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Traffic cyclic loading is the key factor that leads to the deterioration of the long-term service behavior of subgrade. A series of cyclic triaxial tests was carried out by the large-scale dynamic and static triaxial apparatus (LSDSTA) to study the dynamic behaviors of coal gangue subgrade filler (CGSF) under multi-step cyclic loading using the morphological characteristics of hysteretic curves (MCHC). MCHC was quantitatively characterized by four parameters, i.e., the unclosed degree (εphl), inclination of long axis degree (khl), area (Shl) and fullness degree (αhl). With the increase of dynamic strain, εphl increases exponentially. khl of the coal gangue sample first decreases and then shows an increasing trend with the increasing dynamic strain. The values of Shl are close to each other, and the energy dissipation in the sample is small. However, with the increase of dynamic strain, the specimen failure degree is increased, Shl increases exponentially, and the damping ratio increases. With the increase of dynamic strain, αhl increases approximately linearly. Confining pressure has a certain effect on the four parameters. There parameters can be recommended and used for quantitative analysis the dynamic behaviors of subgrade filler under traffic cyclic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a chronic course and a high recurrence. Based on the theory of “prevention and recovery after ulceration”, the application value and significance of compound ginseng cicada decoction in the intervention of chronic disease management in patients with AD were retrospectively analyzed. Through clinical retrospective observation, 60 patients with spleen deficiency and moisture type AD admitted to the outpatient clinic of our hospital after January 2019 were analyzed. After comprehensive treatment until the patient’s Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) Scale score is lower than 2 points, the study group was divided into a research group and a control group, according to the actual clinical follow-up whether to take compound ginseng cicada soup. The control group carried out chronic disease management education, conventional emollient topical with no drug maintenance intervention, and the research group included clinical patients who were orally administered to compound ginseng cicada decoction for 1 month, observed for 3 months, and compared with the clinical recurrence (recurrence rate, time to first recurrence, severity at recurrence, degree of pruritus), and the quality of life. After 3 months, the relapse rate, recurrence severity, itching degree and quality of life impact scores of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group, and there were no obvious adverse events. The combined application of compound ginseng cicada decoction in the management of chronic diseases in patients with atopic dermatitis has the positive significance of reducing AD recurrence, alleviating the severity of recurrence, and effectively improving the life quality of patients. This method has high safety and is worthy of wide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efficient and accurate delineation of organs at risk (OARs) is a critical procedure for treatment planning and dose evaluation. Deep learning‐based auto‐segmentation of OARs has shown promising results and is increasingly being used in radiation therapy. However, existing deep learning‐based auto‐segmentation approaches face two challenges in clinical practice: generalizability and human‐AI interaction. A generalizable and promptable auto‐segmentation model, which segments OARs of multiple disease sites simultaneously and supports on‐the‐fly human‐AI interaction, can significantly enhance the efficiency of radiation therapy treatment planning. Purpose: Meta's segment anything model (SAM) was proposed as a generalizable and promptable model for next‐generation natural image segmentation. We further evaluated the performance of SAM in radiotherapy segmentation. Methods: Computed tomography (CT) images of clinical cases from four disease sites at our institute were collected: prostate, lung, gastrointestinal, and head & neck. For each case, we selected the OARs important in radiotherapy treatment planning. We then compared both the Dice coefficients and Jaccard indices derived from three distinct methods: manual delineation (ground truth), automatic segmentation using SAM's 'segment anything' mode, and automatic segmentation using SAM's 'box prompt' mode that implements manual interaction via live prompts during segmentation. Results: Our results indicate that SAM's segment anything mode can achieve clinically acceptable segmentation results in most OARs with Dice scores higher than 0.7. SAM's box prompt mode further improves Dice scores by 0.1∼0.5. Similar results were observed for Jaccard indices. The results show that SAM performs better for prostate and lung, but worse for gastrointestinal and head & neck. When considering the size of organs and the distinctiveness of their boundaries, SAM shows better performance for large organs with distinct boundaries, such as lung and liver, and worse for smaller organs with less distinct boundaries, like parotid and cochlea. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate SAM's robust generalizability with consistent accuracy in automatic segmentation for radiotherapy. Furthermore, the advanced box‐prompt method enables the users to augment auto‐segmentation interactively and dynamically, leading to patient‐specific auto‐segmentation in radiation therapy. SAM's generalizability across different disease sites and different modalities makes it feasible to develop a generic auto‐segmentation model in radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate and efficient dose calculation is essential for on‐line adaptive planning in proton therapy. Deep learning (DL) has shown promising dose prediction results in photon therapy. However, there is a scarcity of DL‐based dose prediction methods specifically designed for proton therapy. Successful dose prediction method for proton therapy should account for more challenging dose prediction problems in pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PBSPT) due to its sensitivity to heterogeneities. Purpose: To develop a DL‐based PBSPT dose prediction workflow with high accuracy and balanced complexity to support on‐line adaptive proton therapy clinical decision and subsequent replanning. Methods: PBSPT plans of 103 prostate cancer patients (93 for training and the other 10 for independent testing) and 83 lung cancer patients (73 for training and the other 10 for independent testing) previously treated at our institution were included in the study, each with computed tomography scans (CTs), structure sets, and plan doses calculated by the in‐house developed Monte‐Carlo dose engine (considered as the ground truth in the model training and testing). For the ablation study, we designed three experiments corresponding to the following three methods: (1) Experiment 1, the conventional region of interest (ROI) (composed of targets and organs‐at‐risk [OARs]) method. (2) Experiment 2, the beam mask (generated by raytracing of proton beams) method to improve proton dose prediction. (3) Experiment 3, the sliding window method for the model to focus on local details to further improve proton dose prediction. A fully connected 3D‐Unet was adopted as the backbone. Dose volume histogram (DVH) indices, 3D Gamma passing rates with a criterion of 3%/3 mm/10%, and dice coefficients for the structures enclosed by the iso‐dose lines between the predicted and the ground truth doses were used as the evaluation metrics. The calculation time for each proton dose prediction was recorded to evaluate the method's efficiency. Results: Compared to the conventional ROI method, the beam mask method improved the agreement of DVH indices for both targets and OARs and the sliding window method further improved the agreement of the DVH indices (for lung cancer, CTV D98 absolute deviation: 0.74 ± 0.18 vs. 0.57 ± 0.21 vs. 0.54 ± 0.15 Gy[RBE], ROI vs. beam mask vs. sliding window methods, respectively). For the 3D Gamma passing rates in the target, OARs, and BODY (outside target and OARs), the beam mask method improved the passing rates in these regions and the sliding window method further improved them (for prostate cancer, targets: 96.93% ± 0.53% vs. 98.88% ± 0.49% vs. 99.97% ± 0.07%, BODY: 86.88% ± 0.74% vs. 93.21% ± 0.56% vs. 95.17% ± 0.59%). A similar trend was also observed for the dice coefficients. This trend was especially remarkable for relatively low prescription isodose lines (for lung cancer, 10% isodose line dice: 0.871 ± 0.027 vs. 0.911 ± 0.023 vs. 0.927 ± 0.017). The dose predictions for all the testing cases were completed within 0.25 s. Conclusions: An accurate and efficient deep learning‐augmented proton dose prediction framework has been developed for PBSPT, which can predict accurate dose distributions not only inside but also outside ROI efficiently. The framework can potentially further reduce the initial planning and adaptive replanning workload in PBSPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rare case of coronary artery involvement in a child with Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA) complicated by Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS) is reported. The patient initially received an inaccurate diagnosis of Kawasaki Disease, sepsis, and mycoplasma infection and showed no improvement after Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) treatment. Upon admission, symptoms included diffuse red rash, swelling of the limbs, lymph node enlargement, and hepatosplenomegaly. Post investigations, a diagnosis of sJIA and MAS was confirmed, and treatment involved a combination of hormones (methylprednisolone) and immunosuppressive drugs (methotrexate). The revealed widened coronary artery diameter was managed with a disease-specific treatment plan and prophylactic plus low-dose aspirin anti-coagulation therapy. Under this management, MAS was well controlled, and follow-ups showed normalization of the child's coronary artery structure and function. This case and the associated literature review underscore the importance of early recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term monitoring for children presenting with sJIA and MAS complicated by coronary artery involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature is one of the main factors affecting the performance of proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). To make the temperature of the cell more uniform and prevent the occurrence of local hot spots, two novel types of coolant channels (novel A and novel B) are designed and compared with the traditional serpentine channel. Through computational fluid dynamics simulations, the flow field and heat transfer performance of the three coolant channels at different inlet flow rates of the coolant and different wall heat fluxes were examined. The cooling performance of different coolant channels was quantitatively evaluated using five parameters: surface maximum temperature difference, temperature uniformity index (TUI), cooling hydraulic pressure drop (△P), quality factor (QF), and thermal-economic index (TEI). A novel A coolant channel test rig was built to verified the coolant channel model. A two-cells battery model based on the novel A channel was established and verified by the experiment. A 5 kW stack based on the two-cells battery was tested. The deviation between simulation and experiment was within the permissible range. Under the load condition of 54 A, the power of the stack was 5097.81 W, the maximum temperature difference of the coolant plate was 2.13 °C, average temperature of the coolant plate was 61.08 °C, TUI was 1.9 °C,△P was 13.61 kPa, QF was 4.54, TEI was 14.38, and average deviation of voltage generation between single cells was 0.002113V. The stack consisting of 120 cells with the novel A coolant channel showed better cooling performance and ensured the safety of PEMFC stack. • Propose two novel coolant channels to improve the cooling performance of PEMFC. • The cooling performance of different channels was evaluated and compared numerically. • A 5 kW PEMFC stack based on the optimized coolant channel was tested and analyzed. • The optimized coolant channel ensured operation efficiency and safety of the stack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of electro‐optical materials with high chromophore loading levels that possess ultrahigh electro‐optic coefficients and high long term alignment stability is a challenging topic. Anthracene‐maleimide Diels–Alder (DA) reaction and π–π interaction of Anthracene‐pentafluorobenzene and benzene‐pentafluorobenzene are developed for making highly efficient binary cross‐linkable/self‐assembled dendritic chromophores FZL1‐FZL4. A covalently or non‐covalently cross‐linked network is formed by DA reaction or π–π interaction after electric field poling orientation, which greatly improves the long‐term alignment stability of the materials. An electro‐optic coefficient up to 266 pm V−1 and glass transition temperature as high as 178 °C are achieved in cross‐linked film FZL1/FZL2, and 272–308 pm V−1 is achieved for self‐assembled films FZL1/FZL4 and FZL3/FZL4 due to high chromophore density (3.09–4.02 × 1020 molecules cm−3). Long‐term alignment stability tests show that after heating at 85 °C for over 500 h, 99.73% of the initial r33 value is maintained for poled crosslinked electro‐optic films 1:1 FZL1/FZL2. The poled self‐assembled electro‐optic films 1:1 FZL1/FZL4 and 1:1 FZL3/FZL4 can still maintain more than 97.11% and 98.23%, respectively, of the original electro‐optic coefficient after being placed at room temperature for 500 h. The excellent electro‐optic coefficient and stability of the material indicate the practical application prospects of organic electro‐optic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling the chemical, electric and thermal transport as well as phase transitions and the accompanying mesoscale microstructure evolution within a material in an electronic device setting involves the solution of partial differential equations often with integral boundary conditions. Employing the familiar Poisson equation describing the electric potential evolution in a material exhibiting insulator to metal transitions, we exploit a special property of such an integral boundary condition, and we properly formulate the variational problem and establish its well-posedness. We then compare our method with the commonly-used Lagrange multiplier method that can also handle such boundary conditions. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our new method achieves optimal convergence rate in contrast to the conventional Lagrange multiplier method. Furthermore, the linear system derived from our method is symmetric positive definite, and can be efficiently solved by Conjugate Gradient method with algebraic multigrid preconditioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD47 is a macrophage-specific immune checkpoint protein acting by inhibiting phagocytosis. However, the underlying mechanism maintaining CD47 protein stability in cancer is not clear. Here we show that CD47 undergoes degradation via endocytosis/lysosome pathway. The lysosome protein RAGA interacts with and promotes CD47 lysosome localization and degradation. Disruption of RAGA blocks CD47 degradation, leading to CD47 accumulation, high plasma membrane/intracellular CD47 expression ratio and reduced phagocytic clearance of cancer cells. RAGA deficiency promotes tumor growth due to the accumulation of CD47, which sensitizes the tumor to CD47 blockade. Clinical analysis shows that RAGA and CD47 proteins are negatively correlated in lung adenocarcinoma patient samples. High RAGA protein level is related to longer patient survival. In addition, RAGAhighCD47low patients show the longest overall survival. Our study thereby not only reveals a mechanism by which RAGA regulates CD47 lysosome degradation, but also suggests RAGA is a potential diagnostic biomarker of lung adenocarcinoma. The lysosome protein RAGA interacts with and promotes lysosome localization and degradation of the macrophage-specific immune checkpoint protein CD47, with possible relevance to lung adenocarcinoma [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, there has been a debate over the effectiveness of written corrective feedback in second language writing pedagogy. Recently, research on the issue has gradually turned from whether to give corrective feedback in L2 writing to how it can be effective; however, pursuit for effective pedagogical practices are still underway. To address this issue, the study reports on how contextualized feedback through teacher scaffolding can be effectively provided in L2 argumentative writing instruction and thus promote integrated development of language and cognition. Multiple data were collected to track students' learning processes, including classroom recordings, teacher feedback on students' writing samples, and teacher-student individual writing conferences. Results revealed a significant improvement in students' L2 written language accuracy and rhetorical genre skills and an evident progress in their language use appropriateness, though the rates of development can be subjected to individual language proficiencies. Results of the study can inform the development of an effective L2 writing pedagogy while shedding light on EFL learners' argumentative writing developmental trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The exact mechanisms and targeted therapies for atopic dermatitis (AD), contact dermatitis (CD), and psoriasis (PS) remain unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the biomarkers related to immune and novel therapeutic drugs for AD, CD, and PS. Methods: The GSE153007 dataset including 12 AD, 9 CD, and 14 PS samples and 40 control samples, which was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and analyzed. The immune infiltration level of each sample was then evaluated using the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Then, we screened for immune-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that overlapped. The Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery database was used to perform the gene ontology (GO) biological process. Furthermore, using search tool for the retrieval of interaction gene (STRING), the protein-protein interaction (PPI) was predicted on immune-related DEGs. We also searched the DGIdb database for novel therapeutic drugs for AD, CD, and PS. Results: According to ssGSEA results, most immune cells were highly infiltrated in the disease group. GO analysis indicated that AD, CD, and PS were enriched in signal transduction, inflammatory response, immune response, and innate immune response. We further found hub genes related to AD (CD4, ITGAM), CD (CD8A, CD86), and PS (CD4, CD8A) from PPI network. Moreover, the drug prediction indicated that drugs targeting CSF1R was the most effective for AD, whereas drugs targeting FCGR3A and CD86 were more effective for CD and PS. Conclusion: These immune-associated genes such as FCGR3A, CD86, and CSF1R might be regarded as therapeutic targets for patients with AD, CD, and PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 3 kW integrated solar ORC heating and power generation system was designed and established. • Single factor experiments were carried out to analyse the small-scale system performance. • The average power generation efficiency of the system is 6.8% and the COP is 3.5. Driving organic Rankine cycle (ORC) for power and heating by solar thermal energy can reduce the carbon emissions generated by traditional power and heating supply. In order to enable the ORC system to better utilize clean energy or waste heat according to different thermal or electrical needs, a 3 kW solar-ORC integrated heating and power generation system with water-antifreeze thermal storage was designed and established, which was more reliable, integrated, and suitable for household. BY-3 was adopted as the working medium in the system. Single factor experiments were carried out under the conditions of variable heat source temperature with −10 ∼ 120 ℃, variable cold source temperature with −20 ∼ 40 ℃, and variable motor speed with 400–1800 rpm, to analyse the system performance under different conditions. Power generation efficiency, net power generation efficiency, COP, and the proportion of solar energy were adopted to characterize the performance. Through experiments, it is found that BY-3 was suitable for the system. Besides, the average power generation efficiency of the system was 6.8 % and the COP was 3.5, which could provide basic experimental data for the miniaturization and family-oriented of integrated solar-ORC heating and power generation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher scaffolding plays a crucial role in shaping the quality of classroom learning, yet little is known about the effective features of scaffolding in classes using content language integrated learning (CLIL), especially in terms of its effects on learners' language and cognitive development. To address this issue, the study adopts a classroom discourse analysis approach to capture features of effective teacher scaffolding in a CLIL-framed intensive reading class. Results showed a perceived increase in learners' language and cognitive abilities while also revealing a series of effective teacher scaffolding strategies in CLIL. These include frequent use of dialogic inquiry and incidental feedback in discourse extensions, and the variation of teacher scaffolding strategies in response to students' learning needs. The findings will inform the development of the CLIL pedagogy in EFL (English as a foreign language) education in China and other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affordances are action possibilities provided by the environment. This study investigated university EFL learners' perceptions of the critical thinking learning affordances in their course learning environment. The participants were a cohort of 156 fourth-year English majors from a Chinese university where the English department was under a curriculum reform to promote students' language learning and critical thinking development. The instrument of this study was the Learning Environment Affordance Survey_Critical Thinking (LEAS_CT) with a set of multiple-choice questions. The data analysis methods used in the study included descriptive statistical analysis, factor analysis, and MANOVA tests. The results showed that the English majors had strongly positive perceptions of the critical thinking learning affordances, which included four types: Rich Resources, Interactive Negotiation, Quality Task, and Community Culture. The results also revealed that high-achieving students had significantly better perceptions of the critical thinking learning affordances than lower-achieving students. Responses to the multiple-choice questions indicated that the English majors considered content-rich materials, teacher-facilitation, and small-group/peer learning benefited them most in terms of critical thinking development. Factors that influenced their perceptions of learning affordances and implications concerning integrating critical thinking into the tertiary EFL curriculum were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent superhydrophobic coating has been widely investigated for their great potential applications in self-cleaning windows, solar panels, lenses, and optoelectronic devices. Herein, we reported a robust ZnO coating with high transmittance and superhydrophobicity, which was prepared by a facile sol-gel method and post-modification with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane. To well control the surface morphology and roughness of the ZnO coating, CTAB was added in the precursor. When the concentration of Zn2+ was 1.2 mol/L, and the ratio of CTAB/Zn2+ was 0.1, the prepared ZnO coating showed 91.2 % transmittance at a wavelength of 600 nm. A drop of water with a near spherical shape on the coating exhibited a water contact angle of 162.0° ± 1.7° and rebounding back and forth for 7 times in 260.3 ms. Moreover, the ZnO coating shows remarkable stability against water dripping impact, sand impact abrasion and scratching test, while retaining its superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, the ZnO coating also shows self-cleaning, UV-blocking and anti-bioadhesion properties. The prepared transparent superhydrophobic ZnO coating may open a new gate to a variety of practical applications, including windshields, eyeglasses, windows for tall buildings and medical glass, ect. [Display omitted] • Transparent superhydrophobic (TS) ZnO coating was prepared by sol-gel method. • The TS ZnO coating showed 91.2 % transmittance and a water contact angle of 162.0°. • The TS ZnO coating showed remarkable stability against water dripping impact, sand impact abrasion and scratching test. • The TS ZnO coating exhibited self-cleaning, UV-blocking and anti-bioadhesion properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing application of crop straw, the greenhouse gas emissions caused due to crop straw have received increasing attention. However, the current studies have not explored the greenhouse gas emissions from on-farmland consumption of returned straw. Based on a long-term positioning experiment, three treatments were set up in double-cropping rice fields: chemical fertilizer (CF), straw replacing 1/3 nitrogen fertilizer (MS), and straw replacing 2/3 nitrogen fertilizer (HS). We measured the biomass, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions of double-cropping rice and then comprehensively evaluated the global warming potential, carbon footprint, and net ecological and economic benefits. The straw treatments (MS and HS) increased the cumulative annual emissions of CH 4 (98.44% and 261.23%), CO 2 (30.85% and 122.29%), and N 2 O (7.37% and 52.50%), the cumulative annual global warming potential (74.15% and 206.12%), average GHG intensity (43.26% and 138.07%), and the annual cumulative net ecosystem carbon budget (52.96% and 100.97%) in the early and late rice growing seasons, respectively. We observed that the real-time greenhouse gas emissions were significantly correlated to the soil microbial functional genes and total carbon, NH 4 +-N, and NO 3 −-N. The results of the random forest model showed that total carbon (13.87%) and nirK abundance (9.80%) were the highest predictors of global warming potential at the booting and maturity stages, respectively during rice growing season. Combining the resource inputs for agricultural production and the greenhouse gas emission potential of the returned straw on its own, MS showed the lowest net greenhouse gas emission, and MS and HS showed significantly increased annual cumulative net ecological economic benefits (38.08% and 34.30%). Overall, MS showed the lowest net greenhouse gas emission and the highest net ecological economic benefits, which is a straw-returning measure with low environmental impact and high economic returns. [Display omitted] • The straw replacing chemical fertilizers increased greenhouse gas emissions. • Straw treatments increased global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity. • Straw replaced 1/3 nitrogen fertilizer had the lowest net greenhouse gas emissions. • Straw treatments have higher rice yield and agricultural economic benefits. • Straw treatments have higher net ecological economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective-area regrowth (SAG) n-type GaN source/drain electrode has been widely used in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) for high-frequency applications. Previous studies focused only on device performances, but not on SAG n+-GaN in devices. This paper studies electron concentration and mobility of SAG n+-GaN on InAlN/GaN HEMTs via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). It is revealed that electron mobility of SAG GaN is significantly affected by thickness. The decrease in mobility in a thin GaN may be attributed to regrowth interface defects. A gas flow model on the regrowth region is proposed to guide the regrowth of SAG GaN for improving the electron mobility. A high electron mobility of 138 cm2/V s with an electron concentration of 5.2 × 1019/cm3 is obtained from an 80-nm n+-GaN with the regrowth width of 10 μm. Due to the high doping level, the nonalloy metal-semiconductor contact resistance (Rm-GaN) is as low as 0.041 Ω mm. The interface resistance (Rint) between GaN and 2DEG is extracted using transfer length measurement (TLM) models and found to be 0.106 Ω mm. The on-resistance (Ron) is 0.753 Ω mm for InAlN/GaN HEMT with a source-drain metal spacing (Lsd metal) of 2 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because HIFU can accurately ablate tumors while only minimally affecting the surrounding structures around the tumor, a HIFU treatment can, on a large scale, prevent damage to normal uterine smooth muscle. In order to better elucidate the current breadth of HIFU treatment, 14 well-known experts of ultrasound-guided tumor ablation were invited to contribute their reviews and research for this special issue. Professor Imankulov pioneered work in the clinical applications of HIFU, such as his impressive work in HIFU treatment of hepatic hydatid disease [[35]]. Previous studies showed that the effect of HIFU treatment on primary bone tumors in the limbs is the same as that of limb salvage surgery [[16], [18]]. [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] • An approach is proposed to extract the chaos characteristics of mixing process. • A new method is introduced to measure mixing uniformity for the cold two-phase. • The experimental conditions are optimized by the proposed framework. • Both mixing transient and evolution are elucidated using cold test in this paper. Taking the two-phase flow mixing process in the top-blown gas stirred tank as the research object, a new strategy extracting the chaotic characteristics of the two-phase mixing state is proposed. By quantifying the local mixing characteristics in the top-blown metallurgical furnace stirring simulation reactor, a new chaos detection method combining complete ensemble empirical modal decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) and 0–1 test is introduced to characterize the chaotic characteristics of mixing index time series. The results show that (1) the uniformity coefficient (E) is better than the Betti number in quantifying the mixing uniformity of the two-phase flow. (2) E m a x can better quantify the uniformity of two-phase mixing. (3) The mixing time can be decreased when the optimal gas flow rate and the length of the submerged pipeline are correctly selected. (4) By using the CEEMDAN to decompose the time series, the chaotic characteristics of different IMF components under different working conditions can be observed straightforwardly. (5) The difference of chaotic degree in different mixing processes can be more accurately characterized. The investigation reference on the flow and mixing characteristics of the top-blown metallurgical furnace can be provided further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The macroscopic morphology characteristics, pore structure characteristics, and microfracture morphology of concrete with fly ash subjected to the freeze-thaw-creep effect were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that the macrosection of a specimen subjected to freeze-thaw cycling evolves from a regular to an irregular morphology in which the degree of fragmentation increases. Four specimen pore structure types characterized by single holes, nonconnected hole clusters, connected hole clusters, and fly ash holes, respectively, were identified. The microfracture morphology of the concrete was found to include five types of brittle fractures—river, step, cascade, hemispherical, and irregular patterns—and two types of ductile fractures—dimple and peak forest patterns. Two sets of experiments in which (1) the fly ash content (m = 35 %) was kept constant and the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased, and (2) the number of freeze-thaw cycles (n = 120) was kept constant, and the fly ash content was increased were carried out. In both cases, the number of connected hole clusters increased and a surrounding skeleton structure with a needle filamentous or flaky appearance was produced. In addition, the degree of deterioration of the pore structure increased and the fracture features changed from brittle to ductile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three flow states are observed during the flow of droplets on vertical fiber. • The primary coalescence rate of the droplets is 16.22 % faster than the secondary. • The transverse oscillation of the droplets has a certain periodicity. • The increase of nozzle diameter decreases the flow rate range of coalescence state. • The effect of different parameters on the hydrodynamic characteristics is obtained. The movement of droplets on fiber is crucial for industrial applications. In this work, the motion behavior and flow state transformation mechanism of droplets on vertical fiber in liquid phase environment is systematically investigated by using image processing technology. The effect of different factors on the hydrodynamic characteristics is analyzed during the droplet movement process. The experimental results show that the three flow states are observed during the flow of droplets along the fiber in liquid phase environment, including stable state, oscillation state, and coalescence state. Among them, the transverse oscillation of the droplets has a certain periodicity, and the primary coalescence rate of the droplets is 16.22% faster than secondary coalescence. Increasing the fiber diameter can expand the flow rate range of droplets in the stable state and significantly enhance the critical flow rate. Moreover, with the increase of nozzle diameter, the flow rate range of the oscillation state is increased and the flow rate range of the coalescence state is decreased. During the stable state, the hydrodynamic characteristics of droplets are influenced by factors such as fiber diameter, nozzle diameter, and flow rate. The study results not only contribute to deeply understand the movement mechanism of droplets on fiber surface, but also have an important significance in promoting the development of liquid–liquid extraction technology and droplet microfluidics technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the abundance of sodium resources is much higher than lithium, the global distribution is uniform, and the price is low and stable, making Na-ion batteries (NIBs) have broad application prospects in the field of next-generation renewable energy storage. However, a significant barrier to the realization of high-performance NIBs is the absence of adequate anode materials. In this work, we perform unbiased first-principles structure-search simulations to find a novel AsC 5 monolayer with a variety of functionally advantageous characteristics. Based on theoretical simulations, the proposed AsC 5 has been found to be energetically, mechanically, dynamically, and thermally stable, supporting the viability of experiment. Stable adsorption of Na on monolayer (bilayer) AsC 5 with an adsorption energy from − 2. 42 eV to − 0. 33 eV is shown by our computational simulations. The metallic behavior of monolayer (bilayer) AsC 5 is maintained when Na atoms are inserted, ensuring excellent electric transportation. Furthermore, the Na diffusion barrier on monolayer (bilayer) AsC 5 is just 0.16 (0.09) eV, which indicates a rapid charging/discharging capacity. The monolayer (bilayer) AsC 5 materials have higher specific capacity than some known 2D materials, reaching a maximum of 794.28 mA h/g (596.01 mA h/g). Small volume fluctuations (< 1.2%) after AsC 5 sodiation show strong cycle reversibility. Therefore, such crucial characteristics make AsC 5 be a promising candidate for anode materials of NIBs. • Unbiased first-principles structure-search simulations find the AsC 5 monolayer. • Simulations show adsorption of Na on AsC 5 with energy from −2.42 to −0.33 eV. • Na diffusion barrier on AsC 5 shows rapid charging/discharging capacity. • Monolayer AsC 5 has higher specific capacity, with the maximum 794.28 mA h/g. • Small volume fluctuations after AsC5 sodiation show strong cycle reversibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• KPNA3 is poorly expressed in neonatal rats with HIBD and cells exposed to OGD. • Overexpressed KPNA3 alleviates HIBD. • miR-134-5p aggravates HIBD both in vivo and in vitro by targeting KPNA3. • C/EBPα knockdown contributes to anesis of HIBD via miR-134-5p/KPNA3. • The study offers a novel insight into developing therapeutic strategies against HIBD. Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a frequent cause of mortality and neurological handicaps in infants and children worldwide. To understand better the pathogenesis and management of HIBD, we established a HIBD model by common carotid artery ligation followed by systemic hypoxia in neonatal rats, and in other studies induced neuronal death in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells by 12 h of oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). The level of KPNA3 declined in rats following experimental HIBD and in PC12 cells following OGD. KPNA3 overexpression protected neonatal rats against HIBD and PC12 cells against OGD-induced cell death. KPNA3 demonstrated to be the target of miR-134-5p could be activated by the transcriptional factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα). The expression of miR-134-5p and C/EBPα was elevated in rats following experimental HIBD and in PC12 cells following OGD. In the parallel experiments, C/EBPα knockdown and miR-134 inhibition protected against HIBD pathology in neonatal rats and against OGD-induced neuronal death in PC12 cells. These findings reveal that the C/EBPα/miR-134-5p/KPNA3 axis mediates hypoxic-ischemic brain damage and neuronal death, thus presenting a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of human newborns at risk for HIBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of laboratory results showed that the COVID-19 patients with AKI had higher procalcitonine besides increased lymphocytopenia, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and leukocytopenia that represented more inflammation. The two studies showed results of the fixed effects model meta-analysis that revealed the discharge rate of the COVID-19 patients with AKI (OR: 0.2,95%CI [0.11,0.36], I p i < 0.001) (Figure 5(B)) compared with pure COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 and AKI patients do not have much different on the symptoms [[5]]. Hypertention, cancer and chronic liver disease Four studies comprising 152 COVID-19 patients with AKI and 637 COVID-19 patients with NAKI evaluated the role of hypertension in patients with COVID-19 and AKI. Discharge rate and fatality rate The three studies showed results of the meta-analysis which revealed the fatality rate of the COVID-19 patients with AKI (OR:8.78, 95%CI [5.04,15.32], I p i < 0.001). [Extracted from the article]

Unique layered and heterostructured Pd/PdWCr nanosheet‐assembled flowers (L‐Pd/PdWCr) are successfully synthesized, resulting in the most negative onset potential (up to −0.174 V vs SCE) for formic acid oxidation among all reported Pd‐based electrocatalysts. It has 4.3‐times higher catalytic peak current density and better stability than that of the commercial Pd/C. The catalytic enhancement mechanism is mainly due to the synergetic effect of the layered and heterostructures of the Pd/PdWCr nanosheet. The W‐ and Cr‐tailored Pd/PdWCr heterostructures optimize the electronic structure of Pd with suitable binding energy to reduce the charge‐transfer resistance. Moreover, the layered nanosheet‐assembled flowers provide easily accessible large surface area and rapid mass transport path. The great stability can be attributed to the reduced total free energy resulting from the layered structure and the highly stable structure formed by the cross‐linked flower skeleton and suppressed Pd dissolution with W and Cr. This work provides an inexpensive, highly active, and stable anode electrocatalyst for direct formic acid fuel cells while demonstrating a method to synthesize layer‐structured metal alloy catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging evidence suggests a possible role of microRNAs (miRNAs) that can regulate gene expression in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, contradictory results have been reported on miRNA expression in SSc. We performed a meta‐analysis to identify the consistently differentially expressed miRNAs in SSc across studies. Methods: We performed a systematic search in PubMed using the terms "microRNAs OR Circulating MicroRNA OR miRNAs" AND "systemic sclerosis OR systemic scleroderma" to identify full‐text English publications until 1 August, 2019. After quality assessment using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2 (QUADAS‐2), we utilized RevMan 5.3 and Meta‐Disc 1.4 to assess heterogeneity (I2 index and Q test P values) and perform effect size modeling. Results: From 120 publications in the initial search, 16 studies on miRNA expression profiles in blood and/or dermal fibroblasts were selected after publication screening. The median number of samples in these studies was 36 (interquartile range 19‐59, range 10‐119). Meta‐analysis revealed 8 differentially expressed miRNAs, of which miR‐21 in blood, miR‐29a, miR‐155, and miR‐196a in dermal fibroblasts, and let‐7a in both serum and dermal fibroblast samples were most consistent across studies. These miRNAs have been implicated in immune activation, vascular damage, and fibroblast activation, which could potentially lead to the overproduction of collagen and extracellular protein. Conclusion: Studies of miRNA expression in SSc are limited and have used a relatively small number of samples. A meta‐analysis of these reports reveals a cluster of differentially expressed miRNAs implicated in immune activation, vascular damage, and fibroblast activation that could play roles in SSc pathogenesis and serve as potential biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies a new triggering mechanism of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) from the Southern Hemisphere. This mechanism is independent from the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and tends to induce the IOD before its canonical peak season. The joint effects of this mechanism and ENSO may explain different lifetimes and strengths of the IOD. During its positive phase, development of sea surface temperature cold anomalies commences in the southern Indian Ocean, accompanied by an anomalous subtropical high system and anomalous southeasterly winds. The eastward movement of these anomalies enhances the monsoon off Sumatra‐Java during May–August, leading to an early positive IOD onset. The pressure variability in the subtropical area is related with the Southern Annular Mode, suggesting a teleconnection between high‐latitude and midlatitude climate that can further affect the tropics. To include the subtropical signals may help model prediction of the IOD event. Plain Language Summary: An Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) at its positive phase featuring anomalously high and low sea surface temperature (SST) in the west and east equatorial Indian Ocean, respectively, shifts atmosphere convection westward, causing severe floods and droughts in surrounding west and east Indian Ocean‐rim regions. Known triggering mechanisms, such as the external El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO), cannot explain development or intensity of many IOD events. Here we find a novel triggering mechanism of the IOD from the Southern Hemisphere, in which the subtropical high pressure and wind anomalies forcing cool SST anomalies evolve to trigger onset of an IOD event via enhancing the monsoon off Sumatra‐Java. This Southern Hemisphere Mechanism can operate independently from the ENSO and commences earlier than the ENSO forcing, thus providing explanation of different IOD characteristics and a longer prediction lead time. Key Points: A triggering mechanism of the IOD originated from the Southern Hemisphere is identifiedThe Southern Hemisphere Mechanism is independent from ENSO and associated with subtropical and high‐latitude climatic variabilityThe joint effects of such mechanism and ENSO produce different characteristics of the IOD [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gold mineralization of the North China Craton (NCC) is characterized by regional heterogeneous distribution. Such a feature is mainly reflected by the spatial dispersity and local concentration, as well as multiperiods of gold‐forming events. Gold deposits are principally converged in the Jiaodong, Xiaoqinling‐Xiong'er Mountain, Jidong, Liaodong, and Taihang Mountain regions. The northern margin of the NCC is strongly enriched in Au, Mo, and Cu elements, whereas its southern and eastern margins trend to show significant enrichment of Au–Mo and Au, respectively. Among them, the early period of Mesozoic mineralization is Au–Mo–Pb–Zn combination, the peak is Au, and the late period is Au–Ag combination. The Early Cretaceous is the main gold metallogenic epoch of the NCC followed by the Middle–Late Triassic and Jurassic. Generally, gold mineralization time of the Xiaoqinling‐Xiong'er Mountain and Taihang Mountain is a little earlier than those of Jiaodong gold deposits; some of Jidong (Jinchangyu, Yuerya, and Niuxinshan) and the Liaodong (Baiyun and Maoling) gold deposits were formed in the Triassic–Jurassic. Overall, the uneven distribution of gold deposits in the NCC is generally controlled by the tectonic evolution and interaction of the regional geological blocks, the hydrothermal alteration and gold activation in the metamorphic basement, and the Mesozoic magma activity. In the Middle Jurassic and before, the tectonic evolution of the NCC was mainly influenced by the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and the Qinling Orogenic Belt. Tectonic system transition from extrusion to extension, locally developed mantle upwelling and lithospheric thinning, as well as a series of Middle Triassic–Jurassic magmatic activities, and even the presence of alkaline rocks along the east–west direction occurred on the northern margin of the NCC, which generated a series of Au–Mo deposits. This is the first craton destruction and gold mineralization event that occurred in the northern margin of the NCC after its formation. In the Cretaceous and after, the geological evolution of the NCC was mainly controlled by the ancient Pacific Plate. The NCC was subjected to extensive lithospheric thinning, which in turn led to a more large‐scale gold mineralization. In addition, it is found that these ore‐forming materials sourced from the metamorphic rock are not entirely dependent on the gold content but also affected by one or more geological processes, which activate and extract gold from the wall rock and upgrade it in suitable tectonic environments. The influence of granitoids and intermediate–basic dikes in these gold deposits seems like a "hot machine," which is the source of metallogenic hydrothermal fluid, and it is also a possible source of some ore‐forming minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The failure of chemotherapy in osteosarcoma results in drug resistance and acute side effects in the body. Methods: In this study, we have prepared a novel folate receptor-targeted doxorubicin (DOX) and edelfosine (EDL)-loaded lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticle (DE-FPLN) to enhance the anticancer efficacy in osteosarcoma. The nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized for in vitro biological assays followed by detailed antitumor efficacy analysis and toxicity analysis in a xenograft model. Results: The dual drug-loaded nanoparticles showed a nanosized morphology and physiological stability. The targeted nanoparticles showed enhanced cellular internalization and subcellular distribution in MG63 cancer cells compared to that of non-targeted nanoparticles. Among many ratios of DOX and EDL, 1:1 ratiometric combinations of drugs were observed to be highly synergistic in killing the cancer cells. MTT assay and caspase-3/7 activity assay clearly showed the superior anticancer efficacy of DE-FPLN formulations in inducing the cancer cell death. In vitro results indicate that the co-administration of two drugs in a folic acid-targeted nanoparticle could potentially induce the apoptosis and cell death. In vivo results displayed the potency of tumor cell killing and significant suppression of tumor growth without any detectable side effects. Conclusion: The lipid–polymer hybrid nanocarriers with multiple properties of high drug loading, sequential and ratiometric drug release, improved physiological stability, prolonged blood circulation, and tumor-specific targeting are promising for the delivery of multiple drugs in the treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the semiclassical ensemble model, we explore the relative phase-dependent nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) of Mg by counter-rotating two-color circularly polarized (TCCP) laser pulses. The yield of Mg2+ sensitively depends on the relative phase Δφ and the intensity of TCCP laser fields. At Δφ = 1.5π, the yield of Mg2+ exhibits a pronounced peak in the 0.05 PW/cm2 laser field. This behavior results from the increase of the initial transverse velocity compensating for the drift velocity with the decreasing angle by analyzing the angular distributions of the electron pairs in four relative phases. By changing the relative phases, we find that the recollision excitation with subsequent ionization and the recollision-impact ionization mechanisms can be controlled with TCCP laser fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression and play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, yet studies on expression profiles of miRNAs are still inconclusive. Our objective is to identify miRNAs that demonstrate enduring differential expression on autoimmune diseases. A systemic review and meta-analysis were performed by analysing the expression profile of miRNAs in several types of autoimmune disease, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and type-1 diabetes (T1D). Several most significant differentially expressed miRNAs were identified and showed significant deregulation in autoimmune diseases. The most compelling results for SLE were with miR-21, miR-148a, miR-223, miR-125b in blood and miR-26a in kidney samples, for RA, miR-21, miR-24, miR-26a, miR-155 and miR-223 in blood, and for T1D, miR-148a, miR-181a in blood and miR-21, miR-155 in urine samples. Interestingly, some of miRNAs were differentially expressed in more than one autoimmune disease, such as miR-21, miR-26a, miR-155, miR-148a, miR-223. These miRNAs are commonly associated with the immune response and increases in the activity of the immune system and inflammation in specific organs such as skin, joint, lung, and kidney. These miRNAs can potentially be not only good biomarkers for the prediction, diagnosis, but also therapeutic targets in autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature regarding social communication outcomes of interventions in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) depends upon human raters, with limited generalizability to real world settings. Technological innovation, particularly virtual reality (VR) and collaborative virtual environments (CVE), could offer a replicable, low cost measurement platform when endowed with intelligent agent technology and peer-based interactions. We developed and piloted a novel collaborative virtual environment and intelligent agent (CRETA) for the assessment of social communication and collaboration within system and peer interactions. The system classified user statements with moderate to high accuracies. We found moderate to high agreement in displayed communication and collaboration skills between human–human and human–agent interactions. CRETA offers a promising avenue for future development of autonomous measurement systems for ASD research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to explore the impact of aerobic exercise on the abundance and function of intestinal microbiota in the small intestine of Tan sheep in fattening period. Sixty female Tan sheep lambs with a weaning weight of (16 ± 2) kg were selected and randomly divided into three groups, with 20 lambs in each group. Tan sheep in the group 1 exercised daily for 8~10 km, Tan sheep in the group 2 exercised daily for 4~6 km, and the Tan sheep in the control group were in the barn. The experiment lasted for 130 days. The results showed that compared to the control group, the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of Tan sheep in the group 1 increased. Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in the duodenum and Actinobacteria in the jejunum of Tan sheep in the group 1 significantly increased (P<0.05), and the relative abundance of Actinobacteria in the ileum of Tan sheep in the group 2 significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of Ruminococcus in the duodenum of Tan sheep in the group 2 significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the abundance of Solobacterium in the duodenum of Tan sheep in the group 1 and group 2 decreased extremely (P<0.01). Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Escherichia-Shigella in the jejunum and ileum of Tan sheep in the group 1 significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the relative abundance of Bacteroides in the jejunum of Tan sheep in the group 2 extremely decreased (P<0.01). The study suggests that daily aerobic exercise of 8~10 km during the fattening period can enhance the diversity of intestinal microbiota in Tan sheep, increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria, reduce the abundance of harmful bacteria, and improve the overall health of the small intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and comparison of different kinds of donors showed very important role in the field of organic functional materials. A series of nonlinear optical chromophores 1–12 were developed based on twelve different types of electron donors, with the same isophorone based bridge and TCF acceptor. The donors studied include Ethyl methylaniline, tetrahydroquinoline, Ethoxykowloon aniline, triphenylamine, thiophen-2-amine derivatives, bis(alkyl)aniline derivatives and poly heteroatom aniline. Thermal stability analysis, optical properties, Density functional theoretical calculation (DFT) and electro-optical coefficient test of these chromophores was systematically studied to display the effect of different donors on the properties of Chromophores. The results show that the introduction of one or more heteroatoms can effectively improve the electron donating ability of the donor, so as to improve the first hyperpolarizability of the chromophore. The doped film containing the 25 wt% chromophore 1–12 showed electro-optic coefficients from 54 to 163 p.m./V, respectively. [Display omitted] • TCF based chromophores 1–12 with different double donors had been synthesized. • The film containing the 25 wt% chromophore 10 showed an electro-optic coefficient of 163 p.m./V. • The decomposition temperatures of the three chromophores were higher than 210 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CT features were correlated with invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma associated with cystic airspaces (LACA). • Four CT features were confirmed as independent risk factors for invasive LACA. • The prediction model gave a good predictive performance with AUC of 0.964. Lung adenocarcinoma associated with cystic airspaces (LACA) is a unique entity with limited understanding. Our aim was to evaluate the radiological characteristics of LACA and to study which criteria were predictive of invasiveness. A retrospective monocentric analysis of consecutive patients with pathologically confirmed LACA was performed. The diagnosed adenocarcinomas were classified into preinvasive (atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, adenocarcinoma in situ, or minimally invasive adenocarcinoma) and invasive adenocarcinomas. Eight clinical features and twelve CT features were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to analyse the correlation between invasiveness, and CT and clinical features. The inter-observer agreement was evaluated using κ statistics and intraclass correlation coefficients. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). A total of 252 patients with 265 lesions (128 men and 124 women; mean age, 58.0 ± 11.1 years) were enrolled. Multivariable logistic regression indicated that multiple cystic airspaces (OR, 5.599; 95 % CI, 1.865–16.802), irregular shape of cystic airspace (OR, 3.236; 95 % CI, 1.073–9.761), entire tumour size (OR, 1.281; 95 % CI, 1.075–1.526), and attenuation (OR, 1.007; 95 % CI, 1.005–1.010) were independent risk factors for invasive LACA. The AUC of the logistic regression model was 0.964 (95 % CI, 0.944–0.985). Multiple cystic airspaces, irregular shape of cystic airspace, entire tumour size, and attenuation were identified as independent risk factors for invasive LACA. The prediction model gives a good predictive performance, providing additional diagnostic information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to determine the association of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) measured at the time of admission to intensive unit (ICU) with acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with sepsis and septic shock. In addition, we investigated whether the NLR affects in-hospital mortality in septic AKI patients. Methods In this retrospective study, a total of 222 adult patients with sepsis and septic shock were included, who were admitted to the ICU of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2015 to December 2017. Sepsis and septic shock were diagnosed based on sepsis-3 consensus. AKI was diagnosed according to the KDIGO-AKI criteria. The primary outcome of the study was septic AKI. The secondary endpoint was in-hospital mortality of patients with septic AKI. Results 132 patients (59.46%) had AKI, and 64 (28.83%) died, of whom 55 (41.67%) in the AKI group and 9 (10.00%) in the non-AKI group. The NLR of the AKI group was significantly higher than that of the non-AKI group, and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that the NLR was independent predictors of septic AKI (OR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.005–1.091, P = 0.026). The ROC curve showed that the AUC of the NLR for predicting septic AKI was 0.656 (95% CI 0.584–0.728, P < 0.001) and the cutoff value was 17.11 (sensitivity, 62.1%; specificity, 68.9%). However, no correlation was found between the NLR and in-hospital mortality in septic AKI patients. Conclusion NLR, a laboratory variable that is simple, widely available and inexpensive, was associated with the development of septic AKI and may be potential for risk stratification of septic AKI. Highlights • The NLR of the AKI group was higher than that of the non-AKI group in patients with sepsis and septic shock. • The NLR was independent predictors of septic AKI. • The NLR may be a useful marker in septic AKI risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Recent research on zero-valent iron (ZVI) has evolved from a proof-of-concept stage to an application-focus stage with the goal of enhancing the applicability of ZVI for water decontamination. Sulfidation represents one of the most prominent ways to enhance the reactivity and efficiency of ZVI. In this study, sulfidated ZVI (S-ZVI) coupled with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) was used to remove acid red 73 (AR 73) from wastewater and the results showed that the coupling of chelator and sulfidation significantly enhanced the removal of AR 73. The first-order kinetic constant (k obs) followed a bimodal pattern with increasing S/Fe ratio, chelator concentration, and mixing rate, but a unimodal pattern with changes in initial AR 73 concentration. Under the optimal conditions, the removal rate of AR 73 obtained in the EDTA + S-ZVI system was about 6.5 times faster than that in the ZVI system. Further analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) confirmed that reduction played a major role in the removal of AR 73. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were used to investigate the surface chemical compositions of the solids before and after reaction. The results showed that the surface of freshly prepared S-ZVI was covered with FeSx, and EDTA on the surface of S-ZVI could complex with the Fe(II) to form an FeII-EDTA complex. The FeII-EDTA complex can inhibit the oxidation of Fe(II) and reduce the redox potential of the solution, which together enhance the removal of AR 73. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The effect of chelator on the removal contaminants by S-ZVI was firstly studied. • Chelator (EDTA) can significantly enhance the activity of S-ZVI on azo dyes. • Ligands could alleviate the oxidation of Fe(II) and broke the iron oxide films. • Ligand could significantly reduce the redox potential of the complex iron species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Twisted PdCu nanochains are synthesized successfully via a staged thermal treatment route, offering rich twin boundaries as catalytic "active sites" and modified electronic effects. Toward formic acid oxidation, the twisted PdCu nanochains hold the highest catalytic peak current density (1108.2 mA mg−1 Pd) over previous reported PdCu alloy catalysts, and also much higher catalytic activity and durability comparing with Pd nanochains and commercial Pd/C. The catalytic enhancement mechanism to PdCu nanochains is proposed and discussed. Additionally, we found that the formation of PdCu nanochains follows a typical anisotropic growth approach, and the multiple steps of staged thermal treatment route displays a vital role in fabricating the unique PdCu nanochains while the introduced Cu precursors might affect the reduction rate of Pd species and act as deposition or nucleation sites for twisted structure in terms of rich twin boundaries. This work describes an efficient, low-Pd loading catalyst for electrooxidation of formic acid, and also demonstrates a universal method to fabricate other defect-rich catalysts for broad applications in energy conversion and storage systems and sensing devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report AlGaN/GaN n-p-n heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) on sapphire substrates with selective-area grown AlGaN emitters by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition. Metal–semiconductor contact on the external p-GaN base layer shows ohmic characteristics thanks to the dry-etching-free process of base–emitter junction. As a result, the maximum current gain $\beta $ is around 90 calculated from the Gummel plot of a ${20}\times {20}\,\,\mu \text{m}^{{2}}$ HBT device. Common-emitter ${I}$ – ${V}$ family curves exhibit offset voltage $({V} _{\text {offset}}) < 0.5$ V and knee voltage $({V} _{\text {knee}}) < 6.5$ V. A high current density $ {J}_{\text C}$ of 8 kA/cm2 and power density of 75 kW/cm2 were obtained. These values are the highest in the reported for GaN-based HBTs on sapphire substrates. The open-base breakdown voltage (${BV}_{\text {CEO}}$) exceeds 98 V comparable with direct-growth GaN-based HBTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Highly active, "clean" and stable PdCo nanodots are synthesized as small as 2.8 nm. • PdCo nanodots are synthesized using a universal in situ adsorption-reduction method. • The oxidation peak current density of PdCo Nds-RGO is up to 1362.1 mA mg−1 Pd. • PdCo Nds-RGO has much higher catalytic activity and stability than commercial Pd/C. Abstract Highly active, "clean" and stable PdCo nanodots anchored on graphene is successfully synthesized using an in-situ adsorption-reduction method, exhibiting the highest peak current density (up to 1362.1 mA mg−1) toward formic acid oxidation over previously published PdCo based alloy catalysts under the same characterization conditions. The nanodots could keep their original size and dispersity even after 200 cycles electrochemical test. This work not only demonstrates a universal in-situ adsorption-reduction route to preparing an active electrocatalyst toward formic acid oxidation for direct formic acid fuel cells but also offers new opportunities to design and synthesis of noble metal alloy based nanodots with improved electrocatalytic performance for energy conversion/storage and sensor systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvothermal self‐assembly reaction of CuCl2, LaCl3, and H2tdc afforded a new heterometallic compound, namely [CuLa2(tdc)4(H2O)(DMA)2]n (1) (H2tdc = thiophene‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid, DMA = N,N′‐dimethylacetamide). Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that compound 1 features a 3D framework based on 1D heterometallic rod‐shaped CuII‐LaIII‐carboxylate chains. The porous framework of the desolvated samples (denoted as 1′) can be easily obtained via the heat treatment process at 200°C for 2 h. Gas adsorption investigations revealed that 1′ exhibits good light hydrocarbons adsorption performance. In addition, the anticancer activities of this heterometallic complex were evaluated via the MTT assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paxillin and M2 macrophage are all involved in cell proliferation and tumor progression, and this study aims to explore the interaction between them in colon cancer and the role of paxillin in cancer progression. Expression of mRNAs and proteins was determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot, separately. Endogenous expression of genes was modulated by recombinant plasmids and cell transfection. The levels of cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cell viability, invasion and migration were detected using the MTT assay, the transwell assay and the wound-healing cell migration assay, respectively. A nude mouse model for human colon cancer was constructed for tumor orthotopic expression. Paxillin was up-regulated in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Paxillin was up-regulated in process of M2 macrophage polarization. M2 macrophage polarization was inhibited with paxillin suppressed. Down-regulated paxillin inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in colon cancer through suppressing M2 macrophage polarization. PI3k/Akt inhibitor repressed M2 macrophage polarization through down-regulating paxillin. PI3k/Akt inhibitor inhibited the function of the macrophage in promoting cell proliferation and invasion of colon cancer through down-regulating paxillin. Down-regulated paxillin in macrophages inhibited tumor growth of colon cancer. With the PI3K/AKT pathway inhibited, down-regulated paxillin suppressed colon cancer cell proliferation and invasion by inhibiting the M2 macrophage polarization, thereby restraining the tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative virtual environments (CVEs), which allow naturalistic communication between two or more individuals in a shared virtual environment, hold promise as a tool for measuring and promoting social communication between peers. In this work, a CVE platform and a set of CVE-based collaborative games are designed for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two groups (7 ASD/TD pairs; 7 TD/TD pairs) participated in a pilot study to establish system feasibility and tolerability. We also designed a methodology for capturing meaningful metrics of social communication. Based on these metrics, we found improved game performance and trends in communication of these participants over time. Although preliminary, these results provide important insights on CVE-based interaction for ASD intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public art is an artistic work or ongoing artistic activity completed jointly by artists and the public through analysis and exposition of Richard Serra's public art work Tilted Arc. The concept cognition of public art should realize that publicity is the premise of public art, the core that plays a leading role in the development of public art, and the fundamental factor that distinguishes public art from other arts. Public art should be balanced and coordinated with artists, and the common rights of creators and beneficiaries must be respected, so as to build the future of public art with the spirit and attitude of thinking from multiple perspectives on the creation of public art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective factors play an important role in language and cognitive development, but relevant research on students' cognitive/emotional experiences in foreign language instruction has been rather limited. The study adopts a case study method to investigate two EFL learners' reactions to cognitive/emotional dissonances in content-based foreign language instruction from an ecological perspective. Data include learners' retrospective interviews and reflections. Findings show that firstly dissonance not only reflects the challenges learners face but also triggers them to restructure their cognition and emotion that mutually transform one another in embodied actions. Secondly, learners' cognition, emotion and action constitute an amalgam in their attempts to resolve dissonances, through which personal traits (e.g., cognition, emotion and action) mutually interact with one another and with the contextual affordances (e.g., teacher, pedagogy and assessment). Finally, a curriculum that is relevant, meaningful and cognitively challenging inspires learners' resilience and engagement in learning while unlashing their developmental potentiality. Findings suggest the need to study cognitive/emotional dissonance in situated learning practices, to regard personal traits as dynamic and malleable and developing a foreign language curriculum that is personally meaningful and relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Hydrogen atoms are more mobile near the surface than in bulk of titanium. • Hydrogen atoms are prone to accumulate beneath the surface of titanium, facilitating the formation of brittle hydride. • Surface energy reduces with increasing hydrogen coverage, enhancing the decohesion of titanium. • Desorption of hydrogen atoms to form gaseous H 2 cost energy, ruling out the hydrogen atmospheric pressure induced HE of titanium. Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) caused by the interaction between hydrogen and crack tip is the key factors for the stress corrosion crack (SCC) of titanium alloys utilized in marine environment. In the present work, the interactions between hydrogen and the fresh surface of crack tip in titanium, including the adsorption, desorption, diffusion of hydrogen atom near the surface, are investigated systematically by using a first-principles method. The surface energy of titanium with H adsorption is calculated. We show that H atoms are prone to adsorb on the surface of titanium and then accumulate beneath the surface whereas both desorption of H atoms to form H 2 and diffusion of H atom into bulk cost energy. The surface energy decreases with increasing coverage of H, which reduces the fracture work of titanium. The H-induced reduction of the fracture work at the crack tip is expected to accelerate the crack propagation. The accumulation of H beneath the surface facilitates the formation of hydride ahead the crack tip which is critical for the hydride induced embrittlement. The H 2 pressure mechanism is not supposed to be responsible for the HE of titanium because the desorption of H atoms from the surface to form H 2 is energetically unfavorable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop a recycling process for spent Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs). Amongst the various recycling technologies proposed, froth flotation is considered a cost-effective candidate for the separation of graphite from the lithium metal oxides due to the hydrophobic nature of graphite. However, experimental studies have identified that soluble lithium has a significant impact on the separation efficiency. Two series of experiments were undertaken to understand the influence of lithium ions. The first used a semi-synthetic mixture of spent anode and pure cathode material based on lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNi 0.33 Mn 0.33 Co 0.33 O 2) or NMC-111 cathode material. The second used mixed samples of spent lithium ion batteries of the same composition. Both the separation efficiency and the flotation kinetics are reported. The soluble lithium concentration is shown to have a significant impact on both. However, if the spent battery material is washed to reduce the lithium ion concentration, the flotation efficiency and kinetics are similar with the graphite recovery exceeding 90% and the graphite grade exceeding 84% in a single flotation stage. • The presence of soluble lithium comes mainly from the cathode materials (95%). • Recoveries of 97.67% for anode and 11.09% for cathode material are achieved when washing prior to flotation. • Recovery of the cathode materials is controlled by water entrainment which is increased by soluble lithium. • Recovery of lithium from the flotation circuit is required to achieve good environmental and economic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]