Does business environment optimization improve carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from provincial panel data in China.

Previous research has yielded mixed conclusions regarding whether business environment (BE) optimization can enhance carbon emission efficiency (CEE). This study delves into the impact of the BE on CEE using panel data from 30 provinces in China, employing fixed effect, quantile, and mediated effect models. It innovates in three key areas: research perspective, mechanism of action, and heterogeneity analysis. The research found that the BE optimization enhances CEE. Meanwhile, the influence of the BE on CEE exhibits marginal decreasing characteristics. The mechanism analysis reveals that the BE enhances CEE through the industrial structure optimization effect and the progress of green technology, while it diminishes efficiency through the energy rebound effect. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that BE optimization has a stronger impact on improving CEE in provinces with robust government governance, younger governors, and highly educated officials. The policy implication suggests that local governments should continually optimize the BE, enhance government governance capacity, and prioritize the appointment of young and highly educated officials.

The first A-to-I RNA editome of hemipteran species Coridius chinensis reveals overrepresented recoding and prevalent intron editing in early-diverging insects.

BACKGROUND: Metazoan adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing resembles A-to-G mutation and increases proteomic diversity in a temporal-spatial manner, allowing organisms adapting to changeable environment. The RNA editomes in many major animal clades remain unexplored, hampering the understanding on the evolution and adaptation of this essential post-transcriptional modification. METHODS: We assembled the chromosome-level genome of Coridius chinensis belonging to Hemiptera, the fifth largest insect order where RNA editing has not been studied yet. We generated ten head RNA-Seq libraries with DNA-Seq from the matched individuals. RESULTS: We identified thousands of high-confidence RNA editing sites in C. chinensis. Overrepresentation of nonsynonymous editing was observed, but conserved recoding across different orders was very rare. Under cold stress, the global editing efficiency was down-regulated and the general transcriptional processes were shut down. Nevertheless, we found an interesting site with "conserved editing but non-conserved recoding" in potassium channel Shab which was significantly up-regulated in cold, serving as a candidate functional site in response to temperature stress. CONCLUSIONS: RNA editing in C. chinensis largely recodes the proteome. The first RNA editome in Hemiptera indicates independent origin of beneficial recoding during insect evolution, which advances our understanding on the evolution, conservation, and adaptation of RNA editing.

Peptide Gel Electrolytes for Stabilized Zn Metal Anodes.

The rechargeable aqueous Zn ion battery (AZIB) is considered a promising candidate for future energy storage applications due to its intrinsic safety features and low cost. However, Zn dendrites and side reactions (e.g., corrosion, hydrogen evolution reaction, and inactive side product (Zn hydroxide sulfate) formation) at the Zn metal anode have been serious obstacles to realizing a satisfactory AZIB performance. The application of gel electrolytes is a common strategy for suppressing these problems, but the normally used highly cross-linked polymer matrix (e.g., polyacrylamide (PAM)) brings additional difficulties for battery assembly and recycling. Herein, we have developed a gel electrolyte for Zn metal anode stabilization, where a peptide matrix, a highly biocompatible material, is used for gel construction. Various experiments and simulations elucidate the sulfate anion-assisted self-assembly gel formation and its effect in stabilizing Zn metal anodes. Unlike polymer gel electrolytes, the peptide gel electrolyte can reversibly transform between gel and liquid states, thus facilitating the gel-involved battery assembly and recycling. Furthermore, the peptide gel electrolyte provides fast Zn ion diffusion (comparable to conventional liquid electrolyte) while suppressing side reactions and dendrite growth, thus achieving highly stable Zn metal anodes as validated in various cell configurations. We believe that our concept of gel electrolyte design will inspire more future directions for Zn metal anode protection based on gel electrolyte design.

The ypT may better predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy than tumor regression grade in locally advanced rectal cancer patients diagnosed ypT1-4N0.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the impact of ypT stage and tumor regression grade (TRG) on the long-term prognosis of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) stage ypT1-4N0 after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 585 patients with histologically diagnosed middle-low LARC (cT3-4 or cN + by pelvic MRI) from 2014 to 2019. All patients underwent NCRT, followed by total mesorectal excision. Disease-free survival (DFS) rates were compared among patients with different ypT stages and TRGs by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The chi-square test was used to analyze the relationship between clinicopathological or therapeutic factors and ypT stage. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 35.8 months (range 2.8-71.8 months). The 3-year DFS was 79.5%. A better 3-year DFS was achieved in patients with a pathologic complete response (94.0% vs. 74.3%, p < 0.001) and those in the ypT0-2 (86.5% vs. 66.6%, p < 0.001), ypN0 (85.0% vs. 60.2%, p < 0.001), and TRG0 + 1 (83.1% vs. 73.0%, p = 0.004) subgroups. A total of 309 patients (52.8%) achieved stage ypT1-4N0 after surgery. Among these patients, the ypT1-2N0 subgroup achieved a significantly higher 3-year DFS than the ypT3-4N0 subgroup (85.4% vs. 72.8%, p = 0.018); in contrast, the 3-year DFS did not significantly differ between the TRG1 and TRG2 + 3 subgroups (79.9% vs. 81.1%, p = 0.833). In the ypT1-2N0 or ypT3-4N0 subgroup, different TRG had no significant effect on failure patterns. CONCLUSIONS: For LARC patients with a ypT1-4N0 status after NCRT, ypT stage may be a more effective predictor of long-term prognosis than TRG.

Selectively Positioned Catechol Moiety Supports Ultrashort Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel Adhesion for Coral Restoration.

Coral reef survival is threatened globally. One way to restore this delicate ecosystem is to enhance coral growth by the controlled propagation of coral fragments. To be sustainable, this technique requires the use of biocompatible underwater adhesives. Hydrogels based on rationally designed ultrashort self-assembling peptides (USP) are of great interest for various biological and environmental applications, due to their biocompatibility and tunable mechanical properties. Implementing superior adhesion properties to the USP hydrogel compounds is crucial in both water and high ionic strength solutions and is relevant in medical and marine environmental applications such as coral regeneration. Some marine animals secrete large quantities of the aminoacids dopa and lysine to enhance their adhesion to wet surfaces. Therefore, the addition of catechol moieties to the USP sequence containing lysine (IIZK) should improve the adhesive properties of USP hydrogels. However, it is challenging to place the catechol moiety (Do) within the USP sequence at an optimal position without compromising the hydrogel self-assembly process and mechanical properties. Here, we demonstrate that, among three USP hydrogels, DoIIZK is the least adhesive and that the adhesiveness of the IIZDoK hydrogel is compromised by its poor mechanical properties. The best adhesion outcome was achieved using the IIZKDo hydrogel, the only one to show equally sound adhesive and mechanical properties. A mechanistic understanding of this outcome is presented here. This property was confirmed by the successful gluing of coral fragments by means of IIZKDo hydrogel that are still thriving after more than three years since the deployment. The validated biocompatibility of this underwater hydrogel glue suggests that it could be advantageously implemented for other applications, such as surgical interventions.

Development and Validation of a Post-Radiotherapy Prediction Model for Bowel Dysfunction After Rectal Cancer Resection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The benefit of radiotherapy for rectal cancer is based largely on a balance between a decrease in local recurrence and an increase in bowel dysfunction. Predicting postoperative disability is helpful for recovery plans and early intervention. We aimed to develop and validate a risk model to improve the prediction of major bowel dysfunction after restorative rectal cancer resection with neoadjuvant radiotherapy using perioperative features. METHODS: Eligible patients more than 1 year after restorative resection following radiotherapy were invited to complete the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score at 3 national hospitals in China. Clinical characteristics and imaging parameters were assessed with machine learning algorithms. The post-radiotherapy LARS prediction model (PORTLARS) was constructed by means of logistic regression on the basis of key factors with proportional weighs. The accuracy of the model for major LARS prediction was internally and externally validated. RESULTS: A total of 868 patients reported a mean LARS score of 28.4 after an average time of 4.7 years since surgery. Key predictors for major LARS included the length of distal rectum, anastomotic leakage, proximal colon of neorectum, and pathologic nodal stage. PORTLARS had a favorable area under the curve for predicting major LARS in the internal dataset (0.835; 95% CI, 0.800-0.870, n = 521) and external dataset (0.884; 95% CI, 0.848-0.921, n = 347). The model achieved both sensitivity and specificity >0.83 in the external validation. In addition, PORTLARS outperformed the preoperative LARS score for prediction of major events. CONCLUSIONS: PORTLARS could predict major bowel dysfunction after rectal cancer resection following radiotherapy with high accuracy and robustness. It may serve as a useful tool to identify patients who need additional support for long-term dysfunction in the early stage. CLINICALTRIALS: gov, number NCT05129215.

Safe control of logical control networks with random impulses.

Under the framework of a hybrid-index model, this paper investigates safe control problems of state-dependent random impulsive logical control networks (RILCNs) on both finite and infinite horizons, respectively. By using the ξ-domain method and the constructed transition probability matrix, the necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of safe control problems have been established. Further, based on the technique of state-space partition, two algorithms are proposed to design feedback controllers such that RILCNs can achieve the goal of safe control. Finally, two examples are shared to demonstrate the main results.

The Impact of Mechanical Cues on the Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Profiles of Human Dermal Fibroblasts Cultured in Ultrashort Self-Assembling Peptide 3D Scaffolds.

Cells' interactions with their microenvironment influence their morphological features and regulate crucial cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, and gene expression. Most biological data available are based on in vitro two-dimensional (2D) cellular models, which fail to recapitulate the three-dimensional (3D) in vivo systems. This can be attributed to the lack of cell-matrix interaction and the limitless access to nutrients and oxygen, in contrast to in vivo systems. Despite the emergence of a plethora of 3D matrices to address this challenge, there are few reports offering a proper characterization of these matrices or studying how the cell-matrix interaction influences cellular metabolism in correlation with gene expression. In this study, two tetrameric ultrashort self-assembling peptide sequences, FFIK and FIIK, were used to create in vitro 3D models using well-described human dermal fibroblast cells. The peptide sequences are derived from naturally occurring amino acids that are capable of self-assembling into stable hydrogels without UV or chemical cross-linking. Our results showed that 2D cultured fibroblasts exhibited distinct metabolic and transcriptomic profiles compared to 3D cultured cells. The observed changes in the metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles were closely interconnected and influenced several important metabolic pathways including the TCA cycle, glycolysis, MAPK signaling cascades, and hemostasis. Data provided here may lead to clearer insights into the influence of the surrounding microenvironment on human dermal fibroblast metabolic patterns and molecular mechanisms, underscoring the importance of utilizing efficient 3D in vitro models to study such complex mechanisms.

KRAS, NRAS, BRAF signatures, and MMR status in colorectal cancer patients in North China.

We assessed the clinicopathological features and prognostic values of KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and DNA mismatch repair status in colorectal cancer (CRC) to provide real-world data in developing countries. We enrolled 369 CRC patients and analyzed the correlation between RAS/BRAF mutation, mismatch repair status with clinicopathological features, and their prognostic roles. The mutation frequencies of KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF were 41.7%, 1.6%, and 3.8%, respectively. KRAS mutations and deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) status were associated with right-sided tumors, aggressive biological behaviors, and poor differentiation. BRAF (V600E) mutations are associated with well-differentiated and lymphovascular invasion. The dMMR status predominated in young and middle-aged patients and tumor node metastasis stage II patients. dMMR status predicted longer overall survival in all CRC patients. KRAS mutations indicated inferior overall survival in patients with CRC stage IV. Our study showed that KRAS mutations and dMMR status could be applied to CRC patients with different clinicopathological features.

Efficacy and safety of preoperative immunotherapy in patients with mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high gastrointestinal malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Programmed death protein (PD)-1 blockade immunotherapy significantly prolongs survival in patients with metastatic mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) gastrointestinal malignancies such gastric and colorectal cancer. However, the data on preoperative immunotherapy are limited. AIM: To evaluate the short-term efficacy and toxicity of preoperative PD-1 blockade immunotherapy. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 36 patients with dMMR/MSI-H gastrointestinal malignancies. All the patients received PD-1 blockade with or without chemotherapy of CapOx regime preoperatively. PD1 blockade 200 mg was given intravenously over 30 min on day 1 of each 21-d cycle. RESULTS: Three patients with locally advanced gastric cancer achieved pathological complete response (pCR). Three patients with locally advanced duodenal carcinoma achieved clinical complete response (cCR), followed by watch and wait. Eight of 16 patients with locally advanced colon cancer achieved pCR. All four patients with liver metastasis from colon cancer reached CR, including three with pCR and one with cCR. pCR was achieved in two of five patients with non-liver metastatic colorectal cancer. CR was achieved in four of five patients with low rectal cancer, including three with cCR and one with pCR. cCR was achieved in seven of 36 cases, among which, six were selected for watch and wait strategy. No cCR was observed in gastric or colon cancer. CONCLUSION: Preoperative PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in dMMR/MSI-H gastrointestinal malignancies can achieve a high CR, especially in patients with duodenal or low rectal cancer, and can achieve high organ function protection.

Thymol Edible Coating Controls Postharvest Anthracnose by Regulating the Synthesis Pathway of Okra Lignin.

Okra has received extensive attention due to its high nutritional value and remarkable functional characteristics, but postharvest diseases have severely limited its application. It is important to further explore the methods and potential methods to control the postharvest diseases of okra. In this study, Colletotrichum fioriniae is the major pathogen that causes okra anthracnose, which can be isolated from naturally decaying okra. The pathogenicity of C. fioriniae against okra was preliminarily verified, and the related biological characteristics were explored. At the same time, an observational study was conducted to investigate the in vitro antifungal effect of thymol edible coating (TKL) on C. fioriniae. After culturing at 28 °C for 5 days, it was found that TKL showed an obvious growth inhibition effect on C. fioriniae. The concentration for 50% of the maximal effect was 95.10 mg/L, and the minimum inhibitory concentration was 1000 mg/L. In addition, it was found that thymol edible coating with a thymol concentration of 100 mg/L (TKL100) may cause different degrees of damage to the cell membrane, cell wall, and metabolism of C. fioriniae, thereby inhibiting the growth of hyphae and causing hyphal rupture. Refer to the results of the in vitro bacteriostatic experiment. Furthermore, the okra was sprayed with TKL100. It was found that the TKL100 coating could significantly inhibit the infection of C. fioriniae to okra, reduce the rate of brown spots and fold on the okra surface, and inhibit mycelium growth. In addition, the contents of total phenols and flavonoids of okra treated with TKL100 were higher than those of the control group. Meanwhile, the activities of phenylalaninammo-nialyase, cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase in the lignin synthesis pathway were generally increased, especially after 6 days in a 28 °C incubator. The lignin content of TKL-W was the highest, reaching 65.62 ± 0.68 mg/g, which was 2.24 times of that of CK-W. Therefore, TKL may promote the synthesis of total phenols and flavonoids in okra, then stimulate the activity of key enzymes in the lignin synthesis pathway, and finally regulate the synthesis of lignin in okra. Thus, TKL could have a certain controlling effect on okra anthracnose.

Single-cell profiling reveals differences between human classical adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Colorectal cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease. Most colorectal cancers are classical adenocarcinoma, and mucinous adenocarcinoma is a unique histological subtype that is known to respond poorly to chemoradiotherapy. The difference in prognosis between mucinous adenocarcinoma and classical adenocarcinoma is controversial. Here, to gain insight into the differences between classical adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma, we analyse 7 surgical tumour samples from 4 classical adenocarcinoma and 3 mucinous adenocarcinoma patients by single-cell RNA sequencing. Our results indicate that mucinous adenocarcinoma cancer cells have goblet cell-like properties, and express high levels of goblet cell markers (REG4, SPINK4, FCGBP and MUC2) compared to classical adenocarcinoma cancer cells. TFF3 is essential for the transcriptional regulation of these molecules, and may cooperate with RPS4X to eventually lead to the mucinous adenocarcinoma mucus phenotype. The observed molecular characteristics may be critical in the specific biological behavior of mucinous adenocarcinoma.

Weak genetic structure of flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa in China revealed by mitochondrial genomes.

Human activities facilitate long-distance dispersal of insects beyond their native range. In particular, the transportation of live plants offers diffusion opportunities for some insects with weak flight abilities. The increase in urban afforestation also help insect reside in urban habitats. The flower thrips, Frankliniella intonsa, is a widespread pest that causes serious damage to many economically important plants. Human activities are likely to facilitate the dispersal of this pest, however, the population genetic structure of this pest remains unclear. Herein, high-throughput sequencing was used to obtain 149 whole mitochondrial genomes of flower thrips from 28 geographic populations in China. Population genetic analyses, phylogenetic reconstruction, and inference of demographic history were then performed. A weak genetic structure was found among all populations across large geographic distance in China, in which five mitochondrial haplotype lineages were resolved. One of the lineages was identified to be shared among most samples collected from central city areas, which may be derived from the surrounding areas. Demographic history analyses suggested a recent population expansion of F. intonsa. Overall, the present population genetic structure of flower thrips in China may be promoted by human-mediated urban afforestation across the country.

Practical synchronization of neural networks with delayed impulses and external disturbance via hybrid control.

This paper studies the problem of practical synchronization for delayed neural networks via hybrid-driven impulsive control in which delayed impulses and external disturbance are taken into account. Firstly, a switching method which establishes the relationship between error signals and a threshold function is introduced, which determines whether time-driven control or event-driven control is activated. Secondly, the effects of delayed impulses and external disturbance on impulsive systems are considered, and the corresponding comparison lemma is proposed. Thirdly, whenever the norm of the initial value of the error system state is less than or greater than the initial value of the threshold function, under the proposed hybrid-driven impulsive control scheme, the practical synchronization of the delayed neural networks with delayed impulses and external disturbance can be achieved by synchronizing impulses. Moreover, the Zeno behavior can be excluded under the proposed hybrid-driven impulsive control. Finally, two numerical examples are presented to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Exponential Bipartite Synchronization of Fractional-Order Multilayer Signed Networks via Hybrid Impulsive Control.

This article investigates the problem of exponential bipartite synchronization of fractional-order multilayer signed networks via hybrid impulsive control. First, the mathematical model of the networks is established by integrating the fractional dynamics of nodes, the multilayer network edges, and the positive and negative weights (antagonistic relationship), which is more pluralistic and practical. Second, a hybrid impulsive controller is designed, which is composed of the feedback control part and the impulsive control part to realize the exponential bipartite synchronization objective. Both positive and negative impulsive effects are considered and the ranges of the impulsive control gain related to the order of Caputo fractional derivative are discussed. In addition, some sufficient conditions for exponential bipartite synchronization of fractional-order multilayer signed networks are obtained by using the signed graph theory, Lyapunov method, and average impulsive interval method. Furthermore, in order to illustrate the practicability of the theoretical results, fractional-order coupled Chua's circuits model and fractional-order power systems built on multilayer signed networks are established and the exponential bipartite synchronization issues are analyzed. Numerical examples and simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.

Finite-Time Synchronization of Complex Dynamical Networks via a Novel Hybrid Controller.

The issue of finite-time synchronization (FTS) of complex dynamical networks (CDNs) is investigated in this article. A new control strategy coupling weak finite-time control and finite times of impulsive control is proposed to realize the FTS of CDNs, where the impulses are synchronizing and restricted by maximal impulsive interval (MII), differing from the existing results. In this framework, several global and local FTS criteria are established by using the concept of impulsive degree. The times of impulsive control in the controllers and the settling time, which are all dependent on initial values, are derived optimally. A technical lemma is developed, reflecting the core idea of this article. A simulation example is given to demonstrate the main results finally.

MRI measurements predict major low anterior resection syndrome in rectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Current low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is lagging behind and only based on clinical symptoms patient described. Preoperative imaging indicators which can be used to predict LARS is unknown. We proposed preoperative MRI parameters for identifying major LARS. METHODS: Patients receiving curative restorative anterior resection from Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2015 were collected to complete LARS score (median 75.7 months since surgery). MRI measurements associated with LARS were tested, and a multivariate logistic model was conducted for predicting LARS. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the model. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-five patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 72 patients undergoing direct surgery were enrolled. The incidence of major LARS in NCRT group was significantly higher (53.3% vs.34.7%, P = 0.005). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the thickness of ARJ (TARJ), the distance between the tumor's lower edge and anal rectal joint (DTA), and sex were independent factors for predicting major LARS; ORs were 0.382 (95% CI, 0.198-0.740), 0.653 (95% CI, 0.565-0.756), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.915-0.955). The AUC of the multivariable model was 0.842 (95% CI, 0.794-0.890). In patients with direct surgery, only DTA was the independent factor for predicting major LARS; OR was 0.958 (95% CI, 0.930-0.988). The AUC was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.630-0.925). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline MRI measurements have the potential to predict major LARS in rectal cancer, which will benefit the decision-making and improve patients' life quality.

Compressed feature vector-based effective object recognition model in detection of COVID-19.

To better understand the structure of the COVID-19, and to improve the recognition speed, an effective recognition model based on compressed feature vector is proposed. Object recognition plays an important role in computer vison aera. To improve the recognition accuracy, most recent approaches always adopt a set of complicated hand-craft feature vectors and build the complex classifiers. Although such approaches achieve the favourable performance on recognition accuracy, they are inefficient. To raise the recognition speed without decreasing the accuracy loss, this paper proposed an efficient recognition modeltrained witha kind of compressed feature vectors. Firstly, we propose a kind of compressed feature vector based on the theory of compressive sensing. A sparse matrix is adopted to compress feature vector from very high dimensions to very low dimensions, which reduces the computation complexity and saves enough information for model training and predicting. Moreover, to improve the inference efficiency during the classification stage, an efficient recognition model is built by a novel optimization approach, which reduces the support vectors of kernel-support vector machine (kernel SVM). The SVM model is established with whether the subject is infected with the COVID-19 as the dependent variable, and the age, gender, nationality, and other factors as independent variables. The proposed approach iteratively builds a compact set of the support vectors from the original kernel SVM, and then the new generated model achieves approximate recognition accuracy with the original kernel SVM. Additionally, with the reduction of support vectors, the recognition time of new generated is greatly improved. Finally, the COVID-19 patients have specific epidemiological characteristics, and the SVM recognition model has strong fitting ability. From the extensive experimental results conducted on two datasets, the proposed object recognition model achieves favourable performance not only on recognition accuracy but also on recognition speed.

A second-order accelerated neurodynamic approach for distributed convex optimization.

Based on the theories of inertial systems, a second-order accelerated neurodynamic approach is designed to solve a distributed convex optimization with inequality and set constraints. Most of the existing approaches for distributed convex optimization problems are usually first-order ones, and it is usually hard to analyze the convergence rate for the state solution of those first-order approaches. Due to the control design for the acceleration, the second-order neurodynamic approaches can often achieve faster convergence rate. Moreover, the existing second-order approaches are mostly designed to solve unconstrained distributed convex optimization problems, and are not suitable for solving constrained distributed convex optimization problems. It is acquired that the state solution of the designed neurodynamic approach in this paper converges to the optimal solution of the considered distributed convex optimization problem. An error function which demonstrates the performance of the designed neurodynamic approach, has a superquadratic convergence. Several numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the presented second-order accelerated neurodynamic approach.

Event-based master-slave synchronization of complex-valued neural networks via pinning impulsive control.

This paper investigates the synchronization problem of complex-valued neural networks via event-triggered pinning impulsive control (ETPIC). A time-delayed pinning impulsive controller is proposed based on three levels of event-triggered conditions. By employing the Lyapunov functional method and differential inequality technique, sufficient delay-dependent synchronization criteria are derived under the proposed ETPIC scheme. The obtained result shows that synchronization of master and slave complex-valued neural networks can be achieved even if the sizes of delays exceed the length of intervals between any two consecutive impulsive instants determined by Lyapunov-based event-triggered conditions in the proposed control strategy. Moreover, the linear matrix inequality approach is utilized to exclude Zeno behavior. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.