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Hypertension remains a leading cause of cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Failure to control blood pressure with ≥ 3 medications or control requiring ≥ 4 medications is classified as resistant hypertension (rHTN) and new therapies are needed to reduce the resulting increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Here, we report genetic evidence that relaxin family peptide receptor 2 (RXFP2) is associated with rHTN in men, but not in women. This study shows that adrenal gland gene expression of RXFP2 is increased in men with hypertension and the RXFP2 natural ligand, INSL3, increases adrenal steroidogenesis and corticosteroid secretion in human adrenal cells. To address the hypothesis that RXFP2 activation is an important mechanism in rHTN, we discovered and characterized small molecule and monoclonal antibody (mAb) blockers of RXFP2. The novel chemical entities and mAbs show potent, selective inhibition of RXFP2 and reduce aldosterone and cortisol synthesis and release. The RXFP2 mAbs have suitable rat pharmacokinetic profiles to evaluate the role of RXFP2 in the development and maintenance of rHTN. Overall, we identified RXFP2 activity as a potential new mechanism in rHTN and discovered RXFP2 antagonists for the future interrogation of RXFP2 in cardiovascular and renal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several mouse models of exogenous-agent – induced atopic dermatitis (AD) are currently available, the lack of certainty regarding their similarity with human AD has limited their scientific value. Thus, comprehensive evaluation of the characteristics of mouse models and their similarity with human AD is essential. To compare six different exogenous-agent – induced AD mouse models and find out the optimum models for study. Female BALB/c mice underwent induction of AD-like dermatitis by MC903 alone or in combination with ovalbumin (OVA), dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) alone or in combination with OVA, OVA alone, or Staphylococcus aureus. Gross phenotype, total immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, histopathological manifestations, and skin lesion transcriptome were analyzed, and metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiome was performed. The DNFB plus OVA model showed the highest disease severity, while the OVA model showed the lowest severity. The MC903 and MC903 plus OVA models showed high expression of T-helper (Th)2- and Th17-related genes; the DNFB and DNFB plus OVA models showed upregulation of Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-related genes; while the S. aureus inoculation model showed more enhanced Th1 and Th17 immune responses. In contrast to the other models, the OVA-induced model showed the lowest expression levels of inflammation-related genes, while the MC903 model shared the largest overlap with human AD profiles. The intestinal microbiota of all groups showed significant differences after modeling. Each AD mouse model exhibited different characteristics. The MC903 model was the best to recapitulate most features of human AD among these exogenous-agent – induced AD models. • Each exogenous-agent–induced AD model exhibited different characteristics. • The MC903 model was the best to recapitulate most features of human AD among these exogenous-agent–induced AD models. • The intestinal microbiota of all models showed significant differences after modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High cognitive load in nurses is a common problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, it remains unclear what different types of cognitive load the ICU nurses have experienced during the implementation of delirium interventions. Aim: To describe the characteristics and explore the effect of implementing a delirium intervention on the cognitive load of nurses working in the ICU. Methods: A cluster‐randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. Six ICUs were randomized in a 1:1 ratio, and eligible nurses from these units provided either a delirium bundle intervention in addition to usual care (27 nurses) or usual care alone. An instrument was used to measure different types of cognitive load (MDT‐CL), assessing intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load. The repeated measures analysis of variance was used to detect between‐group differences. Results: Among these nurses, significant between‐group differences were identified in terms of their overall (P < 0.001), intrinsic (P < 0.001) and extraneous (P < 0.001) cognitive load. There was no significant change observed in the germane cognitive load (P = 0.489) in the delirium intervention group. Conclusion: It is important to understand how the implementation of a delirium intervention affects different types of cognitive load in nurses, in order that tailored strategies can be applied to reduce cognitive load in ICU nurses. Summary statement: What is already known about the topic? ABCDEF bundle interventions are effective to reduce ICU delirium incidence and improve clinical outcomes.Nursing care in the intensive care units is characterized by elevated demand on workloads and increased cognitive load.Cognitive load has been identified to include three different types: intrinsic cognitive load, extraneous cognitive load and germane cognitive load. What this paper adds? The application of a delirium intervention in ICU nurses can increase the intrinsic, extraneous and overall cognitive load but had no effect on the germane cognitive load in ICU nurses.It is important to understand how the implementation of a delirium intervention affects different types of cognitive load in nurses so that tailored strategies can be applied to reduce cognitive load in ICU nurses. The implications of this paper: Evaluating different types of cognitive load in ICU nurse is helpful to support appropriate allocation of nursing resources and improvement of patient safety.This study highlights the necessity of improving efforts focusing on reduction of the intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load related to nursing care for delirium in ICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Design Data sources Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Patient or Public Contribution Early referral to palliative care has been viewed as providing opportunity for accomplishing end‐of‐life care goals of life closure, comfortable dying and effective grieving. However, previous studies have shown that palliative care referrals are being made too late. Healthcare providers play important role in helping terminally ill patients to early access and being referred to palliative care. It is necessary to understand healthcare providers' attitudes on palliative care referral and associated factors regarding referrals.This review aimed to identify and synthesise healthcare providers' attitudes and associated factors on palliative care referrals systematically.A systematic review of qualitative evidence and meta‐aggregation was conducted and guided according to PRISMA guideline.PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane databases from inception to 24 October 2022.Database searches yielded 5856 references. Twenty‐two studies met eligibility criteria and of moderate to high methodological quality were included. Studies occurred in USA, UK, Australia and France with 716 healthcare providers participants were included. A total of 378 codings were finally extracted and integrated into 41 categories, forming three synthesised findings: (1) Healthcare providers' attitudes towards palliative care referrals, (2) the influence of subjective norms on palliative care referral behaviour and (3) perceived behavioural control on palliative care referral behaviour.This review demonstrates a series of factors that affect the palliative care referrals, including the attitudes of healthcare providers, the participation of patients and families, the support of colleagues and supervisors, inter‐professional collaboration, the availability of hospice resource, disease trajectory and socio‐economic factors. Further research that addresses these factors and design relevant trainings on improving healthcare providers' attitudes, enhancing patient and family engagement, strengthening support networks and optimising resource allocation may aid to meet increasing demands of patients.This review not only guides healthcare providers in making better decisions about patient referrals by identifying and addressing barriers but also aids in the development of effective interventions that facilitate the early initiation of referrals.No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality titanium nitride (TiN) films with different crystal orientations (001, 110, and 111) obtained under the same growth conditions are systematically investigated by both ultra-low temperature scanning tunneling microscope/spectroscopy and transport experiments. Our results reveal that all of them are conventional type-II superconductors, which exhibit spatially homogeneous superconducting properties. The superconductivity is uniform between surface and bulk. Intriguingly, the TiN (111) film has the highest transition temperature (Tc) but the lowest upper critical field (Hc2). This crystal orientation-dependent superconductivity could be explained by the fact that TiN (001) and TiN (110) films are dirtier than TiN (111). Our results suggest that (111)-oriented TiN is superior to design certain superconducting devices, including Josephson junction devices. The crystallographic orientation could offer an effective controlling parameter for designing TiN-based superconducting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is understood about the relationship between marriage matching patterns and mental health. This study aims to examine the relationship between patterns of marriage matching and depressive symptoms among married Chinese adults, and respectively validate the effects of age, period, and cohort with hierarchical APC models. A total of 20,430 couples from the 2012, 2016 and 2018 wave of China Family Panel Studies were included in this study. We investigate patterns of marriage matching from age, personal education, parental education and especially, parental hukou status, which reflects an individual's residential status through urban-rural divide and has vital implications for socioeconomic status in China. Age gap is significantly associated with depressive symptoms both for men and women, yet sorting of parents' hukou status and education presented significant relationship with depressive symptoms only among women. In addition, we found strong age effects that changing trajectories of depressive symptoms across the life course vary among different genders and marital patterns. We did not find significant cohort effects after considering other factors, indicating the stability of depressive symptoms across birth cohorts. The CES-D is a widely used tool for depressive symptoms screening, the self-report instrument may produce results with lesser accuracy. Marriage matching patterns are significantly associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese adults, and these effects vary significantly across the life course. Our study sheds lights on the public mental health promotion programs from a marital perspective, suggesting that women in less satisfying marriage should be prioritized. • Age gap was associated with depressive symptoms both for men and women. • Parents' SES is related to depressive symptoms among women. • None cohort effects indicates the stability of depressive symptoms somewhat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cyberbullying is an emerging public health problem, it is unclear how the COVID-19 pandemic affects cyberbullying. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on cyberbullying, to estimate the global cyberbullying prevalence and to explore factors related to cyberbullying during the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched the Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Eric, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, Chinese CNKI, and EBSCO databases to identify relevant empirical studies published between 2019 and 2022. A total of 36 studies were included. Quality assessment, meta-analyses, and subgroup analyses were conducted. The pooled prevalences were 16% for overall cyberbullying, 18% for victimization and 11% for perpetration during the COVID-19 pandemic, which were lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pooled prevalence of postpandemic cyberbullying perpetration is lower in children than in adults. In addition, both virus- and lockdown-related stressors were the main factors contributing to cyberbullying. The COVID-19 crisis may reduce cyberbullying, and the pooled prevalence of cyberbullying during the pandemic in adults is higher than in children and adolescents. In addition, the transient-enduring factor model of postpandemic cyberbullying built in this review could help identify people at high risk of cyberbullying during public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) advocates the dimensional approach in characterizing mental disorders. We followed RDoC to characterize children with ADHD using profiling based on the cognitive and psychopathological domains. We aimed to identify and validate ADHD subtypes with different clinical characteristics and functional impairments. We recruited 362 drug‐naïve children with ADHD and 103 typically developing controls. The cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups based on the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) and the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The subgroups' clinical characteristics and functional impairments were assessed using the WEISS Functional Impairment Rating Scale‐Parent Report (WFIRS‐P) and the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ). The cluster analysis yielded four subgroups: (1) ADHD with severe impairment in psychopathology and executive functions (EF), (2) ADHD with mild executive dysfunctions and normal‐level psychopathology, (3) ADHD with severe externalizing problems and (4) ADHD with severe executive dysfunctions. These subgroups showed different clinical characteristics and degrees of functional impairment. The EF impairment group displayed more serious learning problems and worse life skills than the externalizing group. The two groups with externalizing problems (i.e. the severe impairment group and the externalizing group) both exhibited higher rates of the combined subtype of ADHD and higher rates of comorbid ODD. Different subtypes of ADHD displayed different profiles of internalizing and externalizing problems and levels of executive dysfunctions. In particular, the subtype with severe impairment in EF exhibited more learning problems and worse life skills, suggesting EF is a critical target for intervention in children with ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delirium is a common complication among intensive care unit (ICU) patients that is linked to negative clinical outcomes. However, adherence to the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU (PADIS guidelines), which recommend the use of the ABCDEF bundle, is sub-optimal in routine clinical care. To address this issue, AI-AntiDelirium, a nurse-led artificial intelligence-assisted prevention and management tool for delirium, was developed by our research team. Our pilot study yielded positive findings regarding the use of AI-AntiDelirium in preventing patient ICU delirium and improving activities of daily living and increasing intervention adherence by health care staff. Methods: The proposed large-scale pragmatic, open-label, parallel-group, cluster randomized controlled study will assess the impact of AI-AntiDelirium on the incidence of ICU delirium and delirium-related outcomes. Six ICUs in two tertiary hospitals in China will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an AI-AntiDelirium or a PADIS guidelines group. A target sample size of 1,452 ICU patients aged 50 years and older treated in the ICU for at least 24 hours will be included. The primary outcome evaluated will be the incidence of ICU delirium and the secondary outcomes will be the duration of ICU delirium, length of ICU and hospital stay, ICU and in-hospital mortality rates, patient cognitive function, patient activities of daily living, and ICU nurse adherence to the ABCDEF bundle. Discussion: If this large-scale trial provides evidence of the effectiveness of AI-AntiDelirium, an artificial intelligence-assisted system tool, in decreasing the incidence of ICU delirium, length of ICU and hospital stay, ICU and in-hospital mortality rates, patient cognitive function, and patient activities of daily living while increasing ICU nurse adherence to the ABCDEF bundle, it will have a profound impact on the management of ICU delirium in both research and clinical practice. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR1900023711 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant hormones that are essential in plant growth and development. BRASSINOSTEROID‐INSENSITIVE 1 (BRI1) and BRI1 ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASE 1 (BAK1), which are located on the plasma membrane, function as co‐receptors that accept and transmit BR signals.PROHIBITIN 3 (PHB3) was identified in both BRI1 and BAK1 complexes by affinity purification and LC‐MS/MS analysis. Biochemical data showed that BRI1/BAK1 interacted with PHB3 in vitro and in vivo.BRI1/BAK1 phosphorylated PHB3 in vitro. When the Thr‐80 amino acid in PHB3 was mutated to Ala, the mutant protein was not phosphorylated by BRI1 and the mutant protein interaction with BRI1 was abolished in the yeast two‐hybrid assay. BAK1 did not phosphorylate the mutant protein PHB3T54A. The loss‐of‐function phb3 mutant showed a weaker BR signal than the wild‐type. Genetic analyses revealed that PHB3 is a BRI1/BAK1 downstream substrate that participates in BR signalling. PHB3 has five homozygous in tomato, and we named the closest to AtPHB3 as SlPHB3.1. Biochemical data showed that SlBRI1/SlSERK3A/SlSERK3B interacted with SlPHB3.1 and SlPHB3.3. The CRISPR‐Cas9 method generated slphb3.1 mutant led to a BR signal stunted relatively in tomatoes.PHB3 is a new component of the BR signal pathway in both Arabidopsis and tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient water splitting electrocatalysts with low cost is essential for the development of sustainable hydrogen energy. Ni foam supported Ru-doped NiCoP nanowire arrays (Ru–NiCoP@NF) are synthesized via a hydrothermal reaction followed by low-temperature phosphorization. The as-obtained Ru–NiCoP@NF exhibits outstanding bifunctional catalytic activity, achieving 100 mA cm−2 at the overpotentials of 108 and 264 mV for HER and OER, respectively, with a tiny loading of Ru (≈61.8 μg cm−2). The electrolyzer assembled using Ru–NiCoP@NF as the bifunctional electrode requires 1.62 V (with no iR correction) for 50 mA cm−2, 50 mV lower than RuO 2 –Pt/C based electrolyzer. The enhancement of Ru–NiCoP@NF is ascribed to Ru dopants, which contribute to formation of 3D nanowire arrays with the advantages of exposing sufficient active sites, accelerating charge transfer and outstanding mechanical strength. More importantly, the Ru atoms in NiCoP successfully modulate the charge densities around Ni, Co and P through strong electronic interaction, thus elevating the sluggish Volmer step for HER and promoting the adsorption capacity of oxygen-containing intermediates for OER. • Ru-doped NiCoP is fabricated and used as a bifunctional water splitting electrode. • Ru–NiCoP@NF only requires 108 (264) mV to reach 100 mA cm−2 for HER (OER). • The electrolyzer requires 1.62 V for 50 mA cm−2, 50 mV lower than RuO 2 –Pt/C one. • The high performance is due to unique microstructures and electronic configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pathogenesis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) remained unclear. We aimed to profile the metabolic alterations in urine of SFTS patients and provide new evidence for its pathogenesis. Methods: A case–control study was conducted in the 154th hospital in China. Totally 88 cases and 22 controls aged ≥ 18 years were enrolled. The cases were selected from laboratory-confirmed SFTS patients. The controls were selected among SFTSV-negative population. Those with diabetes, cancer, hepatitis and other sexually transmitted diseases were excluded in both groups. Fatal cases and survival cases were 1:1 matched. Inter-group differential metabolites and pathways were obtained, and the inter-group discrimination ability was evaluated. Results: Tryptophan metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism were the top one important metabolism pathway in differentiating the control and case groups, and the survival and fatal groups, respectively. The significant increase of differential metabolites in tryptophan metabolism, including 5-hydroxyindoleacetate (5-HIAA), L-kynurenine (KYN), 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP), 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA), and the increase of phenylpyruvic acid and decrease of hippuric acid in phenylalanine metabolism indicated the potential metabolic alterations in SFTSV infection. The increase of 5-HIAA, KYN, 5-HTP, phenylpyruvic acid and hippuric acid were involved in the fatal progress of SFTS patients. Conclusions: Tryptophan metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism might be involved in the pathogenesis of SFTSV infection. These findings provided new evidence for the pathogenesis and treatment of SFTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the spatial behavior of the strongly competing systems involving the square root of the Laplacian. The coexistence of minimal energy solutions is discussed and a mechanism to ensure coexistence is given. Moreover, in the case of two densities the global minimizer converges, as the interspecies interaction tends to infinity, to a spatially segregated distribution where the two densities coexist and solve a non-coupled variational problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interspecific interactions in biofilms have been shown to cause the emergence of community‐level properties. To understand the impact of interspecific competition on evolution, we deep‐sequenced the dispersal population of mono‐ and co‐culture biofilms of two antagonistic marine bacteria (Phaeobacter inhibens 2.10 and Pseudoalteromononas tunicata D2). Enhanced phenotypic and genomic diversification was observed in the P. tunicata D2 populations under both mono‐ and co‐culture biofilms in comparison to P. inhibens 2.10. The genetic variation was exclusively due to single nucleotide variants and small deletions, and showed high variability between replicates, indicating their random emergence. Interspecific competition exerted an apparent strong positive selection on a subset of P. inhibens 2.10 genes (e.g., luxR, cobC, argH, and sinR) that could facilitate competition, while the P. tunicata D2 population was genetically constrained under competition conditions. In the absence of interspecific competition, the P. tunicata D2 replicate populations displayed high levels of mutations affecting the same genes involved in cell motility and biofilm formation. Our results show that interspecific biofilm competition has a complex impact on genomic diversification, which likely depends on the nature of the competing strains and their ability to generate genetic variants due to their genomic constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of large-scale and intensive breeding models has led to increasingly prominent oxidative stress issues in animal husbandry production. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is an important extract with a variety of biological activities. It is an effective antioxidant drug and shows different antioxidant capacities due to its different chemical structures. Therefore, it is a new research target to determine the proportion of chlorogenic acid isomers with high antioxidant activity to resist the damage caused by oxidative stress. In this experiment, the antioxidant activities of the chlorogenic acid monomer and its compounds were compared by a series of in vitro antioxidant indexes. Based on the above experiments, it was found that LB and LC have superior antioxidant abilities (P < 0.05). Subsequently, 300 healthy 1-day-old Arbor Acres (AA) male broilers with no significant difference in body weight (about 44 g) were randomly selected and randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 10 chickens in each replicate. One group was the control group, 1 group was the model group, and the remaining 3 groups were the experimental groups. At 37 d of age, animals in the control group were injected with normal saline, and animals in the other 4 groups were injected with 1 mL/kg 5% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) through the chest muscle before the supplementation. The control group (control) and the model group (PC) were fed a standard diet. The remaining 3 groups included the CGA group, LB group (CIB), and LC group (CIC). In these groups, 50 g/t chlorogenic acid, LB compound, or LC compound were added to the basal diet, respectively, and the other feeding conditions remained consistent. The addition of the LB complex to the diet could significantly improve the growth performance and antioxidant performance of broilers (P < 0.05), upregulate the expression of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-related genes in liver and jejunum (P < 0.05), regulate the disordered intestinal flora, and alleviate the damage caused by oxidative stress. These results suggested for the first time that the LB complex exhibited superior effects in vitro and vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a graph G , the Wiener index W (G) is the sum of distances between all pairs of vertices, which is one of the most popular graph invariants. In this paper, we characterize a class of the unicyclic graphs with given order n and maximum degree Δ which minimize Wiener index, and then identify a class of the unicyclic graphs with g = 3 and Δ ⩾ 4 which minimize Wiener index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and critical respiratory disorder caused by various factors, with viral infection being the leading contributor. Dehydroandrographolide (DAP), a constituent of the Chinese herbal plant Andrographis paniculata , exhibits a range of activities including anti-inflammatory, in vitro antiviral and immune-enhancing effects. This study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects and pharmacokinetics (PK) profile of DAP in ALI mice induced by intratracheal instillation of Poly(I:C) (PIC). The results showed that oral administration of DAP (10–40 mg/kg) effectively suppressed the increase in lung wet–dry weight ratio, total cells, total protein content, accumulation of immune cells, inflammatory cytokines and neutrophil elastase levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of PIC-treated mice. DAP concentrations, determined by an LC-MS/MS method, in plasma after receiving DAP (20 mg/kg) were unchanged compared to those in normal mice. However, DAP concentrations and relative PK parameters in the lungs were significantly altered in PIC-treated mice, exhibiting a relatively higher maximum concentration, larger AUC, and longer elimination half-life than those in the lungs of normal mice. These results demonstrated that DAP could improve lung edema and inflammation in ALI mice, and suggested that lung injury might influence the PK properties of DAP, leading to increased lung distribution and residence. Our study provides evidence that DAP displays significant anti-inflammatory activity against viral lung injury and is more likely to distribute to damaged lung tissue. [Display omitted] • DAP markedly ameliorates Poly(I:C)-induced lung injury in mice. • DAP greatly reduces inflammatory cytokines and NE levels, and inflammatory cells. • ALI causes DAP in the lung with higher C max , larger AUC and longer t 1/2. • The PK of DAP in plasma remain unchanged in mice with ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Coating stearic acid on Cu/CeO 2 improves its hydrophobicity with unchanged structure. • Stearic acid molecules are stably adsorbed with catalysts by bridging bidentate mode. • Water inhibition is greatly weakened by hydrophobic surface to improve acetone yield. Hydrophobizing the surface of catalysts is essential in many catalytic reactions confined by water, but it can be quite challenging for metal oxide catalysts because of their intricate structure and surface properties. Herein, a series of hydrophobic copper doped ceria-based catalysts was synthesized by introducing stearic acid over the surface of catalysts for the ketonization of acetic acid co-feeding with different concentration of water. Detailed investigations reveal that the stearic acid functionalization process obviously improves the hydrophobicity of Cu/CeO 2 without greatly changing their structures. Due to the excellent hydrophobicity to inhibit water in the reaction system, ketonization activities of acetic acid were greatly improved over the hydrophobic Cu/CeO 2 catalysts co-feeding with 10–65 mol.% water. Specifically, the acetic acid conversion and acetone yield reached 94 % and 87 % co-feeding with 47 % mol.% water at 330 °C over Cu/CeO 2 -2, respectively, outperforming stearic acid-free catalyst under the same conditions. Besides, the hydrophobic Cu/CeO 2 catalyst was with good durability up to 10 h on stream. The promotion of catalytic activities gives more details to help future research into the design and development of catalysts for future industrial applications of ketonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in water chemistry may lead to the release of harmful heavy metals in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). In this study, the effects of chloride on the release of heavy metals such as Fe, Mn, As, Cr, Mo, V, Sr, and Co were examined using steel and cast iron pipe loops. After chloride was added, the relative contents of goethite (α-FeOOH), lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH), and siderite (FeCO 3) in pipe scales increased, but the contents of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4) decreased. The most prevalent compounds were α-FeOOH and γ-FeOOH. When the chloride levels were increased, the effluent concentrations of Fe, Mn, As, Cr, Mo, V, Sr, and Co significantly increased. These heavy metals were released presumably because of the destabilization and dissolution of corrosion scales induced by chloride and adsorption site competition. Strong positive correlations were also observed between Fe&Mn, Fe/Mn&As, Fe/Mn&Cr, Fe/Mn&Mo, Fe/Mn&V, Fe/Mn&Sr, and Fe/Mn&Co, indicating the co-release of Fe, Mn, and other metals. This study may be helpful for the potential strategies on avoidance of heavy metal release and improvement of water supply security. [Display omitted] • α-FeOOH, γ-FeOOH, and FeCO 3 contents in the scales increased with the increase of chloride levels. • The percentages of Fe 3 O 4 were reduced by increasing chloride concentrations. • With high chloride water, the release of heavy metals was promoted. • Destablilization and dissolution of scales mainly explained the heavy metal release. • Chloride competed for adsorption sites, which also contributed to the metal (As, Cr, Mo, V, Sr, and Co) release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including estrogens are often enriched in mangrove regions. This research investigated the estrogens pollution levels in six mangroves located in the Southern China. The estrogen levels were found to be in the range of 5.3–24.9 ng/g dry weight, suggesting that these mangroves had been seriously contaminated. The bacterial communities under estrogen stress were further enriched by supplementing 17β-estradiol (E2) as the sole carbon source. The enriched bacterial communities showed an excellent E2 degradation capacity > 95 %. These communities were able to transform E2 into estrone (E1), 4-hydroxy-estrone, and keto-estrone, etc. 16 S rDNA sequencing and metagenomics analysis revealed that bacterial taxa Oleiagrimonas , Pseudomonas , Terrimonas , and Nitratireductor etc. were the main contributors to estrogen degradation. Moreover, the genes involved in E2 degradation were enriched in the microbial communities, including the genes encoding 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, estrone 4-hydroxylase, etc. Finally, the analyses of functional genes and binning genomes demonstrated that E2 was degraded by bacterial communities via dehydrogenation into E1 by 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. E1 was then catabolically converted to 3aα-H-4α(3′-propanoate)− 7aβ-methylhexahydro-1,5-indanedione via 4,5-seco pathway. Alternatively, E1 could also be hydroxylated to keto-estrone, followed by B-ring cleavage. This study provides novel insights into the biodegradation of E2 by the bacterial communities in estrogen-contaminated mangroves. [Display omitted] • Higher estrogen contamination in typical mangrove forests in southern China were detected in Shenzhen. • Enriched bacterial communities exhibited extraordinary ability to degrade E2. • Oleiagrimonas , Pseudomonas , Terrimonas , and Nitratireductor etc. played important role in E2-degradation. • Biodegradation of E2 is mainly achieved by the 4,5-seco pathway and B-ring cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the flavor dependence of jet quenching, by performing a systematic analysis of medium modifications on the inclusive jet, γ +jet, and b -jet in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC. Our results from MadGraph+PYTHIA exhibit excellent agreement with experimental measurements of the inclusive jet, γ +jet and b -jet simultaneously in p+p collisions. We then utilize a Bayesian data-driven method to extract systematically the flavor-dependent jet energy loss distributions from experimental data, where the gluon, light quark and b -quark initiated energy loss distributions are well constrained and satisfy the predicted flavor hierarchy of jet quenching, i.e. 〈 Δ E g 〉 > 〈 Δ E q 〉 > 〈 Δ E b 〉. It is shown that the quark-initiated jet energy loss distribution shows weaker centrality and p T dependence than the gluon-initiated one. We demonstrate the impacts of the slope of initial spectra, color-charge as well as parton mass dependent jet energy attenuation on the γ / b -jet suppression observed in heavy-ion collisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cr(VI) bioreduction has attracted widespread attention in the field of Cr(VI) pollution remediation due to its environmental friendliness. Further in-depth research on the reduction mechanisms is necessary to enhance the efficiency of Cr(VI) bioreduction. However, the limited research on Cr(VI) bioreduction mechanisms remains a bottleneck for the practical application of Cr(VI) reduction. In this study, The Cr(VI) reduction of strain LQ25 was significantly improved when Fe(III) was used as an electron acceptor, which increased by 1.6-fold maximum within the set Cr(VI) concentration range. Based on this, the electron transfer process of Cr(VI) reduction was analyzed using strain LQ25. Based on genomic data, flavin proteins were found to interact closely with electron transfer-related proteins using protein–protein interaction (PPi) analysis. Transcriptome analysis revealed that flavin synthesis genes (ribE , ribBA , and ribH) and electron transfer flavoprotein genes (fixA , etfA , fixB , and etfB) were significantly upregulated when Fe(III) was used as the electron acceptor. These results indicate that the fermentative dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterial strain LQ25 mainly uses flavin as an electron shuttle for electron transfer, which differs from the common use of cytochrome c in respiratory bacteria. These findings on the mechanism of Cr(VI) bioreduction provide technical support for improving the efficiency of Cr(VI) reduction which promote the practical application of Cr(VI) bioreduction in the field of Cr(VI) pollution remediation. [Display omitted] • Cr(VI) reduction was improved by strain LQ25 with Fe(III) as electron acceptor. • The Cr(VI) reduction showed positively correlated with electron transfer process. • The electron transfer process was mediated by the protein expressed by flavin gene. • A mechanism for Cr(VI) bioreduction was revealed under Fe(III) reducing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural restoration offers a positive strategy for maintaining biodiversity and addressing climate change. Wetland is an important "carbon sink", yet the dynamic of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and how it is driven by microbial communities and activities remain unclear during natural restoration. In this work, we investigated the variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, bacterial and fungal communities, as well as microbial activities (including microbial biomass carbon, carbon mineralization rate and extracellular enzymes) in naturally restored wetlands with restoration years of 0 (rice field reclaimed from natural wetland), 15, 20 and 40 in the Poyang Lake wetland. Results showed that SOC storage had been restored to its natural level after 20 years of natural rejuvenation, which was driven by microbial communities via impacting oxidase (peroxidase), microbial biomass and microbial quotient. Fungal diversity and community composition had strong positive effects on SOC storage, while the role of bacteria was limited, emphasizing that fungi exerted a more important control over carbon stock during natural restoration. Fungal taxa Sordariomycetes and Eurotiomycetes were the dominant microbial predictors of SOC storage. Besides, natural restoration significantly shifted bacteria and fungi communities, as well as microbial activities toward a pattern similar to that of natural wetlands. To sum up, our results highlight the significance of natural restoration for recovering carbon storage, and the addition of microbial attributes can potentially improve our capacity to predict changes in SOC storage in wetland ecosystems. • Soil organic carbon storage recovered after 20 years of natural restoration. • Microbial functional changes were driving force of wetland carbon stock. • Fungal community exerted more important control over SOC storage than bacteria. • Restoration shifted microbial communities and functions toward natural wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The L1 protein of Human papillomavirus (HPV), the main capsid protein, induces the formation of neutralizing antibodies. In this study, HPV52 L1 protein was induced to be expressed. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 6A7 against L1 protein were screened by cell fusion techniques. Western Blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) demonstrated the specificity of the mAb. The L1 protein was truncated for prokaryotic expression (N1∼N7) and Dot-ELISA showed that 6A7 recognized N3 (aa 200–350). The immunodominant regions were truncated again for expression, with 6A7 recognizing N6 (aa 251–305). The N6 proteins were further truncated and then were constructed an four-segment eukaryotic expression vector. IFA showed that 6A7 could recognize amino acid 262–279. Amino acid 262–279 was selected to be truncated into short peptides P1 and P2. Finally, Peptide-ELISA and Dot-ELISA showed that the epitope regions of mAb 6A7 were amino acid 262–273. The mAbs with defined epitopes can lay the foundation for the analysis of antigenic epitope characteristics and promote the development of epitope peptide vaccines. • Monoclonal antibodies against HPV52 L1 protein were prepared to screen the antigen epitope. • Amino acid 262–273 were screened and identified by truncating L1 protein four times. • This study enriched the epitope information library of HPV52 L1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate mechanisms of IL-17D on cytotoxic function of CD93+CTL in lung tumor microenviron ment (TME) and promotion of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG). Methods: Lung of B16 melanoma model mice and control mice were treated with PG or IL-17D, and lung tumor clone formation was observed. IL-17D expression change in lung was detected by single cell sequencing, immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry. Single cell sequencing and flow cytometry were used to detect CD93+CTL content, cytotoxic phenotype and functional factors changes, including CD107a, perforin, granzyme B, chemokine CCL2, CXCL9 and their ligand CCR2 and CXCR3. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect effect of Platycodonopsis saponin D on IL-17D and its transcriptional regulator NRF2 expressions in EL4 cells. Results: Pulmonary CD93+CTL highly expressed cytotoxic effectors such as perforin and CD107a and chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR2 than CD93-CTL, while there was no significant difference in secretion of granzyme B. In mouse lung tumor model, pulmonary IL-17D and CD93+CTL were significantly decreased (P< 0.001) ; in tumor-bearing mice after IL-17D backfill assay, or after 10 days of treatment with PG, proportion and absolute number of IL-17D and CD93+CTL in lungs were significantly incr eased (P<0.05), and tumor clones were significantly reduced; meanwhile, tumor-local expressions of cytokines CCL2, CXCL9, which are related to recruitment and function of CD93+CTL, and IL-17D were significantly upregulated. Up-regulation of IL-17D and its transcriptional regulator NRF2 by PG was verified in vitro experiments on EL4 cell line by PD. Conclusion: Traditional Chinese medicine PG and its extracts can up-regulate expression of IL-17D in lungs, improve infiltration and cytotoxic function of CD93+CTL and antagonize malignant progression of lung tumors, this is an important pharmacological mechanism of PG in improving immune TME of tumors in lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite receiving first-line treatment, ovarian cancer patients continue to experience a high rate of recurrence; nearly all women with ovarian cancer develop chemoresistance and succumb to the disease. In this study, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated from tumor-containing and normal omenta, respectively, and the downregulation of osteoglycin (OGN) in CAFs was observed. OGN overexpression in CAFs significantly inhibited ovarian cancer cell viability, DNA synthesis, and cell invasion. OGN overexpression also changed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and promoted mTOR and Akt phosphorylation in ovarian cancer cells. miR-1290 targeted OGN and inhibited OGN expression. miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs significantly promoted ovarian cancer cell viability, DNA synthesis, and cell invasion. Moreover, miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs also changed EMT markers and promoted mTOR and Akt phosphorylation within ovarian carcinoma cells. Finally, when ovarian cancer cells in a conditioned medium derived from CAFs co-transduced with miR-1290 mimics and OGN-OE were cultured, the effects of miR-1290 overexpression were partially reversed by OGN overexpression. In nude mouse xenograft tumor models, OGN overexpression in CAFs suppressed tumor growth, whereas miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs increased tumor growth. In conclusion, a miRNA/mRNA axis in ovarian cancer CAFs modulating the proliferative and invasive abilities of ovarian cancer cells, possibly via the Akt/mTOR pathway, was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite receiving first-line treatment, ovarian cancer patients continue to experience a high rate of recurrence; nearly all women with ovarian cancer develop chemoresistance and succumb to the disease. In this study, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and normal fibroblasts (NFs) were isolated from tumor-containing and normal omenta, respectively, and the downregulation of osteoglycin (OGN) in CAFs was observed. OGN overexpression in CAFs significantly inhibited ovarian cancer cell viability, DNA synthesis, and cell invasion. OGN overexpression also changed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and promoted mTOR and Akt phosphorylation in ovarian cancer cells. miR-1290 targeted OGN and inhibited OGN expression. miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs significantly promoted ovarian cancer cell viability, DNA synthesis, and cell invasion. Moreover, miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs also changed EMT markers and promoted mTOR and Akt phosphorylation within ovarian carcinoma cells. Finally, when ovarian cancer cells in a conditioned medium derived from CAFs co-transduced with miR-1290 mimics and OGN-OE were cultured, the effects of miR-1290 overexpression were partially reversed by OGN overexpression. In nude mouse xenograft tumor models, OGN overexpression in CAFs suppressed tumor growth, whereas miR-1290 overexpression in CAFs increased tumor growth. In conclusion, a miRNA/mRNA axis in ovarian cancer CAFs modulating the proliferative and invasive abilities of ovarian cancer cells, possibly via the Akt/mTOR pathway, was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carboxylation with carbon dioxide (CO2) represents one notable methodology to produce carboxylic acids. In contrast to carbon–heteroatom bonds, carbon–carbon bond cleavage for carboxylation with CO2 is far more challenging due to their inherent and less favorable orbital directionality for interacting with transition metals. Here we report a photocatalytic protocol for the deconstructive carboxylation of alkenes with CO2 to generate carboxylic acids in the absence of transition metals. It is emphasized that our protocol provides carboxylic acids with obviously unchanged carbon numbers when terminal alkenes were used. To show the power of this strategy, a variety of pharmaceutically relevant applications including the modular synthesis of propionate nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and the late‐stage carboxylation of bioactive molecule derivatives are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carboxylation with carbon dioxide (CO2) represents one notable methodology to produce carboxylic acids. In contrast to carbon–heteroatom bonds, carbon–carbon bond cleavage for carboxylation with CO2 is far more challenging due to their inherent and less favorable orbital directionality for interacting with transition metals. Here we report a photocatalytic protocol for the deconstructive carboxylation of alkenes with CO2 to generate carboxylic acids in the absence of transition metals. It is emphasized that our protocol provides carboxylic acids with obviously unchanged carbon numbers when terminal alkenes were used. To show the power of this strategy, a variety of pharmaceutically relevant applications including the modular synthesis of propionate nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and the late‐stage carboxylation of bioactive molecule derivatives are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFuzheng Huayu recipe (FZHYR) is a Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of fibrosis. The effects of FZHYR on pulmonary fibrosis and macrophage polarization were investigated in vitro. FZHYR inhibited pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis and M2 polarization of macrophages in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (BPF) of rat model. Differentially expressed genes were screened by high-throughput mRNA sequencing and GSEA showed that oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) was correlated with BPF. FZHYR inhibited expressions of Ndufa2 and Ndufa6 in lung tissues of BPF rats. These findings suggest that OXPHOS pathway serves as a possible target for pulmonary fibrosis therapy by FZHYR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indoor residual spraying (IRS) has been implemented to prevent malaria in Zambia for several decades, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated long term and in Vubwi District yet. This study aimed to assess the association between IRS and the malaria burden in Zambia and Vubwi District and to explore the factors associated with refusing IRS. Methods: A retrospective study was used to analyze the association between IRS and malaria incidence in Zambia in 2001–2020 and in Vubwi District in 2014–2020 by Spearman correlation analysis. A case-control study was used to explore the factors associated with IRS refusals by households in Vubwi District in 2021. A logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with IRS refusals. Results: The malaria incidence reached its peak (391/1000) in 2001 and dropped to the lowest (154/1000) in 2019. The annual percentage change in 2001–2003, 2003–2008, 2008–2014, 2014–2018 and 2018–2020 was − 6.54%, − 13.24%, 5.04%, − 10.28% and 18.61%, respectively. A significantly negative correlation between the percentage of population protected by the IRS against the total population in Zambia (coverage) and the average malaria incidence in the whole population was observed in 2005–2020 (r = − 0.685, P = 0.003) and 2005–2019 (r = − 0.818, P < 0.001). Among 264 participants (59 in the refuser group and 205 in the acceptor group), participants with specific occupations (self-employed: OR 0.089, 95% CI 0.022–0.364; gold panning: OR 0.113, 95% CI 0.022–0.574; housewives: OR 0.129, 95% CI 0.026–0.628 and farmers: OR 0.135, 95% CI 0.030–0.608 compared to employees) and no malaria case among household members (OR 0.167; 95% CI 0.071–0.394) had a lower risk of refusing IRS implementation, while those with a secondary education level (OR 3.690, 95% CI 1.245–10.989) had a higher risk of refusing IRS implementation compared to those who had never been to school. Conclusions: Increasing coverage with IRS was associated with decreasing incidence of malaria in Zambia, though this was not observed in Vubwi District, possibly because of the special geographical location of Vubwi District. Interpersonal communication and targeted health education should be implemented at full scale to ensure household awareness and gain community trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential application of plasma spraying in the preparation of ceramic electrolyte for porous metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is highlighted by its ability to eliminate the need for a high-temperature sintering process. However, the challenge of achieving highly dense electrolytes through plasma spraying remains to be addressed. In this study, a novel electrolyte for porous metal-supported SOFCs (PMS-SOFCs) is developed. This involved the preparation of a highly dense structure of gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC)-lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM) composite coating using plasma spraying under atmospheric conditions. The composite electrolyte is prepared using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The addition of the low-melting-point LSGM phase enhanced the microstructural densification of the GDC-based composite coating and diminished electron loss in a reducing atmosphere, thereby improving the cell's open-circuit voltage. At 36 kW plasma arc power, the single cell with composite electrolyte exhibited a maximum power density of 371 mw/cm2 at 750 °C and achieved the highest open-circuit voltage (1.03 V) at 600 °C. Moreover, the open-circuit voltage remained stable over a 100-h test. These findings suggest that using APS to deposit a composite electrolyte with added low-melting-point secondary phases presents a promising approach for achieving relatively high OCV in PMS-SOFCs based on cerium oxide electrolytes. [Display omitted] • Bulk-like composite electrolyte directly fabricated by atmospheric plasma spray. • OCV can reach 1.03V at 600 °C for ceria-based composite electrolyte. • LSGM splats effectively blocked the electron conducting in GDC deposits. • Low melting point LSGM could enhance the interface bonding of plasma-sprayed GDC electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antisolvent‐assisted spin‐coating still lags behind the thermal evaporation method in fabricating perovskite films atop industrially textured silicon wafers in making monolithic perovskite/silicon solar cells (P/S‐TSCs). The inhomogeneity of hole‐selective self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) often arises from the insufficient bonding between hygroscopic phosphonic acid anchors and metal oxide. To address this, a mixed‐SAM strategy (Mx‐SAM) is proposed to enhance the adsorption energy of SAMs on the ITO surface, facilitate the formation of dense and humidity‐resistant hole‐selective layer (HSL) on substrates, and improve hole transport capabilities. With the aid of the Mx‐SAM strategy, the optimized wide‐bandgap PSCs achieved an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.63% with an exceptionally high fill factor (FF) of 86.67% using the 1.68 eV perovskite. Moreover, they exhibited enhanced stability under damp‐heat conditions (ISOS‐D‐3, 85% RH, 85 °C) with a T90 of 900 h for encapsulated PSCs, representing one of the best performances for wide‐bandgap PSCs. When further extending the Mx‐SAM strategy to making P/S‐TSCs using silicon wafers from industry, a remarkable efficiency of 28.07% is reached while upholding outstanding reproducibility. This strategy holds significant promise for the feasibility of fabricating industrially‐compatible P/S‐TSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from the direct delivery of chemodynamic agents into tumor tissue for chemodynamic therapy (CDT), this work reports the fabrication of heterojunction sonosensitizers (CD/TiSe2) for the in situ generation of chemodynamic agents by responding to tumor microenvironment (TME), realizing the in situ CDT‐enhanced sono‐immunotherapy. The in situ redox of TiSe2 in acidic TME leads to the formation of TiOxSe2−x containing Se (0), selenate, and Ti3+/Ti4+ redox couple, which can facilitate in situ CDT through a Ti3+‐mediated Fenton‐like reaction and consume overexpressed glutathione (GSH) via a Ti4+‐mediated GSH depletion. Moreover, Se ions generated through the in situ redox process promote the maturation of dendritic cells, consequently activating the adaptive immune responses. In another aspect, the construction of heterojunctions within carbon dots and TiSe2 improves the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency of TiSe2 in a cascaded manner, which enhances the sonodynamic activity and amplifies the chemodynamic performance. More importantly, the ROS produced by in situ CDT and sonodynamic therapy efficiently triggers immunogenic cell death through a synergistic therapy based on the elicitation of antitumor immunity with the aid of an immune checkpoint blockade. This work thus provides a distinct paradigm of transition metal selenide‐originated in situ Fenton‐like agent generation for in situ CDT‐enhanced sono‐immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prohibited additives in infant formula severely affect the health of infants. Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy has enormous application potential in analyte detection due to its rich fingerprint information content. However, there is limited research on the mixtures of multiple analytes. In this study, we propose a split ring metasurface that supports magnetic dipole bound states in the continuum (BIC). By breaking the symmetry, quasi-BIC with a high quality (Q) factor can be generated. Utilizing an angle-scanning strategy, the frequency of the resonance dip can be shifted, resulting in the plotting of an envelope curve which can reflect the molecular fingerprint of the analytes. Two prohibited additives found in infant formula, melamine and vanillin, can be identified in different proportions. Furthermore, a metric similar to the resolution in chromatographic analysis is introduced and calculated to be 0.61, indicating that these two additives can be detected simultaneously. Our research provides a new solution for detecting additives in infant formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enhanced and reliable high-power performance of x Pb(Mn 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 –(1- x)Pb(Zr 0.5 Ti 0.5)O 3 –0.5mol%Co 2 O 3 piezoelectric ceramics (x PMN–(1- x)PZT–Co; x = 0.04–0.10) has been achieved. It is noteworthy that the vibration velocity (υ 0) of the 0.08PMN–0.92PZT–Co ceramic reaches up to 0.9 m/s, which is 2.25 times that of commercial PZT4 ceramics (∼0.4 m/s). The high υ 0 of the 0.08PMN–0.92PZT–Co ceramic is attributed to its excellent electromechanical parameters: d 33 = 405 pC/N, Q m = 1405, and k p = 0.61. The 0.08PMN–0.92PZT–Co ceramic achieves a relatively low high-field tan δ (tan δ = 3.74% at 500 V/mm), thereby suppressing heat generation. Additionally, the significantly high Curie temperature (T c) value of 346 °C for the 0.08PMN–0.92PZT–Co ceramic stabilizes the ferroelectric phase. Therefore, the 0.08PMN–0.92PZT–Co ceramic exhibits long-term reliable high-power performance by maintaining a stable υ 0 of 0.9 m/s and slight temperature rise within 100 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectroscopy is a powerful tool to identify the specific fingerprints of analytes in a label-free way. However, conventional sensing methods face unavoidable barriers in analyzing trace-amount target molecules due to the difficulties of enhancing the broadband molecular absorption. Here, we propose a sensing scheme to achieve strong fingerprint absorption based on the angular-scanning strategy on an all-silicon metasurface. By integrating the mid-infrared and terahertz sensing units into a single metasurface, the sensor can efficiently identify 2,4-DNT with high sensitivity. The results reveal that the fingerprint peak in the enhanced fingerprint spectrum is formed by the linked envelope. It exhibits a significant enhancement factor exceeding 64-fold in the terahertz region and more than 55-fold in the mid-infrared region. Particularly, the corresponding identification limit of 2,4-DNT is 1.32 µg cm−2, respectively. Our study will provide a novel research idea in identifying trace-amount explosives and advance practical applications of absorption spectroscopy enhancement identification in civil and military security industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional polarization converters suffer from drawbacks such as significant thickness and high losses, which limit their practical applications. This study introduces a novel metamaterial structure that combines electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) with linear polarization conversion to overcome these limitations. By harnessing the properties of EIT, this structure achieves low‐loss polarization conversion. The mechanism behind this is the generation of an EIT effect through the coupling of the light and dark modes. Additionally, this study focuses on introducing a slight vertical polarization symmetry disruption and inducing the excitation of small components within the dipole of the EIT structure to achieve close‐to‐complete cross‐polarization conversion. The effect of asymmetry on the polarization conversion rate is also explored. This study offers an innovative approach to designing low‐loss polarization converters utilizing EIT technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La-doped SrTiO 3 (La x Sr 1−x TiO 3 , LST), as the promising ceramic-based interconnect material, usually needs to be sintered in reductive atmosphere at a temperature ≥ 1450 °C, such sintering condition is not friendly to cell fabrication and application. To reduce the sintering temperature of air-sintered LST, seven sintering additives, Bi 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Li 2 O, MnO 2 , NiO, V 2 O 5 , and Co 3 O 4 , are added to the LST in this work. The results show that only Co 3 O 4 is conductive to remarkable sintering at the temperatures of 1250 °C. The relative density of LST-3%Co 3 O 4 reaches 92%, while that of the pure LST is only 48%. Moreover, the conductivity of LST-3%Co 3 O 4 achieves 8.2 S/cm at 800 °C in humidified hydrogen, which exceed 5.5 times that of the pure LST. Interestingly, LST-3%Co 3 O 4 exhibits an average TEC of 11.5 × 10−6 K−1 between 400 and 900 °C, which is very close to that of other components of SOCs. • Co 3 O 4 addition promotes the remarkable sintering of LST at a low temperature of 1250 °C. • The relative density of LST-3%Co 3 O 4 sintered at 1250 °C achieves 94.3%. • The conductivity of air-sintered LST-3%Co 3 O 4 in wet H 2 environment at 800 °C reaches 8.2 S/cm. • LST-3%Co 3 O 4 shows a matched TEC of ∼11.5 × 10−6 K−1 at 400-900 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated the protective effect of 13-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against all-cause hospitalized pneumonia in children in Beijing. Based on the vaccination record and inpatient medical record database of Beijing, children born in 2017 in Beijing, matched by age, gender, and district of the children with the ratio of 1:4, were selected as the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups according whether if vaccinated with PCV13. The incidence rate and 95 % confidence interval (95 %CI), vaccine effectiveness (VE) and direct medical costs of all-cause hospitalized pneumonia were calculated and compared within the same period of 12 months, 18 months, 24 months and 30 months after the birth of the child. The decreased incidence rates of all-cause hospitalized pneumonia were observed at the four points in the PCV13 vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group, which were significant at the points of 12 months (0.42 % vs. 0.72 %, P = 0.001), 18 months (0.90 % vs. 1.26 %, P = 0.002) and 24 months (1.37 % vs. 1.65 %, P = 0.046). The VE of PCV13 against all-cause hospitalized pneumonia within 12 months was the highest as 41.9 % (95 % CI 19.6 %, 58.0 %), followed by 29.3 % (95 % CI 11.4 %, 43.5 %) within 18 months, 17.1 % (95 % CI 0.3 %, 31.1 %) within 24 months and it almost disappeared within 30 months. The VE of 4-dose vaccination within 18 months and 24 months were 39.9 % (95 % CI 20.3 %, 54.7 %) and 27.2 % (95 % CI 8.6 %, 42.0 %), respectively. The median hospitalization cost of the children in the vaccinated group was higher at the four points but without significance. PCV13 had a certain protective effect on all-cause hospitalized pneumonia, and the booster immunization strategy had the best protective effect with great public health significance to enter the immunization program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The observation of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in 5d perovskite oxides has been challenging due to their lack or weak ferromagnetic order, which is necessary for breaking time-reversal symmetry. Here, we present compelling evidence of ferromagnetism and consequent AHE in a series of carefully designed and fabricated 5d/5d SrTaO3/SrIrO3 (STO/SIO) superlattices. The coexistence of Ta5+ and Ta4+ chemical states induces ferromagnetism in the STO layer, while the interfacial magnetic proximity effect further enhances it in the SIO layer, resulting in both ferromagnetism and AHE within the STO/SIO superlattice. Additionally, the strong spin–orbit coupling between Ta and Ir elements positively contributes to enhancing the AHE. This work offers an alternative approach for designing artificial materials with AHE and holds potential for advancing spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various yellowish-green persistent phosphors of Y2.95−x−yLuxGdyAl5−zGazO12:0.05Ce3+ (x = 0–1, y = 0–1, z = 1–4) were successfully synthesized by the one-step high-temperature solid-state reaction method in air. The effects of simultaneous doping of Lu3+, Gd3+ and Ga3+ on the luminescence properties of the phosphors were investigated in detail for the first time. Herein, the microstructure, morphology, afterglow performance, luminescence properties, thermoluminescence, thermal quenching and flicker index of the efficient blue-light-activated Y2.95−x−yLuxGdyAl5−zGazO12:0.05Ce3+ phosphors were tested. The τ90 and τ80 values of Y1.45LuGd0.5Al2.5Ga2.5O12:0.05Ce3+ are 10.8 ms and 33.2 ms, respectively. These parameters are important in terms of effectiveness in reducing flicker in alternating current (AC) LEDs. Compared with the conventional Y3Al2Ga3O12:Ce3+ phosphor, the Y1.45LuGd0.5Al2.5Ga2.5O12:0.05Ce3+ phosphor has a better luminescence performance, stronger afterglow performance, and lower flicker index. The quantum yield of the Y1.45LuGd0.5Al2.5Ga2.5O12:0.05Ce3+ phosphor was 86.42% and the luminous efficiency of the LED devices prepared with it reached 92.12 lm W−1 when operated at 100 mA. Integrating sphere and spectroradiometer tests as well as CIE chromaticity diagrams indicate that the AC-WLEDs assembled by mixing the Y1.45LuGd0.5Al2.5Ga2.5O12:0.05Ce3+ phosphor and a commercial red phosphor in an appropriate ratio could obtain ideal white light with a high color-rendering index (87.9) and the flickering index was successfully reduced from 100% to 61.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a versatile spectroscopic technique, which plays a crucial role in enhancing analytical sensitivity, investigating interfacial reaction mechanisms, enabling biosensing, and fostering efficient catalysis. Currently, the common SERS substrates are primarily metal nanostructures, which entail high manufacturing costs, complex processes, and the metal surface undergo change over time and with environmental conditions. These issues limit the development of SERS technology. In this work, a nitrogen‐doped graphene (N‐graphene) hydrangea was synthesized on a silicon (Si) substrate using plasma‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD), forming an N‐graphene hydrangea/Si hybrid structure as a SERS substrate. This substrate offers the advantages of high stability, ultra‐sensitivity, and reusability. The three‐dimensional nano‐cavity structure of graphene can increase the interaction between light and graphene, resulting in an increased localized electric field. Combining theoretical simulation analysis, the introduction of nitrogen (N) elements adjusts the Fermi level of graphene, promoting efficient charge transfer. In practical scenarios, Di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a commonly used plasticizer, has raised concerns due to its potential as an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen. The as‐prepared SERS substrate achieves a remarkable detection limit of as low as 10−8m for DEHP, providing significant support for environmental conservation and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In crystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells, the hole transport layer (HTL) made of high oxygen content MoOx (x > 2.85, H‐MoOx) evaporating from molybdenum trioxide is not ideal due to low optical bandgap and interface reaction effects. This limits the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability of c‐Si solar cells. To improve this, low oxygen content MoOx (x < 2.85, L‐MoOx) with a wide bandgap of 3.87 eV, deposited using molybdenum dioxide (MoO2), is explored and implemented. The c‐Si/SiOx (FGA, forming gas annealing)/L‐MoOx heterojunction has a low contact resistivity of ≈15.06 mΩ cm2, which is almost one order of magnitude lower than that of c‐Si/SiOx(FGA)/H‐MoOx heterojunction. Using L‐MoOx as the HTL, a c‐Si solar cell based on the SiOx passivation layer shows a fill factor of 84.38% and PCE of 21.75%, representing the highest efficiency for MoOx‐based p‐type c‐Si solar cells. Scanning transmission electron microscopy results show that the L‐MoOx HTL effectively enhances the stability of c‐Si solar cells when exposed to air by reducing Ag and Si element diffusion into MoOx. This successful preparation of efficient and stable MoOx HTL films, while preserving their field‐effect passivation ability, provides valuable insights into the development of high‐performance HTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the significance of the nervous system in the tumor microenvironment has gained increasing attention. The bidirectional communication between nerves and cancer cells plays a critical role in tumor initiation and progression. Perineural invasion (PNI) occurs when tumor cells invade the nerve sheath and/or encircle more than 33% of the nerve circumference. PNI is a common feature in various malignancies and is associated with tumor invasion, metastasis, cancer-related pain, and unfavorable clinical outcomes. The colon and rectum are highly innervated organs, and accumulating studies support PNI as a histopathologic feature of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is essential to investigate the role of nerves in CRC and comprehend the mechanisms of PNI to impede tumor progression and improve patient survival. Conclusion: This review elucidates the clinical significance of PNI, summarizes the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, introduces various experimental models suitable for studying PNI, and discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting this phenomenon. By delving into the intricate interactions between nerves and tumor cells, we hope this review can provide valuable insights for the future development of CRC treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated if poly‐lactic acid (PLA) nanopillar array can trigger the differentiation of human epicardial (ADSCs) (heADSCs) into cardiomyocyte‐like cells and explored the effects of these cardiomyocyte‐like cells on myocardial infarction (MI) in vivo. PLA nanopillar array (200 nm diameter) and plain PLA film (PLA planar) induced heADSCs were marked with carboxyfluorescein. After 7 days, the expressions of myocardiocyte‐specific genes were significantly enhanced in cells seeded on PLA nanopillar array compared with that on PLA planar, especially CACNA1C, KCNH2, and MYL2 genes (p < 0.05). However, the expressions of cardiac troponin T (cTNT), KCNQ1, and KCNA5 were lower than those in PLA planar‐induced heADSCs (p < 0.05), whereas GATA4 tended to increase with time. The cells with positively stained α‐actinin and cTNT were elevated in heADSCs induced by PLA nanopillar array compared with those induced by PLA planar only (p < 0.05). In vivo experiments showed that cardiac function was improved after injecting PLA‐nanopillar array‐induced heADSCs into the ischemic heart (p < 0.05, compared with PLA planar + MI group). Furthermore, tyrosine hydroxylase density was significantly lower (p < 0.05). PLA nanopillar array directly drives the differentiation of heADSCs into cardiomyocyte‐like cells, and the induced heADSCs exhibit a protective effect on ischemic myocardium by improving cardiac function in MI rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microchannel reactor-based continuous flow method for synthesizing diverse C-acyloxy-substituted aziridines has been developed, allowing for rapid and efficient synthesis within seconds. [Display omitted] We have developed a novel microchannel reactor-based continuous flow method for synthesizing diverse C-alkyl and C-aryl-acyloxyaziridines. This versatile approach is compatible with various substrates and functional groups, particularly for amino acids and carboxylic acid-containing active pharmaceutical ingredients, allowing for rapid and efficient synthesis within seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]