Search

Abstract The disposal and management of waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastics pose significant environmental challenges. Here we show a synergistic pyrolysis approach that employs spent lithium transition metal oxides and waste LDPE plastics in one sealed reactor to achieve the separation of Li and transition metal. Additionally, we demonstrate the preparation of nanoscale NiCo alloy@carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through co-pyrolysis of LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 and LDPE. The NiCo alloy@CNTs exhibits excellent catalytic activity (E onset = ~0.85 V) and the selectivity (~90%) for H2O2 production through the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. This can be attributed to the NiCo nanoalloy core and the presence of CNTs with abundant oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., –COOH and C–O–C), as confirmed by density function theory calculations. Overall, this work presents a straightforward and green approach for valorizing and upcycling various waste LIBs and LDPE plastics.

Abstract Mohr–Coulomb (MC) strength criterion has been widely used in many classical analytical expressions and numerical modeling due to its simple physical calculation, but the MC criterion is not suitable for describing the failure envelope of rock masses. In order to directly apply MC parameters to analytical expressions or numerical modeling in rock slope stability analysis, scholars established a criterion for converting Hoek–Brown (HB) parameters to equivalent MC parameters. However, the consistency of HB parameters and equivalent MC parameters in calculating critical acceleration of slope needs to be further explored and confirmed. Therefore, HB parameters are converted into equivalent MC parameters by considering the influence of slope angle (1# case and 2# case when slope angle is not considered and slope angle is considered respectively). Then, the lower-bound of finite element limit analysis is used for numerical modeling, and the results of calculating critical acceleration using HB parameters and equivalent MC parameters are compared, and the influence of related parameters on the calculation of critical acceleration is studied. Finally, the influence of different critical accelerations on the calculation of slope permanent displacement is further analyzed through numerical cases and engineering examples. The results show that: (1) In the 1# case, the critical acceleration obtained by the equivalent MC parameters are significantly larger than that obtained by the 2 #case and the HB parameters, and this difference becomes more obvious with the increase of slope angle. The critical acceleration obtained by the 2# case is very close to the HB parameters; (2) In the 1# case, slope height is inversely proportional to ΔAc (HB(Ac) − 1#(Ac)), and with the increase of slope height, ΔAc decreases, while in the 2# case, the difference of ΔAc (HB(Ac) − 2#(Ac)) is not significant; (3) In the 1# case, the sensitivity of the HB parameters to ΔAc is D > GSI > m i > σ ci , but in the 2# case, there is no sensitivity-related regularity; (4) The application of HB parameters and equivalent MC parameters in slope permanent displacement is studied through numerical cases and engineering examples, and the limitations of equivalent MC parameters in rock slope stability evaluation are revealed.

Abstract At present, the method for calculating long-term tunnel settlement predictions under metro loading considers only one working condition of passenger loading, which is inconsistent with actual working conditions. To establish a tunnel settlement model that accounts for variations in passenger flow, this study uses data mining methods to categorize metro operation into three working conditions: "peak period, secondary period, and low period." The impact of these passenger flow conditions on the dynamic response of the soil around the tunnel is analyzed. Then, based on the principles of calculus, a calculus-based prediction model is established to consider the changing patterns of metro passenger flow. The model is applied to analyze the long-term settlement characteristics of Shanghai Metro Line 10. The results indicate that, under identical conditions, soil displacement and dynamic deviatoric stress around the tunnel increase with passenger capacity. The calculus prediction model aligns more closely with actual working conditions than the conventional model. The predicted tunnel settlement of Shanghai Metro Line 10 after 20 years of operation is approximately 37.07 mm, with most settlement occurring in the early stages, primarily due to cumulative plastic deformation of the soil.

We describe enhancements to an operational forecast system based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for the prediction of high-impact weather events affecting power utilities, particularly conditions conducive to wildfires. The system was developed for Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation (PG&E) to forecast conditions in Northern and Central California for critical decision-making such as proactively de-energizing selected circuits within the power grid. WRF forecasts are routinely produced on a 2 km grid, and the results are used as input to wildfire fuel moisture, fire probability, wildfire spread, and outage probability models. This forecast system produces skillful real-time forecasts while achieving an optimal blend of model resolution and ensemble size appropriate for today’s computational resources afforded to utilities. Numerous experiments were performed with different model settings, grid spacing, and ensemble configuration to develop an operational forecast system optimized for skill and cost. Dry biases were reduced by leveraging a new irrigation scheme, while wind skill was improved through a novel approach involving the selection of Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) members used to drive WRF. We hope that findings in this study can help other utilities (especially those with similar weather impacts) improve their own forecast system.

Abstract Background We investigated the associations between the different doses of tigecycline, its efficacy and safety, and the role of tigecycline therapeutic drug monitoring for patients in the intensive care unit. Methods This study was a single-center cohort including patients infected with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) and multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (MDR-KP) causing pulmonary infections. The steady-state plasma concentration after tigecycline administration was determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) in patients admitted to the ICU between October 2020 and December 2021. Multivariate analyses of tigecycline’s clinical efficacy and safety were performed to control confounding factors. Results For this study, we included 45 patients and 45 blood samples to determine steady-state trough concentrations of tigecycline. All patients were divided into the High Dose (HD) and Standard Dose (SD) groups. The median trough concentration of tigecycline was 0.56 μg/mL in the HD group, which was higher than in the SD group (0,21 μg/mL), p = 0.000. There was no significant difference between the two groups of patients in terms of bacterial eradication rate, mortality rate, and clinical efficacy. Multiple regression analysis showed that the ICU days were correlated with mortality OR 1.030(1.005–1.056), p = 0.017. APACHE II was significantly associated with clinical efficacy OR 0.870(0.755–1.002), p = 0.045. The level of fibrinogen decline in the HD group was significantly higher than in the SD group (-3.05 ± 1.67 vs -1.75 ± 1.90), p = 0.038. We identified that age and tigecycline treatment duration influenced fibrinogen decline. Conclusions Tigecycline plasma concentrations are significantly increased when using a high dose. However, the plasma concentration of tigecycline is not correlated with clinical efficacy and adverse reactions. Fibrinogen decline appears to be related to the patient’s age and days of tigecycline. Large sample data are still needed to confirm the clinical guidance significance of tigecycline TDM.

Cohesive failure is one of the primary reasons for low-temperature cracking in asphalt pavements. Understanding the micro-level mechanism is crucial for comprehending cohesive failure behavior. However, previous literature has not fully reported on this aspect. Moreover, there has been insufficient attention given to the correlation between macroscopic and microscopic failures. To address these issues, this study employed molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the low-temperature tensile behavior of asphalt binder. By applying virtual strain, the separation work during asphalt binder tensile failure was calculated. Additionally, a correlation between macroscopic and microscopic tensile behaviors was established. Specifically, a quadrilateral asphalt binder model was generated based on SARA fractions. By applying various combinations of virtual strain loading, the separation work at tensile failure was determined. Furthermore, the impact of strain loading combinations on separation work was analyzed. Normalization was employed to establish the correlation between macroscopic and microscopic tensile behaviors. The results indicated that thermodynamic and classical mechanical indicators validated the reliability of the tetragonal asphalt binder model. The strain loading combination consists of strain rate and loading number. All strain loading combinations exhibited the similar tensile failure characteristic. The critical separation strain was hardly influenced by strain loading combination. However, increasing strain rate significantly enhanced both the maximum traction stress and separation work of the asphalt binder. An increment in the loading number led to a decrease in separation work. The virtual strain combination of 0.5%-80 provided a more accurate representation of the actual asphalt's tensile behavior trend.

Constructing heterostructures from already synthesized two-dimensional materials is of significant importance. We performed a first-principles study to investigate the electronic properties and interfacial characteristics of Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 van der Waals heterostructure (vdWH) contacts. We demonstrate that the p-type Schottky formed by MoSH/WSi2N4 and MoHS/WSi2N4 has extremely low Schottky barrier heights (SBHs). Due to its excellent charge injection efficiency, Janus MoSH may be regarded as an effective metal contact for WSi2N4 semiconductors. Furthermore, the interfacial characteristics and electronic structure of Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 vdWHs can not only reduce/eliminate SBH, but also forms the transition from p-ShC to n-ShC type and from Schottky contact (ShC) to Ohmic contact (OhC) through the layer spacing and electric field. Our results can offer a fresh method for optoelectronic applications based on metal/semiconductor Janus MoSH/WSi2N4 vdW heterostructures, which have strong potential in optoelectronic applications.

Over the course of storm or rainfall event, water thickness builds up on road surface resulting in a loss of contact between vehicle tires and road surface and puts drivers into immediate danger especially at high speeds. Therefore this is a considerably dangerous condition of the road and the realistic measurements and prediction model of water film thickness (WFT) on pavement surface is crucial for determining the road friction coefficient and evaluating the impact of rainfall on traffic safety. A review of the principle as well as critical evaluation of current detection methods of pavement WFT were compared for consistency and accuracy in this paper. The method selection guidelines are given for different road surface water film thickness detection requirements. This paper also introduces the latest development of WFT detection and prediction models for asphalt pavement, and gives the calculation elements and conditions of different WFT prediction models from different modeling ideas, which provides a basis for the selection and optimization of WFT models for future researchers. This article also suggests a few insights as further research directions on this topic. (1) The research can consider the influencing factors of WFT to conduct research on the delineation standard of pavement WFT. (2) In order to meet the future traffic safety dynamic early warning needs, road factors of different material types, disease conditions and linear conditions should be studied, as well as a comprehensive and accurate real-time water film thickness detection and evaluation method considering meteorological factors of rainfall timing, scale and intensity. (3) The prediction model of WFT should be further studied by the analytical method to clarify the influence of the pavement WFT on the driving safety.

Cuproptosis is a novel discovered mode of programmed cell death. To identify the molecular regulatory patterns related to cuproptosis, this study was designed for exploring the correlation between cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) and the prognosis, metabolism, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to screen 363 HCC samples, which were categorized into 2 clusters based on the expression of CRGs. Survival analysis demonstrated that overall survival (OS) was better in Cluster 1 than Cluster 2 which might to be relevant to differences in metabolic based on functional analysis. With LASSO regression analysis and univariate COX regression, 8 prognosis-related genes were screened, a differently expressed genes (DEGs) were then constructed (HCC patients' DEGs)-based signature. The signature's stability was also validated in the 2 independent cohorts and test cohorts (GSE14520, HCC dataset in PCAWG). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year area under the curve (AUC) were 0.756, 0.706, and 0.722, respectively. The signature could also well predict the response to chemotherapy, targeted and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) by providing a risk score. Moreover, the correlation was uncovered by the research between the metabolism and risk score. In conclusion, a unique cuproptosis-related signature that be capable of predicting patients' prognosis with HCC, and offered valuable insights into chemotherapy, TACE and targeted therapies for these patients has been developed.

High pressure is an effective means to optimize the thermoelectric (TE) performance by sharply improving the electrical properties of materials. Studying the carrier effective mass (m*) is a feasible way to uncover the basic reason for superior electrical properties under high pressure. However, it is still difficult to obtain the m* under pressure in experiments. Thus, in this work, the m* of α-PbSe (Fm3̄m) under high pressure is calculated by band dispersion relation based on the density functional theory. It is found that the high pressure decreases m* of α-PbSe, which is the cause for excellent electrical properties. Moreover, the isotropy of m* enhances with the increase in the pressure, which means the high pressure further optimizes the isotropy of the carrier migration in the structure. It is reveled that the higher the pressure, the more beneficial to improve the electrical properties of α-PbSe, thus optimizing the TE performance before the phase transition pressure (4.5 GPa). This work is of great significance for exploring the mechanism of in situ high-pressure TE properties in the future, as well as the prediction and selection of high-performance TE materials under high pressure.

Bulk density and porosity have great influence on the technical performance of an emulsified asphalt mixture, so in order to enhance the strength of the asphalt mixture, bulk density should be improved and porosity should be reduced. Considering the forming process of the emulsified asphalt mixture, the decrease in porosity can ensure the state of the mixture. In order to reduce the porosity of the emulsified asphalt mixture, an innovative forming process is proposed to improve the performance of the emulsified asphalt mixture, and its strength formation mechanism is explored in this paper. Three groups of emulsified asphalt mixtures (ARC-8 + SBR, SMA-5 + EVA, SMA-5 + SBR) were prepared by a conventional mixing process and novel mixing process. Marshall test of the emulsified asphalt mixture, CT scanning test of the emulsified asphalt mixture, workability test and analysis were manufactured and tested. The results show that, compared with conventional methods, the innovative forming method can increase the bulk density of the mixture and reduce the porosity, and thus improve its technical performance. The reason is that most of the water in the mixture of the innovative forming method sticks to the outer surface of the fine aggregate, and the water is more easily discharged. Secondly, the fine aggregate of the innovative forming method is directly mixed with the emulsion, and the volume is smaller. The emulsion wraps the fine aggregate in it due to the surface tension, which enhances the adhesion effect, thus improving the strength of the mixture.

This research aimed to develop an effective method for detecting semivolatile earthy-musty odors without using the conventional sample processing equipment used for volatile compounds. The concurrent isolation of 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB), trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol (geosmin, GSM), 2-isopropyl-3-methoxy pyrazine (IPMP), and 2-isobutyl-3-methoxy pyrazine (IBMP) in tap water was successfully achieved by employing a combination of n-hexane liquid‒liquid extraction (LLE) and silica solid-phase extraction (SPE) techniques. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized for the identification of these targets, with the inclusion of borneol (BN) as an internal reference. This robust method was optimized and validated. It was found that the method showed good linearity in the range of 0.5–100 ng/mL and produced good recoveries (84.6 %–103 %) with satisfactory relative standard deviations (1.50 %–10.1 %). The determined limits of detection (LODs) for the group of four substances were found to vary from 0.3 to 0.9 ng/L, whereas the limits of quantitation (LOQs) exhibited variations between 1 and 3 ng/L. The subsequent implementation of this methodology to evaluate the four previously described off-flavor chemicals in tap water resulted in satisfactory results.

To explore the performance evolution mechanism of SBS-modified bitumen (SMB) during construction and service, the chemical structure, molecular weight and properties of styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymer (SBS) and SMB under multiple aging levels were assessed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). The results indicate that the polybutadiene segments in SBS are susceptible to oxidative degradation, and the molecular weight of SBS decreases rapidly during the aging process. The complex modulus and temperature sensitivity of SMB show relatively small changes during the early aging stage, which is mainly attributed to the impact of SBS oxidative degradation. While its temperature sensitivity decreases sharply after double PAV aging, it means the influence of asphalt aging on its performance is dominant. And there is a significant difference in the effect of aging on the creep recovery behavior of SMB under high and low shear stresses. The percentage recovery (R) of SMB decreases and then increases under low shear stress as aging progresses. While the value R of SMB increases gradually under high shear stress with the extension of aging. Meanwhile, the viscoelastic properties of SMB have gradually transformed to those of aged matrix asphalt after serious aging, which is also confirmed by the gradual destruction and degradation of the SBS cross-linked network in the binder from a fluorescence micrograph. This research will help to understand the performance failure mechanism of SMB during service, providing a theoretical reference for the selection of maintenance and renovation opportunities during the service process of SBS-modified asphalt pavement, as well as the avenue to achieve high-performance recycling.

The interface barrier in van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) determines the charge-transfer efficiency and, thus, affects the performance of electronic devices. In this work, we propose two novel 2H–CrSi2N4 and 1T–CrSi2N4 monolayers that can form Ohmic contact heterostructures with other monolayers, including graphene, Ti2C, NbS2, and Ti3C2, based on first-principle calculations. First, we studied 2H–CrSi2N4 and 1T–CrSi2N4 contact with the widely used graphene, and the calculation results show that these heterostructures can form Ohmic contact with zero potential barriers, a desirable property to achieve high-performance electronic devices. Interestingly, this kind of Ohmic contact can be well maintained under electric fields, indicating a great potential for practical applications. On the other hand, 2H–CrSi2N4 and 1T–CrSi2N4 also form Ohmic-contact heterostructures with the Ti2C, NbS2, and Ti3C2 monolayers via vdW interaction. These interesting phenomena of vdWHs can provide enlightenment for designing high-efficiency electronic devices.

This study aimed to analyze the effect of methylglyoxal (MGO) on the structure and allergenicity of shrimp tropomyosin (TM) during thermal processing. The structural changes were determined by SDS-PAGE, intrinsic fluorescence, circular dichroism, and HPLC-MS/MS. The allergenicity was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. MGO could cause conformational structural changes in TM during thermal processing. Moreover, the Lys, Arg, Asp, and Gln residues of TM were modified by MGO, which could destroy and/or mask TM epitopes. In addition, TM-MGO samples could lead to lower mediators and cytokines released from RBL-2H3 cells. In vivo, TM-MGO caused a significant reduction in antibodies, histamine, and mast cell protease 1 levels in sera. These results indicate that MGO can modify the allergic epitopes and reduce the allergenicity of shrimp TM during thermal processing. The study will help to understand the changes in the allergenic properties of shrimp products during thermal processing.

Power consumption is critical for wearable and IoT (Internet of things) devices.Device standby with micro-watt level power consumption can be enabled by using low-power wake-up receiver/wake-up signal technology, which can increase the device battery life and are widely applicable to smart wearables, Internet of things, smart phones, etc.Study item on low power wake-up receiver and wake-up signal technology has been approved in 3GPP, and was considered as one of the iconic technologies for mobile devices in 5G-Advanced.Preliminary discussion on low power wake-up receiver and wake-up signal technology were provided, including use case and requirements, low power wake-up receiver structure, wake-up signal design, mobility and measurement aspects, co-existence with legacy system, anti-interference design.

Flexural toppling is typically observed in anti-dip bedding rock slopes with a set of steeply dipping parallel joints against the slope face. This failure occurs due to the bending of rock strata, similar to cantilever beams. However, the exact failure surface is usually unknown, which leads to an assumption regarding the location and shape of the failure surface that must be made in the theoretical analysis. This assumption serves as the basis for stability analysis but may lead to errors if it is not appropriate. Therefore, in this study, we provide a detailed and systematic review of the mechanical model, precondition, failure patterns of rock strata, primary controlling factors, morphological characteristics of slope failure surfaces, and theoretical analysis methods of slope stability. We also introduce two practical application cases to better understand the advantages, disadvantages, and application scope of these methods. Additionally, we discuss the existing issues and potential future research developments in this field.

Sustainable and resilient pavement infrastructure is critical for current economic and environmental challenges. In the past 10 years, the pavement infrastructure strongly supports the rapid development of the global social economy. New theories, new methods, new technologies and new materials related to pavement engineering are emerging. Deterioration of pavement infrastructure is a typical multi-physics problem. Because of actual coupled behaviors of traffic and environmental conditions, predictions of pavement service life become more and more complicated and require a deep knowledge of pavement material analysis. In order to summarize the current and determine the future research of pavement engineering, Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition) has launched a review paper on the topic of “New innovations in pavement materials and engineering: A review on pavement engineering research 2021”. Based on the joint-effort of 43 scholars from 24 well-known universities in highway engineering, this review paper systematically analyzes the research status and future development direction of 5 major fields of pavement engineering in the world. The content includes asphalt binder performance and modeling, mixture performance and modeling of pavement materials, multi-scale mechanics, green and sustainable pavement, and intelligent pavement. Overall, this review paper is able to provide references and insights for researchers and engineers in the field of pavement engineering.

Abstract Ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) assisted roasting has been proven to be an effective way to convert spent lithium‐ion battery cathodes to water‐soluble salts. Herein, thermogravimetric (TG) experiments are performed to analyze the mechanism of the sulfation conversion process. First, the reaction activation energies of the sulfate‐assisted roasting are 88.87 and 95.27 kJ mol−1, which are calculated by Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) methods, respectively. Then, nucleation and growth are determined and verified as the sulfation reaction model by the Šatava–Šesták method. Finally, sub‐reactions of the sulfation process are investigated and reaction controlling mechanisms are determined by the contribution of sub‐reaction. Based on the thermogravimetric analysis, the phase boundary reaction is found to dominate in the initial step of the roasting process (α < 0.6) while the nucleation reaction controlls the following step (α > 0.6), agreeing well with changing trend of activation energy. Overall, thermogravimetric analysis is a general way to study the mechanism of the various roasting processes.

IntroductionAneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a type of stroke that occurs due to a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. Although advanced therapies have been applied to treat aSAH, patients still suffer from functional impairment leading to prolonged stays in the NICU. The effect of early progressive mobilization as an intervention implemented in the ICU setting for critically ill patients remains unclear.MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated ICF-based early progressive mobilization's validity, safety, and feasibility in severe aSAH patients. Sixty-eight patients with aSAH with Hunt-Hess grades III-IV were included. They were divided into two groups—progressive mobilization and passive movement. Patients in the progressive mobilization group received progressive ICF-based mobilization intervention, and those in the passive movement group received passive joint movement training. The incidence of pneumonia, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of NICU stay, and incidence of deep vein thrombosis were evaluated for validity. In contrast, the incidence of cerebral vasospasm, abnormally high ICP, and other safety events were assessed for safety. We also described the feasibility of the early mobilization initiation time and the rate of participation at each level for patients in the progressive mobilization group.ResultsThe results showed that the incidence of pneumonia, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of NICU stay were significantly lower among patients in the progressive mobilization group than in the passive movement group (P = 0.031, P = 0.004, P = 0.012), but the incidence of deep vein thrombosis did not significantly differ between the two groups. Regarding safety, patients in the progressive mobilization group had a lower incidence of cerebral vasospasm than those in the passive movement group. Considering the effect of an external ventricular drain on cerebral vasospasm (P = 0.015), we further analyzed those patients in the progressive mobilization group who had a lower incidence of cerebral vasospasm in patients who did not have an external ventricular drain (P = 0.011). Although we found 2 events of abnormally increased intracranial pressure in the progressive mobilization group, there was no abnormal decrease in cerebral perfusion pressure in the 2 events. In addition, among other safety events, there was no difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups (P = 0.073), but the number of potential adverse events was higher in the progressive mobilization group (P = 0.001). Regarding feasibility, patients in the progressive mobilization group were commonly initiated 72 h after admission to the NICU, and 47.06% were in the third level of the mobilization protocol.DiscussionWe conclude that the ICF-based early progressive mobilization protocol is an effective and feasible intervention tool. For validity, more mobilization interventions might lead to less pneumonia, duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay for patients with severe aSAH in the NICU, Moreover, it is necessary to pay attention over potential adverse events (especially line problems), although we did not find serious safety events.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), particularly duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA), is a rare gastrointestinal cancer with a dismal prognosis. Data on SBA treatments are limited, and the therapeutic strategy remains uncertain. Currently, chemotherapy is the most used treatment; however, it has a poor median progression-free survival (mPFS) of no more than five months in the second-line setting. We report a case with DA that responded well to the immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) tislelizumab plus irinotecan in the second-line treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of administering ICIs plus chemotherapy to SBA. Despite the absence of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and high tumor mutational burden (TMB), the patient with TP53/KRAS mutation achieved a significantly long PFS of 17 months, and the benefit is still ongoing. The mechanism of this remarkable efficacy might be associated with an increase in tumor immunogenicity after chemotherapy. The current study presents a promising effect of ICIs plus chemotherapy on SBA, affirming the need to investigate the clinical value of this combination in SBA and the underlying mechanism behind it.

The soil dielectric constant model reflects the relationship between the volumetric water content and the dielectric constant. The ground penetrating radar (GPR) could quickly, precisely and non-destructively obtain the water state of the soil layers. A reasonable and reliable dielectric constant model is of great significance for predicting, monitoring and exploring water migration in soils. Taking Yunnan laterite as an example, this study comprehensively considered the key physical factors (dry density, water content, temperature) of the in situ laterite dielectric properties. The dielectric properties and the influencing factors of laterite has been discussed with the laboratory tests by reshaping laterite, and the dielectric constant model was finally proposed to evaluate the natural water state of the laterite. The results show that the relative dielectric constant of laterite increases gradually with the increasing volumetric water content, dry density and temperature respectively. The water content is the most important influencing factor, secondly followed by temperature and dry density. The dielectric constant model of laterite was built based on the influence of dry density and temperature on the relationship between the relative dielectric constant and volumetric water content. The proposed multivariate model has a good prediction effect on the water content of laterite, and the prediction effects compared with other existing models are as follows: Multivariate model, Zhao model, Malicki model, Zhou model, Topp model, Liao mode and Herkelrath model. This model could be applied to evaluate the plastic limit index and the liquid limit index using the relative dielectric constant, and then finally estimate the soft and hard state grades of laterite. This study could provide a reference for the construction of laterite dielectric constant models in different regions, and a convenient way for the estimation of the laterite water content state and engineering categories.

The failure mechanism of hard anti-inclined bedded rock slopes with the possibility of undergoing flexural toppling is very complex so that it is difficult to effectively perform their stability assessment. In this study, an attempt was made to accurately predict the stability factor and the failure surface of such slopes: establishing a new failure zone model and developing a limit equilibrium method based on this model. In this model, the failure zones of such a slope were divided strictly according to the failure mechanisms of the rock layers. In the presented method, the failure surface was considered to be a bilinear-type surface as observed in field investigations and laboratory tests, and the non-dimensional parameter indicating the position of application of the interlayer force was revised by deriving the distribution and the equivalent substitution of interlayer force. Then, a comparative study on Yangtai slope was performed to prove the presented method, and the effect of the non-dimensional parameter on the stability was also investigated. The results reveal that the presented method can accurately determine the failure surface and precisely evaluate the slope stability factor. In addition, the presented method has higher predictive accuracy compared with other analytical methods. With the decrease of the non-dimensional parameter, the stability of the slope is reinforced, but the larger landslide with more serious damage effect will occur if the slope undergoes the overall failure.

Following the successful experimental synthesis of single-layer metallic 1T-TaS2 and semiconducting 2H-MoS2, 2H-WSe2, we perform a first-principles study to investigate the electronic and interfacial features of metal/semiconductor 1T-TaS2/2H-MoS2 and 1T-TaS2/2H-WSe2 van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) contact. We show that 1T-TaS2/2H-MoS2 and 1T-TaS2/2H-WSe2 form n-type Schottky contact (n-ShC type) and p-type Schottky contact (p-ShC type) with ultralow Schottky barrier height (SBH), respectively. This indicates that 1T-TaS2 can be considered as an effective metal contact with high charge injection efficiency for 2H-MoS2, 2H-WSe2 semiconductors. In addition, the electronic structure and interfacial properties of 1T-TaS2/2H-MoS2 and 1T-TaS2/2H-WSe2 van der Waals heterostructures can be transformed from n-type to p-type Schottky contact through the effect of layer spacing and the electric field. At the same time, the transition from Schottky contact to Ohmic contact can also occur by relying on the electric field and different interlayer spacing. Our results may provide a new approach for photoelectric application design based on metal/semiconductor 1T-TaS2/2H-MoS2 and 1T-TaS2/2H-WSe2 van der Waals heterostructures.

BackgroundDiabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a severe complication characterized by low-grade infectious inflammation and probably associated with specific competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and infiltrating immune cells. Nonetheless, no reliable biomarkers are used for detecting infectious inflammation in DFU. Therefore, it is essential to explore potential biomarkers for the accurate diagnosis and treatment of DFU.MethodsThe gene expression profile was retrieved from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and divided into two groups, namely, standard samples and DFU samples. To establish the ceRNA networks, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were utilized to analyze differential expression genes (DEGs). The cell type identification was achieved by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts (CIBERSORT) algorithm to screen-specific immune-infiltrating cells associated with DFU.ResultsA ceRNA network was constructed with 20 differential expression circRNA (DEcircRNAs), 11 differential expression microRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and 9 differential expression mRNAs (DEmRNAs). Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that DFU was mainly enriched in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and T-cell receptor signaling. In addition, CIBERSORT estimation indicated that CD8+ T cells and Monocytes were significantly related to the expression of IL-6, a DFU-specific infectious inflammation factor.ConclusionThis study identified that some significant ceRNAs (JUNB, GATA3, hsa-circ-0049271 and hsa-circ-0074559) and infiltrating immune cells (CD8+ T cells and monocytes) might be related to DFU infectious inflammation.

Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS), with over 100 different histologic subtypes, are rare tumors that account for 1% of all adult malignancies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) display certain benefits in some subtypes, especially in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS), and leiomyosarcoma (LMS). However, efficacy is difficult to predict. High tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression are the strongest features associated with the efficacy of immunotherapy, although they are rarely found in STS patients. Until now, whether or not PD-L1 expression and TMB are related to the efficacy of immunotherapy has not been determined. In this study, we report data obtained from two STS patients, one ASPS and one UPS with a high TMB, that benefited from anlotinib combined with toripalimab following resistance to anlotinib monotherapy. A 26 year-old female patient was diagnosed with ASPS. PD-L1 was negative. Next generation sequencing (NSG) revealed ASPSCR1-TFE3 fusion and TMB-H. Following eight months of anlotinib monotherapy, the patient’s disease progressed but continued to benefit from subsequent use of anlotinib combined with toripalimab for 19 months. Another 63 year-old male patient was diagnosed with UPS. PD-L1 was positive and NGS revealed TMB-H. Following 19 months of anlotinib monotherapy, the patient’s disease progressed but continued to benefit from subsequent use of anlotinib combined with toripalimab. DFS is 23 months to follow-up time. The results presented are the first to report the relationship between TMB and the efficacy of immunotherapy in STS. Based on our results, we hypothesis that anlotinib combined with toripalimab is effective for the treatment of some advanced ASPS or UPS. TMB may be a potential predictive biomarker for ICI treatment and deserves additional study.

The North China Craton (NCC) was stable for more than 2.0 Gyr before a Jurassic–Cretaceous large-scale lithospheric thinning event, but the geodynamic setting during the early phases (Late Jurassic) of NCC reworking remains controversial. We present new petrological and whole-rock geochemical data, zircon and apatite geochemistry, U–Pb ages, O isotopic data, and Sr–Nd isotopic data for two phases of Late Jurassic granite (Linglong and Luanjiahe) from the Jiaobei terrane, southeastern NCC. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that the Linglong granite formed about 6 Myr earlier than Luanjiahe granite (158 Ma vs 152 Ma), after the inception of the paleo-Pacific plate subduction. High zircon U/Yb ratios, high δ18O values [7.89 ± 0.10‰ to 7.67 ± 0.14‰ (2σ)], and inherited zircon age spectra, as well as high apatite F/Cl ratios and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions, suggest that the Linglong and Luanjiahe granites formed by partial melting of ancient thickened lower continental crust of the NCC and Yangtze Craton. Magma evolution modelling based on Rb and Rb/Nb data suggests a similar decoupled assimilation-fractional crystallization process for the generation of Linglong and Luanjiahe granite but with different assimilation degrees. The water contents of parental magma evaluated by using whole-rock Ba, Sr and apatite F, Cl data indicate that the Linglong granite was formed in a relatively water-rich environment than Luanjiahe. This is consistent with the presence of amphibole and minor negative Eu anomalies in the Linglong granite, as water input can promote amphibole fractionation and suppresses plagioclase crystallization. Considering the similar magma sources but distinct water contents of the granites, and the oblique Paleo-Pacific plate subduction setting in the Late Jurassic, the fluids were likely released from the ocean plate beneath a stacked thickened crust. Since the earliest mafic dikes (OIB-type) in the NCC are coeval with the Luanjiahe granite, we suggest that the lower water contents of the Luanjiahe granite were associated with roll-back that resulted in an increasing distance from slab to continental crust. Such a tectonic transition from subduction compression (158 Ma) to initial extension (152 Ma) in the Late Jurassic perhaps possibly marks the beginning of the reworking of the NCC.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of intraoperative B⁃ultrasound real⁃ time monitoring in craniotomy for patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Methods From March 2017 to June 2019, 64 patients withs TBI who met the admission criteria were in cluded in the study. Craniotomy and/or decompressiv ecraniectomy were performed. According to the application of real⁃time B⁃ultrasound⁃guided surgery, the patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: ultrasound group (n=32) and control group (n=32). The operation time, the number of new hematoma during and after operation, the probability of bone flap removal, the probability of second operation and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score were recorded. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was used to evaluate the prognosis and calculate the good prognosisrate. Results In the ultrasound group, 32 cases were successfully operated under the guidance of B⁃ultrasound, and the detection rate of new hematoma was 76% (19/25). The rate of hematoma clearance rate >90% [84.38% (27/32) vs. 59.38% (19/32); χ2=4.947, P=0.026], GCS score at 3 d after operation (11.38±3.54vs.9.19±3.81; t=2.382, P=0.020) and good prognosis rate at discharge [56.25% (18/32) vs. 31.25% (10/32) ; χ2=0.077, P=0.038] in the ultrasound group were higher than those in the control group, but there were no significant differences in the operation time, the probability of bone flap removal and the probability of second operation between 2 groups (P>0.05,forall). Conclusions Intraoperativ ereal⁃time B⁃ultrasound⁃guided surgery can improve the prognosis of patients withs TBI. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.08.007

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often develops secondary coagulopathy (TBI⁃IC), which is characterized by a hypercoagulable state that leading to intracranial and systemic ischemic events and rapidly developing into a consumptive hypocoagulable state that leading to hemorrhagic injuries. These two coagulative states in patients with TBI are highly integrated and closely associated with poor outcomes. It has become the consensus that early diagnosis and correction of TBI⁃IC improve survival and neurological outcomes. However, the underlying mechanisms of TBI⁃IC remain poorly understood, and there is a lack of effective treatment. This article will review the clinical course, potential pathophysiological mechanism and treatment strategy of TBI⁃IC, hoping to provide reference for better guidance of clinical diagnosis and treatment of TBI⁃IC. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.08.003

Objective To investigate the clinical value of metagenomic next⁃generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis ofintracranialinfection after neurosurgery. Methods Fifteen patients suspected of intracranial infection after neurosurgery were prospectively enrolled in Department of Neurosurgery of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January to October, 2019. Two weeks later, three neurosurgeons analyzed and judged whether it was clinical intracranial infection. The cerebrospinal fluild (CSF) routine, biochemical, bacterial smear and culture were recorded. The same CSF sample was sent for mNGS. All cases were followed up for 3 months, and the final diagnosis and treatment outcome were recorded. Results Eight cases were clinically diagnosed as intracranial infection. Among them positive for bacterial culture and mNGS, 3 cases were negative for both, one case was positive for bacterial smear in CSF at the early stage, but negative for culture and mNGS. Diagnosis of intracranial infection were excluded in 7 cases clinically. All the 7 cases were negative for bacterial culture and mNGS, one case was positive for bacterial culture of Staphylococcus epidermidis with head of ventricular drainage tube, and negative for bacterial culture and mNGS in CSF. The bed was judged to be contaminated by the tube head specimen. The number of detection sequence of pathogenic bacteria genes in the 4 cases with positive mNGS was 212, 329, 1601 and 5371, which was accompanied by the decrease of glucose and the increase of leukocyte in CSF. The number of gene sequences of non⁃infectious background bacteria was less than 100. The sensitivity and specificity of mNGS sequencing in the diagnosis of postoperative intracranial infection were 4/8 and 7/7, and the accuracy was 11/15. Conclusions The clinical value of mNGS in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial infection after neurosurgery is preliminarily verified. Based on the traditional detection method, mNGS in CSF can be used as a supplement, but the detection of mNGS must be interpreted reasonably according to the clinical situation. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.08.004

Objective To investigate the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosis of post⁃neurosurgical bacterial meningitis/ventriculitis (PNBM/BV) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods A prospective observational study was conducted, and 53 patients with suspected bacterial meningitis after craniotomy were selected from June 2018 to June 2019 in Department of Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit in Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University. The patients were divided into PNBM/BM group (25 cases) and non⁃PNBM/BV group (NPNBM/BV, 28 cases). CSF cells count, white blood cell count (WBC), protein quantity and glucose, blood glucose and CSF/blood glucose ratio, and CSF and serum PCT were measured. Pearson correlation analysis and partial correlation analysis were used to explore the correlation between CSF PCT and CSF and serum indicators. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROCcurve) and calculate the area under the curve (AUC) were drawn, and the sensitivity and specificity of CSF and serum PCT in the diagnosis of PNBM/BV werecalculated. Results CSF WBC (P=0.011), protein quantity (P=0.030), PCT (P=0.000) and serum PCT (P=0.010) in PNBM/BV group were higher than those in non⁃PNBM/BV group, while CSF glucose (P=0.000) and CSF/serum glucose ratio (P=0.000) in PNBM/BV group were lower than those in non⁃PNBM/BV group. Correlation analysis showed that PCT in CSF was positively correlated with serum PCT (r=0.421, P=0.002) and CSF WBC (r=0.394, P=0.004), but negatively correlated with CSF glucose (r=⁃0.327, P=0.018). The ROC curve showed the AUC of CSF PCT in the diagnosis of PNBM/BV was 0.835 (95%CI: 0.710-0.960, P=0.000), the sensitivity was 88%, the specificity was 82.10%, the positive predictive value was 81.48% (22/27), the negative predictive value was88.46% (23/26),andthediagnostic cutoffvalue was 0.331ng/ml. The ROC curve showed the AUC of serum PCT for the diagnosis of PNBM/ BV was 0.720 (95%CI: 0.580-0.860, P=0.000), the sensitivity was 64%, the specificity was 75%, the positive predictive value was 69.57% (16/23), the negative predictive value was 70% (21/30), and the diagnostic cutoff value was 0.501ng/ml. Conclusions Detection of CSF and serum PCT has important clinical application value in the diagnosis of PNBM/BV after aSAH. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.08.005

Abstract Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common medical complication associated with pregnancy, which may impose risks on both mother and fetus. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implied as vital regulators in GDM. A recent paper revealed dysregulation of miR-33a-5p in placental tissues of GDM patients. However, the biological function of miR-33a-5p in GDM remains elusive. This study focused on exploring the function and underlying mechanisms of miR-33a-5p in GDM. Methods 12 GDM pregnancies and 12 healthy pregnancies were enrolled in the study. INS-1 cell line was applied in in vitro experiments. The expression levels of miR-33a-5p, lnc-DANCR (Differentiation Antagonizing Non-Protein Coding RNA), and ABCA1 (ATP-binding cassette transporter 1) mRNA were determined by RT-qPCR assay. Glucose and insulin levels were measured by ELISA assay. Luciferase reporter assay and western blot assay were applied to validate the target of miR-33a-5p. Results miR-33a-5p was upregulated in the blood samples from GDM, and was positively correlated with blood glucose (p

Context HuoxueJiangtang decoction (ZY) is a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Objective The protective effect of ZY on renal injury in diabetic nephropathy rats was investigated in this study. Materials and methods Fifty 4-week-old SPF Wistar male rats were selected to construct diabetic nephropathy model rats (DN) group by continuous high-fat feeding for 4 weeks, followed by a tail vein injection of 30 mg/kg streptozotocin for 1 week. The experimental rats were divided into six groups of 10 rats: normal (control), DN, DN + ZY, DN + metformin, DN + metformin + ZY, and DN + metformin + captopril (positive control) groups. Among the groups, 6.25 g/kg ZY, 250 mg/kg metformin, and 17.5 mg/kg captopril were given to the rats by gavage once a day for 16 weeks. Blood glucose, dietary behaviour, biochemical indicators, and gene expression changes were measured in each group. Results Metformin + ZY treatment significantly lowered blood glucose, water intake, urine total protein, urine albumin, urine volume, serum triglyceride, and serum cholesterol levels in the DN group. The pathological changes of kidney tissue showed that the DN + metformin + ZY group had a protective effect on kidney tissue damage. And ZY and metformin + ZY treatments repaired the expression of genes in the DN group. Discussion and conclusion The ZY and metformin combined treatment showed a clear therapeutic effect on kidney damage in DN. This study provides a potential mechanism for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy with ZY combined with metformin.

The critical acceleration model plays an important role in seismic slope stability and determines the predictive accuracy of regional seismic landslide hazard assessments. Recently, the critical acceleration model based on the limit equilibrium method has been used to evaluate the seismic stability of regional slopes. However, when the Hoek-Brown failure criterion is used to evaluate the seismic stability of slopes with angles greater than 60°, the results obtained is unconservative by limit equilibrium method. Therefore, based on the simulation of a typical slope model with finite element limit analysis, prediction equations of the critical acceleration are established. The corresponding results are compared with the prediction results from the limit equilibrium method. This comparison shows that the proposed critical acceleration model has higher predictive accuracy than the limit equilibrium method, especially when the Hoek-Brown failure criterion is used to evaluate the slopes with angles greater than 60°. The proposed model is applicable to the global scope and can be effectively applied to regional seismic landslide hazard assessments.

Background. The prognosis of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage is influenced by many factors. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) is a biological marker of neurological damage. This study aimed to determine the related prognostic factors and whether or not the maximum NSE value (NSEmax) has a threshold between good and poor prognosis in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Methods. A total of 259 patients admitted following aSAH were treated by appropriate methods. Initial neurological severity was evaluated by using the initial Glasgow coma scale and Hunt–Hess grades. NSE plasma concentration was measured during the patient’s stay in the neurosurgical intensive care unit, and NSEmax was selected for further study. The primary endpoint of the study was Glasgow outcome score (GOS), which was dichotomized as poor outcome (GOS 1–3) or good outcome (GOS 4–5) at discharge. Results. A poor outcome of patients with aSAH at discharge was associated with mild hypothermia treatment, Hunt–Hess grade, rehemorrhagia, neurogenic pulmonary edema, and pneumonia, which were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients. The best threshold of the maximum value of NSE for poor or good prognosis was 26.255 μg/L (specificity 0.908). Conclusions. Poor neurological score, pulmonary complications, aneurysm rerupture, and mild hypothermia indicate a poor prognosis. NSEmax>26.255 μg/L is an independent predicting factor of poor neurological outcome at discharge after aSAH. This threshold value could help clinicians make the appropriate decision and prognosis.

Objective: To determine the effect of the serum albumin level on admission in patients with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).Methods: A total of 229 patients with SAH were divided into control and hypoalbuminemia groups. The serum albumin levels were measured. The data, including age, gender, co-existing medical conditions, risk factors, Hunt-Hess (H-H) grade on admission, Glasgow coma score (GCS) on admission, complications during hospitalizations, length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, in-hospital mortality, survival rate, outcome at discharge, and the 6-month follow-up outcome, were compared between the two groups.Results: Older age, an increased number of patients who consumed an excess of alcohol, and a lower GCS on admission were findings in the hypoalbuminemia group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The ratio of patients with H-H grade I on admission in the hypoalbuminemia group was decreased compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Patients with hypoalbuminemia were more likely to be intubated, and have pneumonia and cerebral vasospasm than patients with a normal albumin level on admission (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the length of hospital and ICU stays were longer in the hypoalbuminemia group than the control group (p < 0.001). Hypoalbuminemia on admission significantly increased poor outcomes at discharge (p < 0.001). The number of patients with severe disability was increased and the recovery rate was decreased with respect to in-hospital outcomes in the hypoalbuminemia group than the control group (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Hypoalbuminemia was shown to be associated with a poor prognosis in patients with SAH.

PbBr2 has recently attracted considerable attention as a precursor for lead halide perovskite-based devices because of its attractive properties. It is known that pressure can modify the chemical and physical properties of materials by altering the distance between atoms in the lattice. Here, a global structure-searching scheme was used to explore the high-pressure structures of PbBr2, whose structures and properties at high pressure are still far from clear. Three new phases of PbBr2 were predicted in the pressure range of 0–200 GPa, and the pressure-driven phase transition sequence of orthorhombic Pnma (0–52 GPa) → tetragonal I4/mmm (52–80 GPa) → orthorhombic Cmca (80–153.5 GPa) → orthorhombic Immm (153.5–200 GPa) is proposed. Electronic calculations indicate a semiconductor-to-metallic transition of PbBr2 in the Cmca phase at ~120 GPa. Our present results could be helpful in improving the understanding of fundamental physical properties and provide insights to modulate the structural and related photoelectric properties of PbBr2.

β-lactoglobulin (BLG) is a major allergen of milk. Since lipid peroxidation such as acrolein commonly exists during milk processing, it is necessary to evaluate its influence on BLG structure and potential allergenicity. The structure of acrolein-treated BLG was detected using SDS-PAGE, fluorescence, ultraviolet spectrum (UV), circular dichroism (CD) and LC-MS-MS, and the potential allergenicity was assessed by in vitro and in vivo assays. Results showed that acrolein could cause structural changes by BLG aggregation, which decreased the IgE binding capacity. Further, the release of mediators and cytokines decreased with acrolein treatment in RBL-2H3 cells. Mice showed lower allergenicity by the levels of BLG-specific antibody and the release of histamine and mMCP-1. These results explained that acrolein-induced BLG aggregation could damage the allergic epitopes and decrease the allergenicity of BLG in milk. The study will provide a new aspect to explore the natural phenomenon of allergen changes during food processing.

There is an important role in the properties of emulsified asphalt binder and its evaporation residue about emulsifier, which has been confirmed by experiment and chemical tests. However, there is little research about the emulsifier at microperspective. Therefore, the influence of two kinds of emulsifiers, a typical cationic emulsifier (dodecyl benzene sulfonate) and a typical anionic emulsifier (dodecyl primary amine), on technical properties of emulsified asphalt binder and its evaporation residues such as store stability, workability, breaking behavior, and mechanical properties are investigated using a microapproach. Results show that there is an effective role in the storage stability, workability, and demulsification of emulsified asphalt binder about cationic emulsifier compared with anionic emulsifier. The anionic emulsifier makes the density of evaporation residue larger. However, the mechanical properties of anionic emulsified asphalt evaporation residue are conversely smaller compared with the cationic emulsified asphalt evaporation residue. The adhesion behavior results have confirmed that the anionic emulsified asphalt evaporation residue has a negative adhesion with aggregate due to its anion. The mechanism of the different emulsifiers on asphalt binders and their evaporation residue is explored at a microscale to help us to understand emulsified asphalt binder and its evaporation residue more in depth.

Introduction Postoperative delirium (POD) is prevalent in patients after major surgery and is associated with adverse outcomes. Several studies have reported that dexmedetomidine, a highly selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, can decrease the incidence of POD. However, neurosurgical patients are usually excluded from previous studies. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of prophylactic use of low-dose dexmedetomidine on the incidence of POD in patients after intracranial operation.Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial. Seven hundred intensive care unit admitted patients after elective intracranial operation for brain tumours under general anaesthesia are randomly assigned to the dexmedetomidine group or the placebo group with a 1:1 ratio. For patients in the dexmedetomidine group, a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine will be started at a rate of 0.1 μg/kg/hour immediately after enrolment on the day of operation and continued until 08:00 on postoperative day 1. For patients in the placebo group, normal saline will be administered at the same rate as in the dexmedetomidine group. The patients will be followed up for 28 days after enrolment. The primary endpoint is the incidence of POD, which is assessed two times per day using the Confusion Assessment Method for the intensive care unit (ICU), during the first 5 postoperative days. The secondary endpoints include the incidence of dexmedetomidine-related adverse events and non-delirium complications, the length of stay in the ICU and hospital and all-cause 28-day mortality after the operation.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (No KY2019-091-02) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The results of the trial will be presented at national and international conferences relevant to subject fields and submitted to international peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration number Trial registration number: NCT04399343; Pre-results.

Introduction: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome which is preceded by a variety of emotional or physical triggers, with central nervous system conditions being an important trigger. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a promising interventional treatment based on the probability that both TTS and acute coronary syndrome may respond similarly to interventions. The heart protection effect of RIC has been repeatedly confirmed in animal models and observational clinical trials; however, it has never been studied in patients with TTS after acute stroke in randomized clinical trials with a higher level of evidence. The present study will be a proof-of-concept study to determine whether RIC can reduce cardiac injury and eventually improve the heart function and clinical outcomes of TTS patients after acute stroke.Methods and Analysis: A single-center, outcome-assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate the effect of RIC in TTS patients after acute stroke. Major eligibility criteria include TTS patients diagnosed with acute stroke, which can be confirmed on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; patients aged 18–75 years; patients admitted to a hospital within 48 h after the onset of acute stroke; and patients diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with an InterTAK diagnostic score ≥50. A total of 60 eligible patients will be randomly allocated into either the RIC or the control group. The primary endpoint is a composite of death from any cause and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events during the in-hospital period and at the 1- and 6-month follow-up.Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University ([2017] 072). The study findings will be presented at international conferences and published in a peer-reviewed journal.Trial registration: This study has been prospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on September 10, 2018 (ChiCTR1800018290).

According to the results of the physical model tests, the failure plane of an anaclinal layered rock slope was a linear-type plane at an angle above the plane normal to the discontinuities, and the failure mode of rock strata was bending tension. However, the shear failure occurred near the slope toe, the effects of the cohesion of the discontinuities on the stability of the slope, and the contribution of tangential force to cross-section axial force were neglected in such studies. Moreover, none of the experts had developed a rigorously theoretical method for determining the angle between the failure plane and the plane normal to the discontinuities. This paper was initiated for the purpose of solving the problems described above. With the cantilever beam model and a step-by-step analytical method, an optimization of the analytical method for determining the flexural toppling failure plane based on the limit equilibrium theory was developed and the corresponding formulations were derived. Based on the present computational framework, comparisons with other studies were carried out by taking a slate slope in South Anhui in China and a rock slope facing the Tehran-Chalus Road near the Amir-Kabir Dam Lake in Iran. Furthermore, the sensitivity analyses of the parameters used in the calculation process of the failure angle of the slate slope in South Anhui in China were performed. The results demonstrated that the failure plane and the safety factor of the stability obtained with the presented method were credible, which verified the proposed method. The dip angle of the slope, the dip angle of the rock stratum, and the friction angle of the discontinuities were the controlling factors for the overall failure of the slate slope in South Anhui in China.

Emulsified asphalt mixture has the characteristics of convenient construction and durable performance, but its poor early strength and demulsification seriously restrict the popularization and application of this material. At present, the coal gangue produced by coal-fired power plants is generally discarded, resulting in serious environmental pollution. The combination of coal gangue and emulsified asphalt can explore an efficient utilization way for more and more coal gangue and also solve the curing problem of asphalt. In order to give full play to the advantages of existing materials and make rational use of resources, this paper studies the factors affecting the performance of coal gangue emulsified asphalt mixture based on orthogonal experimental design and optimizes its material composition parameters by considering the coupling effect of two factors. The water stability of coal gangue emulsified asphalt mixture is evaluated by the immersion Marshall test. Finally, the strength formation mechanism of coal gangue emulsified asphalt mixture is analyzed from the microscopic point of view. The results determined 7.5% as the optimum amount of emulsified asphalt in coal gangue emulsified asphalt mixture and recommended the best parameter combination of 7.5% emulsified asphalt, 6% coal gangue, and 5% water consumption. With the increase of coal gangue content, the water loss resistance of emulsified asphalt mixture increases gradually, and the water stability of emulsified asphalt mixture can be improved by adding coal gangue. According to the microscopic analysis, the strength of the mixture is formed by the joint action of emulsified asphalt and coal gangue, in which the hydration products of coal gangue and asphalt play the role of cementation and strength together. The ordinary emulsified asphalt mortar mainly contains CaCO3, which mainly plays the role of physical filling.

As it is very difficult to construct conforming plate elements and the solutions achieved with conforming elements yield inferior accuracy to those achieved with nonconforming elements on many occasions, nonconforming elements, especially Adini’s element (ACM element), are often recommended for practical usage. However, the convergence, good numerical accuracy, and high computing efficiency of ACM element with irregular physical boundaries cannot be achieved using either the finite element method (FEM) or the numerical manifold method (NMM). The mixed-order NMM with background cells for integration was developed to analyze the bending of nonconforming thin plates with irregular physical boundaries. Regular meshes were selected to improve the convergence performance; background cells were used to improve the integration accuracy without increasing the degrees of freedom, retaining the efficiency as well; the mixed-order local displacement function was taken to improve the interpolation accuracy. With the penalized formulation fitted to the NMM for Kirchhoff’s thin plate bending, a new scheme was proposed to deal with irregular domain boundaries. Based on the present computational framework, comparisons with other studies were performed by taking several typical examples. The results indicated that the solutions achieved with the proposed NMM rapidly converged to the analytical solutions and their accuracy was vastly superior to that achieved with the FEM and the traditional NMM.

Multi-scale object detection within Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images has become a research hotspot in SAR image interpretation. Over the past few years, CNN-based detectors have advanced sharply in SAR object detection. However, the state-of-the-art detection methods are continuously limited in Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) designing and detection anchor setting aspects due to feature misalignment and targets’ appearance variation (i.e., scale change, aspect ratio change). To address the mentioned limitations, a scale-aware feature pyramid network (SARFNet) is proposed in this study, which comprises a scale-adaptive feature extraction module and a learnable anchor assignment strategy. To be specific, an enhanced feature pyramid sub-network is developed by introducing a feature alignment module to estimate the pixel offset and contextually align the high-level features. Moreover, a scale-equalizing pyramid convolution is built through 3-D convolution within the feature pyramid to improve inter-scale correlation at different feature levels. Furthermore, a self-learning anchor assignment is set to update hand-crafted anchor assignments to learnable anchor/feature configuration. By using the dynamic anchors, the detector of this study is capable of flexibly matching the target with different appearance changes. According to extensive experiments on public SAR image data sets (SSDD and HRSID), our algorithm is demonstrated to outperform existing boat detectors.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the correlation between free fatty acid (FFA) spectrum, blood stasis (BS) score, and macroangiopathy in type 2 diabetic patients with or without BS, as well as the possible relationship between BS and lipotoxicity. Methods: A total of 50 type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with or without BS were enrolled from June to December 2014 in Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital, with 25 patients allocated to each of two groups. Basic information, BS score, blood glucose, blood lipids, etc., were measured for each patient. In addition, we tested the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and IL-18 with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The macroangiopathy status of patients in the two groups was examined by color ultrasound and all factors related to BS scores were analyzed. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to explore the difference in the serum FFA spectra between the two different groups. In addition, the relationship between FFA spectra, BS scores, and macroangiopathy was analyzed. Results: BS scores, total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-18, carotid and femoral artery plaque, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque area, and femoral artery plaque area were all significantly increased in T2D patients with BS syndrome (P < 0.05). A positive correlation was observed between age, duration of diabetes, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque area, femoral artery plaque area, and BS score (P < 0.05). A total of 21 fatty acids were found in the serum, and total FFA (TFFA), saturated fatty acid (SFA), lauric acid (C12:0), palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), arachidonic acid (C20:4n6), behenic acid (C22:0), and lignoceric acid (C24:0) scores were all found to contribute to the difference between FFA spectrums of the two groups; of the fatty acids, C12:0, C16:0, C18:0, C22:0, TFFA, and SFA positively correlated with BS scores as evaluated by Pearson's or Spearman's correlation analysis (P < 0.05). Only SFA entered the regression equation in the multiple linear regression analysis. C12:0, C16:0, C18:0, C20:4n6, TFFA, and SFA were positively correlated with carotid plaque area, whereas linoleic acid (C18:3n3), Cis-5, 8, 11, 14, and 17-eicosapentaenoic acids (C20:5n3) were negatively correlated (P < 0.05). C16:0 was positively correlated with the femoral artery plaque area and C18:3n3, cis-4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19-docosahexaenoic acids (C22:6) and nervonic acid were negatively correlated (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Serum FFA spectra were significantly different between T2D patients with BS and those without, and long-chain SFA made the greatest contribution. Serum FFA spectra were correlated with BS scores and diabetic macroangiopathy, which means that lipotoxicity and BS are correlated in T2D.

It has been realized that the stoichiometries of compounds may change under high pressure, which is crucial in the discovery of novel materials. This work uses systematic structure exploration and first-principles calculations to consider the stability of different stoichiometries of Na–O compounds with respect to pressure and, thus, construct a high-pressure stability field and convex hull diagram. Four previously unknown stoichiometries (NaO5, NaO4, Na4O, and Na3O) are predicted to be thermodynamically stable. Four new phases (P2/m and Cmc21 NaO2 and Immm and C2/m NaO3) of known stoichiometries are also found. The O-rich stoichiometries show the remarkable features of all the O atoms existing as quasimolecular O2 units and being metallic. Calculations of the O–O bond lengths and Bader charges are used to explore the electronic properties and chemical bonding of the O-rich compounds. The Na-rich compounds stabilized at extreme pressures (P > 200 GPa) are electrides with strong interstitial electron localization. The C2/c phase of Na3O is found to be a zero-dimensional electride with an insulating character. The Cmca phase of Na4O is a one-dimensional metallic electride. These findings of new compounds with unusual chemistry might stimulate future experimental and theoretical investigations.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors with desirable bandgaps and high carrier mobility have great potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications. In this work, we proposed α-TeB and β-TeB monolayers using density functional theory (DFT) combined with the particle swarm-intelligent global structure search method. The high dynamical and thermal stabilities of two TeB structures indicate high feasibility for experimental synthesis. The electronic structure calculations show that the two structures are indirect bandgap semiconductors with bandgaps of 2.3 and 2.1 eV, respectively. The hole mobility of the β-TeB sheet is up to 6.90 × 102 cm2 V−1 s−1. By reconstructing the two structures, we identified two new horizontal and lateral heterostructures, and the lateral heterostructure presents a direct band gap, indicating more probable applications could be further explored for TeB sheets.

Bone is one of the most preferred sites of metastasis in lung cancer. Currently, bisphosphonates and denosumab are major agents for controlling tumor-associated skeletal-related events (SREs). However, both bisphosphonates and denosumab significantly increase the risk for jaw osteonecrosis. Statins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors and the most frequently prescribed cholesterol-lowering agents, have been reported to inhibit tumor progression and induce autophagy in cancer cells. However, the effects of statin and role of autophagy by statin on bone metastasis are unknown. In this study, we report that fluvastatin effectively prevented lung adenocarcinoma bone metastasis in a nude mouse model. We further reveal that fluvastatin-induced anti-bone metastatic property was largely dependent on its ability to induce autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Atg5 or Atg7 deletion, or 3-methyadenine (3-MA) or Bafilomycin A1 (Baf A1) treatment prevented the fluvastatin-induced suppression of bone metastasis. Furthermore, we reveal that fluvastatin stimulation increased the nuclear p53 expression, and fluvastatin-induced autophagy and anti-bone metastatic activity were mostly dependent on p53.