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Reconfigurable chiral plasmonic complexes are fabricated by planar assembly of multiple individual gold nanorod dimers using DNA origami templates. Additionally, each chiral center can be controlled to switch among achiral, left-handed, and right-handed states. We demonstrate that their overall circular dichroism is determined by the coupling of individual chiral centers and is heavily influenced by the precise number and arrangement of these centers. Our study offers a novel self-assembly method for constructing intricate and dynamic chiral plasmonics as well as investigating the interactions among several plasmonic chiral centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Several observational studies have revealed a potential relationship between menstrual reproductive factors (MRF) and osteoarthritis (OA). However, the precise causal relationship remains elusive. This study performed Mendelian randomization (MR) to provide deeper insights into this relationship. Methods: Utilizing summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we conducted univariate MR to estimate 2 menstrual factors (Age at menarche, AAM; Age at menopause, AMP) and 5 reproductive factors (Age at first live birth, AFB; Age at last live birth, ALB; Number of live births, NLB; Age first had sexual intercourse, AFSI; Age started oral contraceptive pill, ASOC) on OA (overall OA, OOA; knee OA, KOA and hip OA, HOA). The sample size of MRF ranged from 123846 to 406457, and the OA sample size range from 393873 to 484598. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary MR analysis methods, and MR Egger, weighted median was performed as supplements. Sensitivity analysis was employed to test for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Finally, multivariable MR was utilized to adjust for the influence of BMI on OA. Results: After conducting multiple tests (P<0.0023) and adjusting for BMI, MR analysis indicated that a lower AFB will increase the risk of OOA (odds ratio [OR] = 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95–0.99, P = 3.39×10−4) and KOA (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.47–0.78, P = 1.07×10−4). ALB (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.45–0.84, P = 2.06×10−3) and Age AFSI (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53–0.82, P = 2.42×10−4) were negatively associated with KOA. In addition, our results showed that earlier AMP adversely affected HOA (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23, P = 0.033), and earlier ASOC promote the development of OOA (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95–1.00, P = 0.032) and KOA (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40–0.84, P = 4.49×10−3). ALB (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–1.00, P = 0.030) and AFSI (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99, P = 2.66×10−3) also showed a negative association with OOA but they all did not pass multiple tests. The effects of AAM and NLB on OA were insignificant after BMI correction. Conclusion: This research Certificates that Early AFB promotes the development of OOA, meanwhile early AFB, ALB, and AFSI are also risk factors of KOA. Reproductive factors, especially those related to birth, may have the greatest impact on KOA. It provides guidance for promoting women's appropriate age fertility and strengthening perinatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to analyze the efficacy and safety of different electrical stimulation treatments for post-stroke motor dysfunction, and to quantitatively analyze the advantages between them and their possible benefits for patients. Methods: We will systematically search seven databases. All of them will be retrieved from inception to 15, April 2024. Two reviewers will evaluation the risk of bias in all included studies with the version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. Data synthesis will be performed using a random-effects model of network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of different electrical stimulation therapies. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve was used to indicate the possibility of the pros and cons of the intervention. The strength of evidence will be assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Discussion: This study will provide evidence that electrical stimulation therapy can effectively improve motor function in stroke patients and will also provide some valuable references for clinical decision-making and treatment guidelines. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023459102. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe–Mn–Al–C low-density steels are regarded as promising materials applied in the automotive industry to achieve the minimization of vehicular emissions and fuel consumption. This study investigates the high-temperature strength and hot ductility of Fe–22Mn–9Al–0.6C low-density steel through high-temperature tensile tests at 800–950 °C. The high-temperature strength decreases with an increasing deformation temperature. This indicates that the precipitation of B2 reduces the hot ductility during the hot deformation of steel, where the results are consistent with those during the solid-solution treatment at 800–950 °C with a holding time of 0.5 h. Furthermore, at 800 °C the γ transforms into a mixture of α + DO3 and κ-carbide precipitates. A transformation of κ + DO3→B2 occurs in the temperature range of 850–900 °C, and at this point the κ-carbide dissolves into the matrix and B2 is generated, resulting in a significant decrease in hot ductility. As the temperature increases up to 950 °C, B2 emerges and transforms into the δ phase, and the κ-carbide precipitates along the γ/γ grain boundaries. The precipitation of B2 during high-temperature treatments in Fe-Mn-Al-C low-density steels is the critical factor affecting hot ductility, leading to crack generation; therefore, it is extremely essential to prevent the temperature interval of B2 precipitation during hot deformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzyme-based degradation of lignocellulose for bioenergy production is an eco-friendly and sustainable approach. This study aimed to elucidate the enzymatic characteristics of endoglucanase (EGL), β-glucosidase (BGL), and xylanase (XYN) from Trichoderma guizhouence NJAU4742, and to explore the potential mechanisms underlying their synergistic degradation of different natural substrates. The results demonstrated that the three enzymes possessed remarkable high-temperature catalytic activity, broad pH adaptability, and responsiveness to different metal ions. The functional group absorption peaks of different substrates were shifted and altered after the synergistic action, particularly for C=O and O-H. Simultaneously, the crystallinity index of wheat straw, soybean straw, rice straw, and corn straw decreased by 7.40%, 2.37%, 20.60%, and 7.67%, respectively, compared to CK (natural straw). Additionally, the dense structure of different substrates was destroyed, and the inner parenchyma began to be exposed after the synergistic action, as observed by SEM. These findings offer valuable theoretical guidance for the development of lignocellulase applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thermotolerance is widely acknowledged as a pivotal factor for fungal survival across diverse habitats. Heat stress induces a cascade of disruptions in various life processes, especially in the acquisition of carbon sources, while the mechanisms by which filamentous fungi adapt to heat stress and maintain carbon sources are still not fully understood. Results: Using Trichoderma guizhouense, a representative beneficial microorganism for plants, we discover that heat stress severely inhibits the lignocellulases secretion, affecting carbon source utilization efficiency. Proteomic results at different temperatures suggest that proteins involved in the poly ADP-ribosylation pathway (TgPARP and TgADPRase) may play pivotal roles in thermal adaptation and lignocellulose utilization. TgPARP is induced by heat stress, while the deletion of Tgparp significantly improves the lignocellulose utilization capacity and lignocellulases secretion in T. guizhouense. Simultaneously, the absence of Tgparp prevents the excessive depletion of ATP and NAD+, enhances the protective role of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and elevates the expression levels of the unfolded protein response (UPR)-related regulatory factor Tgire. Further investigations reveal that a stable MMP can establish energy homeostasis, allocating more ATP within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to reduce protein accumulation in the ER, thereby enhancing the lignocellulases secretion in T. guizhouense under heat stress. Conclusions: Overall, these findings underscored the significance of Tgparp as pivotal regulators in lignocellulose utilization under heat stress and provided further insights into the molecular mechanism of filamentous fungi in utilizing lignocellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The probability of motor deficits after stroke is relatively high. At the same time many studies have reported that acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy have a significant effect on the treatment of stroke. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical value of acupuncture and rehabilitation therapy on brain eloquent areas and neurological function in ischemic stroke. Methods: Seven databases were electronically searched to screen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of different intervention methods (acupuncture, rehabilitation) in the treatment of ischemic stroke. The search time is from January 1, 2000 to April 20, 2023, and the search languages are limited to Chinese and English. Two researchers independently screened literature and extracted data. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results: A total of 17 randomized controlled studies were included, including 699 patients, with a maximum sample size of 144 cases and a minimum sample size of 11 cases. Among them, 3 studies reported the brain function in SM1 area. The effective rate of the experimental group was higher than that of the control group [relative risk (OR) = 3.24, 95%CI: 1.49 to 7.05, P < 0.05]. The FMA score of patients in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group [mean difference (MD) = 4.79, 95% CI: 3.86 to 5.71, P < 0.00001]. The NIHSS score of patients in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group [mean difference (MD) = -4.12, 95% CI: -6.99 to -1.26, P < 0.05].None of studies reported adverse events. Conclusions: Acupuncture rehabilitation for ischemic stroke can activate corresponding brain functional areas and improve neurological deficits. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture rehabilitation treatment is better than that of basic western medicine treatment, and it is more effective in improving neurological deficits. At the same time, clinical research needs to use high-quality randomized double-blind controlled trials with more detailed and larger sample designs, long-term efficacy evaluation and evidence-based research methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study quasar proximity zones in a simulation that includes a self-consistent quasar formation model and realistic intergalactic medium (IGM) environments. The quasar host halo is 1013 M⊙ at z  = 6, more massive than typical halos studied in previous work. Between 6 < z < 7.5, the quasar luminosity varies rapidly, with a mean magnitude of M UV, mean = −24.8 and the fluctuation reaching up to two orders of magnitude. Using this light curve to post-process the dense environment around the quasar, we find that the proximity zone size (R p) ranges between 0.5 and 5 pMpc. We show that the light curve variability causes a similar degree of scatter in R p as does the density fluctuation, both of which result in a standard deviation of ∼0.3 pMpc. The R p traces the light curve fluctuations closely but with a time delay of ∼104 yr, breaking the correspondence between the R p and the contemporaneous M UV. This also indicates that we can only infer quasar activity within the past ∼104 yr instead of the integrated lifetime from R p in the later part of cosmic reionization. Compared with the variable light curve, a constant light curve underestimates the R p by 13 per cent at the dim end (M UV ∼ −23.5), and overestimates the R p by 30 per cent at the bright end (M UV ∼ −26). By calculating the R p generated by a number of quasars, we show that variable light curves predict a wider R p distribution than lightbulb models, and readily explain the extremely small R p values that have been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, both surface texturing technology and surface coating technology have made significant progress in improving the tribological performance. More and more researches have combined surface texturing technology with coating technology, and it has been found that under suitable external conditions and appropriate texturing parameters, the combination of surface texturing and DLC coating can exhibit excellent tribological characteristics, achieving a synergistic effect greater than the sum of the individual parts. Surface texture technology has been widely used to improve the fictional performance of materials, but t cannot provide good lubrication under dry sliding conditions. However, DLC coating is widely recognized as an effective solid lubricant, with good anti-friction and anti-wear properties, but the disadvantage of poor adhesion. Surface texturing can increase the effective bonding strength between the coating and the substrate, thereby improving the coating's tribological performance, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. This article mainly introduces the friction and wear characteristics of surface texturing and DLC coating composite treatment, discussing geometric parameters of the texture, external conditions, contact modes, ingestion of different elements, coating thickness, etc. to provide references for future research directions. Finally, the development trends of composite modulation of texturing and coating are discussed. Surface texture and DLC coating are two widely used techniques in the field of surface engineering. Surface texture is typically formed using methods such as laser processing, electrical discharge machining, and chemical etching to enhance surface friction, lubrication, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance. DLC coating is a diamond-like carbon film with high hardness, wear resistance, and low friction coefficient, which can be used to improve surface performance and extend service life. In recent years, some researchers have begun to study the combined treatment of surface texture and DLC coating on surface performance. The research results have shown that this combination treatment can greatly improve the surface wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and lubrication performance. For example, using laser micro-texturing treatment on the surface of stainless steel and coating it with DLC coating can significantly improve its wear and corrosion resistance. Other researchers have studied the texturization of DLC coatings. By creating microtextures on the surface of DLC coatings, their friction and lubrication performance can be improved. For example, using electron beam physical vapor deposition technology to create microtextures on the surface of DLC coatings can significantly improve their lubrication performance. Still, others have studied the effect of coating DLC on surface texture. This combined treatment can further improve surface performance. For example, after creating microtextures on the surface of stainless steel, coating it with DLC coating can significantly improve its friction and wear resistance. Overall, surface texture and DLC coating are two very useful surface engineering techniques that can be used alone or in combination to improve surface performance and extend service life. With the continuous development and improvement of these technologies, we can expect to see more innovative applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary phase precipitation in Fe-22Mn-9Al-0.6C low-density steel was investigated during a continuous cooling process with different cooling rates through a DIL805A thermal expansion dilatometer, and the changes in microstructures and hardness by different cooling rates were discussed. The results showed that the matrix of the Fe-22Mn-9Al-0.6C was composed of austenite and δ-ferrite; moreover, the secondary phases included κ-carbide, β-Mn and DO3 at room temperature. The precipitation temperatures of 858 °C, 709 °C and 495 °C corresponded to the secondary phases B2, κ-carbide and β-Mn, respectively, which were obtained from the thermal expansion curve by the tangent method. When the cooling rate was slow, it had enough time to accommodate C-poor and Al-rich regions in the austenite due to amplitude modulation decomposition. Furthermore, the Al enrichment promoted δ-ferrite formation. Meanwhile, the subsequent formation of κ-carbide and β-Mn occurred through the continuous diffusion of C and Mn into austenite. In addition, the hardness of austenite was high at 0.03 °C/s due to the κ-carbide and β-Mn production and C enrichment, and it was inversely proportional to the cooling rate. It can be concluded that the presence of κ-carbide, DO3 and β-Mn produced at the austenitic/ferrite interface when the cooling rate was below 0.1 °C/s resulted in κ-carbide and β-Mn precipitating hardly at cooling rates exceeding 0.1 °C/s, which provides a guideline for the industrial production of Fe-Mn-Al-C low-density steel in the design of the hot working process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) exhibits high morbidity and mortality. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM1) is dramatically upregulated in renal tubules upon injury, and acts as a biomarker for various renal diseases. However, the exact role and underlying mechanism of KIM1 in the progression of AKI remain elusive. Herein, we report that renal tubular specific knockout of Kim1 attenuates cisplatin- or ischemia/reperfusion-induced AKI in male mice. Mechanistically, transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1), which is downregulated upon AKI, binds to the promoter of KIM1 and represses its expression. Injury-induced KIM1 binds to the ECD domain of death receptor 5 (DR5), which activates DR5 and the following caspase cascade by promoting its multimerization, thus induces renal cell apoptosis and exacerbates AKI. Blocking the KIM1-DR5 interaction with rationally designed peptides exhibit reno-protective effects against AKI. Here, we reveal a YY1-KIM1-DR5 axis in the progression of AKI, which warrants future exploration as therapeutic targets. KIM1 is dramatically upregulated in acute kidney injury (AKI) and but how KIM1 affects AKI remains unknown. Here, the authors report that renal specific Kim1 knockout relieves AKI, unveil a YY1-KIM1-DR5 axis in the progression of AKI, and suggest potential therapeutic strategies against AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assessment effects of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy on intractable facial paralysis. Methods: The articles of EA treatment for intractable facial paralysis were retrieved from seven databases, the publication period was from its inception to November 30, 2022. Primary measure was the total effective rate, and other measures included the cure rate, Portmann scores, House-Brackmann scores, Sunnybrook scores and adverse events. The effect size of meta-analysis was expressed using relative risk (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: A total of 18 studies with 1,119 participants were included, all of them had various aspects of bias risk. Meta-analysis results revealed that EA ways improved total effective rate more effectively compared with non-EA counterparts (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.17–1.31, I2 = 0%, 18 studies, 1119 participants), and improved cure rate more significantly than non-EA groups (RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.70–2.44, I2 = 0%, 18 studies, 1119 participants). None of studies reported adverse events. Conclusion: EA therapy is more beneficial for patients with intractable facial paralysis than non-EA, but we lack sufficient evidence to evaluate its safety and follow-up effect. Therefore, more clinical trials with high quality methodologies are needed to further verify long-term effects of EA for IFP and improve the level of evidence. Trial registration: Registration number:CRD42021278541. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipose-tissue is a central metabolic organ for whole-body energy homeostasis. Here, we find that highly expressed H1.2, a linker histone variant, senses thermogenic stimuli in beige and brown adipocytes. Adipocyte H1.2 regulates thermogenic genes in inguinal white-adipose-tissue (iWAT) and affects energy expenditure. Adipocyte H1.2 deletion (H1.2AKO) male mice show promoted iWAT browning and improved cold tolerance; while overexpressing H1.2 shows opposite effects. Mechanistically, H1.2 binds to the promoter of Il10rα, which encodes an Il10 receptor, and positively regulates its expression to suppress thermogenesis in a beige cell autonomous manner. Il10rα overexpression in iWAT negates cold-enhanced browning of H1.2AKO male mice. Increased H1.2 level is also found in WAT of obese humans and male mice. H1.2AKO male mice show alleviated fat accumulation and glucose intolerance in long-term normal chow-fed and high fat diet-fed conditions; while Il10rα overexpression abolishes these effects. Here, we show a metabolic function of H1.2-Il10rα axis in iWAT. Thermogenic adipocytes are ideal targets to counteract obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Here, the authors show a regulatory role of linker histone variant H1.2 on iWAT browning and thermogenesis through an H1.2-IL10rα axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery‐induced renal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury and nephrotoxic drugs like cisplatin can cause acute kidney injury (AKI), for which there is no effective therapy. Lipid accumulation is evident following AKI in renal tubules although the mechanisms and pathological effects are unclear. Here, we report that Ehmt2‐encoded histone methyltransferase G9a is upregulated in patients and mouse kidneys after AKI. Renal tubular specific knockout of G9a (Ehmt2Ksp) or pharmacological inhibition of G9a alleviates lipid accumulation associated with AKI. Mechanistically, G9a suppresses transcription of the lipolytic enzyme Ces1; moreover, G9a and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) competitively bind to the same promoter regions of Ces1. Ces1 is consistently observed to be downregulated in the kidney of AKI patients. Pharmacological inhibition of Ces1 increases lipid accumulation, exacerbates renal I/R‐injury and eliminates the beneficial effects on AKI observed in Ehmt2Ksp mice. Furthermore, lipid‐lowering atorvastatin and an FXR agonist alleviate AKI by activating Ces1 and reducing renal lipid accumulation. Together, our results reveal a G9a/FXR‐Ces1 axis that affects the AKI outcome via regulating renal lipid accumulation. Synopsis: The histone methyltransferase G9a promotes acute kidney injury (AKI) by increasing lipid accumulation via suppressing the lipolytic enzyme Ces1. Inhibition of G9a, activation of Ces1, or lipid‐lowering agents may be considered for AKI therapy. G9a affects renal lipid accumulation by negatively regulating Ces1 in a methyltransferase‐dependent manner.G9a inhibition or Ces1 activation alleviates AKI.Lipid‐lowering drugs like atorvastatin reduce renal lipid accumulation and alleviate AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA origami technology enables the precise assembly of well-defined two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanostructures with DNA, an inherently biocompatible material. Given their modularity and addressability, DNA origami objects can be used as scaffolds to fabricate larger higher-order structures with other functional biomolecules and engineer these molecules with nanometer precision. Over the past decade, these higher-order functional structures have shown potential as powerful tools to study the function of various bio-objects, revealing the corresponding biological processes, from the single-molecule level to the cell level. To inspire more creative and fantastic research, herein, we highlight seminal works in four emerging areas of bioapplications of higher-order DNA origami structures: (1) assisting in single-molecule studies, including protein structural analysis, biomolecule interaction analysis, and protein functional analysis, (2) manipulating lipid membranes, (3) directing cell behaviors, and (4) delivering drugs as smart nanocarriers. Finally, current challenges and opportunities in the fabrication and application of DNA origami-based functional structures are discussed. This review highlights the recent advances in the bioapplications of higher-order DNA origami structures at multiple scales. After a brief introduction to the development of DNA origami, we describe the use of DNA origami structures to assist in single-molecule studies, manipulate lipid membranes, direct cell behaviors, and deliver drugs as smart nanocarriers. Our opinions on the current challenges and future directions are also shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation anomaly over Borneo features a dipolar pattern under the influence of the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO). To understand the formation mechanisms of this pattern, a linear theory is developed to study the factors controlling its diurnal cycles and the dipolar pattern. The theory predicts that the prevailing wind is primarily responsible for the asymmetry over an idealized island, while the topography plays a critical role in the leeward convergence and convection asymmetry. The results are largely consistent with the observed composites of the dipole at Borneo. Nonlinear cloud‐permitting simulations are further conducted to test the effects of island topography and solar radiative heating in different MJO phases. The results show that the island topography can cause the mesoscale flow to split around the mountain due to the topographic blocking, and favor the development of the lee side sea breeze. These processes strengthen the low‐level convergence and convection at the leeside of the island during the late afternoon and night, which is very important to the formation of island dipolar precipitation anomaly. In contrast, the inland convergence is weakened and the dipole disappears when the terrain is flattened. The diurnal cycle of solar insolation is the dominant factor driving the land‐sea breeze circulation, which intensifies the island convection at the leeside. These results indicate that the MJO wind anomaly, island topography and solar insolation play distinct roles in the formation of the dipolar pattern of Borneo precipitation. Plain Language Summary: Rainfall over the Borneo island varies significantly during the course of a day. It initiates during the late afternoon, reaches the peak during the late night, and propagates offshore afterward. Rainfall is often enhanced in western Borneo, and suppressed in its east region every 20–90 days. This spatial pattern also reverses sometimes. While these characteristics are important for predicting of rainfall over the tropical island, it remains unclear where the pattern comes from. Here, we study the factors that controls these characteristics. We consider three important factors: solar insolation that varies during time of the day, low‐level zonal wind that changes every 20–90 days, and the island topography. Results from a simple model and complex numerical simulations indicate that all these factors make distinct contributions to the rainfall pattern over the island. Key Points: A linear theory suggests that the dipolar pattern of precipitation over Borneo is primarily caused by intraseasonal wind associated with the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO)Cloud‐permitting numerical simulations indicate that the island topography can strengthen the dipole in the presence of the prevailing windSolar insolation, MJO intraseasonal zonal wind, and island topography are all important for the precipitation dipole over Borneo [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maritime Continent disrupts eastward propagation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). This study surveys the impact of the disruption—often known as the barrier effect—on the MJO teleconnections. The MJO propagation may be broadly categorized based on whether the MJO precipitation crosses the Maritime Continent (MC) during extended boreal winter seasons: successfully propagating across the MC (MJO-C) or being blocked by the MC (MJO-B). Compositing atmospheric circulation upon these two categories reveals that precipitation anomalies of MJO-C are stronger and more coherent than those of MJO-B, while their phase speed and lifetime are comparable. MJO-C and MJO-B excite distinct extratropical responses due to their diabatic heating in the deep tropics. Midlatitude circulation displays stronger and long-lasting negative geopotential anomalies in the northern Pacific Ocean 5–14 days after phase 7–8 of MJO-C, but significantly weaker anomalies from MJO-B. The extratropical water vapor transport during MJO-B and MJO-C differs markedly after phase 2. The Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) both show significant response after phase 6 of MJO-C as its precipitation anomaly over the tropical Pacific during this period is stronger, while MJO-B has little impact on both. Surface air temperatures (SAT) at high latitudes during MJO-B and MJO-C are also significantly different. SAT is weaker and delayed in MJO-B in comparison to MJO-C, likely due to different meridional eddy heat fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facial paralysis is a common clinical disease, it was named intractable facial paralysis when the clinical course more than 2 months. Intractable facial paralysis will produce anxiety and depression, which will seriously affect patients' life and work. Electric acupuncture has been widely used in the treatment of intractable facial paralysis. However, the results of clinical studies on the efficacy and safety have been inconsistent. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electric acupuncture for intractable facial paralysis patients by systematic review and meta-analysis, so as to provide clinical decision-making based on evidence-based medicine. Methods: The following databases will be searched by electronic methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wan-fang Data and Chinese Biomedical Database. All of them will be retrieved from the establishment date of the electronic database to March 2022, all included studies will be evaluated risk of bias by the Cochrane Handbook. The total effective rate will be the primary outcome. The systematic review will be conducted with the use of the RevMan5.3 software in this study. Results: This study will obtain efficacy and safety of electric acupuncture for the treatment of intractable facial paralysis. Discussion: This study will provide clinical decision-making based on evidence-based medicine that whether electric acupuncture could be used to treat intractable facial paralysis, and when and how it might be more effective and safety. It will help standardize electric acupuncture treatment strategies for intractable facial paralysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021278541. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio relics are Mpc-sized synchrotron sources located in the peripheral regions of galaxy clusters. Models based on the diffuse shock acceleration (DSA) scenario have been widely accepted to explain the formation of radio relics. However, a critical challenge to these models is that most observed shocks seem too weak to generate detectable emission, unless fossil electrons, a population of mildly energetic electrons that have been accelerated previously, are included in the models. To address this issue, we present a new semi-analytical model to describe the formation and evolution of radio relics by incorporating fossil relativistic electrons into DSA theory, which is constrained by a sample of 14 observed relics, and employ the Press–Schechter formalism to simulate the relics in a 20° × 20° sky field at 50, 158, and 1400 MHz, respectively. Results show that fossil electrons contribute significantly to the radio emission, which can generate radiation four orders of magnitude brighter than that solely produced by thermal electrons at 158 MHz, and the power distribution of our simulated radio relic catalogue can reconcile the observed P 1400– M vir relation. We predict that |$7.1{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| clusters with |$M_{\mathrm{vir}} \gt 1.2\times 10^{14}\, \mathrm{M}_{\odot }$| would host relics at 158 MHz, which is consistent with the result of |$10 \pm 6{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$| given by the Second Data Release of the LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey. It is also found that radio relics are expected to cause severe foreground contamination in future epoch of reionization experiments, similar to that of radio haloes. The possibility of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) providing seed fossil relativistic electrons is evaluated by calculating the number of radio-loud AGNs that a shock is expected to encounter during its propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its outbreak in 2019, COVID‐19 becomes a pandemic, severely burdening the public healthcare systems and causing an economic burden. Thus, societies around the world are prioritizing a return to normal. However, fighting the recession could rekindle the pandemic owing to the lightning‐fast transmission rate of SARS‐CoV‐2. Furthermore, many of those who are infected remain asymptomatic for several days, leading to the increased possibility of unintended transmission of the virus. Thus, developing rigorous and universal testing technologies to continuously detect COVID‐19 for entire populations remains a critical challenge that needs to be overcome. Wearable respiratory sensors can monitor biomechanical signals such as the abnormities in respiratory rate and cough frequency caused by COVID‐19, as well as biochemical signals such as viral biomarkers from exhaled breaths. The point‐of‐care system enabled by advanced respiratory sensors is expected to promote better control of the pandemic by providing an accessible, continuous, widespread, noninvasive, and reliable solution for COVID‐19 diagnosis, monitoring, and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass transfer is an essential factor determining photocatalytic performance, which can be modulated by fluid field via manipulating the kinetic characteristics of photocatalysts and photocatalytic intermediates. Past decades have witnessed the efforts and achievements made in manipulating mass transfer based on photocatalyst structure and composition design, and thus, a critical survey that scrutinizes the recent progress in this topic is urgently necessitated. This review examines the basic principles of how mass transfer behavior impacts photocatalytic activity accompanying with the discussion on theoretical simulation calculation including fluid flow speed and pattern. Meanwhile, newly emerged viable photocatalytic micro/nanomotors with self‐thermophoresis, self‐diffusiophoresis, and bubble‐propulsion mechanisms as well as magnet‐actuated photocatalytic artificial cilia for facilitating mass transfer will be covered. Furthermore, their applications in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, carbon dioxide reduction, organic pollution degradation, bacteria disinfection and so forth are scrutinized. Finally, a brief summary and future outlook are presented, providing a viable guideline to those working in photocatalysis, mass transfer, and other related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Image registration has long been an active research area in the society of medical image computing, which is to perform spatial transformation between a pair of images and establish a point‐wise correspondence to achieve spatial consistency. Purpose: Previous work mainly focused on learning complicated deformation fields by maximizing the global‐level (i.e., foreground plus background) image similarity. We argue that taking the background similarity into account may not be a good solution, if we only seek the accurate alignment of target organs/regions in real clinical practice. Methods: We, therefore, propose a novel concept of Salient$Salient$Registration$Registration$ and introduce a novel deformable network equipped with a saliency module. Specifically, a multitask learning‐based saliency module is proposed to discriminate the salient regions‐of‐registration in a semisupervised manner. Then, our deformable network analyzes the intensity and anatomical similarity of salient regions, and finally conducts the salient deformable registration. Results: We evaluate the efficacy of the proposed network on challenging abdominal multiorgan CT scans. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed registration network outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art methods, achieving a mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 40.2%, Hausdorff distance (95 HD) of 20.8 mm, and average symmetric surface distance (ASSD) of 4.58 mm. Moreover, even by training using one labeled data, our network can still attain satisfactory registration performance, with a mean DSC of 39.2%, 95 HD of 21.2 mm, and ASSD of 4.78 mm. Conclusions: The proposed network provides an accurate solution for multiorgan registration and has the potential to be used for improving other registration applications. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/Rrrfrr/Salient‐Deformable‐Network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin-integrated electronics that directly interact with machines are transforming our ways of life toward the emerging trend of the metaverse. Consequently, developing a wearable and skin-conformal interface that simultaneously features waterproofness, low cost, and low power consumption for human–machine interaction remains highly desired. Herein, a stretchable, inexpensive, and waterproof magnetoelastic sensor array has been developed as a secondary skin for self-powered human–machine interaction. The magnetoelastic sensor array utilizes the giant magnetoelastic effect in a soft system, which converts mechanical pressure to magnetic field variation and, when coupled with the magnetic induction, can generate electricity. In such a way, our magnetoelastic sensor array comprises the giant magnetomechanical coupling layer made up of nanomagnets and a porous silicone rubber matrix, and the magnetic induction layer, which are coils patterned by liquid metal. With programmable functionalities, the soft magnetoelastic sensor array can supply different commands by producing bespoke electric signals from human finger touch with an optimal signal-to-noise ratio of 34 dB and a rapid response time of 0.2s. To pursue a practical application, the soft magnetoelastic sensor array can wirelessly turn on and off a household lamp and control a music speaker via Bluetooth continuously in real time, even with contact with high-humidity environments such as heavy perspiration. With a collection of compelling features, the soft magnetoelastic sensor array puts forth a unique and savvy avenue of self-powered bioelectronic technology that practically enables a wider variety of applications for wearable human–machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-ceramic piezoelectric composites, combining high piezoelectricity and mechanical flexibility, have attracted increasing interest in both academia and industry. However, their piezoelectric activity is largely limited by intrinsically low crystallinity and weak spontaneous polarization. Here, we propose a Ti3C2Tx MXene anchoring method to manipulate the intermolecular interactions within the all-trans conformation of a polymer matrix. Employing phase-field simulation and molecular dynamics calculations, we show that OH surface terminations on the Ti3C2Tx nanosheets offer hydrogen bonding with the fluoropolymer matrix, leading to dipole alignment and enhanced net spontaneous polarization of the polymer-ceramic composites. We then translated this interfacial bonding strategy into electrospinning to boost the piezoelectric response of samarium doped Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3/polyvinylidene fluoride composite nanofibers by 160% via Ti3C2Tx nanosheets inclusion. With excellent piezoelectric and mechanical attributes, the as-electrospun piezoelectric nanofibers can be easily integrated into the conventional shoe insoles to form a foot sensor network for all-around gait patterns monitoring, walking habits identification and Metatarsalgi prognosis. This work utilizes the interfacial coupling mechanism of intermolecular anchoring as a strategy to develop high-performance piezoelectric composites for wearable electronics. The piezoelectricity of PVDF composites is mainly determined by the crystalline phases and spontaneous polarization. Here, the authors propose a Ti3C2Tx anchoring method to modulate the molecular interactions and conformation of polymer matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructural evolution of the rail steels manufactured by Hanyang Iron Works was investigated through optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). The OM and SEM images reveal that the microstructures are ferrite with a small amount of pearlite in the rail steel 1904, reticular ferrite and pearlite in the rail steels 1911 and 1921, and full pearlite in the rail steels 1917 and 1919, respectively. The EBSD results show that the rail steel 1904 holds the smallest average grain diameter owing to the pearlite with small size. Moreover, the average grain diameter of the pearlite cluster decreases in the rail steels manufactured after 1908, except for 1921, when it was on the verge of bankruptcy. The rail steels 1917 and 1919 exhibit a higher proportion of low angle grain boundaries and local misorientation with angles lower than 1°. Besides, the grain boundary misorientation holds a lower proportion in the range of 40~50° in the rail steels 1917 and 1919. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface precipitation anomalies over Maritime Continent islands typically lead oceanic precipitation by a week in the form of dipolar pattern before the arrival of Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) convective phase. The authors study this dipolar pattern over Borneo during the boreal winter MJO event in January–February 2017 using cloud-permitting modeling, observation, and reanalysis datasets. The diurnal cycles of precipitation are analyzed during the local growing and decaying stages of this MJO event. Both the observation and simulation show positive precipitation anomaly over southwestern Borneo and negative anomaly over northeastern Borneo associated with the MJO easterly in the growing stage, whereas the pattern reverses in the decaying stage. Due to relatively high terrain, the low-level flows over Borneo split near the topography on the diurnal time scale. During the late afternoon and night (1700–2000 local solar time), the splitting-flow-induced wake vortices and thermally driven sea breezes tend to converge at the leeside, both contributing to leeward convergence and precipitation, which peaks at midnight. Subsequent offshore propagation during midnight and early morning develops from the leeward inland convection, and propagates northwestwards in the growing stage over west Borneo, and eastward in the decaying stage over east Borneo. Offshore propagation lasts until the next noon when sea breezes and island convection initiate. The timing and location of the offshore propagation suggest that it is not an independent convective mode. Instead, it is tied to the dipolar distribution of island precipitation modulated by the MJO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of flexible piezoelectric nanogenerators has experienced rapid progress in the past decade and is serving as the technological foundation of future state-of-the-art personalized healthcare. Due to their highly efficient mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion, easy implementation, and self-powering nature, these devices permit a plethora of innovative healthcare applications in the space of active sensing, electrical stimulation therapy, as well as passive human biomechanical energy harvesting to third party power on-body devices. This article gives a comprehensive review of the piezoelectric nanogenerators for personalized healthcare. After a brief introduction to the fundamental physical science of the piezoelectric effect, material engineering strategies, device structural designs, and human-body centered energy harvesting, sensing, and therapeutics applications are also systematically discussed. In addition, the challenges and opportunities of utilizing piezoelectric nanogenerators for self-powered bioelectronics and personalized healthcare are outlined in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable orthogonal bonding with precise and flexible orientation control would be ideal for building finite complex nanostructures via self‐assembly. Employing a three‐dimensional (3D) DNA origami, hexagonal prism DNA origami (HDO), as building block, we demonstrate it is practical to construct finite hierarchical nanoarchitectures with complicated conformations through orthogonal and directional bonding. The as‐designed HDO building block has twelve prescribed directional valences in 3D space and each of them supports two opposite orientations, yielding the capability to generate abundant directional bonding. Meanwhile, we minimize the thorny non‐specific interactions among HDOs and enable the orthogonal bonding between any two valences based on self‐similar designing. Consequently, various hierarchical nanostructures are prepared at will simply by the combination of HDOs with appropriate valences. We believe this route towards hierarchically assembly is inspiring and hope it will facilitate the fabrication of functional superstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable orthogonal bonding with precise and flexible orientation control would be ideal for building finite complex nanostructures via self‐assembly. Employing a three‐dimensional (3D) DNA origami, hexagonal prism DNA origami (HDO), as building block, we demonstrate it is practical to construct finite hierarchical nanoarchitectures with complicated conformations through orthogonal and directional bonding. The as‐designed HDO building block has twelve prescribed directional valences in 3D space and each of them supports two opposite orientations, yielding the capability to generate abundant directional bonding. Meanwhile, we minimize the thorny non‐specific interactions among HDOs and enable the orthogonal bonding between any two valences based on self‐similar designing. Consequently, various hierarchical nanostructures are prepared at will simply by the combination of HDOs with appropriate valences. We believe this route towards hierarchically assembly is inspiring and hope it will facilitate the fabrication of functional superstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication and interaction with machines are changing our ways of life. However, developing an acoustic interface that simultaneously features waterproofness, wearability, high fidelity, and high accuracy for human–machine interaction remains a grand challenge. Herein, a waterproof acoustic sensor (WAS) as a wearable translation interface to communicate with machines is reported. Owing to the sound‐response ability of internal microparticles, the WAS holds a significantly broad frequency response range of 0.1–20 kHz, covering almost the entire human audible range. The WAS is stable against human perspiration, shows omnidirectional response, and displays an excellent frequency detection resolution of 0.0001 kHz. With a collection of compelling features, the WAS can serve as a wearable acoustic human–machine interface and a high‐fidelity auditory platform for music recording. Moreover, the WAS‐based acoustic interface holds a remarkable 98% accuracy for speech recognition with the assistance of an artificial intelligence algorithm. Finally, the WAS‐based acoustic interface demonstrates speaker verification and identification for implementation in highly secure biometric authentication systems and wireless control of an intelligent car using speech recognition. Such a WAS‐based acoustic interface represents the advancement of high‐fidelity translation platforms for human–machine interactions toward practical applications, including the Internet of Things, assistive technology, and intelligent recognition systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrode microfabrication technologies such as lithography and deposition have been widely applied in wearable electronics to boost interfacial coupling efficiency and device performance. However, a majority of these approaches are restricted by expensive and complicated processing techniques, as well as waste discharge. Here, helium plasma irradiation is employed to yield a molybdenum microstructured electrode, which is constructed into a flexible piezoresistive pressure sensor based on a Ti3C2Tx nanosheet‐immersed polyurethane sponge. This electrode engineering strategy enables the smooth transition between sponge deformation and MXene interlamellar displacement, giving rise to high sensitivity (1.52 kPa−1) and good linearity (r2 = 0.9985) in a wide sensing range (0–100 kPa) with a response time of 226 ms for pressure detection. In addition, both the experimental characterization and finite element simulation confirm that the hierarchical structures modulated by pore size, plasma bias, and MXene concentration play a crucial role in improving the sensing performance. Furthermore, the as‐developed flexible pressure sensor is demonstrated to measure human radial pulse, detect finger tapping, foot stomping, and perform object identification, revealing great feasibility in wearable biomonitoring and health assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetoelastic effect characterizes the change of materials' magnetic properties under mechanical deformation, which is conventionally observed in some rigid metals or metal alloys. Here we show magnetoelastic effect can also exist in 1D soft fibers with stronger magnetomechanical coupling than that in traditional rigid counterparts. This effect is explained by a wavy chain model based on the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction and demagnetizing factor. To facilitate practical applications, we further invented a textile magnetoelastic generator (MEG), weaving the 1D soft fibers with conductive yarns to couple the observed magnetoelastic effect with magnetic induction, which paves a new way for biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion with short-circuit current density of 0.63 mA cm−2, internal impedance of 180 Ω, and intrinsic waterproofness. Textile MEG was demonstrated to convert the arterial pulse into electrical signals with a low detection limit of 0.05 kPa, even with heavy perspiration or in underwater situations without encapsulations. The authors invented a textile magnetoelastic generator, weaving 1D soft fibers with conductive yarns to couple the observed magnetoelastic effect with magnetic induction, which paves a new way for biomechanical-to-electrical energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of the MJO event observed during January and February 2017 is conducted to understand its propagation through the Maritime Continent (MC) region. Ensemble cloud-permitting numerical simulations are performed to test the effects of the islands over MC on this MJO event. The control simulation reasonably captures the large-scale mean state, eastward propagation and diurnal cycle over islands of this MJO event. Sensitivity experiments are conducted to test the impact of topography, friction, and land-sea contrast on this MJO event. Eliminating the topography around the MC region leads to reduced precipitation over the islands while changes in eastward propagation are small. When friction is further removed, results are similar except that the low-level wind is stronger, and the MJO precipitation propagation is not essentially different. Land-sea contrast is further eliminated by replacing land with ocean, and the MJO is stronger and displays smoother eastward propagation. Diagnosis of moist static energy budget indicates that both the surface flux feedback and horizontal advection (especially the zonal advection) are greatly strengthened without land-sea contrast, which enhance the convection over the sea and facilitate the eastward propagation of the MJO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel expansin-like protein (CxEXL22) has been identified and characterized from newly isolated Arthrobotrys sp. CX1 that can cause cellulose decrystallization. Unlike previously reported expansin-like proteins from microbes, CxEXL22 has a parallel β-sheet domain at the N terminal, containing many hydrophobic residues to form the hydrophobic surface as part of the groove. The direct phylogenetic relationship implied the genetic transfers occurred from nematode to nematicidal fungal Arthrobotrys sp. CX1. CxEXL22 showed strong activity for the hydrolysis of hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules, especially when highly crystalline cellulose was used as substrate. The hydrolysis efficiency of Avicel was increased 7.9-fold after pretreating with CxEXL22. The rupture characterization of crystalline region indicated that CxEXL22 strongly binds cellulose and breaks up hydrogen bonds in the crystalline regions of cellulose to split cellulose chains, causing significant depolymerization to expose much more microfibrils and enhances cellulose accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the assembly of gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs) into static and dynamic chiral plasmonic nanostructures via DNA origami. Compared with conventional chiral dimers of gold nanorods (AuNRs), AuNBP dimers exhibit more intriguing chiroptical responses, suggesting that they could be a superior alternative for constructing chiral plasmonic nanostructures for biosensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen defects and hollow structures positively impact pseudocapacitive properties of diffusion/surface‐controlled processes, a component of critical importance when building high‐performance supercapacitors. Hence, we fabricated hollow nickel/cobalt molybdate rods with O‐defects (D−H−NiMoO4@CoMoO4) through a soft‐template and partial reduction method, enhancing D−H−NiMoO4@CoMoO4's electrochemical performance, yielding a specific capacitance of 1329 F g−1, and demonstrating excellent durability with 95.8 % capacity retention after 3000 cycles. D−H−NiMoO4@CoMoO4 was used as the positive electrode to construct an asymmetric supercapacitor, displaying an energy density of up to 34.13 Wh kg−1 and demonstrating good predisposition towards practical applications. This work presents an effective approach to fabricate and use hollow nickel/cobalt molybdate rods with O‐defects as pseudocapacitor material for high‐performance capacitive energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The next‐generation wearable biosensors with highly biocompatible, stretchable, and robust features are expected to enable the change of the current reactive and disease‐centric healthcare system to a personalized model with a focus on disease prevention and health promotion. Herein, a muscle‐fiber‐inspired nonwoven piezoelectric textile with tunable mechanical properties for wearable physiological monitoring is developed. To mimic the muscle fibers, polydopamine (PDA) is dispersed into the electrospun barium titanate/polyvinylidene fluoride (BTO/PVDF) nanofibers to enhance the interfacial‐adhesion, mechanical strength, and piezoelectric properties. Such improvements are both experimentally observed via mechanical characterization and theoretically verified by the phase‐field simulation. Taking the PDA@BTO/PVDF nanofibers as the building blocks, a nonwoven light‐weight piezoelectric textile is fabricated, which hold an outstanding sensitivity (3.95 V N−1) and long‐term stability (<3% decline after 7,400 cycles). The piezoelectric textile demonstrates multiple potential applications, including pulse wave measurement, human motion monitoring, and active voice recognition. By creatively mimicking the muscle fibers, this work paves a cost‐effective way to develop high‐performance and self‐powered wearable bioelectronics for personalized healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted significant attention in developing power‐independent stretchable electronic systems due to their intrinsic energy storage function and unique mechanical properties. Most current SCs are generally limited by their low stretchability, complicated fabrication process, and insufficient performance and robustness. This study presents a facile method to fabricate arbitrary‐shaped stretchable electrodes via 4D printing of conductive composite from reduced graphene oxide, carbon nanotube, and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate. The electrode patterns of an arbitrary shape can be deposited onto prestretched substrates by aerosol‐jet printing, then self‐organized origami (ridge) patterns are generated after releasing the substrates from holding stretchers due to the mismatched strains. The stretchable electrodes demonstrate superior mechanical robustness and stretchability without sacrificing its outstanding electrochemical performance. The symmetric SC prototype possesses a gravimetric capacitance of ≈21.7 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 and a capacitance retention of ≈85.8% from 0.5 to 5 A g−1. A SC array with arbitrary‐shaped electrodes is also fabricated and connected in series to power light‐emitting diode patterns for large‐scale applications. The proposed method paves avenues for scalable manufacturing of future energy‐storage devices with controlled extensibility and high electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]