A Method for Determining the Fracture Toughness of Shotcrete Materials Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles.

Defects can be introduced into shotcrete materials after a few freeze-thaw cycles, which has a significant influence on the fracture performance of shotcrete. In this study, a series of shotcrete specimens with varying sizes, geometries, and initial crack lengths were prepared to investigate the fracture properties of notched shotcrete under freeze-thaw conditions. Considering the effects of specimen boundaries and material microstructure, a linear closed-form solution was proposed to determine the fracture toughness of frost-damaged shotcrete.

Trifluoromethyl-pyrrolidone phthalocyanine nanoparticles for targeted lipid droplet imaging and in vitro photodynamic therapy in breast cancer cells.

Lipid droplets (LDs) serve as vital subcellular organelles, crucial for the maintenance of lipid and energy homeostasis within cells. Their visualization is of significant value for elucidating the intricate interactions between LDs and other cellular organelles. Despite the importance of LDs, the literature on the utilization of phthalocyanine-based photosensitizers for targeted LD imaging and two-photon imaging-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) remains sparse.

Synthesis and Characterization of Boronate Affinity Three-Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Materials.

Sample pretreatment is a key step for qualitative and quantitative analysis of trace substances in complex samples. Cis-dihydroxyl (cis-diol) group-containing substances exist widely in biological samples and can be selectively bound by boronate affinity adsorbents. Based on this, in this article, we proposed a simple method for the preparation of novel spherical three-dimensionally ordered macropore (3DOM) materials based on a combination of the boronate affinity technique and colloidal crystal template method.

A Three-Dimensional Open-Framework Tin(II) Sulfate with Near-Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Yield.

A new open-framework tin(II) sulfate, formulated as CHN·Sn(SO)·HO, was prepared under the structure-directing effect of piperazine. This compound features a 3D structure with 16-ring channels. Under ultraviolet light irradiation, it emits bright yellow luminescence with a near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield.

Microbial community evolution and individual-based model validation of biofilms in single-stage partial nitrification/anammox system.

In this study, matrix degradation, microbial community development, and distribution using an individual-based model during biofilm formation on carriers at varying depths within a single-stage partial nitrification/anammox system were simulated. The findings from the application of individual-based model fitting, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and high-throughput sequencing reveal the presence of aerobic bacteria, specifically ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, as discrete particles within the outer layer of the carrier. Facultative anaerobic bacteria exemplified by anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, are observed as aggregates within the middle layer.

Application of a Closed-Form Model in Analyzing the Fracture of Quasi-Brittle Materials.

Fracture failure in quasi-brittle materials poses a persistent challenge in materials science and engineering. This study presents a thorough investigation of the Boundary Effect Model (BEM), offering a nuanced understanding of the size effect on fracture properties. The conceptual framework, evolutionary process, and applicability scope of BEM are elucidated, highlighting its accuracy and reliability in calculating fracture properties across various quasi-brittle materials.

A Real-Time Evaluation Algorithm for Noncontact Heart Rate Variability Monitoring.

Noncontact vital sign monitoring based on radar has attracted great interest in many fields. Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which measures the fluctuation of heartbeat intervals, has been considered as an important indicator for general health evaluation. This paper proposes a new algorithm for HRV monitoring in which frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar is used to separate echo signals from different distances, and the beamforming technique is adopted to improve signal quality.

Insight into Eu-Doped Phase-Change KLu(PO) Phosphate toward Data Encryption.

Adjusting the local coordination environment of lanthanide luminescent ions can modulate their crystal-field splittings and broaden their applications in the relevant optical fields. Here, we introduced Eu ions into the phase-change KLu(PO) phosphate and found that the temperature-induced reversible phase transitions of KLu(PO) (phase I ⇆ phase II and phase II ⇆ phase III, below room temperature) give rise to an obvious photoluminescence (PL) difference of Eu ions. The Eu emission mainly focused on the D → F transition in phase III but manifested comparable D → F transitions in the two low-temperature phases.

Physics-assisted machine learning methods for predicting the splitting tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete.

Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) has become a popular building material due to its eco-friendly features, but the difficulty in predicting the crack resistance of RAC is increasingly impeding its application. In this study, splitting tensile strength is adopted to describe the crack resistance ability of RAC, and physics-assisted machine learning (ML) methods are used to construct the predictive models for the splitting tensile strength of RAC. The results show that the AdaBoost model has excellent predictive performance with the help of the Firefly algorithm, and physical assistance plays a remarkable role in selecting features and verifying the ML models.

Bibliometric analysis and mini-review of global research on pyroptosis in the field of cancer.

Pyroptosis is one of the mechanisms of programmed cell death (PCD) activated by inflammasomes and involved by the caspase family and the gasdermin family. During the oncogenesis and progression of tumors, pyroptosis is crucial, and complex withal. Currently, pyroptosis is the focus topic in the research field of oncology, but there is no single bibliometric analysis systematically studying 'pyroptosis and cancer'.

The ethyl acetate extract of Wenxia Changfu Formula inhibits the carcinogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma by regulating PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer. With a rise in new cases worldwide each year, early diagnosis and treatment are very important. Network pharmacology provides the effective way to evaluate poly-pharmacological effects and anticancer molecular mechanisms of drugs.

Digested extracellular DNA shortens the anodic startup of microbial electrolysis cell.

While the multiple functions of extracellular DNA (exDNA) in biofilm formation and electron transfer have been extensively studied in pure culture, its role in mixed anodic biofilm was still unknown. In this study, we employed DNase I enzyme to digest exDNA, thereby investigating its role in anodic biofilm formation based on the performance of four microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) groups with different DNase I enzyme concentration (0, 0.05, 0.

Achieving Continuous Self-Powered Energy Conversion-Storage-Supply Integrated System Based on Carbon Felt.

Efficient harvesting and storage of dispersed irregular energy from the environment are crucial to the demand for the distributed devices of the Internet of Things (IoTs). Here, a carbon felt (CF)-based energy conversion-storage-supply integrated system (CECIS) that contains a CF-based solid-state supercapacitor (CSSC) and a CF-based triboelectric nanogenerator (C-TENG) is presented, which is capable of simultaneously energy storage and conversion. The simple treated CF not only delivers a maximal specific capacitance of 402.

Changes in the gut microbiota of forest musk deer () during conservation.

conservation is an important technique for protecting rare and endangered wildlife, and maintaining stable individual health is crucial to its success. Gut microbiota composition is a critical indicator of animal health and should therefore be closely monitored during conservation to track impacts on animal health. Forest musk deer () were historically distributed in Hebei Province, China, however, they are now extinct in the region.

Causality and correlation analysis for deciphering the microbial interactions in activated sludge.

Time series data has been considered to be a massive information provider for comprehending more about microbial dynamics and interaction, leading to a causality inference in a complex microbial community. Granger causality and correlation analysis have been investigated and applied for the construction of a microbial causal correlation network (MCCN) and efficient prediction of the ecological interaction within activated sludge, which thereby exhibited ecological interactions at the OTU-level. Application of MCCN to a time series of activated sludge data revealed that the hub species OTU56, classified as the one belonging to the genus , was responsible for nitrification in activated sludge and interaction with and in the form of amensal and commensal relationships, respectively.

Molecular Insight into the Binding of Astilbin with Human Serum Albumin and Its Effect on Antioxidant Characteristics of Astilbin.

Astilbin is a dihydroflavonol glycoside identified in many natural plants and functional food with promising biological activities which is used as an antioxidant in the pharmaceutical and food fields. This work investigated the interaction between astilbin and human serum albumin (HSA) and their effects on the antioxidant activity of astilbin by multi-spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies. The experimental results show that astilbin quenches the fluorescence emission of HSA through a static quenching mechanism.

Tracking the diversity and interaction of methanogens in the energy recovery process of a full-scale wastewater treatment plant.

Methanogens have been significant for the achievement of carbon neutrality in wastewater treatment plants due to their crucial roles in the anaerobic digestion of sludge. Nevertheless, the phylogenetic diversity of methanogens and their versatile metabolism have been continuously investigated, the current scientific knowledge regarding these microbes appears inadequate and requires more evaluations. This study is considered an endeavor in which functional genes sequencing was used to reveal the diversity of methanogens in the sludge process of the wastewater treatment plant.

Androgen plays an important role in regulating the synthesis of pheromone in the scent gland of muskrat.

The scent (musk) gland is an organ unique to muskrats and other scent-secreting animals, and the pheromones (musk) synthesized and secreted by the scent gland play a role in chemical communication among scent-secreting animals. The musk gland is synchronized with testicular developmental changes; however, little is known regarding androgen secretion from the testis and how this regulates pheromone synthesis and the secretion of scent. To investigate the effect of androgens on the synthesis of pheromones in the musk gland, we established a muskrat castration model by surgical removal of the testis, and analyzed the histomorphology, hormone concentration, gene expression, and changes in the chemical composition of the musk gland in castration and control groups by histomorphological analysis, Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS).

Enhancing the Photoluminescence Property of Pr Ions by Understanding the Polymorphous Influence of the KLu(PO) Host.

Adjusting the local coordination environment of lanthanide luminescent ions is a useful method to manipulate the relevant photoluminescence (PL) property. KLu(PO) is a phase-change material, and according to the stable temperature range from low to high, the related polymorphs are phase I [2/, coordination number (CN) of Lu = 7], phase II (2/, CN = 6), and phase III (3̅, CN = 6), respectively. Based on the temperature-dependent PL analysis of KLu(PO):Pr, we find that Pr ions occupy the noninversion sites () in the two low-temperature phases but preferentially enter into the inversion ones () in phase III.