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Tropomyosin (TM) is the main allergen in shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). In this study, the effects of allergenicity and structure of TM by glycosylation (GOS-TM), phosphate treatment (SP-TM), and glycosylation combined with phosphate treatment (GOS-SP-TM) were investigated. Compared to GOS-TM and SP-TM, the IgG/IgE binding capacity of GOS-SP-TM was significantly decreased with 63.9 ± 2.0 and 49.7 ± 2.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, the α-helix content reduced, surface hydrophobicity increased, and 10 specific amino acids (K30, K38, S39, K48, K66, K74, K128, K161, S210, and K251) were modified by glycosylation on six IgE linear epitopes of GOS-SP-TM. In the BALB/c mice allergy model, GOS-SP-TM could significantly reduce the levels of specific IgE, IgG1, and CD4+IL-4+, while the levels of IgG2a, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+, and CD4+IFN-γ+were increased, which equilibrated Th1 and Th2 cells, thus alleviating allergic symptoms. These results indicated that glycosylation combined with phosphate treatment can provide a new insight into developing hypoallergenic shrimp food.

We designed [VO(bdhb)] (1') as a new electronic qubit containing an oxovanadium(IV) ion (S= 1/2) embraced by a single bis(ß-diketonato) ligand [H2bdhb = 1,3-bis(3,5-dioxo-1-hexyl)benzene]. The synthesis afforded three different crystal phases, all of which unexpectedly contain dimers with formula [(VO)2(bdhb)2] (1). A trigonal form (1h) with a honeycomb structure and 46% of solvent-accessible voids quantitatively transforms over time into a monoclinic solvatomorph 1mand minor amounts of a triclinic solventless phase (1a). In a static magnetic field, 1hand 1mhave detectably slow magnetic relaxation at low temperatures through quantum tunneling and Raman mechanisms. Angle-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra on single crystals revealed signatures of low-dimensional magnetic behavior, which is solvatomorph-dependent, being the closest interdimer V···V separations (6.7–7.5 Å) much shorter than intramolecular V···V distances (11.9–12.1 Å). According to 1H diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and EPR experiments, the complex adopts the desired monomeric structure in organic solution and its geometry was inferred from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Spin relaxation measurements in a frozen toluene-d8/CD2Cl2matrix yielded Tmvalues reaching 13 µs at 10 K, and coherent spin manipulations were demonstrated by Rabi nutation experiments at 70 K. The neutral quasi-macrocyclic structure, featuring nuclear spin-free donors and additional possibilities for chemical functionalization, makes 1' a new convenient spin-coherent building block in quantum technologies.

The photochemical properties of brookite nanorods are systematically explored using light-induced electron-paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques at different wavelengths spanning the UV–vis region of the electromagnetic spectrum (355–650 nm). Under UV irradiation, electron–hole pairs are generated, leading to the stabilization of paramagnetic centers, primarily Ti3+and O–species at the surface. Visible light irradiation at low temperature results in a unique pair of EPR signals, including electrons trapped at titanium cations and a distinct signal resonating at g= 2.004. The pair of signals disappears after annealing at room temperature, indicating that recombination pathways with trapped electrons are available. The chemical reactivity of the different photogenerated species is tested using electron and holes scavengers. While peculiar light-harvesting capabilities are observed for the brookite nanorods, experiments carried out in the presence of a hole scavenger indicate a limited potential for oxidative processes under visible light.

Since the 1980s, modern shrimp aquaculture has been seriously affected by shrimp diseases worldwide. Shrimp aquaculture cooperates with scientists in the lab to develop biosecurity strategies and biotechnology products, such as specific-pathogen-free shrimp, vaccines and probiotics, to tackle the risk of shrimp disease. Securing shrimp health needs to manage the breeding environment, particularly water quality and water ecologies. Shrimp and water travel between the lab and the field for monitoring, experimentation and disease prevention. This article proposes the notion of hydro-social life to analyse how biosecurity strategies and biotechnology products are developed in the lab and deployed in the field by visiting private, governmental and university laboratories in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, Hô` Chí Minh City, and Taiwan. I argue that scientists innovate biotechnology products to improve biosecurity strategies by reconfiguring hydro-social lives, like managing shrimp health and water quality. The development and deployment of biosecurity from the lab to the field are influenced by capitalist forms of life and social relations.

In Taiwan, lung cancers occur predominantly in never-smokers, of whom nearly 60% have stage IV disease at diagnosis. We aimed to assess the efficacy of low-dose CT (LDCT) screening among never-smokers, who had other risk factors for lung cancer.

ObjectivesThe 2022 global outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV), previously confined to Central and West Africa, necessitates an enhanced understanding of its spread. Comprehensive genomic surveillance to understand the virus’s evolution and spread is needed, particularly in Asia.MethodsGenomic data from 169 MPXV genome sequences in Asia were analysed. Through advanced genomic sequencing of clinical samples, we analysed the distribution and mutations of MPXV lineages in Asia.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis revealed a distinct clustering of C.1 strains rise in Northeast Asia in 2023, while genomic examination identified specific consensus mutations like R84K, R665C and L16F in C.1 strains. The mutations, coupled with an increased rate of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide-like 3 motif G-to-A mutations in C.1 (OR 24.87±8.81), indicate a potential adaptation mechanism.ConclusionsOur findings underscore the need for ongoing surveillance and provide vital insights into MPXV’s evolving dynamics, aiding in public health strategy formulation against this emerging infectious threat.

In this study, Al0.1Sn0.9O and Al0.3Sn0.7O are used as the back-channel materials of AlxSn1-xO/InSnZnO heterojunction thin-film transistors (HTFTs) to investigate the effect of Al/Sn mole ratio on the electrical performance of AlxSn1-xO/InSnZnO HTFTs. The Tauc plot, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to characterize the bandgap energy, crystallinity, and oxygen vacancy content of the films. The results show that Al0.3Sn0.7O has a wider bandgap energy and fewer oxygen vacancies than Al0.1Sn0.9O. In addition, Al0.1Sn0.9O is polycrystalline, while Al0.3Sn0.7O is amorphous. This difference in crystallinity results in Al0.1Sn0.9O having higher electron mobility than Al0.3Sn0.7O. Therefore, Al0.1Sn0.9O/InSnZnO HTFT exhibits better electrical performance, including a higher field-effect mobility of 71.33 ± 6.13 cm $^{{2}}\text{V}^{-{1}}\text{s}^{-{1}}$ and a steeper subthreshold swing (SS) of 151.23 ± 14.06 mV/dec. In contrast, Al0.3Sn0.7O/InSnZnO HTFT exhibits worse field-effect mobility and SS than InSnZnO TFT, which is used as a reference device in this study. These results suggest that the mobility of AlxSn1-xO and the conduction band offset between AlxSn1-xO and InSnZnO are important parameters to design high-performance HTFTs. Moreover, both Al0.1Sn0.9O/InSnZnO and Al0.3Sn0.7O/InSnZnO HTFTs exhibit relatively insignificant threshold voltage shift compared to InSnZnO TFT during negative bias illumination stress (NBIS). This indicates that the present AlxSn1-xO back-channel design is helpful to enhance the stability of the HTFTs.

Abstract: The paper introduces and discusses several characterizations of the multi-choice Shapley value (introduced by Nouweland et al. in ZOR-Math Methods Oper Res 41:289–311, 1995), on the domain of multi-choice games. These characterizations generalize the potential approach and results of Calvo and Santos (Math Soc Sci 34:175–190, 1997) into this domain, and the relations are treated with the axiomatic approach in Calvo and Santos (Math Soc Sci 40:341–354, 2000). Also, based on the axioms of two-person standardness and consistency, we offer an axiomatization of the multi-choice Shapley value.

RNA-based detection of pathogenic organisms is an emerging field of research that is crucial for disease diagnosis and environmental and food safety. By rationally engineering an RNA–DNA tandem (RDT) structural template, we proposed a novel RNase H-based isothermal exponential amplification (RH-IEA) reaction to rapidly identify long-stranded RNA. In this strategy, the rigid and compact RDT template selectively recognized the target RNA and formed a stable hybrid with it. Upon site-specific cleavage of RNase H, the 3′ overhang of the target RNA was cut off, and a free hydroxyl end at the hydrolysis site was generated to trigger an exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR). This method maintained the high efficiency and rapid amplification kinetics of EXPAR. As a result, the RH-IEA strategy was able to sensitively and specifically detect the characteristic sequence of Escherichia coliO157:H7 RNA, with a detection sensitivity of 1 fg/μL. Besides, the RDT template can be used as an RNA protector to prevent specific segments of the target RNA from being degraded by RNase enzymes, allowing the sample to be stored at room temperature for a long time. With this advantage, the practicality of RH-IEA will be more flexible than the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. It was successfully applied in the identification of E. coliO157:H7 in milk with a minimum detection concentration of 1.0 × 102CFU/mL. Therefore, the RH-IEA method will serve as a powerful tool for detecting long-stranded RNA and will also shed light on the pathogen detection in food safety and molecular diagnosis.

Composite visualization is a popular design strategy that represents complex datasets by integrating multiple visualizations in a meaningful and aesthetic layout, such as juxtaposition, overlay, and nesting. With this strategy, numerous novel designs have been proposed in visualization publications to accomplish various visual analytic tasks. However, there is a lack of understanding of design patterns of composite visualization, thus failing to provide holistic design space and concrete examples for practical use. In this article, we opted to revisit the composite visualizations in IEEE VIS publications and answered what and how visualizations of different types are composed together. To achieve this, we first constructed a corpus of composite visualizations from the publications and analyzed common practices, such as the pattern distributions and co-occurrence of visualization types. From the analysis, we obtained insights into different design patterns on the utilities and their potential pros and cons. Furthermore, we discussed usage scenarios of our taxonomy and corpus and how future research on visualization composition can be conducted on the basis of this study.

Obesity-related functional iron disorder remains a major nutritional challenge. We evaluated the effects of djulis hull (DH) on iron metabolism in 50% high-fat-diet-induced obese rats supplemented with ferric citrate (2 g iron/kg diet) for 12 weeks. DH supplementation (5, 10, 15% dry weight/kg diet) significantly increased serum and hepatic iron but decreased appetite hormones, body weight, hepcidin, and liver inflammation (all p< 0.05). The Spearman correlation showed that appetite hormones were negatively associated with iron but positively correlated with liver hepcidin (all p< 0.05). A Western blot analysis showed that DH significantly downregulated hepatic hepcidin through the IL-6–JAK–STAT3 and enhanced ferroportin (Fpn) via the Keap1–Nrf2 and PHD2–HIF-2α. An in vitro study revealed that major bioactive compounds of DH, hexacosanol, and squalene suppressed LPS-induced IL-6 and hepcidin but enhanced Fpn expression in activated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, DH may exert nutraceutical properties for the treatment of functional iron disorder and restoration of iron efflux may have beneficial effects on weight control.

Nanocomposites with heterogeneous structures and magneto-electric synergistic losses have broad prospects for improving electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance. In this study, we synthesized Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5nanoparticles with abundant hetero-interfaces and multiple magneto-electric loss mechanisms by a facile hydrothermal method. The excess 0.5 oxygen atoms in MnCo2O4.5produce more vacancies and contribute to the enhancement of electrical conductivity. Sequential nanoneedle clusters facilitate multiple reflections and absorption of EMW in the materials, which are accompanied by an abundance of heterogeneous interfaces to improve the dielectric loss. The Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5composites showed a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −30.01 dB and a superior effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.12 GHz (11.88 GHz–18 GHz) at a thickness of 2.00 mm. Computer Simulation Technology (CST) revealed that the obtained particles show very low radar cross-section (RCS) values and almost full coverage angles. The maximum reduction of RCS at vertical incidence reaches 19.98 dB m2. The Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5nanoparticles exhibit outstanding radar attenuation properties, which can effectively inhibit the reflection and scattering of EMW. Therefore, the prepared Co2NiO4@MnCo2O4.5absorbers have great application potential in the field of EMW absorption.

This article presents a multimodal electrochemical sensing system-on-chip (SoC), including the functions of cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and temperature sensing. CV readout circuitry achieves an adaptive readout current range of 145.5 dB through an automatic range adjustment and resolution scaling technique. EIS has an impedance resolution of 9.2 m$\Omega /\surd$ Hz at a sweep frequency of 10 kHz and an output current of up to 120 $\mu$A. With an impedance boost mechanism, the maximum detectable load impedance is extended to 22.95 k$\Omega$, while the total harmonic distortion is less than 1%. A resistor-based temperature sensor using a swing-boosted relaxation oscillator can achieve a resolution of 31 mK in 0-85 °C. The design is implemented in a 0.18 $\mu$m CMOS process. The total power consumption is 1 mW.

The co-utilization of green manure (GM) and rice straw (RS) in paddy fields has been widely applied as an effective practice in southern China. However, its effects on soil aggregate and soil organic carbon (SOC) stability remain unclear. In the present study, the effect of GM, RS, and co-utilization of GM and RS on particle size distribution of soil aggregates and SOC density fractions were measured in a field experiment. The experiment included six treatments, i.e., winter fallow (WF) without RS return (Ctrl), WF with 50% RS return (1/2RS), WF with 100% RS return (RS), GM without RS return (GM), GM with 50% RS return (GM1/2RS) and GM with 100% RS return (GMRS). The results showed that the proportion of small macro-aggregates (0.25–2 mm) and the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates in the GMRS treatment was greater (by 18.9 and 3.41%, respectively) than in the RS treatment, while the proportion of silt+clay particles (<0.053 mm) was lower (by 14.4%). The concentration of SOC in microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) and silt+clay particles was higher in the GMRS treatment than in GM and RS treatments individually. The concentration and proportion of free light organic carbon (fLOC) in aggregates of various particle sizes and bulk soil was greater in the GMRS treatment than the RS treatment, whereas the concentration and proportion of mineral-associated organic carbon in small macroaggregates, microaggregates, and bulk was lower in the GMRS treatment than in the RS treatment. The proportion of intra-aggregate particulate organic carbon (iPOC) was greater in the GMRS treatment than in GM treatment. The GMRS treatment had strong positive effects on iPOC in small macroaggregates, suggesting that SOC was transferred from fLOC to iPOC. In conclusion, co-utilizing green manure and rice straw cultivated the SOC pool by increasing the concentration of fLOC and improved soil carbon stability by promoting the sequestration of organic carbon in iPOC as a form of physical protection.

The effects of tempering temperature on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of 16%Cr–5%Ni super martensitic stainless steel (SMSS) were investigated in the present study. Reversed austenite was detected via X-ray diffraction when the as-quenched samples with full martensite were tempered above 500 °C, and its volume fraction attained a maximum of ∼17% at 620 °C. When tempered below 620 °C, all the reversed austenite formed was able to keep stable at room temperature, while partial or even entire reversed austenite formed above 640 °C with Ni content less than 8 wt% transformed back into fresh martensite during cooling, demonstrating that the enrichment of Ni determined the thermal stability of reversed austenite. EDS results revealed that the precipitation of M23C6carbides caused Ni enrichment in the adjacent regions, promoting the nucleation of reversed austenite, and the growth of reversed austenite was mainly controlled by Ni diffusion. The results of tensile tests and instrumented impact tests indicated that stable reversed austenite effectively improved the ductility and toughness, and offset the deterioration of toughness caused by the M23C6precipitating at grain boundaries. Tempering at 540 °C achieved an excellent combination of strength and toughness, while the best plasticity of samples was obtained by tempering at 620 °C.

An integrated interface configuration (IIC) is reconstructed through in-situ interface chemistry, which can efficiently regulate charge transport kinetics and thereby achieve uniform lithium platting.

AbstractObjective:LEAC-102 is an emerging drug extracted from the medicinal fungus Antrodia cinnamomea(AC), which is traditionally used to ameliorate fatigue and liver disorders arising from excessive alcohol consumption. AC has been used as a health product with an immunomodulatory function, but its anticancer effect has not been applied in clinical therapy as a drug. This first-in-human study examined the safety and tolerability of LEAC-102 as a new drug in healthy adults.Method:This standard 3 + 3 dose-escalation study included 18 participants administered LEAC-102 at doses of 597.6, 1195.2, 1792.8, 2390.4, or 2988 mg/day for 1 month plus 7 days of safety follow-up. The maximum planned dose was 2988 mg. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was monitored from the start of LEAC-102 administration up to the final visit. The dose of LEAC-102 was escalated to the subsequent cohort as long as there was no DLT in the previous cohort. Tolerability, clinical status, safety (by laboratory parameters), and adverse event occurrence were documented weekly during the treatment and 1 week after the conclusion of the treatment.Results:All clinical biochemistry profiles were in the normal range, and no serious adverse effects were observed. The maximum tolerated dose of LEAC-102 was determined to be 2988 mg/day because one participant experienced urticaria. Additionally, our exploratory objectives revealed that LEAC-102 significantly elevated natural killer, natural killer T, and dendritic cells in a dose-dependent manner, activated effector T cells, and upregulated programmed cell death-1 expression.Conclusions:The outcomes suggested that LEAC-102 was well tolerated and safe in healthy adults and exhibited potential immunomodulatory function.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2022.2032868 .

Objective: Suicidal ideation is an important public health challenge among people living with HIV (PLWH) across the world and in China. HIV stigma, depression, and self-esteem have been associated with suicidal ideation. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. Methods: Study data were derived from a sample of 465 PLWH in China. Suicidal ideation after HIV diagnosis was used as outcome variable. HIV stigma, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem were measured using reliable instruments and used as predictor, mediator, and moderator, respectively. Mediation and moderated mediation model were used for data analysis. Results: 31.6% of PLWH in China had suicidal ideation after HIV diagnosis. The association between perceived HIV stigma and suicidal ideation was partially mediated by depression (indirect effect = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.02, 0.03]) with the path from perceived HIV stigma to depressive symptoms being moderated by self-esteem (interaction effect =  − 0.02, 95% CI [− 0.03, − 0.01]). Conclusions: Study findings suggested a mediation mechanism of HIV stigma on suicidal ideation through depressive symptoms, and self-esteem might weaken the mediation mechanism by moderating the perceived HIV stigma-depressive symptoms pathway.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains challenging due to the lack of efficient therapy. Promoting degradation of certain cancer drivers has become an innovative therapy. The nuclear transcription factor sine oculis homeobox 1 (SIX1) is a key driver for the progression of HCC. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms of ubiquitination of SIX1 and whether targeting SIX1 degradation might represent a potential strategy for HCC therapy. Through detecting the ubiquitination level of SIX1 in clinical HCC tissues and analyzing TCGA and GEPIA databases, we found that ubiquitin specific peptidase 1 (USP1), a deubiquitinating enzyme, contributed to the lower ubiquitination and high protein level of SIX1 in HCC tissues. In HepG2 and Hep3B cells, activation of EGFR-AKT signaling pathway promoted the expression of USP1 and the stability of its substrates, including SIX1 and ribosomal protein S16 (RPS16). In contrast, suppression of EGFR with gefitinib or knockdown of USP1 restrained EGF-elevated levels of SIX1 and RPS16. We further revealed that SNS-023 (formerly known as BMS-387032) induced degradation of SIX1 and RPS16, whereas this process was reversed by reactivation of EGFR-AKT pathway or overexpression of USP1. Consequently, inactivation of the EGFR-AKT-USP1 axis with SNS-032 led to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and suppression of cell proliferation and migration in HCC. Moreover, we showed that sorafenib combined with SNS-032 or gefitinib synergistically inhibited the growth of Hep3B xenografts in vivo. Overall, we identify that both SIX1 and RPS16 are crucial substrates for the EGFR-AKT-USP1 axis-driven growth of HCC, suggesting a potential anti-HCC strategy from a novel perspective.

While oral desensitization is capable of alleviating peanut allergen anaphylaxis, long-term immune tolerance is the sought-after goal. We developed a liver-targeting lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform to deliver mRNA-encoded peanut allergen epitopes to liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), which function as robust tolerogenic antigen-presenting cells that induce FoxP3+regulatory T-cells (Tregs). The mRNA strand was constructed by including nucleotide sequences encoding for nonallergenic MHC-II binding T-cell epitopes, identified in the dominant peanut allergen, Ara h2. These epitopes were inserted in the mRNA strand downstream of an MHC-II targeting sequence, further endowed in vitrowith 5′ and 3′ capping sequences, a PolyA tail, and uridine substitution. Codon-optimized mRNA was used for microfluidics synthesis of LNPs with an ionizable cationic lipid, also decorated with a lipid-anchored mannose ligand for LSEC targeting. Biodistribution to the liver was confirmed by in vivoimaging, while ELISpot assays demonstrated an increase in IL-10-producing Tregs in the spleen. Prophylactic administration of tandem-repeat or a combination of encapsulated Ara h2 epitopes induced robust tolerogenic effects in C3H/HeJ mice, sensitized to and subsequently challenged with crude peanut allergen extract. In addition to alleviating physical manifestations of anaphylaxis, there was suppression of Th2-mediated cytokine production, IgE synthesis, and mast cell release, accompanied by increased IL-10 and TGF-β production in the peritoneum. Similar efficacy was demonstrated during LNP administration postsensitization. While nondecorated particles had lesser but significant effects, PolyA/LNP-Man lacked protective effects. These results demonstrate an exciting application of mRNA/LNP for treatment of food allergen anaphylaxis, with the promise to be widely applicable to the allergy field.

We present a comprehensive set of experimentally validated/calibrated models that capture the physics of the nanoscale spin-orbit torque (SOT) devices. We consider various effects that are prominent at nanoscale including incomplete current redistribution, interface spin mixing, and nonuniform resistivity that were ignored in the prior modeling efforts. We develop a formalism based on drift-diffusion equations and the transfer matrix method to accurately estimate spin current distribution. We utilize finite element simulations to accurately calculate electric current density and field, and see considerable differences to the results from the simplified lumped model commonly used. For example, we calculate ~20% smaller spin current in a 15-nm-wide ferromagnet with a 4-nm-thick $\beta $ -W SOT channel. We further account for the effect of interface scattering on resistivity. Finally, we quantify the optimal SOT-layer thickness that minimizes the write energy as a function of spin diffusion length and conductivity of SOT materials. We show that the optimal thickness increases with the spin diffusion length and decreases with the conductivity.

A wood-derived integrated electrode with superhydrophilicity/superaerophobicity surface was fabricated and demonstrated outstanding performance in the urea oxidation reaction.

A novel series of SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2composite solid acids for efficient synthesis of green biodiesel via the typical esterification reaction of oleic acid with methanol were prepared by a simple sol–gel-impregnation method. Their structures and acid properties were studied by means of XRD, FE-SEM, TG, NH3-TPD, XPS, FT-IR, NH3adsorption FT-IR spectra and acid–base titration. The experimental results revealed that the addition of ZnAl2O4was successfully achieved to stabilize the active tetragonal phase of ZrO2in SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2composite solid acids. Both ZnAl2O4and ZrO2acted as active components and participated in the formation of active acid center structure for SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2composite solid acids. As a result, the comprehensive acidic properties of SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2composite solid acids were effectively regulated by the mass ratio of ZnAl2O4to ZrO2. Among them, SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2(8:2) exhibited the highest catalytic activity and the better reusability in the esterification reaction of oleic acid with methanol, which might be ascribed to its supreme number of acid sites, its excellent structural stability and its better stability of the surface active sites. The kinetic and thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2(8:2) composite solid acid could effectively catalyze the synthesis of green biodiesel because of its relatively lower values of activation energy in the esterification reaction of oleic acid with methanol. The inevitable loss of sulfate species on the surface of SO42−/ZnAl2O4–ZrO2(8:2) might be one of the major reasons for its slight deactivation during acid catalyzed esterification reaction.

A pharmacophore-hybridized strategy based on previously reported HSP90 C-terminal inhibitors was utilized to prepare 32 aryl/penta-1,4-dien-3-one/amine hybrids. Among them, a silicon-containing compound 1zexhibited remarkable broad-spectrum antiproliferative effects on various human breast cancer cell lines. Through fluorescence polarization and AlphaScreen-based assays, we demonstrated that 1zspecifically inhibited the HSP90 C-terminus without affecting HSP90 N-terminus. Furthermore, 1zeffectively inhibited the HSP90 C-terminus without inducing heat-shock response (HSR), leading to the degradation of its client proteins HER2, pAKT, AKT, and CDK4, causing G1arrest of MCF-7 and SKBr3 cells, and ultimately contributing to apoptosis of these cells through caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 activation. Additionally, the penta-1,4-dien-3-one linker in the hybrid, a large bulky lipophilic substitution in the aryl fragment at the 3′-site, and the presence of N-methylpiperazine as the amine fragment were identified as crucial factors that significantly contributed to the observed antiproliferative activity through structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis. Lastly, we found that 1zexhibited superior thermostability compared to vibsanin B derivatives and good in vitrometabolic stability in simulated intestinal fluid, representing one of the few reported silicon-containing HSP90 C-terminal inhibitors.

C13H20O4, monoclinic, P21(no. 4), a= 9.7071(4)Å, b= 7.9026(4)Å, c= 17.3139(7)Å, β =101.617(4)°, V= 1300.97(10)Å3, Z= 4, Rgt(F)= 0.0428, wRref(F2) = 0.1145, T = 170K.

Molecular design and precise control of thin-film morphology and crystallinity of solution-processed small molecules are important for enhancing charge transport mobility of organic field-effect transistors and gaining more insight into the structure–property relationship. Here, two donor–acceptor–donor (D–A–D) architecture small molecules TRA-IID-TRAand TRA-TIID-TRAcomprising an electron-donating triarylamine (TRA) and two different electron-withdrawing cores, isoindigo (IID) and thienoisoindigo (TIID), respectively, were synthesized and characterized. Replacing the phenylene rings of central IIDA with thiophene gives a TIIDcore, which reduces the optical band gap and upshifts the energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals. The single-crystal structures and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) analysis revealed that TRA-TIID-TRAexhibits the relatively tighter π-π stacking packing with preferential edge-on orientation, larger coherence length, and higher crystallinity due to the noncovalent S···O/S···π intermolecular interactions. The distinctly oriented and connected ribbon-like TRA-TIID-TRAcrystalline film by the solution-shearing process achieved a superior hole mobility of 0.89 cm2V–1s–1in the organic field-effect transistor (OFET) device, which is at least five times higher than that (0.17 cm2V–1s–1) of TRA-IID-TRAwith clear cracks. Eventually, rational modulation of fused core in the π-conjugated D–A–D small molecule provides a new understanding of structural design for enhancing the performance of solution-processed organic semiconductors.

This paper presents an energy-autonomous wireless soil pH and electrical conductance measurement IC powered by soil microbial and photovoltaic energy. The chip integrates highly efficient dual-input, dual-output power management units, sensor readout circuits, a wireless receiver, and a transmitter. The design scavenges ambient energy with a maximal power point tracking mechanism while achieving a peak efficiency of 81.3% and the efficiency is more than 50% over the 0.05–14 mW load range. The sensor readout IC achieves a sensitivity of −8.8 kHz/pH and 6 kHz·m/S, a noise floor of 0.92 x 10−3 pH value, and 1.4 mS/m conductance. To avoid interference, a 433 MHz transceiver incorporates chirp modulation and on–off keying (OOK) modulation for data uplink and downlink communication. The receiver sensitivity is −80 dBm, and the output transmission power is −4 dBm. The uplink data rate is 100 kb/s using burst chirp modulation and gated Class E PA, while the downlink data rate is 10 kb/s with a self-frequency tracking mixer-first receiver.

We study the carrier dynamics of memory program (PGM) and readout operations for an n-type silicon-on-insulator (SOI) ferroelectric field-effect transistor (FeFET) through TCAD simulations. We found that gate-induced drain leakages (GIDL) during the PGM operation with large negative gate biases can result in excess hole concentrations as high as 7.3 $\times 10^{{20}}$ cm $^{-{3}}$ in the potential well formed in the SOI channel. The hole accumulation causes a large electric field across the ferroelectric (FE) layer and results in a polarization boost at a low PGM voltage. For a nano-scale SOI channel, the retention time of the excess holes can exceed microseconds according to our simulations. The outflow of the excess holes leads to a transient effect in the drain current during the readout operation, and we observed additional retention effects for the FeFET memory window due to the hole dynamic effects on the electrostatics and the FE polarizations. While the excess holes result in a ~100 ps delay in the readout phase before a large read margin can be detected, they have boosted the PGM speed and polarization window. The boosted polarization can be retained for milliseconds, and potentially beyond, resulting in an appreciable ON/OFF ratio during readout. Therefore, such effects can be utilized for low-power memory applications through proper SOI FeFET designs with the awareness of excess carrier dynamics.

In order to solve the friction, wear and lubrication problems of titanium, a series of TaN/ployether- ether-ketone (PEEK) coatings were developed by electrophoretic deposition, and the effects of TaN nanoparticles on the microstructure, mechanical properties and tribological performance of coatings were explored. Results manifest that the introduction of TaN nanoparticles into PEEK coatings could improve the deposition efficiency, enhance the resistant deform capacity, increase the hardness, elastic modulus and adhesive bonding strength. Compared with the pure PEEK coating, the friction coefficient of P-TN-3 was greatly reduced by 31.25%. The wear resistance of P-TN-3 was also improved in huge boost, and its specific wear rate was decreased from 9.42×10-5to 1.62×10-5mm3·N-1·m-1. The homogeneous composite TaN/PEEK coatings prepared by electrophoretic deposition were well-adhered to the titanium alloy substrate, TaN nanoparticles could improve the strength of PEEK coating, and provide wear-resistance protection for titanium alloys.

Oral leukoplakia (OL) or white patched in the oral cavity poses a diagnostic challenge in oral health due to its white patches on the oral mucosa, affecting 1%-2% of the population, predominantly those over 40 years old. Despite being often benign, OL often precedes potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer, necessitating early detection and intervention. The search for novel biomarkers has intensified, with interleukin-6 (IL-6) emerging as a promising candidate. IL-6 detection levels in saliva offer a non-invasive approach, aiding an accurate risk assessment and treatment planning. Here, we introduce an IL-6-based biosensor for rapid concentration detection. A novel, hour-long functionalization method streamlines mass production, maintaining a low detection limit down to 10−15g ml−1, which is three order lower than current commercial ELISA kits, with a sensitivity around 18/dec. Utilizing a specially designed printed circuit board with double pulse technology ensures precise concentration results, with human sample tests confirming the biosensor’s efficacy in real-world applications. This innovation represents a significant advancement in early OL detection, enabling timely intervention to prevent its progression to more severe forms of oral cancer.

An emerging dry electrode technology was used to prepare scalable and flexible sheet-type composite sulfur cathodes in all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. Benefiting from the unique fibrous distribution of binder, the solid-state composite sulfur cathodes with low content (1 wt%) exhibited excellent mechanical and electrochemical properties.

Background:: Infant adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) collected from excised polydactyly fat tissue, which was surgical waste, could be cultured and expanded in vitroin this study. In addition, the collecting process would not cause pain in the host. In this study, the proliferation, reduction of senescence, anti-oxidative ability, and differentiation potential in the infant ADSCs were compared with those in the adult ADSCs harvested from thigh liposuction to determine the availability of infant ADSCs. Methods:: Proliferation was determined by detecting the fold changes in cell numbers and doubling time periods. Senescence was analyzed by investigating the age-related gene expression levels and the replicative stress. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene expression, adipogenic, neurogenic, osteogenic, and tenogenic differentiation were compared by RT-qPCR. The chondrogenic differentiation efficiency was also determined using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical staining. Results:: The proliferation, SOD (SOD1, SOD2and SOD3) gene expression, the stemness-related gene (c-MYC) and telomerase reverse transcriptase of the infant ADSCs at early passages were enhanced compared with those of the adults'. Cellular senescence related genes, including p16, p21and p53, and replicative stress were reduced in the infant ADSCs. The adipogenic genes (PPARγand LPL) and neurogenic genes (MAP2and NEFH) of the infant ADSC differentiated cells were significantly higher than those of the adults’ while the expression of the osteogenic genes (OCNand RUNX) and tenogenic genes (TNCand COL3A1) of both demonstrated opposite results. The chondrogenic markers (SOX9, COL2and COL10) were enhanced in the infant ADSC differentiated chondrogenic pellets, and the expression levels of SODs were decreased during the differentiation process. Conclusion:: Cultured infant ADSCs demonstrate less cellular senescence and replicative stress, higher proliferation rates, better antioxidant defense activity, and higher potential of chondrogenic, adipogenic and neurogenic differentiation.

The clean production of hydrogen from water using sunlight has emerged as a sustainable alternative toward large-scale energy generation and storage. However, designing photoactive semiconductors that are suitable for both light harvesting and water splitting is a pivotal challenge. Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) are considered as promising photocatalysts because of their wide range of available electronic properties and compositional variability. However, trade-offs between carrier transport efficiency, light absorption, and electrochemical reactivity have limited their prospects. We here combine two approaches that synergistically enhance the efficiency of photocarrier generation and electrocatalytic efficiency of two-dimensional (2D) TMDs. The arrangement of monolayer WS2and MoS2into a heterojunction and subsequent nanostructuring into a nanoscroll (NS) yields significant modifications of fundamental properties from its constituents. Spectroscopic characterization and ab initiosimulation demonstrate the beneficial effects of straining and wall interactions on the band structure of such a heterojunction-NS that enhance the electrochemical reaction rate by an order of magnitude compared to planar heterojunctions. Phototrapping in this NS further increases the light–matter interaction and yields superior photocatalytic performance compared to previously reported 2D material catalysts and is comparable to noble-metal catalyst systems in the photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (PEC-HER) process. Our approach highlights the potential of morphologically varied TMD-based catalysts for PEC-HER.

With the scaling of lateral dimensions in advanced transistors, an increased gate capacitance is desirable both to retain the control of the gate electrode over the channel and to reduce the operating voltage1. This led to a fundamental change in the gate stack in 2008, the incorporation of high-dielectric-constant HfO2(ref. 2), which remains the material of choice to date. Here we report HfO2–ZrO2superlattice heterostructures as a gate stack, stabilized with mixed ferroelectric–antiferroelectric order, directly integrated onto Si transistors, and scaled down to approximately 20 ångströms, the same gate oxide thickness required for high-performance transistors. The overall equivalent oxide thickness in metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitors is equivalent to an effective SiO2thickness of approximately 6.5 ångströms. Such a low effective oxide thickness and the resulting large capacitance cannot be achieved in conventional HfO2-based high-dielectric-constant gate stacks without scavenging the interfacial SiO2, which has adverse effects on the electron transport and gate leakage current3. Accordingly, our gate stacks, which do not require such scavenging, provide substantially lower leakage current and no mobility degradation. This work demonstrates that ultrathin ferroic HfO2–ZrO2multilayers, stabilized with competing ferroelectric–antiferroelectric order in the two-nanometre-thickness regime, provide a path towards advanced gate oxide stacks in electronic devices beyond conventional HfO2-based high-dielectric-constant materials.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) stands out as one of the most aggressive forms of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), currently without a definitive cure. Multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is now considered a cornerstone in diagnosing and differentiating ILD subtypes. The Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) score, developed to assess IPF prognosis based on sex, age, forced vital capacity, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), is limited in not considering dyspnea and functional impairment during the walking test. We proposed a MDD-based clinical score for mortality prediction among those patients. Methods: From December 2018 to December 2019, we enrolled ILD patients with IPF and non-IPF and followed-up them till December 2020. Based on DLCO, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale, and six-minute walking test (6MWT) distance, a functional score was developed for mortality prediction. Results: We enrolled 104 ILD patients, 12 (11.5%) died by the one-year follow-up. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, DLCO (% predicted) was the most accurate variable predicting one-year mortality with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80–0.94), followed by mMRC Dyspnea Score (AUC = 0.82 [95% CI = 0.73–0.89]), 6MWT distance (AUC = 0.80 [95% CI = 0.71–0.88]), and GAP score (AUC = 0.77 [95% CI = 0.67–0.84]). Only the GAP score (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.03–2.34, p= 0.0.37) and functional score (HR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.11–10.73, p= 0.032) were significantly associated with one-year mortality in multivariable analysis. Conclusion: The clinical score composite of DLCO, mMRC Dyspnea Scale, and 6MWT distance could provide an accurate prediction for long-term mortality in ILD patients, laying out a helpful tool for managing and following these patients.

Background: The diagnostic process for fibrotic interstitial lung disease (F-ILD) is notably intricate, necessitating a multidisciplinary discussion to achieve consensus based on both clinical and radiological features. This study investigated the shared and distinctive long-term mortality predictors among the two primary phenotypes of F-ILD, namely idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Methods: We included patients with F-ILD diagnosed from December 2018 to December 2019 and conducted follow-up assessments until February 2023. Age, gender, usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern, gender–age–physiology (GAP) score, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea score, antifibrotic agent use, pulmonary function test parameters, and six-minute walking test (6MWT) parameters were recorded at baseline and used as mortality predictors in a multivariate Cox regression model. Results: We enrolled 104 ILD patients. The survival rate of non-IPF patients was more than twice that of IPF patients (78.9% vs. 34%, p&lt; 0.001), and the survival rate of patients with a GAP score of 0–2 was more than twice that of patients with a score of > 2 (93.2% vs. 36.6%, p&lt; 0.001). Older age, male gender, definite UIP pattern, higher GAP score, higher mMRC dyspnea score, lower forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), shorter 6MWT distance, and lower initial and final SpO2 were also associated with higher long-term mortality (p&lt; 0.05). In multivariable analysis, only a GAP score of > 2 (hazard ratio [HR]:16.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.28–85.14; p= 0.001) and definite UIP pattern (HR: 4.08; 95% CI 1.07–15.5; p= 0.039) were significantly associated with overall mortality. Conclusion: The long-term mortality rate of IPF patients was higher than that of CTD-ILD patients.The GAP score and UIP patterns were significant mortality predictors for both IPF and CTD-ILD patients.

Breast cancer remains a considerable health challenge, affecting numerous individuals annually. This research introduces an innovative method for detecting breast cancer utilizing dual-channel test strips capable of simultaneously assessing two key biomarkers—HER2 and CA 15-3. The test strip utilized in this study is not only cost-effective but also entirely non-invasive. The reusable device employs a printed circuit board with metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor amplification and Arduino-based control to convert voltage signals from test strips into digital readings efficiently. The device utilizes double-pulse measurement instead of direct current, effectively mitigating the screening effect. The detection limit for both biomarkers is exceptionally low at 10−15 g ml−1, surpassing commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay kits by four orders of magnitude. The sensor demonstrates remarkable sensitivity, with 78/dec for HER2 and 56/dec for CA 15-3. Human sample tests were conducted to validate the efficacy of the dual-channel strip, successfully distinguishing between healthy and cancerous groups. The results reveal significant p-values for both HER2 and CA 15-3 tests, underscoring the significance of this research. Note that this is a rapid testing process, completed in less than 2 s. These findings offer a promising avenue for swift and accurate breast cancer detection, furnishing crucial insights for early diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

• Ti–6Al–4V–0.5Fe has optimal strength, plasticity, and toughness in the homogenization treated state. • The microstructural strengthening and toughening factors are determined in Ti–6Al–4V– x Fe with different processes. • The solid solution strengthening primarily governs yield strength followed by the refinement strengthening of colony and a lamella, which applies to homogenization, hot-worked, and aging-treated Ti–6Al–4V– x Fe. • The strengthening effect of Fe is promoted by hot-working but weakened by long annealing time and low cooling rate. • The crack propagation distance across α/β lamellae is critical to enhancing fracture toughness of Ti–6Al–4 V with different Fe content, whereas the broad α lamellae introduced by aging treatment are beneficial to the fracture toughness of a specific composition alloy. Microalloying of Ti–6Al–4V alloy by Fe addition has attracted interest as a promising way to improve castability and comprehensive mechanical performance. The mission of this work is twofold by employing the experimental examination and the phenomenological analysis, (1) to investigate the effect of Fe addition on the microstructure features and mechanical properties of the Fe-containing Ti–6Al–4V (TC4- x F) alloys subjected to casting and homogenization treatment, and (2) to unveil the critical microstructure features in homogenization, hot-worked and aging treated alloys, respectively, that benefit the yield strength and the fracture toughness. Experimental observations evidence that the addition of 0.5 wt.% Fe is most effective in enhancing the tensile ductility and the mode I fracture toughness. Further Fe addition up to 0.7–0.9 wt.% results in plateau values of yield and ultimate strengths with some fluctuations. Phenomenological analyses screen out the microstructural strengthening and toughening determinants which exhibit distinct sensitivities on Fe content under different processing conditions. The solid solution strengthening is confirmed as the primary effect that governs the yield strength of the homogenization treated TC4- x F alloys, followed by the refined size of colony and α lamella, so does it for the hot-worked and the aging-treated alloys. The strengthening effect of Fe could be further promoted by hot-working but impaired by a prolonged annealing time or a lowered cooling rate. The type of crack propagation path and the α morphology are discerned to play their own leading roles in different cases to influence the performance of fracture toughness. A long crack propagation distance that traverses broad α/β lamellae embraces a high crack propagation resistance and gives rise to enhanced fracture toughness. The experimental results enrich the dataset of microstructure features and mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V relevant alloys. While upon the phenomenological analysis, the discovered microstructural strengthening and toughening factors provide deeper mechanism insights into the mechanical behaviors of Fe-modified Ti-6Al-4 V alloys and are of the technical importance to future machine-learning of microstructure-property relationship. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromosome 8q gain is associated with poor clinical outcomes in prostate cancer, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain to be clarified. CSN5, a putative androgen receptor (AR) partner that is located on chromosome 8q, is the key subunit of the COP9 signalosome, which deactivates ubiquitin ligases. Deregulation of CSN5 could affect diverse cellular functions that contribute to tumor development, but there has been no comprehensive study of its function in prostate cancer. The clinical significance of CSN5 amplification/overexpression was evaluated in 16 prostate cancer clinical cohorts. Its oncogenic activity was assessed by genetic and pharmacologic perturbations of CSN5 activity in prostate cancer cell lines. The molecular mechanisms of CSN5 function were assessed, as was the efficacy of the CSN5 inhibitor CSN5i-3 in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the transcription cofactor activity of CSN5 in prostate cancer cells was determined. The prognostic significance of CSN5 amplification and overexpression in prostate cancer was independent of MYC amplification. Inhibition of CSN5 inhibited its oncogenic function by targeting AR signaling, DNA repair, multiple oncogenic pathways, and spliceosome regulation. Furthermore, inhibition of CSN5 repressed metabolic pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in AR-negative prostate cancer cells. Targeting CSN5 with CSN5i-3 showed potent antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, CSN5i-3 synergizes with PARP inhibitors to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth. CSN5 functions as a transcription cofactor to cooperate with multiple transcription factors in prostate cancer. Inhibiting CSN5 strongly attenuates prostate cancer progression and could enhance PARP inhibition efficacy in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) switched utilizing bipolar electric fields have extensive applications in energy-efficient memory and logic devices. Voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy linearly lowers the energy barrier of the ferromagnetic layer via the electric field effect and efficiently switches p-MTJs only with a unipolar behavior. Here, we demonstrate a bipolar electric field effect switching of 100 nm p-MTJs with a synthetic antiferromagnetic free layer through voltage-controlled exchange coupling (VCEC). The switching current density, ∼1.1 × 105A/cm2, is 1 order of magnitude lower than that of the best-reported spin-transfer torque devices. Theoretical results suggest that the electric field induces a ferromagnetic–antiferromagnetic exchange coupling transition of the synthetic antiferromagnetic free layer and generates a fieldlike interlayer exchange coupling torque, which causes the bidirectional magnetization switching of p-MTJs. These results could eliminate the major obstacle in the development of spin memory devices beyond their embedded applications.

By considering multicriteria decision situations, we adopt excess functions to introduce alternative formulation and related dynamic processes for the maximal self-consistent value. In order to present the rationality, we provide several equivalent relations to characterise the maximal self-consistent value.

In real-world management systems, agents might represent constituencies of different sizes; agents might have different bargaining abilities. It is reasonable that weights are assigned to agents and any utility should be divided according to these weights. On the other hand, agents might take different activity levels to participate; agents might represent administrative areas of different scales. Therefore, we introduce two indexes to investigate the distribution mechanism by applying the maximal-utilities among activity level vectors and the weights simultaneously. In order to present the rationality for these weighted indexes, we adopt extended reductions to provide several characterisations. Based on these extended reductions, we also introduce two dynamic processes to illustrate that these weighted indexes could be reached by agents who start from an arbitrary efficient payoff vector and make successive adjustments. By focusing on a different viewpoint, we apply excess functions to propose alternative formulations and related dynamic results for these weighted indexes.

ObjectiveStromal barriers, such as the abundant desmoplastic stroma that is characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), can block the delivery and decrease the tumour-penetrating ability of therapeutics such as tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), which can selectively induce cancer cell apoptosis. This study aimed to develop a TRAIL-based nanotherapy that not only eliminated the extracellular matrix barrier to increase TRAIL delivery into tumours but also blocked antiapoptotic mechanisms to overcome TRAIL resistance in PDAC.DesignNitric oxide (NO) plays a role in preventing tissue desmoplasia and could thus be delivered to disrupt the stromal barrier and improve TRAIL delivery in PDAC. We applied an in vitro–in vivocombinatorial phage display technique to identify novel peptide ligands to target the desmoplastic stroma in both murine and human orthotopic PDAC. We then constructed a stroma-targeted nanogel modified with phage display-identified tumour stroma-targeting peptides to co-deliver NO and TRAIL to PDAC and examined the anticancer effect in three-dimensional spheroid cultures in vitroand in orthotopic PDAC models in vivo.ResultsThe delivery of NO to the PDAC tumour stroma resulted in reprogramming of activated pancreatic stellate cells, alleviation of tumour desmoplasia and downregulation of antiapoptotic BCL-2 protein expression, thereby facilitating tumour penetration by TRAIL and substantially enhancing the antitumour efficacy of TRAIL therapy.ConclusionThe co-delivery of TRAIL and NO by a stroma-targeted nanogel that remodels the fibrotic tumour microenvironment and suppresses tumour growth has the potential to be translated into a safe and promising treatment for PDAC.