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4H Silicon carbide (SiC) is widely recognized as one of the most advanced wide bandgap semiconductors used in the production of high-efficiency power electronic devices. Impurities play a crucial role in achieving the desired electrical properties in 4H-SiC, yet the understanding of impurities in this material remains limited. In this study, first-principles formation-energy calculations were employed to establish a comprehensive database of formation-energy diagrams for impurities in 4H-SiC. This database includes valuable information on site preference, lattice distortion, solubility, and charge transition levels (CTLs) of the impurities. The site preference for each impurity is closely related to factors such as the Fermi energy, chemical potential, and the impurity species itself. To assess the lattice distortion caused by each impurity, a comparison was made between the volume changes before and after doping. Moreover, the solubility of each impurity was determined using the detailed balance theory, thereby enabling a direct measure of the maximum impurity concentration achievable in the material. Based on the CTLs, the impurities in 4H-SiC were classified into four categories: n-type impurities, p-type impurities, amphoteric impurities, and non-electroactive impurities. This comprehensive property database for impurities in 4H-SiC provides valuable insights for tailoring the material properties through controlled doping, thereby ultimately leading to enhanced performance of power electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address challenges related to the inadequate representation and inaccurate discrimination of pedestrian attributes, we propose a novel method for person re-identification, which leverages global feature learning and classification optimization. Specifically, this approach integrates a Normalization-based Channel Attention Module into the fundamental ResNet50 backbone, utilizing a scaling factor to prioritize and enhance key pedestrian feature information. Furthermore, dynamic activation functions are employed to adaptively modulate the parameters of ReLU based on the input convolutional feature maps, thereby bolstering the nonlinear expression capabilities of the network model. By incorporating Arcface loss into the cross-entropy loss, the supervised model is trained to learn pedestrian features that exhibit significant inter-class variance while maintaining tight intra-class coherence. The evaluation of the enhanced model on two popular datasets, Market1501 and DukeMTMC-ReID, reveals improvements in Rank-1 accuracy by 1.28% and 1.4%, respectively, along with corresponding gains in the mean average precision (mAP) of 1.93% and 1.84%. These findings indicate that the proposed model is capable of extracting more robust pedestrian features, enhancing feature discriminability, and ultimately achieving superior recognition accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxaliplatin (L‐OHP), a third‐generation platinum‐based anti‐tumor drug, finds widespread application in the first‐line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Despite its efficacy, the drug's usage is curtailed by a litany of side effects, with L‐OHP‐induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) being the most debilitating. This condition can be classified into varying degrees of severity. Employing serum metabolomics, a high‐sensitivity, high‐throughput technique, holds promise as a method to identify biomarkers for clinical assessment and monitoring of OIPN patients across different severity levels. In our study, we analyzed serum metabolites in patients with different OIPN levels using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐high resolution mass spectrometry. By employing statistical analyses and pathway enrichment studies, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways. Our findings characterized the serum metabolic profiles of patients with varying OIPN levels. Notably, pathway analysis revealed a significant correlation with lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. Multivariate statistical analysis and receiver operator characteristic curve evaluation pointed to anhalamine and glycochenodeoxycholic acid as potential biomarkers for OIPN C and A, which suggest that serum metabolomics may serve as a potent tool for exploring the metabolic status of patients suffering from diverse diseases and for discovering novel biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chiral H8-BINOL derivatives R-1 and R-2 were efficiently synthesized via a Suzuki coupling reaction, and they can be used as novel dialdehyde fluorescent probes for the enantioselective recognition of R/S-2-amino-1-phenylethanol. In addition, R-1 is much more effective than R-2. Scanning electron microscope images and X-ray analyses show that R-1 can form supramolecular vesicles through the self-assembly effect of the π-π force and strong hydrogen bonding. As determined via analysis, the fluorescence of the probe was significantly enhanced by mixing a small amount of S-2-amino-1-phenylethanol into R-1, with a redshift of 38 nm, whereas no significant fluorescence response was observed in R-2-amino-1-phenylethanol. The enantioselective identification of S-2-amino-1-phenylethanol by the probe R-1 was further investigated through nuclear magnetic titration and fluorescence kinetic experiments and DFT calculations. The results showed that this mechanism was not only a simple reactive probe but also realized object recognition through an ICT mechanism. As the intramolecular hydrogen bond activated the carbonyl group on the probe R-1, the carbonyl carbon atom became positively charged. As a strong nucleophile, the amino group of S-2-amino-1-phenylethanol first transferred the amino electrons to a carbonyl carbocation, resulting in a significantly enhanced fluorescence of the probe R-1 and a 38 nm redshift. Similarly, S-2-amino-1-phenylethanol alone caused severe damage to the self-assembled vesicle structure of the probe molecule itself due to its spatial structure, which made R-1 highly enantioselective towards it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite ceramics are applied widely nowadays by combining superior properties of different ceramic materials. In this study, SiO 2 –Si 3 N 4 composite ceramics with higher mechanical properties and lower dielectric constant were successfully fabricated by nitriding diamond-wire saw silicon waste. The effect of gas atmospheres (N 2 , NH 3 , N 2 –H 2) and SiO 2 content (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) on the microstructure and properties of composite ceramics were studied. It shows that the synthesis of SiO 2 –Si 3 N 4 composite ceramics can be obtained in the NH 3 atmosphere, and it is inevitable to form the Si 2 N 2 O phase in N 2 and N 2 –H 2 mixture atmospheres. Furthermore, the shrinkage rate and dielectric constant of the ceramics decreased as SiO 2 content increased from 0% to 40%. As for the porosity of the sintered ceramics, it first decreased and then increased, with a minimum of 1.73% at the SiO 2 content of 20%. However, the flexural strength of the sintered ceramics was the inverse of the porosity, with a maximum of 160.72 MPa at the SiO 2 content of 30%. For the sintered ceramic with 30% SiO 2 , the shrinkage rate, dielectric constant, porosity and flexural strength are 0.3%, 4.62, 1.97% and 160.72 MPa respectively. Thus, this study provides an environment-friendly and value-added approach to recycling photovoltaic waste and reducing the cost of the reactive sintering SiO 2 –Si 3 N 4 composite ceramics with excellent mechanical and dielectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female entrepreneurs have irreplaceable status and essential significance in entrepreneurship research. Improving females' entrepreneurial intentions is an important topic in this area. Accordingly, this study, based on the theory of planned behavior, investigates the factors that affect female students' entrepreneurial intention at China's vocational colleges and whether household income moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial education, attitude, competence, self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. 2149 females from vocational colleges in Guangdong Province, Zhejiang Province, and Jiangxi Province were randomly chosen to participate in the study. They had taken part in entrepreneurial courses throughout 2021–2022. In addition, data were analyzed by structural equation modeling partial least squares. The results demonstrate that entrepreneurial education did not directly affect female students' intentions. Entrepreneurial competence, self-efficacy, and attitude positively affect entrepreneurial intention. It is further concluded that household income significantly moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial education, attitude, competence, and intention. However, there is no significant difference in the relationship between self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention between high and low-household-income students. While females continue to confront sexism in the workplace, it is crucial that we conduct empirical research into the factors influencing female entrepreneurial intention to boost economic growth and gender parity. This research helps bridge a gap in the prior literature and adds substantial value to encouraging female entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY A fundamental question in developmental biology is how to regulate grain size to improve crop yields. Despite this, little is still known about the genetics and molecular mechanisms regulating grain size in crops. Here, we provide evidence that a putative protein kinase‐like (OsLCD3) interacts with the S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine synthetase 1 (OsSAMS1) and determines the size and weight of grains. OsLCD3 mutation (lcd3) significantly increased grain size and weight by promoting cell expansion in spikelet hull, whereas its overexpression caused negative effects, suggesting that grain size was negatively regulated by OsLCD3. Importantly, lcd3 and OsSAMS1 overexpression (SAM1OE) led to large and heavy grains, with increased ethylene and decreased polyamines production. Based on genetic analyses, it appears that OsLCD3 and OsSAMS1 control rice grain size in part by ethylene/polyamine homeostasis. The results of this study provide a genetic and molecular understanding of how the OsLCD3‐OsSAMS1 regulatory module regulates grain size, suggesting that ethylene/polyamine homeostasis is an appropriate target for improving grain size and weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entropy or information is a fundamental quantity contained in a system in statistical mechanics and information theory. In this paper, a definition of classical information entropy of parton distribution functions is suggested.The extensive and supper-additive properties of the defined entropy are discussed.The concavity is also deduced for the defined entropy. As an example, the classical information entropy of the gluon distribution of the proton is presented. There are some particular features of the evolution of the information entropy in the saturating domain,which could be used in finding the signals of gluon saturation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the intricate-coupling relationship between typhoons and the ionosphere by the high-frequency surface wave radar's (HFSWR) over-the-horizon capabilities. This letter describes the gravity wave features in travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) and ionospheric drift information. Further discussion is raised on the chaotic properties of gravity wave features using the Lyapunov exponents and chaotic attractors, particularly as they are influenced by typhoon. To predict these gravity wave features more accurately, a new model is developed by synergizing phase space reconstruction theory and statistical learning theory, a chaotic prediction model for gravity wave features constructed on a third-order Volterra filter. The experimental findings confirm that the gravity waves features detected via HFSWR present the hyperchaotic behaviour. More importantly, the innovative gravity wave prediction model based on chaotic attractor can capture the dynamics of the original chaotic system. Notably, the model's prediction accuracy has been improved by 98.6% after the introduction of phase space reconstruction modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the introduction of non‐fullerene acceptors, efficiencies of organic photovoltaics are now approaching 20%. Closing the gap with inorganic photovoltaics requires minimizing voltage losses without penalizing charge extraction, for which microstructure control is crucial. However, the complex interplay between microstructure and charge generation, recombination, and extraction has so far not been unraveled. Here, a systematic study linking device performance to distinct microstructural features via machine learning is presented. Building bi‐layer devices allows to separately study the influence of aggregation and disorder on the energies and lifetimes of bulk and interfacial states. Unambiguous assignments of specific structural motifs to the device photophysics are thus possible. It is found that the control of aggregation‐caused quenching is decisive for the exciton splitting efficiency and thus the carrier generation. Furthermore, the static disorder at the donor–acceptor interface controls the nonradiative recombination by shifting the excited state population from the bulk toward the interface. Finally, the amount of disorder in the bulk is found decisive for charge extraction. The finding that charge generation, recombination, and extraction are controlled by distinct structural features, is the key to optimizing these motifs independently, which will pave the way for organic photovoltaics toward the detailed balance limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), which is expressed on the surface of tumor cells, and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), which is expressed on T cells, impedes the effective activation of tumor antigen-specific T cells, resulting in the evasion of tumor cells from immune-mediated killing. Blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway has been shown to be effective in preventing tumor immune evasion. PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies have garnered significant attention in recent years within the field of tumor treatments, given the aforementioned mechanism. Furthermore, clinical research has substantiated the efficacy and safety of this immunotherapy across various tumors, offering renewed optimism for patients. However, challenges persist in anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies, marked by limited indications and the emergence of drug resistance. Consequently, identifying additional regulatory pathways and molecules associated with PD-1/PD-L1 and implementing judicious combined treatments are imperative for addressing the intricacies of tumor immune mechanisms. This review briefly outlines the structure of the PD-1/PD-L1 molecule, emphasizing the posttranslational modification regulatory mechanisms and related targets. Additionally, a comprehensive overview on the clinical research landscape concerning PD-1/PD-L1 post-translational modifications combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies to enhance outcomes for a broader spectrum of patients is presented based on foundational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, permeating every aspect. One area where technology has shown potential to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning is through the use of animated movies. Despite the growing significance of technology in education, research is scarce in this specific area. Therefore, the aim of this study, conducted in 2023, was to investigate the impact of animated movies on the development of speaking abilities among motivated EFL learners. A total of 370 elementary students studying EFL in various institutions participated by responding to questionnaires. A multiple‐stage cluster sampling approach was employed to select the participants. The students were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). The selection of 15 animated films from a pool of 50 was performed using the Lawsh CVR (content validity ratio) and CVI (content validity index) algorithms, following validation by professionals. The study was designed as an experiment, and descriptive statistics and the ANCOVA test were employed to analyse the quantitative data. The findings revealed a significant difference between the pre‐test and post‐test results of the EG in English‐speaking skills, vocabulary learning, English pronunciation skills, understanding and recognition. According to the study, animated movies have the potential to aid teachers and EFL students in enhancing their speaking skills. This research sheds light on the benefits of incorporating animated movies into language learning environments, offering valuable insights for both educators and learners alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Kaempferol‐3‐O‐sophoroside (PCS‐1) is the main component in Crocus sativus (Saffron), a herb with mood‐enhancing properties. AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a potential therapeutic target for depression. This study explores the antidepressive‐like properties of PCS‐1 and its AMPK activation to confirm AMPK as a target for antidepression. Experimental Approach: Corticosterone (CORT)‐induced PC12 cell injury served as an in vitro model to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of PCS‐1. Neuro‐2a cells and primary neurons were utilized to evaluate the synaptogenesis role of PCS‐1. CORT‐induced mouse depression model and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model were used to assess the antidepressive‐like properties of PCS‐1 through behavioural tests, magnetic resonance imaging, and biochemical index measurements. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were used to study the mechanisms of PCS‐1. Cellular thermal shift assay was used to confirm the binding target. Key Results: PCS‐1 (12.5–50 μM) ameliorated CORT‐induced PC12 cell damage, oxidative stress and inflammation. PCS‐1 alone promoted an increase in synapses in Neuro‐2a cells and primary neurons. Oral administration of PCS‐1 (10 and 20 mg·kg−1) ameliorated weight loss, dyskinesia, and hippocampal volume reduction induced by CORT and CUMS. PCS‐1 bound to AMPK to improve the expression of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and induce autophagy. Conclusion and Implications: PCS‐1 binds to AMPK to promote BDNF production and autophagy enhancement, ultimately achieving antidepressant effects. This study provides support for the clinical application of saffron petals and provides further evidence for AMPK as a potential target for antidepression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular occlusion induced by hyaluronic acid injections is rare, but can lead to severe adverse events, including necrosis, blindness, and cerebral infarction. Objective: This study aims to explore methods of reducing the risk of complications such as embolism induced by hyaluronic acid injection, and to study the impact of comprehensive systematic treatment on the prognosis of patients with hyaluronic acid embolism. Methods: The clinical data of three female patients with vascular occlusion due to hyaluronic acid injection was analyzed. Their median age was 26 years, with symptoms presenting 1–6 h postinjection. Hospital stays averaged 6 days. Two patients had ptosis, diplopia, and severe pain after injection of eyebrows. The other, who had a nose enhancement, experienced facial skin color changes and intense pain. Results: Two patients received comprehensive, systematic treatment based on injectable hyaluronidase. One patient self‐discharged after receiving injectable hyaluronidase, antispasmodic, and vasodilator treatment on the night of embolism and returned to the hospital 3 days later with worsening embolism symptoms and received symptomatic treatment again. Two patients who received comprehensive, systematic treatment based on injectable hyaluronidase showed significant improvement, while the patient who did not undergo systematic treatment left scars on the face. Conclusion: Vascular occlusion caused by hyaluronic acid facial filling is a severe adverse event, and timely, comprehensive, systematic treatment can effectively improve irreversible damage caused by thrombosis, and even cure it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in psychology and sociology have documented that anti-rich mentality is a threat to the stability of society and harms personal mental health, but few studies have investigated ways to intervene in anti-rich mentality. In the current work, we took an initial step to explore whether anti-rich mentality can be reduced by appreciative joy, a positive psychological concept that refers to feeling happy for others with an appreciative and unenvious attitude. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey in Study 1 (n = 632) first established a negative association between appreciative joy and anti-rich mentality. In Study 2, a randomized controlled trial further evaluated the effects of appreciative joy intervention (n = 499). The results showed that the intervention increased appreciative joy and decreased anti-rich mentality. Moreover, two concepts closely related to anti-rich mentality (i.e., perceived fairness in allocation and envy) were influenced by appreciative joy intervention. Our findings not only confirm the possibility of a positive psychology intervention to relieve anti-rich mentality but also highlight the effectiveness of appreciative joy in changing attitudes toward social groups. Implications for practices and prospects for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) is a research field at the intersection between machine learning and logic programming, focusing on developing a formal framework for inductively learning relational descriptions in the form of logic programs from examples and background knowledge. As an emerging method of ILP, Meta-Interpretive Learning (MIL) leverages the specialization of a set of higher-order metarules to learn logic programs. In MIL, the input includes a set of examples, background knowledge, and a set of metarules, while the output is a logic program. MIL executes a depth-first traversal search, where its program search space expands polynomially with the number of predicates in the provided background knowledge and exponentially with the number of clauses in the program, sometimes even leading to search collapse. To address this challenge, this study introduces a strategy that employs the concept of reuse, specifically through the integration of auxiliary predicates, to reduce the number of clauses in programs and improve the learning efficiency. This approach focuses on the proactive identification and reuse of common program patterns. To operationalize this strategy, we introduce MILER, a novel method integrating a predicate generator, program learner, and program evaluator. MILER leverages frequent subgraph mining techniques to detect common patterns from a limited dataset of training samples, subsequently embedding these patterns as auxiliary predicates into the background knowledge. In our experiments involving two Visual Question Answering (VQA) tasks and one program synthesis task, we assessed MILER's approach to utilizing reusable program patterns as auxiliary predicates. The results indicate that, by incorporating these patterns, MILER identifies reusable program patterns, reduces program clauses, and directly decreases the likelihood of timeouts compared to traditional MIL. This leads to improved learning success rates by optimizing computational efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a long‐standing clinical challenge. Traditionally, CRPC drugs work by either reducing dihydrotestosterone biosynthesis or blocking androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Here it is demonstrated that AR inhibitor treatment gives rise to a drug‐tolerant persister (DTP) state. The thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin pathway is up‐regulated in DTP cells. Peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) promotes AR inhibitor resistance and CRPC development. Inhibition of PRDX5 suppresses DTP cell proliferation in culture, dampens CRPC development in animal models, and stabilizes PSA progression and metastatic lesions in patients. Therefore, the study provides a novel mechanism and potential target for the management of castration‐resistant prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe synergistic effect of ionic liquids (ILs) and anionic surfactants, ILs and cationic surfactants, and ILs and nonionic surfactants to form microemulsions has been studied by other researchers, while the synergistic effect of ionic liquids and zwitterionic surfactants to form microemulsions has not been reported. Here, we report the synergistic effect of imidazolium ionic liquid, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide [C16mim] [Br], and betaine-type zwitterionic surfactant, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine (CAHS), as surfactants, to form microemulsions with n-butanol, n-hexane and water. Phase behavior of the systems with different mass ratios of two surfactants, varied mass ratios of surfactant to cosurfactant (Km), and different temperatures are investigated by pseudo-ternary phase diagrams. The single-phase region of the microemulsion is maximized when the ratio of CAHS to [C16mim] [Br] is 1:4 and Km is 1.5, with little temperature dependence. The size and the polarity of microemulsions are explored. The synergistic effect of [C16mim] [Br] and CAHS is confirmed by surface tension and interface tension. A universal preparation method to form microemulsions by combining ionic liquids with zwitterionic betaine-type surfactants is provided and it play a pivotal role in broadening the potential uses of ILs in microemulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the most advanced non-viral platform for nucleic acid delivery, holding enormous potential applications in clinical therapy. However, some shortcomings remain, such as complex synthetic routes, low synthetic yield, and high cost. In this study, a series of lipid molecules with different cationic headgroups and hydrophobic tails were designed and prepared via Passerini reaction, which provided a convenient multi-component one-step synthetic process toward the lipid molecules with variable product structures for structure–activity relationship studies. The LNPs formed from these lipids could compress DNA efficiently and form stable lipoplexes with low cytotoxicity. The gene transfection efficiency was largely affected by the lipid structure including the cationic headgroup and hydrophobic tails. The lipids A3 with equal C14 length tails could induce the highest transfection efficiency, which was up to 25 times higher than Lipo 2000. Compared to the commercial transfection reagent, the efficiency of target LNPs was less negatively affected by serum. Mechanism studies by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry revealed that lipids with equal C14 length tails led to more efficient cellular uptake, which might contribute to their higher transfection efficiency. This study provides a new strategy for the construction of cationic lipid gene vectors for non-viral gene delivery by multi-component Passerini reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Only a small number of studies have reported the impact of Ki-67 and P16 expression in tumour tissue on the prognosis of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. This study investigated the relationship between Ki-67 and P16 expression levels after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. • 334 patients had a median Ki-67 index of 60 % (0–90 %), with 303 (90.7 %) cases of positive P16 expression and 31 (9.3 %) cases of negative P16 expression. The cut-off value of Ki-67 for determining recurrence was 67.5 % according to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In multi-factorial Cox analysis, lymphatic vascular space (p = 0.003) and Ki-67 index (p = 0.005) were shown to increase the risk of recurrence, and were independent prognostic factors for recurrence. Patients with cervical cancer in the high Ki-67 expression group (Ki-67 ≥ 67.5 %) had lower recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) than patients in the low Ki-67 expression group (Ki-67 < 67.5 %) (p = 0.001 and 0.036, respectively). • This study provides a theoretical basis for postoperative complementary therapy and follow-up monitoring of this group of patients to control the disease and reduce the risk of recurrence to prolong RFS and OS. To investigate the relationship between Ki-67 and P16 expression levels after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Patients with FIGO 2009 stage IB2 or IIA2 cervical cancer, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical hysterectomy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2015 and December 2019, were identified retrospectively to correlate postoperative Ki-67 and P16 expression levels with clinicopathological factors. The optimal threshold for predicting recurrence was analysed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the Ki-67 index, and univariate and multi-factorial Cox regression analysis were used to investigate the association between clinicpathological features including Ki-67 and P16 and recurrence-free survival. In total, 334 patients were included after screening. The cut-off value of Ki-67 for determining recurrence was 67.5 % according to the ROC curve. On multi-factorial Cox analysis, lymphatic vascular space (p = 0.003) and Ki-67 index (p = 0.005) were shown to increase the risk of recurrence, and were independent prognostic factors for recurrence, while the expression of P16 was not significantly associated with the risk of recurrence (p = 0.097, odds ratio = 0.319). Patients with cervical cancer in the high Ki-67 expression group (Ki-67 ≥ 67.5 %) had lower recurrence-free survival and overall survival than patients in the low Ki-67 expression group (Ki-67 < 67.5 %) (p = 0.001 and 0.036, respectively). The expression levels of Ki-67 and P16 after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer correlated with tumour differentiation. High expression of Ki-67 (Ki-67 ≥ 67.5 %) may indicate poorer recurrence-free survival and overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the potential applicability and the underlying mechanisms of flavokawain C, a natural compound derived from kava extracts, in liver cancer treatment. Methods: Drug distribution experiment used to demonstrate the preferential tissues enrichment of flavokawain C. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and migration effect of flavokawain C were determined by MTT, colony formation, EdU staining, cell adhesion, transwell, flow cytometry and western blot assay. The mechanism was explored by comet assay, immunofluorescence assay, RNA-seq-based Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analysis, molecular dynamics, bioinformatics analysis and western blot assay. The anticancer effect of flavokawain C was further confirmed by xenograft tumor model. Results: The studies first demonstrated the preferential enrichment of flavokawain C within liver tissues in vivo. The findings demonstrated that flavokawain C significantly inhibited proliferation and migration of liver cancer cells, induced cellular apoptosis, and triggered intense DNA damage along with strong DNA damage response. The findings from RNA-seq-based KEGG analysis, molecular dynamics, bioinformatics analysis, and western blot assay mechanistically indicated that treatment with flavokawain C notably suppressed the FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in liver cancer cells. This effect was attributed to the induction of gene changes and the binding of flavokawain C to the ATP sites of FAK and PI3K, resulting in the inhibition of their phosphorylation. Additionally, flavokawain C also displayed the strong capacity to inhibit Huh-7-derived xenograft tumor growth in mice with minimal adverse effects. Conclusions: These findings identified that flavokawain C is a promising anticancer agent for liver cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the neuroprotective effects of ARA290 and the role of β‐common receptor (βCR) in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Methods: This study included male C57BL/6J mice that underwent MCAO and reperfusion. The neuroprotective effect of ARA290 on MCAO‐induced brain injury was investigated using neurological function tests (Longa and modified neurological severity score). Cerebral infarction was examined by 2, 3, 5‐triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, neuronal apoptosis was assessed by immunofluorescence staining, blood parameters were measured using a flow cytometry‐based automated hematology analyzer, liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify the serum metabolomics signature, inflammatory cytokines and liver index were detected by commercially available kits, and the protein levels of the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor and βCR were measured by western blot. Results: ARA290 exerted a qualitatively similar neuroprotective effect after MCAO as EPO. ARA290 significantly reduced neuronal apoptosis and the level of inflammatory cytokines in the brain tissue. However, ARA290's neuroprotective effect was significantly suppressed following the injection of siRNA against βCR. Conclusion: ARA290 provided a neuroprotective effect via βCR in cerebral ischemic mice without causing erythropoiesis. This study provides novel insights into the role of ARA290 in ischemic stroke intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary times, developed economies are adopting environmentally friendly initiatives such as green finance and energy efficiency. However, the factors affecting energy efficiency are widely explored, and green finance remains overlooked in the empirical literature. The present research examines the drivers of sustainable green finance in OECD economies during 2004–2021. The study uses several panel diagnostic tests and validates the mixed integration order of the variables. Still, the long-run equilibrium relationship is valid between financial inclusion, energy efficiency, human capital, foreign trade, composite risk, and green finance. Using panel autoregressive distributed lag model, the study found that financial inclusion, energy efficiency, foreign trade, and composite risk significantly improve green finance in the long run. However, only energy efficiency is effective in the short run. On the other hand, human capital exhibits a significant adverse influence on green finance. The long-run results are robust due to the significant estimates offered by panel dynamic ordinary least square. Besides, there exist one-way and two-way causal associations between variables. The study recommends improving the financial sector performance to enhance financial inclusivity, increase investment in the energy efficiency sector, and encourage trade in environmentally friendly initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explore the impact of HLB (Hydrophile-Lipophile Balance) values on two key properties, namely the thermoelectric conductivities and the stability of the suspension, of a hybrid nanofluid composed of TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles. The present study employed a two-step synthesis method to prepare the polymeric nanofluid, which meant that the nanoparticles were mixed with the base fluid using an ultrasonic oscillator, which was easier and cheaper than the one-step synthesis method. To ensure that the nanoparticles remain evenly dispersed in the base fluid, two distinct polymer-emulsifier combinations with different HLB values were employed as the dispersing agents. The first pair of polymeric emulsifiers consisted of Span#20 and Tween#20, and the second pair was Span#80 and Tween#80 composed to four HLB values of 12, 13, 14, and 15. The experiment measured the properties of the nanofluid, including the particle size, Zeta potential, and thermoelectric conductivities at different temperatures from 20 °C to 50 °C. The experimental outcomes indicated that an HLB value of 13 was the best for the two sets of polymeric emulsifiers tested. This value corresponded to the most reduced particle size, measured at 170 nm, alongside the most elevated Zeta potential, recorded at −30 mV. Additionally, this HLB value was associated with the peak thermoelectric conductivity, which was 1.46 W/m∙K. This suggests that there may be some variation in the best HLB value depending on the type of polymeric emulsifiers and the temperature of the hybrid nanofluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the development of novel electron acceptor materials, the power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices are now approaching 20%. Further improvement of PCE is complicated by the need for a driving force to split strongly bound excitons into free charges, causing voltage losses. This review discusses recent approaches to finding efficient OPV systems with minimal driving force, combining near unity quantum efficiency (maximum short circuit currents) with optimal energy efficiency (maximum open circuit voltages). The authors discuss apparently contradicting results on the amount of exciton binding in recent literature, and approaches to harmonize the findings. A comprehensive view is then presented on motifs providing a driving force for charge separation, namely hybridization at the donor:acceptor interface and polarization effects in the bulk, of which quadrupole moments (electrostatics) play a leading role. Apart from controlling the energies of the involved states, these motifs also control the dynamics of recombination processes, which are essential to avoid voltage and fill factor losses. Importantly, all motifs are shown to depend on both molecular structure and process conditions. The resulting high dimensional search space advocates for high throughput (HT) workflows. The final part of the review presents recent HT studies finding consolidated structure–property relationships in OPV films and devices from various deposition methods, from research to industrial upscaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loving‐kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) have been well applied among employees to improve their health and well‐being. Existing studies on LKCM have also provided supportive evidence of its benefits and effectiveness under organizational contexts. The current meta‐analytical study aimed to systematically summarise the effects of LKCM in the workplace and to outline directions for future research and practice. Among 327 empirical studies on LKCM published until March 2022, 21 trials focussed on employees and provided sufficient information, which were included in the following meta‐analysis. The results showed that LKCM benefited eight categories of workplace outcomes. Specifically, LKCM effectively decreased employees' burnout (g = 0.395, k = 10) and stress (g = 0.544, k = 10) and facilitated their mindfulness (g = 0.558, k = 14), self‐compassion (g = 0.646, k = 12), personal mental health (g = 0.308, k = 13), job attitudes (g = 0.283, k = 4), interpersonal relationships (g = 0.381, k = 12), and psychological resources (g = 0.406, k = 6). The results of moderation analyses further indicated that the participants' job type, gender, and the focus of LKCM might differentially fluctuate the magnitude of LKCM effects. To advance research and best practice, we finally pointed out several issues that deserve attention, such as long‐term effects, underlying mechanisms, potential moderators, and outcomes or influential factors at the organizational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatments for multiple myeloma (MM) have evolved over time and improved MM survival. While racial differences in MM treatment and prognosis between non‐Hispanic African American (NHAA) and non‐Hispanic White (NHW) patients are well‐established, it is unclear whether they have persisted after the introduction of novel agents. Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results‐Medicare linked database, our study investigated racial difference in the receipt of treatment within 1 year following diagnosis and assessed survival outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries (≥66 years) diagnosed with MM from 2007 to 2017. We applied multivariable Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association between race and survival and presented hazard ratios (HRs). Results: Of 2094 NHAA and 11,983 NHW older patients with MM, 59.5% and 64.8% received treatment during the first year, respectively. Discrepancy in the proportion of patients receiving treatment between the two groups increased from 2.9% in 2007 to 2009 to 6.9% in 2014–2017. After controlling for relevant factors, patients who received treatment within the first year had lower mortality than those who did not (HR = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.86–0.94). NHAA patients had a lower probability to receive treatments during the first year than NHW patients (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85–0.97) but had lower mortality (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.88–1.00). The lower mortality was only observed among patients who received no treatment (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.77–0.93); NHAA and NHW patients who received treatment had similar survival (p = 0.63). Conclusions: The increasing racial disparity in treatment utilization over time is concerning. Efforts are needed to eliminate the barriers of receiving treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter to the editor discusses the case of a 58-year-old man with Acute Wernicke Encephalopathy who underwent PET/CT imaging. The imaging revealed increased uptake in the midbrain, medial thalamus, and periaqueductal gray matter, which contrasts with previously reported decreased uptake associated with Wernicke encephalopathy. Treatment with vitamin B1 injection resulted in clinical improvement, and follow-up imaging showed decreased FDG uptake in the cerebral lesion areas. The study suggests that PET/CT can reflect glucose metabolism changes in vital organs affected by thiamine deficiency in Acute Wernicke's encephalopathy. [Extracted from the article]

AbstractHexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) modified glassy carbon electrodes (HBC/GCEs) was fabricated by an electrochemical synthesis, solving the difficulty of the preparation of HBC films because of its poor solubility. HBC/GCE was used as a sensing electrode for the voltammetric investigation of imidacloprid (IDP). The presence of HBC increased the conductivity of GCE, and showed good electrocatalytic activity toward the reaction of IDP. Therefore, the HBC enhanced the electrochemical signal of IDP, which increased the sensitivity of the sensor. The best performance was obtained by optimizing the electrochemical synthesis time, pH and enrichment time. The linear response range and the limit of detection were 5 to 750 μmol·L−1 and 1.5 μmol·L−1, respectively. Moreover, the proposed sensor also exhibited good repeatability, selectivity and stability, and promising applications for real sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the dynamic evolution process of the ocean and ionosphere in sudden sea conditions poses a challenging problem. To address this objective, this study utilizes actual data from high-frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) to analyze, validate, summarize, and characterize the echo properties of the ocean and ionosphere during the severe Typhoon Muifa. By employing the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) method, the HFSWR ocean and ionosphere echoes stimulated by typhoon-induced gravity waves are observed, and the joint gravity wave features of the ocean and ionosphere echoes at different time scales are extracted. Additionally, the phase-space reconstruction method is employed to characterize the dynamical evolution of the joint gravity wave features in higher-dimensional space. Furthermore, the chaotic dynamics behavior of the joint gravity wave features is analyzed using the largest Lyapunov exponents. By combining the gravity wave features with chaotic dynamics, this study introduces a method to characterize the joint gravity wave features. The extraction of joint gravity wave features in HFSWR echoes stimulated by typhoons, along with the construction of a chaotic characterization scheme for the gravity wave features, provides an innovative approach and a solid technical foundation for studying the ocean and ionosphere using HFSWR under sudden sea conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over half of patients with enlarged vestibular aqueducts (EVA) will have an air-bonr gap (ABG), however, current research on audiology has focused on the influencing factors of air-conducted. To retrospectively analyse the influencing factors and clinical manifestations of the bone-conduction threshold and ABG in patients with EVA. We included 286 patients with EVA; among them, 126 had full SLC26A4 gene sequence results. We performed a descriptive analysis of the bone-conduction threshold and explored the effect of age. Finally, we analyzed the relationship of ABG and SLC26A4 genes with the degree of vestibular aqueduct (VA) enlargement. Among 555 ears, 312 (57.8%) ears had ABG; approximately 94% of the patients' bone-conduction hearing is almost completely lost at frequencies of 2 and 4 kHz. There was no linear correlation between age and bone-conduction threshold (p > 0.05). ABG did not significantly differ according to the degree of VA enlargement and number of SLC26A4 allele mutations (p > 0.05). Among patients with EVA, ABG is mainly produced at low frequencies and is not significantly correlated with age, size of the VA opening or SLC26A4 genes, which could be attributed to the biomechanical effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Over the last century, lakes all over the world have experienced significant eutrophication and become more susceptible to critical transitions. This has prompted a growing need to understand how community dynamics shift following ecological perturbations. This study aims to elucidate the present status, spatial patterns and determinants of biological diversity, and how they have changed in response to alterations driven by eutrophication. Location: Lakes of East China, mostly in the Yangtze River Basin. Taxa: Bacillariophyceae (163 species in 33 genres, see taxa names in Appendix S1). Methods: The environmental conditions of over 60 lakes were assessed based on parameters such as water quality, physical characteristics and biogeochemical constituents. Surface sediment samples and high‐resolution sediment records were collected to quantify the biodiversity of diatom communities, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the major environmental gradients. Meanwhile, linear regression, canonical correlation analysis and Mantel tests were used to quantify the correlations between variables. Results: Biodiversity metrics showed no distinct geographic patterns, although areas near large lakes showed comparatively high evenness. Smaller pairwise dissimilarities were observed among hypereutrophic lakes in comparison to lakes with a lower trophic status. The past century has witnessed a decrease in both pairwise dissimilarity and the standard deviation of evenness. A significant statistical association was found between dissimilarity and ionic concentration and composition in the surface sediment of lakes, rather than nutrient levels. Main Conclusions: Following regional eutrophication and human disturbance, a significant reduction in biodiversity differentiation was observed in lakes located in East China. Currently, the dominant factor in determining the beta diversity of diatom communities is geochemical conditions rather than nutrient concentrations. Long‐term stress caused by cultural eutrophication may also have altered the dominant determinant of regional biodiversity and diatom community dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) increase the risk of stroke and cognitive impairment. This study aims to determine the cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between adiposity and WMH. Methods: Participants were enrolled from the UK Biobank cohort. Associations of concurrent, past, and changes in overall and central adiposity with WMH were investigated by linear and nonlinear regression models. The association of longitudinal adiposity and WMH volume changes was determined by a linear mixed model. Mediation analysis investigated the potential mediating effect of blood pressure. Results: In 34,653 participants with available adiposity measures and imaging data, the concurrent obese group had a 25.3% (β [95% CI] = 0.253 [0.222–0.284]) higher WMH volume than the ideal weight group. Increment in all adiposity measures was associated with a higher WMH volume. Among them, waist circumference demonstrated the strongest effect (β [95% CI] = 0.113 [0.101–0.125]). Past adiposity also demonstrated similar effects. Among the subset of 2664 participants with available WMH follow‐up data, adiposity measures were predictive of WMH change. Regarding changes of adiposity, compared with ideal weight stable group, those who turned from ideal weight to overweight/obese had a 8.1% higher WMH volume (β [95% CI] = 0.081 [0.039–0.123]), while participants who turned from overweight/obese to ideal weight demonstrated no significant WMH volume change. Blood pressure partly meditates the associations between adiposity and WMH. Conclusions: Both concurrent and past adiposity were associated with a higher WMH volume. The detrimental effects of adiposity on WMH occurred throughout midlife and in the elderly and may still exist after changes in obesity status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ways in which natural ecosystems respond to global change have become an urgent concern to society. Lakes play a pivotal role in ecosystem changes because of their central position within watersheds and their involvement in various endogenous and cross-system ecological and biogeochemical processes, leaving natural archives accumulated in sediments over time. However, how lake ecosystems have responded to atmospheric changes during the past few centuries is still not fully understood. To analyse the process in more detail, we conducted a case study at Lake Genco, a remote alpine on the southeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and recovered a 170-year history of lake's ecosystem from a 210Pb-dated sediment core. The air temperature increased between 1900 and 1950 CE and 1980 and 2020 CE. Geochemical and physical proxies (magnetic susceptibility, Sr/Ba, K/Al, Na/Al, Ti, Pb, P flux, TN and δ15N org) indicated greater degrees of weathering and erosion, and higher nutrient loadings as terrestrial systems responded to atmospheric changes after 1900 CE. Higher primary aquatic productivity, richer biodiversity and weaker structural stability were found in Lake Genco between 1852 and 2017 CE, although the ecological response was quiet in terms of the compositional change in the diatom community, which was generally dominated by small planktonic Cyclotella ocellata. During warmer periods, diatom PC1 changed directionally due to the overall increase in the abundance of tychoplanktonic Fragilaria construens and periphytic Achnanthes minutissima and the decreasing abundance (∼10%) of C. ocellata. This study provides empirical evidence that ecological changes in remote lakes rely on interactions between the atmosphere and the landscape and helps us to understand the complexity of the various impacts of global climate change. More local and regional studies are needed to generalise the mechanism of biological responses to atmospheric changes in remote lakes, especially in the QTP. • Remote lake ecosystems' responses to climate change have been a key concern in the global warming context. • Modest ecological changes were revealed over the past 170 years in a small high-altitude lake of the southeast Tibetan Plateau. • The relative abundance of planktonic Cyclotella ocellata decreased while primary productivity and biodiversity increased. • Lake surface area may have determined the local ecological response of lakes to atmospheric changes in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple and reliable interenzyme distance regulation strategy was developed. • The biosensor achieved a detection limit for Ochratoxin A as low as 3.1 fg/mL. • This strategy was applied to detect Ochratoxin A in coffee and orange juice samples. Developing sensitive and accurate Ochratoxin A (OTA) detection methods is essential for food safety. Herein, a simple and reliable strategy for regulating interenzyme distance based on a rigid DNA quadrangular prism as a scaffold was proposed to establish a new electrochemical biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of OTA. The interenzyme distances were precisely adjusted by changing the sequences of the hybridized portions of hairpins SH1 and SH2 to the DNA quadrangular prism, avoiding the complexity and instability of the previous DNA scaffold-based enzyme spacing adjustment strategies. The electrochemical biosensor constructed at the optimal interenzyme distance (10.4 nm) achieved sensitive detection of OTA in a dynamic concentration range from 10 fg/mL to 250 ng/mL with a detection limit of 3.1 fg/mL. In addition, the biosensor was applied to quantify OTA in real samples, exhibiting great application potential in food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • OQDs with great sensing potency are synthesized by one-step method. • OQDs realize the distinguishing and sequential detection of Ag+ and Hg2+. • A unique Ag+-triggered AIE enhancement mechanism of OQDs is clarified. • A smartphone-based sensing platform is established based on chromatic change. Realizing the accurate recognition and quantification of heavy metal ions is pivotal but challenging in the environmental, biological, and physiological science fields. In this work, orange fluorescence emitting quantum dots (OQDs) have been facilely synthesized by one-step method. The participation of silver ion (Ag+) can evoke the unique aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of OQDs, resulting in prominent fluorescence enhancement, which is scarcely reported previously. Moreover, the Ag+-triggered turn-on fluorescence can be continuously shut down by mercury ion (Hg2+). This intriguing sequential fluorescence variation exhibits great sensing potency for discrimination and quantification of Ag+ and Hg2+. Meanwhile, our OQDs also exhibit good selectivity, sensitivity, and rapid response toward Ag+ and Hg2+ detection. Due to their high performance, OQDs have been applied to the determination of Ag+ and Hg2+ levels in daily necessities and water samples with satisfactory results. Moreover, a portable smartphone-assisted sensing platform based on chromatic change has been constructed, facilitating the real-time and naked-eye visualization in the resource-confined scene. We anticipate that the discovery of these OQDs would be advantageous for exploring novel QDs materials for fluorescence detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride, a ubiquitous environmental compound, carries significant health risks at excessive levels. This study investigated the reproductive toxicity of fluoride exposure during puberty in mice, focusing on its impact on testicular development, spermatogenesis, and underlying mechanisms. The results showed that fluoride exposure during puberty impaired testicular structure, induced germ cell apoptosis, and reduced sperm counts in mice. Additionally, the SOD activity and GSH content were significantly decreased, while MDA content was significantly elevated in the NaF group. Immunohistochemistry showed an increase in the number of cells positive for GRP78, a key ER stress marker. Moreover, qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses confirmed the upregulation of both Grp7 8 mRNA and protein expression, as well as increased mRNA expression of other ER stress-associated genes (Grp94 , chop , Atf6 , Atf4, and Xbp1) and enhanced protein expression of phosphorylated PERK, IRE1α, eIF2α, JNK, XBP-1, ATF-6α, ATF-4, and CHOP. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that fluoride exposure during puberty impairs testicular structure, induces germ cell apoptosis, and reduces sperm counts in mice. ER stress may participate in testicular cell apoptosis, and contribute to the testicular damage and decreased sperm counts induced by fluoride. Fluoride exposure during puberty induces testicular germ cell apoptosis, impairs testicular structure, and reduces sperm count in mice. ER stress may participate in testicular cell apoptosis via activating JNK and CHOP, ultimately contributing to testicular damage and decreased sperm counts in mice caused by fluoride exposure during puberty. [Display omitted] • Fluoride exposure during puberty impairs testis development in mice. • Fluoride exposure during puberty decreases sperm counts in mice. • Fluoride triggers testicular germ cells apoptosis in mice. • ER stress involves in fluoride-induced testicular germ cells apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pest management technology has been a promising bioconversion method for waste resource utilization. Unlike many pests that consume waste, the larvae of Lucilia sericata , also known as maggots, have many outstanding advantages as following: with their strong adaption to environment and not easily infected and exhibiting a medicinal nutritional value. Herein, the potential efficacies of maggot polysaccharides (MP), as well as their underlying mechanisms, were explored in Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice and TNF-α-elicited Caco-2 cells. We extracted two bioactive polysaccharides from maggots, MP-80 and MP-L, whose molecular weights were 4.25 × 103 and 2.28 × 103 g/mol, respectively. MP-80 and MP-L contained nine sugar residues: 1,4-α-Arap, 1,3-β-Galp, 1,4,6-β-Galp, 1,6-α-Glcp, 1-α-Glcp, 1,4-β-Glcp, 1-β-Xylp, 1,2-α-Manp, and 1-β-Manp. We demonstrated that MP-80 and MP-L significantly ameliorated DSS-induced symptoms and histopathological damage. Immuno-analysis revealed that compared with MP-L, MP-80 could better restore intestinal barrier and reduced inflammation by suppressing NLRP3/NF-κB pathways, which might be attributed to its enriched galactose fraction. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that MP-80 and MP-L both improved the dysbiosis and diversity of gut microbiota and acted on multiple microbial functions. Our study sheds new light on the possibility of using maggot polysaccharides as an alternative therapy for colitis. [Display omitted] • Maggots contain active polysaccharides with anti-inflammatory activity. • Maggot polysaccharides could improve gut microbiota and have excellent biocompatibility. • Maggot polysaccharides are promising for feed additive or treatment of ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Plant and microbial residues are the primary drivers mediating soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how plant residues and microbial residues affect SOC accumulation and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially in the succession process of different vegetation types.In this study, grasslands (GL) and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (RP) restored for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years were used as research subjects on the Loess Plateau, and farmland was used as a control. Several indicators of soil physicochemical and plant characteristics, enzyme activity, amino sugar, lignin phenols were measured.The results indicated that the contents of microbial and plant residue carbon in GL and RP increased with the increasing restoration years. However, the contribution of plant residue carbon to the SOC in GL and RP gradually decreased, while microbial residue carbon showed the opposite trend. In contrast, microbial residues were the main contributor to SOC in GL (62.8–75.1%), while plant residues were the main contributor to SOC in RP (47.2–58.3%). There was a difference in the bacterial and fungal residue carbon contribution to SOC between GL and RP. In GL, the dominant contributor to SOC changed from bacterial (47.7–37.2%) to fungal residues (15.1–37.9%). But in RP, it has always been dominated by fungal residue carbon (17.4–33.3%).More SOC accumulated in GL and RP in the form of microbial and plant residue carbon, respectively. In GL and RP, the contribution of carbon from fungal residues increased with the increase of recovery years. Overall, our research not only contributes to understanding the complexity of the carbon cycle in ecosystems, but also provides a valuable scientific basis for the management of soil carbon pools in different vegetation types under climate change.Methods: Plant and microbial residues are the primary drivers mediating soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how plant residues and microbial residues affect SOC accumulation and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially in the succession process of different vegetation types.In this study, grasslands (GL) and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (RP) restored for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years were used as research subjects on the Loess Plateau, and farmland was used as a control. Several indicators of soil physicochemical and plant characteristics, enzyme activity, amino sugar, lignin phenols were measured.The results indicated that the contents of microbial and plant residue carbon in GL and RP increased with the increasing restoration years. However, the contribution of plant residue carbon to the SOC in GL and RP gradually decreased, while microbial residue carbon showed the opposite trend. In contrast, microbial residues were the main contributor to SOC in GL (62.8–75.1%), while plant residues were the main contributor to SOC in RP (47.2–58.3%). There was a difference in the bacterial and fungal residue carbon contribution to SOC between GL and RP. In GL, the dominant contributor to SOC changed from bacterial (47.7–37.2%) to fungal residues (15.1–37.9%). But in RP, it has always been dominated by fungal residue carbon (17.4–33.3%).More SOC accumulated in GL and RP in the form of microbial and plant residue carbon, respectively. In GL and RP, the contribution of carbon from fungal residues increased with the increase of recovery years. Overall, our research not only contributes to understanding the complexity of the carbon cycle in ecosystems, but also provides a valuable scientific basis for the management of soil carbon pools in different vegetation types under climate change.Results: Plant and microbial residues are the primary drivers mediating soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how plant residues and microbial residues affect SOC accumulation and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially in the succession process of different vegetation types.In this study, grasslands (GL) and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (RP) restored for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years were used as research subjects on the Loess Plateau, and farmland was used as a control. Several indicators of soil physicochemical and plant characteristics, enzyme activity, amino sugar, lignin phenols were measured.The results indicated that the contents of microbial and plant residue carbon in GL and RP increased with the increasing restoration years. However, the contribution of plant residue carbon to the SOC in GL and RP gradually decreased, while microbial residue carbon showed the opposite trend. In contrast, microbial residues were the main contributor to SOC in GL (62.8–75.1%), while plant residues were the main contributor to SOC in RP (47.2–58.3%). There was a difference in the bacterial and fungal residue carbon contribution to SOC between GL and RP. In GL, the dominant contributor to SOC changed from bacterial (47.7–37.2%) to fungal residues (15.1–37.9%). But in RP, it has always been dominated by fungal residue carbon (17.4–33.3%).More SOC accumulated in GL and RP in the form of microbial and plant residue carbon, respectively. In GL and RP, the contribution of carbon from fungal residues increased with the increase of recovery years. Overall, our research not only contributes to understanding the complexity of the carbon cycle in ecosystems, but also provides a valuable scientific basis for the management of soil carbon pools in different vegetation types under climate change.Conclusions: Plant and microbial residues are the primary drivers mediating soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how plant residues and microbial residues affect SOC accumulation and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, especially in the succession process of different vegetation types.In this study, grasslands (GL) and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (RP) restored for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years were used as research subjects on the Loess Plateau, and farmland was used as a control. Several indicators of soil physicochemical and plant characteristics, enzyme activity, amino sugar, lignin phenols were measured.The results indicated that the contents of microbial and plant residue carbon in GL and RP increased with the increasing restoration years. However, the contribution of plant residue carbon to the SOC in GL and RP gradually decreased, while microbial residue carbon showed the opposite trend. In contrast, microbial residues were the main contributor to SOC in GL (62.8–75.1%), while plant residues were the main contributor to SOC in RP (47.2–58.3%). There was a difference in the bacterial and fungal residue carbon contribution to SOC between GL and RP. In GL, the dominant contributor to SOC changed from bacterial (47.7–37.2%) to fungal residues (15.1–37.9%). But in RP, it has always been dominated by fungal residue carbon (17.4–33.3%).More SOC accumulated in GL and RP in the form of microbial and plant residue carbon, respectively. In GL and RP, the contribution of carbon from fungal residues increased with the increase of recovery years. Overall, our research not only contributes to understanding the complexity of the carbon cycle in ecosystems, but also provides a valuable scientific basis for the management of soil carbon pools in different vegetation types under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RB-SiC) is regarded as difficult-to-machine ceramic materials with extremely high strength and hardness. The work focuses on the grinding performance evaluation of RB-SiC ground by the dressing diamond grinding wheel with AWJ. Orthogonal experiments studied the influence of processing parameters on grinding force and 3D surface roughness, with the response surface method identifying optimal parameters. Explanation of the ground surface topography and 3D surface roughness in a comprehensive manner shows that an erosion of the bonding material by micro-cutting but diamond grains are being pulled out rather than cut. Results reflect a correlation between surface topography and diamond wheel dressing. The results are of great significance for future formulating an appropriate grinding process to machine RB-SiC ceramics. [Display omitted] • An efficient RB-SiC machining-strengthening technique integrates abrasive water jet dressing and grinding. • The amplitude, spatial, and hybrid parameters of 3D surface topography were analyzed. • The bonding material is eroded through micro-cutting while the diamond grains are being pulled out. • The IAWJD technique enhanced the grindability and reduced the dressing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data anonymization has been used extensively in data-sharing scenarios to protect the privacy of people's raw data. However, in the era of Big Data, the amount of data released has increased so rapidly that most existing data anonymization approaches have become ineffective. This is because the scalability of these approaches is inadequate when dealing with large-scale data. In addition, these approaches cannot handle the sparseness of high-dimensional search space. In this paper, we propose a MapReduce-based approach to address the problem of anonymization of high-dimensional big data. First, our approach uses a vertical partition criterion based on normalized mutual information to decompose raw data into different fragments with smaller dimensionality. Then, a clustering-based local recoding is used to group the records of each fragment into clusters. During this phase, records with similar values of quasi-identifier attributes but dissimilar values of sensitive attributes tend to be grouped. Finally, clusters of each fragment are anonymized to resist simultaneously (1) the disclosure of the individual identification and (2) proximity breaches. Our proposed approach is integrated with MapReduce to implement parallel distributed computing. Experiments on three public data sets demonstrated that our approach outperformed the compared approaches in terms of efficiency and scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel method combining electron beam evaporation plating with surface alloying has been developed. • Aluminum alloy with electron beam treatment possesses excellent corrosion resistance. • Grains refinement, nanocrystallization Al 2 Cu formation and the corrosion resistance mechanism were revealed. Realization of surface-reinforced aluminum alloys with excellent corrosion resistance remains a major topic. Herein, a novel method based on combination of electron beam evaporation plating and surface alloying was proposed. Results revealed that the current density is one order of magnitude less than that of the substrate and that the impedance value is doubled. The nanometer-scale refinement of the grains and the homogenous dispersion of nanocrystallization Al 2 Cu in the modified layer of aluminum alloy contributed to the enhancement of corrosion resistance. This study is expected to provide a new sight for the development of Cu-reinforced high-performance aluminum alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing attention paid to the effects of learning a foreign language (FL) on older adults in the currently ageing world, psychological individual difference (ID) variables (e.g. learning motivation) remain much under-investigated, compared with cognitive IDs. This exploratory study examined older adults’ English learning motivation in the Chinese context of English as a foreign language (EFL) by conducting a web-based survey (n = 510) and semi-structured interviews (n = 21). Results showed that (1) the selected sociobiographical variables influenced older adults’ English learning motivation to different degrees, among which education, use frequency of English and socioeconomic status (SES) emerged as very important predictors; and (2) four motivators for English learning by older adults emerged as traveling or visiting relatives abroad, keeping the brain in shape, supporting inter-generational communication, and having general interest in the target FL. As one of the first systematic attempts to explore English learning motivation among Chinese older adults, the present study (1) contributes to a further understanding of English learning motivation among older adults in the Chinese EFL context, and (2) provides pedagogical and policy implications for English language teaching targeting older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a retraction note from the journal Cancer Cell International. The article titled "Circular RNA ITCH suppressed prostate cancer progression by increasing HOXB13 expression via spongy miR-17-5p" has been retracted at the request of the corresponding author. The retraction was prompted by concerns about image overlap in several figures of the article. The authors were unable to retrieve the data from a third-party biological company, leading to a loss of confidence in the presented data. The retraction was agreed upon by all authors. [Extracted from the article]

To improve the reuse of industrial solid wastes, this study investigates alkali-activated material (AAM) consisting of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and fly ash (FA) activated by carbide slag (CS). A separation treatment process was introduced to obtain reactive ultrafine GGBS and FA (RUGGBS and RUFA). The compressive strength is used to differentiate between representative specimens for exploring the hydration mechanism in terms of hydration process, hydrate types, and pore-structure characteristics. Finally, the environmental and economic benefits of these materials are calculated and analyzed based on the material sustainability indicators (MSIs). The results show that the separation of GGBS and FA reduces their particle size and enhances their hydration activity. Although using RUGGBS and RUFA delays the setting time of AAM, it results in lower hydration heat release and increases compressive strength after aging for 3 days. RUGGBS and RUFA synergistically promote polymerization reactions in CS-activated GGBS-FA systems, which results in more hydrates, including C–S–H gel, C–A–S–H gel, and hydrotalcite-like hydrates, helping to optimize the pore structure and strengthen the material. These findings suggest that separating industrial solid wastes can promote the use of AAMs in construction engineering by significantly reducing their environmental impact. • A low-carbon AAM containing GGBS and FA is prepared. • Separation process significant enhance the hydration activity of GGBS and FA. • The strength of GGBS/FA composites is significantly affected by the CS activator. • The RUGGBS/RUFA composites can exhibit lower hydration heat release in the early hydration stage • The RUGGBS/RUFA composites obtain strong strength due to its compact hydrates and dense microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc oxide (ZnO) has attracted a substantial interest in cancer research owing to their promising utility in cancer imaging and therapy. This study aimed to synthesized ZnO nanoflowers coated with albumin to actively target and the inhibit skin melanoma cells. We synthesized bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated ZnO nanoflowers (BSA@ZnO NFs) and evaluated it's in vitro and in vivo therapeutic efficacy for skin cancer cells. BSA@ZnO NFs were prepared via single-step reduction method in the presence of plant extract (Heliotropium indicum) act as a capping agent, and further the successful fabrication was established by various physico-chemical characterizations, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and x-rays diffraction (XRD) analysis. The fabricated BSA@ZnO NFs appeared flower like with multiple cone-shaped wings and average hydration size of 220.8 ± 12.6 nm. Further, BSA@ZnO NFs showed enhanced cellular uptake and cytocidal effects against skin cancer cells by inhibiting their growth via oxidative stress compared uncoated ZnO NFs. Moreover, BSA@ZnO NFs showed enhance biosafety, blood circulation time, tumor accumulation and in vivo tumor growth inhibition compared to ZnO NFs. In short, our findings suggesting BSA@ZnO NFs as a promising candidate for various types of cancer treatment along with chemotherapy. (a) Preparation scheme of BSA@ZnO NFs. (b) Tumor targeting mechanism of BSA@ZnO NFs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mediates Cd-caused germ cell apoptosis in testis. The effects of 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA), a classical chaperone, were investigated on Cd-induced apoptosis in mouse GC-1 spermatogonia cells. The cells were pretreated with PBA before Cd exposure. TUNEL and flow cytometry assays were applied to determine apoptosis. Some key biomarkers of ER stress were analyzed using RT-PCR and western blot. as expected, the apoptotic cells exposed to Cd apparently increased. The mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78 and ATF6α, were elevated in the Cd groups. Additional experiments displayed that Cd notably increased IRE1α and JNK phosphorylation, and upregulated XBP-1 mRNA and protein expression. Moreover, p-eIF2α and CHOP expressions were clearly elevated in the Cd groups. Interestingly, PBA almost completely inhibited ER stress and protected spermatogonia against apoptosis induced by Cd. PBA alleviated Cd-induced ER stress and spermatogonia apoptosis, and may have the therapeutic role in Cd-induced male reproductive toxicity. • CdCl 2 induced spermatogonia apoptosis in vitro. • CdCl 2 triggered spermatogonia ER stress. • 4-PBA alleviated CdCl 2 -induced spermatogonia apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]