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Boron/nitrogen (B/N)‐doped polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the multiple resonance (MR) effect are promising for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) because of their narrowband emission and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) characteristics. Nevertheless, exploring the variety of such emitters is challenging because of the tricky and limited synthetic protocols. Herein, we designed a novel B/N‐doped PAH, L–DABNA‐1, whose backbone (L–DABNA) could not be achieved via conventional routes (e.g., one‐pot borylation or one‐shot borylation). We successfully synthesized it through stepwise one‐shot borylations with precisely introducing decorations. The unique MR backbone with intersecting DABNA substructures sharing an aniline group, avoiding any para‐N‐π‐B motif, allows L–DABNA‐1 to maintain narrowband TADF emission while significantly redshifting to the yellow‐green region with a reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC) of 1.28×105 s−1. An L–DABNA‐1‐based OLED device achieved a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of over 40 % and maintained a high EQE of 36.3 % at 1000 cd m−2, with a current efficiency reaching ~170 cd A−1. This work not only demonstrated the great potential of stepwise borylations in synthesizing B/N‐doped PAH backbones, expanding their chemical space, but also provided a promising pathway for exploring MR‐TADF emitters at longer wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krylov subspace method is an effective method for large-scale eigenproblems. The shift-and-invert Arnoldi method is employed to compute a few eigenpairs of a large Hankel matrix pencil. However, a crucial step in the process is computing products between the inversion of a Hankel matrix and vectors. The inversion of the Hankel matrix can be obtained by solving two Hankel systems. By establishing a relationship between the errors of systems and the residuals of the Hankel eigenproblem, we provide a practical stopping criterion for solving Hankel systems and propose an inexact shift-and-invert Arnoldi method for the generalized Hankel eigenproblem. Numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the new algorithm and our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this research was to determine whether or not there is a saturation effect and whether or not the visceral adiposity index (VAI) correlates with bone mineral density (BMD) in adult Americans. Methods: This study used multivariate logistic regression models to examine the association between VAI and total femur BMD, drawing on the most up-to-date data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018. Saturation levels and non-linear connections were calculated using a smooth curve-fitting algorithm and an investigation of saturation effects. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were also conducted. Results: This study ultimately recruited 6257 individuals aged 20 years or older. According to multivariate regression analysis, those with high VAI scores exhibited higher total femur BMD. Total femur BMD was greater in the highest VAI quartile (Q4: 0.060 g/cm2) after adjustment than in the lowest VAI quartile (Q1) (P < 0.05). After controlling for variables, subgroup analysis failed to reveal any significant interaction effects. Furthermore, the study determined that VAI and BMD exhibited a specific saturation effect through the investigation of the saturation effect and the fitting of smooth curves. Saturation effect investigation of total femur BMD using VAI revealed a saturation value of 3.3. Conclusion: The present study uncovered a non-linear relationship between VAI and total femur BMD, which exhibited a saturation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide mass/energy formulas for the extended thermodynamics, mixed thermodynamics, and holographic conformal field theory (CFT) thermodynamics for the charged and rotating Kerr-Newman Anti-de Sitter black holes. Then for the CFT thermal states dual to the black hole, we find the first-order phase transitions and criticality phenomena in the canonical ensemble with fixed angular momentum, volume, and central charge. We observe that the CFT states cannot be analogous to the Van der Waals fluids, despite the critical exponents falling into the universality class predicted by the mean field theory. Additionally, we examine the (de)confinement phase transitions within the grand canonical ensemble with fixed angular velocity, volume, and central charge of the CFT. Our findings suggest that the near zero temperature (de)confinement phase transitions can occur with the angular velocity of the CFT that solely depends on the CFT volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Trisiniotus Jeannel of the pselaphine tribe Batrisini comprises two species distributed in North India and southern Myanmar. Here, a third species, T. taoismus Feng & Yin sp. nov., is described from Mao-shan, Jiangsu Province, East China. The new species can be readily distinguished from both congeners by the unmodified male antennae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 @ α -Fe 2 O 3 composites have been successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal process. Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composites show similar irregular spherical morphologies like Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 and relatively smaller particle sizes than pristine Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8. Among all Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composites, Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composite (5 wt%) exhibits the best electrochemical properties. Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composite (5 wt%) delivers a reversible charge capacity of 184.8 mAh g−1 even at 1000 mA g−1 after 500 cycles, while pristine Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 only delivers a reversible charge capacity of 110.7 mAh g−1. The strong covalent bonds between Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 and α-Fe 2 O 3 will be formed, which is beneficial for the reduction of interfacial energy and thus helpful for the stabilization of the composite. Because of the special synergistic effect of the multi-phase interface, Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composites not only possess the advantages of single components but also show novel and attractive performances, such as the enhanced ionic conductivity, reduced interfacial charge transfer impedance, improved migration rate of lithium ions, and the enhancement of the rate performance and reversible capacity. The as-prepared Li 2 ZnTi 3 O 8 /α-Fe 2 O 3 composites reveal important potentials as anode materials for next-generation rechargeable Li-ion batteries, and this work also offers an effective strategy to design high performance lithium storage materials for advanced lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early postnatal experience shapes both inhibitory and excitatory networks in the hippocampus. However, the underlying circuit plasticity is unclear. Using an enriched environment (EE) paradigm during the preweaning period in mice of either sex, we assessed the circuit plasticity of inhibitory cell types in the hippocampus. We found that cholecystokinin (CCK)-expressing basket cells strongly increased somatic inhibition on the excitatory granular cells (GCs) following EE, whereas another pivotal inhibitory cell type, parvalbumin (PV)-expressing cells, did not show changes. Using electrophysiological analysis and the use of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) agonist WIN 55 212-2, we demonstrate that the change in somatic inhibition from CCK1 neurons increases CB1R-mediated inhibition in the circuit. By inhibiting activity of the entorhinal cortex (EC) using a chemogenetic approach, we further demonstrate that the activity of the projections from the EC mediates the developmental assembly of CCK1 basket cell network. Altogether, our study places the experience-dependent remodeling of CCK1 basket cell innervation as a central process to adjust inhibition in the dentate gyrus and shows that cortical inputs to the hippocampus play an instructional role in controlling the refinement of the synaptic connections during the preweaning period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For multiple resonance (MR) type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, electron cloud distributions of their π‐conjugated planes are crucial for determining their eventual performance. Currently, modulation attempts of MR‐TADF emitters are mainly inside the π‐conjugated planes. Possible out‐of‐plane interactions may also significantly impact the photophysical properties, but the exploration is quite limited. Here, a novel concept of using out‐of‐plane (e.g., π–π and lone pair‐π) interactions to introduce spatial perturbation (SPPT) to improve TADF performance is proposed. Two newly developed MR‐TADF emitters, namely, o‐BNPO and BNPO, which both consist of a popular MR framework, DtBuCzB, and diphenylphosphine oxide (DPPO), are compared in depth. In particular, for o‐BNPO, evident π–π interaction is observed between one side of the DtBuCzB π‐conjugated plane and a phenyl ring from DPPO, and lone pair‐π interaction with the oxygen atom from DPPO is noticed on the other side, resulting in significantly accelerated reverse intersystem crossing and better TADF without sacrificing narrowband emission features. Ultimately, in organic light‐emitting diodes with sensitizer‐free emitting layers, both emitters achieve similar narrowband emissions, while the o‐BNPO‐based device demonstrates a much higher external quantum efficiency of 36% and milder efficiency roll‐off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a rational design and construction of porous spherical NiO@NiMoO 4 wrapped with PPy was reported for the application of high-performance supercapacitor (SC). The results show that the NiMoO 4 modification changes the morphology of NiO, and the hollow internal morphology combined with porous outer shell of NiO@NiMoO 4 and NiO@NiMoO 4 @PPy hybrids shows an increased specific surface area (SSA), and then promotes the transfer of ions and electrons. The shell of NiMoO 4 and PPy with high electronic conductivity decreases the charge-transfer reaction resistance of NiO, and then improves the electrochemical kinetics of NiO. At 20 A g−1, the initial capacitances of NiO, NiMoO 4 , NiO@NiMoO 4 and NiO@NiMoO 4 @PPy are 456.0, 803.2, 764.4 and 941.6 F g−1, respectively. After 10,000 cycles, the corresponding capacitances are 346.8, 510.8, 641.2 and 904.8 F g−1, respectively. Especially, the initial capacitance of NiO@NiMoO 4 @PPy is 850.2 F g−1, and remains 655.2 F g−1 with a high retention of 77.1% at 30 A g−1 even after 30,000 cycles. The calculation result based on density function theory shows that the much stronger Mo-O bonds are crucial for stabilizing the NiO@NiMoO 4 composite, resulting in a good cycling stability of these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3D spherical NiO@MnO 2 composites grown on Ni foam with core-shell structure were prepared by a hydrothermal process followed by a chemical bath deposition process, and then the mechanism improving the electrochemical performance of NiO by MnO 2 modification were investigated by the first-principles calculations for the first time. This core-shell structure promotes an efficient contact between electrolyte and active materials, and the distinct architecture can offer fast transfer channels of ion and electrons. The initial capacitances of NiO, NiO@MnO 2 (deposition time of MnO 2 is 20 min), NiO@MnO 2 (deposition time of MnO 2 is 30 min) and NiO@MnO 2 (deposition time of MnO 2 is 60 min) at 10 A g−1 are 931.6, 1064.4, 1227.2 and 766.8 F g−1, respectively. After 10000 cycles, the reversible capacitances attenuate to 352.8, 661.0, 1089.4 and 616.6 F g−1, respectively. NiO@MnO 2 (deposition time of MnO 2 is 30 min) shows the most excellent reversible capacitance at each cycle and the highest retention rates after 10000 cycles among all samples. The first-principles calculation confirms that a strong interfacial interaction between NiO and MnO 2 can be generated, and then the atomic relaxations at the interface are rather small due to the well-matched interface and epitaxial bonding, resulting in a relatively small interfacial polarization of NiO@MnO 2 composites during cycling. The outstanding rate capability and cycle performance of NiO@MnO 2 (deposition time of MnO 2 is 30 min) electrode are attributed to the synergistic effect and particular 3 D architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor learning is essential to maintain accurate behavioral responses. We used a larval zebrafish model to study ocular motor learning behaviors. During a sustained period of optokinetic stimulation in 5-day-old wild-type zebrafish larvae the slow-phase eye velocity decreased over time. Then interestingly, a long-lasting and robust negative optokinetic afternystagmus (OKAN) was evoked upon light extinction. The slow-phase velocity, the quick-phase frequency, and the decay time constant of the negative OKAN were dependent on the stimulus duration and the adaptation to the preceding optokinetic stimulation. Based on these results, we propose a sensory adaptation process during continued optokinetic stimulation, which, when the stimulus is removed, leads to a negative OKAN as the result of a changed retinal slip velocity set point, and thus, a sensorimotor memory. The pronounced negative OKAN in larval zebrafish not only provides a practical solution to the hitherto unsolved problems of observing negative OKAN, but also, and most importantly, can be readily applied as a powerful model for studying sensorimotor learning and memory in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Adsorption behavior of pyridaben on silver surface was firstly given. • Adsorption behavior of pyridaben was studied by both calculation and experiment. • Result of pyridaben adsorption behavior study was used for its SERS detection. • SERS method to detect pyridaben residues in apple was firstly presented. • The LOD of pyridaben residues in apple can be as low as 0.08 mg/kg. It is widely accepted that the sensitivity of SERS is mainly manipulated by the interactions between analyte molecules and metallic nanostructures. Herein, the adsorption behavior of pyridaben on silver surface was investigated systematically by DFT simulation and SERS verification for the first time. The adsorption site and ideal adsorption model of pyridaben were predicted by the simulate parameters of pyridaben, pyridaben-Ag 3 , pyridaben-Ag 4 , and pyridaben-Ag 6 obtained by DFT calculation, and the enhancement mechanism of Raman characteristic peaks was analyzed by comparing the Raman spectra of pyridaben and pyridaben-Ag 4 complex. The results showed that pyridaben was mainly vertically adsorbed on silver surface through the S atom of pyridaben. The adsorption model of pyridaben-Ag 4 complex was more stable, and SERS enhancement effect of pyridaben originated from the charge transfer effect between pyridaben molecule and Ag 4 cluster. Further, the potential practical application of the adsorption behavior study was evaluated by residue detection of pyridaben in apple. The method showed low LOD of 0.08 mg/kg, the linear range was 0.10–10.00 mg/kg, recovery ranged from 79.71 % to 113.98 %, and RSD was less than 16.16 %. These results promoted the application of SERS technology in pesticides residue detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue-breasted quail has been recognized as a potential model animal. The aim of this study is to investigate the low-temperature-induced embryonic diapause in blue-breasted quail. To this end, the early embryonic staging in blue-breasted quail was briefly described and various incubation temperatures were tested. While the embryonic diapause in early blue-breasted quail embryos can be induced when the eggs were stored at 21°C, a lower temperature such as 16°C yielded a significantly better hatchability (P = 0.0231). Additionally, prolonged storage duration from 3, 7 to 14 d significantly reduced the hatchability (P < 0.0001). Visual examination on the unhatched eggs revealed that reduced hatchability in prolonged storage was significantly correlated with embryonic mortality during the first half of incubation period (R2 = 0.9999, P = 0.0055). High-throughput RNA sequencing with de novo assembly showed that a gene network cluster consisted of ND4, ND5, ND6 , and COX3 , which are components of mitochondrial respiratory complexes, was down-regulated in the cold-stored embryos, while a stress-responsive gene network cluster consisted of JUN, ATF3 , and DUSP1 was up-regulated. Accordingly, cell death in the blastoderm was significantly increased as the storage duration prolonged from 3 to 10 d. Taken together, our study provided basic information on the temperature-induced embryonic diapause in blue-breasted quail. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis sheds light for the molecular basis on how blastoderm cells respond to the prolonged cold-stress and stay diapause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have clearly demonstrated that the polyphenols of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction in the heartwood extract from Acacia confusa (AcHWE) had good photostabilities to prevent photodegradation of wood. The wood photostabilizing actions of condensed tannins and flavonoids from the EtOAc fraction in AcHWE have been individually established, but the effects of these polyphenols on photo-induced discoloration are unknown and merit investigation. The results of this study showed that the six sub-fractions (EA1–EA6), which were fractionated from the EtOAc fraction in AcHWE and contained various condensed tannins and flavonoids, caused different photo-induced discoloration of treated wood. Treating the wood with abundant condensed tannins with little or no flavones and flavonols gave a dramatic dark reddish discoloration after irradiation. Treating the wood with abundant flavones and flavonols with/without condensed tannins produced a moderate dark reddish discoloration with faded yellow tone after irradiation. However, if there are abundant flavanones in the treated wood, their flavanones could transform to chalcones, which increased the yellow tone of treated wood surfaces after initial irradiation. These results illustrated explicit discoloration tendencies for polyphenols in the photodegradation processes for wood and can be the references for further applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pristine Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 and polypyrrole-modified Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 materials are successfully synthesized by a facile sol-gel process. Based on the X-ray diffraction pattern and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, a homogeneous polypyrrole layer is successfully coated on the surface of Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 particles. The polypyrrole modification improves the reversibility and migration ability of lithium intercalation/deintercalation and reduces the charge-transfer reaction resistance. Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @ polypyrrole shows higher delithiation/lithiation capacities and more excellent cycling performance at different charge-discharge rates than the pristine one. Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 @polypyrrole delivers a delithiation capacity of 115.9 mAh·g−1 with 87.23% capacity retention cycled at 10C/3 rate after 300 cycles and a delithiation capacity of 132 mAh g−1 with 72.2% capacity retention cycled at 20C/3 charge-discharge rate after 150 cycles. Hence, polypyrrole coating can be considered as an effective way to enhance the electrochemical property of Li 5 Cr 7 Ti 6 O 25 for advanced Li-ion battery, and the effective design strategy may be used to improve the lithium storage capacity and cycling stability of other Ti-based negative electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, we provide a fairly standard derivation of the power spectrum of photocurrent and limited displacement resolution of laser heterodyne detection system. And the phase noise with different oscillation lineshapes of the heterodyne detection system is discussed. Based on the one-dimensional probability distribution model of phase noise, the minimum resolvable displacement and noise-equivalent mean square displacement are established, which represent the minimum detectable amplitude and noise limited resolution respectively. According to the numerical results, we obtain the variation of displacement resolution against the key parameters including the laser wavelength, the detection distance, the laser linewidth and the signal power. It reveals that the phase fluctuation has a significant effect on the power spectrum of photocurrent. Besides, both the probability density distribution of phase noise and displacement resolution have heavy dependence on laser oscillation lineshapes. And the noise-equivalent mean square displacement is inversely proportional to the root-mean-square of a measurable light power. The noise-equivalent mean square displacement can reach 3. 5 × 1 0 − 15 m ∕ Hz under the given parameters. Our findings provide a quantitative reference for the displacement resolution and engineering application of the heterodyne detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Spherical flowerlike NiOand NiO@CeO 2 (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 wt%) composites are successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. NiOmaterials show spherical flower morphology with a radius of 4–5 μm, and the CeO 2 nano-particles deposit on the surface of NiOpetals (nanosheets), and then form porous NiO@CeO 2 flower-like microspheres. NiOpetals are covered with electrochemical active CeO 2 nanoparticles, leading to an advantageous synergistic storage effect due to the charge redistribution in the NiO|CeO 2 interface, which can decrease the polarization and accelerate the ion diffusion. NiO@CeO 2 (5.0 wt%) electrode shows an excellent specific capacitance of 960.4 F g−1at 20 A g−1and keeps about 95.84% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles. Whereas the NiO, NiO@CeO 2 (2.5 wt%) and NiO@CeO 2 (7.5 wt%) electrodes have capacitances of 543.6, 1428 and 1143.6 F g−1corresponding to capacitance retentions of 74.39%, 62.55% and 58.41% after 10000 cycles, respectively. The first-principles calculation exhibits that a strong chemical bond between O and Ce(Ni) can be formed at the interface, and such a chemical bonding between the two components is very helpful for the stabilization of the composite during repeated cycles, responsible for the good cycling performance of the materials. Therefore, the super capacitance and excellent cycling stability of NiO@CeO 2 (5.0 wt%) electrode at high current density can be ascribed to the unique composition design and architectures. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Transition metal oxides are considered as promising anodes material with enormous potential for Li-ion batteries, and much effort are devoted to resolving the high resistance and inferior cycling behavior correlated with their significant volume expansion during cycling. Here we report a combination of Co 3 O 4 @CoNiO 2 (CO@CNO) nanorod and nanosheet composites and elastically conductive PPy film grown on conductive Ni foam, and construct an unhindered transportation and diffusion path for electron and Li-ion. After 100 cycles, the reversible capacity of this novel CO@CNO@PPy maintains at 1229 mAh g−1, while CO@CNO just matins at 520 mAh g−1. After the first charge-discharge process, CO@CNO@PPy and CO@CNO electrodes correspond to average capacity fade rate of 0.23% and 0.54% per cycle. The improved property can be ascribed to the reduced resistance and enhanced diffusion coefficient of Li-ion because of the unique architecture and conductive PPy film coating, which promotes the conductivity of electrodes, and alleviate the structure destruction. These prominent electrochemical performances indicate a hopeful application of the CO@CNO@PPy nanocomposite in next-generation high-energy LIBs. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The electrochemical property of CO@CNO@PPy anode is first reported. • Prominent cycling lithium storage capability at high rate is demonstrated. • Simple synthetic routes are easy to commercialize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Seasonal variation of leaf oils of C. osmophloeum was clearly observed in May. • Cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl acetate have a complementary relation in leaf oils. • The content of cinnamaldehyde in leaf is high and stable over a year except in May. • For a high quality of leaf, it can be harvested anytime over a year except in May. • C. osmophloeum leaf is a renewable and eco-friendly source of commercial cinnamons. Abstract Cinnamomum osmophloeum ct. cinnamaldehyde is endemic to Taiwan. It has many bioactivities and is suitable for replacing commercial cinnamons (C. zeylanicum and C. cassia) due to the high content of trans -cinnamaldehyde (CAl) with extremely low content of coumarin. To expand its application, the main bioactive compound, CAl, should be consistent. This study investigates seasonal variations in the relative content (RC) of CAl in essential oil (EO) and the total content (TC) of CAl in leaf. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of EOs obtained monthly over a year were carried out using GC–MS and GC-FID. The RC of CAl in May dropped significantly to 32.2% of those in other months (> 76.3%), an obvious seasonal variation. Meanwhile, trans -cinnamyl acetate (CAc) became the major compound (65.4%) in EO. Moreover, the RC of CAc was complementary to that of CAl over a year. This complementary relation, however, was not observed in terms of the TC in leaf since the TC of CAl + CAc in leaf did not remain constant over a year (14.3–37.7 mg/g leaf). Seasonal levels in the TC of CAl in leaf were relatively stable (17.2–23.2 mg/g) over a year except in May (10.8 mg/g leaf). These results suggest that the trans -cinnamaldehyde-rich leaves of C. osmophloeum ct. cinnamaldehyde can be stably harvested except in May. This plant species consequently would be an ideal and renewable source of commercial cinnamons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Tremelliform Co 3 O 4 @CeO 2 hybrid electrode is first reported. • Prominent rate capability of Co 3 O 4 @CeO 2 is demonstrated. • Synergetic effect between Co 3 O 4 and CeO 2 improves the performance. Abstract The tremelliform Co 3 O 4 @CeO 2 nanocomposite with network structure directly grown on Ni foam have been synthesized by hydrothermal process for the first time and further employed as the electrode material for supercapacitors. The tremelliform Co 3 O 4 @CeO 2 hybrid electrode delivers ultrahigh specific capacitance of 2260.8 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. The porous network structure with large specific surface area facilitates electron transfer and electrolyte diffusion. In addition, highly activity CeO 2 can accelerate faradaic reaction and increase the oxidation degree of Co 3 O 4 , which results in excellent cyclic stability. The results provide a feasible strategy to prepare Co 3 O 4 @CeO 2 with facile architectural design and excellent electrochemical properties as a promising candidate for supercapacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are considered as a promising power source for electric vehicles and electronic products such as mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. The anode material plays a crucial role in the reliability and safety of LIBs. Among the anode candidates, MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 (M = 2Na, Sr, Ba, Pb) materials have very good prospects due to their excellent safety, good structure stability, negligible volume change, and suitable voltage plateau of about 1.3–1.4 V (vs. Li0/Li+). However, MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 materials frequently sustain serious capacity decay at high rate due to the poor electronic and ionic conductivities. Therefore, it is very meaningful to summarize comprehensively and scientifically the advances of this material family from all aspects. The main objective of the review is aimed to summarize various proposed strategies (i.e. material treatment, morphology control, surface modification, and cation doping) and the breakthroughs to enhance the rate capacity and cycling stability of the MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 materials. The review will provide some insights into the structures and performance issues, which will be helpful for the design and optimization of the MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 materials. Highlights • Progress of MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 is summarized in details for the first time. • An understanding on modifying MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 from various aspects is summarized. • Key strategies for improving the cycling stability of MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 is discussed. • Strategies in the development of MLi 2 Ti 6 O 14 -based batteries are discussed. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality joints between titanium alloys and stainless steels have found applications for nuclear, petrochemical, cryogenic, and aerospace industries due to their relatively low cost, lightweight, high corrosion resistance, and appreciable mechanical properties. This article reviews diffusion bonding between titanium alloys and stainless steels with or without interlayers. For diffusion bonding of a titanium alloy and a stainless steel without an interlayer, the optimized temperature is in the range of 800–950°C for a period of 60–120 min. Sound joint can be obtained, but brittle FeTi and Fe-Cr-Ti phases are formed at the interface. The development process of a joint mainly includes three steps: matching surface closure, growth of brittle intermetallic compounds, and formation of the Kirkendall voids. Growth kinetics of interfacial phases needs further clarification in terms of growth velocity of the reacting layer, moving speed of the phase interface, and the order for a new phase appears. The influence of Cu, Ni (or nickel alloy), and Ag interlayers on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the joints is systematically summarized. The content of FeTi and Fe-Cr-Ti phases at the interface can be declined significantly by the addition of an interlayer. Application of multi-interlayer well prevents the formation of intermetallic phases by forming solid solution at the interface, and parameters can be predicted by using a parabolic diffusion law. The selection of multi-interlayer was done based on two principles: no formation of brittle intermetallic phases and transitional physical properties between titanium alloy and stainless steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, mesoporous ZnCo 2 O 4 @NiO nanoflakes grown on a nickel foam conductive substrate are prepared through a simple hydrothermal method combined with environmentally friendly chemical bath deposition method. The as-synthesized three-dimensional nanoflakes used as a binder-free supercapacitor electrode possess high specific surface area and shorten the ions and electron diffusion path. Electrochemical measurements indicate that ZnCo 2 O 4 @NiO (M3) nanoflakes deliver an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 2797 F g −1 at a current density of 1 A g −1 , and 2287.2 F g −1 at 10 A g −1 , even 1079.2 F g −1 at 40 A g −1 , respectively, revealing a remarkably improved rate performance. Moreover, the ZnCo 2 O 4 @NiO (M3) composite electrode exhibits superior cycling stability with ∼100% initial capacitance retention at the current density of 30 A g −1 after 3000 cycles, and the coulombic efficiency remains over 97%. The first principle calculation shows that strong chemical bonds are formed between Ni (Co) and O species at the interface, which is favorable for the stabilization of the composite, resulting in a smaller interfacial polarization. The results indicate that ZnCo 2 O 4 @NiO with excellent electrochemical properties can be considered as a promising candidate for high-performance supercapacitors, and the facile architectural design strategy offers new insights in opportunities to exhibit promising potential in the field of the energy storage conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under rhodium(III) catalysis, four kinds of cycloalkenecarboxylic acids successfully reacted with acrylates via direct activation of the β-alkenyl C-H bond. The present protocol provides the facile and highly efficient synthesis of substituted furan-2(5H)-ones from readily available starting materials with moderate to good yields. In addition, their possible reaction mechanisms were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Pristine LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 and FePO 4 -coated one with Fd-3m space groups were prepared by a sol-gel method. The structure and performance were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) mapping, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and charge-discharge tests, respectively. The lattice parameters of all samples almost remain the same from the Rietveld refinement, revealing that the crystallographic structure has no obvious difference between pristine LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 and FePO 4 -coated one. All materials show similar morphologies with uniform particle distribution with small particle size, and FePO 4 coating does not affect the morphology of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 material. EDS mapping and HRTEM show that FePO 4 may be successfully wrapped around the surfaces of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 particles, and provides an effective coating layer between the electrolyte and the surface of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 particles. FePO 4 (1 wt%)-coated LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 cathode shows the highest discharge capacity at high rate (2 C) among all samples. After 80 cycles, the reversible discharge capacity of FePO 4 (1 wt%) coated LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 is 117 mAh g−1, but the pristine one only has 50 mAh g−1. FePO 4 coating is an effective and controllable way to stabilize the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /electrolyte interface, and avoids the direct contact between LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 powders and electrolyte, then suppresses the side reactions and enhances the electrochemical performance of the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of microsized porous spherical LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 -CeO 2 cathode material composed of aggregated nanosized particles with P 4 3 32 space groups was prepared by an ethanol-assisted hydrothermal method. The nanosized particle shortens the Li + -ion diffusion path in the bulk LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 and then improves the fast charge–discharge performance of this material. Moreover, a thin CeO 2 layer with nanometer thickness on the surface of the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 particles is helpful for suppressing the interfacial side reactions. Because of these advantages, the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 -CeO 2 materials exhibit excellent electrochemical properties. Compared with the pristine LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 -CeO 2 (3 wt%) exhibits outstanding discharge capacity, cycling stability and rate capability. LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 -CeO 2 (3 wt%) delivers discharge capacities of 129.7, 121.2, 118.1, 109.8, and 86.3 mAh g −1 at 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 C discharge rates, but the pristine one only delivers discharge capacities of 119.9, 103.7, 91.8, 84.7 and 34.4 mAh g −1 at the corresponding discharge rates. The introduction of CeO 2 is a valid approach to enhance the electrochemical property of the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 material by forming an excellent electrical contact between CeO 2 layer and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 surface, leading to an enhanced lithium-ion diffusion coefficient, reduced electrochemical polarization, and improved conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordyceps militaris has been widely used as an herbal drug and tonic food in East Asia and has also been recently studied in the West because of its various pharmacological activities such as antitumoral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-allergic activity of ethanol extract prepared from silkworm pupa-cultivated Cordyceps militaris fruit bodies in activated mast cells. Our results showed that ethanol extract treatment significantly inhibited the release of -hexosaminidase (a degranulation marker) and mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor- as well as interleukin-4 in RBL-2H3 cells. The cells were sensitized with 2,4-dinitrophenol specific IgE and then stimulated with human serum albumin conjugated with 2,4-dinitrophenol. Oral administration of 300mg/kg ethanol extract significantly ameliorated IgE-induced allergic reaction in mice with passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Western immunoblotting results demonstrated that ethanol extract incubation significantly inhibited Syk/PI3K/MEKK4/JNK/c-jun biochemical cascade in activated RBL-2H3 cells, which activated the expression of various allergic cytokines. In addition, it suppressed Erk activation and PLC evocation, which would respectively evoke the synthesis of lipid mediators and Ca mobilization to induce degranulation in stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. A compound, identified as -sitostenone, was shown to inhibit -hexosaminidase secretion from activated mast cells. Our study demonstrated that ethanol extract contained the ingredients, which could inhibit immediate degranulation and de novo synthesis of allergic lipid mediators and cytokines in activated mast cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is a recently characterized oncoprotein which is involved in the progression of several human malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate its biological function in human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The expression of CIP2A in TNBC cells was examined and it was observed that CIP2A was elevated in the TNBC cell line compared with poorly invasive breast cancer cells. CIP2A depletion in TNBC cell lines inhibited proliferation, and induced apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, CIP2A depletion inhibited invasion and migration of TNBC cells. Furthermore, CIP2A depletion downregulated Akt/mTOR/P70S6K phosphorylation. These results validate the role of CIP2A as a invasion-associated oncoprotein and established CIP2A as a promising therapeutic target of TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The electrochemical property of LNMO@LLTO cathode is first reported. • Prominent rate capability of LNMO@LLTO is demonstrated. • The mechanism of performance improvement is analyzed in detail. Abstract Pristine LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) and LNMO@LLTO (Li 0.33 La 0.56 TiO 3) composites were synthesized by a sol-gel process. The lattice constant of LNMO increases with the increasing coated content of LLTO. All samples show irregular morphologies, and the particle size distributes uniformly between 200 and 500 nm. The inherent characteristic of Li 0.33 La 0.56 TiO 3 with a large ionic conductivity decreases the interfacial charge transfer impedances, leading to an enhanced migration rate of Li-ions in the composite. As a cathode of LIBs, LNMO@LLTO (3 wt%) exhibits a large reversible capacity and a remarkable rate capability. Therefore, Li 0.33 La 0.56 TiO 3 modification can be considered as an effective strategy to improve the rate capability of LNMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) is one of the most promising high voltage cathode materials for future application due to its advantages of large reversible capacity, high thermal stability, low cost, environmental friendliness, and high energy density. LNMO can provide 20% and 30% higher energy density than traditional cathode materials LiCoO 2 and LiFePO 4 , respectively. Unfortunately, LNMO-based batteries with LiPF 6 -based carbonate electrolytes always suffer from severe capacity deterioration and poor thermostability because of the oxidization of organic carbonate solvents and decomposition of LiPF 6 , especially at elevated temperatures and water-containing environment. Hence, it is necessary to systematically and comprehensively summarize the progress in understanding and modifying LNMO cathode from various aspects. In this review, the structure, transport properties and different reported possible fading mechanisms of LNMO cathode are first discussed detailedly. And then, the major goal of this review is to highlight new progress in using proposed strategies to improve the cycling stability and rate capacity of LNMO-based batteries, including synthesis, control of special morphologies, element doping and surface coating etc., especially at elevated temperatures. Finally, an insight into the future research and further development of LNMO cathode is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerium (Ce) doped barium strontium titanate (Ce-BST) powder was prepared by sol-gel method, and the effect of Ce doped concentration on growing modes of grains of the Ce-BST powder was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals that all Ce-BST powders show cubic perovskite structures. It can be found that increasing Ce doped concentration corresponds to decreasing lattice parameter until the doped concentration increases to 3% mol ratio, and then the continuingly increasing doped concentration corresponds to increasing lattice parameter. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibits that all powders are composed of nano-grains, but the growing modes of the grains strongly depend on the doped concentration. When doped concentration is not more than 1% mol ratio, the grains show globular growth; when the doped concentration is not less than 3% mol ratio, the grains show layered growth; when the doped concentration ranges from 1% mol ratio to 3% mol ratio, columnar grains appear in the globular powders. Also, the dielectric properties of the powders are presented and the related mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-crystallized and high-performance x Li 2 MnO 3 ·(1- x )LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 cathode materials over a wide compositional range (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) were prepared by a facile co-precipitation strategy. All samples show small and uniform particle dimensions in the range of 200-500 nm. 0.3Li 2 MnO 3 ·0.7LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 (LMNC3) delivers the highest discharge capacities of 321.1 mA h g −1 at 0.1C, 305.2 mA h g −1 at 0.2 C, 243.2 mA h g −1 at 0.5C, 205.9 mA h g −1 at 1C, 182.1 mA h g −1 at 2C, and 133.7 mA h g −1 at 5C, respectively. LMNC3 also exhibits an excellent fast charge-discharge performance, and even at a charge-discharge rate of 2C in the 100th cycle its capacity still remains 128.2 mAh g −1 . The improved performance of LMNC3 can be ascribed to the improvement of electrochemical reversibility, lithium ion diffusion and ionic conductivity. First-principles calculation based on density function theory reveals that the strong covalent bonds formed between Mn-3d and O-2p orbits and stable Li 2 MnO 3 -enriched layer are helpful for stabilizing the LiMn 1/3 Co 1/3 Ni 1/3 O 2 structure. The same strategy adopted in this work could be helpful to develop other Li-rich cathodes with long cycle life and high rate performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative rolling approach was proposed to achieve weak basal texture in rolled Mg alloy sheets, by laying a wave-shaped die during rolling. It was shown that, Mg-6Al-3Sn (AT63) alloy sheets processed by this wave-shaped die rolling (labeled as WDR) exhibited basal textures with low intensity and tilted basal peak. A substantial basal texture weakening was found to occur during WDR after a single pass. Moreover, the WDRed alloy sheets exhibited basal texture gradients through the center to the surface, reflecting the asymmetric deformation mode of the sheets during rolling. In addition, WDR was effective to refine the grain size of AT63 alloy, from ~ 35 µm to ~ 10.3-11.5 μm. Tensile tests revealed that, the WDRed AT63 sheets presented much enhanced strain hardening ability (n = 0.295) and high elongation to failure (εf = 22.5%), as compared with the equivalent AT63 sheet rolled without wave-shaped die. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel submicron Li5Cr7Ti6O25, which exhibits excellent rate capability, high cycling stability and fast charge–discharge performance is constructed using a facile sol–gel method. The insights obtained from this study will benefit the design of new negative electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron transfer reactions among three prominent colored proteins in intact cells of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans were monitored using an integrating cavity absorption meter that permitted the acquisition of accurate absorbance data in suspensions of cells that scattered light. The concentrations of proteins in the periplasmic space were estimated to be 350 and 25 mg/ml for rusticyanin and cytochrome c, respectively; cytochrome a was present as one molecule for every 91 nm² in the cytoplasmic membrane. All three proteins were rapidly reduced to the same relative extent when suspensions of live bacteria were mixed with different concentrations of ferrous ions at pH 1.5. The subsequent molecular oxygen-dependent oxidation of the multicenter respiratory chain occurred with a single macroscopic rate constant, regardless of the proteins' in vitro redox potentials or their putative positions in the aerobic iron respiratory chain. The crowded electron transport proteins in the periplasm of the organism constituted an electron conductive medium where the network of protein interactions functioned in a concerted fashion as a single ensemble with a standard reduction potential of 650 mV. The appearance of product ferric ions was correlated with the reduction levels of the periplasmic electron transfer proteins; the limiting first-order catalytic rate constant for aerobic respiration on iron was 7,400 s-1. The ability to conduct direct spectrophotometric studies under noninvasive physiological conditions represents a new and powerful approach to examine the extent and rates of biological events in situ without disrupting the complexity of the live cellular environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiplexed immunosensor has been developed for the detection of specific biomarkers Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and Lactate Dehydrogenase B (LDH-B) present in different grades of bladder cancer cell lysates. In order to immobilize nanoprobes with different antibodies on a single chip we employed three-step programmable dielectrophoretic manipulations for focusing, guiding and trapping to enhance the fluorescent response and reduce the interference between the two antibody arrays. The chip consisted of a patterned indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode for sensing and a middle fish bone shaped gold electrode for focusing and guiding. Using ITO electrodes for the sensing area can effectively eliminate the background noise of fluorescence response as compared to metal electrodes. It was also observed that the three step manipulation increased fluorescence response after immunosensing by about 4.6 times as compared to utilizing DEP for just trapping the nanoprobes. Two different-grade bladder cancer cell lysates (grade I: RT4 and grade III: T24) were individually analyzed for detecting the protein expression levels of Gal-1 and LDH-B. The fluorescence intensity observed for Gal-1 is higher than that of LDH-B in the T24 cell lysate; however the response observed in RT4 is higher for LDH-B as compared to Gal-1. Thus we can effectively identify the different grades of bladder cancer cells. In addition, the platform for DEP manipulation developed in this study can enable real time detection of multiple analytes on a single chip and provide more practical benefits for clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 nanosheet composite were synthesized by a facile solvothermal method with further calcination. The addition of rutile TiO 2 does not affect the crystal structure, particle size, morphology of spinel Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 . XRD shows that the molar ratio of Li/Ti has much influence on the chemical composition of the products. TEM indicates that both Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 and Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 samples are composed of nanoplates with particle size of 50–100 nm. CV and EIS imply that Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 has higher reversible intercalation and deintercalation of Li + , larger lithium-ion diffusion coefficient and smaller charge transfer resistance corresponding to a much higher conductivity than those of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 corresponding to the extraction of Li + ions. Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 material exhibits excellent cycling stability and rate capability in relevant lithium-ion batteries, which can retain a capacity of 120.5 mAh g −1 after 150 cycles at 5 C charge–discharge rate cycled between 1.0 and 2.5 V. This performance is much better than that of pristine Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (82.2 mAh g −1 ), whose capacity fades seriously. Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 also exhibits a good rate performance in a broad voltage window. The capacities of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 and Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 charge-discharged at 12 C rates remains at 125.4 and 50.2 mAh g −1 cycled between 0.0 and 2.5 V after 200 cycles, respectively. The enhanced performance of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 -rutile TiO 2 is ascribed to the improved electronic conduction and the reduced polarization resulting from the rutile TiO 2 modification together with nanosized structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigated the expression of CIAPIN1 and to analyze its relation with the progression of colon cancer. Methods 28 cases colon cancer tissues, tumor adjacent tissues and clinical data were collected, all cases were not given chemotherapy or radiotherapy. CIAPIN1 was examined by western blotting in 28 cases tumors tissue and adjacent tissues. Results The expression level of CIAPIN1 in tumor tissues was significantly lower than that in tumor adjacent tissues. The positive rate level of CIAPIN1 expressions in tumor tissues and tumor adjacent tissues was 17.9% and 85.7% respectively (P = 0.000). The expression of CIAPIN1 had a negative correlation with tumor size or tumor stage in colon cancer, but its relationship of CIAPIN1 to gender of patients, tumor location, and tumor-marker protein (CEA, CA50, CA199, CA242, CA724) was not found. Conclusions The down-regulation and deletion of the expression of CIAPIN1 may be associated with colon cancer. CIAPIN1 has a negative correlation with tumor size or tumor stage in colon cancer, but it is independent of gender of patients, tumor location, and tumor-marker protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 –Li 2 TiO 3 –TiO 2 and pristine Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 electrodes have been synthesized by a solid-state method. The structure and electrochemical performance of these as prepared powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the galvanostatic charge–discharge test. All samples have agglomerate structure with the primary particle size of about 1 µm. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 –Li 2 TiO 3 –TiO 2 (LLT5) possesses high capacity and excellent rate capability. The improved electrochemical performance of Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 –Li 2 TiO 3 –TiO 2 (LLT5) is clearly related to the improved electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusivity. The high cycling performance and wide discharge voltage range, as well as simple synthesis route and low synthesis cost of the Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 –Li 2 TiO 3 –TiO 2 (LLT5) is expected to show a potential commercial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of the wax layer and green epidermis at the surface of giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus giganteus Munro) culms were conveniently analyzed through the diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) with Si-Carb sampling technique. Results from the radial lignin content profiling of giant bamboo showed that the lignin content in the middle layer was lower than the layers either from the inner or outer culms. As for the longitudinal depth profiling, the lignin contents of bamboo culms increased gradually from the top toward base portion. The distribution of growth strains in the radial direction of giant bamboo culm was investigated by the kerf method with strain gauges. The longitudinal tensile strains in various positions of giant bamboo culm were found to decrease in the order of the middle layer, the outer layer, and the inner layer. The tensile strains of different layers in the radial direction of giant bamboo culm correlate with their lignin content. The highest tensile strain on the middle layer of the bamboo culm was associated with the lowest lignin content. These results provided experimental evidence in the relationship between longitudinal tensile strain and lignin content of bamboo culm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To describe the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI appearances of cholangiocarcinoma, and evaluate the relative signal intensities (RSIs) changes of major abdominal organs, and investigate the effect of total bilirubin (TB) levels on the RSI. Methods: 25 patients with pathologically-proven cholangiocarcinoma underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. The visualization of the biliary system during biliary phase (BP) was observed. RSIs of the abdominal aorta (A), portal vein (V), liver (L), and spleen (S) were measured. Results: On hepatocellular phase (HP), exophytic tumors (n =10) and infiltrative tumors (n =10) were hypointense, polypoid tumors (n = 2) were hypointense, and combined type tumors (n = 3) had mixed appearances. While patients with normal TB levels (≤22 μmol/L, n = 12) had clear visualization of the biliary tree during BP, those with elevated TB levels (>22 μmol/L, n = 13) had obscured or no visualization. In addition, patients with normal TB levels had higher RSIA, RSIV and RSIS than those with elevated TB levels on all dynamic phases (P <0.001), and lower RSIA, RSIV and RSIS on HP and BP (P <0.001). Patients with normal TB levels had higher RSIL than those with elevated TB levels on all phases (P <0.001). Conclusions: RSIs of major abdominal organs reflected underlying biliary function. Cholangiocarcinoma patients with elevated TB levels had delayed excretion of Gd-EOB-DTPA compared with patients with normal TB levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olivine compounds, i.e. Li x MPO 4 (M = Fe, Mn), are now regarded as the most competitive positive-electrode materials for future applications of large-scale rechargeable lithium batteries. There are significant interests in their electronic structures, because the microscopic information is very important for elucidating the structural stability, electrochemical performance, and electronic conductivity issues of batteries for high-rate applications. The structure stabilities of LiMPO 4 and MPO 4 (M = Fe, Mn) cathode materials are analyzed according to first principles calculations. The result shows that LiMPO 4 (M = Fe, Mn) materials exhibit good structure stability, which is mainly contributed to the extremely strong P O covalent bonds. Furthermore, the introduction of P ions is also helpful for the chemical potential decrease of the materials. The band structure analysis reveals that the electronic conductance of LiFePO 4 , LiMnPO 4 , and FePO 4 is poor, while MnPO 4 possesses half metallic property. According to the electron distribution, it can be confirmed that Mn O(II) bonds are weakened after Li + extractions, which is different from the variation trend of Fe O(II) bonds. The decrease of Mn O(II) bond strength is thus favorable for the phase transformation observed in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrilase can catalyze nitrile compounds to generate corresponding carboxylic acids. Nitrilases as promiscuous enzymes can catalyze a variety of nitrile substrates, such as aliphatic nitriles, aromatic nitriles, etc. However, researchers tend to prefer enzymes with high substrate specificity and high catalytic efficiency. In this study, we developed an active pocket remodeling (ALF-scanning) based on modulating the geometry of the nitrilase active pocket to alter substrate preference and improve catalytic efficiency. Using this strategy, combined with site-directed saturation mutagenesis, we successfully obtained 4 mutants with strong aromatic nitrile preference and high catalytic activity, W170G, V198L, M197F, and F202M, respectively. To explore the synergistic relationship of these 4 mutations, we constructed 6 double-combination mutants and 4 triple-combination mutants. By combining mutations, we obtained the synergistically enhanced mutant V198L/W170G, which has a significant preference for aromatic nitrile substrates. Compared with the wild type, its specific activities for 4 aromatic nitrile substrates are increased to 11.10-, 12.10-, 26.25-, and 2.55-fold, respectively. By mechanistic dissection, we found that V198L/W170G introduced a stronger substrate-residue π-alkyl interaction in the active pocket and obtained a larger substrate cavity (225.66 ų to 307.58 Å3), making aromatic nitrile substrates more accessible to be catalyzed by the active center. Finally, we conducted experiments to rationally design the substrate preference of 3 other nitrilases based on the substrate preference mechanism and also obtained the corresponding aromatic nitrile substrate preference mutants of these three nitrilases and these mutants with greatly improved catalytic efficiency. Notably, the substrate range of SmNit is widened. IMPORTANCE In this study, the active pocket was largely remodeled based on the ALF-scanning strategy we developed. It is believed that ALF-scanning not only could be employed for substrate preference modification but might also play a role in protein engineering of other enzymatic properties, such as substrate region selectivity and substrate spectrum. In addition, the mechanism of aromatic nitrile substrate adaptation we found is widely applicable to other nitrilases in nature. To a large extent, it could provide a theoretical basis for the rational design of other industrial enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-defined LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 powder has been synthesized by ethylene glycol (EG)-assisted oxalic acid co-precipitation method. The structure and physicochemical properties of this as-prepared powder were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra (RS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charge–discharge test in detail. XRD shows impurity phase of Li y Ni 1-y O due to the oxygen loss reaction at high temperatures. SEM indicates that LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 synthesized by EG-assisted method has a uniform and narrow size distribution under 1 μm. RS confirms that both samples have Fd-3 m space group. EIS and CV test exhibit that LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 electrode synthesized by EG-assisted method has lower potential polarization, smaller charge transfer resistance, higher reversibility and larger lithium ion diffusion coefficient than the one obtained by ammonium hydroxide co-precipitation method. Galvanostatic charge–discharge test reveals that LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 synthesized by EG-assisted method shows higher discharge capacity than that the one synthesized by ammonium hydroxide co-precipitation method at each rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To retrospectively investigate the nutritional risk and nutritional support treatments hospitalized patients with gastric cancer in Tumor Hospital of Yunnan Province, from January 1, 1998 to June 30, 2011. Methods The questionnaire of NRS2002 was used to screen the nutritional risk in patients with gastric cancer, and investigate the nutritional support treatment in these patients. Results (1) A total of 320 patients with gastric cancer had nutritional risk. (2) The levels of serum albumin were not always lower in those patients with nutritional risk; the proportion of these patients with lower normal body mass index (BMI) was significantly higher than those patients without nutritional risk, while some patients with nutritional risk had normal body ma index (BMI); There was no statistical significant difference in nutritional risk between different genders (P = 0.149); There was statistical significant difference in nutritional risk between different TNM stages (P = 0.030), and between different ages (< 60 vs. ≥ = 60 years P = 0.009) .43% patients with nutritional risk were not given nutrition support treatment, but 10% patients without nutritional risk accepted nutrition support treatment. The main ways of nutrition support treatment were parenteral nutrition (PN), enteral nutrition (EN), or parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition (PN + EN). Conclusions (1) The hospitalized patients with gastric cancer have high incidence of nutritional risk and nutritional risk screening should be usually used to those patients. (2) The levels of serum protein and BMI can't predict nutritional risk. Aged and advanced stage patients have higher incidence of nutritional risk. (3) Nutrition support treatment remains to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine if digital divide exists between elementary school aged children with learning disabilities (LD) and their nondisabled peers in Taiwan. A self-reported questionnaire regarding information and communication technology (ICT) access and ICT competency, Scale of Digital Participation of Elementary School Students, designed by the authors, was used to collect data. Totally, 117 students with LD and 117 peers without disabilities were recruited in this investigation and were conducted with the questionnaire. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the opportunities to access computers and the Internet at home and at school between children with and without LD. However, there was a significant difference found in ICT competencies between children with and without LD. Moreover, students without LD enhanced their computer competency gradually year by year, but students with LD eventually did not. The findings of this study supported the notion that mere provision of ICT access is not sufficient for children with LD to master ICT skills. A specific designed ICT instruction programs should be provided to children with LD. Finally, suggestions for future studies were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eag (Kv10) and Erg (Kv11) belong to two distinct subfamilies of the ether-à-go-go K+ channel family (KCNH). While Erg channels are characterized by an inward-rectifying current-voltage relationship that results from a C-type inactivation, mammalian Eag channels display little or no voltage-dependent inactivation. Although the amino (N)-terminal region such as the eag domain is not required for the C-type inactivation of Erg channels, an N-terminal deletion in mouse Eag1 has been shown to produce a voltage-dependent inactivation. To further discern the role of the eag domain in the inactivation of Eag1 channels, we generated N-terminal chimeras between rat Eag (rEag1) and human Erg (hERG1) channels that involved swapping the eag domain alone or the complete cytoplasmic N-terminal region. Functional analyses indicated that introduction of the homologous hERG1 eag domain led to both a fast phase and a slow phase of channel inactivation in the rEag1 chimeras. By contrast, the inactivation features were retained in the reverse hERG1 chimeras. Furthermore, an eag domain-lacking rEag1 deletion mutant also showed the fast phase of inactivation that was notably attenuated upon co-expression with the rEag1 eag domain fragment, but not with the hERG1 eag domain fragment. Additionally, we have identified a point mutation in the S4–S5 linker region of rEag1 that resulted in a similar inactivation phenotype. Biophysical analyses of these mutant constructs suggested that the inactivation gating of rEag1 was distinctly different from that of hERG1. Overall, our findings are consistent with the notion that the eag domain plays a critical role in regulating the inactivation gating of rEag1. We propose that the eag domain may destabilize or mask an inherent voltage-dependent inactivation of rEag1 K+ channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channel comprises four pore-forming α-subunits, and only members of the same Kv channel subfamily may co-assemble to form heterotetramers. The ether-à-go-go family of Kv channels (KCNH) encompasses three distinct subfamilies: Eag (Kv10), Erg (Kv11), and Elk (Kv12). Members of different ether-à-go-go subfamilies, such as Eag and Erg, fail to form heterotetramers. Although a short stretch of amino acid sequences in the distal C-terminal section has been implicated in subfamily-specific subunit assembly, it remains unclear whether this region serves as the sole and/or principal subfamily recognition domain for Eag and Erg. Here we aim to ascertain the structural basis underlying the subfamily specificity of ether-à-go-go channels by generating various chimeric constructs between rat Eag1 and human Erg subunits. Biochemical and electrophysiological characterizations of the subunit interaction properties of a series of different chimeric and truncation constructs over the C terminus suggested that the putative C-terminal recognition domain is dispensable for subfamily-specific assembly. Further chimeric analyses over the Nterminus revealed that the N-terminal region may also harbor a subfamily recognition domain. Importantly, exchanging either the N-terminal or the C-terminal domain alone led to a virtual loss of the intersubfamily assembly boundary. By contrast, simultaneously swapping both recognition domains resulted in a reversal of subfamily specificity. Our observations are consistent with the notion that both the N-terminal and the C-terminal recognition domains are required to sustain the subfamily-specific assembly of rat Eag1 and human Erg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spinel Li4Ti5O12 materials are synthesized and characterized as anode materials for high rate lithium-ion batteries. Li4Ti5O12 material by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis shows much better capacity retention at high C-rate than the one by solid-state synthesis in the voltage range between 1.0 and 2.5V. Li4Ti5O12 materials by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis show the discharge capacity of 122mAhg−1 at a high charge–discharge C-rate of 5C after 150 cycles. The improved cycling behavior and higher reversible capacity of the Li4Ti5O12 material by ethanol-assisted hydrothermal synthesis compared to the one by solid-state synthesis could probably be due to an improved structural stability, lithium ion diffusion and ionic conductivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] LTO-LLTO anode shows super fast charge-discharge performance. [•] LTO-LLTO shows high lithium diffusion coefficient and good rate capability. [•] LTO-LLTO (10wt%) shows a potential advantage for high power battery applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]