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Simple Summary: Dumeng sheep is a novel, specialized meat sheep breed created through crossbreeding innovation, cross-fixation, and herd expansion, using Dorper sheep as the father and Mongolian sheep as the mother. Given the critical role of early growth and development stages in determining the meat production potential of livestock animals, estimating the genetic parameters of early growth traits is crucial for the genetic advancement of meat sheep populations. This study aimed to investigate the genetic and non-genetic factors that affect the nine early growth traits of Dumeng sheep, as well as to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters associated with these traits. It was found that the growth traits of Dumeng sheep could be improved indirectly by selecting for weaning weight. This study aimed to estimate the genetic and non-genetic factors that affect the nine early growth traits of Dumeng sheep, as well as to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters associated with these traits. A dataset containing detailed information on 17,896 preweaning trait records of 4474 lambs was collected. In addition, 5015 postweaning trait records of 1003 lambs were documented. The effects of recipient dam age, sex, year, season, and herd on the early growth traits were assessed using the general linear model procedure of the statistical analysis system, revealing different levels of significance across different traits. To determine the most suitable model for estimating the genetic parameters, the likelihood ratio (LR) test was employed, fitting six animal models that either excluded or included maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects within the average information restricted maximum likelihood (AIREML) framework using WOMBAT software (Version: 23/11/23). The model incorporating direct additive genetic effects, maternal genetic effects, and maternal permanent environment effects as random effects (model 6) provided the best fit for birth weight (BW) estimation. In contrast, the model combining direct additive genetic effects and maternal permanent environment effects as random effects (model 2) demonstrated a superior fit for estimating the genetic parameters of weaning weight (WW), average daily gain weight from birth to weaning (ADG1), and Kleiber ratio from birth to weaning (KR1). With regard to the genetic parameters of body weight at 6 months of age (6MW), average daily gain weight from weaning to 6 months (ADG2), average daily gain weight from birth to 6 months (ADG3), Kleiber ratio from weaning to 6 months (KR2), and Kleiber ratio from birth to 6 months (KR3), model 1, which incorporates only direct additive genetic effects, was identified as the optimal choice. With the optimal model, the heritability estimates ranged from 0.010 ± 0.033 for 6MW to 0.1837 ± 0.096 for KR3. The bivariate analysis method was employed to estimate the correlation between various traits using the most suitable model. The absolute values of genetic correlation coefficients among the traits spanned a range from 0.1460 to 0.9998, highlighting both weak and strong relationships among the studied traits. Specifically, the estimated genetic correlations between WW and ADG1, ADG3, KR1, and KR3 were 0.9859, 0.9953, 0.9911, and 0.9951, respectively, while the corresponding phenotypic correlations were 0.9752, 0.7836, 0.8262, and 0.5767. These findings identified that WW could serve as an effective selection criterion for enhancing early growth traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrocyclic hosts can bind appropriate guests in endo‐cavity or exo‐wall modes to yield Host–Guest cocrystals via weak intermolecular forces. Contrary, it remains challenging to achieve their nonmacrocyclic partners with high‐efficiency fluorescence even lasing due to profound adaptive behaviors during guest inclusion. Here, a variety of low dispersity 1D and 2D assemblies made of a sterically demanding perylenediimide derivative (PDI) host and diverse aromatic guests are realized. Depending on the types and the substituted groups of aromatic guests, these Host–Guest microcrystals show high‐efficiency solid‐state emissions ranging from orange to near‐infrared (NIR). Interestingly, either electron‐deficient or electron‐rich guests can adapt to the cavity of the nonmacrocyclic PDI host in diverse geometries and orientations. Theoretical analysis indicates that the long‐wavelength emissions stem from local or charge‐transfer excited states and the Host–Guest Donor–Acceptor cocrystals are stabilized largely by dispersion forces. The binding of appropriate π‐electron guests makes the PDI‐derived Host–Guest microcrystals function as microscale lasers with low lasing thresholds. The rational creation of these nonmacrocyclic Host–Guest Donor–Acceptor cocrystals offers new insights for developing new crystal structures and high‐efficiency optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asthma is a major public health concern due to its persistent inflammation of the airways. The intricate and widely variable epidemiology of asthma among nations and populations is a result of the interplay between genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. This study aims to investigate whether VitD supplementation can reduce the frequency of exacerbations (including the frequency of exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids and the frequency of exacerbations necessitating trips to the hospital or emergency room, or both) and improve pulmonary function (clinical indicators such as the FEV1% predicted value). Computers were used to search Pubmed, Medline, ISI Web of Science, Embase, Cachrane Library, CNKI, CBM, VIP, and the Wanfang Database. Asthma/asthma, VitD/VitD, lung function/lung function, retrieval time is from database setup to October 8, 2021, to search all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of VitD on human asthma and to retroactively incorporate references to literature were all included in the search criteria. After rigorous screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction of the included literature by two reviewers independently, heterogeneity tests and sensitivity analyses were performed. The findings show that a total of 12 relevant studies meeting the inclusion criteria were finally included, including 649 cases in the experimental group and 646 cases in the control group. VitD intervention reduced the number of asthma exacerbations, including the rate of exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy and the rate of acute exacerbations requiring emergency department or hospital visits or both. In the outcome of lung function (FEV1% predicted value), it was shown that VitD supplementation improved lung function; in the outcome of serum 25-hydroxyVitD levels, it was shown that VitD supplementation increased serum 25-hydroxyVitD levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a great challenge to design active and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer due to the high dissolution of electrocatalysts in acidic solution. Herein, the Nd‐doped RuO2 (Nd0.1RuOx) is developed for enhanced oxygen evolution in 0.5 m H2SO4 solution with an overpotential of 211 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2. The theoretical calculation reveals that the improved activity of Nd0.1RuOx is due to the moderate decrease of d‐band center energy, which balances the adsorption and desorption of oxygen intermediates. Moreover, the formation of more high valence state Ru4+ in Nd0.1RuOx is beneficial to the chemical stability of Ru species during the OER process, indicating that the introduction of Nd can effectively suppress the dissolution of Ru in acidic electrolytes. In addition, the PEM electrolyzer using Nd0.1RuOx/CC as the anode can be operated at 10 mA cm−2 stably for 50 h. This study sheds new light on the design of the OER catalysts in acid by engineering the electronic structure of RuO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great importance to promote charge separation in photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. In this work, a type-II heterostructured photocatalyst was constructed by compositing phosphorus-doped g-C3N4 (P-CN) and Rh-doped SrTiO3 (Rh-STO) via a thermal calcination treatment. A series of characterizations were conducted to investigate the structure of heterostructured P-CN/Rh-STO. It was found that Rh-STO interacted with in situ generated P atoms from the decomposition of P-CN during the calcination process, thus leading to the formation of heterojunction of P-CN/Rh-STO. Compared with the single component, i.e., P-CN or Rh-STO, the obtained P-CN/Rh-STO showed superior photocatalytic activity to that of both P-CN and Rh-STO due to the effective charge separation across the heterojunction between P-CN and Rh-STO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic photochromic materials (i.e., in‐PCMs) are developed as a research hot point in the lighting field due to their excellent optical characteristics, impressive  body color modulation, etc. The aim of this work is to make a review on the developments of multi‐metals in‐PCMs (i.e., min‐PCMs) in the past 20 years. The review is structured based on the reversible coloration, crystal hosts, doped ions, PC properties, and mechanism of min‐PCMs and their applications. The synthesis methods of min‐PCMs are reviewed first and then the min‐PCMs are classified according to the types of the doped ions (i.e., single rare‐earth (i.e., RE) ion, multi RE ions, non‐RE ions, and/or the coupled arrangement of these ions). Meanwhile, the min‐PCMs co‐doped with RE and non‐RE ions, together with RE‐ and/or non‐RE‐doped and co‐doped dual crystal matrix, are also disclosed. In the 4th section, we underline the PC mechanisms and show the perspectives on how to produce the PC and obtain the related min‐PCMs. After that, diverse emerging applications of min‐PCMs are summarized, which include optical storage, anti‐counterfeiting, bio‐imaging, light detection, temperature sensing, photocatalysis, and smart windows. In the end, we conclude this review and forecast the promising opportunities and potential challenges of min‐PCMs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystallization of organic materials can lead to different assembly structure with different reactivity, but this phenomenon is rarely observed for delocalized hydrocarbon radicals. This report introduces a crystallization-induced radical-radical coupling reaction, which employs a series of stable nonplanar organic π-radicals as reactants. Six stable radical congeners are synthesized, resulting in radical-radical coupling at the allenyl radical site during crystallization to produce close-shell dimers. This coupling reaction is absent in the solution phase, which highlights the importance of preorganization in the lattice. Remarkably, the attempts of cocrystallization of different congeners yielded homocoupling products instead of cross-coupling products. In specific cases, two distinct polymorphs are observed and their reactivity is different according to the distance of the reaction sites. Theoretical calculations indicate that the transition from a metastable preorganized monomer to a dimer is barrierless and spontaneous. The dimer could regenerate free radicals by heating or photoirradiation in the solution phase. This discovery may lead to controllable molecular switches., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

This study aimed to estimate the genetic and non-genetic factors that affect the nine early growth traits of Dumeng sheep, as well as to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters associated with these traits. A dataset containing detailed information on 17,896 preweaning trait records of 4474 lambs was collected. In addition, 5015 postweaning trait records of 1003 lambs were documented. The effects of recipient dam age, sex, year, season, and herd on the early growth traits were assessed using the general linear model procedure of the statistical analysis system, revealing different levels of significance across different traits. To determine the most suitable model for estimating the genetic parameters, the likelihood ratio (LR) test was employed, fitting six animal models that either excluded or included maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects within the average information restricted maximum likelihood (AIREML) framework using WOMBAT software (Version: 23/11/23). The model incorporating direct additive genetic effects, maternal genetic effects, and maternal permanent environment effects as random effects (model 6) provided the best fit for birth weight (BW) estimation. In contrast, the model combining direct additive genetic effects and maternal permanent environment effects as random effects (model 2) demonstrated a superior fit for estimating the genetic parameters of weaning weight (WW), average daily gain weight from birth to weaning (ADG1), and Kleiber ratio from birth to weaning (KR1). With regard to the genetic parameters of body weight at 6 months of age (6MW), average daily gain weight from weaning to 6 months (ADG2), average daily gain weight from birth to 6 months (ADG3), Kleiber ratio from weaning to 6 months (KR2), and Kleiber ratio from birth to 6 months (KR3), model 1, which incorporates only direct additive genetic effects, was identified as the optimal choice. With the optimal model, the heritability estimates ranged from 0.010 ± 0.033 for 6MW to 0.1837 ± 0.096 for KR3. The bivariate analysis method was employed to estimate the correlation between various traits using the most suitable model. The absolute values of genetic correlation coefficients among the traits spanned a range from 0.1460 to 0.9998, highlighting both weak and strong relationships among the studied traits. Specifically, the estimated genetic correlations between WW and ADG1, ADG3, KR1, and KR3 were 0.9859, 0.9953, 0.9911, and 0.9951, respectively, while the corresponding phenotypic correlations were 0.9752, 0.7836, 0.8262, and 0.5767. These findings identified that WW could serve as an effective selection criterion for enhancing early growth traits.

Although Ruthenium-based pyrochlore oxides can function as promising catalysts for acidic water oxidation, their limitations in terms of stability and activity still need to be addressed for further application in practical conditions. In this work, the possibility to enhance both oxygen evolution reaction activity and durability of Gd 2 Ru 2 O 7- δ through partial replacement with Na + in Gd 3+ sites is first offered, leading to the electronic and geometric regulation of active center RuO 6 . Na + triggers the emergence of Ru <4+ and the electron rearrangement of active-centered RuO 6 . Specifically, Ru ions with a negative d-band center after Na + doping exhibit weaker adsorption energies of *O and result in the conversion of the rate-limiting step from *O/*OOH to *OH/O*, reducing energy barriers for boosting activities. Therefore, the Na x Gd 2- x Ru 2 O 7- δ requires a low overpotential of 260 mV at 10 mA cm -2 in 0.1 m HClO 4 electrolyte. Moreover, the higher formation energy of Ru vacancy and less distorted RuO6 enable the as-prepared Na x Gd 2- x Ru 2 O 7- δ to operate steadily at 10 mA cm -2 for 300 h and multi-current chronopotentiometry with current densities from 20 to 100 mA cm -2 for 60 h in acidic proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, respectively., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A stable nanohoop radical (OR3) combining the structures of cycloparaphenylene and an olympicenyl radical is synthesized and isolated in the crystalline state. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that OR3 forms a unique head-to-tail dimer that further aggregates into a one-dimensional chain in the solid state. Variable-temperature NMR and concentration-dependent absorption measurements indicate that the π-dimer is not formed in solution. An energy decomposition analysis indicates that van der Waals interactions are the driving force for the self-association process, in contrast with other olympicenyl derivatives that favor π-dimerization. The physical properties in solution phase have been studied, and the stable cationic species obtained by one-electron chemical oxidation. This study offers a new molecular design to modulate the self-association of organic radicals for overcoming the spin-Peierls transition, and to prepare novel nanohoop compounds with spin-related properties., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)