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The demand for self‐powered sensing technology and energy harvesting system necessitates high‐performance and flexible piezoelectric materials. This paper presents a novel approach utilizing coaxial electrospinning to fabricate all‐organic PVDF/PMMA piezoelectric fiber films with a shell–core structure. The resulting fiber films, cut into 2 × 2 cm2 square pieces and hot‐pressed every three pieces, demonstrate enhanced piezoelectric properties while retaining high flexibility. The interaction between the CO bonds in the PMMA polymer and the CH2 in PVDF promotes the arrangement of F atoms in PVDF, enhancing the content of the piezoelectric active phase. Additionally, the coaxial electrospinning process fosters vertically oriented hydrogen bonds between PVDF and PMMA, augmenting cross‐linking and improving mechanical properties. Notably, when the PVDF to PMMA layer volume ratio is 5:1, the piezoelectric coefficient (|d33|) of the composite fiber film exhibits a significant 60% increase from 10 pC N−1 in neat PVDF to 16 pC N−1. This research holds substantial promise for applications in self‐powered sensing and energy harvesting piezoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the influence of aliasing noise on the effectiveness and accuracy of bearing fault diagnosis, a bearing fault diagnosis algorithm based on the spatial decoupling method of modified kernel principal component analysis (MKPCA) and the residual network with deformable convolution (DC‐ResNet) is innovatively proposed. Firstly, the Gaussian noise with different signal‐to‐noise ratios (SNRs) is added to the data to simulate the different degrees of noise in the actual data acquisition process. The MKPCA is used to project the fault signal with different SNRs in the kernel space to reduce the data dimension and eliminate some noise effects. Finally, the DC‐ResNet model is used to further filter the noise effects and fully extract the fault features through the training of the preprocessed data. The proposed algorithm is tested on the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) and Xi'an Jiaotong University and Changxing Sumyoung Technology Co., Ltd. (XJTU‐SY) bearing data sets with different SNR noise. The fault diagnosis accuracy can reach 100% within 30 min, which has better performance than most of the existing methods. The experimental results show that the algorithm has an excellent effect on accuracy and computation complexity under different noise levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient, durable, and affordable electrocatalysts is critical for the advancement of a hydrogen economy, particularly in alkaline media. In this study, we propose CoCrFeNi and CoCrFeNiMo high entropy alloys (HEAs) powders as bifunctional electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). While there is a performance gap compared to Pt/C, the prepared samples exhibit relatively good electrocatalytic activity with overpotentials of 156.7 mV and 160.5 mV for HER at 10 mA cm−2 in a 1.0 M KOH solution, respectively. Notably, the CoCrFeNiMo catalyst demonstrates significantly higher OER activity than commercial RuO2 with an overpotential of 390 mV at 50 mA cm−2, and delivers a cell voltage of 1.86 V at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tellurium (Te), an elemental van der Waals semiconductor, has intriguing anisotropic physical properties owing to its inherent quais‐1D crystal structure. Synthesizing ultrathin Te crystal with uniform orientation is important to its large‐scale device applications, but that remains a great challenge. Herein, the nanoscale grooves‐induced unidirectional epitaxy growth of 1D Te nanowires via physical vapor deposition on the annealed m‐plane sapphire is demonstrated. By enhancing the annealing temperature from 1000 to 1300 °C, nanoscale grooves on m‐plane sapphire arising along the [101¯$\overline 1 $0] direction and gradually distinct, and the corresponding Te nanowires grown on them turns from random to uniform, finally achieving nearly 95% unidirectional Te nanowires. The as‐grown Te nanowires possess high crystallinity with clearly chiral helical chains along the c‐axis direction and reveal thickness‐tunable bandgap with prominent linear‐dichroic. As results, the Te nanowire‐based photodetectors demonstrate a broadband photoresponse from visible (532 nm) to short‐wave infrared (2530 nm), with high responsivity of 327 A W−1 as well as strong and uniform polarization sensitivity (anisotropic ratio = 2.05) to 1550 nm light. The high crystallinity and superior anisotropy of Te nanowires, combined with the orientation‐controlled preparation endows it with great feasibility for constructing chip‐scale multifunctional optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal is considered as a promising anode for its high energy density and low redox potential. However, dendrite growth and electrolyte‐lithium reaction lead to poor cycling stability of lithium anodes. Herein, a space‐confined strategy is proposed to realize stable Li metal anode by constructing a nonplanar interface with flexible tent‐like nanocavities. The tent‐like interface is achieved through the self‐assembly of graphene oxide on zinc nanosheets, accompanied by the spontaneous formation of ZnOC bond. Remarkably, the ZnOC bond immobilizes the graphene oxide layer to ensure tent‐like structural integrity, and shows excellent lithophilicity to induce homogeneous lithium deposition within nanocavities. Furthermore, the process of Li plating/stripping is confined inside tent‐like nanocavities to effectively decrease electrolyte content contact with fresh Li, which reduces hazardous electrolyte‐lithium reaction and thus eliminates continuous consumption of Li metal. Consequently, the symmetrical cells with the tent‐like interface deliver excellent long cycling performance over 1600 h at 1 mA cm−2, and full batteries show high‐capacity retention of 94.6% after 3000 cycles at 5 C. This strategy provides a unique flexible tent‐like interface to achieve stable lithium metal anode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amide nucleating agents have been reported to be effective in promoting poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) crystallization, while few research efforts have focused on the structure–activity relationship of the nucleating agents which is one basic issue to develop new agents. In this work, three amide nucleating agents with different symmetry were designed and synthesized to investigate the effect of the symmetry of benzamide nucleating agents on PLLA crystallization. It is found that the C3 symmetric amide structure of N, N′, N″‐tricyclohexyl‐1,3,5‐benzenetriamine (BTCA) agent can form a highly oriented structure by a triple hydrogen bond of π–π bond and benzene ring and can act as efficient nucleation sites. In addition, the strong intramolecular hydrogen bond with PLLA would further promote the crystallization of PLLA. In general, it is the self‐assembled ability and intramolecular hydrogen bonding with PLLA affects the rate and degree of PLLA crystallinity, and we find the C3 symmetric amide structure exhibits the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) have been extensively investigated due to their unique structural design, superior stability, excellent functional feature and superior mechanical performance. However, most of the reported HEAs focus on studying the compositional design and microstructure and mechanical properties of materials. There are relatively few studies on electrochemical performance and theoretical studies of HEAs. In addition, the potential applications of HEAs as energy storage materials for electrocatalysts have attracted widely attention in the development and application aspects of electrocatalysis. It can be attributed to their high conductivity, excellent structural stability and superior electrocatalytic activities with small overpotential and abundant active sites, which is comparable to the commercial noble metal catalysts. In this review, firstly, we briefly discuss the concept and structure characteristics of high entropy alloys. Then, the research progress of high‐entropy alloys as electrocatalysis are also summarized, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), respectively. Finally, the future development trend of HEAs is also prospected for energy conversion fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aimed to determine the association between role stress and depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating role of job autonomy on the role stress‐depressive symptoms relationship. The data came from the China Social Work Longitudinal Study. Depressive symptoms were measured with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Role stress was assessed using two standardized scales of role conflict and role ambiguity. Job autonomy was assessed with a measure derived from the Job Content Questionnaire. We found that role conflict and role ambiguity were positively associated with depressive symptoms, while job autonomy was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, job autonomy was found to act as a moderator against the detrimental effect of role ambiguity on depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that measures focusing on improving job autonomy and decreasing role stress are necessary to improve social workers' psychological well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐dimensional ultrawide bandgap semiconductors demonstrate great potential in fabricating solar‐blind ultraviolet photodetectors. However, the widespread use of detectors is still limited by the low responsivity, large noise, and dark current, and especially few detectors can fulfill the solar‐blind ultraviolet detection and the polarization dependence simultaneously. Herein, a polarization sensitive solar‐blind ultraviolet photodetector based on ultrathin KNb3O8 nanobelts synthesized via chemical vapor deposition growth, is reported. By selecting suitable substrate and tuning the growth temperature, the nonlayered KNb3O8 crystal is grown into the quasi‐1D ultrathin nanobelt with thickness in the range of 4.8–120 nm. Density functional theory calculations and experimental results indicate that the ultrathin KNb3O8 nanobelt possesses an ultrawide bandgap (4.15 eV) as well as unusual in‐plane structural anisotropy. Benefiting from the above features, the ultrathin KNb3O8 nanobelt‐based device exhibits superior photodetection performances with high responsivity (30 A W−1), high detectivity (5.95 × 1011 Jones), and ultralow dark current (7.1 × 10−15 A) in the solar‐blind ultraviolet region (230–280 nm). In addition, the KNb3O8 photodetector displays strong polarization sensitive photoresponse with a linear dichroic ratio of 1.62 at 254 nm. With these remarkable features, the ultrathin KNb3O8 nanobelt provides great opportunities for designing the next‐generation multifunctional solar‐blind ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate purification of the polluted water is a sustainable and significant work. The hydrogenation of 4‐nitrophenol (4‐NP) is an invaluable process by transforming toxic nitrophenol to serviceable industrial raw material 4‐aminophenol (4‐AP). Suffering the limit of high‐cost precious metal as catalyst, the design and exploring cheap and efficient catalyst is urgently needed, to promote this informative process. Here, we propose a simple and economical synthesis route to synthesize spindle‐shaped CuO nanoparticles (S‐CuO NPs). XRD, SEM, HRTEM and ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure, morphology and catalytic performance of the prepared nanoparticles. In the presence of NaBH4 as a reducing agent, the reduction can be completed in only 90 seconds by using S‐CuO NPs as catalyst, with a good rate constant (k) of 3.774×10−2 s−1. In view of the fact positive surface charge of S‐CuO NPs promotes the occurrence of hydride transfer phenomenon, this mechanism is discussed. The conclusion shows that the prepared S‐CuO NPs have good catalytic activity, can be used as a mild and effective catalyst for the reduction of 4‐NP with good reusability, and have potential applications in catalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The expression of long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) prostate cancer‐associated ncRNA transcripts 1 (PCAT1) is increased in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It stimulates tumour growth and metastasis, but its role in the radioimmune responses remain unknown. We aimed to explore the impacts of PCAT1 on tumorigenesis and radioimmune responses and the underlying molecular mechanisms in NSCLC. Methods: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify immunosuppressive lncRNAs involved with tumour invasion in NSCLC. The expression levels of PCAT1 were analysed by in situ hybridisation in 55 paired NSCLC tissues and adjacent normal tissues. Both loss‐ and gain‐of‐function assays were performed to examine the effects of PCAT1 and SOX2 on NSCLC cell behaviours in vivo and in vitro. Bioinformatic analyses, chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChIRP) and dual‐luciferase reporter assays were applied to validate the regulatory effects of PCAT1 on SOX2 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, luciferase and rescue assays were utilised to identify the relationship between SOX2 and the cGAS/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signalling. Results: PCAT1 was immunosuppressive and related with NSCLC invasion. Increased PCAT1 was negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration in NSCLC. PCAT1 knockdown restrained proliferation, increased apoptosis, and repressed cell metastasis in vivo and in vitro. PCAT1 activated SOX2 that accelerated tumorigenesis and immunosuppression. SOX2 promoted tumour growth through inhibiting cytotoxic T‐cell immunity. Moreover, SOX2 restrained cGAS transcription and hampered downstream type I interferon (IFN)‐induced immune responses. Inhibition of PCAT1/SOX2 in collaboration with radiation further inhibited tumour growth, and initiated the cGAS/STING signalling pathway, which enhanced the immune responses of radiotherapy in NSCLC. Conclusions: PCAT1/SOX2 axis promoted tumorigenesis and immunosuppression through inhibition of cGAS/STING signalling‐mediated T‐cell activation. Inhibition of PCAT1 and SOX2 synergised with radiotherapy to activate the immune response and could serve as potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation effects and mechanism on gemfibrozil (GEM) in aqueous solution by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma combined with the catalyst CNTs/γFe2O3 are investigated. The concentrations of plasma‐generated reactive species, including H2O2, O3, NO3−, and OH, are measured with spectrophotometric and fluorescent probes. The effects of the plasma treatment period, discharge power, initial GEM concentration, solution pH value, conductivity, and the catalytic property are studied on the degradation rate and energy efficiency. Compared with the sole plasma treatment, CNTs/γFe2O3 could maximally improve the GEM degradation rate and energy efficiency to 99.7% ± 0.2% and 76.5 ± 5.2 mg·kW−1·h−1, respectively. The solution's total organic carbon removal efficiency has been increased to 47.2% ± 2.7%. Meanwhile, the possible degradation pathways of the plasma‐treated GEM solution and overall biological toxicity of GEM degradation intermediates and residual catalyst in solution are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 21st century, stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is still the most devastating disease of wheat globally. Despite the critical roles of the alternate host plants, the Berberis species, in the sexual reproduction and spread of Pst, the climate change impacts on the redistribution of Berberis plants, and their potential risk of incurring wheat stripe rust are scarcely discussed in the literature. This study evaluated the potential risk of Pst in wheat cultivation in Sichuan Province, China, for the first time, by analyzing the dynamics of Berberis plants and the change in Pst oversummering range under climate change scenarios. Ensembles of small models (ESMs) in combination with four algorithms were used to project the future (i.e., 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100) distributions of 54 Berberis species in Sichuan Province based on two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) scenarios. The species richness of Berberis was predicted to increase in northwestern Sichuan but decreased in southern and eastern Sichuan under both SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios. The mean temperature of the driest quarter was found to be the determinant of the distributional shifts for the majority of Berberis plants. Our overlapping assessments indicated that the risk of wheat stripe rust would be reduced in southwestern Sichuan. In contrast, it would be aggravated in the northwest due to the predicted shifts of Berberis plants northwards and stronger shrinkage of Pst oversummering range occurring in the south than in the north. In the "hotspots" of the stripe rust pathogen, risk assessment in advance could provide a scientific basis for decision‐makers and local communities in effectively controlling wheat stripe rust, thus further sustaining food security through adapting to future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate warming will shift the seasonal variation of the soil microbial community and thereby regulate the soil process dynamics of forest ecosystems. To evaluate the effects of warming on soil microbial community seasonal dynamics, an in situ experiment was conducted in a natural forest and a dragon spruce plantation in the subalpine region of the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Open‐top chambers (OTCs) were used to increase the mean soil temperature by 0.54 and 0.58°C for the natural forest and plantation, respectively. Our results showed that the initial levels of soil carbon and nitrogen were much higher in the natural forest than in the plantation. Compared to no‐warming, the annual average soil carbon and nitrogen contents increased by 14% and 16% in the natural forest, but decreased by 7 and 6% in the plantation after 4 years of OTC warming, respectively. Conversely, warming caused a significant reduction in the annual average microbial biomass by approximately 50% in the natural forest but enhanced this parameter by approximately 30% in the plantation. Warming further enlarged the differences in seasonal variation in microbial community composition between the two forests. The seasonal variation in microbial community‐level substrate utilization also responded differently to warming in the two forest types. These opposite responses of the soil microbial community and soil properties to warming will further magnify the differences in soil conditions between the two forest types under future climate warming. Highlights: Soil microbial biomass is reduced by warming in the natural forest but increased in the plantation.Seasonal shifts of microbial community respond differently to warming in the two forests.Soil initial properties likely affect responses of microbial community to warming.Warming will enlarge the differences between the two forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of flexible electronics, energy fabric is a promising alternative for the power supply for them. Sustainable solar‐harvesting textile with comfortable wearing experience and stylish appearance are essential to the future lifestyle for driving smart electronics. Different from form the photovoltaic textile based on a shuttle‐flying process, the couching embroidery process is another traditional textile technology by reliably stitching ribbons and wires at any desired length onto fabric to make nice‐looking fabric at an industrial scale. Photovoltaic textiles woven from shuttle‐flying process may be too thick for a light and breathable summer dress. Herein, a foldable and stretchable all‐solid photovoltaic gauze kerchief with colorful patterns is presented, which was directly assembled from short photoanode cables via an industrial‐scalable couching embroidery strategy. Due to a reliable electric connection, the light and breathable textile, which is comfortable for summer wearing, can provide any desired electric output for wearable electronics. Furthermore, the couching embroidering technology can also offer ideas for other functional fiber devices to integrate on the textile, which will render the textile with almost unlimited functions in the commercial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic zinc is a promising anode candidate of aqueous zinc‐ion batteries owing to its high theoretical capacity and low redox potential. However, Zn anodes usually suffer from dendrite and side reactions, which will degrade their cycle stability and reversibility. Herein, we developed an in situ spontaneously reducing/assembling strategy to assemble a ultrathin and uniform MXene layer on the surface of Zn anodes. The MXene layer endows the Zn anode with a lower Zn nucleation energy barrier and a more uniformly distributed electric field through the favorable charge redistribution effect in comparison with pure Zn. Therefore, MXene‐integrated Zn anode exhibits obviously low voltage hysteresis and excellent cycling stability with dendrite‐free behaviors, ensuring the high capacity retention and low polarization potential in zinc‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships among changes in the soil microstructure, soil physicochemical traits and microbial communities during desertification. Soil samples were collected from grasslands at different stages of desertification, from an area of the Tibetan Plateau. Soil aggregate fractionation and soil physicochemical properties were analysed using standard methods, and the abundance and diversity of bacteria associated with different aggregate fractions were estimated by quantitative PCR and Illumina Miseq amplicon sequencing. Sequential changes in response to desertification stages were detected in the analysed features. For instance, soil nutrients, microbial biomass C and N, water content and pH initially changed during the light desertification stage; then, the soil aggregation decreased during the intermediate stages; and finally, bacterial abundance and diversity decreased during heavy and severe desertification stages. During grassland desertification, vegetation coverage positively influenced soil aggregation by affecting soil properties (e.g., pH and SOC), whereas bacterial communities in FMi (free microaggregates) and FSC (free silt and clay) were negatively related to soil aggregation. This study reports novel information concerning the desertification process and the sequential modification of soil traits and interactions among soil physical properties (aggregate composition), soil nutrients and the soil microbial community in the grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau. Highlights: Bacterial community was more sensitive in macroaggregates than in microaggregates.Composition of small macroaggregates and associated bacteria changed during desertification.Bacterial community in microaggregates, silt and clay negatively affected aggregation.Vegetation coverage affected aggregation by changing soil traits and bacterial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common and lethal cancer worldwide. Radiotherapy (RT) is widely used at all stages of LUAD, and the development of immunotherapy substantially enhances the survival of LUAD patients. Although the emerging treatments for LUAD have improved prognosis, only a small fraction of patients can benefit from clinical therapies. Thereby, approaches assessing responses to RT and immunotherapy in LUAD patients are essential. After integrating the analysis of RT, immunization, mRNA, and clinical information, we constructed a signature based on 308 tumor‐infiltrating B lymphocyte‐specific genes (TILBSig) using a machine learning method. TILBSig was composed of 6 B cell‐specific genes (PARP15, BIRC3, RUBCNL, SP110, TLE1, and FADS3), which were highly associated with the overall survival as independent factors. TILBSig was able to differentiate better survival compared with worse survival among different patients, and served as an independent factor for clinical characteristics. The low‐risk TILBSig group was correlated with more immune cell infiltration (especially B lineages) and lower cancer stem cell characteristics than the high‐risk group. The patients with lower risk scores were more likely to respond to RT and immunotherapy. TILBSig served as an excellent predicator for prognosis and response to immunotherapy and RT in LUAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciphering protein‐protein interactions (PPIs) is fundamental for understanding signal transduction pathways in plants. The split firefly luciferase (Fluc) complementation (SLC) assay has been widely used for analyzing PPIs. However, concern has risen about the bulky halves of Fluc interfering with the functions of their fusion partners. Nano luciferase (Nluc) is the smallest substitute for Fluc with improved stability and luminescence. Here, we developed a dual‐use system enabling the detection of PPIs through the Nluc‐based SLC and co‐immunoprecipitation assays. This was realized by coexpression of two proteins under investigation in fusion with the HA‐ or FLAG‐tagged Nluc halves, respectively. We validated the robustness of this system by reproducing multiple previously documented PPIs in protoplasts or Agrobacterium‐transformed plants. We next applied this system to evaluate the homodimerization of Arabidopsis CERK1, a coreceptor of fungal elicitor chitin, and its heterodimerization with other homologs in the absence or presence of chitin. Moreover, split fragments of Nluc were fused to two cytosolic ends of Arabidopsis calcium channels CNGC2 and CNGC4 to help sense the allosteric change induced by the bacterial elicitor flg22. Collectively, these results demonstrate the usefulness of the Nluc‐based SLC assay for probing constitutive or inducible PPIs and protein allostery in plant cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct‐lit mini LED backlight LCD module can utilize ultra‐fine local dimming technology. This approach can realize not only the thinning of backlight unit, but also more refined dynamic control, improving the dynamic contrast of liquid crystal display. As displays continue to develop toward thinness, the number of required LED chips has increased significantly, causing cost and energy consumption issues. The industry usually uses H: P value (OD/LED pitch) to describe the relationship between the cost and thickness of the backlight module. In this work, mini LED technology was researched and applied. Firstly, a blue light angular bidirectional optical film was applied. By controlling the thickness and refractive index of the multilayer film, an effect of reflecting a small angle and transmitting a large angle of blue light was realized, which increased the irradiation range of a single LED. In this way, the H: P value can be reduced from 0.6 to 0.3. Then top shielding structure of the secondary package was used to expand the light‐emitting angle of the mini LED chips, which reduced the H: P value from 0.64 to 0.48. Finally, the two schemes were combined to bring the H: P value to 0.24. This design reduced the thickness of the module under low‐cost conditions and reached the most advanced level in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Rice stripe virus (RSV) is one of the most serious rice diseases in East Asia. The small brown planthopper (SBPH), Laodelphax striatellus, is an economically important rice pest. SBPH transmits RSV horizontally and vertically, resulting in serious rice economic losses. Exposure to sublethal doses of insecticides can induce many physiological and cellular changes in insects. However, the mechanism underlying triazophos‐induced RSV vertical transmission remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of vitellogenin (Vg) in triazophos‐induced RSV vertical transmission. RESULTS: RSV vertical transmission rates were significantly induced by sublethal exposure to triazophos. The transcript abundance of viral RNA3 segment (RNA3) and capsid protein (CP) in the ovaries of SBPH were also significantly increased. Triazophos induced the expression level of Vg in L. striatellus (LsVg) and increased the contents of ovarian protein and fat body protein. Knockdown of Vg significantly reduced the expression levels of LsVg and Vg receptor (LsVgR), and decreased RSV accumulations in the ovaries. Double‐stranded Vg (dsVg)‐mediated down‐regulation could be rescued by exposure to triazophos. Vertical transmission rate of the dsVg‐injected group was significantly decreased compared with the dsGFP‐injected group, and triazophos significantly rescued the RSV vertical transmission rate of the dsVg‐injected group. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that triazophos‐induced RSV vertical transmission is associated with Vg. This work will help us to further elucidate sublethal doses of insecticides‐mediated effects and develop new strategies for pest control. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legionella pneumophila encodes an extracellular secreted phospholipase A named PlaA that is translocated by the type II secretion system. It plays an essential role in maintaining the integrity of Legionella‐containing vacuoles in L. pneumophila pathogenesis. Here, it is shown that PlaA has a main lysophospholipase activity to hydrolyze fatty‐acyl groups in lysophospholipids. Although it has a very low phospholipase A activity to catalyze the hydrolysis of fatty‐acyl groups in phospholipids, PlaA can bind phospholipids such as 1,2‐dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with a dissociation constant of 11.1 µM. Sequence‐alignment analysis combined with activity assays revealed that PlaA contains a distinct substrate‐binding site among the known structures of the phospholipase A family, implying that PlaA may present a novel mechanism for substrate recognition. Native PlaA and its selenomethionine (SeMet)‐substituted form were purified and crystallized by vapour diffusion in hanging drops at 296 K. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.0 Å for native PlaA protein and to a resolution of 2.7 Å for SeMet‐substituted PlaA protein. The crystals of native PlaA belonged to the monoclinic space group P21, while the crystals of SeMet‐substituted PlaA belonged to the primitive orthorhombic space group P212121. Initial phases for PlaA were obtained from SeMet SAD data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NAD+ is a cofactor required for glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and complex I enzymatic reaction. In mammalian cells, NAD+ is predominantly synthesized through the salvage pathway, where nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate‐limiting enzyme. Previously, we demonstrated that NAMPT exerts a neuroprotective effect in ischemia through the suppression of mitochondrial dysfunction. Mammalian cells maintain distinct NAD+ pools in the cytosol, mitochondria, and nuclei. However, it is unknown whether mitochondria have an intact machinery for NAD+ salvage, and if so, whether it plays a dominant role in bioenergetics, mitochondrial function, and neuronal protection after ischemia. Here, using mouse primary cortical neuron and cortical tissue preparations, and multiple technologies including cytosolic and mitochondrial subfractionation, viral over‐expression of transgenes, molecular biology, and confocal microscopy, we provided compelling evidence that neuronal mitochondria possess an intact machinery of NAMPT‐mediated NAD+ salvage pathway, and that NAMPT and nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 3 (NMNAT3) are localized in the mitochondrial matrix. By knocking down NMNAT1‐3 and NAMPT with siRNA, we found that NMNAT3 has a larger effect on basal and ATP production‐related mitochondrial respiration than NMNAT1‐2 in primary cultured neurons, while NMNAT1‐2 have a larger effect on glycolytic flux than NMNAT3. Using an oxygen glucose deprivation model, we found that mitochondrial, cytoplasmic, and non‐subcellular compartmental over‐expressions of NAMPT have a comparable effect on neuronal protection and suppression of apoptosis‐inducing factor translocation. The current study provides novel insights into the roles of subcellular compartmental NAD+ salvage pathways in NAD+ homeostasis, bioenergetics, and neuronal protection in ischemic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Several molecular epidemiology studies have evidenced an association of environmental factors and genetic polymorphisms with breast cancer (BC) risk. However, most have considered the functions of a single element rather than combined effects. Methods: This case‐control study of 693 newly‐diagnosed BC cases and 714 cancer‐free controls evaluated the effect of multiple exposures to environmental factors and polymorphisms in CYP27B1 and IL‐13 on BC risk. Genotypes were detected using TaqMan genotyping. Combinations and interactions were analyzed using cross‐over analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Combining exposure models were assessed using classification and regression tree and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: No significant independent association was observed for any polymorphism in CYP27B1 or IL‐13 with the risk of BC. However, significant combined effects were noted for ≥1 time/wk physical activity with rs10877012 (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11‐0.39) and rs4646536 (ORadj = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.11‐0.39) in CYP27B1. Furthermore, taking garlic ≥4 times/wk, ≥1 time/wk physical activity, and a psychological index score ≥33 all displayed significant combined effects with three IL‐13 polymorphisms. These relationships remained significant after Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Combining exposure models indicated that compared with consuming garlic ≥4 times/wk, five models (model 5, ORadj = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.07‐8.06; model 6, ORadj = 10.26, 95% CI = 5.81‐18.10; model 7, ORadj = 5.05, 95% CI = 2.78‐9.17; model 8, ORadj = 3.95, 95% CI = 2.79‐5.58; and model 9, ORadj = 7.97, 95% CI = 5.26‐12.07) showed a significant increased risk. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that personalized adjustments to diet and behavioral patterns may aid BC prevention in variant carriers of CYP27B1 and IL‐13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There has been a rapid increase in the number of influenza and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) co‐infection. Objectives: To explore the risk factors and predictors of a poor prognosis in influenza and IPA co‐infection. Methods: We included patients with confirmed influenza during the 2017‐2018 influenza season and cases of influenza and IPA co‐infection in the literature. Results: A total of 64 patients with influenza infection were admitted to ICU. Of these patients, 18 were co‐infected with IPA. Others were assigned to the control group (n = 46). A total of 45 patients from the literature were added to the IPA group (n = 63). A multivariate logistic regression suggested that influenza patients who were given steroids after ICU admission, who had a white blood count (WBC) of more than 10*109/L on ICU admission and whose CT findings manifested as multiple nodules and cavities might have a higher risk of developing IPA. Compared to survivors, non‐survivors had higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores (16 ± 4 points vs 8 ± 4 points, P < 0.001), lower CD4+ T cell counts on ICU admission [315 (83‐466) cells/μL vs 152 (50‐220) cells/μL, P = 0.031] and more requirement extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support [13 (50%) vs 7 (18.9%), P = 0.015]. Conclusions: Influenza patients who are given steroids after ICU admission, who have WBCs of greater than 10*109/L on ICU admission, and whose CT imaging shows multiple nodules and cavities might have a high risk of IPA. Higher SOFA scores, CD4+ T cell counts lower than 200 cells/μL on ICU admission and more ECMO requirement might be predictors of a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the separation of electrons and holes for photocatalysis is still challenging. In this paper, alloyed BiOClxBr1‐x nanosheets are synthesized to enhance the separation of electrons and holes by means of adjusting the thickness and the exposing specific crystal facet of nanosheet. SEM shows that the average thicknesses of samples are in the range of 34.7 to 47.2 nm. TEM analysis demonstrates that alloyed nanosheets obtained by codeposition method at room temperature have an exposure of (001) facet. Compared with pure BiOCl or BiOBr nanosheets, BiOClxBr1‐x nanosheets exhibit a greatly enhanced photocatalytic activity for degrading RhB. In addition, BiOCl0.5Br0.5 (BC5) sample with nanosheet thickness of 34.7 nm displays the highest photocatalytic activity, which is 17‐time higher than that of pure BiOCl or BiOBr nanosheets. The superior photoactivity of BiOClxBr1‐x nanosheets is attributed to the diverse light absorption, alloyed effect and different diffusion distance along [001] orientation. This study presents a 2D photocatalyst for degrading toxic pollutants to remedy environmental pollution. The revealing about the effect of thickness on photocatalytic properties could provide a new method to study the photoelectric properties related to 2D nanomaterials. The thickness of alloyed BiOClxBr1‐x nanosheets with an exposure of (001) facets affects the transfer and separation of electrons and holes in photocatalyst under the built‐in electric field (IEF) with the visible light irradiation, boosting the photocatalytic degradation of RhB. Holes diffuses onto the surface of BiOClxBr1‐x nanosheets and oxidize RhB to CO2 and H2O, remedying the relative environmental pollution problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Legionella pneumophila type II secretion system can promote bacterial growth under a wide variety of conditions and mediates the secretion of more than 25 proteins, including the uncharacterized effector Lpg2622. Here, we determined the crystal structures of apo‐Lpg2622 and Lpg2622 in complex with the cysteine protease inhibitor E64. Structural analysis suggests that Lpg2622 belongs to the C1 family peptidases. Interestingly, unlike the other structurally resolved papain‐like cysteine proteases, the propeptide of Lpg2622 forms a novel super‐secondary structural fold (hairpin‐turn‐helix) and can be categorized into a new group. In addition, the N‐terminal β‐sheet of the Lpg2622 propeptide plays a regulatory role on enzymatic activity. This study enhances our understanding of the classification and regulatory mechanisms of the C1 family peptidases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Liver injury and dysregulated glucose homoeostasis are common manifestations during sepsis. Although plenty of studies reported insulin could protect against multiple organ injuries caused by critical infections among patients, little was known about the precise mechanism. We investigated whether liver inflammatory pathway and central neuropeptides were involved in the process. In sepsis rats, hepatic IKK/NF‐κB pathway and STAT3 were strongly activated, along with reduced body weight, blood glucose and suppressed hepatic gluconeogenesis (GNG). Peripheral insulin administration efficiently attenuated liver dysfunction and glucose metabolic disorders by suppressing hypothalamic anorexigenic neuropeptide proopiomelanocortin (POMC) expression, hepatic NF‐κB pathway and STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, knockdown of hypothalamic POMC significantly diminished protective effect of insulin on hepatic GNG and insulin‐induced STAT3 inactivation, but not inflammation or IKK/NF‐κB pathway. These results suggest that hepatic IKK/NF‐κB pathway mediates the anti‐inflammatory effect of insulin in septic rats, and peripheral insulin treatment may improve hepatic GNG by inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation dependent on hypothalamic POMC expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VirK family [Pfam06903] consists of 14 bacterial VirK proteins of around 145 residues in length. The function of this family is unknown. Herein, using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction, we determined the crystal structure of lpg1832, a VirK family protein from Legionella pneumophila, at 2.0 Å resolution. This is the first structural determination of a VirK domain-containing protein. Lpg1832 is a type II secretion system-dependent extracellular protein that folds into a novel barrel-shaped structure. It is found to adopt a quaternary assembly comprising a homotetramer. The three-dimensional structure of lpg1832 provides the first structural information pertaining to the VirK family and allows us to possibly identify its functionally important regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipocyte deposition is a key feature of age-related thymic involution, but the underlying mechanisms responsible for thymic adiposity remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we utilized rosiglitazone, a potent peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist, to induce adipogenic differentiation of OP9-DL1 cells, and detected the metabolomics alterations during adipogenic differentiation by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The obtained metabolites were further processed by multivariate statistical analysis, including principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and orthogonal projection on latent-structures discriminant analysis. As a result, we identified a total of 33 significantly differential metabolites between dimethyl sulphoxide- and rosiglitazone-treated OP9-DL1 cells, which were closely related to the dysregulation of phospholipid metabolism pathway, oxidative stress, and associated amino acid metabolism. Meanwhile, two pathways including glycerophospholipid metabolism and nitrogen metabolism were significantly perturbed ( P < 0.05). Collectively, our results may provide some heuristic guidance for addressing the underlying mechanism of thymic adipogenesis, and future studies are warranted to unravel the functions of these altered metabolites in thymic adipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related thymic involution is characterized by a loss of thymic epithelial cells (TECs) and a concomitant increase in adipocytes, but the mechanisms involved in thymic adipogenesis are still not clear. Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has been reported to be up-regulated with age in thymic stromal cells in both human and mouse. However, the exact role of TGF-β1 in age-related thymic involution remains to be further elucidated. On the basis of previous findings, we propose a novel hypothesis that TGF-β1 functions a dual role in age-related thymic involution. On one hand, up-regulation of TGF-β1 promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in TECs via activating forkhead box protein C2 (FoxC2). On the other hand, TGF-β1 inhibits the transdifferentiation of EMT-derived mesenchymal cells to adipocytes in the thymus. If confirmed, our hypothesis will not only provide further evidence supporting that the transdifferentiation of TECs into pre-adipocytes represents a source of thymic adiposity during age-related thymic involution, but also uncover a unique role of TGF-β1 in the transdifferentiation of TECs into pre-adipocytes. Collectively, the inhibition of TGF-β1 may serve as a strategy to hinder age-related thymic involution or even to restore thymic function in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-carotene, a type of terpenoid, has many metabolic and physiological functions. In particular, β-carotene has an antitumor effect. However, the efficacy of β-carotene against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear. In our study, β-carotene inhibited the growth of ESCC cells and downregulated expression of the Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) protein. Cav-1 protein was expressed only in ESCC cells, not in Het-1A cells. Moreover, β-carotene triggered apoptosis, induced cell cycle G0/G1 phase arrest, and inhibited cellmigration. To explore the mechanism involved in these processes, we further examined the effect of β-carotene on the Cav-1-mediated AKT/NF- kB pathway. The results showed that the level of AKT and NF-kB phosphorylation was dramatically inhibited, which led to an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Correspondingly, the activity of Caspase-3 was also enhanced. These data suggest that β-carotene has an antiproliferative role in ESCC cells andmay be a promising chemotherapeutic agent for use against ESCC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lpg0406, a hypothetical protein from Legionella pneumophila, belongs to carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase (CMD) family. We determined the crystal structure of lpg0406 both in its apo and reduced form. The structures reveal that lpg0406 forms a hexamer and have disulfide exchange properties. The protein has an all-helical fold with a conserved thioredoxin-like active site CXXC motif and a proton relay system similar to that of alkylhydroperoxidase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtAhpD), suggesting that lpg0406 might function as an enzyme with peroxidase activity and involved in antioxidant defense. A comparison of the size and the surface topology of the putative substrate-binding region between lpg0406 and MtAhpD indicates that the two enzymes accommodate the different substrate preferences. The structural findings will enhance understanding of the CMD family protein structure and its various functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major acid phosphatase from Legionella pneumophila ( LpMAP) belongs to the histidine acid phosphatase superfamily. It contains the characteristic histidine acid phosphatase (HAP) sequence motif RHG XR XP responsible for the hydrolysis of a phosphoryl group from phosphate monoesters under acidic conditions. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of crystals of LpMAP in the apo form and in complex with L-(+)-tartrate are described. By using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method, apo LpMAP and LpMAP-tartrate were crystallized in space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 91.50, b = 56.48, c = 146.35 Å, β = 110.01°, and in space group P1, with unit-cell parameters a = 55.51, b = 73.51 , c = 98.78 Å, α = 78.82, β = 77.65, γ = 67.73°, respectively. Diffraction data were collected at 100 K and the phases were determined using the molecular-replacement method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation plays a role in scar formation; therefore, decreasing inflammation benefits scar removal. Jiashitang scar removal ointment (JST) is a commercially available traditional Chinese medicinal formulation. It is composed of extracts from Carthamus tinctorius L. (Car), Rheum officinale Baill. (Rhe), Salvia miltiorrhiza Beg. (Sal), and Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen (Pan), which are all herbs with potent antiinflammatory activities. Our aims are to optimize the formula of JST and to elucidate its antiinflammatory active components. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize proportions of the four herb extracts. The antiinflammatory effects were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo models. To screen for active components in this formula, a bioactivity-based ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis was performed. After optimization, the antiinflammatory effects of the new formula were significantly superior to the original one. Screening identified 13 active ingredients: a series of saffiomin, emodin, salvianolic acid, tanshinone, and triterpenoid saponin derivatives. These active ingredients were predicted to exert nuclear factor-κB inhibiting effects through MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NIK-IKK pathways. In conclusion, the original formula was successfully optimized with more potent antiinflammatory activity. These methods can be applied to researches of other formulas. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene therapy shows promising application in cancer therapy, but the lack of an ideal gene delivery system is still a tough challenge for cancer gene therapy. Previously, we prepared a novel cationic nanogel, heparin-polyethylenimine (HPEI), which had potential application in gene delivery. In the present study, we constructed a plasmid with high expression efficiency of interleukin-15 (IL15) and investigated the effects HPEI-plasmid IL15 (HPEI-pIL15) complexes on the distribution level of the lung. We then evaluated the anticancer effect of HPEI-pIL15 complexes on lung metastases of B16-F10 melanoma and CT26 colon carcinoma. These results demonstrated that intravenous injection of the HPEI-pIL15 complex exhibited the highest plasmid distribution level in the lung compared with that of PEI2K-pIL15 and PEI25K-pIL15, and mice treated with HPEI-pIL15 had a lower tumor metastasis index compared with other treatment groups. Moreover, the number of natural killer cells, which were intermingled among the tumor cells, and the level of tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ in the serum also increased in the pIL15-treated mice. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity of spleen cells also increased significantly in the HPEI-pIL15 group. In addition, induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation in lung tumor foci in the HPEI-pIL15 group was observed. Taken together, treating lung metastasis cancer with the HPEI nanogels delivered by plasmid IL15 might be a new and interesting cancer gene therapy protocol. ( Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1403-1409) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Sugarcane is the main source of sugar worldwide, and 80% of the sucrose production comes from sugarcane. However, the genetic differentiation and basis of agronomic traits remain obscure. Here, we sequenced the whole‐genome of 219 elite worldwide sugarcane cultivar accessions. A total of approximately 6 million high‐quality genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected. A genome‐wide association study identified a total of 2198 SNPs that were significantly associated with sucrose content, stalk number, plant height, stalk diameter, cane yield, and sugar yield. We observed homozygous tendency of favor alleles of these loci, and over 80% of cultivar accessions carried the favor alleles of the SNPs or haplotypes associated with sucrose content. Gene introgression analysis showed that the number of chromosome segments from Saccharum spontaneum decreased with the breeding time of cultivars, while those from S. officinarum increased in recent cultivars. A series of selection signatures were identified in sugarcane improvement procession, of which 104 were simultaneously associated with agronomic traits and 45 of them were mainly associated with sucrose content. We further proposed that as per sugarcane transgenic experiments, ShN/AINV3.1 plays a positive role in increasing stalk number, plant height, and stalk diameter. These findings provide comprehensive resources for understanding the genetic basis of agronomic traits and will be beneficial to germplasm innovation, screening molecular markers, and future sugarcane cultivar improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the histological types of primary liver cancer with high recurrence and mortality in the world. The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic and therapeutic value for HCC patients. Methods: In this study, we investigated the circulating miR‐130b‐5p (miR‐130b) and miR‐21‐5p (miR‐21) expression levels in patients with HCC and their association with clinical parameters. Results: The circulating miR‐130b and miR‐21 were all upregulated in patients with HCC. The upregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) were associated with clinicopathological parameters of tumor capsular infiltration and clinical TNM stage. Also, the poor prognosis of patients with upregulated miRNAs levels suggested that it may be an effective therapeutic target for HCC by suppression of the miRNAs levels. In addition, the combined detection of serum miR‐130b and miR‐21 performed better in the diagnosis of HCC with a sensitivity of 92.16% and an accuracy rate of 77.51%. In vivo, tumors treated with the nanoparticle (NP)/miR‐130b and miR‐21 inhibitor complexes had significantly lower growth than the other groups. Conclusion: The circulating miR‐130b and miR‐21 can be used as potential tumor biomarkers to diagnose liver cancer, and the combined detection of serum miR‐130b and miR‐21 is superior to the diagnosis of HCC. NP/miR‐130b and miR‐21 inhibitor complexes show good therapeutic effects in vivo and are expected to become therapeutic targets worthy of further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation effects and mechanism on gemfibrozil (GEM) in aqueous solution by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma combined with the catalyst CNTs/γFe2O3 are investigated. The concentrations of plasma‐generated reactive species, including H2O2, O3, NO3−, and OH, are measured with spectrophotometric and fluorescent probes. The effects of the plasma treatment period, discharge power, initial GEM concentration, solution pH value, conductivity, and the catalytic property are studied on the degradation rate and energy efficiency. Compared with the sole plasma treatment, CNTs/γFe2O3 could maximally improve the GEM degradation rate and energy efficiency to 99.7% ± 0.2% and 76.5 ± 5.2 mg·kW−1·h−1, respectively. The solution's total organic carbon removal efficiency has been increased to 47.2% ± 2.7%. Meanwhile, the possible degradation pathways of the plasma‐treated GEM solution and overall biological toxicity of GEM degradation intermediates and residual catalyst in solution are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]