A Two-in-One Strategy to Simultaneously Boost the Site Density and Turnover Frequency of Fe-N-C Oxygen Reduction Catalysts.

Site density and turnover frequency are the two fundamental kinetic descriptors that determine the oxygen reduction activity of iron-nitrogen-carbon (Fe-N-C) catalysts. However, it remains a grand challenge to simultaneously optimize these two parameters in a single Fe-N-C catalyst. Here we show that treating a typical Fe-N-C catalyst with ammonium iodine (NH4I) vapor via a one-step chemical vapor deposition process not only increases the surface area and porosity of the catalyst (and thus enhanced exposure of active sites) via the etching effect of the in-situ released NH3, but also regulates the electronic structure of the Fe-N4 moieties by the iodine dopants incorporated into the carbon matrix.

Boosting the Hydrogen Evolution Activity of a Low-Coordinated Co─N─C Catalyst via Vacancy Defect-Mediated Alteration of the Intermediate Adsorption Configuration.

The cobalt-nitrogen-carbon (Co─N─C) single-atom catalysts (SACs) are promising alternatives to precious metals for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and their activity is highly dependent on the coordination environments of the metal centers. Herein, a NaHCO etching strategy is developed to introduce abundant in-plane pores within the carbon substrates that further enable the construction of low-coordinated and asymmetric Co─N sites with nearby vacancy defects in a Co─N─C catalyst. This catalyst exhibits a high HER activity with an overpotential (η) of merely 78 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm, a Tafel slope of 45.

The Preparation of an Environmentally Friendly Novel Daidzein-Modified Lignin Phenolic Resin with High Performance and Its Application in Friction Materials.

The preparation of biological phenolic resin (PF) with green recyclable biomaterials instead of phenol is a research hotspot for solving current resource and environmental problems. In this study, on the basis of introducing lignin into the phenolic system, daidzein of a renewable resource with a rigid structure was selected to modify lignin-based phenolic resin (LPF), and the improvement of the mechanical and thermal properties of the modified phenolic resin under different substitution ratios was studied. The friction materials were prepared with a daidzein-modified lignin-based phenolic resin (D-LPF) as the matrix binder, and their effects on the mechanics and friction and wear properties of friction materials were investigated.

Prediction of peak particle velocity using hybrid random forest approach.

Blasting excavation is widely used in mining, tunneling and construction industries, but it leads to produce ground vibration which can seriously damage the urban communities. The peak particle velocity (PPV) is one of main indicators for determining the extent of ground vibration. Owing to the complexity of blasting process, there is controversy over which parameters will be considered as the inputs for empirical equations and machine learning (ML) algorithms.

A Rare Case of Multiple Subserous Uterine Adenomyomas Misdiagnosed as an Ovarian Cyst, Diagnosed and Treated by Laparoscopy.

Objective: To report a rare case of multiple subserous uterine adenomyomas diagnosed and treated by laparoscopy.

Case Report: A premenopausal 55-year-old woman was admitted presenting with bilateral adnexal cysts. Preoperative ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging both indicated a right ovarian cyst.

Expression of ALG8 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its diagnostic and prognostic significance.

Background: Alpha-1,3-glucosyltransferase (ALG8), a key enzyme in protein glycosylation, is implicated in the oncogenesis and progression of several human malignancies. This study aimed to define the role of ALG8 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and uncover its mechanisms of action.

Methods: ALG8 expression in HCC and normal tissues was analyzed using the TCGA and GEO databases, validated by RT-qPCR and western blot.

Effect of bridgmanite-ferropericlase grain size evolution on Earth's average mantle viscosity: implications for mantle convection in early and present-day Earth.

Recent experimental investigations of grain size evolution in bridgmanite-ferropericlase assemblages have suggested very slow growth for these bimodal phases. Despite numerous speculations on grain size-dependent viscosity, a comprehensive test with realistic grain size evolution parameters compatible with the lower mantle has been lacking. In this study, we develop self-consistent 2-D spherical half-annulus geodynamic models of Earth's evolution using the finite volume code StagYY to assess the role of grain size on lower mantle viscosity.

A Novel Adaptive Sand Cat Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Feature Selection and Global Optimization.

Feature selection (FS) constitutes a critical stage within the realms of machine learning and data mining, with the objective of eliminating irrelevant features while guaranteeing model accuracy. Nevertheless, in datasets featuring a multitude of features, choosing the optimal feature poses a significant challenge. This study presents an enhanced Sand Cat Swarm Optimization algorithm (MSCSO) to improve the feature selection process, augmenting the algorithm's global search capacity and convergence rate via multiple innovative strategies.

Structural and Electronic Modulations of Se-Vacancy-Rich MoSe Triggered by Cr Doping toward Robust Nitrogen Reduction Reaction.

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is proposed as an alternative to the Haber-Bosch process, but the development of efficient NRR electrocatalysts remains a challenging task. MoSe has superior conductivity compared to MoS, making it promising in the NRR field. Unfortunately, the scarcity of active sites and competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) hinder its broader applications.

Exploring structure-directed immunogenic cytotoxicity of arginine-rich peptides for cytolysis-induced immunotherapy of cancer.

The same cells can die with varied immunological consequences. For the purpose of cancer therapy, stronger immunogenic death of cancer cells is considered favorable. Membrane disruptive peptides are cytotoxic agents with tunable structures capable of not just killing heterogeneous cancer cells, but also inducing immunogenic death.

PLAC1 augments the malignant phenotype of cervical cancer through the mTOR/HIF-1α/Snail signaling pathway.

Aims: This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of placenta-specific protein 1 (PLAC1) in cervical cancer (CCa), aiming to elucidate its role in tumorigenesis through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Materials And Methods: CCa cell lines with overexpressed or silenced PLAC1 were established to evaluate its impact on cell cycle, apoptosis and the expression of key proteins in the PLAC1/mTOR/HIF-1α/Snail signaling pathways. Functional assays were conducted to assess the influence of the PLAC1/mTOR/HIF-1α/Snail regulatory pathway on cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

A prediction model of echocardiographic variables to screen for potentially correctable shunts in adult atrial septal defect-pulmonary hypertension patients.

Background: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a prevalent congenital heart condition in adults that leads to pulmonary hypertension (PAH) and right heart failure if left untreated. During a routine follow-up of adult ASD-PAH patients, the suitability of shunt closure depends on the invasive right heart catheterization (RHC). Nevertheless, performing RHC at every follow-up is impractical and may be harmful.

A novel energy efficient QoS secure routing algorithm for WSNs.

Quality of Service (QoS) routing protocol is a hot topic in the research field of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, the task of identifying an optimal path that simultaneously meets multiple QoS constraints is acknowledged as an NP-hard problem, with its complexity intensifying in proportion to the network's nodal count. Therefore, a novel heuristic multi-objective trust routing method, the Levy Chaos Adaptive Snake Optimization-based Multi-Trust Routing Method (LCASO-MTRM), is proposed, aiming to enhance link bandwidth while simultaneously reducing latency, packet loss, and energy consumption.

Precise Single-Atom Modification of Hybrid Lead Chlorides for Electron Donor-Acceptor Effect and Enhanced Photocatalytic Aerobic Oxidation.

Hybrid lead halides show significant potential in photocatalysis due to their excellent photophysical properties, but the atomically precise modification of their organic component to achieve synergistic interactions with the lead halide units remains a great challenge. Herein, for the first time, we have employed the crystal engineering strategy to construct a class of single-atom-substituted hybrid lead halides with electron donor-acceptor (D-A) effect. The lead halide frameworks consist of 1D linear [PbCl] chains as inorganic building units and benzoxadiazole/benzothiadiazole/ benzoselenadiazole-funtionalized dicarboxylates as linkers.

Downstaging Effect Rather than the Full Intended Cycles of Perioperative Chemotherapy Determines the Value of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Gastric Cancer.

Background: Perioperative chemotherapy is the standard treatment modality for locally advanced gastric cancer. However, the efficacy and indication of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who have already received neoadjuvant chemotherapy remain unclear. This study aims to explore the association between adjuvant chemotherapy with patient prognosis in those who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus D2 gastrectomy in a real-world setting, and whether this association is affected by the duration of neoadjuvant treatment.

Updates on infectious diseases of largemouth bass: A major review.

The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is native to North America and has now become a crucial economic species in aquaculture. With the rapid development of high-density intensive farming models, the continuous emergence and spread of diseases pose significant challenges to the sustainable development of largemouth bass aquaculture, including Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV), largemouth bass virus (LMBV), Nocardia spp. and Aeromonas spp.