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The objective of this study was to examine the present situation of dyadic coping in pregnant women with high-risk pregnancy and their spouses, as well as the relevant factors and the interactions between partners. From October 2022 to September 2023, a cross-sectional survey was undertaken, involving 460 pairs of pregnant women with high-risk pregnancy who were hospitalized for childbirth and their accompanying spouses. These participants completed self-assessments on dyadic coping, marital satisfaction, perceived stress, and self-efficacy through the completion of paper questionnaires. The collected data was then subjected to analysis utilizing correlation analysis and multiple linear regression. The actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) was then developed using the structural equation modeling(SEM) to test the binary association. Pregnant women preferred to utilize stressful communication, whereas their spouses employed supportive and delegated coping. Both external (such as education level, employment status, and medical insurance) and internal (such as marital satisfaction, perceived stress, and self-efficacy) factors were associated with pregnant women's dyadic coping. Education level and internal factors were also associated with the spouses' dyadic coping. In contrast to spouses, who can only have a partner effect on pregnant women through marriage satisfaction, all pregnant women's internal elements played the partner effect on the spouses' dyadic coping. The study's findings help identify populations with inadequate coping ability. Promoting marital satisfaction, self-efficacy, and reducing perceived stress are associated with enhancing the dyadic coping ability of pregnant women with high-risk pregnancy and their spouses. It also suggests that antenatal care should intervene with pregnant women with high-risk pregnancy and their spouses as a whole, and emphasize collaborative coping and effective mutual support between couples rather than spousal support alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Quantitative assessment of the adhesion strength of ceramic hard coatings on substrates is a subject of great technological and scientific relevance, the achievement of which has proven difficult over the past two decades. Here we show that a micro-pillar tension testing protocol may serve as an effective method for this purpose, and demonstrate its effectiveness through a combination of micro tension testing and crystal plasticity finite element analysis (CPFEA). Tensile loading perpendicular to the interfaces, as well as accompanying CPFEA simulations, was conducted on CrN/Cu/CrN/Si micro-pillar tensile specimens fabricated from vapor phase deposited thin film sandwich structures. All tensile loading induced fracture were observed to occur within the Cu interlayer and near one Cu/CrN interface of the CrN/Cu/CrN sandwich structure. Observations, measurements, and discussions were made regarding the fracture surfaces, fracture stresses, and primary fracture mechanisms. Fracture surface examinations indicated ductile tensile fracture, induced by the formation of voids. It is shown that, due to the geometric constraint imposed by the ceramic layers in the current testing configuration, interlayer plasticity and the critical fracture stress display a strong dependence on the Cu interlayer thickness. It is postulated as a failure criterion that cooperation of deviatoric and hydrostatic stress components is needed to induce the nucleation and growth of voids. The relevance of the present work to the interfacial mechanical integrity of other metal/ceramic interfaces is discussed. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normalization of cyanobacteria outbreak in shallow lakes yield lots of salvaging cyanobacteria biomass, which dramatically modify phosphorus (P) cycle in water column and the sediments. Based on studies of SCWG reactions, it was expected to solve the dewatering treatment difficulty in engineering issues and realize potential energy use. By way of cyanobacteria biomass SCWG reactions, this paper clarified major existence forms and distribution law of rich phosphorus, evaluated the corresponding roles that reactions parameters and properties of biomass raw materials played in the products’ distribution and morphological process. In addition to this, it discussed effects of alkali additions on phosphorus forms and distribution, with a view to providing potential approach for phosphorus stabilization in SCWG products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear failure of the interfacial regions of CrN/Cu/Si and CrN/Ti/Si ceramic-coating/metal-adhesion-layer/substrate systems was measured quantitatively and observed concurrently through instrumented compression of cylindrical micro-pillars in-situ a scanning electron microscope. Results indicate that shear failure of the interfacial region occurred in two stages: an initial shear deformation of the entire metal interlayer followed by an unstable shear-off close to the metal/ceramic interface. The shear-off is suggested to be concomitant with the metal/ceramic interface going from being “locked”, with no relative displacement between materials on the two sides of the interface, to being “unlocked”, with significant relative displacements. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics studies on a related metal/ceramic interface, Ti/TiN, showed that a weak interaction plane exists in the metal layer near the chemical interface in a coherent Ti/TiN structure. Consequently, the free energy and theoretical shear strength of the semi-coherent Ti/TiN interface is found to depend on the physical location of the misfit dislocation network (MDN). The minimum energy and strength of the interface occur when the MDN is near, but not at the chemical interface. The relevance of the present work to other metal/ceramic interfaces is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both recombination and band-edge shift are important factors for the open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) improvement of metal chalcogenide hole-transport material (HTM) based perovskite solar cells, but it is still not clear that which aspect plays the dominant role in such devices. Herein, we addressed this aspect through employing the band-tunable metal chalcogenide Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) QDs as HTM into perovskite solar cells. By replacing sulfur with selenium atom, the band gap of HTM was tuned from 1.64 eV to 1.14 eV and their influences on cell performances were further discussed. Though the Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 (CZTSe) device with higher hole transport ability could improve the fill factor (FF), its V oc was still remarkably lower than that of the CZTS device. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicated that the V oc loss (45 mV) induced by recombination here was far less than the V oc differences between the two devices (140 mV). After analyzing the band level alignment at TiO 2 /CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /HTM heterojunction, we proposed that the V oc enhancement of CZTS device was mainly ascribed to the more downward valence band-edge shift of HTM. This further approves that developing a wide band gap material without hindering charge injection is more pressing rather than depressing recombination process for future metal chalcogenide HTM researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encarsia sophia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is a parasitoid utilized for biological control of Bemisia tabaci , with selection of prey aided by chemoreceptor organs. The morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla (chemoreceptors) of E. sophia were examined using Transmission electron micrographs. The total antennal length for E. sophia was 429.28 ± 0.95 μm for females and 437.19 ± 8.21 for males, and each antennae was found to consist of seven sensilla of different types. Both sexes possessed sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea, basiconic capitate peg sensilla, multiporous grooved-surface placoid sensilla (MG-PS), uniporous rod-like sensilla, nonporous finger-like sensilla, and sensilla coeloconica. Transmission electron micrographs of longitudinal sections of female antennae showed that they were composed of fat body, cuticle, mesoscutello-metanotal muscles, neurons, and glandular tissue, and cross-sections of the basal MG-PS showed sensillar lymph cavities and dendrites. The MG-PSs were imbedded in an electron-dense mass with cuticular invaginations which acted as pores that connected to a central lumen. The possible function of each type of sensilla is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A reliable DDA methods was developed for precise analysis of Alternaria mycotoxins. • Two sulfated Alternaria mycotoxins were identified in tomato samples. • A custom databased was established for Alternaria mycotoxins screening. Alternaria mycotoxins are food-related compounds that are mainly produced by Alternaria fungi species. However, it's difficult for Alternaria mycotoxins analysis, especially for conjugated metabolites in food safety surveillance. In this work, a novel data-dependent acquisition (DDA) full mass scan and products scan protocol was proposed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of five target mycotoxins in tomato samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap). In total, 24 sulfated metabolites were detected with post-data analysis techniques, and two sulfated metabolites (AME-sulfated and AOH-sulfated) were identified in Alternaria fungi -inoculated tomatoes. In addition, a custom database was established, and it was successfully applied for Alternaria mycotoxins and sulfated metabolites screening in tomatoes. With the improvement in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) as well as post-data analysis techniques, DDA based HRMS method could be widely applied for compound analysis, identification, and screening in quantitative field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we report the preparation and dielectric properties of reduced graphene oxide/polypropylene (rGO/PP) composites with an ultralow percolation threshold as low as 0.033 vol%. This value is the lowest among those that have been reported in graphene-filled composites. The rGO/PP composites were prepared through a latex technique, which consists of an in-situ chemical reduction of graphene oxide in PP latex and a subsequent filtration. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that the homogeneous dispersion of rGO nanosheets in the PP matrix was realized. A blue shift in Raman G band of the rGO nanosheets was observed in the rGO/PP composites, indicating the strong interaction between the rGO filler and the PP matrix. In the frequency range from 102 Hz to 107 Hz, the rGO/PP composites showed an insulator-to-conductor percolation transition as the increase of the rGO loading. Near the percolation threshold, the dielectric permittivity of the rGO/PP composites underwent a significant change of three orders of magnitude. Moreover, the permittivity was found to be temperature dependent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The seed of Cassia obtusifolia is a food or herbal medicine used for improving eyesight, treating constipation and other disorders, and polysaccharides have been implicated in these pharmacological activities. The endosperm of the seeds, Cassia gum, is a commercial thickening or gelling agent, composed mainly of galactomannans. However, the whole seeds of C. obtusifolia, rather than the endosperm, are used in folk medicine or food, which might contain more complex constituents of polysaccharides. In this study, the whole seeds of C. obtusifolia were extracted with boiling water, and from the water extract, three homogeneous fractions were isolated, designated CFAA-1, CFAA-3, and CFBB2, respectively, after treatment with Fehling solution followed by anion-exchange and gel permeation chromatography. Using chemical and spectroscopic methods, CFAA-1, and CFAA-3 were elucidated to be both branched galactomannans with different molecular weights, consisting of 1,4-linked β-d-mannopyranosyl backbone with single-unit α-d-galactopyranosyl branches attached to O-6 of mannose, while CFBB2 was shown to be a linear (1→4)-α-polygalacturonic acid. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ti 3 C 2 MXenes were constructed via different strategies using HF-forming etchants or HF as etchants and were subsequently modified through alkalization to replace –F with O-containing terminal functional groups. Various analytical techniques were used to fully characterize all fabricated materials for confirming the formation of species with the desired morphologies and properties. ML-Ti 3 C 2 , etched with HF, presented a multilayered structure that made it resemble an accordion, while DL-Ti 3 C 2 , prepared using HF-forming etchants, was not completely etched, with some amounts of the parent compound's Al remaining in unformed vague laminated structures. ML-Ti 3 C 2 alkalization yielded ML-Ti 3 C 2 (OH) 2 , which was characterized by large amounts of O-containing functional groups and greatly enhanced porosity compared with that of ML-Ti 3 C 2. Methylene blue (MB) adsorption and photocatalytic degradation tests were then conducted to evaluate the functionalities of ML-Ti 3 C 2 (OH) 2 by putting it into direct application instead of being used as catalyst promoters. ML-Ti 3 C 2 (OH) 2 achieved adsorption–desorption equilibrium using MB in the dark within 30 min and 81.2% of MB was then selectively degraded over 120 min under simulated visible light irradiation. A possible degradation mechanism was proposed on the basis of the results of radical quenching experiments. This study offers a unique mechanism for directly applying MXene to the adsorption–photocatalytic degradation of organics in wastewater. For Preparation and regulation of two-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene for enhanced adsorption-photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in wastewater. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic supercritical water partial oxidation of phenol using H 2 O 2 as oxidant in the presence of NaOH was explored to enhance hydrogen production and inhibit phenol polymerization. The results indicated that H 2 production was enhanced in the presence of NaOH when phenol supercritical water oxidation was controlled at a lower O/C ratio. Compared with the individual catalytic partial oxidation of phenol, the reaction with NaOH and H 2 O 2 simultaneously enhanced H 2 production and inhibited polycyclic polymer generation at O/C ratios below 0.5. A peak hydrogen gasification efficiency value of 62.35% was observed at an O/C ratio of 0.3 with 1.0 wt% NaOH, and a phenol removal efficiency of nearly 75% was reported. Phenol polymerization was effectively inhibited for reaction times limited to 50 s. Moreover, other phenol reaction pathways reported in the literature were compared with the partial oxidation of phenol in supercritical water with NaOH and H 2 O 2. Unlabelled Image • Evaluation of the feasibility of H 2 enhancement and polymer inhibition from catalytic SCWPO of phenol • Quantitative analysis of the primary components of the key intermediates during the catalytic SCWPO of phenol • Comparison of the reaction mechanism of phenol between catalytic SCWPO and separate oxidation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mainstream partial Anammox was achieved after organic recovery in a new concept WWTP. • Anammox contributed 23.6% of TN removal, increasing TN removal efficiency by 15.0% • A shift from nitrification/denitrification to partial Anammox was observed. • Candidatus Brocadia was the dominant AnAOB in the double-sludge N removal system. Total nitrogen (TN) removal from municipal wastewater after organic recovery is challenging because of the low ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to TN. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) is promising because it has no organic requirement, but its performance in treating effluents following COD captured remains unclear. This study used mainstream partial Anammox to remove nitrogen from effluent following magnetic separation within a continuous-flow anoxic–oxic reactor. Compared with traditional nitrification and denitrification, partial Anammox increased TN removal efficiency by 15.0% and contributed 23.6% of TN removal. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that the copy number of the Anammox gene (hzsB) increased substantially, while those of the nitrite oxidation (nxrA) and denitrification (narG and nirS) genes decreased. High-throughput sequencing identified Candidatus Brocadia as the dominant genus of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of mainstream partial Anammox for treating COD-captured effluents and its potential in municipal wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Compression molding and demolding test (CMDT), a novel method to assess micron scale dry contact stiction and friction, was presented. • Micron scale stiction forces were measured and stiction stresses were examined in detail. • Micron scale friction forces were measured, friction stress and friction coefficient were estimated by coupling experimental results with the cavity expansion model and FEM. • Advantages and limitations of CMDT were discussed. Accurate and quantitative evaluation of friction is of fundamental interest for materials science and manufacturing. Driven by the trend towards miniaturization, micro metal forming techniques with characteristic forming dimensions approaching a few microns have developed rapidly over the past two decades. In contrast, the assessment of microscale friction is lagging. Here, we present a novel test, compression molding and demolding test (CMDT), to assess stiction and friction at the microscale. CMDT was conducted via in-situ instrumented molding and demolding of an Al specimen with cylindrical tool steel and Ti alloy punches. High-rate data acquisition enabled direct measurements, for the first time, of microscale stiction and friction forces during disengagement between the punches and the molded Al under dry contact conditions. Stiction and friction stresses were then deduced and analyzed. The average friction coefficient was estimated by combining the cavity expansion model and finite element method analysis. Examinations suggest that punch geometry and surface finish, together with the accuracy of estimating the sidewall contact pressure, influence the obtained friction coefficient values. CMDT exhibits merits such as high operation simplicity and measurement accuracy and offers an alternative approach to providing new experimental evidence for a range of microscale friction problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Sputtering damage" arising from high-energy negative ions plays a pivotal role in shaping the characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films deposited through direct-current magnetron sputtering (DCMS). To mitigate this issue, we employ DCMS with an external anode. The increment in anode bias V A from 0 to +60V effectively diminishes the average kinetic energy of negative ions such as O−, O2− and InO− by reducing the cathode voltage. Additionally, the flux of positive ions (e.g., Ar+, In+, Sn+, O+) increases and their ion energy distribution functions (IEDFs) exhibit supplementary peaks at plasma potentials. Both facilitate film crystallization, as evidenced by the structural transition from subgrain to grain formations. Heightened surface roughness markedly enhances optical transmittance. Due to a reduced oxygen sticking coefficient, films grown with higher V A values exhibit increased oxygen vacancies, which serve as the primary charge carriers for ITO films. Consequently, ITO films attain their lowest resistivity (7.81 × 10 − 4 Ω c m) and highest optical transmittance (78.71 %) at V A = +60V. This investigation underscores the significant influence of the external anode bias on both ion behavior and film growth, providing a viable approach to enhance the electrical and optical properties of ITO films. • Elevating the external anode bias mitigates high-energy negative ions while promoting the generation of positive ions. • Increased external anode bias enhances crystallinity, alters orientation, and boosts oxygen vacancies in ITO films. • Higher external anode bias yielded ITO films with reduced resistivity and improved visible light transmittance. • External anode can mitigate ion-induced "sputtering damage" without reducing deposition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) triggers subclinical intestinal barrier disruption prior to systemic low-grade inflammation. Increasing evidence suggests therapeutic effects of melatonin on systemic inflammation and gut microbiota remodelling. However, whether and how melatonin alleviates CIH-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction remains unclear. C57BL/6 J mice and Caco-2 cell line were treated. We evaluated gut barrier function spectrophotometrically using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled dextran. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining were used to detect morphological changes in the mechanical barrier. Western blotting (WB) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed the expression of tight junctions, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) levels. 16 S rRNA analysis of the colonic contents microflora. Flow cytometry was used to detect cytokines and Th17 cells with and without melatonin supplementation. We found that CIH could induce colonic mucosal injury, including reduction in the number of goblet cells and decrease the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins. CIH could decrease the abundance of the beneficial genera Clostridium , Akkermansia, and Bacteroides , while increasing the abundance of the pathogenic genera Desulfovibrio and Bifidobacterium. Finally, CIH facilitated Th17 differentiation via the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in vitro and elevated the circulating pro-inflammatory cytokine in vivo. Melatonin supplementation ameliorated CIH-induced intestinal mucosal injury, gut microbiota dysbiosis, enteric Th17 polarization, and systemic low-grade inflammation reactions mentioned-above. Melatonin attenuated CIH-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by regulating gut flora dysbiosis, mucosal epithelium integrity, and Th17 polarization via STAT3 signalling. [Display omitted] • CIH disrupted the intestinal mechanical barrier, increased colonic permeability and decreased flora composition. • CIH promoted pathological Th17 cells-mediated intestinal immune barrier dysfunction via JAK2/STAT3 signaling. • Melatonin supplementation ameliorated the CIH-induced intestinal immune barrier by maintaining the Th17 balance. • Melatonin targeted CIH-activated STAT3 signaling, enhanced anti-inflammatory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fully reversed bending fatigue tests on uncoated and Cr-coated stainless-steel specimens. • Opposing trends of Cr-coating influence on fatigue life at high and low stress amplitudes. • A coating/substrate interfacial crack formation mechanism due to substrate shear steps identified experimentally. • Accompanying finite element stress analysis corroborates experimental findings. • The importance of interface engineering in coating applications to fatigue resistance highlighted. Fully-reversed cyclic bending tests were conducted on uncoated and Cr-coated 316 stainless steel specimens. At high stresses, the uncoated specimens outperformed the Cr-coated ones, while the trend reversed at low stresses. For Cr-coated specimens subjected to high stress amplitude loading, experimental observations showed crack initiation at the Cr/substrate interface due to shear steps formed from dislocation activities in the substrate—a conclusion supported by accompanying finite element analysis. Interfacial crack initiation was not observed under low stress amplitudes. This difference in fatigue crack initiation mechanisms induced an opposite trend in fatigue life between high and low stress amplitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adriamycin (ADR) is an effective antineoplastic drug; the clinical application of ADR is limited due to fatal heart dysfunction. Exenatide has antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties. It can alleviate heart damage induced by ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Thus, we assumed that exenatide would produce protective effects on ADR-induced heart dysfunction. Mice were treated with exenatide 1 h prior to every ADR treatment for 20 days. Left ventricular function and performance were assessed by echocardiography. Additionally, H9c2 cells were pretreated with exenatide followed by ADR, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell viability, as well as the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), were subsequently measured. Flow cytometry and TUNEL staining were applied to assess the effect of exenatide on cardiac damage caused by ADR. Western blot and RT-PCR were performed to detect the effect of exenatide on apoptosis-related genes (Bcl-2 and Bax) and inflammation-related genes and/or proteins (tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, nuclear factor-κB, and p53). Echocardiography showed that cardiac dysfunction caused by ADR was significantly improved by treatment with exenatide. ADR mice had harmful changes in the levels of ROS and CK-MB/LDH production, as well as the targeted apoptotic and inflammatory molecules, and these effects were also reversed by exenatide. In vitro, exenatide mitigated ADR-induced oxidative stress and CK-MB/LDH production, as well as Annexin V+/PI+ and TUNEL+ apoptosis in H9c2 cells. In conclusion, our research demonstrated the potential protective effects of exenatide on ADR-induced heart dysfunction through suppressing oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation. • Cardiac dysfunction caused by adriamycin can be significantly improved by administration with exenatide. • Exenatide alleviates adriamycin-induced heart dysfunction through suppressing oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation. • These results highlight the therapeutic potential of exenatide for preventing adriamycin induced cardiotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to develop a gas sensor with improved gas-diffusing performance, a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical CdO nanostructure with a novel bio-inspired morphology was reported. The CdO nanostructures which exhibit a profile of natural leaveleaf were synthesized via a solvothermal approach combining with an annealing process. The solvothermally synthesized CdS precursors were converted into CdO under an optimal annealing condition. In gas-sensing measurements, acetone and diethyl ether were employed as target gases. The results show that the as-fabricated gas sensor exhibits fast response and recovery speeds toward analytes. The mechanism for the improved performance was demonstrated from the gas diffusion through the 3D hierarchical nanostructure. The kinetic processes of gas adsorption and desorption show that the 3D leaveleaf-shaped structure is significant to achieve an enhanced diffusing property. Additionally, a principal component analysis method was used to investigate the recognizable ability of the presented sensor. It is found that acetone and diethyl ether can be distinguished clearly. These findings indicate that the bio-inspired CdO nanostructure can be a promising candidate for the development of fast-responding gas sensors. Moreover, such bio-inspired structure would be also valuable for the design of some other novel nanomaterials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A coral-like SnO2 nanostructure densely-modified with TiO2 nanoparticles was reported for developing a self-cleaning gas sensor. The density of the TiO2 nanoparticles in the TiO2/SnO2 nanocomposites can be greatly improved via a plasma-based modification (PM) on SnO2/carbonaceous precursors before introducing Ti sources. In gas-sensing measurements, benzene and toluene were employed as target analytes. The results show that the gas sensor based on the TiO2/SnO2 nanostructures with PM exhibits a remarkably improved stability after detecting for many cycles compared with the ones based on TiO2/SnO2 without PM and pure SnO2 nanostructures. The mechanism for the stable performance has been demonstrated from the self-cleaning degradation of TiO2 nanoparticles towards the adsorbed organic species. Furthermore, the recognizable ability towards targets was also investigated by using some algorithmic recognition methods including principal component analysis (PCA) and nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF). The fascinating gas-sensing properties including enhanced stability, sensitivity, and recognizable ability enable the presented TiO2/SnO2 nanocomposites to be a promising candidate for fabricating self-cleaning gas sensor which can be applied for detecting environmental gas contaminants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two novel dithienylethenes were obtained by appending triphenylethene and BF 2 bdk moieties at the termini of dithienylethene unit (TDBB and TDTB), in which BF 2 bdk group not only functions as electron acceptor (A) but also responds to volatile organic amines. Only TDBB displayed excellent visible light-triggered photochromism and fluorescent switching behavior in toluene and in the PMMA film upon alternating irradiation with blue light (460–470 nm) and near-infrared light (760–770 nm). More importantly, they displayed a distinct fluorescent turn-on and colorimetric sensing performance for volatile n -propylamine in THF. Specially, the addition of excessive n -propylamine can effectively modulate their photochromic properties in THF. And their PMMA films showed the fluorescent turn-off and colorimetric sensory behavior towards n -propylamine vapor. Consequently, they would be utilized as novel dual sensory materials for volatile primary or secondary amine vapors in the environment and biological systems. [Display omitted] • Two novel dithienylethenes were developed by appending triphenylethene and BF 2 bdk moieties. • Only TDBB displayed visible light-triggered photochromism and fluorescent switching behavior in toluene and PMMA film. • They displayed a distinct fluorescent turn-on and colorimetric sensing performance for volatile n -propylamine in THF. • The addition of n -propylamine can effectively modulate their photochromic properties in THF. • Their PMMA films showed the fluorescent turn-off and colorimetric sensory behavior towards n -propylamine vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

we aimed to explore the role of thalidomide in breast cancer by using a mouse 4T1 breast tumor model. A tumor model was established by injecting logarithmic-phase 4T1 cells into the mammary fat pat.Tumor growth was monitored every day and tumor size was measured periodically. Which were performed to determine the cytokine and related gene mRNA expression, the cytokine production and protein expression, check the vessel formation and necrosis, the CD31 expression,the expression of CD31, F4/80 and CD206,staining the digested cells with F4/80, cd45 and CD11b to determine the M2 type macrophages accumulation by qRT-PCR, Cytokine antibody array, HE staining, Immunohistochemistry, Immunostaining, Flow cytometry, respectively. In the current study, Our results indicated that thalidomide significantly inhibited tumor growth in the mouse model by inhibiting angiogenesis and promoting the necrosis of tumor cells in tumor tissues. Moreover, immunostaining and flow cytometry results demonstrated that M2-type tumor-associated macrophage accumulation and infiltration were profoundly inhibited upon treatment with thalidomide. In addition, thalidomide treatment also regulated cytokine production by inhibiting the production of angiogenesis-related cytokines, such as G-CSF, VEGF-B, VEGFR1, VEGFR3 and IL-10. In conclusion, our studies explored the antitumor effect of thalidomide in a breast tumor model and uncovered that thalidomide inhibited breast tumor growth by inhibiting angiogenesis as a result of reducing TAM accumulation and infiltration and inhibiting angiogenesis-related cytokine production. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify hub genes. • Identifying genes which have the same trend of expression in substantia nigra (SN) and blood. • Identifying potential biomarker in the blood of PD by the validation of q-RT-PCR. Parkinson's disease (PD) ranks as the second most frequently occurring neurodegenerative disease. The precise pathogenic mechanism of this disease remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify the biomarkers in PD and classify the primary differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The present study searched for and downloaded mRNA expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify differences in mRNA expression in the substantia nigra (SN) and blood of patients with PD and healthy controls. In addition, in order to investigate the biological functions of the classified dysregulated genes, the present study utilized Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Gene Ontology (GO), reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), gene co-expression network analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to assay TMEM243 as a diagnostic marker. Between PD and controls in GSE20292, the present study identified 1862 DEGs. Using the weighted gene co-expression network analysis, the present study identified 15 modules in PD. The module preservation analysis revealed that the tan, blue and green-yellow modules were the most stable. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that five DEGs in the black module were significantly enriched in the ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathway, nucleotide excision repair pathway, mismatch repair pathway. The present study selected 303 genes with high connectivity in blue, green-yellow and tan modules as hub genes, where 58 were differentially expressed in both the GSE20292 and GSE54536 datasets. In the SN and blood, 11 genes exhibited the same trend of expression. Furthermore, in the blood samples of patients with PD, the results displayed a significant upregulation of TMEM243. The expression levels of CCR4, CAMK1D, ACTR1B and SPSB3 increased, while both the levels of INA and PSMD4 decreased. These findings are consistent with the bioinformatics analysis results but are not statistically significant. TMEM243 can be considered as a diagnostic biomarker (area under the curve = 0.694; sensitivity, 80 %; specificity, 56 %; P < 0.018). TMEM243 was distinctly upregulated in the blood samples of patients with PD, as validated via RT-qPCR, and was highly sensitive, revealing its potential as a biomarker for the future diagnosis of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]