Search

BiVO4 is one of the most promising candidates for photoelectrochemical water oxidation. However, the poor crystallinity and short hole diffusion length limit its charge separation. One bottleneck stems from the contradiction between high crystallinity and small particles via conventional furnace heating processes. This paper describes the design and fabrication of BiVO4 photoanodes via rapid thermal process (RTP), rather than furnace heating, to decouple the constraints between nucleation, crystallization, and growth processes of BiVO4. The higher heating ramp rate of RTP compared with furnace heating promotes the fast diffusion of reactant molecules, which elevates the nucleation rate above the particle growth rate of BiVO4, leading to small particles with high crystallinity. Moreover, the ultra‐high heating temperature makes it possible to crystallize the small BiVO4 particle within a short time. Thus, a high crystallinity can be obtained for the RTP‐treated BiVO4 while maintaining small particle size, achieving a charge separation efficiency of up to 82%, 30% higher than that of furnace‐treated BiVO4 photoanode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton supply is as critical as O2 activation for artificial photosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) via two‐electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR). However, proton release via water dissociation is frequently hindered because of the sluggish water oxidation reaction (WOR), extremely limiting the efficiency of photocatalytic H2O2 production. To tackle this challenge, carboxyl‐enriched supramolecular polymer (perylene tetracarboxylic acid—PTCA) is elaborately prepared by molecular self‐assembly for overall photosynthesis of H2O2. Interestingly, the interconversion between carboxyl as Brønsted acid and its conjugated base realizes rapid proton circulation. Through this efficient tandem proton transfer process, the spatial effect of photocatalytic reduction and oxidation reaction is greatly enhanced with reduced reaction barrier. This significantly facilitates 2e− photocatalytic ORR to synthesize H2O2 and in the meanwhile promotes 4e− photocatalytic WOR to evolve O2. Consequently, the as‐developed PTCA exhibits a remarkable H2O2 yield of 185.6 μM h−1 in pure water and air atmosphere under visible light illumination. More impressively, an appreciable H2O2 yield of 78.6 μM h−1 can be well maintained in an anaerobic system owing to in situ O2 generation by 4e− photocatalytic WOR. Our study presents a novel concept for artificial photosynthesis of H2O2 via constructing efficient proton transfer pathway to enable rapid proton circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights The mechanical properties of short carbon fiber‐reinforced nylon 6 (CF‐PA6) components formed by fused filament fabrication (FFF) are significantly affected by the process parameters of additive manufacturing and heat treatment. In this study, the effects of printing speed, carbon fiber aspect ratio, and annealing temperature on fiber orientation were investigated by observation of single‐layer‐single‐fiber samples. Furthermore, a two‐stage annealing process was proposed to increase the tensile modulus of CF‐PA6 based on the correlation analysis results between the degree of fiber alignment and the variation of tensile modulus. According to the calculation of the Pearson correlation coefficient, the tensile modulus was highly correlated with the degree of fiber alignment under different printing speeds and fiber aspect ratios. The variation in tensile modulus and fiber orientation was also consistent when the annealing temperature was lower than the crystallization temperature. Conversely, the variation of tensile modulus and fiber orientation were opposite, as the annealing temperature was higher than the crystallization temperature because of the influence of crystallinity. Through increasing the degree of fiber alignment and crystallinity of the parts, the proposed two‐stage annealing method could increase the tensile modulus of the parts to 9.0 GPa, which was 16.81% higher than that of single‐temperature annealing. The effects of annealing temperature, carbon fiber aspect ratio and printing speed on fiber orientation were illustrated. The relationship between the degree of fiber alignment and the variation of tensile modulus was established. The proposed two‐stage annealing method, considering fiber orientation and crystallinity, significantly increased the tensile modulus of CF270‐PA6 parts from 7.7 to 9.0 GPa. The quantitative analysis of the fiber orientation is realized by the statistical analysis of the plane fiber orientation angle of the single‐layer‐single‐fiber sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Amyloid‐β (Aβ) peptide is one of the more important pathological markers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of AD impairs autophagy, which results in an imbalanced clearance of Aβ. Our previous research demonstrated that AdipoRon, an agonist of adiponectin receptors, decreased the deposition of Aβ and enhanced cognitive function in AD. However, the exact mechanisms by which AdipoRon affects Aβ clearance remain unclear. Experimental Approach: We studied how AdipoRon affects autophagy in HT22 cells and APP/PS1 transgenic mice. We also investigated the signalling pathway involved and used pharmacological inhibitors to examine the role of autophagy in this process. Key Results: AdipoRon promotes Aβ clearance by activating neuronal autophagy in the APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Interestingly, we found that AdipoRon induces the nuclear translocation of GAPDH, where it interacts with the SIRT1/DBC1 complex. This interaction then leads to the release of DBC1 and the activation of SIRT1, which in turn activates autophagy. Importantly, we found that inhibiting either GAPDH or SIRT1 to suppress the activity of SIRT1 counteracts the elevated autophagy and decreased Aβ deposition caused by AdipoRon. This suggests that SIRT1 plays a critical role in the effect of AdipoRon on autophagic induction in AD. Conclusion and Implications: AdipoRon promotes the clearance of Aβ by enhancing autophagy through the AdipoR1/AMPK‐dependent nuclear translocation of GAPDH and subsequent activation of SIRT1. This novel molecular pathway sheds light on the modulation of autophagy in AD and may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction of fluorescent down‐conversion layer inside perovskite solar cells (PSCs) can highly improve the ultraviolet response of the devices and the light stability. However, such a device is usually confronted with the problem of inter‐diffusion with the perovskite absorber layer, which severely limits its further development. To address this problem, herein, this work employs an interfacial dual electron transport layers (ETLs) strategy, sandwiching Cd‐CsPbCl3:Mn2+ luminescent quantum dots within gap of the ETLs, which not only reduces the interface energy level offset, but also improves the nucleation and crystallization kinetics of perovskite films and prevents their diffusion to the perovskite absorber layer. As a result, the efficient synergy effect effectively elevates both the open‐circuit voltage and fill factor of the PSCs, reaching maximum values of 1.181 V and 81.14%, respectively, finally delivering progressively increased device power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.32% with significantly improved light stability. To further improve the ultraviolet response, this work further adopts the strategy of dual fluorescent conversion layers inside and outside the PSCs, and finally obtains PCE of 24.63%, which is the best for various luminescent conversion cells. This work opens a new door for the development of efficient and stable photoluminescence conversion PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Bacillus, as a plant–growth‐promoting rhizobacteria, can enhance the resistance of plants to phytopathogens. In our study, Bacillus strains showing excellent biocontrol were screened and used to control ginkgo leaf blight (Alternaria tenuissima). RESULTS: Four biocontrol Bacillus strains—Bsa537, Bam337, Bso544, and Bsu503—were selected from 286 isolates based on their capacity to inhibit pathogens and promote plant growth. The four Bacillus strains significantly improved the resistance of ginkgo to leaf blight. This was especially the case when the four strains were used as a mixture, which contributed to a decrease in lesion area of >40%. Hence, a mixture of Bacillus strains was used to control ginkgo leaf blight in the field. Treatment efficiency varied from 30% to 100% (average 81.5%) and was higher than that of the control (−2% to −18%, average − 8.5%); the antioxidant capacity of the treated ginkgo was also stronger. In addition, ginkgo biomass increased as a result of treatment with the Bacillus mixture, including leaf weight, area, thickness, number of lateral roots and root weight. Furthermore, the Bacillus mixture improved the ginkgo rhizosphere soil by boosting the number of beneficial microorganisms, lowering the number of pathogens and hastening soil catabolism. CONCLUSION: The Bacillus mixture improved the health status of ginkgo by protecting it from pathogen attack, promoting its growth and improving the microorganism community in the rhizosphere. This work closes a technological gap in the biological control of ginkgo leaf blight, investigates application methods for compound Bacillus biofertilizers and establishes a framework for the popularity and commercialization of these products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the GoPGS gene's role in regulating pigment gland size in cotton plants and its connection to biotic stress tolerance. Researchers discovered that suppressing the GoPGS gene resulted in larger pigment glands and increased resistance to pests and pathogens. They also found that the GoPGS gene is controlled by the GoPGF gene and is involved in the jasmonic acid pathway. These findings offer insights into the development of cotton pigment glands and their role in defending against biotic stress. Manipulating the GoPGS gene's activity may be a potential method for enhancing cotton plants' resistance to biotic stresses. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Escherichia coli is known to easily contaminate noodles and form biofilms during noodle processing. Sheeting was a key step in the processing. The objective of our study was to investigate the influence of sheeting pressure on the viability of E. coli. Our findings revealed a significant reduction in the E. coli count (by 1.46 log CFU g−1), as well as their swimming diameter (by 46.7%) and biofilm formation (by 25.7%) following an additional 20 sheeting treatments. The expression of genes (flhC, flhD, rpoS, csgD and adrA) validated the weakening of E. coli survival due to sheeting pressure. Moreover, the alterations in dough texture properties had adverse effects on the survival of E. coli. These results highlight that sheeting pressure can effectively reduce E. coli viability in dough. The implications of our findings provide valuable insights for minimising microbial contamination in noodle production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare earth silicates are promising environmental/thermal barrier coating (E/TBC) materials facing severe CMAS (CaO‐MgO‐Al2O3‐SiO2) corrosion. Previous studies mainly focused on the intrinsic properties of precorrosion coatings, but there were few studies on their CMAS corrosion products that play a crucial role in the performance of coatings in postservice stage. In this work, the mechanical and thermal properties of nine corrosion products between lutetium silicates and CMAS are studied using first‐principles calculations. Their differences of elastic stiffness are attributed to the different crystal structures and bonding strength. The T:O ratio is identified as a factor of the crystal structure for silicate products, and it has a good correlation with their elastic stiffness. Moreover, the divergences of thermal conductivity are dominated by three essential factors, that is, atomic vibration intensity, lattice vibrational anharmonicity, and complexity of crystal structure. Compared with rare earth silicates, six products, that is, the α‐CaSiO3, β‐CaSiO3, Ca2MgSi2O7, Ca2Al2SiO7, CaAl2Si2O8, and Ca2Lu8(SiO4)6O2, showing good damage tolerance and low thermal conductivities, are predicted to be advantageous to E/TBCs. These discoveries reveal the mechanical/thermal properties of corrosion products between lutetium silicates and CMAS and are expected to support the future researches on the performance of E/TBC in the postservice stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of tumor grade and pathological stage plays a pivotal role in determining the treatment strategy and predicting the prognosis of endometrial cancer. In this study, we employed multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to establish distinctive optical pathological signatures specific to endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EAC), while also assessing the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MPM for this particular malignancy. The MPM technique exhibits robust capability in discriminating between benign hyperplasia and various grades of cancer tissue, with statistically significant differences observed in nucleocytoplasmic ratio and second harmonic generation/two‐photon excited fluorescence intensity. Moreover, by utilizing semi‐automated image analysis, we identified notable disparities in six collagen signatures between benign and malignant endometrial stroma. Our study demonstrates that MPM can differentiate between benign endometrial hyperplasia and EAC without labels, while also quantitatively assessing changes in the tumor microenvironment by analyzing collagen signatures in the endometrial stromal tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of flowers in soybean (Glycine max) is essential for determining the yield potential of the plant. Gene silencing pathways are involved in modulating flower development, but their full elucidation is still incomplete. Here, we conducted a forward genetic screen and identified an abnormal flower mutant, deformed floral bud1‐1 (Gmdfb1‐1), in soybean. We mapped and identified the causal gene, which encodes a member of the armadillo (ARM)‐repeat superfamily. Using small RNA sequencing (sRNA‐seq), we found an abnormal accumulation of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNA (miRNAs) in the Gmdfb1 mutants. We further demonstrated that GmDFB1 interacts with the RNA exosome cofactor SUPER KILLER7 (GmSKI7). Additionally, GmDFB1 interacts with the PIWI domain of ARGONAUTE 1 (GmAGO1) to inhibit the cleavage efficiency on the target genes of sRNAs. The enhanced gene silencing mediated by siRNA and miRNA in the Gmdfb1 mutants leads to the downregulation of their target genes associated with flower development. This study revealed the crucial role of GmDFB1 in regulating floral organ identity in soybean probably by participating in two distinct gene silencing pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemically reducing nitrate (NO3−), a common water pollutant, to valuable ammonia (NH3) offers a green, sustainable, and decentralized route for ammonia synthesis. Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) involves two crucial reaction steps: nitrate deoxygenation followed by nitrite hydrogenation; in particular, the nitrite hydrogenation reaction is the rate‐determining step (RDS) for NO3−RR. In this work, an atomically dispersed cobalt‐phosphorus (Co─P) catalytic pair (CP) with strong electronic coupling is reported. The Co site in Co─P CP effectively activates NO3−, while the P site in Co─P CP facilitates water dissociation to release H+, synergistically enhancing the thermodynamic and kinetic performance of electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong metal‐support interaction (SMSI) between transition metal nanoparticles and carbon matrix offers significant structure advantages due to the ability to modulate the electronic structure of metal nanoparticles, increase the density of active sites, and improve the conductivity of catalysts. Here, ultrafine nanoparticles of metallic molybdenum compounds (MoP, Mo2C, and MoS2) strongly coupled with mesoporous carbon CMK‐5 are synthesized. The confinement growth of nanoparticles in the pores of CMK‐5 produces encapsulated nanoparticles, affording facilitated electron transfer, and enhancing the HER activity induced by the SMSI effect. The hierarchical nanostructure and strong electronic interactions between the carbon substrate and molybdenum‐based nanoparticles allow efficient mass/electron transport between the carbon substrate and molybdenum‐based nanoparticles, improving the catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. The effective electron exchange between the Mo species and the CMK‐5 support is studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement, confirming the presence of the SMSI effect. The resulting MoP/CMK‐5 catalyst exhibits outstanding HER performance in alkaline (65 mV@10 mA cm−2), acidic (123 mV@10 mA cm−2), and simulated seawater electrolytes (103 mV@10 mA cm−2), making it one of the most promising catalysts reported for HER. This work provides guidance on designing high‐performance electrocatalysts with SMSI for the enhancement of the electrochemical reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase‐change random access memory (PCRAM) is one of the most technologically mature candidates for next‐generation non‐volatile memory and is currently at the forefront of artificial intelligence and neuromorphic computing. Traditional PCRAM exploits the typical phase transition and electrical/optical contrast between non‐crystalline and crystalline states of chalcogenide phase‐change materials (PCMs). Currently, traditional PCRAM faces challenges that vastly hinder further memory optimization, for example, the high‐power consumption, significant resistance drift, and the contradictory nature between crystallization speed and thermal stability, nearly all of them are related to the non‐crystalline state of PCMs. In this respect, a reversible crystalline‐to‐crystalline phase transition can solve the above problems. This review delves into the atomic structures and switching mechanisms of the emerging atypical crystalline‐to‐crystalline transitions, and the understanding of the thermodynamic and kinetic features. Ultimately, an outlook is provided on the future opportunities that atypical all‐crystalline phase transitions offer for the development of a novel PCRAM, along with the key challenges that remain to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant resistance (R) genes play a crucial role in the detection of effector proteins secreted by pathogens, either directly or indirectly, as well as in the subsequent activation of downstream defence mechanisms. However, little is known about how R genes regulate the defence responses of conifers, particularly Pinus massoniana, against the destructive pine wood nematode (PWN; Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). Here, we isolated and characterised PmHs1pro‐1, a nematode‐resistance gene of P. massoniana, using bioinformatics, molecular biology, histochemistry and transgenesis. Tissue‐specific expressional pattern and localisation of PmHs1pro‐1 suggested that it was a crucial positive regulator in response to PWN attack in resistant P. massoniana. Meanwhile, overexpression of PmHs1pro‐1 was found to activate reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism‐related enzymes and the expressional level of their key genes, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase. In addition, we showed that PmHs1pro‐1 directly recognised the effector protein BxSCD1of PWN, and induced the ROS burst responding to PWN invasion in resistant P. massoniana. Our findings illustrated the molecular framework of R genes directly recognising the effector protein of pathology in pine, which offered a novel insight into the plant–pathogen arms race. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D printing of articular cartilage tissue faces challenges like replicating its complex structure, time‐consuming in vitro stem cell culture, and a lack of robust in situ regeneration methods for osteochondral defects (OC). In response, an innovative approach utilizing pre‐designed bioink modular units for one‐step printing and immediate implantation is proposed, circumventing the need for prior in vitro stem cell cultivation. The resulting printed scaffold not only accurately reproduces the three‐layer structure and material gradient of articular cartilage tissue but also attains impressive compressive strength (6.3 MPa) through the reinforcement of hydroxyapatite nanofibers and the establishment of chemical bonds with hydrogels. Moreover, the scaffold integrates stem cell capturing and homing layers on its bottom and top layers via chemical crosslinking aptamer and loading poly (lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanospheres encapsulated with stromal cell‐derived factor‐1α (SDF‐1α), respectively. This design enables the specific capture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in vivo through aptamer interaction, followed by their mobilization to home in on the hyaline cartilage layer via the chemotaxis of SDF‐1α concentration gradient. Within the scaffold's microenvironment, these BMSCs undergo differentiation into distinct cells for each layer, effectively contributing to the repair of OC defects in rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, new prototype device for directly converting chemical energy into electricity is still the most important pursuit although various types of fuel cells have been developed/commercialized. In this work, a novel (101¯0$10\bar{1}0$) orientated ZnO single crystal device is reported that generates electricity using the usual redox reactions. The principle of the device is similar to that of a photovoltaic device, known as a chem‐voltaic device. The air‐KBH4 chem‐voltaic device has an open‐circuit voltage (Voc) of 2.14 ± 0.007 mV and a short‐circuit current (Isc) of 1.44 ± 0.007 µA. The Voc and Isc increase to 2.24 mV and 2.81 µA, respectively, by preadding H2O2. A similar phenomenon is also observed when glucose is used to substitute KBH4. When KBH4 or glucose solution is added to the ZnO (101¯0$10\bar{1}0$) surface, it reacts with chemisorbed oxygen to produce free electrons. Due to the presence of the spontaneous electric field (Es) in the polar [0001] azimuth of ZnO, these free electrons move along the [0001] direction, producing an electric current. So chemical energy is converted into electricity. This finding opens up research on the chem‐voltaic cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of halogen bonds (XBs) in the regulation of material properties through a variation in the electrostatic potential of the halogen atom is not attracted much attention. Herein, this study utilizes in situ single crystal X‐ray diffraction and synchrotron‐based X‐ray techniques to investigate the cooling‐triggered irreversible single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformation of the DMF solvated iodo‐substituted squaraine dye (SQD‐I). Transformation is observed to be mediated by solvent‐involved XB formation and strengthening of electrostatic interaction between adjacent SQD‐I molecules. By immersing a DMF solvate in acetonitrile a solvent exchange without loss of long‐range ordering is observed. This is attributed to conservation of the molecular charge distribution of SQD‐I molecules during the process. The different solvates can be used in combination for temperature‐dependent image encryption. This work emphasizes the changes caused by XB formation to the electrostatic potentials of halogen containing molecules and their influence on material properties and presents the potential utility of XBs in the design of soft‐porous crystals and luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most common endocrine malignancies worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that vitamin D (VD) has potential benefits in the treatment of TC. However, evidence regarding the targets and molecular mechanisms of VD in TC remains limited. In this study, we conducted network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental evaluation to explore the target genes, biological functions, and signaling pathways involved in this process. Network analysis revealed 77 potential target genes of VD against TC, and four hub target genes were identified: ESR1, KIT, CCND1, and PGR. Furthermore, we identified the biological processes (BP) and signaling pathways involving these potential target genes, and then determined the possible interaction between the hub targets and VD through molecular docking. Finally, through in vitro experiments, we found that VD effectively inhibits the proliferation of TC cells and downregulates the expression of the ESR1 gene. In conclusion, the effects of VD against TC involve multiple biological targets, BP, and signaling pathways. These findings provide scientific evidence for the application of VD in the treatment of TC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Agaricus bisporus is a globally important edible fungus. The occurrence of ginger blotch caused by Pseudomonas 'gingeri' during A. bisporus growth and post‐harvest stages results in significant economic losses. The biotoxin monoacetylphloroglucinol (MAPG) produced by P. 'gingeri' is responsible for inducing ginger blotch on A. bisporus. However, the understanding of the toxic mechanisms of MAPG on A. bisporus remains limited, which hinders the precise control of ginger blotch disease in A. bisporus and the breeding of disease‐resistant varieties. RESULTS: Integrating transcriptomic, metabolomic, and physiological data revealed that MAPG led to an increase in intracellular superoxide anion (O2−) levels and lipid peroxidation in A. bisporus. MAPG changed the cellular membrane composition of A. bisporus, causing to damage membrane permeability. MAPG inhibited the expression of genes associated with the 19s subunit of the proteasome, thereby impeding cellular waste degradation in A. bisporus. Unlike melanin, MAPG stimulated the synthesis of flavonoids in A. bisporus, which might explain the manifestation of ginger‐colored symptoms rather than browning. Meanwhile, the glutathione metabolism pathway in A. bisporus played a pivotal role in counteracting the cytotoxic effects of MAPG. Additionally, enhanced catalase activity and up‐regulation of defense‐related genes, including cytochrome P450s, Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), and ABC transporters, were observed. CONCLUSION: This study provides comprehensive insights into MAPG toxicity in A. bisporus and uncovers the detoxification strategies of A. bisporus against MAPG. The findings offer valuable evidence for precise control and breeding of resistant varieties against ginger blotch in A. bisporus. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Wallerian degeneration (WD) of the middle cerebellar peduncles (MCPs) following pontine infarction is a rare secondary degenerative neurological condition. Due to its infrequency, there is limited research on its characteristics. Methods: This study aims to present three cases of WD of MCPs following pontine infarction and to analyze the prognosis, clinical manifestations, and neuroimaging features by amalgamating our cases with previously reported ones. Results: The cohort consisted of 25 cases, comprising 18 men and 7 women aged 29 to 77 years (mean age: 66.2 years). The majority of patients (94%) exhibit risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, with hypertension being the primary risk factor. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect WD of MCPs within a range of 21 days to 12 months following pontine infarction. This degeneration is characterized by bilateral symmetric hyperintensities on T2/FLAIR‐weighted images (WI) lesions in the MCPs. Moreover, restricted diffusion, with hyperintensity on diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) and low apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) signal intensity may be observed as early as 21 days after the infarction. Upon detection of WD, it was observed that 20 patients (80%) remained asymptomatic during subsequent clinic visits, while four (16%) experienced a worsening of pre‐existing symptoms. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of neurologists enhancing their understanding of this condition by gaining fresh insights into the neuroimaging characteristics, clinical manifestations, and prognosis of individuals with WD of bilateral MCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, multiple instance learning (MIL) has been successfully used in weakly supervised breast cancer classification on whole‐slide imaging (WSI) and has become an important assistance for breast cancer diagnosis. However, existing MIL methods have limitations in considering the global contextual information of pathological images. Additionally, their ability to handle spatial relationships among instances should also be improved. Therefore, inspired by transformer and graph deep learning, this study proposes a novel classification method of WSI breast cancer pathological images based on BiFormer and graph attention network (BIMIL‐GAT). In the first stage of instance selection, BiFormer utilizes the two‐stage self‐attention computation mechanism from coarse‐grained region to fine‐grained region to strengthen the global feature extraction ability, which can obtain accurate pivotal instances. Simultaneously, the aim of the second stage is to effectively strengthen the spatial correlation between instances through GAT, thereby improving the accuracy of bag‐level prediction. The experimental results show that BIMIL‐GAT achieves the area under curve (AUC) value of 95.92% on the Cameylon‐16 dataset, which outperforms the baseline model by 3.36%. In addition, our method also shows strong competitiveness in the MSK external extended dataset, which further proves its effectiveness and advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enhanced resonant energy transfer (RET) process between green InGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) is investigated by decorating the sidewalls of InGaN MQW nanorods with Au nanoparticles. The InGaN MQW nanorods are shallow‐etched to the region of InGaN MQWs or deep‐etched through InGaN MQWs completely. The Au nanoparticles can provide localized surface plasmon coupling to both InGaN MQWs and QDs, leading to accelerated decay rates. The localized surface plasmons also enhance the RET process between InGaN MQWs and QDs. Compared to the bare nanorods without Au nanoparticles, the enhancement factors of the RET process are 1.8 and 5.6 for shallow‐ and deep‐etched MQW nanorods, respectively. The larger enhancement factor for deep‐etched nanorods is mainly attributed to the weaker localized surface plasmon coupling with InGaN MQWs, which is proposed to compete with the RET process. The RET efficiency in the deep‐etched InGaN MQW nanorods is calculated as 62%, demonstrating high potential for usage in energy conversion devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) offers a sustainable strategy for producing fuels and chemicals. However, it suffers from sluggish CO2 activation and slow water dissociation. In this work, we construct a (P−O)δ− modified In catalyst that exhibits high activity and selectivity in electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate. A combination of in situ characterizations and kinetic analyses indicate that (P−O)δ− has a strong interaction with K+(H2O)n, which effectively accelerates water dissociation to provide protons. In situ attenuated total reflectance surface‐enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR‐SEIRAS) measurements together with density functional theory (DFT) calculations disclose that (P−O)δ− modification leads to a higher valence state of In active site, thus promoting CO2 activation and HCOO* formation, while inhibiting competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). As a result, the (P−O)δ− modified oxide‐derived In catalyst exhibits excellent formate selectivity across a broad potential window with a formate Faradaic efficiency as high as 92.1 % at a partial current density of ~200 mA cm−2 and a cathodic potential of −1.2 V vs. RHE in an alkaline electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While minimizing plan delivery time is beneficial for proton therapy in terms of motion management, patient comfort, and treatment throughput, it often poses a tradeoff with optimizing plan quality. A key component of plan delivery time is the energy switching time, which is approximately proportional to the number of energy layers, that is, the cardinality. Purpose: This work aims to develop a novel optimization method that can efficiently compute the pareto surface between plan quality and energy layer cardinality, for the planner to navigate through this quality‐and‐efficiency tradeoff and select the appropriate plan of a balanced tradeoff. Methods: A new IMPT method CARD is proposed that (1) explicitly incorporates the minimization of energy layer cardinality as an optimization objective, and (2) automatically generates a set of plans sequentially with a descending order in number of energy layers. The energy layer cardinality is penalized through the l1,0‐norm regularization with an upper bound, and the upper bound is monotonically decreased to compute a series of treatment plans with gradually decreased energy layer cardinality on the quality‐and‐efficiency pareto surface. For any given treatment plan, the plan optimality is enforced using dose‐volume planning objectives and the plan deliverability is imposed through minimum‐monitor‐unit (MMU) constraints, with optimization solution algorithm based on iterative convex relaxation. Results: The new method CARD was validated in comparison with the benchmark plan of all energy layers (P0), and a state‐of‐the‐art method called MMSEL, using prostate, head‐and‐neck (HN), lung, pancreas, liver and brain cases. While labor‐intensive and time‐consuming manual parameter tuning was needed for MMSEL to generate plans of predefined energy layer cardinality, CARD automatically and efficiently computed all plans with sequentially decreasing predefined energy layer cardinality all at once. With the acceptable plan quality (i.e., no more than 110% of total optimization objective value from P0), CARD achieved the reduction of number of energy layers to 52% (from 77 to 40), 48% (from 135 to 65), 59% (from 85 to 50), 67% (from 52 to 35), 80% (from 50 to 40), and 30% (from 66 to 20), for prostate, HN, lung, pancreas, liver, and brain cases, respectively, compared to P0, with overall better plan quality than MMSEL. Moreover, due to the nonconvexity of the MMU constraint, CARD provided the similar or even smaller optimization objective than P0, at the same time with fewer number of energy layers, that is, 55 versus 77, 85 versus 135, 45 versus 52, and 25 versus 66 for prostate, HN, pancreas, and brain cases, respectively. Conclusions: We have developed a novel optimization algorithm CARD that can efficiently and automatically compute a series of treatment plans of any given energy layer sequentially, which allows the planner to navigate through the plan‐quality and energy‐layer‐cardinality tradeoff and select the appropriate plan of a balanced tradeoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polarization‐sensitive infrared photodetectors have vast application prospects in imaging systems and polarization sensors due to the addition of new detection dimensions beyond wavelength and intensity. However, most polarization‐sensitive photodetectors are operated in the visible wavelength range and still encounter challenges of limited responsivity (R) and polarization ratio (PR) under short‐wave infrared illumination. To address these issues, a vertical heterostructure of β‐In2Se3‐on‐Te is reported, achieving high‐performance and polarization‐sensitive imaging sensors in the short‐wave infrared (SWIR) region. The high R (2 A/W at 1310 nm and 0.71 A/W at 1550 nm) and specific detectivity (2.14 × 109 Jones at 1310 nm and 7.3 × 108 at 1550 nm) are obtained, which surpasses most photodetectors using anisotropic 2D material in the infrared range. Considering the strong anisotropic nature of Te nanosheets, the device exhibits notable polarization sensitivity with a PR value of 4.95 under 1310 nm laser irradiation. This work proposes a multifunctional photodetector for the great applications of ASCII code transmission and polarization‐sensitive infrared imaging, offering a new opportunity for versatile angle‐resolved optoelectronics in the infrared communication band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afterglow materials have attracted much attention owing to their long luminescence lifetimes, large Stokes shifts, and emission without real‐time excitation. Compared with traditional organic afterglow materials, carbon dots (CDs), as a new afterglow material, have superior properties such as easy preparation, low toxicity, and low cost. The emission color of afterglow CDs can be regulated by external factors such as excitation wavelength, temperature, and time, which is highly significant for expanding the diversified applications to make them available for biotechnology and information applications. This review summarizes the research progress of multicolor afterglow CDs in recent years, including luminescence regulation strategies, preparation methods, and applications. First, the multicolor afterglow CDs are classified into three strategies: multicolor room temperature phosphorescence (RTP), thermally activated delayed fluorescence converted to RTP, and delayed fluorescence based on Förster resonance energy transfer, and the strategies for regulating their luminescence properties are analyzed. Second, the preparation methods of achieving multicolor afterglow CDs are summarized in both matrix‐free and matrix‐confined aspects. Then, applications in anticounterfeiting and information encryption, sensing and bioimaging are introduced in detail. Finally, the future challenges and opportunities of multicolor afterglow CDs are prospected to provide ideas for their controlled design and wide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of flexible optoelectronic devices, intrinsic flexible fully π‐conjugated polymers (FπCPs) assume a pivotal role owing to their concurrent intrinsic viscoelasticity and robust optoelectronic properties. As flexible devices are destined to encounter diverse stress environments, the selection of functional materials based on mechanical requirements becomes imperative. Here, VPERD assessment system is introduced to scrutinize the mechanical properties of side‐chain plasticizing FπCPs. The acronym VPERD encapsulates five key aspects of mechanical characteristics, namely viscidity (V), plasticity (P), elasticity (E), rigidity (R), and ductility (D). The mechanical characteristics of FπCPs are tuned through the control of flexible chain density (FCD). Enhancing FCD induces superior chain softness, favorable solubility, and heightened viscoplasticity. Through precise regulation of FCD and thoughtful structural design, freestanding FπCPs nano‐films exhibit a remarkable maximum fracture strain of ≈50%. Deep‐blue flexible polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) reveal that maintaining FCD at ≈50% achieves a balance between mechanical and optoelectronic properties. The stretched films after strain fatigue both show that mild strain is conducive to enhancing the efficiency of FπCPs films and devices. According to VPERD assessment system, the prerequisite for achieving intrinsically flexible FπCPs lies in controlling the degree of side‐chain internal plasticization through the tuning of FCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the responses of the urban atmospheric thermal environment to two distinct heat waves in Hefei, China, and explores potential changes associated with future urban expansion. During the Event 1, characterized by clear and dry conditions, the western Pacific subtropical high limits water vapor influx, resulting in a significant cooling effect in rural area due to higher surface latent heat flux. The urban heat island (UHI) intensity, calculated using surface temperature and 2‐m temperature, reaches 5.2°C and 1.7°C during the Event 1, respectively. Although Event 2, characterized by cloudy and humid conditions, exhibits weaker UHI and urban dry island effects, it remains highly unfavorable for human comfort. During distinct heat waves, the vertical extent of the warming effect induced by future urban expansion varies, which can be attributed to environmental factors, such as atmospheric stability and near‐surface wind speed. Plain Language Summary: The study investigates the interactions between the urban atmospheric thermal environment and two distinct heat waves in Hefei, China, as well as the changes induced by future urban expansion. During the first event, which has clear and dry weather conditions, the influx of water vapor is limited by a high‐pressure system. Consequently, rural area experiences a significant cooling effect due to higher surface latent heat flux. The urban heat island (UHI) intensity, measured by surface temperature and 2‐m temperature, reaches 5.2°C and 1.7°C, respectively, during this event. In contrast, the second event, characterized by cloudy and humid weather conditions, exhibits weaker UHI and urban dry island effects but remains highly uncomfortable for humans. The vertical extent of the warming effect caused by future urban expansion varies during distinct heat waves. This variation can be attributed to environmental factors, such as atmospheric stability and near‐surface wind speed. Key Points: The underlying mechanisms of the different responses of the urban atmospheric thermal environment to distinct heat wave events are analyzedThe limitation of water vapor influx by a high‐pressure system and intense solar radiation jointly enhance the urban heat island effectAtmospheric stability and wind speed could influence the vertical extent of the warming effect induced by future urban expansion [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D van der Waals heterostructures (2D vdWHs) have been gaining significant attention in neuromorphic electronics. However, the facile synthesis of large‐scale, high‐quality freestanding 2D vdWHs remains challenge, particularly for organic counterparts due to susceptible nucleation behaviors and weak intermolecular interactions. Here, the study reports a graphene oxide (GO)‐assisted molecular crystal co‐assembly method for one‐step growth of centimeter‐scale freestanding heterostructures. This co‐assembly involves the simultaneous assembling of organic and GO precursors at the liquid–liquid interface, where the amphiphilic nature of GO nanosheets facilitates the diffusion of organic molecules and 2D nucleation of organic crystals, and the nanosheets also become enriched to grow a quasi‐solid film for the bilayer formation. Owing to integrated photosensitive and charge‐trapping properties as well as type II band structure, this heterostructure exhibits exceptional photonic synaptic behaviors, with a paired‐pulse facilitation index of 141% and image recognition of 91%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Seminal roots play a critical role in water and nutrient absorption, particularly in the early developmental stages of wheat. However, the genes responsible for controlling SRN in wheat remain largely unknown.Genetic mapping and functional analyses identified a candidate gene (TraesCS3D01G137200, TaSRN‐3D) encoding a Ser/Thr kinase glycogen synthase kinase 3 (STKc_GSK3) that regulated SRN in wheat. Additionally, experiments involving hormone treatment, nitrate absorption and protein interaction were conducted to explore the regulatory mechanism of TaSRN‐3D.Results showed that the TaSRN‐3D4332 allele inhibited seminal roots initiation and development, while loss‐of‐function mutants showed significantly higher seminal root number (SRN). Exogenous application of epi‐brassinolide could increase the SRN in a HS2‐allelic background. Furthermore, chlorate sensitivity and 15N uptake assays revealed that a higher number of seminal roots promoted nitrate accumulation. TaBSR1 (BIN2‐related SRN Regulator 1, orthologous to OsGRF4/GL2 in rice) acts as an interactor of TaSRN‐3D and promotes TaBSR1 degradation to reduce SRN.This study provides valuable insights into understanding the genetic basis and regulatory network of SRN in wheat, highlighting their roles as potential targets for root‐based improvement in wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saturated heterocycles are important class of structural scaffolds in small‐molecule drugs, natural products, and synthetic intermediates. Here, we disclosed a metal free, mild, and scalable functionalization of saturated heterocycles using vinylarenes as a linchpin approach. Key to success of this transformation is the employing of simple and cheap benzophenone as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) catalyst. This operationally robust process was used for the making of diverse functionalized saturated heterocycles. Furthermore, aldehydes, alkane, and alcohol have been functionalized under the optimized conditions. The potential pharmaceutical utility of the procedure has also been demonstrated by late‐stage functionalization of bioactive natural compounds and pharmaceutical molecules. Initial mechanism studies and control experiments were performed to elucidate the mechanism of the reactions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass formation in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) has garnered significant attention in the field of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in recent years. Numerous works have been conducted to investigate the microscopic mechanisms involved in the melting–quenching process of ZIFs. Understanding the density variations that occur during the melting process of ZIFs is crucial for comprehending the origins of glass formation. However, conducting large‐scale simulations has been challenging due to limitations in computational resources. In this work, we used deep‐learning methods to accurately construct a potential function that describes the atomic‐scale melting behavior of ZIF‐4. The results revealed the spatial heterogeneity associated with the formation of low‐density phases during the melting process of ZIF‐4. This work discusses the advantages and limitations of applying deep‐learning simulation methods to complex structures like ZIFs, providing valuable insights for the development of machine‐learning approaches in designing MOF glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of a robust phylogenetic backbone has posed significant challenges to proposing an infrageneric taxonomic classification of the pear genus, Pyrus, a widely distributed Eurasian lineage of Rosaceae. This issue has been exacerbated by limited informative loci and inaccessible taxon sampling. To address these limitations, we conducted extensive taxon sampling, encompassing 78 Pyrus ingroup individuals representing 32 species, along with 4 outgroup species. This comprehensive sampling strategy covers a wide range of morphological and geographical variations. To enable accurate phylogenomic inference, we assembled 801 single‐copy nuclear genes and 72 plastid coding sequences from deep genome skimming (DGS) data. Additionally, we employed a tree‐based method for nuclear orthology inference, which led to the generation of three orthologous datasets: one‐to‐one orthologs (1to1), monophyletic outgroups (MO), and rooted ingroups (RT). The results yielded from both nuclear and plastid analyses consistently support the monophyly of Pyrus, and two well‐supported clades, the Occidental and Oriental clades, were recovered in nine nuclear and three plastid trees. Integrating evidence from morphology and phylogenomics, we propose an updated infrageneric classification of Pyrus, which consists of two subgenera: P. subg. Pyrus and P. subg. Pashia stat. nov. This revised classification provides a more robust framework for understanding the evolutionary relationships within the pear genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sonodynamic activities of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with different morphologies, gold nanospheres (GNSs), gold nanoflowers (GNFs) and gold nanorods (GNRs), were explored by multi‐spectroscopic methods, in which the lesion degree of human serum albumin (HSA) was used as assessment index. The results revealed that three GNPs all had certain sonosensitivity but varying from different morphologies. It was also found that GNPs concentration and ultrasonic parameters were all critical influencing factors of sonodynamic injury HSA. Investigating the physical damage mechanism, the results indicated that the secondary and tertiary structure of HSA were compromised by ultrasound (US) combined with GNPs, so that the conformation of HSA was altered and the function was variously disturbed due to GNPs different morphologies. Studying the chemical damage mechanism, the results discovered that the yield of singlet oxygen (1O2) produced by GNPs with various morphologies combined with US was significant difference. Therefore, comprehensively analyzing the research results under different factors, the order of sonodynamic activities of GNPs was GNSs≈GNFs>GNRs. These findings may provide reference for the application of GNPs as sonosensitizers in sonodynamic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the quality and fertilizing ability of frozen–thawed porcine sperm that were selected using a commercially available device (MIGLIS, Menicon Life Science) consisting of three parts: an outer lid, an inner lid, and a tube. Firstly, to determine an adequate concentration of caffeine for separation, frozen–thawed sperm were incubated with different concentrations of caffeine (0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mM) in a MIGLIS device. To determine the appropriate incubation time for separating sperm in the MIGLIS device, frozen–thawed sperm were incubated with 2.5 mM caffeine for 5, 10, 15, or 20 min. To evaluate the fertilization and embryo development of oocytes fertilized with frozen–thawed sperm separated into two regions (outer and inner) in the MIGLIS device, the separated sperm from the three boars was used to fertilize in vitro‐matured oocytes and cultured in vitro for 7 days. Sperm quality parameters of sperm collected from the inner tube after incubation with 2.5 mM caffeine were superior to sperm incubated without caffeine. Moreover, sperm collected from the inner tube after incubation for 10 min had a higher progressive motility. The rate of blastocyst produced from spermatozoa collected from the inner tube after incubation with 2.5 mM caffeine for 10 min significantly increased compared to that produced from spermatozoa from the outer tube, regardless of the boar. In conclusion, sperm sorting using the MIGLIS device may be useful for separating high‐quality sperm after incubation with 2.5 mM caffeine for 10 min to improve blastocyst formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Although the anti‐cancer activity of isoalantolactone (IATL) has been extensively studied, the anti‐melanoma effects of IATL are still unknown. Here, we have investigated the anti‐melanoma effects and mechanism of action of IATL. MTT and crystal violet staining assays were performed to detect the inhibitory effect of IATL on melanoma cell viability. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by IATL were examined using flow cytometry. The molecular mechanism of IATL was explored by Western blotting, confocal microscope analysis, molecular docking, and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA). A B16F10 allograft mouse model was constructed to determine the anti‐melanoma effects of IATL in vivo. The results showed that IATL exerted anti‐melanoma effects in vitro and in vivo. IATL induced cytoprotective autophagy in melanoma cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. Moreover, IATL inhibited STAT3 activation both in melanoma cells and allograft tumors not only by binding to the SH2 domain of STAT3 but also by suppressing the activity of its upstream kinase Src. These findings demonstrate that IATL exerts anti‐melanoma effects via inhibiting the STAT3 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, and provides a pharmacological basis for developing IATL as a novel phytotherapeutic agent for treating melanoma clinically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]