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A novel ratiometric fluorescent assay was proposed for protamine and heparin based on blue‐emitting N,P‐doped carbon dots (N,P‐CDs) and green‐emitting Eosin Y. The N,P‐CDs were prepared using arginine as carbon and nitrogen sources according to hydrothermal method with favorable luminescence intensity, photostability, and good reproducibility. And the N,P‐CDs were used as internal reference fluorescence molecules. The anionic Eosin Y was used as fluorescence signal molecule. Protamine with positive group could interact with Eosin Y through electrostatic effect, leading to the fluorescence quenching of Eosin Y. Upon the addition of heparin, heparin was combined with protamine with stronger affinity through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds, which preventing the bonding of protamine with Eosin Y and obvious fluorescence emissions of Eosin Y at 538 nm could be observed. Meanwhile, the fluorescence signal of N,P‐CDs at 420 nm remained stable during the whole process. A good linear range between the fluorescence emission intensity ratio of I538/I420 was obtained for protamine from 0.01 to 40 μg/mL with a low detection limit of 5.6 ng/mL, and heparin from 0 to 35 μg/mL with a low detection limit of 2.5 ng/mL. Moreover, the method was further applied to detection of heparin with satisfactory results in fetal bovine serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale photocatalytic water‐splitting panel reactor system is developed and demonstrated its commercial feasibility. However, water scarcity is one of the leading challenges for the sustainable development of photocatalytic hydrogen generation in a well‐lit area. Here, a water harvesting form air‐photothermal water evaporation‐photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (AWPH) system is devised. The hybrid system comprising carbonized wood (CWx) combined with the hygroscopic salt ZnCl2 and Pt‐modified g‐C3N4 nanosheets (Pt‐CN) as a photocatalyst is developed, in which the carbonized wood has a vertical pore structure that can provide attachment sites for the hygroscopic salt. The water adsorbed by ZnCl2 is driven along the vertical pore channels to the photocatalyst due to the photothermal conversion effect. The bi‐phase interfaces of vapor/photocatalyst/hydrogen produced by the photothermal‐photocatalytic system significantly reduce the interface barrier and substantially lower the resistance to hydrogen transport. CW550 exhibited a water uptake of 0.56 g g−1 and hydrogen yield of 21.99 µmol cm−2 under 100 mW cm−2 illumination at a flow rate of 2 mL min−1 for 5 h and a half at atmospheric pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is an effective phenolic antioxidant that can scavenge hydroxyl radicals and superoxide anions. Herein, the protective effects and mechanisms leading to CGA‐induced porcine parthenogenetic activation (PA) in early‐stage embryos were investigated. Our results showed that 50 μM CGA treatment during the in vitro culture (IVC) period significantly increased the cleavage and blastocyst formation rates and improved the blastocyst quality of porcine early‐stage embryos derived from PAs. Then, genes related to zygotic genome activation (ZGA) were identified and investigated, revealing that CGA can promote ZGA in porcine PA early‐stage embryos. Further analysis revealed that CGA treatment during the IVC period decreased the abundance of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the abundance of glutathione and enhanced the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase in porcine PA early‐stage embryos. Mitochondrial function analysis revealed that CGA increased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels and upregulated the mitochondrial homeostasis‐related gene NRF‐1 in porcine PA early‐stage embryos. In summary, our results suggest that CGA treatment during the IVC period helps porcine PA early‐stage embryos by regulating oxidative stress and improving mitochondrial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research intended to investigate the influence of the operation of both kinds of hysterectomies in the risk of wound infection and the degree of wound dehiscence. Both of them were open field and laparoscope. In this research, we looked into four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library. Research was conducted on various operative methods for hysterectomy in obese patients between 2000 and October 2023. Two independent investigators performed an independent review of the data, established the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and managed the results with Endnote software. It also evaluated the quality of the included literature. Finally, the data were analysed with RevMan 5.3. This study involved 874 cases, 387 cases received laparoscopy and 487 cases received open access operation. Our findings indicate that there is a significant reduction in the rate of post‐operative wound infection among those who have received laparoscopy compared with who have received open surgical procedures (odds ratio [OR], 0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01–0.15; p < 0.001); There was no statistical difference between the rate of post‐operative wound dehiscence and those who received laparotomy compared with those who received open surgical procedures (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.10–1.11; p = 0.07); The estimated amount of blood lost during the operation was less in the laparoscopy group compared with the open procedure (mean difference, −123.72; 95% CI, −215.16 to −32.28; p = 0.008). Generally speaking, the application of laparoscopy to overweight women who have had a hysterectomy results in a reduction in the expected amount of bleeding during surgery and a reduction in the risk of post‐operative wound infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, conductive metal–organic frameworks (c‐MOFs) have drawn tremendous attention for the application in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to their superior conductivity and highly accessible active sites. Herein, a facile method is reported to prepare a series of bimetallic c‐MOFs (NixFe1‐x‐THQ, THQ = tetrahydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone hydrate) by using the smallest benzene‐based ligand with high‐density catalytic active sites for OER. By adjusting the ratio of Ni/Fe, a series of catalysts with optimal electronic structures and adsorption capacity to intermediates, and faster charge transport are obtained. Among them, Ni0.5Fe0.5‐THQ exhibits superior catalytic performances for OER with a low overpotential of 272 mV at 10 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 47.9 mV, and robust operation for 40 h with no detectable activity decay, which is far superior to commercial RuO2, most of traditional MOFs and even some monometallic conductive MOFs. Moreover, both the measured and simulated results manifest that Ni0.5Fe0.5‐THQ can tailor the d‐band center, and induce the directional transfer of electrons, optimizing the rate‐determining step and adsorption capacity to intermediates during OER, thus exhibits superior electrochemical activity. This work not only presents a strategy to fabricate an electrocatalyst with remarkable OER performance but also promotes the development of THQ‐based c‐MOFs for electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) on semiconductor substrates offer this technology improved selectivity on top of other advantages, such as cost efficiency. However, the enhancement factor (EF) based on the semiconductors is still low compared with the noble metal substrates. Here, a new strategy of developing the semiconductor substrates based on aerogels is proposed for the first time. According to the modified Herzberg–Teller coupling rule, TiO2 aerogels are selected as the control object because of their large tunability. The surface area, amorphousness, and surface oxygen vacancy densities of TiO2 aerogels are regulated synergically. Due to the tuning of band structure, including band gap and defect band, multiresonant interband charge transfer (CT) pathways are generated and enhanced CT efficiency. A strong, intrinsically activated SERS effect is generated. Amorphous TiO2 aerogel with the highest surface oxygen vacancies shows a significant EF of 2.42 × 107, and TiO2 aerogels afford the large surface area and more active sites, which is conducive to promoting the adsorption of molecules. The aerogel‐based SERS is demonstrated to have wide applicability for ultrasensitive detection of explosives and organic dyes. The aerogel nanomaterials demonstrated here open a way for the construction of low‐cost and high‐sensitivity SERS substrate materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The GAP model was widely used as a simple risk "screening" method for patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Objectives: We sought to validate the GAP model in Chinese patients with IPF to evaluate whether it can accurately predict the risk for mortality. Methods: A total of 212 patients with IPF diagnosed at China‐Japan Friendship Hospital from 2015 to 2019 were enrolled. The latest follow‐up ended in September 2022. Cumulative mortality of each GAP stage was calculated and compared based on Fine‐Gray models for survival, and lung transplantation was treated as a competing risk. The performance of the model was evaluated in terms of both discrimination and calibration. Results: The cumulative mortality in patients with GAP stage III was significantly higher than that in those with GAP stage I or II (Gray's test p < 0.0001). The Harrell c‐index for the GAP calculator was 0.736 (95% CI: 0.667–0.864). The discrimination for the GAP staging system were similar with that for the GAP calculator. The GAP model overestimated the mortality rate at 1‐ and 2‐year in patients classified as GAP stage I (6.90% vs. 1.77% for 1‐year, 14.20% vs. 6.78% for 2‐year). Conclusions: Our findings indicated that the GAP model overestimated the mortality rate in mild group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microglia are the primary source of transglutaminase 2 (TGM2) in the brain; however, the roles of microglial TGM2 in neural development and disease are still not well known. The aim of this study is to elucidate the role and mechanisms of microglial TGM2 in the brain. A mouse line with a specific knockout of Tgm2 in microglia was generated. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot and qRT‐PCR assays were performed to evaluate the expression levels of TGM2, PSD‐95 and CD68. Confocal imaging, immunofluorescence staining and behavioural analyses were conducted to identify phenotypes of microglial TGM2 deficiency. Finally, RNA sequencing, qRT‐PCR and co‐culture of neurons and microglia were used to explore the potential mechanisms. Deletion of microglial Tgm2 causes impaired synaptic pruning, reduced anxiety and increased cognitive deficits in mice. At the molecular level, the phagocytic genes, such as Cq1a, C1qb and Tim4, are significantly down‐regulated in TGM2‐deficient microglia. This study elucidates a novel role of microglial TGM2 in regulating synaptic remodelling and cognitive function, indicating that microglia Tgm2 is essential for proper neural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In this study we aimed to evaluate the nocebo response rate in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and to explore its influencing factors. Methods: A literature search of the EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted for all articles published up to March 2021. Randomized, parallel‐designed, placebo‐controlled trials on pharmacological interventions for patients with FD were included. A meta‐analysis that utilized random effects to analyze the incidence of adverse events (AEs) among participants who were given placebo was conducted, and the correlation between trial characteristics and the magnitude of the nocebo response rate was analyzed. Results: Altogether, 27 studies including 1866 paitents were deemed eligible and included in the analysis. The total nocebo response rate was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18%–33%). The most frequently reported AEs included nasopharyngitis (9%), constipation (6%), headache (5%), and diarrhea (3%). There were significant differences in nocebo response rates among studies conducted in different country or region, treatment duration, types of medication, sponsorship and different versions of the Rome criteria used for FD diagnosis. While number of centers engaged in the study, types of FD diagnosis and dosing frequency were not significantly associated with the nocebo response rate. Conclusions: Patients with FD exhibit notable nocebo response strength in clinical trials. The researchers should adopt a more careful approach when analyzing the relationships between AEs and interventions in such trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a leading cause of drug‐induced liver injury and acute liver failure, while the detection, prognosis prediction, and therapy for APAP‐induced liver injury (AILI) remain improved. Here, it is determined that the temporal pattern of circulating cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) is strongly associated with damage and inflammation parameters in AILI. CfDNA is comparable to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in predicting mortality and outperformed ALT when combined with ALT in AILI. The depletion of cfDNA or neutrophils alleviates liver damage, while the addition of cfDNA or adoptive transfer of neutrophils exacerbates the damage. The combination of DNase I and N‐acetylcysteine attenuates AILI significantly. This study establishes that cfDNA is a mechanistic biomarker to predict mortality in AILI mice. The combination of scavenging cfDNA and reducing oxidative damage provides a promising treatment for AILI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing a new strategy to realize on‐demand photoreactions with distinguishable signals is highly desirable. Herein, by simply tuning the molecular state, tuned photoreactions with different dynamic signals based on a series of tridentate cyanostilbene molecules (TCS1‐5) are realized. The results show that in the crystalline state, the ordered and densely molecular packing facilitates the successive intermolecular photocycloaddition between adjacent cyanostilbene molecules and causes accumulated stresses within the crystals, which further induces variable photo‐induced mechanical motions such as peeling, bending, twisting, and so on. In the monodispersed solution state, however, the larger distances between TCS1‐5 molecules afford a photo‐induced radical‐assisted intramolecular photocyclization process and give rise to multiple domino photochromic and photofluorochromic behaviors. Based on their distinct yet controllable thermostability and radical colors, photochromic films are fabricated from TCS1@PMMA and TCS1/TFA@PMMA for Morse code and rewritable photopatterning applications, showing excellent photochromism. By coating TCS3 on a piece of plastic bag, the macroscopic mechanical motion is achieved by amplifying the collective molecular motion from the nanoscale up to the macroscopic dimension. The molecular state‐based strategy reveals the regularity between photoreactions and molecular packing and further provides an opportunity to rapidly access controllable photoresponsive systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognosis of thymic epithelial tumors (TETs) currently relies on the commonly adopted WHO classification and Masaoka staging system, which cannot reflect the undefined biological behaviors limiting them as prognostic factors. Methods: In this study, we first identified 40 genes and 179 genes, respectively that were epigenetically upregulated and silenced, corresponding to a total of 509 functionally methylated CpG sites between thymomas and thymic carcinomas by using the TCGA dataset. Results: The methylation β‐values of cg20068620 in MAPK4 and cg18770944 in USP51 were significantly associated with recurrence‐free survival (RFS). In the independent validation cohort, only WHO classification and methylation β‐values of cg20068620 in MAPK4 were independent prognostic factors for RFS in Chinese patients with TETs. A linear weighted model including these two factors was used to calculate the recurrence risk score (RRS). Time‐dependent ROC curve analysis revealed that RRS was overwhelmingly superior to WHO classification for predicting 3‐, 5‐, and 10‐year RFS and Masaoka stage for 3‐ and 5‐year RFS. Conclusions: These results suggested that the methylation site cg20068620 in MAPK4 can improve the accuracy of the WHO classification alone regarding the prognostic value of TETs recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saddle‐shaped hemes have been discovered in the structures of most peroxidases. How such a macrocycle deformation affects the reaction of FeIII hemes with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to form high‐valent Fe‐oxo species remains uncertain. Through examination of the ESI‐MS spectra, absorption changes and 1H NMR chemical shifts, we investigated the reactions of two FeIII porphyrins with different degrees of saddling deformation, namely FeIII(OETPP)ClO4 (1OE) and FeIII(OMTPP)ClO4 (1OM), with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (tBuOOH) in CH2Cl2 at −40 °C, which quickly resulted in O−O bond homolysis from a highly unstable FeIII‐alkylperoxo intermediate, FeIII‐O(H)OR (2) into FeIV‐oxo porphyrins (3). Insight into the reaction mechanism was obtained from [tBuOOH]‐dependent kinetics. At −40 °C, the reaction of 1OE with tBuOOH exhibited an equilibrium constant (Ka=362.3 M−1) and rate constant (k=1.87×10−2 sM−>1) for the homolytic cleavage of the 2 O−O bond that were 2.1 and 1.4 times higher, respectively, than those exhibited by 1OM (Ka=171.8 M−1 and k=1.36×10−2 s−1). DFT calculations indicated that an FeIII porphyrin with greater saddling deformation can achieve a higher HOMO ([Fe(dz2 ,dx2-y2)‐porphyrin(a2u)]) to strengthen the orbital interaction with the LUMO (O−O bond σ*) to facilitate O−O cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of heterojunctions is usually considered as a common strategy to improve charge separation and transfer during the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) process. Originating from the surficial electrical characteristic of Ti3C2 nanosheets and 2D UiO‐66, a novel 2D/2D Ti3C2/UiO‐66 composite is facilely constructed by the electrostatic self‐assembly process for HER. Higher photocatalytic HER efficiency (265.2 μmol h−1 g−1) is achieved for 2D/2D composites compared to both, pristine 3D UiO‐66 (15.89 μmol h−1 g−1) and 2D UiO‐66 (30.2 μmol h−1 g−1), respectively. The formation of a 2D/2D Ti3C2/UiO‐66 Schottky junction is beneficial for photoinduced electron–hole separation and charge transfer. More exposed active sites stemming from the maintained 2D morphology are simultaneously induced, which is also preferable for HER. Experimental and theoretical analysis reveals the prominent performance attributed to effective charge separation and accelerated electron migration from 2D UiO‐66 to Ti3C2 nanosheets with higher electrochemcial active surface area. Herein, a new route for the construction of efficient photocatalytic systems is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) is widely used as a food ingredient. Rosemary extract (containing 40% carnosic acid) exhibited potent antiobesity activity. However, the relationship between carnosic acid (CA) and changes in the gut microbiota of high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced obese mice has not been fully investigated. C57BL/6 mice were fed a normal diet, an HFD, or an HFD containing 0.1% or 0.2% CA for 10 weeks. CA exhibited promising antiobesity effects and caused marked alterations in the gut microbiota of HFD‐induced obese mice. CA caused the prevalence of probiotics and functional bacteria, including Akkermansia muciniphila, Muribaculaceae unclassified, and Clostridium innocuum group, and inhibited diabetes‐sensitive bacteria, including Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes was regulated by CA in a dose‐dependent manner, decreasing it from 13.22% to 2.42%. Additionally, CA reduced bile acid‐metabolizing bacteria, such as Bilophila, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, and Leuconostoc. The results of the linear discriminant analysis and effect size analysis indicated that CA attenuated the microbial changes caused by HFD. The high CA (HCA) group (HFD containing 0.2% CA) exhibited a greater abundance of Verrucomicrobiae (including Akkermansia muciniphila, genus Akkermansia, family Akkermansiaceae, and order Verrucomicrobiales), Eubacterium, and Erysipelatoclostridium, and the low CA (LCA) group (HFD containing 0.1% CA) exhibited a greater abundance of Eisenbergiella, Intestinimonas, and Ruminococcaceae. Our results demonstrate that the antiobesity effects of CA might be strongly related to its prebiotic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates have received more and more attention for their non‐invasive sample collection ability. However, majority of them have poor stability and reproducibility because noble metal is easily oxidized and led to lose SERS activity. Herein, SiO2‐TiO2‐Ag hybrids aerogel (STAHA) material is first applied as a flexible SERS substrate for explosives and dyes long‐term sensitive detection. The sensitive non‐invasive detection of 3‐nitro‐1, 2, 4‐triazol‐5‐one (NTO) residues can be achieved with a limit of 1 × 10−6 m by wiping sample collection method. Meanwhile, similar SERS sensitivity from long‐term (50 days) kept substrates is observed compared with fresh‐made substrates. This long‐term sensitivity is contributed to electronic transfer compensation from TiO2 aerogel. This proposed flexible STAHA enrich the type of SERS substrates, and their long‐term sensitivity can provide a prospective application for trace analyses of explosives and other hazardous residues in criminal forensic, military, and security check. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) protects the former from aggregation and promotes the controlled release of silver ions, resulting in therapeutic significance on cancer and infection. The unique size, shape, pore structure and silver distribution of silver mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Ag‐MSNs) embellish them with the potential to perform combined imaging and therapeutic actions via modulating optical and drug release properties. Here, we comprehensively review the recent progress in the fabrication and application of Ag‐MSNs for combination therapies for cancer and infection. We first elaborate on the fabrication of star‐shaped structure, core‐shell structure, and Janus structure Ag‐MSNs. We then highlight Ag‐MSNs as a multifunctional nanoplatform to surface‐enhanced Raman scattering‐based detection, non‐photo‐based cancer theranostics and photo‐based cancer theranostics. In addition, we detail Ag‐MSNs for combined antibacterial therapy via drug delivery and phototherapy. Overall, we summarize the challenges and future perspectives of Ag‐MSNs that make them promising for diagnosis and therapy of cancer and infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of distributed energy resources integrated in distribution systems leads to an increasing need of continuously and automatically changing the system topology to realize the economic operation of distribution networks. This paper proposes an optimization model of dynamic reconfiguration for distribution networks based on a new method of time series analysis. Equivalent daily curve considering time‐varying nature of distributed generator and load demands is divided by an improved fuzzy C‐means clustering algorithm, where the indicator of section function is set to find the optimal reconfiguration time intervals. The uncertainty of distributed generator outputs and load demands is described by the interval algorithm. Then the affine Taylor expansion is adopted to solve the interval power flow equations. The reconfiguration optimization model is solved with decimal particle swarm optimization algorithm based on loop search. The optimal dynamic reconfiguration of a modified 70‐bus test system with distributed generators is carried out and the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neuronal engagement of the peripheral nerve system plays a crucial role in regulating fracture healing, but how to modulate the neuronal activity to enhance fracture healing remains unexploited. Here it is shown that electrical stimulation (ES) directly promotes the biosynthesis and release of calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) by activating Ca2+/CaMKII/CREB signaling pathway and action potential, respectively. To accelerate rat femoral osteoporotic fracture healing which presents with decline of CGRP, soft electrodes are engineered and they are implanted at L3 and L4 dorsal root ganglions (DRGs). ES delivered at DRGs for the first two weeks after fracture increases CGRP expression in both DRGs and fracture callus. It is also identified that CGRP is indispensable for type‐H vessel formation, a biological event coupling angiogenesis and osteogenesis, contributing to ES‐enhanced osteoporotic fracture healing. This proof‐of‐concept study shows for the first time that ES at lumbar DRGs can effectively promote femoral fracture healing, offering an innovative strategy using bioelectronic device to enhance bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress critically influences carcinogenesis and the progression of melanoma, and aggressive malignant melanoma activity is due to its high metastatic ability. Some findings in several cancer cell lines have indicated that mGPDH, a component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, also modulates oxidative stress. However, the role of mGPDH in melanoma remains elusive. Here, we report that the mGPDH protein level is decreased in human skin melanoma compared to normal skin and decreased in metastatic melanoma compared to primary melanoma. Our in vivo and in vitro experiments indicated that mGPDH depletion accelerated melanoma migration and invasion without affecting proliferation or apoptosis. Mechanistically, we found elevated NRF2 protein levels in human skin melanoma and mGPDH‐knockout (ko) metastatic xenografts in the lungs of nude mice. Moreover, in A375 melanoma cells, the loss of mGPDH‐induced NRF2 expression but did not affect NRF2 protein degradation. Additionally, melanoma metastasis induced by the loss of mGPDH was rescued by the further down‐regulation of NRF2 in vivo and in vitro. Consistently, mGPDH overexpression (oe) depressed NRF2 expression and attenuated the malignant properties of melanoma cells. In conclusion, our findings suggest that mGPDH suppresses melanoma metastasis by inhibiting NRF2 and downstream oxidative signals, highlighting the therapeutic potential of mGPDH for melanoma treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, 9, 9‐bis (4‐aminophenyl)‐2, 7‐dihydroxy‐fluorene (BADHF) was synthesized using methylsulfonic acid as catalyzer by direct condensation. Two kinds of novel multifunctional benzoxazine monomers containing fluorenyl groups and hydroxyl groups (MB‐FH) were obtained from the chemical reaction of BADHF, salicylaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, and ethanolamine (or diethyleneglycolamine) through the adoption of o‐hydroxy‐benzylamine method and one‐step Mannich condensation reaction method. In the traditional three‐step synthesis method, the double bond reduction process took 8–12 h, but in this article, it only took 15 min. The structures of MB‐FH monomers and their intermediates were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The curing behaviors, curing kinetics, and thermal properties of MB‐FH monomers were tested by using a dynamic rheometer, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), FTIR, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The curing induction time can be apparently shortened by the introduction of hydroxyl groups into benzoxazine monomers, and it can catalyze the ring‐opening polymerization of oxazine rings at lower temperatures, and improve the interaction of hydrogen bonds in the structure of polybenzoxazine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report a linear ionic molecule that assembles into a supramolecular nano‐tunnel structure through synergy of trident‐type ionic interactions and π–π stacking interactions. The nano‐tunnel crystal exhibits anisotropic guest adsorption behavior. The material shows good thermal stability and undergoes multi‐stage single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal phase transformations to a nonporous structure on heating. The material exhibits a remarkable chemical stability under both acidic and basic conditions, which is rarely observed in supramolecular organic frameworks and is often related to structures with designed hydrogen‐bonding interactions. Because of the high polarity of the tunnels, this molecular crystal also shows a large CO2‐adsorption capacity while excluding other gases at ambient temperature, leading to high CO2/CH4 selectivity. Aggregation‐induced emission of the molecules gives the bulk crystals vapochromic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the vehicular ad hoc networks, a slotted ALOHA‐based scheme for effective broadcast services is essential to disseminate the control and safety packets since it can avoid the slot collision issues. Existing slotted ALOHA‐based schemes, for example, VeMAC, simply abandon the conflicting slots for all the collided nodes, which leads to a high collision probability and low wireless resource utilization. To address this issue, a logically centralized slotted ALOHA‐based (LC‐SA) scheme is proposed in this article. Different from the traditional slotted ALOHA‐based schemes, the proposed LC‐SA scheme solves the slot release problem and improves the rate of successful channel access. In the LC‐SA scheme, a control node is enabled to reserve time slots for its neighbor nodes. In this way, a collided node within the communication range of the control node will continue to acquire this time slot if a collision is implied, while other collided nodes out of range will release this time slot to prevent another collision. Simulation results in both perfect and imperfect channel conditions are presented. The LC‐SA scheme is verified to have higher throughput than VeMAC, due to more a rapid channel access speed and fewer access collisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious congenital malformations. In this study, we aimed to identify more specific and sensitive maternal serum biomarkers for noninvasive NTD screenings. We collected serum from 37 pregnant women carrying fetuses with NTDs and 38 pregnant women carrying normal fetuses. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation were conducted for differential proteomic analysis, and an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to validate the results. We then used a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to establish a disease prediction model for NTD diagnosis. We identified 113 differentially expressed proteins; of these, 23 were either up‐ or downregulated 1.5‐fold or more, including five complement proteins (C1QA, C1S, C1R, C9, and C3); C3 and C9 were downregulated significantly in NTD groups. The accuracy rate of the SVM model of the complement factors (including C1QA, C1S, and C3) was 62.5%, with 60% sensitivity and 67% specificity, while the accuracy rate of the SVM model of alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP, an established biomarker for NTDs) was 62.5%, with 75% sensitivity and 50% specificity. Combination of the complement factor and AFP data resulted in the SVM model accuracy of 75%, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed 75% sensitivity and 75% specificity. These data suggest that a disease prediction model based on combined complement factor and AFP data could serve as a more accurate method of noninvasive prenatal NTD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a glucose regulation disorder that has significantly enhanced mortality and the global disease burden. The prevalence of T2D has increased worldwide and is higher in the elderly. The function of pancreatic islets decreases with age, which is one important reason for the occurrence of diabetes in the elderly. Recently, peptidome analysis has attracted attention. However, the role of age‐related peptides in pancreatic dysfunction has not been investigated extensively. Here, we conducted a comparison of endogenous peptides between pancreas from adult and aging mice by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). A total of 2,089 peptides originating from 1,280 protein precursors were identified, of which 232 were upregulated and 183 were downregulated in the aging mice (fold change ≥ 2 and p < 0.05), suggesting that the expression of pancreatic peptides in mice varied with age. The molecular weight of most peptides was <3.0 kDa, and the isoelectric point distribution had a bimodal characteristic. Further analysis of cleavage site patterns indicated that proteases cleaved pancreatic proteins according to their rules. Moreover, Gene Ontology and pathway analyses showed that the differentially expressed peptides potentially had specific effects on pancreatic dysfunction. Some differential peptides were located within the domains of precursor proteins that were closely associated with the development of diabetes. We believe that our research may advance the current understanding of pancreas‐derived peptides and that certain peptides may be involved in the etiology of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Inorganic phosphorus (Pi) is an essential element in numerous metabolic reactions and signaling pathways, but the molecular details of these pathways remain largely unknown. In this study, metabolite profiles of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves and roots were compared between six low‐Pi‐sensitive lines and six low‐Pi‐tolerant lines under Pi‐sufficient and Pi‐deficient conditions to identify pathways and genes associated with the low‐Pi stress response. Results showed that under Pi deprivation the concentrations of nucleic acids, organic acids and sugars were increased, but that the concentrations of phosphorylated metabolites, certain amino acids, lipid metabolites and nitrogenous compounds were decreased. The levels of secondary metabolites involved in plant immune reactions, including benzoxazinoids and flavonoids, were significantly different in plants grown under Pi‐deficient conditions. Among them, the 11 most stable metabolites showed significant differences under low‐ and normal‐Pi conditions based on the coefficient of variation (CV). Isoleucine and alanine were the most stable metabolites for the identification of Pi‐sensitive and Pi‐resistant maize inbred lines. With the significant correlation between morphological traits and metabolites, five low‐Pi‐responding consensus genes associated with morphological traits and simultaneously involved in metabolic pathways were mined by combining metabolites profiles and genome‐wide association study (GWAS). The consensus genes induced by Pi deficiency in maize seedlings were also validated by reverse‐transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). Moreover, these genes were further validated in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, in which the glucose‐6‐phosphate‐1‐epimerase encoding gene mediated yield and correlated traits to phosphorus availability. Together, our results provide a framework for understanding the metabolic processes underlying Pi‐deficient responses and give multiple insights into improving the efficiency of Pi use in maize. Significance statement: Metabolite profiling and GWAS were applied to reveal maize low‐Pi response mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry solvent‐free and gel polymer electrolytes were analyzed based on poly[bis(2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy) ethoxy) phosphazene] (=MEEP) with the salts LiBOB, LiPF6, and LiTFSI with regard to stability versus lithium deposition at lithium metal electrodes under dc current flow. Symmetrical cells were used with two lithium metal electrodes. The interfaces were monitored using direct optical microscopy and accompanying intermediate impedance measurements. The results were compared with measurements on a dry polymer electrolyte of dissolved LiTFSI in PEO (Li : EO=1 : 10). The PEO‐based electrolyte and the salt‐in‐MEEP electrolytes have shown a comparable ability of dendrite inhibition. The MEEP based gel polymer electrolytes containing ∼50 wt % of a 1 : 1 mixture of EC/DMC, however, showed a much‐enhanced ability of inhibition towards dendrite formation made evident by increased dendrite onset time (t0) and short‐circuit time (ts) when observed in special visualization cells. This could be explained by an increased lithium ion conductivity, an increased lithium transference number and a lower interface resistance at the interface Li/MEEP gel polymer electrolyte. Among the three different salts investigated in the MEEP based polymer electrolytes, LiBOB and LiTFSI show much better stability at the lithium metal interface as compared to LiPF6 which hints to a more stable and conductive SEI at the Li/MEEP interface with dissolved LiBOB and LiTFSI. For MEEP/LiBOB polymer electrolytes, the dendrites grow directly towards the positive electrode with a fast velocity at the early stage which then decays with time in a later phase. This can be explained by the stress in electrolyte and the 'competitive growth' of dendrite tips. How to suppress dendrite formation? The stabilities of dry/gel polymer electrolytes based on poly[bis(2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy) ethoxy) phosphazene] (MEEP) and PEO, containing different salts (LiBOB/LiPF6/LiTFSI), are analyzed regarding their stability versus Li metal electrodes. Gel polymers with an increased lithium transference number and a lower interface resistance can suppress dendrite formation, with the lithium salt acting as effective solid electrolyte interface builder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of lung cancer in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and to learn the clinical, imaging and pathological features and of lung cancer in IPF. Methods: The study population included consecutive 268 IPF patients. Of them, 46 patients had pathologically or cytologically proven lung cancer. The demographic, clinical, HRCT and pathological features in patients with IPF and lung cancer were analysed and compared with the patients with IPF alone. Results: Of 268 IPF patients, 46 patients were diagnosed as IPF with lung cancer, accounted for 17.16%. 45.65% were adenocarcinoma. Lung cancer located mostly in the peripheral area and lower lobes of lungs consistent with IPF affected area. Old age and heavy smoking were risk factors of lung cancer developing in IPF. Chest pain and haemoptysis were more frequent in IPF patients with lung cancer than without lung cancer (P = .000). Nodular or mass shadows were found only in IPF patients with lung cancer (P = .000). The levels of CEA and CA125 in IPF patients were much higher in IPF patients with lung cancer (P ≤ .001). The median survival time was 36.2 ± 22.7 months in IPF patients, longer than 6.9 ± 3.3 months in IPF patients with lung cancer (P < .001). Conclusions: Lung cancer frequently develops in patients with IPF, which is mainly adenocarcinoma, located in IPF affected area. Chest pain and haemoptysis are potential indicative of lung cancer developing in patients with IPF as atypical nodes or masses located in the peripheral areas and lower lobes on chest HRCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and objective Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis ( PAP) is a rare disease characterized by alveolar filling. YKL-40, a chitinase-like protein produced by macrophages and epithelial cells, is increased in patients with interstitial lung diseases. We aimed to evaluate the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for PAP. Methods A total of 34 patients with autoimmune PAP and 50 healthy controls were studied. YKL-40 was measured by ELISA in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ( BALF). Chitinase coding gene polymorphisms ( CHI3L1−329 and −131) were detected by PCR and pyrosequencing. Correlations between serum YKL-40 levels and disease outcome were analysed. Results Baseline serum and BALF levels of YKL-40 were higher in PAP patients than in controls (286 ± 27 ng/ mL vs 42 ± 4 ng/ mL, P < 0.0001; 323 ± 36 ng/ mL vs 3 ± 1 ng/ mL, P < 0.0001, respectively). Serum YKL-40 levels correlated with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide ( DLCO ) at baseline ( P = 0.002) and over time ( P < 0.0001). Patients with disease progression had higher baseline serum YKL-40 levels than those who remained stable or improved ( P < 0.0001). A baseline cut-off level of 300 ng/ mL was predictive of disease progression ( HR (hazard ratio): 7.875, P = 0.001). The presence of the G allele was associated with higher serum and BALF levels of YKL-40. Conclusion YKL-40 is elevated in serum and BALF of PAP patients, and may be of clinical utility to predict outcome in PAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the phase transformation in glass and the morphology of related nanostructure after femtosecond laser irradiation is of great importance for fabricating functional optics, in which glass crystallization is involved to obtain nonlinear optical properties. We report on the crystallization inside lithium niobium silicate glass induced by fs laser irradiation. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy coupled to scanning transmission electron microscopy ( STEM/ EDS) and transmission electron microscopy confirm a nanoscale phase separation whereby LiNbO3 crystals are embedded in lamella-shaped frames of amorphous SiO2. The obtained nanostructure may have applications in fabricating second-order nonlinear optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An organic/inorganic composite phenolic resin ( CPR) was synthesized via silicon particles in situ composite with water-soluble lignin-phenolic resin. It was observed that silicon particles were uniformly dispersed in the organic matrix. The oxidation activation energies of the pyrolytic products from CPR and commercial phenol formaldehyde resin ( PF) were calculated as 173.3 kJ/mol and 102.4 kJ/mol, respectively, by nonisothermal kinetics method. Dumbbell-shaped silicon carbide nanowires were formed on the surface of the pyrolytic carbon from CPR at high temperature. The oxidation resistance and mechanical properties of the Al2O3-C refractories bonded with CPR were improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recyclable and sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors for the detection of a variety of organic pollutants were fabricated from 3D hierarchical ZnO-Ag hybrids, which were synthesized by an efficient and green approach. The ZnO nanostructure could be controlled by applying a facile organic-chemical-assisted hydrothermal method. The obtained structures were then decorated with different-sized Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on their side surfaces and top ends to construct 3D hierarchical ZnO-Ag nanocomposites for use as multifunctional SERS substrates. The obtained SERS sensor manifested a high sensitivity to rhodamine 6G (R6G) at a low concentration of 1 × 10-13 M and a detection limit as low as 5 × 10-9 M for the organic herbicide 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Moreover, because of the good, stable photocatalytic properties of this exotic 3D hierarchical structure, the ZnO-Ag hybrids could self-clean under UV irradiation; this allowed repeatable SERS detection of many organic pollutants over more than three cycles with tolerable intensity attenuation. Finally, the unique repeatable detection of the organic dye R6G and the persistent organic pollutant (POP) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) demonstrates a new route to eliminate the single-use problem of traditional SERS substrates and suggests promising applications of such materials as real-time online sensors for organic pollutant detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of fluorene diamine-based benzoxazine monomers are prepared from the reaction of 9,9-bis-(4-aminophenyl)-fluorene with paraformaldehyde and unsubstituted or substituted phenols. Unsubstituted and substituted phenol-based benzoxazines show different polymerization behaviors and give polymers with different thermal properties. The ortho and para positions on the phenol for benzoxazines based on phenol and m-cresol could concurrently participate in the crosslinking reaction during thermal ring-opening polymerization to form Mannich and methylene bridges at high temperature. The glass-transition temperature and thermal stability of the resulting polymers are much higher than those of other substituted phenol-based polybenzoxazines and bisphenol fluorene-based polybenzoxazines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospect of 65"+ high-resolution TVs was assessed by analyzing the sizes of mainstream living rooms in China. Quantitative data analysis shows that 65-77" high resolution TVs, which can fit into typical apartment elevators for transportation, are well suited for wall decoration and provide excellent visual experience at the meantime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methodology Results Conclusions Angiogenesis is a key event in the successful healing of pulp injuries, and hypoxia is the main stimulator of pulpal angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effect of hypoxia on the proangiogenic potential of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and the role of miR‐143‐5p in the process.Human dental pulp stem cells were isolated, cultured and characterized in vitro. Cobalt chloride (CoCl2) was used to induce hypoxia in hDPSCs. CCK‐8 and Transwell assays were used to determine the effect of hypoxia on hDPSCs proliferation and migration. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), Western blotting (WB) and ELISA were performed to assess the mRNA and protein levels of HIF‐1α and angiogenic cytokines in hDPSCs. The effect of hypoxia on hDPSCs proangiogenic potential was measured in vitro using Matrigel tube formation and chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays. Recombinant lentiviral vectors were constructed to stably overexpress or inhibit miR‐143‐5p in hDPSCs, and the proangiogenic effects were assessed using qRT‐PCR, WB, and tube formation assays. miR‐143‐5p target genes were identified and verified using bioinformatics prediction tools, dual‐luciferase reporter assays and RNA pull‐down experiments. Finally, a subcutaneous transplantation model in nude mice was used to determine the effects of hypoxia treatment and miR‐143‐5p overexpression/inhibition in hDPSCs in dental pulp regeneration.Hypoxia promotes hDPSCs proliferation, migration and proangiogenic potential. The in vivo experiments showed that hypoxia treatment (50 and 100 μM CoCl2) promoted pulp angiogenesis and dentine formation. In contrast to the levels of proangiogenic factors, miR‐143‐5p levels decreased with increasing CoCl2 concentration. miR‐143‐5p inhibition significantly promoted proangiogenic potential of hDPSCs, whereas miR‐143‐5p overexpression inhibited angiogenesis in vitro. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay identified retinoic acid receptor‐related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) as an miR‐143‐5p target gene in hDPSCs. RNA pull‐down experiments demonstrated that HIF‐1α and RORA were pulled down by biotin‐labelled miR‐143‐5p, and the levels of HIF‐1α and RORA bound to miR‐143‐5p in the hypoxia group were lower than those in the normoxia group. Inhibition of miR‐143‐5p expression in hDPSCs promoted ectopic dental pulp tissue regeneration.CoCl2‐induced hypoxia promotes hDPSCs‐driven paracrine angiogenesis and pulp regeneration. The inhibition of miR‐143‐5p upregulates the proangiogenic potential of hDPSCs under hypoxic conditions by directly targeting HIF‐1α and RORA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of energy storage systems (ESSs) has received increasing attention due to the environmental degradation and fossil fuel shortage. In this study, a highly reversible sulfur‐graphite dual‐ion battery is developed, in which sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (S@PAN) is used as the anodic material. Compared with a graphite (372 mAh g−1) or aluminum (structural instability) anode in a dual‐ion battery, this anodic material exhibits an excellent structural stability and a high specific capacity during lithiation or delithiation. Statistically, a considerable specific capacity of 750 mAh g−1 when calculated based on the weight of S@PAN over a voltage plateau of ≈2 V with only a 7% capacity loss is achieved after 50 cycles at 100 mA g−1 and shows an attractive rate performance at different current densities. This sulfur‐graphite dual‐ion battery is considered to become a promising ESS candidate. A dual‐ion battery is developed using sulfurized polyacrylonitrile as the anode. It is shown to provide a high discharge voltage (≈2 V) and can deliver a capacity of ≈750 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of 93% after 50 charge–discharge cycles at 100 mA g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]