Wenrui Wang

The spin Hall effect couples charge and spin transport1-3, enabling electrical control of magnetization4,5. A quintessential example of spin-Hall-related transport is the anomalous Hall effect (AHE)6, first observed in 1880, in which an electric current perpendicular to the magnetization in a magnetic film generates charge accumulation on the surfaces. Here, we report the observation of a counterpart of the AHE that we term the anomalous spin-orbit torque (ASOT), wherein an electric current parallel to the magnetization generates opposite spin-orbit torques on the surfaces of the magnetic film. We interpret the ASOT as being due to a spin-Hall-like current generated with an efficiency of 0.053 ± 0.003 in Ni80Fe20, comparable to the spin Hall angle of Pt7. Similar effects are also observed in other common ferromagnetic metals, including Co, Ni and Fe. First-principles calculations corroborate the order of magnitude of the measured values. This work suggests that a strong spin current with spin polarization transverse to the magnetization can be generated within a ferromagnet, despite spin dephasing8. The large magnitude of the ASOT should be taken into consideration when investigating spin-orbit torques in ferromagnetic/non-magnetic bilayers.

Abstract: Curcumin has shown considerable pharmacological activity, including anti-inflammatory, but its poor bioavailability and rapid metabolization have limited its application. The purpose of the present study was to formulate curcumin-solid lipid nanoparticles (curcumin-SLNs) to improve its therapeutic efficacy in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic rat model of asthma. A solvent injection method was used to prepare the curcumin-SLNs. Physiochemical properties of curcumin-SLNs were characterized, and release experiments were performed in vitro. The pharmacokinetics in tissue distribution was studied in mice, and the therapeutic effect of the formulation was evaluated in the model. The prepared formulation showed an average size of 190 nm with a zeta potential value of -20.7 mV and 75% drug entrapment efficiency. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the amorphous nature of the encapsulated curcumin. The release profile of curcumin-SLNs was an initial burst followed by sustained release. The curcumin concentrations in plasma suspension were significantly higher than those obtained with curcumin alone. Following administration of the curcumin-SLNs, all the tissue concentrations of curcumin increased, especially in lung and liver. In the animal model of asthma, curcumin-SLNs effectively suppressed airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammatory cell infiltration and also significantly inhibited the expression of T-helper-2-type cytokines, such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid compared to the asthma group and curcumin-treated group. These observations implied that curcumin-SLNs could be a promising candidate for asthma therapy. Keywords: airway hyperresponsiveness, pharmacokinetics, curcumin, solid lipid nanoparticles

Curcumin (Cur) has been widely used in medicine, due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects.However, its clinic application is limited by its instability and poor solubility.In the present wok, curcumin was loaded into solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), in order to improve the therapeutic efficacy for breast cancer.The results measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that Cur-SLNs have a well-defined spherical shape; the size was about 40 nm with a negative surface charge.The drug loading and encapsulation efficiency in SLNs reached 23.38% and 72.47%, respectively.The Cur-SLNs showed a stronger cytotoxicity against SKBR3 cells.In vitro cellular uptake study demonstrated a high uptake efficiency of the Cur-SLNs by SKBR3 cells.Moreover, Cur-SLNs induced higher apoptosis in SKBR3 cells, compared to cells treated by free drug.In addition, Western blot analysis revealed that Cur-SLNs could promote the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, but decreased the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK4.These results suggested that Cur-SLNs could be a potential useful chemotherapeutic formulation for breast cancer therapy.

Our previous studies have shown that Mg:Al 1:1 layered double hydroxides (LDH(R1)) nanoparticles could be taken up by the MDDCs effectively and had an adjuvant activity for DC maturation. Furthermore, these LDH(R1) nanoparticles could up-regulate the expression of CCR7 and augment the migration of DCs in response to CCL21. In current study, we have evaluated whether LDH(R1) as DNA vaccine delivery carrier can augment the efficacy of DNA vaccine immunization in vivo. Firstly, we found that LDH(R1) was efficient in combining DNA and formed LDH(R1)/DNA complex with an average diameter of about 80–120 nm. Its high transfection efficiency in vivo delivered with a GFP expression plasmid was also observed. After delivery of pcDNA3-OVA/LDH(R1) complex by intradermal immunization in C57BL/6 mice, the LDH(R1) induced an enhanced serum antibody response much greater than naked DNA vaccine. Using B16-OVA melanoma as tumor model, we demonstrated that pcDNA3-OVA/LDH(R1) complex enhanced immune priming and protection from tumor challenge in vivo. Furthermore, we showed that LDH(R1) induced dramatically more effective CTL activation and skewed T helper polarization to Th1. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that this LDH(R1)/DNA plasmid complex should be a new and promising way in vaccination against tumor.

In this study, resveratrol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (Res-SLNs) were successfully designed to treat MDA-MB-231 cells. The Res-SLNs were prepared using emulsification and low-temperature solidification method. The Res-SLNs were spherical, with small size, negative charge, and narrow size distribution. Compared with free resveratrol, the Res-SLNs displayed a superior ability in inhibiting the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, Res-SLNs exhibited much stronger inhibitory effects on the invasion and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. Western blot analysis revealed that Res-SLNs could promote the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 but decreased the expression of cyclinD1 and c-Myc. These results indicate that the Res-SLN may have great potential for breast cancer treatment.

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as major post-transcriptional regulators of the initiation and progression of human cancers, including breast cancer. However, the detail role of miR-451 has not been fully elucidated in breast cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the biological role and molecular mechanisms of miR-451 in drug resistance in breast cancer cell lines and in xenograft model. We show that miR-451 is decreased in human breast cancer specimens and in paclitaxel-resistant (PR) cells. Ectopic expression of miR-451 could inhibit the cell migration and invasion, promoted apoptosis, induced cell-cycle arrest Furthermore, tyrosine3-monooxygenase/tryptophan5-monooxygenase activation protein zeta (YWHAZ) was identified as a direct target of miR-451. Remarkably, the expression of YWHAZ is inversely correlated with the level of miR-451 in human breast cancer samples. Co-treatment with miR-451 mimics and YWHAZ-siRNA significantly enhanced YWHAZ knockdown in both SKBR3/PR and MCF-7/PR cells Moreover, miR-451 markedly inhibited expression of β -catenin via YWHAZ and subsequently inhibited downstream gene cyclin D1, c-Myc expression. The results of xenograft model in vivo showed that intratumor injection of miR-451 agomir induced a tumor-suppressive effect in SKBR3/PR drug-resistant xenograft model. Taken together, our findings suggested that miR-451 might be considered as important and potential target in paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer treatment.

In this paper, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating with a thickness of 500 μm on Q235 steel substrate was fabricated by plasma spraying. The microscopic results showed that a new Laves phase is formed in the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating compared to the HEA powder, and elemental segregation occurs between the dendrites and the interdendrites of the coating, while the interdendritic phase enriches with the Cr and Nb. The phase composition change and elemental segregation behavior were mainly due to the faster cooling rate of the plasma spraying technique. At the junction of the coating and the substrate, the HEA coating bonded well to the substrate; in addition, the width of transition zone was merely 2 μm. The microhardness of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating was 321 HV0.5, which is significantly higher than that of the substrate. In terms of corrosion resistance, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating has good corrosion resistance in NaCl solution. Although the corrosion form was pitting corrosion, the pitting potential of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating was significantly higher than that of other coatings, which was mainly because of the dense passivation film formed by Cr and Nb on the surface of the coating. Once the passivation film was destroyed by Cl-, the selective corrosion occurred on the surface of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating. In summary, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb₅ HEA coating prepared by plasma spraying technology can significantly improve the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the Q235 steel substrate.

The present work investigates the influence of Mo additive and aging temperatures on the microstructure and corrosion behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution. The microstructure of (CoCrFeNi)100-xMox(x = 1, 2, 3) alloys aged at 700 °C and 900 °C comprises single FCC solid solution structure. When the Mo content increases from 1% to 2%, the polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in 3.5% NaCl solution indicate that the corrosion resistance of the alloys gradually increases with increasing aging temperature and Mo content. However, the corrosion resistance of (CoCrFeNi)97Mo3 alloy aged at 900 °C decreased suddenly. XPS analysis reveals that the main components of the passive film are Cr2O3 and MoO3, and the intensity of Cr2O3 and MoO3 in the passive film tends to increase with Mo increases from 1% to 2%, which can improve the stability of the passive film. The first-principles calculation was used to understand the effect of Cl− on the pitting mechanism of the passive film.

CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy (HEA) has attracted extensive attention due to its excellent corrosion resistance, but the low strength limits its engineering application prospects. In order to develop CoCrFeNi based HEAs with high strength, ductility and corrosion resistance, the effects of Zr content on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of heterogeneous CoCrFeNiZrx (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1) HEAs were investigated in this work. The results indicate that the increase of Zr content can significantly affect the phase stability of the alloy, and promote the formation of intermetallic compounds (Ni7Zr2 and/or Laves phase) and the transformation of solid solution from face-centered cubic (FCC) structure (x = 0, 0.25 and 0.5) to body-centered cubic (BCC) structure (x = 1). Reasonable control of the Zr content can endow the alloy excellent comprehensive properties. Especially, for CoCrFeNiZr0.25 alloy, composed of FCC matrix and a small amount of Ni7Zr2 phases, the yield strength (∼655 MPa) is increased by nearly four times higher than that of Zr-free alloy, and it also has good ductility (fracture stain > 50%). Meanwhile, the corrosion resistance of CoCrFeNiZr0.25 alloy is better than that of SS304. The EIS results show that the addition of Zr reduces the stability of the passive film on the alloy, which can be related to the content of the beneficial oxide in the passive film and the thickness of the passive film through XPS analysis. Moreover, the work functions of different phases in CoCrFeNiZrx alloys were obtained by first-principles calculations, which further confirmed the selective corrosion mechanism of the CoCrFeNiZrx alloy combining the experimental results.

In order to design and develop new marine structural materials with a balance of strength-toughness-corrosion resistance, in this work, the synergistic effects of Al and Ti on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of CoCrFeNi(Al0.3Ti0.2)x high-entropy alloys were systematically investigated. With the addition of Al and Ti, the L12-γ' phase formed in the alloys significantly improves the mechanical properties, but excessive addition will lead to the formation of Al-Ti-rich B2 phase structure, which reduces the ductility of the alloy. For the corrosion resistance of the alloys in 3.5 wt. % NaCl solution, the increase of Al and Ti contents improves the stability of the passive film, while effectively reduces the corrosion current density and passivation current density of the alloys. However, the precipitation with a large number of strengthening phases aggravates the segregation of elements, resulting in a decrease in the pitting corrosion resistance and the resistance to the pit propagation of the alloy. In addition, compared with conventional structural alloys, the L12-strengthened dual-phase CoCrFeNiAl0.15Ti0.1 high-entropy alloy possesses an excellent balance of strength-toughness-corrosion resistance. This work also provides guidance for the future development of high-performance high-entropy alloy systems for marine engineering.

With high toughness and tight crack control, fiber reinforced cementitious composites with high ductility is promising to be applied to hydraulic structures. To study its long-term performance under marine environment, specimens were exposed to seawater with different salinities for 12 months. Mechanical properties were measured periodically accompanied with microscopic analyses. After exposed to seawater with typical salinity (3.5%), the ultimate tensile stress of specimens increased significantly while the strain capacity decreased compared to specimens exposed to water. Interestingly, as the salinity of seawater increased (≥17.5%), the toughness of composites would be enhanced. A reduction in porosity and crack width of specimens exposed to seawater was also detected. Based on the diverse behaviors of specimens exposed to different salinities of seawater in this study, to simulate the real marine environment in laboratory investigations, attention should be.

A novel ultrastable aqueous foam with controllable structure and Plateau borders was synthesized by adding polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and nano-alumina (NA) complexes to the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The influence of NA-modified foam on the mechanical properties and durability of foamed concrete was investigated. The experimental results revealed that PVA and NA effectively decreased the drainage of foam while expanding the liquid film thickness of Plateau borders, which stabilizes the foam. The excellent stability is attributable to the molecular interaction between NA and SDS, which allows the nanoparticles to adhere to the foam surface and form a dense granular film layer. Moreover, due to the interaction between SDS and NA, the precast foam forms robust pore structures in the hardened foamed concrete, which improves its properties.

In this work, the effects of Ta element microalloying on the microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrFeNi–AlTi precipitation-strengthened high-entropy alloys were systematically studied. For CoCrFeNiAl0.15Ti0.1Ta0.015 high-entropy alloy, the microalloying of Ta can aggressively partition into the L12-γ′ phase, promote the continuous precipitation of the γ′ phase, and reduce the content of Al and Ti in the FCC matrix, resulting in a large lattice mismatch between the FCC and the γ′ phase. Moreover, the high-volume fraction of fine γ′ phase caused by Ta addition hinders grain boundary migration and dislocation movement, leading to a decrease in recrystallization and grain coarsening. The mechanical tensile tests show that the addition of Ta element (1 wt%) in the CoCrFeNiAl0.15Ti0.1 alloy can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the alloy due to the more effective precipitation strengthening effect and fine grain strengthening effect, in which the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength are increased by 17.6% and 8.2%, respectively, reaching 992.5 MPa and 1281.1 MPa. It was further confirmed through first-principle calculations that Ta tends to dissolve in the γ′ precipitates, which can effectively enhance the mechanical properties of the γ′ precipitates. This work provides a reference for the future design of L12-γ' precipitation-strengthened high-entropy alloys with ideal properties.

Breast cancer has overtaken lung cancer as the most prevalent cancer worldwide. The development of advanced drug resistance inhibits the efficacy of paclitaxel(PTX)as a first-line chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer. Autophagy and microRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in chemoresistance. This study investigated the miR-142-3p effect on PTX resistance by regulating autophagy. A PTX-resistant breast cancer cell line was constructed, and miR-142-3p and G protein beta polypeptide 2 (GNB2) were filtered out using RNA sequencing and protein microarray analysis. The study revealed that miR-142-3p expression was lower in drug-resistant cells compared parental cells. Higher miR-142-3p expression inhibited the viability, migration, and autophagic flux of drug-resistant cells, while promoting apoptosis and sensitivity to PTX treatment. Mechanistically, miR-142-3p was found to amend PTX resistance by targeting GNB2, further revealing that the knockdown of GNB2 expression could activate the AKT-mTOR pathway. This study suggests that GNB2 is an essential target for miR-142-3p to restrain autophagy, providing a new reference value for improving breast cancer PTX treatment.

Nowadays, it is still a challenging task to exploit electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) materials with superior EMA performance under an ultrasmall thickness (approximately 1 mm). In this study, heterogeneous CoNiO2/Ti3C2Tx MXene hybrid absorbers were successfully synthesized by using a simple and convenient self-assembly process. Benefiting from the increased porosity, heterogeneous interfaces, and multiple polarization processes, the unique burr-like CoNiO2/Ti3C2Tx MXene nanospheres (CNO/MXene-S) exhibited a remarkable EMA capacity with a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value of −60.61 dB at an ultrasmall thickness of 1.069 mm and −66.79 dB at a matching thickness of 2.565 mm, respectively. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations were utilized to analyze the EMA mechanisms. Furthermore, the satellite radar cross-section (RCS) simulations demonstrated that compared with a non-stealth satellite, a stealth satellite with the CNO/MXene-S absorber exhibited decreased surface reflection of radar waves and a shortened radar detection distance. Therefore, the as-prepared CNO/MXene-S absorber with an ultrasmall matching thickness can be highly promising for the electromagnetic protection of spacecraft and electromagnetic communication devices.

The mechanism of lead-inhibitory effects on seed germination and seedling growth was investigated in wheat cv. Xihan 2 subjected to different Pb(NO3)2 concentrations. High concentrations of lead and exogenous H2O2 significantly inhibited seed germination and the growth of roots and shoots. Dimethylthiourea, catalase or diphenylene iodonium could reverse lead-inhibitory effects on seed germination. Significant elevated H2O2 generation was observed in germinating seeds exposed to lead. Analysis using fluorescent dye 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate showed significantly increased H2O2 level in the root tissue in response to lead treatment. Nitric oxide (NO) donor sodium nitroprusside could alleviate the Pb-inhibitory effects on seed germination and shoot growth, which was blocked by guanylyl cyclase inhibitor methylene blue. Therefore, NADH-dependent generation of extracellular H2O2 is responsible for Pb-inhibitory effect on seed germination, the protection of exogenous NO against lead toxicity involved in seed germination and seedlings shoot growth may be associated with cGMP signaling pathway.

In this research, we intercalated anti-tumor drug podophyllotoxin (PPT) into layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and investigated the in vitro cytotoxicity to tumor cells, the cellular uptake and in vivo anti-tumor inhibition of PPT-LDH. The nanohybrids were prepared by a two-step method with the size of 80-90nm and the zeta potential of 20.3mV. The in vitro cytotoxicity experiment indicated that PPT-LDH nanoparticles show better anti-tumor efficacy than PPT and are more readily taken up by Hela cells. PPT-LDH shows a long-term suppression effect on the tumor growth, and enhances the apoptotic process of tumor cells. The in vivo tests reveal that delivery of PPT via LDH nanoparticles is more efficient, but the mice toxicity of PPT in PPT-LDH hybrids is reduced in comparison with PPT alone. Pharmacokinetics study displays a prolonged circulation time and an increased bioavailability of PPT-LDH than PPT. These observations imply that LDH nanoparticles are the potential carrier of anti-tumor drugs in a range of new therapeutic applications.

The oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides Y2 was employed to remove waste nutrients from bioethanol wastewater while simultaneously producing biomass enriched in microbial lipids. Under optimal conditions, the COD degradation ratio, biomass and lipid content reached 72.3%, 3.8 g/l and 34.9%, respectively. For accelerating biomass and lipid accumulation, different feeding strategies of substrate were conducted. The biomass and lipid production increased by 39.5% and 53.8%, respectively, when glucose at 1.2g/(ld) was added during the last three days of the cultivation. An equation was established to estimate biomass energetic yield. Under optimal conditions, the biomass energetic yield was 50.9% and an increase of 26.0% was obtained by feeding glucose at 1.2g/(ld) during the last three days. The fatty acid composition of the lipids was similar to that from plant oils and other microbial lipids, and could thus be used as raw material for feed additives and biodiesel production.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence has increased continuously over the last 30 years in China. Dyslipidemia is an important modifiable risk factor in CVD. We aimed to collect current data on the prevalence of dyslipidemia in northern China and explore potential influencing factors.In this cross-sectional study, we selected a representative sample of 65,128 participants aged ≥35 years in Inner Mongolia during 2015-2017. All participants completed a questionnaire and were examined for risk factors. Dyslipidemia was defined according to 2016 Chinese guidelines for adults. The associated factors for dyslipidemia were estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.The age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia was 31.2% overall, with 4.3, 2.4, 14.7, and 17.4% for high total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. The dyslipidemia prevalence was significantly higher in men than women (37.9% vs. 27.5%, P < 0.001), but postmenopausal women had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia components (except low HDL-C). Compared with Han participants, Mongol participants had a lower prevalence of dyslipidemia (29.1% vs. 31.4%, P < 0.001). Male sex, living in urban areas, Han ethnicity, smoking, obesity, central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes were all positively correlated with dyslipidemia; alcohol consumption was linked to lower risk of dyslipidemia.Our study revealed that dyslipidemia is a health problem in northern China. Greater efforts to prevent and manage dyslipidemia, especially in men under age 55 years, postmenopausal women, and people with unhealthy lifestyles or chronic diseases.

The optimum hot working window with full dynamic recrystallization microstructure for Inconel 740 superalloy was established by integrating the activation energy map with the hot processing map. The activation energy map and the hot processing map were obtained respectively to characterizing the hot workability based on the isothermal compression tests at various temperatures and strain rates. Hot deformation characteristics of Inconel 740 superalloy was investigated by analyzing the microstructure evolution. The results show that the flow instability is significantly dependent on the high activation energy. Whereas, the good hot workability is attributed to the low activation energy, in which case the original microstructure is replaced by the fine and equiaxed recrystallization grains.

Abstract Critical-sized bone defects caused by traumatic fractures, tumour resection and congenital malformation are unlikely to heal spontaneously. Bone tissue engineering is a promising strategy aimed at developing in vitro replacements for bone transplantation and overcoming the limitations of natural bone grafts. In this study, we developed an innovative bone engineering scaffold based on gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogel, obtained via a two-step procedure: first, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were loaded with resveratrol (Res), a drug that can promote osteogenic differentiation and bone formation; these particles were then encapsulated at different concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.04% and 0.08%) in GelMA to obtain the final Res-SLNs/GelMA scaffolds. The effects of these scaffolds on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and bone regeneration in rat cranial defects were evaluated using various characterization assays. Our in vitro and in vivo investigations demonstrated that the different Res-SLNs/GelMA scaffolds improved the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, with the ideally slow and steady release of Res; the optimal scaffold was 0.02 Res-SLNs/GelMA. Therefore, the 0.02 Res-SLNs/GelMA hydrogel is an appropriate release system for Res with good biocompatibility, osteoconduction and osteoinduction, thereby showing potential for application in bone tissue engineering.

The corrosion behaviour of 316 stainless steel in NaCl-KCl-MgCl2 salt vapour at 700 °C under static conditions was investigated in this experiment. Easy-to-peel oxide layers were formed on the surface, and their composition and structure changed as exposure continued. The initially formed oxide monolayer was gradually transformed into oxide multilayers, and the outermost layer changed from Cr-Fe oxide to Mg-Cr oxide. The evolution of surface oxide layers was due to the varying diffusion rates of elements in 316 stainless steel as well as to the differing reaction rate of MgCl2 in the salt vapour.

Abstract. Artificial impervious surface area (ISA) documents the human footprint. Accurate, timely, and detailed ISA datasets are therefore essential for global climate change studies and urban planning. However, due to the lack of sufficient training samples and operational mapping methods, global ISA datasets at a 10 m resolution are still lacking. To this end, we proposed a global ISA mapping method leveraging multi-source geospatial data. Based on the existing satellite-derived ISA maps and crowdsourced OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, 58 million training samples were extracted via a series of temporal, spatial, spectral, and geometric rules. We then produced a 10 m resolution global ISA dataset (GISA-10m) from over 2.7 million Sentinel optical and radar images on the Google Earth Engine platform. Based on test samples that are independent of the training set, GISA-10m achieves an overall accuracy of greater than 86 %. In addition, the GISA-10m dataset was comprehensively compared with the existing global ISA datasets, and the superiority of GISA-10m was confirmed. The global road area was further investigated, courtesy of this 10 m dataset. It was found that China and the US have the largest areas of ISA and road. The global rural ISA was found to be 2.2 times that of urban while the rural road area was found to be 1.5 times larger than that of the urban regions. The global road area accounts for 14.2 % of the global ISA, 57.9 % of which is located in the top 10 countries. Generally speaking, the produced GISA-10m dataset and the proposed sampling and mapping method are able to achieve rapid and efficient global mapping, and have the potential for detecting other land covers. It is also shown that global ISA mapping can be improved by incorporating OSM data. The GISA-10m dataset could be used as a fundamental parameter for Earth system science, and will provide valuable support for urban planning and water cycle study. The GISA-10m can be freely downloaded from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5791855 (Huang et al., 2021a).

As an important indicator of urbanization, accurate and long-term global artificial impervious surface area (ISA) monitoring is vital to biodiversity, water quality assessment, urban heat island, etc. However, the existing several 30-m global ISA datasets exhibit large inconsistencies, due to their differences in training samples and mapping methods. In this context, we proposed a global ISA mapping method by considering the inconsistency of the existing products, based on which we further generated a new 30-m global ISA dataset (GISA 2.0). Specifically, we divided the mapping area into A-Grids and M-Grids in terms of their consistency degrees. An automatic mapping method was proposed for classifying the A-Grids, by extracting training samples from the consistent regions of existing datasets. In the case of M-Grids, where the existing ISA datasets showed large inconsistency, we proposed to add manually interpreted samples, to strengthen the classification in these areas. We randomly selected over 120,000 test samples from 207 global grids. The results showed that GISA 2.0 achieved a F1-score of 0.935, better than GISA 1.0 (0.893), GAIA (0.721) and GAUD (0.809). A further assessment based on 118,822 ZY-3 test samples indicated that the overall accuracy and F1-score of GISA 2.0 outperformed the existing ones. GISA 2.0 will be freely available at irsip.whu.edu.cn/resources/resources_en_v2.php.

Increasing the operating pressure of the hydraulic lines is one of the directions to improve the comprehensive performance of the hydraulic system of an aircraft. However, the existing Ti-3Al-2.5V (limited strengths) and Ti-6Al-4V (poor cold formability) alloy tubing are not applicable to the hydraulic lines with an operating pressure over 28 MPa. In this work, a new type of Ti-Al-V-Zr-Fe titanium alloys were developed and the thin-walled seamless tubing was fabricated by cold rolling. After being annealed at 550 °C, Ti-4Al-2V-1.2Zr-0.3Fe (σb=1029 MPa, δ = 19%) and Ti-4.5Al-3V-1.5Zr-0.45Fe (σb=1102 MPa, δ = 18%) alloy tubing have outstanding room temperature tensile properties mainly due to dislocation strengthening. In addition, the strong radial textures in Ti-Al-V-Zr-Fe titanium alloy tubing, which increase the average Schmid factors under axial tensile loads, play a vital role in the strengthening contributions from dislocations and in the plastic deformation mechanisms. This work is of theoretical importance and practical value for developing aerospace hydraulic tubing with an excellent combination of mechanical properties.

The lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (lncRNA NEAT1) has been associated with the development, metastasis and drug resistance of breast cancer (BC). However, the mechanisms underlying NEAT1-induced paclitaxel resistance in the microenvironment of BC remain unclear. In this study, NEAT1 expression was found to be high in paclitaxel-resistant BC cells (SKBR3/PR cells) and exosomes derived from these cells. NEAT1 promoted the migration of BC cells and their resistance to paclitaxel, whereas its downregulation reduced the drug resistance. In addition, downregulation of NEAT1 decreased the migration and proliferation of BC cells by inhibiting the expression of CXCL12 by reducing the adsorption of miR-133b. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-133b reversed the interference of NEAT1 and CXCL12 in paclitaxel resistance, migration and proliferation of BC cells. Knockdown of NEAT1 in a xenograft-bearing mouse model remarkably inhibited cancer progression and improved the response to paclitaxel. Altogether, this study revealed that SKBR3/PR cell-derived exosomal lncRNA NEAT1 can induce paclitaxel resistance and cell migration and growth in the tumour microenvironment of BC and may serve as a new target for the clinical treatment of BC.

Bone defects are a persistent challenge in clinical practice. Although repair therapies based on tissue-engineered materials, which are known to have a crucial role in defective bone regeneration, have gathered increased attention, the current treatments for massive bone defects have several limitations. In the present study, based on the immunomodulatory inflammatory microenvironment properties of quercetin, we encapsulated quercetin-solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in a hydrogel. Temperature-responsive poly(ε-caprolactone-co-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-lactide) modifications were coupled to the main chain of hyaluronic acid hydrogel, constructing a novel, injectable bone immunomodulatory hydrogel scaffold. Extensive in vitro and in vivo data showed that this bone immunomodulatory scaffold forms an anti-inflammatory microenvironment by decreasing M1 polarization, while elevating the M2 polarization. Synergistic effects on angiogenesis and anti-osteoclastic differentiation were observed. These findings further proved that administering quercetin SLNs encapsulated in a hydrogel can aid bone defect reconstruction in rats, providing new insights for large-scale bone defect repair.

(1) Background: Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are important immunocytes associated with liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRLM). However, the molecular processes underpinning the interaction between the TME and the tumour-derived exosomal miRNAs in CRLM are not being fully understood; (2) Methods: Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to confirm the existence of exosomes after differential ultracentrifugation. To determine the roles of exosomal miR-203a-3p, an in vivo and in vitro investigation was conducted. The mechanism by which exosomal miR-203a-3p governs the interaction between CRC cells and M2 macrophages was investigated using a dual-luciferase reporter assay, western blot, and other techniques; (3) Results: Overexpression of miR-203a-3p was associated with poor prognosis and liver metastasis in CRC patients. Exosomal miR-203a-3p was upregulated in the plasma of CRC patients and highly metastatic CRC cells HCT116, and it could be transported to macrophages via exosomes. Exosomal miR-203a-3p induced M2 polarization of macrophages by controlling PTEN and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. M2-polarized macrophages secreted the CXCL12, which increased cancer metastasis and resulted in pre-metastatic niches in CRLM by CXCL12/CXCR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Co-culture of macrophages with miR-203a-3p-transfected or exosome-treated cells increased the ability of HCT116 cells to metastasize both in vitro and in vivo; (4) Conclusions: Exosomes produced by highly metastatic CRC cells and rich in miR-203a-3p may target PTEN and alter the TME, promoting liver metastasis in CRC patients. These findings offer fresh understanding of the liver metastatic process in CRC.

The adoption of environmentally friendly and efficient methods to control food spoilage and crop diseases has become a new worldwide trend. In the medical field, various enzyme-responsive controlled-release drug formulations have been developed for precision therapy. Recently, these materials and techniques have also begun to be applied in the fields of food preservation and agricultural protection. This review of contemporary research focuses on applications of enzyme-responsive controlled-release materials in the field of food preservation and crop protection. It covers a variety of composite controlled-release materials triggered by different types of enzymes and describes in detail their composition and structure, controlled-release mechanisms, and practical application effects. The enzyme-responsive materials have been employed to control foodborne pathogens, fungi, and pests. These enzyme-responsive controlled-release materials exhibit excellent capabilities for targeted drug delivery. Upon contact with microorganisms or pests, the polymer shell of the material is degraded by secreted enzymes from these organisms, thereby releasing drugs that kill or inhibit the organisms. In addition, multi-enzyme sensitive carriers have been created to improve the effectiveness and broad spectrum of the delivery system. The increasing trend towards the use of enzyme-responsive controlled-release materials has opened up countless possibilities in food and agriculture.

Organofluorine compounds have attracted substantial attention owing to their wide application in agrochemistry. Fluorinase (FlA) is a unique enzyme in nature that can incorporate fluorine into an organic molecule. Chlorinase (SalL) has a similar mechanism as fluorinase and can use chloride but not fluoride as a substrate to generate 5′-chloro-deoxyadenosine (5′-ClDA) from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM). Therefore, identifying the features that lead to this selectivity for halide ions is highly important. Here, we engineered SalL to gain the function of FlA. We found that residue Tyr70 plays a key role in this conversion through alanine scanning. Site-saturation mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that Y70A/C/S/T/G all exhibited obvious fluorinase activity. The G131S mutant of SalL, in which the previously thought crucial residue Ser158 for fluoride binding in FlA was introduced, did not exhibit fluorination activity. Compared with the Y70T single mutant, the double mutant Y70T/W129F increased 5′-fluoro-5-deoxyadenosine (5′-FDA) production by 76%. The quantum mechanics (QM)/molecular mechanics (MM) calculations suggested that the lower energy barriers and shorter nucleophilic distance from F– to SAM in the mutants than in the SalL wild-type may contribute to the activity. Therefore, our study not only renders SalL the activity of FlA but also sheds light on the enzyme selectivity between fluoride versus chloride.

The growing need for stronger and more ductile structural materials has spurred an intense search for innovative, high-performance alloys. Traditionally, alloys face a pervasive trade-off: high strength often comes at the expense of ductility and vice versa. The advent of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) offering both high strength and ductility has transformed this landscape. In this work, we discuss the deformation mechanisms of HEAs, examine the foundations of the strength-ductility trade-off, and explore approaches for designing HEAs to surmount this limitation. Furthermore, we analyze the factors that govern HEA-deformation performance, which in turn influence the HEA design. We also propose a perspective on future research directions concerning the mechanical behavior of HEAs, highlighting potential breakthroughs and novel strategies to advance the field.

This study investigated antioxidative response and proline metabolism in two wheat cultivars (Tritium aestivum Xihan 2 (Xihan) and Ningchun 4 (Ningchun)) under Pb(NO(3))(2) stress. The constitutive H(2)O(2) scavenging enzyme activities and proline content in the leaves of drought-tolerant Xihan are higher than those in drought-sensitive Ningchun. Higher Pb concentration reduced chlorophyll content in both cultivars, but Ningchun was more sensitive to lead toxicity than Xihan. The higher activities of antioxidant enzyme and the significant proline accumulation provide protection for two wheat cultivars against lead toxicity, resulting in unaltered MDA content. Analysis of enzyme activities showed that the accumulation of proline induced by lead stress is due to the increases of OAT and GK activities in Xihan seedlings, and to the increase of GK activity in Ningchun leaves. Therefore, the different mechanism of proline metabolism was associated with increased proline levels in two wheat cultivars when exposed to lead stress.

To study the corrosion behavior of steel bars in alkali-activated slag (AAS) system, simulated pore solutions of AAS mortar were first applied in this work. The effects of the three major species in AAS pore solutions, namely sulfur-containing species, aluminate, and silicate, were investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization results showed that the simulated pore solution of AAS mortar had a stronger capacity to passivate and protect steel bars than the simulated pore solution of Portland cement (PC) mortar, mainly due to the higher concentration of silicate in the former, as confirmed by surface analysis of SEM-EDXS.

Han and Mongolian populations constitute approximately 96% of the population of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the two ethnic groups have different genetic backgrounds and lifestyle. We aim to assess the prevalence, awareness, treatment, control, and related risk factors of hypertension among urban adults in Inner Mongolia, with the comparison of the differences between Mongolian and Han populations in this respect.Three thousand two hundred fifty-one individuals aged 20-80 years (2326 Han and 925 Mongolian) were selected using a multistage cluster sampling method from Inner Mongolia in 2014. The adjusted prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were evaluated by the Logistic regression. In addition, possible interactions were also tested. When interactions were found significant, strata-specific analysis were performed. Multivariate logistic regression was used for estimating independent associations between risk factors and hypertension.The prevalence of hypertension was 27.47% for Han population, 31.46% for Mongolian population. The adjusted prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were 26.45, 65.43, 78.24 and 48.28% in Han, and 31.30, 68.22, 85.57 and 50.55% in Mongolian, respectively. There was no significant difference in the adjusted awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among Mongolian and Han adult residents (all P >0.05). Lower prevalence of hypertension was associated with younger age and healthy weight in both Mongolian and Han adults. Within Han adults, high education, moderate physical activity and non-alcohol drinkers were additionally associated with lower prevalence of hypertension, whereas within Mongolian adults, lower prevalence was associated with being female. Among residents with medium education level, nondrinkers had 0.60 times lower odds of having hypertension than current drinkers (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44-0.82); among residents with high education level, nondrinkers has 0.65 times lower odds of having hypertension than current drinkers (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43-0.97).Mongolian population had a higher prevalence of hypertension than Han population. There were no significant difference between Mongolian and Han population in awareness, treatment and control of hypertension, which suggested that there was no difference between the two ethnicities in the distribution of health resources.

In this article, we present an improved artificial potential field method of trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance for redundant manipulators. Specifically, we not only focused on the position for the manipulator end-effectors but also considered their posture in the course of trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance. We introduced boundaries for Cartesian space components to optimize the attractive field function. Moreover, the manipulator achieved a reasonable speed to move to the target pose, regardless of the difference between the initial pose and target pose. We proved the stability using Lyapunov stability theory by introducing velocity feedforward, when the manipulator moved along a continuous trajectory. Considering the shape of the manipulator joints and obstacles, we set up the collision detection model by projecting the obstacles to link coordinates. In this case, establishing the repulsive field between the nearest points on every joint and obstacles with the closest distance was sufficient for achieving obstacle avoidance for redundant manipulators. The simulation results based on a nine-degree-of-freedom hyper-redundant manipulator, which was designed and made in our laboratory, fully substantiated the efficacy and superiority of the proposed method.

The present work investigates the influence of micro-alloyed Mo on the corrosion behavior of (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox high-entropy alloys. All of the (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox alloys exhibit a single face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solution. However, the (CoCrFeNi)97Mo3 alloy exhibits an ordered sigma (σ) phase enriched in Cr and Mo. With the increase of x (the Mo content) from 1 to 3, the hardness of the (CoCrFeNi)100−xMox alloys increases from 124.8 to 133.6 Vickers hardness (HV), and the compressive yield strength increases from 113.6 MPa to 141.1 MPa, without fracture under about a 60% compressive strain. The potentiodynamic polarization curve in a 3.5% NaCl solution indicates that the addition of Mo has a beneficial effect on the corrosion resistance to some certain extent, opposed to the σ phase. Furthermore, the alloys tend to form a passivation film in the 0.5 M H2SO4 solution in order to inhibit the progress of the corrosion reaction as the Mo content increases.

MiR-155-3p, which is derived from the same pre-miRNA as miR-155-5p, the latter has been reported to be dysregulated in multiple tumor tissues and associated with clinicopathologic markers, tumor subtypes, and poor survival rates. However, the biological effects of miR-155-3p are rarely explored. In this study, we find that miR-155-3p was down-regulated in breast cancer and MYD88 was validated as the target for miR-155-3p. Moreover, miR-155-3p showed a negative effect on apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, reverses paclitaxel resistance by suppression of the corresponding target gene MYD88 in vitro and in vivo experiments. Taking together, our studies suggest that miR-155-3p, which serve as a negative regulatory mechanism for breast cancer development. The mechanism further complicates the regulatory network in human breast cancer.

Liver fibrosis is one of the major threats to human health. At present, anti-liver fibrosis drugs exist some problems，such as, lack of targeting, limited treatment effect and more or less toxic side effects. In order to improve the efficacy of targeted therapy for liver fibrosis, the development of a large number of nanocarriers and strategies of targeted therapy for liver fibrosis have been widely studied. In this paper, the research progress of nano-delivery vectors targeting cells related to the process of liver fibrosis in recent years was reviewed in terms of targeting vectors and the types of modified ligands, providing a new strategy for targeted cell therapy and theoretical reference for the realization of high efficient targeted therapy of liver fibrosis.

The development of efficient, stable, and cost-effective heterogeneous catalysts for catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of biomass-derived furfural (FAL) is highly desired. Herein, series of N-doped graphitic carbon embedded CoNi bimetallic alloy nanoparticles were fabricated and used for the CTH of FAL to value-added furfuryl alcohol (FOL) with renewable isopropanol as hydrogen donor. Intrinsic catalytic activity examination indicated the catalytic performance of Nix Coy @NGC (x:y=1 : 3, 1 : 1, 3 : 1) nanocatalysts were sensitive to their chemical compositions. The optimal Ni1 Co1 @NGC nanocatalyst with Ni/Co mole ratio of 1 : 1 afforded a largest FOL yield of 89.3% with nearly full conversion of FAL. The synergistic effect enabled by bimetallic alloys and the abundant N-based Lewis base sites and surface Co-N active species were revealed based on systematic structural characterization, responsible for the excellent catalytic efficiency of bimetallic Ni1 Co1 @NGC nanocatalyst for CTH of FAL.

Phase 3 clinical trials and real-world effectiveness studies showed that China’s two main inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are very effective against serious illness. In November 2021, an outbreak occurred in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that provided an opportunity to assess the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of these inactivated vaccines against COVID-19 caused by the delta variant. We evaluated VE with a retrospective cohort study of close contacts of infected individuals, using a generalized linear model with binomial distribution and log-link function to estimate risk ratios (RR) and VE. A total of 8842 close contacts were studied. Compared with no vaccination and adjusted for age, presence of comorbidity, and time since last vaccination, full vaccination reduced symptomatic infection by 62%, pneumonia by 64% and severe COVID-19 by 90%; reductions associated with homologous booster doses were 83% for symptomatic infection, 92% for pneumonia and 100% for severe COVID-19. There was no significant decline in two-dose VE for any outcome for up to 325 days following the last dose. There were no differences by vaccine brand. Inactivated vaccines were effective against delta-variant illness, and were highly effective against pneumonia and severe COVID-19; VE was increased by booster doses.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) hold great potential for regenerative medicine due to their two unique characteristics: self-renewal and pluripotency. Several groups of nanoparticles have shown promising applications in directing the stem cell fate. Herein, we investigated the cellular effects of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDH NPs) on mouse ESCs (mESCs) and the associated molecular mechanisms. Mg–Al-LDH NPs with an average diameter of ∼100 nm were prepared by hydrothermal methods. To determine the influences of LDH NPs on mESCs, cellular cytotoxicity, self-renewal, differentiation potential, and the possible signaling pathways were explored. Evaluation of cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase release, ROS generation and apoptosis demonstrated the low cytotoxicity of LDH NPs. The alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of pluripotency genes in mESCs were examined, which indicated that exposure to LDH NPs could support self-renewal and inhibit spontaneous differentiation of mESCs under feeder-free culture conditions. The self-renewal promotion was further proved to be independent of the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Furthermore, cells treated with LDH NPs maintained the potential to differentiate into all three germ layers both in vitro and in vivo through formation of embryoid bodies and teratomas. In addition, we observed that LDH NPs initiated the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, while treatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 could block the effects of LDH NPs on mESCs. The results confirmed that the promotion of self-renewal by LDH NPs was associated with activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Altogether, our studies identified a new role of LDH NPs in maintaining self-renewal of mouse ES cells which could potentially be applied in stem cell research.

A novel dual-loop optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) with different wavelengths is demonstrated. The principle of OEO is analyzed theoretically. There is almost no beating noise due to the optical domain dual-loop with different wavelengths. In our experiment, a 20-GHz radio frequency (RF) with high quality is obtained. The phase noise of the microwave signal is measured to be -120.6 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz. The loop drift of the OEO is compensated by a fiber stretcher using phase-loop locked technology and the stability of the RF has been improved greatly. The frequency drift of the OEO system is <; ± 92.5 mHz within 3 h. A 70-dB side-mode suppression ratio is achieved. In addition, the measured linewidth is better than 2.9 mHz and the Q-factor is on the order of 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12</sup> , which confirms the high spectral purity.

Smoke-free property of dimethyl ether (DME) was utilized to eliminate the influence of fuel on PM formation. The particulate matter (PM) emission characteristics, including mass emission, number concentration distribution, morphology and the percentage composition of soluble organic fraction, were experimentally studied on a compression ignition engine when it ran on diesel and DME, respectively. The emission characteristics were compared and analyzed to better understand the commons and differences of between fuel and lubricant oil originated PM emissions. Experimental results show that, the number concentrations of DME and diesel engine-out PM emissions both decrease with the engine speed, and increase with engine load; the volumetric mass emission of diesel engine-out PM coincides well with its number emission. However, the volumetric mass emission of DME engine-out PM increases with engine speed and performs typical production–consumption effect with the increasing factor of Ttq⋅en. The diesel engine-out PM emission was composed on average of 84% of non-volatile fractions of soot and sulfates and 16% of soluble organic fractions (SOFs) with about 9% of which originated from diesel fuel and 6.8% from lubricant oil. Less lubricant oil originating products such as SOF and soot were emitted on DME engine than on diesel engine.

On 2012 December, 13, 08:30 (UTC), Chang’E-2 flew by Asteroid 4179 Toutatis in deep space 7 million kilometers away from Earth. The flyby mission returned clear optical images of Toutatis for the first time. The flyby distance and image pixel scale were calculated from the image size of the asteroid compared to a predicted view of an earlier radar shape model. We compared the similarities and differences in both the radar model and the CE-2 photo mosaic, and measured the craters and lumps on the surface of Toutatis. We preliminarily analyzed the topography of the Toutatis surface. We found that the density of craters on the small lobe is less than that on the big lobe.

We demonstrate that the magneto-optic-Kerr effect with normal light incidence can be used to obtain quantitative optical measurements of both components of spin-orbit-induced torque (both the antidamping and effective-field components) in heavy-metal/ferromagnet bilayers. This is achieved by analyzing the quadratic Kerr effect as well as the polar Kerr effect. The two effects can be distinguished by properly selecting the polarization of the incident light. We use this all-optical technique to determine the spin-orbit torques generated by a series of Pt/Permalloy samples, finding values in excellent agreement with spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements.

The present study was designed to determine the optimal cut-off values of body fat percentage (BF%) for the detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Mongolian and Han adults.This cross-sectional study involving 3221 Chinese adults (2308 Han and 913 Mongolian) aged 20-80 years was conducted in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, in 2014. Data from a standardised questionnaire, physical examination and blood sample were obtained. The BF% was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Optimal BF% cut-offs were analysed by receiver operating characteristic curves to predict the risk of diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the OR of each CVD risk factor according to obesity defined by BF%.Mean BF% levels were lower in men than in women (22.54±5.77 vs 32.95±6.18 in Han, 23.86±5.72 vs 33.98±6.40 in Mongolian population, respectively; p<0.001). In Han population, the area under curve (AUC) values for BF% ranged from 0.589 to 0.699 for men and from 0.711 to 0.763 for women. Compared with men, AUCs for diabetes and clustering of ≥2 risk factors in women were significantly higher (p<0.05). The AUCs for BF% in women (0.685-0.783) were similar with those in men (0.686-0.736) for CVD risk factors in Mongolian population. In Han adults, the optimal BF% cut-off values to detect CVD risk factors varied from 18.7% to 24.2% in men and 32.7% to 35.4% in women. In Mongolian population, the optimal cut-off values of BF% for men and women ranged from 21.0% to 24.6% and from 35.7% to 40.0%, respectively. Subjects with high BF% (≥24% in men, ≥34% in women) had higher risk of CVD risk factors in Han (age-adjusted ORs from 1.479 to 3.680, 2.660 to 4.016, respectively). In Mongolia, adults with high BF% (≥25% in men, ≥35% in women) had higher risk of CVD risk factors (age-adjusted ORs from 2.587 to 3.772, 2.061 to 4.882, respectively).The optimal BF% cut-offs for obesity for the prediction of CVD risk factors in Chinese men and women were approximately 24% and 34% for Han adults and 25% and 35% for Mongolian population of Inner Mongolia, China, respectively.

The most distinctive pathological characteristics of diabetes mellitus induced by various stressors or immune-mediated injuries are reductions of pancreatic islet β-cell populations and activity. Existing treatment strategies cannot slow disease progression; consequently, research to genetically engineer β-cell mimetics through bi-directional plasticity is ongoing. The current consensus implicates β-cell dedifferentiation as the primary etiology of reduced β-cell mass and activity. This review aims to summarize the etiology and proposed mechanisms of β-cell dedifferentiation and to explore the possibility that there might be a time interval from the onset of β-cell dysfunction caused by dedifferentiation to the development of diabetes, which may offer a therapeutic window to reduce β-cell injury and to stabilize functionality. In addition, to investigate β-cell plasticity, we review strategies for β-cell regeneration utilizing genetic programming, small molecules, cytokines, and bioengineering to transdifferentiate other cell types into β-cells; the development of biomimetic acellular constructs to generate fully functional β-cell-mimetics. However, the maturation of regenerated β-cells is currently limited. Further studies are needed to develop simple and efficient reprogramming methods for assembling perfectly functional β-cells. Future investigations are necessary to transform diabetes into a potentially curable disease.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are small, non-coding RNAs that are reported to serve numerous important regulatory functions; however, the role of miRNAs in regulating breast cancer cell biology remains poorly understood. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that miRNAs orchestrate multiple cellular functions and serve crucial roles in cell differentiation and cancer development, either by acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In particular, miR-155-5p expression levels have been found to be upregulated and serve as a prognostic marker in numerous types of solid cancer, including human breast cancer. More than half of patients with breast cancer benefit from treatment with adjuvant paclitaxel chemotherapy following the early postoperative period. Despite the initial response to intensive combination chemotherapy, the majority of most patients will eventually acquire resistance to the drug and succumb to their disease. Therefore, further investigations into the association between miRNAs and the mechanism of paclitaxel resistance are required. The results of the present study revealed a strong positive association between miR-155-5p expression levels and the paclitaxel resistance, as the expression levels of miR-155-5p were upregulated in resistant cells. MiR‐155-5p was further validated to regulate paclitaxel resistance using gain- and loss‐of‐function experiments. TP53INP1 was identified as a direct target gene of miR-155-5p by combining the results from the prediction algorithm based on free energy minimization and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Also, miR-155-5p was suggested to be a key regulator of paclitaxel resistance in tumor cells, as it increased cell viability and motility, and promoted resistance to paclitaxel‐induced apoptosis. The transfection with miR-155-5p inhibitors re-sensitized the paclitaxel-resistant breast cancer cells, while the overexpression of miR-155-5p led to an increase in the resistance to paclitaxel. Furthermore, the overexpression of the target gene, TP53INP1, contributed to the re-sensitivity of drug-resistant cells to paclitaxel. The subsequent combination of the knockdown of miR-155-5p and the overexpression of TP53INP1 conferred paclitaxel sensitivity in resistant cells. These results may enhance the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer progression and resistance to chemotherapy, and suggested that miR-155-5p or TP53INP1 may serve as novel therapeutic approaches to combat resistance to therapy, as well as the proliferation and evasion of apoptosis in breast cancer.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious problem during cancer therapy. The purpose of the present study was to formulate D-α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-resveratrol-solid lipid nanoparticles (TPGS-Res-SLNs) to improve its therapeutic efficacy against breast cancer. In this study, the solvent injection method was used to prepare the TPGS-Res-SLNs. It was found that the TPGS-Res-SLNs exhibited zeta potential and drug-loading of −25.6 ± 1.3 mV and 32.4 ± 2.6%, respectively. Therefore, it was evident that the TPGS-Res-SLNs can increase cellular uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs, induce mitochondrial dysfunction, and augment tumor treatment efficiency by inducing apoptosis. Moreover, it was found that SKBR3/PR cells treated with TPGS-Res-SLNs exhibited significant inhibition of cell migration and invasion, as compared with free resveratrol. In addition, results from in vivo SKBR3/PR xenograft tumor models revealed that TPGS-Res-SLNs has better efficacy in promoting apoptosis of tumor cells owing to high therapeutic outcomes on tumors when compared with the efficacy of free resveratrol. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate significant potential for use of TPGS-Res-SLNs as an efficient drug delivery vehicle to overcome drug resistance in breast cancer therapy.

The reliable and convenient quantitative phase analysis (QPA) of titanium alloys is a meaningful work. In this study, the relative phase fraction of the bulk aviation serviced Ti-3Al-5Mo-4.5 V alloy was investigated by various methods, including Optical Microscope (OM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). OM, SEM and TEM can scarcely do phase quantification. From the convincing results of EBSD test, the specimen was primarily constituted by fine, uniformly distributed and equiaxed α grains embedded in β matrix and α/β phase respectively accounted for 74.14% and 25.86%. The obstacles of Peaks overlapping and PO (Preferred Orientation) to XRD methods were greatly dealt with employing XRD whole pattern fitting method according to the 2θ diffraction pattern by careful scanning. Through initial fitting without PO correction, the calculated α/β phase fractions were 62.25% and 37.75%, respectively. The main PO could be inferred along the directions of (002)α, (101)α and (110)β. When modifying PO of these peaks stepwise utilizing March-Dollase function, the difference of the calculated profile to the observed one was gradually reduced to a low level and the calculated α/β phase components were respectively 73.04% and 26.96%. With the optimization of adding (200)β for PO correction or utilizing spherical harmonics function, the fitting quality was further improved and the quantitative results tended to stability. It was found that PO of α phase was suitable to be modified by eighth order spherical harmonics function because it has multiple diffraction peaks with complicated PO, while β phase adopting March-Dollase function. The final α/β phase contents determined were 73.65% and 26.35% respectively, which was greatly consistent with EBSD results.

Explicit icon semantics can reduce the difficulty of understanding complex visual information. Optimizing the icon semantics and text semantics of icons can effectively improve the cognitive performance of digital interfaces. This paper adopts visual search tasks to study the effects of different combinations of icon semantic familiarity and the presence or absence of text on icon search performance under horizontal and vertical layouts. The behavioral experiment results show that under two layouts: 1. The main effect of icon semantics is significant, and the search performance increases with the increase of semantic familiarity. 2. The main effect of text is significant, and the search performance is negatively correlated with the addition of text. The eye movement experiment found that the semantic familiarity of icons had a significant impact on average fixation time. Furthermore, the number of fixation points changed significantly after the text variable was added. Therefore, there was no significant difference in the number of fixation points in the horizontal layout, and icon semantics was the main influencing factor in visual search. In the vertical layout, there was no significant difference in average fixation time, and text was the main influencing factor of visual search. The results show that the semantic familiarity of icons and different combinations with or without text significantly affect visual search performance in horizontal and vertical layouts. This paper provides a theoretical reference for the combination of icons and text in interface design.

Silver nanocluster composites are obtained directly through radiation technology and can be used to catalyse 4-nitrophenol reduction and sodium borohydride. The catalyst is a candidate for the treatment of water contaminant 4-NP and the production of hydrogen from NaBH 4 .

Folic acid antioxidants were successfully intercalated into layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanoparticles according to a previous method with minor modification.The resultant folic acid-LDH constructs were then characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.The in vitro antioxidant activities, cytotoxicity effect, and in vivo antifatigue were examined by a series of assays.The results showed that folic acid-LDH antioxidant system can scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and hydroxyl free radicals and chelate pro-oxidative Cu 2+ .The in vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that folic acid-LDH antioxidant system had no significant cytotoxic effect or obvious toxicity to normal cells.It also prolonged the forced swimming time of the mice by 32% and 51% compared to folic acid and control groups, respectively.It had an obvious effect on decreasing the blood urea nitrogen and blood lactic acid, while increasing muscle and hepatic glycogen levels.Therefore, folic acid-LDH might be used as a novel antioxidant and antifatigue nutritional supplement.

We demonstrate a scheme for long-range, high-precision absolute distance measurement based on frequency detection using two optoelectronic oscillators to convert distance information to frequency information. The two-oscillator design offers the unique advantage of self-referencing. By taking advantage of the accumulative magnification theory, the error of the measured distance is decreased by approximately 105 fold, which significantly improves the precision of the measured distance. In our experiments, the maximum error is &#xB1;1.5&#x2009;&#x2009;&#x3BC;m at an emulated distance of approximately 3.35&#xA0;km, including a drift error of approximately 1&#xA0;&#x3BC;m in the air path due to the variation of environmental conditions. The highest relative measurement precision achieved in our current system is 4.5&#xD7;10&#x2212;10.

Abstract The Rice Convection Model (RCM) is an established first‐principles physics model in which the field‐aligned current density is computed by the Vasyliunas equation. Its slow‐flow assumption neglects the inertial term in the MHD momentum equation, which is a major obstacle to using the RCM to model some of the fluid dynamics of bursty bulk flows in the plasma sheet. This paper describes the RCM‐I, which represents an effort to approximately add inertial effects in the RCM by correcting the expression for field‐aligned currents. That inertial current is calculated under the assumption that the mass on each field line is concentrated near the equatorial plane. RCM‐I results are presented with magnetic fields calculated in two different ways: A static statistics‐based model and an MHD code. In both cases, the bubble flow velocities are much smaller and more realistic than those calculated from the traditional RCM. An additional promising feature is that the injection of a low‐entropy bubble produces interchange (braking) oscillations and buoyancy waves that radiate away from the original bubble, forming multiple flow vortices. None of these features could be produced by traditional RCM simulations. Comparison simulations also suggest that gradient and curvature drifts have substantial effect on oscillation of bubbles and tend to damp buoyancy waves. We also note that substantial work will be needed in the future to further improve the pressure distribution by inertializing an anisotropic version of the RCM and to understand the effects of neglecting the magnetosphere‐ionosphere communication time.

Non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide. Increasing evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the progression of NAFLD. The aim of the present study was to examine the expression level and roles of miR‑146a in fatty liver of high‑fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob mice and fatty acid‑treated hepatic cells using RT‑qPCR and western blot analysis. The results showed that the expression of miR‑146a was significantly decreased in the livers of high‑fat diet (HFD) and ob/ob mice and free fatty acid‑stimulated cells by RT‑qPCR. Overexpression of hepatic miR‑146a improved glucose and insulin tolerance as well as lipid accumulation in the liver by promoting the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids. In addition, the overexpression of miR‑146a increased the amount of mitochondria and promoted mitochondrial respiration in hepatocytes. Similarly, inhibition of miR‑146a expression levels significantly reduced mitochondrial numbers in AML12 cells as well as the expression of mitochondrial respiration related genes. Additionally, MED1 was a direct target of miR‑146a and restoring MED1 abolished the metabolic effects of miR‑146a on lipid metabolism and mitochondrial function. Therefore, results of the present study identified a novel function of miR‑146a in glucose and lipid metabolism in targeting MED1, suggesting that miR‑146a serves as a potential therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome disease.

To mitigate two major environmental concerns of global warming and air pollution, natural gas power generation is growing in power supply, which makes power and natural gas system increasingly integrated. In this work, an environmental-economic dispatch incorporating diversified emission control is established for integrated power and gas system (IPGS). The traditional emission amount control for carbon emissions is adopted in IPGS, while a novel spatial and temporal diffusion control concerning ground concentration and spatial environmental protection requirements is proposed for air pollutant emissions. Furthermore, in view of information sharing difficulties between power and gas system, this paper proposes a novel two-layer convex decentralized optimization for the issue. The upper layer handles the nonconvex gas flow transmission with penalty convex-concave procedure based convexification. The lower layer solves each step of upper layer convexification with alternating direction method of multipliers based decentralized optimization, such that the information privacy of these two sub-systems is protected. Finally, simulation studies on two test systems validate the superiority of spatial and temporal diffusion control in reducing the air pollutant concentration, as well as the nearly global optimality and convergence efficiency of the two-layer method.

The present study investigated the association between dietary patterns and hypertension applying the Chinese Dietary Balance Index-07 (DBI-07).A cross-sectional study on adult nutrition and chronic disease in Inner Mongolia. Dietary data were collected using 24 h recall over three consecutive days and weighing method. Dietary patterns were identified using principal components analysis. Generalized linear models and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between DBI-07 and dietary patterns, and between dietary patterns and hypertension.Inner Mongolia (n 1861).A representative sample of adults aged ≥18 years in Inner Mongolia.Four major dietary patterns were identified: 'high protein', 'traditional northern', 'modern' and 'condiments'. Generalized linear models showed higher factor scores in the 'high protein' pattern were associated with lower DBI-07 (βLBS = -1·993, βHBS = -0·206, βDQD = -2·199; all P < 0·001); the opposite in the 'condiments' pattern (βLBS = 0·967, βHBS = 0·751, βDQD = 1·718; all P < 0·001). OR for hypertension in the highest quartile of the 'high protein' pattern compared with the lowest was 0·374 (95 % CI 0·244, 0·573; Ptrend < 0·001) in males. OR for hypertension in the 'condiments' pattern was 1·663 (95 % CI 1·113, 2·483; Ptrend < 0·001) in males, 1·788 (95 % CI 1·155, 2·766; Ptrend < 0·001) in females.Our findings suggested a higher-quality dietary pattern evaluated by DBI-07 was related to decreased risk for hypertension, whereas a lower-quality dietary pattern was related to increased risk for hypertension in Inner Mongolia.

Abstract Although the roles of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) ANRIL (Antisense non‐coding RNA in the INK4A locus) have been established in various tumors, its roles in mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells are still unclear. This work aims to explore lncRNA ANRIL roles in regulating the mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming of liver cancer cells. First, we found that lncRAN ANRIL expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues or cells compared with the normal adjacent tissues and normal tissues or cells. Functional experiment showed that overexpression of lncRNA ANRIL promoted mitochondrial function in HCC cells, evident by the increased mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) level, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the expression levels of mitochondrial markers, while ANRIL knockdown exerted the opposite effects. Mechanistically, lncRNA ANRIL acted as a competing endogenous RNA to increase ARL2 (ADP‐ribosylationfactor‐like 2) expression via sponging miR‐199a‐5p. Notably, the miR‐199a‐5p/ARL2 axis is necessary for ANRIL‐mediated promoting effects on HCC cell mitochondrial function. This work reveals a novel ANRIL‐miR‐199a‐5p‐ARL2 axis in HCC cell progression, which might provide potential targets for HCC treatment.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a destructive disease that threatens yield and quality worldwide. The most effective and preferred means for the control of the disease is to identify broad-spectrum resistance genes for breeding, especially the genes derived from elite cultivars which have desirable agronomic performance. Jimai 23 is an Chinese wheat cultivar with superior agronomic performance and high quality character. It shows effective resistance to powdery mildew at the whole growth stages. Genetic analysis using different Bgt isolates indicated that the powdery mildew resistance (Pm) in Jimai 23 was mediated by a single dominant gene, tentatively designated PmJM23. Using bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq), a series of markers were developed and used to map PmJM23. PmJM23 was then located at the Pm2 locus on the short arm of chromosome 5D (5DS). Resistance spectrum analysis demonstrated that PmJM23 provided broad resistant spectrum and different from that of the documented Pm2 alleles, indicating that PmJM23 is most likely a new allele of Pm2. In view of the combined broad-spectrum resistance of PmJM23 and the superior agronomic performance and high quality character of the donor, PmJM23 is expected to be a valuable resistance gene in wheat breeding. To efficiently use PmJM23 in breeding, the closely linked markers of PmJM23 were evaluated and confirmed to be applicable for marker-assisted selection (MAS). Using these markers, a series of resistant breeding lines with high resistance and desirable agronomic performance have been selected from the crosses involving PmJM23, which improved the powdery mildew resistance of these lines.

The thin-walled seamless Ti-6Al-4V alloy tubing was prepared by cold rotary swaging (RS) with a 40% wall reduction. The microstructure, texture and residual stress of the tubing samples under different annealing temperatures were investigated. The results show that the grains of the tubing samples after RS are obviously refined and streamlined. The maximum density level displayed in the cut of orientation distribution function (ODF) increases from 4.51 to 8.32, with a basal tilt angle of 10° around the radial direction of the tubing, which indicates that the radial texture of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy tubing become stronger after RS. Additionally, the post-swaging annealing at 400 °C and 500 °C for 2.5 h were adopted to relieve the residual stress of the tubing samples. The former can just relieve at most 80% of the residual stress, while the latter can relieve 97% of the residual stress to achieve an almost stress-free state. Hence, it is thought that the annealing at 500 °C can achieve the better effect to relief the residual stress.

Bioactive silicate ceramics (BSCs) have been widely reported to be able to induce bone tissue regeneration, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Previous studies have reported that ionic products of BSCs can promote bone regeneration by directly simulating osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and modulating the polarization of macrophages to create a favorable inflammation microenvironment for initiating bone regeneration cascades. However, the immunomodulatory ability of MSCs also plays a critical role in bone regeneration but the effects of BSCs on the immunomodulatory ability of MSCs have been rarely investigated. This study aims to investigate the effects of ionic products of BSCs on the immunoregulatory ability of MSCs to further understand the mechanism of BSCs enhancing bone regeneration. Results showed that ionic products of calcium silicate (CS), one of the representative BSCs, could enhance the immunosuppressive function of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (HBMSCs) by up-regulating the expression of immunosuppressive factors in HBMSCs via NF-κB pathway. In addition, CS-activated HBMSCs showed stronger stimulatory effects on M2 polarization of macrophages than CS ionic products. Furthermore, the macrophages educated by CS-activated HBMSCs showed stronger stimulatory effects on the early osteogenic differentiation of HBMSCs than the ones regulated by CS ionic products. These results not only provide further understanding on the mechanism of BSCs enhancing bone regeneration but also suggest that it is critical to consider the effects of biomaterials on the immunomodulatory function of the tissue forming cells when the immunomodulatory function of biomaterials is investigated.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal and age-related pulmonary disease. Nintedanib is a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and one of the only two listed drugs against IPF. Regorafenib is a novel, orally active, multi-kinase inhibitor that has similar targets to nintedanib and is applied to treat colorectal cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors in patients. In this study, we first identified that regorafenib could alleviate bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. The in vivo experiments indicated that regorafenib suppresses collagen accumulation and myofibroblast activation. Further in vitro mechanism studies showed that regorafenib inhibits the activation and migration of myofibroblasts and extracellular matrix production, mainly through suppressing the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad and non-Smad signaling pathways. In vitro studies have also indicated that regorafenib could augment autophagy in myofibroblasts by suppressing TGF-β1/mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) signaling, and could promote apoptosis in myofibroblasts. In conclusion, regorafenib attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing the TGF-β1 signaling pathway.

The lithium-metal batteries (LMBs) have been regarded as the holy grail by using Li-metal as the anode in terms of the energy density. However, the uncontrollable lithium deposition, dendrite growth, and serious volume change upon repeated Li plating/stripping significantly limited the Coulombic efficiency and cycling life of the resulted batteries. Here, we developed a feasible strategy to enhance the cycle stability of Li anodes by introducing Zn(TFSI)2 as an electrolyte additive, with formation of porous LiZn alloy-coating layer through an in-situ reaction between Zn(TFSI)2 and the metallic lithium. The in-situ formed lithiophilic LiZn layers guided the homogeneous deposition of lithium and then prevented formation of dendrite and/or uncontrollable lithium deposition. By virtue of this Zn-salt additive, the LiZn coated Li anodes (LiZn/Li) showed an improved cycle stability and capability compared with the bare Li anode. For example, a full cell with a NCM333 cathode and a LiZn/Li anode showed an impressive capacity retention ratio of 90.8% after 200 cycles at 200 mA g−1. This Zn-salt additive strategy provides a simple method for regulating formation of stable electrode-electrolyte interface with beneficial structure and low interface resistance for practical LMBs.

Abstract To develop a DNA aptamer-based PET tracer for imaging of glioblastoma. 5 mM of NOTA-AS1411, 60-min, and 37 °C were selected as the optimal condition for 64 Cu radiolabeling of AS1411. 64 Cu-NOTA-AS1411 remained stable in PBS and 100% mouse serum for at least six hours. From the PET images, 64 Cu-NOTA-AS1411 tended to be excreted out through the kidneys and there was high tracer accumulation in the bladder. There was a higher tumor uptake in the AS1411 group than that in the control group. 64 Cu-NOTA-AS1411 is a suitable potential PET tracer for imaging murine glioblastoma.

Waste-consuming green alkali-activated materials (AAM) or geopolymers can be used as a new generation of cementitious materials to replace traditional Portland cement. However, activators have become an important factor hindering the development of alkali-activated materials. Unsustainably high alkaline activators are also associated with high costs, high embodied energy, and high carbon dioxide emissions. Sodium system activators (SSA) are the most widely used activators, herein reviewed the existing literature on SSA and classified existing activators into three categories (high alkaline commercial activators, waste-derived activators, and green commercial activators). The advantages and disadvantages of each activator are highlighted, and the source and preparation mechanism of the three SSA, the mechanical properties of activated mortar, the cost and the environmental impact are briefly discussed and compared. It is concluded that various activators should be selected according to the actual situation, among which green commodity activators have more potential for development. This paper makes suggestions for the development of SSA in the hope of promoting the development of AAM.

As the high-entropy design concept applied to the diboride ceramic system, high-entropy diboride ceramics with a wide range of composition control, is expected to become a new high-performance material for extreme high-temperature environments. Herein, the effects of four transition metal elements (Nb, Ti, Cr, W) on the phase stability and properties of (Hf, Zr, Ta)B2-based high-entropy diboride ceramics are systematically investigated via the first-principles calculations. All components were identified as thermodynamically, mechanically and dynamically stable from enthalpy of formation, elastic and phonon spectrum calculations. Among these, compared with the (Hf, Zr, Ta)B2 ceramics, the addition of Nb and Ti on the metal sublattice is beneficial to improve the mechanical properties of ceramics, including Young's modulus, hardness and fracture toughness, while the introduction of Cr and W weakens the strength of covalently and ionic bonds inside the material, reducing its mechanical properties. The predicted thermophysical properties show that the high-entropy diboride ceramics containing Nb and Ti have better high-temperature comprehensive performance, including higher Debye temperature, thermal conductivity and lower thermal expansion characteristics, which is conducive to the application in extreme high-temperature environments. This research will provide important guidance for the design and development of new high-performance high-entropy diboride ceramics.

The increasing shortage of freshwater resources needs to be addressed urgently. Solar-driven desalination and wastewater purification are efficient and green methods to obtain freshwater resources. However, it is still a challenge to obtain efficient, stable, salt-resistant, antimicrobial, and antifouling evaporators. To address this challenge, in this study, polyacrylamide-based reduced graphene oxide hydrogels with a porous structure were synthesized in situ by a one-step radiative reduction method, and silver nanoparticles were introduced on this basis. Graphene/silver composite hydrogel (ArG-Ag) exhibits fast water transport, thermal localization, and low enthalpy of water evaporation, achieving an excellent evaporation rate of 3.089 kg m-2h−1 (one sun) and an evaporation efficiency of 122.7 %, as well as good mechanical stability, salt resistance, and salt ion purification after 8 cycles of evaporation. The ArG-Ag evaporator exhibits 99 % 24 h bacterial inhibition against E. coli and 210-day long-term mold resistance, effectively resisting biological contamination of seawater. In this study, multifunctional evaporators with integrated high efficiency evaporation performance, salt resistance, antimicrobial, antifungal, antifouling, and catalytic properties are proposed, which are expected to be used for seawater desalination and wastewater purification.

To reduce the cost of algal-based biodiesel, a waste material from oil industry, Cyperus esculentus waste, was used as the carbon source of the oleaginous microalgae Chlorella vulgaris. It demonstrated that C. vulgaris grew better in C. esculentus waste hydrolysate (CEWH1) than in glucose medium under the same reducing sugar concentration. CEWH concentration influenced the cell growth and lipid production significantly. The maximum lipid productivity 438.85 mg l−1 d−1 was achieved at 40 g l−1. Fed-batch culture was performed to further enhance lipid production. The maximum biomass, lipid content and lipid productivity were 20.75 g l−1, 36.52%, and 621.53 mg l−1 d−1, respectively. The produced biodiesel was analyzed by GC–MS and the results suggested that lipids produced from CEWH could be a potential feedstock for biodiesel production.

Molecular dynamics simulation was applied to study the structure and energy properties of β-HMX (β-cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine) crystal and its composite PBXs (polymer-bonded explosives) with F2311 as a polymer binder under different temperatures and F2311 concentrations. The interface interaction energy of HMX and F2311, the interaction energy EN–N between N atoms in N–NO2 trigger bond in HMX molecules, and the cohesive energy density (CED) are presented and analyzed. A meaningful finding is that there exists correlation between EN–N and the sensitivity of β-HMX and its composites, i.e. the less the EN–N is, the larger the sensitivity is. Additionally, molecular interactions are inherently disclosed by using pair correlation function (PCF) to analyze the interfacial structure between (1 0 0)HMX crystal surface and F2311 molecular chain.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of endoscopic thyroidectomy through the oral vestibular approach and the breast approach. Methods: Retrospective analysis was done on clinical data of 80 patients who received an endoscopic thyroidectomy from April 2018 to March 2019. The research group had endoscopic thyroidectomy through the oral vestibular approach, whereas the control group had endoscopic thyroidectomy through the areola breast approach. Comparison between the two groups including intraoperative bleeding, operation time, total postoperative drainage, drainage time, postoperative sustained pain time, recovery feeding time, postoperative hospitalization duration, satisfactory esthetic outcomes of incision, central lymph node clearance, skin injury, infection incidence, and complications such as facial hematoma, subcutaneous emphysema, abnormal feeling of the neck and chest, and pleural injury was recorded. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in the amount of intraoperative bleeding, operation time, total postoperative drainage, drainage time, postoperative sustained pain time, recovery feeding time, and postoperative hospitalization time (P > .05). The incidence of complications such as skin injury, infection, wound hematoma, subcutaneous emphysema, abnormal feeling of the neck and chest, and pleural injury was not statistically different between the two groups (P > .05). There was no significant difference in the number of lymph nodes cleaned in the central area between the two groups (P > .05). The overall satisfaction of the patients with the cosmetic effects of the incision (100.00%) was higher than that of the control group (90.00%). Conclusions: The clinical treatment effect and safety in the two groups were similar, but the transoral group had better cosmetic effects.

This study aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) during the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).A total of 760 patients diagnosed with DKA from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database were included and randomly divided into a training set (70%, n = 532) and a validation set (30%, n = 228). Clinical characteristics of the data set were utilized to establish a nomogram for the prediction of AKI during ICU stay. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was utilized to identified candidate predictors. Meanwhile, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed based on variables derived from LASSO regression, in which variables with P < 0.1 were included in the final model. Then, a nomogram was constructed applying these significant risk predictors based on a multivariate logistic regression model. The discriminatory ability of the model was determined by illustrating a receiver operating curve (ROC) and calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Moreover, the calibration plot and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test (HL test) were conducted to evaluate the performance of our newly bullied nomogram. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed to evaluate the clinical net benefit.A multivariable model that included type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), microangiopathy, history of congestive heart failure (CHF), history of hypertension, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), urine output, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), and respiratory rate (RR) was represented as the nomogram. The predictive model demonstrated satisfied discrimination with an AUC of 0.747 (95% CI, 0.706-0.789) in the training dataset, and 0.712 (95% CI, 0.642-0.782) in the validation set. The nomogram showed well-calibrated according to the calibration plot and HL test (P > 0.05). DCA showed that our model was clinically useful.The nomogram predicted model for predicting AKI in patients with DKA was constructed. This predicted model can help clinical physicians to identify the patients with high risk earlier and prevent the occurrence of AKI and intervene timely to improve prognosis.

On 12 November 2019, one couple from the Sonid Left Qi (County) in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was diagnosed with pneumonic plague in Beijing. The wife acquired the infection from her husband. Thereafter, two bubonic plague cases were identified in Inner Mongolia on November 16 th and 24 th . In this study, genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was used to identify the phylogenetic relationship of Yersinia pestis strains isolated in Inner Mongolia. Strains isolated from reservoirs in 2018 and 2019 in Inner Mongolia, together with the strain isolated from Patient C, were further clustered into 2.MED3m, and two novel lineages (2.MED3q, 2.MED3r) in the 2.MED3 population. According to the analysis of PCR-based molecular subtyping methods, such as the MLVA 14 scheme and seven SNP allele sequencing, Patients A/B and D were classified as 2.MED3m. In addition, strains from rodents living near the patients’ residences were clustered into the same lineage as patients. Such observations indicated that human plague cases originated from local reservoirs. Corresponding phylogenetic analysis also indicated that rodent plague strains in different areas in Inner Mongolia belong to different epizootics rather than being caused by spreading from the same epizootic in Meriones unguiculatus in 2019.

The human RecQ helicase BLM is involved in the DNA damage response, DNA metabolism, and genetic stability. Loss of function mutations in BLM cause the genetic instability/cancer predisposition syndrome Bloom syndrome. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of BLM in cancers remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the deubiquitinating enzyme USP37 interacts with BLM and that USP37 deubiquitinates and stabilizes BLM, thereby sustaining the DNA damage response (DDR). Mechanistically, DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) promotes ATM phosphorylation of USP37 and enhances the binding between USP37 and BLM. Moreover, knockdown of USP37 increases BLM polyubiquitination, accelerates its proteolysis, and impairs its function in DNA damage response. This leads to enhanced DNA damage and sensitizes breast cancer cells to DNA-damaging agents in both cell culture and in vivo mouse models. Collectively, our results establish a novel molecular mechanism for the USP37-BLM axis in regulating DSB repair with an important role in chemotherapy and radiotherapy response in human cancers.

COVID-19 closures forced community residents to organize daily supply group purchasing for anti-epidemic needs. Public service satisfaction constitutes an important public health emergency governance indicator. Analyzing community group purchasing satisfaction emotional diffusion assists governments in timely, comprehensively grasping mass needs, resolving main public opinion development contradictions across stages, and maintaining stability amid special periods. User comment text spanning December 19, 2019 to August 2, 2021 was captured for five related Zhihu community topics. After cleaning, 2,034 items were utilized to calculate user emotional tendency scores. Ebbinghaus forgetting curves were then introduced for interpolation fitting to form complete community purchasing satisfaction time series. Regional influence on time series patterns was studied using three city Zhihu data. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models constructed with Wuhan and Shijiazhuang outbreak phase data predicted public opinion evolution regarding community purchasing satisfactio. Wuhan demonstrated "flat before, medium, tight and slow" characteristics. Shijiazhuang exhibited "low middle and high sides". Guangzhou showed cyclical "steady-decreasing-rising" tendencies. Emotions gradually became cyclical and smooth. The research examines real-time public community group purchasing needs amid public health emergencies like epidemics from the public stance. Analyzing digital traces of public sentiments during crises provides data-driven insights to guide responsive governance. Further research should expand datasets across platforms and issues while refining techniques to extract signals from noise. Findings can illuminate universal public opinion dynamics to better predict future trajectories. Integrating computational social science, data science and psychology can strengthen collective resilience.

As an innovative platform for a new mechanism in the logistics industry, the emergence of network freight transport is a key point in the development of the logistics industry.The network freight platform has entered the golden period of its development since its legal status was clarified in 2019. Still, in developing the network freight platform, its upstream shippers and downstream actual carriers both need help with long account periods and difficulties in financing. To promote the higher quality development of the network freight platform higher quality development and solve the financing difficulties of small and medium-sized logistics enterprises and related production enterprises, we propose a financial service model of upstream and downstream network freight platforms using accounts receivable pledges based on blockchain technology. In this model, the network freight platform uses the credit advantage of its core enterprises to solve the financing problem for upstream and downstream suppliers under the premise of pledging accounts receivable, thereby accelerating the development of the network freight platform.

In response to the challenges of monitoring operators' health status in the complex environment of deep foundation pit construction sites for transmission lines, we propose a monitoring system based on a residual network. Firstly, obtain the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal of the operator based on the wearable ECG detection sensor. ECG data sent to the edge computing gateway by low-power Bluetooth networking. Secondly, the health status evaluation model of operators is constructed based on residual networks. Then calculate the data pre-processing and health state evaluation of the gateway on the edge. Finally, the evaluation results are sent to the remote server via 4G/5G network. Realize the operational warning of the operator and send the early warning information to the monitoring app. Experimental results demonstrate that introducing the volume block attention module (CBAM) into the residual block enhances the model's attention mechanism, resulting in improved recognition accuracy and recall rates. The proposed system effectively meets the real-time health status evaluation needs of operators, ensuring their safety amidst the challenging and complex environmental conditions encountered during deep foundation pit construction at transmission line sites.

To develop artificial aggregates (AAs) with potential for large-scale applications, this study focused on artificial high-sulfate aggregates (AHAs) with recycling capacity, prepared using various solid wastes, and a sulfate-resistant concrete system was designed. AHAs are prepared using a slurry consisting of ground granulated blast-furnace slag, steel slag powder, and phosphogypsum. Combining AHA and sulfate-resistant cement produces sulfate-resistant concrete. The results show that the produced aggregate is lightweight, and the PA-3 samples exhibit cylindrical compressive strength (10.77 MPa) close to that of natural aggregates. The PA-3 sample contains more C–S–H gels and has a denser structure owing to the formation of protofibrous ettringite at the appropriate Ca/Si ratio. Microanalysis of the mortar–aggregate interface in concrete reveals that S is the key element distinguishing the aggregate from the mortar. Moreover, the results indicate that some of the AHAs have regenerative capacity, and their waste can be reintroduced into aggregate production. This study aims to inspire research and development in the field of sulfate-resistant concrete systems and promote the wider use of AHAs in the concrete market.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness status, attitudes, and care-seeking behaviors concerning tuberculosis (TB) and associated factors among the public in Inner Mongolia, China.A five-stage sampling was conducted, in which counties as the primary survey units and towns, villages, and households as sub-survey units were selected progressively. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect TB information. Complex survey analysis methods, including the procedures of survey frequency and survey logistic regression, were applied for analysis of TB knowledge and associated factors. The sample was weighted by survey design, non-respondent, and post-stratification adjustment.Among 10 581 respondents, awareness that TB is an infectious disease was 86.7%. Knowing that a cough lasting ≥3 weeks is suggestive of TB was 26.9%. Knowledge about TB dispensaries in county administrative areas was reported by 68.3% of respondents, and knowledge about the free TB detection/treatment policy was reported by 57.5% of respondents. About 52.5% of participants would stigmatize TB patients. Compared with the majority Han ethnic group, Mongolians and other minorities were 1.52-2.18 times more likely to know about TB curability, TB symptoms, the free detection/treatment policy, and TB dispensaries' locations, but were less likely to know about the TB transmission mode (odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.84). The main sources of TB information were TV (65.6%) and other persons (47.2%). In the past year, 19.7% of TB knowledge was from acquaintances, and 16.1% was from TB institutes.Improvement in knowledge about TB risk (symptoms and transmission), the free treatment policy, and facilities is necessary and should be provided through effective multimedia for different target populations.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an important public health issue worldwide. However, evidence concerning the impact of environmental factors on TB is sparse. We performed a retrospective analysis to determine the spatiotemporal trends and geographic variations of, and the factors associated with, the TB prevalence in Inner Mongolia. We performed a retrospective analysis of the epidemiology of TB. A Bayesian spatiotemporal model was used to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution and trends of the TB prevalence. A spatial panel data model was used to identify factors associated with the TB prevalence in the 101 counties of Inner Mongolia, using county-level aggregated data collected by the Inner Mongolia Center for Disease Control and Prevention. From January 2010 to December 2014, 79,466 (6.36‱) incident TB cases were recorded. The TB prevalence ranged from 4.97‱ (12,515/25,167,547) in 2014 to 7.49‱ (18,406/ 24,578,678) in 2010; the majority of TB cases were in males, and in those aged 46–60 years; by occupation, farmers and herdsmen were the most frequently affected. The Bayesian spatiotemporal model showed that the overall TB prevalence decreased linearly from 2010 to 2014 and occupation-stratified analyses yielded similar results, corroborating the reliability of the findings. The decrease of TB prevalence in the central-western and eastern regions was more rapid than that in the overall TB prevalence. A spatial correlation analysis showed spatial clustering of the TB prevalence from 2011 to 2014 (Moran's index > 0, P < 0.05); in the spatial panel data model, rural residence, birth rate, number of beds, population density, precipitation, air pressure, and sunshine duration were associated with the TB prevalence. The overall TB prevalence in Inner Mongolia decreased from 2010 to 2014; however, the incidence of TB was high throughout this period. The TB prevalence was influenced by a spatiotemporal interaction effect and was associated with epidemiological, healthcare, and environmental factors.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental and occupational pollutants. To date, the effect and mechanism by which PAHs exposure impaired hematopoietic system remains unclear. We examined the capability of PAHs to disrupt hematopoiesis in a study of 639 male participants in China by measuring complete blood counts (CBC) in 2013 and 2014. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method was used to measure airborne levels of PAHs and benzene. We measured 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urinary by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. We found decreased dose−response of white blood cells, eosinophils, monocytes and lymphocytes with increased PAHs exposure in two consecutive years. We did not find association between benzene with CBC in our study. After stratification analysis by smoking status, the findings were highly consistent. White blood cells, monocytes and red blood cell counts were decreased in high urinary 8-OHdG group. Our study showed that PAHs could impair the hematopoietic system independently, and oxidative stress might play an important role in potential hematotoxicity.

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis (DC.) Speer f. sp. tritici is a destructive disease seriously threatening yield and quality of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L., 2n=6x=42, AABBDD). Characterization of resistance genes against powdery mildew is useful in parental selection and for developing disease-resistant cultivars. Chinese wheat breeding line KN0816 has superior agronomic performance and resistance to powdery mildew at all growth stages. Genetic analysis using populations of KN0816 crossed with different susceptible parents indicated that a single dominant gene, tentatively designated PmKN0816, conferred seedling resistance to different B. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates. Using a bulked segregant analysis, PmKN0816 was mapped to the Pm6 interval on chromosome arm 2BL using polymorphic markers linked to the cataloged genes Pm6, Pm52, and Pm64, and flanked by the markers CISSR02g-6 and CIT02g-2, both with genetic distances of 0.7 cM. Analysis of closely linked molecular markers indicated that the marker alleles of PmKN0816 differed from those of other powdery mildew resistance genes on 2BL, including Pm6, Pm33, Pm51, Pm64, and PmQ. Based on the genetic and physical locations and response pattern to different B. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates, PmKN0816 is most likely a new powdery mildew resistance gene and possesses effective resistance to all the 14 tested B. graminis f. sp. tritici isolates. In view of the elite agronomic performance of KN0816 combined with the resistance, PmKN0816 is expected to become a valuable resistance gene in wheat breeding. To transfer PmKN0816 to different genetic backgrounds using marker-assisted selection (MAS), closely linked markers of PmKN0816 were evaluated, and four of them (CIT02g-2, CISSR02g-6, CIT02g-10, and CIT02g-17) were confirmed to be applicable for MAS in different genetic backgrounds.

The effect of texture evolution, recrystallization behavior and deformation on the mechanical properties of cold rotary swaged Ti–6Al–4V tubing during annealing was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The prismatic slip (1 1(_) 00) [112(_) 0], pyramidal slip(10 1(_) 1) [1(_) 21(_) 0] with the largest Schmid factor values (SF) and {101(_) 2} twining structure can be obtained after annealing at 650 °C. The high plasticity of the Ti–6Al–4V tubing can be attributed to the combined effect of slip structure and twining structure. As a result, Ti–6Al–4V tubing has excellent tensile properties and achieves a compromise between strength and ductility. Meanwhile, the radial texture produced by cold rotary swaging has almost no change though slight recrystallization occurs at this temperature. After annealing at 750 °C, the content of {10 1(_) 2} twining decreases significantly, and the recrystallization reduces the dislocation and grain boundary strengthening effects. This work is of theoretical significance and practical value for optimizing the annealing processes of cold rotary swagged Ti–6Al–4V tubing and developing advanced aerospace hydraulic systems with higher operating pressures.

Currently, mechanical maize kernel harvesting has not been fully utilized in developing countries including China, partly due to the absence of suitable cultivars capable of rapid desiccation during seed maturation. The initiation of rapid desiccation during seed maturation is regulated by abscisic acid (ABA). For further characterization of ABA-regulated key genes and cellular events, it is necessary to perform transcriptome analysis of maize developing embryos. The ABA synthesis-deficient mutant (vp5) and normal maize (Vp5) seeds are suitable materials for such purpose.In the present work, developing vp5 and Vp5 embryos were compared by ABA content and transcriptome analyses. Quantitative analysis revealed the significant difference in ABA synthesis between both genotypes. From 29 days after pollination (DAP), ABA content increased rapidly in Vp5 embryos, but decreased gradually in vp5 embryos. At 36 DAP, ABA level in vp5 decreased to 1/4 that of Vp5, suggesting that the differential ABA levels would affect seed maturation. Comparative transcriptomic analysis has found 1019 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between both genotypes, with the most DEGs (818) at 36 DAP. Further, weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) revealed eight DEGs co-expression modules. Particularly, a module was negatively correlated with ABA content in vp5 embryos. The module was mainly involved in metabolic and cellular processes, and its hub genes encoded thiamine, NPF proteins, calmodulin, metallothionein etc. Moreover, the expression of a set of key genes regulated by ABA was further verified by RT-qPCR. The results of the present work suggested that because of ABA deficiency, the vp5 seeds maintained strong metabolic activities and lacked dormancy initiation during seed maturation.Transcriptome and WGCNA analyses revealed significant ABA-related changes in metabolic pathways and DEGs between vp5 and Vp5 during seed maturation. The results would provide insights for elucidating the molecular mechanism of ABA signaling and developing high dehydration tolerance maize suitable for mechanical harvesting.

AbstractAbstractWhen the elderly have a working memory burden, the cognitive burden can be transferred to mobile touch devices. However, the decline of physical function and cognitive ability affects the ability of the elderly to interact with mobile devices. Optimizing the interaction of mobile touch devices is one of the effective ways to reduce the cognitive burden of the elderly. This study intended to investigate the effects of the input and feedback methods on mobile touch devices on cognitive offloading behaviors in older adults. The experiment adopts a 3 × 3 within-subject design, and the independent variables include 3 input methods (mouse, direct touch, and stylus) and 3 feedback methods (visual feedback, auditory feedback, and combined audiovisual feedback). Thirty elderly participants were invited to complete a visual working memory test and subjective preference questionnaires. The results of the study show that (i) the input methods have a significant effect on the cognitive offloading of the elderly, who, under the stylus condition, have the most offloaded working memory and lower cognitive load; (ii) the feedback methods have a significant effect on the cognitive offloading of the elderly, among which they, under the combined visual and auditory feedback, offload working memory more frequently and have lower cognitive load; and (iii) in terms of subjective evaluation, both the input and feedback methods affect the satisfaction of the elderly: among the 3 input methods, the elderly displayed the highest satisfaction with the stylus, and among the 3 feedback methods, the elderly have the highest satisfaction with the combined audio-visual feedback. Studies have shown that the input and feedback methods of mobile touch devices are important factors affecting the cognitive offloading behavior and subjective evaluation of the elderly. The conclusions of this research provide an important reference for designing interactive methods suitable for the elderly. Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis project is supported jointly by National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 52075547].Notes on contributorsTao JinTao Jin is currently an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Design at China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China. He received his PhD degree in Southeastern University at Nanjing. His interdisciplinary research interests involve human-computer interaction, user interface usability engineering and product design methods.Jiamin HeJiamin He is currently a master student in the Department of Industrial Design at China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China. Her research interests are on the interaction styles of elderly users when using mobile devices and user-centered design.Wenrui WangWenrui Wang is currently a master student in the Department of Industrial Design at China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China. Her scientific interests include User Experience Design and design information technology for older adults.Zhengxin WuZhengxin Wu graduated from China University of Petroleum (East China) with a master's degree. His current research interests include user experience and human factors/ergonomics.Haoran GuHaoran Gu is currently a master student in the Department of Industrial Design at China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China. His main research includes user-centered design, and human-computer interaction.

A rose-shaped binary Ni/Co metal-organic framework (Ni/Co-MOF) precursor assembled from numerous cross-linked 2D nanosheets was prepared via a facile hydrothermal reaction. The hierarchical structure was inherited by a one-step carbonization and sulfurization of the precursor and derived nickel cobalt bimetal sulfide nanoparticles encapsulated in rose-shaped carbon spheres (NiS2/CoS2@RCSs) composite. As an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the final composite material could improve conductivity, facilitate electrolyte penetration, and alleviate volume change. Beneficial from the unique nano-architecture plus the bimetallic synergistic effect, the obtained anode electrode achieves an exceptional cycling stability (747.7 mA h g−1 at 1.0 A g−1 after 400 cycles) with a superior rate capability (500.9 mAh g−1 at 4.0 A g−1).

In RSSI-based indoor visible light positioning systems, when only RSSI is used for trilateral positioning, the receiver height needs to be known to calculate distance. Meanwhile, the positioning accuracy is greatly affected by multi-path effect interference, with the influence of the multi-path effect varying across different areas of the room. If only one single processing is used for positioning, the positioning error in the edge area will increase sharply. In order to address these problems, this paper proposes a new positioning scheme, which uses artificial intelligence algorithms for point classification. Firstly, height estimation is performed according to the received power data structure from different LEDs, which effectively extends the traditional RSSI trilateral positioning from 2D to 3D. The location points in the room are then divided into three categories: ordinary points, edge points and blind points, and corresponding models are used to process different types of points, respectively, to reduce the influence of the multi-path effect. Next, processed received power data are used in the trilateral positioning method for calculating the location point coordinates, and to reduce the room edge corner positioning error, so as to reduce the indoor average positioning error. Finally, a complete system is built in an experimental simulation to verify the effectiveness of the proposed schemes, which are shown to achieve centimeter-level positioning accuracy.

Tumor cells are able to use glycolysis to produce energy under hypoxic conditions, and even under aerobic conditions, they rely mainly on glycolysis for energy production, the Warburg effect. Conventional tumor therapeutic drugs are unidirectional, lacking in targeting and have limited therapeutic effect. The development of a large number of nanocarriers and targeted glycolysis for the treatment of tumors has been extensively investigated in order to improve the therapeutic efficacy. This paper reviews the research progress of nanocarriers based on targeting key glycolytic enzymes and related transporters, and combines nanocarrier systems with other therapeutic approaches to provide a new strategy for targeted glycolytic treatment of tumors, providing a theoretical reference for achieving efficient targeted treatment of tumors.

Abstract Background: Primary malignant bone tumors are uncommon, and their epidemiological features are rarely reported. We aimed to study the incidence and death characteristics of bone tumors from 2000 to 2015. Methods: Population-based cancer registries submitted registry data to National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCRC). The data collected from 501 local cancer registries in China were assessed using NCCRC screening methods and criteria. Incidence and mortality rates of primary bone tumor were stratified by age group, gender, and area. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were adjusted using the Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi's world population. The annual percentage change (APC) in rate was calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. Results: Data from 368 registries met quality control criteria, of which 134 and 234 were from urban and rural areas, respectively. The data covered 309,553,499 persons. The crude incidence, age-standardized incidence, and crude mortality rates were 1.77, 1.35, and 1.31 per 100,000, respectively. Incidence and mortality rates were higher in males than those in females; they showed downward trends, with declines of 2.2% and 4.8% per year, respectively, and the rates in urban areas were lower than those in rural areas. Significant declining trends were observed in urban areas. Stable trends were seen in rural areas during 2000 to 2007, followed by downward trends. Age-specific incidence and mortality rates showed stable trends in the age group of 0 to 19 years, and downward trends in the age group elder than 19 years. Conclusions: The incidence and mortality rates of primary malignant bone tumors in rural areas were higher compared to those in urban areas. Targeted prevention measures are required to monitor and control bone tumor incidence and improve the quality of life of affected patients. This research can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of bone tumors, as well as basic information for follow-up research.

Exposed surface for buildings (ESB), which refers to exposed surfaces with traces of building construction, often leads to urban dust. Accurate ESB detection is important for planning urban development and improving urban environment. Fine-grained monitoring of ESB typically needs massive high-quality pixel-level labels, which are demanding and expensive. In contrast, obtaining cost-efficient image-level labels is more promising. Most image-level weakly supervised methods can extract pixel-level pseudo labels using the class activation map (CAM) generated by the classification network. Subsequently, these labels are applied to train the semantic segmentation network. However, the CAM is easy to miss fine-grained information, which leads to label noise. Moreover, the downsampling in the segmentation networks will further loss the spatial information. Furthermore, the sparse distribution and irregular shape of ESB pose additional challenges. Given these problems, we propose a stepwise refining image-level weakly supervised semantic segmentation method (SRIWS): 1) we introduce a new data augmentation method called SRMix to oversample the classification dataset; 2) we propose a two-branch network with a superpixel pooling layer (SPNet) as the semantic segmentation network to capture both global semantic information and spatial details; and 3) to alleviate the impact of potential noise in the initial labels, we design the high-confidence sample filtering operation (HSF) during the SPNet training. The evaluation experiments for the SRIWS were performed on three datasets. The results confirm that our proposed SRIWS presents a superior performance in recognizing ESB compared with existing state-of-the-art methods. In addition, numerous ablation experimental results indicate the effectiveness and robustness of our SRIWS.

Materials possessing sufficient strength, exceptional thermal insulation, and energy-efficient characteristics are in short supply within the construction industry. Foamed concrete, known for its cost-effectiveness, ultralight composition, and prominent thermal insulation characteristics, has displayed significant potential in applications geared towards enhancing energy efficiency. Nevertheless, its widespread adoption is hindered because, at present, the strength and thermal insulation properties of foamed concrete fail to meet engineering requirements due to inadequate foam stability. In response to this challenge, an ultra-stable foam with a multi-walled core-shell structure is successfully synthesized by modifying the gas-liquid interface through coupling the synergistic effects of surfactant, Janus-ZrO2 nanoparticles, and hydrophilic homogeneous SiO2. Utilizing the innovative approach, we incorporate the ultra-stable foam, containing 0.05 wt% Janus-ZrO2 nanoparticles, in the fabrication of foamed concrete with a resultant density of 500 kg·m-3. Notably, this foamed concrete exhibits remarkable mechanical properties (compressive strength of 5.1 MPa) and outstanding thermal insulation performance (thermal conductivity of 0.091 W/(m·K)). These enhancements can be attributed to the refining of the pore structure and an increased proportion of closed pores within the foamed concrete, both facilitated by the utilization of the ultra-stable foam. The introduction of this unique ultra-stable foam is poised to expand the applications of foamed concrete in the construction sector.

We meticulously investigates the microstructural characteristics and mechanical behavior of a forged CoCrFeNiAl0.5Ti0.1 HEA rod with a diameter of 21 mm. The alloy predominantly comprises a face-centered cubic (FCC) matrix interspersed with Ni2AlTi precipitates, where the precipitates exhibit higher hardness and modulus compared to the FCC matrix. The study reveals that mechanical properties of the CoCrFeNiAl0.5Ti0.1 alloy are significantly influenced by deformation temperature, noting an enhancement in strength and ductility at reduced temperatures, whereas an increase in temperature leads to diminished strength and augmented plasticity.

An eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA) consisting mainly of a face-centered cubic (FCC) phase and a C14 Laves phase with the compositions of Co25.1Cr18.8Fe23.3Ni22.6Ta8.5Al1.7 (at%) was successfully prepared by hot isostatic pressing. The present EHEA exhibits a skeleton-type Laves phase structure, deviating from typical EHEA structures. After a series of annealing treatments at 1000 °C for different durations (ranging from 0 to 150 h), the Co3Ta phase precipitated after annealing. The mechanical properties measured at 850 °C showed a tensile strength of 441 MPa and an elongation of 3.3%. The results of the high-temperature tests showed that the mechanical properties of this alloy did not change significantly before and after annealing, and its microstructure showed a high degree of stability, which suggests that the material has some potential for use in high-temperature environments.

In this work, we investigated the mechanical behavior of a low-cost Zr51.9Cu23.3Ni10.5Al14.3 (at. %) metallic glass ribbon prepared with industrial-grade material through the melt-spinning method. The ribbons have good appearances and almost no defects. The mechanical behavior associated with the corresponding microstructure of the ribbon was tested at different strain rates. Striation and veining patterns were observed in the crack propagation zone and the fast fracture zone. The results show that the tensile strength of the ribbons exceeds 1 GPa. Therefore, they are considered to have good potential for industrial applications. This study could contribute to the preparation of low-cost bulk metallic glass.