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Abstract Blood flow infections (BSIs) is common occurrences in intensive care units (ICUs) and are associated with poor prognosis. The study aims to identify risk factors and assess mortality among BSI patients admitted to the ICU at Shanghai Ruijin hospital north from January 2022 to June 2023. Additionally, it seeks to present the latest microbiological isolates and their antimicrobial susceptibility. Independent risk factors for BSI and mortality were determined using the multivariable logistic regression model. The study found that the latest incidence rate of BSI was 10.11%, the mortality rate was 35.21% and the mean age of patients with BSI was 74 years old. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the predominant bacterial isolate. Logistic multiple regression revealed that tracheotomy, tigecycline, gastrointestinal bleeding, shock, length of hospital stay, age and laboratory indicators (such as procalcitonine and hemoglobin) were independent risk factors for BSI. Given the elevated risk associated with use of tracheotomy and tigecycline, it underscores the importance of the importance of cautious application of tracheostomy and empirical antibiotic management strategies. Meanwhile, the independent risk factors of mortality included cardiovascular disease, length of hospital stay, mean platelet volume (MPV), uric acid levels and ventilator. BSI patients exhibited a significant decrease in platelet count, and MPV emerged as an independent factor of mortality among them. Therefore, continuous monitoring of platelet-related parameters may aid in promptly identifying high-risk patients and assessing prognosis. Moreover, monitoring changes in uric acid levels may serve as an additional tool for prognostic evaluation in BSI patients.

Abstract Ultrasound velocimetry has been widely used for blood flow imaging. However, the flow measurements are constrained to resolve the in‐plane 2D flow components when using a 1D transducer array. In this work, an ultrasound speckle decorrelation analysis‐based velocimetry (3C‐vUS) is proposed for 3D velocity components measurement using a 1D transducer array. The 3C‐vUS theory is first derived and validated with numerical simulations and phantom experiments. The in vivo testing results show that 3C‐vUS can accurately measure the blood flow 3D‐velocity‐components of the human carotid artery at arbitrary probe‐to‐vessel angles throughout the cardiac cycle. With such capability, the 3C‐vUS will alleviate the requirement of operators and promote disease screening for blood flow‐related disorders.

In this paper, we explored the combination of seismic station data and ground motion prediction equations (GMPE) to predict seismic intensity results by using Bayesian Maximum Entropy (BME) method. The results indicate that: 1) In earthquake analysis in Japan, soft data has predicted higher values of intensity in disaster areas. BME corrected this phenomenon, especially near the epicenter. Meanwhile, for earthquakes in the United States, BME corrected the erroneous prediction of rupture direction using soft data. 2) Compared with other spatial interpolation methods, the profile results of Japan earthquake and Turkey earthquake show that BME is more consistent with ShakeMap results than IDW and Kriging. Moreover, IDW has a low intensity anomaly zone. 3) The BME method overcomes the phenomenon that the strength evaluation results do not match the actual failure situation when the moment magnitude is small. It more accurately delineates the scope of the disaster area and enriches the post-earthquake processing of disaster area information and data. BME has a wide range of applicability, and it can still be effectively used for interpolation analysis when there is only soft data or few sites with data available.

AbstractFollowing a major earthquake, disaster information services must deliver accurate damage assessment results during the emergency ‘black box’ phase when data is scarce. Seismic intensity maps contain crucial information for determining the damage in the affected area. For earthquakes with Mw between 5.5 and 7, this study proposes using GIS analysis to mine aftershock events in early aftershock sequences that are closely related to the mainshock fault, and then using these events to generate seismic intensity assessment maps. Regression curves were first obtained using a nonparametric method (rLowess) to analyse the geographical coordinates of early aftershocks. Then, a buffer of 1 or 1.5 km radius was made for the curve, and the aftershocks in the buffer were used to calculate the predicted peak ground velocity (PGV) values over a specific km-grid range. Finally, rapid mapping of seismic intensity was assessed based on the intensity scale. This straightforward and repeatable method employs seismic station data obtained shortly after the mainshock. The assessed seismic intensity accurately reflects the location and extent of the hardest hit areas and can be cross-referenced with geophysical results to accurately assess the damage in the affected areas.

Abstract Background In recent years, the development of BMSCs-derived exosomes (EXO) for the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS) is a safe and promising modality for OS treatment, which can effectively deliver drugs to tumor cells in vivo. However, the differences in the drugs carried, and the binding of EXOs to other organs limit their therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, improving the OS-targeting ability of BMSCs EXOs and developing new drugs is crucial for the clinical application of targeted therapy for OS. Results In this study, we constructed a potential therapeutic nano platform by modifying BMSCs EXOs using the bone-targeting peptide SDSSD and encapsulated capreomycin (CAP) within a shell. These constructed nanoparticles (NPs) showed the ability of homologous targeting and bone-targeting exosomes (BT-EXO) significantly promotes cellular endocytosis in vitro and tumor accumulation in vivo. Furthermore, our results revealed that the constructed NPs induced ferroptosis in OS cells by prompting excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+ aggregation, and lipid peroxidation and further identified the potential anticancer molecular mechanism of ferroptosis as transduced by the Keap1/Nrf2/GPX4 signaling pathway. Also, these constructed NP-directed ferroptosis showed significant inhibition of tumor growth in vivo with no significant side effects. Conclusion These results suggest that these constructed NPs have superior anticancer activity in mouse models of OS in vitro and in vivo, providing a new and promising strategy for combining ferroptosis-based chemotherapy with targeted therapy for OS.

Abstract Construction of ordered structures that respond rapidly to environmental stimuli has fascinating possibilities for utilization in energy storage, wearable electronics, and biotechnology. Silicon/carbon (Si/C) anodes with extremely high energy densities have sparked widespread interest for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), while their implementation is constrained via mechanical structure deterioration, continued growth of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI), and cycling instability. In this study, a piezoelectric Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT) layer is facilely deposited onto Si/C@CNTs anodes to drive piezoelectric fields upon large volume expansion of Si/C@CNTs electrode materials, resulting in the modulation of interfacial Li+ kinetics during cycling and providing an electrochemical reaction with a mechanically robust and chemically stable substrate. In‐depth investigations into theoretical computation, multi‐scale in/ex situ characterizations, and finite element analysis reveal that the improved structural stability, suppressed volume variations, and controlled ion transportation are responsible for the improvement mechanism of BNT decorating. These discoveries provide insight into the surface coupling technique between mechanical and electric fields to control the interfacial Li+ kinetics behavior and improve structural stability for alloy‐based anodes, which will also spark a great deal attention from researchers and technologists in multifunctional surface engineering for electrochemical systems.

With the rapid development of the construction industry, there have been an uncountable number of damages caused by safety accidents at construction sites. Traditional safety management methods are no longer able to meet the needs of production. This paper presents the concept of constructing safety management scenarios for construction engineering sites. Using a production base project as a research case, it analyzes the natural and human factors involved in constructing spatial–temporal scenarios at construction sites. By employing a spatial–temporal overlay method to analyze multiple safety assessment indicators, a spatial–temporal safety management scenario for the production base project is established. Subsequently, BIM and GIS technologies are applied to perform a spatial–temporal simulation of the construction site safety management scenario. This process delineates safety and hazard areas across different construction phases based on time and spatial dimensions, enabling a comprehensive safety assessment of the construction site of the production base project. The study offers a reference and guidance for improving the level of safety management at construction project sites.

A microwave photonic frequency-doubling phase shifter with a broad bandwidth and large tuning range is proposed in this paper. Frequency doubling and phase shifting are realized by processing the input microwave signal in the optical domain at a dual-drive dual-parallel Mach–Zehnder modulator (DD-DPMZM) and a dual-parallel Mach–Zehnder modulator (DPMZM). The input signal is split into two branches through a 90-degree hybrid splitter. One signal is sent to the DD-DPMZM to achieve a phase-shifted carrier-suppressed up-sideband by tuning the bias voltage, and the other is sent to the DPMZM to realize a carrier-suppressed down-sideband. By beating the phase-shifted up-sideband and the down-sideband at a photodetector (PD), the input signal is frequency doubled and phase shifted. The proposed frequency-doubling phase shifter is simulated. The results show that the frequency-doubled signal has a phase-tuning range from 0 to 360 degrees. In addition, the influence of the amplitude and phase unbalance of the 90-degree hybrid splitter on the magnitude variation and phase deviation of the frequency-doubling phase shifter is studied.

【Objective】The study was conducted to screen suitable methods for preparing tussah silk short fibers to provide more options for the development of new biomaterials.【Method】Tussah silk fibroin was dissolved by HCl, NaOH and FeCl3. The effects of solvent concentration, hydrolysis time and hydrolysis temperature on the preparation rate of tussah silk short fibers were investigated. The morphological and structural characteristics of tussah silk short fibers were observed by the inverted microscope.【Result】The preparation rates of tussah short fibers prepared by HCl, NaOH and FeCl3 solvents were 26.5%, 23.56% and 21.8%, respectively. There was little difference in the preparation rate of short fibers with the three methods. The morphological characteristics of three kinds of tussah short fibers were observed. The ones prepared by FeCl3 hydrolysis were short rod-shaped with flat or bevel cut at both ends, with different lengths, which were darker than the others. The ones prepared by NaOH hydrolysis was lighter in color and transparent, in the form of irregular flakes. The ones prepared by HCl hydrolysis had a better morphology with the shape of short slender rods, lighter color, a smoother surface and flat cuts on both sides, and the lengths of the short fibers were mainly ranged from 50 to 125 μm (accounting for 52.68%).【Conclusion】The process conditions for the preparation of tussah silk short fibers by HCl hydrolysis were: HCl concentration 3 mol/L, hydrolysis time 40 min, hydrolysis temperature 90℃. The hydrolysis conditions were mild, and the tussah silk short fibers processed by HCl method were relatively ideal, which could provide a new carrier for the development of biomaterials.

The 2022 MS 6.8 Luding earthquake is the strongest earthquake in Sichuan Province, Western China, since the 2017 MS 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. It occurred on the Moxi fault in the southeastern segment of the Xianshuihe fault, a tectonically active and mountainous region with severe secondary earthquake disasters. To better understand the seismogenic mechanism and provide scientific support for future hazard mitigation, we summarize the preliminary results of the Luding earthquake, including seismotectonic background, seismicity and mainshock source characteristics and aftershock properties, and direct and secondary damage associated with the mainshock. The peak ground displacements in the NS and EW directions observed by the nearest GNSS station SCCM are ∼35 mm and ∼55 mm, respectively, resulting in the maximum coseismic dislocation of 20 mm along the NWW direction, which is consistent with the sinistral slip on the Xianshuihe fault. Back-projection of teleseismic P waves suggest that the mainshock rupture propagated toward south-southeast. The seismic intensity of the mainshock estimated from the back-projection results indicates a Mercalli scale of VIII or above near the ruptured area, consistent with the results from instrumental measurements and field surveys. Numerous aftershocks were reported, with the largest being MS 4.5. Aftershock locations (up to September 18, 2022) exhibit 3 clusters spanning an area of 100 km long and 30 km wide. The magnitude and rate of aftershocks decreased as expected, and the depths became shallower with time. The mainshock and two aftershocks show left-lateral strike-slip focal mechanisms. For the aftershock sequence, the b-value from the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-magnitude relationship, h-value, and p-value for Omori’s law for aftershock decay are 0.81, 1.4, and 1.21, respectively, indicating that this is a typical mainshock-aftershock sequence. The low b-value implies high background stress in the hypocenter region. Analysis from remote sensing satellite images and UAV data shows that the distribution of earthquake-triggered landslides was consistent with the aftershock area. Numerous small-size landslides with limited volumes were revealed, which damaged or buried the roads and severely hindered the rescue process.

Establishing the National Comprehensive Disaster-Reduction Demonstration Community (NCDDC) is crucial for enhancing comprehensive disaster risk reduction at the grassroots level in China. Studying the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of NCDDCs can guide future NCDDC layout optimization and related policy adjustments. Using the standard deviation ellipse, nearest neighbor index, kernel density, spatial autocorrelation, and Geodetector, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of NCDDCs in China from 2008 to 2021 and detected their influencing factors. The findings are as follows: (1) NCDDCs exhibit an uneven distribution at different scales, including spatial, urban–rural, and county scales. (2) The spatial distribution of NCDDCs mainly follows a northwest–southeast pattern during 2008–2014 and shows a northeast–southwest trend after 2014. (3) The positive spatial correlation and spatial agglomeration of NCDDCs increase annually. (4) NCDDCs show a concentrated and contiguous distribution pattern in 2021, based on “core density zone–ring-core decreasing area–ring-core expansion group–Ɔ-shaped area–belt-shaped area”. (5) The main factors affecting the NCDDC distribution are hospital density, road density, GDP density, and population density, with factors’ interactions exhibiting bilinear and nonlinear enhancement effects. This study reveals the NCDDC spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and its influence mechanism, providing a scientific basis for future NCDDC layout optimization and related policy adjustments.

The 1927 Gulang Mw8.0 earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes in Gansu, China, which triggered lots of loess landslides. However, the loess of the study area is atypical and different from that of the Loess Plateau. Meanwhile, there are few systematic research studies on the characteristics of these seismic landslides. Combined with previous studies and field investigations, the landslide distribution has been revealed through the visual interpretation of remote sensing images of the study area. The relationships between landslides and various influencing factors have been explored through spatial analysis of geographic information science (GIS). Furthermore, comparisons have been made between the Gulang earthquake landslides and other seismic landslides in the Loess Plateau from macroscopic and microcosmic perspectives. A total of 807 earthquake landslides have been interpreted, with a total landslide area of 256.14 km2. The region with the seismic intensity of Ⅹ is the dominant area of landslide distribution. Also, most landslides are distributed at slope angles of (10° and 40°). The relative elevation difference of (100 m and 300 m) is the high-incidence range of landslides. Compared with seismic landslides in the Loess Plateau, the slope angle and the relative elevation difference of most landslides in the study area are larger. The strength of the loess structure in the study area is stronger than that in the Loess Plateau from the view of physical properties and microstructure.

After a destructive earthquake occurs, the traditional ground communication network will be severely damaged or even paralyzed, and cannot guarantee the emergency needs of data transmission, emergency communications, command dispatch between the front and rear emergency command headquarters. In order to ensure the smooth development of the earthquake emergency command, a safe and reliable communication system is needed. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) independently developed by China is a global satellite navigation system. It has functions such as precise positioning and navigation, precise timing, and short message communication. It can play an important role in disaster emergency management. Therefore, starting from the needs of emergency work at the earthquake site, and on the basis of analyzes various communication technologies, research and explores a field communication system for seismic emergency based on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to meet the emergency needs of the earthquake site, such as requirements of rapid acquisition of disaster information, accurate location of disaster areas, and real-time transmission of disaster reports, etc. It is used to ensure the smooth and unimpeded communication at the earthquake site and ensure that emergency command is carried out smoothly.

Understanding phenotypic responses is crucial for predicting and managing the effects of environmental change on native species. Color and display size are typically used to evaluate the utilization value of ornamental plants, which are also important ornamental characters of Lonicera nervosa Maxim. (L. nervosa). However, there is limited documentation of its floral environmental adaptation. The environmental conditions for the development of an organism changes with altitudinal variation. The aim of this research was to find flower trait variability maintenance and the tradeoff among the organs in five different populations of L. nervosa growing at distinct altitudes. We investigated the distribution patterns of floral color, floral display, and biomass tradeoff along a 700-m altitude gradient from 2,950 to 3,650 m. One-way ANOVA analysis was performed to assess the variability of flower traits and floral color across different altitudes. Moreover, correlations and tradeoffs between flowers and vegetative organs were also observed at different altitude ranges. The results indicated that L. nervosa flowers had a strong adaptability along the elevation and divergent altitude-range-specific patterns, which was divided by an altitude breakpoint at around 3,300 m. Below 3,300 m, petal lightness (petal L) decreased, but total floral display area (TFDA), individual floral dry mass (IFDM), and total floral dry mass (TFDM) increased with an increase in altitude. Whereas, above 3,300 m no significant difference was observed in petal L, TFDA, IFDM, and TFDM decreased slightly with an increase in altitude. The responsibility for the selection on floral color at a lower altitude was stronger than that at a higher altitude, while the selection agents on floral biomass had significant effects within the entire altitude range. However, the effects on floral biomass were opposite on both sides of 3,300 m. Thus, floral trait and floral color can be useful indicators for the domestication of horticultural plants and help to evaluate and initiate management and conservation actions.

Understanding the potential habitat of Meconopsis, their species richness distribution patterns, and their influencing factors are critical for the conservation and rational exploitation of this valuable resource. In this study, we applied the MaxEnt model to predict their potential distribution, mapped the distribution pattern of species richness, and analyzed the variation of species richness along environmental gradients. Finally, we calculated the landscape fragmentation indices between the five subregions. Our results found that: (1) the medium- and high-suitable habitats of Meconopsis were mainly distributed in the central and eastern Himalaya, the Hengduan Mountains, and the southeast edge of the plateau platform, with suitable habitats ranged from 3200 m to 4300 m, whose most important factor is precipitation of the warmest quarter; (2) species richness showed a hump pattern along the environmental gradients except for longitude that showed an increasing trend, mainly concentrated in the south and southeast; and (3) the subregions are in the descending order of species richness: plateau platform, Hengduan Mountains, central, eastern, and western Himalaya; the highest and lowest degree of landscape fragmentation were in the western Himalaya and eastern Himalaya, respectively. Our study provides a theoretical background for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of Meconopsis in the wild.

Abstract Embedded Si/graphene composite was fabricated by a novel method, which was in situ generated SiO2 particles on graphene sheets followed by magnesium-thermal reduction. The tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and flake graphite was used as original materials. On the one hand, the unique structure of as-obtained composite accommodated the large volume change to some extent. Simultaneously, it enhanced electronic conductivity during Li-ion insertion/extraction. The MR-Si/G composite is used as the anode material for lithium ion batteries, which shows high reversible capacity and ascendant cycling stability reach to 950 mAh·g−1 at a current density of 50 mA·g−1 after 60 cycles. These may be conducive to the further advancement of Si-based composite anode design.

In this paper, typical earthquake disaster life loss assessment models are applied to verify and calculate the historical earthquake cases in the Gansu Province since 1966. The assessment accuracy and applicability of various models in the Gansu Province are studied by means of actual earthquake cases. Results show that: (1) For Ms6.0, characteristics of the assessed regions, such as physical geography and social economy, should be analyzed to correct the model calculation results and to receive comprehensive assessment results, so as to support emergency decisions. (2) Earthquake disaster life loss assessment models are regionalized and the assessment results are obviously regional. Assessment results of the earthquakes occurred in Hedong Region are not accurate for Hexi Region of Gansu Province.

The first principle calculations have been performed to investigate the geometries, band structures and optical absorptions of a series of MIL-125 MOFs, in which the 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (BDC) linkers are modified by different types and amounts of chemical groups, including NH2, OH, and NO2. Our results indicate that new energy bands will appear in the band gap of pristine MIL-125 after introducing new group into BDC linker, but the components of these band gap states and the valence band edge position are sensitive to the type of functional group as well as the corresponding amount. Especially, only the incorporation of amino group can obviously decrease the band gap of MIL-125, and the further reduction of the band gap can be observed if the amount of NH2 is increased. Although MIL-125 functionalized by NH2 group exhibits relatively weak or no activity for the photocatalytic O2 evolution by splitting water, such ligand modification can effectively improve the efficiency in H2 production because now the optical absorption in the visible light region is significantly enhanced. Furthermore, the adsorption of water molecule becomes more favorable after introducing of amino group, which is also beneficial for the water-splitting reaction. The present study can provide theoretical insights to design new photocatalysts based on MIL-125.

Firstly, this paper establishes the assessment indicator system for the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of county-level administrative units in Gansu, and formulates three criteria, ten indicators and fifteen variables centered on one target. Then, the analytic hierarchy process is applied to determine the indicator weights, and the environmental supporting capability, infrastructure supporting capability and resource supporting capability of different counties in Gansu in the handling of earthquake disasters are calculated to obtain the assessment figure for the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of county-level administrative units in Gansu. The research results indicate that Anning District of Lanzhou has the strongest earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability while Zhouqu County possesses the weakest earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability; the overall earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of northwestern and northeastern regions in Gansu is higher, in which the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of Aksay-Subei District, Jinchuan District, Xifeng District, Linxia City District and Lanzhou City District is particularly prominent; the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of Sunan-Tianzhu District and Gannan-Longnan District is relatively weaker; the geographical environment has a great impact on the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability, which is demonstrated as that the earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capability of regions with violent tectonic activities and dramatic topographic inequality tend to be weak; the whole province should improve the construction of infrastructure and fundamental resources in order to compensate for the insufficiency in environmental supporting capability. In addition, the expert scoring method is adopted in the determination of indicator weights, which is subject to high subjectivity; considering that some data are missing and the influential indicators are not considered comprehensively, the assessment indicator system requires further improvement.

Phoebe zhennan (Gold Phoebe) is a threatened tree species in China and a valuable and important source of wood and bioactive compounds used in medicine. Apart from anthropogenic disturbances, several biotic constraints currently restrict its growth and development. However, little attention has been given to building adaptive strategies for its conservation by examining its morphological and physio-biochemical responses to drought stress, and the role of fertilizers on these responses. A randomized experimental design was used to investigate the effects of two levels of irrigation (well-watered and drought-stressed) and phosphorous (P) fertilization treatment (with and without P) to assess the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of P. zhennan seedlings to drought stress. In addition, we evaluated whether P application could mitigate the negative impacts of drought on plant growth and metabolism. Drought stress had a significant negative effect on the growth and metabolic processes of P. zhennan. Despite this, reduced leaf area, limited stomatal conductance, reduced transpiration rate, increased water use efficiency, enhanced antioxidant enzymes activities, and osmolytes accumulation suggested that the species has good adaptive strategies for tolerating drought stress. Application of P had a significant positive effect on root biomass, signifying its improved water extracting capacity from the soil. Moreover, P fertilization significantly increased leaf relative water content, net photosynthetic rate, and maximal quantum efficiency of PSII under drought stress conditions. This may be attributable to several factors, such as enhanced root biomass, decreased malondialdehyde content, and the up-regulation of chloroplast pigments, osmolytes, and nitrogenous compounds. However, P application had only a slight or negligible effect on the growth and metabolism of well-watered plants. In conclusion, P. zhennan has a strong capability for drought resistance, while P application facilitates and improves drought tolerance mostly through physio-biochemical adjustments, regardless of water availability. It is imperative to explore the underlying metabolic mechanisms and effects of different levels of P fertilization on P. zhennan under drought conditions in order to design appropriate conservation and management strategies for this species, which is at risk of extinction.

In this study, we swiftly determined the focal parameters (focal mechanism, seismic imaging process, magnitude) of the Jishishan earthquake, leveraging a solved fault model to assess the intensity field and casualties promptly. The investigation began by retrieving the source mechanism through the P-wave initial motion and W-phase method. This enabled us to chart the spatial and temporal distribution of energy release in the source area via the back-projection technique. Following this, we estimated the earthquake's intensity field by merging the source inversion findings with the ground motion prediction equation. This analysis facilitated the evaluation of earthquake casualties, utilizing the theoretical intensity field and a casualty assessment model. Our findings indicate that the fault type is a thrust fault, characterized by a unilateral rupture in the direction of NW, with a rupture length spanning approximately 10-15 km and a duration ranging between 8 and 10 s. The earthquake's magnitude varied from M 5.9 to M 6.2. The demarcated high-intensity areas, as per our intensity assessment, align closely with the actual survey results. Furthermore, the predicted total casualties and identified critical rescue zones closely match the real-world casualty figures. These insights offer crucial technical support for governmental emergency command and rescue operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]