New perspectives and prospects for the next generation of combination therapy in inflammatory bowel disease

This article comments on the letter by Lowell et al,which addresses the next generation of combination therapy for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).As the understanding of the pathogenesis of IBD continues to improve,treatment strategies are evolving rapidly.The letter examines the current status and future directions of combination therapy for IBD,focusing on approaches that combine biologics with immunomodulators and the emerging dual-biologic therapy(DBT).The traditional combination of biologics and immunomodulators has demonstra-ted preliminary efficacy by enhancing the effects of biologics through immunomo-dulation.However,concerns regarding long-term safety warrant careful evalua-tion.Recent trials,including DUET-Crohn's disease and DUET-ulcerative colitis,have shown promising potential for the broader adoption of DBT.Nevertheless,comprehensive data on efficacy and safety,as well as the effective integration of supportive treatments,remain essential to establish new paradigms for the next generation of IBD care.

Highly Aligned Ternary Nanofiber Matrices Loaded with MXene Expedite Regeneration of Volumetric Muscle Loss

Current therapeutic approaches for volumetric muscle loss(VML)face challenges due to limited graft availability and insufficient bioactivities.To overcome these limitations,tissue-engineered scaffolds have emerged as a promising alternative.In this study,we developed aligned ternary nanofibrous matrices comprised of poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)integrated with collagen and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene nanoparticles(NPs)(PCM matrices),and explored their myogenic potential for skeletal muscle tissue regeneration.The PCM matrices demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties,including structural uniformity,alignment,microporosity,and hydrophilicity.In vitro assays revealed that the PCM matrices promoted cellular behaviors and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts.Moreover,in vivo experiments demonstrated enhanced muscle remodeling and recovery in mice treated with PCM matrices following VML injury.Mechanistic insights from next-generation sequencing revealed that MXene NPs facilitated protein and ion availability within PCM matrices,leading to elevated intracellular Ca^(2+)levels in myoblasts through the activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase(i NOS)and serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1(SGK1),ultimately promoting myogenic differentiation via the m TOR-AKT pathway.Additionally,upregulated i NOS and increased NO–contributed to myoblast proliferation and fiber fusion,thereby facilitating overall myoblast maturation.These findings underscore the potential of MXene NPs loaded within highly aligned matrices as therapeutic agents to promote skeletal muscle tissue recovery.

In vivo label-free measurement of blood flow velocity symmetry based on dual line scanning third-harmonic generation microscopy excited at the 1700 nm window

Measurement of bloodflow velocity is key to understanding physiology and pathology in vivo.While most measurements are performed at the middle of the blood vessel,little research has been done on characterizing the instantaneous bloodflow velocity distribution.This is mainly due to the lack of measurement technology with high spatial and temporal resolution.Here,we tackle this problem with our recently developed dual-wavelength line-scan third-harmonic generation(THG)imaging technology.Simultaneous acquisition of dual-wavelength THG line-scanning signals enables measurement of bloodflow velocities at two radially symmetric positions in both venules and arterioles in mouse brain in vivo.Our results clearly show that the instantaneous bloodflow velocity is not symmetric under general conditions.

Agronomic treatments combined with embryo rescue for rapid generation advancement in tomato speed breeding

Unlike other major crops,little research has been performed on tomato to reduce the generation time for speed breeding.We evaluated several agronomic treatments to reduce the generation time of tomato in the‘M82'(determinate)and‘Moneymaker'(indeterminate)varieties and evaluated the best combination in conjunction with embryo rescue.Five container sizes with volumes of 0.2 L(XS),0.45 L(S),0.8 L(M),1.3 L(L),and6 L(XL),were evaluated in the first experiment under the autumn cycle.We found that plants grown in XL containers exhibited better development and required less time from sowing to anthesis(DSA)and from anthesis to fruit ripening(DAR).In the second experiment,using XL containers in the autumn-winter cycle,we evaluated the effects of cold priming at the cotyledonary stage,water stress,P supplementation,and K supplementation on generation time.Compared to the control,we found that cold priming significantly reduced the number of leaves,plant height to first the inflorescence,and DSA(2.7 d),whereas K supplementation reduced the DAR(8.8 d).In contrast,water stress and P supplementation did not significantly affect any of the measured traits like DAR,DSA or fruit set.To validate these data,in a third experiment with XL containers in the spring-summer cycle,the combination of cold priming and K supplementation was tested,confirming the significant effect of this combination on the reduction of generation time(2.9 d for DSA and 3.9 d for DAR)compared to the control.Embryo rescue during the cell expansion cycle(average of 22.0 d and 23.3 d after anthesis for‘M82'and‘Moneymaker',respectively)allowed the shortening of the generation time by 8.7 d in‘M82'and 11.6 d in‘Moneymaker'compared to the in planta fruit ripening.The combination of agronomic treatments with embryo rescue can effectively increase the number of generations per year from three to four for speed breeding of tomato.

Two stages power generation test of the hot dry rock exploration and production demonstration project in the Gonghe Basin,northeastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau,China

The Hot Dry Rock(HDR)is considered as a clean and renewable energy,poised to significantly contribute to the global energy decarbonization agenda.Many HDR projects worldwide have accumulated valuable experience in efficient drilling and completion,reservoir construction,and fracture simulation.In 2019,China Geological Survey(CGS)initiated a demonstration project of HDR exploration and production in the Gonghe Basin,aiming to overcome the setbacks faced by HDR projects.Over the ensuing four years,the Gonghe HDR project achieved the first power generation in 2021,followed by the second power generation test in 2022.After establishing the primary well group in the initial phase,two directional wells and one branch well were drilled.Noteworthy progress was made in successfully constructing the targeted reservoir,realizing inter-well connectivity,power generation and grid connection,implementing of the real-time micro-seismic monitoring.A closed-loop technical validation of the HDR exploration and production was completed.However,many technical challenges remain in the process of HDR industrialization,such as reservoir fracture network characterization,efficient drilling and completion,multiple fracturing treatment,continuous injection and production,as well as mitigation of induced seismicity and numerical simulation technology.

Identifying multidisciplinary problems from scientific publications based on a text generation method

Purpose:A text generation based multidisciplinary problem identification method is proposed,which does not rely on a large amount of data annotation.Design/methodology/approach:The proposed method first identifies the research objective types and disciplinary labels of papers using a text classification technique;second,it generates abstractive titles for each paper based on abstract and research objective types using a generative pre-trained language model;third,it extracts problem phrases from generated titles according to regular expression rules;fourth,it creates problem relation networks and identifies the same problems by exploiting a weighted community detection algorithm;finally,it identifies multidisciplinary problems based on the disciplinary labels of papers.Findings:Experiments in the“Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality”field show that the proposed method can effectively identify multidisciplinary research problems.The disciplinary distribution of the identified problems is consistent with our understanding of multidisciplinary collaboration in the field.Research limitations:It is necessary to use the proposed method in other multidisciplinary fields to validate its effectiveness.Practical implications:Multidisciplinary problem identification helps to gather multidisciplinary forces to solve complex real-world problems for the governments,fund valuable multidisciplinary problems for research management authorities,and borrow ideas from other disciplines for researchers.Originality/value:This approach proposes a novel multidisciplinary problem identification method based on text generation,which identifies multidisciplinary problems based on generative abstractive titles of papers without data annotation required by standard sequence labeling techniques.

Efficient C-N coupling in electrocatalytic urea generation on copper carbonate hydroxide electrocatalysts

Urea generation through electrochemical CO_(2) and NO_(3)~-co-reduction reaction(CO_(2)NO_(3)RR)is still limited by either the low selectivity or yield rate of urea.Herein,we report copper carbonate hydroxide(Cu_2(OH)_2CO_(3))as an efficient CO_(2)NO_(3)RR electrocatalyst with an impressive urea Faradaic efficiency of45.2%±2.1%and a high yield rate of 1564.5±145.2μg h~(-1)mg_(cat)~(-1).More importantly,H_(2) evolution is fully inhibited on this electrocatalyst over a wide potential range between-0.3 and-0.8 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode.Our thermodynamic simulation reveals that the first C-N coupling follows a unique pathway on Cu_2(OH)_2CO_(3) by combining the two intermediates,~*COOH and~*NHO.This work demonstrates that high selectivity and yield rate of urea can be simultaneously achieved on simple Cu-based electrocatalysts in CO_(2)NO_(3)RR,and provide guidance for rational design of more advanced catalysts.

Influence of Magmatic Intrusion on Abnormal Hydrocarbon Generation and Expulsion of Source Rock:A Case Study of the Dongying Sag,Bohai Bay Basin

How gabbro affects the generation and expulsion of hydrocarbons in muddy surrounding rocks is clarified by analyzing thin section,major and trace elements,total organic carbon(TOC),pyrolysis,extracts and vitrinite reflectance data from source rocks in the Chunxi area the Dongying Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,eastern China.The results show that a magma intrusion brings copious heat to the source rocks,which promotes abnormal maturation of organic matter(OM)and rapid hydrocarbon generation.The CH_(4)and H_(2)produced by gabbro alteration play a role in hydrocarbon generation of source rocks.The hydrothermal process during magma intrusion provides many different minerals to the source rock,resulting in carbonate-rich surrounding mudstone.The carbonate and clay minerals produced by volcanic mineral alteration jointly catalyze the hydrocarbon generation of the source rock.The high-temperature baking of the intrusion results in hydrothermal pressurization and hydrocarbon generation pressurization,causing many fractures in the surrounding rock.The generated oil and gas are discharged through the fractures under diffusion and pressure.Mantle-derived CO_(2)is also conducive to the expulsion of hydrocarbons because of its strong enrichment capacity for hydrocarbons.

Numerical Simulation of Droplet Generation in Coaxial Microchannels

In this study,numerical simulations of the pinching-off phenomena displayed by the dispersed phase in a continuous phase have been conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics(level-set method).Four flow patterns,namely“drop flow”,“jet flow”,“squeeze flow”,and“co-flow”,have been obtained for different flow velocity ratios,channel diameter ratios,density ratios,viscosity ratios,and surface tension.The flow pattern map of two-phase flow in coaxial microchannels has been obtained accordingly,and the associated droplet generation process has been critically discussed considering the related frequency,diameter,and pinch-off length.In particular,it is shown that the larger the flow velocity ratio,the smaller the diameter of generated droplets and the shorter the pinch-off length.The pinch-off length of a droplet is influenced by the channel diameter ratio and density ratio.The changes in viscosity ratio have a negligible influence on the droplet generation pinching frequency.With an increase in surface tension,the frequency of generation and pinch-off length of droplets decrease,but for small surface tension the generation diameter of droplet increases.

Application of Next Generation Sequencing for Rapid Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria

The rapid identification of lactic acid bacteria,which are essential microorganisms in the food industry,is of great significance for industrial applications.The identification of lactic acid bacteria traditionally relies on the isolation and identification of pure colonies.While this method is well-established and widely used,it is not without limitations.The subjective judgment inherent in the isolation and purification process introduces potential for error,and the incomplete nature of the isolation process can result in the loss of valuable information.The advent of next generation sequencing has provided a novel approach to the rapid identification of lactic acid bacteria.This technology offers several advantages,including rapidity,accuracy,high throughput,and low cost.Next generation sequencing represents a significant advancement in the field of DNA sequencing.Its ability to rapidly and accurately identify lactic acid bacteria strains in samples with insufficient information or in the presence of multiple lactic acid bacteria sets it apart as a valuable tool.The application of this technology not only circumvents the potential errors inherent in the traditional method but also provides a robust foundation for the expeditious identification of lactic acid bacteria strains and the authentication of bacterial powder in industrial applications.This paper commences with an overview of traditional and molecular biology methods for the identification of lactic acid bacteria.While each method has its own advantages,they are not without limitations in practical application.Subsequently,the paper provides an introduction of the principle,process,advantages,and disadvantages of next generation sequencing,and also details its application in strain identification and rapid identification of lactic acid bacteria.The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive and reliable basis for the rapid identification of industrial lactic acid bacteria strains and the authenticity identification of bacterial powder.

Optimization of extreme ultraviolet vortex beam based on high harmonic generation

In high harmonic generation(HHG),Laguerre–Gaussian(LG) beams are used to generate extreme ultraviolet(XUV)vortices with well-defined orbital angular momentum(OAM),which have potential applications in fields such as microscopy and spectroscopy.An experimental study on the HHG driven by vortex and Gaussian beams is conducted in this work.It is found that the intensity of vortex harmonics is positively correlated with the laser energy and gas pressure.The structure and intensity distribution of the vortex harmonics exhibit significant dependence on the relative position between the gas jet and the laser focus.The ring-like structures observed in the vortex harmonics,and the interference of quantum paths provide an explanation for the distinct structural characteristics.Moreover,by adjusting the relative position between the jet and laser focus,it is possible to discern the contributions from different quantum paths.The optimization of the HH vortex field is applicable to the XUV,which opens up a new way for exploiting the potential in optical spin or manipulating electrons by using the photon with tunable orbital angular momentum.

Hydrogen generation from NaBH_(4) for portable proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Sodium borohydride(NaBH_(4)) is considered as the most potential hydrogen storage material for portable proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFC)because of its high theoretical hydrogen capacity.However,the slow and poor kinetic stability of hydrogen generation from NaBH_(4) hydrolysis limits its application.There are two main factors influencing the kinetics stability of hydrogen generation from NaBH_(4).One factor is that the alkaline byproducts(NaBO_(2)) of the hydrolysis reaction can increase the pH of the solution,thus inhibiting the reaction process.It mainly happens in the NaBH_(4) solution hydrolysis system.Another factor is that the monotonous increase in reaction temperature leads to uncontrollable and unpredictable hydrolysis rates in the solid NaBH_(4) hydrolysis system.This is due to the excess heat generated from this exothermic reaction in the initial reaction of NaBH_(4) hydrolysis.In this perspective,we summarize the latest research progress in hydrogen generation from NaBH_(4) and emphasize the design principles of catalysts for hydrogen generation from NaBH_(4) solution and solid state NaBH_(4).The importance of carbon as catalyst support material for NaBH_(4) hydrolysis is also highlighted.

Rolling Decision Model of Thermal Power Retrofit and Generation Expansion Planning Considering Carbon Emissions and Power Balance Risk

With the increasing urgency of the carbon emission reduction task,the generation expansion planning process needs to add carbon emission risk constraints,in addition to considering the level of power adequacy.However,methods for quantifying and assessing carbon emissions and operational risks are lacking.It results in excessive carbon emissions and frequent load-shedding on some days,although meeting annual carbon emission reduction targets.First,in response to the above problems,carbon emission and power balance risk assessment indicators and assessment methods,were proposed to quantify electricity abundance and carbon emission risk level of power planning scenarios,considering power supply regulation and renewable energy fluctuation characteristics.Secondly,building on traditional two-tier models for low-carbon power planning,including investment decisions and operational simulations,considering carbon emissions and power balance risks in lower-tier operational simulations,a two-tier rolling model for thermal power retrofit and generation expansion planning was established.The model includes an investment tier and operation assessment tier and makes year-by-year decisions on the number of thermal power units to be retrofitted and the type and capacity of units to be commissioned.Finally,the rationality and validity of the model were verified through an example analysis,a small-scale power supply system in a certain region is taken as an example.The model can significantly reduce the number of days of carbon emissions risk and ensure that the power balance risk is within the safe limit.

A novel oxidation-resistible Mg@Ni foam material for safe,efficient,and controllable hydrogen generation

As a promising in-situ hydrogen generation material,magnesium(Mg)has been seeking a promotion in its hydrogen generation property.Increasing the specific surface area,for example,replacing the Mg bulk using Mg powder,can greatly increase the hydrogen generation property,but it brings a high explosion risk,a difficulty in controlling the hydrogen generation,and an oxidation problem.In this work,we prepare a novel Mg@Ni foam material with Mg deposits on Ni foam by a physical vapor deposition method.The Ni foam not only increases the hydrolysis reaction areas of Mg by improving its specific surface area,but also kinetically accelerates the hydrolysis reaction rate of Mg by forming a uniform Mg-Ni galvanic cell.As a result,the Mg@Ni foam material realizes a near-theoretical hydrogen generation amount of Mg and a hydrogen generation rate significantly higher than those realized by the bulk Mg-based materials.The Mg@Ni foam material with the excellent hydrogen generation property is also free from explosion risk,easy to be controlled,and resistible to oxidation.A hydrogen fuel cell powered by the hydrogen generated by the Mg@Ni foam material can yield a steady voltage and run a small car for a long distance.

Effects of Viscous Dissipation and Periodic Heat Flux on MHD Free Convection Channel Flow with Heat Generation

This study investigates the influence of periodic heat flux and viscous dissipation on magnetohydrodynamic(MHD)flow through a vertical channel with heat generation.A theoretical approach is employed.The channel is exposed to a perpendicular magnetic field,while one side experiences a periodic heat flow,and the other side undergoes a periodic temperature variation.Numerical solutions for the governing partial differential equations are obtained using a finite difference approach,complemented by an eigenfunction expansion method for analytical solutions.Visualizations and discussions illustrate how different variables affect the flow velocity and temperature fields.This offers comprehensive insights into MHD flow behavior and its interactions with the magnetic field,heat flux,viscous dissipation,and heat generation.The findings hold significance for engineering applications concerning fluid dynamics and heat transfer,offering valuable knowledge in this field.The study concludes that the transient velocity and temperature profiles exhibit periodic patterns under periodic heat flow conditions.A temperature reduction is observed with an increase in the wall temperature phase angle.In contrast,an increase in the heat flux phase angle values raises the temperature values.

Next Generation Sequencing in Oncological Diagnostics: Hype or Hope?

The understanding of how genetic and epigenetic factors influence tumorigenesis, progression and invasion, is vastly growing since new technologies allow the analysis of the functional genome namely the exome, the transcriptome and the epigenome, besides enabling genome-wide assessment of genetic variations. With the advent of new drugs that are indicated tissue agnostic, depending on certain mutations, there is a growing demand for fast and cost-effective genetic diagnosis. The method in focus that already became an indispensable tool in viral diagnosis is next-generation sequencing (NGS). This approach allows sequencing of literally every DNA molecule in the sample and can either be used to assess numerous genetic markers of one patient at a time, or to assess fewer markers of many patients in parallel, which reduces costs. We submitted 23 samples of different tumor entities to four diagnostic companies with different analysis profiles. The results as disclosed and discussed in this report indicate that so far, the main application of NGS is rather in cancer research than in diagnosis, as none of the reports had a real impact on the therapeutic scheme. We are perfectly aware that such a small cohort cannot be generalized, but considering the costs vs. benefits, NGS should be engaged upon a very stringent evaluation only. However, in cases where obtaining a tissue biopsy is impossible or unfavorable, analysis of liquid biopsy by NGS provides a vital alternative.

Extremely efficient terahertz second-harmonic generation from organic crystals

Achieving efficient and intense second-harmonic generation(SHG)in the terahertz(THz)spectrum holds great potential for a wide range of technical applications,including THz nonlinear functional devices,wireless communications,and data processing and storage.However,the current research on THz harmonic emission primarily focuses on inorganic materials,which often offers challenges in achieving both efficient and broadband SHG.Herein,the remarkable efficiency of organic materials in producing THz harmonics is studied and demonstrated,thereby opening up a new avenue for searching candidates for frequency-doubling devices in the THz band.By utilizing DAST,DSTMS,and OH1 crystals,we showcase their superior frequency conversion capabilities when pumped by the narrowband THz pulses centered at 2.4,1.6,and 0.8 THz.The SHG spans a high-frequency THz domain of 4.8 THz,achieving an unprecedented conversion efficiency of∼1.21%while maintaining a perturbative nonlinear response.The highly efficient SHG of these materials is theoretically analyzed by considering the combined effects of dispersion,phonon absorption,polarization,and the nonlinear susceptibility of organic crystals.This work presents a promising platform for efficient THz frequency conversion and generation across a wide range of frequencies,offering new opportunities for novel nonlinear THz applications in next-generation electronics and optics.

Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of SZ Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation Project Based on AHP-Matter-Element Extension Model

With the introduction of the“dual carbon goals,”there has been a robust development of distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in the promotion of their construction.As part of this initiative,a comprehensive and systematic analysis has been conducted to study the overall benefits of photovoltaic power generation projects.The evaluation process encompasses economic,technical,environmental,and social aspects,providing corresponding analysis methods and data references.Furthermore,targeted countermeasures and suggestions are proposed,signifying the research’s importance for the construction and development of subsequent distributed photovoltaic power generation projects.

Highly efficient Z-scheme WO_(3-x) quantum dots/TiO_2 for photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Z-scheme semiconductors are a promising class of photocatalysts for hydrogen generation.In this work,Z-scheme semiconductors composed of WO3-x quantum dots supported on TiO2（WO3-xQDS/TiO2） were fabricated by solvothermal and hydrogen-reduction methods.Characterization by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicated that the amount and size of the WO3-x QDs could be tuned by modulating the addition of the W precursor.Evidence from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy suggested that the hydrogen reduction of the composite induced the formation of oxygen vacancy（W^5＋/Vo） defects in WO3.These defects led to ohmic contact between WO3-x and TiO2,which altered the charge-transfer pathway from type Ⅱ heterojunction to Z-scheme,and maintained the highly reductive and oxidative ability of TiO2 and WO3-x,respectively.Therefore,the Z-scheme sample showed 1.3-fold higher photoactivity than pure TiO2 in hydrogen generation.These results suggest that the formation of W^5＋/Vo defects at the interface is highly beneficial for the fabrication of Z-scheme photocatalysts.

Hydrogen generation from coupling reactions of AlLi/NaBH_4 mixture in water activated by Ni powder

A novel composition of AlLi/NaBH4 mixture activated by common Ni powder in water for hydrogen generation was investigated. The composition presents good hydrogen generation performance and an optimized Al-10% Li-10% Ni/NaBH4 mixture （mass ratio of 3：1） generates 1540 mL/g hydrogen with 96% efficiency at 333 K. Ni powder exhibits dual catalytic effects on the hydrolysis of AlLi/NaBH4 mixture due to the formation of Ni2B in the hydrolysis process. The Ni2B deposited on aluminum surface could act as a cathode of a micro galvanic couple. Ni2B/Al（OH）3 also has a synergistic effect on NaBH4 hydrolysis. Good hydrogen generation performance with stable pH value of hydrolysis byproduct Al（OH）3/NaBO2-2H2O was obtained with successive additions of Al-Li-Ni /NaBH4 mixture into fixed water.