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Water pollution from industrial wastewater and oil spills, which threat marine lives and mankind continually have turned into one of the most severe challenges in worldwide due to the fast development of global industrialization and human activities. Various water‐treatment methods have been developed to solve the problems. However, these processes are often complicated and costly, making them fail to address the complicate water environment. Herein, a visible light‐responsive Au‐BiOCl/TiO2/PAN composite membrane with hydrophilic surface was prepared by combing electrospinning with solvothermal method. The composite membranes can efficiently separate emulsions with the highest flux of 50.16 L m−2 h−1 and oil/water mixtures (the highest flux was 4777.07 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Moreover, the membranes can rapidly degrade antibiotics with an excellent degradation rate (95.70% in 60 min) under the visible light. Additionally, they can simultaneously degrade organic dye and separate oil/water emulsions under a gravity condition. It is expected that composite membranes will be an attractive candidate for complex wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oily water pollution has become one of the most serious water environment issue in worldwide. Membrane that can effectively and efficiently remove different oil pollutions from the complex water environment is still urgently needed. Herein, a Janus membrane with opposite wettability that can separate heavy oil–water and light oil–water mixtures on demand was prepared by using a simple sequential electrospinning and chemical crosslinking method. The membrane could remove oil or water under gravity with a high oil/water flux and excellent separation efficiency. Moreover, the membrane could separate different kinds of oil‐in‐water emulsions under gravity with a high flux of 1184 L m−2 h−1 and a tiny flux loss of 4.4% after a 10‐cycle separation. Owing to its excellent anti‐pollution properties the flux recovery rate of the membrane was still higher than 80% after 150 min of emulsion separation. Additionally, the membrane also displayed the ability to transport liquid unidirectionally, giving whom the capabilities to collect oil underwater or water underoil. This research provides a novel and simple method for producing membranes for a variety of separation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular mechanisms governing the response of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to stress insults remain poorly defined. Here, we investigated effects of conditional knock-out or overexpression of Hmga2 (High mobility group AT-hook 2), a transcriptional activator of stem cell genes in fetal HSCs. While Hmga2 overexpression did not affect adult hematopoiesis under homeostasis, it accelerated HSC expansion in response to injection with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or in vitro treatment with TNF-α. In contrast, HSC and megakaryocyte progenitor cell numbers were decreased in Hmga2 KO animals. Transcription of inflammatory genes was repressed in Hmga2 -overexpressing mice injected with 5-FU, and Hmga2 bound to distinct regions and chromatin accessibility was decreased in HSCs upon stress. Mechanistically, we found that casein kinase 2 (CK2) phosphorylates the Hmga2 acidic domain, promoting its access and binding to chromatin, transcription of anti-inflammatory target genes, and the expansion of HSCs under stress conditions. Notably, the identified stress-regulated Hmga2 gene signature is activated in hematopoietic stem progenitor cells of human myelodysplastic syndrome patients. In sum, these results reveal a TNF-α/CK2/phospho-Hmga2 axis controlling adult stress hematopoiesis. Synopsis: The molecular mechanisms controlling the response of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to insults remain poorly defined. Here, genetic data support a critical role of chromatin modifier Hmga2 in stress-induced regeneration of the adult murine blood system. Conditional depletion of Hmga2 does not affect steady-state hematopoiesis but impairs HSC response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in adult mice. Under stress, CK2 kinase phosphorylates Hmga2 in TNF-α-dependent manner, promoting its chromatin binding and repression of inflammatory genes by transcription factor Rfx5. The identified stress-induced Hmga2 gene signature is activated in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of human myelodysplastic syndrome patients. A TNF-a/CK2/phospho-HMGA2 axis controls chromatin accessibility, transcription, and expansion of blood stem cells in response to stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spider silk, possessing exceptional combination properties, is classified as a bio‐gel fiber. Thereby, it serves as a valuable origin of inspiration for the advancement of various artificial gel fiber materials with distinct functionalities. Gel fibers exhibit promising potential for utilization in diverse fields, including smart textiles, artificial muscle, tissue engineering, and strain sensing. However, there are still numerous challenges in improving the performance and functionalizing applications of spider silk‐inspired artificial gel fibers. Thus, to gain a penetrating insight into bioinspired artificial gel fibers, this review provided a comprehensive overview encompassing three key aspects: the fundamental design concepts and implementing strategies of gel fibers, the properties and strengthening strategies of gel fibers, and the functionalities and application prospects of gel fibers. In particular, multiple strengthening and toughening mechanisms were introduced at micro, nano, and molecular‐level structures of gel fibers. Additionally, the existing challenges of gel fibers are summarized. This review aims to offer significant guidance for the development and application of artificial gel fibers and inspire further research in the field of high‐performance gel fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metalloborophene, characterized by the presence of metal‐centered boron wheels denoted as M©Bn, has garnered considerable attention in recent years due to its versatile properties and potential applications in fields such as electronics, spintronics, and catalysis. However, the experimental verification of metalloborophene is challenging, mainly due to the unconventional 2D boron networks. In this study, scanning tunneling microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, and first‐principles calculations are employed to unveil Cu©B8 metalloborophene nanoribbons formed via spontaneous alloying after the deposition of boron on a heated Cu(110) substrate under ultrahigh vacuum condition. The thermodynamically preferred precursor, the anchoring of boron network to metal atoms, and anisotropic lattice mismatch are identified as pivotal factors in the formation of these metalloborophene nanoribbons. This discovery expands the repertoire of 2D materials and offers a potential pathway for the synthesis of other metalloborophenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effectiveness of an exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐producing strain (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum L75) alone or in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the fermentation characteristics, antioxidant capacities and microbial community successions of oat silage stored at various temperatures. A rapid decrease in pH and lactic acid accumulation was observed in silages treated with L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae (LS) as early as 3 days of ensiling (p < 0.05). Over the ensiling period of 7–60 days, L. plantarum (L)‐inoculated groups showed the lowest pH, lowest ammonia nitrogen and the highest amount of lactic acid regardless of the storage temperatures. When the oat silage was stored at 15°C, LS‐inoculated group exhibited a higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity than control and L‐inoculated group. Furthermore, the proportion of Lactiplantibacillus in the combined inoculation group increased by 65.42% compared to the L‐inoculated group (33.26%). Fungal community data revealed abundant Penicillium carneum in the control and L‐inoculated groups stored at 15°C. Conclusively, these results showed that combined inoculation of L. plantarum L75 and S. cerevisiae improved the fermentation quality of oat silage at 15°C, thus proposing a technique for enhancing the fermentation quality of silage in regions with low temperatures during harvest season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the incidence, clinical laboratory characteristics, and gene mutation spectrum of Ph‐negative MPN patients with atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, or CALR. Methods: We collected a total of 359 Ph‐negative MPN patients with classical mutations in driver genes JAK2, MPL, or CALR, and divided them into two groups based on whether they had additional atypical variants of driver genes JAK2, MPL, or CALR: 304 patients without atypical variants of driver genes and 55 patients with atypical variants of driver genes. We analyzed the relevant characteristics of these patients. Results: This study included 359 patients with Ph‐negative MPNs with JAK2, MPL, or CALR classical mutations and found that 55 (15%) patients had atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, or CALR. Among them, 28 cases (51%) were male, and 27 (49%) were female, with a median age of 64 years (range, 21–83). The age of ET patients with atypical variants was higher than that of ET patients without atypical variants [70 (28–80) vs. 61 (19–82), p = 0.03]. The incidence of classical MPL mutations in ET patients with atypical variants was higher than in ET patients without atypical variants [13.3% (2/15) vs. 0% (0/95), p = 0.02]. The number of gene mutations in patients with atypical variants of driver genes PV, ET, and Overt‐PMF is more than in patients without atypical variants of PV, ET, and Overt‐PMF [PV: 3 (2–6) vs. 2 (1–7), p < 0.001; ET: 4 (2–8) vs. 2 (1–7), p < 0.05; Overt‐PMF: 5 (2–9) vs. 3 (1–8), p < 0.001]. The incidence of SH2B3 and ASXL1 mutations were higher in MPN patients with atypical variants than in those without atypical variants (SH2B3: 16% vs. 6%, p < 0.01; ASXL1: 24% vs. 13%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: These data indicate that classical mutations of JAK2, MPL, and CALR may not be completely mutually exclusive with atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, and CALR. In this study, 30 different atypical variants of JAK2, MPL, and CALR were identified, JAK2 G127D being the most common (42%, 23/55). Interestingly, JAK2 G127D only co‐occurred with JAK2V617F mutation. The incidence of atypical variants of JAK2 in Ph‐negative MPNs was much higher than that of the atypical variants of MPL and CALR. The significance of these atypical variants will be further studied in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Charge transport characterization of single‐molecule junctions is essential for the fundamental research of single‐molecule physical chemistry and the development towards single‐molecule electronic devices and circuits. Among the single‐molecule conductance characterization techniques, the single‐molecule break junction technique is widely used in tens of worldwide research laboratories which can generate a large amount of experimental data from thousands of individual measurement cycles. However, data interpretation is a challenging task for researchers with different research backgrounds, and the different data analysis approaches sometimes lead to the misunderstanding of the measurement data and even reproducibility issues of the measurement. It is thus a necessity to develop a user‐friendly all‐in‐one data analysis tool that automatizes the basic data analysis in a standard and widely accepted way. In this work, we present the XMe Code (Xiamen Molecular Electronics Code), an intelligent all‐in‐one data analysis tool for the comprehensive analysis of single‐molecule break junction data. XMe code provides end‐to‐end data analysis that takes in the original experimental data and returns electronic characteristics and even charge transport mechanisms. We believe that XMe Code will promote the transparency of the data analysis in single‐molecule electronics and the collaborations among scientists with different research backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Wheat gluten protein (WGP) is poorly soluble and does not easily form fibrous structures. The meat analogues prepared from it have an unsatisfactory texture and poor water‐holding capacity (WHC). Our previous work indicated that pH‐shifting combined with heat treatment can significantly improve the solubility and emulsifiability of WGP. In this work, WGP was therefore treated by pH‐cycling (m‐WGP) to improve the solubility and then applied in the preparation of meat analogues by high moisture extrusion. RESULTS: The results indicated that the addition of m‐WGP improved the texture characteristics and WHC of the extrudates significantly (282.4) and made the extrudates show a tighter organizational structure, according to scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis showed that the addition of m‐WGP resulted in a more uniform moisture distribution in the extrudate. The free sulfhydryl group result showed that the addition of m‐WGP significantly increased the free sulfhydryl group content, which was beneficial to the formation of disulfide bonds to enhance the tissue structure. CONCLUSION: When the addition content of m‐WGP was 10%, the gluten extrudate exhibited a good WHC and uniform moisture distribution but the excessive hardness and chewiness were not suitable for simulating meat. When the additional m‐WGP content reached 50%, the gluten extrudate had textural characteristics that were closest to commercial plant‐based meat and real meat, with the potential to be used as a raw material to simulate meat. Accordingly, this work improves the processing properties of WGP and explores plant‐based ingredients for meat analogues. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This trial was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of cetagliptin added to metformin in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes who had inadequate glycaemic control with metformin monotherapy. Methods: In total, 446 patients with type 2 diabetes on metformin monotherapy were randomized to receive the addition of once‐daily cetagliptin 100 mg, cetagliptin 50 mg and placebo in a 2:2:1 ratio for 24‐week double‐blind treatment. At week 24, patients initially randomized to cetagliptin 50 mg and placebo were switched to cetagliptin 100 mg for 28 weeks open‐label treatment. The primary endpoint was the change in haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) from baseline, and the efficacy analyses were based on an all‐patients‐treated population using an analysis of co‐variance. Results: After 24 weeks, both add‐on therapies led to greater glycaemic control. Reductions in HbA1c from baseline were −1.17 ± 0.794%, −1.23 ± 0.896% in cetagliptin 100 mg and 50 mg plus metformin group, respectively. No difference was observed between the cetagliptin 100 mg and 50 mg plus metformin group. Patients with higher baseline HbA1c levels (≥8.5%) experienced greater reductions in HbA1c. A significantly greater proportion of patients achieved an HbA1c <7.0% with cetagliptin 100 mg (49.4%) and cetagliptin 50 mg (51.1%) plus metformin than metformin monotherapy (14.4%). Both combination therapies also improved the homeostasis model assessment β‐function index and decreased systolic blood pressure. There was no increased risk of adverse effects with combination therapy, and both combination therapies were generally well tolerated. Conclusions: The addition of cetagliptin once daily to metformin was more efficacious and well tolerated than metformin monotherapy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes who had inadequate glycaemic control with metformin monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although PARP inhibitor (PARPi) has been proven to be a promising anticancer drug in cancer patients harboring BRCA1/2 mutation, it provides limited clinical benefit in colorectal cancer patients with a low prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations. In our study, we found PARPi talazoparib significantly induced cellular senescence via inhibiting p53 ubiquitination and activating p21. Furthermore, CDK4/6i palbociclib amplified this therapy‐induced senescence (TIS) in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, talazoparib and palbociclib combination induced senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and characterization of SASP components revealed type I interferon (IFN)‐related mediators, which were amplified by cGAS/STING signaling. More importantly, RNA sequencing data indicated that combination therapy activated T cell signatures and combination treatment transformed the tumor microenvironment (TME) into a more antitumor state with increased CD8 T cells and natural killer (NK) cells and decreased macrophages and granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (G‐MDSCs). Moreover, clearance of the TIS cells by αPD‐L1 promoted survival in immunocompetent mouse colorectal cancer models. Collectively, we elucidated the synergistic antitumor and immunomodulatory mechanisms of the talazoparib–palbociclib combination. Further combination with PD‐L1 antibody might be a promising "one‐two punch" therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the application range of decision‐making systems for connected automated vehicles, this paper proposes a cooperative decision‐making approach for multiple driving scenarios based on the combination of multi‐agent reinforcement learning with centralized planning. Specifically, the authors derived driving tasks from driving scenarios and computed the policy functions for different driving scenarios as linear combinations of policy functions for a set of specific driving tasks. Then, the authors classified vehicle coalitions according to the relationships between vehicles and used centralized planning methods to determine the optimal combination of actions for each coalition. Finally, the authors conducted tests in two driving scenarios considering different traffic densities to evaluate the performance of the developed approach. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach exhibits good robustness in multiple driving scenarios while enabling cooperative decision making for connected automated vehicles, thereby ensuring safe and rational decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been used widely in preparing silage. However, forage legumes are prone to contamination by spoilage bacteria during fermentation. Nisin has broad‐spectrum antibacterial properties and has been applied as an inhibitor of rumen methane emissions. However, little research has been carried out on the application of nisin in silage. This study therefore aimed to investigate the impacts of different nisin concentrations on the bacterial community and fermentation dynamics, in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics, microbiota, and methane emissions of alfalfa silage. RESULTS: The detection limits of organic acid in nisin‐treated silages were not reached in 0.09 g kg−1 nisin (0.09 level) from days 1 to 7 of ensiling. With increasing nisin concentrations, the silage dry matter increased linearly (P < 0.05), and dry matter loss decreased linearly (P < 0.05). Moreover, both the 0.06 g kg−1 nisin (0.06 level) and 0.09 level treatments increased the relative abundance of Pediococcus acidilactici during ensiling. Concurrently, as the nisin concentrations increased, ruminal methane production decreased linearly (P < 0.05), while the relative abundances of ruminal Succinivibrio, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminobacter amylophilus increased linearly (P < 0.05). The populations of ruminal total bacteria, methanogens, protozoa, and fungi decreased linearly with increasing nisin concentrations (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The addition of nisin delayed the fermentation process, preserved more nutrients in alfalfa silage, and promoted fermentation dominated by P. acidilactici in the late phase of ensiling. Moreover, nisin reduced in vitro rumen methane emissions without adverse effects on dry matter digestibility. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A meta‐analysis study was conducted to measure the consequence of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and other risk factors (RFs) on the prevalence of lower extremity amputation (LEA). A comprehensive literature inspection till February 2023 was applied and 2765 interrelated studies were reviewed. Of the 32 chosen studies enclosed, 9934 subjects were in the chosen studies' starting point, and 2906 of them were with LEA. Odds ratio (OR) in addition to 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compute the value of the effect of DFUs and other RFs on the prevalence of LEA by the continuous and dichotomous approaches and a fixed or random effect model. Male gender (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.17–1.44, P <.001), smoking (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53, P =.04), previous foot ulcer (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.93–3.74, P <.001), osteomyelitis (OR, 3.87; 95% CI, 2.28–6.57, P <.001), gangrene (OR, 14.45; 95% CI, 7.03–29.72, P <.001), hypertension (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.03–1.33, P =.01), and white blood cells count (WBCC) (MD, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.37–2.74, P <.001) were significantly shown to be an RF in LEA in subjects with DFUs. Age (MD, 0.81; 95% CI, −0.75 to 2.37, P =.31), body mass index (MD, −0.55; 95% CI, −1.15 to 0.05, P =.07), diabetes mellitus type (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.63–1.56, P =.96), and glycated haemoglobin (MD, 0.33; 95% CI, −0.15 to 0.81, P =.17) were not shown to be an RF in LEA in subjects with DFUs. Male gender, smoking, previous foot ulcer, osteomyelitis, gangrene, hypertension, and WBCC were significantly shown to be an RF in LEA in subjects with DFUs. However, age and diabetes mellitus type were not shown to be RF in LEA in subjects with DFUs. However, caused of the small sample sizes of several chosen studies for this meta‐analysis, care must be exercised when dealing with its values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating gene expression. MicroRNA expression levels fluctuate, and point mutations and methylation occur in cancer cells; however, to date, there have been no reports of carcinogenic point mutations in miRNAs. MicroRNA 142 (miR‐142) is frequently mutated in patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS). To understand the role of miR‐142 mutation in blood cancers, the CRISPR‐Cas9 system was utilized to successfully generate miR‐142‐55A>G mutant knock‐in (Ki) mice, simulating the most frequent mutation in patients with miR‐142 mutated AML/MDS. Bone marrow cells from miR‐142 mutant heterozygous Ki mice were transplanted, and we found that the miR‐142 mutant/wild‐type cells were sufficient for the development of CD8+ T‐cell leukemia in mice post‐transplantation. RNA‐sequencing analysis in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and CD8+ T‐cells revealed that miR‐142‐Ki/+ cells had increased expression of the mTORC1 activator, a potential target of wild‐type miR‐142‐3p. Notably, the expression of genes involved in apoptosis, differentiation, and the inhibition of the Akt–mTOR pathway was suppressed in miR‐142‐55A>G heterozygous cells, indicating that these genes are repressed by the mutant miR‐142‐3p. Thus, in addition to the loss of function due to the halving of wild‐type miR‐142‐3p alleles, mutated miR‐142‐3p gained the function to suppress the expression of distinct target genes, sufficient to cause leukemogenesis in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type H vessels have recently been identified to modulate osteogenesis. Epoxyeicostrioleic acids (EETs) have an essential contribution to vascular homeostasis. However, whether increased EETs with soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor TPPU enhance the coupling of angiogenesis and osteogenesis remains largely unknown. The effects of TPPU on cross‐talk between co‐cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), and on long bone growth and calvarial defect repair in mice were investigated in vitro and in vivo. TPPU enhanced osteogenic differentiation of co‐cultured HUVECs and hDPSCs in vitro and increased type H vessels, and long bone growth and bone repair of calvarial defect. Mechanistically, TPPU promoted cell proliferation and angiogenesis, reclined cell apoptosis, and significantly increased CD31hiEMCNhi endothelial cells (ECs) and SLIT3 and HIF‐1α expression levels in co‐cultured HUVECs and hDPSCs. Knockdown of Slit3 in hDPSCs or Hif‐1α in HUVECs impaired the formation of CD31hiEMCNhi ECs and reversed TPPU‐induced osteogenesis. We defined a previously unidentified effect of TPPU coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis. TPPU induced type H vessels by upregulating the expression of hDPSCs‐derived SLIT3, which resulted in the activation of ROBO1/YAP1/HIF‐1α signalling pathway in ECs. Targeting metabolic pathways of EETs represents a new strategy to couple osteogenesis and angiogenesis, sEH is a promising therapeutic target for bone regeneration and repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With high morbidity and mortality, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) deserves further exploration in its pathogenesis mechanisms for promising prognostic and therapeutic markers. This research was conducted to dig out roles of exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 in HCC. Methods: The level of exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 in HCC tissue and cells was determined by Real‐time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Pull‐down assay and dual‐luciferase reporter assay were performed to identify interactions between ZFPM2‐AS1 and miRNA‐18b‐5p, as well as miRNA‐18b‐5p and PKM. Western blotting was employed to explore the potential regulatory mechanism. Several in vitro assays were conducted in mice xenograft and orthotopic transplantation models to investigate impacts of exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 on HCC development, metastasis, and macrophage infiltration. Results: ZFPM2‐AS1 was activated in HCC tissue and cells, with high enrichment in HCC‐derived exosomes. Exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 enhances the cell abilities and stemness of HCC. MiRNA‐18b‐5p was directly targeted by ZFPM2‐AS1 which triggered PKM expression via sponging miR‐18b‐5p. Exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 modulated glycolysis via PKM in an HIF‐1α dependent way in HCC, promoting M2 polarization, and macrophage recruitment. Furthermore, exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 enhanced HCC cell growth, metastasis, and M2 infiltration in vivo. Conclusions: Exosomal ZFPM2‐AS1 exerted regulatory function on the progression of HCC via miR‐18b‐5p/PKM axis. ZFPM2‐AS1 could be promising biomarker for the diagnosis and therapies of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, isothermal compression experiments are conducted on EA4T steel at 970–1170 °C, with strain rates of 0.01–1.0 s−1 and a strain of 0.2–0.8 s−1. Based on the experimental data, a high‐temperature constitutive model is developed for EA4T steel. The activation energy of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) is calculated to be 383 666 J mol−1, and the correlation coefficient and root mean square error between the results of the constitutive model and experimental results are 0.9943 and 4.6823, respectively. The average grain size for each deformation condition is determined using the linear‐intercept method. The grain growth model widely used in cellular automaton (CA) simulations is found unsuitable for EA4T steel. Therefore, a modified CA model of DRX behavior suitable for EA4T steel is developed. The nucleation rates and solute drag effect coefficients under different deformation conditions are determined. Furthermore, simulations are performed under other deformation conditions using the CA model. The simulated results for the average grain size, microstructure morphology, and DRX fraction agree well with the experimental results. The reason for the deviation between the observed and simulated DRX fractions is also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative differentiation of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and solitary brain metastasis (SBM) contributes to guide neurosurgical decision‐making. Purpose: To explore the value of histogram analysis based on neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) in differentiating between GBM and SBM and comparison of the diagnostic performance of two region of interest (ROI) placements. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: In all, 109 patients with GBM (n = 57) or SBM (n = 52) were enrolled. Field Strength/Sequence: A 3.0 T scanners. T2‐dark‐fluid sequence, contrast‐enhanced T1 magnetization‐prepared rapid gradient echo sequence, and NODDI. Assessment: ROIs were placed on the peritumoral edema area (ROI1) and whole tumor area (ROI2, included the cystic, necrotic, and hemorrhagic areas). Histogram parameters of each isotropic volume fraction (ISOVF), intracellular volume fraction (ICVF), and orientation dispersion index (ODI) from NODDI images for two ROIs were calculated, respectively. Statistical Tests: Mann–Whitney U test, independent t‐test, chi‐square test, multivariate logistic regression analysis, DeLong's test. Results: For the ROI1 and ROI2, the ICVFmin and ODImean obtained the highest area under curve (AUC, AUC = 0.741 and 0.750, respectively) compared to other single parameters, and the AUC of the multivariate logistic regression model was 0.851 and 0.942, respectively. DeLong's test revealed significant difference in diagnostic performance between optimal single parameter and multivariate logistic regression model within the same ROI, and the multivariate logistic regression models between two different ROIs. Data Conclusion: The performance of multivariate logistic regression model is superior to optimal single parameter in both ROIs based on NODDI histogram analysis to distinguish SBM from GBM, and the ROI placed on the whole tumor area exhibited better diagnostic performance. Evidence Level: 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The clinical characteristics and survival of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) with secondary cancer were analyzed to explore the possible risk factors for secondary cancer in MPN patients. Methods: The clinical characteristics of 1060 Chinese patients with MPN were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze the survival. The Cox multivariate regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for developing secondary cancer in patients with MPNs. Results: The 1060 patients with MPN had a median follow‐up of 10 years (range 1–50) and a median age of 55 years (range 21–86), and 497 (45.2%) were male. The proportion of PV, ET, and PMF was 52.2%, 33.5%, and 14.3%, respectively. About 28.1% (298/1060) of 1060 MPN patients died. The median survival times of the PV, ET, and PMF groups were 20, 24, and 12 years, respectively (p < 0.0001). In age‐ and sex‐matched healthy Chinese patients, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) value of developing secondary cancer in MPN patients was 6.41 (95% CI: 4.90–9.48). The median survival time was 14 years in the MPN with secondary cancer group. The Cox multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 65 years (p < 0.0001, HR = 5.027, 95% CI [2.823, 8.952]), MF‐1 (p = 0.001, HR = 2.887, 95% CI [1.503, 5.545]) were risk factors for developing secondary cancer. Conclusions: The survival of MPN patients with secondary cancer was significantly worse than that of patients without secondary cancer. Compared with normal subjects, MPN patients had a 6.41‐fold increased risk of developing secondary cancer, and age ≥ 65 years and MF‐1 were risk factors for developing secondary cancer in MPN patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of biflavonoids in Ginkgo biloba leaves on tacrolimus metabolism. First, the inhibitory effects of five main biflavonoids (amentoflavone, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, bilobetin) in G. biloba leaves on tacrolimus metabolism were investigated in vitro in human liver microsomes (HLM), and the concentration‐dependent inhibition was further calculated. Then the time‐dependent inhibition activities of five biflavonoids were studied and the drug interaction was studied in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Finally, the molecular mechanism of inhibition was explored by molecular docking. The results of in vitro incubation in HLM showed tacrolimus metabolism was strongly inhibited by amentoflavone, ginkgetin, and bilobetin, whose IC50 value was 5.57, 3.16, and 5.03 μM, respectively. The time‐dependent inhibition of the three above biflavonoids at 50 μM was 33.47%–50.89%. In the in vivo study in rats, the AUC0−t and Cmax of tacrolimus increased 3.8‐fold and 2.5‐fold after oral preadministration with amentoflavone. The molecular docking results showed that the inhibitory effect may be related to the formation of hydrogen bonds. The results showed that long‐term combination of G. biloba leaves and tacrolimus may cause drug–drug interactions. This study provided theoretical and experimental basis for rational drug use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic sleep‐related breathing disorder in children. Previous studies showed widespread alterations in white matter (WM) in children with OSA mainly by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), while diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) extended DTI and exhibited improved sensitivity in detecting developmental and pathological changes in neural tissues. Therefore, we conducted whole‐brain DTI and DKI analyses and compared the differences in kurtosis and diffusion parameters within the skeleton between 41 children with OSA and 32 healthy children. Between‐group differences were evaluated by tract‐based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysis (p < 0.05, TFCE corrected), and partial correlations between DKI metrics and sleep parameters were assessed considering age and gender as covariates. Compared with the controls, children with OSA showed significantly decreased kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA) mainly in white matter regions with a complex fibre arrangement including the posterior corona radiate (PCR), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus (IFOF), while decreased FA in white matter regions with a coherent fibre arrangement including the posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), and corpus callosum (CC). Notably, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated the KFA value in complex tissue regions significantly (p < 0.001) differentiated children with OSA from the controls. In addition, the KFA value in the left PCR, SLF, and IFOF showed significant partial correlations to the sleep parameters for children with OSA. Combining DKI derived kurtosis and diffusion parameters can provide complementary neuroimaging biomarkers for assessing white matter alterations, and reveal pathological changes and monitor disease progression in paediatric OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational synergy of chemical composition and spatial nanostructures of electrode materials play important roles in high‐performance energy storage devices. Here, we designed pea‐like MoS2@NiS1.03–carbon hollow nanofibers using a simple electrospinning and thermal treatment method. The hierarchical hollow nanofiber is composed of a nitrogen‐doped carbon‐coated NiS1.03 tube wall, in which pea‐like uniformly discrete MoS2 nanoparticles are enclosed. As a sodium‐ion battery electrode material, the MoS2@NiS1.03–carbon hollow nanofibers have abundant diphasic heterointerfaces, a conductive network, and appropriate volume variation‐buffering spaces, which can facilitate ion diffusion kinetics, shorten the diffusion path of electrons/ion, and buffer volume expansion during Na+ insertion/extraction. It shows outstanding rate capacity and long‐cycle performance in a sodium‐ion battery. This heterogeneous hollow nanoarchitectures designing enlightens an efficacious strategy to boost the capacity and long‐life stability of sodium storage performance of electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of supramolecular chemistry and single‐molecule electronics offers a new perspective on supramolecular electronics, and provides a new avenue toward understanding and application of intermolecular charge transport at the molecular level. In this review, we will provide an overview of the advances in the characterization technique for the investigation of intermolecular charge transport, and summarize the experimental investigation of several non‐covalent interactions, including π‐π stacking interactions, hydrogen bonding, host‐guest interactions and σ‐σ interactions at the single‐molecule level. We will also provide a perspective on supramolecular electronics and discuss the potential applications and future challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the biofuel production potential of Caragana korshinskii Kom., Pediococcus acidilactici and an exogenous fibrolytic enzyme were employed to investigate the fermentation profile, structural carbohydrates degradation, enzymatic saccharification and the dynamics of bacterial community of C. korshinskii silage. After 60 d of ensiling, all additives increased the fermentation quality. The highest lactic and acetic acids and lowest non‐protein nitrogen (NPN) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3‐N) were observed in P. acidilactici and Acremonium cellulase (PA + AC) treated silage. Additionally, all additives significantly increased the ferulic acid content and fibre degradability with the highest values obtained from PA + AC silage. The bacterial community in all silages was dominated by P. acidilactici throughout the entire fermentation process. The bacterial community was also modified by the silage additives exhibiting a relatively simple network of bacterial interaction characterized by a lower bacterial diversity in P. acidilactici (PA) treated silage. The highest 6‐phospho‐beta‐glucosidase abundance was observed in PA‐treated silage at the mid‐later stage of ensiling. PA treatment exhibited lower structural carbohydrates degradation but performed better in lignocellulose conversion during enzymatic saccharification. These results indicated that pretreating C. korshinskii improved its silage quality and potential use as a lignocellulosic feedstock for the production of bio‐product and biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article starts from the service population of long‐term care beds and estimates the spatial distribution of long‐term care beds in the area. At the same time, combined with the spatial distribution of beds in the area, the supply of long‐term care beds is based on the division of service areas. Long‐term care institutions are facilities for the care and care of disabled elderly people. The beds are long‐term care beds, and the clients are mainly elderly people who cannot take care of themselves. The demand for long‐term care beds is mainly related to the number of elderly people. The elderly population in this article mainly refers to the resident population aged 60 and above. Based on the layout map of the resident population aged 60 and above, combined with the area of the administrative divisions of the village committees, the population density of each village committee is calculated to produce a schematic diagram. We use the data connection analysis model and the pattern finding algorithm to optimize the traditional methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play pivotal roles in the preservation and fermentation of forage crops in spontaneous or inoculated silages. Highlights of silage LAB over the past decades include the discovery of the roles of LAB in silage bacterial communities and metabolism and the exploration of functional properties. The present article reviews published literature on the effects of LAB on the succession, structure, and functions of silage microbial communities involved in fermentation. Furthermore, the utility of functional LAB in silage preparation including feruloyl esterase‐producing LAB, antimicrobial LAB, lactic acid bacteria with high antioxidant potential, pesticide‐degrading LAB, lactic acid bacteria producing 1,2‐propanediol, and low‐temperature‐tolerant LAB have been described. Compared with conventional LAB, functional LAB produce different effects; specifically, they positively affect animal performance, health, and product quality, among others. In addition, the metabolic profiles of ensiled forages show that plentiful probiotic metabolites with but not limited to antimicrobial, antioxidant, aromatic, and anti‐inflammatory properties are observed in silage. Collectively, the current knowledge on the roles of LAB in crop silage indicates there are great opportunities to develop silage not only as a fermented feed but also as a vehicle of delivery of probiotic substances for animal health and welfare in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fano resonance in single‐molecule junctions could be created by interaction with discrete and continuous molecular orbitals and enables effective electron transport modulation between constructive and destructive interference within a small energy range. However, direct observation of Fano resonance remains unexplored because of the disappearance of discrete orbitals by molecule‐electrode coupling. We demonstrated the room‐temperature observation of Fano resonance from electrochemical gated single‐molecule conductance and current–voltage measurements of a para‐carbazole anion junction. Theoretical calculations reveal that the negative charge on the nitrogen atom induces a localized HOMO on the molecular center, creating Fano resonance by interfering with the delocalized LUMO on the molecular backbone. Our findings demonstrate that the Fano resonance in electron transport through single‐molecule junctions opens pathways for designs of interference‐based electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of two organic acids on the fermentation of alfalfa silages at different dry matter (DM) contents. Alfalfa was wilted to DM contents of 30% (moderately low) and 38% (normal) and ensiled without additives (control) or treated with 0.6% fresh matter DL‐malic acid (MA) or 0.6% fresh matter citric acid (CA) for 60 days. After ensiling, silages with a normal DM were higher in pH, water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and DM loss (p < 0.05) when compared to silages ensiled at a moderately low DM. The higher DM content also limited proteolysis in silages indicated by lower concentrations of ammonia N (NH3‐N). Compared with the control group, MA and CA‐treated silages had lower pH, lower concentrations of acetic acid and NH3‐N but higher concentrations of lactic acid. The addition of MA and CA reduced DM losses in silages when compared to the control group except for MA‐treated silage at a moderately low DM in which only numerically lower DM loss was observed. Malic acid and CA also resulted in a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially in silages with a moderately low DM. Including MA and CA could promote silage fermentation, limit proteolysis and lipolysis at the lower and medium‐to‐high end of DM contents in alfalfa silages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the correlation of inflammatory cytokines with the treatment response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients. Methods: This study enrolled 86 axSpA patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs). Inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐12, IL‐17A, IL‐21, IL‐23, and IL‐32 were determined in serum samples of axSpA patients before treatment and in HCs after enrollment. All patients received 40 mg adalimumab every 2 weeks for 12 weeks; meanwhile, ASAS40 (40 criteria of the Assessment by the SpondyloArthritis International Society) response rates were evaluated at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. Results: Most inflammatory cytokines were elevated in axSpA patients compared with HCs (all P < 0.05) except for IL‐32 (P = 0.101). In axSpA patients, ASAS40 response rates were 0%, 19.5%, 34.5%, 47.1%, and 56.3% at weeks 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12, respectively. Baseline [interquartile range] IL‐6 (47.3 [32.5‐53.4] pg/mL vs 31.7 [23.0‐50.9] pg/mL, P = 0.005) and IL‐17A (127.9 [90.7‐149.5] pg/mL vs 96.6 [56.1‐112.6] pg/mL, P < 0.001) were higher in axSpA patients with ASAS40 response compared with those without ASAS40 response, while baseline TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐12, IL‐21, IL‐23, and IL‐32 were not different between them (all P > 0.050). Multivariate logistic regression analysis disclosed that baseline IL‐17A (P = 0.037), C‐reactive protein (P = 0.012), and history of TNF inhibitor (P = 0.029) were independently associated with ASAS40 response. Furthermore, baseline IL‐17A, C‐reactive protein, history of TNFi, and their combination had an acceptable to good ability for predicting ASAS40 response. Conclusion: Measurement of pre‐treatment inflammatory cytokine levels is valuable for predicting treatment efficacy of TNFi in axSpA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular electronics provide opportunities to integrate molecular building blocks into electronic circuits, and investigations of the mechanical properties of the non‐covalent interactions are necessary to understand the role of the assembly configuration in the electronic coupling among different assembly blocks. However, the mechanical characterization of supramolecular interactions remains experimentally challenging. We investigated the strain distribution of the supramolecular interactions through a series of single‐stacking junctions. The alpha values exhibit a clear odd‐even effect versus the numbers of thiophene rings. The theoretical calculations demonstrated that a larger rotational barrier of the single‐stacking junctions with an even number of thiophene rings leads to limited torsional freedom and thus a smaller strain distribution. These results provide new insights into the control of supramolecular interactions by the design of the basic molecular building blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is known to play an important role in cerebral ischemia through apoptosis and neuron regulation. Histone demethylase JMJD3, specifically removing the methylation of H3K27me3, is highlighted to attenuate cerebral ischemic injury. However, few studies have explored the interaction between ATF4 and JMJD3 in this disease. Thus, we intended to explore the effect of ATF4 on cerebral ischemia. We first constructed a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and cultured PC12 cells. Specifically, the regulatory function of ATF4 and demethylase JMJD3 on the ischemic injury was explored via using ectopic expression and depletion by determination of modified neurologic severity score, blood–brain barrier, brain water content, apoptosis, infarct size, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Moreover, the interaction among ATF4, JUNB, JMJD3, and ETS1 was assessed by western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and dual‐luciferase reporter gene assay. These data showed that ATF4 and JMJD3 were upregulated in the MCAO model and PC12 cells. In addition, ectopic expression of ATF4 aggravated the ischemic injury through demethylation of JMJD3. Meanwhile, JMJD3 upregulated JUNB expression by inhibiting H3K21me2/3 enrichment and promoted ETS1 expression as well. Altogether, ATF4 could exacerbate cerebral ischemic injury through JMJD3‐dependent upregulation of JUNB/ETS1 expression, suggesting a potential theoretical basis of treatment for cerebral ischemic injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the global pandemic of obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the incidence of cirrhosis associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has greatly increased. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bariatric surgery in obese cirrhotic patients. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. Effectiveness outcomes were weight loss, remission of comorbidities, and improvement in liver function. Safety outcomes were procedural complications and mortality. Results: A total of 15 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Patients with compensated cirrhosis lost weight significantly after surgery, and the percentage of excess weight loss was 60.44 (95% CI, 44.34 to 76.55). Bariatric surgery resulted in remission of NAFLD in 57.9% (95% CI, 27.5% to 88.3%), T2DM in 58.4% (95% CI, 48.4% to 68.4%), hypertension in 53.1% (95% CI, 43% to 63.3%), dyslipidemia in 59.8% (95% CI, 41.1% to 78.5%) of patients with cirrhosis. Bariatric surgery reduced the levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. The incidence of surgical complications in patients with cirrhosis was about 19.2% (95% CI, 11.7% to 26.6%), which was higher than that in patients without cirrhosis (OR 2.67 [95% CI, 1.26 to 5.67]). Patients with cirrhosis had an overall mortality rate of 1.3%, and the mortality rates for compensated cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis were 0.9% and 18.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Bariatric surgery is effective for weight loss, remission of comorbidities, and reversal of liver damage. Although cirrhotic patients have a higher risk of complications and death, bariatric surgery is relatively safe for well-compensated cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Monascus pigments (MPs) produced by the genus Monascus, have been utilized for more than 2000 years in the food industry. In the present study, by submerged batch‐fermentation (SBF), we were able to obtain a mutant strain with a high tolerance of inhibitory compounds generated from rice husk hydrolysate, allowing the production of MPs. RESULTS: The mutant strain, M. Purpureus M523 with high rice husk hydrolysate tolerance was obtained using the atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) screening system, producing 39.48 U mL−1 extracellular total MPs (yellow and orange MPs), using non‐detoxified rice husk diluted sulfuric acid hydrolysate (RHSAH) as the carbon source in SBF. Extracellular MPs (exMPs) production was enhanced to 72.1 and 80.7 U mL−1 in supplemented SBF (SSBF) and immobilized fermentation (IF) using non‐detoxified RHSAH, with productivities of 0.16 and 0.37 U mL−1 h−1, respectively. In addition, our findings revealed that despite having a high RHSAH tolerance, the mutant strain was unable to degrade phenolic compounds. Furthermore, we discovered that inhibitory compounds, including furfural (Fur) and 5′‐hydroxymethyl furfural (5′‐HMF), not only inhibit MP biosynthesis, but also regulate the conversion of pigment components. CONCLUSION: The low‐cost agricultural by‐product, rice husk, can serve as an efficient substitute for MP production with high productivity via IF by Monascus spp. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tangshen formula (TSF) is a traditional Chinese medicine composed of seven medicinal herbs including Astragalus membranaceus, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, Citrus aurantium L., etc. which is used to treat diabetic nephropathy III, IV qi and yin deficiency and stasis syndrome. Most of the studies on TSF are pharmacological and pharmacodynamic experiments. There are few basic studies on its chemical substances, and the effective constituents are not clear. Objective: To analyse the main chemical components of TSF and the absorbed components in rat plasma following oral administration based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Moreover, providing a rapid and valid analytical strategy for simultaneous determination of six components in rat plasma and use it in pharmacokinetic studies. Results: A total of 132 components were identified in TSF, and 44 components were identified in rat plasma after oral TSF, 35 of which were prototype components and nine were metabolic components. A sensitive and reliable LC–MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of six components in rat plasma. The intra‐day and inter‐day precision relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 15%; the accuracy of low, medium and high concentrations ranged from 80% to 120%. The recovery met the requirements and the RSD of the recoveries was less than 15%. Conclusion: A total of 132 components were identified in TSF. The LC–MS/MS quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of morroniside, loganin, notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rb1 and astragaloside IV in rat plasma was established for the first time. The pharmacokinetic parameters are clarified, which can guide the clinical medication of TSF. UPLC‐MS/MS was used in the identification of the chemical constituents in Tangshen Formula and 132 compounds were identified.A sensitive and reliable UPLC‐MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of 6 components in rat plasma.The determination method was used in pharmacokinetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic participant classification is critical in autonomous driving perception. Millimetre wave radio detection and ranging (RADAR) is a cost‐effective and robust means of performing this task in adverse traffic scenarios such as inclement weather (e.g. fog, snow, and rain) and poor lighting conditions. Compared to commercial two‐dimensional RADAR, the new generation of three‐dimensional (3D) RADAR can obtain height information about targets as well as their dense point clouds, greatly improving target classification capabilities. This study proposes a multi‐objective classification method for traffic participants based on 3D RADAR point clouds. First, a 22‐dimensional feature vector of the 3D RADAR point cloud distribution was extracted to describe the shape, discrete, Doppler, and reflection intensity features of the targets. Then, dynamic and static datasets containing five classes of targets were produced, creating a 10k frame. Extensive experiments were conducted to build machine learning classifiers. The experimental results show that the trained classifiers can achieve over 92% classification accuracy when the targets are classified into five groups and over 95% classification accuracy when the targets are classified into four groups. The proposed method can guide the design of safer and more efficient intelligent driving systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing staff are on the front line of providing healthcare that addresses patients' needs. Sleep quality is highly related to work performance and quality of life among nurses. Aims: This study aimed to examine the influence of sociodemographic variables, menopause syndrome, and health‐promoting behaviors on sleep quality in a sample of middle‐aged nurses in China. Methods: A cross‐sectional design was employed. A consecutive sample of 424 nurses was recruited from a university‐affiliated hospital in Bengbu, China. Self‐reported, structured questionnaires, including sociodemographic surveys, the Kupperman Menopausal Index, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, were administered between October 2018 and July 2019. This study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Results: Study participants had a mean sleep quality level of 5.30 points (SD = 3.16), indicating potential sleep problems. The results of regression models showed that menopause syndrome and spiritual growth were important predictors of sleep quality for premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause groups. Conclusion: Middle‐aged nurses with more severe menopause syndrome and less spiritual growth might experience worse sleep quality. Relevance to clinical practice: This study highlights important factors influencing the level of sleep quality in Chinese middle‐aged nurses. Identifying the factors that are associated with sleep quality may help with the development of proper interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study has been conducted on a series of InGaN‐based micro‐light‐emitting diode (μLED) array samples which are achieved using the direct epitaxy overgrown approach on patterned templates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition technique, where the diameters of the μLEDs are 40, 5, and 3.6 μm, respectively. The selective epitaxy approach allows to circumvent the major limitations of conventional fabrication methods of μLEDs which unavoidably introduce dry‐etching‐induced damages. Electrical characterizations are performed on the selective epitaxy overgrown μLEDs as well as conventional μLEDs fabricated using a standard dry‐etching method. For the overgrown μLEDs, the leakage current per μLED is smaller than those of the conventionally mesa‐etched μLEDs. It is worth highlighting that the single 3.6 μm μLED exhibits as low as a leakage current of 14.1 nA at a bias of −5 V. Moreover, in terms of leakage current density, the overgrown μLEDs exhibit much smaller and more consistent leakage than their mesa‐etched counterparts. Operational voltage RC constants also show more favorable to the overgrown devices than the conventionally mesa‐etched μLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate whether the history of lung surgery in patients was associated with poor prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Methods: Clinical data of patients with COVID‐19 in a single‐center were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with and without lung surgery were matched in 1:4 ratio to compare the differences in clinical characteristics, laboratory results, computed tomography findings, treatment regimens, and prognosis between them. Results: Four patients had a history of lung surgery. The time from surgery to COVID‐19 onset ranged from 3 to 10 days, with a median of 6.75 days. The mortality rate in the surgical group was higher than that in the nonsurgical group (25.0% vs. 6.3%). Conclusion: Patients contracting COVID‐19 after lung surgery presented a higher death rate; hence, it is necessary to omit lung surgery in patients with active COVID‐19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main observation and conclusion: Magnifying the controllable directional motions of molecular machines to the macroscopic levels is a significant topic for chemists. Flexible metal–organic frameworks with long‐range order and responsive structural transformation under external stimuli may be an appropriate platform for achieving the target. By taking advantage of the single‐crystal to single‐crystal manner of soft porous crystals, we utilize single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction to directly observe the dynamic structural inversion of a new three‐fold interpenetrated pillared‐layer metal‐organic framework [Co(edba)(bpy)] (MCF‐83, H2edba = 4,4'‐(ethyne‐1,2‐diyl)dibenzoic acid, bpy = 4,4'‐bipyridine). More interestingly, the dynamic inversions of the pillars and layers are selectively guest‐controllable and independent, allowing precise control of the directional shape changes, which is the key of constructing intelligent materials to accomplish a complex task. The mechanism is further studied by combining the X‐ray diffraction analyses, sorption measurements and molecular simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]