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This study proposed a mechanochemical activation strategy using ethanol-diisopropanolamine (EDIPA) to improve the grindability and hydration reactivity of basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS), aiming for its large-scale industrial utilization. The incorporation of EDIPA significantly refined the particle size distribution and reduced the repose angle. As a result, the compressive strength of BOFS paste increased by 25.4 MPa at 28 d with only 0.08 wt.% EDIPA. Conductivity tests demonstrated that EDIPA strongly complexes with Ca2+, Al3+, and Fe3+, facilitating the dissolution of active mineral phases, such as C12A7 and C2F, and accelerating hydration reactions. XRD and TG analyses confirmed that the incorporation of EDIPA facilitated the formation of Mc (C4(A,F)ČH11) and increased the content of C-S-H, both of which contributed to microstructural densification. Microstructural observations further revealed that EDIPA refined Ca(OH)2 crystals, increasing their specific surface area from 4.7 m2/g to 35.2 m2/g. The combined effect of crystal refinement and enhanced hydration product formation resulted in reduced porosity and improved mechanical properties. Overall, the results demonstrated that EDIPA provided an economical, effective, and scalable means of activating BOFS, thereby promoting its high-value utilization in low-carbon construction materials.

Multi-isotope measurements have been made to study isotopic effects in gas phase reactions. The simple well-controlled experiments permit a quantitative kinetic analysis. A numerical simulation on the experimental data provides kinetic details to resolve mechanisms for the observed isotopic fractionation. Three sets of experiments have been performed: (1) O$\\sb3$ decompositions, (2) isotopic exchange between O or O$\\sb3$ with M (CO$\\sb2$, H$\\sb2$O, N$\\sb2$O), and (3) isotopic exchange between O($\\sp1$D) and CO$\\sb2$. A new non-mass-dependent isotopic effect has been discovered in the O$\\sb3$ thermal decomposition. The gas phase O$\\sb3$ decomposition produces isotopically heavy O$\\sb2$ with respect to precursor O$\\sb3$, opposite from photolysis in which isotopically light O$\\sb2$ is produced. The kinetic analysis indicates that the initial decomposition step is most likely responsible for the observed effect. Kinetic studies for isotopic exchange reactions are carried out in an O$\\sb3$ decomposition system with M present. For the O($\\sp3$P) produced from the thermal O$\\sb3$ decomposition, there is no detectable isotopic exchange observed in the experimental conditions. The corresponding upper limits of the kinetic rate constants of the exchange reactions are derived from numerical model simulations. The first multi-isotope study on the isotopic exchange between an electronic excited state species O($\\sp1$D) and CO$\\sb2$ has been performed. The O($\\sp1$D) generated from O$\\sb3$ UV photolysis has clearly undergone an isotopic exchange with CO$\\sb2$ via a CO$\\sb3$* intermediate. A non-mass-dependent isotopic effect is observed through the exchange, which has a direct implication to recent atmospheric observations. The isotopic data are also crucial to investigate microscopic properties of the CO$\\sb3$* intermediate. Based on the results of laboratory experiments and model simulations, applications to atmospheric science, cosmochemistry as well as physical chemistry are discussed. This study demonstrates that the multi-isotope ratios combined with non-mass-dependent isotopic fractionation patterns provide a unique, powerful tracer to characterize various chemical and physical processes, and have a broad range of applications to nature.

We fabricated a type of conductive fabric, specifically single-wall carbon nanotube-coated cotton yarns (SWNT-CYs), for electrocardiography (ECG) signal transmission utilizing a “dipping and drying” method. The conductive cotton yarns were prepared by dipping cotton yarns in SWNTs (single-wall carbon nanotubes) solutions and then drying them at room temperature—a simple process that shows consistency in successfully coating cotton yarns with conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The influence of fabrication conditions on the conductivity properties of SWNT-CYs was investigated. The results demonstrate that our conductive yarns can transmit weak bio-electrical (i.e., ECG) signals without significant attenuation and distortion. Our conductive cotton yarns, which combine the flexibility of conventional fabrics and the good conductivity of SWNTs, are promising materials for wearable electronics and sensor applications in the future.

Capripox viruses (CaPVs), including sheep pox virus (SPV), goat pox virus (GPV), and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), are the cause of sheep pox (SPP), goat pox (GTP), and lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle. These diseases are of great economic significance to farmers, as they are endemic on farms and are a major constraint to international trade in livestock and their products. Capripoxvirus (CaPV) infections produce similar symptoms in sheep and goats, and the three viruses cannot be distinguished serologically. In this study, we developed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for identifying CaPV in goats, sheep, and cattle. Clinical samples were tested and verified. The developed assay was highly specific for target viruses, including GPVSPV and LSDV, which had no cross-reaction with other viruses causing similar clinical symptoms. An artificially synthesized positive control plasmid using the CaPV 32 gene inserted into the vector pMD19-T was used as a template, and the correlation coefficient of the linear regression curve (R2) was 0.9916, the estimated amplification efficiency (E) was 96.06%, and the sensitivity (limit of detection, LOD) was 3.80 copies per reaction. Using the clinical samples as a template, the limit of detection (LOD) was 4.91 × 10−5 ng per reaction (1.60 × 10−5–2.13 × 10−3 ng, 95% confidence interval (CI)), which means that this method was one of the most sensitive detection assays for CaPVs. A total of 85 clinical samples from CaPV-infected animals (goats, sheep, and cattle) and 50 clinical samples from healthy animals were used to test and compare the diagnostic results using the Synergy Brands (SYBR) Green-based PCR method recommended by the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH). Both diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) (95.8–100%, 95% CI) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) (92.9–100%, 95% CI) results of the real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and SYBR Green PCR were 100%, and the kappa value (κ) was 1.0 (1-1, 95% CI). In summary, the assay established based on TaqMan probes was advantageous in high specificity, sensitivity, and general applicability and could be a competitive candidate tool for the diagnosis of CaPV in clinically suspected animals.

Introduction White matter injury (WMI) significantly affects neurobehavioral recovery in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients. Gut dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Oxymatrine (OMT) has therapeutic effects on inflammation‐mediated diseases. Whether OMT exerts therapeutic effects on WMI after ICH and the role of gut microbiota involved in this process is largely unknown. Methods Neurological deficits, WMI, gut microbial composition, intestinal barrier function, and systemic inflammation were investigated after ICH. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed to elucidate the role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of ICH. Results OMT promoted long‐term neurological function recovery and ameliorated WMI in the peri‐hematoma region and distal corticospinal tract (CST) region after ICH. ICH induced significant and persistent gut dysbiosis, which was obviously regulated by OMT. In addition, OMT alleviated intestinal barrier dysfunction and systemic inflammation. Correlation analysis revealed that gut microbiota alteration was significantly correlated with inflammation, intestinal barrier permeability, and neurological deficits after ICH. Moreover, OMT‐induced gut microbiota alteration could confer protection against neurological deficits and intestinal barrier disruption. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that OMT ameliorates ICH‐induced WMI and neurological deficits by modulating gut microbiota. Schematic mechanism of the protection of OMT against gut dysbiosis and white matter injury (WMI) in ICH. ICH induced severe WMI and neurological deficits, accompanied by persistent gut dysbiosis. OMT promoted better long‐term neurological function recovery and ameliorated WMI after ICH by modulating gut microbial composition and alleviating intestinal barrier dysfunction.

The rapid growth of electric vehicles and the increasing integration of renewable energy into the grid have heightened the demand for high-capacity energy storage systems based on abundant, low-cost materials. To address the limitations of conventional ion-intercalation batteries, conversion-type electrodes have gained significant attention, as their energy storage relies on chemical redox reactions often requiring activation or acceleration via electrocatalysis. Recent studies reveal that electrocatalytic activity is governed not only by active-site density and charge-carrier availability, but also by the spin states of electrons within the catalyst. Consequently, understanding the role of electronic spin states in battery performance, and how to manipulate them to enhance energy storage, has become a critical research frontier. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current strategies to modulate spin states in electrocatalysts for conversion-type cathodes. While external magnetic fields remain the primary method to probe and control electron spin, more practical and scalable approaches, such as atomic coordination engineering and surface spin filters, are emerging. Particular focus is given to sulfur cathodes, which offer exceptional theoretical energy density and capacity but depend heavily on catalytic hosts to enable efficient sulfur redox reactions. The review also surveys experimental techniques for probing spin states and theoretical approaches for modeling spin-related phenomena at the atomic scale. Finally, it highlights emerging research directions, underscoring the potential of spin-state modulation as a transformative strategy for next-generation energy storage technologies. Understanding the role of electronic spin states in electrodes is vital for improving battery performance. This Review discusses strategies to modulate spin states in electrocatalysts for conversion-type cathodes, with a focus on sulfur cathodes.

Lead-free piezoelectric material-based ultrasonic transducers have been researched for several years, but the inefficient properties and design difficulties have troubled lead-free ultrasonic transducers for a long time. To improve the performance and design efficiency of lead-free ultrasonic transducers, in this work, an equivalent circuit model and intelligent optimization algorithm were combined for use in a transducer design. Firstly, 0.94(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-0.06BaTiO3(BNT-6BT) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared and characterized. Then, BNT-6BT ceramics were used to fabricate the ultrasonic transducers. An equivalent circuit model-based software, PiezoCAD, and a genetic algorithm-based back-propagation neural network were used to optimize the design of the transducers. A 3.03 MHz center frequency and 60.3% −6 dB bandwidth of the optimized transducers were achieved, which were consistent with the neural networks optimization results. To verify the application potential of the lead-free transducers, tungsten rods phantom imaging and polystyrene spheres with 300 μm diameter manipulation were completed by the transducers, and the experiment results indicate that the BNT-6BT lead-free transducers have great potential in further biological and biomedical applications.

With the continuous growth of the human population, the demand for fiber is also rising sharply. As one of the main fiber plants available globally, cotton fiber yield ( Gossypium hirsutum ) is affected by boll abscission, which is related to the formation of the abscission layer. Therefore, we explored the formation of the abscission layer in cotton. The formation of the abscission layer in the cotton boll stalk was promoted by exogenous ethylene. It was found that both the number of the Golgi apparatus and the number of stacking layers increased in the dissociated cells. The GhArfGAP gene family in cotton was screened by the bioinformatics method, and the species and evolutionary relationship of the GhArfGAP gene family were analyzed. qRT-PCR showed that GhArfGAP13 , GhArfGAP15 , GhArfGAP25 , and GhArfGAP34 in cotton had spatiotemporal-specific expression patterns. Subcellular localization suggested that GhArfGAP25 played a role in the Golgi apparatus. The expression of GhArfGAP25 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana is increased in the roots, stems, and leaves. Finally, we found that ethylene could induce the formation of the abscission layer in cotton. GhArfGAP13, GhArfGAP15, GhArfGAP25 , and GhArfGAP34 might regulate the changes in the Golgi apparatus in the abscission layer. Taken together, the findings provide new ideas for the study of the formation of cotton abscission.

This study aimed to explore several peripheral blood-based markers related to the inflammatory response in a total of 210 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large artery occlusion in the anterior circulation who received endovascular therapy (EVT) from an observational study of clinical significance of circulating non-coding RNA in acute ischemic stroke (AISRNA). We collected baseline characteristics of 210 AIS patients participating in an observational acute stroke cohort: the AISRNA study. The following inflammatory factors were measured in these participants: interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and interferon-γ [IFN-γ]. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score increase of ≥4 within 24 hours after EVT defined as early neurological deterioration (END). Compared with patients without END, patients with END had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation ( =0.012), and also had higher levels of IL-6 and IL-10 ( <0.01). Furthermore, we found that the area under the curves (AUCs) of IL-6 and IL-10 for predicting END were 0.768 (0.697-0.829), and 0.647 (0.570-0.719), respectively. Adjusting for age, sex, and atrial fibrillation, the odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence interval) for incident END for IL-6 and IL-10 were 1.98 (1.05-6.69) and 1.18 (1.04-1.33), respectively. Additionally, we found significant changes over time in the expression levels of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in patients with END compared with patients without END ( <0.05). IL-6 and IL-10 levels at admission may be potential markers of END after EVT, and the time course of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 is correlated with stroke progression. Further larger studies are needed to confirm the current findings. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04175691. Registered November 21, 2019, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04175691.

Graph embedding based retrieval has become one of the most popular techniques in the information retrieval community and search engine industry. The classical paradigm mainly relies on the flat Euclidean geometry. In recent years, hyperbolic (negative curvature) and spherical (positive curvature) representation methods have shown their superiority to capture hierarchical and cyclic data structures respectively. However, in industrial scenarios such as e-commerce sponsored search platforms, the large-scale heterogeneous query-item-advertisement interaction graphs often have multiple structures coexisting. Existing methods either only consider a single geometry space, or combine several spaces manually, which are incapable and inflexible to model the complexity and heterogeneity in the real scenario. To tackle this challenge, we present a web-scale Adaptive Mixed-Curvature ADvertisement retrieval system (AMCAD) to automatically capture the complex and heterogeneous graph structures in non-Euclidean spaces. Specifically, entities are represented in adaptive mixed-curvature spaces, where the types and curvatures of the subspaces are trained to be optimal combinations. Besides, an attentive edge-wise space projector is designed to model the similarities between heterogeneous nodes according to local graph structures and the relation types. Moreover, to deploy AMCAD in Taobao, one of the largest ecommerce platforms with hundreds of million users, we design an efficient two-layer online retrieval framework for the task of graph based advertisement retrieval. Extensive evaluations on real-world datasets and A/B tests on online traffic are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed system.