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Aims: The morbidity and mortality of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) continue to increase with the accelerating global aging process. During the past decade, the pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, and prognostic prediction of HFpEF have been revolutionized, resulting in new and effective management strategies. Dynamic prognostic assessment facilitates systematic clinical management of patients, and the aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for mortality in patients with HFpEF and to develop a risk prediction assessment model. Methods and reults: Data for the derivation cohort were obtained from three databases, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. The validation cohort was obtained from the Chinese Heart Failure Center database. The β‐coefficient was calculated based on the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) corresponding to each risk factor to construct a mortality risk assessment model. A total of 30 studies were included in the meta‐analysis: 22 prospective cohort studies and 8 retrospective cohort studies, including 34 196 HFpEF patients. Seven predictors of all‐cause mortality in HFpEF patients were derived. Considering the need for feasibility in clinical practice, we performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses and determined the following cutoff values: age > 75 years (RR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.83–2.35; P < 0.001), male sex (RR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.17–1.59; P < 0.001), DM (RR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.11–1.36; P < 0.001), anaemia (RR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.41–1.67; P < 0.001), albumin concentration < 3.2 g/dL (RR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.14–1.47; P < 0.001), AF (RR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12–1.43; P < 0.001), and NYHA class III/IV (RR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.43–1.87; P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for this model was 71.3% (95% CI: 0.696–0.736), with an optimal cut‐off value of 10.75. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.778 and 0.566, respectively. According to this risk score, we divided patients into three risk classes (low, moderate, and high risk), the numbers of patients who died by the end of the 1‐year follow‐up were 23 (1.87%), 82 (5.62%), and 382 (15.52%) in these three groups, and the 5‐year mortality rates were 9.82%, 20.68%, and 43.28%, respectively. Conclusions: This study developed an HF‐DANAS scoring system for the HFpEF mortality risk containing seven predictors, providing clinicians with a simple assessment tool that can help improve clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organolithium reagents, known for their low cost, ready availability, and high reactivity, allow fast cross‐coupling under ambient conditions. However, their direct cross‐coupling with fluoroalkyl electrophiles remains a formidable challenge due to the easy formation of thermo‐unstable fluoroalkyl lithium species during the reaction, which are prone to decomposition via rapid α/β‐fluoride elimination. Here, we exploit heteroatom‐stabilized allylic anions to harness the exceptional reactivity of organolithium reagents, enabling the compatibility of difluoroalkyl halides and facilitating versatile and precise fluorine functionality introduction under mild conditions. In this process, a nickel‐catalyzed difluoroalkylation of β,γ‐unsaturated α‐amino nitrile derived lithium reagents (N‐stabilized allyl lithium reagents) with various difluoroalkyl bromides has been developed, opening a new avenue to access fluorinated compounds through catalytic cross‐coupling of organolithium reagents with fluoroalkyl electrophiles. This approach allows for the efficient and precise construction of secondary C(sp3)−CF2R bonds, previously challenging in transition‐metal‐catalyzed fluoroalkylation reactions due to β‐hydride elimination. The rapid fluorine‐editing of drugs demonstrates the synthetic versatility and utility of this protocol, showing the perspective in modern drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancement of malignant cell immunogenicity to relieve immunosuppression of lung cancer microenvironment is essential in lung cancer treatment. In previous study, we have demonstrated that dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a kind of phytopharmaceutical, is effective in inhibiting lung cancer cells and boosting their immunogenicity, while the initial target of DHA's intracellular action is poorly understood. The present in‐depth analysis aims to reveal the influence of DHA on the highly expressed TOM70 in the mitochondrial membrane of lung cancer. The affinity of DHA and TOM70 was analyzed by microscale thermophoresis (MST), pronase stability, and thermal stability. The functions and underlying mechanism were investigated using western blots, qRT‐PCR, flow cytometry, and rescue experiments. TOM70 inhibition resulted in mtDNA damage and translocation to the cytoplasm from mitochondria due to the disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis. Further ex and in vivo findings also showed that the cGAS/STING/NLRP3 signaling pathway was activated by mtDNA and thereby malignant cells underwent pyroptosis, leading to enhanced immunogenicity of lung cancer cells in the presence of DHA. Nevertheless, DHA‐induced mtDNA translocation and cGAS/STING/NLRP3 mobilization were synchronously attenuated when TOM70 was replenished. Finally, DHA was demonstrated to possess potent anti‐lung cancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these data confirm that TOM70 is an important target for DHA to disturb mitochondria homeostasis, which further activates STING and arouses pyroptosis to strengthen immunogenicity against lung cancer thereupon. The present study provides vital clues for phytomedicine‐mediated anti‐tumor therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Issues relating to certification of the Psycho‐oncology profession require clarification in order to provide high quality comprehensive psychosocial care within oncology. We conducted a survey identifying existing training, professional registration requirements and accreditation programs, at national levels, for the specialty of psycho‐oncology as well as the mandatory presence of this specialist in cancer teams. Methods: This survey was conducted within the International Psycho‐Oncology Society Federation of psycho‐oncology societies and included representatives of each national federated society and some countries not belonging to the Federation. Survey questions were emailed requesting specific details, from the registered contact person, for each country, about psycho‐oncology training, professional registration and accreditation. Results: Of 43 countries contacted (34 Federated and 9 non‐federated members), 39 replied and answered the questionnaire (90, 7%). Disparities were reported between countries, with details indicating differences from having no national program, to quite detailed and legally accredited requirements. The majority of countries had no formally recognized profession of "Psycho‐oncologist," while some countries reported that it is mandatory (or recommended to have) a specialist in psycho‐oncology in cancer centers and, thus, that an accredited, nationally recognized and certified training in this specialty exists. Conclusions: The study underlines the need to create a curriculum for the specialty (certification and accreditation) for the profession of psycho‐oncology. Given the lack of internationally recognized core standards, ideas and proposals for minimum standards of good care and the training required to deliver this, are explored to clarify who may use the designation "Clinical Psycho‐oncologist." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Active and smart food packaging based on natural polymers and pH‐sensitive dyes as indicators has attracted widespread attention. In the present study, an antioxidant and amine‐response color indicator film was developed by incorporating bilirubin (BIL) into the κ‐carrageenan (Carr) matrix. RESULTS: It was found that the introduction of BIL had no effect on the crystal/chemical structure, water sensitivity and mechanical performance of the Carr‐based films. However, the barrier properties to light and the thermal stability were significantly improved after the addition BIL. The Carr/BIL composite films exhibited excellent 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl (i.e. DPPH)/2,2′‐azino‐bis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (i.e. ABTS) free radical scavenging abilities and color responsiveness to different concentrations of ammonia. The application assay reflected that the Carr/BIL0.0075 film was effective in delaying the oxidative deterioration of shrimp during storage and realizing the color response of its freshness through the change of b* value. CONCLUSION: Active and smart packaging films were successfully prepared by incorporating different contents of BIL into the Carr matrix. The present study helps to further encourage the design and development of a multi‐functional packaging material. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic compounds that can respond to external stimuli and exhibit fluorescence changes have drawn increasing attention recently because of their potential applications in intelligent displays, optical data storage, anticounterfeiting, bioimaging, and sensors. Herein, we have synthesized two new organic compounds based on frameworks of anthracene and pyridine groups: 4‐(anthracen‐9‐yl) pyridine (AN9P) and 4‐(anthracen‐2‐yl) pyridine (AN2P). Both compounds, in solution and solid state, including polycrystals and single crystals, display reversible fluorescence transformations under alternate acid and base treatments. AN9P and AN2P solutions could be regulated to emit white‐light luminescence. The photoluminescence of the AN9P and AN2P polycrystals showed fast fluorescence changes with wide ranges (>300 nm) upon alternate acid and base stimuli and still exhibited remarkable fluorescence emission with almost no attenuation after 15 cycles of the reversible process. Both experimental and computational results suggested that the heteroatom nitrogen in the AN9P and AN2P molecules significantly influenced the intra‐ and intermolecular electronic interactions during the reversible protonation and deprotonation processes, resulting in changes in their frontier molecular orbitals and fluorescence emission characteristics. Our results provide a new facile approach to design molecular structures that realize highly dynamic photoluminescence changes in both liquid solution and solid crystal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycaemia‐mediated endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is involved in the occurrence and progression of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients. Previous studies reported that AKT serine/threonine kinase 3 (AKT3) and Bric‐a‐brac/Tramtrack/Broad (BTB) and cap'n'collar (CNC) homology 1 (bach1) participates in endothelial injury and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition. In the present study, we proposed that bach1 regulates AKT3 transcription, thus involved in hyperglycaemia‐mediated EndMT in vascular endothelium. Our results indicated that hyperglycaemia/high glucose increased AKT3 expression and induced EndMT in aorta of diabetic rats and hyperglycaemic human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, inhibition of AKT3 expression reversed high glucose‐mediated EndMT in HUVECs. Further, hyperglycaemia/high glucose augmented bach1 expression in aorta of diabetic rats and hyperglycaemic HUVECs. Furthermore, si‐bach1 countered high glucose‐induced AKT3 expression and EndMT in HUVECs. In addition, the effect of bach1 overexpression is similar to that of high glucose treatment, which was reversed by si‐AKT3. ChIP assays found bach1 enriched in the promoter region of AKT3. Bach1 overexpression augmented AKT3 promoter activity, which lost after specific binding site mutation. Bach1 was involved in hyperglycaemia‐induced EndMT via modulation of AKT3 transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clustering and layering are widely employed in large‐scale wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to alleviate data implosion, reduce transmission delay and improve energy efficiency. It is vital to conduct performance analysis in clustered WSNs for better defining and designing networks. Here, a general analytical framework based on a randomly spacial model is proposed to conduct inter‐cluster interference analysis and physical‐layer security analysis for clustered WSNs. It is assumed that two adjacent cluster heads exchange confidential massage with a passive eavesdropper and the non‐head nodes in clusters could be selected as cooperative jamming (CJ) nodes to disturb the eavesdropper. All mentioned nodes are randomly located in their specific areas. Under the above settings, three scenarios, namely interference, eavesdropping and CJ are considered, and a stochastic geometry tool based on kinematic measure is employed for analysis. Comparing to existing stochastic geometry methods, the proposed analytical framework can handle arbitrarily shaped, disjoint and tiered networks. The results obtained from extensive simulations have verified the rationality of the framework and demonstrated the impact of different parameters on the performance metrics of interest. The comparison with PPP also shows the advantages of this proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to assess the prevalence rate (PR) of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, distress, and fear of cancer progression/recurrence among patients with cancer during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: Studies that reported the PR of six psychological disorders among cancer patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic were searched in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases, from January 2020 up to 31 January 2022. Meta‐analysis results were merged using PR and 95% confidence intervals, and heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using I2 and Cochran's Q test. Publication bias was examined using funnel plots and Egger's tests. All data analyses were performed using Stata14.0 software. Results: Forty studies with 27,590 participants were included. Pooled results showed that the PR of clinically significant depression, anxiety, PTSD, distress, insomnia, and fear of cancer progression/recurrence among cancer patients were 32.5%, 31.3%, 28.2%, 53.9%, 23.2%, and 67.4%, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with head and neck cancer had the highest PR of clinically significant depression (74.6%) and anxiety (92.3%) symptoms. Stratified analysis revealed that patients with higher education levels had higher levels of clinically significant depression (37.2%). A higher level of clinically significant PTSD was observed in employed patients (47.4%) or female with cancer (27.9%). Conclusion: This meta‐analysis evaluated the psychological disorders of cancer patients during the COVID‐19 outbreak. Therefore, it is necessary to develop psychological interventions to improve the mental health of cancer patients during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgG4‐related disease (IgG4‐RD) is an autoimmune disease involving multiple organs with unique pathological features and has high relapse rates after treatment. Identifying patients at high risk of disease relapse for targeted treatment with long‐term and low‐dose glucocorticoid maintenance therapy is crucial for formulating rational treatment strategies. In this study, we conducted a meta‐analysis of relevant articles to explore the risk factors for IgG4‐RD relapse. We searched the Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases and extracted the mean and standard deviation of continuous variables and true‐positive (TP), false‐positive (FP), false‐negative (FN) and true‐negative (TN) rates to construct a 2 × 2 contingency table from dichotomous variables, and hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated from univariate and multivariate analyses. Finally, we identified five indicators (elevated baseline serum IgG4 level, eosinophil count, increased multiple organ involvement, history of allergy and proximal bile duct stenosis) as risk factors for IgG4‐RD relapse. These results provide new ideas and directions for more researchers to study the relapse of IgG4‐RD and offer reasonable suggestions for clinicians to select IgG4‐RD patients for low‐dose glucocorticoid maintenance therapy to reduce their relapse rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organism‐inspired hollow structures are attracting increasing interest for the construction of various bionic functional hollow materials. Next‐generation self‐evolution hollow materials tend to combine simple synthesis, high mechanical strength, and regular shape. In this study, we designed and synthesized a novel dry‐network polythiourethane thermoset with excellent mechanical performance. The polymer film could evolve into a neat and well‐organized object with a macroscopic hollow interior structure after being immersed in an aqueous NaOH solution. The self‐evolution hollow structure originated from a hydrogen‐bonded polymer network, which was later transformed into a network bearing both hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds. The swelling and thickness growth of this material could be controlled by the NaOH concentration and the immersion time. This unique self‐evolution behavior was further utilized to produce a series of macroscopic 3D hollow‐containing molds, which could be potentially applied in the production of smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distance distributions are a key building block in many subfields in mathematics, science and engineering. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for analytically computing the closed form probability density function (PDF) of the distance between two random points each uniformly randomly distributed in respective arbitrary polygon regions. The proposed framework is based on measure theory and uses polar decomposition for simplifying and calculating the integrals to obtain closed form results. We validate our proposed framework by comparison with simulations and published closed form results in the literature for simple cases. We illustrate the versatility and advantage of the proposed framework by deriving closed form results for a case not yet reported in the literature. Finally, we also develop a Mathematica implementation of the proposed framework which allows a user to define any two arbitrary (concave or convex) polygons, with or without holes, which may be disjoint or overlap or coincide and determine the distance distribution numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent control over the handedness of circular dichroism (CD) is of special significance in self‐organized biological and artificial systems. Herein, we report a chiral organic molecule (R1) containing a disulfide unit self‐assembles into M‐type helical fibers gels, which undergoes chirality inversion by incorporating gold nanospheres due to the formation of Au−S bonds between R1 and gold nanospheres. Upon heating at 80 °C, the aggregation of gold nanospheres results in a disappearance of the Au−S bond, allowing the reversible switching back to M‐type helical fibers. The original chirality of M‐type fibers could also be retained by adding anisotropic gold nanorods. A series of characterization methods, involving CD, Raman, Infrared spectroscopy, electric microscopy, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were used to investigate the mechanism of chiral evolutions. Our results provide a facile way of fabricating hysteresis nanoarchitectonics to achieve dynamic supramolecular chirality using inorganic metallic nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photomechanical molecular crystals that expand under illumination could potentially be used as photon‐powered actuators. In this study, we find that the use of high‐quality single crystals of 9‐methylanthracene (9MA) leads to more homogeneous reaction kinetics than that previously seen for polycrystalline samples, presumably due to a lower concentration of defects. Furthermore, simultaneous observation of absorbance and shape changes in single crystals revealed that the dimensional change mirrors the reaction progress, resulting in a smooth expansion of 7 % along the c‐axis that is linearly correlated with reaction progress. The same expansion dynamics are highly reproducible across different single crystal samples. Organic single crystals exhibit well‐defined linear expansions during 100 % photoconversion, suggesting that this class of solid‐state phase change material could be used for actuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Energy efficiency in heterogeneous computing systems has attracted increasing interests due to its economic and environmental impacts during recent decades. Based on power‐aware hardware techniques, such as dynamic voltage frequency scaling, efforts have been made through task scheduling to reduce the total energy consumption for executing a parallel application while maintaining its time efficiency. In this case, energy conscious task scheduling refers to a bi‐objective optimization that aims to minimize the overall completion time (makespan) and the total energy consumption, simultaneously. Existing energy conscious scheduling algorithms conduct energy optimization by means of slack reclamation or a trade‐off function. However, the performance of slack reclamation has been proved to be upper‐bounded and methods relying on trade‐off functions cannot guarantee bi‐objective optimization. In this article, an energy conscious task scheduling algorithm is proposed to tackle the above issues based on the framework of variable neighborhood search. Two neighborhood structures are designed to reduce makespan and the total energy consumption, respectively. Furthermore, a pruning technique is incorporated into the algorithm to accelerate the searching process. Extensive experimental results on both randomly generated and real‐world applications demonstrate that the proposed algorithm improves the time‐efficient schedules on average by 22.4% for the energy consumption and 1.2% for the makespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro/nanomotors are revolutionary miniaturized robotic systems capable of converting diverse energy sources, including light, ultrasound, and thermal heat, into mechanical motion. This fascinating research area is emerging and developing at a rapid pace, demonstrating potential in multiple fields. While their locomotion and momentum capabilities have been explored in medical treatments, including microsurgery and diagnosis, the aspect of converting their intrinsic energies into usable forms remains unexplored. Here, we proposed a novel motor based on composite TiO2‐Au nanowires (NWs), powered by a local electric field generated from ultra‐low ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, to serve as an interactive bioelectric interface with a neural cell. Under a light field, the NW motor achieved highly controllable motion in biological environments and reached the targeted neuronal retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with notable precision. Next, the locally generated electric field was utilized as an electrical stimulus to activate the targeted cell through the calcium ion channel. This is the first study to report on the photoelectric conversion capabilities of a motor being used to provide propulsion force and interactive cues in a biosystem. This motor‐based strategy represents a new approach for the precise and non‐invasive delivery of bioelectrical signals and neuronal activity modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to exhibit life‐like oscillatory motion fueled by light represents a new capability for stimuli‐responsive materials. Although this capability has been demonstrated in soft materials like polymers, it has never been observed in molecular crystals, which are not generally regarded as dynamic objects. In this work, it is shown that molecular crystalline microwires composed of (Z)‐2‐(3‐(anthracen‐9‐yl)allylidene)malononitrile ((Z)‐DVAM) can be continuously actuated when exposed to a combination of ultraviolet and visible light. The photo‐induced motion mimics the oscillatory behavior of biological flagella and enables propagation of microwires across a surface and through liquids, with translational speeds up to 7 μm s−1. This is the first example of molecular crystals that show complex oscillatory behavior under continuous irradiation. A model that relates the rotation of the transition dipole moment between reversible E→Z photoisomerization to the microscopic torque can qualitatively reproduce how the rotational frequency depends on light intensity and polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow organic molecular cocrystals comprised of 9‐methylanthracene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracyanobenzene (9MA‐TCNB) and naphthalene‐1,2,4,5‐tetracyanobenzene (NAPH‐TCNB) were fabricated using a surfactant‐mediated co‐reprecipitation method. The crystals exhibit a narrow size distribution that can be easily tuned by varying the concentration of surfactant and incubation temperature. The rectangular crystals possess symmetrical twinned cavities with an estimated storage volume on the order of 10−10 L. An aqueous dye solution can be incorporated into the cavities during crystal growth and stored inside for up to several hours, confirming the sealed nature of the hollow chambers. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to harness non‐classical crystal growth to fabricate organic molecular crystals with novel topologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: High‐rise buildings are an efficient solution to meet the housing challenges of global urbanization that is happening at an incredible pace. Code‐based seismic design philosophies are aimed at achieving collapse‐prevention under major earthquakes, implying extensive structural damage associated with important losses. A number of high‐performance systems have been investigated for enhancing the resilience of high‐rise buildings whose design is especially challenging due to higher‐mode effects even when a flexural mechanism is formed at the base of the structure. To this end, this paper proposes a new concept consisting of a three‐dimensional uncoupled rocking and shear mechanism system for high‐rise buildings where reinforced concrete (RC) core walls are used as the lateral‐force‐resisting system. The proposed system provides a dual‐mechanism at the base that independently limits both overturning moments (OTMs) and shear forces and thus more effectively mitigates higher‐mode effects. The characteristic mechanics of the proposed system are first studied through an idealized model. A physical embodiment is then designed, detailed, and validated through advanced models and extensive nonlinear dynamic analyses. A 42‐story RC core‐wall building that is located in Los Angeles and was studied as part of the PEER Tall Buildings Initiative is used as a reference structure in this study. Results confirmed that the proposed system eliminates damage at the base of the walls and minimizes the inelastic demands over the height of the building. In a general sense, the proposed concept provides a framework in which the intended dual mechanism can be implemented to a wider range of high‐rise structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South Tianshan on the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is a collisional orogenic belt between the Tarim continent and Ili‐Central Tianshan volcanic arc. The initial time of the collision remains debated, with proposed timing from Early Devonian to Middle Triassic. Almost all the previous studies on this collision were carried out within the South Tianshan Mountains, few within the related basins. End Permian–Triassic thrusts and Jurassic–Cretaceous normal faults were discovered in the northern Tarim Basin where is the southern piedmont of the South Tianshan Mountains after careful and systematic seismic interpretation. The end Permian–Triassic thrusts are constituted by both basement‐involved and thin‐skinned thrusts. They are likely seen as the syn‐collision compressional structures of the South Tianshan collisional orogen. The syn‐collision thrusts constitute the main faults in the study area. Consistent with the Triassic/Permian and Jurassic/Triassic unconformities, two thrusting phases occurred, at end Permian–beginning Triassic and end Triassic–beginning Jurassic, respectively. The Jurassic–Cretaceous normal faults usually arrange into stair‐step or graben‐horst structures in profile and en echelon normal fault zones horizontally. They are attributed as the results of the regional extensional stage in the CAOB. This regional extension stage provides a good constraint for the ending time of the collision between Tarim and Ili‐Central Tianshan blocks. The normal faulting time is revealed by normal fault growth indexes. According to these observed syn‐collision compressional and subsequent extension structures, it can be fairly inferred that the collision between Tarim and Ili‐Central Tianshan was initiated at end Permian, lasted through the Triassic and ceased at end Triassic, and then evolved into the Jurassic–Cretaceous extensional tectonic stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecule (E)‐(5‐(3‐anthracen‐9‐yl‐allylidene)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐[1,3] dioxane‐4,6‐dione) (E‐AYAD) undergoes E→Z photoisomerization. In the solid state, this photoisomerization process can initiate a physical transformation of the crystal that is accompanied by a large volume expansion (ca. 10 times), loss of crystallinity, and growth of large pores. This physical change requires approximately 10 % conversion of the E isomer to the Z isomer and results in a gel‐like solid with decreased stiffness that still retains its mechanical integrity. The induced porosity allows the expanding gel to engulf superparamagnetic nanoparticles from the surrounding liquid. The trapped superparamagnetic nanoparticles impart a magnetic susceptibility to the gel, allowing it to be moved by a magnetic field. The photoinduced phase transition, starting with a compact crystalline solid instead of a dilute solution, provides a new route for in situ production of functional porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A surfactant‐assisted seeded‐growth method is used to form single‐crystal platelets composed of 9‐methylanthracene with two different internal molecular orientations. The more stable form exhibits a photoinduced twisting, as observed previously for 9‐methylanthracene microribbons grown by the floating drop method. However, the newly discovered elongated hexagonal platelets undergo a photoinduced rolling‐up and unrolling. The ability of the rolled‐up cylindrical shape to trap superparamagnetic nanoparticles enables it to be carried along in a magnetic field gradient. The new photoinduced shape change, made possible by a novel surfactant‐assisted crystal growth method, opens up the possibility of using light to modulate the crystal translational motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study describing a novel humidity sensor consisting of dopamine-melanin thin films that form and self-assemble at air/solution interface. Topics include role of humidity in technology and human activities, development of moisture-responsive nanomaterials led by modern technological advances, and characteristics of biomaterial exhibited including ultrasensitivity, fast response and recovery behavior, and good reproducibility.

Aim The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors of bacterial vaginosis among pregnant women. Material and Methods Prospective data from a cohort of 668 pregnant women were used to identify potential risk factors for bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy by Cox proportional hazards regression. Results A total of 204 incident cases of bacterial vaginosis were diagnosed in 274.8 woman-years of follow-up. The bacterial vaginosis incidence rate was 0.74 per 1 woman-year and median prevalence during follow-up was 15.6%. In the adjusted model, changing underwear nearly everyday, miscarriage history, urinary tract infection during follow-up, husbands' education level, and concurrent trichomoniasis and candidiasis remained significantly associated with bacterial vaginosis (adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval were 1.87 [1.26-2.77]; 2.96 [1.96-4.47]; 2.41 [1.05-5.49]; 0.50 [0.32-0.77]; 1.82 [1.02-3.25]; 1.88 [1.30-2.70], respectively). Conclusion Bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy can be affected by many factors, and some are indirectly acting factors. Further prospective studies that include a larger sample size and more information on the development of bacterial vaginosis are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study aims to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with induced abortion among married women in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. Material and Methods A multistage probability sampling method was used to identify a representative sample of 53 652 married women aged 18-49 years in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. All women were interviewed in the form of a standardized questionnaire. Results We found that 32.0% (16 800) of these women had had at least one induced abortion: 21.1% (11 090) of women had had one; 7.6% (3976) of women had had two; and 4.1% (1734) of women had had at least three. The number of induced abortions per 100 pregnancies was found to be 22.0. Multivariate analysis showed that education, the age of a woman at her first marriage, number of total births, number of total pregnancies, and contraceptive methods were significant predictors for induced abortion after controlling for women's current age, employment and family yearly income. Conclusion The study shows that the prevalence of induced abortion is still very high among married women in rural China, and highly effective methods of contraception (sterilization, intrauterine device) decrease women's recourse to induced abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND For a microbial fuel cell ( MFC), the anode material plays a key part in power generation. Modification of conventional carbon-based anode materials is an effective strategy to improve MFC performance. RESULTS Two different zeolites, namely, mobil catalytic materials number 41 ( MCM-41) and NaX, were used to modify graphite felt anodes and compared with unmodified anodes in dual-chamber MFCs. Fourier transform infrared analysis verified that MCM-41 and NaX zeolites were successfully coated onto the bare graphite felt surface. Results showed that NaX zeolite is a favorable, affordable material for anode modification of MFCs. This zeolite improved MFC performance considerably. Its maximum power density (215.3 ± 6.4 mW m−2) and CE value (50.0% ± 2.0%) were 152.1% and 36.2% higher than those of the unmodified anode, respectively. According to scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and the amount of anode biomass, the superhydrophilicity of the NaX zeolite-modified anode was a vital reason for thick anode biofilm formation and accelerated anodic bio-electrochemical reactions. The improved specific surface area of the anode and properties of the microporous NaX zeolite were responsible for the enhancement of MFC performance. CONCLUSIONS Graphite felt anode modified by NaX zeolite resulted in improved power generation by a MFC. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the clinical, enzymological and mitochondrial gene profiles of complex I deficiency in Chinese, clinical and laboratory data of the patients (79 boys, 54 girls) were retrospectively assessed. Activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in peripheral leucocytes were spectrophotometrically measured. The entire mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence was analyzed in 62 patients. Restriction fragment length polymorphism and gene sequencing analyses were performed in 15 families. 91 patients had isolated complex I deficiency; 42 had combined deficiencies of complex I and other complexes. The main clinical presentations were neuromuscular disorders (107 patients) and non-neurological dysfunction (hepatopathy, renal damage and cardiomyopathy; 26 patients). In 32 of 62patients who underwent mtDNA sequencing, 24 mutations were identified in 15 mitochondrial genes. The 12338 T>C, 4833 A>G and 14502T>C mutations were found in 12.9%, 11.3% and 4.8% patients, respectively. Seven patients had multiple mutations. Three novel mutations were identified. Chinese patients with complex I deficiency presented heterogeneous phenotypes and genotypes. Twenty-four mutations were identified in 15 mitochondrial genes in 51.6% patients. mtDNA mutations were more common in isolated complex I deficiency than in combined complex deficiencies. The 12338 T>C, 4833 A>G and 14502T>C mutations were common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel zinc coordination polymers {[Zn(PhCOO)2(bmix)]}n 1 and {[Zn(ada)(bmix)]·(H2O)2}n 2 (bmix = 1,4-bis(2-methylimidazole-1-ylmethyl)benzene, H2ada = adipic acid), were obtained by the hydrothermal reactions of bmix and zinc acetate with two carboxylate anions, respectively. Structural analyses show that complex 1 possess a one-dimensional helix chain structure, 2 takes two-dimensional corrugated (4,4) layer motif. The structural differences of two complexes indicate that organic carboxylate anions play important roles in the formation of such zinc(II) coordination architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: kinetics; organic crystals; phase transitions; photochemistry; photomechanical actuators EN kinetics organic crystals phase transitions photochemistry photomechanical actuators 1 1 1 01/06/22 20220110 NES 220110 B Photomechanical crystals b composed of 9-methylanthracene molecules were investigated by Daichi Kitagawa, Christopher J. Bardeen, Seiya Kobatake, and co-workers in their Research Article (e202114089). Inside Back Cover: Correlating Reaction Dynamics and Size Change during the Photomechanical Transformation of 9-Methylanthracene Single Crystals (Angew. Kinetics, organic crystals, phase transitions, photochemistry, photomechanical actuators. [Extracted from the article]

Darüber hinaus liefert die quantitative Beziehung zwischen molekularer Reaktionskinetik und mechanischer Reaktion in wohldefinierten Einkristallen ein neues Benchmark für die Analyse dieser photomechanischen Materialien. Innenrücktitelbild: Correlating Reaction Dynamics and Size Change during the Photomechanical Transformation of 9-Methylanthracene Single Crystals (Angew. Die Kristalle, die sich unter Beleuchtung ausdehnen, könnten als photonenbetriebene Aktoren verwendet werden. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: crystal growth; crystal engineering; flagella; isomerization; photochemistry EN crystal growth crystal engineering flagella isomerization photochemistry 2739 2739 1 01/28/21 20210201 NES 210201 B Organische Kristall-Mikrodrähte b , die Licht in oszillatorische Bewegung umwandeln, werden im Forschungsartikel auf S. 2444 von Rabih O. Al-Kaysi, Christopher J. Bardeen et al. vorgestellt. Diese Bewegungen können die Drähte mit Geschwindigkeiten antreiben, die durch die Lichtintensität gesteuert werden. Crystal growth, crystal engineering, flagella, isomerization, photochemistry. [Extracted from the article]

In Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs), because of the selfishness of the vehicles, the resource allocation in VANET has become one of the primary tasks. Exploiting the Road Side Units (RSUs), which constructs the Cloud Computing environment, provides more data access opportunities and stable communication time for the vehicles. We investigated the cloud resource allocation for data access with noncooperative game based on a Gauss-Seidel iteration method. We further proposed a repeated game scheme, which can approximately achieve the near Pareto-optimal flow allocation among the vehicles. Considering the vehicles' irrational behavior, a punishment strategy was designed to prevent the vehicles from behavior deviation. The analysis based on these models lays a theoretical method foundation on cloud resource allocation process. The validity of the modeling and the accuracy of the analysis were verified through the extensive simulations, which also guide the future design of more sophisticated cloud resource allocation schemes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films of Ag nanoislands (NIs) were successfully grown on two different transparent conducting oxide coated substrates (indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and indium oxide (In2O3) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flexible film) by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. The morphology of the Ag NIs was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both SEM and TEM confirm the formation of silver NIs. To amplify the localised surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, post‐deposition annealing was performed at 200°C for 30 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere, resulting in tuning the shape and size of the NIs. Optical transmission spectroscopy was performed in the ultraviolet–visible–near‐infrared spectral region to examine the SPR characteristics of the Ag NIs deposited on ITO‐glass and In2O3‐PET. Post‐deposition annealing is found to tune the SPR wavelength and results in strong enhancement of the SPR of the Ag NIs on both ITO‐glass and In2O3‐PET. DC magnetron sputtering and the post‐deposition annealing technique can be applied for the growth of size‐controlled Ag NIs. The result can be applied to the enhancement of the efficiency of organic light emitting diodes and solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented which discusses the methodical adaptation of endoscopic thyroidectomy technique in medical surgery.

The title salt, (C(6)H(11)N(2))(2)[Cd(C(7)H(3)NO(4))(2)], displays a discrete mononuclear structure, in which the central Cd(II) atom is six-coordinated in a distorted octa-hedral coordination geometry by two N and four O atoms from two different pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ate anions in an O(2),N,O(6)-tridentate chelation mode. The crystal packing is stabilized by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.576 (5) Å].

The title compouand {[Zn(C(4)H(4)O(6))(C(12)H(8)N(2))]·6H(2)O}(n), has a linear chain structure parallel to [100] with Zn(C(4)H(4)O(6))(C(12)H(8)N(2)) repeat units; the asymmetric unit consists of one Zn(2+) cation, one l-tartrate dianion, one 1,10-phenanthroline and six free water mol-ecules. The Zn atom is in a distorted octa-hedral ZnN(2)O(4) coordination environment. The crystal structure is stabilized by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking of the phenanthroline units [centroid-centroid distances in the range 3.552 (2)-3.625 (2)Å] occurs between the chains. The title compound is isotypic with the Cu and Mn analogues.

In the pseudo-centrosymmetric mol-ecule of the title compound, C(18)H(16)N(4), two benzimidazole fragments form the dihedral angles of 83.49 (7) and 79.37 (7)°, with the mean plane of the linking butene chain. No classical inter-molecular inter-actions are observed. The porous crystal packing exhibits voids of 85 Å(3).