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• The microscopic mechanisms of inhibit plutonium hydriding with different oxide overlayers were revealed. • The PuO 2 inhibits plutonium hydriding mainly due to the formation of hydroxyl groups. • The α-Pu 2 O 3 could inhibit plutonium hydriding at low hydrogen concentration conditions. • Plutonium hydriding could not be effectively resisted with α-Pu 2 O 3 when hydrogen concentration is high. The hydriding corrosion of metallic plutonium (Pu) is a crucial issue for its actual applications. The current work performs systematic ab initio molecular dynamics calculations to reveal the microscopic mechanism of Pu oxides over metallic Pu in resisting hydriding reaction. The results show that Pu hydriding is inhibited by PuO 2 because hydrogen atoms are captured by lattice oxygen to form hydroxyl groups. In α-Pu 2 O 3 the hydrogen attack could be prevented when hydrogen concentration is low because oxygen vacancy acts as a trap for hydrogen migration. Whereas, when the hydrogen concentration is high enough the hydriding corrosion could not be effectively resisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferrous ion was added to the culture solution, followed by the introduction of tetracyclines (TCs), to explore the effect of iron plaque (IP) on the uptake and translocation of TCs by water spinach (Ipomoea aquatic Forsk.). The adsorption amount of TCs on the root surface positively correlated with the amount of IP, except for doxycycline and minocycline. The bioconcentration factor of TCs in roots increased and fitted well with the amount of IP. The concentration of TCs in acrial tissues was three to four orders of magnitude lower than that in roots, and the translocation factor of TCs also fitted well with the amount of IP in a negative linear relationship. Furthermore, IP significantly influenced the metabolism of TCs in water spinach. The accumulation of TC metabolites increased with the increment of IP in roots rather than in acrial tissues, which showed the significance of IP in the metabolism and accumulation of TCs in aquatic plants. Therefore, the metabolism of TCs should not be ignored if IP is induced on the root surface, and the distribution of metabolites should be taken into consideration for the risk assessment and antibiotic pollution control for aquatic plants. [Display omitted] • IP significantly increased TCs accumulation in the roots of water spinach. • The translocation factors of TCs negatively correlated with the amounts of IP. • Metabolites in roots increased with the amounts of IP rather than in acrial tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Deposition, distribution and metabolism of chlorothalonil in cabbage under various application environments were elucidated. • Chlorothalonil underwent reductive dechlorination metabolism in cabbage. • Long-term or short-term dietary exposure to the first layer of cabbage leaves pose human health risks. Chlorothalonil is a fungicide commonly used to prevent and control leafy vegetable diseases. The residual distribution of chlorothalonil on cabbage is unclear and rarely reported. The spatiotemporal distribution of chlorothalonil was used to understand its environmental behavior in cabbage. The results of open-field experiments demonstrated that chlorothalonil was distributed primarily on the second and third layers of rosette leaves and the first layer of bulb leaves. The chlorothalonil residues on cabbage followed the order of winter > fall > summer, and heading stage > rosette stage > seedling stage. Chlorothalonil on cabbage underwent −OH substitution forming 4-hydroxychlorothalonil, and reductive dechlorination forming 2,4,5-trichloro-1,3-isophthalonitrile, 2,5-dichloro-1,3-isophthalonitrile, and 5-chloro-1,3-isophthalonitrile. The residues of chlorothalonil in the outermost leaves of cabbage bulb pose an unacceptable risk to human health via dietary exposure. This study contributes to better understanding on the fate and transformation chlorothalonil in cabbage and potential risks to human health via dietary consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) acts as an essential adaptor in host RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) mediated antiviral signaling pathway. In the present study, two MAVS transcript variants, the typical form and a splicing variant, namely Lc-MAVS_tv1 and Lc-MAVS_tv2 were characterized in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). The putative Lc -MAVS_tv1 protein contains 512 aa, with an N-terminal CARD domain, a central proline-rich region, and a C-terminal transmembrane (TM) domain, whereas Lc -MAVS_tv2 contains 302 aa and lacks the C-terminal TM domain due to a premature stop in the 102 bp intron fragment insertion. Lc -MAVS_tv1 was identified as a mitochondrion localized protein whereas Lc -MAVS_tv2 exhibited an entire cytosolic distribution. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Lc-MAVS_tv1 mRNA was broadly expressed in examined organs/tissues and showed extremely higher level than that of Lc-MAVS_tv2 , and both of them could be up-regulated under poly I:C, LPS, PGN, and Pseudomonas plecoglossicida stimulation in vivo. Interestingly, overexpression of Lc -MAVS_tv2 could induce the activation of NF-κB but not IRF3, and Lc -MAVS_tv2 co-transfected with Lc -MAVS_tv1 induced a significantly higher level of NF-κB and IRF3 promoter activity. In addition, Lc -MAVS_tv2 overexpression could enhance TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated NF-κB activation, but suppress TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated IRF3 activation, implying that the splicing variant Lc -MAVS_tv2 may function as an important regulator in MAVS mediated signaling pathway. • A novel MAVS splicing variant Lc -MAVS_tv2 was characterized. • Lc-MAVS_tv1 and Lc-MAVS_tv2 can be induced by both viral and bacterial PAMPs. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 induces NF-κB but not IRF3 activation. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 enhances TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated NF-κB activation. • Lc -MAVS_tv2 suppresses TRAF3 and TRAF6 mediated IRF3 activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] As a renewable green energy, hydrogen has received widespread attention due to its huge potential in solving energy shortages and environment pollution. In this paper, a one-step solvothermal method was applied to grow ultra-thin g-C 3 N 4 (UCN) nanosheets and NiS nanoparticles on the surface of ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS). A ternary NiS/ZnIn 2 S 4 /ultra-thin-g-C 3 N 4 composite material with dual high-speed charge transfer channels was constructed for the advancement of the photocatalytic H 2 generation. The optimal ternary catalyst 1.5wt.%NiS/ZnIn 2 S 4 /ultra-thin-g-C 3 N 4 (NiS/ZIS/UCN) achieved a H 2 evolution yield reached to 5.02 mmolg−1h−1, which was 5.23 times superior than that of pristine ZnIn 2 S 4 (0.96 mmolg−1h−1) and even outperform than that of the best precious metal modified 3.0 wt%Pt/ZnIn 2 S 4 (4.08 mmolg−1h−1). The AQY at 420 nm could be achieved as high as 30.5%. The increased photocatalytic performance of NiS/ZIS/UCN could be ascribed to the type-I heterojunctions between intimated ZIS and UCN. In addition, NiS co-catalyst with large quantity of H 2 evolution sites, could result in efficient photo-induced charges separation and migration. Furthermore, the NiS/ZIS/UCN composite exhibited excellent H 2 evolution stability and recyclability. This work would also offer a reference for the design and synthesis of ternary co-catalyst with heterojunction composite for green energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition and influencing factors of the colour of 95 yellow to light blue iron-bearing beryl are studied through Electron Microprobe Analysis (EMPA), Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy and X-Rite SP62 spectrophotometer. The intensities of the three characteristic hydroxyl stretching bands of the beryl from 3500 cm−1 to 3800 cm−1 prove they are low to medium levels of alkali bearing natural beryl. The wide absorption edge of 320 ~ 465 nm caused by the ultra-violet charge transfer from O2− to Fe3+ and the 650 nm absorption band in E//c-polarization caused by the intervalence charge transfer between Fe2+ and Fe3+ are the main factors affecting the colour of beryl. By applying CIE D65 standard light source and N9 Munsell neutral background as testing conditions, the colour parameters of 82 gem-quality beryl are tested. According to the results, iron-containing beryl colours are classified into yellow, yellowish-green, bluish-green, greenish-blue, and blue by the K-means cluster analysis method. The blue tone has a greater influence on the hue of beryl, while the yellow tone has a greater influence on the chroma. Iron content is higher in yellow and blue beryl. With the increase of iron content, the lightness of beryl decreased and the chroma increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fungus with biocontrol potential was isolated from the roots of hickory trees. The strain named sj18 was classified as a member of the genus Hypoxylon (Hypoxylaceae) after multigene phylogenetic analysis (beta-tubulin gene, internal transcribed spacer, 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA gene, and RNA polymerase II subunit gene). The strain grew well on a PDA with an optimum temperature range between 32 and 34 °C. The fungus had obvious inhibitory effects on Botryosphaeria dothidea , Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and Gibberella moniliformis in fumigation experiments on solid agar plates. In an inoculation experiment of Chinese cabbage, the fungus was also found to have an obvious repellent effect on cabbage caterpillars. In vitro experiments on Petri dishes showed that the fermentation broth of the sj18 strain could kill 100% of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus within 8 h even if the fermentation broth was diluted 8 times. The inoculation test of Arabidopsis thaliana showed that the fungus could promote the lateral root formation of plants and significantly increase their aboveground biomass. Through the analysis of solid phase microextraction (SPME), it was found that the main volatile components of the fermentation products were azulene 65.39% (61.77% + 3.62%), caryophyllene 7.41%, and eucalyptol 6.83% according to the peak area ratio. Therefore, sj18 can be used as a candidate for the further research and development of biocontrol agents. • A fungus Hypoxylon spp. Sj18 had obvious inhibitory effects on pathogens in fumigation experiments. • Sj18 have an obvious repellent effect on cabbage caterpillar and promote the lateral root formation of plants. • The fermentation broth of sj18 strain diluted 8 times could kill Bursaphelenchus xylophilus 100% within 8 h. • Sj18 can be used as a candidate for further research and development of biocontrol agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in female. Until now, advanced breast cancer is still lack effective treatment strategies and reliable prognostic markers. In the present article, we introduced the physiologic and pathologic functions and regulation mechanisms of ZBTB28, a tumor suppressor gene, in breast cancer. ZBTB28 is frequently silenced in breast cancer due to promoter CpG methylation, and its expression is positively correlated with breast cancer patient survival. The antineoplastic effect of ZBTB28 in breast cancer was elucidated through a series of in vitro and in vivo measurements, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), and growth of xenografts. Furthermore, ZBTB28 can directly regulate IFNAR to activate interferon-stimulated genes and potentiate macrophage activation. Ectopic ZBTB28 expression in breast cancer cells was sufficient to downregulate CD24 and CD47 to promote phagocytosis of macrophages, demonstrating that ZBTB28 was beneficial for the combination treatment of anti-CD24 and anti-CD47. Collectively, our results reveal a mode of action of ZBTB28 as a tumor suppressor gene and suggest that ZBTB28 is an important regulator of macrophage phagocytosis in breast cancer, holding promise for the development of novel therapy strategies for breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multilevel encoding (MLE) scheme is an effective method for improving the anticounterfeiting encryption capabilities of physically unclonable functions (PUFs). However, owing to the correlation between encoding layers, the encoding capacity (EC) is difficult to improve by orders of magnitude. Herein, four noncorrelated structures in the diamond crystal structure (carbon–carbon single bond, defect luminescence structures, spin structures, and electron energy distribution structures) are considered for MLE. First, the microdiamonds containing nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) color centers are embedded into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate PUFs. Using an optical imaging system, four codable images of four noncorrelated structures are read. The noncorrelation of the four‐level encoding structure is verified by calculating the Hamming distance (0.496 ± 0.02). The results show that EC exponentially improves to 24×10 000/(100 pixels)2. Furthermore, the encoding method based on the energy level does not depend on physical structure parameters, such as the size and position of the spin structure. Thus, it is protected from structural modeling attacks, resulting in high security. Moreover, PUF labels based on PDMS flexible substrates can be employed for various flexible applications. In the proposed scheme, the information is encrypted by a four‐level two‐dimensional (2D) barcode and decoded by self‐developed PUF authentication software. The proposed scheme presents a way for developing next‐generation PUFs with super‐high EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPlain Language SummaryResearch on the relationship between macrophages and neuropathic pain has flourished in the past two decades. It has long been believed that macrophages are strong immune effector cells that play well-established roles in tissue homeostasis and lesions, such as promoting the initiation and progression of tissue injury and improving wound healing and tissue remodeling in a variety of pathogenesis-related diseases. They are also heterogeneous and versatile cells that can switch phenotypically/functionally in response to the micro-environment signals. Apart from microglia (resident macrophages of both the spinal cord and brain), which are required for the neuropathic pain processing of the CNS, neuropathic pain signals in PNS are influenced by the interaction of tissue-resident macrophages and BM infiltrating macrophages with primary afferent neurons. And the current review looks at new evidence that suggests sexual dimorphism in neuropathic pain are caused by variations in the immune system, notably macrophages, rather than the neurological system.Neuropathic pain is defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain as pain triggered or caused by primary damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system. Following intensive research into the mechanisms of neuropathic pain, macrophages have been revealed to play an important role in pathologic pain following nerve injury. Macrophages dynamically monitor the microenvironment to maintain tissue homeostasis. Once a macrophage is exposed to a pathologic stimulus, it in turn alters its functional phenotype and interacts with nociceptors, leading to neuropathic pain. This review wants to delve into the biology of macrophages in the central and peripheral nervous system, how they are related to play a role in neuropathic pain and whether there is sexual dimorphism in macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a spatial angle measuring device based on ensemble diamond nitrogen–vacancy (NV) center optical detection magnetic resonance (ODMR). This device realizes solid-state all-optical wide-field vector magnetic field measurements for solving the angles of magnetic components in space. The system uses diamond NV center magnetic microscope imaging to obtain magnetic vector distribution and calculates the spatial angles of magnetic components based on the magnetic vector distribution. Utilizing magnetism for angle measuring enables non-contact measuring, reduces the impact on the object being measured, and ensures measurement precision and accuracy. Finally, the accuracy of the system is verified by comparing the measurement results with the set values of the angle displacement platform. The results show that the measurement error of the yaw angle of the system is 1°, and the pitch angle and roll angle are 1.5°. The experimental results are in good agreement with the expected results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interfacial bonding is of essential importance for the mechanical properties of high-temperature resistant carbon fiber/phthalonitrile composite materials. To promote the interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber/phthalonitrile composites, three surface modification methods, namely HP302 sizing, diazotization modification, and oxidation-diazotization modification, were applied and compared. The results showed that the de-sizing treatment barely affected the mechanical properties of the composites. Both re-sizing with HP302 agent and diazotization modification improved the mechanical properties, while the mechanical properties were drastically decreased via the oxidation-diazotization modification. Among these surface modification methods, the diazotization treatment derived the best mechanical properties of carbon fiber/phthalonitrile composites both at room and high temperature. Specifically, the flexural strengths were 345 MPa (RT), 525 MPa (300°C), and 442 MPa (400°C), which were 47%, 302%, and 281% higher than those of the pristine composites. The interlaminar shear strengths were 33 MPa (RT), 26 MPa (300°C), and 27 MPa (400°C), which were all over twofold than those of the original counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS photocatalyst with tuned catalytic sites promotes selective benzyl alcohol oxidation on the ZnIn 2 S 4 surface and H 2 evolution on the CdS surface. [Display omitted] Photocatalytic selective oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes and H 2 is a green strategy for obtaining both value-added chemicals and clean energy. Herein, a dual-purpose ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS photocatalyst was designed and constructed for efficient catalyzing benzyl alcohol (BA) into benzaldehyde (BAD) with coupled H 2 evolution. To address the deep-rooted problems of pure CdS, such as high recombination of photogenerated carriers and severe photo-corrosion, while also preserving its superiority in H 2 production, ZnIn 2 S 4 with a suitable band structure and adequate oxidizing capability was chosen to match CdS by constructing a coupled reaction. As designed, the photoexcited holes (electrons) in the CdS (ZnIn 2 S 4) were spatially separated and transferred to the ZnIn 2 S 4 (CdS) by electrostatic pull from the built-in electric field, leading to expected BAD production (12.1 mmol g−1 h−1) at the ZnIn 2 S 4 site and H 2 generation (12.2 mmol g−1 h−1) at the CdS site. This composite photocatalyst also exhibited high photostability due to the reasonable hole transfer from CdS to ZnIn 2 S 4. The experimental results suggest that the photocatalytic transform of BA into BAD on ZnIn 2 S 4 @CdS is via a carbon-centered radical mechanism. This work may extend the design of advanced photocatalysts for more chemicals by replacing H 2 evolution with N 2 fixation or CO 2 reduction in the coupled reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various forms of programmed cell death (PCD) exhibit distinct characteristics depending on their specific molecular mechanisms, and there are interactions among these different forms. Ferroptosis, which is related to autophagy and apoptosis, has an unknown potential interaction with pyroptosis. This study revealed a mutually antagonistic relationship between ferroptosis and pyroptosis, with 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) playing a key role in their interaction. It is found that HMGCR predominantly localized to mitochondria during ferroptosis but shifted to the endoplasmic reticulum following treatment with a pyroptosis inducer. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that BRCC36 (BRCA1/BRCA2‐containing complex subunit 36) deubiquitinated HMGCR in a manner dependent on deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) activity, and inhibited ferroptosis and promoted pyroptosis. Moreover, as an oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), BRCC36 promoted cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth. Thiolutin, an inhibitor of BRCC36, effectively suppressed the interaction between BRCC36 and HMGCR, leading to the inhibition of HCC growth. Therefore, targeting BRCC36 can offer a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for HCC treatment. In conclusion, these findings provide new theoretical evidence for further characterizing tumor heterogeneity and offer new molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between influenza A virus (IAV) and host proteins is an important process that greatly influences viral replication and pathogenicity. PB2 protein is a subunit of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complex playing distinct roles in viral transcription and replication. BAG6 (BCL2-associated athanogene 6) as a multifunctional host protein participates in physiological and pathological processes. Here, we identify BAG6 as a new restriction factor for IAV replication through targeting PB2. For both avian and human influenza viruses, overexpression of BAG6 reduced viral protein expression and virus titers, whereas deletion of BAG6 significantly enhanced virus replication. Moreover, BAG6-knockdown mice developed more severe clinical symptoms and higher viral loads upon IAV infection. Mechanistically, BAG6 restricted IAV transcription and replication by inhibiting the activity of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The co-Immunoprecipitation assays showed BAG6 specifically interacted with the N-terminus of PB2 and competed with PB1 for RdRp complex assembly. The ubiquitination assay indicated that BAG6 promoted PB2 ubiquitination at K189 residue and targeted PB2 for K48-linked ubiquitination degradation. The antiviral effect of BAG6 necessitated its N-terminal region containing a ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain (17-92aa) and a PB2-binding domain (124-186aa), which are synergistically responsible for viral polymerase subunit PB2 degradation and perturbing RdRp complex assembly. These findings unravel a novel antiviral mechanism via the interaction of viral PB2 and host protein BAG6 during avian or human influenza virus infection and highlight a potential application of BAG6 for antiviral drug development. Author summary: Influenza A virus (IAV) is a major public health threat worldwide. The viral polymerase subunit PB2 of IAV is not only responsible for transcription and replication of viral RNA but also acts as a key determinant for host adaptation, making it a key target of host defense system. In this study, we report BAG6 as a novel negative regulator of viral PB2 protein. It interacts with the N-terminus of PB2 and promotes PB2 ubiquitination at the K189 residue, which is highly conserved in all IAV subtypes, resulting in the competitive inhibition of RdRp assembly and the ubiquitination degradation of PB2. These findings emphasize the potent antiviral activity of BAG6 against both avian and human influenza viruses and provide a detailed insight to facilitate antivirals targeting PB2 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of manganese oxide (MnOx)-based catalysts has gained significant recognition as a promising solution for the sustainable synthesis of value-added chemicals. These catalysts possess notable qualities such as exceptional catalytic performance, cost-effectiveness, stability, and environmentally friendly properties. This review provides an overview of three typical processes for constructing novel MnOx-based catalysts through vacancy engineering, facet engineering, and crystal-phase engineering. It then discusses advancements made in the past five years in the sustainable synthesis of value-added chemicals using these MnOx-based heterogeneous catalysts. This includes the aerobic oxidation of alcohols and hydrocarbons, homo/cross-coupling of C–N/N＝N bonds, and biomass transformation. The review emphasizes the crucial role played by vacancy engineering, crystal-phase engineering, and facet engineering of MnOx-based heterogeneous catalysts in sustainable chemical synthesis. Lastly, it discusses the general challenges and future directions of this exciting area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA) produced by toxigenic fungi is widely present in cereals and its downstream products. The danger of ZEA linked to various human health issues has attracted increasing attention. Thus, powerful ZEA-degrading or detoxifying strategies are urgently needed. Biology-based detoxification methods are specific, efficient, and environmentally friendly and do not lead to negative effects during cereal decontamination. Among these, ZEA detoxification using degrading enzymes was documented to be a promising strategy in broad research. Here, two efficient ZEA-degrading lactonases from the genus Gliocladium, ZHDR52 and ZHDP83, were identified for the first time. This work studied the degradation capacity and properties of ZEA using purified recombinant ZHDR52 and ZHDP83. Results: According to the ZEA degradation study, transformed Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) PLySs cells harboring the zhdr52 or zhdp83 gene could transform 20 µg/mL ZEA within 2 h and degrade > 90% of ZEA toxic derivatives, α/β-zearalanol and α/β-zearalenol, within 6 h. Biochemical analysis demonstrated that the optimal pH was 9.0 for ZHDR52 and ZHDP83, and the optimum temperature was 45 °C. The purified recombinant ZHDR52 and ZHDP83 retained > 90% activity over a wide range of pH values and temperatures (pH 7.0–10.0 and 35–50 °C). In addition, the specific activities of purified ZHDR52 and ZHDP83 against ZEA were 196.11 and 229.64 U/mg, respectively. The results of these two novel lactonases suggested that, compared with ZHD101, these two novel lactonases transformed ZEA into different products. The slight position variations in E126 and H242 in ZDHR52/ZEA and ZHDP83/ZEA obtained via structural modelling may explain the difference in degradation products. Moreover, the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay indicated that the products of ZEA degradation using ZHDR52 and ZHDP83 did not exhibit estrogenic activity. Conclusions: ZHDR52 and ZHDP83 are alkali ZEA-degrading enzymes that can efficiently and irreversibly degrade ZEA into non-estrogenic products, indicating that they are potential candidates for commercial application. This study identified two excellent lactonases for industrial ZEA detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While circulating metabolites have been increasingly linked to cancer risk, the causality underlying these associations remains largely uninterrogated. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the potential causal relationship between 913 plasma metabolites and the risk of seven cancers among European-ancestry individuals. Data on variant-metabolite associations were obtained from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of plasma metabolites among 14,296 subjects. Data on variant-cancer associations were gathered from large-scale GWAS consortia for breast (N = 266,081), colorectal (N = 185,616), lung (N = 85,716), ovarian (N = 63,347), prostate (N = 140,306), renal cell (N = 31,190), and testicular germ cell (N = 28,135) cancers. MR analyses were performed with the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method as the primary strategy to identify significant associations at Bonferroni-corrected P < 0.05 for each cancer type separately. Significant associations were subjected to additional scrutiny via weighted median MR, Egger regression, MR-Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), and reverse MR analyses. Replication analyses were performed using an independent dataset from a plasma metabolite GWAS including 8,129 participants of European ancestry. Results: We identified 94 significant associations, suggesting putative causal associations between 66 distinct plasma metabolites and the risk of seven cancers. Remarkably, 68.2% (45) of these metabolites were each associated with the risk of a specific cancer. Among the 66 metabolites, O-methylcatechol sulfate and 4-vinylphenol sulfate demonstrated the most pronounced positive and negative associations with cancer risk, respectively. Genetically proxied plasma levels of these two metabolites were significantly associated with the risk of lung cancer and renal cell cancer, with an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of 2.81 (2.33–3.37) and 0.49 (0.40–0.61), respectively. None of these 94 associations was biased by weak instruments, horizontal pleiotropy, or reverse causation. Further, 64 of these 94 were eligible for replication analyses, and 54 (84.4%) showed P < 0.05 with association patterns consistent with those shown in primary analyses. Conclusions: Our study unveils plausible causal relationships between 66 plasma metabolites and cancer risk, expanding our understanding of the role of circulating metabolites in cancer genetics and etiology. These findings hold promise for enhancing cancer risk assessment and prevention strategies, meriting further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is nationwide multicenter epidemiological research, aimed at investigating the distribution changes and seasonal patterns of various airborne allergens among preschool children with allergic rhinitis (AR) in different regions of China, and analyzing the clinical correlation between sensitization to various airborne allergens and AR symptoms in children. Information on children was collected through standard questionnaires, and total IgE (tIgE) and specific IgE (sIgE) for 11 inhalant allergens were tested. The results showed that dust mites are the primary allergens for preschool AR children (39%). Among pollen allergens, Amb a had the highest positivity rate (8.1%), followed by Art v (7.8%). The sensitization rates for two mites peaked in May (46.9% and 40.6%). Art v peaked in August (21.5%), while Amb a had peaks in May (12.7%) and August (17.8%). The sensitization peaks for various tree pollens mainly occurred in August. In the Eastern monsoon region, the sensitization rate to mites was significantly higher than in the Northwest arid and semi-arid regions; whereas, for pollen allergens, the sensitization rates to Amb a, Pla a, Pin a, Pop d, and Bet v were significantly higher in the Northwest arid and semi-arid regions than in the Eastern monsoon region. The correlation among various tree pollens, specifically between Pla a, Pin r, Pop d, and Bet v was strong (0.63 ~ 0.79), with a cross-overlapping percentage of 53.9%. Children with multiple pollen sensitizations had higher cumulative nasal symptom scores than those negative for pollen (P < 0.01). Children with only pollen sensitization had higher cumulative rhinitis symptom scores than the all-negative group (P < 0.0001) and the mite-only sensitization group [P < 0.05], while the mite-only sensitization group also had higher scores than the all-negative group [P < 0.05], and the group sensitized to both pollen and mites had lower scores than the pollen-only group [P < 0.05]. This study indicates that sensitization to mites and grass pollens exhibits significant regional differences, with grass pollen allergies primarily occurring in autumn, sensitization to pollens in general exhibits a pronounced seasonal pattern. Moreover, pollen sensitization aggravates nasal and ocular symptoms in AR children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: This review introduces the potential of 2D electronics for post-Moore era and discusses their current progress in digital circuits, analog circuits, heterogeneous integration, sensing circuits, artificial intelligence chips, and quantum chips in sequence. A comprehensive analysis of the current trends and challenges encountered in the development of 2D materials is summarized. An in-depth roadmap outlining the future development of 2D electronics is presented, and the most accessible and promising avenues for 2D electronics are suggested. Due to the constraints imposed by physical effects and performance degradation, silicon-based chip technology is facing certain limitations in sustaining the advancement of Moore's law. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as highly promising candidates for the post-Moore era, offering significant potential in domains such as integrated circuits and next-generation computing. Here, in this review, the progress of 2D semiconductors in process engineering and various electronic applications are summarized. A careful introduction of material synthesis, transistor engineering focused on device configuration, dielectric engineering, contact engineering, and material integration are given first. Then 2D transistors for certain electronic applications including digital and analog circuits, heterogeneous integration chips, and sensing circuits are discussed. Moreover, several promising applications (artificial intelligence chips and quantum chips) based on specific mechanism devices are introduced. Finally, the challenges for 2D materials encountered in achieving circuit-level or system-level applications are analyzed, and potential development pathways or roadmaps are further speculated and outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately predicting prognosis subcutaneous leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is crucial for guiding treatment decisions in patients. The objective of this study was to develop prediction models for cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with subcutaneous LMS. The collected cases of diagnosed subcutaneous LMS were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort at a 6:4 ratio based on tumor location and histological code. The X-tile program was utilized to determine the optimal cutoff points for age index. Univariate and Cox multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors for subcutaneous LMS patients. Nomograms were constructed to predict CSS, and their performance was assessed using C-index and calibration plots. Additionally, a decision tree model was established using recursive partitioning analysis to determine the total score for CSS prediction in subcutaneous LMS patients based on the nomogram model. A total of 1793 patients with subcutaneous LMS were found. X-tile software divides all patients into ≤ 61 years old, 61–82 years old, and ≥ 82 years old. The most important anatomical sites were the limbs (including the upper and lower limbs, 48.0%). Only 6.2% of patients received chemotherapy, while 44% had a history of radiotherapy and 92.9% underwent surgery. The independent risk factors for patients with subcutaneous LMS were age, summary stage, grade, and surgery. CSS was significantly decreased in patients with distant metastases, which showed the highest independent risk predictor (HR 4.325, 95% CI 3.010–6.214, p < 0.001). The nomogram prediction model of LMS was constructed based on four risk factors. The C-index for this model was 0.802 [95% CI 0.781–0.823] and 0.798 [95% CI 0.768–0.829]. The training cohort's 3-, 5-, and 10-year AUCs for CSS in patients with subcutaneous LMS were 0.833, 0.830, and 0.859, and the validation cohort's AUC for predicting CSS rate were 0.849, 0.830, and 0.803, respectively. Recursive segmentation analysis divided patients into 4 risk subgroups according to the total score in the nomogram, including low-risk group < 145, intermediate-low-risk group ≥ 145 < 176, intermediate-high-risk group ≥ 176 < 196, and high-risk group ≥ 196; The probability of the four risk subgroups is 9.1%, 34%, 49%, and 79% respectively. In this retrospective study, a novel nomogram or corresponding risk classification system for patients with subcutaneous LMS were developed, which may assist clinicians in identifying high-risk patients and in guiding the clinical decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gears are prone to instantaneous failure when operating under extreme conditions, affecting the machinery's service life. With numerous types of gear meshing and complex operating conditions, this study focuses on the gear–rack mechanism. This study aims to analyze the effects and optimization of biomimetic texture parameters on the line contact tribological behavior of gear–rack mechanisms under starvation lubrication conditions. Design/methodology/approach: Inspired by the microstructure of shark skin surface, a diamond-shaped biomimetic texture was designed to improve the tribological performance of gear–rack mechanism under starved lubrication conditions. The line contact meshing process of gear–rack mechanisms under lubrication-deficient conditions was simulated by using a block-on-ring test. Using the response surface method, this paper analyzed the effects of bionic texture parameters (width, depth and spacing) on the tribological performance (friction coefficient and wear amount) of tested samples under line contact and starved lubrication conditions. Findings: The experimental results show an optimal proportional relationship between the texture parameters, which made the tribological performance of the tested samples the best. The texture parameters were optimized by using the main objective function method, and the preferred combination of parameters was a width of 69 µm, depth of 24 µm and spacing of 1,162 µm. Originality/value: The research results have practical guiding significance for designing line contact motion pairs surface texture and provide a theoretical basis for optimizing line contact motion pairs tribological performance under extreme working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy and safety of the novel immunotherapy method, intra‐cervical lymphatic immunotherapy (ICLIT), need to be investigated. Comparing it with subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), we clarified the long‐term efficacy and safety of intra‐cervical lymphatic immunotherapy on allergic rhinitis (AR), and investigated the improvement of clinical efficacy of the booster injection at 1 year after ICLIT treatment. Methods: Ninety adult patients with dust mite allergy were randomly divided into 3 groups: 30 in the SCIT group, 30 in the ILCLIT group, and 30 in ICLIT booster group. Changes in total symptom score (TSS), nasal symptom score (TNSS), ocular symptom score (TOSS) and total medication score (TMS) were evaluated in the three groups. Adverse reactions were recorded, and serum dust mite specific IgE (sIgE) and specific IgG4 were assessed in the ICLIT group and ICLIT booster group. Results: TSS, TNSS, TOSS, and TMS scores were significantly lower in the three groups at 36 months after treatment (p < 0. 05). And at 36 months the ICLIT‐booster group showed results similar to SCIT and superior to ICLIT (p < 0. 05). Serum specific IgE decreased in all three groups at 12 and 36 months after treatment, p < 0.01. The ICLIT group and the ICLIT booster group showed a significant increase in sIgG4, p < 0.01. None of the patients in the three groups had any serious systemic adverse effects during the 3‐year follow‐up. Conclusion: The ICLIT treatment is effective and safe on AR. One booster injection of allergens at 1 year can greatly improve its long‐term efficacy. Trial Registry: Clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR1800017130. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cheap metal sulfide-functionalized fibrous adsorbent was successfully fabricated via the facile in-situ growth method. The composite features irradiation and pH resistance, showing the high adsorption capacity, fast kinetics, excellent selectivity, and dynamical uptake for UO 2 2+ from complex aqueous environments. The adsorption mechanism for UO 2 2+ is revealed to be the synergistic action between functional groups on the functionalized fibers and metal sulfide. [Display omitted] • An environmental and sustainable way for the efficient UO 2 2+ capture by ZnS-AACF. • Cheap and eco-friendly ZnS-AACF is prepared via the facile in-situ growth method. • ZnS-AACF with irradiation and pH resistance exhibits rapid and selective UO 2 2+ adsorption. • ZnS-AACF as a stationary phase in the column can effectively dynamically capture UO 2 2+. • The synergy between functional groups of collagen fibers and ZnS nanoparticles is revealed. Uranium is one of the most hazardous elements due to its long half-life and chemical toxicity to living organisms that occurs in surface, subsurface water, and radioactive wastewater normally in the soluble UO 2 2+ form. However, it is a challenge to rapidly and highly selectively separate UO 2 2+ from complex aqueous environments. Here, we innovatively propose a secure, environmental, and sustainable approach to proficiently capture UO 2 2+. A nano-ZnS/alkali-activated collagen fiber composite (ZnS-AACF) was successfully fabricated via the facile in-situ growth method, in which collagen fibers derived from leather waste act as the substrate. Notably, the composite ZnS-AACF presents good radiation resistance and wide pH durability (pH = 2–11). Moreover, ZnS-AACF has the high maximum adsorption capacity (q m U = 359.72 mg/g), fast kinetics, and excellent selectivity for UO 2 2+. ZnS-AACF can selectively capture UO 2 2+ in the presence of a variety of excess competitive ions such as Fe3+, Ni2+, Cu2+, VO 3 -, and UO 2 2+. Even in highly saline environments with ultra-high concentrations of K+, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, Cl-, HCO 3 –, SO 4 2-, and Br- ions, ZnS-AACF can still achieve the selective removal for UO 2 2+. Furthermore, ZnS-AACF can serve as a stationary phase in columns facilitating the dynamic and efficient separation of UO 2 2+ with q m U up to 243.69 mg/g. The adsorption mechanism of ZnS-AACF for UO 2 2+ is revealed to be the synergistic action between functional groups on the collagen fibers and nano-ZnS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine casein micelles in infant formula differ from human micelles in composition, structure and digestion. Preparation conditions, micellar structure and in vitro gastrointestinal digestion under infant of casein micelles formed from bovine caseins but simulating human micelles were investigated. Bovine caseins were fractionated and formulated based on the composition of human caseins, i.e., at a ratio of 68:20:12 for β-, κ- and α s1 -caseins. Citrate (Cit), calcium (Ca), and inorganic phosphate (Pi) were added into casein dispersions (0.4% caseins, w/v) to obtain casein micelles. Optical absorbances showed that the optimal conditions of formation were mineral addition in the order of Cit → Ca → Pi over three cycles and final concentrations of 2.1–2.8 mM Cit, 6.1–7.1 mM Ca and 1.5–3.0 mM Pi. For micelles formed using 2.3 mM Cit, 7.1 mM Ca, and 2.8 mM Pi (the average concentrations in human milk), the particle size, micellar hydration, internal structure and morphology were similar to those of human micelles, while the percentage of serum caseins was lower and the molar ratio of Ca:casein was higher. During the gastrointestinal digestion, the gastric flocs, free amino groups and molecular weight distribution of peptides were close to those of human micelles, with casein degradation rate being lower, while the flocs were smaller and the free amino groups and casein degradation rate were higher compared to bovine micelles. These results suggested a potential to form micelles with composition, structure and digestion close to human micelles for use in infant formula. [Display omitted] • Bovine caseins with β, κ and αs1 at a ratio of 68:20:12 were formulated. • Cit, Ca and Pi were added into a 0.4% casein dispersion at 2.3, 7.1 and 2.8 mM. • Addition order of Cit→Ca→Pi over 3 cycles was optimal for forming micelles. • Size, hydration and structure of formed micelles were similar to human micelles. • Gastrointestinal digestibility of formed micelles was close to human micelles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We proposed a low temperature Au-free ohmic contacts of GaN-on-Si HEMT with the Ta/Al/CuW metal stack. The CuW was deposited by using the dual-target magnetron sputter deposition method. The annealing conditions and recess depth of ohmic area were systematically investigated. By utilizing the Ta/Al/CuW structure, an improved contact characteristic (0.49 Ω·mm) is obtained following annealing at 550 °C for 10 min in vacuum, with the recess depth of 30 nm(±2 nm). This performance surpasses that of Ta/Al/W Au-free contacts (1.07 Ω·mm). Furthermore, both the Ta/Al/CuW ohmic contacts (RMS = 6.3 nm) and the Ta/Al/W ohmic contacts (RMS = 6.0 nm) exhibit smooth surface morphology. Compared to Ti contact layer, Ta demonstrates superior performance in low temperature contact and breakdown test. Amorphous Ta layer can effectively suppress Cu diffusion. The GaN-on-Si HEMT was also fabricated based on Ta/Al/CuW Au-free ohmic contacts, exhibiting excellent DC characteristics. [Display omitted] • A new metal stack of Ta/Al/CuW annealing in low temperature shows good ohmic linearity and smooth surface. • a 1469V high vertical breakdown voltage of Ta/Al/CuW for its smooth surface. • Ta contact layer is selected for it can suppress the diffusion of Cu. The influence of recess depth of ohmic area on ohmic properties is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The velocity measurement algorithm based on vision is widely used in unmanned aerial vehicle navigation. Under uneven illumination intensity distribution, the traditional Lucas–Kanade (LK) optical flow (OF) algorithm has problems arising from low computational accuracy and poor adaptability. To solve these problems, we propose a monocular vision integrated velocity measurement system based on the square-root cubature Kalman filter (SRCKF). The LK OF and the optimized oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB) algorithms are used to process the visual information obtained using a camera. The SRCKF algorithm is tasked with fusing the LK OF and optimized ORB information, thereby improving the accuracy of velocity and alleviating the sensitivity of the LK OF to variations in illumination conditions. Finally, an outdoor unmanned aerial vehicle flight test was undertaken. The experimental results show that the proposed method provides an accurate measurement of the velocity in variable illumination environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer‐based pure organic room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have garnered considerable interest, among which RTP systems with prolonged lifetimes and tunable emission colors are promising for applications in sensing, flexible electronics, bioassay, anti‐counterfeiting, and data encryption. Herein, facile doping method is reported based on two types of copolymers with benzene/biphenyl‐based light‐emitting cores as their side chains, whereby the two copolymers are robustly crosslinked via noncovalent interactions including hydrogen bonding and halogen bonding that occur between the light‐emitting cores and polyacrylamide backbones. Persistent RTP emission with prolonged lifetime up to 1.9 s and phosphorescence quantum yield as high as 40.1% are obtained in single copolymers, attributed to the conformation restriction of phosphorescent dyes originating from the rigid microenvironment. Furthermore, multicolor phosphorescence signals are observed in the doped binary luminescent copolymer systems that can be effectively regulated by the feed ratio of luminescent cores and irradiation wavelengths. Possible mechanisms for this efficient and long‐lived color‐tunable RTP system are discussed on the basis of the experimental data and theoretical calculations. In addition, it is also demonstrated that the color‐tunable RTP emission of the doped copolymer systems under ambient conditions allows for further exploitation in the application of dynamic information encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeinated products are frequently consumed by women of childbearing age worldwide. It still unclear that whether maternal intake of caffeine associated with an increased risk of birth defects. We searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for eligible studies through July 2020. All studies examining the association between maternal consumption of caffeine or caffeinated products and birth defects were included. Twenty-nine studies were included in this meta-analysis. Among all the birth defects, maternal caffeine consumption was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular defects, [odds ratio (OR) 1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.07–1.28], craniofacial defects (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02–1.17), alimentary tract defects (OR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16–1.56), and abdominal-wall defects and hernia (OR 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03–1.25). No association was found between maternal caffeine intake and musculoskeletal system defects, genitourinary system defects, nervous system defects, or chromosomal abnormalities. Meanwhile, all three of the caffeine consumption categories (low, moderate, and high) were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular defects and alimentary tract defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A flexible optimization strategy is introduced to better learn pair-based similarity. • Imposing Weibull distribution-based constraint helps to reduce neighborhood ambiguous. • A maximum mean discrepancy quantization is proposed to minimize information loss. Hashing has been a promising technology for fast nearest neighbor retrieval in large-scale datasets due to the low storage cost and fast retrieval speed. Most existing deep hashing approaches learn compact hash codes through pair-based deep metric learning such as the triplet loss. However, these methods often consider that the intra-class and inter-class similarity make the same contribution, and consequently it is difficult to assign larger weights for informative samples during the training procedure. Furthermore, only imposing relative distance constraint increases the possibility of being clustered with larger average intra-class distance for similar pairs, which is harmful to learning a high separability Hamming space. To tackle the issues, we put forward deep Weibull hashing with maximum mean discrepancy quantization (DWH), which jointly performs neighborhood structure optimization and error-minimizing quantization to learn high-quality hash codes in a unified framework. Specifically, DWH learns the desired neighborhood structure in conjunction with a flexible pair similarity optimization strategy and a Weibull distribution-based constraint between anchors and their neighbors in Hamming space. More importantly, we design a maximum mean discrepancy quantization objective function to preserve the pairwise similarity when performing binary quantization. Besides, a class-level loss is introduced to mine the semantic structural information of images by using supervision information. The encouraging experimental results on various benchmark datasets demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed DWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coexistence of polarization and mobile ions is an extraordinary property for hybrid perovskites, as they are proven critical for charge generation and transport. There is a lack of study to elucidate the slow responses of surface polarization and ion accumulation on the electroluminescence (EL) for perovskite light emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Here, we adopt ac-field impedance spectroscopy combined with in situ EL measurements for the study of surface recombination, when a prototypical methylammonium lead bromide (CH3NH3PbBr3) PeLED operates at working conditions. We have found that the surface polarization due to charges and ions has remarkable impact on EL characteristics such as the illumination intensity, full width at half maximum (FWHM), and emissive peak. Such a phenomenon can be explained by the slow surface polarization relaxation and the ion vacancy-polarization interaction. Both of them promote surface band-to-band and trap-assist recombination, while giving rise to the EL intensity. This surface science study is merit for understanding the role of surface polarization and ion accumulation for the EL generation in PeLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), as a rapid, reliable and non-destructive spectral detection technology, has made a series of breakthrough achievements in screening and pre-diagnosis of various cancerous tumors. In this paper, high-performance gold nanoparticles/785 porous silicon photonic crystals (Au NPs/785 PSi PhCs) active SERS substrates were specially designed for serum testing, and realized highly sensitive detection of serum from healthy people, patients with cervical cancer and breast cancer. Based on the SERS spectra of the three groups of serum, the significant differences between the healthy group and cancer group at 1030 cm−1 and 1051 cm−1 were analyzed, and the similar but different serum SERS spectra of cervical cancer and breast cancer patients were compared. In addition, the spectral difference detected by SERS technology combined with a multivariate statistical algorithm was used to distinguish three kinds of serum. The serum SERS spectral sensitive bands were extracted by recursive weighted partial least squares (rPLS), and the three classification diagnosis models were established by combining orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and principal component analysis support vector machine (PCA-SVM) for synchronous classification and discrimination of the three groups of serum. The diagnostic results showed that the overall screening accuracy of three models were 93.28%, 97.77% and 94.78%, respectively. These above results confirmed that the Au NPs/785 PSi PhCs can realize super-sensitive detection of serum, and the established diagnostic model has great potential for pre-diagnosis and simultaneous screening of cervical cancer and breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In previous studies, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been found to regulate gut microbiota and change gut barrier status, and the potential positive effects of SCFAs on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have also been found, but the role of SCFAs in these three diseases is not clear. This review aims to summarize existing evidence on the effects of SCFAs on IBD, T1D, and NHFLD, and correlates them with gut barrier and gut microbiota (gut microbiota barrier). Methods: A literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, and Wiley Online Library up to October 2020 was conducted for all relevant studies published. Results: This is a retrospective review of 150 applied research articles or reviews. The destruction of gut barrier may promote the development of IBD, T1D, and NAFLD. SCFAs seem to maintain the gut barrier by promoting the growth of intestinal epithelial cells, strengthening the intestinal tight connection, and regulating the activities of gut microbiota and immune cells, which might result possible beneficial effects on the above three diseases at a certain dose. Conclusions: Influencing gut barrier health may be a bridge for SCFAs (especially butyrate) to have positive effects on IBD, T1D, and NAFLD. It is expected that this article can provide new ideas for the subsequent research on the treatment of diseases by SCFAs and help SCFAs be better applied to precise and personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lung has a sophisticated microbiome, and respiratory illnesses are greatly influenced by the lung microbiota. Despite the fact that numerous studies have shown that lung cancer patients have a dysbiosis as compared to healthy people, more research is needed to explore the association between the microbiota dysbiosis and immune profile within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Methods: In this study, we performed metagenomic sequencing of tumor and normal tissues from 61 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and six patients with other lung diseases. In order to characterize the impact of the microbes in TME, the cytokine concentrations of 24 lung tumor and normal tissues were detected using a multiple cytokine panel. Results: Our results showed that tumors had lower microbiota diversity than the paired normal tissues, and the microbiota of NSCLC was enriched in Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines such as IL‐8, MIF, TNF‐ α, and so on, were significantly upregulated in tumor tissues. Conclusion: We discovered a subset of bacteria linked to host inflammatory signaling pathways and, more precisely, to particular immune cells. We determined that lower airway microbiome dysbiosis may be linked to the disruption of the equilibrium of the immune system causing lung inflammation. The spread of lung cancer may be linked to specific bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) have a high restenosis rate, which increases the risk of stroke, and there is still a lack of effective treatment for restenosis. The cause of stenosis is related to local inflammatory reactions. Some basic studies have shown that the inflammatory response causing arterial stenosis is closely related to the nerve axons distributed in its outer membrane, and that removal of the nerve is effective in reducing the inflammatory response to prevent arterial stenosis. Therefore, we propose to design a randomized controlled trial to study whether disconnecting the carotid sinus nerve during a CEA operation can reduce carotid arterial restenosis. Method/design: This study is a randomized, double-blind, single-center study. We will recruit 276 patients, who will be randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group. Based on the standard CEA operation, the operator will search for the carotid sinus nerve on the surface of the internal carotid artery and will entirely transect it in the experimental group. Both groups will be guided with the same postoperative treatment and will be followed up every 3 months for 3 years after the operation. The main indices observed will be the carotid restenosis rate, incidence and nature of carotid plaque, and carotid blood flow velocity. Other indices will be arrhythmia, blood pressure variability, and biomarkers of atherosclerosis, such as blood lipids, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), homocysteine, and total bilirubin. Discussion: It is expected that carotid sinus nerve transection will significantly reduce the occurrence of restenosis after CEA, decrease the incidence of ischemic stroke, and realize the effective primary prevention of stroke. Trial registration: ChiCTR2300073652. Registered on July 18, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizontal wells are extensively utilized in the development of unconventional reservoirs. However, the logging responses and formation evaluation in horizontal wells can be impacted by factors like anisotropy and tool eccentricity. To investigate the influence of tool eccentricity on acoustic logging response, physical simulation experiments of array acoustic logging were conducted in a scaled borehole formation model under different tool eccentricity conditions. The experimental data were analyzed, and the findings revealed that when the receiver array is parallel to the borehole axis, the P-wave slowness and S-wave slowness remain unaffected by tool eccentricity. However, the amplitudes of the P-wave and S-wave decrease significantly with increasing tool eccentricity, following an approximate negative exponential pattern. Additionally, when the transmitter is centered and the receiver array intersects the borehole axis at an angle, the wave velocities increase significantly with tool eccentricity, with the P-wave velocity showing a faster increase. Conversely, when the transmitter is eccentric and the receiver array intersects the borehole axis at an angle, the wave velocity decreases notably with tool eccentricity, and the P-wave velocity decreases even faster. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the impact of tool eccentricity on array acoustic logging response in horizontal wells and offer guidance for developing correction schemes to address this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the traditional active noise control method, a phased-array secondary sound source was designed to replace the traditional sound source. Adopting a 4 × 4 array distributed design, we still maintain a single-in single-out system. Simulations show that the phased-array secondary sound source better controls noise reduction in a certain area of space, with better noise reduction effect, larger static area, and less impact on other non-control areas. A verification experiment was performed in a semi-anechoic chamber, with noise reduction conducted in different directions. The noise reduction effect of the phased-array secondary sound source was >10 dB higher than that of the traditional secondary sound source, with less influence on other points. The phased-array secondary sound source can be combined with tracking equipment to achieve a better follow-up noise reduction effect in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have caused significant research attention due to their low redox potential of 0.76 V, high theoretical capacity of 820 mAh g−1. However, the dendrite growth of zinc anode and the side reactions caused by water seriously affect the cycle life of AZIBs. To solve the above problems, a new method of etching zinc anodes with CuCl 2 salt solution was designed, which the zinc anode was named CZn. The process resulted to a uniformly distributed micro gully morphology on the zinc surface, and providing an increased number of nucleation sites for zinc deposition and reducing local current density. The calculation results of exchange current density and activation energy show that CZn has stronger Zn/Zn2+ kinetic effect. At a current density of 5 mA cm−2 and an area capacity of 5 mAh cm−2, cycle life of the CZn symmetrical cell can reach 500 h, which is more than seven times that of the raw Zn symmetrical cell. This work proposes a simple method of zinc anode protection, which provides a new idea for zinc metal anode protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auricularia is a genus of edible jelly fungi whose highly plastic fruiting bodies lack differentiation between stalks and caps, making accurate identification of similar species difficult. Auricularia villosula (A. villosula) is a wild edible mushroom that is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. Here, we sequenced and assembled its mitochondrial genome using Illumina short reads. The complete sequence is 230,069 bp in length with a GC content of 30.1%. It harbors 41 genes (25 tRNA, 2 rRNA, and 14 protein-coding): 2 on the N strand (−) and 29 on the J strand (+). Analysis of nucleotide composition revealed positive GC (0.027) and AT (0.002) skews. The mitochondrial genome included a very large intergenic region (22,840 bp) between cytochrome b (CytB) and tRNATyr, lacked overlapping nucleotides between genes, and used non-standard start codons for some genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. villosula was distant from other species of Polyporales, Agaricales, and Russulales. The A. villosula mitogenome sequence will be useful for future taxonomic and genetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease with limited therapeutic targets or clinical outcome predictors. This study aimed to gain more insights into the underlying immunological pathways and prognostic biomarkers of SLE. Integrated analyses of RNA-seq data from 64 SLE and 62 healthy controls, examining 27 immune cell types to explore the key pathways and driver genes in SLE pathogenesis. Single-cell RNA sequencing data from the skin and kidney were used to determine the association of COX5A expression with organ damage. The associations of COX5A with SLE phenotypes were further evaluated in two independent cohorts, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess the value of COX5A as a biomarker for disease activity and organ damage in SLE. We found that oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is the most significantly altered metabolic pathway in SLE, especially in effector T cells. Notably, we identified an OXPHOS-related enzyme, COX5A, whose expression was significantly higher in effector T cells than in naïve T cells and showed associations with disease activity, organ damage, and steroid treatment of SLE. Furthermore, ROC curves showed that COX5A is a robust biomarker for disease activity, kidney involvement, and new-onset skin lesions, with the area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.880, 0.801, and 0.805, respectively. Our results identified the OXPHOS signature as a prominent feature in SLE T cells, and COX5A as a potential candidate biomarker for disease activity and organ damage in SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the traditional contingent screening strategy is effective, there are still undetected low-risk trisomy 21. This study aims to define appropriate cut-off values of serum biochemical markers at low-risk and develop a strategy for sequential prenatal testing associated with first-trimester screening to increase the detection rate of trisomy 21. Methods: This was a 9-year retrospective analysis of singleton pregnant women who underwent serum biochemical screening or combined first-trimester screening (CFTS) in the first trimester. For the low-risk group, the cut-off values of the serum biochemical markers were adjusted to determine the appropriate detection efficiency. Gravidas with abnormal serum biochemical markers at low-risk were advised to undergo further non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS), whereas others continued with routine prenatal care. Results: When cut-off values of free beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (free β-hCG) multiples of the median (MoM) or pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) MoM were defined with ≥ 2.75 or ≤ 0.5, 7.72% (2,194/28,405) in the serum biochemical screening group and 12.36% (4,005/32,403) in CFTS group could be detected as abnormal results for further NIPS. Finally, 55.56% (5/9) and 85.71% (6/7) of trisomy 21 cases with false-negative results were detected, and the overall detection rate for trisomy 21 was improved by 10.64% (5/47) and 12.77% (6/47), respectively. Conclusions: The new contingent screening strategy can increase the detection rate of trisomy 21 compared with the traditional contingent screening strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a frequency measurement method for spatial microwave signals with solid‐state atom resonance, performing measurements based on the burnt hole in spectrum with two microwave fields acting on nitrogen vacancies (NVs) simultaneously. The population on |0⟩ of the NV color center in the ground state affected by the resonance of two microwave fields with similar frequencies responds excellently to external microwave frequencies, and a phenomenon named hole burning occurs. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the resonant peak at the hole is 18.9 kHz. When microwaves of different frequencies are applied, the resonant peak precisely follows the signal frequency in the experiment. Subsequently, the resonant peak is processed using the differential method to obtain a frequency measurement error on the order of 100 Hz. The spatial resolution of this method is within the millimeter scale. This study can provide technical support for applications in microwave frequency measurement and spatial mapping with quantum precision measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dazomet fumigation boosted the diversity and relative abundance of ARGs. • A "inhibition-recovery" trend was occurred in the absolute abundance of ARGs. • Major hosts of ARGs shifted from Proteobacteria to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. • Dazomet exposure increased the incidence of MGEs and stimulated conjugation of ARGs. • Fumigant dazomet was implicated in the emergence and spread of ARGs in agroecosystem. Agrochemicals are emergingly being implicated in the widespread dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in agroecosystems. However, minimal research exists on the disturbance of fumigant on soil ARGs. Focusing on a typical fumigant dazomet in a simulated soil microcosm, we characterized the dazomet-triggered timely response and longstanding dynamic of ARGs at one-fold and two-fold field recommended doses using metagenome and quantitative PCR. Dazomet treatments reduced 13.17%-69.98% of absolute abundance of 16S rRNA gene and targeted ARGs, but, awfully, boosted diversity and relative abundance of ARGs up to 1.33–1.60 and 1.62–1.90 folds, respectively. Approximately 77.28% of changes in relative abundance of ARGs could be explained by bacterial community and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Mechanistically, primary hosts of ARGs shifted from Proteobacteria (control) to Firmicutes and Actinobacteria (treatments) accompanied with corresponding changes in their abundance by combining community analysis, host tracking analysis and antibiotic resistant bacteria assay. Meanwhile, dazomet exposure significantly increased the incidence of MGEs and stimulated the conjugation of antibiotic-resistant plasmid. In addition, absolute abundance of targeted ARGs gradually recovered in the post-fumigation stage. Collectively, our results elucidate the dazomet-triggered emergence and spread of soil ARGs and highlight the importance of navigating toward rational use of fumigant in agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragile bottom side of perovskite films is demonstrated to be harmful to the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) because the carrier extraction and recombination can be significantly influenced by the easily formed strain, voids, and defects on the bottom side. Nevertheless, the bottom side of perovskite films is usually overlooked because it remains a challenge to directly characterize and modify the bottom side. Herein, a facile and effective strategy is reported to stabilize the bottom side via preburying cesium formate (CsFo) into the SnO2 electron transport layer (ETL). It is found that the synergistic effect of cesium cation (Cs+) and formate anion (HCOO−) causes strain relaxation, void elimination, and defects' reduction, which further facilitate the charge extraction. Consequently, the champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of formamidinium (FA)‐based PSCs is increased from 23.34% to 24.50%. Meanwhile, the ultraviolet (UV), thermal, and operational stability are also enhanced. Finally, formamidinium–cesium (FACs)‐based PSCs are investigated to confirm the effectiveness of this preburied CsFo strategy, and the optimal device exhibits a champion PCE of 25.03% and a remarkably high fill factor (FF) of 85.65%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coating the perovskite layer via a two-step method is an adaptable solution for industries compared to the anti-solvent process. But what about the impact of unreacted PbI2? Usually, it is generated during perovskite conversion in a two-step method and considered beneficial within the grain boundaries, while also being accused of enhancing the interface defects and nonradiative recombination. Several additives are mixed in PbI2 precursors for the purpose of improving the perovskite crystallinity and hindering the Pb2+ defects. Herein, in lieu of adding additives to the PbI2, the effects of the PbI2 residue via the electron transport layer/perovskite interface modification are explored. Consequently, by introducing artemisinin decorated with hydrophobic alkyl units and a ketone group, it reduces the residual PbI2 and improves the perovskites' crystallinity by coordinating with Pb2+. In addition, artemisinin-deposited perovskite enhances both the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells by suppressing nonradiative recombination [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), principally linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA), may have differential impacts on cardiovascular risk. We aimed to summarize the up-to-date epidemiology evidence on the relationship between blood levels of omega-6 PUFAs and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Population-based studies determining PUFA levels in blood were identified until May 2021 in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Random-effects meta-analyses of cohorts comparing the highest versus lowest category were conducted to combine study-specific risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Blood levels of omega-6 PUFAs were compared between the CHD case and non-case, presented as a weight mean difference (WMD). Twenty-one cohorts and eleven case-control studies were included. The WMD was −0.71 (95% CI: −1.20, −0.21) for LA and 0.08 (95% CI: −0.28, 0.43) for AA. LA levels were inversely associated with total CHD risk (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.00), but not AA. Each one-SD increase in LA levels resulted in 10% reductions in the risk of fatal CHD (RR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.95), but not in non-fatal CHD. Such findings highlight that the current recommendation for optimal intakes of omega-6 PUFAs (most LA) may offer a coronary benefit in primary prevention. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2056867. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy, which is important in noninvasive respiratory support, is increasingly being used in critically ill neonates with respiratory failure because it is comfortable, easy to setup, and has a low incidence of nasal trauma. The advantages, indications, and risks of HFNC have been the focus of research in recent years, resulting in the development of the application. Based on current evidence, we developed guidelines for HFNC in neonates using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). The guidelines were formulated after extensive consultations with neonatologists, respiratory therapists, nurse specialists, and evidence‐based medicine experts. We have proposed 24 recommendations for 9 key questions. The guidelines aim to be a source of evidence and reference of HFNC oxygen therapy in clinical practice, and so that more neonates and their families will benefit from HFNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of bio-based foams implies an increase in the use of renewable biological resources to reduce the rapid consumption of petroleum-derived resources. Both tannins and furfuryl alcohol are derived from forestry resources and are, therefore, considered attractive precursors for the preparation of tannin–furanic foams. In addition, toughening modification of tannin–furanic foams using polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) results in a more flexible network-like structure, which imparts excellent flexibility to the foams, whose relative properties are even close to those of polyurethane foams, which are the most used for fabrication of insoles for athletes. In addition, the addition of PVOH does not affect the thermal insulation properties of the foams by testing the thermal conductivity, resilience, and elongation at break, while reducing the brittleness of the samples and improving the mechanical properties. Also, the observation of the morphology of the foam shows that the compatibility between PVOH and tannin–furanic resin is good, and the cured foam does not show fragmentation and collapse, while the bubble pore structure is uniform. The developed flexible foam derived from biomass resources endows the foam with good thermal insulation properties and high mechanical properties, and the samples exhibit suitable physical parameters to be used as flexible insoles for athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A whispering gallery mode resonator (WGMR) with a high‐quality factor and large coupling spectrum width can enhance the interaction of matter and lightwave by several orders of magnitude in a large bandwidth range. The performance of the resonator determines the accuracy and range of terahertz (THz) sensing. However, the quality factors of the reported THz WGMRs are highly limited by the high absorption loss of materials within THz spectral range. The coupling spectrum width is usually limited by the coupling structure. In this paper, an on‐chip THz whispering gallery mode resonator based on multislot waveguide and gradual coupling structure is proposed. By increasing the evanescent field of guided wave mode, the absorption loss in the resonator is significantly reduced. Through gradual coupling structure, resonance curves are more uniform within a wide spectrum. The simulation results show that the structure can improve the instinct quality factor of the THz resonator to the order of 104 $1{0}^{4}$ when the bending radius is as small as 2mm. At the same time, sensitivity is increased by more than six times and uniform resonance curves are achieved from 0.45~0.55 $0.45\unicode{x0007E}0.55$THz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]