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Defect engineering is a strategy that is attracting widespread attention for the possibility of modifying battery active materials in order to improve the cycling stability of the electrodes. However, accurate investigation and quantification of the effect of the defects on the electrochemical energy storage performance of the cell are not trivial tasks. Herein, we report the quantification of vanadium-defective clusters (i.e., up to 5.7%) in the V 2 O 3 lattice via neutron and X-ray powder diffraction measurements, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy, and synchrotron-based X-ray analysis. When the vanadium-defective V 2 O 3 is employed as cathode active material in an aqueous Zn coin cell configuration, capacity retention of about 81% after 30,000 cycles at 5 A g −1 is achieved. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the vanadium-defective clusters can provide favorable sites for reversible Zn-ion storage. Moreover, the vanadium-defective clusters allow the storage of Zn ions in V 2 O 3 , which reduces the electrostatic interaction between the host material and the multivalent ions. Aqueous Zn metal batteries are a promising system for high-power electrochemical energy storage. Here, the authors investigate a defective V 2 O 3 cathode via neutron and X-ray techniques and test the material in Zn metal cell configuration for 30k cycles.

The visible light indoor position perception method not only solves the limitations of traditional positioning technology indoors, but also promotes innovation in fields such as smart retail and healthcare with its advantages of high accuracy and low cost. At present, visible light indoor positioning methods based on received signal strength are restricted by issues such as environmental interference and poor signal stability. Additionally, traditional feature extraction methods result in insufficient diversity in feature databases, and the initial parameters of positioning models tend to fall into local optima, leading to significant fluctuations in positioning errors in complex indoor scenarios and making it difficult to consistently achieve high-precision positioning results. Therefore, it is necessary to address the problems of weak signal anti-interference capability, inadequate feature representation, and insufficient model parameter optimization by focusing on three core aspects: data collection, feature extraction, and model optimization, thereby providing a technical pathway to enhance the accuracy and stability of indoor positioning. In this regard, to improve the stability and accuracy of this technology, the design of light source layout and image data acquisition method was studied. This research developed an image data feature extraction method based on Resnet50 and referenced the idea of feature pyramid. Meanwhile, an indoor location sensing model based on Elman network was designed, and an improved grey wolf optimization algorithm was proposed to optimize the initial weights and threshold parameters of the Elman network. The results showed that the average cosine similaritycorresponding to the feature extraction methoddesigned in the studywas 0.103, which wascloser to 0, indicating that the feature library constructed by this method was more diverse. Under different test functions, the average fitness values of the improved grey wolf optimization algorithm were 2.69 × 105, 1.47 × 101, and 2.17 × 102, respectively, all of which were lower than the comparison algorithm. At different heights, the average errors of the designed perception model were 3.04 cm, 3.57 cm, and 3.19 cm, respectively, which were notably lower than the comparison models. The design model also performed better in dynamic analysis and environmental light impact analysis. The designed perception model exhibited excellent performance and is capable of offering technical assistance for improving indoor positioning accuracy.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of soluble fragment of cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA21-1) tests in detecting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including squamous cell carcinoma, lung adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. Methods: The relevant studies were identified from PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library before November 2018. Summary estimates for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio of CYFRA21-1 tests for the diagnosis of NSCLC were calculated using the random effects model. A summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was used to assess the overall effectiveness of the test. Meta-DiSc 1.4 and Stata11.0 were applied to the statistical analysis. Publication bias was detected using Egger’s test. Results: A total of 22 studies consisting of 7910 NSCLC patients (squamous cell carcinoma/lung adenocarcinoma/large cell carcinoma) and 2630 benign lesions patients that met the inclusion criteria were included. The meta-analysis showed that CYFRA21-1 tests had a relatively high accuracy for squamous cell carcinoma detection and a lower accuracy for lung adenocarcinoma detection. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio of CYFRA21-1 tests for squamous cell carcinoma detection were 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70, 0.74), 0.94 (95% CI 0.92, 0.95), 9.73 (95% CI 7.06, 13.40), 0.37 (95% CI 0.29, 0.47), and 27.30 (95% CI 17.68, 42.16), respectively. The area under the SROC curve was 0.9171 (Q* = 0.8500). No publication bias was tested in the squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.567) and lung adenocarcinoma (P = 0.378) groups. Conclusions: CYFRA21-1 tests might be appropriate for detecting squamous cell carcinoma.

The limited capacity of the positive electrode active material in non-aqueous rechargeable lithium-based batteries acts as a stumbling block for developing high-energy storage devices. Although lithium transition metal oxides are high-capacity electrochemical active materials, the structural instability at high cell voltages (e.g., >4.3 V) detrimentally affects the battery performance. Here, to circumvent this issue, we propose a Li 1.46 Ni 0.32 Mn 1.2 O 4- x (0 <  x  < 4) material capable of forming a medium-entropy state spinel phase with partial cation disordering after initial delithiation. Via physicochemical measurements and theoretical calculations, we demonstrate the structural disorder in delithiated Li 1.46 Ni 0.32 Mn 1.2 O 4- x , the direct shuttling of Li ions from octahedral sites to the spinel structure and the charge-compensation Mn 3+ /Mn 4+ cationic redox mechanism after the initial delithiation. When tested in a coin cell configuration in combination with a Li metal anode and a LiPF 6 -based non-aqueous electrolyte, the Li 1.46 Ni 0.32 Mn 1.2 O 4- x -based positive electrode enables a discharge capacity of 314.1 mA h g −1 at 100 mA g −1 with an average cell discharge voltage of about 3.2 V at 25 ± 5 °C, which results in a calculated initial specific energy of 999.3 Wh kg −1 (based on mass of positive electrode’s active material). Structural instability is a major drawback of high-capacity lithium-based battery cathodes. Here, the authors report a cathode active material with a medium-entropy state created by partial cation disordering capable of restraining the structural evolution in the high-capacity operated spinel phase.

Sepsis is the leading cause of death in Intensive Care Units. Novel sepsis biomarkers and targets for treatment are needed to improve mortality from sepsis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently been used as finger prints for sepsis, and our goal in this prospective study was to investigate if serum miRNAs identified in genome-wide scans could predict sepsis mortality. We enrolled 214 sepsis patients (117 survivors and 97 non-survivors based on 28-day mortality). Solexa sequencing followed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays was used to test for differences in the levels of miRNAs between survivors and non-survivors. miR-223, miR-15a, miR-16, miR-122, miR-193*, and miR-483-5p were significantly differentially expressed. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated and the areas under the curve (AUC) for these six miRNAs for predicting sepsis mortality ranged from 0.610 (95%CI: 0.523-0.697) to 0.790 (95%CI: 0.719-0.861). Logistic regression analysis showed that sepsis stage, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, miR-15a, miR-16, miR-193b*, and miR-483-5p were associated with death from sepsis. An analysis was done using these seven variables combined. The AUC for these combined variables' predictive probability was 0.953 (95% CI: 0.923-0.983), which was much higher than the AUCs for Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (0.782; 95% CI: 0.712-0.851), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (0.752; 95% CI: 0.672-0.832), and procalcitonin levels (0.689; 95% CI: 0.611-0.784). With a cut-off point of 0.550, the predictive value of the seven variables had a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 90.4%. Additionally, miR-193b* had the highest odds ratio for sepsis mortality of 9.23 (95% CI: 1.20-71.16). Six serum miRNA's were identified as prognostic predictors for sepsis patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01207531.

Ectoine is an important natural secondary metabolite in halophilic microorganisms. It protects cells against environmental stressors, such as salinity, freezing, drying, and high temperatures. Ectoine is widely used in medical, cosmetic, and other industries. Due to the commercial market demand of ectoine, halophilic microorganisms are the primary method for producing ectoine, which is produced using the industrial fermentation process “bacterial milking.” The method has some limitations, such as the high salt concentration fermentation, which is highly corrosive to the equipment, and this also increases the difficulty of downstream purification and causes high production costs. The ectoine synthesis gene cluster has been successfully heterologously expressed in industrial microorganisms, and the yield of ectoine was significantly increased and the cost was reduced. This review aims to summarize and update microbial production of ectoine using different microorganisms, environments, and metabolic engineering and fermentation strategies and provides important reference for the development and application of ectoine.

Exosomal microRNAs have recently been studied as the potential diagnostic marker for various malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate serum exosomal microRNA profiles as HCC diagnostic marker. Transmission electron microscopy and Western blot were used to identify serum exosomes. Deep sequencing was performed to screen differentially expressed microRNAs between HCC (n = 5) and liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 5) groups. Three upregulated and two downregulated microRNAs were selected for qPCR analysis. The levels of selected microRNAs were normalized to Caenorhabditis elegans miR‐39 microRNA mimics. Serum exosomal level of miR‐122, miR‐148a, and miR‐1246 was further analyzed and significantly higher in HCC than LC and normal control (NC) groups (P < 0.001), but not different from chronic hepatitis group (P > 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of candidate microRNAs. Area under the curve (AUC) of miR‐148a was 0.891 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.809–0.947] in discriminating HCC from LC, remarkably higher than alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) (AUC: 0.712, 95% CI: 0.607–0.803). Binary logistic regression was adopted to establish the diagnostic model for discriminating HCC from LC. And the combination of miR‐122, miR‐148a, and AFP increased the AUC to 0.931 (95% CI, 0.857–0.973), which can also be applied for distinguishing early HCC from LC. miR‐122 was the best for differentiating HCC from NC (AUC: 0.990, 95% CI, 0.945–1.000). These data suggest that serum exosomal microRNAs signature or their combination with traditional biomarker may be used as a suitable peripheral screening tool for HCC. Significantly higher levels of serum exosomal miR‐122, miR‐148a, and miR‐1246 were found in subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than liver cirrhosis (LC) and normal control (NC). And the combination of exosomal microRNAs and alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) yielded a better diagnostic power than AFP in discriminating subjects with (early) HCC from LC. Exosomal miR‐122 had the best diagnostic performance in discriminating HCC from NC subjects.

Background Multimorbidity has become an increasingly pressing public health challenge in ageing societies, particularly with respect to psychological and cognitive conditions that have long been neglected. Our study describes temporal changes in patterns of physical, psychological, and cognitive multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults in China, and examines their associations with healthcare utilisation and catastrophic health expenditure (CHE). Method We used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), including 11,625 participants who completed four follow-up waves from 2011 to 2018. A Sankey diagram was used to visualise the flows between multimorbidity statuses over time. Logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models were employed to examine the associations between baseline multimorbidity and multimorbidity categories at the final wave, as well as between multimorbidity categories and healthcare utilisation and CHE. Adjustments were implemented for multiple testing. Results During the follow-up period, the prevalence of multimorbidity increased from 51.87% to 71.57%. Individuals with baseline single disease or multimorbidity were more likely to be classified into additional multimorbidity types at later waves. After adjusting for all covariates, individuals with physical-psychological-cognitive multimorbidity had significantly higher odds of outpatient service use (OR = 3.27; 95% CI: 2.92–3.67), inpatient service use (OR = 3.97; 95% CI: 3.45–4.57), and CHE (OR = 2.67; 95% CI: 2.37–3.02) compared with their counterparts. Conclusion Our study demonstrates a rising prevalence of multimorbidity in middle-aged and older Chinese adults. Distinct multimorbidity patterns were consistently associated with greater healthcare service utilisation and increased financial burden.

The soybean hawkmoth, Clanis bilineata tsingtauica (CBT), is a major agricultural pest affecting soybean and other leguminous crops, but also has been explored as an edible insect resource in China and economically important for artificial rearing industry. Diapause, a stage-specific developmental arrest, is widely employed by insects to survive hostile seasonal conditions. Although significant progress has been made in understanding “diapause” in the context of insect physiology and evolutionary ecology, many questions remain unclear. Here, we analyzed salivary gland mRNA and protein profiles of fifth instar larvae during feeding (gluttonous) and diapause stages. Transcriptomics revealed 2,194 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), while proteomics identified 1,746 proteins in diapause larvae. By integrating transcriptomic and proteomic data, 172 genes or proteins were with significant changes in expression, including 61 genes or proteins up-regulated and 111 down-regulated during diapause. These findings provide a multi-omics resource for identifying key regulators of diapause and elucidating its molecular basis in CBT. This study advances understanding of insect developmental arrest mechanisms and supports future research on diapause adaptation.

A hypersonic electromagnetic railgun projectile undergoes severe aero-heating with an increase in altitude. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the shock layer flow field as well as the thermal environment of the blunt body wall of a hypersonic electromagnetic railgun projectile at different launching angles. The two-temperature model considers the thermal nonequilibrium effect and is introduced into the Navier–Stokes (N-S) equation, and it is solved using the finite volume method (FVM). The reliability of the calculation model in terms of thermal properties and composition production was verified against a blunted-cone-cylinder–flare (HB-2) test case. The surface temperature of the hypersonic blunt projectile was simulated using a radiation balance wall boundary. The thermal characteristics at the emission angles α = 60° and α = 45° were checked within an altitude range of 0–70 km, including the nonequilibrium effect, reaction heat release, aerodynamic heat flux, and wall temperature. The results show that the translational rotational temperature is higher than the vibrational electronic temperature, and the thermal nonequilibrium effect increases with an increase in altitude. Comparing the two launching angles, the nonequilibrium degree and reaction heat release at α = 60° were higher than those at α = 45°. The rates of exothermic reaction decreased with an increase in altitude. The heat flux along the wall of the generatrix decreased sharply from the stagnation point. With an increase in altitude, the heat flux dropped sharply from 7 MW/m2 at H = 0 km to approximately 2 MW/m2 at H = 70 km. The wall temperature distribution was similar to the heat flux distribution; however, the surface temperature decreased less rapidly than the heat flux.