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Aim: To investigate whether resilience mediates the connection between caregiver burden and hope among caregivers of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Design: A cross‐sectional study. Methods: Two hundred patients with IBD were conveniently sampled from two tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province, China. The main instruments involved the Zarit Burden Interview, the 10‐item Connor‐Davidson resilience scale, and the Herth Hope Index. We conducted descriptive analysis and Pearson correlations using SPSS 25.0. The PROCESS v3.3 macro analysed the mediating effect. We report the results in line with the STROBE checklist. Results: Caregiver burden was significantly negatively connected with hope and resilience, whereas resilience positively correlated with hope. The mediation role of resilience was significant in the relationship between caregiver burden and hope, with mediating effects accounting for 47.86% of the overall effect. Conclusions: Resilience partially mediates the association between caregiver burden and hope among patients with IBD. This finding highlights the protective role of resilience in undermining caregiver burden and strengthening hope. Implications for Practice: In clinical practice, healthcare providers should perform routine psychological assessments for caregivers of patients with IBD. Furthermore, resilience training should be incorporated into interventions to alleviate caregiver burden and enhance hope. Patient or Public Contribution: None. [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]

Sodium (Na) metal batteries (SMBs) have attracted many attentions because of high specific capacity and low redox potential. However, SMBs encounter several crucial challenges including Na dendrites growth, severe interfacial side reactions and safe issues from liquid organic electrolyte. In this study, a non‐flammable 1,2‐bis (1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethoxy) ethane (TFEE) aided ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte (TILE) is reported with sodium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI) salt and N‐methyl‐N‐propylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide ([Py13][FSI]) IL solvent. The IL solvent contains plentiful organic cations and anions, which helps to provide a cationic shielding effect by [Py13]+ cations and regulate the Na+ solvation structure with more FSI− and TFSI− anions. The unique solvation structure of Na+ facilitates a stable inorganic‐rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), effectively inhibiting unstable Na deposition and suppressing side reactions between the electrolyte and Na‐metal in SMBs. Therefore, the Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP)||Na cells with TILE can deliver good rate capability and superior cycling performance with capacity retention of 95.5% and Coulombic efficiency of ≈99.9% after 2000 cycles at 5C rate and 25 °C. The high‐voltage NaNi0.33Fe0.33Mn0.33O2(NFM)||Na cells with TILE can also deliver good cycling performance with capacity retention of 92% after 150 cycles in the voltage range of 2.0–4.1 V at 0.5C rate and 25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Recent studies have shown that the wettability of protein‐based emulsifiers is critical for emulsion stability. However, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of varying epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) concentrations on the wettability of protein‐based emulsifiers. Additionally, limited studies have examined the effectiveness of soy protein–EGCG covalent complex nanoparticles with improved wettability as emulsifiers for stabilizing high‐oil‐phase (≥ 30%) curcumin emulsions.Soy protein isolate (SPI)–EGCG complex nanoparticles (SPIEn) with improved wettability were fabricated to stabilize high‐oil‐phase curcumin emulsions. The results showed that EGCG forms covalent bonds with SPI, which changes its secondary structure, enhances its surface charge, and improves its wettability. Moreover, SPIEn with 2.0 g L −1 EGCG (SPIEn‐2.0) exhibited a better three‐phase contact angle (56.8 ± 0.3o) and zeta potential (−27 mV) than SPI. SPIEn‐2.0 also facilitated the development of curcumin emulsion gels at an oil volume fraction of 0.5. Specifically, the enhanced network between droplets as a result of the packing effects and SPIEn‐2.0 with inherent antioxidant function was more effective at inhibiting curcumin degradation during long‐term storage and ultraviolet light exposure.The results of the present study indicate that SPIEn with 2.0 g L −1 EGCG (SPIEn‐2.0) comprises the optimum conditions for fabricating emulsifiers with improved wettability. Additionally, SPIEn‐0.2 can improve the physicochemical stability of high‐oil‐phase curcumin emulsions, suggesting a novel strategy to design and fabricate high‐oil‐phase emulsion for encapsulating bioactive compounds. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The application of curcumin (Cur) in the food industry is usually limited by its low water solubility and poor stability. This study aimed to fabricate self‐assembled nanoparticles using pea vicilin (7S) through a pH‐shifting method (pH 7–pH 12–pH 7) to develop water‐soluble nanocarriers of Cur. RESULTS: Intrinsic fluorescence, far‐UV circular dichroism spectra and transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the structure of 7S could be unfolded at pH 12.0 and refolded when the pH shifted to 7.0. The assembled 7S–Cur exhibited a high loading ability of 81.63 μg mg−1 for Cur and homogeneous particle distribution. Cur was encapsulated in the 7S hydrophobic nucleus in an amorphous form and combined through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding, resulting in the static fluorescence quenching of 7S. Compared with free Cur, the retention rates of Cur in 7S–Cur were approximately 1.12 and 1.70 times higher under UV exposure at 365 nm or heating at 75 °C for 120 min, respectively, as well as 7S–Cur showing approximately 1.50 times higher antioxidant activity. During simulated gastrointestinal experiments, 7S–Cur exhibited a better sustained‐release property than free Cur. CONCLUSION: The self‐assembled 7S nanocarriers prepared using a pH‐shifting method effectively improved the antioxidant activity, environmental stability and sustained‐release property of Cur. Therefore, 7S isolated from pea protein could be used as potential nanocarriers for Cur. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's social safety net is still underdeveloped, hence family support in the form of intergenerational transfers often serves as a substitute for the public transfer system. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, this paper finds that both upstream inter‐vivos transfers (from children to parents) and downstream inter‐vivos transfers (from parents to children) are prevalent in urban China. Moreover, the relative income status of the parent and children has an impact on inter‐vivos transfers. To investigate what economic factors generate the observed patterns of inter‐vivos transfers, this paper adopts a general equilibrium life‐cycle model in which overlapping generations are altruistically linked and calibrates the model to match data from urban China. Counterfactual experiments of removing one source of economic risk or modifying the social security replacement rate from the baseline model at a time reveal that intergenerational transfers mainly serve as informal insurance against the income risk of the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms (CBs) are becoming more frequent globally, posing a threat to freshwater ecosystems. While making long‐range forecasts is overly challenging, predicting imminent CBs is possible from precise monitoring data of the underlying covariates. It is, however, infeasibly costly to conduct precise monitoring on a large scale, leaving most lakes unmonitored or only partially monitored. The challenge is hence to build a predictive model that can use the incomplete, partially‐monitored data to make near‐future CB predictions. By using 30 years of monitoring data for 78 water bodies in Alberta, Canada, combined with data of watershed characteristics (including natural land cover and anthropogenic land use) and meteorological conditions, we train a Bayesian network that predicts future 2‐week CB with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83. The only monitoring data that the model needs to reach this level of accuracy are whether the cell count and Secchi depth are low, medium, or high, which can be estimated by advanced high‐resolution imaging technology or trained local citizens. The model is robust against missing values as in the absence of any single covariate, it performs with an AUC of at least 0.78. While taking a major step toward reduced‐cost, less data‐intensive CB forecasting, our results identify those key covariates that are worth the monitoring investment for highly accurate predictions. Key Points: Toxic algae blooms pose threats globally, longing for prompt predictionOur work uses less costly, incomplete data sets to make near‐future bloom predictionsWe predict blooms with area under the curve 0.83 using partial data of regional and local information [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ruxolitinib was recently approved to treat corticosteroid‐resistant acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD). However, it is unknown as to whether starting ruxolitinib at a lower versus higher acute GvHD grade or earlier versus later affected outcomes. This study identified the impact of starting acute GvHD grade and start time after declaring corticosteroid resistance and the effect on complete and overall response rates to ruxolitinib therapy. Methods: Retrospective, observational multi‐center study. We divided cohorts into starting ruxolitinib ≤ 7 days (N = 45) versus at > 7 days after declaring corticosteroid resistance (N = 24). Results: In ≤ 7 days cohort complete response (CR) rates at day 28 were 69% (54, 81%) versus 25% (11, 47%; p =.001) in > 7 days cohort, and overall response (OR) rates were 91% (78, 96%) versus 80% (48, 92%; p =.25). Conclusions: Our data suggest that starting ruxolitinib in ≤ 7 days of declaring corticosteroid failure regardless of G vHD grade improves complete response rate but not OR rates. Starting ruxolitinib at grade I and within 7 days may get a more significant response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries is severely limited by the shuttle effect and instability of Li‐metal anode. Constructing Li‐ion S batteries (LISBs), by using more stable commercial graphite (Gr) anode instead of Li‐metal, is an effective way to realize long‐cycle‐life Li‐S batteries. However, Gr electrode is usually incompatible with the ether‐based electrolytes commonly used for Li‐S batteries due to the Li+‐ether complex co‐intercalation into Gr interlayers. Herein, a solvent molecule structure regulation strategy is provided to weaken the Li+‐solvent binding by increasing steric hindrance and electronegativity, to accelerate Li+ de‐solvation process and prevent Li+‐ether complex co‐intercalation into Gr anode. Meanwhile, the weakly solvating power of solvent can suppress the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides and makes more anions participate in Li+ solvation structure to generate a stable anion‐derived solid electrolyte interface on Gr surface. Therefore, a LISB coin‐cell consisting of lithiated graphite anode and S@C cathode displays a stable capacity of ≈770 mAh g−1 within 200 cycles. Furthermore, an unprecedented practical LISB pouch‐cell with a high Gr loading (≈10.5 mg cm−2) also delivers a high initial capacity of 802.3 mAh g−1 and releases a stable capacity of 499.1 mAh g−1 with a high Coulombic efficiency (≈95.9%) after 120 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound diclofenac sodium chlorphenamine maleate tablets (CDCT) are widely used for the cold in Asia. However, CDCT can cause hematuria symptoms in clinical, and the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study aims to investigate the CDCT‐induced changes of morphology in kidney and metabolites and further explore the possible mechanisms of CDCT‐induced nephrotoxicity. Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to the CDCT at a clinical equivalent dose for 6 days. CDCT exposure can induce kidney injury and death. Pathological changes, including creatinine, urea nitrogen, and histopathology, were observed in rats. Furthermore, metabolomic‐driven energy and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway disorders, accompanied by remarkably changed key metabolites, such as succinate, leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and cardiolipin (CL), are observed in the CDCT‐induced nephrotoxicity. Functionally, succinate accumulation leads to mitochondrial damage, as evidence by the imbalance of complex I and complex II and an increase in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mito SOX). Meanwhile, LTB4 activated the NF‐κB signaling, as shown by increased protein of p65, phosphor‐p65, and decreased protein of IκBα and phosphor‐IκBα. Eventually, the apoptosis pathway was triggered in response to reduced CL, inflammation, and mito SOX, as demonstrated by the expression of cyt c, Bax, Bcl‐2, caspase‐3, and caspase‐9. This study indicated that CDCT‐induced metabolic disorders triggered nephrotoxicity and provided a comprehensive information to elucidate the mechanism of CDCT induced nephrotoxicity. The study investigated the mechanism of CDCT‐induced nephrotoxicity. The purpose of this research was to verify that CDCT prompts the activation of the apoptosis system, leading to a disruption of metabolites. This inquiry provided a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism underlying CDCT‐induced nephrotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) molecules based on tetraphenylethylene (TPE) structure have been synthesized, but a clear understanding of the photophysical difference between different isomeric pyridyl‐based tetraphenylethylene molecules remains elusive. Herein, we designed a series of isomeric tetraphenylethylene‐pyridines (o‐Py‐TPE, m‐Py‐TPE, p‐Py‐TPE) to investigate the influence of the position of N atoms in the pyridine subunit on the photophysical property of the whole molecule by detailed DFT calculations and single‐crystal structures analysis. All compounds show typical AIE properties, and notably, the meta pyridyl isomer (m‐Py‐TPE) shows the highest solid photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) up to 64.56 %. Further investigation and DFT calculations indicate that the center C=C bond dihedral angles of the TPE subunit in the solid state of these compounds, which are affected by C−H⋅⋅⋅π interaction, play a vital role in their emission and PLQY properties. This work provides underlying principles for the design of pyridyl‐based TPE molecules with high photoluminescent performance in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma is the most common primary cancer of central nervous system due to its rapid proliferation and high lethality. In this study, a novel poloxamer188‐based drug delivery system, poloxamer188‐poly(1,4,8‐trioxaspiro[4.6]undecan‐9‐one)‐poly(1,3‐dioxan‐2‐one) nanoparticles (P188TT NPs) were developed. The 1H NMR, Raman and FITC spectra demonstrated that P188TT copolymer was successfully synthesized. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) measurement showed that P188TT NPs had a low CMC. The characterization and bio‐safety assessment verified that P188TT NPs had the appropriate size, zeta potential, good stability, and ideal bio‐safety. In addition, the curcumin‐loaded P188TT NPs (Cur/P188TT NPs) were fabricated and then analyzed by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermalgravimetric analysis (TGA). The in vitro release study displayed that the release rate of Cur from Cur/P188TT NPs in pH 6.8 was appreciably faster than that in pH 7.4. The tissue distribution study showed that these NPs had good brain‐targeting efficiency. The cellular uptake assay suggested that P188TT NPs could promote the uptake of Cur in glioma cells. The MTT tests indicated that P188TT NPs could increase the anti‐tumor activity of encapsulated drugs. Therefore, P188TT NPs showed potential as a brain targeting nano‐carrier for glioma therapy, which required further validation in glioma models in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance to develop clean and new energy sources with high‐efficient energy storage technologies, due to the excessive use of fossil energy that has caused severe environmental damage. There is great interest in exploring advanced rechargeable lithium batteries with desirable energy and power capabilities for applications in portable electronics, smart grids, and electric vehicles. In practice, high‐capacity and low‐cost electrode materials play an important role in sustaining the progresses in lithium‐ion batteries. This review aims at giving an account of recent advances on the emerging high‐capacity electrode materials and summarizing key barriers and corresponding strategies for the practical viability of these electrode materials. Effective approaches to enhance energy density of lithium‐ion batteries are to increase the capacity of electrode materials and the output operation voltage. On account of major bottlenecks of the power lithium‐ion battery, authors come up with the concept of integrated battery systems, which will be a promising future for high‐energy lithium‐ion batteries to improve energy density and alleviate anxiety of electric vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nex‐generation high‐energy‐density storage battery, assembled with lithium (Li)‐metal anode and nickel‐rich cathode, puts forward urgent demand for advanced electrolytes that simultaneously possess high security, wide electrochemical window, and good compatibility with electrode materials. Herein an intrinsically nonflammable electrolyte is designed by using 1 M lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) in triethyl phosphate (TEP) and N‐methyl‐N‐propyl‐pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Pyr13][TFSI] ionic liquid (IL) solvents. The introduction of IL can bring plentiful organic cations and anions, which provides a cation shielding effect and regulates the Li+ solvation structure with plentiful Li+‐DFOB− and Li+‐TFSI− complexes. The unique Li+ solvation structure can induce stable anion‐derived electrolyte/electrode interphases, which effectively inhibit Li dendrite growth and suppress side reactions between TEP and electrodes. Therefore, the LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 (NCM90)/Li coin cell with this electrolyte can deliver stable cycling even under 4.5 V and 60 °C. Moreover, a Li‐metal battery with thick NCM90 cathode (≈ 15 mg cm−2) and thin Li‐metal anode (≈ 50 µm) (N/P ≈ 3), also reveals stable cycling performance under 4.4 V. And a 2.2 Ah NCM90/Li pouch cell can simultaneously possess prominent safety with stably passing the nail penetration test, and high gravimetric energy density of 470 Wh kg−1 at 4.4 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have been recognized as one of the most promising energy storage devices due to their high energy density. The leakage, corrosion to Li metal anode, and flammability of organic liquid electrolytes bring great security problems for LMBs. Polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)‐based solid polymer electrolytes (SPE), possessing nonflammability, excellent thermal, chemical, electrochemical stability, are a kind of promising SPE for highly safe all‐solid‐state LMBs. Nevertheless, the low ambient conductivity of pristine PIL‐based SPE restricts their application in solid‐state LMBs. Herein, an ionic liquid monomer (denoted as GIM) is designed and synthesized and copolymerized with vinyl ethylene carbonate (VEC) monomer by UV‐light curing to prepare P(GIM‐VEC) SPE. The prepared P(GIM‐VEC) SPE is thermally stable and intrinsically nonflammable, possesses high ambient ionic conductivity, and can suppress lithium dendrite growth and stabilize the solid electrolyte interface. Thus, the resultant all‐solid‐state LiFePO4 (LFP)|P(GIM‐VEC)|Li battery exhibits a high initial discharge capacity of 152.7 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C along with a good stability and rate capability at room temperature. Herein, new guidance is provided for developing ambient workable SPEs with high ionic conductivity, nonflammability, and excellent thermal stability for all‐solid‐state Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common cancer. Chemotherapeutic drug resistance limits the therapeutic effect of NSCLC and leads to a poor prognosis. As a result, new specific targets may be better identified by studying the mechanism of drug resistance to cisplatin in NSCLC. Methods: In the present study, we performed a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting to detect mRNA and protein levels. The proliferation of cells was analyzed by a Cell Counting Kit‐8 and colony formation assays. Cell invasion was measured via the Transwell assay. A scratch assay was performed to measure cell migration in cisplatin (DDP)‐resistant NSCLC cells. Apoptosis of cells was examined using flow cytometry. Results: We found that circANKRD28 was notably decreased in NSCLC. The results showed that circANKRD28 expression was not affected, and its half‐life was more than 12 h. Functional experiments revealed that circANKRD28 overexpression inhibited DDP resistance in NSCLC cells in vitro. Mechanistic findings demonstrated that circANKRD28 regulated tumor cell progression and DDP sensitivity through the miR‐221‐3p/SOCS3 axis. Conclusions: The present study revealed the regulatory effects and molecular mechanism of circANKRD28 on the development and cisplatin resistance in NSCLC, which may provide experimental basis and theoretical support to identify new targets for therapy of DDP resistance in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Compared with systemic administration methods like injection and oral administration, traditional transdermal drug delivery has the advantages of rapid onset of activity and low side effects. However, hydrophilic drugs and bioactive substances are often unsuitable for traditional transdermal drug delivery. Methods: The application of microneedles made from gelatin methylacryloyl (GelMA) has greatly expanded thepossibilities for skin transdermal drug delivery. We have reviewed the latest literatures about the dermatological application of GelMA hydrogel microneedles in recent years using Google Scholar, PubMed and Springer. Results: GelMA hydrogel microneedles exhibit huge potency in the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases, and this technology also brings broad application prospects for subcutaneous micro‐invasive transdermal targeted drug delivery, which mainly used in skin tissue fluid collection, local substance delivery and wound healing. Conclusion: With in‐depth research on GelMA hydrogel, this technology will bring more breakthroughs and developments in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate ultrasound appearance and the survival outcomes for patients with primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL). Methods: Ultrasonic images and clinical characteristics from pathologically confirmed 69 PTL patients (2008–2019) were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical characteristics, ultrasonic characters, and prognostic factors were analyzed. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Of the 69 study patients, 23 were indolent PTL and 46 were aggressive PTL. Age (>70 years old) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels were statistically different clinical features between aggressive and indolent PTL. From ultrasonic images, 34 cases were nodular, 11 diffuse, and 24 mixed pattern. Mixed types displayed high invasiveness (45.7%) while diffuse types displayed higher inertness (39.1%), with statistically significant differences (P =.000). Invaded thyroid capsule and increased chaotic vascularity also showed significant differences between aggressive and indolent PTL. We also observed statistical difference in overall survival rates between aggressive and indolent PTL (P =.032). Single factor K‐M analyses showed that age >70 years, aggressive pathology, and Ki67 >30% were positively correlated with the risk of poor PTL survival (P <.05). Conclusions: Multimodal ultrasound provides accurate ultrasonographic information and facilitates PTL invasiveness diagnostics for improved clinical treatment. In addition, PTL patients aged >70 years, with aggressive pathology, and Ki67 >30% were more likely to have a poor survival outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary heart disease and diabetes are highly interrelated and complex diseases. We proposed to investigate the association of genetic polymorphisms of the lipoprotein important regulatory genes Niemann‐Pick C1‐like 1 (NPC1L1) and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) in patients with premature triple‐vessel coronary disease (PTVD) with diabetes, blood glucose and body mass index. Methods: Four single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs11763759, rs4720470, rs2072183 and rs2073547) of NPC1L1 and three SNPs (rs12916, rs2303151 and rs4629571) of HMGCR were genotyped in 872 PTVD patients. Results: After performing logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex, rs2303151 of HMGCR was related to the risk of diabetes in the dominance model (odds ratio = 1.35, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.80, p = 0.04). However, the four SNPs of NPC1L1 were not associated with the risk of diabetes. Further analyses showed that neither the above SNPs of NPC1L1, nor the SNPs of HMGCR were related to blood glucose and body mass index (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: We report that rs2303151 is a novel polymorphism of the HMGCR gene related to the risk of diabetes in PTVD patients, which suggests HMGCR may be a potential common targeted pathogenic pathways between coronary heart disease and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries attract great attention due to their high energy density and superior safety. However, the sluggish Li+ kinetics of solid electrolyte and poor interface compatibility between electrolyte and lithium anode lead to unsatisfied performance at room temperature, which severely limit their practical application. Herein, a Janus quasi‐solid electrolyte (JSE) design is reported, which modifies the Li+ solvation environment in succinonitrile (SN) plastic crystal electrolyte and creates 1D Li+ transportation channels. Density functional theory calculations and Raman results reveal that Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 changes the Li+ solvation environment from SN units to aggregated ion pairs, which accelerates the diffusion rate of Li+. As a result, JSE presents excellent ionic conductivity (0.73 mS cm−1) and high lithium transference number (0.72). With this efficient JSE, Li symmetric cells deliver excellent cycle stability over 600 h with a low over potential of 60 mV. LiFePO4|JSE|Li solid‐state battery delivers an impressive performance with a specific discharge capacity of 152 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at room temperature under 0.5 C. Moreover, the corresponding pouch cell also shows outstanding performance (140 mAh g−1 under 0.5 C) and withstands abuse tests such as bending and cutting, demonstrating its superior safety for future utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐voltage Li‐metal batteries (LMBs) are regarded as next‐generation high‐energy‐density storage devices to apply to extensive fields such as electric vehicles, space explorations, subsea operations, and grid‐scale storages. Unfortunately, their practical applications are restricted by some defects of commercial carbonate electrolytes including flammability, low oxidation stability, narrow temperature operation window, and Li dendrites growth. Herein, a novel ultralow‐concentration electrolyte (ULCE, 0.1 m) is fabricated by dissolving lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate in N‐methyl‐N‐methoxyethyl‐pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([MEMP][TFSI]) ionic liquid and 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethyl‐2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropylether. This advanced ULCE exhibits impressive merits including low cost, non‐flammability, wide operation temperature (−100 to +70 °C), and high electrochemical window (5.75 V). Meanwhile, it helps to suppress Li dendrite growth due to the combined effect of the cation shielding by MEMP+ cations and robust solid electrolyte interphase formed by the preferential decomposition of DFOB− and TFSI− anions. The LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622)/Li cell with ULCE shows outstanding performance under a high voltage of 4.5 V and a wide temperature range from −60 to 70 °C. This work provides a distinctive sight to design advanced electrolyte for lower cost, safe, and wide‐temperature high‐energy‐density LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosensors are a class of smart devices fabricated for target analyte detection. A biosensor is commonly made of three basic components: a specific bioreceptor, a physicochemical transducer, and a signal processing device. The bioreceptor part features one of the more crucial technologies of a biosensor to perform specific detection of analytes. They commonly make use of various molecular recognition elements, such as enzymes, natural receptors, antibodies, nucleic acid aptamers, and even synthetic receptors. Then, the molecular recognition events of these bioreceptors can be translated into readable signals in various forms like electrochemical, optical, piezo/pyro electric, etc. Finally, these signals are mathematically processed for quantitative analysis. Nowadays, the great advances in biomimetic materials, in particular the synthetic receptors based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), promote tremendous development of biosensors. Integration of this field with artificial intelligence enables emerging design of advanced biosensors, which has moved from concept to implementation, meanwhile facing new opportunities and challenges. With no doubt, bioreceptor innovation based on molecular imprinting is an emerging driving force for biosensors development. In this review paper, we provide an overview of MIP‐based biosensors, and also their challenges and opportunities moving forward toward wearable devices are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a network disorder with a high incidence of memory impairment. Memory processing ability highly depends on the dynamic coordination between distinct modules within the hippocampal network. Here, we investigate the relationship between memory phenotypes and modular alterations of dynamic functional connectivity (FC) in the hippocampal network in TLE patients. Then, 31 healthy controls and 66 TLE patients with hippocampal sclerosis were recruited. The patients were classified into memory‐intact (MI, 35 cases) group and memory‐deficit (MD, 31 cases) group, each based on individual's Wechsler Memory Scale‐Revised score. The sliding‐windows approach and graph theory analysis were used to analyze the hippocampal network based on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Temporal properties and modular metrics were calculated. Two discrete and switchable states were revealed: a high modularized state (State I) and a low modularized state (State II), which corresponded to either anterior or posterior hippocampal network dominated pattern. TLE was prone to drive less State I but more State II, and the tendency was more obvious in TLE‐MD. Additionally, TLE‐MD showed more widespread alterations of modular properties compared with TLE‐MI across two states. Furthermore, the dynamic modularity features had unique superiority in discriminating TLE‐MD from TLE‐MI. These findings demonstrated that state transitions and modular function of dissociable hippocampal networks were altered in TLE and more importantly, they could reflect different memory phenotypes. The trend revealed potential values of dynamic FC in elucidating the mechanism underlying memory impairments in TLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain iron affects working memory (WM) but the impact of iron content in deep grey matter nuclei on WM networks is unknown. We aimed to test whether deep grey matter nuclei iron concentration can affect resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) within brain networks modifying WM performance. An N‐back WM paradigm was applied in a hundred healthy younger adults. The participants then underwent a resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for brain network analysis and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) imaging for assessment of deep grey matter nuclei iron concentration. Higher substantia nigra (SN) iron concentration was associated with lower rsFC between SN and brain regions of the temporal/frontal lobe but with better WM performance after controlling for age, gender and education. A follow‐up mediation analysis also indicated that functional connectivity may mediate the link between SN iron and WM performance. Our results suggest that high SN iron concentration may affect communication between the SN and temporal/frontal lobe and is associated with strengthened WM performance in younger adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Side‐chain engineering influences the organic solar cell (OSC) devices active layer morphology fundamentally and it is an efficient strategy to improve device performances. A novel small molecular donor with conjugated fused‐aromatic‐ring side chain on a benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene core is developed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example where fused‐aromatic‐ring units are being utilized as conjugated side chains to extend the conjugation system of small molecular donor materials. The material property, OSC device performance, active layer morphology, and photovoltaic mechanism are investigated. This molecular design strategy has proven to be effective in fine‐tuning and enhancing the molecular stacking/orientation and phase separation, which led to the enhanced charge separation and transportation, suppressed charge recombination, and as a result, devices with an improved short‐circuit current density of 24.9 mA cm−2, fill factor of 69.9%, and power conversion efficiency of 13.6% are achieved. The results reveal that a fused‐aromatic‐ring utilized as conjugated side chain strategy can potentially be an effective way for molecular rational design, aiming to improve the OSC performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular imprinting represents one of the most promising strategies to design artificial enzyme inhibitors. However, the study of molecularly imprinted enzyme inhibitors (MIEIs) remains at a primary stage. Advanced applications of MIEIs for cell regulation have rarely been explored. Using a solid‐phase oriented imprinting strategy so as to leave the active site of the enzymes accessible, we synthesized two MIEIs that exhibit high specificity and potent inhibitory effects (inhibition constant at low nM range) towards trypsin and angiogenin. The trypsin MIEI inhibits trypsin activity, tryptic digestion‐induced extracellular matrix lysis and cell membrane destruction, indicating its utility in the treatment of active trypsin‐dependent cell injury. The angiogenin MIEI blocks cancer cell proliferation by suppressing the ribonuclease activity of angiogenin and decreasing the angiogenin level inside and outside HeLa cells. Our work demonstrates the versatility of MIEIs for both enzyme inhibition and cell fate manipulation, showing their great potential as therapeutic drugs in biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Traditional soy protein isolate (SPI)‐based gel products, such as tofu, are generally produced by heating and by addition of metal salt ions to adjust the hydrophobicity and electrostatic force of soybean protein to facilitate the formation of a uniform network structure. However, the gelation rate of the soy protein gel network structure is difficult to control. Theoretically, epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) could be used to alter the surface hydrophobicity of thermally induced SPI to improve its gelation rate and form a more uniform network structure, thus improving SPI‐based gel properties (hardness, water holding capacity and rheological properties). RESULTS: An SPI‐EGCG complex (SPIE) was prepared, and properties of the resulting gel, following induction of transglutaminase (TG), were evaluated. Results showed that EGCG is bound to thermally induced SPI primarily via hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding, thus altering the secondary structure composition and reducing surface hydrophobicity of proteins in thermally induced SPI. Furthermore, the optimum amount of EGCG required to improve the gel strength, water holding capacity and rheological properties was ≤0.04:1 (SPI 1 g L−1; EGCG:SPI, w/w). Thermal stability analysis further indicated that EGCG in SPIE was more stable than free EGCG after heating. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that EGCG can improve the gel properties of TG‐crosslinked SPIE, while EGCG in SPIE exhibits enhanced thermal stability. Additionally, the results of this study provide a novel strategy for the development of SPI‐based gel foods with improved gel properties and that are enriched with bioactive compounds. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high‐performance Li‐metal batteries (LMBs) requires advanced electrolytes that simultaneously possess high safety, high ionic conductivity, wide electrochemical window, and good ability to suppress Li dendrite growth. Herein an intrinsically nonflammable ionic liquid‐based localized highly concentrated electrolyte (LHCE) composed of lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) salt, N‐methyl‐N‐propyl‐piperidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide ([PP13][FSI]) as ionic liquid solvent, and 1,1,2,2‐tetrafluoroethyl‐2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropylether (HFE) as diluent solvent is designed. The introduction of HFE greatly decreases the viscosity and cost of the pure ionic liquid electrolyte, improves its ionic conductivity, and enhances its ability to wet the separator surface. The Li+ solvation structure, Li deposition behavior, and formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer in LHCE are systematically investigated by using Raman spectroscopy, theoretical simulations, scanning electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. A rational mechanism is suggested for the stable SEI formation and the homogeneous Li deposition behavior. Due to its excellent ability to suppress Li dendrites, the LHCE exhibits a high average Coulombic efficiency (99.4% over 800 cycles in the Cu/Li cell), extremely stable cycling performance (10 mA cm−2 over 5000 cycles in the Li/Li symmetric cell), and excellent cycling performance and rate capability in the LMB systems of LiFePO4 (LFP)/Li and LFP/Li@Cu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the clinical value of Tie2‐expressing monocytes (TEMs) in the early diagnosis of lung cancer and assess its correlation with angiogenesis, a total of 184 patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 101 patients with benign pulmonary disease (BPD), and 77 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. The distribution of TEMs in lung tissue was determined by immunofluorescence staining. Lung microvascular density was assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Receiver‐operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic value of TEM frequency. Patients with NSCLC were followed up for 26 months. We found that the TEM frequency in peripheral blood monocytes of patients with NSCLC was significantly greater than that in patients with BPD and healthy controls. TEM frequency showed a correlation with NSCLC recurrence. The majority of TEMs in tumor tissues were localized around blood vessels; tumoral TEM frequency showed a positive correlation with microvascular density. High percentage of TEMs in the peripheral blood was associated with poor overall survival. ROC curve analysis revealed the potential diagnostic value of circulating TEM frequency in NSCLC. Thus, we believe that TEM frequency is related to angiogenesis in tumor tissues and may serve as a diagnostic marker for NSCLC. What's new?: Lung cancer is associated with poor prognosis as most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Tie2‐expressing monocytes (TEMs) play an important role in tumor angiogenesis and tumor vascularity is associated with poor prognosis in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, the frequency of circulating TEMs was significantly higher in patients with NSCLC than in controls. ROC curve analysis revealed the potential diagnostic value of circulating TEM frequency in NSCLC. Furthermore, TEM frequency showed a correlation with NSCLC recurrence. The results may facilitate early detection of NSCLC and contribute to monitoring of recurrence in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between controlling shareholders' participation in share pledging and accounting conservatism in the Chinese stock market. Share pledging introduces risks to controlling shareholders and leads to severe information asymmetry between controlling shareholders and outside minority shareholders. This, in turn, results in competing incentives with regard to financial reporting. We find that controlling shareholders' participation in share pledging negatively affects accounting conservatism, especially for firms located in regions with weak legal enforcement and poor investor protection. Our study shows that controlling shareholders' share‐pledging behaviour negatively influences firms' reporting quality, especially in areas with weak legal systems. This study examines the relationship between controlling shareholders' participation in share pledging and accounting conservatism in the Chinese stock market. We find that controlling shareholders' participation in share pledging negatively affects accounting conservatism, especially for firms located in regions with weak legal enforcement and poor investor protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: Whether detection of prediabetes by routinely testing hemoglobin A1c and fasting plasma glucose in three‐vessel disease patients could identify individuals at high risk of future cardiovascular disease events remains unclear. This study evaluated the relationship between different glycemic status and clinical outcomes in this specific population. Materials and Methods: This study included 8,891 Chinese patients with three‐vessel disease. Patients were categorized according to their glycemic status (normoglycemia [NG], n = 3,195; prediabetes, n = 1,978; diabetes mellitus, n = 3,718). Results: The median follow‐up time was 7.5 years, during which 1,354 deaths and 2,340 major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events occurred. Compared with the NG group, patients in the prediabetes and diabetes mellitus groups had more comorbidities. After adjusting for confounders, the diabetes mellitus group had a higher risk of all‐cause death (hazard ratio [HR] 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–1.53; P < 0.001), cardiac death (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14–1.61; P = 0.001) and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.11–1.34; P < 0.001) compared with the NG group, whereas the prediabetes and NG groups had no significant difference. The diabetes mellitus group also had a higher risk of stroke compared with the NG group (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.46; P = 0.031). Conclusions: In the context of three‐vessel disease, prediabetes patients have comparable long‐term outcomes in terms of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, cardiac death and all‐cause death to those with NG. Routine screening of glycemic metabolism based on hemoglobin A1c and fasting plasma glucose might be valuable to identify individuals with diabetes mellitus who are at high risk of future cardiovascular disease events and individuals with prediabetes who are at high risk of progressing to diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T‐ALL) is a highly aggressive haematological cancer of the bone marrow. The abnormal expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is reportedly involved in T‐ALL development and progression. Thus, we aimed to decipher the involvement of miR‐204 silencing mediated by DNA methylation in the occurrence of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T‐ALL). miR‐204 expression was determined in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from T‐ALL patients by real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐qPCR) with its effect on cell proliferation evaluated by functional assays. In addition, bisulphite sequencing PCR was employed to detect the DNA methylation level of the miR‐204 promoter region, and the binding site between miR‐204 and IRAK1 was detected by luciferase assay. We found that miR‐204 was down‐regulated in T cells of T‐ALL patients, which was caused by the increased DNA methylation in the promoter region of miR‐204. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐204 inhibited T‐ALL cell proliferation while enhancing their apoptosis through interleukin receptor‐associated kinase 1 (IRAK1), which enhanced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2) and MMP‐9 through activation of p‐p65. Thus, miR‐204 modulated MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 through IRAK1/NF‐κB signalling pathway, which was confirmed by in vivo assay. Taken together, DNA methylation‐mediated miR‐204 silencing increased the transcription of IRAK1, thus activating the NF‐κB signalling pathway and up‐regulating the downstream targets MMP‐2/MMP‐9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing corona virus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Cellular entry of SARS‐CoV‐2, which is mediated by the viral spike protein and ACE2 receptor, is an essential target for the development of vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and drugs. Using a mammalian cell expression system, a genetically engineered sensor of fluorescent protein (Gamillus)‐fused SARS‐CoV‐2 spike trimer (STG) to probe the viral entry process is developed. In ACE2‐expressing cells, it is found that the STG probe has excellent performance in the live‐cell visualization of receptor binding, cellular uptake, and intracellular trafficking of SARS‐CoV‐2 under virus‐free conditions. The new system allows quantitative analyses of the inhibition potentials and detailed influence of COVID‐19‐convalescent human plasmas, neutralizing antibodies and compounds, providing a versatile tool for high‐throughput screening and phenotypic characterization of SARS‐CoV‐2 entry inhibitors. This approach may also be adapted to develop a viral entry visualization system for other viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A catalytic enantioselective formal [2+2] cycloaddition between α‐halo acroleins and electronically diverse arylalkenes is described. In the presence of (S)‐oxazaborolidinium cation as the catalyst, densely functionalized cyclobutanes containing two vicinal tetrasubstituted stereocenters were produced in high yields and high diastereoselectivities with excellent enantioselectivities. Mechanistic studies revealed that the cis isomer could be transformed into the trans isomer via an enantiocontrolled process. A gram‐scale reaction of this catalytic method was used to demonstrate its synthetic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for various applications have grown with maturing technology and improved accessibility. The deployment of AUVs for under‐ice marine science research in the Antarctic is one such example. However, a higher risk of AUV loss is present during such endeavors due to the extremities in the Antarctic. A thorough analysis of risks is therefore crucial for formulating effective risk control policies and achieving a lower risk of loss. Existing risk analysis approaches focused predominantly on the technical aspects, as well as identifying static cause and effect relationships in the chain of events leading to AUV loss. Comparatively, the complex interrelationships between risk variables and other aspects of risk such as human errors have received much lesser attention. In this article, a systems‐based risk analysis framework facilitated by system dynamics methodology is proposed to overcome existing shortfalls. To demonstrate usefulness of the framework, it is applied on an actual AUV program to examine the occurrence of human error during Antarctic deployment. Simulation of the resultant risk model showed an overall decline in human error incident rate with the increase in experience of the AUV team. Scenario analysis based on the example provided policy recommendations in areas of training, practice runs, recruitment policy, and setting of risk tolerance level. The proposed risk analysis framework is pragmatically useful for risk analysis of future AUV programs to ensure the sustainability of operations, facilitating both better control and monitoring of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having a comprehensive understanding of population structure, genetic differentiation and demographic history is important for the conservation and management of threatened species. High‐throughput sequencing (HTS) provides exciting opportunities to address a wide range of factors for conservation genetics. Here, we generated HTS data and identified 266,884 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphisms from 82 individuals of Cupressus chengiana, to assess population genomics across the species' full range, comprising the Daduhe River (DDH), Minjiang River (MJR) and Bailongjiang River (BLJ) catchments in western China. admixture, principal components analysis and phylogenetic analyses indicated that each region contains a distinct lineage, with high levels of differentiation between them (DDH, MJR and BLJ lineages). MJR was newly distinguished compared to previous surveys, and evidence including coalescent simulations supported a hybrid origin of MJR during the Quaternary. Each of these three lineages should be recognized as an evolutionarily significant unit (ESU), due to isolation, differing genetic adaptations and different demographic history. Currently, each ESU faces distinct threats, and will require different conservation strategies. Our work shows that population genomic approaches using HTS can reconstruct the complex evolutionary history of threatened species in mountainous regions, and hence inform conservation efforts, and contribute to the understanding of high biodiversity in mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the maturing of autonomous technology and better accessibility, there has been a growing interest in the use of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The deployment of AUVs for under‐ice marine science research in the Antarctic is one such example. However, a higher risk of AUV loss is present during such endeavors due to the extreme operating environment. To control the risk of loss, existing risk analyses approaches tend to focus more on the AUV's technical aspects and neglect the role of soft factors, such as organizational and human influences. In addition, the dynamic and complex interrelationships of risk variables are also often overlooked due to uncertainties and challenges in quantification. To overcome these shortfalls, a hybrid fuzzy system dynamics risk analysis (FuSDRA) is proposed. In the FuSDRA framework, system dynamics models the interrelationships between risk variables from different dimensions and considers the time‐dependent nature of risk while fuzzy logic accounts for uncertainties. To demonstrate its application, an example based on an actual Antarctic AUV program is presented. Focusing on funding and experience of the AUV team, simulation of the FuSDRA risk model shows a declining risk of loss from 0.293 in the early years of the Antarctic AUV program, reaching a minimum of 0.206 before increasing again in later years. Risk control policy recommendations were then derived from the analysis. The example demonstrated how FuSDRA can be applied to inform funding and risk management strategies, or broader application both within the AUV domain and on other complex technological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel side‐chain sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) multiblock and random copolymers were synthesized by condensation polymerization from a new disulfonated aryl sulfone monomer, 4,4′‐difluoro‐2,2′‐bis(3‐sulfobenzoyl)diphenyl sulfone disodium salt (DFBSPS). The chemical structures of DFBSPS and the SPAESs were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. The SPAES membranes prepared by solution cast method exhibited high tensile strength (50–71 MPa) and high radical oxidative stability. They could keep their morphology and maintain proton conductivities after hydrolysis test in 95 °C water for 1000 h. They also showed smaller swelling ratio in in‐plane direction than in through‐plane direction and such an anisotropic effect was more significant for the multiblock copolymers than for the random ones. The multiblock copolymer membranes exhibited higher proton conductivity than the random ones with similar ion exchange capacities (IECs). Preliminary hydrogen‐oxygen fuel cell tests were performed at 60 °C and 80% relative humidity (RH). The results showed that the single cell equipped with the multibiock copolymer membrane SB3 exhibited 0.12 W cm−2 higher maximum output power density than the one equipped with the random copolymer membrane SR3 (with the same IEC), indicating much better performance of the former. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2304–2313 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]