A plasmonic refractive index (RI) sensor based on metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide coupled with concentric double rings resonator (CDRR) is proposed and investigated numerically. Utilizing the novel supermodes of the CDRR, the FWHM of the resonant wavelength can be modulated, and a sensitivity of 1060 nm/RIU with high figure of merit (FOM) 203.8 is realized in the near-infrared region. The unordinary modes as well as the influence of structure parameters on the sensing performance are also discussed. Such plasmonic sensor with simple framework and high optical resolution could be applied to on-chip sensing systems and integrated optical circuits. Besides, the special cases of bio- sensing and triple rings are also discussed.

Chemical flooding methods are used to recover the remaining oil after water flooding, and surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding is an important chemical flooding technology. It is of great significance to design and screen high-performance oil displacement agents in order to overcome the increasingly challenging high temperature (>70 ℃) and high salinity (>10,000 mg/L) reservoirs. Based on the characteristics of high temperature (70 ℃) and high salinity (151,000 mg/L) in the Qinghai Gasi reservoir, the performance of the SP flooding system was studied. This study considered interfacial tension, emulsification, viscosity, compatibility, and oil displacement efficiency. The selected formula demonstrated high resistance to both salinity (151,000 mg/L) and temperature (70 ℃), characterized by a low oil-water interfacial tension (10-2 mN/m) and high viscosity (18.13 mPa.s). After water flooding achieved an oil recovery rate of 64.64%, the subsequent replacement rate of crude oil increased by 26.95%, confirming that SP flooding can be used as a technology for enhancing oil recovery in high-temperature, high-salinity reservoirs represented by Qinghai Gasi reservoirs.

Some time ago, Kobayashi et al. experimentally studied the so-called Lee-Naughton-Lebed's (LNL) angular effect in strong electric fields [K. Kobayashi, M. Saito, E. Omichi, and T. Osada, Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{96}, 126601 (2006)]. They found that strong electric fields split the LNL conductivity maxima in $\alpha$-(ET)$_2$-based organic conductor and hypothetically introduced the corresponding equation for conductivity. In this Letter, for the first time we suggest quantum mechanical theory of the LNL angular oscillations in moderately strong electric fields. In particular, we demonstrate that the obtained by us approximate theoretical formula coincides with the hypothetical one and well describes the above mentioned experiments.

The gas-water relative permeability curve plays a crucial role in reservoir simulation and development for condensate gas reservoirs. In this study, we conducted a series of high temperature and high pressure analysis experiments on real gas cores from Wells A and B in Block L of the Yinggehai Basin to investigate the effects of temperature, pressure, and different types of gas media on gas-water seepage. The experimental results demonstrate that: Temperature has a significant impact on both gas and water relative permeability, particularly on the former. As temperature increases, gas relative permeability shows a substantial increase while water relative permeability remains relatively unchanged. Under the same effective stress, increasing pressure causes downward shifts in both the gas and water relative permeability curves; however, there is a more pronounced decrease in gas relative permeability. Gas type has minimal influence on phase permeability except at higher water saturation where differences become apparent. When water saturation ranges from 80% to 50%, there is no significant variation observed in the measured relative permeability of different displacement gases; however, as water saturation exceeds 80%, distinctions gradually emerge. At bound water saturation conditions, nitrogen exhibits lower relative permeability compared to simulated gases with approximately 92% similarity between them. This investigation into the characteristics of gas-water relative permeability in high temperature and high pressure condensate reservoirs within Yinggehai Basin provides valuable insights for efficient development strategies for similar reservoirs.

In the recent concrete industry, high fluidity concrete is being widely used for the pouring of dense reinforced concrete. Normally, in the case of high fluidity concrete, it includes high binder contents, so it is necessary to replace part of the cement through admixtures such as fly ash to procure economic feasibility and durability. This study shows the mechanical properties and field applicability of high fluidity concrete that using mass of fly ash as alternative materials of cement. The high fluidity concrete mixed with 50% fly ash was measured to manufacture concrete that applies low water/binder ratio to measure the mechanical characteristics as compressive strength and elastic modulus. Also, in order to evaluate the field applicability, high fluidity concrete containing high volume fly ash was evaluated that fluidity, compressive strength, heat of hydration and drying shrinkage of concrete.

High pressure crystallization technique has been successfully used to prepare an elusive form II of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Mefenamic acid. Single crystal of form II was grown at 0.3 GPa from an 4:1 methanol/ ethanol mixture as a solvent using Diamond Anvil Cell. Comparison of crystal structures show that the efficient packing of MA molecules in Form II results from the structural flexibility of MA acid molecules. Compression studies performed on the single crystal of form I resulted in 14 % decrease of unit cell volume up to 2.5 GPa. No phase transition was observed up to this pressure. A reconstructive phase transition is required to induce conformational changes in the structure, which is confirmed by crystallization at high pressure results.

Background: Annual influenza epidemics are a serious public health problem, causing particularly severe morbidity and mortality in high-risk groups. The study aimed to understand Poles' attitudes and beliefs towards influenza vaccinations in the flu season of 2022–2023, analyze preferences and unmet needs regarding influenza vaccinations, and examine the perception and acceptance of the influenza vaccine among individuals at risk of flu complications. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out on a sample of 1446 respondents. The Google Forms questionnaire was created and disseminated electronically using social media and e-mail. The pre-test was performed at the beginning of the project. Results: The majority of respondents (71%) could identify "high-risk groups" recommended for influenza vaccination. Furthermore, it was observed that individuals aged 21 to 59 demonstrated a higher level of knowledge in this regard compared to those below 20 and above 65 years old, and individuals with higher and medium education levels were much better at identifying risk groups for influenza virus infection. The majority of respondents (52.01%) reported receiving influenza vaccination at some point in the past, with 32.12% receiving it in the 2022–2023 flu season and 41.09% in the 2021–2022 season. The majority of respondents declaring acceptance of the vaccine for the 2022-2023 season were in the high-risk group. Only 17.28% of respondents declared receiving both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the 2022-2023 season, with the vast majority being respondents from the "high-risk group" (p

In this letter, we propose a pattern-diversity antenna with different radiation patterns at two different frequency bands (f1 and f2) (f1: broadside radiation pattern, f2: conical radiation pattern). The proposed structure consists of a central circular antenna and two annular ring antennas; each of the three antennas has individual ports. Two of the ports exhibit orthogonal broadside radiation patterns; the other two ports exhibit orthogonal conical radiation patterns. Thus, they have polarization diversity characteristics. To improve isolation between ports, the inner part of the annular ring antennas is shorted via array, and the outermost port is positioned orthogonal to the other ports. Using this configuration, the isolation between ports was measured as -26.7 dB and -30.1 dB at the two frequency bands, respectively. Experimental results based on the fabricated prototype show that the proposed antenna achieves -10 dB bandwidths of 240 MHz (5.71~5.95 GHz) and 210 MHz (7.69~7.9 GHz) at f1 and f2, respectively.

High dimensional statistical analysis for the yield of large-scale circuits is quite difficult due to expensive simulations, especially for the memory circuits with high sigma requirement (e.g., SRAM). In this paper, we developed an efficient sparse additive model to substitute simulations. To fit high sigma region accurately, the modeling center is moved to near failure boundary searched by scaling the shape of sampling function. To solve the model efficiently, the process variables are grouped by standard cells so that the model can be solved by our developed blockwise greedy algorithm. The experiments on the 28nm memory circuits validate that our method achieves high accuracy and efficiency compared with other state-of-art works.

High-power lasers play an important role in modern science, industry, and medicine. A signifi-cant milestone was reached on December 5, 2022, when Inertial Confinement Nuclear Fusion (ICF) achieved scientific breakeven, releasing more energy than the input laser energy. Additionally, Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) has enabled the development of microchips with 3 nm process nodes, marking a leap in semiconductor technology. These examples together with the recent achievement of a 10 PW (1015 W) laser output heralds remarkable advancements in technology and science soon. Laser systems are broadly classified based on their operating re-gimes into two main categories: Continuous Wave (CW) operation, where the laser is continuously pumped and emits a steady beam of light, and the pulsed regime, in which the laser pro-duces single or multiple pulses at various repetition rates. This review will primarily focus on pulsed laser systems, exploring their various types and recent technological advancements.

Background: Glioma surgery was remarkably renewed in the past 2 decades, with improved safety and limited but yet improved life expectations. Fluorescence-guided resection of high-grade gliomas (HGG) plays a central role in this sense, by allowing higher degrees of extent of resection (EOR). The introduction of the exoscopic guided surgery may be considered an implementation for fluorescence techniques over the traditional microscopes. We present the application and the advantages of the exoscopic guided surgery compared to the microscopic surgery in tumor resection guided by 5-ALA fluorescence in patients with HGG. Methods: ten consecutive patients underwent a surgery for HGG resection. The surgery was performed via an exoscopic-guided procedure (Olympus Orbeye) and after oral administration of Gliolan 5 hours before the procedure. During surgery, the procedure was shifted to microscope (Kinevo 900, Zeiss) view. The intensity of the fluorescence under the two different was subjectively measured in different picture samples during the surgery in a 1 to 5 (from minimum to maximum) scale. The brightness of the surgical field and the detailing of the anatomy were also analyzed comparatively. Results: among the ten patients the histopathological diagnosis was an high grade glioma in all cases. In 9 cases was possible to achieve the gross total resection. There was no perioperative mortality. The median fluorescence intensity, on a scale of 1–5, was 4.5 in the exoscope group and 3.5 in the microscope group (p<0.01). Conclusions: The exoscopic guided surgery adds advantages to the traditional fluorescence- guided surgery with 5-aminolevulinic acid. Beyond the important advantage of low cost and the possibility to perform collaborative surgeries, it adds a plain and continuous visualization of the tumor and the surgical field in the fluorescence guided glioma surgery compared to the microscopic guided one.

Global warming and the associated increasing frequency of heatwaves are on the rise leading to numerous health complications. Diabetic patients are more vulnerable to heat exposure than healthy individuals, owing to their impaired sweating ability, however, little is known about how heat exposure may impact the function of skin cells, commonly keratinocytes. Our recent report provided the first proof-of-concept revealing that the metabolic composition of sweat EVs is associated with metabolic changes in healthy individuals and type 2 diabetes patients. Given this and the shared cellular proprieties of eccrine sweat glands with keratinocytes, we questioned whether the metabolic changes in sweat EVs may mirror the responses of keratinocytes upon heat exposure. To this, we exposed HaCat, which were maintained in low (mimicking healthy condition) and high glucose (mimicking diabetes condition) to acute (90 min), chronic (48 h), and repetitive heat exposure at 40 ⁰C. Through conducting a set of experiments including a targeted metabolomics approach, Greiss assay, western blotting analysis, and electron microscopy studies. The data demonstrate that heat exposure results in substantial changes of metabolite levels belonging to amino acids, pyrimidine metabolism, and glycolysis pathways in high glucose maintained HaCat cells when compared to those noted in low glucose condition. Exploring the molecular mechanisms through which heat exposure may impact the metabolic composition in keratinocytes, our discoveries highlight nitric oxide (NO) as a novel biomarker that the level is correlated with heat duration and frequency. Furthermore, data reveal that the HSP-70 protein levels and mitochondrial morphology are consequently altered. This study provides evidence of shared metabolic alterations in keratinocytes and sweat EVs collected from clinical study and proposes, for the first time, NO as a novel biomarker for monitoring changes in health and diabetes upon heat exposure.

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) may convey high current and sustain high breakdown voltages; it may provide high power control. In a sense, how IGBT demonstrates the capability of power control was not specifically described, and the equivalent bipolar junction transistors (BJT) activated by an applied bias to the insulated gate is intriguing. As seen in Figure 1, IGBT shows an equivalent circuit structure containing two types of BJT, (NPN-type Bipolar transistor and PNP-type Bipolar transistor), which can be modeled as diode-associated transistor. Apparently, as a bias applies to the controlling gate, the channel beneath the gate oxide gets strongly inversed and turns out to be conductive just like what happens on metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET), which provides necessary igniting currents to both BJTs and thus causes high current gain flowing through them-selves from the bottom. A proposed and renewed formula provides addressing the above scenario and successfully fitting the measured data that forms the characteristic curves. Some parameters in the proposed formula, which includes size and mobility associated constant, threshold voltage, and Early-Voltage-related lambda for MOSFET, explain and explore the underlying physics. IGBT thus enjoy high input impedance and high current gain due to MOSFET (Insulated Gate) and BJT, respectively. This formula combines both merits of MOSFET and BJT in order to fit the measured data. Indeed, the formula intimately fits IGBT electrical characteristic curves, and thus may be qualified and served as a model. The new model is then advisable for designing power integrated circuit to exactly achieve power saving, power control, and power efficiency.

There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C, and D. Cattle are susceptible to influenza D infection and serve as a reservoir for this seven-segmented influenza virus. It is generally thought that bovines are not a host of other types of influenza viruses including type A. This long-standing viewpoint has been challenged by the recent highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks in dairy cows in the United States. To date, HPAI H5N1 has spread into nine states affecting 49 dairy herds and causing clinical symptoms including reduced appetite, fever, and a sudden drop in milk production. This review article describes the current epidemiological landscape of HPAI H5N1 in U.S. dairy cows and the recent interspecies transmission events of HPAI H5N1 in other mammals reported in other countries. The review also discusses adaptation mutations of HPAI H5N1 to mammalian hosts and vaccination strategies. Finally, it summarizes some immediate questions that need to be addressed towards a better understanding of infection biology, transmission, and immune response of HPAI H5N1 in bovines.

Yttria stabilized zirconia materials are frequently used in mechanical engineering and biomedical applications. Demanding loading conditions require materials combining a high level of strength and fracture toughness. A ready to press alumina doped 2 mol% yttria stabilized zirconia powder was shaped by axial pressing and sintering in air at 1250 - 1500 °C for 2 h. The best combination of strength and toughness value of 7.8 MPa√m. Materials sintered in the middle of the chosen temperature range combine fully density, high transformability and small grain size. Toughness measurements by direct crack length measurements delivered unrealistically high fracture toughness values.

Background: high-altitude work exposes individuals to reduced oxygen levels, imposing physi-ological adaptations. These conditions can induce alterations in the cardiovascular system, po-tentially exacerbating pre-existing health issues and impacting overall well-being of workers in such environments. This study has investigated the cardiovascular challenges for the high-altitude worker on Etna volcano. Methods: Through an observational study, ten healthy, non-smoking male participants underwent cardiovascular and pulmonary function tests at alti-tudes below 500m and above 3000m, simulating work conditions on the volcano. Results: signif-icant findings include elevated systemic blood pressure and heart rate, indicating an increased cardiovascular workload necessary for adaptation to hypoxia. Conclusions: the study highlights the importance of acclimatization to high altitude for minimizing cardiovascular risks among workers. It calls for the development of safety protocols, underlining the critical role of preven-tative measures and specific safety protocols for high-altitude workers.

A dynamic impact test was performed on as-rolled AZ31 alloy with gradient microstructure under various strains. The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. As the strain rate gradually increases, an increasing number of twins are formed, facilitating dynamic recrystallization (DRX), and the mechanical properties are also gradually improved as well. The microstructure becomes heterogeneous at higher strain rates, but the peak stress decreases. The impact process results in significantly higher performance due to microstructural refinement, work hardening by dislocations and precipitates. In addition, both the adiabatic shear band and the adjacent crack experience a temperature rise that exceeds the recrystallization temperature of the alloy. This observation also explains the presence of ultrafine recrystallized grains within the adiabatic shear band and the appearance of molten metal around the crack.

The growing interest in benchtop NMR systems is visible in a vast number of applications in science and industry. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) became an instant in technologies that productions are dependent on the reliable structure identification, grade and purity control, chemical process inspection or reaction monitoring. Beyond the benefits of being cost-, space-, maintenance- and user friendly, insufficient sensitivity and low signal resolution are the main drawbacks, due to which the low-field NMR (LF-NMR) in the fields of organic chemistry and synthesis remains limited to solely academic teaching purposes. Herein, we discuss the possibilities of LF-NMR for the needs of organic chemistry and synthesis on a set of compounds 1-4 achieved as the products of student’s laboratory course and organic derivatives 5-8 that are from our research interests. Chemical structure determination of all compounds 1-8 presented herein was performed using the benchtop-type NMR instrument operating at 60 MHz (Pulsar Oxford Ltd.). Structure of novel compounds 5-7 prepared under the aims of our research was characterized by combined 1H/19LF-NMR and compared with an appropriate high-field NMR data from Bruker Ascend Instrument (400 MHz). Finally, possibilities of the low-field NMR as an analytical tool for the research purposes in the fields of organic chemistry and synthesis are documented on a set of 1H and 2D 1H-1H COSY for azomethine 8.

Background and Objectives To compare navigator-gated three-dimensional T1-weighted gradient-echo sequences (NG-3D T1W-GRE) with standard breath-hold T1W-GRE (BH T1W-GRE) for the detection of HCC nodules in patients with chronic viral hepatitis which undergo at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using gadoxetic acid. Methods and materials We evaluated 58 patients with hepatic nodules at least 1 cm in diameter detected by ultrasound who underwent liver MRI including NG-3D T1W-GRE sequences and breath hold T1-weighted gradient-echo sequences with different flip angles(FA) at 10-25-40° after contrast administration of gadoxetic acid at magnetic scanner operating at1.5 Tesla. Image quality and relative hepatic and nodular enhancement were evaluated by three blinded reviewers. Results In these patients, image quality of NG-3D T1W-GRE was assessed significantly better than quality of BHT1W- GRE (P < 0.005) and relative enhancement was significantly higher than that of BH- T1W-GRE ( P

We present a study of the radio variability of bright, $S_{1.4}\geq100$ mJy, high-redshift quasars at $z\geq3$ on timescales up to 30--40 years. The study involved simultaneous RATAN-600 measurements at frequencies of 2.3, 4.7, 8.2, 11.2, and 22.3 GHz in 2017--2020. In addition, data from the literature were used. We have found that the variability index $V_S$ of the quasars ranges from 0.02 to 0.96, with about half of the objects in the sample showing a variability index in the range of 0.25--0.50, which is comparable to that of the blazars at lower redshifts. The distribution of $V_S$ at 22.3 GHz is significantly different from that at 2.3--11.2 GHz, which may be attributed to the fact that a compact AGN core dominates at the source's rest frame frequencies greater than 45 GHz, leading to higher variability indices obtained at 22.3 GHz (the $V_S$ distribution peaks around 0.4) compared to the lower frequencies (the $V_S$ distribution peaks around 0.1--0.2). Several source groups with distinctive variability characteristics were found using cluster analysis of quasars. We propose 7 new candidates for gigahertz peaked-spectrum (GPS) sources and 5 new megahertz peaked-spectrum (MPS) sources based on their spectrum shape and variability features. Only 6 out of 23 sources previously reported as GPS demonstrate a low variability level typical of classical GPS sources ($V_{S} < 0.25$) at 4.7--22.3~GHz. When excluding the highly variable peaked-spectrum blazars, we expect no more than 20\% of the sources in the sample to be GPS candidates and no more than 10\% to be MPS candidates.

A high intake of carbohydrates, associated with obesity, is one of the major causes of fatty liver disease in humans. This study investigated how high carbohydrate intake induces fatty liver disease in Blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Blunt snout bream were fed a high-carbohydrate diet (HCBD) for 60 days. Their growth indices were evaluated, and the transcriptomes, metabolites, biochemistry, and histology of their blood and livers were analyzed. The final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio were all higher in the HCBD group than in the control group, but not significantly so (P > 0.05). The hepatosomatic index (HSI) differed significantly in the two groups (P < 0.05), and the metabolomics results showed that a high carbohydrate intake induced significant increases in plasma α/β-glucose, succinate, and tyrosine, which could increase hepatic glycogen and triglyceride. Low levels of betaine were also found in the livers of the HCBD group. The histology and blood biochemistry results suggested abnormal liver, with excessive lipid accumulation and liver damage. A transcriptome analysis and quantitative reverse transcription–PCR (RT–qPCR) indicated that the expression of the factors INSR, IRS, PI3K, PDK, AKT, ACC, IL6, AP1, ChREBP-MLX, PEPCK, and FBP in the insulin signaling pathway was significantly upregulated and that of SOCS3, GSK3β, and AMPK significantly downregulated in the HCBD. This pattern is associated with the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathway. This study extends our understanding of how high carbohydrate causes increased fat deposition in the liver, enhanced glycolysis (α/β-glucose) in the plasma, and reduced betaine in the liver. This leads to activation of hepatocyte insulin resistance and lipogenesis by regulating the expression of genes related to fatty liver disease.

High temperature stress affects tomato production both in tropical and sub-tropical environments worldwide. To explore genetic variation for heat tolerance in tomato, 329 transcontinental tomato varieties were evaluated at The Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) greenhouses near Doha, Qatar. Preliminary phenotypic analysis identified a diverse set of 71 hybrid and pure line tomato varieties for more detailed studies. The selected subset was examined in the greenhouse in a randomized complete block design under heat stress. The materials were phenotyped for fruit size, fruit weight, fruit hardness, fruit locules, fruit set (%), total soluble solids (TSS), and fruit yield. Significant phenotypic differences among genotypes were observed for all the traits assessed. To explore the genetic basis of variation among varieties the subset was genotyped using 104 SNP markers identified in previous heat tolerance genome wide association studies (GWAS). Nineteen QTL associated SNP markers could reliably select heat tolerant varieties in terms of better fruit yield, fruit set, and TSS. These markers are located on Chromosome 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 12. Interestingly, two clusters of markers on chromosome 6 were linked to significant effects on yield, fruit set, and TSS under high temperature. Some markers located within these QTL regions were also reported as associated with heat tolerance in other studies. Eighteen out of nineteen SNP markers were mapped within a gene body. Based on the phenotypic and the genotypic analysis, an elite set of five varieties was selected for approval for heat stress environments in Qatar. These findings have significance not only for Qatar, but they are also valuable for wider application at other locations worldwide. The 19 markers presented here could be adopted by breeders for marker-assisted selection (MAS) for heat tolerance.

Abstract: : 2,3-dihydro-5,6,7,8-tetranitro-1,4-benzodioxine (TNBD), molecular formula =C8H4N4O10 is a completely nitrated in aromatic ring 1,4-benzodioxane derivative. The con-venient method of TNBD synthesis was developed (yield=81 %). The detailed structure of this compound has been investigated by X-ray crystallography. The results of differential thermal analysis (DTA) obtained with twice re-crystallized material showed onset at 247 and isoterm at 288 0C, with further total degradation at 300 0C. The experimental density 1,85 g/cm3 of TNBD was determined by X-ray crystallography. The spectral properties of TNBD (NMR, FT-IR, Ra-man) were explored. The detonation properties of TNBD calculated by EXPLO 5 code was slightly superior in comparison to standard high energy material - tetryl (detonation velocity of TNBD - 7727 m/s; detonation pressure - 278 kbar; tetryl – 7570 m/s and 226.4 kbar at 1.614 g/cm3, or 260 kbar at higher density - 1.71 g/cm3. The obtained preliminary results might suggest TNBD can be a potential thermostable high energy and density material (HEDM).

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the external load demands in futsal, con-sidering both home and away matches and their outcomes, in order to plan microcycles throughout the season based on the external load of each match. (2) Methods: The external load of 10 players from a First Division team in the Spanish Futsal League was recorded. The total dura-tion of player involvement with the clock stopped was 18.15 ±7.04 minutes. The players' external load was monitored using OLIVER devices. To analyse the influence of the match outcome and location on the external load, a univariate general linear model (GLM) analysis was conducted. (3) Results: There are no differences between the variables, except for accelerations of 2 to 3 m/s² (m) per minute and the number of accelerations of 2 to 3 m/s² per minute. Despite not showing significant differences, there is a trend indicating a higher demand for external loads in away matches as well as in matches won. (4) Conclusions: These findings are important for planning microcycles and providing the appropriate dosage to each player to achieve optimal performance in matches.

Advanced lithography requires highly sensitive photoresists to improve lithographic efficiency, and it is critical yet challenging to develop high-sensitivity photoresists and imaging strategies. Here, we report a novel strategy for ultra-high sensitivity using hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP)-containing fluoropolymer photoresists. The incorporation of HFIP, with its strong electrophilic property and electron-withdrawing effect of the fluorine atoms, significantly increases the acidity of the photoresist after exposure, enabling imaging without conventional photoacid generators (PAGs). The HFIP-containing photoresist has been evaluated by electron beam lithography to achieve a trench of ~40 nm at an extremely low dose of 3 μC/cm2, which shows sensitivity enhancement by ~10 times to the commercial PAGs involved system, revealing its high-sensitivity and high-resolution features. Our results demonstrate a new type of PAGs and a novel approach to higher-performance imaging beyond conventional photoresist performance tuning.

Increased activity of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is a key factor mediating kidney impairment in diabetes. Glomerular podocytes, the crucial component of the renal filter, are a direct target of TGF-β action, resulting in irreversible cell loss and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urolithin A (UA) is a member of the family of polyphenol metabolites produced by gut microbiota from ellagitannins and ellagic acid-rich foods. The broad spectrum of biological ac-tivities of UA makes it a promising candidate for the treatment of podocyte disorders. In this in vitro study, we investigated whether UA influences the changes exerted in podocytes by TGF-β and high glucose. Following a 7-day incubation in normal (NG, 5.5 mM) or high (HG, 25 mM) glucose the cells were treated with UA and/or TGF-β1 for 24 hours. HG and TGF-β1, each independent and in concert reduced expression of nephrin, increased podocyte motility and up-regulated expression of b3 integrin and fibronectin. These typical for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) effects were inhibited by UA in both HG and NG conditions. UA also reduced the typically elevated in HG expression of TGF-β receptors and activation of TGF-β signal transducer Smad2. Our results indicate that in podocytes cultured in conditions mimicking diabetic milieu, UA inhibits and reverses changes underlying podocytopenia in diabetic kidneys. Hence, UA should be considered as a po-tential therapeutic agent in podocytopathies.

We investigate the impact of aging on exchangeable inter-arrival times in mixed renewal processes, exploring its implications for reliability and survival analysis. In this study, first, we revisit the definition of renewal point processes, where inter-event time intervals are considered as exchangeable non-negative random variables. Then, we define the concept of statistical aging as latency in the observational process of event counting. Latency affects event detection but preserves exchangeability. However, it may alter the statistical properties of inter-event time intervals. Our analytical and numerical assessments highlight the significance of aging in exchangeable lifetimes, offering insights into key metrics such as the failure survival function, renewal function, and hazard rate function. Through archetypal examples and empirical findings, we illustrate the implications of aging on renewal processes. In particular, employing a Bayesian perspective, we analyze high-frequency currency exchange rate data to assess the impact of aging on volatility risk evaluation. This study contributes novel insights to the literature of renewal theory and survival analysis, emphasizing the role of latency aging in stochastic point processes under exchangeability assumption.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a crucial feature in cancer biology, yet its prevalence and significance in canine cancers remain largely unexplored. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of MSI across 10 distinct canine cancer histotypes using whole-exome sequencing data from 692 tumor-normal sample pairs. MSI was detected in 64% of tumors, with prevalence varying significantly among cancer types. B-cell lymphomas exhibited the highest MSI burden, contrasting with human studies. A novel "MSI-burden" score was developed, correlating significantly with tumor mutational burden. MSI-high (MSI-H) tumors showed elevated somatic mutation counts compared to MSI-low and microsatellite stable tumors. The study identified 3,632 recurrent MSI-affected genomic regions across cancer types. Notably, seven of the ten cancer types exhibited MSI-H tumors, with prevalence ranging from 1.5% in melanomas to 37% in B-cell lymphomas. These findings highlight the potential importance of MSI in canine cancer biology and suggest opportunities for targeted therapies, particularly immunotherapies. The high prevalence of MSI in canine cancers, especially in B-cell lymphomas, warrants further investigation into its mechanistic role and potential as a biomarker for prognosis and treatment response

Knee osteoarthritis (KO) is an important health condition, affecting one third of the people aged 65 years or more. Pain is the main cause of disability. Pain management in KO includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological modalities. Patient education, lifestyle changes, physical exercise and physical agents are prescribed as a first approach for pain control. Laser therapy is part of many therapeutical protocols, with two forms, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and high-intensity laser therapy (HILT). The paper aimed at stressing the advantages of HILT, based on a greater wavelength, higher energy delivery and deeper tissue penetration. Research on 23 published trials revealed that analgesic effect is rapid, cumulative and long lasting. Compared to sham, to LLLT or to other associations of therapeutical modalities, HILT provided significantly better results on pain reduction and functional improvement. Ultrasound examination showed reduction of intraarticular inflammation.

This study explores the effects of tempering on the precipitation behavior and impact toughness of high-nickel steel. The specimens underwent double quenching at 870°C and 770°C, followed by tempering at various temperatures. Advanced characterization techniques including optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to elucidate precipitation phenomena. Additionally, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was employed to assess the misorientation distribution after tempering. Charpy impact tests were performed on specimens tempered at different temperatures to evaluate their toughness. The findings reveal that with increasing tempering temperature, the fraction of low-angle grain boundaries decreases, which correlates positively with enhanced impact toughness. The impact toughness peaks at 580°C and then diminishes with further temperature increases.

An analysis of the processes of plastic deformation and acoustic relaxation in a high-entropy alloy Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi was carried out. The following have been established: dominant dislocation defects; types of barriers that prevent the movement of dislocations; mechanisms of thermally activated movement of various elements of dislocation lines through barriers at room and low temperatures. Based on modern dislocation theory, quantitative estimates have been obtained for the most important characteristics of dislocations and their interaction with barriers.

Thermal expansion of four alkaline-earth borates, namely Ca3B2O6 (0D), CaB2O4 (1D), Sr3B14O24 (2D) and CaB4O7 (3D), have been studied by in situ high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction (HTXRD). Strong anisotropy of thermal expansion is observed for the structures of Ca3B2O6 (0D) and CaB2O4 (1D) built up from BO3 triangles only: these borates exhibit the maximal expansion perpendicular to the BO3 plane, i.e. along the direction of weaker bonding in the crystal structure. Layered Sr3B14O24 (2D) and framework CaB4O7 (3D) built up from various B-O groups expand less anisotropically. Thermal properties of the studied compounds compared to the other alka-line-earth borates are summarized depending on the selected structural characteristics like anion dimensionality, residual charge per one polyhedron (BO3 BO4), cationic size, and structural com-plexity. For the first time these dependencies were established as an average for both types of polyhedra (triangle and tetrahedron) occurring in the same structure at the same time. The most common trends were identified for : (i) Melting temperature decreases as the dimensionality of the borate polyanion, and more precisely, as the residual charge per one polyhedron (triangle or tetrahedron) decreases; (ii) volumetric expansion decreases while the degree of anisotropy in-creases weakly when the residual charge decreases; (iii)both trends (i) and (ii) are most steady within borates built by the triangles only, while the borates built by both triangles and tetrahedra show a larger scatter in values.

The partial discharge (PD) event in high voltage insulation releases energy, exerts mechanical pressure, and generates elastic waves. Detecting and locating these PD events through short-duration acoustic pulses is well-established, particularly in gas-insulated systems and oil-insulated transformers. However, its full potential remains untapped in solid insulation systems, where the propagation capability of acoustic pulse and the acoustic reflections pose fundamental challenges to the Acoustic Emission (AE) detection technique. This study investigates the influence of reflections and multiple paths on the propagating acoustic pulse in polymeric insulating materials using a finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL. It was observed that the reflections from the boundary influence the propagating pulse's shape, peak magnitude, and arrival time. An analytical MATLAB model further quantifies the impact of multiple propagation paths on the shape, magnitude, and arrival time of the pulse travelling in a cylinder. Additionally, a Perfect Matched Layer (PML) was implemented in the COMSOL model to eliminate reflections from the boundary, and it revealed that the acoustic pulse magnitude decreases with distance following the inverse square law. In essence, the models aid in measuring how reflections contribute to the observed signals, facilitating the precise identification of the source of the PD event in the tested system.

Food and Agricultural Organisation estimates from 2014 suggest 64% of the high seas migratory stocks are either overfished or undergoing overfishing. Illegal fishing exacerbates the damage to marine ecosystems, human rights, and food security, and is yet to be included in the recent United Nations (UN) draft agreement to protect high seas biodiversity. We used catch data from the Sea Around Us Project to determine trends in fishing gear use and the catches of countries fishing in the high seas. Using Two-way ANOVA, Principal Coordinates Analysis, and SIMPER Test, we found that Spain, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, and Ecuador had the highest catches in 2004-2014. Each decade, only 1 in 10 countries (10.8%) caught over 500,000 tonnes, leaving the remaining 90% of countries catching less than 500,000 tonnes. Further analysis showed the mean high seas catch per fishery decreased 55% between the 2000s and the 2010s. Purse seine and longline were increasingly used towards the 2010s. Catch from purse seine and longline accounted for 70.5% and 78.4% of total high seas catch in 1950-2014 and 2004-2014, respectively. Discards were unreported throughout 1950-2014, and the reporting levels of landings varied greatly between countries and gears. We call for immediate action and recommend (1) including international, overarching high seas governance to end illegal and unsustainable fishing in the high seas in the UN draft agreement, and (2) using large mobile marine protected areas in high seas fisheries management through the UN draft agreement.

This research focuses on the Hopf bifurcation occurring at a singular point with high-order degeneracy in a class of three-dimensional systems. Based on center manifold theorem, by expanding the technique for determining singular point values of degenerate singularities in two-dimensional systems, the formal series method to determine the singular point values at the high-order degenerate critical point is discussed. Furthermore, a class of specific three-dimensional differential systems with high-order degenerate singularities is explored. By computing the singular point values and determining center conditions, we proved that a minimum of 5 small-amplitude limit cycles in the vicinity of the origin. This research provides new perspectives on the center problem and limit cycle bifurcation in high-dimensional systems with high-order degenerate singular points.

Succinate is proposed to be a mediator of muscle exercise-induced adaptations. We studied metabolic health and changes of muscle mass in 6-month-old male mice after 12 weeks of feeding regular diet (RD, 13.4 kcal% fat, 66.8 kcal% carbohydrate, 29.8 kcal% protein), high fat diet (HFD, 60 kcal% fat, 20 kcal% carbohydrates, 20 kcal% protein) and ketogenic diet (KD, 80 kcal% fat, &lt;1 kcal% carbohydrates, 20 kcal% protein) with or without 2% succinate supplements (SUS) in drinking water (n=8-12 per group). Functional overloading of the plantaris muscle (PL) was induced in a group of mice by denervation of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles at week 6 of feeding different diets. HFD induced the greatest (p &lt; 0.001) increase in body and fat mass. HFD and KD lead to significant (p &lt; 0.01) impairment in glucose tolerance compared to RD. SUS blunted (p &lt; 0.01) initial surge in energy intake when mice were switched from RD to HFD, but did not influence any measures of metabolic health after 12 weeks of the study. Functional overloading lead to ~25% increase in PL mass which was not affected by diet or SUS. In conclusion, SUS does not have a long-term effect on metabolic health or muscle mass.

In the context of rapid urbanization, the spatiotemporal patterns of socio-economic exposed to high seismic hazard in large cities lacks quantitative assessment, thus, it is difficult to understand the evolution of earthquake catastrophe risk there. In this paper, exposure change rate, and absolute and relatively exposure indices were proposed to quantitatively study the changes of spatiotemporal exposure to high seismic hazard in urban areas of large cities (i.e., permanent residents in urban areas more than 1 million) in Chinese mainland, using a set of multi-temporal population, GDP, and built-up datasets and a seismic hazard zoning map. The results show that, 64 out of 78 large cities are entirely or partially located in high seismically hazardous zones. Although the urban areas of large cities in high seismically hazardous zones (HSHUAs) cover only 1.73% (167177 km²) of mainland China, their share of population, GDP, and built-up land amounted to 18.14%, 30.24% and 24.55%, respectively, in 2015. Unprecedented urbanization has led to a dramatic exposure growth in HSHUAs between 1990 and 2015. The population, GDP, and built-up land in HSHUAs increased by 110 million people (with an average annual growth rate of 2.37%), 273.71 trillion USD(average annual growth rate of 11.15%), and 10593 km2 (average annual growth rate of 2.02%), respectively. HSHUAs experienced much faster population and GDP growth than the whole country, while relatively slower growth in built-up land. Exposure growth in HSHUAs also was varied for different types of large cities. Megacities had a higher proportion of increased GDP and population in HSHUAs, induced by industry and population agglomeration. Whereas, Type II large cities had a higher proportion of increased built-up land in HSHUAs, driven mainly by urban sprawl. Our analysis indicates that, for large cities under rapid urbanization, it is an urgent need to strengthen resilient urban planning, renewal and construction.

This study aimed to identify miRNA editing sites during adipose tissue development in Ningxiang pigs and analyze their characteristics and functions. Based on the small RNA-seq data from subcutaneous adipose tissue samples of Ningxiang pigs at four stages (30, 90, 150 and 210 days), we constructed a developmental atlas of the miRNA editome in adipose tissue of Ningxiang pigs. The characteristics and functions of this editome were further explored through bioinformatics analysis. The findings revealed that a total of 505 miRNA editing sites were identified with C-to-U editing types being the most prevalent, followed by U-to-C, A-to-G and G-to-U. Importantly, these four types of miRNA editing exhibited a base preference. The number of editing sites showed obvious differences among age groups, with the highest occurrence of miRNA editing events observed at 90 days of age and the lowest at 150 days of age. In the miRNA seed region, a total of 9 miRNA editing sites were identified with significant differences in editing levels (P &lt; 0.05), and located in ssc-miR-23a, ssc-miR-27a, ssc-miR-30b-5p, ssc-miR-15a, ssc-miR-497, ssc-miR-15b, and ssc-miR-425-5p, respectively. Target gene prediction and enrichment analysis revealed that the editing of miR-497 may potentially regulate fat deposition by inhibiting adipose synthesis via influencing target binding. These results provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of pig fat deposition.

Energy distance is used to eigenvalue distributions in this new Wishart distribution study, providing a new perspective on high-dimensional data. Multivariate statistics relies on Wishart distribution to explain covariance matrices. This analysis shows how degrees of freedom and covariance matrix configurations affect eigenvalue dispersion. We use energy distance based on eigenvalue distributions to assess Wishart distribution differences without the "curse of dimensionality" via extensive simulation simulations. This approach improves measurement accuracy and processing efficiency in distribution comparisons and enables new analytical pathways in scientific fields that need data covariance comprehension. Our results show that degrees of freedom and matrix structure considerably affect energy distances, expanding the theoretical framework and practical applications of statistical models.

A novel process design for damage-free and highly accurate positional integration of an optical multi-axial force sensor into a hollow tube by means of rotary swaging is introduced. Numerical simulations reveal relevant process phenomena of thin disc joining inside a pre-toothed hollow tube and help to find an optimal process design. Experimental trials show a significant effect of axial material flow and the number of tools in a rotary swaging process. By taking these effects into account, a successful form- and force-fit joining of the sensor carrying discs into the tube can be achieved. A successful joining of an optical sensor for bending forces and torque measurement shows hysteresis-free sensory behavior and thus backlash-free joining of the sensor carrier discs. The paper finishes with presenting an approach for closed-loop position controlling during the joining process and numerically investigation of the process design.

Oral cancer represents a significant global public health challenge, contributing substantially to cancer incidence and mortality. Despite established risk factors such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption, early detection remains crucial for effective treatment. This study introduces a novel approach using a transistor-based biosensor system for detecting the P90 (CIP2A) protein. We have tested the presence of CIP2A in human leukoplakia samples that can rise into oral squamous cell carcinoma. The method employs commercially available glucose test strips functionalized with P90 antibodies, providing high sensitivity and a low limit of detection, which is five orders lower than commercial ELISA kits. A specially designed printed circuit board (PCB) facilitates accurate measurements, and the device's performance is optimized through characteristic tests. Human sample testing validates the biosensor's effectiveness in distinguishing samples after cell lysis. This study contributes to advancing accurate and cost-effective diagnostic approaches for oral pre-cancer and cancer tissues.

A novel nano-laminated GdB2C2 material was successfully synthesized using GdH2, B4C, and C via an in-situ solid state reaction approach for the first time. The formation mechanism of GdB2C2 was revealed based on the microstructure and phase evolution investigation. A purity of 96.4 wt. % GdB2C2 was obtained at a low temperature of 1500 ℃, while a near full pure GdB2C2 can be obtained at a temperature over 1700 ℃. The as-obtained GdB2C2 presented excellent thermal stability at high temperature of 2100 ℃ in Ar atmosphere due to the stable frame work formed by the high covalent four-members and eight-members B-C rings in GdB2C2. The minimum reflection loss value (RLmin) of -47.01 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 1.76 GHz at a thickness of 3.44 mm was obtained for the GdB2C2 synthesized at 1500 ℃. The possible EMWA mechanism could be ascribed to the nano-laminated structure and appropriate electrical conductivity, which facilitated to the good impedance matching, remarkable conduction loss, interfacial polarization as well as multiple interface reflection and scattering. The as-obtained GdB2C2, with excellent EMWA performance as well as remarkable ultra-high temperature thermal stability, could be a promising candidate for the EMWA materials applications in extreme ultra-high temperatures.

The extensive metabolic diversity of microalgae, coupled with their rapid growth rates and cost-effective production, position these organisms as highly promising resources for a wide range of biotechnological applications. These characteristics allow microalgae to address crucial needs in both the agricultural, medical, and industrial sectors. Microalgae are proving to be val-uable in various fields, including the remediation of diverse wastewater types, the production of biofuels and biofertilizers, and the extraction of various products from their biomass. For decades, the microalga Chlamydomonas has been widely used as a fundamental research model organism in various areas such as photosynthesis, respiration, sulfur and phosphorus metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and flagella synthesis, among others. However, in recent years, the potential of Chlamydomonas as a biotechnological tool for bioremediation, biofertilization, biomass, and bio-products production has been increasingly recognized. Bioremediation of wastewater using Chlamydomonas presents significant potential for sustainable reduction of contaminants and fa-cilitates resource recovery and valorization of microalgal biomass, offering important economic benefits. Chlamydomonas has also established itself as a platform for the production of a wide va-riety of biotechnologically interesting products, such as different types of biofuels, and high-value-added products. The aim of this review is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the potential of Chlamydomonas in these aspects, and to explore their interrelationship, which would offer significant environmental and biotechnological advantages.

Students have historically fared poorly on the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) mathematics exam. This study investigated senior high school students’ difficulties with studying Geometry in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Central Region, Ghana. Using the descriptive survey design, data were collected from 300 Senior High School Two (SHS 2) students using simple random sampling. Students responded to the questionnaire and a 30-item multiple-choice achievement test on geometry. Four geometry concepts students perceived difficult to study are Circle theorems, Perpendicularity of Tangent and radius of a circle, Angle between Tangent and a chord and Tangents from an external point. The reasons for the difficulty in studying geometry topics are the unavailability of instructional materials, the geometry topics being complex, and teachers not teaching geometry concepts to the students’ understanding. Students’ gender did not influence the learning of concepts in geometry at a 0.05 level of significance. There was an insignificantly weak positive correlation between the students’ performance and their perceived difficult geometry concepts. It was concluded that the Ministry of Education does not provide relevant instructional materials to the various schools to teach geometry concepts. Schools do not organise workshops and seminars for teachers on effectively teaching geometry concepts in mathematics.

The wide metabolic diversity of microalgae, their fast growth rates, and cost-effective production make these organisms highly promising resources for a variety of biotechnological applications, addressing critical needs in industry, agriculture, and medicine. The utilization of microalgae in consortia with bacteria is proving to be valuable in different biotechnological fields, including treating various types of wastewaters, producing biofertilizers, and extracting various products from their biomass. Monoculture of the microalgae Chlamydomonas has been a prominent research model for many years, extensively utilized in studying photosynthesis, sulfur and phosphorus metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, respiration, and flagella synthesis, among others. Recent re-search has increasingly recognized the potential of Chlamydomonas-bacteria consortia as a bio-technological tool for various applications. Bioremediation of wastewater using Chlamydomonas, and its bacterial consortia presents significant potential for the sustainable reduction of contam-inants, while also facilitating resource recovery and valorization of microalgal biomass. Using Chlamydomonas and its bacterial consortia as biofertilizers can offers several benefits, such as en-hancing crop yield, protecting crops, maintaining soil fertility and stability, aiding in CO2 miti-gation, and contributing to sustainable agriculture practices. Chlamydomonas-bacterial consortia play a significant role in the production of high-value products, particularly in biofuel and en-hancing H2 production. This review aims to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the po-tential of Chlamydomonas monoculture and its bacterial consortia, identifying current applications, and proposing new research and development directions to maximize its potential.

The intelligent elderly care model places new demands on the skills of aging caregivers. The identification and development of forward-thinking, high-potential nursing talent is essential for advancing the intelligent elderly care sector. Multi-benchmarking selection and competitive analysis is used to evaluate and identify nursing personnel in the rehabilitation treatment center of a hospital in Hefei City. Using proxy evaluation and democratic evaluation model, three types of benchmarks such as single item benchmark, individual benchmark and group benchmark were identified and selected, and the professional nursing team was constructed based on the evaluation results. Different from the traditional other-directed evaluation, multi-benchmarking selection and competitive analysis is self-directed evaluation, this method is more conducive to the identification of high-potential and digital nursing talents by intelligent elderly service organizations, and facilitates the formation of professional nursing teams with complementary strengths and cross-fertilization, so as to satisfy the diversified and multi-level needs of the elderly for intelligent elderly services.

CO2 geological sequestration in coal seams can achieve the dual objectives of CO2 emission reduction and enhanced coalbed methane production, making it a highly promising carbon capture and storage technology. However, the injection of CO2 into coal reservoirs in the form of supercritical fluid (ScCO2) leads to complex physicochemical reactions with the coal seam, altering the properties of the coal reservoir and impacting the effectiveness of CO2 sequestration and methane production enhancement.In this paper, theoretical calculations based on ReaxFF-MD were conducted to study the interaction mechanism between ScCO2 and the macromolecular structure of both low-rank and high-rank coal, to address the limitations of experimental methods. The reaction of ScCO2 with low-rank coal and high-rank coal exhibits significant differences. At swelling stage, the low-rank coal experiences a decrease in aromatic structure and aliphatic structure, high-rank coal shows an increase in aromatic structure and a decrease in aliphatic structure, while swelling phenomenon is more pronounced in high-rank coal. At dissolution stage, low-rank coal is initially decomposed into two secondary molecular fragments, and then recombine to form new molecular structure, the aromatic structure increased and the aliphatic structure decreased. In contrast, high-rank coal occurs stretches-breakage-movement-reconnection, a reduction in aromatic structure and an increase in aliphatic structure.The primary reasons for these variations lie in distinct molecular structure compositions and the properties of ScCO2, leading to different reaction pathways of functional group and aromatic structure. The reaction pathways of functional groups and aromatic structures in coal can be summarized as follows: the breakage of the O-H bond in hydroxyl groups, the breakage of the C-OH bond in carboxyl groups, transformation of aliphatic structures into smaller hydrocarbon compounds or formation of long-chain alkenes, and various pathways involving broken, rearrangement, recombination of aromatic structures. In low-rank coal, there is a higher abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures. The breakage of O-H and C-OH chemical bonds results in the formation of free radical ions, while some aliphatic structures detach to produce hydrocarbons. Additionally, some of these aliphatic structures combine with carbonyl groups and free radical ions to generate new aromatic structures. Conversely, in high-rank coal, the lower content of oxygen-containing functional groups and aliphatic structures, along with stronger intramolecular forces, results in fewer chemical bond breakages and makes it less conducive to the formation of new aromatic structures.These results elucidate the specific deformations of different chemical groups, offering a molecular-level understanding of the interaction between CO2 and coal.

Nanoporous materials, such as Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), are renowned for their high selectivity as gas adsorbents due to their specific surface area, nanoporosity, and active surface chemistry. A significant challenge for their widespread application is their behavior and reduced gas uptake in wet conditions, attributed to competitive adsorption between gas and water. The current understanding of gas adsorption in wet materials is constrained by studies that utilize only small amounts of powdered porous materials (in the milligram range) within very small reactors (1-5 mL). This leaves a significant gap in knowledge about gas adsorption behaviors in larger reactors and when MOF sample sizes are increased (to the gram scale) for scaling up the process. Additionally, there is a notable dearth of experimental research in situations where MOFs are heavily saturated with water. To address these gaps, this study measures CH4 adsorption in MOFs under conditions of high moisture content, using larger samples of MOFs (in grams) and a large volume reactor. We selected commercially available MOFs, including HKUST-1, ZIF-8, MOF-303, and activated carbon. A high-pressure isotherms (at T = 274.15 K) using volumetric approach were measured to qualitatively compare the moles of gas adsorbed under both dry and wet conditions across different MOFs and weights. Experimental results show that the presence of water led to a decrease in total CH4 mmol adsorption in MOFs, with a more significant decrease observed in hydrophilic MOFs compared to hydrophobic ones. For hydrophilic MOFs, presence of crossover isotherms at crossover pressure provided evidence of water's conversion to hydrate and its positive role in enhancing total gas uptake, which varied among different hydrophilic MOFs. Oversaturated MOFs showed a larger deviation between dry and wet cases at higher pressures. The high-pressure isotherm data confirm the positive role of hydrophilic MOFs in the conversion of water to hydrate in oversaturated MOFs when MOFs sample size is large.

China's economic development has shifted from high speed to high quality. This study constructs an evaluation index for China’s high-quality development utilizing a new development concept. The entropy method and cluster analysis were used to assess the level of high-quality development in China between 2015 and 2021. Kernel density estimation method was employed to explore spatiotemporal dynamics. The results reveal significant differences in the level of economic development among provinces in China; the eastern region is significantly better than the central, northeastern, and western regions. From the perspective of the sub-item evaluation, challenges with uneven, uncoordinated, and insufficient economic development exist in various Chinese provinces.

Semantic segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing images provides detailed and precise feature information, playing a pivotal role in decision-making and analysis in sectors such as water management, agriculture, military, and environmental protection. However, most methods merely combine features from various branches directly, without a mechanism for spatial location feature screening, and treat all extracted features as equally important. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a novel spatially adaptive interaction network (SAINet) for dynamic interaction across different features in remote sensing semantic segmentation task. Specifically, we propose a spatial refined module that leverages local context information to filter spatial locations and extract salient regions. Following this, we introduce an innovative spatial interaction module that uses a spatial adaptive modulation mechanism to dynamically select and allocate spatial position weights. This facilitates interaction between local salient areas and global information, allowing the network to focus more on relevant regions. This flexible approach enables the network to capture more informative features, thereby enhancing segmentation accuracy. Experiments conducted on the DeepGlobe, Vaihingen, and Potsdam public datasets confirm the effectiveness and capability of SAINet. Our code and models will be publicly available

The challenge of missing data in scientific research prompts researchers to decide between imputing incomplete data or discarding observations, where discarding can lead to information loss. Various methods exist, from simple deletion to sophisticated approaches like Multiple Imputation (MI). However, these methods often fall short with high-dimensional datasets. Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and Random Forest (RF) proximity imputation offer promising alternatives. Therefore, in this paper, we propose integrating MICE with Bayesian random forest (BRF) to enhance imputation accuracy and predictive power, particularly in high-dimensional analyses. Our approach combines MICE’s efficiency with BRF’s robustness, offering a comprehensive solution to missing data challenges. By way of example, we provide empirical evaluations to validate its effectiveness using synthetic data of various missing data scenarios. The results from the simulations showed that the combination of BRF and MICE offered a promising strategy for high-dimensional analysis in the presence of missing data.

The structural, elastic, and electronic properties of orthorhombic Cd2SiO4 and Hg2GeO4 were examined under varying pressure conditions using first-principles calculations based on densi-ty-functional theory employing the projector augmented wave method. The obtained cell pa-rameters at 0 GPa were found to align well with existing experimental data. We delved into the pressure-dependence of normalized lattice parameters and elastic constants. In Cd2SiO4, all lat-tice constants decreased as pressure increased, whereas in Hg2GeO4, parameters a and b de-creased while parameter c increased under pressure. Employing the Hill average method, we calculated the elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratio up to 10 GPa, noting an increase with pressure. Evaluation of ductility/brittleness under pressure indicated both compounds remained ductile throughout. We also estimated elastic anisotropy and Debye temperature under varying pres-sures. Cd2SiO4 and Hg2GeO4 were identified as indirect band gap insulators, with estimated band gaps of 3.34 eV and 2.09 eV, respectively. Interestingly, Cd2SiO4 exhibited a significant increase in band gap with increasing pressure, whereas the band gap of Hg2GeO4 decreased under pres-sure, revealing distinct structural and electronic responses despite their similar structures.

The present work investigates primarily the morphology evolution of the body-centered-cubic (BCC)/B2 phases in AlxNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with increasing Al content, which has been neglected so far. There exist two types of microscopic morphologies of BCC and B2 phases in this HEA series: one is the weave-like morphology induced by the spinodal decomposition, and the other is the microstructure of a spherical disordered BCC precipitation on the ordered B2 matrix that appears in HEAs with a much higher Al content. The shape of coherent precipitates is found to be closely related to the lattice misfit between BCC and B2 phases, which is sensitive to Al. The mechanical properties, including the compressive yielding strength and microhardness of the AlxNiCoFeCr HEAs, are also discussed in light of the concept of the valence electron concentration (VEC).

Coastal environments are complex systems that are influenced by a combination of natural processes and human activities. Scientific interest in the effects of coastal erosion/accretion and climatic change-related processes greatly increased in recent decades due to the growing human development along coastal areas. This paper investigates the state and evolution of beach-dune systems for the 1977-2001 and 2001-2019 periods of the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia (Spain) using two different proxies: the dune toe line, which was used to track foredunes evolution, and the high-water line, which was used to assess shoreline evolution. Results showed a general erosional behavior of the studied beach-dune systems and identified cases where the main trend was altered through human interventions. In the 1977-2001 period, 54% of foredunes showed erosion, 24% accretion and 22% stability while and 34% of shorelines showed erosion, 40% accretion and 34% stability. In the 2001-2019 period, 42% of foredunes showed erosion, 28% accretion and 30% stability, and 40% of shorelines showed erosion, 34% accretion and 26% stability. Combining the evolution classes of each proxy (dune toe/shoreline) allows the behavior of both shoreline proxies to be assed together and provides insights additional to those derive from the use of a single proxy. In this regard, Erosion/Erosion (EE) was the most frequent behavior, with 25% and 27% in the first and second periods respectively, and Accretion/Accretion (AA), with 17% in both periods. Erosion of foredunes combined with stability or accretion of the shoreline (ES and EA) were the most common pairings in the first period, while stability of dunes combined with accretion of the shoreline (SA) and Stability/Stability (SS) dominated in the second period. The results obtained provide additional insights on the nature and drivers of coastal change that aid local coastal managers and administrations in understanding erosion processes. The method can be applied at other areas around the world where a similar data base is available.

Utilizing deep learning for semantic segmentation of cropland from remote sensing imagery has become a crucial technique in land surveys. Cropland illustrates diverse morphologies and degrees of fragmentation on the Earth’s surface, underscoring the importance of accurately perceiving the complex boundaries of cropland which are crucial for effective segmentation. This paper introduces a UNet-like boundary-aware compensation model BAFormer. Cropland boundaries typically exhibit rapid transformations in pixel values and texture features, often appearing as high-frequency features in remote-sensing images. To enhance the recognition of these high-frequency features as represented by cropland boundaries, the proposed BAFormer integrates a Feature Adaptive Mixer (FAM) and develops a Deep Wide Large Kernel Multi-Layer Perceptron (DWLK-MLP) to enrich the global and local cropland boundaries features separately. Specifically, FAM adaptively mixes high-frequency and low-frequency features through the advantages of convolution and self-attention; DWLK-MLP expands the convolutional receptive field by deeply decomposing large kernel convolutions. The efficacy of BAFormer has been evaluated on the Vaihingen, Potsdam, and LoveDA public datasets, as well as the Mapcup dataset. It has demonstrated advanced performance, achieving mIoU scores of 84.5%, 87.3%, 53.5%, and 83.1% on these datasets respectively. Notably, BAFormer-T, the lightweight iteration of the model, surpasses other lightweight models on the Vaihingen dataset with scores of 91.3% F1 and 84.1% mIoU. The source code is available at https://github.com/WangYouM1999/BAFormer.

In the process of oil and gas development and production, when the flow rate in the wellbore is large, the materials underground will be eroded, causing the operation to be unable to proceed smoothly and reducing the efficiency of oil and gas production. Therefore, optimizing the anti-erosion coating under high-speed flow conditions in wellbore is a very interesting thing. It can greatly improve operational efficiency. In this paper, laser cladding was used to prepare the new coating used in the PDC drill bit. Then, the effects of tungsten carbide and multi-layer graphene on the microstructure and properties of the tungsten carbide coating were studied. The research results indicate that, for new coatings, 60% tungsten carbide and 0.3% graphene are the optimal ratios. After adding WC, the hardness has significantly improved. However, when the WC content further increases more than 30%, the increase in hardness is relatively small. In addition, when the content of graphene is more than 0.3%, the branched structure became thicker, and not only the segregation of Cr, Si and W became very obvious again, but also the segregation of Fe occurred at the Ni enrichment site. The research results contribute to improving oil and gas production and operational efficiency under high-speed fluid flow conditions in the wellbore.

Background: Early postoperative airway management after laryngo-tracheal surgery is crucial. Acute respiratory failure due to glottis’ oedema may occur, requiring reintubation. This can prolong ventilatory assistance, jeopardizing the anastomosis. To date, only judicious steroid administration and fluid management are available to avoid more invasive procedures. High-Flow-Oxygen-Therapy(HFOT) is a noninvasive O2 support method providing humidification, warmed air, Positive-End-Expiratory-Pressure(AIRVO2). No data exist about HFOT use to prevent early complications after laryngo-tracheal surgery. Methods: Between Sept.2020-Sept.2022, 107 consecutive patients underwent laryngo-tracheal surgery received HFOT(Group A). Data and long-term results were compared with those of 80 patients operated between Sept.2018-Aug.2020(Group B), when HFOT was not available. All patients were operated in a single center. No pre- or post-operative settings changed, except for HFOT introduction. We analyzed and compared the risk for “delayed” reintubation (unexpected reintubation within the first 24-48 hours after extubating/laryngeal mask removal) in the two groups. Results: No patients reported HFOT-related adverse events. Control group(B) presented “delayed” reintubation in 37% (p= 0.027), Intensive Care Unit admission in 67%(p=0.005) and longer hospital stay(p=0.001) compared to HFOT group(A). Minor complications rate was 3% in both group and overall mortality was 0%. Re-stenosis was described in 4.6% of HFOT group, without a statistically significant difference (p=0.7006). Conclusions: Our study is the first to investigate HFOT use in patients undergoing laryngo-tracheal surgery, potentially representing a consistent innovation in the peri-operative management of these patients. With the limit of a retrospective series, we would suggest HFOT use for preventing post-operative reintubation rate, possibly reducing ICU admission and hospital stay.

For 80 years high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been a significant area for medical research. It is a non-invasive procedure which causes cell death in a highly localised area at a defined distance from the transducer. Since 2000, the clinical indications have broadened considerable as the technology has improved. This review looks back at the history of HIFU and the current clinical indications.

Studies on the possible association between bacteria and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain inconclusive, largely due to methodological variations/limitations. The objective of this study was to characterize the species composition as well as functional attributes of the bacteriome associated with OSCC. DNA obtained from 20 fresh OSCC biopsies (cases) and 20 deep-epithelium swabs (matched control subjects) were sequenced for the V1-V3 region using Illumina’s 2x300 bp chemistry. High quality, non-chimeric merged reads were classified to species level using a prioritized BLASTN-algorithm. Downstream analyses were performed using QIIME, PICRUSt, and LEfSe. Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. polymorphum was the most significantly overrepresented species in the tumors followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Campylobacter sp. Oral taxon 44, while Streptococcus mitis, Rothia mucilaginosa and Haemophilus parainfluenzae were the most significantly abundant in the controls. Functionally, genes involved in bacterial mobility, flagellar assembly, bacterial chemotaxis and LPS synthesis were enriched in the tumors while those responsible for DNA repair and combination, purine metabolism, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, ribosome biogenesis and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were significantly associated with the controls. This is the first epidemiological evidence for association of F. nucleatum and P. aeruginosa with OSCC. Functionally, an “inflammatory bacteriome” is enriched in OSSC.

Hydrogen is now recognized as the primary alternative to fossil fuels due to its renewable, safe, high energy density and environmentally friendly properties. Efficient hydrogen production through water splitting has laid the foundation for sustainable energy technologies. However, when hydrogen production is scaled up to industrial levels, operating at high current densities introduces unique challenges. It is necessary to design advanced electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under high current densities. This review will briefly introduce chal-lenges posed by high current densities on electrocatalyst, including catalystic activity, mass dif-fusion and catalyst stability. In an attempt to address these issues, various electrocatalyst design strategies are summarized in detail. In the end, our insights into future challenges for efficient large-scale industrial hydrogen production from water splitting are presented. This review is expected to guide the rational design of efficient high current density water electrolysis electro-catalysts and promote the research progress of sustainable energy.

High entropy alloys have excellent wear resistance, so they have great application prospects in the fields of wear resistance and surface protection. In this study, the wear resistance of FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy coating was systematically analyzed by molecular dynamics method. FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy was used as a coating material to adhere to the surface of Cu matrix. The friction and nano indentation simulation of this coating material were carried out by controlling the ambient temperature. The influence of temperature on its friction properties was analyzed from five aspects: lattice structure, dislocation evolution, friction coefficient, hardness and elastic modulus. The results show that with the increase of temperature, the disorder of the lattice structure increases, which leads to the increase of the tangential force and the friction coefficient in the friction process. At 300K and 600K, the ordered lattice structure of the high entropy alloy coating material is basically the same, and thus their hardness is basically the same. However, the dislocation density at 600K is significantly reduced compared with that at 300K, resulting in the increase of the elastic modulus of the material from 173GPa to 219GPa. At the temperatures of 900K and 1200k, lattice disorder take place rapidly, and dislocation density also decreases significantly, resulting in a significant decrease in the hardness and elastic modulus of the material. When the temperature reaches 900K, the wear resistance of the FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy coating decreases sharply. This work is of great value to the analysis of wear resistance of high entropy alloy at high temperature.

The preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) involves a variety of chemical and physical methods. These methods use toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals. Consequently, the synthesis of AuNPs using green chemistry has been under investigation to develop eco-friendly nanoparticles. One method to achieve this is the use of plant-derived phytochemicals capable of reducing gold ions to produce AuNPs. The aim of this study was to implement a facile microtitre-plate method to screen a large number of aqueous plant extracts to determine the optimum concentration (OC) to bio-synthesize the AuNPs. Several AuNPs of different sizes and shapes were successfully synthesized and characterized from seventeen South African plants. The characterization was done using Ultra Violet-Visible Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. We also studied the effects of temperature on the synthesis of the nanoparticles and measured its effect on the particle size of the synthesized AuNPs and the data showed that changes in temperatures affect the size and dispersity of the generated AuNPs. Further, some of the synthesized AuNPs were stable upon incubation with different biological solutions in vitro.

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b continues to have a substantial impact on wildlife, globally. A recent study has described the putative detection of HPAI in clinically healthy penguins, and those which were fitted with satellite tags reportedly engaged in apparently normal foraging behaviour in the months following sample collection. Herein we investigate the diagnostic approach utilised, and reveal that while the authors likely did detect subtype H5 influenza A virus, the most parsimonious conclusion is that they detected low pathogenicity H5 rather than HPAI H5N1. In response, we have provided an overview key considerations when selecting a diagnostic and outline published diagnostic assays that should be considered for future studies.

In order to further control the equivalent circulating density,a new type of annular pres-sure-reducing downhole tool for high temperature and high pressure wells-liquid-absorbing ECD tool is designed.Through this tool,the bottom hole pressure of the equivalent circulating drilling fluid can be close to its hydrostatic pres-sure,therebyachieving a deeper drilling depth.The tool is mainly composed of screw mo-tor,vortex blade,annular seal,universal joint and drill string.Its working principle is mainly to use the liquid absorption effect of the tool and the hydraulic energy of the circu-lating fluid extracted by the screw motor to convert it into mechanical energy,and to gen-erate suction force to improve the flow energy of the drilling fluid in the bottom hole an-nulusand reduce the equivalent circulation density.Based on ANSYS-FLUENT analysis andsimulation,the change of pressure drop characteristics under different drilling fluid density,displacement and tool size was simulated.The simulation results show that thedepressurization effect is 1.0MPa when the drilling fluid density is 1.2g/cm3. When the drilling fluid density is 1.5g/cm3,the depressurization is about 1.7MPa,and when thedrill-ing fluid density is 1.8g/cm3,the depressurization is about 1.9MPa.When the drilling fluid density is 2.0g/cm3,the pressure drop is about 2.3MPa.When the flow rate is from 1500-2500L/min,the maximum pressure can be reduced by 2.3MPa.When the viscosity is 40mPa•S and 60mPa•S,the pressure drop almost does not change.The increase of viscosi-ty has little effect on the pressure drop,and it is mainly affected by the flow rate under equal displacement.

Since the implementation of the Materials Genome Project by the Obama administration in the United States, the development of various computational materials databases has fundamentally expanded the choices of industries such as materials and energy. In the field of thermoelectric materials, the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT quantifies the performance of the material. From the viewpoint of calculations for vast materials, the ZT values are not easily obtained due to their computational complexity. Here, we show how to build a database of thermoelectric materials based on first-principles calculations for the electronic and heat transport of materials. Firstly, the initial structures are classified according to the values of bandgap and other basic properties using the clustering algorithm K-means in machine learning, and high-throughput first principles calculations are carried out for narrow-bandgap semiconductors which exhibiting potential thermoelectric application. The present framework of calculations mainly includes deformation potential module, electrical transport performance module, mechanical and thermodynamic properties module. We have also set up a search webpage for the calculated database of thermoelectric materials, providing searching and viewing the related physical properties of materials. Our work may inspire the construction of more computational databases of first-principle thermoelectric materials and accelerate research progress in the field of thermoelectrics.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to rise globally, posing significant health challenges and burdens. This metabolic disorder, characterized by elevated blood glucose levels, contributes to various complications including cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, and stroke. While conventional diabetic drugs exist, they often come with adverse side effects, necessitating the exploration of safer and more cost-effective alternatives, particularly from natural sources like medicinal plants. This study investigates the potential of Neocarya macrophylla (Nm) Ethyl acetate leaf fraction in managing DM. Utilizing a high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model, the study explores several key aspects including effective dose determination, biological activity, impact on body mass index (BMI), and complete blood count. Statistical analysis was conducted using GraphPad Prism version 9.1. The determination of the minimum effective dose reveals that 120mg/kg of Ethyl acetate fraction of Nm reduced the blood glucose by 28.9% after 4 hours. In addition, ethyl acetate fraction (120 mg/kg) possessed the most hypoglycemic activity compared to the other fractions of Nm. The Ethyl acetate fraction of Nm at 120mg/kg significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic control(p=0.001) and slightly decreased BMI. Furthermore, the fraction demonstrated significant improvement in the parameters of some of the blood count indices such as red blood cells (p<0.001), total white cells (p<0.01) and platelet (p<0.001) compared to the diabetic control. These findings underscore the potential of Nm as a holistic therapeutic option for managing DM and its haematological complications. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the hypoglycemic potential of Nm Ethyl acetate leaf fraction, offering valuable insights into its effectiveness, safety, and broader physiological impacts. Further research into the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects is warranted to fully harness its therapeutic potential in diabetes management.

As the most serious of the many worse new pathological changes caused by diabetes, there are many risk factors for the occurrence and development of DR. It mainly includes hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and so on. Among them, hyperglycemia is the most critical cause, which plays a key role in the pathological changes of DR.High-sucrose diets(HSDs) lead to elevated blood glucose levels in vivo, which, through oxidative stress, inflammation, the production of AGEs and VEGF, causes plenty of pathological damages to the retina and ultimately bring about loss of vision. The existing therapies for DR primarily target the terminal stage of the disease, when irreversible visual impairment has appeared. Therefore, early prevention is particularly critical. Early prevention of DR-related vision loss requires adjustments to dietary habits, mainly by reducing sugar intake. This article primarily discusses the risk factors, pathophysiological processes, and molecular mechanisms associated with the development of DR caused by HSDs. It aims to raise awareness of the crucial role of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR, promote timely changes in dietary habits, prevent vision loss, and improve the quality of life. The aim is to make people aware of the importance of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR. According to the dietary modification strategies we give, patients can change their poor eating habits timely, avoid the retinopathy that can be avoided theoretically, and obtain a excellent outcome.

CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy coatings were prepared on compacted graphite iron（CGI） through plasma cladding to strength the CGI substrate. The effects of heat treatment temperatures and times on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the CoCrFeNiMn coatings were investigated. After heat treatment, a single FCC phase was remained in the coating as compared to the deposited one, with smaller dendrites, larger dendritic spacing and more Cr-rich compounds precipitated between dendrites. The coatings’ microhardness was increased after heat treatment. After heat treated at 660°C for 90 minutes, the coating had the highest microhardness of 563±6.9 HV0.2, the lowest frictional coefficient of 0.71 and the smallest wear mass loss of 1.12 mg, and it had the best wear resistance.

To facilitate the computation of the uniaxial compressive strength value of the cemented paste backfill under the condition of high sand-cement ratio, and to analyze the size effect of the cemented paste backfill with high sand-cement ratio under varied aspect ratios, the cemented paste backfill specimens with sand-cement ratios of 8:1-24:1 and aspect ratios of 0.5, 1, and 2 were prepared. Through response surface experiments and finite element analysis, the influence of three aspect ratios on the cemented paste backfill strength was explored, and the failure characteristics and size effect mechanisms of cemented paste backfill with various aspect ratios were analyzed. The model of strength conversion between cemented paste backfill with different aspect ratios was established. The results show that the compressive strength of the cemented paste backfill decreases with the increase of the aspect ratio under the same mass concentration and sand-cement ratio. When the aspect ratio is 0.5 and 1, the splitting failure is the main factor; when the aspect ratio is 2, the shearing failure is the main factor. The three-dimensional stress caused by the end effect of the cemented paste backfill is the main reason for the high strength when the aspect ratio is 0.5. Due to the one-dimensional stress zone generated in the middle of the cemented paste backfill with an aspect ratio of 2 in the laboratory, its strength value is closer to the actual uniaxial compressive strength value of the cemented paste backfill. The strength values of the cemented paste backfill with aspect ratios of 0.5 and 1 were higher than the actual uniaxial compressive strength values in the laboratory. The rationality of the theoretical analysis was verified by the ABAQUS analysis results. According to the experimental results, a strength conversion model between different aspect ratios is established, which can provide a reference for the design of the uniaxial compressive strength of the cemented paste backfill.

The development of photocurable compositions is in high demand for the manufacture of func-tional materials for electronics, optics, medicine, energy, etc. The properties of the final pho-to-cured material are primarily determined by the initial mixture, which needs to be tuned for each application. In this study we propose to use simple systems based on di(meth)acrylate, polyimide and photoinitiator for the preparation of new photo-curable compositions. It was es-tablished that a fluorinated cardo copolymide (FCPI) based on 2,2-bis-(3,4-dicarboxydiphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride, 9,9-bis-(4-aminophenyl)fluorene and 2,2-bis-(4-aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane (1.00:0.75:0.25 mol) has excellent solubility in di(met)acrylates. This made it possible to prepare solutions of FCPI in such monomers, to study the effect of FCPI on the kinetics of their photopolymerization in situ and the properties of the resulting polymers. According to the obtained data, the solutions of FCPI (23 wt.%) in 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (BDDA) and FCPI (15 wt.%) in tetraethylene glycol diacrylate were tested for the formation of the primary protective coatings of the silica optical fibers. It was found that the new coating of poly(BDDA–FCPI23%) can withstand prolonged annealing at 200°C (72 h), which is comparable or superior to the known most thermally stable photo-curable coatings. The proposed approach can be applied to obtain other functional materials.

Viral contamination in the aquaculture industry is a significant challenge that requires further research. Emerging evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a role in regulating various biological processes, including immunity. However, most studies have focused on model organisms, and little is known about non-coding RNAs in the immune response to viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) in rainbow trout. In this study, we investigated the listing of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in rainbow trout challenged with VHS virus. We explored their potential role in defense-like responses based on transcriptomic analysis of the virus-treated and control groups. As a result of this research, 4207 lncRNAs were identified, of which 182 lncRNAs were differentially expressed between treated and untreated samples. Among 7753 lncRNA transcripts, 1920 were novel intergenic (class code “u”), and 3748 transcripts were potentially novel isoform of lncRNAs. Gene ontology analysis revealed biological pathways associated with the stress response and immune signaling. Pairs of genes such as TP63-MSTRG.62, IL10-MSTRG.9783, IL10-MSTRG.9784, TK1-MSTRG.22826, and MSTRG.17881-GLI1 showed cis interactions, while DOCK10-MSTRG.30015, MSTRG.36357-LOC101268921, and MSTRG.34190-ENPP2 showed trans interactions. In this study, the role of lncRNAs in regulating the expression of the target genes was clearly identified. This finding is consistent with the regulatory processes of immune system responses mediated by cytokines, as well as the regulation of oxygen levels in response to viral infection. The information presented here highlights the various regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in the expression of immune system genes in fish treated with VHS virus.

The rates of obesity and obesity-related diseases continue to increase worldwide, classifying obesity as a global epidemic. Endogenous opioids have been implicated in influencing feeding behavior; however, the role of each opioid peptide is still only partially characterized. Therefore, we assessed the role of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptide beta-endorphin (β-END) in long-term high-fat diet (HFD) feeding and glucose homeostasis and assessed if sex-related differences exist in these processes. Male and female mice lacking the ability to produce β-END and their respective controls were subjected to a 12-week HFD consumption to determine the role of the opioid peptide in food intake and glucose homeostasis. Body weight and food intake were measured weekly for twelve weeks. At weeks 6 and 12, plasma glucose levels were measured using an oral glucose tolerance test. Here, we report that male β-END deficient mice gained more weight and consumed more calories than their wildtype controls; however, this difference was not observed in the female mice. Regardless of genotype, female mice consumed more calories per body weight when compared to male mice despite their smaller body weights. Moreover, our findings suggest differences in glucose homeostasis between the wildtype and knockout mice and that these were only observed at week six but not at week 12. Overall, our study suggests that endogenous β-END may play a role in controlling body weight, feeding behavior, and glucose homeostasis and that sex-related differences may exist in this regard.

The state detection of power cable is very important to ensure the reliability of power supply. Traditional sensors are mostly based on electric field detection, the operation is complex, and its efficiency needs to be improved. This paper optimizes the design and development of the magnetic field detection sensor for AC power cables. Firstly, through the establishment of the magnetic field sensor model, it is determined that permalloy is the material of the magnetic core, the optimal aspect ratio of the magnetic core is 20, and the ratio of coil length to core length is 0.3. Secondly, the coil simulation model is established, and it is determined that the optimal number of turns of the coil is 11000 turns, the diameter of the enamelled copper wire is 0.08mm, and the equivalent magnetic field noise of the sensor is 0.06pT. Finally, the amplifying circuit based on negative magnetic flux feedback is designed and the sensor is assembled, and the experimental circuit is built for sensitivity test. the results show that the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensor is 327.6mV/μT. The sensor designed in this paper has the advantages of small size, high sensitivity, easy to carry and high reliability.

We introduce a series of twisted donor-acceptor (D-A) carbazole-benzophenone based electroactive bipolar derivatives that were synthesized through the reaction of 4-fluorobenzophenone with various partially alkylated 3,3’-bicarbazoles. The comprehensive structural characterization of these compounds is provided. These amorphous materials exhibit suitable glass transition temperatures ranging from 57 to 102 °C and demonstrate high thermal stability, with decomposition temperatures reaching 400 °C. Moreover, the developed materials exhibit elevated photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) of up to 75.5% and favorable HOMO-LUMO levels, along with suitable triplet-singlet state energy values. Due to their good solubility and suitable film-forming properties, all the compounds were evaluated as blue emitters dispersed in 4,4’-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,10-biphenyl (CBP) host for the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) in concentration dependent experiments. Among these experiments, the device containing 15 wt% of the guest 4-(9’-{2-ethylhexyl}-[3,3’]-bicarbazol-9-yl)benzophenone demonstrated the best characteristics, achieving maximum brightness of 3581 cd/m2, current efficiency of 5.7 cd/A, power efficiency of 4.1 lm/W and external quantum efficiency of 2.7%.

Aerial image classification has become popular and has attracted extensive research efforts in recent decades. The main challenge lies in its very high spatial resolution but relatively insufficient spectral information. To this end, spatial-spectral feature extraction is a popular strategy for classification. However, parameter determination for that feature extraction is usually time-consuming and depends excessively on experience. In this paper, an automatic spatial feature extraction approach based on image raster and segmental vector data cross-analysis is proposed for the classification of very high spatial resolution (VHSR) aerial imagery. First, multi-resolution segmentation is used to generate strongly homogeneous image objects and extract corresponding vectors. Then, to automatically explore the region of a ground target, two rules, which are derived from Tobler’s First Law of Geography (TFL) and a topological relationship of vector data, are integrated to constrain the extension of a region around a central object. Third, the shape and size of the extended region are described. A final classification map is achieved through a supervised classifier using shape, size, and spectral features. Experiments on three real aerial images of VHSR (0.1 to 0.32 m) are done to evaluate effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach. Comparisons to state-of-the-art methods demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method in VHSR image classification.

Overconsumption of an unbalanced diet and overweight, leading to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hepatic steatosis, cardiovascular diseases and obesity, is nowadays a worldwide health issue, with different patterns of metabolic disturbances in the young and adult popula-tions, in both gender. Preclinical models that closely mimic the gradual weight gain that occurs in humans upon consumption of a “western-type” diet (WD) are of great interest. In particular, the diet-induced obesity (DIO) model in the C57BL/6J mouse sub-strain is often used in biomed-ical research, considering that it is prone to metabolic disorders and obesity, and is widely used to generate genetically modified mice. This study aimed to phenotypically characterize the C57BL/6J mouse strain fed a WD-like diet, using high-frequency ultrasound imaging (HFUS) as a complementary tool to longitudinally monitor morphofunctional changes in the liver, heart and kidney associated with DIO. Long term WD feeding increased mice body weight (BW), liver/BW ratio and body condition score (BCS), serum transaminases, glucose and insulin, as well as Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) indexes, and caused dyslipidemia and insulin resistance. According to the 3Rs, ultrasound imaging has enabled a comprehensive study of metabolic syndrome in mice, in vivo and non-invasive, improving the identification of early stages of diseases.

Wafer-scale blue micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) arrays are fabricated with a pixel size of 12 μm, a pixel pitch of 15 μm, and a pixel density of 1692 pixels per inch, achieved by optimizing the properties of e-beam-deposited and sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO). Although the sputter-deposited ITO (S-ITO) films exhibit a densely packed morphology and lower resistivity compared to those of the e-beam-deposited ITO (E-ITO) films, the forward voltage (VF) values of a micro-LED with the S-ITO films are higher than those with the E-ITO films. The VF values for a single pixel and for four pixels with E-ITO films are 2.82 V and 2.83 V, respectively, while the corresponding values for S-ITO films are 3.50 V and 3.52 V. This was attributed to ion bombardment damage and nitrogen vacancies in the p-GaN layer. Surprisingly, the VF variations of a single pixel and of four pixels with the optimized E-ITO spreading layer from five different regions are only 0.09 V and 0.10 V, respectively. This extremely uniform VF variation is suitable for realizing micro-LED displays to be used in AR and VR applications, circumventing the bottleneck in the development of long-lifespan and high-brightness organic LED devices for industrial mass production.

Shape-shifting polymers usually require not only reversible stimuli-responsive ability, but also strong mechanical properties. A novel shape-shifting photochromic hydrogel system was designed and fabricated through embedding hydrophobic spiropyran (SP) into double polymeric network (DN) by micellar copolymerization. Here, sodium alginate (Alg) and poly acrylate-co-methyl acrylate-co-spiropyran (P(SA-co-MA-co-SPMA)) were employed as the first network and the second network respectively to realize high mechanical strength. After soaked in the CaCl2 solution, the carboxyl groups in the system undergo metal complexation with Ca2+ to enhance the hydrogel. Moreover, after the hydrogel is exposed to UV-light, the closed isomer of spiropyran in the hydrogel network can be converted into an open zwitterionic isomer MC, which is considered to interact with Ca2+ ions. Interestingly, Ca2+ and UV-light responsive programmable shape of the copolymer hydrogel can recover to its original form by immersing in pure water. Since its excellent metal ion and UV-light stimuli-responsive and mechanical properties, the hydrogel has potential applications in the field of soft actuators.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by inflammation and cardiovascular complications. Our study aimed to investigate subclinical and early indicators of systolic myocardial dysfunction in SLE patients using advanced echocardiographic methods and biomarkers. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 102 SLE patients without known cardiac impairment and 51 healthy controls. Demographics, disease characteristics, laboratory results, disease activity (SLEDAI) and organ damage (SDI) indices were recorded. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and myocardial work indices were assessed by utilizing speckle tracking echocardiography. In addition, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), high sensitivity troponin (hsTn) and N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were measured in blood samples. Results: In comparison to controls, SLE patients had significantly higher GLS (-19.94±2.71%vs-21.15±1.55%, p&lt;0.001) and global wasted work (GWW) (94±71mmHg%vs71±49 mmHg%, p=0.025). Notably, NT-proBNP and hsTn were threefold and twofold higher in SLE group compared to control group, respectively (p&lt;0.001). Within SLE cohort, patients with at least moderate disease activity (SLEDAI≥4) both biomarkers were significantly elevated than those with low disease activity (SLEDAI&lt;4). Conclusion: Advanced echocardiographic parameters combined with specific biomarkers have a promising role in detecting systolic dysfunction at an early phase in SLE patients, potentially enabling timely interventions to mitigate cardiovascular risk.

In this paper, we first discuss the research status and application progress of the finite element method and the smoothed particle method. By analyzing the advantages of the smoothed particle method and the finite element method, a new coupling algorithm, namely FEM-SPH algorithm, is proposed. By the method of comparison, it shows that finite element method and SPH method in the simulation of large deformation problems each have advantages and disadvantages, the finite element method smoothed particle coupling algorithm is effective to achieve the performance of high computational efficiency and can naturally simulate large deformation problems across. In the process of calculation, the large deformation unit can be freely into an algorithm to facilitate the calculation accuracy and efficiency of three methods of numerical simulation. Through the study found, FEM-SPH algorithm not only overcome the defect of smooth particle tensile instability, but also overcomes the problem of low efficiency of finite element computation. To further test the FEM-SPH algorithm has advantages in the practical engineering, we have carried out the actual test to the example of the super high speed collision, concluded that, since the target of most of the computational domain is always finite element, smoothed particle focused only in contact with the projectile and target of local area, particle number is not much, the whole calculation process just ten minutes, computational efficiency has been greatly improved, at the same time in the simulation of large deformation, the advantage is very obvious .This provides a criterion for the actual project, depending on the specific material deformation mode and choose a more appropriate conversion algorithm.

In the past twenty years, the IT industry has moved away from using physical servers for workload management to workloads consolidated via virtualization and, in the next iteration, further consolidated into containers. In the next step, container workloads based on Docker and Podman as underlying container technologies were orchestrated/automated via Kubernetes or OpenShift. On the other hand, high-performance computing (HPC) environments have been lagging in that process, as there’s still much work to figure out how to apply containerization platforms for HPC in real-life scenarios. Kubernetes and OpenShift have many advantages – generally speaking, container technologies use quite a bit less overhead from the computing perspective while providing many benefits in flexibility, modularity, and maintenance. Therefore, they are ideal for tasks requiring a lot of computing power. There are also some tradeoffs regarding the complexity of these two platforms - they’re just not that user-friendly when used by people without years of experience managing them. In this paper, we propose a different architecture based on seamless hardware integration and user-friendly, dynamic workload placement based on real-time performance analysis and prediction coupled with Machine Learning-based scheduling.

Simple summary This reassessment of the findings from our Phase I/II study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of SBRT for treating local intermediate-high risk prostate cancer in the absence of androgen-deprivation therapy due to patient’s refusal, with a median follow-up of 6.5 years. Our primary focus is on analysing the treated areas compared to recurrence patterns in the seven patients who experienced local relapse. Additionally, we provide updated data on late toxicities of grade 2 or higher, both genitourinary and gastrointestinal. Abstract Objectives: We investigated spatial patterns between primary and recurrent tumor sites and assessed long-term toxicity after dose escalation stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to the dominant intraprostatic nodule (DIN). Materials and methods: In 33 patients with intermediate-high risk prostate cancer (PCa), doses up to 50 Gy were administered to the DIN. Recurrence sites were determined and compared to the original tumor development sites through multiparametric MRI and 68Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT) images. Overlap rates, categorized as 75% or higher for full overlap, and 25-74% for partial overlap, were assessed. Long-term toxicity is reported. Results: All patients completed treatment, with only one receiving concomitant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Recurrences were diagnosed after a median of 33 months (range: 17-76 months), affecting 13 out of 33 patients (39.4%). Intraprostatic recurrences occurred in 7 patients (21%), with ≥ 75% overlap in two, a partial overlap in another two, and no overlap in the remaining three patient. Notably, 5 patients with intra-prostatic recurrences had synchronous bone and/or lymph node metastases, while six patients had isolated bone or lymph node metastasis without intraprostatic recurrences. Extended follow-up revealed grade 2 or higher late GU and GI toxicity in 18% (n=6) and 6% (n=2) of the patients. Conclusions: Among patients with intermediate-high risk PCa undergoing focal dose-escalated SBRT without ADT, DIN recurrences were infrequent. When present, these recurrences were typically located at the original site or adjacent to the initial tumor. Conversely, relapses beyond the DIN and in extra-prostatic (metastatic) sites were prevalent, underscoring the significance of systemic ADT in managing this patient population. Advances in knowledge: focal dose escalated prostate SBRT prevented recurrences in the dominant nodule, however extra-prostatic recurrence sites were frequent.

High resolution information on nucleotide arrangement in the genome of any or-ganism is critical to understand its genetic makeup, function, and evolutionary his-tory. For years, DNA sequencing has provided crucial breakthroughs in the field of genomics and molecular biology. With the advent of technology, Next Generation Sequencing has now transformed the whole genome sequencing prospects, thus unveiling the novel and interesting features of an organism genome that can behold. Next generation sequencing platforms offer realistic approach to identify and anal-yses whole genome with high throughput, accuracy, scalability in a very short time span. Information obtained can be further used in improving our existing healthcare systems, designing novel and personalized therapeutic modules, making the envi-ronment sustainable and proactively preparing ourselves for future pandemics and outbreaks. This article discusses the various NGS technologies and approaches, their advantages, drawbacks, and futuristic usage in different fields. Though still in nascent stages and marred with flaws, with ongoing advancement, NGS will indeed have promising impacts in the future.

Fluorescent bioprobes are invaluable tools for visualizing live cells and deciphering complex biological processes by targeting intracellular biomarkers without disrupting cellular functions. In addition to protein-binding concepts, fluorescent probes utilize various mechanisms, including membrane, metabolism, and gating-oriented strategies. This study introduces a novel fluorescent mechanism distinct from existing ways. Here, we developed a B-cell selective probe, CDrB, with unique transport mechanisms. Through SLC-CRISPRa screening, we identified two transporters, SLCO1B3 and SLC25A41, by sorting out populations exhibiting higher and lower fluorescence intensities, respectively, demonstrating contrasting activities. We confirmed that SLCO1B3, with comparable expression levels in T and B cells, facilitates the transport of CDrB into cells, while SLC25A41, overexpressed in T lymphocytes, actively exports CDrB. The observation suggests that SLC25A41 plays a crucial role in discriminating between T and B lymphocytes. Furthermore, it reveals the potential for reversible localization of SLC25A41 to demonstrate its distinct activity. This study is the first report to unveil a novel strategy of SLC by exporting the probe. We anticipate that this research will open up new avenues for developing fluorescent probes.

Due to the extraordinary mechanical properties of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), the shear stirrups in UHPC beams could potentially be removed. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of beam height and steel fiber volume content on the shear behavior of non-stirrup UHPC beams under a larger shear span-depth ratio (up to 2.8). Eight beams were designed and fabricated, including six non-stirrup UHPC beams and two comparing stirrup-reinforced normal concrete (NC) beams. The experimental results demonstrated that the volume content of steel fiber could be a crucial factor affecting the ductility, cracking strength, and shear strength of non-stirrup UHPC beams and altering their failure modes. Additionally, the height of the beam had a considerable effect on its shear resistance. This study revealed that the French standard formulae were more accurate for the UHPC beams with larger shear span-depth ratios and PCI-2021 formulae greatly overestimate the shear capacity of UHPC beams with larger shear span-depth ratios. Xu’s formulae were more accurate for the steel fiber-reinforced UHPC beams with larger shear span-depth ratios.

To enhance the applicability of dual-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs) like Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM), a focus on improving their mechanical properties is essential. As part of this effort, heat treatment was explored. This study compares the microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-printed sample with those cooled in water after undergoing heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 ℃ for 1 hour. Both pre- and post-treatment samples reveal a dual-phase microstructure comprising FCC and BCC phases. Although heat treatment led to a reduction in tensile and yield strength, it significantly increased ductility compared to the as-printed sample. This strength-ductility trade-off is related to changes in grain sizes with ultrafine grains enhancing strength and micron grains optimizing ductility, also the influence of the content of FCC/BCC phases and dislocation density. In particular, the sample heat-treated at 1000 °C for 1 hour and then water-cooled exhibited a better combination of strength and ductility, a yield strength of 790 MPa, and an elongation of 13%. This research offers innovative perspectives on crafting dual-phase HEA of Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, allowing for tailorable microstructure and mechanical properties through a synergistic approach involving SLM and heat treatment.

Among the major systems of high-speed rail, the arch network relationship, wheel-rail relationship and fluid-structure coupling relationship are important links affecting the performance of high-speed rail, and also the main control factors affecting the speed limit of high-speed rail. From this perspective, the contact state and interactive relationship between pantograph and catenary are the key factors affecting the forward performance of high-speed rail. As a key component in the pantograph system, the actuator is responsible for adjusting the contact force and position between the pantograph and the contact line. The performance characteristics of the actuator, such as response speed, accuracy, stability and durability, directly affect the control performance of the whole pantograph system. In this paper, the research status of the active control technology of high-speed railway pantograph is reviewed, and the future development direction is pointed out, which provides a new idea for the development of pantograph technology.

Evaluation of drug permeability using cell monolayers is an important in vitro assay in the process of drug development, to identify compounds with favourable pharmacokinetics that may proceed to in vivo studies. When allowed to differentiate on permeable filters for at least 21 days, monolayers of Caco-2 cells develop morphological and functional properties similar to those of the intestinal epithelium. Permeability through Caco-2 monolayers is thus particularly relevant to assess drug absorption after oral administration. The major drawback of this assay is its very low throughput, with the cell monolayers being used in a single permeability assay. We have previously proposed a protocol to allow the re-use of the Caco-2 monolayer on additional permeability assays during the stable period and shown that cell monolayer integrity is maintained. In this work we evaluate the effect of re-use on the permeability of several reference compounds that permeate through passive pathways and show that the cell monolayers can be re-used twice in additional permeability assays. Preliminary results were also obtained regarding active transport pathways, and a new methodology is proposed to quantify the contribution from passive and active transport. This is a major step towards the full validation of the re-use methodology proposed, which at least triplicates the throughput of this important in vitro assay.

Whole genome alignment (WGA) is a critical process in comparative genomics, facilitating the detection of genetic variants and aiding our understanding of evolution. This paper offers a detailed overview and categorization of WGA techniques, encompassing suffix tree-based, anchors-based, and graph-based methods. It elaborates on the algorithmic properties of these tools, focusing on performance and methodological aspects. The paper underscores the latest progress in WGA, emphasizing the increasing capacity to manage the growing intricacy and volume of genomic data. However, the field still grapples with computational and biological hurdles affecting the precision and speed of WGA. We explored these challenges and potential future solutions. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive resource for researchers, deepening our understanding of WGA tools and their applications, constraints, and prospects.

Artistic image completion is fundamental for the preservation and restoration of invaluable art paintings and it has experienced significant progress through the implementation of deep learning methodologies. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, even with sophisticated approaches like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), particularly in achieving optimal results for high-resolution paintings. Small-scale texture synthesis and the inference of missing information from distant contexts present persistent issues, leading to distortions in lines and unnatural colors, especially in art paintings with complicated structures and textures. Concurrently, patch-based image synthesis has evolved by incorporating global optimization on the image pyramid to enhance structural coherence and details. However, methods relying on gradient-based synthesis encounter obstacles related to directionality, inconsistency, and the heavy computational burdens associated with solving the Poisson equation in non-integrable gradient fields. This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach, integrating Weighted Similarity-Confidence Laplacian Synthesis, to comprehensively address these challenges and advance the field of artistic image completion. This proposal addresses challenges not only in high-resolution artistic image completion but also makes a significant contribution to the broader field of patch-based synthesis by utilizing the Laplacian pyramid for enhanced edge-aware correspondence search. Experimental result confirms the effectiveness of our approach, offering promising outcomes for the preservation and restoration of art paintings with complicated details and irregular missing regions.

Recently, research on ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) with the characteristics of ultra-high strength, high toughness, and high durability has been actively conducted from materials to actual structural applications. However, research on experimental methods that reflect the unique characteristics of UHPC, which are different from those of normal concrete, is insufficient. To solve the difficulties in applying the compressive creep test method for normal concrete to UHPC and to verify the validity of the recently proposed ASTM C 1856 standard test method, this study performed compressive creep tests on UHPC with variables of specimen size, sustained load intensity, fiber length, and strain measuring method. Two types of cylindrical specimens of ϕ100 × 200 mm and ϕ75 × 150 mm were used for a specimen size variable. The sustained load intensities of 10% to 40% based on the specified compressive strength of 150 MPa were applied. Two types of steel fiber lengths of 13 mm and 19.5 mm in the UHPC mix were used as a variable, and three strain measuring methods of the embedded strain gauge method, the attached strain gauge method, and the strain meter with stud measured the change in length of the UHPC specimens. The experimental results showed that the strain meter method using the standard rod had limitations due to the error in the verification process using the standard rod and the observation error of the measurer, and the sustained load intensity is preferable to 15% to 40% of the actual compressive strength. It was found that it is possible to perform a compressive creep test for UHPC using a specimen with a size of ϕ75 mm or more, and the fiber length did not affect the creep behavior of UHPC up to 19.5 mm. As a result of comparing the UHPC creep test results with the creep prediction model, the B3 model was found to most accurately predict the UHPC creep behavior. The creep coefficient pattern of the B3 model was very similar to the measured results, and well reflected the effects of the mixing ratio and compressive strength of UHPC.

Recently, due to the decrease in labor force, increase in labor costs, and the desire for improved quality of life, research on robots has been actively conducted to address these issues. However, it is currently difficult to find robots that physically interact with humans. The reason is that the actuators of robots do not have high torque density on their own. To solve this problem, high torque density motors, such as proprioceptive actuators, are being researched. However, the torque density is still insufficient for physical interaction with humans, so we have developed a motor with higher torque density. However, high torque density motors have the disadvantage of lower speed characteristics due to increased Back-EMF. Therefore, to address the deterioration of speed characteristics in the developed motor, we applied the Independent 3-Phase winding structure to improve the speed characteristics. Consequently, through comparison with Y-Connection and Delta-Connection, we propose the most suitable winding structure for high torque density motors intended for physical interaction with humans.

High average power narrow-linewidth tunable solid-state lasers in the wavelength region between 2 to 3 μm are attractive light sources for many applications. This paper reports a narrow-linewidth widely-tunable laser system based on the polycrystalline Cr2+:ZnSe elements pumped by the repetitively-pulsed 2.1 µm Ho3+:YAG laser operating at the tens of kilohertz pulse rate. An advanced procedure of ZnSe-element doping and surface improvement was applied to increase the laser-induced damage threshold, which resulted in an increase of the output power of the Cr2+:ZnSe laser system. The high-average-power laser system comprised double master-oscillators and power amplifiers: Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe laser oscillators, and Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe power amplifiers. The output wavelength was widely tuned within 2.3-2.7 µm by an acousto-optical tunable filter inside the Cr2+:ZnSe master oscillator cavity. The narrow-linewidth operation at the pulse repetition rate of 20-40 kHz in a high-quality beam with the average output power up to 9.7 W was demonstrated.

Nasal high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (nHFOV) has emerged as an effective initial and rescue noninvasive respiratory support mode for preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Multiple noninvasive respiratory support modes are currently available in Romania, but little is known about nHFOV use in Romanian neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). We aimed to identify the usage extent and clinical application of nHFOV in Romania. A structured web-based questionnaire was designed to find the rate of nHFOV use and knowledge of this new method of noninvasive respiratory support in Romanian level III NICUs. The questionnaire was addressed to the leaders of all level III Romanian NICUs. Using multiple-choice, open-ended, and yes/no questions, we collected information on the NICU’s size, noninvasive respiratory support modes used, nHFOV use, indications, settings, nasal interfaces, secondary effects, and equipment used. Descriptive statistics and comparisons were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. A total of 21/23 (91.3%) leaders from level III NICUs (median [IQR] number of beds of 10 [10-17.5]) responded to the survey. The most frequently used noninvasive ventilation modes were CPAP mode on mechanical ventilators (76.2%), followed by NIPPV (76.2%), heated, humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC) (61.9%), and nHFOV (11/21 units; 52.4%); 5/11 units reported frequent nHFOV use (in 2 or more newborns/month) in both term and preterm infants. The main indications reported for nHFOV use were CPAP failure (90.9%), hypercapnia (81.8%), and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (72.7%). 10/11 units reported setting a mean airway pressure (MAP) equal to the CPAP level plus 1-2 cmH₂O on rescue nHFOV after CPAP failure. Both dedicated equipment (45.5%) and hybrid ventilators (63.6%) were used for nHFOV delivery, with face/nasal masks and short binasal prongs being the most commonly used nasal interfaces (90.9% and 72.7%, respectively). Air leaks at the interface level (90.9%), thick secretions (81.8%), and airway obstruction (63.6%) were the most frequently mentioned adverse effects of nHFOV; none of the units mentioned pneumothorax as an adverse effect. Only 3 of the NICUs had a written protocol for nHFOV use. Initial, minimum, and maximum amplitude and initial and minimum MAP settings used were significantly higher with hybrid ventilators as compared to dedicated equipment (p<0.05). Most units not yet using nHFOV cited lack of equipment, experience, training, or insufficient information and evidence for the clinical use and outcome of nHFOV use in neonates as the main reasons for not implementing this noninvasive respiratory mode. Our survey showed that nHFOV is already used in more than half of the Romanian level III NICUs to support term and preterm infants with respiratory distress despite a lack of consensus regarding indications and settings during nHFOV. A need for training for nHFOV use was identified, and efforts are needed at the national level to develop courses and training sessions, including using simulation workshops, to offer more information on optimal nHFOV use in clinical practice.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

The higher education sector in Africa has experienced remarkable growth over the past decades, enrolling and graduating millions of students annually. Despite this progress, high unemployment rates among graduates and pervasive underdevelopment have raised questions about the relevance of higher education in Africa. Critics have intensely scrutinized the quality of curricula, highlighting a significant mismatch between the skills offered and the demands of the job market. This disconnect is often due to curricula that are unresponsive to both job requirements and students' needs. Enhanced pedagogical approaches are essential to address this issue. Community engagement and service learning (CE&SL) offer promising solutions by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Recognizing the potential benefits, higher education institutions across the continent are gradually integrating CE and SL into their teaching and research frameworks. However, the adoption of these approaches has been slow. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges hindering the effective and widespread implementation of CE and SL in African higher education institutions and proposes practical strategies to overcome these obstacles. By embracing these innovative approaches, African universities can better prepare graduates for the dynamic job market and contribute more effectively to the continent's development.

In the quest for more efficient solar thermal systems, accurately determining the thermal emittance of low-emissive materials is crucial in determining the power losses. This paper describes the calorimetric method designed to precisely measure the thermal emittance of Selective Solar Absorbers (SSAs) to be used in High Vacuum Flat Plate Collectors (HVFPCs). The method's capability is demonstrated through the successful correction of thermal emittance values for copper samples of varying sizes, including dimensions down to 49 cm². Results highlight the method's potential to significantly reduce measurement errors associated with small-size and/or low-emittance samples, providing a path forward to improve the design and efficiency of SSAs. This research marks a significant step in advancing solar thermal technology by enabling emittance measurements with a precision better than 0.003, which is essential for the development of high-performance solar thermal absorbers. The method has also been applied to correct the thermal emittance value of SSA measured in previous measurement campaigns, and it allows a better estimation of the SSA efficiency conversion curve.

Onions are known not only for their culinary importance but also for their nutritional and health-promoting properties. Both properties are closely linked to its content of organosulfur compounds, which account for up to 5% of the dry weight of an onion. Given the importance of these compounds, suitable analytical methods are required for their study. Two techniques should be highlighted in this context: gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In this study, eight different onion varieties were analyzed using two distinct analytical techniques: direct thermal desorption–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DTD-GC-MS) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) on an LC-ESI-QqTOF instrument. Each method identified 18 different organosulfur compounds, with LC-HRMS targeting non-volatile compounds, such as cysteine sulfoxides, and GC-MS targeting volatiles, such as disulfides and trisulfides. The results obtained were studied using Pearson correlations and principal component analysis. No precise correlation was found between the initial organosulfur compounds in onions and their hydrolysates. Consequently, although GC is one of the most employed techniques in the scientific literature, the use of LC-HRMS or a combination of both techniques may offer a more comprehensive and accurate description of the metabolomic profile of onions.

In the current complex and uncertain macroeconomic situation, improving the inherent resilience of the new energy vehicle industry chain is the key to effectively addressing various risks and challenges, and achieving dynamic balance between high-quality industrial development and industrial chain security. Based on the basic concept of resilience and the actual situation of new energy vehicle industry chain development, this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system for the resilience of the new energy vehicle industry chain, which includes four dimensional first-level indicators of coping resistance, adaptive resilience, autonomous control and leading competitiveness. In addition, it is measured by combining the data related to the new energy vehicle industry chain in Changzhou City. Our study shows that the situation on the new energy vehicle industry chain is complicated, and the comprehensive evaluation index system is more favorable for evaluating its resilience level.

This study evaluated batch fermentation modes, namely, separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), Quasi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (Q-SSF), and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), and fermentation conditions, i.e., enzyme and yeast loadings, nutrient supplementation and sterilization, on high titer bioethanol production from SPORL-pretreated Douglas-fir forest residue without detoxification. The result indicated Q-SSF and SSF were obviously superior to SHF operation in terms of ethanol yield. The enzyme loading showed a strong positive correlation between enzyme loading and the ethanol yield. The nutrient supplementation and sterility was not necessary for ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated Douglas-fir. The yeast loading showed no significant influence on the ethanol yield for typical SSF conditions. The terminal ethanol titer of 43.2 g/L, or 75.1% theoretical based on glucose, mannose, and xylose theoretical was achieved when SSF was conducted at the condition of following: whole slurry solids loading of 15%, enzyme loading of 20 FPU/g glucan, 1.8 g/kg (wet) yeast loading, without nutrition supplementation and sterilization, at 38°C, on shake flask at 150 rpm for 96h. It is believed that with mechanical mixing, enzyme loading can be substantially reduced with affect ethanol yield by using a long fermentation time.