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BACKGROUND: Carvone and limonene are naturally occurring monoterpenoids with unique aromas, making them valuable substances in synthetic fragrance production. However, their application is limited due to low stability and rapid volatilization. To address this challenge, host–guest complexes offer a promising solution. RESULTS: In this study, two acyclic cucurbit[n]urils were synthesized to form inclusion complexes with carvone and limonene, aiming to enhance their thermal stability and achieve excellent heat release properties. The binding behavior of the complexes was investigated using NMR, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and molecular bonding analyses, confirming the formation of host–guest inclusion complexes. CONCLUSION: Our study successfully prepared four inclusion complexes (M1/CA, M2/CA, M1/LI, M2/LI) and characterized them using NMR, XRD and FTIR techniques. These complexes exhibited a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio, and their binding constants were determined through fluorescence titration. The thermal controlled release experiment shows that the degree of carvone and limonene release is different with a change of temperature, indicating that the inclusion complexes have good thermally controlled release performance, and the thermal release retention rate has a certain correlation with KS value. The larger the KS value, the higher the thermal release retention rate of the inclusion complexes, the lower the volatilization of the inclusion complexes, the longer the retention time and the better the thermal stability. This study presents a novel approach for developing carvone‐ and limonene‐based fragrances, expanding their application potential in various industries. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Methods Results Conclusions The interaction of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and concomitant medications such as antibiotics, metformin, statins, beta‐blockers, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and low‐dose aspirin has been studied in other malignancies. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between these medications and ICI efficacy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC).A retrospective review of patients who received at least one dose of ICIs between May 2015 and November 2019 was performed. The primary objectives were to compare the overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) between patients with and without medication usage. Log rank test was used to assess for differences in survival. Hazard ratios were reported using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The data cutoff date was December 31, 2020.A total of 168 patients were included. Median age was 69 years, 85.7% male, 60.7% ECOG 0, 78.0% Child–Pugh A liver cirrhosis, 57.7% hepatitis B etiology, 8.9% hepatitis C, and 33.3% nonviral. One hundred three patients (61.3%) received ICI monotherapy, while 38.7% received ICI in combination. Sixty‐two patients (36.9%) had concomitant antibiotic usage, 26.8% metformin, 30.4% statin, 31.0% beta‐blockers, 60.1% PPI, 6.5% NSAIDs, and 11.9% aspirin. Patients with aHCC receiving antibiotics did not have a shorter OS (adjusted HR [aHR] 1.40, 95% CI 0.94–2.09, p = 0.096) or shorter PFS (aHR 0.94, 95% CI 0.66–1.34, p = 0.73), as compared to those who did not receive antibiotics. However, patients with aHCC of viral hepatitis etiology receiving ICI treatment and concurrent antibiotics had shorter OS (5.5 vs. 14.2 months, aHR 1.93, 95% CI 1.17–3.17, p = 0.010) and PFS (1.1 vs. 2.6 months, aHR 2.69, 95% CI 1.28–5.65, p = 0.009), as compared to those who did not receive antibiotics.The use of antibiotics may diminish ICI efficacy in patients with aHCC of viral hepatitis etiology, while the use of metformin, statins, beta‐blockers, NSAIDs, and aspirin is not associated with significant clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins are important secondary metabolites in plants. After the formation of anthocyanidins, Flavonoid 3‐O‐glucosyltransferase (3GT) mediated glycosylation first occurs at the C‐3 site, forming a stable anthocyanin 3‐O‐glucoside. Several studies have investigated the function of 3GT using biochemical methods. However, it is necessary to provide further genetic evidence for the role of Ph3GT in petunia (Petunia hybrida). In addition, there is no information regarding the subcellular localization of Ph3GT and the regulation of transcription factors on Ph3GT. In this study, the full‐length Ph3GT gene from petunia (Petunia hybrida) was isolated. We found that Ph3GT is localized in the cytoplasm. Ph3GT exhibited high expression levels in the corollas during the coloring period of petunia flowers. VIGS‐mediated Ph3GT silencing resulted in a lighter corolla color and a significant decrease in the anthocyanin content in six petunia cultivars. The silencing of Ph3GT affected the expression levels of eight key genes in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway. Additionally, dual luciferase and yeast one‐hybrid assays showed that R2R3‐MYB transcription factor PhAN2 directly regulates the transcript of Ph3GT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multidrug resistance‐associated protein (MRP) ABCC4 facilitates substrate transport across the cytoplasmic membrane, crucial for normal physiology and mediating multidrug resistance in tumor cells. Despite intensive studies on MRPs, ABCC4's transport mechanism remains incompletely understood. In this study, we unveiled an inward‐open conformation with an ATP bound to degenerate NBD1. Additionally, we captured the structure with both ATP and substrate co‐bound in the inward‐open state. Our findings uncover the asymmetric ATP binding in ABCC4 and provide insights into substrate binding and transport mechanisms. ATP binding to NBD1 is parallel to substrate binding to ABCC4, and is a prerequisite for ATP‐bound NBD2‐induced global conformational changes. Our findings shed new light on targeting ABCC4 in combination with anticancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) are the commonly used biomarkers for insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, respectively. We aimed to investigate the combined association of TyG and hsCRP with the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Methods: A total of 9421 patients with CCS were included in this study. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite of MACE covering all‐cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and revascularization. Results: During the 2‐year follow‐up period, 660 (7.0%) cases of MACE were recorded. Participants were divided equally into three groups according to TyG levels. Compared with the TyG T1 group, the risk of MACE was significantly higher in the TyG T3 group. It is noteworthy that among patients in the highest tertile of TyG, hsCRP >3 mg/L was significantly associated with an increased risk of MACE, whereas the results were not significant in the medium to low TyG groups. When patients were divided into six groups according to hsCRP and TyG, the Cox regression analysis showed that patients in the TyG T3 and hsCRP >3 mg/L group had a significantly higher risk of MACE than those in the TyG T1 and hsCRP ≤3 mg/L group. However, no significant interaction was found between TyG and hsCRP on the risk of MACE. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the concurrent assessment of TyG and hsCRP may be valuable in identifying high‐risk populations and guiding management strategies among CCS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Immunotherapy has brought a new era to cancer treatment, yet we lack dependable predictors for its effectiveness. This study explores the predictive significance of intratumour stroma proportion (iTSP) for treatment success and prognosis in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing treatment with immune check‐point inhibitors (ICIs) together with chemotherapy. Methods and results: We retrospectively collected data from patients with unresectable stage IIIB−IV NSCLC who were treated with first‐line ICIs and chemotherapy. Each patient received a confirmed pathological diagnosis, and the pathologist evaluated the iTSP on haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)‐stained sections of diagnostic tissue slides. Among the 102 H&E‐stained biopsy samples, 61 (59.8%) were categorised as stroma‐L (less than 50% iTSP), while 41 (40.2%) were classified as stroma‐H (more than 50% iTSP). We observed that the stroma‐L group exhibited a significantly better objective response rate (ORR) (72.1 versus 51.2%, P = 0.031) and deeper response depth (DpR) (−50.49 ± 28.79% versus −35.83 ± 29.91%, P = 0.015) compared to the stroma‐H group. Furthermore, the stroma‐L group showed longer median progression‐free survival (PFS) (9.6 versus 6.0 months, P = 0.011) and overall survival (OS) (24.0 versus 12.2 months, P = 0.001) compared to the stroma‐H group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that iTSP was a highly significant prognostic factor for both PFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.713; P = 0.030] and OS (HR = 2.225; P = 0.003). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that a lower iTSP corresponds to improved clinical outcomes and greater DpR in individuals with stage IIIB−IV NSCLC treated with first‐line ICIs and chemotherapy. The iTSP could potentially serve as a predictive biomarker for ICIs therapy response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant health challenge. This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of a regulatory T cell (Treg)‐related gene signature in CRC. Methods: We extracted the gene expression and clinical data on CRC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The gene module related to Treg was identified by weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA). The genes in the significant module were filtered by univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox regression analysis. A riskscore model was established in terms of the key Treg‐related genes. The reliability of this riskscore model was validated using the external GEO dataset. The association of riskscore with clinical features, mutation patterns and signaling pathways was explored. Results: Genes in the blue module showed the strongest association with Tregs. After a series of filtering cycles, seven Treg‐related key genes, GDE1, GSR, HSPB1, AOC2, TBX19, TAMM41 and TIGD6, were selected to construct a riskscore model. This model performed well in evaluating the patients' survival in TCGA cohort, and was further affirmed by the GSE17536 validation cohort. For precise evaluation of the patients' survival, we established a nomogram in light of riskscore and clinical factors. Patients in different risk groups had distinct clinical features, mutation patterns and signaling pathway activities. The expression of five key genes was significantly associated with Treg infiltration in the CRC samples. Conclusion: We established a useful riskscore model in light of seven Treg‐related genes. This model may contribute to the prognosis evaluation, direct tailored treatment, and hopefully improve clinical outcomes of the CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperbranched polyethyleneimines (PEIs) with multiple layered structures and high density of terminal amino groups have shown great potential for applications in biomedicine, sensors, and catalysis. In this work, a kind of dendronized hyperbranched PEIs (DHPs) is synthesized by modification of PEIs with dendritic oligoethylene glycols (OEGs). These DHPs not only inherit the characteristic thermoresponsive behavior from the OEG dendrons, but also show low cytotoxicity and switchable encapsulation capacities. Their thermoresponsive behavior is found to be mainly dependent on the coverage and amphiphilicity of dendritic OEGs, solution pH, and NaCl concentration. Moreover, DHPs exhibit advantages in thermally‐switchable complexation with guest molecules because of their adjustable crowding effect from the densely packed OEG chains. In addition, these DHPs can also be used as nanoreactors, which can reduce metal ions into metal nanoparticles in a convenient way. In virtue of these peculiarities, it is believed that these dendronized hyperbranched PEIs with smart properties can be used as promising scaffolds in drug‐controlled release and nanoreactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peer effect may amplify adverse selection in social networks, hampering the sustainable operation of microinsurance. This paper uses data from a micro health insurance program in Pakistan to test for the peer effect in renewal decisions and the role it plays in amplifying adverse selection within social networks. The paper finds evidence supporting that insurance renewal decisions are similar among peers in the same network, and the peer effect is stronger among households of the same risk type than households of different risk types, indicating that the heterogeneous peer effect acts as an amplifier for adverse selection. The paper provides policy implications for effective ways to mitigate the peer effect and adverse selection, based on the results of heterogeneity analyses. The policy recommendation is to enforce a minimum group enrollment rate requirement of at least 60% for large groups to mitigate the peer effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case of a 29-year-old man diagnosed with Dravet syndrome (DS), a severe form of epilepsy. The patient experienced pharmaco-resistant seizures and cognitive delay, as well as motor and gait problems, which worsened following epileptic seizures. The article suggests that recurrent seizures may contribute to the development of gait and motor impairments in DS patients. The patient showed improvement in symptoms after treatment with levodopa. This case highlights the importance of early and correct intervention for better prognosis in DS patients. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Drug resistance has led to the failure of immunotherapy in triple negative breast cancer patients. Here we aimed to explore the mechanisms of drug resistance in patients in order to enhance their response to immunotherapy. Methods: We downloaded publicly available single‐cell RNA‐sequencing data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients after treatment to investigate the possible mechanisms of drug resistance. The publicly available TCGA transcriptomic data and somatic mutation data were used for further validation. In this study, a series of bioinformatics and machine learning methods were employed. Results: We identified the vital roles of CD8+ NKT cells and classical monocytes in the immunotherapy response of triple‐negative breast cancer patients. The proportion of these cell types was significantly increased in group partial response. We also found that downregulation of ferroptosis‐related genes regulates the immune pathway. The analysis of scRNA data and TCGA transcriptomic data presented that DUSP1 may play a crucial role in immunotherapy resistance. Conclusion: Overall, the composition of the tumor microenvironment affects the immunotherapy response of patients, and DUSP1 may be a potential target for overcoming drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiCoP/NiCo composite electrocatalysis electrodes were successfully prepared using co‐electro‐deposition method followed by low temperature phosphorization process. The combination of the two transition metals and their phosphides is expected to provide more heterogeneous structures and hierarchical interfaces for the catalyst, promoting the synergistic effect in the electrocatalysis process. The influences of the transition NiCo alloy on the morphology and catalysis performance of the composite were studied. In comparison to single component films, a considerably higher electrochemical response was observed in hierarchically porous NiCoP. The composite NiCoP/NiCo/NF electrode exhibited superior electrocatalytic activity toward HER (with overpotential of 18 and 76 mV) and OER (with overpotential of 220 and 323 mV) in alkaline electrolyte, reaching current density of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. The NiCoP/NiCo/NF electrode can be used as the cathode or anode electrode for the electrolysis cells and endow them with high electrocatalytic performance and long term stability for water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the photosynthetic energy transfer process, a method to realize non‐reciprocal optical transmission in an array of coupled resonators is theoretically proposed. The optical non‐reciprocity of the coupled resonators arises from the frequency gradient between adjacent cavities and the interaction with the environment, which is similar to photosynthetic energy transfer. An increase in the frequency gradient or the number of the cavities can lead to better non‐reciprocity. However, although a higher environment temperature will increase the total photon number in the coupled cavities, non‐reciprocity will be weakened. All these findings can be well described by the detailed balance. The similarity between the noise‐induced optical non‐reciprocity and exciton energy transfer in natural photosynthesis is revealed by the discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) and antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) is currently the first line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). However, there are many patients who may not be able to receive combination therapy due to underlying comorbidities or resource limitations. For these patients, systemic treatment options include single agent tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or ICI monotherapy. However, whether an optimal sequence of systemic therapy exists remains unknown. We aim to explore the impact of sequencing of TKI and ICI therapy in terms of response rates and to examine the safety of their use in sequential order. Methods: Patients with aHCC treated with both ICI and TKI between December 30, 2013 and June 13, 2018 were retrospectively identified. Patients were classified into two groups: those who received TKI in the first‐line (TKI1), followed by ICI (ICI2) and those who received ICI (ICI1) in the first‐line followed by TKI (TKI2). The primary objective of the study was to identify differences in objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR), as evaluated based on response evaluation criteria in solid tumor v1.1 for TKI1, TKI2, ICI1, and ICI2. Secondary objectives included comparison of progression free survival (PFS) for each line of therapy, overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs). Results: Twenty‐seven and 23 patients were classified into group 1 and 2, respectively. Objective response rates of TKI1 and TKI2 were 3.8% and 17.6%, respectively (p =.28); DCR to TKI1 versus TKI2 was 23.1% versus 35.3% (p =.49). ORRs of ICI1 and ICI2 were 8.7% and 14.3%, respectively (p =.66); DCR to ICI2 versus ICI1 was 56.5% versus 42.9% (p =.37). Median PFS was not significant between TKI1 and TKI2 (PFS 3.06 versus 1.61 months, p =.097) as well as between ICI2 and ICI1 (PFS 1.84 versus 2.37 month, p =.32). Median OS was also not significantly different between both groups (OS 20.63 versus 13.93 months, p =.20) on univariable and multivariable analysis (OS adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.07, 95% CI.83–5.18, p =.118). The proportion of patients who experienced adverse events of any grade was similar in both groups (TKI1 59.3% versus TKI2 52.2%; ICI1 78.3% versus ICI2 70.4%). Conclusion: Our study suggests that the sequence of TKI versus ICI therapy in patients with aHCC may not matter, given similar efficacy and toxicity profile when either agent is received in the first or second‐line setting. This finding is of value in the real‐world setting, where patients may be frail or have comorbidities that render them unable to tolerate combination therapy (ICI and TKI/anti‐VEGF). For these patients, sequential exposure to both classes of drugs (ICI and TKI) may be a suitable option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly selective, efficient and practical method for synthesizing primary alcohols was presented. By using cheap Fe(BF4)2 ⋅ 6H2O and /tris[2‐(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]phosphine (L1) as catalysts with formic acid as hydrogen source, a variety of primary alcohols bearing versatile functional groups could be obtained from both alkyl‐ and aryl‐substituted epoxides under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Buckwheat is an important crop which originated in China and spread widely across Eurasia. However, exactly where in China domestication took place remains controversial. Archaeological and palynological records suggest a longer cultivation history of buckwheat in northern China than in southwestern China, but this conflicts with phylogenetic evidence implicating southwestern China as the centre of origin and diversity of buckwheat.We investigate alternative methodologies for inferring the occurrence of buckwheat cultivation and suggest that relative abundance could provide a reliable measure for distinguishing between wild and cultivated buckwheat in both present‐day and fossil samples.Approximately 12 800‐yr palaeoecological record shows that Fagopyrum pollen occurred only infrequently before the early Holocene. As southwestern China entered the early agricultural period, c. 8000–7000 yr ago, a slight increase in abundance of Fagopyrum pollen was observed. Approximately 4000 yr ago, concurrent with the Pu minority beginning to develop dry‐land agriculture, the abundance of Fagopyrum pollen increased significantly, suggesting the cultivation of this crop. Fagopyrum pollen rose to a maximum value c. 1270 yr ago, suggesting an intensification of agricultural activity.These findings fill a gap in the Fagopyrum pollen record in southwestern China and provide new indications that early cultivation may have occurred in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population ecosystems can display the tipping points at which extinctions of species happens. To predict the appearance of tipping points and to understand their evolution mechanism are of uttermost importance for ecological balance. Using techniques from bifurcation theory, we can predict the emergence of tipping points based on a spatiotemporal predator-prey system having a fear effect before an instability is encountered. In the case of no time delay, the tipping induced by Turing instability is studied. The conditions for Turing instability and local asymptotic stability of coexisting equilibrium points are given. It is ascertained that the introduction of diffusion causes the ecosystem to change from stable to unstable, and then the tipping occurs. Then, we investigate another tipping due to Hopf bifurcation. The delay-dependent stability criterion and Hopf bifurcation condition are derived, and the onset of Hopf bifurcations (tipping point) is also determined. In order to further probe into the mechanism of tipping evolution, explicit formulae are derived to ascertain the stability of bifurcated oscillations and the direction of bifurcation via the center manifold reduction. It is revealed that many tipping points may exist in ecological competition systems, and the tipping occurs many times as the fear delay increases. Finally, several simulation examples are provided to substantiate the analytical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding small molecular plasticizers is the most common route to tailor the stretchability of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). However, how the plasticization along with the nature of the plasticizer governs the structural homogeneity during stretching remains an open question to answer. Herein, two representative plasticizers, glycerol (GLY) and water, are chosen to endow the PVA films with ductility. It is found that large strain cavitations cause obvious stress whitening in the PVA/H2O films; on the contrary, most of the PVA/GLY films maintain transparent undergoing tensile deformation. Through a combination of experimental inspections and molecular dynamic simulation, it is revealed that partial water molecules that behave as free water will aggregate into microdomains, which serve as mechanical defects responsible for yielding voids. Whereas, the GLY plasticizer homogeneously disperses at a molecular level and interacts with PVA chains through strong hydrogen bonds. More interestingly, it is illustrated that the dispersion and bound states of plasticizers are closely related to the mechanical character of the plasticized PVA films. These findings offer new insight into the working mechanism of plasticization on the structural stability during stretching, and guide the design of PVA/plasticizer system to obtain excellent comprehensive mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanins widely exist in plants and they are important pigments for color of petals and fruits. They are produced through a multi‐step pathway controlled by transcription factor complexes. The anthocyanin skeleton modification is the last reaction in the anthocyanin synthesis pathway, which improves the stability of anthocyanins. Acylation modification is an important modification of anthocyanins. However, the identification and function of anthocyanin acyltransferase genes and their expression regulation are rarely reported. In this study, we identified the petunia anthocyanin acyltransferase gene, PhAAT1. PhAAT1 is located in the cytoplasm and PhAAT1 silencing changed flower color and reduced the stability of anthocyanin. Metabolomics analysis showed that PhAAT1 silencing led to the reduction of p‐coumaroylated and caffeoylated anthocyanins. In addition, PhAAT1 was positively regulated by the MYB transcription factor, PhAN2, which directly interacts with the promoter of PhAAT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several previous studies have highlighted the irrigation‐induced impacts on the global and regional water cycle, energy budget, and near‐surface climate. While land models are widely used to address this question, the implementations of irrigation in these models vary in complexity. Here, we expand the representation of irrigation in Community Land Model to enable six different irrigation methods. We find that using a combination of irrigation methods, including default, sprinkler, flood and paddy techniques performs best as determined by evaluating the simulated irrigation water withdrawals against observations, and therefore select this combination as the new irrigation scheme. Then, the impact of the new irrigation scheme on surface fluxes is evaluated and detected using single‐point simulations. Finally, the global and regional irrigation‐induced impacts on surface energy and water fluxes are compared using both the original and the new irrigation scheme. The new irrigation scheme substantially reduces the bias and root‐mean‐square error of simulated irrigation water withdrawal in the USA and other countries, but considerably overestimates withdrawals in Central China. Results of single‐point experiments show that different irrigation methods have different effects on surface fluxes, while the magnitudes are small. At the global scale, the new scheme enlarges the irrigation‐induced impacts on water and energy variables relative to the original scheme, with varying magnitudes across regions. Overall, our results suggest that this newly developed scheme is a better tool for simulating irrigation‐induced impacts on climate, and highlight the added value of incorporating human water management in Earth system models. Plain Language Summary: Knowing the effects of irrigation on the water and energy cycle is important, as it helps us to understand better how irrigation may affect the near‐surface climate such as dampening heat extremes and increasing local air humidity. Land models are widely used for this purpose. However, in most of these models, different irrigation techniques are currently not considered. In this study, we develop a new irrigation scheme for the Community Land Model, and evaluate it by comparing modeled and observed irrigation water withdrawals and surface energy and water fluxes. Results show that this new scheme performs better in simulating irrigation water withdrawals in most countries. Results of one‐dimensional simulations show that different irrigation methods have small but varying impacts on surface fluxes. At the global and regional scale, incorporating more realistic irrigation methods enlarges the effects of irrigation on water and energy variables. We therefore conclude that improving the realism of irrigation in models can help us to improve our understanding of how irrigation affects climate through altered water and energy fluxes. Key Points: A newly‐developed irrigation module considering different irrigation methods is implemented in Community Land ModelThe new irrigation scheme shows a better performance of simulating irrigation water withdrawal against the original moduleDifferent irrigation methods have different effects on water cycle and energy budgets, changing regional irrigation‐induced impacts [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multi‐system genetic disorder. Most patients have germline mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 but, 10%–15% patients do not have TSC1/TSC2 mutations detected on routine clinical genetic testing. We investigated the contribution of low‐level mosaic TSC1/TSC2 mutations in unsolved sporadic patients and families with TSC. Thirty‐one sporadic TSC patients negative on routine testing and eight families with suspected parental mosaicism were sequenced using deep panel sequencing followed by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. Pathogenic variants were found in 22/31 (71%) unsolved sporadic patients, 16 were mosaic (median variant allele fraction [VAF] 6.8% in blood) and 6 had missed germline mutations. Parental mosaicism was detected in 5/8 families (median VAF 1% in blood). Clinical testing laboratories typically only report pathogenic variants with allele fractions above 10%. Our findings highlight the critical need to change laboratory practice by implementing higher sensitivity assays to improve diagnostic yield, inform patient management and guide reproductive counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrimers are appealing scaffolds for creating carbohydrate mimics with unique multivalent cooperativity. We report here novel bola‐amphiphilic glycodendrimers bearing mannose and glucose terminals, and a hydrophobic thioacetal core responsive to reactive oxygen species. The peculiar bola‐amphiphilic feature enabled stronger binding to lectin compared to conventional amphiphiles. In addition, these dendrimers are able to target mannose receptors and glucose transporters expressed at the surface of cells, thus allowing effective and specific cellular uptake. This highlights their great promise for targeted delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation of microseismicity in subsurface media is complex. We developed an anisotropic petrophysical model based on an empirical formula, linear slip theory and the bond transform method considering real underground conditions. Using Biot's equations, the seismic response to a general dislocation source in fracture‐induced anisotropic two‐phased media was solved using a staggered grid high‐order finite‐difference algorithm. To understand the relationship between the microseismic wave and fracture parameters, we then designed several different models to calculate the wavefield snapshots and analyse the effect of the fracture volume ratio and orientation. The modelling results indicate that the shear faulting source generates three types of waves in two‐phase media. Fractures can render homogeneous media anisotropic, and anisotropy becomes more noticeable with an increase in the fracture volume ratio. This decreases the velocity of the fast longitudinal and transverse waves in the vertical direction and increases the velocity of the slow longitudinal wave in a certain range. The fracture orientation mainly influences the moment tensor and then affects the wavefronts. These simulations lay the foundation for further studies on microseismic wave propagation in fracture‐induced anisotropic media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic prediction for scenic spots is an important topic in modeling an urban traffic system. Existing traffic prediction approaches typically use raw traffic data and road networks without considering the physical environment and human–environment interaction. This article presents a novel traffic prediction model that considers: (1) the topological structure of the city road network; (2) the popularity and accessibility of each scenic spot in the city; and (3) the traffic volumes of nearby scenic spots. The proposed model first learns a series of traffic dependency graphs by the Multi‐graph Convolutional Network using multiple data sources describing historical traffic volumes, scenic spots popularity, land function, location, and accessibility. The graph nodes represent the scenic spots, and the links between them represent their traffic dependency, considering all traffic and geographic features. Then the proposed model uses the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to capture the temporal dependency between multiple fused graphs for traffic volume prediction. The experiments show that the proposed model (M‐GCNGRU) can effectively exploit and integrate geographic data with historical traffic data for traffic volume prediction, outperforming several classical and state‐of‐the‐art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method to realize optical nonreciprocity in rotating nano‐diamond with nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers is theoretically proposed here. Because of the relative motion of the NV center with respect to the propagating fields, the frequencies of the fields are shifted due to the Doppler effect. When the control and probe fields are incident to the NV center from the same direction, the two‐photon resonance still holds as the Doppler shifts of the two fields are the same. Thus, due to the electromagnetically‐induced transparency, the probe light can pass through the NV center nearly without absorption. However, when the two fields propagate in opposite directions, the probe light cannot effectively pass through the NV center as a result of the breakdown of two‐photon resonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The detection of Helicobacter pylori mutations that result in antimicrobial resistance can serve as a guideline of antimicrobial therapeutics and probably prevent the failure of clinical treatments. Evaluating the potential of Sanger sequencing to identify genetically resistant determinants in Helicobacter pylori clinical isolates will be important. Methods. 180 cultured strains have been tested using agar dilution for antibiotic susceptibility. NCBI BLAST was used to perform genotypic analysis on the sequencing data. Sanger sequencing was evaluated as an alternative method to detect resistant genotypes and susceptibility. Results. By the conventional E-test, resistance to levofloxacin, amoxicillin, metronidazole, and clarithromycin was 67.3%, 15.1%, 96.4%, and 25.5%, respectively. In contrast, tetracycline had no resistance. Resistance to multiple drugs was observed in 8.12% of the strains. The genetic determinants of resistance to CLA was 23s rRNA, the determinants of resistance to amoxicillin was Pbp1, the determinants of resistance to metronidazole was rdxA, and the determinants of resistance to levofloxacin were GyrA and GyrB. However, there was no association of resistance in tetracycline. Conclusion. We found increased rates of metronidazole antibiotic resistance, highlighting the necessity for alternative therapies and periodic evaluation. Sanger sequencing has proved to be highly effective and holds the potential to be implemented in policies catering to local treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of 2 weeks of detraining on cardiopulmonary function and muscular fitness in 15 endurance-trained male athletes (age: 19–26 years; height: 176.1 ± 7.5 cm; body mass: 68.3 ± 7.6 kg). VO2max, exercise time to exhaustion (ET), maximal stroke volume (SVmax), maximal heart rate (HRmax), isokinetic muscle strength, and muscle endurance were measured before and after 2 weeks of detraining. We determined that short-term detraining resulted in a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in VO2max, ET, SVmax and isokinetic knee extensor strength but not in isokinetic knee flexor strength or muscle endurance. HRmax and body mass increased significantly (p < 0.05), whereas body fat percentage remained stable after detraining. Furthermore, significant correlations were identified between VO2max and SVmax (p < 0.01, r = 0.6) and between VO2max and knee extensor strength (p < 0.01, r = 0.6). The results suggest that 2 weeks of detraining reduces cardiopulmonary functions, possibly as a result of the attenuation of hemodynamic and neuromuscular adaptations. Moreover, we observed that short periods of detraining appeared to increase lean mass and maintain muscle endurance in endurance runners. Highlights Two weeks of detraining reduces VO2max, SVmax and muscle strength but maintains muscle endurance in male runners. Short periods of detraining may enhance anabolic hormonal milieu and increase lean mass. Detraining reduced cardiopulmonary function is associated with attenuation of hemodynamic and muscle adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We make use of a unique data set to test for information asymmetry, as well as distinguish ex ante moral hazard from adverse selection in different types of third‐party liability claims in automobile insurance policies: that is, those with bodily injury (BI) versus those with only property damage (PD). We find that the degree of information asymmetry is higher in liability claims with BI than those with only PD. Yet, the ex ante moral hazard only exists in liability claims with PD. We use a theoretical model to propose that the difference we find between the two types of claims in ex ante moral hazard is related to uninsurable risk embedded in BI claims. We confirm this finding in another sensitivity test comparing claims from new cars and nonnew cars. Altogether, these results suggest policy reforms leading to a better pricing mechanism in the automobile insurance industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new method for hand character gesture recognition based on a single millimetre‐wave radar chip is proposed. Most current radar‐based gesture recognition approaches use Doppler spectrograms or the feature extraction of Doppler spectrograms. In contrast, the authors propose using the trajectory points of gesture movements. Compared with the previous methods, the variations in the gesture movement speed, distance and direction during data acquisition have relatively little impact on the generated trajectories. The character trajectories drawn by gestures in the air output a fixed shape, and this fixed output facilitates the classification of gestures at a later stage. In this work, a single millimetre‐wave radar is used to collect data and a three‐dimensional fast Fourier Transform (3D‐FFT) algorithm is used to obtain the gesture trajectories. For the trajectory points, a trajectory conversion image method is proposed and finally the improved Xception network proposed in this work is used for image recognition. Compared with traditional methods, the proposed method does not require large‐scale data acquisition to facilitate different users. This work is concluded by recognising hand character gestures and comparing them with other commonly used classification methods to verify the gesture recognition accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a long‐standing need to fix the application of the name Sphaeria sinensis, basionym of the economically important Chinese caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, at the molecular level. The fungus was described by Berkeley in 1843, and is now harvested in the Tibetan Plateau (including the Himalayas). This need arises because of the existence of putative later synonyms in need of confirmation, existence of multiple haplotypes, occurrence of diverged ITS paralogs, and need to be confident of the identity of commercially grown cultures of the asexual morph. Here we report the rediscovery of original material in a spirit collection originally held in the Natural History Museum London but now at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. There are also three undated collections under this name in the Kew Fungarium from Berkeley's herbarium, and another with the name of Reeves, who sent the material to the U.K., but which originated from Hooker's herbarium. There is no proof that any of these four dried collections were used by Berkeley when describing the species. The collection in the spirit jar and the published illustration are the only original materials, and that in the spirit jar is designated as lectotype here; the collection from Hooker's herbarium may be an isolectotype but it was not studied by Berkeley. As no DNA would have been recoverable from the spirit collection, we endeavoured to extract DNA from two of the dried collections. Routine DNA amplification did not yield any ITS fragments, so a metagenomic approach was used and the collection from Hooker's herbarium yielded an entire 3189 bp ITS sequence most similar to those of the haplotype that predominates in the major distributional area of the fungus. A rich modern collection from the core region of the fungus in China, with ample stromata of the fungus on the host, and the ITS sequence matching that obtained from the dried specimen from Hooker's herbarium, is designated as epitype to unequivocally fix the application of the name. Ex‐type living cultures from the epitype were obtained and are also being maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the correlation between the resistance characteristics of Helicobacter pylori (HP) and antibiotic use density (AUD) in a hospital from 2012 to 2018. Methods. HP strains isolated from Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2012 to 2018 were collected to analyze the drug resistance of clarithromycin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole, and their correlation with the AUD of the outpatient department and inpatient department was analyzed, respectively. Results. From 2012 to 2018, metronidazole-resistant strains accounted for the largest proportion, followed by clarithromycin and levofloxacin, and amoxicillin-resistant strains accounted for the least. In 2012–2018, the resistance rate of clarithromycin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole has basically increased year by year; from 2012 to 2018, the highest outpatient AUD in a hospital was amoxicillin, followed by clarithromycin and levofloxacin, metronidazole was the lowest, and the inpatient AUD from high to low was levofloxacin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin. The drug resistance rate of HP in the hospital from 2012 to 2018 was positively correlated with the AUD of clarithromycin (r = 0.884, P = 0.017) and levofloxacin (r = 0.934, P = 0.002) in the outpatient department. Conclusions. Helicobacter pylori has the strongest resistance to metronidazole and the worst resistance to amoxicillin in the hospital from 2012 to 2018, being related to the intensity of clarithromycin and levofloxacin in the outpatient department. It may provide certain reference significance for the clinical treatment of Helicobacter pylori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) use in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing. Real‐world data on efficacy and safety, however, are lacking. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with advanced HCC seen at our center who received at least one dose of an ICI between May 2015 and June 2018. Data cutoff was December 31, 2018. Responses were evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 criteria. Results: Of 114 patients, 88.6% were male. Median age was 66 years, 96.5% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group of 0–1. 62.3% received monotherapy ICI. 18.4% of patients had Child‐Pugh (CP) B disease on initiation of ICI, and 69.3% had an ALBI grade of 2. 54.4% were known to have chronic hepatitis B (HBV) or were previously infected, and 11.4% had hepatitis C. Baseline HBV viral load (VL) ranged from undetectable to 8 210 000 IU/mL. 35.1% received prior systemic treatment. 28.9% received prior sorafenib. Over a median follow‐up duration of 13.8 months (10.4–15.8), ORR was 18.4%, and DCR was 50.9%. Median progression‐free survival was 2.7 months (1.3–4.0), and median overall survival (OS) was 13.9 months (6.9–16.2). Thirty‐one patients (27.2%) received further systemic therapy after ICI discontinuation. On multivariable analyses, lower albumin level, higher bilirubin level, diuretic‐refractory ascites, and HBV‐associated HCC were associated with poorer OS. 69.3% of patients experienced adverse events (AE) of any grade, 14.9% of these being grade 3–4. No grade 5 AE were observed. Use of antiviral therapy was associated with a lower risk of grade 3 or above hepatic AEs (P = 0.048), whereas high baseline HBV VL was not associated with an increased risk of reactivation or hepatic AE. Discussion: We have demonstrated that the real‐world performance of ICIs in advanced HCC appears comparable to that observed in clinical trials for HCC patients with CP A cirrhosis. While prognosis of patients with advanced HCC and CP B cirrhosis remains poor even with ICI, usage of ICI is likely to be safe. Patients with HBV with a baseline HBV VL ≥100 IU/mL may receive ICI safely, especially if they are on antiviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the clinical features, surgical interventions and prognosis of injured eyes following explosion and to develop the risk factors for poor prognosis. Methods: A nested case–control study. To the date of 31 December 2018, 99 explosion‐related eye globes were selected from the Eye Injury Vitrectomy Study database, which is a multicenter prospective cohort study and began in 1990s. All cases selected underwent vitreoretinal surgery or enucleation and were followed up for at least 6 months. Clinically meaningful preoperative variables and outcomes were used to develop logistic regression models. Results: The unfavourable outcomes were defined as silicone oil‐filled eyes, phthisis bulbi, enucleation and anatomically restored eyes whose final BCVA is worse than initial vision after 6 months of follow‐up. The proportion of unfavourable outcomes was 92.0%, 60.9% and 66.7% in large festive fireworks, detonator and beer bottle groups respective. The anatomic and visual outcome of injured eyes with combined injury of blast wave and projectile were worse than that of ruptured eyes (Fisher's exact = 0.041). The extrusion of iris/lens (OR = 3.20, p = 0.015), PVR‐C (OR = 6.08, p = 0.036) and choroid damage (OR = 5.84, p = 0.025) is independent risk factors of unfavourable prognosis for explosion‐related eye trauma. Conclusion: The extrusion of iris/lens, PVR‐C and choroid damage is the independent risk factors for unfavourable outcomes in explosion‐related eye trauma. There is a unique injury mechanism in explosion‐related eye trauma. Summary Statement: Through the nested case‐control study, the extrusion of iris/lens, PVR‐C, and choroid damage are the independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes in explosion‐related eye trauma. The mechanism of open globe mixture and close globe mixture in explosion‐related eye trauma need more cases and participating units to explore together in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of the Pleurocordyceps/ "Polycephalomyces" clade unaffiliated with the clades of Clavicipitaceae s. str., Ophiocordycipitaceae, and Cordycipitaceae of clavicipitaceous fungi, some taxa have been published and more fungal material relevant to the group have become available for further study. Here, a multigene phylogeny using nrSSU, nrLSU, tef1, rpb1, and rpb2 was constructed with some of the recently discovered additional taxa using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses (BI) to test and refine the current phylogenetic framework for Cordyceps s. lat. and other clavicipitaceous fungi. In addition to the well supported major Pleurocordyceps/"Polycephalomyces" clade revealed previously, another clade with newly added taxa referred to as "Polycephalomyces formosus‐like" from Japan was found to be sister to the Pleurocordyceps/"Polycephalomyces" clade. Extensive investigation revealed that strains named "P. formosus‐like" grouped in this new clade and do indeed represent the true P. formosus and that species previously included in the genus Polycephalomyces required a new generic name. Based on the phylogenetic analyses and morphological characteristics, including both sexual and asexual morphs when available, the new generic name Pleurocordyceps is introduced and relevant new combinations are made. A newly designated lectotype and a supporting epitype for P. formosus is selected and the circumscription of Polycephalomyces is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 novel coronavirus has spread rapidly around the world. Cancer patients seem to be more susceptible to infection and disease deterioration, but the factors affecting the deterioration remain unclear. We aimed to develop an individualized model for prediction of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) deterioration in cancer patients. The clinical data of 276 cancer patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 in 33 designated hospitals of Hubei, China from December 21, 2019 to March 18, 2020, were collected and randomly divided into a training and a validation cohort by a ratio of 2:1. Cox stepwise regression analysis was carried out to select prognostic factors. The prediction model was developed in the training cohort. The predictive accuracy of the model was quantified by C‐index and time‐dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (t‐AUC). Internal validation was assessed by the validation cohort. Risk stratification based on the model was carried out. Decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the model. We found age, cancer type, computed tomography baseline image features (ground glass opacity and consolidation), laboratory findings (lymphocyte count, serum levels of C‐reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, direct bilirubin, urea, and d‐dimer) were significantly associated with symptomatic deterioration. The C‐index of the model was 0.755 in the training cohort and 0.779 in the validation cohort. The t‐AUC values were above 0.7 within 8 weeks both in the training and validation cohorts. Patients were divided into two risk groups based on the nomogram: low‐risk (total points ≤ 9.98) and high‐risk (total points > 9.98) group. The Kaplan‐Meier deterioration‐free survival of COVID‐19 curves presented significant discrimination between the two risk groups in both training and validation cohorts. The model indicated good clinical applicability by DCA curves. This study presents an individualized nomogram model to individually predict the possibility of symptomatic deterioration of COVID‐19 in patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In a mine water inrush accident, a fast and accurate emergency evacuation response is essential for ensuring the miner's safety. Conventional emergency evacuation response in the mining industry lacks integration of data from monitoring systems and adjustment of the evacuation plan. In this study, a cloud‐based service, named the Cloud EE‐MWI, is proposed for the emergency evacuation for water inrush accidents to support managers in making the best decisions. The Cloud EE‐MWI's architecture consists of three layers, including the information, computation, and visualization layers. Information layer acquires data from monitoring systems and processes the collected data with pre‐saved basic information of the mine to generate a time‐varying network of the accident evolution. The computation layer constructs an workflow to find a reliable water‐avoiding route. The latest departure route algorithm is proposed and the time‐varying earliest arrival algorithm is implemented in parallel on cloud servers to boost the evacuation path planning. Finally, the visualization layer focuses on displaying data from sensors and obtained results from the computation layer on the web‐side. A real case study is investigated to demonstrate that the service can integrate the information of the monitoring systems and support the useful solution of the emergency evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porous nano‐sized metal–organic framework (nanoMOF) and its proper surface modification could greatly promote the drug loading capability and introduce biocompatibility, biodegradability, and targeting functions into nano‐drug delivery systems. Herein, the HACD@ADA‐PA/MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P nanoparticle was successfully fabricated through supramolecular and coordination interactions from three building blocks, including hierarchically porous MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P nanoMOF, phosphite‐modified adamantane (ADA‐PA), and β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD)‐modified hyaluronic acid (HACD). The obtained HACD@ADA‐PA/MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P nanoparticle was nano‐sized and highly stable in physiological fluids. The porous structure of HACD@ADA‐PA/MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P nanoparticle could effectively load the commercial chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) with an encapsulation rate of 41.20 % and a loading rate of 48.84 %. The obtained drug‐loaded HACD@ADA‐PA/MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P@DOX nanoparticle was pH‐sensitive and relatively stable at neutral condition (pH 7.2) but could release DOX in a controlled way in subacid solution at pH 5.7. The simulated in vitro DOX release experiment signified that the HACD@ADA‐PA/MIL‐101_NH2 (Fe)‐P@DOX nanoparticle could realize the controlled release of DOX in tumor issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is an increasing trend in the organizations towards examining the artificial intelligence and nonartificial intelligence for the innovation and success of the new product, as well as getting the intentions of the upcoming researchers. Thus, the purpose of the ongoing study is to examine the role of artificial and nonartificial intelligence in the new product success along with the moderating role of new product innovation in the manufacturing organizations of China. The quantitative methods have been followed by the study and gathered the responses from the respondents using questionnaires, and analysis has been conducted by using the smart-PLS. The results exposed that artificial intelligence and nonartificial intelligence have positive and significant nexus with the new product success. The outcomes also revealed that the new product innovation significantly moderated the links among the nonartificial intelligence and new product success, but it insignificantly moderated the links among the artificial intelligence and new product success in the manufacturing organizations of China. These findings have provided the guidelines to the manufacturing companies and their policies developing authorities that they should be developed and implement the suitable policies regarding the adoption of artificial intelligence and nonartificial intelligence that enhance the success of the new product, which ultimately enhances the success of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propofol, a generally used anaesthetic in patients care, has been proven to induce neurotoxicity. Studies have shown that miR‐363‐3p was closely related to neurological dysfunction, and the up‐regulated miR‐363‐3p was recognized to be participate in propofol‐induced neurotoxicity. However, the mechanisms and functions of miR‐363‐3p in propofol‐induced neurotoxicity remain rarely reported. The aim of our research was to clarify the potential effects of miR‐363‐3p in neurotoxicity induced by propofol. SH‐SY5Y cells were treated with propofol, miR‐363‐3p inhibitor or sh‐CREB. quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were applied to detect the expression of miR‐363‐3p, CREB, Bax, Bcl‐2, cleaved caspase‐9 and cleaved caspase‐3 at the mRNA and/or protein level, respectively. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in cell supernatant were detected using different kits. Flow cytometry and MTT assay were applied for assessing the functions of miR‐363‐3p and CREB on cell ability in cellular activity and apoptotic rate. In addition, Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay verified the relationship between 3′‐UTR of CREB and miR‐363‐3p. Our data indicated that the cell viability decreased with the increasing propofol concentration. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase assay suggested that 3′‐UTR of transcript of CREB might be a binding site of miR‐363‐3p, and miR‐363‐3p could negatively regulate the expression of CREB. The changes in reactive oxygen species, LDH, SOD and MDA suggested that propofol mediates oxidative stress and apoptosis via modulating miR‐363‐3p/CREB axis. Propofol induces oxidative stress and apoptosis via affecting miR‐363‐3p/CREB axis in SH‐SY5Y cells, suggesting miR‐363‐3p down‐regulation may act as a novel strategy to ameliorate the propofol‐induced neurotoxicity. Significance of the study: The present study demonstrated that propofol induces oxidative stress and apoptosis via affecting miR‐363‐3p/CREB axis in SH‐SY5Y cells, suggesting miR‐363‐3p down‐regulation may act as a novel strategy to ameliorate the propofol‐induced neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impaired wound healing is a common complication of diabetes. In diabetic wounds, macrophages present dysfunctional efferocytosis and abnormal phenotypes, which could result in excessive neutrophil accumulation and prolonged inflammation, thereby eventually hindering wound repair. ANXA1 N‐terminal peptide Ac2‐26 exhibits a high potential in mitigating inflammation and improving repair; however, its efficacy in diabetic wound repair remains unclear. In this study, a cutaneous excisional wound model was built in genetically diabetic mice. Ac2‐26 or a vehicle solution was employed locally in wound sites. Subsequently, wound zones were measured and sampled at different time intervals post‐wounding. Using hematoxylin‐eosin and Masson's trichrome staining, we observed the histopathological variations and collagen deposition in wound samples. Based on immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, the numbers of neutrophils, macrophages, and CD206‐positive macrophages in the wound samples were determined. Cytokine expression in wound samples was studied by immunoblot assay. Results showed that Ac2‐26 treatment could facilitate diabetic wound closure, down‐regulate the number of neutrophils, and improve angiogenesis and collagen deposition. In addition, Ac2‐26 application expedited macrophage recruitment and up‐regulated the percentage of macrophages expressing CD206, which is a marker for M2 macrophages. Moreover, Ac2‐26 inhibited the expressions of TNF‐α and IL‐6 and up‐regulated the expressions of IL‐10, TGF‐β, and VEGFA during diabetic wound healing. Hence, based on the aforementioned findings, Ac2‐26 application in diabetic wounds could exert anti‐inflammatory and pro‐repair effects by reducing neutrophil accumulation and facilitating M2 macrophage development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confined microenvironments in biomacromolecules arising from molecular crowding account for their well‐defined biofunctions and bioactivities. To mimick this, synthetic polymers to form confined structures or microenvironments are of key scientific value, which have received significant attention recently. To create synthetic confined microenvironments, molecular crowding effects and topological cooperative effects have been applied successfully, and the key is balance between self‐association of structural units and self‐repulsion from crowding‐induced steric hindrance. In this article, formation of confined microenvironments from stimuli‐responsive dendronized polymers carrying densely dendritic oligoethylene glycols (OEGs) moieties in their pendants is presented. These wormlike thick macromolecules exhibit characteristic thermoresponsive properties, which can provide constrained microenvironments to encapsulate effectively guest molecules including dyes, proteins, or nucleic acids to prevent their protonation or biodegradation. This efficient shielding effect can also mediate chemical reactions in aqueous phase, and even enhance chirality transferring efficiency. All of these can be switched off simply through the thermally‐induced dehydration and collapse of OEG dendrons due to the amphiphilicity of OEG chains. Furthermore, the switchable encapsulation and release of guests can be greatly enhanced when these dendronized polymers are used as major constituents for fabricating bulk hydrogels or nanogels, which provide a higher‐level confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismoelectric coupling in an electric isotropic and elastic anisotropic medium is developed using a primary–secondary formulation. The anisotropy is of vertical transverse isotropic type and concerns only the poroelastic parameters. Based on our finite difference time domain algorithm, we solve the seismoelectric response to an explosive source. The seismic wavefields are computed as the primary field. The electric field is then obtained as a secondary field by solving the Poisson equation for the electric potential. To test our numerical algorithm, we compared our seismoelectric numerical results with analytical results obtained from Pride's equation. The comparison shows that the numerical solution gives a good approximation to the analytical solution. We then simulate the seismoelectric wavefields in different models. Simulated results show that four types of seismic waves are generated in anisotropic poroelastic medium. These are the fast and slow longitudinal waves and two separable transverse waves. All of these seismic waves generate coseismic electric fields in a homogenous anisotropic poroelastic medium. The tortuosity has an effect on the propagation of the slow longitudinal wave. The snapshot of the slow longitudinal wave has an oval shape when the tortuosity is anisotropic, whereas it has a circular shape when the tortuosity is isotropic. In terms of the Thomsen parameters, the radiation anisotropy of the fast longitudinal wave is more sensitive to the value of ε, while the radiation anisotropy of the transverse wave is more sensitive to the value of δ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]