Comparative study of gravity effects in directional solidification of Al-3.5 wt.% Si and Al-10 wt.% Cu alloys.

Directional solidification experiments of Al-3.5 wt.% Si and Al-10 wt.

The Associations Between Life's Essential 8 and Diarrhea and Constipation: Results from the 2005-2010 NHANES.

Background And Aims: Few studies have investigated the association between Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and abnormal bowel health. We aimed to investigate the relationship between LE8 and diarrhea and constipation in the adult population of the United States.

Methods: This cross-sectional study, based on population data, utilized information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2005 and 2010.

Passive Smoking Is Associated with the Risk of Functional Bowel Disorders Among College Freshmen.

: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs) have detrimental effects on young adults, but the risk factors were not fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and potential risk factors of FBDs in college freshmen, including, in particular, the association between passive smoking and the risk and symptoms of FBDs. : A cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2019 in freshmen of Huazhong University of Science and Technology with a random cluster sampling method.

Surprising acidity for the methylene of 1,3-indenocorannulenes?

Quantitative assessment of the first acidity constant (p ) for BFC (27.6 in CHCN) and FIC (27.8 in CHCN) shows the methylene protons to be significantly more acidic than those in related cyclopentadiene (32 in CHCN), indene (34 in CHCN), or fluorene (37 in CHCN) and comparable to the methine of 9-perfluorophenylfluorene (28.

Strain-Enhanced Low-Temperature High Ionic Conductivity in Perovskite Nanopillar-Array Films.

Solid oxide ionic conductors with high ionic conductivity are highly desired for oxide-based electrochemical and energy devices, such as solid oxide fuel cells. However, achieving high ionic conductivity at low temperatures, particularly for practical out-of-plane transport applications, remains a challenge. In this study, leveraging the emergent interphase strain methodology, we achieve an exceptional low-temperature out-of-plane ionic conductivity in NaBiTiO (NBT)-MgO nanopillar-array films.

Expression of Brassica napus cell number regulator 6 (BnCNR6) in Arabidopsis thaliana confers tolerance to copper.

Copper is an essential but potential toxic micro-nutrient in rapeseed. So far, little is known about the mechanism of rapeseed Cu transport and detoxification. Here, we determined the function of Cu transporter, Brassica napus cell number regulator 6 (BnCNR6), in regulating Cu homeostasis.

Research on the aperture angle-matched collimated illumination method for the dark-state light leakage of LCD target simulators.

Aiming at the problem of overbrightness of the target simulator background for LED backlight panel illumination, a 5° aperture angle-matched collimated illumination method for the target simulator is proposed based on the study of the dark-state leakage of the LCD display device and the scattered stray light of the system. After simulation analysis the method can make the display contrast increase by 3.1 times and solve the problem of dark targets being drowned by the background bright light, which exists in the LED illumination target simulator.

Erroneous Differentiation of Tendon Stem/Progenitor Cells in the Pathogenesis of Tendinopathy: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives.

Tendinopathy is a condition characterized by persistent tendon pain, structural damage, and compromised functionality. Presently, the treatment for tendinopathy remains a formidable challenge, partly because of its unclear pathogenesis. Tendon stem/progenitor cells (TSPCs) are essential for tendon homeostasis, regeneration, remodeling, and repair.

Research on multi-optical axis online compensation alignment method for space environment simulation system.

Aiming at the problem that the error of multi-optical axis alignment is difficult to control in the simulation calibration test, a multi-optical axis dynamic compensation alignment method for the space environment simulation system is proposed. The effect of optical axis disturbance on the signal detection link was analyzed to obtain the alignment accuracy requirements, the optical axis alignment error compensation mechanism was established, the target simulation system with long pupil distance was designed, the alignment error transfer model based on topology structure was constructed, and the test prototype was built. The test results show that the static attitude alignment resolution is better than 3" and the position alignment resolution is better than 11µm.

Liver knockout of MCU leads to greater dysregulation of lipid metabolism in MAFLD.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common chronic condition that poses a significant threat to human health. Mitochondrial dysfunction, particularly involving the mitochondrial Ca uniporter (MCU), plays a key role in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the MCU gene on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet.

Traditional Chinese medicine FYTF-919 (Zhongfeng Xingnao oral prescription) for the treatment of acute intracerebral haemorrhage: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial.

Background: There are few proven treatments for acute spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage, and they all target reducing expansion of the haematoma. The traditional Chinese medicine FYTF-919 (Zhongfeng Xingnao) in an oral solution is comprised of several Chinese herbs that are widely used to treat patients with intracerebral haemorrhage in China on the understanding that they enhance resorption of the haematoma and reduce neuroinflammation. We aimed to provide a reliable assessment of the safety and efficacy of FYTF-919 in patients with moderate to severe acute intracerebral haemorrhage.

Highly Responsive Polar Vortices in All-Ferroelectric Heterostructures.

The discovery of polar vortices and skyrmions in ferroelectric-dielectric superlattices [such as (PbTiO)/(SrTiO)] has ushered in an era of novel dipolar topologies and corresponding emergent phenomena. The key to creating such emergent features has generally been considered to be related to counterpoising strongly polar and non-polar materials thus creating the appropriate boundary conditions. This limits the utility these materials can have, however, by rendering (effectively) half of the structure unresponsive to applied stimuli.

[Perioperative changes of serum interleukin 6 levels in elderly male patients with intertrochanteric fracture].

Objective: To investigate the perioperative changes in serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels in elderly male patients with intertrochanteric fractures, and provide evidence for inflammatory control in this patient population.

Methods: The clinical data of 40 male patients aged more than 60 years with intertrochanteric fractures who met the selection criteria between January 2021 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 25 non-osteoporosis patients (T value>-2.5, group A) and 15 osteoporosis patients (T value≤-2.

Plasma proteome-wide analysis of cerebral small vessel disease identifies novel biomarkers and disease pathways.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), as defined by neuroimaging characteristics such as white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), cerebral microhemorrhages (CMHs), and lacunar infarcts, is highly prevalent and has been associated with dementia risk and other clinical sequelae. Although conditions such as hypertension are known to contribute to SVD, little is known about the diverse set of subclinical biological processes and molecular mediators that may also influence the development and progression of SVD. To better understand the mechanisms underlying SVD and to identify novel SVD biomarkers, we used a large-scale proteomic platform to relate 4,877 plasma proteins to MRI-defined SVD characteristics within 1,508 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study cohort.

Regulation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a cross-talk between TGF- signaling and MicroRNAs.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a highly complex and challenging disease affecting the respiratory system. Patients with PF usually have an abbreviated survival period and a consequential high mortality rate after the diagnosis is confirmed, posing serious threats to human health. In clinical practice, PF is typically treated by antifibrotic agents, such as Pirfenidone and Nintedanib.

Picometer-Level In Situ Manipulation of Ferroelectric Polarization in Van der Waals layered InSe.

Ferroelectric 2D van der Waals (vdW) layered materials are attracting increasing attention due to their potential applications in next-generation nanoelectronics and in-memory computing with polarization-dependent functionalities. Despite the critical role of polarization in governing ferroelectricity behaviors, its origin and relation with local structures in 2D vdW layered materials have not been fully elucidated so far. Here, intralayer sliding of approximately six degrees within each quadruple-layer of the prototype 2D vdW ferroelectrics InSe is directly observed and manipulated using sub-angstrom resolution imaging and in situ biasing in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope.

Navigating food price shocks in a pandemic: Food insecurity and coping mechanisms in Burkina Faso.

Global food prices rose substantially after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper examines the impact of rising food prices during the pandemic on food security in Burkina Faso. We aim to answer two primary questions.

Superior Piezo-/Ferro-Electricity in Antiferroelectric AgNbO Thin Films by Nanopillar Local Structure Design.

Antiferroelectrics are fundamental mother compounds critical in developing innovative lead-free piezoelectrics and ferroelectrics and hold great promise for wide-ranging applications in energy conversion and electronic devices. However, harnessing their superior properties presents a significant challenge due to the delicate balance required between their various states. In this study, through the unique design of nanopillar structures to alleviate the local polar heterogeneity, we have achieved significantly improved piezo-/ferro-electricity in classic lead-free antiferroelectric AgNbO ( = 1, 0.