Search

Purpose: Fibroblast-activated protein (FAP) is highly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) of many solid cancers, but low or absent in normal tissues. Our study aimed to develop a novel FAP-specific tracer, namely [18F]FAP-2286, and evaluated its performance in comparison with well-established agents such as [18F]FAPI-42 and [68Ga]Ga-FAP-2286 in preclinical research, as well as 2-[18F]FDG in pilot clinical study. Methods: [18F]FAP-2286 was manually synthesized in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). Subsequent investigations encompassed cell uptake, competitive binding affinity, internalization and efflux assays using HT-1080hFAP cell lines. PET imaging and biodistribution studies were conducted in HEK-293ThFAP, A549hFAP, HT-1080hFAP tumor-bearing mice as well as HEK-293T, A549 and HT-1080 control groups. Furthermore, clinical evaluation of [18F]FAP-2286 was performed in fifteen patients with various cancers compared to 2-[18F]FDG PET. Results: The radiolabeling yield of [18F]FAP-2286 was 30.53 ± 5.20%, with a radiochemical purity exceeding 97%. In cell assays, [18F]FAP-2286 showed specific uptake, high internalization fraction and low cellular efflux. Rapid tumor uptake and satisfactory tumor retention was observed on micro-PET imaging and cancer patients. Meanwhile, the clinical research demonstrated that [18F]FAP-2286 may represent an alternative for low glucose-metabolism malignant tumors PET imaging such as gastric cancers. Conclusion: [18F]FAP-2286 showed superior imaging quality including rapid and high target uptake and satisfactory retention in both tumor-bearing mice and cancer patients. It may emerge as a promising candidate for early or delayed phase imaging and 2-[18F]FDG non-avid cancers PET scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptations are driven by specific natural selection pressures throughout biological evolution. However, these cannot inherently align with future shifts in selection dynamics, thus manifesting in opposing directions. We performed field experiments on cuckoo hosts to investigate the coexistence and conflict between two evolutionarily successive but opposing behavioral adaptations—egg retrieval and rejection. Our findings provide key insights. (1) Egg rejection against brood parasites in hosts reshapes egg retrieval to flexible reactions—retrieval, ignoring, or outright rejection of foreign eggs outside the nest cup, departing from instinctual retrieval. (2) Parasitism pressure and egg mimicry by parasites remarkably alter the proportions of the three host reactions. Host species with higher parasitism pressure exhibit frequent and rapid rejection of non-mimetic foreign eggs and reduced ignoring or retrieval responses. Conversely, heightened egg mimicry enhances retrieval behaviors while diminishing ignoring responses. (3) Cuckoos employ consistent mechanisms for rejecting foreign eggs inside or outside the nest cup. Direct rejection of eggs outside the nest cup shows that rejection precedes retrieval, indicating prioritization of specific adaptation over instinct. (4) Cuckoo hosts navigate the conflict between the intentions and motivations associated with egg rejection and retrieval by ignoring foreign eggs, a specific outcome of the rejection–retrieval tradeoff. This study revealed that cuckoo hosts coordinated two evolutionarily successive but opposing behaviours by reshaping the instinctive egg retrieval reaction to different flexible reactions during their coevolution with parasitic cuckoos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and their derivatives have been widely applied as electrocatalysts owing to their unique nanoscale pore configurations, stable periodic structures, abundant coordination sites and high surface area. This work aims to construct a non-thermodynamically stable Pt-N2 coordination active site by electrochemically modifying platinum (Pt) single atoms into a fully conjugated 2D COF as conductive agent-free and pyrolysis-free electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In addition to maximizing atomic utilization, single-atom catalysts with definite structures can be used to investigate catalytic mechanisms and structure-activity relationships. In this work, in-situ characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that a nitrogen-rich graphene analogue COF not only exhibits a favorable metal-support effect for Pt, adjusting the binding energy between Pt sites to H* intermediates by forming unique Pt-N2 instead of the typical Pt-N4 coordination environment, but also enhances electron transport ability and structural stability, showing both conductivity and stability in acidic environments. In addition to maximizing atomic utilization, single-atom catalysts with defined structures can be used to investigate catalytic mechanisms and structure-activity relationships. Here, authors study a non-thermodynamically stable Pt-N2 active site for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the growing demand for wearable smart electronic devices, the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential. Silicon is an ideal candidate for the anode material of flexible lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity, low working potential, and earth abundance. The largest challenge in developing a flexible silicon anode is how to maintain structural integrity and ensure stable electrochemical reactions during external deformation. In this work, we propose a novel design for fabricating core–shell electrodes based on a copper nanowire (CuNW) array core and magnetron sputtered Si/C shell. The nanowire array structure has characteristics of bending under longitudinal stress and twisting under transverse stress, which helps to maintain the mechanical stability of the structure during electrode bending and cycling. The low-temperature annealing generates a small amount of Cu3Si alloy, which enhances the connection strength between Si and the conductive network and solves the poor conductivity problem of Si, which is known as a semiconductor material. This unique configuration design of CuNW@Si@C-400 °C leads to stable long cycle performance of 1109 mAh·g−1 after 1000 cycles and excellent rate performance of 500 mAh·g−1 at a current density of 10 A·g−1. Furthermore, the CuNW@Si@C-400 °C∥LiFePO4 (LFP) full battery demonstrates excellent flexibility, with a capacity retention of more than 96% after 100 bends. This study provides a promising strategy for the development of flexible lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD103 is an important marker of tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) which play important roles in fighting against infection. However, the immunological characteristics of CD103+ T cells are not thoroughly elucidated in the liver of mouse infected with Plasmodium. Six- to eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were infected with Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis NSM. Mice were sacrificed on 12–16 days after infection and the livers were picked out. Sections of the livers were stained, and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were measured. Moreover, lymphocytes in the liver were isolated, and the expression of CD103 was determined by using qPCR. The percentage of CD103 on different immune cell populations was dynamically observed by using flow cytometry (FCM). In addition, the phenotype and cytokine production characteristics of CD103+CD8+ Tc cell were analyzed by using flow cytometry, respectively. Erythrocyte stage plasmodium infection could result in severe hepatic damage, a widespread inflammatory response and the decrease of CD103 expression on hepatic immune cells. Only CD8+ Tc and γδT cells expressed higher levels of CD103 in the uninfected state.CD103 expression in CD8+ Tc cells significantly decreased after infection. Compared to that of CD103− CD8+ Tc cells, CD103+ CD8+ Tc cells from the infected mice expressed lower level of CD69, higher level of CD62L, and secreted more IL-4, IL-10, IL-17, and secreted less IFN-γ. CD103+CD8+ Tc cells might mediate the hepatic immune response by secreting IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17 except IFN-γ in the mice infected with the erythrocytic phase plasmodium, which could be involved in the pathogenesis of severe liver damage resulted from the erythrocytic phase plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis NSM infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk-heterojunction structured small-area organic solar cells are approaching 20% power conversion efficiency, but the blurred film-forming kinetics in the fabrication of large-area devices causes significant PCE loss and restrains the potential of commercialization. Such blurring came from insufficient knowledge of structural evolution during the film-forming process. Here, we concretize the evolution process with structures detailed to the submolecular level by comprehensive investigations of in-situ UV-vis spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscope, Grazing Incident Wide Angle X-ray Scattering, and molecular dynamic simulation. With such hierarchical structural knowledge, assembly-controlled film-forming kinetics is proposed to explain the whole picture. Such assembly is determined by molecule configuration and can be tuned via external conditions. Understanding this kinetics will contribute to screening large-area device fabrication conditions, and the detailed structural knowledge could inspire the future design of novel photovoltaic materials that are intrinsically excellent in large-area device fabrications. The film-forming kinetics for large-area devices remains unclear for organic solar cells. Here, the authors propose assembly-controlled kinetics with the assembly determined by molecular configuration and tuned via external effects, contributing to the screening of device fabrication conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable aqueous zinc batteries have attracted much attention due to their high security, plentiful zinc resources, and environmental friendliness. However, it can only offer limited specific capacity and energy density based on ion insertion chemistry cathode. Herein, we design a low-cost and high-energy density aqueous Zn-S battery where the conversion cathode was fabricated by pitch-derived three-dimensional (3D) amorphous carbon encapsulated industrial-grade sulfur powder. The cost of the chemical substances for this aqueous Zn-S battery might be reduced to $9.38 per kW h based on the affordable cost of the raw ingredients. It is found that the PAC/S-60.33% cathode reveals excellent electrochemical performance, including a high reversible capacity (633.5 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), high energy density (297.5 Wh kg−1), an excellent rate capability (204.5 mAh g−1 at 5.5 A g−1), as well as good cycling stability (180 mAh g−1 after 400 cycles at 5.0 A g−1). Besides, the reaction mechanism of the cathode was investigated using ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was demonstrated that the cathode undergoes a conversion reaction between S and ZnS. Furthermore, the discoveries also offer prospective possibilities to fabricate more secure and inexpensive battery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex and irregular cell architecture is known to statistically exhibit fractal geometry, i.e., a pattern resembles a smaller part of itself. Although fractal variations in cells are proven to be closely associated with the disease-related phenotypes that are otherwise obscured in the standard cell-based assays, fractal analysis with single-cell precision remains largely unexplored. To close this gap, here we develop an image-based approach that quantifies a multitude of single-cell biophysical fractal-related properties at subcellular resolution. Taking together with its high-throughput single-cell imaging performance (~10,000 cells/sec), this technique, termed single-cell biophysical fractometry, offers sufficient statistical power for delineating the cellular heterogeneity, in the context of lung-cancer cell subtype classification, drug response assays and cell-cycle progression tracking. Further correlative fractal analysis shows that single-cell biophysical fractometry can enrich the standard morphological profiling depth and spearhead systematic fractal analysis of how cell morphology encodes cellular health and pathological conditions. A high-throughput image-based approach quantifies single-cell biophysical fractal-related properties at subcellular resolution with statistical power for cell classification, drug response assays, and cell-cycle progression tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of natural plants to treat chronic diseases is closely related to their antioxidant function. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation is an effective way to improve the nutritional value, biological activity and flavor of food. This study investigated the pH, titratable acidity, total polysaccharide, total flavone, total saponin, total polyphenol, and antioxidant activity of the FH06 beverage before and after probiotic fermentation. Results: After fermentation, FH06 had lower contents of total polysaccharides, total flavonoids, total saponins and total polyphenols but higher titratable acidity. The antioxidant activity was tested by total antioxidant capacity (FRAP method) and DPPH· scavenging ability. The FRAP value significantly increased after fermentation (P < 0.05), and the maximum increase was observed for Lactobacillus fermentum grx08 at 25.87%. For DPPH· scavenging ability, the value of all fermentations decreased, and L. fermentum grx08 had the smallest reduction at 2.21% (P < 0.05). The results of GC–MS and sensory analysis showed that fermentation eliminated bad flavors, such as grass, cassia and bitterness, and highlighted the fruit aroma and soft sour taste. Conclusion: The FRAP value and sensory flavor of FH06 fermentation by L. fermentum grx08 were significantly improved, indicating its great potential as a functional food with both strong antioxidant activity and good flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Tb-doped Eu-based metal–organic framework (Eu-MOF@Tb) has been developed by incorporating hexanuclear europium cluster and 2,2′-bipyridine-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid as well as coordination with Tb(III). Owing to the diverse coordination status of Tb(III) and Eu(III) in MOF, antenna effect emission from Tb(III) can be invoked by dipicolinic acid (DPA), but the luminescence originating from Eu(III) remains unchanged. Taking advantage of this phenomenon, a ratiometric luminescent method for detection of DPA, a biomarker for Bacillus subtilis spores, was developed through differential sensitization toward lanthanide ions. This analysis method allowed for the detection of DPA in the 0.2–10 μM concentration range, with a detection limit of 60 nM. It was further validated by spiked recoveries (89.3–110%) of real-world samples with RSD values in the range 3.9–11%. Alongside this, a paper indicator test was prepared for naked-eye detection of DPA via a dose-sensitive color evolution from red to green under UV light. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was explored in the detection of bacterial spores in real biological and environmental samples and indicated great potential for applications as a real-time monitoring system against the anthrax threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interlayer is usually employed to tackle the interfacial instability issue between solid electrolytes (SEs) and Li metal caused by the side reaction. However, the failure mechanism of the ionic conductor interlayers, especially the influence from electron penetration, remains largely unknown. Herein, using Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) as the model SE and LiF as the interlayer, we use metal semiconductor contact barrier theory to reveal the failure origin of Li/LiF@LATP interface based on the calculation results of density functional theory (DFT), in which electrons can easily tunnel through the LiF grain boundary with F vacancies due to its narrow barrier width against electron injection, followed by the reduction of LATP. Remarkably, an Al-LiF bilayer between Li/LATP is found to dramatically promote the interfacial stability, due to the highly increased barrier width and homogenized electric field at the interface. Consequently, the Li symmetric cells with Al-LiF bilayer can exhibit excellent cyclability of more than 2,000 h superior to that interlayered by LiF monolayer (∼ 860 h). Moreover, the Li/Al-LiF@LATP/LiFePO4 solid-state batteries deliver a capacity retention of 83.2% after 350 cycles at 0.5 C. Our findings emphasize the importance of tuning the electron transport behavior by optimizing the potential barrier for the interface design in high-performance solid-state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic health data have the potential to mitigate privacy concerns in supporting biomedical research and healthcare applications. Modern approaches for data generation continue to evolve and demonstrate remarkable potential. Yet there is a lack of a systematic assessment framework to benchmark methods as they emerge and determine which methods are most appropriate for which use cases. In this work, we introduce a systematic benchmarking framework to appraise key characteristics with respect to utility and privacy metrics. We apply the framework to evaluate synthetic data generation methods for electronic health records data from two large academic medical centers with respect to several use cases. The results illustrate that there is a utility-privacy tradeoff for sharing synthetic health data and further indicate that no method is unequivocally the best on all criteria in each use case, which makes it evident why synthetic data generation methods need to be assessed in context. Synthetic health data have the potential to mitigate privacy concerns when sharing data to support biomedical research and the development of innovative healthcare applications. In this work, the authors introduce a use case oriented benchmarking framework to evaluate data synthesis models through a set of utility and privacy metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides applied worldwide to meet food demand is recognized as a key threat to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. Studies on pesticide risks employ different ingredients, methods or specific environments, which makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem. Furthermore, the complex influences and hotspots of long-term pesticide usage remain unclear. Herein, we present a national-scale study of four typical pesticides in China, the world's largest pesticide user. The spatiotemporal changes in legacy and risk of pesticides over 30 years were analyzed using a modified fugacity model approach coupled with comprehensive ingredient database. Pesticide risk in mainland China might last until 2075 due to the previous legacy, although the usage has declined since 2014. The use of target pesticides was estimated as 2.38 × 105 tonnes in 2017, and about 6.59 × 103 tonnes discharged into the ocean from major basins. Risk areas expanded from 47% in 1991 to 79% in 2017, with 30% at high risk. Of the risk areas, 31% were highly populated while 3% had high biodiversity. 7% of mainland China suffered from both limited water resource and high pesticide risk. It is shown that the improper substitution with lower toxicity pesticides would make the proportion of high-risk regions unexpectedly increased from 18% to 44% due to the longer half-lives of the alternatives. Pesticides pose risks to environmental and human health, and the tailored assessment tool will be vital in contributing towards future pesticide management and meeting sustainability targets in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is mainly characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, synovial fibrosis, and inflammation. LncRNA CRNDE (colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed) has been reported to be down-regulated in age-related OA, but its role in injury-induced OA needs to be further explored. In this study, an OA rat model was established using anterior cruciate ligament transection, and the adenovirus-mediated CRNDE overexpression (Ad-CRNDE) or DACT1 (dapper antagonist of catenin-1) interference (sh-DACT1) vectors were administered by intraarticular injection. Moreover, chondrocyte‑like ATDC5 cells were treated with IL-1β (10 ng/mL) to simulate OA conditions in vitro. We found that overexpression of CRNDE alleviated cartilage damage and synovitis in OA rats, and suppressed IL-1β-induced apoptosis, inflammation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in chondrocyte‑like ATDC5 cells, while silencing DACT1 effectively antagonized the protective effect of CRNDE both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanism studies revealed that DACT1 could act as a downstream target of CRNDE. By recruiting p300, CRNDE promoted the enrichment of H3K27ac in the DACT1 promoter, thus promoting DACT1 transcription. In addition, CRNDE hindered the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in IL-1β-stimulated cells by inducing DACT1 expression. In conclusion, CRNDE promoted DACT1 expression through epigenetic modification and restrained the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling to impede the progression of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alluvial fans are an important land resource in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with the expansion of human activities. However, the factors of alluvial fan development are poorly understood. According to our previous investigation and research, approximately 826 alluvial fans exist in the Lhasa River Basin (LRB). The main purpose of this work is to identify the main influencing factors by using machine learning. A development index (Di) of alluvial fan was created by combining its area, perimeter, height and gradient. The 72% of data, including Di, 11 types of environmental parameters of the matching catchment of alluvial fan and 10 commonly used machine learning algorithms were used to train and build models. The 18% of data were used to validate models. The remaining 10% of data were used to test the model accuracy. The feature importance of the model was used to illustrate the significance of the 11 types of environmental parameters to Di. The primary modelling results showed that the accuracy of the ensemble models, including Gradient Boost Decision Tree, Random Forest and XGBoost, are not less than 0.5 (R2). The accuracy of the Gradient Boost Decision Tree and XGBoost improved after grid research, and their R2 values are 0.782 and 0.870, respectively. The XGBoost was selected as the final model due to its optimal accuracy and generalisation ability at the sites closest to the LRB. Morphology parameters are the main factors in alluvial fan development, with a cumulative value of relative feature importance of 74.60% in XGBoost. The final model will have better accuracy and generalisation ability after adding training samples in other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of the rural population is an increasingly influential factor affecting China's social and economic development. By extracting 5450 samples of "rural older adults" with the corresponding entries of housing quality and activities of daily living from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2013, the study yielded an overview of the seniors' housing conditions in China's rural areas. Binary logistic regression analysis was applied to explore the potential association between three aspects of housing characteristics (general features, indoor equipment, and spatial composition) and the ADL status of the rural older adults, revealing that the building age, the building style of independent or compound, the type of structure, and whether there are flush toilets and telephone connections indoors, present a significant association with the ADL status. Possible interpretations of the results and strategies for improving the living conditions for the aging rural population were discussed. This study attempts to bridge the knowledge gap related to the housing conditions of seniors in rural China, thereby providing references for planners and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Our study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory, nutritional and tumor markers and develop an effective prognostic score system to predict the prognosis of GC patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1587 consecutive GC patients who received curative gastrectomy from two medical centers. A novel prognostic score system was proposed based on independently preoperative markers associated with overall survival (OS) of GC patients. A nomogram based on prognostic score system was further established and validated internally and externally. Results: Based on multivariate analysis in the training set, a novel BLC (body mass index-lymphocyte-carbohydrate antigen 19-9) score system was proposed, which showed an effective predictability of OS in GC patients (log-rank P < 0.001). Moreover, receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that BLC had better performance in predicting OS than the traditional prognostic markers. The C-index of the BLC based-nomogram was 0.710 (95% CI 0.686–0.734), and the areas under ROC curves for predicting 3- and 5-year OS were 0.781 (95% CI 0.750–0.813) and 0.755 (95% CI 0.723–0.786), respectively, which were higher than those of tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system alone. The calibration curve for probability of 3- and 5-year OS rate showed a good fitting effect between prediction by nomogram and actual observation. Verification in the internal and external validation sets showed results consistent with those in the training set. Conclusions: The BLC combining inflammatory, nutritional and tumor markers was an independent prognostic predictor for GC patients, and the nomogram based on BLC could accurately predict the personalized survival of patients with GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide-based Na-ion solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity are one of the most promising solid electrolytes for solid-state Na batteries. However, its poor chemical/electrochemical stability against Na metal leads to deterioration of interface. In addition, it is important to explore how to prepare sulfide-based composite membranes via solution method. Herein, Na3SbS4 is deposited on glassfiber framework via aqueous solution and further incorporated with trace of ionic liquid (IL). The Na3SbS4 composite pellets are well shaped avoiding the pressing process. The IL not only improves the Na3SbS4-Na interfacial stability, but also fills the pores between the framework and Na3SbS4 and thereby suppressing the dendrite formation. The Na plating/stripping tests on symmetric cells show polarization voltages lower than 0.1 V and stable cycling for more than 400 cycles under a current density of 0.1 mA cm−2 at room temperature. The cycling performance of the FeS2 half-cells with the optimized electrolyte tested at 60 °C is superior to that with organic liquid electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks are well-aligned nanoporous crystals which can be applied to biomedical field, thanks to the large superficial area, ordered pores array, and biocompatible metallic ion composition. In this work, we fabricated a novel Nd3+ ion-doped ZIF-8 since there are some reports showing that Nd3+ has anti-carcinogenic properties and can be used for therapeutic application in aberrant angiogenesis recently. Therefore, we attempted to use electrochemical anodic oxidation and electrochemical in situ deposition techniques to produce coating which contains Nd3+ on Ti implant. And then we detected the biotoxicity, antibacterial function, and corrosion resistance of this new coating so as to facilitate further research on Nd3+ ion implantation in vivo. SEM and TEM were applied to observe the surface morphology. N2 adsorption–desorption was used to investigate the specific surface area and pore structure. The XRD and XPS were carried out to investigate the compound surface including the chemical composition and element-bonding configurations. The corrosion resistance properties of the samples were tested by electrochemical method. ICP was conducted to investigate the release behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature bonding technologies is necessary in next-generation photonic integrated circuits, such as flexible optoelectronic devices, low dark current Ge/Si devices and so on. Since Germanium-Tin (GeSn) alloy has lower crystallization temperature, in this work, amorphous GeSn with 5% Sn alloy by magnetron sputtering is introduced as an intermediate layer for wafer bonding innovatively. And high strength Ge/Si heterojunction with a crystal GeSn layer is realized without any surface activation process. Two mechanisms in the interlayer crystallization are put forward and substantiated experimentally and theoretically: (1) the a-GeSn turns to be poly-GeSn due to the induction of the c-Ge substrate. (2) Stress between Si wafer and interlayer due to thermal mismatch contributes to the crystallization. It is concluded that GeSn semiconductor interlayer bonding would be one of the potential technologies for bonding process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The influence of β-glucan on the human gut microbiota is closely related to the physicochemical structure of β-glucan. We purified a homogeneous water-soluble polysaccharide from Tibetan hull-less barley 25 and studied its structure and the in vitro fermentation profile. Results: Analysis by gas chromatography (GC), Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force micrograph (AFM) helped determine the hull-less barley polysaccharide to be a β-glucan (molecular weight: 3.45 × 104 Da), which was further characterized as mixed-linkage (1 → 3)(1 → 4)-linked β-d-glucans. SEM images demonstrated an intricate web structure of the hull-less barley polysaccharide, while the AFM images revealed the presence of small spherical particles in its structure. In addition, the microbiota composition of the hull-less barley polysaccharide group was found to be altered, wherein the abundance of Pantoea, Megamonas, Bifidobacterium, and Prevotella-9 were increased. On the other hand, in vitro fermentation revealed that hull-less barley polysaccharide significantly decreased the pH value and increased the production of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Conclusions: Hull-less barley polysaccharide is a type of dietary fiber, and its analysis suggested that it may serve as a prebiotic food supplement for the regulation of the gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the spread of which has led to a pandemic. An effective preventive vaccine against this virus is urgently needed. As an essential step during infection, SARS-CoV-2 uses the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein to engage with the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells1,2. Here we show that a recombinant vaccine that comprises residues 319–545 of the RBD of the spike protein induces a potent functional antibody response in immunized mice, rabbits and non-human primates (Macaca mulatta) as early as 7 or 14 days after the injection of a single vaccine dose. The sera from the immunized animals blocked the binding of the RBD to ACE2, which is expressed on the cell surface, and neutralized infection with a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus and live SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Notably, vaccination also provided protection in non-human primates to an in vivo challenge with SARS-CoV-2. We found increased levels of RBD-specific antibodies in the sera of patients with COVID-19. We show that several immune pathways and CD4 T lymphocytes are involved in the induction of the vaccine antibody response. Our findings highlight the importance of the RBD domain in the design of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and provide a rationale for the development of a protective vaccine through the induction of antibodies against the RBD domain. A recombinant vaccine that targets the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 induces a potent antibody response in immunized mice, rabbits and non-human primates, and protects primates from infection with the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) has become the focus of research because of its high ionic conductivity, high oxidation voltage, and low air sensitivity. However, Ti4+ is easily reduced by Li metal. In this paper, amorphous Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 (a-LAGP) is introduced as an interface modification layer, because LAGP has the small electrochemical potential difference and Ge4+ is more difficult to be reduced by Li. Radio frequency sputtering (RF sputtering) is adopted to modify the a-LAGP thickness less than 100 nm. Compared with crystalline LAGP layer, a-LAGP has a better effect on improving the interface stability of LATP and Li. With the a-LAGP film, the Li/a-LAGP/LATP/a-LAGP/Li symmetrical cell is still stable after 100 cycles with the over potential changing from 1 V to 3 V. The probable mechanism of the good stability between a-LAGP and Li are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, rural areas in China are experiencing a rapid aging phenomenon and community facilities play an important role in the aging process for rural elderly people. This study combined quantitative and qualitative research by using behavioral observation and mapping methods to analyze the usage patterns of community facilities by the local elderly population in rural environment. The study selected two villages as samples of different kinds of "rurality" in the Zhejiang Province. Behavior maps of facility level were drawn based on specific times. The findings and interpretation discuss on: (1) the usage pattern taking place in the community facilities that demonstrate the time and spatial preferences for certain behaviors of rural elderly people, of which the facilities were divided into three kinds according to the results; (2) activities and the corresponding spatial details inside the public facilities, with the main finding of the elder people's reactions to the physical environments; (3) correspondence analysis was applied to the usage of certain community facilities by the elderly population and the characteristics of the space, and the result shows that places with higher degree of retention, accessibility and identifiability, and with fewer constraints are more favorable for encouraging the use, the variety of activities, and positive interactions among the senior group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single crystalline bismuth nanowire is recently considered as one of the most attractive low dimensional materials for the exploration of exotic higher-order topological properties. However, its growth mechanism by sputtering, which is regarded as one of the most cost-effective and simplest method, is still unrevealed. In this work, a bismuth nanowire growth model based on surface diffusion driven by chemical potential difference among crystal facets is proposed for sputtering method. The morphology evolution of bismuth nanowires is captured for the first time, and three corresponding growth stages are clearly discriminated. The possible self-catalyzed, stress-driven, and screw dislocation-driven nanowire growth mechanisms are precluded separately based on the theoretical and experimental data. The thoroughly understanding of growth mechanism is fundamental and necessary for fabrication of size-controllable bismuth nanowires and may pave the way for the preparation of other low dimensional materials and the investigation of novel physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon is a promising anode material for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries. Binder plays an essential role in maintaining electrode integrity when Si undergoes dramatic volume change during lithiation/delithiation processes. Herein, an environmental friendly water-soluble binder of oxidized starch cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (OS-CMC) possessing three-dimensional (3D) network structure is designed. The abundant hydroxyl and carboxyl groups and the 3D structure of the cross-linked binder not only enhance the bonding with Si nanoparticles surface but also greatly alleviate the mechanical stress, thus maintaining the integrity of electrode and conductive network. In addition, it can facilitate faster lithium-ion transportation at the interface of Si/OS-CMC. As a result, the Si anodes with OS-CMC binder show good electrochemical stability and better mechanical properties than that of Si anodes with OS or CMC binder. The Si anodes with OS-CMC binder exhibit a discharge capacity of 1922 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.4 A g−1 with a high initial discharge capacity of 3424 mAh g−1 and maintain a superior capacity of 1667 mAh g−1 at a high current density of 8 A g−1. Our work provides a novel binder design for high-performance Si-based anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed a universal and sensitive fluorometric aptasensor that uses a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. In the aptasensor, water-soluble conjugated poly(9,9-bis(6′- N, N, N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)fluorine phenylene (PFP) is used as the energy donor and a carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labeled aptamer is used as the energy acceptor. Graphene oxide (GO) used as a quencher can specifically adsorb the aptamer, leading to quenching of the FAM fluorescence. In the presence of targets, the aptamer can change its conformation to prevent adsorption by GO. Strong FRET was thus obtained owing to the electrostatic interactions between PFP and the aptamer. In contrast, in the absence of targets, the FRET was weak because of GO specifically adsorbing the aptamer and quenching the fluorescence. Bisphenol A (a pollutant molecule) and dopamine (a biomolecule) were used as models to successfully validate the feasibility, universality, and high selectivity and sensitivity of this aptasensor. This method can detect BPA at environmentally relevant concentrations (less than 1 ng/mL) with a limit of detection of 0.005 ng/mL. A low limit of detection (1.0 nmol/L) was also obtained for dopamine. In addition, this aptasensor is applicable in real samples and in diluted human plasma and human serum. Good recovery rates from 95% to 105% and from 95% to 107% were obtained for bisphenol A and dopamine, respectively. Furthermore, adenosine detection was successfully achieved by the same mechanism, proving the universality. It is expected that the aptasensor could be applied in detecting other contaminants, biomolecules, and heavy metal ions by a change in only the aptamer sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double threshold method of traditional Canny operator detects the edge rely on the information of gradient magnitude, which has a lower edge connectivity and incomplete image information. Aiming at this problem, we proposed an edge detection algorithm based edge connection-the Hough Transform based Canny (HT-Canny) edge detection algorithm. HT-Canny algorithm guided by high threshold image, which obtains edge direction through calculating edge endpoint gradient and connects the edge by using the Hough Transform instead of traditional double threshold method. It avoids the limitation of traditional Canny algorithm, which must set the double threshold manually and protect the low intensity edge especially. The experimental results show that HT-Canny algorithm has stronger edge connectivity and can distinguish edge points and non-edge points effectively, which not only retain the advantages of the traditional Canny algorithm but also make the detection result more complete and comprehensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the present study was to develop a novel 64Cu-labeled cyclic peptide ([64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX) that targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and may offer advantages in terms of image contrast, imaging time window, and low uptake in normal tissues.The novel cyclic peptide featuring with a N-oxalyl modified tail was constructed and conjugated to NOTA for 64Cu labeling. Biochemical and cellular assays were performed with A549.hFAP cells. The performance of [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX was compared to that of two established tracers ([64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04 and [68Ga]Ga-FAP-2286) and three different NOTA-conjugates in HEK-293T.hFAP xenograft mice using micro-PET imaging. Ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed to confirm the FAP specificity and to validate the PET data. Furthermore, a first-in-human study of this novel tracer was conducted on one patient with lung cancer.Compared to [64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX demonstrated faster and higher rates of cellular uptake and internalization in A549.hFAP cells, but lower rates of cellular efflux. All six radiotracers were rapidly taken up by the tumor within the first 4 h post-injection. However, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX had more intense tumor accumulation and slower washout from the target. The ratios of the tumor to normal tissue (including kidneys and muscles) increased significantly over time, with [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX reaching the highest ratio among all tracers. In the patient, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX PET showed a comparable result to FDG PET in the primary malignant lesion while exhibiting higher uptake in pleural metastases, consistent with elevated FAP expression as confirmed by immunohistochemistry.[64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX is a promising FAP-targeted tracer with a highly flexible imaging time window, as evidenced by preclinical evaluation encompassing biodistribution and micro-PET studies, along with a successful patient application. Furthermore, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX showed enhanced image contrast and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for FAP PET imaging, warranting translation into large cohort studies.Methods: The aim of the present study was to develop a novel 64Cu-labeled cyclic peptide ([64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX) that targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and may offer advantages in terms of image contrast, imaging time window, and low uptake in normal tissues.The novel cyclic peptide featuring with a N-oxalyl modified tail was constructed and conjugated to NOTA for 64Cu labeling. Biochemical and cellular assays were performed with A549.hFAP cells. The performance of [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX was compared to that of two established tracers ([64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04 and [68Ga]Ga-FAP-2286) and three different NOTA-conjugates in HEK-293T.hFAP xenograft mice using micro-PET imaging. Ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed to confirm the FAP specificity and to validate the PET data. Furthermore, a first-in-human study of this novel tracer was conducted on one patient with lung cancer.Compared to [64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX demonstrated faster and higher rates of cellular uptake and internalization in A549.hFAP cells, but lower rates of cellular efflux. All six radiotracers were rapidly taken up by the tumor within the first 4 h post-injection. However, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX had more intense tumor accumulation and slower washout from the target. The ratios of the tumor to normal tissue (including kidneys and muscles) increased significantly over time, with [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX reaching the highest ratio among all tracers. In the patient, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX PET showed a comparable result to FDG PET in the primary malignant lesion while exhibiting higher uptake in pleural metastases, consistent with elevated FAP expression as confirmed by immunohistochemistry.[64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX is a promising FAP-targeted tracer with a highly flexible imaging time window, as evidenced by preclinical evaluation encompassing biodistribution and micro-PET studies, along with a successful patient application. Furthermore, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX showed enhanced image contrast and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for FAP PET imaging, warranting translation into large cohort studies.Results: The aim of the present study was to develop a novel 64Cu-labeled cyclic peptide ([64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX) that targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and may offer advantages in terms of image contrast, imaging time window, and low uptake in normal tissues.The novel cyclic peptide featuring with a N-oxalyl modified tail was constructed and conjugated to NOTA for 64Cu labeling. Biochemical and cellular assays were performed with A549.hFAP cells. The performance of [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX was compared to that of two established tracers ([64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04 and [68Ga]Ga-FAP-2286) and three different NOTA-conjugates in HEK-293T.hFAP xenograft mice using micro-PET imaging. Ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed to confirm the FAP specificity and to validate the PET data. Furthermore, a first-in-human study of this novel tracer was conducted on one patient with lung cancer.Compared to [64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX demonstrated faster and higher rates of cellular uptake and internalization in A549.hFAP cells, but lower rates of cellular efflux. All six radiotracers were rapidly taken up by the tumor within the first 4 h post-injection. However, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX had more intense tumor accumulation and slower washout from the target. The ratios of the tumor to normal tissue (including kidneys and muscles) increased significantly over time, with [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX reaching the highest ratio among all tracers. In the patient, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX PET showed a comparable result to FDG PET in the primary malignant lesion while exhibiting higher uptake in pleural metastases, consistent with elevated FAP expression as confirmed by immunohistochemistry.[64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX is a promising FAP-targeted tracer with a highly flexible imaging time window, as evidenced by preclinical evaluation encompassing biodistribution and micro-PET studies, along with a successful patient application. Furthermore, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX showed enhanced image contrast and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for FAP PET imaging, warranting translation into large cohort studies.Conclusion: The aim of the present study was to develop a novel 64Cu-labeled cyclic peptide ([64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX) that targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and may offer advantages in terms of image contrast, imaging time window, and low uptake in normal tissues.The novel cyclic peptide featuring with a N-oxalyl modified tail was constructed and conjugated to NOTA for 64Cu labeling. Biochemical and cellular assays were performed with A549.hFAP cells. The performance of [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX was compared to that of two established tracers ([64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04 and [68Ga]Ga-FAP-2286) and three different NOTA-conjugates in HEK-293T.hFAP xenograft mice using micro-PET imaging. Ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed to confirm the FAP specificity and to validate the PET data. Furthermore, a first-in-human study of this novel tracer was conducted on one patient with lung cancer.Compared to [64Cu]Cu-FAPI-04, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX demonstrated faster and higher rates of cellular uptake and internalization in A549.hFAP cells, but lower rates of cellular efflux. All six radiotracers were rapidly taken up by the tumor within the first 4 h post-injection. However, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX had more intense tumor accumulation and slower washout from the target. The ratios of the tumor to normal tissue (including kidneys and muscles) increased significantly over time, with [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX reaching the highest ratio among all tracers. In the patient, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX PET showed a comparable result to FDG PET in the primary malignant lesion while exhibiting higher uptake in pleural metastases, consistent with elevated FAP expression as confirmed by immunohistochemistry.[64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX is a promising FAP-targeted tracer with a highly flexible imaging time window, as evidenced by preclinical evaluation encompassing biodistribution and micro-PET studies, along with a successful patient application. Furthermore, [64Cu]Cu-FAP-NOX showed enhanced image contrast and favorable pharmacokinetic properties for FAP PET imaging, warranting translation into large cohort studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-020-03108-4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article listed above was initially published with incorrect copyright information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]