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SUMMARY: Cassava, a pivotal tropical crop, exhibits rapid growth and possesses a substantial biomass. Its stem is rich in cellulose and serves as a crucial carbohydrate storage organ. The height and strength of stems restrict the mechanised operation and propagation of cassava. In this study, the triple helix transcription factor MeGT2.6 was identified through yeast one‐hybrid assay using MeCesA1pro as bait, which is critical for cellulose synthesis. Over‐expression and loss‐of‐function lines were generated, and results revealed that MeGT2.6 could promote a significant increase in the plant height, stem diameter, cell size and thickness of SCW of cassava plant. Specifically, MeGT2.6 upregulated the transcription activity of MeGA20ox1 and downregulated the expression level of MeGA2ox1, thereby enhancing the content of active GA3, resulting in a large cell size, high plant height and long stem diameter in cassava. Moreover, MeGT2.6 upregulated the transcription activity of MeCesA1, which promoted the synthesis of cellulose and hemicellulose and produced a thick secondary cell wall. Finally, MeGT2.6 could help supply additional substrates for the synthesis of cellulose and hemicellulose by upregulating the invertase genes (MeNINV1/6). Thus, MeGT2.6 was found to be a multiple regulator; it was involved in GA metabolism and sucrose decomposition and the synthesis of cellulose and hemicellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differences in cortical morphology have been reported in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the pathophysiological mechanism of transcriptomic vulnerability in local brain regions remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the morphometric changes of brain regions in early drug‐naive PD patients and uncover the brain‐wide gene expression correlates. Methods: The morphometric similarity (MS) network analysis was used to quantify the interregional structural similarity from multiple magnetic resonance imaging anatomical indices measured in each brain region of 170 early drug‐naive PD patients and 123 controls. Then, we applied partial least squares regression to determine the relationship between regional changes in MS and spatial transcriptional signatures from the Allen Human Brain Atlas dataset, and identified the specific genes related to MS differences in PD. We further investigated the biological processes by which the PD‐related genes were enriched and the cellular characterization of these genes. Results: Our results showed that MS was mainly decreased in cingulate, frontal, and temporal cortical areas and increased in parietal and occipital cortical areas in early drug‐naive PD patients. In addition, genes whose expression patterns were associated with regional MS changes in PD were involved in astrocytes, excitatory, and inhibitory neurons and were functionally enriched in neuron‐specific biological processes related to trans‐synaptic signaling and nervous system development. Conclusions: These findings advance our understanding of the microscale genetic and cellular mechanisms driving macroscale morphological abnormalities in early drug‐naive PD patients and provide potential targets for future therapeutic trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic technology with low weight, high specific power in cold environments, and compatibility with flexible fabrication is highly desired for near‐space vehicles and polar region applications. Herein, we demonstrate efficient low‐temperature flexible perovskite solar cells by improving the interfacial contact between electron‐transport layer (ETL) and perovskite layer. We find that the adsorbed oxygen active sites and oxygen vacancies of flexible tin oxide (SnO2) ETL layer can be effectively decreased by incorporating a trace amount of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4). The effective defects elimination at the interfacial increases the electron mobility of flexible SnO2 layer, regulates band alignment at the perovskite/SnO2 interface, induces larger perovskite crystal growth, and improves charge collection efficiency in a complete solar cell. Correspondingly, the improved interfacial contact transforms into high‐performance solar cells under one‐sun illumination (AM 1.5G) with efficiencies up to 23.7 % at 218 K, which might open up a new era of application of this emerging flexible photovoltaic technology to low‐temperature environments such as near‐space and polar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a subtype of breast cancer with a worse prognosis. Little is known about the relationship between histology and prognosis among different distant metastasis sites (DMS). Our aims were to explore the prognostic value of histologic subtypes in different DMS and screen out specific subtypes with particular DMS that need more attention in HER2+ MBC. Methods: HER2+ MBC patient data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2014. Chi‐squared tests were utilized to compare histologic subtypes in four DMS. The logistic regression analyses were used to control confounding factors. The log‐rank tests were used to analyze the correlation of histologic subtype with disease‐specific survival and overall survival. The survival data was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methods. Results: A total of 1174 HER2+ MBC patients were involved. First, the distribution of histological subtypes varied across metastatic sites, and the proportions of metastatic sites in different histological subtypes were also different. Furthermore, different histological subtypes within specific DMS showed divergent prognoses, and the different outcomes were shown by distinct DMS for specific histological subtypes. Among them, lobular carcinoma (ILC) subtypes showed the worst prognosis in bone metastasis, and lung metastasis predicted the worst prognosis in infiltration duct and lobular carcinoma (IDC‐ILC) subtypes. After further consideration of hormone receptor (HR) status, the IDC‐ILC subtype with liver metastasis in HR+/HER2+ MBC patients and the ILC subtype with bone metastasis in HR−/HER2+ MBC patients proved to be noteworthy. Conclusions: Histological subtypes are involved in determining the heterogeneity of HER2+ MBC patient prognosis, which is helpful to guide the prognosis prediction and monitoring of HER2+ breast cancer patients in clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The robust and stable expression of CD38 in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) blasts makes CD38 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T/natural killer (NK) a potential therapy for T‐ALL. However, CD38 expression in normal T/NK cells causes fratricide of CD38 CAR‐T/NK cells. Here a "2‐in‐1" gene editing strategy is developed to generate fratricide‐resistant locus‐specific CAR‐T/NK cells. CD38‐specific CAR is integrated into the disrupted CD38 locus by CRISPR/Cas9, and CAR is placed under the control of either endogenous CD38 promoter (CD38KO/KI) or exogenous EF1α promoter (CD38KO/KIEF1α). CD38 knockout reduces fratricide and allows the expansion of CAR‐T cells. Meanwhile, CD38KO/KIEF1α results in higher CAR expression than CD38KO/KI in both CAR‐T and CAR‐NK cells. In a mouse T‐ALL model, CD38KO/KIEF1α CAR‐T cells eradicate tumors better than CD38KO/KI CAR‐T cells. Surprisingly, CD38KO/KI CAR‐NK cells show superior tumor control than CD38KO/KIEF1α CAR‐NK cells. Further investigation reveals that endogenous regulatory elements in NK cells lead to higher expression of CD38 CAR than in T cells, and the expression levels of CAR affect the therapeutic outcome of CAR‐T and CAR‐NK cells differently. Therefore, these results support the efficacy of CD38 CAR‐T/NK against T‐ALL and demonstrate that the "2‐in‐1" strategy can resolve fratricide and enhance tumor eradication, paving the way for clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All‐polymer solar cells (all‐PSCs) have promising potential for industrial production due to their superior stability. Recently, the widespread application of the polymerized small molecule acceptor (PSMA) has led to a surge in the efficiency of all‐PSCs. However, the high efficiencies of these devices generally rely on the use of the highly volatile solvent, chloroform (CF). Furthermore, the molecular weights of PSMA are lower than polymer donors, yet their crystallinity is weaker than typical small molecules, making most PSMA‐based all‐PSCs suffer from low electron mobility. To improve device performance and facilitate large scale production of all‐PSCs, it is necessary to enhance electron mobility and avoid the use of CF. This paper investigates the use of sequential processing (SqP) for active layer preparation using toluene as the solvent to address these issues. This work reports 18.1% efficient all‐PSC devices, which is the highest efficiency of all‐PSCs prepared using non‐halogen solvents. This work systematically compares the conventional blend‐casting method with the SqP method using PM6 as the donor and PY‐V‐γ and PJ1‐γ as the acceptors, and compares the performance of binary and ternary blends in both methods. Finally, this work measures the device stability and finds that SqP can significantly improve the photostability of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Local Fitness Method (LFM) and Speaker‐Listener Label Propagation (SLPA) algorithms are widely used to detect overlapping communities in complex networks. The main problem with these two algorithms is that they are extremely sensitive to the setting of the hyperparameters. Previous methods set the hyperparameters of LFM or SLPA based on either empirical values or random choices, resulting in a large amount of computation for adjusting those parameters. To solve this problem, in this paper, a machine‐learning‐based approach is proposed to automatically set the hyperparameters of these two algorithms. Experimental results show that compared with the manual method, automatically setting the hyperparameter using machine learning models can lead to higher‐quality divisions. Furthermore, in comparison to the well‐known hyperparameter tuning method using Bayesian Optimization, the proposed predictive model‐based approach can find suitable para meters for LFM and SLPA much faster, while achieving competitive results in terms of division quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high cost and scarcity of Pt metal limit the large‐scale applicability of the excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. Objective: The current study aims to generate high‐performance HER electrodes with low Pt content. Methods: Nitrogen‐doped carbon support has been produced via hydrothermal and calcination treatments of ZIF‐8 precursor. By applying drop coating, a CN/CC electrode support is fabricated before it is further decorated with Pt nanoparticles to afford a PtZn@CN/CC composite electrode through a cyclic voltammetry (CV) method. Results: In 0.5 M H2SO4 at room temperature, the electrode achieves an HER overpotential of 74 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm–2. When the electrolyte is 1 M KOH, the electrode functions even more favorably with an overpotential of 55 mV under the same experimental conditions. The HER performance increases with a gain in temperature. At 80°C, alkaline overpotential of the electrode becomes 29 mV, much superior to the 20% Pt/C/CC electrode. Conclusion: The study paves the method of feasibly constructing a high‐performance HER electrode with low Pt content. This composite electrode imparts synergistic effects between PtZn nanoparticles and CN support that enhance the electrochemically active surface area while reducing the reaction impedance to provide outstanding hydrogen evolution performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plant disease occurs simultaneously with insect attack. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) modify plant biotic stress response. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pathogens may modify plant volatile organic compound (VOC) production and insect behavior. Nevertheless, such effects are rarely studied, particularly for mesocosms where component organisms interact with each other.Plant‐mediated effects of leaf pathogen (Phoma medicaginis) infection on aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) infestation, and role of AMF (Rhizophagus intraradices) in modifying these interactions were elucidated in a glasshouse experiment. We evaluated alfalfa disease occurrence, photosynthesis, phytohormones, trypsin inhibitor (TI) and total phenol response to pathogen and aphid attack, with or without AMF, and aphid behavior towards VOCs from AMF inoculated and non‐mycorrhizal alfalfa, with or without pathogen infection.AM fungus enhanced alfalfa resistance to pathogen and aphid infestation. Plant biomass, root : shoot ratio, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, salicylic acid, and TI were significantly increased in AM‐inoculated alfalfa. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pathogen significantly changed alfalfa VOCs. Aphids preferred VOCs of AM‐inoculated and nonpathogen‐infected to nonmycorrhizal and pathogen‐infected alfalfa.We propose that AMF alter plant response to multiple biotic stresses in ways both beneficial and harmful to the plant host, providing a basis for strategies to manage pathogens and herbivore pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substantia nigra (SN) free water has been suggested as a good surrogate marker in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its usefulness for diagnosing prodromal PD (pPD) and monitoring disease progression warrants further validation. Objective: The aim was to investigate SN free water values across prodromal and clinical stages of PD. Methods: Four groups were enrolled in this study: 48 healthy controls (HC), 43 pPD patients, 50 de novo PD (dnPD) patients, and 49 medicated PD (mPD) patients. Based on diffusion tensor images, free water maps were calculated, and SN free water values were extracted from the anterior SN (ASN) and posterior SN (PSN). The SN free water values were compared among the four groups, and associations between free water and clinical symptoms were explored. The distinguishing power of PSN free water was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Follow‐up was performed for 14 pPD patients. Results: PSN free water in the pPD group was significantly higher than that in the HC group and significantly lower than that in the dnPD group. Surprisingly, the mPD group showed decreased PSN free water compared to the dnPD group. There was a positive correlation between motor symptoms and PSN free water in the pPD and dnPD groups. Longitudinal analysis showed a significant increase in PSN free water in pPD patients over time. Conclusions: The PSN free water increased from prodromal to early clinical stages, but the trend might be reversed in late disease stages. This biphasic trend should be considered when applying this marker in future studies. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LINKED CONTENT: This article is linked to He et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18093 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18173 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) play an essential role in tumor progression, metastasis, and antitumor immunity. Ferroptosis has attracted extensive attention for its lethal effect on tumor cells, but the role of ferroptosis in TAMs and its impact on tumor progression have not been clearly defined. Using transgenic mouse models, this study determines that xCT‐specific knockout in macrophages is sufficient to limit tumorigenicity and metastasis in the mouse HCC models, achieved by reducing TAM recruitment and infiltration, inhibiting M2‐type polarization, and activating and enhancing ferroptosis activity within TAMs. The SOCS3‐STAT6‐PPAR‐γ signaling may be a crucial pathway in macrophage phenotypic shifting, and activation of intracellular ferroptosis is associated with GPX4/RRM2 signaling regulation. Furthermore, that xCT‐mediated macrophage ferroptosis significantly increases PD‐L1 expression in macrophages and improves the antitumor efficacy of anti‐PD‐L1 therapy is unveiled. The constructed Man@pSiNPs‐erastin specifically targets macrophage ferroptosis and protumoral polarization and combining this treatment with anti‐PD‐L1 exerts substantial antitumor efficacy. xCT expression in tumor tissues, especially in CD68+ macrophages, can serve as a reliable factor to predict the prognosis of HCC patients. These findings provide further insight into targeting ferroptosis activation in TAMs and regulating TAM infiltration and functional expression to achieve precise tumor prevention and improve therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The injection protocol used in previous carotid artery dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) studies varied. Purpose: To investigate the effect of contrast injection protocol and optimize this protocol for carotid artery DCE‐MRI. Study Type: Prospective. Subjects: Digital phantom and seven patients with carotid atherosclerosis. Field Strength/Sequence: 3 T, spoiled gradient recalled echo sequence. Assessment Different injection doses (0.01–0.3 mmol/kg) and effective injection rates (0.01–1 mmol/sec) were tested using a digital carotid plaque phantom considering the contrast pharmacokinetics, DCE‐MRI imaging, contrast variation and flow‐related imaging artifacts, random time delay between the contrast injection and image acquisition, and pharmacokinetic analysis process. For each injection protocol, combining the root mean square relative error (RMSRE) of the measured Ktrans and vP maps within the adventitial vasa vasorum from 10 tested time delays by the root mean square produced RMSREoverall−vv which was used to measure the overall accuracy of the pharmacokinetic parameters. In vivo validation was performed on seven patients with carotid atherosclerosis by imaging them twice using the traditional commonly used protocol and the recommended protocol found by simulation. Statistical Test: Student's t‐test, chi‐square test, and paired t‐test, P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A low region of RMSREoverall−vv with the combination of medium injection dose and low effective injection rate was found. The protocol with injection dose of 0.07 mmol/kg and effective injection rate of 0.06 mmol/sec achieved the minimal RMSREoverall−vv (4.29%), thus was recommended, which showed more accurate arterial input function. Coinciding with the simulation results, this recommended protocol in in vivo experiments produced significantly fewer image artifacts, lower Ktrans and vP (P all <0.05) than traditional protocol which overestimated these parameters in simulation. Data Conclusion: The contrast injection protocol influenced the accuracy of the pharmacokinetics parameter estimation in carotid artery DCE‐MRI. The injection protocol with injection dose of 0.07 mmol/kg and effective injection rate of 0.06 mmol/sec was recommended. Level of Evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy Stage: 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of a diagnostic panel comprising multiple biomarkers has the potential to accurately diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD). However, a panel consisting solely of plasma biomarkers to diagnose PD is not available. This study aimed to examine the diagnostic ability of plasma biomarker panels for de novo PD using novel digital ultrasensitive immunoassay technology. We recruited 45 patients with de novo PD and 20 healthy controls (HCs). The concentrations of plasma α‐synuclein (α‐syn), amyloid β‐42 (Aβ42), Aβ40, phosphorylated tau 181 (p‐tau181), neurofilament light (NFL), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were quantified using the ultrasensitive single molecule array (Simoa) platform. Patients with de novo PD had higher plasma levels of α‐syn and p‐tau181 than HCs, adjusting for age and sex. Plasma levels of α‐syn and p‐tau181 were positively correlated in de novo PD patients. Higher plasma α‐syn levels were significantly associated with worse Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III motor scores, modified Hoehn and Yahr (H‐Y) stages, and increased risk of PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI). Higher plasma p‐tau181 concentrations were linked to worse H‐Y stages. The diagnostic panel using plasma α‐syn and p‐tau181, combined with age and sex, showed good performance in discriminating de novo PD patients from HCs (area under the curve = 0.806). These findings suggest that plasma α‐syn and p‐tau181 together may be a promising diagnostic biomarker panel for de novo PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed, synthesized, and characterized a tri‐block copolymer. Its hydrophobic part, a chain of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) prodrug, was symmetrically flanked by two identical PEG blocks, whereas the built‐in HDACi was a linear molecule, terminated with a thiol at one end, and a hydroxyl group at the other. Such a feature facilitated end‐to‐end linkage of prodrugs through alternatively aligned disulfides and carbonates. The disulfides served dual roles: redox sensors of smart nanomedicine, and warheads of masked HDACi drugs. This approach, carefully designed to benefit both control‐release and efficacy, is conceptually novel for optimizing drug units in nanomedicine. Micelles from this designer polyprodrug released only PEG, CO2 and HDACi, and synergized with DOX against HCT116 cells, demonstrating its widespread potential in combination therapy. Our work highlights, for the first time, the unique advantage of thiol‐based drug molecules in nanomedicine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Corn silk is a very important by‐product of corn production with medicinal value. Corn silk polysaccharide (CSP) is the main active ingredient. In the present study, ultrasound and spheroidization by anti‐solvent were applied to improve the biological activity of CSP. RESULTS: The results showed that ultrasonic degradation improved the α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of CSP by changing its physicochemical characteristics. As the anti‐solvent ratio increased, the particle size of the nanoparticles (NPs) from the spheroidization of ultrasonic‐degraded corn silk polysaccharide (UCSP) gradually increased, and NP‐1 exhibited the highest inhibitory effect of α‐glucosidase. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) results indicated that the enhanced activity might be due to more α‐glucosidase binding sites with NP‐1 compared with no spheroidization. Western blotting results showed that NP‐1 could improve the 2‐[N‐(7‐nitrobenz‐2‐oxa‐1,3‐diazol‐4‐yl) amino]‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose (2‐NBDG) uptake in the L6 cells by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt signal pathway and the translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4). NP‐1 also exhibited excellent stability in different environments. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that ultrasonic treatment and spheroidization processing showed potential applications for improving the biological activity of polysaccharides. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs), as a novel emerging category in heterogeneous catalysis, have exhibited superb activity and selectivity within the scope of many catalytic reactions, originating from their nature of atomic dispersion. However, they are not appropriate for more complicated reactions that benefit from multi‐metal promotion, such as the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR). Atomic pair catalysts can provide a synergistic effect to break the intrinsic activity limit. Herein, inspired by theoretical prediction, a hetero‐paired atomic‐site catalyst (Ni/Fe−N/O−C) was developed for CO2RR. Typically, the trace‐amount‐loaded double‐atom‐site catalysts exhibited outstanding turnover frequencies (≈460 s−1) surpassing reported ones by far. Interestingly, the loaded metal contents of the three M−N/O−C samples were extremely low, and Ni/Fe−N/O−C exhibited greatly improved durability compared with pure Ni−N/O−C or Fe−N/O−C and excellent CO selectivity above 80 % within a broad potential window of −1.4 to −1.7 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode, 99.8 % at −1.5 V). The superb performance of diatomic‐site catalysts was attributed to the adjusted local environment and electron structure of the active center, which could decrease the reaction barrier of *COOH formation. This work presents new insights into manipulating electrocatalytic performance for the development of more sophisticated active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To propose a reconstruction framework to generate accurate T1 maps for a fast MR T1 mapping sequence. Methods: A deep learning–enhanced T1 mapping method with spatial‐temporal and physical constraint (DAINTY) was proposed. This method explicitly imposed low‐rank and sparsity constraints on the multiframe T1‐weighted images to exploit the spatial‐temporal correlation. A deep neural network was used to efficiently perform T1 mapping as well as denoise and reduce undersampling artifacts. Additionally, the physical constraint was used to build a bridge between low‐rank and sparsity constraint and deep learning prior, so the benefits of constrained reconstruction and deep learning can be both available. The DAINTY method was trained on simulated brain data sets, but tested on real acquired phantom, 6 healthy volunteers, and 7 atherosclerosis patients, compared with the narrow‐band k‐space‐weighted image contrast filter conjugate‐gradient SENSE (NK‐CS) method, kt‐sparse‐SENSE (kt‐SS) method, and low‐rank plus sparsity (L+S) method with least‐squares T1 fitting and direct deep learning mapping. Results: The DAINTY method can generate more accurate T1 maps and higher‐quality T1‐weighted images compared with other methods. For atherosclerosis patients, the intraplaque hemorrhage can be successfully detected. The computation speed of DAINTY was 10 times faster than traditional methods. Meanwhile, DAINTY can reconstruct images with comparable quality using only 50% of k‐space data. Conclusion: The proposed method can provide accurate T1 maps and good‐quality T1‐weighted images with high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have examined the neural substrates of intertemporal decision‐making, but few have systematically investigated separate neural representations of the two attributes of future rewards (i.e., the amount of the reward and the delay time). More importantly, no study has used the novel analytical method of representational connectivity analysis (RCA) to map the two dimensions' functional brain networks at the level of multivariate neural representations. This study independently manipulated the amount and delay time of rewards during an intertemporal decision task. Both univariate and multivariate pattern analyses showed that brain activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) and lateral frontal pole cortex (LFPC) was modulated by the amount of rewards, whereas brain activity in the DMPFC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was modulated by the length of delay. Moreover, representational similarity analysis (RSA) revealed that even for the regions of the DMPFC that overlapped between the two dimensions, they manifested distinct neural activity patterns. In terms of individual differences, those with large delay discounting rates (k) showed greater DMPFC and LFPC activity as the amount of rewards increased but showed lower DMPFC and DLPFC activity as the delay time increased. Lastly, RCA suggested that the topological metrics (i.e., global and local efficiency) of the functional connectome subserving the delay time dimension inversely predicted individual discounting rate. These findings provide novel insights into neural representations of the two attributes in intertemporal decisions, and offer a new approach to construct task‐based functional brain networks whose topological properties are related to impulsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 5‐aminoketovaleric acid, as a precursor of the strong photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), mainly enters the mitochondria after entering the cell, and the formed PpIX is also mainly localized in the mitochondria. So at present the research on the mechanism of 5‐aminoketovalerate photodynamic therapy (ALA‐PDT) mainly focuses on its impact on mitochondria. There are few reports on whether ALA‐PAT can affect the endoplasmic reticulum and trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). Aims/Objectives: Here we investigated the effects of ALA‐PDT on endoplasmic reticulum and its underlying mechanisms in high‐risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) infection. Materials and Methods: The human cervical cancer cell line HeLa (containing whole genome of HR‐HPV18) was treated with ALAPDT, and cell viability, ROS production, the level of Ca2+ in the cytoplasm and apoptosis were evaluated by CCK8, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, respectively. The protein expression of the markers of ERS and autophagy and CamKKβ‐AMPK pathway was examined by western blot. Results: The results showed that ALA‐PDT inhibited cell viability of HeLa cells in vitro; ALA‐PDT induced autophagy in HeLa cells ; ALA‐PDT induced autophagy via the Ca2+‐CamKKβ‐AMPK pathway, which could be suppressed by the inhibition of ERS;ALA‐PDT induced ERS‐specific apoptosis via the activation of caspase 12. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that ALA‐PDT could exert a killing effect by inducing HeLa cell apoptosis, including endoplasmic reticulum‐specific apoptosis. Meanwhile, ERS via the Ca2+ ‐CamKKβ‐AMPK pathway promoted the occurrence of autophagy in HeLa cells. Inhibition of autophagy could increase the apoptosis rate of HeLa cells after ALA‐PDT, suggesting that autophagy may be one of the mechanisms of PDT resistance; The Ca2+‐CamKKβ‐AMPK pathway and autophagy may be targets to improve the killing effect of ALA‐PDT in treating HR‐HPV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thymic carcinoma is a rare and highly aggressive mediastinal tumor. Most patients are diagnosed at surgically unresectable stages. Current prospective and retrospective studies have indicated that platinum and anthracycline‐based chemotherapy are the first choice drugs of first‐line therapy for advanced thymic carcinoma. However, there is no optimal treatment after progression for patients who have undergone first‐line and subsequent chemotherapy. Anlotinib, a novel small molecule tyrosine kinase multitarget inhibitor, was approved by the China Food and Drug Administration as a third‐line treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in May 2018. Herein we report a case of an advanced thymic squamous cell carcinoma patient harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion who had previously received multiline therapy, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy as well as antiangiogenic therapy. Also as an angiogenesis inhibitor, anotinib had controlled his mediastinal mass after failure of the apatinib treatment. To date, over 23 months of progression‐free survival (PFS) and six years of overall survival (OS) have been achieved. Compared with apatinib, the adverse reactions have been mild and tolerable and the patient's quality of life has improved. To our knowledge, this is the first report where anlotinib has been effective in controlling the progression of thymic carcinoma. In the multiline treatment of advanced thymic carcinoma, anlotinib appears to show great potential when utilized as a salvage treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are drivers of a subset of lung cancers. In recent years, the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially with EGFR inhibitors, has made rapid progress, and the median progression‐free survival (PFS) of patients with EGFR gene‐sensitive mutations has been significantly prolonged. However, the response effect of some uncommon EGFR mutations to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains unclear. Here, we present a patient with multiple EGFR mutations that highlights tumor heterogeneity leading to a mixed molecular response to targeted drugs and emphasizes the complexity of EGFR‐driven lung cancer. He received chemotherapy and molecular‐targeted treatment including icotinib, afatinib, osimertinib and afatinib + osimertinib. In conclusion, patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring the EGFR S768I and G724S mutations appear less sensitive to icotinib than patients with sensitive EGFR. However, the patient in our report benefited from treatment with afatinib. Here, we hope to provide information for the treatment of rare and compound mutations in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dehydration of primary amides to their corresponding nitriles using four [PSiP]‐pincer hydrido iron complexes 1–4 [(2‐Ph2PC6H4)2MeSiFe(H)(PMe3)2 (1), (2‐Ph2PC6H4)2HSiFe(H)(PMe3)2 (2), (2‐(iPr)2PC6H4)2HSiFe(H)(PMe3)2 (3) and (2‐(iPr)2PC6H4)2MeSiFe(H)(PMe3)2 (4)] as catalysts in the presence of (EtO)3SiH as dehydrating reagent was explored in the good to excellent yields. It was proved for the first time that Lewis acid could significantly promote this catalytic system under milder reaction conditions than other Lewis acid‐promoted system, such as shorter reaction time or lower reaction temperature. This is also the first example that dehydration of primary amides to nitriles was catalyzed by silyl hydrido iron complexes bearing [PSiP]‐pincer ligands with Lewis acid as additive. This catalytic system has good tolerance for many substituents. Among the four iron hydrides 1 is the best catalyst. The effects of substituents of the [PSiP]‐pincer ligands on the catalytic activity of the iron hydrides were discussed. A catalytic reaction mechanism was proposed. Complex 4 is a new iron complex and was fully characterized. The molecular structure of 4 was determined by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disorder. Numerous experimental evidence and therapeutic evidence have shown that the innate immune response is critical for the pathogenesis and development of psoriasis. Mannan‐binding lectin (MBL), a prototypic pattern recognition molecule of the innate immune system, plays an essential role in the host defense against certain infections and also appears to be a major regulator of inflammation. In this study, we investigated the function of MBL on the course of experimental murine imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis. Our data showed that MBL‐deficient (MBL−/−) mice exhibited attenuated skin damage characterized by greatly decreased erythema compared with wild‐type control mice during the early stages of IMQ‐induced psoriasis‐like skin inflammation. The reduced skin inflammation in MBL−/− mice was associated with the decreased infiltration of neutrophils. Furthermore, we have determined that MBL deficiency limited the chemokine CXCL1 production from skin keratinocytes upon IMQ stimulation, which might be responsible for the impaired skin recruitment of neutrophils. Additionally, we have provided the data that MBL protein promotes the IMQ‐induced expression of CXCL1 and activation of MAPK/NF‐κB signalling pathway in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells in vitro. In summary, our study revealed an unexpected role of MBL on keratinocyte function in skin, thus offering a new insight into the pathogenic mechanisms of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effects of Chinese urban residents' consumption habits with income differences on financial asset pricing over the period 1991–2016. With the use of generalized method of moments estimation, the results reveal that the specific values of habit‐formation parameter k eliminate the high‐risk premium puzzle in the standard consumption‐based Capital Asset Pricing Model to a certain extent based on the data of consumption of urban residents at different income levels, the rate of total stock market return, and the risk‐free asset return rate. Moreover, the empirical tests also uncover income differences that cannot explain the risk premium themselves but do reveal that people with different income levels have different attitudes toward risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure‐induced polymerization (PIP) of aromatics is a novel method for constructing sp3‐carbon frameworks, and nanothreads with diamond‐like structures were synthesized by compressing benzene and its derivatives. Here by compressing a benzene‐hexafluorobenzene cocrystal (CHCF), H‐F‐substituted graphane with a layered structure in the PIP product was identified. Based on the crystal structure determined from the in situ neutron diffraction and the intermediate products identified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrum, we found that at 20 GPa CHCF forms tilted columns with benzene and hexafluorobenzene stacked alternatively, and leads to a [4+2] polymer, which then transforms to short‐range ordered H‐F‐substituted graphane. The reaction process involves [4+2] Diels–Alder, retro‐Diels–Alder, and 1‐1′ coupling reactions, and the former is the key reaction in the PIP. These studies confirm the elemental reactions of PIP of CHCF for the first time, and provide insight into the PIP of aromatics. Short‐range ordered H,F‐substituted graphane was obtained by compressing benzene and hexafluorobenzene cocrystals. By using neutron diffraction and GC‐MS, the reaction process and elementary reactions were identified. The reaction process involves [4+2]Diels–Alder, retro‐Diels–Alder, and 1‐1′ coupling reactions, and the Diels–Alder reaction is the key reaction in the polymerization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tin fluorophosphate (TFP) glass, which can be used to manufacture a phosphor‐in‐glass (PiG) for achieving high‐power white light‐emitting diodes (w‐LEDs), has attracted a great deal of attention because of its low‐melting point. Mn2+‐doped ultralow glass transition temperature (~122°C) Sn–F–P–O glasses were prepared to achieve broadband visible light emission from 390 to 720 nm. By controlling the concentration of MnO, the emission color of the TFP glass can be adjusted from blue/cool white to warm white/red. In particular, 0.2 mol% MnO‐doped TFP glass, which yields bright and warm white light and has ultralow glass transition temperature and thermal stability, has a promising application prospect in the field of high‐power w‐LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MP2RAGE can generate uniform T1 -weighted images, which have been used for brain segmentation. However, there remain concerns about carrying out fast brain segmentation.Purpose: To propose an acquisition-based method for fast segmentation of gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of healthy human brains with fluid and white matter suppression (FLAWS) using MP2RAGE.Study Type: Prospective.Subjects: 12 volunteers (23-28 years, seven subjects; 51-62 years, five subjects).Field Strength/sequences: 3T/3D MPRAGE and FLAWS.Assessment: The proposed method was evaluated by calculating tissue volumes and the spatial overlap with the segmentation results from FSL and SPM12. The processing time was recorded.Statistical Tests: A paired t-test was used to compare the tissue volumes of the proposed method with those from other segmentation methods RESULTS: For the 12 subjects, the tissue volume difference between the proposed and SPM12 were 3.2 ± 2.8%, 4.2 ± 2.5%, 18.2 ± 13.1% for GM, WM, and CSF, respectively. The relative difference between the proposed and FSL was over 14% for all tissue classes. The spatial overlap between the proposed and other methods were 87-94% for GM and WM and less than 80% for CSF. The GM and WM volumes of the proposed method were not significantly different from those of SPM12 using MPRAGE as the input (P = 0.5540 and P = 0.3115, respectively). The rest of the comparisons all showed significant differences between the proposed and other methods. Statistical analysis of the two subgroups yielded similar results. The mean processing time of one subject was 6.5, 185, and 165 seconds for the proposed method, FSL, and SPM12, respectively.Data Conclusion: Our method may be accurate for the segmentation of most brain structures using FLAWS. In addition, the proposed method is fast and applicable to the two distinct age ranges.Level Of Evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;48:1540-1550. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare‐earth local environments of Nd:Al2O3‐P2O5‐K2O glass with different P/Al ratios are analyzed using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The echo‐detected field sweep (EDFS) line‐shape change hints at a modification of the local environment around Nd3+ ion by various P/Al ratios. The coordination sphere structure of Nd3+ ion is determined by three and four pulse electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectra. The off‐diagonal signal corresponding to 31P Larmor frequency confirms that the second‐order coordination sphere of Nd3+ ion is almost occupied by P atoms. Al is located at the higher‐order Nd3+ coordination sphere as only diagonal resonance corresponding to the 27Al was detected, the content of which rapidly increases with decreasing P/Al ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urine metabolomics have been used to identify biomarkers for clinical diseases. However, inter‐individual variations and effect factors need to be further evaluated. In our study, we explored the urine metabolome in a cohort of 203 health adults, 6 patients with benign bladder lesions, and 53 patients with bladder cancer (BCa) using liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry. Inter‐individual analysis of both healthy controls and BCa patients showed that the urine metabolome was relatively stable. Further analysis indicated that sex and age affect inter‐individual variations in urine metabolome. Metabolic pathways such as tryptophan metabolism, the citrate cycle, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis were found to be related to sex and age. To eliminate age and sex interference, additional BCa urine metabolomic biomarkers were explored using age and sex‐matched urine samples (Test group: 44 health adults vs. 33 patients with BCa). Metabolic profiling of urine could significantly differentiate the cases with cancer from the controls and high‐grade from low‐grade BCa. A metabolite panel consisting of trans‐2‐dodecenoylcarnitine, serinyl‐valine, feruloyl‐2‐hydroxyputrescine, and 3‐hydroxynonanoyl carnitine were discovered to have good predictive ability for BCa with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.956 (cross validation: AUC = 0.924). A panel of indolylacryloylglycine, N2‐galacturonyl‐L‐lysine, and aspartyl‐glutamate was used to establish a robust model for high‐ and low‐grade BCa distinction with AUC of 0.937 (cross validation: AUC = 0.891). External sample (26 control vs. 20 BCa) validation verified the acceptable accuracy of these models for BCa detection. Our study showed that urinary metabolomics is a useful strategy for differential analysis and biomarker discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The hydroquinone (HQ) and bisphenol A (BPA) type poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN) (HQ/BPA‐PEN) were synthesized through nucleophilic aromatic substitution polymerization from HQ, BPA, and 2,6‐dichlorobenzonitrile (DCBN). The prepared copolymers were characterized by intrinsic viscosity, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and dynamic rheological analysis. The properties of resultant copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and mechanical testing. The results showed that the PEN copolymers exhibited crystallization performance with excellent thermal and mechanical properties. HQ/BPA‐PEN10 was made into films by solution‐casting process and then were treated at different temperatures (200, 260, 280, 300, 310, and 320 °C) for different times (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 h) to investigate the crystallinity. Results showed that when isothermal treatment temperature is 310 °C and isothermal treating time is 4 h, HQ/BPA‐PEN10 showed best properties. At this condition, the melting enthalpy, crystallinity, tensile strength, and elongation at break of the sample is 17.7 J/g, 14.11%, 132.9 MPa, and 6.1%, respectively. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46412. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing tandem junction devices consisting of a bottom cell based on prevailing solar cell techniques such as silicon (Si) or Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGS) combined with a perovskite top cell is one effective approach to improve photovoltaic device performance. An intermediate transparent conducting layer as one component of the tunnel junction connecting the two single devices, at the same time serving as inorganic hole transport material for the perovskite solar cell is one of the key components to realize a perovskite-CIGSe tandem structure. In this contribution, we describe the deposition of p-type Cu2O films at room temperature by magnetron sputtering using nitrogen doping to form a homogenous layer with high transparency and good conductivity, and the modeling of a monolithic perovskite-CIGSe tandem solar cell utilizing this layer. We applied the in-house software RefDex to illustrate the impact of Cu2O on the performance of a tandem device, and calculated the reflection, transmission, and absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum free, solution based routes to the preparation of chalcopyrite absorbers for solar cells promise options in device design and manufacturing that are not provided by the standard vacuum based approaches. In order to fully exploit these options, the precursor should contain neither nanoparticles nor hazardous chemicals, and it should be stable under ambient conditions. In this contribution we report on CuIn(S,Se)2 thin film preparation based on spin coating of an air stable molecular ink containing metal chlorides and thiourea in organic solvents. Several key parameters directly influencing the performance of the resulting solar cells have been identified. Wetting of the glass/Mo substrate has been adjusted by varying the concentration of ethylene glycol butyl ether in the ink. Before annealing in Ar/Se at atmospheric pressure, several cycles of ink deposition and drying can be used to increase the thickness of the precursor stack. Careful balancing of ink concentration, number of precursor deposition cycles, and annealing temperature profile will transform the multi-layer precursor into a sufficiently thick, continuous, large grained film as required for high quantum efficiency, and good red response of the cells. These optimizations aimed at high photo current have already led to an efficiency of 9.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric isomerism in polyacetylene is a basic concept in chemistry textbooks. Polymerization to cis-isomer is kinetically preferred at low temperature, not only in the classic catalytic reaction in solution but also, unexpectedly, in the crystalline phase when it is driven by external pressure without a catalyst. Until now, no perfect reaction route has been proposed for this pressure-induced polymerization. Using in situ neutron diffraction and meta-dynamic simulation, we discovered that under high pressure, acetylene molecules react along a specific crystallographic direction that is perpendicular to those previously proposed. Following this route produces a pure cis-isomer and more surprisingly, predicts that graphane is the final product. Experimentally, polycyclic polymers with a layered structure were identified in the recovered product by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron pair distribution functions, which indicates the possibility of synthesizing graphane under high pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genotoxic drugs constitute a major treatment modality for human cancers; however, cancer cells' intrinsic DNA repair capability often increases the threshold of lethality and renders these drugs ineffective. The emerging roles of HDACs in DNA repair provide new opportunities for improving traditional genotoxic drugs. Here, we report the development and characterization of CY190602, a novel bendamustine-derived drug with significantly enhanced anticancer potency. We show that CY190602's enhanced potency can be attributed to its newly gained ability to inhibit HDACs. Using this novel DNA/ HDAC dual-targeting drug as a tool, we further explored HDAC's role in DNA repair. We found that HDAC activities are essential for the expression of several genes involved in DNA synthesis and repair, including TYMS, Tip60, CBP, EP300, and MSL1. Importantly, CY190602, the first-in-class example of such DNA/ HDAC dual-targeting drugs, exhibited significantly enhanced anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. These findings provide rationales for incorporating HDAC inhibitory moieties into genotoxic drugs, so as to overcome the repair capacity of cancer cells. Systematic development of similar DNA/ HDAC dual-targeting drugs may represent a novel opportunity for improving cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vast range of extracellular polysaccharides are produced by bacteria in order to adapt to and thrive in diverse environmental niches. Many of these polymers have attracted great attention due to their implication in biofilm formation, capsule formation, virulence, or for their potential medical and industrial uses. One important exopolysaccharide, alginate, is produced by various P seudomonas spp. and A zotobacter vinelandii. Alginate is of particular interest due to its role in the pathogenesis of P seudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis patients. Here, we will discuss the genetic organization and distribution of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of this significant polymer. The complex regulatory networks involved in the production of bacterial alginate will be reviewed, including transcriptional, posttranscriptional and posttranslational forms of regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alginate is an important polysaccharide used widely in the food, textile, printing and pharmaceutical industries for its viscosifying, and gelling properties. All commercially produced alginates are isolated from farmed brown seaweeds. These algal alginates suffer from heterogeneity in composition and material properties. Here, we will discuss alginates produced by bacteria; the molecular mechanisms involved in their biosynthesis; and the potential to utilize these bacterially produced or modified alginates for high-value applications where defined material properties are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS) mutant populations of the semi-winter rapeseed cv. Ningyou7 were constructed with high mutant load, to provide a TILLING platform for functional genomics in Brassica napus, and for introduction of novel allelic variation in rapeseed breeding. • Forward genetic screening of mutants from the M2 populations resulted in identification of a large number of novel phenotypes. Reverse genetic screening focused on the potentially multi-paralogous gene FAE1 (fatty acid elongase1), which controls seed erucic acid synthesis in rapeseed. A B. napus BAC library was screened, and loci in a reference mapping population (TNDH) were mapped to conclude that there are two paralogous copies of FAE1, one on each of the B. napus A and C genomes. • A new procedure is demonstrated to identify novel mutations in situations where two or more very similar paralogous gene copies exist in a genome. The procedure involves TILLING of single plants, using existing SNPs as a positive control, and is able to distinguish novel mutations based on primer pairs designed to amplify both FAE1 paralogues simultaneously. • The procedure was applied to 1344 M2 plants, with 19 mutations identified, of which three were functionally compromised with reduced seed erucic acid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Java tea is widely consumed and has multiple health effects. This study established a steam explosion (SE) pretreatment method to prepare Java tea‐leaf powders. The physicochemical, functional properties, phenolic extraction, and antioxidant activity of Java tea‐leaf powders produced by simple and SE‐assisted milling methods were investigated.In comparison with simple milling, SE pretreatment broke the cell wall effectively and reduced the particle size of Java tea‐leaf powders. Steam explosion‐treated powders showed higher values for sensory signals, bulk and tap density, and for the water solubility index. After SE treatment, the adsorption capacities to glucose, soybean oil, and cholesterol of leaf powders were increased by up to 55, 95, and 80% respectively. The extracts from SE‐treated powders also showed higher total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity.Steam explosion treatment is helpful for the improvement of functional properties and antioxidant activity, which can benefit the development and application of Java tea‐leaf powders. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of phosphorus‐chalcogen chelated hydrido iron (II) complexes 1–7, (o‐(R'2P)‐p‐R‐C6H4Y)FeH (PMe3)3 (1: R = H, R' = Ph, Y = O; 2: R = Me, R' = Ph, Y = O; 3: R = H, R' = iPr, Y = O; 4: R = Me, R' = iPr, Y = O; 5: R = H, R' = Ph, Y = S; 6: R = Me, R' = Ph, Y = S; 7: R = H, R' = Ph, Y = Se), were synthesized. The catalytic performances of 1–7 for dehydration of amides to nitriles were explored by comparing three factors: (1) different chalcogen coordination atoms Y; (2) R' group of the phosphine moiety; (3) R substituent group at the phenyl ring. It is confirmed that 5 with S as coordination atom has the best catalytic activity and 7 with Se as coordination atom has the poorest catalytic activity among complexes 1, 5 and 7. Electron‐rich complex 4 is the best catalyst among the seven complexes and the dehydration reaction was completed by using 2 mol% catalyst loading at 60 °C with 24 hr in the presence of (EtO)3SiH in THF. Catalyst 4 has good tolerance to many functional groups. Among the seven iron complexes, new complexes 3 and 4 were obtained via the O‐H bond activation of the preligands o‐iPr2P(C6H4)OH and o‐iPr2P‐p‐Me‐(C6H4)OH by Fe(PMe3)4. Both 3 and 4 were characterized by spectroscopic methods and X‐ray diffraction analysis. The catalytic mechanism was experimentally studied and also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through iterative rounds of genetic diversification and screening or selection, directed evolution has been widely used to engineer relatively simple biosystems such as nucleic acids and proteins with desired functions. In addition, directed evolution has played an important role in engineering more complex biosystems such as pathways and genomes. Since 2013, directed evolution has been further explored for biosystems design with numerous newly developed techniques that have enabled design and engineering of proteins, pathways, and genomes in a much more effective manner. In this review, we will highlight the abiotic biotransformations arisen from directed evolution and novel strategies for continuous evolution in vivo and ultrahigh‐throughput screening. We will also discuss the future challenges and opportunities of applying directed evolution for biosystems design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to surpass the theoretical limitation defined by the Shockley–Queisser equation for photovoltaic solar cells, multijunction devices are needed. Monolithic perovskite‐Cu(In, Ga)(Se, S)2 (CIGSe) tandem solar cells have recently become a hot research topic in photovoltaics because of the emergence of perovskite solar cells with high power conversion efficiency and the development of thin film chalcopyrite CIGSe solar cells with tunable bandgap and low cost manufacturing processes. In this review, some p‐type wide bandgap semiconductors are investigated as intermediate inorganic hole transport materials (IIHTM) and components of a tunnel junction in monolithic perovskite‐CIGSe tandem solar cells, which meet the requirements of band alignment and low‐temperature deposition process. The authors focus on designing a tandem configuration including band alignment, current matching, and optical management, describing some potential candidates of IIHTM owing to their successful implementation in single junction perovskite solar cells and the possibility of application in intermediate layers for tandem devices. Recent progress in the development of inorganic hole conductors is highlighted, and also some of the authors' work on IIHTM and their applications are presented. Finally, future research directions for IIHTM layers and monolithic perovskite‐CIGSe tandem solar cells are presented, with an aim to achieve higher photovoltaic performance than current devices. Potential candidates for inorganic intermediate layers with wide bandgaps as hole transport materials and one component of tunnel junction for the monolithic perovskite‐CIGSe tandem solar cells are reviewed. Several requirements for the fabrication of monolithic tandem devices are discussed in order to facilitate higher photovoltaic performance than in current devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]