISPH method is combined with GPR to simulate generalized Newtonian free surface flows. Not only can the constitutive relation of any generalized Newtonian fluid in nature be accurately predicted, but a small amount of sampling data is also able to ensure accuracy over a wide range of the shear deformation rate. The challenging droplet impact and dam break are first modeled to validate the ISPH method. Due to the lack of an analytical constitutive relation for an arbitrary generalized Newtonian fluid in nature, the Cross model is then adopted and offers the required data to validate the ALSPH method. The results indicate that the learned constitutive relation is quite consistent with the analytical one and the simulation results match well. In addition, predictive accuracy and time consumption are proven. Furthermore, to verify the applicability of the learned constitutive relation, the jet buckling case and the jet entering the static fluid case are modeled. The good performance demonstrates the ALSPH method has a promising prospect of applications in simulating complex flows in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and timely precipitation forecasts are critical in modern society, influencing both economic activity and daily life. While deep learning methods leveraging remotely sensed radar data have become prevalent for precipitation nowcasting, longer-term forecasting remains challenging. This is due to accumulated errors in deep learning models and insufficient information about precipitation systems over longer time horizons. To address these challenges, we introduce the Short-Term Precipitation Forecast Network (STPF-Net), a recurrent neural network designed for longer-term precipitation prediction. STPF-Net uses a multi-tier structure with varying temporal resolutions to mitigate the accumulated errors during longer forecasts. Additionally, its transformer-based module incorporates larger spatial contexts, providing more complete information about precipitation systems. We evaluated STPF-Net on radar data from southeastern China, training separate models for 6 and 12 h forecasts. Quantitative results demonstrate STPF-Net achieved superior accuracy and lower errors compared to benchmark deep learning and numerical weather prediction models. Visualized case studies indicate reasonably coherent 6 h predictions from STPF-Net versus other methods. For 12 h forecasts, while STPF-Net outperformed other models, it still struggled with storm initiation over longer forecasting time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials with tunable infrared emissivity are scarce but significant for thermal camouflage. In this study, the optical properties of the conjugated polymer PEDOT:PSS are investigated, and it is found that its infrared emissivity can be facilely modulated by regulating the PSS doping level in PEDOT:PSS, which enables superior thermal camouflage across broad application scenarios with different objects and background temperatures. An effective model with PEDOT particles embedded in the PSS matrix is proposed to elucidate the infrared optical response of PEDOT:PSS thick films. The PEDOT molecules possess strong electromagnetic shielding in the middle‐infrared wavelength range, contributing largely to the metallic infrared optical performance. Moreover, the metallic infrared optical properties of PEDOT:PSS become weaker through increasing the PSS doping level in PEDOT:PSS, resulting in an incredibly large infrared radiation modulation from IR "white" (high reflectivity) to IR "black" (large emissivity ε). Furthermore, the perfect thermal camouflage matched with the environment (εBG ≈75%) can be achieved for the PEDOT:PSS with a large PSS doping level across a wide temperature ranges from 35 to 60 °C. This work not only reveals the IR optical characteristics of PEDOT:PSS via the effective model but also paves the way for scalable thermal camouflage compatible with various application environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress presents a significant threat to the growth and development of maize. It is important to study the genes and mechanisms that contribute to drought tolerance. In this study, we identified ZmHDT103 (that encodes a histone deacetylase) by conducting a homologous sequence comparison and found that the expression of ZmHDT103 in maize seedlings is responsive to treatment with polyethylene glycol (PEG). We utilized CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to generate three distinct knockout lines and obtained the ChinaMU mutant of the ZmHDT103 gene. Under drought conditions, the seedlings of ZmHDT103 mutants exhibited significantly lower water loss rate (WLR), relative electrolytic leakage (REL), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) level, and malonaldehyde (MDA) level than those of their wild-type (WT) counterparts. Additionally, the seedlings of ZmHDT103 mutants exhibited significantly higher levels of abscisic acid (ABA), relative water content (RWC), peroxidase (POD), and proline (Pro) than those of the WT control. These findings indicate that ZmHDT103 acts as a negative regulator of drought tolerance in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sensor based on a novel ZnCo2O4/ZnO nanosheet-like p–n heterostructure was designed using a one-step hydrothermal method and utilized to dramatically improve the sensitivity toward triethylamine (TEA) gas. The structure, constituent elements and their valence states of ZnCo2O4/ZnO were tested using various methods. The 5 at%-ZnCo2O4/ZnO sensor was found to have the best sensing performance. The response value of this sensor toward 100 ppm triethylamine (TEA) at the optimum operating temperature of 280 °C (78.68) was almost 12 times higher than that of the ZnO sensor (6.58). The TEA's linear response, superior to that of the pure ZnO sensor, is more selectable and reproducible when the concentration range is between 5 and 80 ppm. A heterostructure of p–n was designed to enhance the gas-sensitive response effectively. This study refines the mechanism of the heterojunction to improve its gas-sensitive performance and provides a new strategy for the design of gas-sensitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal objective of this study is to investigate the anti-penetration performance of ceramic composite armor and to explore the impact of ceramic structural and performance parameters on this ability. We conducted both experimental and numerical simulations on four types of ceramics widely used in this field—B 4 C, SiC, Si 3 N 4 , and Al 2 O 3 , using them as the faceplate, and Kevlar fiber board as the backing, to ascertain the influence of the ceramic's structure and performance parameters on its anti-penetration properties. Given the context where Kevlar fiber serves as the backing, an extensive damage analysis was carried out from both macro and micro perspectives, focusing on the projectile-ceramic-fiber interplay. We deployed the LS-Dyna finite element software to simulate the penetration behavior of these ceramics, and a high level of agreement was observed with experimental results, thus validating the relevance of the parameters used. The results indicate that the principal failure modes of the projectile core and ceramics include tensile shear and compressive shear, leading to fractures. The backing's main failure mode consists of tensile fracture and shear fracture. As the hardness of the ceramics increases, there is a slight decrease in their anti-penetration performance, suggesting that this performance may not be significantly related to hardness as a single variable. Conversely, an increase in fracture toughness and a decrease in brittleness can lead to enhanced anti-penetration performance. Utilizing numerical simulations, an assortment of the four ceramics was tested. When the harder ceramics are placed at the forefront and those with higher toughness at the rear, the energy absorption per unit area increases to a certain extent. Following a comparative analysis of different ceramic combinations, when B 4 C is combined with SiC, Al 2 O 3 , and Si 3 N 4 , placing B 4 C in the front layer increased energy absorption efficiency per unit area by 28.27%, 7.78%, and 18.96% respectively, compared to when it was placed at the back. Furthermore, the combinations of Al 2 O 3 with Si 3 N 4 and SiC respectively resulted in an enhanced energy absorption capability per unit area by 5.96% and 1.72%. A dual-layer ceramic structure with high hardness and high fracture toughness can significantly improve the anti-penetration efficiency of the composite armor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis articles focus the dynamics of fluid conveying ternary solid particles, nano-layer, and magnetic field effects subject to porous disks. The magnetized ternary nanoparticles induced by Ferro and nano-layer are considered due to their unusual characteristics like extraordinary thermal conductivity, which are significant in advanced nanotechnology, heat exchangers, material sciences, and electronics. To avoid possible sedimentation of tiny particles, the motile microorganisms are also considered in the elaborated fluid problem. The main objective of this comprehensive study is the enhancement of heat transportation. In this study, we also investigate the physical dynamics of entropy generation, particularly emphasizing viscous dissipation related to joule heating effects. The mass transfer equation was employed to monitor the chemical interaction with diverse nanoparticles. The results of comparative and numerical validation agree well. The approach of stable and accurate numerical boundary value problem of fourth order code (bvp4c) is applied to solve the nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations. Many useful engineering results are summarized here, including the skin friction coefficient (Cf), Nusselt number (Nu), Sherwood number (Sh), and motile number (Nn). For both porous disks, several non-dimensional parameter effects are depicted graphically and tabulated. The results show that the increasing the number of nanolayer particles slows the rate of the temperature profile in both porous disks, associated with the expansion ratio, Reynolds number, and magnetic field number. Moreover, increasing the values of the density ratio number results in an increase in the flow of microorganisms profile in both porous disks. Increasing the values of the diffusivity parameters and the temperature difference enhances the flow of entropy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient charge transport and extraction within the active layer plays a major role in the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this work, the spontaneously spreading (SS) process was utilized to achieve sequential deposition of the active layer with a planar heterojunction (PHJ) structure. The SS process avoids the damage of the upper layer solution to the lower layer film by the spin coating process. The film with PHJ structure exhibits notable vertical phase separation compared to the bulk heterojunction (BHJ). Moreover, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PHJ device (12.00%) is significantly higher than that of the BHJ (10.84%) due to the efficient charge transport. This work offers a novel fabrication method and device structure to enhance the photovoltaic performance of OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The schizothoracine fishes, widely distributed in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its adjacent areas, are considered as ideal models for investigation of high-altitude adaptation. Schizophygopsis are one group of the highly specialized schizothoracine fishes, and the genetic basis for their high-altitude adaptation is poorly understood. In this study, we performed comparative genomics analyses to investigate the potential genetic mechanisms for high-altitude adaptation of Schizopygopsis malacanthus and Schizopygopsis pylzovi based on the chromosome-level genomes. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that many expanded gene families in Schizopygopsis were associated with immune response while many contracted gene families were functionally associated with olfaction. Among the 123 positively selected genes (PSGs), angpt2a was detected in HIF-1 signaling pathway and possibly related to the hypoxia adaptation of Schizopygopsis. Furthermore, two PSGs cox15 and ndufb10 were distributed in thermogenesis, and there was a Schizopygopsis -specific missense mutation in cox15 (Gln115Glu), which possibly contributed to the cold temperature adaptation of the Schizopygopsis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment of the PSGs revealed three significant pathways including metabolic pathways, cell cycle, and homologous recombination and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the PSGs revealed several categories associated with DNA repair, cellular response to DNA damage stimulus, and metabolic process. Chromosome-scale characterization of olfactory receptor (OR) repertoires indicated that Schizopygopsis had the least number of OR genes, and the OR gene contraction was possibly caused by the limited food variety and the environmental factors such as lower air pressure, lower humidity, and lower temperature. Our study will help expand our understanding of the potential adaptive mechanism of Schizopygopsis to cope with the high-altitude conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for medical syringes has increased dramatically. Scale defect, one of the most common defects on syringes, has become a major barrier to boosting syringe production. Existing methods for scale defect detection suffer from large volumes of data requirements and the inability to handle diverse and uncertain defects. In this paper, we propose a robust scale defects detection method with only negative samples and favorable detection performance to solve this problem. Different from conventional methods that work in a batch-mode defects detection manner, we propose to locate the defects on syringes with a two-stage framework, which consists of two components, that is, the scale extraction network and the scale defect discriminator. Concretely, the SeNet is first built to utilize the convolutional neural network to extract the main structure of the scale. After that, the scale defect discriminator is designed to detect and label the scale defects. To evaluate the performance of our method, we conduct experiments on one real-world syringe dataset. The competitive results, that is, 99.7% on F1, prove the effectiveness of our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the operation of service-sharing platforms, online review information is crucial to attracting consumers. Considering consumers' preference for online review information, this paper discusses the pricing policy selection for a service-sharing platform providing vertically differentiated services in sharing economy, which is worth studying. In this paper, a platform service supply chain composed of a high-quality service provider, a low-quality service provider, and a service-sharing platform is considered. For the two pricing policies of a platform: service provider pricing and platform pricing, the profit-maximizing models are constructed, and the optimal high-quality and the low-quality service prices are obtained. This paper also analyzes the effects of online review information on the profits of service providers, platform profits, consumer surplus, and social welfare under the two policies. The results show that under the platform pricing policy, the platform can gain more profits, while the surplus of consumers and service providers may decrease. When the online review information exceeds a threshold, the high-quality service provider profit under the service provider pricing policy is larger than that under the platform pricing policy. Under the platform pricing policy, the low-quality service provider can earn more profit. We also find that the low-quality service provider is more motivated to encourage consumers to provide online reviews regardless of the pricing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a fast and eco-friendly liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the determination of aesculin and aesculetin in Cortex Fraxini. Ultrapure water was used as the solvent during the microwave-assisted extraction process to prepare the Cortex Fraxini sample. This extraction method reduces the cost of the harmful solvent (only ultrapure water was used) and microwave extraction time (1 min). The LC separation was conducted using an Agilent InfinityLab Poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.1 mm × 30 mm, 2.7 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid and acetonitrile (90:10, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Isocratic elution was employed, and the analytes were detected by MS. Through careful optimization and selection of LC-MS conditions, the analysis time was reduced to 1 min, demonstrating the method's efficiency. The developed method was validated and exhibited excellent specificity, linearity, limit, precision, accuracy, and stability in quantifying aesculin and aesculetin in the Cortex Fraxini samples. The analysis result revealed the presence of aesculin (ranging from 3.55 to 18.8 mg/g) and aesculetin (ranging from 1.01 to 16.2 mg/g) in all ten batches of Cortex Fraxini samples. Compared to the reported LC methods, this approach substantially reduces the total analysis time and requires a minuscule volume of organic solvents. An "Analytical Eco-Scale" assessment was used to evaluate the different assay methods of Cortex Fraxini. The current LC-MS method scored an impressive 90; it was better than the other four reports' LC methods. Thus, the developed LC-MS method is rapid and green, which is helpful for the quality evaluation of Cortex Fraxini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep learning models based on radar echo extrapolation have been widely used in precipitation nowcasting. However, they face the challenge of insufficient input information when extending the forecast lead time, requiring the incorporation of physics‐based numerical weather prediction (NWP). Given that the strengths of radar and NWP data vary depending on the forecast time, effectively fusing these two data sources in a unified deep learning model remains an open research problem. In this study, we propose a Time‐aware Adaptive Feature Fusion Network (TAFFNet) for very short‐term precipitation forecasts up to 12 hr. TAFFNet fuses features adaptively according to their relative contributions to forecast skill at different times. Experimental results demonstrate that TAFFNet performs the best for very short‐term precipitation forecasts. The case studies show that adaptively fusing NWP with radar can improve the accuracy of precipitation forecasts, especially for predicting the initiation and dissipation of storms at longer lead times. Plain Language Summary: Very short‐term precipitation forecasting aims to predict precipitation for a couple of hours, which is crucial for public safety and emergency management in cities. Recently, deep learning models have been widely used for precipitation nowcasting (0–2 hr) based on observation extrapolation. However, as the forecast time increases, extrapolating historical observations alone is inadequate without incorporating physical constraints. On the contrary, traditional NWP can provide essential physical background, but the prediction accuracy still needs improvement for early forecasting periods. In this study, we proposed a novel deep learning model named TAFFNet to combine both advantages of radar and NWP for very short‐term precipitation forecasts up to 12 hr. The features of radar and NWP are first extracted, respectively. Their features are fused adaptively in the forecasting part through a time‐aware adaptive feature fusion (TAFF) module, according to their relative contributions to forecast skill at different lead times. The feature fusion approach can be optimized adaptively through model training. The proposed model is evaluated on the radar and NWP model data set covering southeast China. Results demonstrate that incorporating NWP into a radar‐based deep learning model can improve very short‐term precipitation forecasts. TAFFNet can better capture the storm's initiation and dissipation during forecasting. Key Points: A novel deep learning model termed Time‐aware Adaptive Feature Fusion Network (TAFFNet) is proposed for very short‐term precipitation forecasts up to 12 hrFeatures from radar and numerical weather prediction are fused adaptively in deep levels based on their relative contributions to forecast at different lead timesTAFFNet can improve very short‐term precipitation forecasts, especially for predicting storms initiation and dissipation at longer times [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal radiation spectrum regulation plays an important role in energy and information fields. Effectively hiding targets and rendering it invisible to infrared imaging detectors are great challenges in past decades. Herein, a smart infrared rewritable and emissivity tunable polymer film is proposed based on PEDOT:PSS. The adjustment ability for the thermal emission is attributed to the mobile polaronic of PEDOT that can be effectively regulated by redox agents, resulting in an infrared emission modulation > 30%. The conformation and molecular stacking order of PEDOT also present reversible property, accompanied with the transformation between dication state and neutral state. Finally, a technique for direct writing and erasing process in the infrared region is implemented, based on the simple redox treating process. This work aims to provide a simple strategy on fabricating rewritable films based on conducting polymer PEDOT:PSS, which can be potentially applied in infrared optics security printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic metamaterials are typically synthesized in the form of a series of periodic unit cells, which are smaller than the typical phenomenological length scale. The development of continuum models capable of capturing the size effect of the unit cells has proven to be notoriously difficult. This paper focuses on the development of a novel 2-D continuum model capable of capturing the dynamic behaviour of a class of elastic metamaterials in the long wavelength limit. A new constitutive relation incorporating the local rotational effects is proposed, and a representative discrete model using linear Hookean springs and rigid disks is introduced to generate a continuum metamaterial model revealing the newly proposed constitutive relation. The new model is compared with classical models such as the micropolar continuum model, and other more recently proposed 1-D models for these types of elastic metamaterials. General 2-D wave propagation is then explored analytically using the newly developed model through analysis of the dispersion relations for both longitudinal and transverse waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an SiO2/epoxy adhesive that can be cured in a wet/water environment was prepared. Nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate the curing reaction of this adhesive. Kinetic parameters of the adhesive were obtained using the Kissinger, Ozawa, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose methods. The results show that the isoconversional methods can well explain the curing behavior of SiO2/epoxy adhesive. Further, the tensile lap-shear strength of the prepared adhesive cured in air and water increased by 35.96% and 32.07% than pure epoxy adhesive, respectively. Although the presence of water molecules affects the bond strength of the SiO2/epoxy adhesive, its bond strength underwater was only 1.45 MPa lower than that in air. Compared to the pure epoxy resin, the tensile and flexural strength of SiO2/epoxy adhesive cured in air were 12.23%, 6.67% higher and those of the adhesive cured in water were 10.24% and 6.62% higher, respectively. Compared to the pure epoxy resin, the tensile and flexural modulus of SiO2/epoxy adhesive cured in air increased by 13.71%, 10.25% and those of the adhesive cured in water increased by 11.21% and 10.41%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the motion characteristics of lumbar facet joints and to observe the effect of weight-bearing on lumbar facet joints in the sitting position. Methods: Ten normal subjects (5 males and 5 females) were recruited and scanned by CT, and their lumbar 3D models were reconstructed by software. The images of flexion and extension of lumbar facet joints in the sitting position were collected without weight-bearing and weight-bearing 10 kg, and the 2D model was constructed by software. The 2D-3D model was matched to restore the flexion and extension motion changes of the subjects' lumbar spine in the sitting position. Coordinates were established in the middle of the vertebral body and copied to the facet joints. Measure and record the lumbar facet joint movement distance through coordinate system. The relevant data of facet joints were collected. Results: In the L3/4 segment, after weight loading, the displacement of the left facet joint in the X axis became larger, while that in the Y axis and Z axis decreased. The displacement of the right facet joint in the X axis and Y axis increased, and the Z axis displacement decreased. The rotation angle of the bilateral facet joints also decreased. In the L4/5 segment, after loading, the displacements of the X, Y, and Z axis displacements of both sides increase, while the rotation angles of α and β increase, while the rotation angle of γ decreases. In the L5/S1 segment, the displacements of the X, Y, and Z axes on the left side decrease. The displacement of the X and Y axes on the right side decreases, while the displacement on the Z axis increases. The rotation angles of α and γ increase, and the rotation angle of the β axis decreases. Conclusion: When sitting, the flexion and extension distance and rotational displacement of lumbar facet joints are not affected by weight-bearing. In addition, there is asymmetry in the movement of the left and right facet joints, and weight bearing has no effect on the asymmetry of the motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elastic metamaterials are man-made materials engineered with the purpose of inducing atypical bulk elastic properties. To model a type of elastic metamaterial with local rotational effects, a new two-dimensional continuum model which incorporates local rotation as a scalar field superposed on the translational displacement fields is utilized. This paper provides a comprehensive study of surface wave propagation in this new continuous medium. Unlike the classical Rayleigh wave, the surface wave in this new medium is dispersive. An explicit dispersion relation is obtained, and a closed-form solution of the dispersion curve is derived. The dispersion relation is then used to evaluate the general behaviour of the surface wave. It is found that even for the cases where the effect of local rotation is relatively weak, the surface wave still clearly shows dispersion. The phase velocity of the surface wave falls mostly between the classical Rayleigh wave and the shear wave, especially for cases where the effect of local rotation is weak. In addition to the classical Rayleigh wave, there exists another surface wave which possesses a wavespeed depending only on local rotational parameters. It was also found that particles residing on the free surface of the material move in an elliptical fashion similar to that of classical Rayleigh wave propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study is to investigate the difference in HIV-1 RNA pol gene expression in AIDS patients before and after antiviral treatment and its effect on the expression level of CD4+/CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood. Methods. The participants included 200 AIDS patients who had undergone antiviral medication, and the quantity of HIV-1 RNA pol gene was determined using nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR). The levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry before and after therapy. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to assess the impact of HIV-1 RNA pol gene expression and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio on the prognosis of AIDS patients. Results. After three months of therapy, the levels of HIV-1 RNA and viral load in the patients showed a drastic decline, while the levels of CD4+/CD8+ were markedly elevated (P < 0.05). Logistic analysis revealed that patients' viral loads were positively correlated with HIV-1 RNA and negatively correlated with CD4+/CD8+ (P < 0.05). The alanine aminotransferase (ALT), white blood cell (WBC) count, Serum creatinine (Cr), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and platelet (PLT) levels significantly increased following a 24-month therapy, while no significant changes were observed in the level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), red blood cell (RBC), and neutrophil (NEU) (%). (P > 0.05). Conclusion. Antiviral drugs significantly inhibit the HIV-1 RNA POL gene expression and viral load in AIDS patients but upregulate the expression level of CD4+/CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial heritage tourism complex is an innovative form of industrial heritage protection and utilization, and adopts compound development mode. Based on the interpretation of the development status and existing problems of industrial heritage tourism, combined with the concept of tourism complex, the planning strategies of industrial heritage tourism complex were proposed from the three aspects of space, function and culture, and the practicability of the planning strategies of industrial heritage tourism complex was demonstrated from the perspective of practice by taking Dongyang Mountain resort tourism complex in Changting County, Longyan City as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: By simplifying the π‐bridge unit, a nonfused ring electron acceptor (NFREA) BM‐2F was designed and synthesized with several high‐yield steps. The specific molecular structure features of BM‐2F are planar molecular backbone and out‐of‐plane side chain, which is favorable for charge transport and can suppress the over‐aggregation. BM‐2F based neat and blend films display obvious face‐on molecular orientation. Specially, D18:BM‐2F based blend film can form good bicontinuous interpenetrating network. More excitingly, a power conversion efficiency of 16.15% was achieved with D18:BM‐2F based photovoltaic devices, which is the highest one based on NFREAs. Our researches manifest that NFREA is a promising direction for low‐cost and high‐performance organic solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monolithic Al2O3-SiO2 composite aerogels were synthesized by using inexpensive aluminum chloride hexahydrate (AlCl3·6H2O) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). By adjusting the molar ratio of Al and Si, the best ratio of high-temperature resistance was found. The resultant aerogels (Al:Si = 9:1) exhibit high thermal performance, which can be identified by the low linear shrinkage of 5% and high specific surface area (SSA) of 283 m2/g at 1200 °C. Alumina in these aerogels mainly exists in the boehmite phase and gradually transforms into the θ-Al2O3 phase in the process of heating to 1200 °C. No α-Al2O3 is detected in the heating process. These Al2O3-SiO2 composite aerogels are derived from a simple, low-priced and safe method. With their high thermal performance, these aerogels will have a wide application in high-temperature field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During COVID‐19, there was increased use of handheld displays in educational settings. There is growing concern that eye health may be affected by prolonged exposure to the light‐emitting diodes used as frontlights or backlights in handheld displays. The potential impact of light exposure from tablet‐sized devices with different display technologies and various spectral outputs was assessed in an in vitro model using human retinal epithelial (ARPE‐19) cells. Cellular response was quantified by measuring reactive oxidative species (ROS) and by analyzing mitochondrial morphology. Control experiments established a baseline ROS response to hazardous blue light exposure and also that red light resulted in no detectable ROS response. Under identical conditions, ROS response increased with time for all devices. However, different device spectra caused ROS to accumulate at different rates. When operating the devices in the same mode (day or night), cells accumulated ROS two to three times more slowly on exposure to frontlit electronic paper displays compared to backlit liquid crystal displays. With increasing ROS accumulation, mitochondrial morphology shifted from elongate interconnected features typically observed under normal conditions to rounded disconnected features associated with oxidative stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two photoswitchable semiconducting polymers were synthesized by covalently incorporating photochromic dithienylethene (DTE) into the main chains. Small size polymer dots (Pdots) were prepared and showed dynamic photoswitching upon alternate light irradiation. By virtue of the tunable photoswitching properties, effective pattern encoding and superresolution imaging with a resolution of up to about 30 nm were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, hydrogel materials have been widely used in flexible energy storage devices due to their excellent electrical conductivity and nearly solid mechanical properties. But, due to the plenty of water in the traditional hydrogel electrolyte, the disadvantages of high temperature water loss and low temperature icing are inevitable. In order to solve this problem, we have fabricated an organic gel electrolyte (OGE) and assembled it with activated carbon electrode into flexible organic gel electrolyte supercapacitors (OGESCs). In terms of gel design, the MXene crosslinked polyacrylic acid-N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide (PAA-NHEA-MXene) hydrogel network is replaced by a mixture of lithium chloride and ethylene glycol solvent, showing excellent electrical conductivity (3 and 19.8 mS/cm at −20 and 25 °C, respectively) and good mechanical properties. Due to the replacement of the solvent, the operating temperature of OGESCs is extended (-20-80 °C) and meets the needs of flexible wearable devices. In addition, OGESCs exhibit cyclic stability at both low and high temperatures (capacitance decreases by 3.2% after 10,000 cycles), laying a solid foundation for its application in complex and varied environments. • The supercapacitor exhibits broad temperature adaptability (from −20 to 80 °C). • The MXene cross-linked gel electrolyte displays excellent shape recovery property. • The device retains high capacitance retention under compressive and bending. • The device could retains 77.8% capacitance retention after storage at −20 °C for 15 days. • The supercapacitor has a 3.2% reduction in capacitance after 10,000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The obligate biotrophic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) employs virulence effectors to disturb host immunity and causes devastating stripe rust disease. However, our understanding of how Pst effectors regulate host defense responses remains limited. In this study, we determined that the Pst effector Hasp98, which is highly expressed in Pst haustoria, inhibits plant immune responses triggered by flg22 or nonpathogenic bacteria. Overexpression of Hasp98 in wheat (Triticum aestivum) suppressed avirulent Pst‐triggered immunity, leading to decreased H2O2 accumulation and promoting P. striiformis infection, whereas stable silencing of Hasp98 impaired P. striiformis pathogenicity. Hasp98 interacts with the wheat mitogen‐activated protein kinase TaMAPK4, a positive regulator of plant resistance to stripe rust. The conserved TEY motif of TaMAPK4 is important for its kinase activity, which is required for the resistance function. We demonstrate that Hasp98 inhibits the kinase activity of TaMAPK4 and that the stable silencing of TaMAPK4 compromises wheat resistance against P. striiformis. These results suggest that Hasp98 acts as a virulence effector to interfere with the MAPK signaling pathway in wheat, thereby promoting P. striiformis infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional susceptibility evaluation of geological hazards usually comprises a global susceptibility evaluation of the entire study area but ignores the differences between the local areas caused by spatial non-stationarity. In view of this, the geographically weighted regression model (GWR) was used to divide the study area at regional scale. Seven local areas were obtained with low spatial auto-correlation of each evaluation factor. Additionally, 11 evaluation factors, including the aspect, elevation, curvature, ground roughness, relief amplitude, slope, lithology, distance from the fault, height of the cut slope, multiyear average rainfall and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were selected to establish the evaluation index system of the geological hazard susceptibility. The Pearson coefficient was used to remove the evaluation factors with high correlation. The global and seven local areas were evaluated for susceptibility using the information value model and the global and regional division susceptibility evaluation results were obtained. The results show that the regional division information value model had better prediction performance (AUC = 0.893) and better accuracy. This model adequately considers the influence of the geological hazard impact factors in the different local areas on geological hazard susceptibility and weakens the influence of some factors that have higher influence in the global model but lower influence in local areas on the evaluation results. Therefore, the use of the regional division information value model for susceptibility evaluation is more consistent with the actual situation in the study area and is more suitable for guiding risk management and hazard prevention and mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon aerogels have attracted increasing interest as electrode material and conductive template for supercapacitors due to their unique porous structure and strong electrical conductivity. However, the satisfactory strategy for fabricating carbon aerogels with excellent electrochemical performance remains to be explored. Herein, polyimide aerogels with porous fibrous networks were successfully synthesized by ambient pressure drying, and nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel were obtained after high-temperature processing by using the polyimide aerogel as the precursor. The pore structure of carbon aerogel was controlled by adjusting the repeat unit of polyimide molecular chain. When the repeat unit was 60 and carbonization temperature was 800 °C, PA-60-800 exhibits a typical honeycomb porous structure, which contains numerous meso-micro-porosity and provides a large specific surface area > 1000 m2 g−1. In addition, PA-60-800 showed excellent electrochemical behavior with the specific capacitance of 314.1 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. After 10,000 cycles of galvanostatic cycling, the electrode still maintains a capacity retention of 98.8%. Moreover, PA-60-800-assembled symmetric supercapacitor display a high energy density of 23 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 535.8 W kg−1. This work proposes an alternative path for the preparation of high-performance nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The algal succession in Microcystis blooms of varying biomass under continuous aeration was studied in a greenhouse. There were four treatments (control, Low, Medium, and High) with initial chlorophyll a (Chl-a) of 32.5, 346.8, 1413.7, and 14,250.0 μg L−1, respectively. During the experiment, Cyanophyta biomass was the lowest in the Medium treatment (P < 0.05), while its Chlorophyta biomass was the highest (P < 0.05). Both Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta biomass were the lowest in the High treatment (P < 0.05). Bacillariophyta biomass, particularly the diatom Nitzschia palea was the highest in the Low treatment (P < 0.05), and Nitzschia palea cells were attached to the Microcystis colonies. Thus, the algal shift in Microcystis blooms under aeration disturbance depends on its initial biomass, and it shift to green algae or/and diatom dominance in the control, Low, Medium treatments. Diatom cells, particularly N. palea, grew in an attached form on Microcystis colonies in treatment Low, in which the colonies provided media for the adherence. The mechanism of the algal shift with different biomass must be related to the nutrient level, low light and aerobic conditions under aeration disturbance as well as the aeration itself, which destroyed the Microcystis colonies' advantage of floating on the water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blade is the core component of aero-engine, and its manufacturing capability improvement has always been the focus of aviation manufacturing industry. With the high-efficiency machining of multi-spindle machine tool, this paper proposes a synchronous polishing method based on the cluster grouping of actual blade profile. Firstly, the multi-spindle machining system, flexible polishing with determined path, and synchronous polishing process cycle are analyzed in detail. Secondly, the allowable difference within group is determined by the relationship of polishing compression and surface roughness/removal. Then, the distribution of grouping mark points is determined by the profile differences of sampled blades. Thirdly, the consistency of each two blade profiles is expressed as the vector difference of measurement data, and the grouping result can be established with the Ray-Turi index. Finally, a typical blade is used to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency. After multi-spindle synchronous polishing, the average synchronous polishing cycle time is 3.14 times less than single-spindle machine tool, the profile error and its difference are less than 0.0685 mm and 0.048 mm, the surface roughness can satisfy Ra ≤ 0.4 μ m , which can meet the design requirement of aero-engine blade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is currently the only curative treatment for thalassaemia major (TM). Cord blood (CB) from a sibling has different characteristics from marrow and has potential advantages and disadvantages as a stem cell source. We retrospectively analyzed 68 children with beta-thalassaemia major (β-TM) who underwent fresh cord blood transplantation (F-CBT) from an HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD) between June 2010 and July 2018 in the Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital and Haematology-Oncology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital. The median infused doses of total nucleated cells (TNCs) and CD34 + cells were 8.51×107/kg and 3.16×105/kg, respectively. The median time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment were, respectively, 27 and 31 days. The cumulative probabilities of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were very low after F-CBT (7.8% and 0.0%, respectively). Of the 68 paediatric patients, 67 patients survived during a median follow-up period of 61 months. The estimated 5-year probability of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 98.5% and 87.9%, respectively. Three patients experienced graft rejection (GR) (4.5%), and we identified CD34 + cell dose as a significant risk factor for graft failure (p = 0.036) in stratify analysis. The above results indicate that patients with β-TM have excellent outcomes after F-CBT from an HLA-MSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]