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In this article, a resolution of 15 × 30 blue flip-chip micro-LED array with a pixel size of 20 × 35 μm2 was fabricated. The micro-LED array was hybridized with the silicon backplane via flip-chip bonding technology and liftoff process. The Au/In/Au multilayers could provide lower electrical resistivity and reduce cracks and voids at the film interface, leading to a micro-LED display that had uniform brightness and high reliability. The blue micro-LED display exhibits excellent optical and electrical characteristics, including a low turn-on voltage of 2.8 V and a brightness reach of 1.78 × 107 cd/m2 (nits) at 5 V. Additionally, there appears in the emission spectrum at a voltage of 3 V a blue shift of a peak wavelength from 455.51 to 453.96 nm. Further, the average shear strength of the micro-LED bonded by Au/In/Au multilayers increased to 2.24 g. The presented method has tremendous potential in high resolution micro-LED displays for augmented and virtual reality devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the Micro-LED display device being widely used in the advanced display fields, the high reliability of device had become one of the key issues for applications of Micro-LED in many display fields such as VR/AR, portable displays, and flexible displays. The 512 × 384 green Micro-LEDs 0.39 in. array with 1700 PPI featuring a pixel pitch of 15 μm was integrated with the substrate by the Au In flip-chip bonding. The average brightness, electroluminescence (EL) spectra, and I-V characteristics of the Micro-LED device aged at 85 °C/85 % RH for different time were measured to evaluate the optical and electrical reliability of the Micro-LED device. The mechanical reliability of the Micro-LED device after 336 h of aging was evaluated by shear test. The average brightness of the Micro-LED device decreased from 2.08 × 104 nit to 1.64 × 104 nit and the on-resistance of the Micro-LED device increased from 2.30 Ω to 2.82 Ω with the aging time increased to 336 h. The Micro-LED device was broken up with the shear strength value of 12.06 MPa, and the shear strength was only reduced by 8.25 % compared with that measured before aging. • This research integrated a 512 × 384 green Micro-LEDs 0.39 inch array with 1700 PPI with the substrate. • The In-Au flip-chip bonding method was used to encapsulate. • This work evaluated the optical, electrical, and mechanical reliability of the Micro-LED device with different aging time. • After the aging test, the resistance of the device increases 0.52 Ω. The current and brightness decreases by 25.3% and 22.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flat band structure in momentum space is considered key for the realization of novel phenomena. A topological flat band, also known as a drumhead state, is an ideal platform to drive new exotic topological quantum phases. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy experiments, we reveal the emergence of a highly localized surface state in a topological semimetal BaAl 4 and provide its full energy and momentum space topology. We find that the observed surface state is localized in momentum, inside a square-shaped bulk Dirac nodal loop, and in energy, leading to a flat band and a peak in the density of state. These results imply this class of materials as an experimental realization of drumhead surface states and provide an important reference for future studies of the fundamental physics of correlated quantum effects in topological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen (O2) limitation contributes to persistence of large carbon (C) stocks in saturated soils. However, many soils experience spatiotemporal O2 fluctuations impacted by climate and land‐use change, and O2‐mediated climate feedbacks from soil greenhouse gas emissions remain poorly constrained. Current theory and models posit that anoxia uniformly suppresses carbon (C) decomposition. Here we show that periodic anoxia may sustain or even stimulate decomposition over weeks to months in two disparate soils by increasing turnover and/or size of fast‐cycling C pools relative to static oxic conditions, and by sustaining decomposition of reduced organic molecules. Cumulative C losses did not decrease consistently as cumulative O2 exposure decreased. After >1 year, soils anoxic for 75% of the time had similar C losses as the oxic control but nearly threefold greater climate impact on a CO2‐equivalent basis (20‐year timescale) due to high methane (CH4) emission. A mechanistic model incorporating current theory closely reproduced oxic control results but systematically underestimated C losses under O2 fluctuations. Using a model‐experiment integration (ModEx) approach, we found that models were improved by varying microbial maintenance respiration and the fraction of CH4 production in total C mineralization as a function of O2 availability. Consistent with thermodynamic expectations, the calibrated models predicted lower microbial C‐use efficiency with increasing anoxic duration in one soil; in the other soil, dynamic organo‐mineral interactions implied by our empirical data but not represented in the model may have obscured this relationship. In both soils, the updated model was better able to capture transient spikes in C mineralization that occurred following anoxic–oxic transitions, where decomposition from the fluctuating‐O2 treatments greatly exceeded the control. Overall, our data‐model comparison indicates that incorporating emergent biogeochemical properties of soil O2 variability will be critical for effectively modeling C‐climate feedbacks in humid ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Model based design of a novel polymerization process is performed. • The process is applicable to solution and slurry polymerization with phase change. • The process can efficiently control product properties and reactor heat load. • Cooled evaporation streams affect concentration gradients and heat transfer rates. • The feature of ethylene/1-octene copolymerization system is studied as an example. This work aims on developing a novel process that is applicable to solution and slurry polymerization, which can efficiently control production efficiency, product properties and reactor thermal load through changing the flow ratios of cooled evaporation streams between different reactors. Furthermore, various process routes can be created by varying the destinations of cooled evaporation streams, markedly enhancing the process flexibility. To provide a thorough insight into the characteristics of the developed process, numerical simulations based on coupling the constructed models of polymerization reaction kinetics, thermodynamic properties and reactors are conducted to comprehensively study the impact of various factors (e.g. , process routes, pressure, monomer and catalyst concentration, flow rates of cooled evaporation streams in different reactors) on the ethylene/1-octene solution copolymerization system with several stirred reactors connected in series. Some strategies for regulating production efficiency, product properties and reactor heat load of different process routes are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Methodology for designing solution polymerization reactors is established. • The methodology is developed based on multiscale model construction and simulation. • Research scheme for the design of solution polymerization reactors is proposed. • Methods for model construction, cases design and data analysis are suggested. • The copolymerization system of ethylene and 1-octene is studied as an example. This work aims to develop a reliable methodology for designing solution polymerization reactors based on multiscale model construction and simulation. Firstly, accurate polymerization kinetic model, thermodynamic property model, transport property model, fluid dynamic model and simplified equipment model are established. Secondly, process and reactor scale simulations are employed in systematically studying the impact of various factors (e.g., operating variables, reactor type, combination mode, structure) through coupling the established models. The design of reactor system is conducted by deeply analyzing simulated results and comprehensively considering various influence factors. The research scheme for polymerization reactor design, along with the proposed methods for model construction, multiscale modeling, simulation cases design and data analysis, are explained in detail. Furthermore, taking a pilot-scale copolymerization of ethylene and 1-octene as an example, 248 simulation cases are carried out to provide a comprehensive description on the process of its model construction and multi-scale simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the common subtype of thyroid cancer, which is a common endocrine malignancy. Tripartite motif 26 (TRIM26) has been found to act as a tumor suppressor in several cancers. However, the functional roles of TRIM26 in PTC remain unknown. In this study, we examined the TRIM26 expression in PTC and evaluated the effects of TRIM26 on proliferation, metastasis, and glycolysis in PTC cells. The results proved that TRIM26 was significantly downregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. TRIM26 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in PTC cells. TRIM26 overexpression also suppressed the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition process. Besides, overexpression of TRIM26 caused significant decrease in glucose uptake and lactate production in PTC cells. Further investigations revealed that TRIM26 overexpression inhibited the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway. Treatment with an activator (740Y‐P) of the PI3K/AKT pathway reversed the antitumor effects of TRIM26 on PTC cells. These findings provided evidence that TRIM26 acted as a tumor suppressor in PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Future changes in the global SOC and MBC pools are simulated using TRIPLEX-MICROBE. • SOC simulated by TRIPLEX-MICROBE in the Arctic decreases in 21st under three RCPs. • Tropical and temperate vegetation expand northward along with radiation increase. Abstract Microbial physiology is very important in the biogeochemical cycles of the Earth system. Considerable uncertainty exists in the responses of global soil organic and microbial carbon to future climate change. In this study, future changes in the global soil organic carbon (SOC) and microbial carbon (MBC) pools are simulated using TRIPLEX-MICROBE, which considers and predicts microbial activity, under three future representative concentration pathways (RCPs) in the 21st century. Between 2013 and 2100, TRIPLEX-MICROBE simulates decreases in SOC from 1099 Pg (petagrams, 1012 kg) to 1032 Pg, 996 Pg and 924 Pg under RCP scenarios RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, respectively, representing reductions of approximately 6.1%, 9.4% and 15.9%, respectively. The MBC reaches a stable state after 2030 under RCP2.6, and it increases from 20.89 Pg to 23.78 Pg between 2013 and 2100. Under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, MBC increases by 20.3% and 39.6%, respectively, between 2013 and 2100. The SOC stored in the Arctic declines under the priming effect; however, as the climate gradually warms from the equator to the mid-latitudes, the Northern Hemisphere becomes a larger carbon sink, which could offset the carbon losses from high-latitude and high-altitude regions. The latitude where the MBC reaches its maximum during the coldest season of a year in the Northern Hemisphere moves northward approximately 10 degrees under the three RCPs from the latitude in the historical period. Tropical and temperate vegetation expand northward gradually with warming, and vegetation fixes more carbon as it migrates northward to offset the increase in atmospheric CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prepare polycrystalline YBaCuFeO 5 and identify the unusually high dielectric permittivity of ~ 10 4 on the order of magnitude, which has only weak temperature dependence between 90 K and 300 K. The nonlinear I - V characteristics are also observed. The impedance spectroscopy experiments reveal the crucial role played by grain boundary barriers in modulating the electrical properties. The giant-dielectric phenomenon could be attributed to the Maxwell–Wagner relaxation effect. It is surprising to observe large magneto-capacitance effect, which may be attributed to the inhomogeneity in samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prepared the high quality polycrystalline β -CrPO 4 with the cycloidal spiral spin magnetic structure. The multiferroicity is investigated by means of magnetic, heat-capacity, dielectric and ferroelectric polarization measurements. At the Neel temperature T ∼23 K, it is the transition into a spiral magnetic ordered phase, there is an anomaly in the dielectric and heat-capacity data, and the ferroelectric polarization appears. The ferroelectric polarization can be attributed to the cycloidal spiral magnetic ordering, which coincides well with the inverse Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction scenario or the spin-current scenario. The magnitude of ferroelectric polarization decreases with increasing the applied magnetic field, which indicates there is the strong coupling between ferroelectric polarization and magnetism in β -CrPO 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial physiology plays a critical role in the biogeochemical cycles of the Earth system. However, most traditional soil carbon models are lacking in terms of the representation of key microbial processes that control the soil carbon response to global climate change. In this study, the improved process-based model TRIPLEX-GHG was developed by coupling it with the new MEND (Microbial-ENzyme-mediated Decomposition) model to estimate total global soil organic carbon (SOC) and global soil microbial carbon. The new model (TRIPLEX-MICROBE) shows considerable improvement over the previous version (TRIPLEX-GHG) in simulating SOC. We estimated the global soil carbon stock to be approximately 1195 Pg C, with 348 Pg C located in the high northern latitudes, which is in good agreement with the well-regarded Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) and the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database (NCSCD). We also estimated the global soil microbial carbon to be 21 Pg C, similar to the 23 Pg C estimated by Xu et al. (2014). We found that the microbial carbon quantity in the latitudinal direction showed reversions at approximately 30°N, near the equator and at 25°S. A sensitivity analysis suggested that the tundra ecosystem exhibited the highest sensitivity to a 1°C increase or decrease in temperature in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC). However, our work represents the first step toward a new generation of ecosystem process models capable of integrating key microbial processes into soil carbon cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein adsorption plays a key role in determining the biological properties of calcium phosphate biomaterials. Calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ions are involved in the protein adsorption process and influence the protein adsorption behaviors. In this study, the proteins adsorption on hydroxyapatite (HA) (001), (100), (110), (010) surfaces with Ca, P ions in solution were investigated by Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation. The results reveal that basic proteins were more favorable to adsorb on HA surface than acidic proteins. HA (110) surface absorbed more acidic proteins than HA (001) and (100). HA (010) surface adsorbed more basic protein. Basic residues play a more important role than acidic residues in the adsorption process, as the basic residues have shown higher absorption energy than acidic residues, and they were more likely to adsorb on HA surfaces than to bind P ions in solution. Most of the active sites of protein, especially for acidic residues, are prefer to interact with HA surface through water molecules. Basic residues are more likely to adsorb onto HA surfaces directly. The presence of Ca, P ions in solution can influence the adsorption behaviors of protein. The formation of Ca, P ion cluster may lead to desorption of proteins. And they can compete with water molecules to bond to HA surfaces, acting as a bridge of protein interacting with HA surfaces instead of water-bridge. This Ca, P ions bridge connection make the adsorption energy of protein weakened. The results of this study provided new information at atomic/molecular level to further interpret the mechanism of protein adsorption on calcium phosphate surfaces with Ca, P ions. It is also helpful for designing new calcium phosphate biomaterials with specific surface properties to adsorb target protein for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of gene expression is the key of organism genetic mechanism. Motif identification is an important step in constructing expression regulatory network. Based on Gibbs sampling method, this work constructed position weight matrix, thereby proposing motif recognition method based on genetic algorithm. Scoring function is defined to update the population and obtain the convergence matrix of position weight, achieving the identification of motifs with different length. Simulation and experimental data sets were utilized to verify the accuracy and execution time of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) display an aggressive phenotype that is a critical factor in cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Increased FLS migration and proliferation are essential to the pathology of RA. Halofuginone has been found to inhibit cell migration and proliferation in cancer cells. However, whether halofuginone has a role in the treatment of RA FLSs is unclear. In this study, we found that halofuginone reduced migration, invasion, cell proliferation and MMPs expression in RA FLSs. In addition, we demonstrated that halofuginone inhibited reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton during cell migration. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms, we evaluated the effect of halofuginone on the MAPK and AKT pathways. Our results indicated that halofuginone inhibited the activity of MAPK and AKT. Taken together, these results suggest that halofuginone may protect against joint destruction in RA by regulating synoviocyte migration, invasion and cell proliferation by inhibiting MAPK and AKT activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous bioceramics have been widely studied for bone tissue engineering. A deep understanding on the mechanism of bone growth and biomineralization depends on the extracted interface information between the new precipitated calcium phosphates (CaPs) and the porous substrate at a nanometer scale. However, due to their intrinsic brittleness and the complexity of the sample shape, there is still lack of such information. Here, by a combination of focused ion beam ( FIB) and transmission electron microscopy ( TEM), in-situ cross-sectional electron transparent interface was prepared. The precipitated dense apatite layer is composed of individual microgranules which further consist of tiny flake-like crystals. The new crystallites grow along c-axis and are mostly oriented perpendicular to HA substrate. This preferred orientation is more pronounced in the presence of protein. This work offers a novel and feasible approach using FIB- TEM to in situ image porous bioceramic scaffold and precipitated apatite layer interface and can be extended to study many other biointerfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an inelastic neutron scattering study of candidate multiferroic ErFeO 3 , a compound that has been previously reported to have three different magnetic states and undergoes signatures of Fe 3 + − Er 3 + cooperative coupling. The spectrum at low energy transfer is dominated by excitations of the Er 3 + character, even above the Er 3 + antiferromagnetic ordering temperature of 4.5 K. In addition, a crystalline electric field excitation at 6 meV exhibits additional energy splitting upon cooling through 4.5 K with mode-dependent polarization. This indicates different moment directions for these modes, an interesting consequence of C y ordering of the Er 3 + moments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous scaffolds for tissue regeneration are often functionalized with extracellular matrix proteins to enhance surface/cell interactions and tissue regeneration. However, continuous coatings produced by commonly used surface modification strategies may preclude cells from contacting and sensing the chemical and physical cues of the scaffold. Here, it is shown that polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA-NPs) tightly adhere on various scaffolds to form nanostructures, and the coverage can be finely tuned. Furthermore, the PDA-NPs have good affinity to a variety of proteins and peptides. Thus, the PDA-NPs act as an anchor to immobilize signal biomolecules on scaffolds, and consequently promote cell activity and tissue regeneration. β-Tricalcium phosphate (TCP) scaffolds decorated with PDA-NPs demonstrate excellent osteoinductivity and bone-regeneration performance due to the protein affinity of PDA-NPs and the intrinsic bioactive characteristics of TCP scaffolds. In summary, PDA-NPs with excellent affinity for protein adhesion represent a versatile platform to modify porous scaffolds while not compromising the biological functions of the scaffolds, and might have potential applications in tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-pressure hydraulic fracturing (HF) of cracks is the crucial factor in the safety-assessment of high concrete dams, and fluid–structure interaction in HF is the key to accurately calculate the fluid pressure within cracks. In this study, a hybrid approach combining the extended finite element method (XFEM) and the finite volume method (FVM) is introduced to simulate HF in concrete dams. Through the hybrid approach XFEM-FVM, we can obtain water pressure distribution within cracks, which reflects the coupling relationship between water pressure and fracture width. This approach is verified by an example, and the numerical results agree well with the corresponding analytic solutions. Then, we use it to simulate the HF in a concrete gravity dam. Results show that, in contrast to the constant water pressure distribution within cracks, the distribution calculated by XFEM-FVM varies with time and leads to the bigger crack extension angle, contrary to growth length. It also illustrates the significance of considering fluid–structure interaction in HF progress. This study reveals that the approach is a very efficient tool for HF simulation in concrete dam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysine-doped polypyrrole (PPy)/regenerated spider silk protein (RSSP)/poly( l -lactic) acid (PLLA)/nerve growth factor (NGF) (L-PRPN) composite scaffold was fabricated by co-axial electrospraying and electrospinning. This L-PRPN composite scaffold had a structure of microfibers with a core–shell structure as the stems and nanofibers as branches. Assessment in vitro demonstrated that the L-PRPN composite micro/nano-fibrous scaffold could maintain integrated structure for at least 4 months and the pH value of PBS at about 7.28. It had good biocompatibility and cell adhesion and relatively stable conductivity. PC 12 cells cultured on this scaffold, anisotropic cell–neurite–cell–neurite or neurite–neurite sheets were formed after being cultured for 6 days. Evaluations in vivo also showed that L-PRPN composite fibrous conduit was effective at bridging 2.0 cm sciatic nerve gap in adult rat within 10 months. This conduit and electrical stimulation (ES) through it promoted Schwann cell migration and axonal regrowth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an upconverter, lanthanide-doped NaYF 4 (Ln-NaYF 4 ) has been integrated into the photoanodes for quantum-dot sensitized solar cells. Compared with the solar cells with pure TiO 2 , the upconverter based solar cells exhibited a 17.6% increase in the photocurrent and a 20% increase in the power conversion efficiency. Furthermore, when the integrated Ln-NaYF 4 is pretreated by annealing, the resulting photoanode demonstrates an obvious improvement in the photocurrent generation and the power conversion efficiency due to the annealing-induced enhancement of the upconversion emission as well as the elimination of the defects allowing for efficiently reducing charge recombination. The best photovoltaic performance with a short-circuit current of 14.36 mA/cm 2 and a power conversion efficiency of 4.37% has been obtained with the solar cells containing the annealed upconverters. Both the solar cells integrated with the Ln-NaYF 4 pretreated by annealing or not demonstrate obvious photocurrent responses under the illumination of the NIR light. This finding demonstrates the feasibility of the combination of the up-converting materials with quantum dot-sensitized solar cells to extend the exploitation of the solar light to a wider range thus enabling the fabrication of highly efficient solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard treatment for adult T-Lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) has not been defined. This study was to analyze the efficiency of modified BFM-NHL-90 regimen in 36 adult patients with newly diagnosed T-LBL at the Sun Yat-Sen cancer center between August 2000 and December 2010. After the induction protocols, 34/36 (94%) of the patients achieved complete remission or unconfirmed complete remission. At the median follow-up of 36 months, 13 patients relapsed, but no relapses were observed in the CNS. The 3-year overall survival and 3-year event-free survival rates were 66.9% and 65.4%, respectively. Patients of female gender with hepatomegaly and hemoglobin less than 120 g/L, and the time interval exceeding 38 days between induction 1a and 1b, had inferior EFS and OS. The results was comparable to the previous regimens and the regimen could prevent CNS relapse with 4 high-dose MTX every 3 months during the maintenance phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Proteins play an important role in apatite formation in physiological environments. The effects of proteins partially result from changing apatite interfacial energy, and in turn, promoting or inhibiting apatite precipitation in physiological environment. The interfacial energies of hydroxyapatite (HA) crystallographic planes in aqueous solutions containing proteins and calcium and phosphate ions were calculated by molecular dynamics simulations. It provided reference interfacial energies for comparative study of protein effects that both acidic Human serum albumin and basic Lysozyme reduces the interfacial energy of HA (001) and HA (100). The simulations provide information to achieve better understanding of protein effects on the biomineralization process at atomic level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Proteins play an important role in the process of biomineralization, which is considered the critical process of new bone formation. The calcium phosphate (Ca-P) mineralization happened on hydroxyapatite (HA), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) when proteins presented were investigated systematically. The results reveal that the presence of protein in the revised simulated body fluid (RSBF) did not alter the shape and crystal structure of the precipitated micro-crystals in the Ca-P layer formed on the three types of bioceramics. However, the morphology of the Ca-P precipitates was regulated but the structure of Ca-P crystal was unchanged in vivo. The presence of proteins always inhibits Ca-P mineralization in RSBF and the degree of inhibitory effect is concentration dependent. Furthermore, Protein presence can increase the possibility of HA precipitation in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained in this study can be helpful for better understanding the mechanism of biomineralization induced by the Ca-P bioceramics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The variation of the single-chain mechanics of poly(N-isopropyl-acrylamide) (PNIPAM) for the entire range of the methanol molar fraction (χ methanol) (0%–100%) in the water/methanol mixed solvent has been studied by AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy at room temperature (RT). In general, the single-chain mechanics of PNIPAM shows a reentrant variation upon the change of χ methanol from 0% to 100%. The possible mechanism for the reentrant variation of the single-chain mechanics is discussed. The current study may cast new light on the design of novel environmental responsive nano-devices in the future, when χ methanol changes from 16% to 0%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We study the single-chainelasticities of three kinds of neutralpolymers with a carbon–carbon (C–C) backbone by atomicforce microscopy-based single-molecule force spectroscopy in a nonpolarsolvent (octane), aiming at measuring the inherent chain elasticityof this very important class of polymers. The finding that the single-chainelasticities of all three polymers in octane are virtually identicalin the entire force region implies that the side chains of the polymershave no detectable effects on the single-chain elasticity. By utilizingthe single-chain elasticity from quantum mechanics calculations, thefreely rotating chain model can provide the best fitting curve wheneach C–C bond is set to be the rotating unit. Although thereare some exceptions when the side chain is very huge, our work providesa general result for the inherent elasticity of single neutral flexiblepolymer chains with C–C backbones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrochromic films with a stacked structure of two-dimensional crystalline tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanosheets were fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass by a layer-by-layer (LBL) technique. Unique electrochromic property with a slow coloration process but a fast bleaching process was observed during the insertion/extraction process of the protons into/from the stacked structure. The linear relationship between the anodic peak current density and the square root of the potential sweep rate, indicating the insertion/extraction process of the protons into/from the stacked structure is controlled by a diffusion mechanism. The nanosheet film also exhibits a coloration efficiency of 32cm2/C and an excellent long-term stability during the electrochromic process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Iron chalcogenide superconductors have become one of the most investigated superconducting materials in recent years due to high upper critical fields, competing interactions and complex electronic and magnetic phase diagrams. The structural complexity, defects and atomic site occupancies significantly affect the normal and superconducting states in these compounds. In this work we review the vortex behavior, critical current density and high magnetic field pair-breaking mechanism in iron chalcogenide superconductors. We also point to relevant structural features and normal-state properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel polysiloxane (RCAS) bearing dodecyl and carboxyl side groups was synthesized by reaction of a dodecyl/amino functionalized polysiloxane with maleic anhydride. Film morphology, molecular orientation and performance of the synthesized polysiloxane on cotton substrates were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray photoelectron microscope (XPS) and so on. Affected by the dodecyl and polar carboxyl side groups, RCAS formed a semi hydrophilic, macroscopic smooth but actually uneven siloxane film with many pillar-likes or small humps on the treated substrate surfaces. On the natural cotton surface, RCAS may take such an orientation to form its film that the Si-CH3, Si-C12H25 groups projected outward into air, while the carboxyl groups pointed inward to the substrate, interacting with the hydroxyls of the cotton substrates in ester and hydrogen bonds or twisted away from the negatively charged cotton fiber surface. As a result of such a film-formation, RCAS provided the treated fabric with not only a good wettability of about 22.96s and a whiteness of 88.44°, but also an improved softness as well as thickening handle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of N-(pyridin-2-yl)picolinamide derivatives was synthesized and characterized. Tetranickel complexes were obtained by stoichiometric reaction of NiBr2 and corresponding ligands, and characterized by elemental and spectroscopic analysis. Moreover, the coordination pattern of complex 3a was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In the structure, two ligands linked two nickel atoms to form a unit, and two units were bridged via μ3-OMe and μ2-Br to form a tetranickel cluster. These Ni(II) complexes were investigated in ethylene oligomerization and found to exhibit remarkable catalytic activities upon activation with MAO. Reaction conditions as well as ligand environment significantly affected the catalytic performance of the nickel complexes; the highest activity could be achieved to be 2.7×106 gmol−1 Nih−1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of cobalt (II) complexes ligated by 2-(2-benzoxazolyl)-6-(1-(arylimino)ethyl)pyridines was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR spectroscopic and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of Co1 (Ar=2,6-Me2C6H3), Co2 (Ar=2,6-Et2C6H3) and Co7 (Ar=2,6-Br2C6H3) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds Co1 and Co2 display a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry, whereas complex Co7 is a distorted square-pyramid. Upon activation with methylaluminoxane (MAO), all cobalt complexes showed reactivity towards ethylene. There was however an unexpected temperature dependence; whereas, at room temperature oligomerization was observed, giving 1-alkenes with high selectivities, at elevated temperatures polyethylene was produced. This unusual catalytic behavior of the new complexes was investigated in detail under various reaction parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The 2-benzazole-1,10-phenanthrolines and their chromium(III) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental and spectroscopic analyses as well as by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. X-Ray crystallographic analyses of C6and C8reveal an octahedral geometry around both chromium centers. The electronic spectra of the chromium complexes exhibit d–d transitions typically of a pseudo-octahedral coordinated d3ion, falling into the region ν14A2g→4T2g600–700 nm,ν24A2g→4T1g(F) 430–470 nm, and the 10Dqvalues between 15674 and 16529 cm−1. The variation of the heteroatoms (X = N, O, S) in benzazole group shows regular influence on the 10Dqvalues as 10Dq(O) > 10Dq(N) > 10Dq(S), which reflects the σ-donor/π-acceptor properties of these benzazole ligands. Upon activation with modified methylaluminoxane (MMAO), these complexes exhibited high activities for ethylene oligomerization (up to 7.36 × 106g mol−1(Cr) h−1) and ethylene polymerization (up to 1.28 × 106g mol−1(Cr) h−1). The effects of non-coordinated N, O or S heteroatoms in the ligands have been examined, and interestingly catalytic activities also strictly adhered to the trend O > N > S under various ethylene pressures. Reaction conditions significantly influenced the catalytic properties of the complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of 2-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-N-benzylidenequinolin-8-amines was synthesized and characterized. They are stable as solids while displaying a tendency to decompose in solution. On reaction with NiCl2, different coordination pattern sets of L·NiCl2 or [L2Ni]2+·2Cl− are obtainable in THF or ethanol. When activated by Et2AlCl, the complexes L·NiCl2 exhibit good to high catalytic activities and selectivities for 1-C4 in ethylene oligomerization, while the complexes [L2Ni]2+·2Cl− hardly showed any activity, which is attributable to nickel coordination by two ligands barring interaction of ethylene with the metal center. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of N-(2-(1-R-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)quinolin-8-yl)-2-R1-4-R2-benzamide derivatives (5–12) was synthesized and characterized. These compounds 5–11(5: R = H, R1= H, R2= H; 6: R = H, R1= Cl, R2= H; 7:R = H, R1= H, R2= Cl; 8: R = H, R1= H, R2= Br; 9: R = Me, R1= H, R2= H; 10: R = Et, R1= H, R2= H; 11: R = iPr, R1= H, R2= H.) were treated with KOH, and then reacted with Ni(Ac)2·4H2O to form their nickel complexes (5a-11a), however, the dimethylated compound 12reacted with NiCl2·6H2O to give complex 14a. Further investigation confirmed that compound 12hydrolysized into a new compound N-methyl-2-(1-methyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)quinolin-8-amine 14, and alternative synthesis confirmed the formation mechanism of 14a. All nickel complexes were characterized by elemental and spectroscopic analyses, and molecular structures of the representative compounds (12, 5aand 14a) were determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction. These Ni(ii) complexes exhibited good to high activities up to 7.6 × 106g mol−1(Ni) h−1in ethylene oligomerization upon activation with Et2AlCl. The reaction conditions and the nature of ligands affected on the catalytic performances of nickel complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two kinds of ion-paired iron and cobalt complexes ligated by 2-(benzimidazolyl)-6-(1-(arylimino)ethyl)pyridyl [iron (1a) and cobalt (1b)] or N-(pyridin-2-yl)methylene)-quinolin-8-amine (iron, 2a) were synthesized and well characterized by IR, EA and X-ray diffraction analysis. They were confirmed to be in the form of [ML2]2+[MCl4]2− or [ML2]2+2[MCl4]1− and the cations took octahedral coordinated geometry. Structure research indicated that complex 1a was in low-spin state while complex 1b was in high-spin state. Furthermore, their magnetic susceptibility measurements were performed and the complexes showed interesting magnetic properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of tridentate NˆNˆN iron(II) and cobalt(II) complexes containing N-((pyridin-2-yl)methylene)-quinolin-8-amine derivatives were synthesized and characterized by elemental and spectroscopic analyses. The molecular structure of 1a was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. On treatment with modified methylaluminoxane, these metal complexes exhibited good catalytic activities up to 2.8×106 gmol−1(Fe)h−1 for ethylene oligomerization, and butenes were the major products with nice selectivity for 1-C4. The steric and electronic effects on catalytic activities of metal complexes were carefully investigated as well as the influence of various reaction parameters. In the catalytic system, Fe(II) complexes performed better catalytic activities than their Co(II) analogues. With ligands having bulky substituents, the better catalytic activity was observed in catalytic system of Fe(II) complex, however, the lower catalytic activity was obtained in catalytic system of Co(II) complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Developing effective strategies to promote the sodium-ion storage performance of hard carbon anodes is essential for its practical application in sodium-ion batteries. The carbonization process plays a crucial role in regulating the microstructure of hard carbon. Conventional carbonization methods of slow-heating have hit a bottleneck in structural controls of hard carbon materials. Herein, hard carbon with high-rate and low-temperature sodium storage capability is ultrafast synthesized by flash Joule heating. Compared to the hard carbon synthesized by conventional slow-heating, the hard carbon synthesized by flash Joule heating has smaller particle size, larger interlayer spacing, and larger closed-pores leading to superior performance. This work provides a simple and effective method of boosting sodium-ion storage performance for hard carbon materials. • An ultrafast sintering method of flash Joule heating to synthesize hard carbon as an anode for sodium-ion battery. • The hard carbon shows smaller particle size, larger interlayer spacing, and larger closed-pores. • The optimized anode exhibits excellent sodium-ion storage performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common tumors that afflicts the urinary system, accounting for 90–95% of kidney cancer cases. Although its incidence has increased over the past decades, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most prominent immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising more than 50% of the tumor volume. By interacting with cancer cells, TAMs can be polarized into two distinct phenotypes, M1-type and M2-type TAMs. In the TME, M2-type TAMs, which are known to promote tumorigenesis, are more abundant than M1-type TAMs, which are known to suppress tumor growth. This ratio of M1 to M2 TAMs can create an immunosuppressive environment that contributes to tumor cell progression and survival. This review focused on the role of TAMs in RCC, including their polarization, impacts on tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, migration, drug resistance, and immunosuppression. In addition, we discussed the potential of targeting TAMs for clinical therapy in RCC. A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of TAMs is essential for exploring innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common tumors that afflicts the urinary system, accounting for 90–95% of kidney cancer cases. Although its incidence has increased over the past decades, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most prominent immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising more than 50% of the tumor volume. By interacting with cancer cells, TAMs can be polarized into two distinct phenotypes, M1-type and M2-type TAMs. In the TME, M2-type TAMs, which are known to promote tumorigenesis, are more abundant than M1-type TAMs, which are known to suppress tumor growth. This ratio of M1 to M2 TAMs can create an immunosuppressive environment that contributes to tumor cell progression and survival. This review focused on the role of TAMs in RCC, including their polarization, impacts on tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, migration, drug resistance, and immunosuppression. In addition, we discussed the potential of targeting TAMs for clinical therapy in RCC. A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of TAMs is essential for exploring innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common tumors that afflicts the urinary system, accounting for 90–95% of kidney cancer cases. Although its incidence has increased over the past decades, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most prominent immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), comprising more than 50% of the tumor volume. By interacting with cancer cells, TAMs can be polarized into two distinct phenotypes, M1-type and M2-type TAMs. In the TME, M2-type TAMs, which are known to promote tumorigenesis, are more abundant than M1-type TAMs, which are known to suppress tumor growth. This ratio of M1 to M2 TAMs can create an immunosuppressive environment that contributes to tumor cell progression and survival. This review focused on the role of TAMs in RCC, including their polarization, impacts on tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, migration, drug resistance, and immunosuppression. In addition, we discussed the potential of targeting TAMs for clinical therapy in RCC. A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of TAMs is essential for exploring innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MgONPs were synthesized through green approach using trichoderma fungus. • Myco-synthesized NPs exhibited strong nematicidal activity. • Soil application of NPs improved plant growth under nematode infection. • Soil application of NPs reduced nematode population and development. Meloidogyne incognita is believed to be the most devastating pest causing severe damage to crops, and hence, innovative and effective means of controlling the nematode is the need of the day. The focus of the current study is to devise an effective and innovative myco-fabrication of MgO nanoparticles (NPs) along with melatonin for efficient management of M. incognita infecting tomatoes. Fungal extracts were used to synthesize the myco-fabricated NPs through a green synthesis pathway and were verified using different spectroscopic means. The nanoparticles exhibited appreciable nematicidal potential, such as drastic egg hatch inhibition and juvenile mortality under in vitro assays. Evaluation of NPs and melatonin in planta, alone or combined form, was investigated on tomato plants already inoculated with M. incognita. The alterations in the nematode population on roots of plants as well as in soil, growth parameters, and biochemical attributes of plants were recorded. A significant reduction in nematode population was revealed on the application of melatonin and myco-fabricated nanoparticles, hence exhibiting an improvement in the plant's biochemical (glutathione, phenolic, flavonoid, and antioxidant enzymes) and growth parameters. A synergistic impact was shown on the combined application of the treatments. Furthermore, an enhancement in the expression as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes was also observed. Increased resistance of plants against nematodes resulted in connection with the improved antioxidant status of plants due to this combined treatment. The significantly improved growth of plants under M. incognita stress conditions reveals the potential of the proposed treatments having synergistic interaction to manage phyto-parasitic nematodes effectively. This presents innovative means of agricultural biotechnologies that have the potential to contribute to the efficient management of nematodes infecting plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report electrical and thermal transport properties of Mn-based material BaMn2Bi2 with ThCr2Si2 structure. The resistivity of the antiferromagnetic BaMn2Bi2 shows a metal-semiconductor transition at ∼80 K with decreasing temperature. Correspondingly, the thermopower S shows a peak at the same temperature, approaching 150 μV/K. With increasing temperature, S decreases to about 125 μV/K at the room temperature. The magnetic field enhances the peak value to 210 μV/K. The Hall resistivity reveals an abrupt change of the carrier density close to the metal-semiconductor transition temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report temperature and magnetic field dependence of the thermal transport properties in single crystals of (Sr/Ca)MnBi2 with linear energy dispersion. In SrMnBi2 thermopower is positive, indicating hole-type carriers and the magnetic field enhances the thermopower significantly. The maximum change of thermopower is about 1600% in 9 T field and at 10 K. A negative thermopower is observed in CaMnBi2 with dominant electron-type carriers, and, in contrast, the magnetic field suppresses the absolute value of thermopower. First-principle band structure shows that the chemical potential is close to the Dirac-cone-like points in linear bands. The magnetic field suppresses the apparent Hall carrier density of CaMnBi2 below 50 K. The large magnetothermopower effect in (Sr/Ca)MnBi2 is attributed to the magnetic field shift of chemical potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigonelline is a plant alkaloid that has generated interest for its neuroprotective roles in brain pathology. However, the protective effect of trigonelline on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the potential mechanism have not been fully evaluated. Our results showed that trigonelline pretreatment ameliorated oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced hippocampal neurons injury. The OGD/R-caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and decreased concentrations of superoxide dismutases (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were markedly attenuated by trigonelline. In addition, the increased levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in OGD/R-induced hippocampal neurons were significantly decreased by trigonelline pretreatment. Trigonelline also suppressed caspase-3 activity and bax expression, and induced bcl-2 expression in OGD/R-induced hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, trigonelline induced the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway in hippocampal neurons exposed to OGD/R condition. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling reversed the protective effects of trigonelline on OGD/R-induced hippocampal neurons injury. Taken together, these findings indicated that trigonelline protected hippocampal neurons from OGD/R-induced injury, which was mediated by the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. • Trigonelline ameliorated OGD/R-induced hippocampal neurons injury. • Trigonelline ameliorated OGD/R-induced oxidative stress in hippocampal neurons. • Trigonelline attenuated OGD/R-induced inflammatory response in neurons. • Trigonelline inhibited OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis in hippocampal neurons. • Trigonelline affected PI3K/Akt activation in hippocampal neurons under OGD/R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kondo insulator FeSb2 with large Seebeck coefficient would have potential in thermoelectric applications in cryogenic temperature range if it had not been for large thermal conductivity κ. Here we studied the influence of different chemical substitutions at Fe and Sb site on thermal conductivity and thermoelectric effect in high quality single crystals. At 5% of Te doping at Sb site, thermal conductivity is suppressed from ∼250 W/Km in undoped sample to about 8 W/Km. However, Cr and Co doping at Fe site suppresses thermal conductivity more slowly than Te doping, and even at 20% Cr/Co doping the thermal conductivity remains ∼30 W/Km. The analysis of different contributions to phonon scattering indicates that the giant suppression of κ with Te is due to the enhanced point defect scattering originating from the strain field fluctuations. In contrast, Te-doping has small influence on the correlation effects and then for small Te substitution the large magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient is still preserved, leading to the enhanced thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ∼0.05 at ∼100 K) in Fe(Sb0.9Te0.1)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, titanium and its alloys have emerged as the predominant metallic biomaterials for orthopedic implants. Nonetheless, the relatively high post-operative infection rate (2–5%) exacerbates patient discomfort and imposes significant economic costs on society. Hence, urgent measures are needed to enhance the antibacterial properties of titanium and titanium alloy implants. The titanium dioxide nanotube array (TNTA) is gaining increasing attention due to its topographical and photocatalytic antibacterial properties. Moreover, the pores within TNTA serve as excellent carriers for chemical ion doping and drug loading. The fabrication of TNTA on the surface of titanium and its alloys can be achieved through various methods. Studies have demonstrated that the electrochemical anodization method offers numerous significant advantages, such as simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and controllability. This review presents the development process of the electrochemical anodization method and its applications in synthesizing TNTA. Additionally, this article systematically discusses topographical, chemical, drug delivery, and combined antibacterial strategies. It is widely acknowledged that implants should possess a range of favorable biological characteristics. Clearly, addressing multiple needs with a single antibacterial strategy is challenging. Hence, this review proposes systematic research into combined antibacterial strategies to further mitigate post-operative infection risks and enhance implant success rates in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neighborhood greenness (vegetative presence) has been linked to multiple health outcomes, but its relationship to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and non-Alzheimer's (non-AD) dementia has been less studied.Objective: This study examines the relationship of greenness to both AD and non-AD dementia in a population-based sample of Medicare beneficiaries.Methods: Participants were 249,405 US Medicare beneficiaries aged > 65 years living in Miami-Dade County, FL, from 2010 to 2011. Multi-level analyses examined the relationship of greenness, assessed by mean Census block level Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), to odds of each of AD, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), and non-AD dementia, respectively. Covariates included age, gender, race/ethnicity, number of comorbid health conditions, and neighborhood income.Results: Higher greenness was associated with reduced risk of AD, ADRD, and non-AD dementia, respectively, adjusting for individual and neighborhood sociodemographics. Compared to the lowest greenness tertile, the highest greenness tertile was associated with reduced odds of AD by 20%(odds ratio, 0.80; 95%CI, 0.75-0.85), ADRD by 18%(odds ratio, 0.82; 95%CI, 0.77-0.86), and non-AD dementia by 11%(odds ratio, 0.89; 95%CI, 0.82-0.96). After further adjusting for number of comorbidities, compared to the lowest greenness tertile, the highest greenness tertile was associated with reduced odds of AD (OR, 0.94; 95%CI, 0.88-1.00) and ADRD (OR, 0.93; 95%CI, 0.88-0.99), but not non-AD dementia (OR, 1.01; 95%CI, 0.93-1.08).Conclusion: High neighborhood greenness may be associated with lower odds of AD and ADRD. Environmental improvements, such as increasing neighborhood vegetation, may be a strategy to reduce risk for AD and possibly other dementias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In the phase 3 QUAZAR AML‐001 trial (NCT01757535) of patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in remission following intensive chemotherapy (IC) and ineligible for haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), oral azacitidine (Oral‐AZA) maintenance significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) versus placebo. The impact of subsequent treatment following maintenance has not been evaluated. In this post hoc analysis, OS was estimated for patients who received subsequent AML therapy, and by regimen received (IC or lower‐intensity therapy). First subsequent therapy (FST) was administered after treatment discontinuation in 134/238 Oral‐AZA and 173/234 placebo patients. OS from randomization in patients who received FST after Oral‐AZA versus placebo was 17.8 versus 12.9 months (HR: 0.82 [95% CI: 0.64–1.04], median follow‐up: 56.7 months); OS from FST was similar between arms. Among patients who received injectable hypomethylating agents as FST, median OS was 8.2 versus 4.9 months in the Oral‐AZA versus placebo groups (HR: 0.66 [95% CI: 0.41–1.06]). Forty‐eight patients (16/238 Oral‐AZA, 32/234 placebo) received HSCT following treatment discontinuation, including six Oral‐AZA patients still in first remission; Oral‐AZA OS benefit persisted when censoring these patients. Oral‐AZA maintenance can prolong AML remission duration without negatively impacting survival outcomes after salvage therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electric field dependence on the dielectric properties of the porous ceramics was studied theoretically. The dielectric constant of the porous ceramics under certain direct current (dc) bias field and the real strength electric field in the porous ceramics were given quantitatively. As the pore can share the electric field, the tunability of the porous ceramics will be decreased when the porosity increases. The dielectric constant evolution of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3-based porous ceramics with the dc bias electric field can be successfully explained by our theoretical results. Taking Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3-based porous ceramic samples, for example, there is good correspondence between the theoretical and the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]