Additional file 1 of The relationship between vitamin D status and islet function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Additional file 1. Questionnaire

Effect of Fe and Co Incorporation on Morphology and Oxygen Evolution Reaction Performance of β‑Co(OH)₂: An In Situ Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscopy Investigation

Cobalt-based hydroxides are widely used as classical electrocatalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and their performance is usually regulated by incorporation. It is essential for improving the efficiency of catalysis to track the dynamic changes during the electrochemical process. Here, the different morphological evolution and OER performance variation of incorporation of Fe and Co into β-Co(OH)2 nanosheets under electrochemical conditions were elucidated by in situ electrochemical atomic force microscopy. The production of numerous particles is observed on the initial flat surface of β-Co(OH)2 nanosheets during potential cycling in a Fe2+-spiked electrolyte, while the formation of little flakes is the principally morphological change during potential cycling in a Co2+-spiked electrolyte. This type of discrepancy is due primarily to the fact that the complete irreversible oxidation of β-Co(OH)2 is promoted by Fe incorporation instead of Co incorporation. Additionally, the OER performance of the nanosheets with Fe incorporation presents a more significant improvement compared with that of the nanosheets with Co incorporation. It is on account that the OER performance benefits from Fe incorporation as well as the resulting complete conversion of β-Co(OH)2 into β-CoOOH and the generation of particles with a greater number of highly reactive sites for the OER. Our findings are conducive to gaining an essence of how the incorporation affects the OER properties of β-Co(OH)2 nanosheets through modifying morphological and component evolutions, which are vital for the advancements of cobalt-based hydroxides

Facile Electrodeposition of Mn-CoP Nanosheets on Ni Foam as High-Rate and Ultrastable Electrodes for Supercapacitors

As the combined merits of structures and compositions could have a great impact on electrodes, we synthesized manganese-doped cobalt phosphide nanosheets on Ni foam (Mn-CoP/NF) via a facile electrodeposition method. The synergistic effect between Mn and Co ions provides mixed valence states and adjusts the bandgap for accelerating the high redox reaction kinetics and improving the electron mobility and electrical conductivity. Meanwhile, the nanosheet structure provides rich electroactive sites and excellent structural stability for facilitating the electron transfer and resisting structural damage. As expected, the obtained Mn-CoP/NF electrode acquired a superior specific capacity (456 C g–1 at 0.5 A g–1), an excellent rate performance (77.4% capacity retention at 10 A g–1), and an excellent cyclability (89.0% capacity retention after 20,000 cycles). The Mn-CoP/NF//AC asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) delivers a high energy density (14.82 W h kg–1 at 312 W kg–1) and long-term durability (87.7% capacity retention after 20,000 cycles). Moreover, two ASC devices can be used to light an LED for 6 min, demonstrating ASC’s promising practical applications

Fouling and Natural Organic Matter Removal in Adsorbent/Membrane Systems for Drinking Water Treatment

Adsorbent particles added to ultrafiltration (UF) systems treating drinking water can remove natural organic matter (NOM) and some other contaminants from the water, but their effect on membrane fouling is inconsistentin some cases, fouling is reduced, and in others, it is exacerbated. This research investigated the behavior of UF systems to which powdered activated carbon (PAC), heated iron oxide particles (HIOPs), or (nonadsorbent) SiO2 particles were added. On a mass basis, the PAC removed the most NOM from solution, the HIOPs removed less, and the SiO2 removed essentially none. However, in the case of both PAC and SiO2, increasing the dose of solids led to a steady increase in fouling, whereas the opposite trend applied when HIOPs were added. In the absence of NOM, none of the solids fouled the membrane significantly. Thus, even though NOM is a causative agent for fouling, removing it from solution does not necessarily reduce fouling; the mechanism of removal can be just as important as the absolute amount removed, if the removal occurs in a cake layer near the membrane surface. Scanning electron microscopy images of the cake layers formed in the three systems suggest that the NOM binds PAC or SiO2 particles to one another and to the membrane surface, so that the particles become part of the foulant in the system. By contrast, the NOM appears to bind HIOPs to one another but not to the membrane. This process leaves enough pore space in the cake layer for water to reach the membrane with minimal resistance, and it reduces the tendency for either the NOM or the HIOPs to foul the membrane surface

DataSheet1_Pathway Association Studies Reveal Gene Loci and Pathway Networks that Associated With Plasma Cystatin C Levels.docx

As a marker for glomerular filtration, plasma cystatin C level is used to evaluate kidney function. To decipher genetic factors that control the plasma cystatin C level, we performed genome-wide association and pathway association studies using United Kingdom Biobank data. One hundred fifteen loci yielded p values less than 1 × 10−100, three genes (clusters) showed the most significant associations, including the CST8-CST9 cluster on chromosome 20, the SH2B3-ATXN2 gene region on chromosome 12, and the SHROOM3-CCDC158 gene region on chromosome 4. In pathway association studies, forty significant pathways had FDR (false discovery rate) and or FWER (family-wise error rate) ≤ 0.001: spermatogenesis, leukocyte trans-endothelial migration, cell adhesion, glycoprotein, membrane lipid, steroid metabolic process, and insulin signaling pathways were among the most significant pathways that associated with the plasma cystatin C levels. We also performed Genome-wide association studies for eGFR, top associated genes were largely overlapped with those for cystatin C.</p

The round-based DAG structure.

The future of communication systems is undergoing a transformative shift towards intelligence, efficiency, and flexibility. Presently, the amalgamation of blockchain technology and the sixth-generation mobile communication network (6G) has garnered significant attention, as their fusion is poised to profoundly impact the digital economy and society at large. However, the convergence of blockchain and 6G networks poses challenges pertaining to security and performance. In this article, we propose an approach based on the design of secure mechanisms and performance optimization to delve into the key issues surrounding the integration of blockchain and 6G networks from both security and performance perspectives. Specifically, we first introduce the application scenarios of 6G networks and blockchain’s empowerment of them to highlight the necessity of combining blockchain technology with 6G. Subsequently, in order to ensure the security of communication and data transmission between blockchain and 6G networks, we have investigated the design requirements for security mechanisms. Furthermore, we discuss the efficient realization of the amalgamation between blockchain and 6G networks by proposing a solution based on Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) for blockchain’s asynchronous consensus protocol, alongside optimization strategies for storage and communication to meet the desired characteristics and requirements of 6G networks. Lastly, we provide valuable research directions that serve as references and guidance for the future development of the integration between blockchain and 6G networks.</div

sj-docx-1-trr-10.1177_03611981221138516 – Supplemental material for Nomogram for Predicting Asphalt Pavement Roughness After Preventive Maintenance Based on Long-Term Pavement Performance Data

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-trr-10.1177_03611981221138516 for Nomogram for Predicting Asphalt Pavement Roughness After Preventive Maintenance Based on Long-Term Pavement Performance Data by Miaomiao Zhang, Hongren Gong, Yuetan Ma, Xi Jiang and Baoshan Huang in Transportation Research Record</p

Comparative analysis of traditional consensus protocols and DAG consensus protocols.

Comparative analysis of traditional consensus protocols and DAG consensus protocols.</p

Performance of the protocol with different number of shards and different input rates.

Performance of the protocol with different number of shards and different input rates.</p