Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers(AEMWEs)and fuel cells(AEMFCs)are critical technologies for converting renewable resources into green hydrogen(H_(2)),where anion-exchange membranes(AEMs)play a vital role in...Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers(AEMWEs)and fuel cells(AEMFCs)are critical technologies for converting renewable resources into green hydrogen(H_(2)),where anion-exchange membranes(AEMs)play a vital role in efficiently transporting hydroxide ions(OH^(-))and minimizing fuel crossover,thus enhancing overall efficiency.While conventional AEMs with linear,side-chain,and block polymer architectures show promise through functionalization,their long-term performance remains a concern.To address this,hyperbranched polymers offer a promising alternative due to their three-dimensional structure,higher terminal functionality,and ease of functionalization.This unique architecture provides interconnected ion transport pathways,fractional free volume,and enhanced long-term stability in alkaline environments.Recent studies have achieved conductivities as high as 304.5 mS cm^(-1),attributed to their improved fractional free volume and microphase separation in hyperbranched AEMs.This review explores the chemical,mechanical,and ionic properties of hyperbranched AEMs in AEMFCs and assesses their potential for application in AEMWEs.Strategies such as blending and structural functionalisation have significantly improved the properties by promoting microphase separation and increasing the density of cationic groups on the polymer surface.The review provides essential insights for future research,highlighting the challenges and opportunities in developing high-performance hyperbranched AEMs to advance hydrogen energy infrastructure.展开更多
The aim of this paper was to characterize through experiment the moisture and temperature kinetic behavior of Eucalyptus gomphocephala wood samples using microwave heating(MWH)in two scenarios:intermittently and conti...The aim of this paper was to characterize through experiment the moisture and temperature kinetic behavior of Eucalyptus gomphocephala wood samples using microwave heating(MWH)in two scenarios:intermittently and continuously.The mechanical properties and surface appearance of the heated samples were also investigated.Continuous and intermittent microwave drying kinetic experiments were conducted at a frequency of 2.45 GHz using a microwave laboratory oven at 300,500,and 1000 watts.Drying rate curves indicated three distinct phases of MWH.Increasing the microwave power with a shorter drying time led to rapid increases in internal temperature and water evaporation rates of the heated samples.Mechanical results indicated that samples heated under continuous MW(Microwave)power at 300 watts had a modulus of rupture(MOR)and modulus of elasticity(MOE)in three static bending tests higher than 29%and 36%,respectively,than samples heated at 1000 watts.Intermittent microwave heating(IMWH)of samples at 300 and 1000 watts produced the highest MOR and MOE values of 31%and 51%,respectively,unlike those heated under continuous microwave heating(CMWH).External qualitative observation showed that samples heated at high microwave power had severe surface checks.These defects were missing when using IMWH.An analysis of variance(ANOVA)showed that mechanical properties were linked to both microwave power level and the heating scenario,except for MOR in axial compression under CMWH.展开更多
The low efficiency of phytoextraction of lead(Pb)from agricultural fields poses a significant agricultural challenge.Organic chelating agents can influence Pb bioavailability in soil,affecting its uptake,transport,and...The low efficiency of phytoextraction of lead(Pb)from agricultural fields poses a significant agricultural challenge.Organic chelating agents can influence Pb bioavailability in soil,affecting its uptake,transport,and toxicity in plants.This study aimed to assess the impact of citric acid(CA)and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid(DTPA)on chelate-assisted phytoextraction of Pb and its effect on growth and physiology of two cultivars(07001;07002)of mung bean(Vigna radiata).The cultivars of mung bean were exposed to 60 lead chloride(PbCl_(2))solution,mg⋅L-1with or without the addition of 300 CA or 500 DTPA,until maturity.The exposure of plants to Pb mg⋅L^(-1) mg⋅L^(-1) stress increased the accumulation of Pb in roots(49%of control),stems(58%of control),leaves(67%of control),and seeds(61%of control).Maximum accumulation of Pb was observed in roots and the least accumulation was found in seeds of both mung bean cultivars.The extent of Pb accumulation in different plant parts correlated positively with Pb toxicity and reduced growth of both mung bean cultivars(33%to 40%).The cultivar cv 07001 was more susceptible to Pb stress.The addition of CA and DTPA increased the accumulation of Pb in plant parts of mung bean cultivars-phytoextraction(10.8%to 21.5%).However,the addition of CA partitioned Pb in vegetative parts,i.e.,root,stem thus mitigated the toxic effects of Pb on the growth of mung bean cultivars(6.25%–10.5%).In contrast,the addition of DTPA had adverse effects on the growth of mung bean cultivars.The addition of CA facilitated a greater uptake and accumulation of nitrogen,phosphorous,and potassium in the roots and leaves of mung bean cultivars.In addition,CA also improved the photosynthetic pigments(11%–14%)and photosynthetic rate(5%–12%)under both control and Pb stress conditions.The ameliorative effect of CA on the photosynthetic capacity of mung bean cultivars was likely associated with photosynthetic metabolic factors rather than stomatal factors.Furthermore,cv 07002 was found to be more tolerant to Pb stress and showed better performance in CA application.Overall,the application of CA demonstrated significant potential as a chelating agent for remediating Pb-contaminated soil.展开更多
Clinically significant Portal hypertension(PH),defined by a hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)greater than 10 mmHg,is a key predictor of decompensation events in cirrhosis,leading to variceal hemorrhage,ascites,an...Clinically significant Portal hypertension(PH),defined by a hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)greater than 10 mmHg,is a key predictor of decompensation events in cirrhosis,leading to variceal hemorrhage,ascites,and hepatic encephalopathy.This narrative review explores the pathophysiology of PH in cirrhosis,evaluates diagnostic methods for identifying clinically significant PH(CSPH),and discusses guideline-driven strategies to prevent initial and further decompensation.While HVPG remains the gold standard for diagnosing CSPH,non-invasive tools such as liver stiffness measurement and spleen stiffness measurement are increasingly used for initial risk stratification.The combined use of these tools reduces the proportion of patients in the diagnostic"grey zone".Endoscopic ultrasound-guided portal pressure gradient is an emerging diagnostic tool that requires further validation.Non-selective beta-blockers are the cornerstone of primary prophylaxis for decompensation,and their combination with endoscopic variceal ligation is the first-line therapy for secondary prophylaxis of recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding.Statins show promise in reducing PH and preventing decompensation while further studies are still needed.This review also discusses the indications for preemptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and its role in managing refractory ascites and variceal bleeding.展开更多
Urethral catheterization is an important skill to develop as consultations for“difficult catheterization”are common in practice.Developing a broad approach to difficult urethral catheterization is crucial to improve...Urethral catheterization is an important skill to develop as consultations for“difficult catheterization”are common in practice.Developing a broad approach to difficult urethral catheterization is crucial to improve trainee success rates.Strategies and techniques to improve catheterization success are often passed down and shared between trainees without formal documentation or dissemination of techniques.Herein,we present a framework for difficult urethral catheterization based on clinical history and patient examination,while also providing additional techniques and troubleshooting to overcome common challenges with urethral catheterization in adult and pediatric patients.展开更多
Lymphedema,particularly in its advanced stages,presents significant challenges in treatment,often necessitating a combination of therapies to manage symptoms effectively and improve patient outcomes.This article revie...Lymphedema,particularly in its advanced stages,presents significant challenges in treatment,often necessitating a combination of therapies to manage symptoms effectively and improve patient outcomes.This article reviews the findings of Wang et al,regarding the use of lymphovenous anastomosis and complex decongestive therapy in treating severe,deformed stage III lymphedema with recurrent infections.The case report details the promising results achieved through this combined therapy,highlighting substantial reductions in limb volume and the complete resolution of recurrent lymphangitis.The patient experienced notable improvements in weight loss,physical function,and quality of life.Despite its strengths,the study has several limitations.It lacks specific details on the types of lymphovenous anastomoses performed and complex decongestive therapy protocols,such as frequency and adherence,making reproducibility difficult.The short follow-up period of six months limits understanding of long-term efficacy,and more consistent reporting of key metrics such as weight loss and body mass index would enhance outcome assessments.This article emphasizes the importance of integrating minimally invasive surgical techniques with conservative therapies to address both the symptoms and underlying causes of lymphedema.Further research is essential to standardize protocols and refine combined treatment strategies.展开更多
BACKGROUND Second-line treatment of Crohn’s disease(CD)commonly involves immunosuppressants such as azathioprine,mercaptopurine,or methotrexate(MTX),used either alone or in combination.AIM To investigate the current ...BACKGROUND Second-line treatment of Crohn’s disease(CD)commonly involves immunosuppressants such as azathioprine,mercaptopurine,or methotrexate(MTX),used either alone or in combination.AIM To investigate the current use of MTX among French gastroenterologists.METHODS An online questionnaire was distributed between March and August 2023 to 116 French gastroenterologists managing CD.A total of 87 respondents completed the survey and were included in the analysis.RESULTS Respondents reported a mean annual caseload of 140 CD patients(median:50).Overall,71%prescribed MTX,predominantly in injectable form(92%),either as monotherapy or in combination with biologics or cyclosporin.MTX was prescribed for mild-to-moderate CD by 64%of respondents,and for severe CD by 58%,often in combination with an anti-tumor necrosis factor agent(89%and 94%,respectively).Injectable MTX was favored(84%)in specific clinical scenarios:Patients with articular manifestations(77%),Epstein-Barr virus-negative status(65%),or aged over 65 years(58%).Among the 29%of non-prescribers,the primary reason cited was lack of familiarity with MTX use(60%).Both prescribers and non-prescribers expressed the need for clearer guidelines and real-world data to support MTX use.CONCLUSION Regardless of prescribing habits,most respondents had a favorable opinion of MTX and recognized its good longterm safety profile.French learned societies and medical associations should provide consensus guidelines on MTX use,supported by validated real-world safety and effectiveness data.展开更多
To promote growth,terrestrial plants release photosynthetic products into the rhizosphere in the form of root exudates through their root systems.Under the attraction of root exudates,plant growth-promoting rhizobacte...To promote growth,terrestrial plants release photosynthetic products into the rhizosphere in the form of root exudates through their root systems.Under the attraction of root exudates,plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)colonize the rhizosphere to stimulate plant growth and/or suppress the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.The rhizospheric recruitment of PGPR,as well as the establishment of root-microbe interactions,is initiated by chemotaxis towards root exudates.Over the past several decades,scientists have made notable strides in identifying representative chemoeffectors in root exudates,as well as the corresponding chemoreceptors.We review here the most recent developments in rhizospheric chemotaxis,particularly the chemoeffectors in root exudates,the structural and functional characterization of methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins of PGPR,and the impacts of rhizospheric chemotaxis on root colonization,biofilm formation,and other root-microbe interactions during recruitment.Finally,we propose several perspectives that aim to fully unlock the potential of PGPR as bioinoculants in sustainable agriculture.展开更多
The title of the online version of the original article was revised.The title of the original article has been revised to:Hydrochemical characterization of surface waters in Northern Tehran:Integrating cluster-based t...The title of the online version of the original article was revised.The title of the original article has been revised to:Hydrochemical characterization of surface waters in Northern Tehran:Integrating cluster-based techniques with Self-Organizing Maps.展开更多
It has been shown clinically that continuous removal of ischemia/reperfusion-induced reactive oxygen species is not conducive to the recovery of late stroke.Indeed,previous studies have shown that excessive increases ...It has been shown clinically that continuous removal of ischemia/reperfusion-induced reactive oxygen species is not conducive to the recovery of late stroke.Indeed,previous studies have shown that excessive increases in hypochlorous acid after stroke can cause severe damage to brain tissue.Our previous studies have found that a small amount of hypochlorous acid still exists in the later stage of stroke,but its specific role and mechanism are currently unclear.To simulate stroke in vivo,a middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model was established,with an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model established in vitro to mimic stroke.We found that in the early stage(within 24 hours)of ischemic stroke,neutrophils produced a large amount of hypochlorous acid,while in the recovery phase(10 days after stroke),microglia were activated and produced a small amount of hypochlorous acid.Further,in acute stroke in rats,hypochlorous acid production was prevented using a hypochlorous acid scavenger,taurine,or myeloperoxidase inhibitor,4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide.Our results showed that high levels of hypochlorous acid(200μM)induced neuronal apoptosis after oxygen/glucose deprivation/reoxygenation.However,in the recovery phase of the middle cerebral artery occlusion model,a moderate level of hypochlorous acid promoted the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons and astrocytes.This suggests that hypochlorous acid plays different roles at different phases of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Lower levels of hypochlorous acid(5 and 100μM)promoted nuclear translocation ofβ-catenin.By transfection of single-site mutation plasmids,we found that hypochlorous acid induced chlorination of theβ-catenin tyrosine 30 residue,which promoted nuclear translocation.Altogether,our study indicates that maintaining low levels of hypochlorous acid plays a key role in the recovery of neurological function.展开更多
Exercise is established as a supportive care intervention during and after various cancer treatment modalities.1,2 Documented benefits include improvements in health-related fitness,physical functioning,some symptoms/...Exercise is established as a supportive care intervention during and after various cancer treatment modalities.1,2 Documented benefits include improvements in health-related fitness,physical functioning,some symptoms/side effects,psychosocial functioning,and quality of life.1,2 Exercise has not been established,however,as a treatment for any type of cancer in any clinical oncology setting.2 This special topic of the Journal of Sport and Health Science(JSHS)is dedicated to research on“Exercise as a cancer treatment”.The special topic sought preclinical,observational,or clinical studies examining the effects of exercise after a cancer diagnosis on a cancer outcome(e.g.,cell/tumor growth,tumor response,disease recurrence,progression,death from cancer).It includes 6 original articles and an invited opinion article.展开更多
Most material distribution-based topology optimization methods work on a relaxed form of the optimization problem and then push the solution toward the binary limits.However,when benchmarking these methods,researchers...Most material distribution-based topology optimization methods work on a relaxed form of the optimization problem and then push the solution toward the binary limits.However,when benchmarking these methods,researchers use known solutions to only a single form of benchmark problem.This paper proposes a comparison platform for systematic benchmarking of topology optimization methods using both binary and relaxed forms.A greyness measure is implemented to evaluate how far a solution is from the desired binary form.The well-known ZhouRozvany(ZR)problem is selected as the benchmarking problem here,making use of available global solutions for both its relaxed and binary forms.The recently developed non-penalization Smooth-edged Material Distribution for Optimizing Topology(SEMDOT),well-established Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization(SIMP),and continuation methods are studied on this platform.Interestingly,in most cases,the grayscale solutions obtained by SEMDOT demonstrate better performance in dealing with the ZR problem than SIMP.The reasons are investigated and attributed to the usage of two different regularization techniques,namely,the Heaviside smooth function in SEMDOT and the power-law penalty in SIMP.More importantly,a simple-to-use benchmarking graph is proposed for evaluating newly developed topology optimization methods.展开更多
Lynch syndrome(LS)is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer(CRC)predisposition syndrome,characterized by a high mutational burden and microsatellite instability-high(MSI-H)tumors.Immunology of LS-associated CRC(...Lynch syndrome(LS)is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer(CRC)predisposition syndrome,characterized by a high mutational burden and microsatellite instability-high(MSI-H)tumors.Immunology of LS-associated CRC(LS-CRC)is unique,with significant implications for treatment.Despite well-established knowledge of LS immunology,immunotherapy dose and treatment response can vary significantly based on local tumor immunity and specific germline pathogenic variant of LS genes.This variability necessitates tailored surveillance strategies and new personalised immunotherapy approaches for LS patients.LS-CRC often benefits from immunotherapy due to the distinct tumor microenvironment(TME)and the variety of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs).This perspective discusses a novel approach of analysing spatial TILs at a single-cell level using tumor whole slide images(WSIs)that accounts for the distinct TME of LS-CRC.By emphasizing the necessity of personalized medicine in hereditary cancer syndromes,the future research and clinical practices that enhance patient outcomes through precision oncology is inspired.展开更多
Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)significantly elevates the risk of colorectal cancer(CRC)and complicates its treatment by promoting chemoresistance.Poor glycemic control has been linked to exacerbated CRC progression an...Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)significantly elevates the risk of colorectal cancer(CRC)and complicates its treatment by promoting chemoresistance.Poor glycemic control has been linked to exacerbated CRC progression and diminished chemotherapy efficacy,impacting patient outcomes through various mechanisms such as oxidative stress,activation of metabolic pathways,and altered protein modifications that hinder apoptosis and enhance tumor survival.Clinical evidence shows that T2DM patients experience higher rates of chemoresistance and reduced disease-free survival and overall survival compared to non-diabetic patients.Specifically,those with poor glycemic control exhibit increased chemo-resistance and poorer survival metrics.Antidiabetic treatments,including metformin,acarbose,and gliclazide,show promise in improving chemotherapy response and glycemic management,potentially enhancing patient outcomes.Addressing this challenge requires a comprehensive,multidisciplinary approach involving oncologists,endocrino-logists,and surgeons to optimize patient care.Integrated strategies that prioritize glycemic control are essential for reducing chemoresistance and improving survival in CRC patients with T2DM.展开更多
Fire disturbances are increasing under global climate change and ecological transformations of forests are occurring.Specifically,shifts from productive closed-canopy feather moss forests to low-productivity open-cano...Fire disturbances are increasing under global climate change and ecological transformations of forests are occurring.Specifically,shifts from productive closed-canopy feather moss forests to low-productivity open-canopy lichen(Cladonia spp.)woodlands have been observed in boreal forests of eastern Canada.It has been hypothesized that high severity of fires would be the cause of this change,but this is difficult to validate a posteriori on mature forest stands.Because charcoal properties are affected by fire severity,we have put forward the hypothesis that the amount and physicochemical properties of charcoal(C,N,H,O,ash,surface area)would be different and indicative of a greater fire severity for open-canopy forests compared to closed canopy ones.Our hypothesis was partly validated in that the amount of charcoal found on the ground of closed-canopy forests was greater than that of open-canopy forests.However,the physicochemical properties were not different,albeit a greater variability of charcoal properties for open canopy stands.These results do not allow us to fully validate or reject our hypothesis on the role of fire severity in the shift between open and closed canopy stands.However,they suggest that the variability in fire conditions as well as the amounts of charcoal produced are different between the two ecosystem types.Furthermore,considering the role that biochar may play in improving soil conditions and promoting vegetation restoration,our results suggest that charcoal may play a role in maintaining these two stable alternative ecosystem states.展开更多
We present the design of two interacting harmonic non-elliptical compressible liquid inclusions embedded in an infinite isotropic elastic matrix subjected to uniform remote in-plane stresses.The original constant mean...We present the design of two interacting harmonic non-elliptical compressible liquid inclusions embedded in an infinite isotropic elastic matrix subjected to uniform remote in-plane stresses.The original constant mean stress(or the first invariant of the stress tensor)in the matrix remains undisturbed in the presence of the two harmonic liquid inclusions.The two non-elliptical liquid-solid interfaces are described by a fourparameter conformal mapping function that maps the doubly connected domain occupied by the matrix onto an annulus in the image plane.The closed-form expressions for the internal uniform hydrostatic stress fields within the two liquid inclusions are obtained.The hoop stresses are uniformly distributed along the two liquid-solid interfaces on the matrix side.展开更多
Photocatalysis offers a sustainable solution to two pressing global issues:greenhouse gas mitigation and clean energy generation.By harnessing light energy,photocatalytic processes enable water splitting for hydrogen ...Photocatalysis offers a sustainable solution to two pressing global issues:greenhouse gas mitigation and clean energy generation.By harnessing light energy,photocatalytic processes enable water splitting for hydrogen production and CO_(2) conversion into value-added products.Among the materials explored for photocatalysis,nickel-based photocatalysts have emerged as highly promising due to their low cost,abundance,stability,and efficiency.This review summarizes recent advancements in Ni-based photocatalysts,highlighting their role in improving photocatalytic performance by enhancing light absorption,charge separation,and reducing charge recombination.Key challenges and future directions for optimizing these materials are also discussed,offering insights into their potential for advancing clean energy technologies.展开更多
Recognizing road scene context from a single image remains a critical challenge for intelligent autonomous driving systems,particularly in dynamic and unstructured environments.While recent advancements in deep learni...Recognizing road scene context from a single image remains a critical challenge for intelligent autonomous driving systems,particularly in dynamic and unstructured environments.While recent advancements in deep learning have significantly enhanced road scene classification,simultaneously achieving high accuracy,computational efficiency,and adaptability across diverse conditions continues to be difficult.To address these challenges,this study proposes HybridLSTM,a novel and efficient framework that integrates deep learning-based,object-based,and handcrafted feature extraction methods within a unified architecture.HybridLSTM is designed to classify four distinct road scene categories—crosswalk(CW),highway(HW),overpass/tunnel(OP/T),and parking(P)—by leveraging multiple publicly available datasets,including Places-365,BDD100K,LabelMe,and KITTI,thereby promoting domain generalization.The framework fuses object-level features extracted using YOLOv5 and VGG19,scene-level global representations obtained from a modified VGG19,and fine-grained texture features captured through eight handcrafted descriptors.This hybrid feature fusion enables the model to capture both semantic context and low-level visual cues,which are critical for robust scene understanding.To model spatial arrangements and latent sequential dependencies present even in static imagery,the combined features are processed through a Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)network,allowing the extraction of discriminative patterns across heterogeneous feature spaces.Extensive experiments conducted on 2725 annotated road scene images,with an 80:20 training-to-testing split,validate the effectiveness of the proposed model.HybridLSTM achieves a classification accuracy of 96.3%,a precision of 95.8%,a recall of 96.1%,and an F1-score of 96.0%,outperforming several existing state-of-the-art methods.These results demonstrate the robustness,scalability,and generalization capability of HybridLSTM across varying environments and scene complexities.Moreover,the framework is optimized to balance classification performance with computational efficiency,making it highly suitable for real-time deployment in embedded autonomous driving systems.Future work will focus on extending the model to multi-class detection within a single frame and optimizing it further for edge-device deployments to reduce computational overhead in practical applications.展开更多
The Mediterranean region in central Chile is experiencing a significant decrease in precipitation due to climate change and the dynamics of the El Nino Southern Oscillation(ENSO).Droughts have increased in recent deca...The Mediterranean region in central Chile is experiencing a significant decrease in precipitation due to climate change and the dynamics of the El Nino Southern Oscillation(ENSO).Droughts have increased in recent decades,~with the most severe and longest drought of the last millennium occurring since 2010 in central Chile.The impact of ongoing water scarcity is leading to significant drought-related declines in tree growth and forest dieback in the Mediterranean region.A deep understanding of how tree species respond to climate is crucial to accurately predict how forests will respond to climate change.We examined the growth responses to climate of three endemic and threatened tree species of the Mediterranean forests of central Chile,Nothofagus macrocarpa,Cryptocarya alba and Persea lingue,in a protected area.We observed that the growth of all three species was highly dependent on water availability and ENSO,and that the evergreen species C.alba and P.lingue increased their sensitivity to hydroclimate more than the deciduous species N.macrocarpa.These relationships were consistent across much of southern South America,highlighting the dependence of these species on water availability at large geographic scales.We found that there is a relationship between local water availability and ENSO that has intensified temporally and expanded geographically in recent decades.The xerophyllous species C.alba showed greater resistance and increasing resilience to severe droughts,while P.lingue and N.macrocarpa showed greater growth decline during droughts,possibly due to their preference for wetter environments.Our results highlight the crucial role of ENSO-driven water availability and drought in limiting tree growth and threatening the conservation of Mediterranean forests in central Chile.展开更多
This paper examines the effect of Fe addition on the microstructure characterized by scanning electron microscopy/electron backscattered diffraction,neutron diffraction,and synchrotron X-ray tomography and the mechani...This paper examines the effect of Fe addition on the microstructure characterized by scanning electron microscopy/electron backscattered diffraction,neutron diffraction,and synchrotron X-ray tomography and the mechanical properties of Al-Mg-Mn-Fe-Cu alloys.The findings reveal that the microstructures of the alloys consisted of an Al matrix,Al_(6)(FeMn),and Al_(2)CuMg phase particles.The addition of Fe significantly increased the yield strength(YS),and ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of the alloys,while reducing elongation.The transformation of the 3D morphology of the Al_(6)(FeMn)phase from separated and fine particles with Chinese-script morphology to interconnected rod-like structure as Fe content increased from 0.1%to 0.8%.This strengthening effect was attributed to the slip lines being blocked at the vicinity of the inter-connected Fe-rich phase,leading to grain rotation and dislocation density increment around the Fe-rich phase,ultimately improving the strength of the alloys.However,the Fe-rich phases and Al_(2)CuMg phases were found to be prone to cracking under tensile stress,resulting in decreased elongation of the alloys.This study provides a potential application in the design and manufacturing of new non-heat-treatable Al alloys for the automotive industry.展开更多
基金UKRI financial support under grant number EP/Y026098/1 for Global Hydrogen Production Technologies(HyPT)Center。
文摘Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysers(AEMWEs)and fuel cells(AEMFCs)are critical technologies for converting renewable resources into green hydrogen(H_(2)),where anion-exchange membranes(AEMs)play a vital role in efficiently transporting hydroxide ions(OH^(-))and minimizing fuel crossover,thus enhancing overall efficiency.While conventional AEMs with linear,side-chain,and block polymer architectures show promise through functionalization,their long-term performance remains a concern.To address this,hyperbranched polymers offer a promising alternative due to their three-dimensional structure,higher terminal functionality,and ease of functionalization.This unique architecture provides interconnected ion transport pathways,fractional free volume,and enhanced long-term stability in alkaline environments.Recent studies have achieved conductivities as high as 304.5 mS cm^(-1),attributed to their improved fractional free volume and microphase separation in hyperbranched AEMs.This review explores the chemical,mechanical,and ionic properties of hyperbranched AEMs in AEMFCs and assesses their potential for application in AEMWEs.Strategies such as blending and structural functionalisation have significantly improved the properties by promoting microphase separation and increasing the density of cationic groups on the polymer surface.The review provides essential insights for future research,highlighting the challenges and opportunities in developing high-performance hyperbranched AEMs to advance hydrogen energy infrastructure.
文摘The aim of this paper was to characterize through experiment the moisture and temperature kinetic behavior of Eucalyptus gomphocephala wood samples using microwave heating(MWH)in two scenarios:intermittently and continuously.The mechanical properties and surface appearance of the heated samples were also investigated.Continuous and intermittent microwave drying kinetic experiments were conducted at a frequency of 2.45 GHz using a microwave laboratory oven at 300,500,and 1000 watts.Drying rate curves indicated three distinct phases of MWH.Increasing the microwave power with a shorter drying time led to rapid increases in internal temperature and water evaporation rates of the heated samples.Mechanical results indicated that samples heated under continuous MW(Microwave)power at 300 watts had a modulus of rupture(MOR)and modulus of elasticity(MOE)in three static bending tests higher than 29%and 36%,respectively,than samples heated at 1000 watts.Intermittent microwave heating(IMWH)of samples at 300 and 1000 watts produced the highest MOR and MOE values of 31%and 51%,respectively,unlike those heated under continuous microwave heating(CMWH).External qualitative observation showed that samples heated at high microwave power had severe surface checks.These defects were missing when using IMWH.An analysis of variance(ANOVA)showed that mechanical properties were linked to both microwave power level and the heating scenario,except for MOR in axial compression under CMWH.
基金funding from the Ongoing Research Funding program,ORF-2025-298,King Saud University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.
文摘The low efficiency of phytoextraction of lead(Pb)from agricultural fields poses a significant agricultural challenge.Organic chelating agents can influence Pb bioavailability in soil,affecting its uptake,transport,and toxicity in plants.This study aimed to assess the impact of citric acid(CA)and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid(DTPA)on chelate-assisted phytoextraction of Pb and its effect on growth and physiology of two cultivars(07001;07002)of mung bean(Vigna radiata).The cultivars of mung bean were exposed to 60 lead chloride(PbCl_(2))solution,mg⋅L-1with or without the addition of 300 CA or 500 DTPA,until maturity.The exposure of plants to Pb mg⋅L^(-1) mg⋅L^(-1) stress increased the accumulation of Pb in roots(49%of control),stems(58%of control),leaves(67%of control),and seeds(61%of control).Maximum accumulation of Pb was observed in roots and the least accumulation was found in seeds of both mung bean cultivars.The extent of Pb accumulation in different plant parts correlated positively with Pb toxicity and reduced growth of both mung bean cultivars(33%to 40%).The cultivar cv 07001 was more susceptible to Pb stress.The addition of CA and DTPA increased the accumulation of Pb in plant parts of mung bean cultivars-phytoextraction(10.8%to 21.5%).However,the addition of CA partitioned Pb in vegetative parts,i.e.,root,stem thus mitigated the toxic effects of Pb on the growth of mung bean cultivars(6.25%–10.5%).In contrast,the addition of DTPA had adverse effects on the growth of mung bean cultivars.The addition of CA facilitated a greater uptake and accumulation of nitrogen,phosphorous,and potassium in the roots and leaves of mung bean cultivars.In addition,CA also improved the photosynthetic pigments(11%–14%)and photosynthetic rate(5%–12%)under both control and Pb stress conditions.The ameliorative effect of CA on the photosynthetic capacity of mung bean cultivars was likely associated with photosynthetic metabolic factors rather than stomatal factors.Furthermore,cv 07002 was found to be more tolerant to Pb stress and showed better performance in CA application.Overall,the application of CA demonstrated significant potential as a chelating agent for remediating Pb-contaminated soil.
基金Supported by Quebec Health Research Fund Clinician Research Scholars Junior 1,No.350546.
文摘Clinically significant Portal hypertension(PH),defined by a hepatic venous pressure gradient(HVPG)greater than 10 mmHg,is a key predictor of decompensation events in cirrhosis,leading to variceal hemorrhage,ascites,and hepatic encephalopathy.This narrative review explores the pathophysiology of PH in cirrhosis,evaluates diagnostic methods for identifying clinically significant PH(CSPH),and discusses guideline-driven strategies to prevent initial and further decompensation.While HVPG remains the gold standard for diagnosing CSPH,non-invasive tools such as liver stiffness measurement and spleen stiffness measurement are increasingly used for initial risk stratification.The combined use of these tools reduces the proportion of patients in the diagnostic"grey zone".Endoscopic ultrasound-guided portal pressure gradient is an emerging diagnostic tool that requires further validation.Non-selective beta-blockers are the cornerstone of primary prophylaxis for decompensation,and their combination with endoscopic variceal ligation is the first-line therapy for secondary prophylaxis of recurrent esophageal variceal bleeding.Statins show promise in reducing PH and preventing decompensation while further studies are still needed.This review also discusses the indications for preemptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and its role in managing refractory ascites and variceal bleeding.
文摘Urethral catheterization is an important skill to develop as consultations for“difficult catheterization”are common in practice.Developing a broad approach to difficult urethral catheterization is crucial to improve trainee success rates.Strategies and techniques to improve catheterization success are often passed down and shared between trainees without formal documentation or dissemination of techniques.Herein,we present a framework for difficult urethral catheterization based on clinical history and patient examination,while also providing additional techniques and troubleshooting to overcome common challenges with urethral catheterization in adult and pediatric patients.
文摘Lymphedema,particularly in its advanced stages,presents significant challenges in treatment,often necessitating a combination of therapies to manage symptoms effectively and improve patient outcomes.This article reviews the findings of Wang et al,regarding the use of lymphovenous anastomosis and complex decongestive therapy in treating severe,deformed stage III lymphedema with recurrent infections.The case report details the promising results achieved through this combined therapy,highlighting substantial reductions in limb volume and the complete resolution of recurrent lymphangitis.The patient experienced notable improvements in weight loss,physical function,and quality of life.Despite its strengths,the study has several limitations.It lacks specific details on the types of lymphovenous anastomoses performed and complex decongestive therapy protocols,such as frequency and adherence,making reproducibility difficult.The short follow-up period of six months limits understanding of long-term efficacy,and more consistent reporting of key metrics such as weight loss and body mass index would enhance outcome assessments.This article emphasizes the importance of integrating minimally invasive surgical techniques with conservative therapies to address both the symptoms and underlying causes of lymphedema.Further research is essential to standardize protocols and refine combined treatment strategies.
文摘BACKGROUND Second-line treatment of Crohn’s disease(CD)commonly involves immunosuppressants such as azathioprine,mercaptopurine,or methotrexate(MTX),used either alone or in combination.AIM To investigate the current use of MTX among French gastroenterologists.METHODS An online questionnaire was distributed between March and August 2023 to 116 French gastroenterologists managing CD.A total of 87 respondents completed the survey and were included in the analysis.RESULTS Respondents reported a mean annual caseload of 140 CD patients(median:50).Overall,71%prescribed MTX,predominantly in injectable form(92%),either as monotherapy or in combination with biologics or cyclosporin.MTX was prescribed for mild-to-moderate CD by 64%of respondents,and for severe CD by 58%,often in combination with an anti-tumor necrosis factor agent(89%and 94%,respectively).Injectable MTX was favored(84%)in specific clinical scenarios:Patients with articular manifestations(77%),Epstein-Barr virus-negative status(65%),or aged over 65 years(58%).Among the 29%of non-prescribers,the primary reason cited was lack of familiarity with MTX use(60%).Both prescribers and non-prescribers expressed the need for clearer guidelines and real-world data to support MTX use.CONCLUSION Regardless of prescribing habits,most respondents had a favorable opinion of MTX and recognized its good longterm safety profile.French learned societies and medical associations should provide consensus guidelines on MTX use,supported by validated real-world safety and effectiveness data.
基金sponsored by the National Science Foundation of China(Nos.52200189,52230006,and 32271700)the Guangxi Science and Technology Project,China(Nos.2021GXNSFBA220055,2020GXNSFAA297256,and Guike AB21220049)+2 种基金the Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and TechnologyGuangxi Engineering Research Center of Comprehensive Treatment for Agricultural Non-Point Source PollutionModern Industry College of Ecology and Environmental Protection from Guilin University of Technology,China for support。
文摘To promote growth,terrestrial plants release photosynthetic products into the rhizosphere in the form of root exudates through their root systems.Under the attraction of root exudates,plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria(PGPR)colonize the rhizosphere to stimulate plant growth and/or suppress the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.The rhizospheric recruitment of PGPR,as well as the establishment of root-microbe interactions,is initiated by chemotaxis towards root exudates.Over the past several decades,scientists have made notable strides in identifying representative chemoeffectors in root exudates,as well as the corresponding chemoreceptors.We review here the most recent developments in rhizospheric chemotaxis,particularly the chemoeffectors in root exudates,the structural and functional characterization of methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins of PGPR,and the impacts of rhizospheric chemotaxis on root colonization,biofilm formation,and other root-microbe interactions during recruitment.Finally,we propose several perspectives that aim to fully unlock the potential of PGPR as bioinoculants in sustainable agriculture.
文摘The title of the online version of the original article was revised.The title of the original article has been revised to:Hydrochemical characterization of surface waters in Northern Tehran:Integrating cluster-based techniques with Self-Organizing Maps.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China,No.BK20211348(to SHQ)Xuzhou Basic Research Program,No.KC21030(to LYH)+1 种基金Leadership Program of Xuzhou Medical University,No.JBGS202203(to SHQ)Research Grant Council GRF of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China,No.17105220(to JGS)。
文摘It has been shown clinically that continuous removal of ischemia/reperfusion-induced reactive oxygen species is not conducive to the recovery of late stroke.Indeed,previous studies have shown that excessive increases in hypochlorous acid after stroke can cause severe damage to brain tissue.Our previous studies have found that a small amount of hypochlorous acid still exists in the later stage of stroke,but its specific role and mechanism are currently unclear.To simulate stroke in vivo,a middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model was established,with an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model established in vitro to mimic stroke.We found that in the early stage(within 24 hours)of ischemic stroke,neutrophils produced a large amount of hypochlorous acid,while in the recovery phase(10 days after stroke),microglia were activated and produced a small amount of hypochlorous acid.Further,in acute stroke in rats,hypochlorous acid production was prevented using a hypochlorous acid scavenger,taurine,or myeloperoxidase inhibitor,4-aminobenzoic acid hydrazide.Our results showed that high levels of hypochlorous acid(200μM)induced neuronal apoptosis after oxygen/glucose deprivation/reoxygenation.However,in the recovery phase of the middle cerebral artery occlusion model,a moderate level of hypochlorous acid promoted the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells into neurons and astrocytes.This suggests that hypochlorous acid plays different roles at different phases of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Lower levels of hypochlorous acid(5 and 100μM)promoted nuclear translocation ofβ-catenin.By transfection of single-site mutation plasmids,we found that hypochlorous acid induced chlorination of theβ-catenin tyrosine 30 residue,which promoted nuclear translocation.Altogether,our study indicates that maintaining low levels of hypochlorous acid plays a key role in the recovery of neurological function.
基金supported by the Canada Research Chairs Programa Foundation Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (No. 159927)
文摘Exercise is established as a supportive care intervention during and after various cancer treatment modalities.1,2 Documented benefits include improvements in health-related fitness,physical functioning,some symptoms/side effects,psychosocial functioning,and quality of life.1,2 Exercise has not been established,however,as a treatment for any type of cancer in any clinical oncology setting.2 This special topic of the Journal of Sport and Health Science(JSHS)is dedicated to research on“Exercise as a cancer treatment”.The special topic sought preclinical,observational,or clinical studies examining the effects of exercise after a cancer diagnosis on a cancer outcome(e.g.,cell/tumor growth,tumor response,disease recurrence,progression,death from cancer).It includes 6 original articles and an invited opinion article.
文摘Most material distribution-based topology optimization methods work on a relaxed form of the optimization problem and then push the solution toward the binary limits.However,when benchmarking these methods,researchers use known solutions to only a single form of benchmark problem.This paper proposes a comparison platform for systematic benchmarking of topology optimization methods using both binary and relaxed forms.A greyness measure is implemented to evaluate how far a solution is from the desired binary form.The well-known ZhouRozvany(ZR)problem is selected as the benchmarking problem here,making use of available global solutions for both its relaxed and binary forms.The recently developed non-penalization Smooth-edged Material Distribution for Optimizing Topology(SEMDOT),well-established Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization(SIMP),and continuation methods are studied on this platform.Interestingly,in most cases,the grayscale solutions obtained by SEMDOT demonstrate better performance in dealing with the ZR problem than SIMP.The reasons are investigated and attributed to the usage of two different regularization techniques,namely,the Heaviside smooth function in SEMDOT and the power-law penalty in SIMP.More importantly,a simple-to-use benchmarking graph is proposed for evaluating newly developed topology optimization methods.
文摘Lynch syndrome(LS)is the most common hereditary colorectal cancer(CRC)predisposition syndrome,characterized by a high mutational burden and microsatellite instability-high(MSI-H)tumors.Immunology of LS-associated CRC(LS-CRC)is unique,with significant implications for treatment.Despite well-established knowledge of LS immunology,immunotherapy dose and treatment response can vary significantly based on local tumor immunity and specific germline pathogenic variant of LS genes.This variability necessitates tailored surveillance strategies and new personalised immunotherapy approaches for LS patients.LS-CRC often benefits from immunotherapy due to the distinct tumor microenvironment(TME)and the variety of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs).This perspective discusses a novel approach of analysing spatial TILs at a single-cell level using tumor whole slide images(WSIs)that accounts for the distinct TME of LS-CRC.By emphasizing the necessity of personalized medicine in hereditary cancer syndromes,the future research and clinical practices that enhance patient outcomes through precision oncology is inspired.
文摘Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)significantly elevates the risk of colorectal cancer(CRC)and complicates its treatment by promoting chemoresistance.Poor glycemic control has been linked to exacerbated CRC progression and diminished chemotherapy efficacy,impacting patient outcomes through various mechanisms such as oxidative stress,activation of metabolic pathways,and altered protein modifications that hinder apoptosis and enhance tumor survival.Clinical evidence shows that T2DM patients experience higher rates of chemoresistance and reduced disease-free survival and overall survival compared to non-diabetic patients.Specifically,those with poor glycemic control exhibit increased chemo-resistance and poorer survival metrics.Antidiabetic treatments,including metformin,acarbose,and gliclazide,show promise in improving chemotherapy response and glycemic management,potentially enhancing patient outcomes.Addressing this challenge requires a comprehensive,multidisciplinary approach involving oncologists,endocrino-logists,and surgeons to optimize patient care.Integrated strategies that prioritize glycemic control are essential for reducing chemoresistance and improving survival in CRC patients with T2DM.
基金supported by the MITACS Accelerate grant with Greenfirst,industry partner in La Sarre,QC,Canada.
文摘Fire disturbances are increasing under global climate change and ecological transformations of forests are occurring.Specifically,shifts from productive closed-canopy feather moss forests to low-productivity open-canopy lichen(Cladonia spp.)woodlands have been observed in boreal forests of eastern Canada.It has been hypothesized that high severity of fires would be the cause of this change,but this is difficult to validate a posteriori on mature forest stands.Because charcoal properties are affected by fire severity,we have put forward the hypothesis that the amount and physicochemical properties of charcoal(C,N,H,O,ash,surface area)would be different and indicative of a greater fire severity for open-canopy forests compared to closed canopy ones.Our hypothesis was partly validated in that the amount of charcoal found on the ground of closed-canopy forests was greater than that of open-canopy forests.However,the physicochemical properties were not different,albeit a greater variability of charcoal properties for open canopy stands.These results do not allow us to fully validate or reject our hypothesis on the role of fire severity in the shift between open and closed canopy stands.However,they suggest that the variability in fire conditions as well as the amounts of charcoal produced are different between the two ecosystem types.Furthermore,considering the role that biochar may play in improving soil conditions and promoting vegetation restoration,our results suggest that charcoal may play a role in maintaining these two stable alternative ecosystem states.
基金supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(No.RGPIN-2023-03227 Schiavo)。
文摘We present the design of two interacting harmonic non-elliptical compressible liquid inclusions embedded in an infinite isotropic elastic matrix subjected to uniform remote in-plane stresses.The original constant mean stress(or the first invariant of the stress tensor)in the matrix remains undisturbed in the presence of the two harmonic liquid inclusions.The two non-elliptical liquid-solid interfaces are described by a fourparameter conformal mapping function that maps the doubly connected domain occupied by the matrix onto an annulus in the image plane.The closed-form expressions for the internal uniform hydrostatic stress fields within the two liquid inclusions are obtained.The hoop stresses are uniformly distributed along the two liquid-solid interfaces on the matrix side.
文摘Photocatalysis offers a sustainable solution to two pressing global issues:greenhouse gas mitigation and clean energy generation.By harnessing light energy,photocatalytic processes enable water splitting for hydrogen production and CO_(2) conversion into value-added products.Among the materials explored for photocatalysis,nickel-based photocatalysts have emerged as highly promising due to their low cost,abundance,stability,and efficiency.This review summarizes recent advancements in Ni-based photocatalysts,highlighting their role in improving photocatalytic performance by enhancing light absorption,charge separation,and reducing charge recombination.Key challenges and future directions for optimizing these materials are also discussed,offering insights into their potential for advancing clean energy technologies.
文摘Recognizing road scene context from a single image remains a critical challenge for intelligent autonomous driving systems,particularly in dynamic and unstructured environments.While recent advancements in deep learning have significantly enhanced road scene classification,simultaneously achieving high accuracy,computational efficiency,and adaptability across diverse conditions continues to be difficult.To address these challenges,this study proposes HybridLSTM,a novel and efficient framework that integrates deep learning-based,object-based,and handcrafted feature extraction methods within a unified architecture.HybridLSTM is designed to classify four distinct road scene categories—crosswalk(CW),highway(HW),overpass/tunnel(OP/T),and parking(P)—by leveraging multiple publicly available datasets,including Places-365,BDD100K,LabelMe,and KITTI,thereby promoting domain generalization.The framework fuses object-level features extracted using YOLOv5 and VGG19,scene-level global representations obtained from a modified VGG19,and fine-grained texture features captured through eight handcrafted descriptors.This hybrid feature fusion enables the model to capture both semantic context and low-level visual cues,which are critical for robust scene understanding.To model spatial arrangements and latent sequential dependencies present even in static imagery,the combined features are processed through a Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM)network,allowing the extraction of discriminative patterns across heterogeneous feature spaces.Extensive experiments conducted on 2725 annotated road scene images,with an 80:20 training-to-testing split,validate the effectiveness of the proposed model.HybridLSTM achieves a classification accuracy of 96.3%,a precision of 95.8%,a recall of 96.1%,and an F1-score of 96.0%,outperforming several existing state-of-the-art methods.These results demonstrate the robustness,scalability,and generalization capability of HybridLSTM across varying environments and scene complexities.Moreover,the framework is optimized to balance classification performance with computational efficiency,making it highly suitable for real-time deployment in embedded autonomous driving systems.Future work will focus on extending the model to multi-class detection within a single frame and optimizing it further for edge-device deployments to reduce computational overhead in practical applications.
基金funded by Gobierno de Chile with the project“An atlas of droughts for Chile:1000 years of space-time changes and variations throughout the territory”(grant number FONDECYT 1181956).
文摘The Mediterranean region in central Chile is experiencing a significant decrease in precipitation due to climate change and the dynamics of the El Nino Southern Oscillation(ENSO).Droughts have increased in recent decades,~with the most severe and longest drought of the last millennium occurring since 2010 in central Chile.The impact of ongoing water scarcity is leading to significant drought-related declines in tree growth and forest dieback in the Mediterranean region.A deep understanding of how tree species respond to climate is crucial to accurately predict how forests will respond to climate change.We examined the growth responses to climate of three endemic and threatened tree species of the Mediterranean forests of central Chile,Nothofagus macrocarpa,Cryptocarya alba and Persea lingue,in a protected area.We observed that the growth of all three species was highly dependent on water availability and ENSO,and that the evergreen species C.alba and P.lingue increased their sensitivity to hydroclimate more than the deciduous species N.macrocarpa.These relationships were consistent across much of southern South America,highlighting the dependence of these species on water availability at large geographic scales.We found that there is a relationship between local water availability and ENSO that has intensified temporally and expanded geographically in recent decades.The xerophyllous species C.alba showed greater resistance and increasing resilience to severe droughts,while P.lingue and N.macrocarpa showed greater growth decline during droughts,possibly due to their preference for wetter environments.Our results highlight the crucial role of ENSO-driven water availability and drought in limiting tree growth and threatening the conservation of Mediterranean forests in central Chile.
基金support from the Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52104373,52074131,and 51974092)the Basic and Applied Basic Foundation of Guangdong Province(No.2020B1515120065)。
文摘This paper examines the effect of Fe addition on the microstructure characterized by scanning electron microscopy/electron backscattered diffraction,neutron diffraction,and synchrotron X-ray tomography and the mechanical properties of Al-Mg-Mn-Fe-Cu alloys.The findings reveal that the microstructures of the alloys consisted of an Al matrix,Al_(6)(FeMn),and Al_(2)CuMg phase particles.The addition of Fe significantly increased the yield strength(YS),and ultimate tensile strength(UTS)of the alloys,while reducing elongation.The transformation of the 3D morphology of the Al_(6)(FeMn)phase from separated and fine particles with Chinese-script morphology to interconnected rod-like structure as Fe content increased from 0.1%to 0.8%.This strengthening effect was attributed to the slip lines being blocked at the vicinity of the inter-connected Fe-rich phase,leading to grain rotation and dislocation density increment around the Fe-rich phase,ultimately improving the strength of the alloys.However,the Fe-rich phases and Al_(2)CuMg phases were found to be prone to cracking under tensile stress,resulting in decreased elongation of the alloys.This study provides a potential application in the design and manufacturing of new non-heat-treatable Al alloys for the automotive industry.
