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Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has developed as an eco‐friendly photovoltaic candidate owing to its non‐toxic composition and exceptional optoelectronic properties. However, the toxic and parasitic light‐absorbing CdS are widely used as electron transport layer (ETL) in Sb2Se3 solar cells, which severely limits its development. Herein, an alternative, zinc tin oxide (ZTO) ETL with varying composition‐dependent energy structure is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique and used for constructing Cd‐free Sb2Se3 solar cells. It has been found that the ZTO ETL possessing an appropriate Zn/Sn ratio can alter the Sb2Se3/ZTO heterojunction band alignment to an ideal "spike‐like" arrangement. It not only suppresses the accumulation and recombination of charge carriers at the interface, but also effectively enhances carrier transport. In addition, thanks to the formation of passivated Sb2O3 ultra‐thin layer upon ALD process, the non‐radiative recombination within bulk Sb2Se3 can be effectively suppressed, and therefore enhancing carrier lifetime, extraction efficiency, and collection efficiency. Consequently, the as‐fabricated Mo/Sb2Se3/ZTO/ITO/Ag thin‐film solar cell demonstrates an impressive efficiency of 8.63%. This accomplishment establishes it as the most efficient Cd‐free Sb2Se3 solar cell to date, underscoring the significant advantages of incorporating ZTO ETL in the development of Sb2Se3 photovoltaic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs) are regarded as a promising option for high‐energy‐density storage systems. However, lithium dendrite growth in LMBs can damage electrolytes and cause short circuits, which severely limits the practical application of LMBs. It is highly desired to develop an advanced polymer electrolyte with self‐healing capability and the ability to inhibit the growth of lithium dendrites for enhancing safety and prolonging the cycle life of the LMBs. Herein, sp3 boron‐based single‐ion conductor polymer electrolytes (B‐SIPEs) with excellent self‐healing capability and interfacial stability are constructed. The rapid bond exchange reactions of dynamic borate anions enable B‐SIPE to fast self‐heal in mild conditions, with a high self‐healing efficiency of 87% within 30 min at an ambient temperature. In particular, B‐SIPE displays a high Li+ transference number (0.88) and excellent lithium dendrite inhibition ability. The Li|B‐SIPE|Li cells exhibit a stable overpotential over 2000 h without short‐circuit. Additionally, the LiFePO4||Li cells with B‐SIPE exhibit superior long‐term cycling performance, with 93.5% capacity retention for 500 cycles. Significantly, B‐SIPE is capable of self‐healing the fracture in LiFePO4||Li cells and recovering the battery performance. These results demonstrate that the advanced self‐healing single‐ion conductor polymer electrolytes effectively promote the reliability and safety of LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing cost‐effective and high‐active electrocatalysts is vital to enhance the electrocatalytic performance for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, traditional pyrolysis methods require complicated procedures, exact temperatures, and long reaction times, leading to high costs and low yields of electrocatalysts in potential industrial applications. Herein, a rapid and economic laser‐induced preparation strategy is proposed to synthesize three bimetallic sulfide/oxide composites (MMoOS, M=Fe, Co, and Ni) on a nickel foam (NF) substrate. A focused CO2 laser with high energy is applied to decompose Anderson‐type polyoxometalate (POM)‐based precursors, enabling the creation of abundant heteropore and defective structures in the MMoOS composites that have multi‐components of MS/Mo4O11/MoS2. Remarkably, owing to the structural interactions between the active species, FeMoOS shows superior electrocatalytic performance for OER in an alkaline medium, exhibiting a low overpotential of 240 mV at 50 mA cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 79 mV dec−1, and good durability for 80 h. Physical characterizations after OER imply that partially dissolved Mo‐based species and new‐formed NiO/NiOOH can effectively uncover abundant active sites, fasten charge transfer, and modify defective structures. This work provides a rapid laser‐induced irradiation method for the synthesis of POM‐derived nanocomposites as promoted electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized light (CPL) detection is of great significance in various applications such as drug identification, sensing and imaging. Atomically precise chiral metal nanoclusters with intense circular dichroism (CD) signals are promising candidates for CPL detection, which can further facilitate device miniaturization and integration. Herein, we report the preparation of a pair of optically active chiral silver nanoclusters [Ag7(R/S‐DMA)2(dpppy)3] (BF4)3 (R/S‐Ag7) for direct CPL detection. The crystal structure and molecular formula of R/S‐Ag7 clusters are confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and high‐resolution mass spectrometry. R/S‐Ag7 clusters exhibit strong CD spectra and CPL both in solution and solid states. When used as the photoactive materials in photodetectors, R/S‐Ag7 enables effective discrimination between left‐handed circularly polarized and right‐handed circularly polarized light at 520 nm with short response time, high responsivity and considerable discrimination ratio. This study is the first report on using atomically precise chiral metal nanoclusters for CPL detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological phononics, a fascinating frontier in condensed matter physics, holds great promise for advancing energy‐related applications. Topologically nontrivial phonons typically possess gapless edge or surface states. These exotic states of lattice vibrations, characterized by their nontrivial topology, offer unique opportunities for manipulating and harnessing energy transport. The exploration of topological phonons opens new avenues in understanding and controlling thermal transport properties, with potential applications in fields such as thermoelectric materials, phononic devices, and waste heat recovery. Here, an overview of concepts such as Berry curvature and topological invariants, along with the applications of phonon tight‐binding method and nonequilibrium Green's function method in the field of topological phononics is provided. This review encompasses the latest research progress of various topological phonon states within crystalline materials, including topological optical phonons, topological acoustical phonons, and higher‐order topological phonons. Furthermore, the study delves into the prospective applications of topological phonons in the realm of thermoelectric conversion, focusing on aspects like size effects and symmetry engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc metal battery (AZMB) has received widespread attention due to the advantages of low cost and high safety. However, challenges of dendritic growth, hydrogen evolution reaction, and other side‐reaction impede the performance of the Zn anode. Herein, 4‐amino‐benzene‐sulfonic acid (ABSA) is proposed as an additive to the ZnSO4 electrolyte for improving the performance of AZMB. Combined analyses of theoretical calculations and experiment results, ABSA assumes a pivotal function in constructing an adsorptive layer, facilitating the subsequent formation of a stable sulfur‐rich solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI). Consequently, the SEI layer modulates the pathway of Zn2+ electrodeposition/dissolution and effectively hinders the deleterious growth of dendrites and unwanted side reactions. As a result, the Zn||Zn cells stably cycles for 2500 h at 1 mAh cm−2/1 mA cm−2 and over 1000 h at 10 mAh cm−2/10 mA cm−2. Significantly, the pouch cell of Zn||VO2 can obtain the specific capacity of 151 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. This work may provide a new perspective for designing advanced electrolytes from the prospect of interface protection for the AZMB and other metal ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avoiding the tedious process of crystal cultivation and directly obtaining organic crystals with desirable phosphorescent performance is of great significance for studying their structure and properties. Herein, a set of benzophenone‐cored phosphors with bright green afterglow are obtained on a large scale through in‐situ generation via an end‐capping strategy to suppress non‐radiative triplet excitons and reinforce the intermolecular interactions. The ordered arrangement of phosphors with alkyl‐cyano groups as regulators is crucial for the enhancement of room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emission, which has been further verified by the attenuated lifetimes in isolated states through the formation of inclusion complexes upon binding with pillar[5]arenes. Moreover, the hierarchical interactions of phosphors, including hydrogen bonding, π‐π stacking interactions, and van der Waals forces, are quantified by crystal structures and theoretical calculation to deeply interpret the origins of RTP emission. With this study, we provide a potential strategy for the direct acquisition of crystalline organic phosphors and modulation of RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The preservation of parathyroid glands is crucial in endoscopic thyroid surgery to prevent hypocalcemia and related complications. However, current methods for identifying and protecting these glands have limitations. We propose a novel technique that has the potential to improve the safety and efficacy of endoscopic thyroid surgery. Purpose: Our study aims to develop a deep learning model called PTAIR 2.0 (Parathyroid gland Artificial Intelligence Recognition) to enhance parathyroid gland recognition during endoscopic thyroidectomy. We compare its performance against traditional surgeon‐based identification methods. Materials and methods: Parathyroid tissues were annotated in 32 428 images extracted from 838 endoscopic thyroidectomy videos, forming the internal training cohort. An external validation cohort comprised 54 full‐length videos. Six candidate algorithms were evaluated to select the optimal one. We assessed the model's performance in terms of initial recognition time, identification duration, and recognition rate and compared it with the performance of surgeons. Results: Utilizing the YOLOX algorithm, we developed PTAIR 2.0, which demonstrated superior performance with an AP50 score of 92.1%. The YOLOX algorithm achieved a frame rate of 25.14 Hz, meeting real‐time requirements. In the internal training cohort, PTAIR 2.0 achieved AP50 values of 94.1%, 98.9%, and 92.1% for parathyroid gland early prediction, identification, and ischemia alert, respectively. Additionally, in the external validation cohort, PTAIR outperformed both junior and senior surgeons in identifying and tracking parathyroid glands (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The AI‐driven PTAIR 2.0 model significantly outperforms both senior and junior surgeons in parathyroid gland identification and ischemia alert during endoscopic thyroid surgery, offering potential for enhanced surgical precision and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is significant to modulate the bandgap of crystalline silicon (c‐Si) by applying large strains on it through controlled stretch. However, investigations on the stretchability of c‐Si are still insufficient, especially for samples with feature sizes in the submicron to micron scale. In this work, the large stretchability of silicon wires with submicron to micron diameters (SiMWs) is reported for the first time by using vapor–liquid–solid grown ultralong SiMWs. The diameters of the SiMW specimens range from 400 nm to 1.8 μm. The loading speed for stretching SiMWs is 100 nm s−1. It is found that the SiMWs with micron diameter have a stretch limit over 10%, while the stretch limit for samples with submicron diameter can reach 12%. The results fill the gaps in the knowledge of micron‐scale silicon materials' stretchability. The average Young's modulus of SiMWs is measured as 115 GPa. Cyclic loading tests indicate that the tensile deformation of SiMWs is elastic and reversible with no plastic deformation observed. In this work, it is shown that large stretch of SiMWs can be achieved without the need of harsh experimental conditions, which will greatly facilitate the study of large strain engineering on c‐Si to modulate their properties and broaden their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a targeted nanocarrier was developed by functionalizing graphene oxide with polyethyleneimine and folic acid, intended for loading oridonin. The nanocarrier was successfully synthesized and characterized using an ultraviolet spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanocarrier demonstrated a remarkable oridonin loading capacity, reaching 424.8 μg/mg, as determined by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography. In vitro drug release experiments exhibited a pH‐dependent release profile, with a higher cumulative release in an acidic environment. The release mechanism followed the Ritger–Peppas equation model. Cytotoxicity assays indicated minimal toxicity of the nanocarrier. Enhanced cellular uptake by MCF7 cells was observed for carriers functionalized with folate and polyethyleneimine. These findings highlight the potential of functionalized graphene oxide as a promising carrier for oridonin delivery in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chuanwang Xiaoyan (CWXY) capsule is primarily used to treat a variety of acute and chronic inflammations, including acute and chronic pharyngitis and tonsillitis. However, a systematic study of its chemical constituents is still not available. This study evaluated the chemical constituents in vitro and metabolite profiles in vivo of CWXY using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with Q‐Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and the pharmacokinetic behaviors of the nine main components in rats were detected using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐triple quadrupole‐mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QQQ‐MS/MS). A total of 92 chemical constituents in CWXY were preliminarily identified in vitro. After oral administration to rats, 56 prototype components and 128 metabolites of CWXY were detected in the biological samples of rat plasma, urine, bile, and feces. Of these prototype components and metabolites, seven new compounds, namely M15, M16, M25, M30, M31, M71, and M128, were detected for the first time. The quantitation method of nine components in rat plasma was developed using a pharmacokinetic study. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of triumbelletin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For multiple resonance (MR) type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters, electron cloud distributions of their π‐conjugated planes are crucial for determining their eventual performance. Currently, modulation attempts of MR‐TADF emitters are mainly inside the π‐conjugated planes. Possible out‐of‐plane interactions may also significantly impact the photophysical properties, but the exploration is quite limited. Here, a novel concept of using out‐of‐plane (e.g., π–π and lone pair‐π) interactions to introduce spatial perturbation (SPPT) to improve TADF performance is proposed. Two newly developed MR‐TADF emitters, namely, o‐BNPO and BNPO, which both consist of a popular MR framework, DtBuCzB, and diphenylphosphine oxide (DPPO), are compared in depth. In particular, for o‐BNPO, evident π–π interaction is observed between one side of the DtBuCzB π‐conjugated plane and a phenyl ring from DPPO, and lone pair‐π interaction with the oxygen atom from DPPO is noticed on the other side, resulting in significantly accelerated reverse intersystem crossing and better TADF without sacrificing narrowband emission features. Ultimately, in organic light‐emitting diodes with sensitizer‐free emitting layers, both emitters achieve similar narrowband emissions, while the o‐BNPO‐based device demonstrates a much higher external quantum efficiency of 36% and milder efficiency roll‐off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Natural monomer flavors can modify the taste of cigarettes. However, no report was published to establish the quality control method for their chemical compositions. Methods: In this study, licorice, a traditional natural monomer flavor used in tobacco aroma processing, was selected, and the fingerprint was developed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Next, the chemical markers of samples from different places of origin were discovered by multivariate statistical analysis. Then, its chemical constituents were identified by combination of HPLC‐Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS), direct infusion FT‐ICR‐MS (DI‐FT‐ICR‐MS), and the technology of isotopic fine structures (IFSs). Moreover, its characteristic constituents were quantitatively analyzed using HPLC. Results: The 14 common peaks were assigned in the fingerprint, and 8 of them were considered as qualitative markers by multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 42 chemical constituents were detected using HPLC‐FT‐ICR‐MS, and 13 of them were unambiguously identified by references. Meanwhile, the elemental compositions of other eight unknown chemical components were decisively determined using IFSs. Subsequently, the contents of five characteristic constituents in 11 batches of samples were determined. Conclusions: The integration strategy established here can discover and quantify the chemical markers for improving the quality control standard of natural monomer flavor of licorice. It is expected that the strategy will be valuable for further quality control of other natural monomer flavors in Chinese tobacco industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique morphology of 2D van der Waals materials enables them to withstand large deformations and significant nonuniform strain, potentially inducing a strong flexoelectric effect. Despite the size‐dependent flexoelectric effect showing potential for modulating the optoelectronic performance of 2D van der Waals materials, it is far from being fully exploited owing to various challenges. Herein, the use of nanowires with different diameters as the bending media to fabricate 2D α‐In2Se3/β‐InSe heterojunctions with large curvatures of 0.1–1 µm−1 is proposed. The significant band alignment modulation in α‐In2Se3 resulting from the bending‐induced flexoelectric effect is verified through Kelvin probe force microscopy. The strain‐induced piezoelectric effect can be negated because of the weak vdW forces at the interface. The flexoelectric polarization in β‐InSe is screened via the accumulated electrons in the unilateral depleted heterojunction. Compared to the flat heterojunction, the curved heterojunction with an average curvature of 0.9 µm−1 shows 2.48‐fold and 7.62‐fold increases in open‐circuit voltage and zero‐biased responsivity, respectively. This study demonstrates the first successful modulation of photodetection in 2D heterojunctions by exploiting the flexoelectric effect, providing a new perspective for high‐performance 2D vdW optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human fingers possess stable high sensitivity and a wide range of tactile perception, attributed to the gradient microstructure and the interlocking collagen fiber on the skin's surface. However, challenges persist in achieving simultaneous enhancement of multiple functionalities in artificial skin. Inspired by the unique structure of the skin, a two‐step process involving ion diffusion‐induced and strong‐weak topological crosslinking is synergistically employed to fabricate a bilayer gradient hydrogel. Zn2+ initially diffuses to induce the formation of weak bonds, imparting elasticity. Subsequently, Fe3+/Zn2+ diffusion constructs a strong‐weak topologically crosslinked network, enhancing the toughness of the gel while reducing the brittleness associated with robust bonds. Due to its distinctive design, the gel employs an adaptive energy dissipation strategy subjected to large and small stress, ensuring high sensitivity (3.31 kPa−1, 0–2 kPa), wide sensing range (0.4–40.6 kPa), and exceptional stability (500 cycles). This flexible approach enables programmable design in three dimensions, including ion diffusion type, direction, and shape. This gel can detect the gentle brushing of feathers and human body movements. It utilizes significant differences generated by magnitudes of stress to perform binary information encryption. This study introduces a novel strategy for preparing skin‐like gels, offering promising potential for expanding their applications in complex scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bargaining between husband and wife is reflective of the power dynamics in marriage. Women's access to resources and power through bargaining is integral to their empowerment, particularly in the Global South, where more traditional patriarchal family cultures prevail. This review summarizes the key theories concerning marital bargaining and evaluates the recent developments in research on marital bargaining by exploring patterns, determinants, and consequences of bargaining over power and resources among couples in the Global South. Several future research directions are proposed: examining the long‐term implications of the Covid‐19 pandemic on women's agency, employing a more comparative approach, and navigating marital bargaining from a broader family context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convective Quasi‐Equilibrium (CQE) is often adopted as a useful closure assumption to summarize the effects of unresolved convection on large‐scale thermodynamics, while existing efforts to observationally validate CQE largely rely on specific spatial domains or sites rather than the source of CQE constraints—deep convection. This study employs a Lagrangian framework to investigate leading temperature perturbation patterns near deep convection, of which the centers are located by use of an ensemble of satellite measurements. Temperature perturbations near deep convection with high peak precipitation are rapidly adjusted toward the CQE structure within the [−2, 1] hours centered on peak precipitation. The top 1% precipitating deep convection constrains neighboring free‐tropospheric leading perturbations up to 9°. Notable CQE validity beyond a 1° radius is observed when peak precipitation exceeds the 93rd percentile. These findings suggest that only a small fraction of deep convection with extreme precipitation shapes tropical free‐tropospheric temperature patterns dominantly. Plain Language Summary: Convective Quasi‐Equilibrium (CQE) is a concept in atmospheric science that explains a state where the influence of deep convection (cumulonimbus clouds) and large‐scale atmospheric forces is balanced, causing certain thermodynamic properties to adjust toward specific reference profiles. Previous studies have focused on how temperature changes relate to the CQE structure but in specific regions or sites while this study aims areas near deep convection—supposedly the source of CQE constraints. Using a unique framework with data from multiple satellites, we track the evolution of temperature patterns near deep convection and find temperatures near deep convection with extreme rainfall are adjusted toward the CQE structure rapidly within 3 hr of maximum rainfall. However, only the deep convection with top 7% extreme rainfall can effectively affect nearby temperature pattern beyond 1°, with the top 1% influencing up to an 9° radius. These findings highlight the dominant impact of a small fraction of deep convection, particularly those with extreme rainfall, on nearby temperature perturbation patterns. Key Points: Tropical temperature perturbations near extreme deep convection rapidly conform to convective quasi equilibrium in a three‐hour windowOnly the top 7% precipitating deep convection can modulate hourly tropical temperature patterns beyond a 1° radiusTop 1% precipitating deep convection constrains nearby temperature perturbations up to an 9° radius during peak precipitation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) constitute a group of disorders characterized by the progressive deterioration of nervous system functionality. Currently, the precise etiological factors responsible for NDs remain incompletely elucidated, although it is probable that a combination of aging, genetic predisposition, and environmental stressors participate in this process. Accumulating evidence indicates that viral infections, especially neurotropic viruses, can contribute to the onset and progression of NDs. In this review, emerging evidence supporting the association between viral infection and NDs is summarized, and how the autophagy pathway mediated by viral infection can cause pathological aggregation of cellular proteins associated with various NDs is discussed. Furthermore, autophagy‐related genes (ARGs) involved in Herpes simplex virus (HSV‐1) infection and NDs are analyzed, and whether these genes could link HSV‐1 infection to NDs is discussed. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying NDs is critical for developing targeted therapeutic approaches that prevent the onset and slow the progression of NDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive‐bridge random access memory (CBRAM) emerges as a promising candidate for next‐generation memory and storage device. However, CBRAMs are prone to degenerate and fail during electrochemical metallization processes. To address this issue, herein we propose a self‐repairability strategy for CBRAMs. Amorphous NbSe2 was designed as the resistive switching layer, with Cu and Au as the top and bottom electrodes, respectively. The NbSe2 CBRAMs demonstrate exceptional cycle‐to‐cycle and device‐to‐device uniformity, with forming‐free and compliance current‐free resistive switching characteristics, low‐operation voltage, and competitive endurance and retention performance. Most importantly, the self‐repairable behavior is discovered for the first time in CBRAM. The device after failure can recover its performance to the initially normal state by operating with a slightly large reset voltage. The existence of Cu conductive filament and excellent controllability of Cu migration in the NbSe2 switching layer has been revealed by a designed broken‐down point approach, which is responsible for the self‐repairable behavior of NbSe2 CBRAMs. Our self‐repairable and high‐uniform amorphous NbSe2 CBRAM may open the door to the development of memory and storage devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show a great potential for next‐generation energy storage due to their high safety and high energy density. However, the severe side reactions of zinc negative electrode largely hinder the further application of AZIBs. Herein, trace tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) additive with rich lone‐pair‐electrons and zincophilic sites is firstly introduced to achieve long‐term and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. Specifically, Tris not only regulates the solvation structure of Zn2+, but is also adsorbed vertically on the Zn anode surface with a changed coordination intensity during the plating/stripping process of Zn to generate an in situ dynamic adsorption layer for the first time. The dynamic adsorption layer could successively attract the solvated Zn2+ and then promote the de‐solvation of the solvated Zn2+ owing to the orientation polarization with regularly‐changed applied electric field, the volume rejection effect, and strong intermolecular force towards H2O of the vertically‐adsorbed Tris. Therefore, an improved Zn2+‐transport kinetics as well as the inhibition of side reactions of Zn anode are successfully realized. Accordingly, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell provides an ultra‐long cycle life of 2600 h. Furthermore, the Zn||MnO2 full cell with Tris could demonstrate a high capacity and structural stability for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral materials with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) have garnered significant attention owing to their distinctive luminescent properties and wide array of applications. CPL enables the selective emission of left and right circularly polarized light. The fluorescence quantum yield and dissymmetry factor play pivotal roles in the generation of CPL. Helical polymers exhibit immense promise as CPL materials due to their inherent chirality, structural versatility, modifiability, and capacity to incorporate diverse chromophores. This Review provides a brief review of the synthesis of CPL materials based on helical polymers. The CPL can be realized by aggregation‐induced CPL of non‐emissive helical polymers, and helices bearing chromophores on the pendants and on the chain end. Furthermore, future challenges and potential applications of CPL materials are summarized and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To enhance the accuracy in predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM) preoperatively in patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), refining the "low‐risk" classification for tailored treatment strategies. Methods: This study involves the development and validation of a predictive model using a cohort of 1004 patients with PTMC undergoing thyroidectomy along with central neck dissection. The data was divided into a training cohort (n = 702) and a validation cohort (n = 302). Multivariate logistic regression identified independent LNM predictors in PTMC, leading to the construction of a predictive nomogram model. The model's performance was assessed through ROC analysis, calibration curve analysis, and decision curve analysis. Results: Identified LNM predictors in PTMC included age, tumor maximum diameter, nodule‐capsule distance, capsular contact length, bilateral suspicious lesions, absence of the lymphatic hilum, microcalcification, and sex. Especially, tumors larger than 7 mm, nodules closer to the capsule (less than 3 mm), and longer capsular contact lengths (more than 1 mm) showed higher LNM rates. The model exhibited AUCs of 0.733 and 0.771 in the training and validation cohorts respectively, alongside superior calibration and clinical utility. Conclusion: This study proposes and substantiates a preoperative predictive model for LNM in patients with PTMC, honing the precision of "low‐risk" categorization. This model furnishes clinicians with an invaluable tool for individualized treatment approach, ensuring better management of patients who might be proposed observation or ablative options in the absence of such predictive information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of magnetocaloric materials with a significantly enhanced volumetric cooling capability is highly desirable for the application of adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators in confined spatial environments. Here, the thermodynamic characteristics of a magnetically frustrated spin‐7/2 Gd9.33[SiO4]6O2 is presented, which exhibits strongly correlated spin disorder below ≈1.5 K. A quantitative model is proposed to describe the magnetization results by incorporating nearest‐neighbor Heisenberg antiferromagnetic and dipolar interactions. Remarkably, the recorded magnetocaloric responses are unprecedentedly large and applicable below 1.0 K. It is proposed that the S = 7/2 spin liquids serve as versatile platforms for investigating high‐performance magnetocaloric materials in the sub‐kelvin regime, particularly those exhibiting a superior cooling power per unit volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonic anhydrase 8 (CA8) is a member of the α‐carbonic anhydrase family but does not catalyze the reversible hydration of carbon dioxide. In the present study, we examined the effects of CA8 on two human colon cancer cell lines, SW480 and SW620, by suppressing CA8 expression through shRNA knockdown. Our results showed that knockdown of CA8 decreased cell growth and cell mobility in SW620 cells, but not in SW480 cells. In addition, downregulated CA8 resulted in a significant decrease of glucose uptake in both SW480 and SW620 cells. Interestingly, stable downregulation of CA8 decreased phosphofructokinase‐1 expression but increased glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) levels in SW620 cells. However, transient downregulation of CA8 fails to up‐regulate GLUT3 expression, indicating that the increased GLUT3 observed in SW620‐shCA8 cells is a compensatory effect. In addition, the interaction between CA8 and GLUT3 was evidenced by pull‐down and IP assays. On the other hand, we showed that metformin, a first‐line drug for type II diabetes patients, significantly inhibited cell migration of SW620 cells, depending on the expressions of CA8 and focal adhesion kinase. Taken together, our data demonstrate that when compared to primary colon cancer SW480 cells, metastatic colon cancer SW620 cells respond differently to downregulated CA8, indicating that CA8 in more aggressive cancer cells may play a more important role in controlling cell survival and metformin response. CA8 may affect glucose metabolism‐ and cell invasion‐related molecules in colon cancer, suggesting that CA8 may be a potential target in future cancer therapy. Significance statement: This study demonstrates that when compared to primary colon cancer SW480 cells, metastatic colon cancer SW620 cells respond differently to downregulated CA8, indicating that CA8 in more aggressive cancer cells may play a more important role in controlling cell survival and metformin response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial scales are important for examining health of exploited fishery stocks and guiding management actions. However, information about the optimal spatial scale is still unclear for assessment of transit fisheries, such as elver fisheries of the American eel Anguilla rostrata. We applied a generalized depletion model to assess catch and effort data from three nearby rivers (within 50 km) to test the hypothesis that modeling on pooled and separate data from nearby rivers would give similar estimates of abundance and exploitation rate. Overall, pooling data from rivers within 50 km did not result in large differences (<20% in relative difference) in estimates of abundance and exploitation rate with close mean abundance estimates and similar temporal trends in abundance, exploitation rate, and relative escapement. Pooling nearby river systems can greatly reduce modeling effort, at the cost of ignoring fine‐scale variability in elver recruitment and having coarser spatial scale for the management. When only an index of annual recruitment and exploitation rate are of interest, pooling data may be practical from different locations up to 50 km. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Chlorantraniliprole (CAP) is a diamide insecticide with high efficacy against many pest insects, including the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon. Agrotis ipsilon is a serious pest causing significant yield losses in crops. Glutathione‐S‐transferases (GSTs) belong to a family of metabolic enzymes that can detoxify a wide range of pesticides. However, little is known about the functions of GSTs in CAP tolerance in A. ipsilon. RESULTS: A cDNA sequence (designated AiGSTu1) encoding an unclassified GST was identified from A. ipsilon. AiGSTu1 is highly expressed during the 3rd‐instar larval and the pupal stages. Most of the mRNA transcripts were found in larval Malpighian tubules. Exposure to CAP strongly enhanced AiGSTu1 expression, GST activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde levels in larvae. H2O2 treatment upregulated the transcription level of AiGSTu1, suggesting that CAP‐induced oxidative stress may activate AiGSTu1 expression. The activity of recombinant AiGSTu1 was inhibited by CAP in a dose‐dependent manner. Metabolism assay results demonstrated that AiGSTu1 is capable of depleting CAP. Overexpression of AiGSTu1 enhanced the tolerance of Escherichia coli cells to H2O2 and the oxidative stress inducer, cumene hydroperoxide. Silencing of AiGSTu1 by RNA interference increased the susceptibility of A. ipsilon larvae to CAP. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the potential role of AiGSTu1 in CAP detoxification and will improve our understanding of CAP tolerance in A. ipsilon. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering disease, which primarily affects the elderly. However, the relationship between BP and malignancy remains controversial in traditional observational studies. The aim of this study, which included only European populations, was to assess the potential causative link between BP and 13 types of malignant tumors in a two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. BP was not associated with an increased risk of developing 13 types of malignant tumors. This study did not find a causal relationship between BP and malignant tumors. However, further research is warranted to examine the generalizability of this conclusion in non‐European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional artificial skin gels often only focuses on a single perspective and overlooks the necessity of multidimensional synergistic design for sensitivity enhancement. To address these problems, the innovative introduction of dual solvents on the surface of polyacrylamide/sodium alginate gel induces to the transformation of supramolecular interactions including ion coordination, crystalline alcohol, and phase separation, synergistically achieving adjustable wrinkle wavelengths (304.2 ± 19.9 to 2393.5 ± 95.9 µm) and modulated chemical compositions with tunable moduli (87.5 ± 3.3 to 157.6 ± 3.7 kPa). This flexible strategy allows the construction of long‐range ordered wrinkled microstructures of three‐dimensional surfaces and complex morphologies. Meanwhile, the bridge effect induced by crystalline alcohols directs the insertion of ethanol molecules into the polymer chains, effectively reducing intramolecular friction. Benefiting from the small wavelength and low modulus dominated by crystalline alcohol, the wrinkled gel exhibits extremely high sensitivity of 164 kPa−1 (<0.5 kPa) and wide detection range (44.3 kPa). The wrinkled gel remains stable high sensitive to detect micro‐ and large stress, tactile perception, and human motion behaviors. This work proposes a new strategy for constructing highly sensitive bioinspired skin from multiple dimensions, showing broad application prospects in the fields of bioengineering and behavioral cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer‐related death worldwide. Hepatectomy remains the first‐line treatment for patients with resectable HCC. However, the reported recurrence rate of HCC at 5 years after surgery is between 50% and 70%. Tumor‐related factors, including tumor size, number and differentiation, and underlying liver disease are well‐known risk factors for recurrence after treatment. In addition to tumor‐related factors, ever‐increasing amounts of studies are finding that the tumor microenvironment also plays an important role in the recurrence of HCC, including systemic inflammatory response and immune regulation. Based on this, some inflammatory and immune markers were used in predicting postoperative cancer recurrence. These include neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, cytotoxic T cells, and regulatory T cells, among others. In this review, we summarized the inflammatory and immune markers that affect recurrence after HCC resection in order to provide direction for adjuvant therapy after HCC resection and ultimately achieve the goal of reducing recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer is the most aggressive and lethal of all gynecologic malignancies. Although the overexpression (OE) of ubiquitin‐specific peptidase 21 (USP21) has been observed in multiple cancers, its expression profile and biological function in ovarian cancer remain unknown. The expression levels of USP21 in ovarian cancer cells and tissues as well as adjacent normal tissues were assessed by qRT‐PCR or Western blot assay. The biological function of USP21 in ovarian cancer cells was assessed by cell growth assay in vitro and a tumor growth model in vivo. Our study revealed that USP21 was markedly elevated in ovarian carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Downregulation of USP21 attenuated the expression levels of MEK2 and p‐ERK1/2. Depletion of USP21 resulted in suppressed cell growth of ovarian cancers in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Conversely, OE of USP21 promoted the cell proliferation of ovarian cancers and conferred resistance to BAY 11‐7082. These findings provide evidences supporting the notion of USP21 as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer (BC) compared to other BC subtypes in clinical settings. Currently, there are no effective therapeutic strategies for TNBC treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify suitable biomarkers or therapeutic targets for TNBC patients. Thrombomodulin (TM) plays a role in cancer progression and metastasis in many different cancers. However, the role of TM in TNBC is not yet fully understood. First, silenced‐TM in MDA‐MB‐231 cells caused an increase in proliferative and metastatic activity. In contrast, overexpression of TM in Hs578T cells caused a reduction in proliferation, invasion, and migration rate. Using RNA‐seq analysis, we found that Integrin beta 3 (ITGB3) expression may be a downstream target of TM. Furthermore, we found an increase in ITGB3 levels in TM‐KD cells by QPCR and western blot analysis but a decrease in ITGB3 levels in TM‐overexpressing cells. We found phospho‐smad2/3 levels were increased in TM‐KD cells but decreased in TM‐overexpressing cells. This implies that TM negatively regulates ITGB3 levels through the activation of the smad2/3 pathway. Silencing ITGB3 in TM‐KD cells caused a decrease in proliferation and migration. Finally, we found that higher ITGB3 levels were correlated with poor overall survival and relapse‐free survival in patients with TNBC. Our results indicated a novel regulatory relationship between TM and ITGB3 in TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow duration curve (FDC) is the cumulative distribution function, which represents the relationship between the frequency and magnitude of streamflow, and the precipitation duration curves (PDC) follows the same principle. Nowadays, the correlation between the shape of PDC and FDCs, their respective physical control factors including human activities, and their fitting conditions in unmeasured catchments across China have not been fully understood. In this paper, daily precipitation and streamflow data with 30 years records from 224 hydrological stations in the middle and lower Yangtze River basin were chosen to fit PDC and FDCs through gamma distribution. Framework was proposed for modelling FDCs to analyse the relationship, similarity, regional patterns and response mechanism of fitting parameters between PDC and FDCs, dividing the streamflow time series into fast and base flow and stations into three categories in consideration of human activities to attribute the shapes of PDC and FDCs to catchment meteorological and geographical characteristics and physical processes under natural conditions. Results indicate that the parameters of PDC and certain FDCs (TFDC, FFDC, SFDC) share similar spatial patterns but vary for the different duration and interactions of the processes. The climate and catchment characteristics such as extreme properties of precipitation, base flow index (BFI), Pmax*αp and concentration ratio index (CIM) will influence the shape of PDC and FDCs. The relationship between BFI and SFDC/TFDC can be better reflected in "Regulated watersheds", while CIM/Pmax*αp and PDC/FFDC in "watersheds in the mainstream" are more related. This paper provides a deeper understanding and more accurate way of the application of these parameters in describing and predicting hydrological processes and estimation of PDC and FDCs in unmeasured catchments, and can be applied to more future research about processes based on catchment rainfall‐runoff responses and physical controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) of the rat was examined with the Fourier‐transform infrared (FITR) spectroscopic imaging to study the effects of ageing, oestrogen level and altered dietary loading on the structure of MCC. Materials and Methods: The Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 96) aged 5 and 14 months were divided into 12 subgroups according to age, oestrogen status (ovariectomized [OVX], non‐ovariectomized [non‐OVX)]) and diet (hard, normal, soft). Specimens of the MCC were examined with FTIR spectroscopic imaging to quantify the distribution of collagens and proteoglycans. MCC was divided sagittally into three segments: anterior, most superior and posterior. From each segment, the collagen and proteoglycan contents at different depths of cartilage were statistically compared between the groups using an N‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The amount of collagen content was significantly associated with old age in the deep layer of the anterior segment and in the middle layer of the posterior segment of MCC. In the deep layer of the most superior segment, the collagen content also increased with ageing. The amount of proteoglycan content increased significantly when dietary loading increased, and the oestrogen level decreased in the deep layer of the most superior segment of MCC. Conclusion: Ageing, oestrogen level and altered dietary loading have a significant effect on the location and content of collagens and proteoglycans of rat MCC. Ageing significantly increased the amount of collagen content in the superior and posterior segments, being highest in the older soft‐diet rats. Decreased oestrogen levels and increased dietary loading increased the amount of proteoglycan content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoinduced charge‐trapping is a promising strategy for boosting the photosensitivity of organic photodetectors at the expense of their response time. In addition, they have a low carrier extraction yield due to the formation of low‐energy triplet excitons through the recombination of a photogenerated hole–electron pair. Materials with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) exhibit a long‐lived (≈µs) excited spin‐triplet nearly iso‐energetically aligned with that of an excited spin‐singlet, which results in suppressed exciton losses and is widely used in organic light‐emitting diodes. The extraction and population of triplet state excitons in TADFs is a sought‐after but underexplored aspect of photoinduced gating in photodetectors. A 1,2,3,5‐tetrakis(carbazol‐9‐yl)4,6‐Dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN) TADF blend with a high‐mobility Poly[2,5‐bis(3‐tetradecylthiophen‐2‐yl)thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene] (PBTTT‐C14) polymer via bulk type‐II offset can increase free carrier extraction yield (fast response) and retain trapped electrons in TADF triplet states (high gain). The PBTTT‐C14/4CzIPN ultraviolet photodetector device maintains a trade‐off between high photogain (≈103) and fast response time (79 ms) at 300 nm while operating at a shallow dark current (≈pA). Furthermore, the device shows high external quantum efficiency (≈104 %) and detectivity (≈1011 Jones) for low light power (

We draw on deonance theory and social learning theory to propose a framework that explains how individual team members with varying levels of leader–member exchange (LMX) with their team leader have different emotional and behavioral responses upon observing teammate‐directed abusive supervision. After employing a social relations paradigm with two‐wave round‐robin data collected from a sample of 378 engineers on 89 work teams, we did not find that witnessing teammate‐targeted abusive supervision increased sympathy for the targeted teammates, but we did find that observers with a higher level of LMX were more likely to legitimize such abuse and less likely to sympathize with its victims. Furthermore, we found that for individuals with a higher level of LMX, perceiving leaders' abusive supervision of teammates was negatively related to providing help to those teammates through the mediating role of sympathy for the teammates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the world, lung cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers and has become the leading cause of death of cancers in China, among which non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for a relatively high proportion, but there is a lack of effective treatment at present. An animal model of NSCLC was established, and BEAS‐2b, H1299, Lewis, and T cells were used for subsequent experimental verification. The level of miR‐196b‐5p was detected by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Growth inhibitor 5 (ING5), CD9, CD63, HSP70, Caspase‐1, NLRP3, and GSDMD‐NT were detected by western blot. The level of ING5 was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, the location of miR‐196b‐5p was analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), cell viability was investigated by Cell Counting Kit‐8 kit, and interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐18 were confirmed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. In addition, the binding site was verified by dual‐luciferase reporter gene experiments. Tumor volume was measured. TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis. Flow cytometry was used to measure the levels of CD8 T, CD4 T, and Treg cells in tumors. miR‐196‐5p was highly expressed in exosomes secreted by tumor cells. miR‐196‐5p negatively targeted ING5 to promote the growth of tumor cells. Cancer‐derived exosomes promote pyroptosis of T cells to further aggravate the development of cancer. Exosome‐derived miR‐196b‐5p promoted pyroptosis of T cells. Exosome‐derived miR‐196b‐5p inhibited the level of ING5 to promote tumor growth and accelerate the process of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albeit the majority of eukaryotic genomes can be pervasively transcribed to a diverse population of lncRNAs and various subtypes of lncRNA are discovered. However, the genome‐wide study of miRNA‐derived lncRNAs is still lacking. Here, it is reported that over 800 miRNA gene‐originated lncRNAs (molncRNAs) are generated from miRNA loci. One of them, molnc‐301b from miR‐301b and miR‐130b, functions as an "RNA decoy" to facilitate dissociation of the chromatin remodeling protein SMARCA5 from chromatin and thereby sequester transcription and mRNA translation. Specifically, molnc‐301b attenuates erythropoiesis by mitigating the transcription of erythropoietic and translation‐associated genes, such as GATA1 and FOS. In addition, a useful and powerful CRISPR screen platform to characterize the biological functions of molncRNAs at large‐scale and single‐cell levels is established and 29 functional molncRNAs in hematopoietic cells are identified. Collectively, the focus is on miRNA‐derived lncRNAs, deciphering their landscape during normal hematopoiesis, and comprehensively evaluating their potential roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study derives radiatively active hydrometeor frequencies (HFs) from CloudSat–CALIPSO satellite data to evaluate modeled cloud fraction in recent historical period simulations by the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. Most CMIP5 models do not consider precipitating and convective core hydrometeors in radiative transfer calculation except for CESM1‐CAM5 with precipitating ice (snow). They do not provide radiatively active cloud fractions for all precipitating hydrometeor types such as snow fraction while the satellite‐retrieved HFs include mixed profiles of stratiform clouds and precipitation as well as convective cores. A filtering method is applied to produce estimates of nonprecipitating and nonconvective core HF (NPCHF) from the total HF (THF) excluding rain, which is defined here as the sum of NPCHF, precipitating ice (snow, graupel, and hail), and convective core HF. We determine the optimal reference HF data for model comparison that include estimates of liquid‐phase NPCHF from CloudSat radar‐only data (2B‐CWC) and ice‐phase THF from CloudSat–CALIPSO 2C‐ICE combined radar/lidar data. The zonal‐mean at selected heights and regionally averaged profiles of CMIP5 multi‐model‐mean cloud fraction show good agreements in comparison with NPCHF estimates with biases within 5%, whereas cloud fraction is significantly underestimated (up to 30%) against the THF estimates. The biases appear below the midtroposphere over the extratropics, in the upper troposphere over the midlatitude lands and a few tropical convective regions, where precipitating ice and convective core hydrometeors contribute greatly. This comparison reveals some underestimates of thick cloud HFs resulting from measurement limitations due probably to attenuation of radar/lidar signals, which cannot be qualified in this study. Plain Language Summary: There are many different types of hydrometeors in the atmosphere. Some of them such as small‐size liquid and ice droplets greatly reflect solar radiation and absorb/emit infrared radiation while large droplets such as raindrops do not. Precipitating ice (snow, graupel, and hail) particles can also impact radiation. This study derives nonprecipitating and nonconvective core (cloud only) and total radiatively active hydrometeor frequency excluding rain (THF) from CloudSat–CALIPSO data for evaluating modeled cloud fractions from global climate models (GCMs) such as those in fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). We find that the CMIP5 multi‐model‐mean cloud fractions compare well to the HF estimates that exclude convective core and precipitating area, implying that cloud fractions are severely underestimated against the total HF estimates. The different types of hydrometeor frequency estimates from CloudSat–CALIPSO provide a reference for GCM‐simulated counterparts such as stratiform clouds and precipitation and convective core types. Key Points: Deriving nonprecipitating and nonconvective core hydrometeor frequency (NPCHF) and total hydrometeor frequency (HF) from CloudSat–CALIPSO dataModeled cloud fraction from CMIP5 compares well to NPCHF estimate, implying underestimate against total HF estimate and radiationHF estimates from CloudSat–CALIPSO provide a reference for comparing with global climate model's cloud fraction from stratiform and convective core clouds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple resonance (MR)‐type thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters have promising prospects for high‐color‐purity organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), but they are seldom attempted in the fabrication of solution‐processed devices. In addition, another issue with MR‐TADF emitters is that their heteroatom patterns are very limited, hampering their diversity. Herein, a novel double boron (B)‐containing MR‐TADF paradigm that merges an unembedded organoboron unit and a B‐embedded π‐fused MR framework into one system, furnishing a unique para‐B‐π‐B′/meta‐N (nitrogen)‐π‐N molecular pattern is proposed. Based on this, a proof‐of‐concept molecule, BNB′‐1, is developed, simultaneously achieving a bright sharp emission peaking at 540 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of only 24.5 nm/98 meV, a nearly unity photoluminescence quantum yield and excellent organic solubility. A solution‐processed OLED using BNB′‐1 emitter delivers an impressive external quantum efficiency (EQE) as high as 36.2% with an emissive FWHM of only 30.0 nm/0.13 eV at ≈540 nm; both parameters set new records among the ever‐reported solution‐processed MR‐OLEDs. Moreover, BNB′‐1 also obtains a superhigh EQE of 40.3% in vacuum‐processed OLEDs, surpassing all MR‐OLEDs in the similar emission region. This work provides an interesting solution to develop high‐performance solution‐processable MR‐TADF emitters with diverse heteroatom patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Starch accounts for up to 90% of the dry weight of rice endosperm and is a key determinant of grain quality. Although starch biosynthesis enzymes have been comprehensively studied, transcriptional regulation of starch‐synthesis enzyme‐coding genes (SECGs) is largely unknown. In this study, we explored the role of a NAC transcription factor, OsNAC24, in regulating starch biosynthesis in rice. OsNAC24 is highly expressed in developing endosperm. The endosperm of osnac24 mutants is normal in appearance as is starch granule morphology, while total starch content, amylose content, chain length distribution of amylopectin and the physicochemical properties of the starch are changed. In addition, the expression of several SECGs was altered in osnac24 mutant plants. OsNAC24 is a transcriptional activator that targets the promoters of six SECGs; OsGBSSI, OsSBEI, OsAGPS2, OsSSI, OsSSIIIa and OsSSIVb. Since both the mRNA and protein abundances of OsGBSSI and OsSBEI were decreased in the mutants, OsNAC24 functions to regulate starch synthesis mainly through OsGBSSI and OsSBEI. Furthermore, OsNAC24 binds to the newly identified motifs TTGACAA, AGAAGA and ACAAGA as well as the core NAC‐binding motif CACG. Another NAC family member, OsNAP, interacts with OsNAC24 and coactivates target gene expression. Loss‐of‐function of OsNAP led to altered expression in all tested SECGs and reduced the starch content. These results demonstrate that the OsNAC24‐OsNAP complex plays key roles in fine‐tuning starch synthesis in rice endosperm and further suggest that manipulating the OsNAC24‐OsNAP complex regulatory network could be a potential strategy for breeding rice cultivars with improved cooking and eating quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]