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Acute liver failure (ALF) is a fulminant clinical syndrome that usually leads to multiple organ failure and high mortality. Macrophages play a crucial role in the initiation, development, and recovery of ALF. Targeting macrophages through immunotherapy holds significant promise as a therapeutic strategy. These cells exhibit remarkable plasticity, enabling them to differentiate into various subtypes based on changes in their surrounding microenvironment. M1‐type macrophages are associated with a pro‐inflammatory phenotype and primarily rely predominantly on glycolysis. In contrast, M2‐type macrophages, which are characterized by anti‐inflammatory phenotype, predominantly obtain their energy from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Shifting macrophage metabolism from glycolysis to OXPHOS inhibits M1 macrophage activation and promotes M2 macrophage activation, thereby exerting anti‐inflammatory and reparative effects. This study elucidates the relationship between macrophage activation and glucose metabolism reprograming from an immunometabolism perspective. A comprehensive literature review revealed that several signaling pathways may regulate macrophage polarization through energy metabolism, including phosphatidyl‐inositol 3‐kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α), nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), and AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK), which exhibit crosstalk with one another. Additionally, we systematically reviewed several traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers that can modulate glucose metabolism reprograming and influence the polarization states of M1 and M2 macrophages. This review aimed to provide valuable insights that could contribute to the development of new therapies or drugs for ALF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease, has become the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Recently, the discovery of cuproptosis, a newly identified mode of cell death, further highlighted the importance of copper in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. An increasing number of studies have confirmed that liver copper metabolism is closely related to the pathogenesis of NAFLD. However, the relationship between NAFLD and copper metabolism, especially cuproptosis, remains unclear. In this review, we aim to summarize the current understanding of copper metabolism and its dysregulation, particularly the role of copper metabolism dysregulation in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. More importantly, this review emphasizes potential gene‐targeted therapeutic strategies, challenges and the future of cuproptosis‐related genes in the treatment of NAFLD. This review aims to provide innovative therapeutic strategies for NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of metabolomics approaches to explore the metabolic mechanisms underlying plant fitness and adaptation to dynamic environments is growing, highlighting the need for an efficient and user‐friendly toolkit tailored for analyzing the extensive datasets generated by metabolomics studies. Current protocols for metabolome data analysis often struggle with handling large‐scale datasets or require programming skills. To address this, we present MetMiner (https://github.com/ShawnWx2019/MetMiner), a user‐friendly, full‐functionality pipeline specifically designed for plant metabolomics data analysis. Built on R shiny, MetMiner can be deployed on servers to utilize additional computational resources for processing large‐scale datasets. MetMiner ensures transparency, traceability, and reproducibility throughout the analytical process. Its intuitive interface provides robust data interaction and graphical capabilities, enabling users without prior programming skills to engage deeply in data analysis. Additionally, we constructed and integrated a plant‐specific mass spectrometry database into the MetMiner pipeline to optimize metabolite annotation. We have also developed MDAtoolkits, which include a complete set of tools for statistical analysis, metabolite classification, and enrichment analysis, to facilitate the mining of biological meaning from the datasets. Moreover, we propose an iterative weighted gene co‐expression network analysis strategy for efficient biomarker metabolite screening in large‐scale metabolomics data mining. In two case studies, we validated MetMiner's efficiency in data mining and robustness in metabolite annotation. Together, the MetMiner pipeline represents a promising solution for plant metabolomics analysis, providing a valuable tool for the scientific community to use with ease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anchorene, identified as an endogenous bioactive carotenoid‐derived dialdehyde and diapocarotenoid, affects root development by modulating auxin homeostasis. However, the precise interaction between anchorene and auxin, as well as the mechanisms by which anchorene modulates auxin levels, remain largely elusive. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of anchorene's bioactivities alongside auxin and observed that anchorene induces multifaceted auxin‐like effects. Through genetic and pharmacological examinations, we revealed that anchorene's auxin‐like activities depend on the indole‐3‐pyruvate‐dependent auxin biosynthesis pathway, as well as the auxin inactivation pathway mediated by Group II Gretchen Hagen 3 (GH3) proteins that mainly facilitate the conjugation of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) to amino acids, leading to the formation of inactivated storage forms. Our measurements indicated that anchorene treatment elevates IAA levels while reducing the quantities of inactivated IAA–amino acid conjugates and oxIAA. RNA sequencing further revealed that anchorene triggers the expression of numerous auxin‐responsive genes in a manner reliant on Group II GH3s. Additionally, our in vitro enzymatic assays and biolayer interferometry (BLI) assay demonstrated anchorene's robust suppression of GH3.17‐mediated IAA conjugation with glutamate. Collectively, our findings highlight the significant role of carotenoid‐derived metabolite anchorene in modulating auxin homeostasis, primarily through the repression of GH3‐mediated IAA conjugation and inactivation pathways, offering novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms of plant bioactive apocarotenoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shikonin is a plant medicine extracted from Lithospermum, which dominate influential antioxidant and antitumor effect. Here, we report that shikonin was capable of inducing human esophageal cancer EC9706 cell apoptosis and autophagy, in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner. Shikonin exposure repressed cell viability and migration and invasion capabilities and caused EC9706 cell autophagy and apoptosis by activating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK axis. Autophagy inhibition secured EC9706 cells against shikonin‐induced autophagy and apoptosis and reversed the upregulation of AMPK and ULK phosphorylation and downregulation of mTOR phosphorylation provoked by shikonin. In summary, shikonin instigates EC9706 cell apoptosis and autophagy using the target AMPK/mTOR/ULK signal pathway axis, which provides a potential new target to treat human esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical signals are crucial in mediating ecological and evolutionary adaptation of plants to their environments. Indeed, invasive plants may produce greater amounts of chemical metabolites in their new ranges. Some of these chemicals can enhance their mutualistic interactions and improve invasive plant performance, but genetic mechanisms of such adaptations are unexplored.We used Triadica sebifera plants as a model to investigate evolutionary changes in chemical signals that enhance arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal associations. Previous studies found that T. sebifera plants from invasive populations had higher root exudate concentrations of the flavonoid quercetin and elevated AM fungal colonization compared with those from native populations. Here, we explored genetic variation in strigolactone concentrations in root exudates and their contribution to AM fungal colonization with strigolactone analogue GR24 additions. In addition, we studied how gene expression patterns related to flavonoid and strigolactone biosynthesis varied among invasive and native populations using comparative genomics, transcriptomics and fluorescent real‐time quantitative PCR.We found that plants from invasive populations had higher concentrations of the strigolactone 5‐deoxystrigol in root exudates that were correlated with higher AM fungal colonization rates, relative to those from native populations. Exogenous applications of GR24, a synthetic analogue of 5‐deoxystrigol, increased AM fungal colonization. We found higher expression of a single gene in flavonoid (FLS) and strigolactone (DAD1) biosynthesis pathways increased levels of quercetin and 5‐deoxystrigol in plants from invasive populations, respectively.Synthesis. Understanding the role of genetic evolution in enhancing mutualisms of invasive plants provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of plant invasion. This study suggests that an invasive plant enhanced its mutualisms by upregulating the expression of key genes related to secondary metabolites in root exudates which stimulate symbiotic relationships with AM fungi. Thus, these findings provide insights into genetic mechanisms that underlie higher AM fungal colonization and enhanced invasive plant performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rigid hull encasing Tartary buckwheat seeds necessitates a laborious dehulling process before flour milling, resulting in considerable nutrient loss. Investigation of lignin composition is pivotal in understanding the structural properties of tartary buckwheat seeds hulls, as lignin is key determinant of rigidity in plant cell walls, thus directly impacting the dehulling process. Here, the lignin composition of seed hulls from 274 Tartary buckwheat accessions is analyzed, unveiling a unique lignin chemotype primarily consisting of G lignin, a common feature in gymnosperms. Furthermore, the hardness of the seed hull showed a strong negative correlation with the S lignin content. Genome‐wide detection of selective sweeps uncovered that genes governing the biosynthesis of S lignin, specifically two caffeic acid O‐methyltransferases (COMTs) and one ferulate 5‐hydroxylases, are selected during domestication. This likely contributed to the increased S lignin content and decreased hardness of seed hulls from more domesticated varieties. Genome‐wide association studies identified robust associations between FtCOMT1 and the accumulation of S lignin in seed hull. Transgenic Arabidopsis comt1 plants expressing FtCOMT1 successfully reinstated S lignin content, confirming its conserved function across plant species. These findings provide valuable metabolic and genetic insights for the potential redesign of Tartary buckwheat seed hulls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a meta‐analysis, we assessed the impact of different surgical approaches on the outcome of hepatectomy with hepatocellular carcinoma. Four databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science, have been critically reviewed through the full literature through June 2023. Eleven related trials were examined once they had met the trial's classification and exclusion criteria, as well as the assessment of the quality. A random effects approach was applied to analysis of operative organ infections, and a fixed‐effect model was applied to determine the 95% CI and OR. Analysis of the data was done with RevMan 5.3. Our findings indicated that patients undergoing minimally invasive liver cancer surgery had significantly lower risks of surgical organ infection (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16–0.77; p = 0.009) and wound infection (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.13–0.28; p < 0.001) compared to those undergoing open surgery. There was no heterogeneity observed between the two groups (I2 = 0) in wound infection. Nevertheless, because of the limited number of randomised controlled trials in this meta‐analysis, care should be taken and carefully considered in the treatment of these values. Further high‐quality studies involving a large number of samples are needed to validate and reinforce the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the world. NAFLD has become one of the major factors contributing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. However, there are no clear targets and therapeutic drugs for NAFLD‐related liver cancer. This study explored the active compounds, target and mechanism of coptidis rhizoma and evodiae fructus in the treatment of NAFLD‐related liver cancer based on the network pharmacology and experimental verification. There were 455 intersection targets of NAFLD‐related liver cancer, and 65 drug‐disease common targets. AKT1 has the highest degree, indicating that it may be a key target of coptidis rhizoma and evodiae fructus in the treatment of NAFLD‐related liver cancer. The expression level of AKT1 was high in high‐risk group, and the overall survival rate was lower than that in low‐risk group. After oleic acid induction, p‐AKT expression and lipid droplet deposition were promoted in HepG2 cells. Quercetin and resveratrol reduced lipid droplet deposition in vivo. Moreover, quercetin inhibited p‐AKT expression, resveratrol both reduced the expression of p‐AKT and AKT. The overall findings suggested that quercetin inhibited AKT in the treatment of NAFLD‐related liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese oxide‐based (MO‐based) aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are of great interest due to their high capacity, low cost, environmental friendliness, and low toxicity. However, to achieve commercialization of MO‐based AZIB, there are some issues mainly focused on cycling stability and capacity decay until now. The complexity of the energy storage mechanism and the physical and chemical properties of the MO itself are both hindering factors. Therefore, this review classifies and summarizes the energy storage mechanisms of MO‐based cathodes and hopes to guide the synthesis of MO‐based materials with excellent energy storage performance. And the kinetic assessment methods involve in the study of the MO‐based AZIB energy storage mechanism are categorized and highlighted. Moreover, the ideas of the current mechanisms mentioned are comprehensively discussed based on the advanced kinetic dynamics analyzing methods. In the last part of the review, a perspective outlook for the subsequent development and direction of MO‐based AZIB is made. This review will provide a guiding light for obtaining a high‐performance, commercially viable MO‐based AZIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cyanobacterial blooms pose a serious threat to public health due to the presence of cyanotoxins. Microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR) produced by Microcystis aeruginosa is the most common cyanotoxins. Due to the limitation of isolation, purification, and genetic manipulation techniques, it is difficult to study and verify in situ the biosynthetic pathways and molecular mechanisms of MC‐LR.We reassembled the biosynthetic gene cluster (mcy cluster) of MC‐LR in vitro by synthetic biology, designed and constructed the strong bidirectional promoter biPpsbA2, transformed it into Synechococcus 7942, and successfully expressed MC‐LR at a level of 0.006–0.018 fg cell−1 d−1.We found the expression of MC‐LR led to abnormal cell division and cellular filamentation, further using various methods proved that by irreversibly competing its GTP‐binding site, MC‐LR inhibits assembly of the cell division protein FtsZ.The study represents the first reconstitution and expression of the mcy cluster and the autotrophic production of MC‐LR in model cyanobacterium, which lays the foundation for resolving the microcystins biosynthesis pathway. The discovered role of MC‐LR in cell division reveals a mechanism of how blooming cyanobacteria gain a competitive edge over their nonblooming counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolytes play a pivotal role to determine the electrode performances in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). However, understanding the function of electrolyte components at the molecular scale remains elusive (e.g., salts, solvents, and additives), particularly how they arrange themselves and affect properties of the bulk, liquid‐solid interfaces, and electrolyte decomposition, rendering a bottleneck for improving the electrolytes. Herein, the function of electrolyte components is thoroughly studied, from Li+ solvation structure in the bulk electrolyte, Li+ (de‐)solvation behaviors at the electrolyte‐solid interfaces, until the formation of solid electrolyte interphase (i.e., SEI) layer on the electrodes. Furthermore, a detailed model by taking into account the effects of solvent, additive, lithium salt, and concentration on the electrochemical properties of the Li+‐solvent‐anion complex to elucidate the electrode performances are depicted. As the ultimate benefit of this study, a completely new non‐flammable ether‐based electrolyte and stabilizing the promising antimony (Sb) anodes can be designed. Remarkably, a high‐performance Sb anode that is superior to previous reports is obtained. This study provides a graphical model to unravel interfacial and interphasial behaviors of electrolyte components in LIBs, which is also significant for developing other metal‐ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Invasive plants can change soil properties resulting in improved growth. Although invaders are known to alter soil chemistry, it remains unclear if chemicals secreted by roots facilitate invasive plant–soil mutualisms.With up to 19 confamilial pairs of invasive and native plants, and most of which were congeners, we explored the root exudate‐induced changes in plant–arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal mutualisms.We found that, relative to natives, invaders had greater AM colonization, greater biomass and their root exudates contained higher concentrations of two common chemical signals – quercetin and strigolactones – which are known to stimulate AM fungal growth and root colonization. An exudate exchange experiment showed that root exudates from invaders increased AM colonization more than exudates from natives. However, application of activated carbon led to greater reduction in AM colonization and plant biomass for invaders than natives, suggesting stronger effects of chemical signals in root exudates from invaders.We show that nonnative plants promote interactions with soil mutualists via enhancing root exudate chemicals, which could have important implications for invasion success. See also the Commentary on this article by Lekberg & Callaway, 236: 797–799. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laurel wilt, caused by the fungus Raffaelea lauricola, has caused widespread mortality to Persea borbonia across the southeastern United States. The invasive ambrosia beetle vector of the pathogen, Xyleborus glabratus, attacks and infects trees, leaving only P. borbonia seedlings, saplings, and stump sprouts in heavily affected areas. To facilitate mitigation of this ecological damage, we initiated a screening program for laurel wilt disease resistance. We established circular field plots (0.08 hectare) in six significantly impacted sites, measured laurel wilt epidemiological characteristics, and selected 61 survivor P. borbonia ortets (≥7.5 cm diameter at breast height [DBH]) for vegetative propagation, screening, and monitoring. Disease incidence in the plots ranged from 50% to 87% of P. borbonia stems thicker than 2.5 cm DBH and ortet survival per site ranged from 0% to 70% a decade after initial selection. Clonal ramets from 38 survivor ortets were out planted and screened for resistance to R. lauricola in a series of field inoculation trials. Results indicate variable levels of host susceptibility and suggest rare individuals exist with tolerance to R. lauricola. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of xylem samples from three infected P. borbonia clones suggests that reduced tylose production and granular deposition in xylem lumina are associated with increased resistance to R. lauricola. Results from this study will aid in the selection of disease‐resistant P. borbonia germplasm for restoration plantings in affected sites and provide new insights into the host–pathogen interaction of this deadly vascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Salicylic acid (SA) is a key phytohormone regulating plant immunity. Although the transcriptional regulation of SA biosynthesis has been well‐studied, its post‐translational regulation is largely unknown.We report that a Kelch repeats‐containing F‐box (KFB) protein, SMALL AND GLOSSY LEAVES 1 (SAGL1), negatively influences SA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana by mediating the proteolytic turnover of SYSTEMIC ACQUIRED RESISTANCE DEFICIENT 1 (SARD1), a master transcription factor that directly drives SA biosynthesis during immunity.Loss of SAGL1 resulted in characteristic growth inhibition. Combining metabolomic, transcriptional and phenotypic analyses, we found that SAGL1 represses SA biosynthesis and SA‐mediated immune activation. Genetic crosses to mutants that are deficient in SA biosynthesis blocked the SA overaccumulation in sagl1 and rescued its growth. Biochemical and proteomic analysis identified that SAGL1 interacts with SARD1 and promotes the degradation of SARD1 in a proteasome‐dependent manner.These results unravelled a critical role of KFB protein SAGL1 in maintaining SA homeostasis via controlling SARD1 stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleotide sugars, the activated forms of monosaccharides, are important intermediates of carbohydrate metabolism in all organisms. Here, we describe a method for the detection and quantification of UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose in maize in order to compare their metabolism in both wild-type and mutated plants. Triple quadrupole operating in a multiple reaction monitoring mode was used to quantify nucleotide sugars. The limits of detection for UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose were 0.50 and 0.70 ng·mL−1, respectively. The recoveries of the method ranged from 98.3% to 103.6% with the relative standard deviations less than 6.3%. To prove the applicability of this method, we analyzed several sets of maize extracts obtained from different cultivars grown under standardized greenhouse conditions. All the results demonstrated the suitability of the developed method to quantify UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose in maize extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prove the partial Hölder regularity of weak solutions and the partial Morrey regularity to horizontal gradients of weak solutions to a nonlinear discontinuous subelliptic system with drift on the Heisenberg group by the A -harmonic approximation, where the coefficients in the nonlinear subelliptic system are discontinuous and satisfy the VMO condition for x , ellipticity and growth condition with the growth index 1 < p < 2 for the Heisenberg gradient variable, and the nonhomogeneous terms satisfy the controllable growth condition and the natural growth condition, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries have dominated the energy market from portable electronic devices to electric vehicles. However, the LIBs applications are limited seriously when they were operated in the cold regions and seasons if there is no thermal protection. This is because the Li+ transportation capability within the electrode and particularly in the electrolyte dropped significantly due to the decreased electrolyte liquidity, leading to a sudden decline in performance and short cycle‐life. Thus, design a low‐temperature electrolyte becomes ever more important to enable the further applications of LIBs. Herein, we summarize the low‐temperature electrolyte development from the aspects of solvent, salt, additives, electrolyte analysis, and performance in the different battery systems. Then, we also introduce the recent new insight about the cation solvation structure, which is significant to understand the interfacial behaviors at the low temperature, aiming to guide the design of a low‐temperature electrolyte more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing carbon nanotubes (CNTs)‐based materials are attracting great attention due to their fantastic properties and greater performance. Herein, a new CNTs network triggered by metal catalysts (e.g., Co, Ni, or Cu) is constructed on metal oxide (e.g., MnO) microparticles, giving rise to a high‐performance Co‐MnO@C‐CNTs anode in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). An extremely high capacity of 1050 mAh g−1, extraordinary rate capacities over 10 A g−1, and a long lifespan over 500 cycles are demonstrated. The great features of Co‐MnO@C‐CNTs anode are further confirmed in LIBs when the nickel‐rich cathode (e.g., LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2) is used and charged at a high voltage over 4.5 V. A high‐capacity retention of 71.5% can be maintained at 1 C over 150 cycles. The superior performance relates to the CNTs network, which not only acts as an "expressway network" for fast ion/electron transportation but also buffers structural variation. Moreover, the metal nanoparticles can also enhance the electrical conductivity and catalyze the (de‐)lithiation of metal oxide, resulting in higher reversibility and long‐term cyclability. This study opens a new avenue to prepare CNTs‐based functional materials and also explores the potential applications of metal oxide‐based anode for high‐performance batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With diverse genetic backgrounds, soybean landraces are valuable resource for breeding programs. Herein, we apply multi‐omic approaches to extensively characterize the molecular basis of drought tolerance in the soybean landrace LX. Initial screens established that LX performed better with PEG6000 treatment than control cultivars. LX germinated better than William 82 under drought conditions and accumulated more anthocyanin and flavonoids. Untargeted mass spectrometry in combination with transcriptomic analyses revealed the chemical diversity and genetic basis underlying the overall performance of LX landrace. Under control and drought conditions, significant differences in the expression of a suite of secondary metabolism genes, particularly those involved in the general phenylpropanoid pathway and flavonoid but not lignin biosynthesis, were seen in LX and William 82. The expression of these genes correlated with the corresponding metabolites in LX plants. Further correlation analysis between metabolites and transcripts identified pathway structural genes and transcription factors likely are responsible for the LX agronomic traits. The activities of some key biosynthetic genes or regulators were confirmed through heterologous expression in transgenic Arabidopsis and hairy root transformation in soybean. We propose a regulatory mechanism based on flavonoid secondary metabolism and adaptive traits of this landrace which could be of relevance to cultivated soybean. The diverse genetic resources in soybean landraces could confer adaptive agricultural traits to certain regional stress conditions and could be utilized to accelerate breeding programs. However, few studies focus on the molecular basis of the stress resistances in soybean. In this work, we applied multi‐omic approach to dissect the genetic and metabolic basis of drought resistance in a soybean landrace LX. Combining transcriptome and metabolome analysis, we unraveled that enhanced phenylpropanoid metabolism, especially flavonoid metabolism, could be the key in LX resistance against drought. A suite of regulatory and biosynthetic genes were also functionally validated in either Arabidopsis or soybean. The results presented in this work pinpoint the significance of plant secondary metabolism in important agricultural traits and provide new targets for soybean breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A scheduling model is a prerequisite for an operation strategy of integrated energy system (IES). Existing scheduling models of IES, however, are typically based on heat‐transfer variables either completely or partially, which oversimplify detailed thermal characteristics. To this end, a novel scheduling model is proposed where all thermal processes are modeled by temperature and flowrate of working fluids. This improvement renders the capability to the scheduling model to incorporate different thermal processes. Furthermore, the nonlinear product terms of temperature and flowrate in the proposed model are linearized by the binary expansion method. Based on the linearized scheduling model, a stochastic model predictive control (SMPC) operation strategy is exploited to optimize the economic performance by energy forecast, scenario reduction, rolling optimization, and feedback correction. Afterwards, four operation modes considering different temperature changes of the devices, networks, and the environment are performed and compared. The results found that thermal characteristics will affect device operation results and the degree of influence varies. The network temperature changes have the broadest influence, followed by the device and the ambient temperature changes. Moreover, system operation costs are also affected by detailed thermal characteristics. The total cost, the gas cost, and the electricity cost under Mode 2 are almost the same to those of Mode 1. However, the first two costs are reduced by 3.4% and 5.3% under Mode 3, and are reduced by 2.7% and 4% under Mode 4, despite that the electricity cost increases by 0.2% under Mode 3 and remains almost the same under Mode 4. These indicate that reliability and economy of an IES are affected by thermal characteristics, and it is thus the necessity to consider detailed thermal characteristics in an operation. Moreover, the results demonstrate the capability of the generalized temperature‐flowrate based scheduling model and the effectiveness of the SMPC operation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pore fluid pressure is a critical parameter controlling the dynamics of subduction zones and related geological hazards, but quantitative constraints on pore pressure are sparse. Here we provide robust estimates of pore pressure in the shallow Nankai Trough subduction zone based on consolidation experiments and numerical models. Our experimental data reveal excess pore pressures with nearly constant ratios of pore pressure to lithostatic stress for the accreted and underthrust sediments, implying the décollement is not a fluid barrier as previously inferred. Also, our research suggests repeated lithostatic pore pressure transients in the last 3 kyrs, probably associated with the propagation of the frontal thrust. The coupled pore pressure dissipation and chemical transport model results let us conclude the updip migration fluid originates from an overpressured horizon nearby, confirming the view of a heterogeneous plate boundary with overpressured and permeable patches along the fault surface that shift in time and space. The resulting high excess pore pressure leads to the shear strength of Nankai subduction thrust as low as 0.4–0.8 MPa. This provides quantitative constraints on the weakness of subduction thrusts at the toe of accretionary prisms and may explain why seismic slip can propagate all the way to the trench in some earthquakes (e.g., 2011 Tohoku event). Plain Language Summary: Subduction zones host the largest earthquakes and ∼90% of the global seismic energy is released there. Pore fluid pressure governs the formation and evolution of subduction zones and is closely associated with the generation of earthquakes. Therefore, predicting pore fluid pressure is crucial to improve our understanding on the hydro‐mechanical processes in subduction zones. Here we estimate the pore fluid pressure in the shallow Nankai Trough subduction zone and show that the whole sediment succession is overpressured. Also, our experimental data reveal a subduction thrust off Muroto peninsula as weak as those leading to the catastrophic tsunami hazards in 2011 Tohoku earthquakes. Our research provides important hints for the preparation for large earthquakes and tsunamis in the Nankai Trough subduction zone, SW Japan. Key Points: Continuous excess pore pressure is found in the accreted and underthrust sediments and implies the Nankai décollement is not a fluid barrierPore pressures 84%–93% of the lithostatic stress along the décollement lead to the shear strength of Nankai subduction thrust as low as 0.4–0.8 MPa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we apply De Giorgi-Moser iteration to establish the Hölder regularity of quasiminimizers to generalized Orlicz functional on the Heisenberg group by using the Riesz potential, maximal function, Calderón-Zygmund decomposition, and covering Lemma on the context of the Heisenberg Group. The functional includes the p -Laplace functional on the Heisenberg group which has been studied and the variable exponential functional and the double phase growth functional on the Heisenberg group that have not been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EV) have attracted increasing attention as tumour biomarkers due to their unique biological property. However, conventional methods for EV analysis are mainly based on bulk measurements, which masks the EV‐to‐EV heterogeneity in tumour diagnosis and classification. Herein, a localized fluorescent imaging method (termed Digital Profiling of Proteins on Individual EV, DPPIE) was developed for analysis of multiple proteins on individual EV. In this assay, an anti‐CD9 antibody engineered biochip was used to capture EV from clinical plasma sample. Then the captured EV was specifically recognized by multiple DNA aptamers (CD63/EpCAM/MUC1), followed by rolling circle amplification to generate localized fluorescent signals. By‐analyzing the heterogeneity of individual EV, we found that the high‐dimensional data collected from each individual EV would provide more precise information than bulk measurement (ELISA) and the percent of CD63/EpCAM/MUC1‐triple‐positive EV in breast cancer patients was significantly higher than that of healthy donors, and this method can achieve an overall accuracy of 91%. Moreover, using DPPIE, we are able to distinguish the EV between lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous carcinoma patients. This individual EV heterogeneity analysis strategy provides a new way for digging more information on EV to achieve multi‐cancer diagnosis and classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the role of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway in upregulated NGAL expression and its antiapoptotic mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated renal tubular epithelial cell injury. Methods. In vitro, HK-2 cells were divided into five groups (Con, LPS 1 h, LPS 3 h, LPS 6 h, and LPS 12 h groups) based on the time of LPS (10 μM) treatment. NGAL and caspase-3 gene expression levels were detected by RT-PCR to assess dynamic changes. HK-2 cells were pretreated with SP600125 (20 μM) for 2 hours, followed by LPS (10 μM) stimulation for 3 hours. NGAL and caspase-3 gene expression levels were then determined. Results. NGAL mRNA was increased significantly within 6 hours, and caspase-3 mRNA was increased within 3 hours after treatment (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed a high correlation between their expression (r = 0.448, P < 0.05). After pretreatment with SP600125, mRNA expression of NGAL in the LPS group was inhibited, while that of caspase-3 was increased significantly. The NGAL mRNA expression level in the SB + LPS group was decreased significantly compared with that in the LPS group, but it was slightly higher than that in the SP group (∼1.5 times of that in the Con group). However, caspase-3 mRNA expression was increased significantly in the SB + LPS group (P < 0.001) (3.5 times of that in the Con group). It also showed a significant increase compared with SP and LPS groups (P < 0.001 vs. SB group; P < 0.05 vs. LPS group). We also found that NGAL and caspase 3 proteins were increased significantly in LPS and SP + LPS groups, but SP600125 decreased the NGAL level by almost 35% and increased the caspase 3 level by 50% in the SP + LPS group compared with the LPS group (P < 0.05). Conclusions. The JNK signaling pathway inhibits LPS-mediated apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells by upregulating NGAL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the early period of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), the body may show severe immunosuppression and excessive activation of inflammatory response, This is very similar to sepsis in many ways. Objective: The aim of this study is to observe changes of the early expression of monocyte human leukocyte antigen DR in patients with cardiac arrest, so as to explore the clinical significance of the related immune assessment and prognosis prediction. Methods: A total of 43 patients with cardiac arrest who have been treated in the emergency department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from January 2015 to February 2018 are selected. By taking the survival rate on the 28th day of hospitalization as the end of observation, the patients are divided into the survival group and the death group. Changes of APACHE-II scores and monocyte human leukocyte antigen DR levels on the first, second, and third day after admission are analyzed. Results: On the first, second, and third day after onset, cardiac arrest patients show significantly decreased levels of monocyte human leukocyte antigen DR which are obviously lower in the death group than in the survival group. In addition, human leukocyte antigen DR levels were significantly negatively correlated with APACHE-II scores. Conclusion: The expression of monocyte human leukocyte antigen DR is proven to be an ideal indicator to evaluate the immune function and prognosis of cardiac arrest patients. A constantly low expression of human leukocyte antigen DR indicates impaired immune function and increased mortality of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged inflammation and deregulated cytokine production are associated with diversified inflammatory diseases. Genistein (GEN), the active and predominant isoflavonoid in dietary soybean, possesses anti‐inflammatory activity. Our study aimed to assess the anti‐inflammatory effects of GEN‐27, a derivative of GEN, as well as explore the potential molecular mechanisms using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced RAW264.7 cells. In our study, we demonstrated that GEN‐27 administration (1, 5, or 10 μM) dose‐dependently inhibited nitrite and nitric oxide (NO) levels in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Also, GEN‐27 suppressed the release of LPS‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐6, and IL‐18. Moreover, GEN‐27 attenuated LPS‐induced inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expressions at messenger RNA and protein levels, and reversed the promoter activity of iNOS in RAW264.7 cells. Mechanistically, GEN‐27 abated LPS‐induced reactive oxygen species production, as well as mitigated LPS‐induced increase of caspase 1 activity and the protein levels of NOD‐like receptor 3 (NLRP3), anti‐apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein‐containing a CRAD (ASC), and caspase 1 in RAW264.7 cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Similarly, GEN‐27 dose‐dependently weakened adenosine triphosphate‐induced NLRP3 and IL‐1β in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, GEN‐27 treatment significantly suppressed LPS‐induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) p65 and alleviated LPS‐induced increase of transcriptional activity of NF‐κB in RAW264.7 cells. In summary, these results revealed that GEN‐27 exhibited anti‐inflammatory effects by suppressing the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF‐κB pathway, suggesting that GEN‐27 may be served as a promising therapeutic agent for the prevention and therapy of inflammatory‐associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lateral organ boundary domain (LBD) genes encode a group of plant-specific proteins that function as transcription factors in the regulation of plant growth and development. Citrus sinensis lateral organ boundary 1 ( CsLOB1) is a member of the LBD family and functions as a disease susceptibility gene in citrus bacterial canker (CBC). Thirty-four LBD members have been identified from the Citrus sinensis genome. We assessed the potential for additional members of LBD genes in citrus to function as surrogates for CsLOB1 in CBC, and compared host gene expression on induction of different LBD genes. Using custom-designed transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors, two members of the same clade as CsLOB1, named CsLOB2 and CsLOB3, were found to be capable of functioning similarly to CsLOB1 in CBC. RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed a set of cell wall metabolic genes that are associated with CsLOB1, CsLOB2 and CsLOB3 expression and may represent downstream genes involved in CBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: This study aimed to estimate the time to precursor progression and to identify significant predicators. Methods: One hundred thirty-three precursor and 311 normal cases detected in a population- based screening were surveyed for 5.5 years. Precursor progression was defined as worsening of dysplasia or development of a new precursor. Time to precursor progression was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Significant predicators were estimated by Cox proportional regression. Results: Of the 133 precursor cases, 33.08% (44/133) progressed or recurred, 30.08% (40/ 133) persisted, and 36.84% (49/133) regressed; of the 311 normal subjects, 13.50% (42/ 311) developed a precursor. Progression occurred significantly earlier and more frequently with ncreasing histology: with mind dysplasia (mD), 7.8% progressed by 1 year and 23.3% progressed by 5 year; with moderate dysplasia (MD), 18% progressed by 1 year and 70% progressed by 5 years; and with severe dysplasia, 50% progressed by 1 year and 100% progressed by 5 years. The difference between any two groups was significant. In addition, the marginal Lugol-stained mucosa at endoscopic mucosal resection had a progressing risk similar to that of MD, and basal cell hyperplasia was similar to that of mD. Significant predicators for precursor progression included male sex (hazard ratio and 95% CI: 2.74 (1.63-4.60)), age over 50 years (2.31 (1.33-4.02)), family history of upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC) (1.56 (1.00-2.45)), multifocal dysplasia (5.11 (3.01-8.68)), and baseline histology. Conclusions: Sex, age, family history of UGIC, multifocal dysplasia, and baseline histology are significant independent predicators for precursor progression. Patients after endoscopic mucosal resection should be continuously surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A novel fluorescence assay system for glucose was developed with thioglycollic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) as probes. The luminescence quantum yield of the TGA-capped CdTe QDs was highly sensitive to H2O2 and pH. In the presence of glucose oxidase, glucose is oxidized to yield, gluconic acid and H2O2. H2O2 and H+ (dissociated from gluconic acid) intensively quenched the fluorescence of QDs. The experimental results showed that the quenched fluorescence was proportional to the glucose concentration within the range of 0.01-5.0 m m under optimized experimental conditions. Compared with most of the existing methods, this newly developed system possesses many advantages, including simplicity, low cost, high flexibility, and good sensitivity. Furthermore, no complicated chemical modification of QDs and enzyme immobilization was needed in this system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: In order to explore a new therapeutic method, we investigated the effects of exogenously expressed hepatocyte growth factor mediated by attenuated salmonella (TPH) on rats with ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by 2-, 4-, 6-trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid. Methods: The UC rats were treated with TPH, attenuated salmonella with a eukaryotic expression vector (TP) or sodium bicarbonate (model control [MC]) every other day. Cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ and CD8+ T cells and immunoglobulins in the blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. The HGF expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. A macroscopic-scale observation of the colon and a histological assessment were also carried out. Results: The CD4+T counts and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the TPH group were significantly lower than that in the MC group. The immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G1 levels in the TPH group were significantly lower than that in the MC group and TP group. After treatment with TPH, the symptoms of the ulcerative rats were significantly alleviated. The colonic lesion grades in the TPH group were lower than that in the TP group and MC group. Significant improvement occurred after the TPH treatment, as evidenced by alleviated mucosal inflammation. At 7 days post-treatment, the HGF expression in the colonic tissues that were treated with TPH was stronger than that in the samples treated with TP. Conclusions: TPH inhibits the proliferation of T lymphocytes and the antibody production of B lymphocytes. Furthermore, it ameliorates mucosal inflammation and promotes the regeneration of mucosa and the healing of the colonic ulceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: electrode; lithium-ion batteries; low-temperature electrolyte; solid electrolyte interphase; solvation structure EN electrode lithium-ion batteries low-temperature electrolyte solid electrolyte interphase solvation structure 1 1 1 11/19/21 20211117 NES 211117 B Lithium-ion batteries b have dominated the energy market from portable electronic devices to electric vehicles. Electrode, lithium-ion batteries, low-temperature electrolyte, solid electrolyte interphase, solvation structure Recent new insights are also introduced about the cation solvation structure, which is significant to understand the interfacial behaviors at the low temperature, aiming to guide the design of a low-temperature electrolyte more effectively. [Extracted from the article]