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The application of metal catalysis has gained prominence as a study area in recent years. In this work, we use adsorptive reduction and calcination to create Au–Pd alloy catalysts on COCN-2 with varying metal loadings. The plasma resonance effect of the alloys increases the photoresponse of the catalysts, and the engineering of nitrogen defects strengthens the strong bonds between Au–Pd alloy particles and carbon nitride graphite, optimizing the electronic structure, encouraging electron-directed migration, and increasing the efficiency of the reduction reaction. As a result, the efficiency of hydrogen generation by the Au–Pd 0.6 /COCN-2 catalyst is 5.089 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 2367 times higher than that of the g-C 3 N 4 catalyst. Our findings highlight the crucial part that flaws play in strengthening the strong bonds that exist between the metal and the support, which enhances photocatalytic hydrogen generation. This work offers insightful information about creating effective photocatalysts. • A series of Au–Pd/COCN catalysts were prepared via a facile method. • The performance of Au–Pd 0.6 /COCN-2 reached 5.089 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 2367 times higher than the pristine g-C 3 N 4. • A series of investigations were conducted to reveal the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in feather color formation is important because coloration is one of the most recognizable characteristics in chickens. In this study, after transcrip-tome sequencing of the wing and neck feather follicle tissues of chickens with different plumage colors, we retrieved differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with the same trends in both the wing and neck and then identified DEGs that may be associated with melanin deposition through GO and KEGG annotation and PPI analysis. Finally, we verified that two genes in chicken melanocytes, SLC45A2 and GPNMB, promote melanocyte melanin deposition in chickens. As an essential genetic and economic trait, chicken feather color has long been an important research topic. To further understand the mechanism of melanin deposition associated with coloration in chicken feathers, we selected feather follicle tissues from the neck and wings of chickens with differently colored feathers (yellow, sub-Columbian, and silver) for transcriptome analysis. We focused on genes that were expressed in both the wings and neck and were expressed with the same trends in breeds with two different plumage colors, specifically, SLC45A2, GPNMB, MLPH, TYR, KIT, WNT11, and FZD1. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed the DEGs were enriched in melanin-related pathways, such as tyrosine metabolic pathway and melanogenesis, and PPI analysis highlighted the genes SLC45A2 and GPNMB as associated with melanin deposition. Verification experiments in chicken melanocytes demonstrated that these two genes promote melanocyte melanin deposition. These data enrich our knowledge of the mechanisms that regulate chicken feather color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) progresses rapidly, is difficult to treat, and has a high fatality rate. The excessive inflammatory response is an important pathological mechanism of ALI. NLRC3 (NLR family CARD domain-containing 3), a non-inflammasome member of the NLR family, has been found that it could negatively regulates various biological pathways associated with inflammatory response, such as NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B), PI3K (Phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase)-Akt (protein kinase B)-mTOR (mammalian target of the rapamycin), and STING (stimulator of interferon genes) pathways, which are responsible for the progression of pulmonary inflammation and participate in regulating the pathological progression of ALI. However, the effects of NLRC3 in sepsis-induced pathological injury of lung tissue remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential effects of NLRC3 in the sepsis-induced ALI. To investigate whether NLRC3 participates in inhibiting the pulmonary inflammatory response of sepsis-induced ALI. Sepsis-induced ALI mice models were established by intrabronchial injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). The lentivirus with overexpression of NLRC3 (LV-NLRC3) and downregulation of NLRC3 (LV-NLRC3-RNAi) were transfected to LPS-induced ALI mice. The expression of NLRC3 was upregulated or downregulated in the lung tissue of sepsis-induced ALI mice. Transfection with NLRC3-overexpression lentivirus significantly decreased inflammatory response in the lung of LPS-induced ALI mice in contrast to the control group. By transfection with NLRC3-silencing lentivirus, the inflammatory response in LPS-induced ALI mice was aggravated. Our study provides evidence of the protective effect of NLRC3 in sepsis-induced ALI by inhibiting excessive inflammatory response of the lung tissue. AbbreviationsAcute lung injury: ALI; intensive care units: ICU; lipopolysaccharide: LPS; acute respiratory distress syndrome: ARDS; bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: BALF; nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors: NLRs; NLR family CARD domain containing 3: NLRC3; nuclear factor kappa B: NF-κB; tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6: TRAF6; Phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase: PI3K; protein kinase B: Akt; mammalian target of the rapamycin: mTOR; stimulator of interferon genes: STING; TANK-binding kinase 1: TBK1; type I interferon: IFN-I; toll-like receptors: TLRs; tumor necrosis factor: TNF; interleukin: IL; NOD-like receptor protein 3: NLRP3; enhanced green fluorescent protein: EGFP; lentivirus: LV; phosphate-buffered saline: PBS; intrabronchial: i.t.; cecum ligation and puncture: CLP; wet/dry: W/D; Real time polymerase chain reaction: RT-PCR; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: ELISA; hematoxylin and eosin: H&E; radio immunoprecipitation assay: RIPA; sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: SDS-PAGE; polyvinylidene fluoride: PVDF; glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase: GAPDH; bovine serum albumin: BSA; Tris buffered saline containing Tween 20: TBST; standard deviation: SD; one-way analysis of variance: ANOVA; janus kinase 2: JAK2; activators of transcription 3: STAT3; pathogen associated molecular patterns: PAMPs; danger associated molecular patterns: DAMPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy has been shown to be safe and effective in numerous animal models and clinical trials for various ophthalmic diseases. Stargardt disease (STGD1; MIM #248200) is the most common autosomal recessive macular dystrophy disease, and the most common form is caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene, a gene with 6.8 kb coding sequence. Split intein approaches increase the capacity of dual AAV gene therapy, but at the cost of reduced protein expression, which may be insufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect. In this study, we designed various dual split intein ABCA4 vectors and showed that the efficiency of expression of full-length ABCA4 protein is dependent on combinations of types and split sites of the intein system. The most efficient vectors were identified through in vitro screening, and a novel dual AAV8-ABCA4 vector was constructed and subsequently proven to express full-length ABCA4 protein at a high level, reducing bisretinoid formation and correcting the visual function of ABCA4-knockout mice. Furthermore, we evaluated therapeutic effects of different dosages by subretinal injection in mice model. Both therapeutic effects and safety were guaranteed under the treatment of 1.00 × 109 GC/eye. These results support the optimized dual AAV8-ABCA4 approach in future clinical translation for treatment of Stargardt disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innate immune system is the first line of defense for the host against any microbial attack. It can quickly identify microorganisms and produce an immune response, removing pathogenic microorganisms. However, a strong immune response might lead to excessive inflammation and even autoimmune diseases. NLRC3 is an important regulator of innate immune system homeostasis. It is a member of the anti-inflammatory NLR family and can inhibit excessive immune response in the body. In this review, we primarily focused on the current research progress on NLRC3 and its potential application. It can decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the NF-κB, MAK-ERK, PI3K-mTOR, IL-6/JAK2/STAT3, and cGAS-STING pathways. It also inhibits inflammatory responses by interfering with the assembly and activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome complexes. Additionally, NLRC3 can also reduce the functions of some antigen-presenting cells and their ability to activate and polarize CD4+ T cells into Th1 and Th17 subsets. NLRC3 is closely related to the development of tumors, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and AD. These diseases might be treated effectively by regulating the expression of NLRC3. • NLRC3 is an important regulator of innate immune system homeostasis. • NLRC3 inhibits Several pro-inflammatory signaling pathways. • NLRC3 interferes with the assembly and activity of the NLRP3 inflammasome complexes. • NLRC3 weakens the function of antigen-presenting cells. • NLRC3 negatively regulates the immune response of CD4+ T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations of the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) gene is the most prevalent defect associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The C9orf72 protein interacts with Smith-Magenis syndrome chromosomal region candidate gene 8 (SMCR8) and WDR41 to form a trimeric complex that regulates several cellular pathways including autophagy and membrane trafficking and is strongly linked to familial ALS and FTD. The C9orf72-SMCR8 complex is important for its GTPase activating proteins (GAP) activity and mutations in the dimer interface affects the GAP activity. Mutations at protein-protein interfaces alter the stability and binding affinity of protein-protein complexes and may lead to diseases. In this study, we used computational saturation mutagenesis, including structure-based energy calculations and sequence-based pathogenicity predictions, to quantify the systemic effects of missense mutations of C9orf72 protein stability and binding affinity to Smith-Magenis syndrome chromosomal region candidate gene 8 (SMCR8). A total of 494 interfacial mutations of C9orf72 were analyzed, and we observed that most of these mutations destabilize the protein and decreased the binding to SMCR8. We further analyzed 240 annotated verified C9orf72 missense variations and revealed that most of the mutations affect the stability and the C9orf72-SMCR8 interaction. These findings shed light on the effect of mutations in C9orf72 stability and binding which can successfully predict the functional consequences of mutations on C9orf72 function and may enable researchers to deduce the mechanisms of ALS and FTD. [Display omitted] • C9orf72 (chromosome 9 open reading frame 72) mutations affect protein stability and binding. • Most of the interfacial mutations destabilize the protein and decreased the binding of C9orf72 to SMCR8. • The mutations in α11 residues (392−419) of C9orf72 may significantly change the binding affinity of the C9orf72-SMCR8 complex. • Mutations at residue G403 destabilized C9orf72 and decreased its binding to SMCR8. • Mutations H406Q, H406R, R407I, L410S, and T411R stabilized C9orf72 but at the same time decreased the binding of SMCR8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic losses incurred due to reduced muscle pigmentation highlight the crucial role of melanin-based coloration in the meat of black-bone chickens. Melanogenesis in the breast muscle of black-bone chickens is currently poorly understood in terms of molecular mechanisms. This study employed whole-transcriptome sequencing to analyze black and white breast muscle samples from black-bone chickens, leading to the identification of 367 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 48 DElncRNAs, 104 DEcircRNAs, and 112 DEmiRNAs involved in melanin deposition. Based on these findings, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was developed to better understand the complex mechanisms of melanin deposition. Furthermore, our analysis revealed key DEmRNAs (TYR, DCT, EDNRB, MLPH and OCA2) regulated by DEmiRNAs (g ga-miR-140-5p, gga-miR-1682, gga-miR-3529, gga-miR-499-3p, novel-m0012-3p, gga-miR-200b-5p, gga-miR-203a, gga-miR-6651-5p, gga-miR-7455-3p, gga-miR-31-5p, miR-140-x, miR-455-x, novel-m0065-3p, gga-miR-29b-1-5p, miR-455-y, novel-m0085-3p, and gga-miR-196-1-3p). These DEmiRNAs competitively interacted with DElncRNAs including MSTRG.2609.2, MSTRG.4185.1, LOC112530666, LOC112533366, LOC771030, LOC107054724, LOC121107411, LOC100859072, LOC101750037, LOC121108550, LOC121109224, LOC121110876, and LOC101749016 , as well as DEcircRNAs, such as novel_circ_000158, novel_circ_000623, novel_001518, and novel_circ_003596. The findings from this study provide insight into the mechanisms that regulate lncRNA, circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression in chicken melanin deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway connects the immune response system and the nervous system via the vagus nerve. The key regulatory receptor is the α7-subtype of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway has been proved to be effective in suppressing the inflammation responses in acute lung injury (ALI). Dendritic cells (DCs), the important antigen-presenting cells, also express the α7nAChR. Past studies have indicated that reducing the quantity of mature conventional DCs and inhibiting the maturation of pulmonary DCs may prove effective for the treatment of ALI. However, the effects of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway on maturation, function, and quantity of DCs and conventional DCs in ALI remain unclear. Objective. It was hypothesized that cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway may inhibit the inflammatory response of ALI by regulating maturation, phenotype, and quantity of DCs and conventional DCs. Methods. GTS-21 (GTS-21 dihydrochloride), an α7nAchR agonist, was prophylactically administered in sepsis-induced ALI mouse model and LPS-primed bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. The effects of GTS-21 were observed with respect to maturation, phenotype, and quantity of DCs, conventional DCs, and conventional DCs2 (type 2 conventional DCs) and the release of DC-related proinflammatory cytokines in vivo and in vitro. Results. The results of the present study revealed that GTS-21 treatment decreased the maturation of DCs and the production of DC-related proinflammatory cytokines in vitro and in sepsis-induced ALI mouse model; it reduced the quantity of CD11c+MHCII+ conventional DCs and CD11c+CD11b+ conventional DCs2 in vivo experiment. Conclusions. Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway contributes to the reduction in the inflammatory response in ALI by regulating maturation, phenotype, and quantity of DCs, conventional DCs, and conventional DCs2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is related to childhood abuse, family relationships, interpersonal relationships, personality, but the interaction between them is still unclear, and how they interact in major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods: Collected data from 444 undergraduate degree students with MDD participated. Used the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Interpersonal Relationship Comprehensive Diagnostic Scale, and Family Assessment Device to assess the patients' psychosocial factors. NSSI behavior was assessed through interviews. Use the Chi-square test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test, Distance Correlation, Structural Equation Mode for data analysis.Results: Overall, 34.2% of patients with MDD had a history of NSSI. MDD patients with a history of NSSI had significant differences in psychoticism, neuroticism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, troubles in conversation, ability to make friends and family roles. Among these factors, psychoticism was most related to NSSI, and child abuse, interpersonal relationships and family roles played a variety of roles in mediating the relationship with NSSI.Conclusions: Psychosocial factors affect the occurrence of NSSI through chain intermediary effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green materials zinc borate (ZB) and zinc silicate (ZS) were adopted as suppressants. Hartmann tube was used to study the flame inhibition effect of oil shale explosion. It showed that the flame front length became shorter and the propagation velocity and acceleration gradually decreased by increasing suppressants. When 30 wt% ZB was added, the complete inhibition of oil shale explosion flame could be achieved, while the flame inhibition effect of ZS was relatively weak. Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Starink methods were used to study the activation energy of oil shale, which showed that the activation energy increased significantly after adding the suppressant. By characterization tests, the microstructure changes of oil shale before and after the explosion were analyzed, and the mechanism of the explosion inhibition difference between two suppressants was revealed. ZS played a physical inhibiting role by absorbing heat, reducing temperature and diluting the concentration of combustible gases. While ZB not only had the physical inhibition role of absorbing heat and diluting the concentration of gases, but also had a covering physical inhibition role. Simultaneously, ZB also had the chemical effect. It played a highly effective physical and chemical synergistic inhibition role in the deflagration of oil shale. • Zinc borate and zinc silicate were firstly applied in oil shale flame suppression. • Zinc borate has the better inhibition effect than zinc silicate. • The pyrolysis behavior of oil shale was studied thermodynamically. • The physical and chemical synergistic suppression mechanism of ZB was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Columbian coloration patterns in plumage are widespread phenomena in several standard breeds of poultry, such as the Columbian Plymouth Rock chicken. H line chicken plumage is generally a pure white except in the hackle, wing, and tail plumage, which coloration is very similar to the Columbian plumage pattern, but with the barring substituting for the black vertical striping. Thus, we refer to this plumage coloration as "sub-Columbian" pattern. However, the genetic basis of this phenotype remains unknown. Here, a F3 cross population between yellow plumage roosters and sub-Columbian plumage hens was constructed, for verifying sub-Columbian plumage was sex-linked dominant inheritance. To identify the candidate regions, F2 generation sub-Columbian plumage hens and yellow plumage hens with their parental lines were used for BSA-seq, and sub-Columbian plumage genes were mapped to a 10.46 Mb interval on chromosome Z. Remarkably, by transcriptome analysis of the neck and wing tip follicle tissues of the 2 plumage colors, we demonstrated that within the interval, only 1 gene, SLC45A2 expressed significant differently (P < 0.05). Through KASP, we identified L347M and A10331272T in solute carrier family 45 member 2 ( SLC45A2 ), and B2 haplotype of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A ( CDKN2A ), showed near complete association with the phenotype. Eventually, we designed a hybridization experiment for verifying the locus of sub-Columbian plumage, which is inherited through Z-linked dominant inheritance and is controlled by SLC45A2 and CDKN2A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HMGB1 is a non-histone DNA-binding nuclear protein. • HMGB1 can actively secreted in the form of intracellular vesicles. • HMGB1 can also be released from necrotic cells or injured cells passively. • After binding with its receptors, HMGB1 trigger a series of biological effects. • HMGB1 was involved in the occurrence and development of asthma. High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a non-histone deoxyribonucleic acid-binding nuclear protein. In physiological state it is involved in gene transctioripn regulation and cell replication, differentiation and maturation. HMGB1 is actively secreted into the extracellular space in the form of intracellular vesicles, upon stimulation of inflammation and infection, by monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), and other immune cells, and can also be passively released by necrotic or injured cells. After binding with the corresponding receptors, HMGB1 can activate the downstream substrate and trigger a series of biological effects. HMGB1 was mainly dependent on toll-like re ceptors (TLR) 2 and 4, and receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) to trigger intracellular signal transduction, and mediate innate and adoptive immune responses. Besides these, studies have reported the participation of TLR3, TLR9, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin (TIM) 3, CD24, anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) in Th2 inflammatory response, eosinophilic airway inflammation, and airway hyperresponsiveness, mediated by HMGB1 in asthma. Both clinical and experimental studies suggested that HMGB1 was involved in the pathogenesis of asthma probably by regulating the downstream signaling pathways via corresponding receptors. This article reviews the role of HMGB1 in pathogenesis of asthma, and provides a new theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The suitable cooking methods of Tan sheep for different population was analyzed. • Species and numbers of lipids among raw and processed Tan sheep were compared. • Lipid metabolism in thermal processing was explored by lipidomics and HRMS. • Chemical changes of PC, LPC, SM and Cer were detected. • The 90 lipids in 6 classes with significant difference were quantified. Thermal processing affects the lipid compositions of meat products. The study determined the effects of boiled, steamed and roasted processing methods on the lipidomics profiles of Tan sheep meat with a validated UPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS combined lipid screening strategy method. Combined with sphingolipid metabolism, the boiled approach was the suitable choice for atherosclerosis patients for more losses of sphingomyelin than ceramide in meat. The similarly less losses of phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine showed in glycerophospholipid metabolism implied that steamed Tan sheep meat was more suitable for the populations of elderly and infants. Furthermore, a total of 90 lipids with significant difference (VIP > 1) in 6 lipid subclasses (sphingomyelin, ceramide, lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamines, triacylglycerol,) were quantified among raw and three types of thermal processed Tan sheep meat, further providing useful information for identification of meat products with different thermal processing methods (LOD with 0.14–0.31 μg kg−1, LOQ with 0.39–0.90 μg kg−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A unique acorn leaf-like CdS/MoS 2 catalysts were successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method. • The hydrogen production performance of CdS/MoS 2 reached 70.05 mmol·g−1·h−1, which is 330 times higher than the pristine CdS. • A series of investigations were conducted to reveal the mechanism. Photocatalytic hydrogen production through water splitting is an appealing technology to alleviate the escalating fossil fuel energy crisis. The advancement of visible-light-driven hydrogen production systems is a crucial aspect of hydrogen research. In this study, we successfully synthesized a unique acorn leaf-like CdS/MoS 2 material via a hydrothermal method, with layered deposited MoS 2 nanosheets, for driving hydrogen generation under illumination. By systematically varying the sodium molybdate concentration, we looked into how the MoS 2 affected the optical properties and photocatalytic performance of the acorn-leaf-like CdS/MoS 2. Under illumination, the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of the acorn leaf-like CdS/MoS 2 reached 70.05 mmol·g−1·h−1 (at a catalyst dosage of 10 mg), which is approximately 330 times higher than the unmodified CdS original material. It was determined that the apparent quantum yield at 450 nm was 2.104 %, corresponding to a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 9.383 %. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MoS 2 nanosheets function as co-catalysts and electron acceptors, effectively promoting electron transfer and the separation of photogenerated charge carriers from CdS, thereby consequently enhancing the kinetics of surface hydrogen evolution. This work offers valuable insights into the development of efficient photocatalysts with anti-photocorrosion properties for sustainable hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cefazolin is the leading antibiotic used to prevent surgical site infections worldwide. Consensus guidelines recommend adjustment of the cefazolin dose above and below 120 kg without regard to body composition. Algorithms exist to repurpose radiologic data into body composition (morphomics) and inform dosing decisions in obesity. Objectives: To compare the current standard of body weight to morphomic measurements as covariates of cefazolin pharmacokinetics and aid dose stratification of cefazolin in patients with obesity undergoing colorectal surgery. Methods: This prospective study measured cefazolin plasma, fat, and colon tissue concentrations in colorectal surgery patients in order to develop a morphomics‐informed population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model to guide dose adjustments. A physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was also constructed to inform tissue partitioning in morbidly obese patients (n = 21, body mass index ≥35 kg/m2 with one or more co‐morbid conditions). Results: Morphomics and pharmacokinetic data were available in 58 patients with a median [min, max] weight and age of 95.9 [68.5, 148.8] kg and 55 [25, 79] years, respectively. The plasma‐to‐subcutaneous fat partition coefficient was predicted to be 0.072 and 0.060 by the PopPK and PBPK models, respectively. The estimated creatinine clearance (eCLcr) and body depth at the third lumbar vertebra (body depth_L3) were identified as covariates of cefazolin exposure. The probability of maintaining subcutaneous fat concentrations above 2 μg/mL for 100% of a 4‐h surgical period was below 90% when eCLcr ≥105 mL/min and body depth_L3 ≥ 300 mm and less sensitive to the rate of infusion between 5 and 60 min. Conclusions: Kidney function and morphomics were more informative than body weight as covariates of cefazolin target site exposure. Data from more diverse populations, consensus on target cefazolin exposure, and comparative studies are needed before a change in practice can be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of high mechanical toughness, impact strength as well as excellent flame-retardant properties toward epoxy resins (EPs) have always been a dilemma. The inadequate overall performance of EPs severely restricts their sustainable utilization in engineering aspects over long-term. Herein, a new bio-based agent (diglycidyl ether of magnolol phosphine oxide, referred as DGEMP) derived from magnolol (classified as lignan), extracted from natural plants Magnolia officinalis, was successfully synthesized and further employed as a flame-retardant reactive additive to diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). As demonstration, the composite resin, DGEBA/15DGEMP (15 wt% DGEMP), achieved an Underwriters Laboratories-94 V-0 rating with a high limiting oxygen index (LOI) value (41.5%). In cone calorimeter tests, it showed that heat release and smoke production were effectively inhibited during combustion, wherein the peak heat release rate (PHRR) value of DGEBA/15DGEMP was reduced by 50% compared to neat DGEBA. Additionally, it exhibited a superior tensile strength (82.8 MPa), toughness (5.11 MJ/m3) and impact strength (36.5 kJ/m2), much higher than that of neat DGEBA (49.7 MPa, 2.05 MJ/m3 and 20.9 kJ/m2). Thus, it is highly anticipated that DGEMP imparts significantly improved mechanical and fire-retarded properties to conventional EPs, which holds a great potential to address the pressing challenges in EP thermosets industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anhedonia is an important aspect of adolescent-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) and is associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviors and poor treatment outcomes. However, the neural circuitry underlying this deficit has not been well defined. This study aims to identify the relationships between anhedonia and changes in static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) in adolescent-onset MDD patients compared with healthy control subjects (HCs) and adult-onset MDD patients. A total of 157 participants completed the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) to assess hedonic capacity. Resting-state functional imaging scans were analysed using graph theoretical analysis, network-based statistics (NBS) and sliding window correlation analysis to explore the potential patterns of neural network brain disruptions in adolescent-onset MDD. Pearson correlations and support vector machines regression (SVR) were used to explore correlations and predict network measures with SHAPS scores. Compared with those with adult-onset MDD, adolescent-onset MDD patients showed decreased FC in 7 nodes and 6 connections, with the right angular gyrus (AG), left AG and left paracentral lobule having the largest number of connected edges (P = 0.0396, NBS-corrected). Their average FC and SHAPS scores were positively correlated (r = 0.309, P = 0.035). Regarding dynamic FC, compared with HCs, adolescent-onset MDD patients showed a tendency towards a decreased frequency in moderate-intensity brain FC states (P = 0.014), which was significantly and positively correlated with SHAPS scores (r = 0.425, P = 0.003). SVR also revealed AG-centred FC and dynamic FC could predict SHAPS scores (MSE = 27.233, P = 0.001). These findings provide distinct evidence on the physiological mechanisms of adolescent-onset MDD and anhedonia. • Angular gyrus centred functional connectivity change in adolescent-onset depressed. • Moderate-intensity brain functional connectivity change in early-onset depressed. • Static and dynamic functional connectivity predict anhedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a prevalent cause of admittance to intensive care units, is associated with high mortality. Prone positioning has been proven to improve the outcomes of moderate to severe ARDS patients owing to its physiological effects. Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) will be considered in patients with severe hypoxemia. However, for patients with severe hypoxemia supported with VV ECMO, the potential effects and optimal strategies of prone positioning remain unclear. This review aimed to present these controversial questions and highlight directions for future research. Main body: The clinically significant benefit of prone positioning and early VV ECMO alone was confirmed in patients with severe ARDS. However, a number of questions regarding the combination of VV ECMO and prone positioning remain unanswered. We discussed the potential effects of prone positioning on gas exchange, respiratory mechanics, hemodynamics, and outcomes. Strategies to achieve optimal outcomes, including indications, timing, duration, and frequency of prone positioning, as well as the management of respiratory drive during prone positioning sessions in ARDS patients receiving VV ECMO, are challenging and controversial. Additionally, whether and how to implement prone positioning according to ARDS phenotypes should be evaluated. Lung morphology monitored by computed tomography, lung ultrasound, or electrical impedance tomography might be a potential indication to make an individualized plan for prone positioning therapy in patients supported with VV ECMO. Conclusion: For patients with ARDS supported with VV ECMO, the potential effects of prone positioning have yet to be clarified. Ensuring an optimal strategy, especially an individualized plan for prone positioning therapy during VV ECMO, is particularly challenging and requires further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To unlock the widespread use of block copolymers as photonic pigments, there is an urgent need to consider their environmental impact (cf. microplastic pollution). Here we show how an inverse photonic glass architecture can enable the use of biocompatible bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs), which otherwise lack the refractive index contrast needed for a strong photonic response. A library of photonic pigments is produced from poly(norbornene‐graft‐polycaprolactone)‐block‐poly(norbornene‐graft‐polyethylene glycol), with the color tuned via either the BBCP molecular weight or the processing temperature upon microparticle fabrication. The structure–optic relationship between the 3D porous morphology of the microparticles and their complex optical response is revealed by both an analytical scattering model and 3D finite‐difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. Combined, this allows for strategies to enhance the color purity to be proposed and realized with our biocompatible BBCP system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To unlock the widespread use of block copolymers as photonic pigments, there is an urgent need to consider their environmental impact (cf. microplastic pollution). Here we show how an inverse photonic glass architecture can enable the use of biocompatible bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs), which otherwise lack the refractive index contrast needed for a strong photonic response. A library of photonic pigments is produced from poly(norbornene‐graft‐polycaprolactone)‐block‐poly(norbornene‐graft‐polyethylene glycol), with the color tuned via either the BBCP molecular weight or the processing temperature upon microparticle fabrication. The structure–optic relationship between the 3D porous morphology of the microparticles and their complex optical response is revealed by both an analytical scattering model and 3D finite‐difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. Combined, this allows for strategies to enhance the color purity to be proposed and realized with our biocompatible BBCP system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health problems are becoming increasingly common among college students, including depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances, which can affect their daily life and learning and even lead to suicide. The purpose of this study was to explore the gender differences in mental health symptoms among Chinese college students.Methods: The study population included 29,099 college students. All participants were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). We assessed and compared network and centrality in females and males separately, as well as students with suicidal ideation.Results: Satisfaction with current sleep pattern (I4), worry about different things (A3) and irritable (A6) appeared to be the most central symptoms in the female network. In the male network, satisfaction with current sleep pattern (I4), tired or little energy (D4) and feeling down, hopeless (D2) were the most central symptoms. In both suicidal ideation networks, the top five central symptoms included four anxiety symptoms and one sleep symptom.Limitations: This study used cross-sectional data and could not examine the dynamic relationship between symptoms.Conclusion: There were gender differences in college students' mental health network. In addition to poor quality sleep, the central symptoms of the female network were anxiety symptoms, while those of the male were mainly depression symptoms. There were no gender difference in the suicidal ideation network and the central symptoms were anxiety symptoms and difficulty falling asleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the antigen-presenting cells that initiate and direct adaptive immune responses, and thus are critically important in vaccine design. Although DC-targeting vaccines have attracted attention, relevant studies on chicken are rare. A high diversity T7 phage display nanobody library was constructed for bio-panning of intact chicken bone marrow DCs to find DC-specific binding nanobodies. After three rounds of screening, 46 unique sequence phage clones were identified from 125 randomly selected phage clones. Several DC-binding phage clones were selected using the specificity assay. Phage-54, -74, -16 and -121 bound not only with chicken DCs, but also with duck and goose DCs. In vitro, confocal microscopy observation demonstrated that phage-54 and phage-74 efficiently adsorbed onto DCs within 15 min compared to T7-wt. The pull-down assay, however, did not detect any of the previously reported proteins for chicken DCs that could have interacted with the nanobodies displayed on phage-54 and phage-74. Nonetheless, Specified pathogen-free chickens immunized with phage-54 and phage-74 displayed higher levels of anti-p10 antibody than the T7-wt, indicating enhanced antibody production by nanobody mediated-DC targeting. Therefore, this study identified two avian (chicken, duck and goose) DC-specific binding nanobodies, which may be used for the development of DC-targeting vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed to explore the brain imaging characteristics of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with suicide ideation (SI) through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and to investigate the potential neurobiological role in the occurrence of SI. 50 MDD patients were selected as the experimental group and 50 healthy people as the control group. The brain images of the patients were obtained by MRI. Extraction of EEG biological features was from rs-fMRI images. Since MRI images were disturbed by noise, the initial clustering center of FCM was determined by particle swarm optimization algorithm so that the noise of the collected images was cleared by adaptive median filtering. Then, the image images were processed by the optimized model. The correlation between brain mALFF and clinical characteristics was analyzed. It was found that the segmentation model based on the FCM algorithm could effectively eliminate the noise points in the image; that the zALFF values of the right superior temporal gyrus (R-STG), left middle occipital gyrus (L-MOG), and left middle temporal gyrus (L-MTG) in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); and that the average zALFF values of left thalamus (L-THA) and left middle frontal gyrus (L-MFG) decreased. The mean zALFF values of L-MFG and L-SFG demonstrated good identification value for SI in MDD patients. In summary, MRI images based on FCM had a good convergence rate, and electrical biological characteristics of brain regions were abnormal in MDD patients with SI, which can be applied to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with depression in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Silver coated SMP conductor was fabricated by electroless deposition process. • ON-OFF switching of SMP conductor can be achieved via temperature variation. • The SMP conductor realized fast early fire alarm in fire simulation. • Thermal simulation verified the wide response range of the SMP conductor. Casualties and severe damages of environmental resources resulted from wildfires are to some extent caused by belated evacuating personnel and fighting fires. It is considered that if the timely detection of the high temperature signal can be achieved in the early stage of fire disaster, the duly rescue actions brought by the early fire alarming can extensively avoid casualty accidents and the detrimental fire spread. Therefore, in this work, we fabricate a cross-linked polycaprolactone (PCL) network, and based on its shape memory property and subsequent electroless deposition process, we prepare a smart conductor with ability of switching between non-conductive and conductive at low and high temperatures respectively. Outdoor experiments present that this electrically "OFF-to-ON" conductor can effectively respond to a fire and play a crucial role in early fire alarming under simulated fire scene. The finite element analysis simulation results further prove the advantages of this material over the traditional thermocouple in detecting temperature changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tryptophan (Trp) metabolism through the kynurenine pathway (KP) is well known to play a critical function in cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. However, its role in host-pathogen interactions has not been characterized yet. Herein, we identified that kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO), a key rate-limiting enzyme in the KP, and quinolinic acid (QUIN), a key enzymatic product of KMO enzyme, exerted a novel antiviral function against a broad range of viruses. Mechanistically, QUIN induced the production of type I interferon (IFN-I) via activating the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and Ca2+ influx to activate Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)/interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Importantly, QUIN treatment effectively inhibited viral infections and alleviated disease progression in mice. Furthermore, kmo-/- mice were vulnerable to pathogenic viral challenge with severe clinical symptoms. Collectively, our results demonstrated that KMO and its enzymatic product QUIN were potential therapeutics against emerging pathogenic viruses. Author summary: The outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases have become a severe challenge worldwide, and therefore it is a public health priority to explore novel broad-spectrum antiviral agents with various mechanisms. This study reported that kynurenine-3-monooxygenase (KMO), a key rate-limiting enzyme during tryptophan metabolism, showed promise as a novel broad-spectrum antiviral factor against emerging pathogenic viruses. We further found that quinolinic acid (QUIN), an enzymatic product of KMO, could also act as a novel broad-spectrum antiviral agent. We then systematically studied the underlying mechanisms and broadly antiviral function of KMO and QUIN in vitro and in vivo. Our data highlight the importance of exploring novel antiviral targets from the key enzymes and their metabolites in tryptophan metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Changes of lipids in meat with preservatives were analyzed by HRMS and lipidomics. • Classes and numbers of lipids in meat with different preservatives were compared. • The 106 significantly changed lipids in 12 classes were quantified. • Less PE 18:1/18:1 content was shown graphically with higher preservatives content. • Preferable preservative nisin with less effect on meat lipids was confirmed. Nisin and potassium sorbate as preservatives are used in a broad range of meat. A lipidomic evaluation was performed on Tan sheep meat treated by two types of preservatives. The addition of potassium sorbate resulted in higher lipid losses compared with nisin treatment. Furthermore, 106 significant lipids of 12 lipid classes (PC, PS, LPS, LPC, PE, PI, LPE, TG, Cer, DG, SM, Sph) with variable importance in projection scores greater than 1.0 were detected and qualified to distinguish different preservatives added meat using UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS/MS. LOD and LOQ were 0.12–0.32 μg kg−1 and 0.35–0.89 μg kg−1, indicating high sensitivity and excellent analytical characteristics in the study. Nisin was confirmed to be the better preservative for prolonging the shelf life of Tan sheep meat while reducing the loss of nutrients. These results could provide a strong cornerstone for future research on preservatives in meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis of patients diagnosed with relapsed or refractory (R/R) T-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL/LBL) has consistently been unsatisfactory, with limited treatment options. As reports, the CAG regimen can serve as a salvage treatment for R/R T-ALL/LBL, but there remains a subset of patients who do not benefit from it. Recent studies have indicated that daratumumab (Dara) and venetoclax (Ven) may offer promising therapeutic benefits for T-ALL/LBL. In light of these findings, we conducted a safety and efficacy evaluation of the enhanced treatment regimen, combining Dara and Ven with aclarubicin, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and etoposide (CAGE), in patients suffering from R/R T-ALL/LBL. The participants in this phase I trial were patients with R/R T-ALL/LBL who fail to standard treatment regimens. During each 28-day cycle, the patients were treated by Dara, Ven, cytarabine, aclarubicin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, etoposide. The primary endpoint of this study was the rate of remission. This report presents the prospective outcomes of 21 patients who received the salvage therapy of Dara and Ven combined with the CAGE regimen (Dara + Ven + CAGE). The objective remission rate (ORR) was determined to be 57.1%, while the complete remission (CR) rate was 47.6%. Notably, patients with the early T-cell precursor (ETP) subtype exhibited a significantly higher remission rate in the bone marrow compared to non-ETP patients (100% vs. 44.4%, p = 0.044). The Dara + Ven + CAGE regimen demonstrated a favorable remission rate in patients with R/R T-ALL/LBL. Moreover, the treatment was well-tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simultaneously analyze targeted and untargeted metabolites in human plasma. • Preterm and full-term neonatal patients could be differentiated by the method. • A powerful tool for therapeutic drug monitoring and biomarker discovery. Most medications prescribed to neonatal patients are off-label uses. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs differ significantly between neonates and adults. Therefore, personalized pharmacotherapy guided by therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and drug response biomarkers are particularly beneficial to neonatal patients. Herein, we developed a capillary LC-MS/MS metabolomics method using a SWATH-based data-independent acquisition strategy for simultaneous targeted and untargeted metabolomics analysis of neonatal plasma samples. We applied the method to determine the global plasma metabolomics profiles and quantify the plasma concentrations of five drugs commonly used in neonatal intensive care units, including ampicillin, caffeine, fluconazole, vancomycin, and midazolam and its active metabolite α-hydroxymidazolam, in neonatal patients. The method was successfully validated and found to be suitable for the TDM of the drugs of interest. Moreover, the global metabolomics analysis revealed plasma metabolite features that could differentiate preterm and full-term neonates. This study demonstrated that the SWATH-based capillary LC-MS/MS metabolomics approach could be a powerful tool for simultaneous TDM and the discovery of neonatal plasma metabolite biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic effect of sodium and oxygen expands π-conjugated aromatic rings and distortion of the heptazine skeleton, enhancing the intrinsic π→π* electron transition and the effective n→π* electron transition. [Display omitted] • A sodium and oxygen co-doped g-C 3 N 4 (NaOCN) is prepared by facile microwave synthesis, in which Na as a charge transport channel promotes the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. • The as-prepared NaOCN exhibits the NIR absorption extended to 1400 nm and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) can keep 26.9% at 420 nm and still maintain 7.2 % at 600 nm, which shows strong NIR response range. • The intrinsic π → π* electron transition and active the n → π* electron transition generated by the synergistic effect of Na and O atoms are the main factor to promote the NIR response of NaOCN. Efficient utilization of near-infrared light (NIR) is critical to optimize the performance of photocatalysts. Herein, an ultrafast process is employed to co-condensation of melamine and NaCl by microwave-assist heating. The fabricated sodium and oxygen co-doped g-C 3 N 4 (NaOCN) shows extended π-conjugated aromatic rings and distortion of the heptazine skeleton, which can enhance the intrinsic π → π* electron transition and active the n → π* electron transition. The robust n → π* excitation of NaOCN leads to a narrowed bandgap of 2.73 eV with the NIR absorption extending to 1400 nm. The apparent quantum yield (AQY) for NaOCN can still keep 7.2 % at 600 nm. This work provides a promising way for the application of NIR-based carbon nitride in photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous carbon nitride (ACN) is a promising semiconductor photocatalyst for photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production. However, its actual activity is hindered by a high recombination rate of photoexcited charge carriers. Herein we report a K-doped ACN (K-ACN) photocatalyst synthesized via Ar plasma treatment to the modified melamine and KCl powder mixture at a moderate temperature. The as-synthesized K-ACN exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic properties for H 2 O 2 production with a yield of 6.21 mM h−1, which is 6 times higher than that of bulk CN. Moreover, the H 2 O 2 yield can be further increased to 13.95 mM h−1 by adjusting the pH value. The significantly enhanced photocatalytic property is mainly attributed to the introduction of K+, which is conducive to tuning the electronic structure, extending π conjugated system, passivating trap states and enhancing photocatalytic activity. The result has provided a facile and effective strategy for the modification of ACN to significantly boost its photocatalytic activity. [Display omitted] • K-ACN photocatalyst was synthesized via Ar plasma treatment to the modified melamine and KCl powder mixture. • The as-synthesized K-ACN exhibits 6-fold photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production relative to pristine carbon nitride. • The passivated trap states were observed in K-ACN and result in faster transport of light-induced active electrons. • K doping is conducive to tuning the electronic structure and enhanceing photocatalytic activity of ACN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the effect of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. essential oil (CEO) and its microcapsules (CEOM) on the accumulation of biogenic amines (BAs) and the quality of smoked horsemeat sausage during fermentation. The results showed that CEO could effectively inhibit Enterobacteriaceae growth and the formation of BAs (cadaverine, putrescine, tyrosine, histamine and tryptamine) in smoked horsemeat sausages, and the inhibition of CEO was enhanced after embedding (P < 0.05). Compared with other groups, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, total volatile basic nitrogen and pH were lower in the microcapsule group. Furthermore, the sensory evaluation indicated that the addition of CEOM was a more effective way to maintain color and delay the deterioration of the sensory quality of sausages. Therefore, it is suggested that the CEOM can be used as a natural preservative in traditional fermented meat products to inhibit BAs accumulation and improve quality. • Biogenic amines were controlled in smoked horsemeat sausages by CEOM. • CEO and CEOM reduced the level TVB-N and TBARS in smoked horsemeat sausage. • CTM exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity than CTEO. • CTM improved the sensory quality in smoked horsemeat sausage. • This study pointed out the commercial potential CEOM in smoked horsemeat sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The in-situ synthesis was adopted in the preparation of novel ATH/SBA-15 firstly. • The ATH nanoparticles in ATH/SBA-15 suppressant are well dispersed. • The apparent activation energy increased significantly after adding ATH/SBA-15. • The ATH/SBA-15 shows efficient inhibition effect by physicochemical synergy. Recently, polyethylene (PE) dust explosions have become a serious threat to the petrochemical industry. In order to prevent the occurrence of PE dust explosion, a novel aluminum hydroxide (ATH)/Santa Barbara Amorphous type 15 (SBA-15) powder explosion suppressant with the uniform dispersion of ATH was prepared by in-situ synthesis method. For ATH/SBA-15 inhibitor, SBA-15 molecular sieve and ATH was used as the carrier and active component of explosion inhibition, respectively. The inhibition effect on PE dust deflagration was studied by flame propagation experiment. The results showed that when the addition amount of ATH/SBA-15 exceeded 40 wt%, PE dust deflagration flame was almost completely inhibited. Furthermore, the Coats-Redfern method was used to study the thermal decomposition kinetics model. It was found that the thermal decomposition kinetics model of PE before and after the addition of explosion suppressants followed the random nucleation and growth reaction mechanism (A3 model). Further fitting analysis showed the apparent activation energy of PE increased significantly after adding ATH/SBA-15 inhibitor, confirming that ATH/SBA-15 had a significant inhibitory effect on PE deflagration in thermodynamics. Finally, combining with a series of characterization results, it was founded that the ATH/SBA-15 suppressant played the efficient synergy of physics and chemistry, which was efficient in inhibiting PE deflagration. The physical inhibition mainly includes: the free radicals adsorption by SBA-15 molecular sieve, the coating effect of ATH, the endothermic effect and the reduction in O 2 concentration by H 2 O decomposed from ATH. Meanwhile, the chemical inhibition mainly lies in the elimination of the free radicals O· and H· in the explosion process by ATH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The properties of a green waste molecular sieve-based powder suppressor in inhibiting the flame propagation of coal dust were studied. Waste molecular sieve (S) was pretreated and selected as the carrier, potassium oxalate (K) and ferric citrate (T) as the active components. The reverse dissolution crystallization method was adopted and S@K/T, S@T/K, S@ T -K suppressors with different core–shell structure were prepared by different loading sequences. Their particle size, morphology and thermal pyrolysis behavior were compared. The results showed that the particle distribution of three powders is uniform and the dispersity of them is good. The active components of explosion suppression are evenly loaded on the waste molecular sieve carrier and they have different coating structure. The thermal desorption heat of them is 44.64 J/ g, 66.95 J/g and 92.9 J/g, respectively. Furthermore, the flame propagation characteristics of coal dust were tested by the Hartmann flame propagation device. The results showed that all powders had the effect of inhibiting the flame propagation of coal dust and the inhibition effect is S@ T -K, S@T/K and S@K/T from strong to weak. Combined with characterization results, the influence mechanism of the difference in the flame propagation inhibition effect of three suppressants was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The wetting mechanism of low-rank coals was studied at the molecular level. • The method of combining molecular dynamics simulation and experiment is adopted. • Analyzed the molecular electrostatic potential. • Simulate the wetting of three kinds of surfactants on low-rank coals. The surfactants sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, dodecyl dimethyl betaine, and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide were used to study the effect of an ionic surfactant on coal wettability. A lignite-surfactant-water system was constructed using the Wender coal chemical structure model and Materials Studio molecular simulation software, and the static potential of a single molecule was determined by quantum chemical calculations. The initial and equilibrium configurations of the system, relative concentration distribution, and mean-square displacement (MSD) of water molecules were analyzed thoroughly. Additionally, the surface tension and contact angle of aqueous surfactant solutions with different mass concentrations were measured to analyze the relationship between concentration and the rate of reduction of surface tension and of contact angle. The analysis showed that when the surface static potential of the lignite molecule was larger than that of water molecules, the water molecules were easily attracted and exhibited a wetting phenomenon. The water-surfactant-coal system gradually tended from an initial unstable state to a stable state with low energy. Specifically, the hydrophilic groups in the surfactant were tilted toward the water phase and the hydrophobic chains were adsorbed on the surface of coal, which helped enhance the wettability of the coal. The relative concentration distribution range of the SDBS was 26–52 Å, which was wider than the other two surfactants. Additionally, the MSD curve showed that the diffusion coefficient of the water molecules in the water-SDBS-coal system reached a maximum value of 4.23 × 10−2, resulting in accelerated wetting of the coal body. When the SDBS mass concentration was 3%, the surface tension decreased to the minimum value (21.86 mN/m) and the minimum contact angle was 16.12°. Based on the simulation results and experimental test data, the wettability of the three surfactants to lignite was SDBS > BS-12 > DTAB. The findings of this study help to better understand the wetting mechanism of surfactants on lignite, which is conducive to the rapid screening of surfactants with strong wetting ability on lignite, expanding the use of surfactants, and is of great significance to the control and prevention of coal dust pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenovirus (Ad) has been extensively developed as a gene delivery vector, but the potential side effect caused by systematic immunization remains one major obstacle for its clinical application. Needle-free mucosal immunization with Ad-based vaccine shows advantages but still faces poor mucosal responses. We herein report that the chemical engineering of single live viral-based vaccine effectively modulated the location and pattern of the subsequently elicited immunity. Through precisely assembly of functional materials onto single live Ad particle, the modified virus entered host cell in a phagocytosis-dependent manner, which is completely distinct from the receptor-mediated entry of native Ad. RNA-Seq data further demonstrated that the modified Ad-induced innate immunity was sharply reshaped via phagocytosis-related pathway, therefore promoting the activation and mature of antigen presentation cells (APC). Moreover, the functional shell enabled the modified Ad-based vector with enhanced muco-adhesion to nasal tissues in mice, and then prolonged resident time onto mucosal surface, leading to the robust mucosal IgA production and T cell immunity at local and even remote mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues. This study demonstrated that vaccine-induced immunity can be well modulated by chemistry engineering, and this method provides the rational design for needle-free mucosa-targeting vaccine against a variety of emerging infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]