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Flexible luminescent materials are usually in the form of gels and films. Solid‐state films have advantages in practical applications due to their long‐term stability. However, the fabrication process by conventional methods remains laborious and unsustainable. Here, a facile and green route is reported for fabricating flexible luminescent films via an elegant solid‐phase molecular self‐assembly design. First, Eu3+/Tb3+‐based metallosupramolecular coordination polyelectrolytes (MEPEs) and tetraphenylethylene (TPE)‐based MEPEs are designed with an antenna bis‐ligands to get individual R, G, and B emission. Then, by repeatedly pressing the MEPEs‐cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) precipitates, obtained from their mixing aqueous solutions, R, G, and B emission films are obtained at room temperature, respectively. The emission color can be simply tuned by adjusting molar ratio of Eu3+: Tb3+: TPE. Notably, humidity‐responsive white emission film is obtained when Eu3+: Tb3+: TPE = 3:1:2.5. Owing to the dynamic coordination and electrostatic interaction, which can be activated by hydrating water, these films can be facilely reprocessed and self‐healed with the aid of water at room temperature. It is hoped that this approach to fabricate flexible supramolecular luminescent films can be applied to design various advanced functional soft materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The silicon- modified nickel oxide catalysts with the same compositions but distinct Ni-Si interactions were obtained via different synthesis routes and utilized for methane combustion under conditions of oscillating temperatures. For catalysts prepared by co-grinding, amorphous SiO 2 was dispersed on the surface of large NiO crystallites. During high-temperature calcination or reactions, the crystallization of SiO 2 , coupled with the sintering or decomposition of NiO crystallites, led to the inferior catalytic activity and stability. Interactions between Ni and Si species were enhanced in catalysts synthesized by precipitation. The Si species was incorporated into the NiO lattice to inhibit the growth of NiO crystallites and to generate nickel silicate species under thermal treatments. The small NiO crystallites provided more Ni3+ and active oxygen species for methane activation and oxidation, while the bulk nickel silicate species played a pivotal role in improving thermal stability, conjointly provoking excellent catalytic performance in cyclic heating–cooling tests between 180 and 800 °C. This study offers new insights into the design of metal oxide composites for catalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since Immune response, nutritional status and Epstein–Barr Virus (EBV) DNA status have been confirmed to be relevant to the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), we believe that the combination of these factors is of great value for improving the predictive ability. LA (lymphocytes × albumin), a novel indicator, had not been studied yet in NPC. We combined it with EBV DNA and used nomograms to increase the accuracy of prognosis. Methods: A total of 688 NPC patients were retrospectively reviewed and further divided into training and validation cohort randomly. Kaplan–Meier analyses were used to to distinguish the different survival outcomes. Multivariate Cox analyses were used to identify the independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Calibration curves, concordance indexes (C-indexes) and decision curve analyses (DCA) were used to evaluate the nomograms' predictive value. Results: Patients with low LA and positive EBV DNA correlated with poorer 5-year PFS and OS (all P < 0.005). In multivariate Cox analyses, LA and EBV DNA were both confirmed to be independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS (all P < 0.05). Prognostic nomograms incorporating LA and EBV DNA achieved ideal C-indexes of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.65–0.73) and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.71–0.82) in the prediction of PFS and OS. Otherwise, the calibration curves and DCA curves also revealed that our nomograms had pleasant predictive power. Conclusions: LA is a novel and powerful biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in NPC. Our nomograms based on LA and EBV DNA can predict individual prognosis more accurately and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cancer immunotherapy approaches aim to stimulate cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes to reject tumor cells. Due to the tumor-mediated suppressive micro-environment, of which the major contributor is regulatory T cells (Tregs), promising preclinical approaches were disappointing in clinical settings. Our recent study demonstrated that transient interruption of Tregs could induce CD8+ T cell responses to reject tumors in an animal model. The long-term tumor protective effect has yet not to be investigated. In this study, mice with Treg depletion rejected tumors and were rechallenged to study anti-tumor memory immune responses. The effects of major immune cell subsets on tumor protection were explored. Finally, we demonstrate that transient depletion of Tregs during primary tumor challenge can result in long-lasting protection against the tumor rechallenge. Skin-resident memory T cells (sTRM) were major factors in rejecting rechallenged tumors even when peripheral T cells were deficient. These findings highlight a promising strategy for empowering tissue-resident memory T cells for cancer prevention and immunotherapy in humans by interrupting Tregs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on observation data from the observation tower station in Zhuhai in South China from October 2015 to May 2018, the variations in soil temperature, moisture, and heat flux in the understorey of evergreen broadleaf forest are analyzed. The ground surface temperature is slightly greater than the canopy surface temperature; the soil temperature is the smallest. The seasonal variation in the soil moisture fluctuates around a relative equilibrium as the rain increases or decreases. Both ground and canopy surface temperatures have valley values before sunrise and peak values in the afternoon. The diurnal variations in soil temperature are characterized by a cosine function. With the deepening of the soil layer, the time of valley and peak lag and the amplitude of the variation in the soil temperature decrease. There is almost no diurnal variation in soil temperature at 40 cm depth or the soil heat flux at 30 cm depth. The heat fluxes at depths of 7.5 cm and 15 cm show an "S" pattern variation, with a peak at 17:30. The net radiation of the canopy surface shows a bell-shaped variation, with a peak at 12:30. The averaged soil thermal conductivities are 2.18 W·m−1·K−1, 1.22 W·m−1·K−1, and 1.26 W·m−1·K−1 for 5 ~ 10 cm, 10 ~ 20 cm, and 20 ~ 40 cm depths, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are the most dominant ILCs in heart tissue, and sex-related differences exist in mouse lung ILC2 phenotypes and functions; however, it is still unclear whether there are sex differences in heart ILC2s. Results: Compared with age-matched wild-type (WT) male mice, 8-week-old but not 3-week-old WT female mice harbored an obviously greater percentage and number of heart ILC2s in homeostasis. However, the percentage of killer-cell lectin-like receptor G1 (Klrg1)− ILC2s was higher, but the Klrg1+ ILC2s were lower in female mice than in male mice in both heart tissues of 3- and 8-week-old mice. Eight-week-old Rag2−/− mice also showed sex differences similar to those of age-matched WT mice. Regarding surface marker expression, compared to age-matched male mice, WT female mice showed higher expression of CD90.2 and Ki67 and lower expression of Klrg1 and Sca-1 in heart total ILC2s. There was no sex difference in IL-4 and IL-5 secretion by male and female mouse heart ILC2s. Increased IL-33 mRNA levels within the heart tissues were also found in female mice compared with male mice. By reanalyzing published single-cell RNA sequencing data, we found 2 differentially expressed genes between female and male mouse heart ILC2s. Gene set variation analysis revealed that the glycine, serine and threonine metabolism pathway was upregulated in female heart ILC2s. Subcluster analysis revealed that one cluster of heart ILC2s with relatively lower expression of Semaphorin 4a and thioredoxin interacting protein but higher expression of hypoxia-inducible lipid droplet-associated. Conclusions: These results revealed greater numbers of ILC2s, higher expression of CD90.2, reduced Klrg1 and Sca-1 expression in the hearts of female mice than in male mice and no sex difference in IL-4 and IL-5 production in male and female mouse heart ILC2s. These sex differences in heart ILC2s might be due to the heterogeneity of IL-33 within the heart tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purkinje cells (PCs) are spontaneously active neurons of the cerebellar cortex that inhibit glutamatergic projection neurons within the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) that provide the primary cerebellar output. Brief reductions of PC firing rapidly increase DCN neuron firing. However, prolonged reductions of PC inhibition, as seen in some disease states, certain types of transgenic mice, during optogenetic suppression of PC firing, and in acute slices of the cerebellum, do not lead to large, sus- tained increases in DCN firing. Here we test whether DCN neurons undergo spike frequency adaptation that could account for these properties. We perform current-clamp recordings at near physiological temperature in acute brain slices from mice of both sexes to examine how DCN neurons respond to prolonged depolarizations. DCN neuron adaptation is exceptionally slow and bidirectional. A depolarizing current step evokes large initial increases in firing that decay to ;20% of the initial increase within ;10 s. We find that spike frequency adaptation in DCN neurons is mediated by a novel mechanism that is independent of the most promising candidates, including calcium entry and Na 1-activated potassium channels mediated by Slo2.1 and Slo2.2. Slow adaptation allows DCN neurons to gradually and bidirectionally adapt to prolonged currents but to respond linearly to current injection on rapid timescales. This suggests that an important consequence of slow adaptation is that DCN neurons respond linearly to the rate of PC firing on rapid timescales but adapt to slow firing rate changes of PCs on long timescales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation is beneficial for several chronic diseases; however, its effect on immune regulation is still debated. Given the prevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and because natural killer (NK) cells are a component of innate immunity critical for controlling CMV infection, the current study explored the effect of a DHA-enriched diet on susceptibility to murine (M) CMV infection and the NK cell effector response to MCMV infection. Results: Male C57BL/6 mice fed a control or DHA-enriched diet for 3 weeks were infected with MCMV and sacrificed at the indicated time points postinfection. Compared with control mice, DHA-fed mice had higher liver and spleen viral loads at day 7 postinfection, but final MCMV clearance was not affected. The total numbers of NK cells and their terminal mature cell subset (KLRG1+ and Ly49H+ NK cells) were reduced compared with those in control mice at day 7 postinfection but not day 21. DHA feeding resulted in higher IFN-γ and granzyme B expression in splenic NK cells at day 7 postinfection. A mechanistic analysis showed that the splenic NK cells of DHA-fed mice had enhanced glucose uptake, increased CD71 and CD98 expression, and higher mitochondrial mass than control mice. In addition, DHA-fed mice showed reductions in the total numbers and activation levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that DHA supplementation represses the early response to CMV infection but preserves NK cell effector functions by improving mitochondrial activity, which may play critical roles in subsequent MCMV clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • 3D drug loaded matrices are engineered using EHDP with precision alignment and control. • Optimized process delivers precise stacked fiber alignment for controlled film width. • EHDP is used to prepare various morphologies based on void size and geometry integration. • Drug release and kinetics are modulated based on void and geometrical design. • A route to tailor drug release is shown based on minimal excipient approach. Abstract In this study, complex drug-cellulose acetate (CA) composite films were designed and fabricated possessing pre-determined grid spacing for inter-connected fibrous films. Ibuprofen (IBU) was selected as the active ingredient and grid spacing was varied between 300 and 500 μm (fiber diameter ∼ 35 μm) for various geometries. Process parameter impact on fiber morphology and deposition was investigated. FTIR confirmed IBU encapsulation and XRD analysis indicated the drug was dispersed (amorphous) in films. Inter-connected grid void geometry was shown to impact water contact behavior, and drug release mechanism was shown to be Fickian diffusion. Furthermore, drug release rate depended on geometry of engineered structures. The findings suggest a spatial design approach for modulated drug release from bespoke drug delivery dosage forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study dual-needle electrohydrodynamic co-printing (DN-EHDCP) was developed to fabricate unique micron-scaled architectures based on multi-material fibrous (filamentous) morphologies. Two stainless steel needles (contributing towards dual needle design) were used to simultaneously co-print poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymers (using solvent based formulations including Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Differences in polymer hydrophobicity and dissolution rate were used to modulate drug release (tetracycline hydrochloride, TE-HCL) from various co-printed configurations. Optical, scanning electron and fluorescent microscopy confirmed precision alignment and vertical stacking of both PVP and PCL printed filaments. Process parameters were found to strongly influence co-print construct diameter. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed spatial locations of both PVP and PCL filaments. TE-HCL release from co-printed formulations exhibited two phases; rapid and sustained. In vitro biological assay (using L929 cell lines) demonstrated construct biocompatibility. However, selective integration (spatial and quantity) of sacrificial PVP fibers (after rapid dissolution) provided a method of in situ void engineering for enhanced interfacial interaction for remaining PCL structures. The present study shows the development and use of simultaneously co-printed filaments in the vertical axis with potential to control drug release through alignment of individual filaments and material type. Furthermore, the use of composite matrix under an external stimulus is also demonstrated indicating multiple approaches to modulate API release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a relatively facile porous magnetic hollow fiber engineering electrospinning method is demonstrated, which modulates fiber morphology based on secondary solvents (at variable temperatures). To demonstrate this, polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer and iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were used as the fibrous composite matrix. Fiber pore size increased with increasing immersed secondary solvent temperature. By contouring the surface morphology ( via modulation of secondary collection solvents) of hollow magnetic fibers, drug (ketoconazole) release kinetics from spun mats were tuned. Furthermore, applying an external AC magnetic field to NP embedded porous fibers enhanced drug release. These findings are promising for alternative engineering, tuning and controlling fiber morphology and drug release behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Four new complexes, (NH4)11.9[Ln4.7(MoO4)(H2O)23(Mo7O24)4]·xH2O (Ln=Pr, x=34 (1); Ln=Nd, x=19 (2)), [NH4]28[Ce8(MoO4)2(H2O)31(Mo7O24)8]·74H2O (3), and (NH4)26[CoPr8(MoO4)2(H2O)33(Mo7O24)8]·54H2O (4) have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, CHN elemental analyses TGA analyses, IR and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Complex 1–3 are 0D compounds constructed by the connection between LnIII ions and [Mo7O24]6− unit. In complex 4, the existence of CoII connects the polyanion clusters into 1D chain. The introduction of 3d metal (cobalt cation) and 4f metal (Ln=PrIII, NdIII, CeIII) encourages the coordination capability for [Mo7O24]6− unit, which shows interesting coordination modes. The [Mo7O24]6− unit in 1–4 shows three new coordination modes, connecting up to four metal cations. Complexes 1–4 show antiferromagnetic behavior via variable temperature magnetic study. The photoluminescence spectrum indicates the photoluminescence property for 4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The 6p orbit coupling of bismuth ions and the magnetism of iron ions endow bismuth–iron compounds with magnetic, optical and electrical properties. In this paper, non-rare-earth bismuth–iron crystals, KBa8Fe12(Bi6−xFex)O38 (x = 0.2, 1.1, 2.0, 2.9, and 3.8), with a large magnetocaloric effect were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The structure–function relationship is discussed. With the increase of the Fe content, the lattice parameters and unit cell volume decrease, while the magnetization intensity shows an increase on the whole and a fluctuation at the same time. The increase of the Fe content can improve the magnetocaloric effect. Importantly, the maximum magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) of KBa8Fe12(Bi4.9Fe1.1)O38 is as high as 1.54 J kg−1 K−1 at the low temperature of 2 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As one of the most abundant post‐transcriptional mRNA modifications, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) has attracted extensive attention from scientists. Emerging evidence indicates that m6A modification plays a significant role in cancer‐related signalling pathways. Existing research demonstrates that m6A modifications were also identified in miRNAs and contribute to cancer‐related signalling pathways. Methods: A literature retrieval has been performed to collect m6A‐miRNA‐related original articles published in recent years. Later, a systematic analysis has been conducted to abstract and classify the relationships between m6A modification and miRNAs, and their contributions to tumorigenesis and cancer development. Results: Accumulating literature provides important insights into multiple relationships between m6A modifications and miRNAs. Mechanically, m6A writer and eraser alter pri‐miRNAs m6A levels, and m6A readers could dually modulate pri‐miRNAs processing and pri‐miRNAs degradation. It is also been demonstrated that miRNAs impair m6A regulators' translation to influence m6A medication function in return. Aberrant expressions of m6A regulators and miRNAs could dysregulate proliferative, apoptosis, cell adhesion‐related, and malignant transformation signalling pathways, and contribute to tumour occurrence and development. Conclusion: This review summarizes the interrelationship between m6A modification and miRNAs; highlights the combined effects of each type of m6A regulator and miRNAs in cancers. These findings enhance our understanding of m6A‐miRNAs' multiple interactions and significant modulatory role in tumorigenesis and progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the qualities small caliber artificial vascular scaffolds must possess for application in modified Blalock-Taussig (B-T) surgery, effective anticoagulation and mechanical maintenance take priority over structural bionics. Currently, only the IMPRA® ePTFE vascular graft is available. Here, we designed a mono-layered vascular scaffold by loading heparin (Hep), made up of poly(l -lactide- co -caprolactone) (PLCL) and silk fibroin (SF), through a conjugate electrospinning technique. Three kinds of Hep@SF/PLCL nanofiber membranes containing different SF and heparin contents were produced by adjusting the spinning speed of a Hep@SF mixed solution. Compared to the other two nanofiber membranes, the 1.0Hep@SF/PLCL nanofiber membrane contained the most SF, resulting in suitable radial tensile property, optimal hydrophilicity, cytocompatibility and antithrombotic activity. Therefore, we then prepared a mono-layered artificial vascular scaffold using this design. Finally, orthotopic rabbit carotid artery transplantation was performed to evaluate remodeling effect in vivo. Three months after surgery, the 1.0Hep@SF/PLCL vascular scaffold exhibited satisfactory remodeling in vivo, resulting in a regenerated smooth muscle layer covered by a continuous endothelium. Unlabelled Image • A mono-layered vascular scaffold held the potential for application in Blalock-Taussig (B-T) surgery was prepared. • The highest content of silk fibroin (SF) and heparin was achieved by adjusting the speed of the spinning solution. • Effective remodeling in vivo of this kind of vascular scaffold was accomplished in a rabbit model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simple method to manufacture a flexible multi-drug with hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules-loaded composite membrane via three dimensional (3D) electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing has been demonstrated in this study. The composite membrane consists of two different drug-loaded sections: cellulose acetate-ibuprofen (CA-IBU) and cellulose acetate-paracetamol (CA-Para), respectively, with an intermediate polycaprolactone (PCL) folding component. The composite membranes can be folded and housed in commercial capsules to aid swallowing. By changing the number of PCL layers in the intermediate layers, it is possible to control and modify the mechanical and unfolding properties of the composite membrane. IBU and Para are loaded into the CA polymeric matrix in their amorphous states, with the matrices exhibiting Higuchi and first order release kinetics, respectively. The combination of IBU and Para can potentially be used as analgesic for patients. Magnetic nanoparticles as a functional material can be incorporated into the PCL matrix for wide targeting and traceable applications. The composite membrane here possesses good biocompatibility and flexibility; enabling extensive application prospects in drug combination therapy and personalized medicine. Unlabelled Image • Foldable membrane dosages are engineered using EHD 3D printing. • Membranes comprise three different, well-aligned and functional components. • Combinatorial drug loading is demonstrated using two model actives. • Number of layers forming central component impacts mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu 2 V 2 O 7 -based hydrogel effectively kills bacteria via the visible-light-induced photocatalytic effect. • Cu 2 V 2 O 7 -based hydrogel repairs high glucose-impaired angiogenesis via sustained copper/vanadium ions. • The near-infrared light-induced mild photothermal effect enhances both the antibacterial and tissue regeneration ability. In light of the clinical challenges posed by bacterial infection and vascular damage in chronic diabetic wounds, this study presents a novel bioactive copper vanadate-based hydrogel (CVH) with multiple functions including the sustained release of copper and vanadium ions, photocatalytic activity under visible (VIS) light, and photothermal ability under near-infrared (NIR) light. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CVH effectively repairs high glucose-impaired human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and exhibits potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Furthermore, the dual biological functions are augmented by the NIR-light-induced mild photothermal effect, demonstrating a synergistic effect. The infected diabetic wound model further substantiates the therapeutic efficacy of the CVH dressing in eliminating bacteria and promoting angiogenesis under VIS/NIR light irradiation. Collectively, the CVH dressing demonstrates significant potential as a therapeutic intervention for managing chronic diabetic wounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To create tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) in vitro, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) must function effectively and produce sufficient extracellular matrix (ECM) in a three-dimensional space. In this study, we investigated whether the addition of insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS), a medium supplement, could enhance TEVG formation. PGA fabric was used as the scaffold, and 1% ITS was added to the medium. After two weeks, the tissues were examined using electron microscopy and staining. The ITS group exhibited a denser structure and increased collagen production. VSMCs were cultured in two dimensions with ITS and assessed for collagen production, cell growth, and glucose metabolism. The results showed that ITS supplementation increased collagen production, cell growth, glucose utilization, lactate production, and ATP levels. Furthermore, reducing the amount of fetal bovine serum (FBS) in the medium did not affect the TEVGs or VSMCs when ITS was present. In conclusion, ITS improves TEVG construction by promoting VSMCs growth and reducing the need for FBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold surges (CSs) often occur in the mid-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere and have enormous effects on socioeconomic development. We report that the occurrences of CSs and persistent CSs (PCSs) have rebounded since the 1990s, but the trends related to the frequencies of strong CSs (SCSs) and extreme CSs (ECSs) changed from increasing to decreasing after 2000. The highest-ranked model ensemble approach was used to project the occurrences of various CSs under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. The frequencies of the total CSs show overall decreasing trends. However, under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, slight increasing trends are noted for SCSs and ECSs in China. Atmospheric circulations that are characterized by an anomalous anticyclonic circulation with a significantly positive 500-hPa geopotential height (Z500) anomaly at high latitudes along with significant negative anomalies in China were favorable for cold air intrusions into China. In addition, the frequencies of all CS types under the SPP5-8.5 scenario greatly decreased in the long term (2071–2100), a finding which is thought to be related to negative SST anomalies in the central and western North Pacific, differences in sea level pressure (SLP) between high- and mid-latitude regions, and a weaker East Asian trough. In terms of ECSs, the decreasing trends observed during the historical period were maintained until 2024 under the SSP1-2.6 scenario. Compared to the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the Z500 pattern showed a trend of strengthened ridges over the Ural region and northern East Asia and weakened troughs over Siberia (60°–90°E) under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, contributing to the shift to increasing trends of ECSs after 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme cold surges (ECSs) are among the extreme weather events that affect China. Here, a total of 31 ECSs that occurred from 1962 to 2018 in China were identified using observed temperature data. In addition, we used the hybrid single‐particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to trace their sources. And the atmospheric circulation of ECSs with different paths were investigated. The ECSs were classified to K‐type, B‐type and S‐type ECSs (which was subdivided into the S1‐type, S2‐type and S3‐type) according to their origins and entry locations into China. The S‐type ECSs occurred the most, accounting for 58.06%. The duration and temperature drop of the K‐type ECSs were higher than those of others. And K‐type and S1‐type ECSs mainly affected Northeast China, S2‐type ECSs mainly affected the regions east of 105° E. For decadal variation, Since the 1980s, ECSs frequency has decreased (especially only one ECS occurred in the 1980s), and K‐type and S2‐type ECSs disappeared. Different types of cold surges have different atmospheric circulation characteristics. The "positive–negative–positive" wave train structures of geopotential height anomalies at 500 hPa were very conducive to the formations of K‐type, B‐type and S3‐type ECSs. For K‐type and S1‐type ECSs, the cold high gradually moved south to Siberia, and combined with the cyclone anomalies, causing the cold air to enter China. Before the B‐type ECSs occurred, cold high appeared in the west of Xinjiang, which made the southeast cold air invade China. Regarding S1‐type and S2‐type ECSs, the negative anomalies over Eurasia from day −6 to day −4 and the subsequent cyclone anomalies at 850 hPa accompanied by the southeastward extension of cold high led to ECSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The understanding of the heterogeneous cellular microenvironment of colonic polyps in paediatric patients with solitary juvenile polyps (SJPs), polyposis syndrome (PJS) and Peutz–Jeghers syndrome (PJS) remains limited. Methods: We conducted single‐cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed immunohistochemistry (mIHC) analyses on both normal colonic tissue and different types of colonic polyps obtained from paediatric patients. Results: We identified both shared and disease‐specific cell subsets and expression patterns that played important roles in shaping the unique cellular microenvironments observed in each polyp subtype. As such, increased myeloid, endothelial and epithelial cells were the most prominent features of SJP, JPS and PJS polyps, respectively. Noticeably, memory B cells were increased, and a cluster of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐like colonocytes existed across all polyp subtypes. Abundant neutrophil infiltration was observed in SJP polyps, while CX3CR1hi CD8+ T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) were predominant in SJP and JPS polyps, while GZMAhi natural killer T cells were predominant in PJS polyps. Compared with normal colonic tissues, myeloid cells exhibited specific induction of genes involved in chemotaxis and interferon‐related pathways in SJP polyps, whereas fibroblasts in JPS polyps had upregulation of myofiber‐associated genes and epithelial cells in PJS polyps exhibited induction of a series of nutrient absorption‐related genes. In addition, the TNF‐α response was uniformly upregulated in most cell subsets across all polyp subtypes, while endothelial cells and fibroblasts separately showed upregulated cell adhesion and EMT signalling in SJP and JPS polyps. Cell–cell interaction network analysis showed markedly enhanced intercellular communication, such as TNF, VEGF, CXCL and collagen signalling networks, among most cell subsets in polyps, especially SJP and JPS polyps. Conclusion: These findings strengthen our understanding of the heterogeneous cellular microenvironment of polyp subtypes and identify potential therapeutic approaches to reduce the recurrence of polyps in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC), women have a lower incidence and mortality rate than men. Whether sex influences the prognosis of NPC patients remains debatable. We retrospectively examined the influence of sex on treatment-related side effects and prognosis in NPC. Methods: Clinical data of 1,462 patients with NPC treated at the Southern Hospital of Southern Medical University from January 2004 to December 2015 were retrospectively examined. Statistical analysis was performed to assess differences in overall survival (OS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), local recurrence-free survival(LRFS), and progression-free survival(PFS), as well as treatment-related adverse effects, including myelosuppression, gastrointestinal responses, and radiation pharyngitis and dermatitis, between men and women. Results: Women had better 5-year OS (81.5% vs. 87.1%, P = 0.032) and DMFS (76.2% vs. 83.9%, P = 0.004) than men. Analysis by age showed that the prognoses of premenopausal and menopausal women were better than those of men, whereas prognoses of postmenopausal women and men were not significantly different. Additionally, women had a better prognosis when stratified by treatment regimen. Furthermore, chemotherapy-related adverse effects were more severe in women than in men; however, the incidences of radiation laryngitis and dermatitis were not significantly different between the sexes. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the female sex was an independent risk factor for severe myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions. Conclusions: Chemotherapy-related side effects are more severe but the overall prognosis is better in women with NPC than in men with NPC. Patients may benefit from a personalized treatment approach for NPC. Trial registration: This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Nanfang Hospital of the Southern Medical University (NFEC-201,710-K3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • We have developed a nasal delivery system for an immunotherapeutic vaccine. • This novel modality simultaneously provides delivery and sustained co-release of hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules in the nasal cavity. • The immunotherapeutic vaccine delivered by the new carrier has the potential to induce immune tolerance to prevent and treat various allergen-induced asthmas. • The multi-ingredient delivery by our system demonstrates the feasibility of mucosal delivery technologies to prevent or treat respiratory diseases. Asthma poses a significant threat to public health, with an estimated burden of over 334 million people worldwide. Available treatments are often inadequate. We developed a thermo-sensitive hydrogel vaccine containing allergen and FK506 that induced immune tolerance via intranasal administration to treat experimental allergic asthma. The hydrogel delivery system was formulated based on Poloxamer 407 (P407), Carbopol 974P NF, and Polyoxyl 15 hydroxystearate (Kolliphor HS15, HS15). It flowed freely at room temperature and rapidly formed a hydrogel in the nasal cavity once the temperature rose over 33 °C. Ovalbumin and FK506 were slowly released from the hydrogel form and their mucosal residence time was significantly prolonged compared to the liquid formulation. In both an OVA-induced asthma model and an HDM-induced asthma model, the vaccines formulated in hydrogel gave lower levels of eosinophilic inflammation, and airway remodeling. The reduction of lung function was ameliorated, and Foxp3-expressing CD4 + Treg cells were significantly higher. The frequency of Foxp3 + Tregs in lung-draining lymph nodes (dLNs) was correlated with the amelioration. Depletion of Foxp3 + Treg cells abolished the beneficial effects of the allergen/FK506 hydrogel vaccinations. Thus, the allergen/FK506 hydrogel formulation has the potential to be a delivery system for therapeutic allergy vaccines to induce immune tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been demonstrated to be closely associated with the poor prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, the role of SII during treatment of NPC has not been reported. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of SII during treatment for NPC patients. Methods: A total of 759 patients diagnosed with NPC were included in this retrospective study (393 in training cohort and 366 in validation cohort). The correlation between variables was analyzed by the chi-squared test, the Fisher's exact test or the likelihood test. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The independent prognostic factors were determined by multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazards regression model. The uncontrolled risk was analyzed by Logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess prognostic value. Results: The optimal cut-off point for the SII during treatment was 937.32. High SII during treatment group had higher uncontrolled risk than low SII during treatment group (p = 0.008). In multivariate Cox proportional hazard models analysis, SII during treatment was an independent prognostic factor for 5-year PFS (p < 0.001) and 5-year OS (p < 0.001). All results were found in the training cohort and confirmed in the validation cohort. Conclusions: The SII during treatment is a promising indicator of predicting the survival in NPC patients, especially the risk of uncontrolled occurrence. By monitoring the SII during treatment, it is possible to better evaluate the treatment effect and formulate personalized treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This retrospective study was performed to determine the prognostic potential of smoking and its combination with pre-treatment plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA levels in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods: Medical records of 1080 non-metastatic NPC patients who received intensity-modulated radiotherapy were reviewed. Male patients were categorized as never and ever smokers, and the smoking amount, duration, and cumulative consumption were used to evaluate dose-dependent effects. Survival outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the multivariate Cox regression analysis. Propensity score matching (PSM) was constructed.Results: The 5-year overall survival (OS) was worse for ever smokers than never smokers, and significantly decreased with the increase of smoking amount, duration, and cumulative consumption. Compared with never smokers, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of death was higher in ever smokers (HR = 1.361, P = 0.049), those smoked ≥20 cigarettes/day (HR = 1.473, P = 0.017), those smoked for ≥30 years (HR = 1.523, P = 0.023), and those cumulative smoked for ≥30 pack-years (HR = 1.649, P = 0.005). The poor prognostic effects of smoking was also confirmed in the PSM analysis. The combination of cumulative smoking consumption and pre-treatment EBV DNA levels was proven to be an independent poor prognostic factor for male NPC, and the risk of death, progression, and distant metastases gradually increased with both factors (P < 0.001).Conclusions: Combination of smoking and pre-treatment EBV DNA levels as a predictor of poor prognosis could further improve the risk stratification and prognostication for NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of mangroves through nature reserves has been demonstrated to be effective. There were many studies evaluating the mangrove protection effect. However, the evaluation of mangrove growth quality with positive or negative growth trends, as well as restoration potential against disturbance in nature reserves, is still lacking. Thus, this study proposed a hierarchical evaluation framework for mangrove protection in nature reserves, which takes long-term metrics at three levels of loss and gain areas, patch pattern dynamics, and pixel growth trends into account. The continuous change detection and classification (CCDC) was utilized to identify the change condition of mangroves in six nature reserves of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. The Entropy Weight Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was utilized for scores evaluation of protection effort comparison from 2000 to 2020. The study results had the following three main findings. Firstly, the mangrove forest area increased by about 294.66 ha in four reserves and slightly decreased by about 58.86 ha in two. Most reserves showed an improved patches intact pattern and more positive growth trends. Secondly, the establishment of nature reserves and afforestation were the main causes of mangrove area gain. Until 2010, aquaculture, agriculture, and urban development were the biggest threats to mangroves. Finally, the protection of the reserves was successful in the early decades, but the general evaluation scores showed a decline in recent years once we considered the growth trends for quality. The proposed hierarchical evaluation methods provide a new sight to research the impacts of abrupt change and protection resilience status of the gradual restoration of nature reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory parameters and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA status have been confirmed to be associated with prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. However, there are few in-depth studies on the prognosis of NPC patients with negative EBV DNA. Our study aimed to look for inflammatory biomarkers that can identify disease progression in NPC patients with negative EBV DNA.Methods: A total of 795 NPC patients were recruited, and ultimately 325 NPC patients with negative EBV DNA were included in this study (170 in training cohort and 155 in validation cohort). Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to analyze progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The multivariate analysis of Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the independent prognostic factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess prognostic value. The logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between EBV DNA status and inflammatory parameters. The correlation between clinical characteristics was analyzed by the chi-squared test or the Fisher's exact test.Results: The optimal cutoff point for the SIRI was 1.12. The EBV DNA-negative NPC patients with high SIRI level had worse PFS and OS (all p < 0.001). In multivariate Cox proportional hazard models analysis, SIRI was an independent prognostic factor for PFS and OS (all p < 0.05), and had higher prognostic value than other indicators. Above results were found in the training cohort and confirmed in the validation cohort. In addition, EBV DNA status was not associated with any inflammatory parameters.Conclusions: The SIRI can provide more accurate risk stratification and better prognostic prediction for NPC patients with negative EBV DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

7-Met, a derivative of soybean isoflavone, is a natural flavonoid compound that has been reported to have multiple signaling pathways regulation effects. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of 7-Met on mice with atopic dermatitis induced by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), or oxazolone (OXZ). 7-Met ameliorated FITC or OXZ-induced atopic dermatitis symptoms by decreasing ear thickness, spleen index, mast cell activation, neutrophil infiltration and serum IgE levels in female BALB/c mice. In FITC-induced atopic dermatitis mice, 7-Met reduced Th1 cytokines production and regulated Th1/Th2 balance by downregulating the secretion of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) via inactivation of the NF-κB pathway. In OXZ-induced atopic dermatitis, 7-Met functioned through the reduction of Th17 cytokine production. Our study showed that 7-Methoxyisoflavone alleviated atopic dermatitis by regulating multiple signaling pathways and downregulating chemokine production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To assess the long-term consequences of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among health care workers (HCWs) in China (hereafter surviving HCWs). Methods: A total of 303 surviving HCWs were included. Lung (pulmonary function test, 6-min walk test [6MWT], chest CT), physical (St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ], Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale [mMRC], and Borg scale), and psychiatric functions (Essen Trauma Inventory) were evaluated during the 1-year follow-up. Results: Surviving HCWs had an abnormal diffusion capacity 1 year post-discharge. Participants with a reduced carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) comprised 43.48%. The proportion of HCWs with a median 6MWT distance below the lower limit of the normal was 19.4%. An abnormal CT pattern was observed in 37.5% of the HCWs. The SGRQ, mMRC, and Borg scores of surviving HCWs, especially those with critical/severe disease, were significantly higher than those in the normal population. Probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was reported in 21.9% of the surviving HCWs. Diffusion capacity impairment was associated with women. Critical/severe illness and nurses were associated with impaired physical function. Conclusions: Most surviving HCWs, especially female HCWs, still had an abnormal diffusion capacity at 1 year. The physical and psychiatric functions of surviving HCWs were significantly worse than those of the healthy population. Long-term follow-up of pulmonary, physical, and psychiatric functions for surviving HCWs is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines recommend CCRT+AC and IC + CCRT as level 2A evidence for treatment of the locoregionally advanced NPC (II-IVa), IC + CCRT+AC could also be an alternative but it is seldom used because of the low completion rates. This article aimed to compare the effectiveness of the three radiotherapy regimens using a large-scale retrospective study.Methods: This retrospective single center analysis enrolled 1812 diagnosed NPC patients at Nanfang Hospital from January 2005 to December 2015 and only 729 patients met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Patients without distant metastasis, age of 18-70 years, Karnofsky scores of at least 70,stage III-IVb, and adequate adequate bone marrow, liver and renal function. Were enrolled. Adverse events and other categorical variables were compared by Pearson chi-square test or Fishier exact test. Time-to-event data were described with the Kaplan-Meier curves, time-to-event intervals compared with the log-rank test. We did multivariable analyses with the Cox proportional hazards model to test the independent signifi cance of diff erent factors. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the β regression coeffi cient, p value, and hazard ratio and its 95% CI for each of the selected risk predictors.Results: The median follow-up time was 47 months. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed no significant differences among three groups in 3-year failure-free survival (FFS, P = 0.225), 3-year overall survival (OS, P = 0.992), 3-year locoregional failure-free survival (LFFS, P = 0.549), and 3-year distant failure-free survival (DFFS, P = 0.174). Stratified survival analysis based on the risk scoring model revealed no differences in FFS, OS, LFFS, and DFFS between IC + CCRT and CCRT+AC groups for low-risk patients, however, the 3-year OS (88.3% vs. 77.6%, P = 0.049) and 3-year DFFS (84.0% vs.66.8%, P = 0.032) were respectively significantly better in IC + CCRT group compared with CCRT+AC group for high-risk patients.Conclusions: Compared with CCRT+AC, IC + CCRT lowers distant metastasis rate and improves OS among patients with locally advanced NPC in high risk group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was performed to investigate whether long‐term monitoring of dynamic changes in plasma Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) DNA could improve prognosis prediction of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Materials and methods: About 1077 nonmetastatic NPC patients were recruited to retrospectively analyze the prognostic value of plasma EBV DNA load pretreatment and 3, 12, 24, and 36 months posttreatment. We also examined the prognostic value of dynamic changes in plasma EBV DNA at various time points. Results: Patients with plasma EBV DNA load above optimal pre‐ and posttreatment cut‐offs had significantly worse five‐year progression‐free survival, distant metastasis‐free survival, locoregional relapse‐free survival, and overall survival (OS) at all‐time points, excluding only OS at 36 months posttreatment due to limited mortalities. Patients with persistently undetectable plasma EBV DNA at the first four time points had the best prognosis, followed by those with positive detection pretreatment and consistently negative detection posttreatment, those with negative detection pretreatment and positive detection at one time point posttreatment, and those with positive detection pretreatment and at one time point posttreatment, whereas patients with positive detection at ≥2 time points posttreatment had the worst prognosis. Cox proportional hazard models identified the dynamic change pattern as an independent prognostic factor, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the dynamic change at four time point was more valuable than any single time point for predicting disease progression, distant metastasis, locoregional relapse, and mortality. Conclusions: Dynamic changes in plasma EBV DNA pre‐ and posttreatment could predict the long‐term survival outcome and provide accurate risk stratification in NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of highly sensitive near-infrared birefringent six-core photonic crystal fibre sensor using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is proposed. By using the full-vector finite element method, the impacts of the fibre parameters on the wavelength sensitivity and amplitude sensitivity are numerically studied. The numerical results indicate that, benefiting from the high birefringent multi-core fibre structure, an average sensitivity of 8083 nm/refractive index unit (RIU) within the wavelength range from 1.532 to 2.02 µm is achieved when the analyte refractive index (RI) lies in (1.372, 1.432). Moreover, the maximum amplitude sensitivity is as high as 226 RIU−1 if the analyte RI is adjusted from 1.372 to 1.382. In consideration of its excellent sensing performance, the proposed SPR multi-core PCF sensor can be applied in environmental, food safety, and (bio)chemical detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical features of EBV-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) indicate a poorer prognosis than EBV-negative DLBCL. Currently, there is no efficacious drug for EBV-positive DLBCL. The cytokine interleukin-21 (IL-21) has been reported to be pro-apoptotic in DLBCL cell lines and is being explored as a new therapeutic strategy for this type of lymphomas. However, our previous studies showed that IL-21 stimulation of EBV-positive DLBCL cell lines leads to increased proliferation. Here, analysis of a rare clinical sample of EBV-positive DLBCL, in combination with a NOD/SCID mouse xenograft model, confirmed the effect of IL-21 on the proliferation of EBV-positive DLBCL cells. Using RNA-sequencing, we identified the pattern of differentially-expressed genes following IL-21 treatment and verified the expression of key genes at the protein level using western blotting. We found that IL-21 upregulates expression of the host MYC and AP-1 (composed of related Jun and Fos family proteins) and STAT3 phosphorylation, as well as expression of the viral LMP-1 protein. These proteins are known to promote the G1/S phase transition to accelerate cell cycle progression. Furthermore, in NOD/SCID mouse xenograft model experiments, we found that IL-21 treatment increases glucose uptake and angiogenesis in EBV-positive DLBCL tumours. Although more samples are needed to validate these observations, our study reconfirms the adverse effects of IL-21 on EBV-positive DLBCL, which has implications for the drug development of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerium ferrite (CeFeO3) thin films doped with vanadium (V:CeFeO3) were grown on SiO2 quartz glass and <100>-oriented SrTiO3 ( STO) crystal substrates by the radio-frequency magnetron sputtering method in this study. The effects of crystallization, substrate, and V-doping on the quality, the magnetic property and the magneto-optical property of as-prepared films are investigated. V:CeFeO3 film grown on STO substrate has better crystallinity and has better lattice integrity due to the higher lattice matching between substrate and film. The magnetic hysteresis loop and the magnetic circular dichroism spectra show that the magnetization strength and the magneto-optical properties of V:CeFeO3 films have the significant anisotropy. Moreover, V-doping and the stress lead to the change in easy magnetization direction of film. It shows that the perovskite B-site doping with transition-metal ion has significant influence on the magnetic and the magneto-optical properties of CeFeO3 thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linpu Village of Fuzhou City was selected for research, colors of representative buildings there including ancient dwellings, ancestral halls, and temples were analyzed using field research, color atla comparison, data collection, and analysis and induction, in accordance with the Chinese Color System, the color composition of each type of building was summarized. Regional characteristics and causes of the architectural color of Linpu Village were further explored analyzing the geographical location, local customs and practices, and architectural functions of the village. Finally, according to the dual requirements of building beautiful villages and cultural heritage protection, suggestions for establishing color standards for buildings in traditional villages were put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystals have been grown by the slow-cooling method and the Czochralski technique for the first time for magneto-optical applications. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirms that the compound crystallizes in the cubic system I 4 ¯ 3 d , with eulytite structure with a = 10.4484(12) Å, V = 1140.6(2) Å 3 and Z = 4. The hardness of Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal is about 5.5 Moh. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility indicated that the Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal exhibits paramagnetic behavior over the experimental temperature-range 2–300 K. Transmittance spectra and the Faraday rotation have been investigated, which demonstrate that Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 crystal shows a higher visible transparency than Tb 3 Ga 5 O 12 crystal and yields a Faraday rotation comparable to that of Sr 3 Tb(BO 3 ) 3 crystal. Ba 3 Tb(PO 4 ) 3 is therefore a promising material in particular for new magneto-optical applications in the visible region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The immune regulation of chitosan oligosaccharide has been explored through TMT-based proteomic analysis of intestinal mucosa. • The expression of related molecular genes was verified by ELISA, western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR. • COS was primarily distributed in the stomach, duodenum, and kidney in early stage after exposure. • Oral administration of COS can significantly enhance mucosal immunity by activating the sIgA secretion pathway in mice. Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) plays a vital role in improving the host system and mucosal immune function. So far, the impact of COS on mucosal immune response in the early stage of oral administration is not well understood. Herein, the distribution of COS after oral gavage and the protein expression changes related to innate immune by tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomic analysis were investigated. The results revealed that COS was mainly distributed in the stomach, duodenum, and kidney and increased the number of monocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood. A total of 21,677 proteins and 7,483 protein groups were identified. Among them, 338 significant differentially expressed proteins were screened, including 205 upregulated and 133 downregulated. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that the intestinal immune network for the IgA production pathway was activated, pIgR, MHCI, MHCII, Itgb2, Itgb7, and B2m were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression of the above molecular genes was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting, and quantitative real-time PCR. We found that the expressions of IgA, MHCII, TGF-β1, IL-6, and pIgR were significantly increased (P < 0.05) 1 h after exposure to COS. The protein and mRNA expression of pIgR and MHCI were significantly increased (P < 0.05) at 0.5 h, while the AID protein level was significantly increased (P < 0.05) 1.5 h after COS exposure. The expression of MHCII and H2-Q10 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) by 1 h and 2 h post-exposure to COS. In conclusion, oral administration of COS can significantly enhance intestinal mucosal immunity in mice by activating the SIgA secretion pathway. These results suggest that COS can be used as an oral vaccine or drug adjuvant for small intestinal mucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Dy2Ti2O7 single crystal has been grown successfully by Czochralski method. [•] Red-shift in absorption spectra with increasing oxygen vacancy concentration. [•] Influence on absorption spectra was investigated by the density functional theory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A pyrochlore crystal with magneto-optical effect—Ho2Ti2O7 crystal has been grown by Czochralski method. X-ray powder diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, transmission spectrum and Faraday rotation of single crystal Ho2Ti2O7 were measured. The results of Rietveld refinement revealed that the crystal belongs to cubic system and the lattice parameters calculated by Jade 7.0 (Materials Data, Inc.) were a=1.00915(7)nm and V=1.0277nm3. The effective magnetic moment and Curie–Weiss temperature of Ho2Ti2O7 crystal are 10.4μB and 1.86K, respectively. The transmittance of Ho2Ti2O7 crystals grown in Ar can be more than 72% in 700–1080nm and 1260–1500nm. The Verdet constant of Ho2Ti2O7 crystal at 1064nm comes up to −54.1rad/(mT), which is 1.35 times as large as that of Tb3Ga5O12 reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

GRAS proteins are widely distributed plant-specific transcription factors. In this study, we identified 59 GRAS proteins (HhGRASs) from the genomic and transcriptomic datasets of Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc. These proteins were phylogenetically divided into nine subfamilies. RNA-seq analysis revealed that most HhGRASs were expressed in response to abiotic stresses. Results from quantitative real-time PCR analysis of nine selected HhGRASs suggested that HhGRAS14 was significantly upregulated under multiple abiotic stresses; therefore, this gene was selected for further study. Silencing HhGRAS14 in H. hamabo reduced the tolerance to drought and salt stress, while overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana significantly increased the tolerance to drought and salt and reduced the sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA). In summary, we analyzed the GRAS family of proteins in semi-mangrove plants for the first time and identified a gene that responds to drought and salt stress, which provided the basis for a comprehensive analysis of GRAS genes and insight into the abiotic stress response mechanism in H. hamabo. • GRAS gene family was first identified in semi-mangrove plant H. hamabo. • The expression pattern of HhGRASs under drought and salt stress was analyzed using RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. • Silencing HhGRAS14 in H. hamabo reduced drought and salt tolerance. • Overexpression HhGRAS14 in A. thaliana increased drought and salt tolerance and reduced the sensitivity to abscisic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method was applied to the extraction of triazines and phenylureas from milk and yogurt. The herbicides was extracted by the mixture of ethyl acetate and n-hexane and cleaned by primary secondary amine (10mg/mL). The frozen-out centrifugation was applied to further remove fatty. The proposed method can achieve efficient extraction and cleanup. Some experimental parameters, such as extraction method, extraction solvent and adsorbent, pH of sample solution, extraction time and amount of primary secondary amine and sodium chloride were investigated and optimized. The precision and absolute recoveries of eight herbicides vary from 0.07 to 5.86% and from 78.9 to 99.9%, respectively. The detection limits for simeton, monuron, chlorotoluron, simetryne, atrazine, karmex, ametryne and propazine range from 0.15 to 0.35ng/mL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Li[Mn1/3Co1/3Ni1/3]O2 cathode material for lithium ion batteries was coated by CaF2 via wet coating strategy. The CaF2-coated Li[Mn1/3Co1/3Ni1/3]O2 were analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectra (XRD), the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) to confirm the structure and morphology of cathode material. Cyclic voltammetry and cycling charge–discharge measurements were carried out to study the electrochemical performance of bare and coated samples, as well as the optimal coating dosage. Comparison tests have found that the capacity retention is 67.9% for bare sample and 93.5% for 1.0wt.% CaF2-coated sample. In summary, the CaF2 coating strategy benefits the cycling performance of Li[Mn1/3Co1/3Ni1/3]O2 cathode material, and the optimal dosage of coating agent is 1.0wt.%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hibiscus hamabo Sieb. et Zucc is an important semi-mangrove plant with great morphological features and strong salt resistance. In this study, by combining single molecule real time and next-generation sequencing technologies, we explored the transcriptomic changes in the roots of salt stressed H. hamabo. A total of 94,562 unigenes were obtained by clustering the same isoforms using the PacBio RSII platform, and 2269 differentially expressed genes were obtained under salt stress using the Illumina platform. There were 519 differentially expressed genes co-expressed at each treatment time point under salt stress, and these genes were found to be enriched in ion signal transduction and plant hormone signal transduction. We used Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. transformation to confirm the function of the HhWRKY79 gene and discovered that overexpression enhanced salt tolerance. The full-length transcripts generated in this study provide a full characterization of the transcriptome of H. hamabo and may be useful in mining new salt stress-related genes specific to this species, while facilitating the understanding of the salt tolerance mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polarization-insensitive broadband terahertz absorber based on single-layer graphene metasurface has been designed and simulated, in which the graphene metasurface is composed of isolated circular patches. After simulation and optimization, the absorption bandwidth of this absorber with more than 90% absorptance is up to 2 THz. The simulation results demonstrate that the broadband absorption can be achieved by combining the localized surface plasmon (LSP) resonances on the graphene patches and the resonances caused by the coupling between them. The absorption bandwidth can be changed by changing the chemical potential of graphene and the structural parameters. Due to the symmetrical configuration, the proposed absorber is completely insensitive to polarization and have the characteristics of wide angle oblique incidence that they can achieve broadband absorption with 70% absorptance in the range of incident angle from 0° to 50° for both TE and TM polarized waves. The flexible and simple design, polarization insensitive, wide-angle incident, broadband and high absorption properties make it possible for our proposed absorber to have promising applications in terahertz detection, imaging and cloaking objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (Tsc1) is known to regulate the development and function of various cell types, and RORγt is a critical transcription factor in the immune system. However, whether Tsc1 participates in regulating RORγt-expressing cells remains unknown.Methods: We generated a mouse model in which Tsc1 was conditionally deleted from RORγt-expressing cells (Tsc1RORγt) to study the role of RORγt-expressing cells with Tsc1 deficiency in brain homeostasis.Results: Type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) in Tsc1RORγt mice displayed normal development and function, and the mice showed normal Th17 cell differentiation. However, Tsc1RORγt mice exhibited spontaneous tonic-clonic seizures and died between 4 and 6 weeks after birth. At the age of 4 weeks, mice in which Tsc1 was specifically knocked out in RORγt-expressing cells had cortical neuron defects and hippocampal structural abnormalities. Notably, over-activation of neurons and astrogliosis were observed in the cortex and hippocampus of Tsc1RORγt mice. Moreover, expression of the γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor in the brains of Tsc1RORγt mice was decreased, and GABA supplementation prolonged the lifespan of the mice to some extent. Further experiments revealed the presence of a group of rare RORγt-expressing cells with high metabolic activity in the mouse brain.Conclusions: Our study verifies the critical role of previously unnoticed RORγt-expressing cells in the brain and demonstrates that the Tsc1 signaling pathway in RORγt-expressing cells is important for maintaining brain homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum disulfide hybridized with graphene nanoribbon (MoS2/GNR) was prepared by mild method. MoS2/GNR hybrids interlace loosely into a three-dimension structure. GNR hybridization can improve the dispersity of MoS2, reduce the grain size of MoS2 to 3-6 nm, increase the specific surface area, and broaden the interlamellar spacing of MoS2 (002) plane to 0.67-0.73 nm, which facilitates the transportation of Li+ ions for lithium-ion battery. MoS2/GNR hybrids have better cyclic durability, higher specific discharge capacity, and superior rate performance than MoS2. The electrocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution reaction shows that MoS2/GNR hybrids have the lower overpotential and the larger current density with a negligible current loss after 2000 cycles. Hybridizing with GNRs enhances both the lithium-ion electrochemical storage and the electrocatalytic activity of MoS2.MoS2/GNR hybrid prepared by a mild method is interlaced loosely into a three-dimension structure. Superior electrochemical performances of MoS2/GNR hybrids than MoS2 have been highlighted for the potential application for long- term durability energy-storage devices and HER electrocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]