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Background: Submucosal fibrosis (OSF) of the oral cavity is a chronic scarring disease. Arecoline (Are) is the driving factor for the occurrence and deterioration of OSF. Curcumin plays a vital anti‐inflammatory role in Are‐induced OSF development. However, its potential pharmacological mechanism needs to be elucidated. Methods: The relative molecular level was measured via qRT‐PCR or Western blot. MTT assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry detected cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The correlation between hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) and LTBP2 promoter was confirmed through dual‐luciferase reporter assay. ELISA was performed to detect inflammatory cytokines levels. Results: Curcumin alleviated Are‐induced oral mucosal fibroblast cells fibrosis by reducing oral mucosa fibroblasts viability, promoting cell apoptosis, suppressing cell migration, and down‐regulating the levels of fibrosis markers and inflammatory factors. Curcumin relieved Are‐induced OSF via inhibiting HIF‐1α. Mechanically, HIF‐1α bound to the promoter of LTBP2 to transcriptionally activated LTBP2. LTBP2 knockdown relieved Are‐induced OSF, and curcumin down‐regulated LTBP2 via inhibiting HIF‐1α to relieve Are‐induced OSF. Moreover, curcumin decreased NF‐κB signal associated proteins via inhibiting LTBP2 to relieve Are‐induced OSF. Conclusion: Curcumin reduced the transcription level of LTBP2 by inhibiting HIF‐1α, thereby inactivating NF‐κB pathway to alleviate Are‐induced OSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: COVID‐19 infection may increase the likelihood of neutropenia in patients already on clozapine. In clozapine treated patients experiencing COVID‐19 associated neutropenia, adjunct therapy with lithium can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Obesity induces insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, impacting human health. The relationship between obesity, gut microbiota, and regulatory mechanisms has been studied extensively. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, potentially reduces insulin resistance. However, the mechanism through which DOP affects gut microbiota and alleviates obesity‐induced insulin resistance in rats requires further investigation. RESULTS: The current study aimed to assess the impact of DOP on gut microbiota and insulin resistance in rats on a high‐fat diet. The results revealed that DOP effectively reduced blood lipids, glucose disorders, oxidative stress, and inflammatory infiltration in the liver of obese Sprague Dawley rats. This was achieved by downregulating SOCS3 expression and upregulating insulin receptor substrate‐1 (IRS‐1) by regulating the JAK/STAT/SOCS3 signaling pathway. Notably, DOP intervention enhanced the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota and reduced harmful microbiota. Correlation analysis demonstrated significant associations among intestinal microbiota, SOCS3‐mediated IRS‐1 expression, and inflammatory factors. CONCLUSION: Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide regulated the gut microbiota, enhanced IRS‐1 expression, and mitigated liver injury and insulin resistance due to a high‐fat diet. These findings depict the potential anti‐insulin resistance properties of DOP and offer further evidence for addressing obesity and its complications. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) have been widely cultivated as a bioenergy crop in northern China. The value of tubers is receiving special attention, but the lack of information on how organs of tiger nuts coordinate resources to adapt to arid environments has limited the potential tuber production and diverse use. To address this knowledge gap, we experimented in the Ulan Buh Desert, Inner Mongolia (106° 33′ 28″ E, 40° 27′ 32″ N). Three fertilizer treatments were applied: zero fertilizer (N:P = 0:0), traditional fertilizer (N:P = 15:15), and additional nitrogen fertilizer (N:P = 60:15). Investigations were conducted at seedling, rhizome production, tuber formation, and tuber maturation stages. The results showed that under zero fertilizer, tiger nuts allocated biomass predominantly to propagative organs, namely rhizomes and tubers. However, an increase in leaf area or root surface area would necessitate more investment in leaf or root dry mass, resulting in diminishing returns. For biomass allocation, tiger nut responded the same way to traditional fertilizer treatment and zero fertilizer treatment, but the tuber number and yield increase under traditional fertilizer application. Additional nitrogen fertilizer stimulated shoot production through accelerated rhizome production aided by leaf area increasing. Fertilizer application can significantly increase both the number of tiger nuts and tuber yield. Nitrogen addition positively influenced aboveground biomass and enhanced rhizome tillering. Strong adaptability of tiger nuts makes the plant a suitable pioneer crop for developing marginal lands. The robust aboveground growth after nitrogen application enhances suitability for pasture utilization. Core Ideas: Tiger nuts have been promoted as a bioenergy crop in Inner Mongolia, with potential uses yet to be explored.Tiger nuts demonstrate strong adaptability in arid areas, enabling them to thrive in nutrient‐deficient conditions.Tiger nuts with strong adaptability can fully exploit their production potential in marginal lands of Inner Mongolia.Nitrogen fertilizer application plays a major role in biomass partitioning in tiger nuts in an arid ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: Developing the cultivation and utilization of tiger nuts on marginal land is an effective approach to tackle the shortage of arable land in northern China. However, key information on their growth is unclear. This study aims to reveal the adaption potential of tiger nuts to on marginal land to help improve and adjust management practices. Methods: Three treatments were arranged to plant tiger nut in marginal land: no fertilization (N:P = 0:0), traditional fertilization (N:P = 15:15), and additional nitrogen fertilizer (N:P = 60:15). Functional traits of tiger nut and soil nutrients over three growth periods were investigated. Results: Under no fertilization, tiger nuts extended roots and toughened leaves to maximize nutrient absorption, and then quickly transported those nutrients to tubers. However, the lack of available phosphorus in the soil prevented the expansion of tubers. With the addition of fertilizers, tiger nuts produced more individuals, and their abundant belowground tissues resulted in soil organic matter increase. Under traditional fertilization, the tuber remains the main reproductive organ for tiger nuts, and phosphorus has a significant effect on the expansion of tubers. But under additional nitrogen fertilizer, the main reproductive organ changed to the stolon, nitrogen and phosphorus acted on stolons to promote their extension. Conclusion: Tiger nuts outstandingly adapt to marginal land environments and adjust their adaptation strategies according to varying soil nutrient conditions, Best tuber production will be achieved in soils with higher phosphorus availability, and a significant nitrogen proportion increase in fertilizers is necessary for enhancing aboveground production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various barriers lead to a shortage of organs for transplantation in Malaysia. One drive to improve the organ donation rate operates through future healthcare practitioners and practitioner advocacy. This scoping review was carried out to establish and summarise findings about organ donation-related articles among the public, health sciences students and health personnel. A further aim was to synthesise the latest data on knowledge and attitudes towards organ donation in the Malaysian population. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and the Malaysian Medical Repository (MyMedR) were used for a search conducted up to May 2022. Relevant search terms included 'Organ donation' and 'Malaysia'. Journal articles related to knowledge, attitudes and intention were grouped under the general public and health science. Students and health personnel were included. Eligible studies were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Any disagreements were resolved by consensus with a third reviewer. Results: The 31 included articles revealed an increased level of awareness among the public regarding organ donation. The analysis identified that nonrecognition of brainstem death (38.5%), no knowledge of how to contact the Organ Transplant Coordinator (82.3%) and never approaching the families of a potential donor (63.9%) led to a lack of confidence among healthcare practitioners to promote organ donation. Conclusion: The shortage of organ donors is the result of the failure to identify the expected donor, obtain consent and procure the organs due to the passivity of Malaysian health professionals in promoting the organ donation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare sugar D-allulose is a potential replacement for sucrose with a wide range of health benefits. Conventional production involves the employment of the Izumoring strategy, which utilises D-allulose 3-epimerase (DAEase) or D-psicose 3-epimerase (DPEase) to convert D-fructose into D-allulose. Additionally, the process can also utilise D-tagatose 3-epimerase (DTEase). However, the process is not efficient due to the poor thermotolerance of the enzymes and low conversion rates between the sugars. This review describes three newly identified DAEases that possess desirable properties for the industrial-scale manufacturing of D-allulose. Other methods used to enhance process efficiency include the engineering of DAEases for improved thermotolerance or acid resistance, the utilization of Bacillus subtilis for the biosynthesis of D-allulose, and the immobilization of DAEases to enhance its activity, half-life, and stability. All these research advancements improve the yield of D-allulose, hence closing the gap between the small-scale production and industrial-scale manufacturing of D-allulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cells have received growing attention in the photovoltaic field due to their high stability, low cost, and simple preparation processes. However, the high-density defects in perovskite films and the large energy differences at interfaces have been the main challenges for achieving high power conversion efficiency and good stability. In this work, nickel oxide (NiOx) decorated graphene oxide (GO) is used as a hole collector at the perovskite/carbon interface for a carbon-based CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cell. The crystallinity of the CsPbBr3 perovskite layer and the hole extraction ability are markedly enhanced because of the p-type charge transfer doping of GO from oxygenic groups to NiOx. Finally, the all-inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cell achieves a power conversion efficiency of 8.59%. More importantly, the best solar cell free of encapsulation retains 94.2% of its initial efficiency in an air environment over 21 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photovoltaic–hydrovoltaic-coupled carbon-based, all-inorganic Cs0.91Rb0.09PbBr3 perovskite solar cell achieved a peak power conversion efficiency of 9.40% under one sun illumination and a maximum voltage of 0.39 V and current of 1.40 μA in a flowing vapor atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based all-inorganic perovskite solar cells have attracted growing interest owing to their simple fabrication process, low cost, and high stability in air. On account of the large interfacial energy barriers and polycrystalline features of perovskite films, the carrier interface recombination and inherent defects in the perovskite layer are still great challenges in further increasing the power conversion efficiency and stability of carbon-based PSCs. We present here a trifunctional polyethylene oxide buffer layer at the perovskite/carbon interface to promote the PCE and stability of carbon-based all-inorganic CsPbBr3 PSCs: (i) the PEO layer increases the crystallinity of inorganic CsPbBr3 grains for low defect state density; (ii) the oxygenic groups in PEO chains passivate the defects on the perovskite surface; and (iii) the long hydrophobic alkyl chains improve the stability in moisture. The best encapsulated PSC achieves a PCE of 8.84% and maintains 84.8% of its initial efficiency in air with 80% RH over 30 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The graphene-like wrapped Ni@C catalysts were facilely synthesized by a modified sol–gel method. Nickel nitrate and citric acid (CA) were adopted as the raw materials to form sol–gel mixture. Under the circumstances, the additive CA were employed not only as a complexing agent but also as a carbon source. It is found that the calcination temperature and the mole ratios between Ni and CA are the key factors affecting the physical property and the catalytic performance of catalysts in the conversion of nitroarenes into corresponding anilines. The results show that the Ni@C-500(1:1) catalyst exhibited the best performance in the hydrogenation of o -chloronitrobenzenes (o -CNB) to o -chloroanilines (o -CAN). The yield of o -CAN was achieved at 100% when o -CNB was completely converted at 40.0 °C under 2.0 MPa H2 for 2.0 h. Furthermore, the Ni@C-500(1:1) catalyst could be separated and recovered easily after reaction by an external magnetic field. The investigated results indicate that the Ni@C-500(1:1) catalyst remained higher activity after using twelve times. More importantly, this kind of catalyst is also active for the selective hydrogenation of other nitroarenes into the corresponding anilines. This new synthetic method may pave a way for producing low-cost Ni@C catalysts on a large scale, which is attractive for industrial anilines applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review addresses the latest advancements in the integration of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) materials with polymer electrospinning, to accomplish fine‐scale electrospun fibers with tunable photophysical and photochemical properties. Micro‐ and nanoscale fibers augmented with AIE dyes (termed AIEgens) are bespoke composite systems that can overcome the limitation posed by aggregation‐caused quenching, a critical deficiency of conventional luminescent materials. This review comprises three parts. First, the reader is exposed to the basic concepts of AIE and the fundamental mechanisms underpinning the restriction of intermolecular motions. This is followed by an introduction to electrospinning techniques pertinent to AIE‐based fibers, and the core parameters for controlling fiber architecture and resultant properties. Second, exemplars are drawn from latest research to demonstrate how electrospun nanofibers and porous films incorporating modified AIEgens (especially tetraphenylethylene and triphenylamine derivatives) can yield enhanced photostability, photothermal properties, photoefficiency (quantum yield), and improved device sensitivity. Advanced applications are drawn from several promising sectors, encompassing optoelectronics, drug delivery and biology, chemosensors and mechanochromic sensors, and innovative photothermal devices, among others. Finally, the outstanding challenges together with potential opportunities in the nascent field of electrospun AIE‐active fibers are presented, for stimulating frontier research and explorations in this exciting field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element in human health. In this article, egg white polypeptide (EWP) was used as the reducing agent and stabiliser to prepare a novel type of EWP‐selenium complex nanoparticles (EWP‐SeNPs). Particle size, morphology, FT‐IR, stability, and functional properties of EWP‐SeNPs were characterised. The results showed that EWP‐SeNPs were 30–50 nm in diameter and were spherical. The SeNPs complexed with the EWP through O‐ and N‐ containing groups. This reaction was entropy‐driven spontaneous and the binding force was mainly hydrophobic. The stability of EWP‐SeNPs was best at pH = 10. Moreover, EWP‐SeNPs showed significantly inhibitory effect on HepG‐2 cells in the range of 6.2500 to 50.0000 μg mL−1. Anti‐bacterial effect occurred when the concentration of EWP‐SeNPs was 1.2500 mg mL−1. This study would provide a green method for synthesising stable SeNPs, which was helpful for further evaluation in the food field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is related to prediabetes and diabetes. Whether patients with OSA have a higher risk of prediabetes/diabetes remains unclear. We aimed to carry out a meta‐analysis of published studies to evaluate the relationships between OSA and prediabetes and diabetes, and the impact of the severity of OSA on diabetes. Materials and Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched from January 2011 to July 2021. The associations between OSA and impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired glucose regulation and diabetes mellitus were analyzed. We estimated the pooled odds ratios using fixed or random effects models. We included 25 studies comprising a total of 154,948 patients with OSA and risk factors for prediabetes/diabetes (20 and 16, respectively) in the analysis. Results: OSA was associated with a higher risk of impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired glucose regulation and diabetes mellitus in the cohort studies and cross‐sectional studies. The pooled odds ratios were 2.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16–4.72), 1.58 (95% CI 1.15–2.15), 1.65 (95% CI 1.12–2.42), 2.15 (95% CI 1.68–2.75) and 3.62 (95% CI 2.75–4.75), respectively. Subgroup analyses were based on the proportions of men and women. The results showed that OSA was a risk factor, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. The risk of diabetes increased with the severity of OSA. Conclusions: The risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes was higher in patients with OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The freight transport sector is a critical sector for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets. However, there are many uncertainties regarding the e-commerce development, promotion speed of low-carbon measures, and freight transport technologies. Existing research lacks considering the multiple uncertainties on the low-carbon technological pathway for freight transport. Consequently, a bottom-up National Energy Technology-Transport (NET-Transport) model is developed based on the principle of cost minimization for optimizing the low-carbon transition pathway of the freight transport. The study comprehensively evaluates the sustainable technological pathway, energy saving and carbon emission reduction of various measures, including shifting to low-carbon transport modes, improving transport energy efficiency and promoting clean energy. Results show that the freight transport demand will reach 24.1–60.5 trillion ton-kilometers by 2060. CO 2 emission would peak at 0.8–1.0 billion tons in 2030–2041 if the breakthrough technologies are not developed on a large scale. Carbon neutrality in the freight sector is difficult to achieve by relying on the low-carbon transition of the energy system alone, with 57–555 million tons of remaining CO 2 emissions in 2060. The advanced technologies have significant effects on energy saving and emission reduction. The research, development, and application of hydrogen-fueled heavy trucks should be accelerated. • A National Energy Technology model is established for China's freight transport. • The freight demand under the influence of e-commerce development is forecasted. • The uncertain impacts of various low-carbon measures are investigated. • China's freight transport is difficult to achieve carbon neutrality in 2060. • A low-carbon development pathway is proposed for China's freight transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is the predominant pathophysiological disturbance in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by neuronal cell death and neurocognitive impairment. We focus on the accumulated mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the cytosol, which acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) and activates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)—stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, a known trigger for immune responses and neuronal death in degenerative diseases. However, the specific role and mechanism of the mtDNA-cGAS-STING axis in IH-induced neural damage remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the involvement of PANoptosis, a novel type of programmed cell death linked to cytosolic mtDNA accumulation and the cGAS-STING pathway activation, in neuronal cell death induced by IH. Our study found that PANoptosis occurred in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons and HT22 cell lines exposed to IH. In addition, we discovered that during IH, mtDNA released into the cytoplasm via the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) activates the cGAS-STING pathway, exacerbating PANoptosis-associated neuronal death. Pharmacologically inhibiting mPTP opening or depleting mtDNA significantly reduced cGAS-STING pathway activation and PANoptosis in HT22 cells under IH. Moreover, our findings indicated that the cGAS-STING pathway primarily promotes PANoptosis by modulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Inhibiting or silencing the cGAS-STING pathway substantially reduced ER stress-mediated neuronal death and PANoptosis, while lentivirus-mediated STING overexpression exacerbated these effects. In summary, our study elucidates that cytosolic escape of mtDNA triggers cGAS-STING pathway-dependent neuronal PANoptosis in response to IH, mainly through regulating ER stress. The discovery of the novel mechanism provides theoretical support for the prevention and treatment of neuronal damage and cognitive impairment in patients with OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to explore the feasibility of employing convolutional neural networks for detecting and localizing implant cutouts on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs.The research involves the development of two Deep Learning models. Initially, a model was created for image-level classification of implant cutouts using 40191 pelvic radiographs obtained from a single institution. The radiographs were partitioned into training, validation, and hold-out test datasets in a 6/2/2 ratio. Performance metrics including the area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using the test dataset. Additionally, a second object detection model was trained to localize implant cutouts within the same dataset. Bounding box visualizations were generated on images predicted as cutout-positive by the classification model in the test dataset, serving as an adjunct for assessing algorithm validity.The classification model had an accuracy of 99.7%, sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 99.8%, AUROC of 0.998 (95% CI: 0.996, 0.999) and AUPRC of 0.774 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.880). From the pelvic radiographs predicted as cutout-positive, the object detection model could achieve 95.5% localization accuracy on true positive images, but falsely generated 14 results from the 15 false-positive predictions.The classification model showed fair accuracy for detection of implant cutouts, while the object detection model effectively localized cutout. This serves as proof of concept of using a deep learning-based approach for classification and localization of implant cutouts from pelvic radiographs.Materials and methods: This study aims to explore the feasibility of employing convolutional neural networks for detecting and localizing implant cutouts on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs.The research involves the development of two Deep Learning models. Initially, a model was created for image-level classification of implant cutouts using 40191 pelvic radiographs obtained from a single institution. The radiographs were partitioned into training, validation, and hold-out test datasets in a 6/2/2 ratio. Performance metrics including the area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using the test dataset. Additionally, a second object detection model was trained to localize implant cutouts within the same dataset. Bounding box visualizations were generated on images predicted as cutout-positive by the classification model in the test dataset, serving as an adjunct for assessing algorithm validity.The classification model had an accuracy of 99.7%, sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 99.8%, AUROC of 0.998 (95% CI: 0.996, 0.999) and AUPRC of 0.774 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.880). From the pelvic radiographs predicted as cutout-positive, the object detection model could achieve 95.5% localization accuracy on true positive images, but falsely generated 14 results from the 15 false-positive predictions.The classification model showed fair accuracy for detection of implant cutouts, while the object detection model effectively localized cutout. This serves as proof of concept of using a deep learning-based approach for classification and localization of implant cutouts from pelvic radiographs.Results: This study aims to explore the feasibility of employing convolutional neural networks for detecting and localizing implant cutouts on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs.The research involves the development of two Deep Learning models. Initially, a model was created for image-level classification of implant cutouts using 40191 pelvic radiographs obtained from a single institution. The radiographs were partitioned into training, validation, and hold-out test datasets in a 6/2/2 ratio. Performance metrics including the area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using the test dataset. Additionally, a second object detection model was trained to localize implant cutouts within the same dataset. Bounding box visualizations were generated on images predicted as cutout-positive by the classification model in the test dataset, serving as an adjunct for assessing algorithm validity.The classification model had an accuracy of 99.7%, sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 99.8%, AUROC of 0.998 (95% CI: 0.996, 0.999) and AUPRC of 0.774 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.880). From the pelvic radiographs predicted as cutout-positive, the object detection model could achieve 95.5% localization accuracy on true positive images, but falsely generated 14 results from the 15 false-positive predictions.The classification model showed fair accuracy for detection of implant cutouts, while the object detection model effectively localized cutout. This serves as proof of concept of using a deep learning-based approach for classification and localization of implant cutouts from pelvic radiographs.Conclusion: This study aims to explore the feasibility of employing convolutional neural networks for detecting and localizing implant cutouts on anteroposterior pelvic radiographs.The research involves the development of two Deep Learning models. Initially, a model was created for image-level classification of implant cutouts using 40191 pelvic radiographs obtained from a single institution. The radiographs were partitioned into training, validation, and hold-out test datasets in a 6/2/2 ratio. Performance metrics including the area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (AUROC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated using the test dataset. Additionally, a second object detection model was trained to localize implant cutouts within the same dataset. Bounding box visualizations were generated on images predicted as cutout-positive by the classification model in the test dataset, serving as an adjunct for assessing algorithm validity.The classification model had an accuracy of 99.7%, sensitivity of 84.6%, specificity of 99.8%, AUROC of 0.998 (95% CI: 0.996, 0.999) and AUPRC of 0.774 (95% CI: 0.646, 0.880). From the pelvic radiographs predicted as cutout-positive, the object detection model could achieve 95.5% localization accuracy on true positive images, but falsely generated 14 results from the 15 false-positive predictions.The classification model showed fair accuracy for detection of implant cutouts, while the object detection model effectively localized cutout. This serves as proof of concept of using a deep learning-based approach for classification and localization of implant cutouts from pelvic radiographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remote and non-invasive optical thermometer exploiting fluorescence intensity ratio technology is of great importance in various intelligent optoelectronic sensors. Dual-emitting YNbO 4 :Bi3+, Eu3+ phosphor is synthesized and investigated for the development of temperature sensing materials. The phosphor excited at 318 nm shows a blue broad band emission and several red sharp peaks. The value of Bi3+→Eu3+ energy transfer can reach 98.2% when Eu3+ doping content is 0.14. Benefiting from diverse thermal response behaviors due to Bi3+ and Eu3+ ions completely different electronic configurations, a dual-emitting optical thermometer is designed. The maximum values of absolute and relative sensitivities are as high as 2.51% K−1 at 473 K and 1.43% K−1 at 423 K, respectively. The thermochromic phosphor possesses a great chromaticity shift (ΔE = 317×10−3) with temperature. Based on superior color discriminability, visual colorimetry temperature measurement relied on thermal characteristic is proposed. All the results demonstrate that YNbO 4 :0.01Bi3+, 0.005Eu3+ phosphor as a sensitive and reliable optical thermometer has great potentials in temperature measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the authentication of powdered spices, the possible impact of the natural variations of adulterants on classification or prediction models is always ignored, and research in this area is still quite scarce. This study takes the application of front-face synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (FFSFS) to the rapid and non-destructive authentication of cumin powder adulterated with ground peanut shells and maize flour as an example to show that how the natural variations of adulterants affect model prediction. Using three samples of each adulterant, two modes of sample set were designed for comparison. Mode 1 used the first adulterant for calibration and the other two for external validation. Mode 2 employed two adulterants in training and the third for external validation. The classification of adulterants by principal component analysis coupled with linear discriminant analysis (PCA–LDA) showed that mode 2 had a higher prediction rate (82%) in external validation than mode 1 (63%). For quantification, prediction models were built by partial least square (PLS) regression, and were validated by both cross- and external validation. The result of mode 2 was better than that of mode 1, with the determination coefficients of prediction (R p 2) greater than 0.93, the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) < 4.2% and residual predictive deviation (RPD) at least 2.7. This study demonstrates the necessity of the consideration of the natural variations of adulterants when constructing a robust model for adulteration detection. [Display omitted] • Front-face fluorescent property of cumin powder is investigated. • Its emission is dissimilar to those of ground peanut shells and maize flour. • Flavonoids, phenolic acids and tryptophan contribute to the distinction. • Simultaneous detection of dual adulterants in cumin powder by PLS2. • Effect of natural variation of adulterants on prediction model is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dinoflagellates, which are responsible for more than 80% of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters, are competitive in low-phosphate environments. However, the specific acclimated phosphorus strategies to adapt to phosphorus deficiency in dinoflagellates, particularly through intracellular phosphorus metabolism, remain largely unknown. Comprehensive physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses were conducted to investigate intracellular phosphorus modulation in a model dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum shikokuense , with a specific focus on membrane lipid remodeling and autophagy in response to phosphorus deficiency. Under phosphorus deficiency, P. shikokuense exhibited a preference to spare phospholipids with nonphospholipids. The major phospholipid classes of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine decreased in content, whereas the betaine lipid class of diacylglyceryl carboxyhydroxymethylcholine increased in content. Furthermore, under phosphorus deficiency, P. shikokuense induced autophagy as a mechanism to conserve and recycle cellular phosphorus resources. The present study highlights the effective modulation of intracellular phosphorus in P. shikokuense through membrane phospholipid remodeling and autophagy and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the acclimation strategies to low-phosphorus conditions in dinoflagellates. [Display omitted] • P. shikokuense effectively modulates cellular P resources under P deficiency. • P. shikokuense spares and recycles phospholipids under P deficiency. • PC and PE increase whereas DGCC decreases in content under P deficiency. • P. shikokuense triggers autophagy under P deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive a novel two-phase flow system in porous media as a relaxation limit of compressible multi-fluid systems. Considering a one-velocity Baer–Nunziato system with friction forces, we first justify its pressure-relaxation limit toward a Kapila model in a uniform manner with respect to the time-relaxation parameter associated with the friction forces. Then, we show that the diffusely rescaled solutions of the damped Kapila system converge to the solutions of the new two-phase porous media system as the time-relaxation parameter tends to zero. In addition, we also prove the convergence of the Baer–Nunziato system to the same two-phase porous media system as both relaxation parameters tend to zero. For each relaxation limit, we exhibit sharp rates of convergence in a critical regularity setting. Our proof is based on an elaborate low-frequency and high-frequency analysis via the Littlewood–Paley decomposition and includes three main ingredients: a refined spectral analysis of the linearized problem to determine the frequency threshold explicitly in terms of the time-relaxation parameter, the introduction of an effective flux in the low-frequency region to overcome the loss of parameters due to the overdamping phenomenon, and renormalized energy estimates in the high-frequency region to cancel higher-order nonlinear terms. To justify the convergence rates, we discover several auxiliary unknowns allowing us to recover crucial O (ε) bounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia is a pathological condition common to many diseases, although multiple organ injuries induced by hypoxia are often overlooked. There is increasing evidence to suggest that the hypoxic environment may activate innate immune cells and suppress adaptive immunity, further stimulating inflammation and inhibiting immunosurveillance. We found that dysfunctional immune regulation may aggravate hypoxia-induced tissue damage and contribute to secondary injury. Among the diverse mechanisms of hypoxia-induced immune dysfunction identified to date, the role of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) has recently attracted much attention. Besides leading to tumour immune evasion, PD-L1 has also been found to participate in the progression of the immune dysfunction which mediates hypoxia-induced multiple organ injury. In this review, we aimed to summarise the role of immune dysfunction in hypoxia-induced multiple organ injury, the effects of hypoxia on the cellular expression of PD-L1, and the effects of upregulated PD-L1 expression on immune regulation. Furthermore, we summarise the latest information pertaining to the involvement, diagnostic value, and therapeutic potential of immunosuppression induced by PD-L1 in various types of hypoxia-related diseases, including cancers, ischemic stroke, acute kidney injury, and obstructive sleep apnoea. 61Qdns8RY7g31YGFsWcfG1 Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sperm is the key media between the father's aberrant exposure and the offspring's phenotype. Whether paternal hypertension affects offspring through sperm epigenetics remains to be explored. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we constructed a hypertensive mice model induced by drinking l -NAME and found that spermatocytes and spermatids in the testis were increased significantly after l -NAME treatment. The sequencing of sperm showed that tsRNA profiles changed with 315 tsRNAs (195 up-regulated and 120 down-regulated) altered. Meanwhile, KEGG pathway analysis showed that the target genes of these altered tsRNAs were involved in influencing some important signaling pathways, such as the cAMP signaling path, the mTOR signaling path, the Hippo signaling path, and the Ras signaling path. Bioinformatics of tsRNA-miRNA-mRNA pathway interactions revealed several ceRNA mechanisms, such as tsRNA-00051, the ceRNA of miR-128-1-5p, co-targeting Agap1. This study provides evidence for enriching and further understanding the pathophysiology and paternal epigenetic mechanisms of testicular reproduction, as well as contributing to a rethinking of the transgenerational reprogramming mechanisms of paternal exposure in hypertension. • l -NAME-induced paternal hypertension alters sperm tsRNA profiles. • KEGG analysis of the altered sperm tsRNA sequence shows that affected signaling pathways are involved in cell growth, development, metabolism, and aging. • The tsRNA-miRNA-mRNA expression network provides a possible mechanism for the effects of hypertension on sperm function and offspring development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reveal the formation mechanism of complex non-plane fractures near the wellbore. • The fracture initiation and propagation mechanisms of multiple hydraulic fractures are investigated. • Hydraulic fracture propagation is affected not only by stress shadow but also by inclined well orientation. • Stress shadowing effect in staged fracturing results in a large deflection angle of fractures when the horizontal principal stress difference is small. Multi-cluster fracturing in horizontal wells is an important stimulation technology for unconventional tight reservoirs. The interference among multiple simultaneously growing hydraulic fractures results in a non-uniform fluid distribution into fractures and non-planar fracture geometries. In this paper, the competition mechanism between perforations under the stress shadow, the formation mechanism of complex non-plane fractures near the wellbore, and the initiation and propagation mechanism of multiple hydraulic fractures are investigated by using the 3D lattice method. Also, the effects of fracture geometry, fracture spacing and rock mechanics parameters on the stress interaction among fractures are analyzed by the dislocation theory. The results showed the complexity of fracture initiation near the wellbore and the low efficiency of the perforation initiation in the case of spiral perforation, due to a strong interaction between perforations. However, these initial micro-cracks will eventually coalesce to be a macroscopical fracture which perpendicular to the direction of minimum principal stress. The study indicated that stress interaction and fracture propagation is significantly affected by inclined well orientation. The hydraulic fracture is more likely to deflect and propagate non-uniformly with the increasing width of hydraulic fracture, the decreasing spacing between perforation clusters and the increasing rock modulus. When the horizontal principal stress difference is small, it is obvious to cause a large deflection angle and sometimes furcation of fractures. This study can provide a theoretical basis and technical guidance for hydraulic fracturing design in tight reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by an open question by Chemin, Zhang and Zhang about the regularity of the 3D Navier–Stokes equations with one initially small component, we investigate symmetry breaking and symmetry preservation. Our results fall in three classes. First we prove strong symmetry breaking. Specifically, we demonstrate third component norm inflation (3rdNI) and Isotropic Norm Inflation (INI) starting from zero third component. Second we prove symmetry breaking for initially zero third component, even in the presence of a favorable initial pressure gradient. Third we study certain symmetry preserving solutions with a shear flow structure. Specifically, we give applications to the inviscid limit and exhibit explicit solutions that inviscidly damp to the Kolmogorov flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in energy‐efficient lighting and display technologies demand innovative materials with tailored broad‐spectrum emission properties. Hybrid aggregation‐induced emission metal‐organic frameworks (AIE‐MOFs) offer a promising avenue, combining unique characteristics of organic and inorganic components to yield enhanced luminescence efficiency and robust material stability. The study introduces a spectrum of D (donor)‐A (acceptor) type AIE‐active ligands into MOFs, enabling tunable emission across the visible spectrum, thus underscoring the versatility of these hybridized MOF materials. The emission properties of AIE‐MOFs are further harnessed by integrating them into polymer matrices, resulting in high‐performance electrospun fibers with tunable emission. A significant achievement involves the fabrication of Janus‐type white light‐emitting AIE‐MOF fiber composites via side‐by‐side electrospinning, accomplishing a high quantum yield of 58%, which doubled the performance of homogeneous fibers. Complementing the experimental findings, micro‐Raman and nano‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are employed as local spectroscopic probes, affording a deeper understanding of the material properties and the mechanisms contributing to enhance light emission. In the understanding, this study presents an unconventional implementation of hybrid AIE‐MOFs in Janus‐type structures for white light emission. It significantly improves the efficiency of white light sources in optoelectronics, charting a promising direction for future research in the emergent AIE‐MOF field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The migration of water in frozen dough was restricted by compound modifier (CM). • The deterioration of rheological properties in frozen dough was minimized by addition of CM. • The aging of frozen dough steamed bread was significantly delayed by addition of CM. • CM strengthened the gluten network and delayed the quality deterioration of frozen dough. To retard the quality deterioration of the dough during frozen storage, the effects of a compound modifier (CM) comprised of sodium stearoyl lactate, VC, and β-glucanase on the properties of the frozen dough, as well as the quality of the frozen dough steamed bread were investigated. The results revealed that CM restricted the migration of water in the dough and improved its rheological properties. Furthermore, CM minimized the deterioration of specific volume and textural properties, and prevented starch retrogradation in the frozen dough steamed bread. Moreover, the addition of CM strengthened the secondary structure of gluten protein and formed a more resilient gluten network. The microstructure of the frozen dough steamed bread showed that CM reduced the damage caused by ice crystals on the gluten network. Overall, the use of CM strengthened the gluten network and effectively delayed the quality deterioration of the frozen dough, thus is potential as an improver for frozen dough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a 53-year-old man who had a femur fracture after a fall and was found to have an abnormal lower-eyelid indentation, which led to a diagnosis of keratoconus, a corneal disorder, necessitating repeat corneal transplantation.

• Distributed DVAs affect the vibration of rectangular structure especially when the excitations and receivers are close to its center. • Ribbed-plate model with free boundary conditions and multiple SDOF mass-spring systems. • Approximation of the plate beam interface connection in ribbed-plate model. Typical solutions to reduce excessive floor vibration and radiated sound to the room below include increasing floor mass, stiffening floor structure, and adding a floating floor in the source room. However, these methods may not be effective for lightweight floors at low frequencies. The use of dynamic vibration absorbers (DVAs) to reduce low-frequency structural vibration has attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. In this paper, an analytical model is proposed to study the effect of DVAs on the vibration of a lightweight joist structure by combining the bending modes of the plate with the bending and torsional modes of the beams. The analytical model is compared with the results from finite element models and measurements on a scaled wooden joist floor structure with fabricated spring-mass-type DVAs. A good consistency between the analytical results with results from the latter two are found in terms of the structural vibration and the DVAs' effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Novel Z-scheme BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl nanocomposite was synthesized. • The synthesized nanocomposite showed superior POME treatment under visible light. • The nanocomposite can be magnetically separated and reused. • Z-scheme e − transfer accelerated charge separation and granted high redox ability. • Enhanced bactericidal activities towards E. coli and B. cereus were observed. In recent years, organic pollution and biological hazards have become indisputable considerable environmental issues. Semiconductor-based photocatalysis has been regarded as a promising and sustainable solution in minimizing the negative impacts of these issues. Herein, a two-step precipitation-hydrothermal method was employed to fabricate novel Z-scheme BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl nanocomposites as efficient visible light-driven photocatalysts. The physicochemical properties and morphological characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposites were investigated via multiple characterization methods. The BiOCl nanosheets loaded with 5 wt% BaFe 2 O 4 particles (5 wt% BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl) demonstrated the best visible light photoactivity with a palm oil mill effluent (POME) degradation efficiency of 61 % and a reaction rate constant of 0.0045 min−1 within 210 min. The photocatalytic enhancement benefited from the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction between BaFe 2 O 4 and BiOCl, hence accelerating the interfacial charge transfer and maintaining strong redox potential for active radical generation. Moreover, by regulating the pH value of photoreaction system, more superior POME degradation efficiency was attained and reached 85 % at the same duration. Interestingly, the 5 wt% BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl nanocomposite also possessed a convenient catalyst separation along with good recyclability with only 7 % loss in efficiency after four successive runs. Based on the active species scavenging experiment, superoxide radical was found as the eminent active species during the POME treatment. In addition to the investigation of POME treatment, the fabricated 5 wt% BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl nanocomposite was also successfully employed to inactivate the E. coli and B. cereus. This study revealed that the as-fabricated BaFe 2 O 4 /BiOCl nanocomposite had great potential applications to degrade various organics and to inactivate bacteria from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

;The modified graphene/bacterial cellulose composite conductive fiber membranes were prepared by three different process which are vacuum filtration-solution reduction vacuum filtration-steam reduction and reduction-vacuum filtration. Structure and performance of prepared fiber membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy ( SEM) X-ray difraction ( XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The effects of three kinds of membrane preparation processes on the surface resistance of the composite conductive fiber films were discussed. The effect of the three process on the surface resistance of the conductive fiber membranes were investigated. The results showed that PNIPAM-rGO was able to bond with bacterial cellulose ( BC) in vacuum filtration-solution reduction process and vacuum filtration-steam reduction process while the bonding effect was poor in reduction-vacuum filtration process. Besides XRD spectroscopy confirmed that the presence of PNIPAM-rGO almost did not affects the structure of crystalline region of BC Raman spectroscopy better confirmed that PNIPAM-GO can be fully reduced to PNIPAM-rGO. By comparing the surface resistance of the conductive fiber membranes it was found that the best conductivity was achieved by the membrane making-vapor reduction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction and immune responses are important factors in the pathogenesis of AD, but their crosstalk in AD has not been studied. In this study, the independent role and interaction of mitochondria-related genes and immune cell infiltration in AD were investigated using bioinformatics methods. Methods: The datasets of AD were obtained from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and the data of mitochondrial genes was from MitoCarta3.0 database. Subsequently, differential expression genes (DEGs) screening and GSEA functional enrichment analysis were performed. The intersection of DEGs and mitochondrial related genes was used to obtain MitoDEGs. The MitoDEGs most relevant to AD were determined by Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multiple support vector machine recursive feature elimination, as well as protein–protein interactions (PPI) network and random forest. The infiltration of 28 kinds of immune cells in AD was analyzed by ssGSEA, and the relationship between hub MitoDEGs and the proportion of immune infiltration was studied. The expression levels of hub MitoDEGs were verified in cell models and AD mice, and the role of OPA1 in mitochondrial damage and neuronal apoptosis was investigated. Results: The functions and pathways of DEGs were significantly enriched in AD, including immune response activation, IL1R pathway, mitochondrial metabolism, oxidative damage response and electron transport chain-oxphos system in mitochondria. Hub MitoDEGs closely related to AD were obtained based on PPI network, random forest and two machine learning algorithms. Five hub MitoDEGs associated with neurological disorders were identified by biological function examination. The hub MitoDEGs were found to be correlated with memory B cell, effector memory CD8 T cell, activated dendritic cell, natural killer T cell, type 17 T helper cell, Neutrophil, MDSC, plasmacytoid dendritic cell. These genes can also be used to predict the risk of AD and have good diagnostic efficacy. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of BDH1, TRAP1, OPA1, DLD in cell models and AD mice were consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis, and expression levels of SPG7 showed a downward trend. Meanwhile, OPA1 overexpression alleviated mitochondrial damage and neuronal apoptosis induced by Aβ1-42. Conclusions: Five potential hub MitoDEGs most associated with AD were identified. Their interaction with immune microenvironment may play a crucial role in the occurrence and prognosis of AD, which provides a new insight for studying the potential pathogenesis of AD and exploring new targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semiarid areas with frequent dust storms, reasonable planting modes and crop residue measures could prevent dust storms that originate from local farmlands and address key factors for wind erosion control. The considered crop residue modes included all harvesting with no residue in a Cyperus esculentus L. (C.) monoculture setting (AH), retention of 1 ridge and harvesting of 3 ridges in a C. monoculture setting (RH), and all harvesting with retention of Setaria italica (L.) Beauv. var. germanica (Mill.) Schrad (S.) residue in an intercropping setting of 6S. ridges and 9C. ridges (ARS). The aerodynamic roughness z 0 and friction velocity u * were measured with handheld anemometers, and sediment fluxes were measured by combining multichannel sand collectors under different crop residue modes. The results indicated that the total aeolian sediment flux increased with distance away from the final belt of crop residue under both the RH and ARS modes. S. residue reduced the total aeolian sediment flux by more than 50% compared to C. residue at a distance of 4.5 m away from the residue belt during the dust storm. The sand transported height under both the RH and ARS modes was lower than that under the AH mode, and the distance required for sand to be transported to the same flux behind the S. residue belt was more than that behind the C. residue belt. The frontal area index (FAI) is a parameter that can better reflect the wind erosion control ability of C. and S. residues. S. residue attained a higher wind weakening ability than C. residue according to the positive relationship between z 0 , u * and FAI. During the dust storm, the relationship between the total aeolian sediment flux and FAI changed from significant to insignificant as the sand transported height exceeded C. residue height. Using standing crops intercropping with C. can provide both income from C. and wind erosion control from standing crop residues. The results can provide useful guidance for local C. harvest and planting design. • Establish control effects of C. crop residue on wind erosion from dust storms. • The FAI is a valuable indicator for selecting crop residue types in C. planting areas. • The 4.5 m spacing of S. residue belts can better balance income and wind erosion control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize, sorghum, wheat and barley are the several most important cereals for human beings. They can be utilized mixedly in certain applications, hence the determination of the composition of these flour blends may be necessary for economic, regulatory or nutritional reasons. In this work, front-face synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (FFSFS) was utilized for the rapid and non-destructive composition analysis of these flour blends. Both the cases of binary and quaternary flour blends were investigated. Prediction models were constructed by partial least square (PLS) regression for both the two cases, respectively. For the binary blends of maize and sorghum or wheat and barley flours, the built models produced suitable results. The coefficient of determination (R2) values of calibration and five-fold cross-validation were all larger than 0.97. For quaternary blends of the four flours, the PLS model simultaneously predicted the contents of the flours with acceptable results, with the R2 values in the range of 0.896–0.963, root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) < 8.5% and residual predictive deviation (RPD) > 3. Additionally, most relative prediction errors for simulated real-world samples ranged in -20–20% and the intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation (CVs) were lower than 30%. This study offers a simple and rapid method for the composition analysis of multiple cereal flour blends without any time-consuming sample preparation procedures. [Display omitted] • Front-face synchronous fluorescent spectra of four cereal flours are compared. • Different from each other, their emissions serve as chemical fingerprints. • Tryptophan, phenolic acids and flavonoids contribute to the distinction. • FFSFS allows rapid and non-destructive composition analysis of cereal flour blends. • The proposed strategy is well adapted for both binary and quaternary flour blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Four new taraxasterane-type triterpenes were isolated from Diaphragma juglandis Fructus. • The structures of juglansin A were determined by X-ray analysis. • New taraxasterane-type triterpenes exhibited moderate α-glycosidase inhibitory activities. Phytochemical investigation into the Diaphragma juglandis Fructus led to the isolation of four new taraxasterane-type triterpenes (1 – 4). The structures of 1 – 4 were elucidated by extensive analyses through HRESIMS, NMR and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. In addition, the α-glycosidase inhibitory activities of 1 – 4 were evaluated and further analysis by molecular docking experiments were adopted to reveal the structure-activity relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An investment scheme is proposed for a district heating system utilizing heat flexibility. • A new business model is proposed for a district heating system participating in energy and reserve markets. • The strategic behavior of district heating system is modeled as a bi-level optimization problem. • The flexibility region of the district heating system is modeled to ensure the feasibility of reserve deployment. The flexibility of district heating systems can be utilized to provide ancillary services for electric power systems and hence the investors can make profits by taking advantage of the arbitrage in multiple markets. This paper proposes a strategic investment scheme for a district heating system participating in both electricity energy and reserve markets, which enables the enhanced investment decisions for the installation of combined heat and power units, heat pumps, and thermal energy storage. A new business model is proposed for the district heating system that acts as a prosumer participating in energy and reserve markets, where the flexibility region of the district heating system is particularly modeled to ensure the feasibility of deployed reserves. The strategic behavior is modeled as a bi-level optimization problem. The upper-level problem determines the capacities and optimal offering/bidding strategies of district heating system, while the lower-level problem represents the energy and reserve market clearing over a set of representative days. The bi-level model is converted into a single-level mathematical program with equilibrium constraints using Karush-Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions, and then reformulated as a mixed-integer linear problem by linearizing the nonlinear terms. Simulation results demonstrate that the total investment and operational costs of the district heating system are reduced by strategically offering in reserve market and the investor prefers to invest in thermal energy storage to shave peak heat load and combined heat and power units to increase the district heating system's flexibility other than heat pumps. The effectiveness of the flexibility model of the district heating system for feasible reserve deployment is also verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • First observation of fluorescence quenching between solid foods. • Fluorescence quenching is proven to be induced by competitive absorption. • Competitive absorption occurs between phenolic acids and curcumin. • Fast and non-invasive analysis of maize flour in turmeric powder by FFSFS and PLS. • FFSFS offers a new strategy for composition analysis of solid food blends. Fluorescence quenching induced by competitive absorption between different components of solid foods was observed for the first time. By using front-face synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (FFSFS) and fluorescence titration, competitive absorption between maize flour and turmeric powder was proven to occur between phenolic acids in maize flour and curcumin in turmeric powder. FFSFS was applied for the rapid and non-destructive determination of maize flour adulterated in turmeric powder. Prediction models were constructed by partial least square (PLS) regression based on unfolded total synchronous fluorescence spectra, and were validated by five-fold cross-validation and external validation, with the determination coefficient of prediction (R p 2) greater than 0.95, root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) < 6%, relative error of prediction (REP) < 15% and residual predictive deviation (RPD) greater than 5. The limit of detection (LOD) of maize flour was approximately 9%. In addition, most relative errors for test samples were from −20% to 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a singular limit problem for a compressible one-velocity bifluid system. More precisely, we show that solutions of the Kapila system generated by initial data close to equilibrium are obtained in the pressure-relaxation limit from solutions of the Baer–Nunziato (BN) system. The convergence rate of this process is a consequence of our stability result. Besides the fact that the quasilinear part of the (BN) system cannot be written in conservative form, its natural associated entropy is only positive semi-definite such that it is not clear if the entropic variables can be used in the present case. Using an ad-hoc change of variables we obtain a reformulation of the (BN) system which couples, via low-order terms, an undamped mode and a non-symmetric partially dissipative hyperbolic system satisfying the Shizuta–Kawashima stability condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has now been established as a safe and minimally invasive technique that is deemed feasible for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, the role of LLR in treating combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) patients has been rarely reported. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of LLR when compared with open liver resection (OLR) procedure for patients with cHCC-CC. Methods: A total of 229 cHCC-CC patients who underwent hepatic resection (34 LLR and 195 OLR patients) from January 2014 to December 2018 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were enrolled and underwent a 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis between the LLR and OLR groups to compare perioperative and oncologic outcomes. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) parameters were assessed by the log-rank test and the sensitivity analysis. Results: A total of 34 LLR and 68 OLR patients were included after PSM analysis. The LLR group displayed a shorter postoperative hospital stay (6.61 vs. 8.26 days; p value < 0.001) when compared with the OLR group. No significant differences were observed in the postoperative complications' incidence or a negative surgical margin rate between the two groups (p value = 0.409 and p value = 1.000, respectively). The aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and inflammatory indicators in the LLR group were significantly lower than those in the OLR group on the first and third postoperative days. Additionally, OS and RFS were comparable in both the LLR and OLR groups (p value = 0.700 and p value = 0.780, respectively), and similar results were obtained by conducting a sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: LLR can impart less liver function damage, better inflammatory response attenuation contributing to a faster recovery, and parallel oncologic outcomes when compared with OLR. Therefore, LLR can be recommended as a safe and effective therapeutic modality for treating selected cHCC-CC patients, especially for those with small tumors in favorable location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free pseudocereal receiving growing attentions worldwide. Herein, front-face synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (FFSFS) was applied for the fast and non-invasive authentication of quinoa flour adulteration with maize and soybean flours. The cases of both single and dual adulterants (6–50 wt%) were investigated. For single adulteration with either maize or soybean flour, principal component analysis coupled with linear discriminant analysis (PCA–LDA) was used for preliminary qualitative discrimination. Then first-order prediction models were constructed based on the combination of unfolded total synchronous fluorescence spectra and partial least square (PLS) regression, and were validated by five-fold cross-validation and external validation. For dual adulterants, a general PLS2 model for the simultaneous determination of maize and soybean flours was developed, which produced suitable results, with the determination coefficient of prediction (R p 2) > 0.9, root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) < 5% and residual predictive deviation (RPD) > 3. The limits of detection (LODs) are 9.0% and 6.9% for maize flour and soybean flour, respectively. Furthermore, most spike recoveries are in the range of 80–120%. This study not only has important applications in the authentication of quinoa flour adulteration but may also shed light on the quantitative component analysis of other cereal flour mixtures from different botanical origins. • Front-face synchronous fluorescence of quinoa flour is presented. • Its emission is distinct from those of maize and soybean flours. • Quinoa flavonoids contribute most to the distinction, followed by tryptophan. • Front-face fluorescence affords non-destructive detection of its adulteration. • Simultaneous determination of maize and soybean flours can be rapidly achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a progressive and irreversible disorder of collagen metabolism, resulting in mucosal fibrosis, oral functional changes, and even malignant transformation. This study investigated the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 alleles and the susceptibility to OSF in a Hunan Han population, providing a new basis for clinical prevention and treatment of OSF. Methods. 44 OSF patients and 44 healthy volunteers were included in this study. To detect the expression frequency of HLA-DQB1 alleles in the two groups and analyze significant allelic subtypes and their relative risk, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequence-specific primers were used. Subsequently, based on the identification of differential genes, we compare the gene expression levels of OSF patients and healthy volunteers expressing differential genes by real-time quantitative PCR. Results. The expression frequency of the HLA-DQB1 ∗ 05 : 02 allele in the OSF group (36.4%) was significantly higher than in the controls (13.6%), and exposure to the HLA-DQB1 ∗ 05 : 02 allele was strongly related to OSF (OR (95% CI) = 3.619 (1.257,10.421), Wald χ2 = 5.681, P = 0.017). However, there were no significant differences in the allele expression frequencies of DQB1 ∗ 02 : 01, DQB1 ∗ 03 : 03, DQB1 ∗ 05 : 01, DQB1 ∗ 05 : 03, DQB1 ∗ 06 : 02, DQB1 ∗ 06 : 03, and DQB1 ∗ 06 : 04 in the OSF group compared with the controls (all P > 0.05). Furthermore, the relative expression level of the HLA-DQB1 ∗ 05 : 02 allele in the OSF group (3.98 ± 3.50) was significantly higher than in controls (0.70 ± 0.41). Conclusions. There are differences in the HLA-DQB1 allele polymorphisms between the healthy population and patients with oral submucosal fibrosis. Preliminarily, it is suggested that the HLA-DQB1 ∗ 05 : 02 allele, which has a strong correlation with OSF and great differential expression between patients with OSF and controls, might be a susceptibility gene for OSF in Hunan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased penetration of renewable energy sources and the intensification of peak‐valley differences present challenges to peak regulation in the power system. Fulfilling the peak regulation needs of the power system solely through generation‐side resources proves to be challenging. Large‐scale fixed frequency air‐conditioning (FFAC) and inverter air‐conditioning (IAC) are high‐quality flexible load resources. This paper proposes a hierarchical coordinated control strategy of air‐conditioning (AC) loads for peak regulation service. In the first layer of the control strategy, the load aggregator collaborates with multiple AC groups to ensure the completion of peak regulation tasks with specific power‐constrained requirements. In the second layer of the control strategy, the control centre of each group optimizes the temperature adjustment values for each AC load, aiming to reduce incentive costs. Finally, the proposed method is validated through simulations, demonstrating its capability to achieve coordinated control of FFAC and IAC loads under various power‐constrained requirements. Furthermore, the simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of the control strategy in reducing user discomfort and the AC's incentive costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants synthesise a vast array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which serve as chemical defence and communication agents in their interactions with insect herbivores. Although nitrogen (N) is a critical resource in the production of plant metabolites, its regulatory effects on defensive VOCs remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of N content in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) on the tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura), a notorious agricultural pest, using biochemical and molecular experiments in combination with insect behavioural and performance analyses. We observed that on tomato leaves with different N contents, S. litura showed distinct feeding preference and growth and developmental performance. Particularly, metabolomics profiling revealed that limited N availability conferred resistance upon tomato plants to S. litura is likely associated with the biosynthesis and emission of the volatile metabolite α‐humulene as a repellent. Moreover, exogenous application of α‐humulene on tomato leaves elicited a significant repellent response against herbivores. Thus, our findings unravel the key factors involved in N‐mediated plant defence against insect herbivores and pave the way for innovation of N management to improve the plant defence responses to facilitate pest control strategies within agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

District heating systems can provide considerable flexibility for electric power systems through combined heat and power units and heat pumps. This paper proposes a chance-constrained two-stage energy and multi-type reserves scheduling scheme for integrated electricity and heating systems to handle both wind power forecast errors and the outage of the largest generator. The combined heat and power units and heat pumps not only provide following reserves for offsetting wind power forecast errors under normal conditions, but also provide primary frequency response reserves for arresting system frequency decline after the outage of the largest generator. The primary frequency response reserves from combined heat and power units and heat pumps are optimized satisfying system steady-state frequency requirement while considering the reserve costs. To manage the risk level of load shedding caused by wind power forecast errors, chance constraints are adopted to achieve the trade-off between the sufficiency of following reserves and system economic efficiency. The nonlinear and nonconvex scheduling model is reformulated as a mixed-integer linear program via linearization and convex approximation based on conditional value-at-risk. The effectiveness of the proposed scheduling scheme in improving the system frequency regulation, system economic efficiency, and wind power integration is verified through the case studies on a 6-bus and 6-node integrated electricity and heating system and a regional large-scale test system. • A joint energy and multi-type reserves scheduling scheme is proposed for IEHSs. • CHP units and HPs provide both following reserves and primary frequency response reserves. • A chance-constrained program is used to manage the risk level of load shedding. • System frequency regulation is further enhanced by utilizing reserves from heat pumps. • The system economic efficiency and wind power integration are improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from polyethylene mesh knitted fabrics (PMKFs) to mulched soil and nearby plants was studied. PBDEs in the soil sample collected from Tianjin University of Commerce in April 2019 increased significantly after 6 months of PMKF mulching owing to PMKFs as the main input source. The compositional profiles/congener patterns of the PBDEs in the soil and PMKFs became similar after 6 months. High correlations were found between ΣPBDEs in the soil and PMKFs in October 2019, with no significant correlation in April. Plants could take up, accumulate and biotransform PBDEs in contaminated soil. The uptake of BDE-209 by plants was the highest compared with other lesser brominated PBDE congeners, due to its higher log Kow value and molecular weight or size. BDE-47 taken up in the plant was biotransformed via hydroxylation. These results prove that the government's PMKF solution to haze is causing environmental problems in bare soil, i.e., PBDE pollution in both soil and nearby plants. The present study provides important pieces of evidence for government and policymakers, and it is recommended that one environmental problem is not solved by creating another. [Display omitted] • PBDEs in soil increased significantly after 6 months of PMKF mulching. • Congener patterns of PBDEs in soil and PMKFs became similar after 6 months. • High correlations were found between ΣPBDEs in soil and PMKFs after 6 months. • PBDEs were taken up, accumulated and bio-transformed by nearby plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UV photodetectors based on GaN/PSS/PANI hybrid heterojunction were fabricated. • The photodetector is self-powered, which can work at 0 V bias voltage. • The device can produce a high photocurrent of 2.05 μA in 60 ms under 365 nm light. • The performance of the device can be optimized with the thicknesses of PANI and PSS. A series of highly sensitive and self-powered ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors were prepared. The photodetectors adopt a p-i-n heterojunction structure composed of a layer of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) grown n-type GaN, a layer of spin coated high resistance poly (styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and a layer of dip-coating applied p-type polyaniline (PANI) synthesized by oxidation reaction. The effects of the thickness of PSS and PANI on device performance were investigated. With the increase of PANI and PSS thickness, the photocurrent increases and reaches the highest value, and then decreases gradually with the further increase of their thickness. The optimized device can rapidly produce a photocurrent of 2.05 μA when illuminated with a 6.7 mW/cm2 UV light at 365 nm without any external power supply. This type of UV photodetector has potential applications in optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An enhanced wind power scenario generation and evaluation method is proposed. • A non-separable covariance function is incorporated to capture spatial and temporal correlations. • A more accurate parameter estimation method with fluctuation-based clustering is proposed. • New scenario evaluation indices from the perspective of system operators are introduced. Short-term wind power scenarios significantly affect the economic efficiency of the stochastic power system scheduling. In order to better capture the nonlinear spatio-temporal correlations of wind power, this paper proposes a scenario generation method integrated with non-separable spatio-temporal covariance function and fluctuation-based clustering for short-term wind power output. By taking advantage of well-calibrated marginal distribution modeled by Gaussian mixture model, the non-separable covariance function is incorporated in the scenario generation method to capture the complex interactions between spatial and temporal components of wind power. To estimate the covariance matrix more precisely, the historical data is grouped into K clusters with different fluctuations using the K-means clustering algorithm. Two indices are proposed to evaluate the scenarios in capturing the spatial and temporal correlations from the perspective of system operators. The proposed method is applied to a modified IEEE-118 system with four wind farms. Simulation results verify the superiority of the proposed method in capturing spatial and temporal correlations, and validate the economic benefits for the power system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Seven undescribed steroids were isolated from the leaves of Datura metel L. • Compounds 1 and 4 contain as a unique 1,10- seco -withanolide moiety. • Daturmetelide X (1) exhibited potential anti-inflammatory activity. Extraction of Datura metel L. leaves with ethanol as a solvent gave a group of steroids, including two unique 1,10- seco -withanolides (1 , 4), an unusual nitrogen-containing withanolides (2), one undescribed saponin (3), two withanolides with a carbohydrate (5 , 6), and one C 21 steroid (7). These compounds' structures were identified based on HR-ESI-MS and 1H, 13C NMR data analyses, also compared with data from the document. Some compounds showed moderate inhibition on NO production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches on tunable luminescence and temperature sensitivity of phosphors have become an increasingly popular trend. This paper reports a series of Ca 2 YZr 2 Al 3 O 12 (CYZA):Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors prepared by solid-state reaction. The phase purity, energy transfer, luminescent properties and temperature sensing performance of the phosphors have been carefully studied. CYZA:Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors excited by ultraviolet light show tunable color emission, and the color shifts from dark blue to pink due to Bi3+→Sm3+ energy transfer. The related luminescent mechanism of phosphors is also explained. In addition, according to the different thermal sensitivity of Bi3+ and Sm3+, the temperature sensitivity of the phosphors is studied by fluorescence intensity ratio model. The maximum values of absolute sensitivity and relative sensitivity reach up to 0.099% K−1 at 423 K and 0.356% K−1 at 473 K, respectively. These findings indicate that CYZA:Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors are potential candidates for tunable luminescence and temperature sensing. • The color-tunable property can be obtained in CYZA:Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors. • Energy transfer from Bi3+ to Sm3+ ions. • Different thermal attenuation behaviors of Bi3+ and Sm3+ ions. • Temperature sensing performance is investigated by FIR model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix data has arised in many field, especially in the field of image processing and computer vision. In traditional approaches, the original images need to be vectorized to one-dimension vectors, which may destroy the inherent structure of images. A novel geometrical sparse representation (GSR) model with single image is introduced in this paper that solves a model to measure the similarity between the input image and the single dictionary image. Unlike the traditional sparse representation model, the proposed model does not need to vectorize the image, so as to preserve the inherent geometrical structure of the image. We further introduce a binary coding method to preserve the local patterns of the image and enhance the sparsity of the GSR coefficients. Our method is used for face images with variations of structural noise (occlusion, illumination, etc.), extensive experiments show that our method can be competitive with or even superior to the baseline methods. • A novel GSR model that explores inherent geometric structure of the image. • An analysis shows that the GSR model is a generalized solution to illumination reflectance model. • An analysis shows that the proposed method can alleviate the effects of occlusion effectively. • Extensive experiments prove the proposed method is robust to occlusion and illumination changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]