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Accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) are currently of high interest to researchers in the nuclear industry and in governmental and international organizations. One widely studied accident-tolerant fuel concept is multilayer cladding (also known as coated cladding). This concept is based on a traditional Zr-based alloy (Zircaloy-4, M5, E110, ZIRLO etc.) serving as a substrate. Different protective materials are applied to the substrate surface by various techniques, thus enhancing the accident tolerance of the fuel. This study focuses on the results of testing of Zircaloy-4 coated with pure chromium metal using the cold spray (CS) technique. In comparison with other deposition methods, e.g., Physical vapor deposition (PVD), laser coating, or Chemical vapor deposition techniques (CVD), the CS technique is more cost efficient due to lower energy consumption and high deposition rates, making it more suitable for industry-scale production. The Cr-coated samples were tested at different conditions (500°C steam, 1200°C steam, and Pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressurization test) and were precharacterized and postcharacterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), or nanoindentation; results are discussed. Results of the steady-state fuel performance simulations using the Bison code predicted the concept's feasibility. It is concluded that CS Cr coating has high potential benefits but requires further optimization and out-of-pile and in-pile testing. Keywords: Accident-Tolerant Fuel, Chromium, Cladding, Coating, Cold Spray, Nuclear Fuel

Highlights “Zero-strain” NiNb2O6 fibers with nanosized primary particles are explored as an all-climate anode material with comprehensively good Li+-storage properties. The almost completely opposite volume changes of electrochemical inactive NiO6 octahedra and active NbO6 octahedra are achieved through reversible O movement, leading to the “zero-strain” behavior of NiNb2O6 with minor unit-cell-volume change and excellent cyclability in a broad temperature range. The gained insight can provide guide for the exploration of high-performance energy-storage materials working at harsh temperatures.

Abstract Polymeric elastomers are extensively employed to fabricate implantable medical devices. However, implantation of the elastomers can induce a strong immune rejection known as the foreign body response (FBR), diminishing their efficacy. Herein, we present a group of immunocompatible elastomers, termed easy-to-synthesize vinyl-based anti-FBR dense elastomers (EVADE). EVADE materials effectively suppress the inflammation and capsule formation in subcutaneous models of rodents and non-human primates for at least one year and two months, respectively. Implantation of EVADE materials significantly reduces the expression of inflammation-related proteins S100A8/A9 in adjacent tissues compared to polydimethylsiloxane. We also show that inhibition or knockout of S100A8/A9 leads to substantial attenuation of fibrosis in mice, suggesting a target for fibrosis inhibition. Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) catheters constructed from EVADE elastomers demonstrate significantly improved longevity and performance compared to commercial catheters. The EVADE materials reported here may enhance and extend function in various medical devices by resisting the local immune responses.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism and clinical significance of miR-18a-5p and retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptor-α (RORA) in the proliferation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. MethodsThe expressions of miR-18a-5p and RORA in CRC cells and tissues were detected via qRT-PCR, FISH, and IHC. Cell proliferation capability was detected through EdU and CFSE assay, cell apoptosis by flow cytometry assay, and cell migration and invasion abilities by cell scratch and Transwell invasion assays, respectively. The targeted regulation of miR-18a-5p on RORA was further verified via dual-luciferase reporter assay, cell function rescue test, RT-PCR, and Western blot assay. Finally, bioinformatics was used to explore the molecular mechanism of miR-18a-5p promoting malignant proliferation, invasion, and progression of CRC via regulating RORA. ResultsmiR-18a-5p exhibited a high expression in CRC tissues and cells (P

The technique of Laser Non-Uniform Shock Peening (LNUSP) is proposed based on the residual stress distribution in welded joints and the shock wave peak pressure of SUS 304 stainless steel. The study investigated the effects of LNUSP on the mechanical properties of laser beam oscillation welded (LWW) joints of SUS 304 stainless steel. The results indicate that LNUSP induced residual compressive stress with an affected layer depth exceeding 0.9 mm, leading to a more uniform residual stress distribution. LNUSP also induced martensitic phase transformation, altered the grain structure orientation, formed parallel dislocation arrays that refined the grains, increased dislocation density leading to dislocation tangles, and induced mechanical twins of 20–70 nm. Furthermore, LNUSP significantly enhanced microhardness and promoted a more uniform hardness distribution, favoring a better balance between strength and ductility. LNUSP notably increased the yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) by 49.4% and 5.1%, respectively, compared to the original samples. The LNUSP-treated samples demonstrated superior strength and plasticity, attributed to the uniformity of internal plastic deformation.

Abstract Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells hold great promise for realizing high power conversion efficiency at low cost. However, achieving scalable fabrication of wide-bandgap perovskite (~1.68 eV) in air, without the protective environment of an inert atmosphere, remains challenging due to moisture-induced degradation of perovskite films. Herein, this study reveals that the extent of moisture interference is significantly influenced by the properties of solvent. We further demonstrate that n-Butanol (nBA), with its low polarity and moderate volatilization rate, not only mitigates the detrimental effects of moisture in air during scalable fabrication but also enhances the uniformity of perovskite films. This approach enables us to achieve an impressive efficiency of 29.4% (certified 28.7%) for double-sided textured perovskite/silicon tandem cells featuring large-size pyramids (2–3 μm) and 26.3% over an aperture area of 16 cm2. This advance provides a route for large-scale production of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, marking a significant stride toward their commercial viability.

Understanding the distribution of species is highly important for optimizing future conservation priorities and strategies at the regional scale. Relatively little attention has been given to multi-taxon aquatic biota in extreme alpine environments. We examined the spatial and temporal patterns of alpha and beta diversity, site-specific contributions to beta diversity and assembly mechanisms of four taxonomic groups (fishes, macroinvertebrates, zooplankton and phytoplankton) from the source to the estuary of the Za'gya Zangbo River above 4500 ​m AMSL (above mean sea level) on the northern Qinghai-Tibetan (Q–T) Plateau. A total of 4 fish species, 45 macroinvertebrate taxa, 17 zooplankton taxa and 56 phytoplankton taxa were found in the study area. No consistent patterns in taxonomic richness were observed across taxa from upstream to estuary. The fish communities had the lowest dissimilarity between communities, the phytoplankton community had the highest dissimilarity in the dry season, and the macroinvertebrate community had the highest dissimilarity in the wet season. The relative importance of the turnover and nestedness components varied considerably across taxa and along spatial gradients. The diversity patterns of macroinvertebrate, zooplankton and phytoplankton communities were significantly correlated with several environmental factors, whereas only the beta diversity of fish was correlated with altitude. Stochastic processes dominated in shaping the macroinvertebrate communities whereas deterministic processes dominated the assembly of the phytoplankton communities. Weak congruence of diversity patterns across taxonomic groups suggested that biological groups cannot serve as reliable surrogates for one another and that multiple biological groups should be included in the biomonitoring of high-altitude rivers on the Q‒T Plateau. The relatively unique species in the upstream area and estuary of the Za'gya Zangbo River harbor should receive more attention in future conservation and management schemes.

Implantable biomaterials and biosensors are integral components of modern medical systems but often encounter hindrances due to the foreign body response (FBR). Herein, we report an albumin coating strategy aimed at addressing this challenge. Using a facile and scalable silane coupling strategy, human serum albumin (HSA) is covalently grafted to the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) implants. This covalently grafted albumin coating remains stable and resistant to displacement by other proteins. Notably, the PDMS with covalently grafted HSA strongly resists the fibrotic capsule formation following a 180-day subcutaneous implantation in C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, the albumin coating led to reduced recruitment of macrophages and triggered a mild immune activation pattern. Exploration of albumin coatings sourced from various mammalian species has shown that only HSA exhibited a promising anti-FBR effect. The albumin coating method reported here holds the potential to improve and extend the function of silicone-based implants by mitigating the host responses to subcutaneously implanted biomaterials.

Abstract Impulse control disorders (ICDs), a wide spectrum of maladaptive behaviors which includes pathological gambling, hypersexuality and compulsive buying, have been recently suggested to be triggered or aggravated by treatments with dopamine D2/3 receptor agonists, such as pramipexole (PPX). Despite evidence showing that impulsivity is associated with functional alterations in corticostriatal networks, the neural basis of the exacerbation of impulsivity by PPX has not been elucidated. Here we used a hotspot analysis to assess the functional recruitment of several corticostriatal structures by PPX in male rats identified as highly (HI), moderately impulsive (MI) or with low levels of impulsivity (LI) in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). PPX dramatically reduced impulsivity in HI rats. Assessment of the expression pattern of the two immediate early genes C-fos and Zif268 by in situ hybridization subsequently revealed that PPX resulted in a decrease in Zif268 mRNA levels in different striatal regions of both LI and HI rats accompanied by a high impulsivity specific reduction of Zif268 mRNA levels in prelimbic and cingulate cortices. PPX also decreased C-fos mRNA levels in all striatal regions of LI rats, but only in the dorsolateral striatum and nucleus accumbens core (NAc Core) of HI rats. Structural equation modeling further suggested that the anti-impulsive effect of PPX was mainly attributable to the specific downregulation of Zif268 mRNA in the NAc Core. Altogether, our results show that PPX restores impulse control in highly impulsive rats by modulation of limbic frontostriatal circuits.

The fluids near the solid substrate display different properties compared to the bulk fluids owing to the asymmetric interaction between the fluid and substrate; however, to the best of our knowledge, no work has been conducted to determine the interfacial properties of fluids experimentally. In this work, we combined a pycnometer with experimental measurements and data processing to determine the standard thermodynamic properties of interfacial fluids for the first time. In the study, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Hmim][NTf2]) and titanium dioxide (P25) were chosen as the probes to prove the concept. It was found that, with the combination of the Gay-Lussac pycnometer and the colligative law, together with selecting a suitable solvent, it is possible and reliable to determine the standard molar volume of the immobilized [Hmim][NTf2]. Compared to the bulk phase, the molar volumes of [Hmim][NTf2] on the P25 surface reduce by 20.8%–23.7% at temperatures from 293.15 to 323.15 K, and the reduction degrees decrease with increasing temperatures. The newly determined standard thermodynamic data was used to obtain the model parameters of hybrid electrolyte perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory density functional theory (ePC-SAFT-DFT), and further predictions of the density of interfacial ionic liquids with different film thicknesses were proved to be reliable in comparison with the experiment results.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) seems opportune for neurofeedback in robot-assisted rehabilitation training due to its noninvasive, less physical restriction, and no electromagnetic disturbance. Previous research has proved the cross-session reliability of fNIRS responses to non-motor tasks (e.g., visual stimuli) and fine-motor tasks (e.g., finger tapping). However, it is still unknown whether fNIRS responses remain reliable 1) in gross-motor tasks, 2) within a training session, and 3) for different training parameters. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the within-session reliability of fNIRS responses to gross-motor tasks for different training parameters. Ten healthy participants were recruited to conduct right elbow extension-flexion in three robot-assisted modes. The Passive mode was fully motor-actuated, while Active1 and Active2 modes involved active engagement with different resistance levels. FNIRS data of three identical runs were used to assess the within-session reliability in terms of the map- ( ${R}^{{2}}$ ) and cluster-wise ( ${R}_{\textit {over}\textit {lap}}$ ) spatial reproducibility and the intraclass correlation (ICC) of temporal features. The results revealed good spatial reliability ( ${R}^{{2}}$ up to 0.69, ${R}_{\textit {over}\textit {lap}}$ up to 0.68) at the subject level. Besides, the within-session temporal reliabilities of Slope, Max/Min, and Mean were between good and excellent ( $0.60< $ ICC < 0.86). We also found that the within-session reliability was positively correlated with the intensity of the training mode, except for the temporal reliability of HbO in Active2 mode. Overall, our results demonstrated good within-session reliability of fNIRS responses, suggesting fNIRS as reliable neurofeedback for constructing closed-loop robot-assisted rehabilitation systems.

Abstract The foreign body response (FBR) to implanted biomaterials and biomedical devices can severely impede their functionality and even lead to failure. The discovery of effective anti‐FBR materials remains a formidable challenge. Inspire by the enrichment of glutamic acid (E) and lysine (K) residues on human protein surfaces, a class of zwitterionic polypeptide (ZIP) hydrogels with alternating E and K sequences to mitigate the FBR is prepared. When subcutaneously implanted, the ZIP hydrogels caused minimal inflammation after 2 weeks and no obvious collagen capsulation after 6 months in mice. Importantly, these hydrogels effectively resisted the FBR in non‐human primate models for at least 2 months. In addition, the enzymatic degradability of the gel can be controlled by adjusting the crosslinking degree or the optical isomerism of amino acid monomers. The long‐term FBR resistance and controlled degradability of ZIP hydrogels open up new possibilities for a broad range of biomedical applications.

As predators are generally larger than their prey, positive body size and trophic position relationships are typically assumed, and these relationships have helped in estimating and predicting the effects of global environmental change on the trophic dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. However, current efforts to confirm the generality of body size-trophic position relationships have focused mainly on interspecific patterns using species-aggregated and averaged data, and little effort has been devoted to assessing how trophic position scales with body size at the intraspecific and community levels as well as exploring its ecological drivers, particularly for fishes in freshwater ecosystems. To fill this gap, we present a broad-scale study of body size-trophic position relationships in freshwater ecosystems at both the intraspecific and community levels using an individual-based body size and isotopic signature dataset that includes 2564 samples of 65 fish species in China. Our results indicate that body size-trophic position patterns at both the intraspecific and community levels can be positive, negative or insignificant. Non-significant patterns predominated at both levels, with slightly more than 30 % showing positive relationships, which highlights that the positive body size-trophic position pattern is not universally prevalent and that body size should be used with caution as a proxy for the trophic position of fishes at both the intraspecific and community levels in freshwater ecosystems. No factor was related to body size-trophic position patterns at the community level, while habitat type, elevation, temperature and fishing pressure were identified as the key determinants of body size-trophic position patterns at the intraspecific level, implying that fishing and climate warming can shift the food-web size structure of freshwater ecosystems by affecting population trophic dynamics.

Abstract Transition metal-catalyzed carbonylative reaction with CO gas are among the central task in organic synthesis, enabling the construction of highly valuable carbonyl compound. Here, we show an earth-abundant nickel-catalyzed three-component tandem acylzincation/cyclization sequence of allene and alkylzinc reagent with 1 atm of CO under mild conditions. This protocol is featured by broad functional group tolerance with high reaction selectivity, providing a rapid and convenient synthetic method for the construction of diverse fully substituted benzotropone derivatives. Mechanistic studies reveal that the installation of a cyano group tethered to allene moiety enables the high regio- and stereoselectivity of this acylzincation of allene, allowing the selective formation of three consecutive C-C bonds in a highly efficient manner.

The combinational density of immobilized functional molecules on biomaterial surfaces directs cell behaviors. However, limited by the low efficiency of traditional low-throughput experimental methods, investigation and optimization of the combinational density remain daunting challenges. Herein, we report a high-throughput screening set-up to study biomaterial surface functionalization by integrating photo-controlled thiol-ene surface chemistry and machine learning-based label-free cell identification and statistics. Through such a strategy, a specific surface combinational density of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and arginine-glutamic acid-aspartic acid-valine peptide (REDV) leads to high endothelial cell (EC) selectivity against smooth muscle cell (SMC) was identified. The composition was translated as a coating formula to modify medical nickel-titanium alloy surfaces, which was then proved to improve EC competitiveness and induce endothelialization. This work provided a high-throughput method to investigate behaviors of co-cultured cells on biomaterial surfaces modified with combinatorial functional molecules.

Background: This study aimed to examine the epidemiological characteristics of imported infections and assess the effectiveness of border health screening in detecting imported diseases. Methods: We obtained infection data for 2016 to 2019 from the Fuzhou Changle International Airport Infection Reporting System. The demographic, temporal, and spatial characteristics of travel-related infections were analyzed using r×c contingency tables, the Cochran–Armitage trend test, and seasonal-trend decomposition using LOESS (STL). Detection rates were used as a proxy for the effectiveness of border health-screening measures. Results: Overall, 559 travel-related infections were identified during the study period, with 94.3% being imported infections. Airport health screening demonstrated an overall effectiveness of 23.7% in identifying travel-associated infections. Imported infections were predominantly identified in males, with 55.8% of cases occurring in individuals aged 20–49. The peak periods of infection importation were from January to February and from May to August. The infectious diseases identified were imported from 25 different countries and regions. All dengue fever cases were imported from Southeast Asia. Most notifiable infections (76.0%) were identified through fever screening at the airport. Conclusion: The increasing number of imported infections poses a growing challenge for public health systems. Multifaceted efforts including surveillance, vaccination, international collaboration, and public awareness are required to mitigate the importation and spread of infectious diseases from overseas sources.

Due to the lower cost compared to screen-printed silver contacts, the Ni/Cu/Ag contacts formed by plating have been continuously studied as a potential metallization technology for solar cells. To address the adhesion issue of backside grid lines in electroplated n-Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contacts (n-TOPCon) solar cells and reduce ohmic contact, we propose a novel approach of adding a Ni/Si alloy seed layer between the Ni and Si layers. The metal nickel layer is deposited on the backside of the solar cells using electron beam evaporation, and excess nickel is removed by H2SO4:H2O2 etchant under annealing conditions of 300–425 °C to form a seed layer. The adhesion strength increased by more than 0.5 N mm−1 and the contact resistance dropped by 0.5 mΩ cm2 in comparison to the traditional direct plating Ni/Cu/Ag method. This is because the resulting Ni/Si alloy has outstanding electrical conductivity, and the produced Ni/Si alloy has higher adhesion over direct contact between the nickel–silicon interface, as well as enhanced surface roughness. The results showed that at an annealing temperature of 375 °C, the main compound formed was NiSi, with a contact resistance of 1 mΩ cm−2 and a maximum gate line adhesion of 2.7 N mm−1. This method proposes a new technical solution for cost reduction and efficiency improvement of n-TOPCon solar cells.

The performance of lithium-ion batteries is greatly influenced by various factors within their operating environment, which can significantly impact their overall efficiency and effectiveness. In this paper, a multi-physics field electrochemical thermal model is established to measure the physical parameters of a battery module during the charge/discharge process. The effects of working temperature, current rate, and convective heat transfer coefficient are investigated by establishing an electrochemical and thermal model. The results are obtained by conducting numerous parameterized scans to analyze the system’s state across various operating conditions, enabling the determination of its temperature and the selection of appropriate cooling measures accordingly. Based on the internal and external conditions of battery operation, parameter selection corresponding to the operating range is divided into several stages, with thermal management strategies provided for each stage. The existing framework facilitates the design of battery packs equipped with efficient thermal management strategies, thereby enhancing the battery systems’ reliability and performance. Furthermore, it aids in establishing optimal operational and safety boundaries for batteries.

Abstract Addictive substance use impairs cognitive flexibility, with unclear underlying mechanisms. The reinforcement of substance use is mediated by the striatal direct-pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs) that project to the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr). Cognitive flexibility is mediated by striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs), which receive extensive striatal inhibition. Here, we hypothesized that increased dMSN activity induced by substance use inhibits CINs, reducing cognitive flexibility. We found that cocaine administration in rodents caused long-lasting potentiation of local inhibitory dMSN-to-CIN transmission and decreased CIN firing in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS), a brain region critical for cognitive flexibility. Moreover, chemogenetic and time-locked optogenetic inhibition of DMS CINs suppressed flexibility of goal-directed behavior in instrumental reversal learning tasks. Notably, rabies-mediated tracing and physiological studies showed that SNr-projecting dMSNs, which mediate reinforcement, sent axonal collaterals to inhibit DMS CINs, which mediate flexibility. Our findings demonstrate that the local inhibitory dMSN-to-CIN circuit mediates the reinforcement-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility.

Detection of airborne chemical releases in densely populated urban environments requires precise sensors with high temporal and spatial resolution capable of covering large areas. For this purpose, we present a mobile mid-infrared quantum cascade laser dual-comb spectrometer for identification and quantification of chemical plumes. Field tests with the remote sensor were conducted during daytime in the downtown Boston area over a five day period during which chemical releases were simulated by intermittently emitting non-toxic substances. Open-air sensing was performed with retroreflectors positioned at up to 230 m distance and with sensitivities in the ppm m range for one second of averaging time. The field campaign demonstrates a step toward a semiconductor dual-comb spectroscopic sensor in the mid-infrared fingerprint region, suitable for long-term deployments. These types of sensors will be valuable complements to existing optical sensors for urban hazardous gas leak monitoring, air quality assessments, and localization of clandestine chemical production.

Dissolution of rock fractures is common in natural processes and engineering practices, in which gravity plays an important role. Visual observation technology is a key means to study the mechanism of dissolution in rough fractures. However, the traditional visualization technologies have some problems, such as difficult to reproduce the rough wall of fractures and difficult to observe the dissolution process in real time. In this work, a flow-visualization system for dissolution processes in rough fractures is developed, on which flow-through experiments are conducted on four flow rates (0.05, 0.1, 0.3, and 1 mL/min) for vertical and horizontal fractures, and the gravity effect is evaluated on dissolution patterns and dissolution morphologies, which are characterized by fractal dimension and other morphological parameters. The pore volumes at breakthrough are calculated for each Peclet number (Pe). The experimental results show that the gravity effect significantly influences the dissolution patterns for Pe≤62.1. The dissolution morphologies exhibit buoyancy-dominated patterns and channeling patterns for vertical fractures, and the gravity effect will induce a single and concentrated channel. For horizontal fractures, the dissolution forms dissolution channels with relatively uniform aperture evolution and large width, which are classical wormhole patterns. When the Peclet number is large (Pe=207.0), dissolution in both the vertical and horizontal fractures develops into uniform dissolution. The experimental results also confirm that the dissolution in vertical fractures is more likely to develop channels through the inlet to the outlet to accelerate the breakthrough; Pe=20.7 is the optimal injection condition, which means that the amount of injected liquid is the minimum when breakthrough takes place in vertical fractures. Under this condition, the pore volumes at breakthrough in vertical fractures are only 1/4 of the horizontal fractures. The results in this paper are of great significance to engineering practice such as CO2 geological storage, indicating that the effect of gravity on the dissolution process should be greatly taken into account.

The Heat Shock Transcription Factor (Hsf) serves as a critical transcription factor in plants, exerting its function by binding to specific promoter regions in response to heat stress. This activation leads to the up-regulation of heat shock proteins. Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin (TKS) is a plant species that produces high quality natural rubber in its root latex. During the growth of TKS, various stresses can affect its defense mechanisms and overall growth. However, studies investigating the Hsf transcription factors in TKS remain limited. In this study, we identified and named 31 Hsf transcription factors in TKS and performed a comparative analysis of their core motifs and gene structures. Based on phylogenetic analysis, these transcription factors were classified into three distinct classes. By cis-element analysis of the TKS promoter genes, we gained valuable insights into the evolutionary characteristics of the TKS Hsf gene family. Transcriptome expression profiling data revealed different expression of various genes within the same tissues. Several TKS Hsf genes exhibited responsiveness to various abiotic stresses and hormonal treatments, indicating their involvement in regulating the plant's response to different environmental conditions. Overall, the Hsf gene family in TKS plays a critical role in plant growth, development, and adaptation to abiotic stresses. This study provides a basis for further functional validation of TKS Hsf genes and elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms of target genes.

Six-membered chiral lactams are common structural motifs of pharmaceuticals. Here, the authors describe a nickel-catalyzed reductive carbamoylation of alkenes to form enantioenriched six-membered lactams.

This paper presents a novel integrated method for interactive characterization of fracture spacing in rock tunnel sections. The main procedure includes four steps: (1) Automatic extraction of fracture traces, (2) digitization of trace maps, (3) disconnection and grouping of traces, and (4) interactive measurement of fracture set spacing, total spacing, and surface rock quality designation (S-RQD) value. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, sample images were obtained by employing a photogrammetry-based scheme in tunnel faces. Experiments were then conducted to determine the optimal parameter values (i.e. distance threshold, angle threshold, and number of fracture trace grouping) for characterizing rock fracture spacing. By applying the identified optimal parameters involved in the model, the proposed method could lead to excellent qualitative results to a new tunnel face. To perform a quantitative analysis, three methods (i.e. field, straightening, and the proposed method) were employed in the same study and comparisons were made. The proposed method agrees well with the field measurement in terms of the maximum and average values of measured spacing distribution. Overall, the proposed method has reasonably good accuracy and interactive advantage for estimating the ultimate fracture spacing and S-RQD. It can be a possible extension of existing methods for fracture spacing characterization for two-dimensional (2D) rock tunnel faces.

BackgroundPrevious studies have identified a series of specific adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) linked with temperature extremes. Most of them focus on preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth. Other possible adverse outcomes were under-researched. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ambient temperature on maternal complications, white blood cell count (WBC), newborn hearing, and neonatal jaundice.MethodsA total of 418 participants were recruited from Fuzhou Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital in 2016. Participants were invited to fill out a structured questionnaire. The gridded near-surface air temperatures at a resolution of 0.1°* 0.1° for Fuzhou were extracted from a published dataset. Meteorological data and PM2.5 were extracted based on participants’ residential addresses using R packages “ncdf4” and “raster.” Multivariate logistic regression models were used to quantify the effects of ambient temperature on APOs after controlling for confounders.ResultsOverall, there were 107 APOs, accounting for 25.6% of all participants. Every 1°C increase in mean temperature was associated with a 10.0% increase in APOs (aOR = 1.100, 95%CI 1.006–1.203) during the period of early pregnancy. However, negative associations were observed in the middle pregnancy period, and a 1°C increase in mean temperature was associated 8.8% decrease in APOs (aOR = 0.912, 95%CI 0.846–0.982). Diurnal temperature variation had a significant impact on APOs in the third trimester. Infant jaundice was negatively associated with temperature exposure in the middle and late pregnancy periods. The risk of neonatal jaundice increased at lag weeks 2–9 in the first trimester, with the greatest lagged effect (aOR = 1.201, 95%CI 1.020–1.413) observed at lag week 3. A 1°C increase in mean temperature led to a 29.6% (aOR = 1.296, 95%CI 1.019–1.649) increase in high WBC. A 1°C increase in temperature variation was associated with more than two times (aOR = 2.469, 95%CI 1.001–6.089) increase of high WBC in the first trimester and about five times (aOR = 4.724, 95%CI 1.548–14.409) increase in the third trimester.ConclusionAmbient temperature affects neonatal jaundice, newborn hearing loss, and infections during pregnancy. In addition to the identified epidemiologic link and susceptible exposure windows, there is a need to understand the underlying biological mechanisms for better recommendations for climate change adaptation policies.

Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) is a medicinal plant from the Hypericaceae family. Here, we sequenced the whole chloroplast genome of H. perforatum and compared the genome variation among five Hypericum species to discover dynamic changes and elucidate the mechanisms that lead to genome rearrangements in the Hypericum chloroplast genomes. The H. perforatum chloroplast genome is 139,725 bp, exhibiting a circular quadripartite structure with two copies of inverted repeats (IRs) separating a large single-copy region and a small single-copy region. The H. perforatum chloroplast genome encodes 106 unique genes, including 73 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. Hypericum chloroplast genomes exhibit genome rearrangement and significant variations among species. The genome size variation among the five Hypericum species was remarkably associated with the expansion or contraction of IR regions and gene losses. Three genes—trnK-UUU, infA, and rps16—were lost, and three genes—rps7, rpl23, and rpl32—were pseudogenized in Hypericum. All the Hypericum chloroplast genomes lost the two introns in clpP, the intron in rps12, and the second intron in ycf3. Hypericum chloroplast genomes contain many long repeat sequences, suggesting a role in facilitating rearrangements. Most genes, according to molecular evolution assessments, are under purifying selection.

Previous studies investigating the characteristics of imported cases were mostly limited to a certain province/city or a specific sub-group during a certain period with a small sample size, which may not provide an overall picture of the characteristics of imported cases. In this scoping literature review, we comprehensively synthesized the epidemiological characteristics of overseas imported COVID-19 cases into China by retrieving six literature databases, with aims to provide implications for more targeted control, prevention, and medical treatment of this disease. After dropping duplicates and reviewing titles, abstracts, and full-texts, 50 articles were included in the review finally, including 26 (52%) articles in English and 24 (48%) articles in Chinese. According to the type of data sources, the 50 studies were divided into three categories: 13 (26%) articles using data sourced from the Chinese Infectious Diseases Online Reporting System, 15 (30%) articles using data from the websites of national/local health departments, and 22 (44%) articles using hospital admission data. Most of the overseas imported COVID-19 cases were young and middle-aged Chinese students and businessmen returning from the United States, Europe, and some neighboring countries. Airport routine health screening measures could not identify COVID-cases effectively, although scheduled multiple nucleic acid tests were required before boarding. Almost all imported cases were identified during the hotel quarantine period. Although a large proportion of imported cases were asymptomatic or with mild symptoms in the published literature, they may be due to participant selection bias. The exact proportion of asymptomatic cases may need to be further investigated especially through population-based large-scale studies.

ObjectivePostoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is widely used during the perioperative period but is often associated with a high risk of infection and complications. However, prediction models for RBC transfusion in patients with orthopedic surgery have not yet been developed. We aimed to identify predictors and constructed prediction models for RBC transfusion after orthopedic surgery using interpretable machine learning algorithms.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study reviewed a total of 59,605 patients undergoing orthopedic surgery from June 2013 to January 2019 across 7 tertiary hospitals in China. Patients were randomly split into training (80%) and test subsets (20%). The feature selection method of recursive feature elimination (RFE) was used to identify an optimal feature subset from thirty preoperative variables, and six machine learning algorithms were applied to develop prediction models. The Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) value was employed to evaluate the contribution of each predictor towards the prediction of postoperative RBC transfusion. For simplicity of the clinical utility, a risk score system was further established using the top risk factors identified by machine learning models.ResultsOf the 59,605 patients with orthopedic surgery, 19,921 (33.40%) underwent postoperative RBC transfusion. The CatBoost model exhibited an AUC of 0.831 (95% CI: 0.824–0.836) on the test subset, which significantly outperformed five other prediction models. The risk of RBC transfusion was associated with old age (>60 years) and low RBC count (

Background. Prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC) are common in neurology and place a heavy burden on families and society. This study is aimed at investigating the characteristics of brain connectivity in patients with pDOC based on quantitative EEG (qEEG) and extending a new direction for the evaluation of pDOC. Methods. Participants were divided into a control group (CG) and a DOC group by the presence or absence of pDOC. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1 three-dimensional magnetization with a prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo (3D-T1-MPRAGE) sequence, and video EEG data were collected. After calculating the power spectrum by EEG data analysis tool, DTABR (δ+θ/α+β ratio), Pearson’s correlation coefficient (Pearson r), Granger’s causality, and phase transfer entropy (PTE), we performed statistical analysis between two groups. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of connectivity metrics were made. Results. The proportion of power in frontal, central, parietal, and temporal regions in the DOC group was lower than that in the CG. The percentage of delta power in the DOC group was significantly higher than that in the CG, the DTABR in the DOC group was higher than that in the CG, and the value was inverted. The Pearson r of the DOC group was higher than that of CG. The Pearson r of the delta band (Z=−6.71, P

The biofloc technology (BFT) system has been widely applied in the shrimp and fish culture industry for its advantages in water-saving, growth improvement, and water quality purification. However, The BFT system usually takes a long time to establish, and the extra carbon source input increases the maintenance cost of the system. In this study, we aimed to develop a low-cost and high-efficient BFT system for Litopenaeus vannamei by applying bacteria that could promote the formation of BFT and utilize cheap carbon sources. Three bioflocculant-producing bacteria strains (M13, M15, and M17) have been screened from a cellulolytic strain collection. All three strains have been identified as Bacillus spp. and can use sugarcane bagasse (SB) as a carbon source, which is a cheap byproduct of the sucrose industry in the tropic area of China. Compared to sucrose, the addition of SB and the three strains could improve the biofloc formation rate, biofloc size distribution, ammonia removal rate, and the growth performance of the shrimps. These results suggest that the bioflocculant and cellulase-producing bacteria strains could promote the biofloc formation and the growth of shrimps by using SB as an economic substitute carbon source in the BFT shrimp culture system.

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an independent risk factor for functional limitations among the older population. The predicted increase in T2DM cases combined with the ongoing rapidly aging population may further burden the already overloaded healthcare system and aggravate the loss of economic self-sufficiency. This study aimed to investigate the activities of daily living (ADL) and its influencing factors on older people with T2DM, and to provide implications for the development and improvement of community nursing services in the context rapidly aging population in China.MethodsFrom March 2019 to June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among older T2DM patients in Fuzhou, using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach. Functional status was measured by the Lawton ADL scale. Stata “nptrend” test was used to examine the trend of ordinal variables on ADL. Non-conditional logistic regression was used to identify factors affecting ADL limitations.ResultsA total of 2016 questionnaires were received, with a response rate of 96%. 12.4% of participants suffered from varying degrees of functional impairment. ADL limitations increased with age. More comorbidities were associated with a greater risk of developing functional limitations in ADLs. the following sub-groups were more likely to suffer from ADL impairment: those aged 70 and over years (OR = 1.99, 95%CI 1.77–2.56), living in an aged care house or with spouse/children (OR = 2.31, 95%CI 1.25–4.26), low monthly income (OR = 1.49, 95%CI 1.28–1.64), without health insurance (OR = 1.82, 95%CI 1.40–2.40), tight family expenses (OR = 1.95, 95%CI 1.42–2.69), having stroke (OR = 6.70, 95%CI 2.22–20.23) or malignant tumor (OR = 4.45, 95%CI 1.27–15.53), irregular eating habit (OR = 2.55, 95%CI 2.23–2.92), smoking (OR = 1.40, 95%CI 1.22–1.60), sedentary lifestyle (OR = 2.04, 95%CI 1.46–2.85), lack of physical exercise (OR = 1.35, 95%CI 1.19–1.53), sleeping difficulty (OR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.10–1.42), and lack of family support (OR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.10–1.29).ConclusionOlder adults (≥70 years) with T2DM had a high prevalence of functional limitations across a range of daily living tasks, which not only affect individual life of quality but also present a huge burden on the family, health services system, and the whole society. Identified factors associated with ADL limitations may provide useful information for targeted nursing practice and health promotion.

CD8A encodes the CD8 alpha chain of αβT cells, which has been proposed as a quantifiable indicator for the assessment of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) recruitment or activity and a robust biomarker for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy responses. Nonetheless, the lack of research into the role of CD8A in tumor microenvironment predisposes to limitations in its clinical utilization. In the presented study, multiple computational tools were used to investigate the roles of CD8A in the pan-cancer study, revealing its essential associations with tumor immune infiltration, immunosuppressive environment formation, cancer progression, and therapy responses. Based on the pan-cancer cohorts of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, our results demonstrated the distinctive CD8A expression patterns in cancer tissues and its close associations with the prognosis and disease stage of cancer. We then found that CD8A was correlated with six major immune cell types, and immunosuppressive cells in multiple cancer types. Besides, epigenetic modifications of CD8A were related to CTL levels and T cell dysfunctional states, thereby affecting survival outcomes of specific cancer types. After that, we explored the co-occurrence patterns of CD8A mutation, thus identifying RMND5A, RNF103-CHMP3, CHMP3, CD8B, MRPL35, MAT2A, RGPD1, RGPD2, REEP1, and ANAPC1P1 genes, which co-occurred mutations with CD8A, and are concomitantly implicated in the regulation of cancer-related pathways. Finally, we tested CD8A as a therapeutic biomarker for multiple antitumor agents’ or compounds’ responsiveness on various cancer cell lines and cancer cohorts. Our findings denoted the underlying mechanics of CD8A in reflecting the T-cell-inflamed profiles, which has potential as a biomarker in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic responses.

Abstract Compared with commercial lithium batteries with liquid electrolytes, all‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) possess the advantages of higher safety, better electrochemical stability, higher energy density, and longer cycle life; therefore, ASSLBs have been identified as promising candidates for next‐generation safe and stable high‐energy‐storage devices. The design and fabrication of solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) are vital for the future commercialization of ASSLBs. Among various SSEs, solid polymer composite electrolytes (SPCEs) consisting of inorganic nanofillers and polymer matrix have shown great application prospects in the practice of ASSLBs. The incorporation of inorganic nanofillers into the polymer matrix has been considered as a crucial method to achieve high ionic conductivity for SPCE. In this review, the mechanisms of Li+ transport variation caused by incorporating inorganic nanofillers into the polymer matrix are discussed in detail. On the basis of the recent progress, the respective contributions of polymer chains, passive ceramic nanofillers, and active ceramic nanofillers in affecting the Li+ transport process of SPCE are reviewed systematically. The inherent relationship between the morphological characteristics of inorganic nanofillers and the ionic conductivity of the resultant SPCE is discussed. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives for developing high‐performance SPCE are put forward. This review aims to provide possible strategies for the further improvement of ionic conductivity in inorganic nanoscale filler‐reinforced SPCE and highlight their inspiration for future research directions.

Invasive species have caused severe impacts on biodiversity and human society. Although the estimation of environmental impacts caused by invasive species has increased in recent years, economic losses associated with biological invasions are only sporadically estimated in space and time. In this study, we synthesized the losses incurred by invasions in Asia, based on the most comprehensive database of economic costs of invasive species worldwide, including 560 cost records for 88 invasive species in 22 countries. We also assessed the differences in economic costs across taxonomic groups, geographical regions and impacted sectors, and further identified the major gaps of current knowledge in Asia. Reported economic costs of biological invasions were estimated between 1965 and 2017, and reached a total of US$ 432.6 billion (2017 value), with dramatic increases in 2000–2002 and in 2004. The highest costs were recorded for terrestrial ectotherms, for species estimated in South Asia, and for species estimated at the country level, and were related to more than one impacted sector. Two taxonomic groups with the highest reported costs were insects and mammals, and two countries with the highest costs were India and China. Non-English data covered all of 12 taxonomic groups, whereas English data only covered six groups, highlighting the importance of considering data from non-English sources to have a more comprehensive estimation of economic costs associated with biological invasions. However, we found that the estimation of economic costs was lacking for most Asian countries and for more than 96% of introduced species in Asia. Further, the estimation is heavily biased towards insects and mammals and is very limited concerning expenditures on invasion management. To optimize the allocation of limited resources, there is an important need to better and more widely study the economic costs of invasive alien species. In this way, improved cost reporting and more collaborations between scientists and stakeholders are needed across Asia.

Developing immobilized-ionic liquids (ILs) sorbents is important for CO2 separation, and prior theoretically screening ILs is desirable considering the huge number of ILs. In this study, the compressibility of ILs was proposed as a new and additional index for screening ILs, and the developed predictive theoretical model, i.e., electrolyte perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory, was used to predict the properties for a wide variety of ILs in a wide temperature and pressure range to provide systematic data. In screening, firstly, the isothermal compressibilities of 272 ILs were predicted at pressures ranging from 1 to 6,000 bar and temperatures ranging from 298.15 to 323.15 K, and then 30 ILs were initially screened. Subsequently, the CO2 absorption capacities in these 30 ILs at temperatures from 298.15 to 323.15 K and pressures up to 50 bar were predicted, and 7 ILs were identified. In addition, the CO2 desorption enthalpies in these 7 ILs were estimated for further consideration. The performance of one of the screened ILs was verified with the data determined experimentally, evidencing that the screen is reasonable, and the consideration of IL-compressibility is essential when screening ILs for the immobilized-IL sorbents.

Lagerstroemia indica L. is a well-known ornamental plant with large pyramidal racemes, long flower duration, and diverse colors and cultivars. It has been cultivated for nearly 1600 years and is essential for investigating the germplasm and assessing genetic variation to support international cultivar identification and breeding programs. In this study, 20 common Lagerstroemia indica cultivars from different varietal groups and flower morphologies, as well as multiple wild relative species, were analyzed to investigate the maternal donor of Lagerstroemia indica cultivars and to discover the genetic variation and relationships among cultivars based on plastome and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences. A total of 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 24 insertion/deletions (indels) were identified in the 20 L. indica cultivars’ plastome and 25 SNPs were identified in the nrDNA. Phylogenetic analysis based on the plastome sequences showed that all the cultivars formed a clade with the species of L. indica, indicating that L. indica was the maternal donor of the cultivars. Population structure and PCA analyses supported two clades of cultivars, which exhibited significant genetic differences according to the plastome dataset. The results of the nrDNA supported that all 20 cultivars were divided into three clades and most of the cultivars had at least two genetic backgrounds and higher gene flow. Our results suggest that the plastome and nrDNA sequences can be used as molecular markers for assessing the genetic variation and relationships of L. indica cultivars.