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Summary: Mimicry is the phenomenon in which one species (the mimic) closely resembles another (the model), enhancing its own fitness by deceiving a third party into interacting with it as if it were the model. In plants, mimicry is used primarily to gain fitness by withholding rewards from mutualists or deterring herbivores cost‐effectively. While extensive work has been documented on putative defence mimicry, limited investigation has been conducted in the field of chemical mimicry.In this study, we used field experiments, chemical analyses, behavioural assays, and electrophysiology, to test the hypothesis that the birthwort Aristolochia delavayi employs chemical mimicry by releasing leaf scent that closely resembles stink bug defensive compounds and repels vertebrate herbivores.We show that A. delavayi leaf scent is chemically and functionally similar to the generalized defensive volatiles of stink bugs and that the scent effectively deters vertebrate herbivores, likely through the activation of TRPA1 channels via (E)‐2‐alkenal compounds.This study provides an unequivocal example of chemical mimicry in plants, revealing intricate dynamics between plants and vertebrate herbivores. Our study underscores the potency of chemical volatiles in countering vertebrate herbivory, urging further research to uncover their potentially underestimated importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiently constructing structures with high thermal stability is a key objective in the development of energetic compounds. However, the existing synthesis processes for heat‐resistant energetic materials are frequently hampered by their complexity and low yields. This study presents a significant breakthrough in addressing these challenges. It successfully synthesizes 4‐amino‐5‐(3‐amino‐1H‐pyrazole‐4‐yl)‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐one (APTO) using a streamlined two‐step process, achieving an impressive high yield of 87.5 %. The structure was determined through X‐ray single crystal diffraction analysis, revealing a nearly planar intramolecular structure. Hirshfeld surface analysis, weak interaction analysis, and aromaticity analysis were conducted, illustrating a substantial presence of hydrogen bonds and π ‐ π stacking interactions within and between molecules. These interactions contribute significantly to exceptional thermal stability of ATPO. Furthermore, the thermal stability of ATPO was confirmed through DSC analysis, exhibiting a decomposition temperature as high as 365.2°C. This temperature surpasses that of the heat‐resistant explosive HNS (325°C), further validating its excellent thermal stability. The construction of this conjugated structure offers valuable guidance for the future structural design of heat‐resistant energetic materials. It opens up possibilities for the development of novel compounds with improved thermal stability based on similar conjugated architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a series of N‐doped carbon supported FeCo bimetallic catalysts with plentiful FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces, which are derived from metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) ZIF‐67, are designed for the one‐pot direct conversion of methyl levulinate to 1,4‐pentanediol. The FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces are precisely controlled via tuning the reduction temperatures and Fe/Co ratios. The optimal catalyst gives a high 1,4‐pentanediol yield of 90.5 % along with complete conversion of methyl levulinate. These catalysts are carefully characterized by multiple techniques, such as HRTEM, XRD, XPS, NH3−TPD, and Py−IR. It is found that Co presents in electron deficiency caused by the electron transference from Co to Fe in FeCo alloy, which in turn enhances the heterolysis of H2. In addition, plentiful Lewis acid sites derived from interfacial FeO species favour the re‐adsorption and the ring‐opening reaction of γ‐valerolactone. With the synergy between FeCo alloy and Lewis acid, the FeCo alloy‐FeO interfaces exhibit excellent catalytic activity for selective hydrogenation of methyl levulinate to 1,4‐pentanediol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoalexins play a crucial role in plant immunity. However, the mechanism of how phytoalexin is primed by beneficial microorganisms against broad‐spectrum pathogens remains elusive. This study showed that Bacillus cereus AR156 could trigger ISR against broad‐spectrum disease. RNA‐sequencing and camalexin content assays showed that AR156‐triggered ISR can prime the accumulation of camalexin synthesis and secretion‐related genes. Moreover, it was found that AR156‐triggered ISR elevates camalexin accumulation by increasing the expression of camalexin synthesis genes upon pathogen infection. We observed that the priming of camalexin accumulation by AR156 was abolished in cyp71a13 and pad3 mutants. Further investigations reveal that in the wrky33 mutant, the ability of AR156 to prime camalexin accumulation is abolished, and the mediated ISR against the three pathogens is significantly compromised. Furthermore, PEN3 and PDR12, acting as camalexin transporters, participate in AR156‐induced ISR against broad‐spectrum pathogens differently. In addition, salicylic acid and JA/ET signalling pathways participate in AR156‐primed camalexin synthesis to resist pathogens in different forms depending on the pathogen. In summary, B. cereus AR156 triggers ISR against Botrytis cinerea, Pst DC3000 and Phytophthora capsici by priming camalexin synthesis. Our study provides deeper insights into the significant role of camalexin for AR156‐induced ISR against broad‐spectrum pathogens. Summary statement: Beneficial rhizobacterium AR156 triggered ISR by enhancing camalexin accumulation in Arabidopsis, with WRKY33 acting as a positive regulator. PEN3 and PDR12 are involved in AR156‐induced ISR. Salicylic acid and JA/ET signalling pathways participate in AR156‐primed camalexin synthesis to resist various pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In China, individuals diagnosed with esophageal cancer are confronted with an elevated risk of nutritional inadequacy or malnutrition throughout the course of their disease, a condition that contributes to various adverse clinical outcomes. A vast corpus of data are burgeoning at an unprecedented rate, primarily due to the revolutionary growth of digitalization technologies and artificial intelligence, notably within the domains of health care and medicine. The purpose of this investigation is to initiate the development of a nutritional screening and assessment indicator framework for patients with esophageal cancer within the Chinese context. We seek to furnish an instrumental reference to facilitate preparations for the forthcoming era of advanced, "deep," evidence‐based medicine. Methods: An integrative methodology was employed to forge the preliminary draft of the nutritional screening and assessment indicator system for preoperative patients with esophageal cancer. This encompassed a rigorous literature survey, in‐depth clinical practice investigation, and the facilitation of expert panel discussions. Thereafter, two iterative consultation phases were conducted using the Delphi method in China. The analytic hierarchy process was deployed to ascertain the weighting of each index within the definitive evaluation indicator system. Results: The effective response rates for the dual rounds of expert consultation were 91.7% and 86.4%, with commensurate authority coefficients of 0.97 and 0.91. The Kendall harmony coefficients were ascertained to be 0.19 and 0.14 (p < 0.01), respectively. The culminating nutritional screening and assessment indicator system for patients with esophageal cancer comprised 5 primary‐level indicators and 38 secondary‐level indicators. Conclusions: The nutritional screening and assessment indicator system contrived for patients with esophageal cancer is underpinned by cogent theoretical principles, leverages an astute research methodology, and manifests dependable outcomes. This system may be appositely utilized as a meaningful reference for the nutritional screening and assessment process in patients afflicted with esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vision Transformer structure performs better in salient object detection than the convolutional neural network (CNN)‐based approach. Vision Transformer predicts saliency by modelling long‐range dependencies from sequence to sequence with convolution‐free. It is challenging to distinguish the salient objects' location and obtain structural details for the influence of extracting irrelevant contextual information. A novel saliency sparse Transformer network is proposed to exploit sparse attention to guide saliency prediction. The convolution‐like with dilation in the token to token (T2T) module is replaced to achieve relationships in larger regions and to improve contextual information fusion. An adaptive position bias module is designed for the Vision Transformer to make position bias suitable for variable‐sized RGB images. A saliency sparse Transformer module is designed to improve the concentration of attention on the global context by selecting the Top‐k of the most relevant segments to improve the detection results further. Besides, cross‐modality to exploit the complementary RGB and depth modality fusion module (CMF) is used to take advantage of the complementary RGB image features and spatial depth information to enhance the feature fusion performance. Extensive experiments on multiple benchmark datasets demonstrate this method's effectiveness and superiority that it is suitable for saliency prediction comparable to state‐of‐the‐art RGB and RGB‐D saliency methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distant metastasis is the primary reason for treatment failure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we investigated the effect of ulinastatin (UTI) on NPC metastasis and its underlying mechanism. Highly‐metastatic NPC cell lines S18 and 58F were treated with UTI and the effect on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were determined by MTS and Transwell assays. S18 cells with luciferase‐expressing (S18–1C3) were injected into the left hind footpad of nude mice to establish a model of spontaneous metastasis from the footpad to popliteal lymph node (LN). The luciferase messenger RNA (mRNA) was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and the metastasis inhibition rate was calculated. Key molecular members of the UTI‐related uPA, uPAR, and JAT/STAT3 signaling pathways were detected by qPCR and immunoblotting. UTI suppressed the migration and infiltration of S18 and 5‐8F cells and suppressed the metastasis of S18 cells in vivo without affecting cell proliferation. uPAR expression decreased from 24 to 48 h after UTI treatment. The antimetastatic effect of UTI is partly due to the suppression of uPA and uPAR. UTI partially suppresses NPC metastasis by downregulating the expression of uPA and uPAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetate‐bridged binuclear Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes, [Co2(L)(μ‐OAc)(EtOH)] (1) and [Ni2(L)(μ‐OAc)(EtOH)] (2) were synthesized via the reaction of a new bis(salamo)‐like ligand with two different metal(II) acetates. X‐ray single crystal diffraction analyses showed that two metal(II) ions (Co or Ni) occupy two sets of N2O2 cavities, respectively. The acetate group bridges the two metals, and the ethanol oxygen atom participates in the coordination. Furthermore, UV–vis titration experiments clearly indicated that the complexation between H3L and M(II) ions leads to the 1:2 complexes [(L)M2]+ through a highly synergistic process. Bond valence sum (BVS) calculations exhibited that the Co(II) and Ni(II) ions are divalent. Secondly, the ligand H3L highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO‐LUMO) gap analysis and surface electrostatic potential were theoretically analyzed by theoretical calculation (density functional theory), and the reactivity of M(II) ions and the ligand in the complex formation process was demonstrated. Finally, the microscopic properties of the complexes were deeply understood through the calculation of the weak intramolecular interactions and the unstressed regions outside the complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) has emerged as a sustainable synthetic strategy for the construction of N‐heteroaromatics. Herein, a series of water‐soluble amidato Ru catalysts were designed, synthesized, and utilized in the selective synthesis of 2‐substituted benzimidazoles from the aromatic diamines and primary alcohols, as well as 2‐substituted quinolines from the substituted 2‐aminobenzyl alcohols and acetophenones via the ADC strategy in water. Catalyst 1 d bearing a strong electron‐donating hydroxyl group on the ligand exhibited the best catalytic activity. The catalytic system demonstrated remarkable efficiency and versatility, allowing for the application of over 40 substrates in two ADC reactions with good to high yields. Based on control experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, a plausible mechanism was proposed, highlighting the significant role of functionalized amidato Ru complexes in catalyzing alcohol dehydrogenation via an outer‐sphere pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Parkinson's disease (PD), inflammation may lead to the degeneration of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons. Previous studies showed that inflammatory mediators mainly contributed to this phenomenon. On the other hand, invasive neuromodulation methods such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) have better therapeutic effects for PD. One possibility is that DBS improves PD by influencing inflammation. Therefore, we further explored the mechanisms underlying inflammatory mediators and DBS in the pathogenesis of PD. Methods: We measured serum levels of two inflammatory markers, namely RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), using Luminex assays in 109 preoperative DBS PD patients, 49 postoperative DBS PD patients, and 113 age‐ and sex‐matched controls. The plasma protein data of the different groups were then statistically analyzed. Results: RANTES (p < 0.001) and TNF‐α (p = 0.005) levels differed significantly between the three groups. A strong and significant correlation between RANTES levels and Hoehn‐Yahr (H‐Y) stage was observed in preoperative PD patients (rs = 0.567, p < 0.001). Significant correlations between RANTES levels and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS III) score (rs1 = 0.644, p = 0.033 and rs2 = 0.620, p = 0.042) were observed in matched patients. No correlation was observed for TNF‐α levels. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that PD patients have a persistent inflammatory profile, possibly via recruitment of activated monocytes, macrophages, and T lymphocytes to the central nervous system (CNS). DBS was shown to have a significant therapeutic effect on PD, which may arise by improving the inflammatory environment of the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics and adverse charge transfer and stability at the multi‐interfaces from Si to electrolyte severely impede the application of Si photoanodes. Herein, oxygen vacancy (OV)‐rich NiFe‐layered hydroxides (NiFe‐OH) nanosheet arrays are vertically orientated on Ni‐protected Si photoanodes by a facile solvothermal method followed by a hot Fe ion‐exchange treatment. By virtue of the formation of OVs on NiFe‐OH nanosheets and the vertical contact between the NiFe‐OH and Si substrate, the as‐prepared Si photoanode not only enables abundant active sites for OER but also boosts charge and mass transfer when compared to traditional electro‐deposit samples. Moreover, the vertical contact of NiFe‐OH on Ni/Si benefits to release the interfacial stress and thereby promotes the electrode stability. Consequently, the optimal Si photoanode shows an ultrahigh applied bias photon‐to‐current efficiency of 5.7% and a good stability of over 200 h, outdoing almost all of the recently reported Si photoanodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To clarify the necessity and effect of a single intraoperative instillation of chemotherapy during radical cystectomy. Methods: Patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer between January 2013 and April 2019 were retrospectively evaluated and divided into a non‐instillation group and an instillation group according to the intraoperative instillation of chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression was used to determine the clinical predictors of overall survival and disease‐free survival. Kaplan–Meier analysis and log‐rank tests were performed to analyze overall survival and disease‐free survival. Results: Of the 320 patients who were enrolled in the study, 113 underwent radical cystectomy with intraoperative instillation of chemotherapy. Univariate Cox analysis showed that intraoperative instillation was not a risk factor for overall survival or disease‐free survival (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.66–1.63, p = 0.864; HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.76–1.62, p = 0.602, respectively). As shown in the Kaplan–Meier analysis, no significant differences were noted in overall survival (p = 0.857) and disease‐free survival (p = 0.600) between the two groups. A subgroup analysis demonstrated that intraoperative instillation was not associated with a statistically better overall survival and disease‐free survival in the nonmuscle invasive (p = 0.852 and 0.836) and muscle‐invasive (p = 0.929 and 0.805) patients. Conclusion: A single intraoperative instillation of chemotherapy during radical cystectomy was not related to better disease‐free survival or overall survival. It is unnecessary to consider single instillation of chemotherapy as a regular procedure during radical cystectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In‐space manufacturing draws great attentions due to its potential applications in space exploration. However, the high‐vacuum and microgravity environment introduces extrascientific and technical challenges. Biological experiments in the International Space Station show that spiders can build webs under microgravity conditions, which indicates that the spiderweb building could be independent of gravity. Herein, inspired by the spiderweb, a strategy for additive manufacturing in space, that is, building a 3D structure composed of metallic ribbons and bonded joints, is proposed. Several kinds of 3D metallic structures are manufactured and the flexibility and strength of the obtained jointed‐ribbons are tested. It is showed in the results that the tensile strength of the 3D metallic structures reaches about 70% of that of the raw materials, while their hardness almost keeps unchanged. Herein, an effective method to realize the manufacturing of the complex metallic structures in space is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sialidases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of sialic acid from extracellular glycoconjugates, are a group of major virulence factors in various pathogenic bacteria. In Porphyromonas gingivalis, which causes human periodontal disease, sialidase contributes to bacterial pathogenesis via promoting the formation of biofilms and capsules, reducing the ability for macrophage clearance, and providing nutrients for bacterial colonization. Here, the crystal structure of the P. gingivalis sialidase SiaPG is reported at 2.1 Å resolution, revealing an N‐terminal carbohydrate‐binding domain followed by a canonical C‐terminal catalytic domain. Simulation of the product sialic acid in the active‐site pocket together with functional analysis enables clear identification of the key residues that are required for substrate binding and catalysis. Moreover, structural comparison with other sialidases reveals distinct features of the active‐site pocket which might confer substrate specificity. These findings provide the structural basis for the further design and optimization of effective inhibitors to target SiaPG to fight against P. gingivalis‐derived oral diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The application of curcumin (CUR) in the food industry is limited by its instability, hydrophobicity and low bioavailability. Yeast cell protein (YCP) is a by‐product of spent brewer's yeast, which has the potential to deliver bioactive substances. However, the environmental stresses such as pH, salt and heat treatment has restricted its application in the food industry. Maillard reaction as a non‐enzymatic browning reaction can improve protein stability under environmental stress. RESULTS: The CUR was successfully encapsulated into the hydrophobic core of YCP/glycated YCP (GYCP) and enhanced by hydrogen bonding, resulting in static fluorescence quenching of YCP/GYCP. The average diameter and dispersibility of GYPC−CUR nanocomplex were significantly improved after glucose glycation (121.40 nm versus 139.70 nm). Moreover, the encapsulation capacity of CUR was not influenced by glucose glycation. The oxidative stability and bioaccessibility of CUR in nanocomplexes were increased compared with free CUR, especially complexed with GYCP conjugates. CONCLUSION: Steric hindrance provided by glucose conjugation improved the enviriomental stability, oxidative activity and bioaccessibility of CUR in nanocomplexes. Thus, glucose‐glycated YCP has potential application as a delivery carrier for hydrophobic compounds in functional foods. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale multi‐heterostructure and optimal band alignment are significantly challenging but vital for photoelectrochemical (PEC)‐type photodetector and water splitting. Herein, the centimeter‐scale bismuth chalcogenides‐based cascade heterostructure is successfully synthesized by a sequential vapor phase deposition method. The multi‐staggered band alignment of Bi2Te3/Bi2Se3/Bi2S3 is optimized and verified by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PEC photodetectors based on these cascade heterostructures demonstrate the highest photoresponsivity (103 mA W−1 at −0.1 V and 3.5 mAW−1 at 0 V under 475 nm light excitation) among the previous reports based on two‐dimensional materials and related heterostructures. Furthermore, the photodetectors display a fast response (≈8 ms), a high detectivity (8.96 × 109 Jones), a high external quantum efficiency (26.17%), and a high incident photon‐to‐current efficiency (27.04%) at 475 nm. Due to the rapid charge transport and efficient light absorption, the Bi2Te3/Bi2Se3/Bi2S3 cascade heterostructure demonstrates a highly efficient hydrogen production rate (≈0.416 mmol cm−2 h−1 and ≈14.320 µmol cm−2 h−1 with or without sacrificial agent, respectively), which is far superior to those of pure bismuth chalcogenides and its type‐II heterostructures. The large‐scale cascade heterostructure offers an innovative method to improve the performance of optoelectronic devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Antarctic krill oil (AKO) and fish oil (FO) were microencapsulated by a pilot‐scale spray dryer in this study. The effect of lipid class compositions on the encapsulation properties of the obtained microcapsules was investigated. The particle size distribution of both microcapsules ranged from 29.23 ± 2.20 to 36.79 ± 3.45 μm, and the moisture content and water activity (aw) also indicated that both AKO and FO microcapsules were suitable for long‐term storage. Interestingly, differences in lipid composition affected the microstructure of the microcapsules formed, thereby affecting their oxidative stability and digestive behaviour. Compared with FO microcapsules, the surface microstructure of PLs‐enriched microcapsules (AKO microcapsules) was smoother, endowing it better oxidative stability and higher DHA (72.13 ± 2.32% vs. 63.08 ± 2.98%) and EPA (75.94 ± 1.43% vs. 68.26 ± 2.98%) bioaccessibility. These findings may have important implications for the development of microcapsules formulated with different lipid classes in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The olive genus Olea includes c. 30–40 taxa in three subgenera (Olea, Tetrapilus, and Paniculatae) within the family Oleaceae. Historically, the Olea genus was classified into four groups that were overall well supported by reconstructed phylogenies, despite incomplete sampling of subgenus Tetrapilus and poor resolution within clades. These analyses also showed that the genus was not monophyletic. Reliable identification of Olea species is important for both their conservation and utilization of this economically important genus. In this study, we used phylogenomic data from genome skimming to resolve relationships within Olea and to identify molecular markers for species identification. We assembled the complete plastomes, and nrDNA of 26 individuals representing 13 species using next‐generation sequencing and added 18 publicly available accessions of Olea. We also developed nuclear SNPs using the genome skimming data to infer the phylogenetic relationships of Olea. Large‐scale phylogenomic analyses of 138 samples of tribe Oleeae supported the polyphyly of Olea, with Olea caudatilimba and Olea subgenus Tetrapilus not sharing their most recent common ancestor with the main Olea clade (subgenus Paniculatae and subgenus Olea). The interspecific phylogenetic resolution was poor owing to a possible rapid radiation. By comparing with the plastome data, we identified the markers ycf1b and psbE‐petL as the best Olea‐specific chloroplast DNA barcodes. Compared with universal barcodes, specific DNA barcodes and super‐barcode exhibited higher discriminatory power. Our results demonstrated the power of phylogenomics to improve phylogenetic relationships of intricate groups and provided new insights into barcodes that allow for accurate identification of Olea species. Highlights: Genus Olea was a polyphyletic group and had undergone rapid radiation.ycf1b and psbE‐petL were two Olea‐specific chloroplast DNA barcodes.Plastome sequence data had effective power to improve phylogenetic resolution and species discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether robot‐assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RALPN) can benefit patients in terms of functional recovery in the treatment of renal hilar tumors compared to conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (CLPN). Methods: Between January 2019 and July 2021, patients with hilar tumors who underwent partial nephrectomy (PN) were acquired at our center and were classified into RALPN and CLPN groups. Ipsilateral parenchymal volume (IPV) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were determined independently 3–5 days before and 3 months after PN using contrast‐enhanced computed tomography and nuclear renal scans. Pearson correlation was used to determine the link between ipsilateral GFR preservation and IPV preserved. Concurrently, multivariable analysis was employed to determine characteristics associated with functional recovery. Results: A total of 96 patients with hilar tumors were studied, of which 41 received RALPN and 55 received CLPN. Excisional parenchymal volume was 27 and 37 cm3 (p = 0.005) in RALPN and CLPN groups, respectively, and IPV preserved was 77% and 68% (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the ipsilateral GFR preserved was 77.7% and 75.3%, respectively (p = 0.003). On Pearson correlation, ipsilateral GFR preservation was linked with IPV preserved (r = 0.36, p < 0.001). According to a multivariate study, baseline GFR, IPV preserved, and surgical procedures (RALPN vs. CLPN) were significant factors influencing functional recovery. Conclusion: Our study suggests that RALPN, rather than CLPN, can achieve better functional recovery in the treatment of hilar tumors due to its ability to win more IPV preserved. RALPN should be recommended as the first‐line treatment for hilar tumors, but randomized controlled trials are required to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and BSA‐glucose Maillard conjugate with different degree of glycation (GBSAI and GBSAII) were used as emulsifiers to stabilised curcumin (CUR)‐loaded oil‐in‐water nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsions were stabilised by BSA with greater degree of glycation (BSA < GBSAI < GBSAII) resulting in smaller Z‐average diameter, higher zeta potential and higher encapsulation efficiency. The GBSA (especially GBSAII) conjugates significantly improved the environmental stability of nanoemulsions and enhanced the CUR retention rate during long‐time storage at 4 and 25 °C. Furthermore, BSA with a higher degree of glycation (GBSAII) was more efficiently promoted the formation of mixed micelles, thereby improving the stability and bioaccessibility of encapsulated CUR during in vitro digestion. The advantages of GBSAII‐stabilised nanoemulsions may provide a better option for efficient protection and delivery of hydrophobic ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two helical centrosymmetric homotetranuclear Cu (II) complexes, [Cu4(L)2(EtOH)2](ClO4)2·2EtOH·2CHCl3(1) and [{Cu4(L)2(EtOH)2}{Cu4(L)2(HNO3)2}](NO3)4·3EtOH·3MeOH (2), were synthesized by the reactions of a symmetric bis (salamo)‐based ligand H3L with Cu(ClO)2·6H2O and Cu(NO)3·3H2O, respectively, and certified by elemental analyses, UV–Visible absorption spectra, infrared spectra and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis techniques. X‐ray crystal structure analyses reveal that four Cu (II) atoms of complex 1 are attached to two deprotonated ligand (L)3− units with the help of two coordinated ethanol molecules, and then forming a helical centrosymmetric complex by H‐bonding and π⋯π interactions. While complex 2 unit cell contains two crystallographically independent but chemically identical homotetranuclear complexes (molecules A and B), eight Cu (II) atoms are coordinated by four deprotonated ligand (L)3− units. The coordination mode of four Cu (II) atoms from molecule A is the same as complex 1; at the same time, oxygen atoms on nitrates are involved in the coordination of another four Cu (II) atoms from molecule B. The short‐range interactions in complexes 1 and 2 were calculated by Hirshfeld surfaces analyses. The molecular orbital energy levels, molecular stabilities of complexes 1 and 2 were analyzed by DFT calculations. In addition, antibacterial assays were also investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The requirements for the chemical to act as a primary explosive, its importance, and the hazards associated with heavy‐metal‐based primary explosives are all well‐stated in this review. In addition, it outlined the limitations of the heavy‐metal‐free primary explosives already in use. This analysis underlines the importance of green primary explosives with updated information. It summarizes the possible candidates of metal‐free new generation green primary explosives, including their preparation routes, energetic properties, applications, and comparisons to traditional primary explosives. Furthermore, this analysis also aims to discuss the necessity for metal‐free primary explosives as well as the significant problem of replacing traditional primary explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past century, ferroelectrics are well known in electroceramics and microelectronics for their unique ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and photovoltaic effects. Nowadays, the advances in understanding and tuning of these properties have greatly promoted a broader application potential especially in energy and environmental fields, by harvesting solar, mechanical, and heat energies. For example, high piezoelectricity and high pyroelectricity can be designed by defect or microstructure engineering for piezo‐ and pyro‐catalyst, respectively. Moreover, highly piezoelectric and broadband (UV–Vis–NIR) light‐responsive ferroelectrics can be designed via defect engineering, giving rise to a new concept of photoferroelectrics for efficient photocatalysis, piezocatalysis, pyrocatalysis, and related cocatalysis. This article first summarizes the recent developments in ferroelectrics in terms of piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, and photovoltaic effects based on defect and microstructure engineering. Then, the potential applications in energy generation (i.e., photovoltaic effect, H2 generation, and self‐powered multisource energy harvesting and signal sensing) and environmental protection (i.e., photo‐piezo‐pyro‐ cocatalytic dye degradation and CO2 reduction) are reviewed. Finally, the outlook and challenges are discussed. This article not only covers an overview of the state‐of‐art advances of ferroelectrics, but also prospects their applications in coping with energy crisis and environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) protects the former from aggregation and promotes the controlled release of silver ions, resulting in therapeutic significance on cancer and infection. The unique size, shape, pore structure and silver distribution of silver mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Ag‐MSNs) embellish them with the potential to perform combined imaging and therapeutic actions via modulating optical and drug release properties. Here, we comprehensively review the recent progress in the fabrication and application of Ag‐MSNs for combination therapies for cancer and infection. We first elaborate on the fabrication of star‐shaped structure, core‐shell structure, and Janus structure Ag‐MSNs. We then highlight Ag‐MSNs as a multifunctional nanoplatform to surface‐enhanced Raman scattering‐based detection, non‐photo‐based cancer theranostics and photo‐based cancer theranostics. In addition, we detail Ag‐MSNs for combined antibacterial therapy via drug delivery and phototherapy. Overall, we summarize the challenges and future perspectives of Ag‐MSNs that make them promising for diagnosis and therapy of cancer and infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crataegus bretschneideri has been considered a variety of Crataegus pinnatifida, but has also been proposed as a separate species. We used ITS and three cpDNA sequence fragments (psbA‐trnH, trnG‐trnS, trnH‐trnK) to perform maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and neighbor‐joining molecular phylogenetic analysis on 108 individuals of 19 hawthorn (Crataegus) species and 4 outgroups (Malus). The ITS, cpDNA and cpDNA‐ITS molecular phylogenetic trees constructed using 4 methods had similar consistency. In the cpDNA‐ITS tree, C. bretschneideri was resolved as an independent clade separated from Crataegus maximowiczii and C. pinnatifida. In the ITS (biparental inheritance) tree, C. bretschneideri and C. pinnatifida were resolved as closely related and only distantly related to C. maximowiczii. In contrast, the cpDNA (maternal inheritance) tree indicated that C. bretschneideri is closely related to C. maximowiczii but distantly related to C. pinnatifida. In total, 15 chloroplast haplotypes were revealed in the 108 Crataegus individuals, as determined by DNASP analysis. Of these, C. bretschneideri and C. maximowiczii share the same chloroplast haplotype, H1, while C. pinnatifida contains three haplotypes, H13–H15. Taken together with previous results, we confirm that C. bretschneideri is not a variety of C. pinnatifida, but a separate species that gradually developed from natural hybrid offspring in mixed forest areas with C. maximowiczii as the female parent and C. pinnatifida as the male parent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel homomultinuclear complexes [Co6(L)2(μ‐OAc)4]·2CHCl3·CH3COCH3 (1) and [Ni2(L)(H2O)2(Py)2]·2CHCl3 (2) with a newly designed rigid bis(salamo)‐type tetraoxime ligand (H4L) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectra, UV–Vis absorption spectra, and X‐ray single‐crystal diffractions. Complex 1 is a novel triple‐decker symmetrical six‐core cluster structure with twofold axis and inversion center. The Co(II) atoms were sandwiched between the bis(salamo)‐type ligands and possess two different geometries of distorted tetragonal pyramid and octahedron, respectively. Complex 2 possesses a dinuclear structure and the Ni(II) atoms are located in the N2O2 cavities of the ligand, and axial coordination atoms come from the coordinated water and pyridine molecules. Both Ni(II) atoms adopt distorted octahedral geometries. The interactions were quantitatively determined by Hirshfeld surfaces analyses of complexes 1 and 2. The coordination ratios were determined by studying the fluorescence properties of complexes 1 and 2. The results of fluorescence titration experiment show that the metals to ligand binding ratios are 6:2 and 2:1 for complexes 1 and 2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the second messenger in cells, calcium ions are indispensable in various physiological activities of the body. In this work, a special red fluorescent carbon dot was designed and synthesized using the secondary hydrothermal method with yttrium, p‐phenylenediamine, and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid as precursors for the detection of calcium ions. The designed carbon dot exhibited bright red fluorescence, and the fluorescence emission wavelength showed good photostability. When the calcium ion concentration was controlled from 0 to 400 μM, the carbon dot tended to respond to fluorescence quenching. At the same time, a test paper experiment was carried out, which proved the potential application of the nano‐sensor in detecting calcium ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dinuclear Ni (II) and Zn (II) salamo‐type complexes, [Ni2(L)(μ‐OAc)(MeOH)]·2CHCl3 (1) and [{Zn2(L)(μ‐OMe)}3]·3CHCl3·MeOH (2), have been successfully synthesized by wet‐chemical method and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, UV–Vis spectra and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1 consists of two closely related dinuclear units 1A and 1B, and complex 2 consists of three closely related dinuclear units 2A, 2B and 2C. The five units are unique example of crystallographically independent but chemically identical molecules. The Ni (II) atoms of complex 1 are located in the N2O4 coordination cavities, possessing six‐coordinated distorted octahedral geometries, but all Zn (II) atoms in complex 2 are located in the N2O3 coordination cavities, possessing five‐coordinated distorted square‐pyramid and triangular bipyramid geometries, the geometries about the Zn (II) atoms (Zn3 and Zn6) that obtain in 2B and 2C where τ5 is very close to 0.500, which is τ5Zn3 = 0.5006 and τ5Zn6 = 0.4941, respectively. The interactions were quantitatively determined by Hirshfeld surfaces analyses. Significantly, fluorescence properties were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A family of rare structurally different homometal multinuclear CuII bis(salamo)‐based complexes, [Cu4(L)2(MeOH)2](ClO4)2·2MeOH (1), [Cu4(L)2(EtOH)2](NO3)2·2EtOH (2) and [Cu2(HL)(EtOH)Br2]·CHCl3 (3), has been successfully synthesized by the reactions of cupric salts with a bis(salamo)‐based multidentate chelate ligand (H3L). The salamo‐based ligand [R‐CH=N—O—(CH2)n—O—N=CH—R] is a new type of salen‐based analog. Complexes (1) and (2) are isostructural structures, and crystallize in monoclinic space group P21/n with centrosymmetric spiral structures, where the main structures contain two fully deprotonated ligand (L)3− units, a charged tetranuclear CuII folding center and two coordinated solvent molecules. Complex (3) crystallizes in monoclinic space group Cc and consists of two CuII cations, one incompletely deprotonated ligand (HL)2− unit and one coordinated ethanol molecule, and forms a novel homo‐binuclear CuII complex structure due to Br− counter anions. Complexes (1)–(3) have zero‐dimensional cluster‐based structures and are further assembled into three‐dimensional frameworks via intermolecular interactions. Because of the different solvents and counter anions which have a significant influence on the structures of complexes (1)–(3), the interactions were quantitatively evaluated by Hirshfeld surfaces analyses. Complexes (1)–(3) have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, UV–vis spectra and X‐ray crystallography analyses. In addition, fluorescence properties are evaluated and DFT calculations are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using symmetrical bis (salamo)‐type tetraoxime ligand H3L and Cu (ClO4)2·6H2O in different solvent systems, two unusual homomultinuclear Cu (II) complexes, [Cu4(L)2(CH3CH2OH)2](ClO4)2·2H2O (1) and [Cu2(L)]n (ClO4)n·nCH3CN (2), were synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses, elemental analyses, infrared (IR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Hirshfeld surfaces analyses, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Complex 1 includes [Cu4(L)2(CH3CH2OH)2]2+ ion, two ClO4− counter anions, two coordinated ethanol molecules and two aquatic dissociative molecules, the two deprotonated ligand (L)3− units package around four Cu (II) ions yield a centrosymmetric helical molecules with a charged linear folding center, while complex 2 forms a 1‐D linear topology structure and is only the substitution of chloroform in the solvent system of complex 1 with acetonitrile. Coordination mode of complex 2 is widely different from that of complex 1. In the Cu (II) ions of complex 1, there are two coordination modes of Cu (II) ions, the hexa‐coordinated distorted octahedral structure and the penta‐coordinated distorted tetragonal pyramid structure, but complex 2 only has almost perfect tetragonal pyramid geometry. Fluorescence properties of H3L and its complexes 1 and 2 have also been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Methyl lactate is widely applied in the chemical, food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. The conversion of carbohydrates over heterogeneous catalysts to methyl lactate is a promising environmentally benign process. RESULTS: Hierarchical Sn‐Beta zeolite (Sn‐Beta) and corresponding bimetal‐doped Beta zeolites (M‐Sn‐Beta; M = Zn, In, La, Ga, Ni) were prepared via a novel modified hydrothermal synthesis method to convert carbohydrates into methyl lactate. The introduction of Zn into Sn‐Beta considerably improved the yield of methyl lactate from glucose, while for the catalysts containing In, La, Ga and Ni, such improvements were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: A methyl lactate yield reaching up to 66.7% was obtained over Zn‐Sn‐Beta at 220 °C for 6 h. The enhanced catalytic performance was attributed to high Lewis acid density and strength, together with synergistic effects between framework Sn4+ and Zn2+ ions of Zn‐Sn‐Beta. Additionally, Zn‐Sn‐Beta demonstrated fructose and sucrose conversion into methyl lactate with yields of 68.4% and 70.0%, respectively. The Zn‐Sn‐Beta catalyst could be re‐used at least five times with only a slight loss of methyl lactate yield. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two newly designed heteromultinuclear [CuII4SmIII2] and [CuII2TbIII] bis (salamo)‐based complexes, [{Cu2(L)Sm (NO3)2(μ2‐NO3)(CH3OH)}2]·2CH3OH and [Cu2(L)Tb (NO3)2(μ2‐NO3)][Cu2(L)Tb (NO3)2(μ2‐NO3)(H2O)]·CH3OH, were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectra, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectra, and X‐ray crystallography. The ultraviolet titration experiments exhibited that the coordination ratio of the ligand, rare earth metal, and transition metal is 1:1:2. In the [CuII4SmIII2] complex, Cu1 atom has a distorted quadrilateral pyramid geometry, whereas Cu2 atom forms a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The [CuII2TbIII] complex unit cell contains two crystallographically independent and chemically different heterotrinuclear complexes (Molecules A and B). In Molecule A, the Cu1 atom bears a four‐coordinated plane quadrilateral geometry, whereas the five‐coordinated Cu2 atom forms a slightly distorted tetragonal cone geometry. In Molecule B, the five‐coordinated Cu3 and Cu4 atoms possess slightly distorted tetragonal cone geometries. Noncovalent interactions like hydrogen bonding and π···π stacking interactions are operative in construction of supramolecular architectures. The [CuII2TbIII] complex behaves as a catalyst towards oxidative coupling of 2‐AP in MeCN medium. In addition, fluorescence properties of the ligand H4L and its [CuII4SmIII2] and [CuII2TbIII] complexes have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface of gold nanorods is chemically charged by ascorbic acid; the charging effect results in not only the blue shift on their surface plasmon bands, but also the change of the deposition rate of silver on their surfaces. The rate was prominently accelerated at room temperature, but slightly slowed down at higher temperature. The shape of gold‐silver core‐shell nanoparticles could not be obviously affected. The Fermi level of gold nanorods begins to increase under the action of charging and alters the electrical double‐layer structure of gold nanorods, resulting in the different deposition rate of silver on gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel multinuclear NiII complexes, namely, bis{μ‐2‐methoxy‐6‐[8‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐3,6‐dioxa‐2,7‐diazaocta‐1,7‐dien‐1‐yl]phenolato}bis[thiocyanatonickel(II)], [Ni2(L)2(NCS)2], 1, bis{μ‐2‐methoxy‐6‐[8‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐3,6‐dioxa‐2,7‐diazaocta‐1,7‐dien‐1‐yl]phenolato}bis[azidonickel(II)], [Ni2(L)2(N3)2], 2, and catena‐poly[[{2‐methoxy‐6‐[8‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐3,6‐dioxa‐2,7‐diazaocta‐1,7‐dien‐1‐yl]phenolato}nickel(II)]‐μ‐dicyanamidato], [Ni(L)(dca)]n, 3 {dca is dicyanamide, C2N3, and HL is 2‐methoxy‐6‐[8‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐3,6‐dioxa‐2,7‐diazaocta‐1,7‐dien‐1‐yl]phenol, C16H17N3O4}, with a half‐salamo‐based pyridine‐containing HL ligand have been synthesized and characterized by FT–IR, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography, Hirshfeld surface analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The central NiII ions in complexes 1–3 are hosted in the half‐salamo‐based N3O‐donor cavity of the organic ligand. Complex 1 is a centrosymmetric dimer and two [Ni(L)(NCS)] units form a centrosymmetric dimeric structure, which is bridged by two phenolate O atoms. The two N atoms at the axial ends are provided by two NCS− ligands. In complex 1, each NiII ion has a six‐coordinated octahedral geometry. Complex 2 is similar to 1, but they differ in that the auxiliary NCS− ligand is replaced by N3−. However, complex 3 is a one‐dimensional coordination polymer constructed from [Ni(L)(dca)] units, which are connected by the auxiliary bidentate dca ligand viaN‐donor atoms. As with complexes 1 and 2, the NiII ion in 3 has a six‐coordinated octahedral geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An asymmetric salamo‐based probe molecule (H2L) was synthesized and characterized structurally. When DMF/H2O (9:1) was used as the solvent, it was shown probe H2L has high sensitivity to Cu2+. Using high‐resolution mass spectrometry and theoretical calculation, it was found that probe H2L could form a more stable complex (1:1) with Cu2+, the minimum limit of detection (LOD) of H2L for Cu2+ was calculated as 9.95 × 10−8 M. In addition, probe H2L could also be used to identify B4O72− under the same detection conditions and the minimum LOD of H2L for B4O72− was calculated as 4.98 × 10−7 M. At the same time, density functional theory theoretical calculation further proved the flexibility of probe H2L. Through the action of EDTA, probe H2L had a cyclic ability to recognize Cu2+, and showed a better response in the physiological pH range; probe H2L had the characteristics of fast recognition speed and high efficiency. In addition, with probe H2L test paper for Cu2+ and B4O72−, the effect was more obvious. Meanwhile, probe H2L can be used to quantitatively detect Cu2+ in water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new tetranuclear NiII complexes, [Ni4(L1)2(N3)4(MeOH)2]·CH3COCH3(1) and [Ni4(L2)2(N3)4(MeOH)2]·4CH3COCH3(2), were synthesized using NiCl2·6H2O, NaN3, and asymmetric salamo‐based ligands H2L1 and H2L2, respectively. The structural characterization was made by elemental analyses, infrared (IR) and ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) spectra, and X‐ray diffraction analyses. The results of X‐ray diffraction analyses show that the NiII atoms in complexes 1 and 2 are distorted octahedral geometries. Interestingly, the degree of distortion of the ligands in complexes 1 and 2 is different, which indicates that the interaction of NiII ions on different ligands is different. Meanwhile, the investigation of molecular packing by employing the Hirshfeld surface analysis exhibits that the percentages of C–H/H–C, O–H/H–O, and H–H/H–H contacts of the complex 1 (or 2) are calculated to be 17.7%, 7.9%, and 53.7% (or 18.8%, 13.8%, and 52.5%), respectively, where the H–H/H–H contacts have the characteristics of strong contacts whereas the O–H/H–O hydrogen bonds are considerably weak, and the studies on fluorescence properties further confirm the NiII atoms have different binding abilities to the different ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies in oral cancer. Herein, we aimed to investigate the influence of lncRNA protein kinase cGMP-dependent type I-Antisense RNA 1 (PRKG1-AS1) in OSCC progression.Methods: Basing on the data acquired from TCGA database, the expression and prognostic value of PRKG1-AS1 in OSCC patients were assessed. The expression of PRKG1-AS1 in OSCC cells was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell growth was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and colony-forming assays. Transwell assay was employed to test cell invasion and migration. The protein expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers was detected by Western blotting.Results: The consequences displayed that PRKG1-AS1 was highly expressed in OSCC tissues and high expression of PRKG1-AS1 predicted poor outcomes. The expression of PRKG1-AS1 was higher in CAL27, SCC-9, and SCC-4 than that in normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOK). The results of biological experiments showed that deficiency of PRKG1-AS1 suppressed cell growth, invasion, and migration in CAL27 cells, and over-expression of PRKG1-AS1 accelerated cell growth, invasion, and migration in SCC-4 cells. Finally, silencing of PRKG1-AS1 obviously facilitated the protein expression levels of E-cadherin and reduced levels of N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail in CAL27 cells whereas over-expression of PRKG1-AS1 led to opposite results in SCC-4 cells.Conclusion: These outcomes indicated that PRKG1-AS1 functioned as a facilitator in OSCC cell growth, migration, and invasion, which all might be achieved by regulating EMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Glycerol, which is a coproduct of biodiesel production, has been identified as a key platform compound for producing various valuable chemicals. The selective catalytic oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone is very attractive. RESULTS: A series of Au catalysts supported on metallic oxides, i.e. ZnO, CuO, Al2O3, Fe2O3 and NiO, were studied for selective catalytic oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone under base‐free conditions. Among the catalysts, Au/CuO showed the best catalytic activity (glycerol conversion of 89% and dihydroxyacetone selectivity of 82.6% at 80 °C under 10 bar of O2), followed by Au/ZnO ≫ Au/NiO > Au/Al2O3 ≈ Au/CuO‐SD ≈ Au/Fe2O3. The catalytic behaviors of these supported Au catalysts varied depending on the Au particle size, Au oxidation state, Au–support interactions and lattice oxygen reducibility. CONCLUSION: The main reasons for the high catalytic activity of Au/CuO are as follows. Firstly, the catalyst has small metallic Au particles, which are more active in cleavage of the secondary CH bond in glycerol molecules. Secondly, the interactions between Au and CuO facilitate lattice oxygen reduction, and this increases oxygen mobility, which may promote regeneration of Au–support perimeter active sites by gaseous oxygen. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Treatment of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is challenging, because suppressing fibrotic progression has not been achieved consistently by drug candidates currently in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular interplays underlying NASH‐associated fibrosis in a mouse NASH model and human specimens. Methods: Mice were divided into 4 groups: Controls; NASH (high fat/Calorie diet plus high fructose and glucose in drinking water, HFCD‐HF/G) for 16 weeks; HFCD‐HF/G plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for 16 or 8 weeks. Results: Along with NASH progression, fibrotic deposition was documented in HFCD‐HF/G‐fed mice. Liver succinate content was significantly increased along with decreased expression of succinate dehydrogenase‐A (SDH‐A) in these mice; whereas, GPR‐91 receptor expression was much enhanced in histology compared to control mice, and co‐localized histologically with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Succinate content was increased in fatty acid‐overloaded primary hepatocytes with significant oxidant stress and lipotoxicity. Exposure to succinate led to up‐regulation of GPR‐91 receptor in primary and immortalized HSCs. In contrast, suppression of GPR‐91 receptor expression abolished succinate stimulatory role in GPR‐91 expression and extracellular matrix production in HSCs. All these changes were minimized or abrogated by DHA supplementation in vivo or in vitro. Moreover, GPR‐91 receptor expression correlates with severity of fibrosis in human NASH biopsy specimens. Conclusion: Succinate accumulation in steatotoic hepatocytes may result in HSC activation through GPR‐91 receptor signalling in NASH progression, and the cross‐talk between hepatocytes and HSC through GPR‐91 signalling is most likely to be the molecular basis of fibrogenesis in NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]