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Abstract Background Structural variations (SVs) are widespread across genome and have a great impact on evolution, disease, and phenotypic diversity. Despite the development of numerous bioinformatic tools, commonly referred to as SV callers, tailored for detecting SVs using whole genome sequence (WGS) data and employing diverse algorithms, their performance necessitates rigorous evaluation with real data and validated SVs. Moreover, a considerable proportion of these tools have been primarily designed and optimized using human genome data. Consequently, their applicability and performance in Avian species, characterized by smaller genomes and distinct genomic architectures, remain inadequately assessed. Results We performed a comprehensive assessment of the performance of ten widely used SV callers using population-level real genomic data with the validated five common types of SVs. The performance of SV callers varies with the types and sizes of SVs. As compared with other tools, GRIDSS, Lumpy, Wham, and Manta present better detection accuracy. Pindel can detect more small SVs than others. CNVnator and CNVkit can detect more medium and large copy number variations. Given the poor consistency among different SV callers, the combination calling strategy is not recommended. All tools show poor ability in the detection of insertions (especially with size > 150 bp). At least 50× read depth is required to detect more than 80% of the SVs for most tools. Conclusions This study highlights the importance and necessity of using real sequencing data, rather than simulated data only, with validated SVs for SV caller evaluation. Some practical guidance and suggestions are provided for SV detection in future researches.

To clarify the adsorption behavior of fluorocarbon surfactants on PMMA surfaces, the contact angles of two nonionic fluorocarbon surfactants (FNS-1 and FNS-2) and an anionic fluorocarbon surfactant (FAS) on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surface were determined using the sessile drop method. Moreover, the effects of molecular structures on the surface tension, adhesion tension, solid–liquid interfacial tension, and adhesion work of the three fluorocarbon surfactants were investigated. The results demonstrate that the adsorption amounts for three fluorocarbon surfactants at the air–water interface are 4~5 times higher than those at the PMMA–solution interface. The three fluorocarbon surfactants adsorb on the PMMA surface by polar groups before CMC and by hydrophobic chains after CMC. Before CMC, FNS-2 with the smallest molecular size owns the highest adsorption amount, while FAS with large-branched chains and electrostatic repulsion has the smallest adsorption amount. After CMC, the three fluorocarbon surfactants form aggregates at the PMMA-liquid interface. FAS possesses the smallest adsorption amount after CMC. Besides, FNS-1 possesses a higher adsorption amount than FNS-2 due to the longer fluorocarbon chain and the lower CMC value of FNS-1. The adsorption behaviors of nonionic and anionic fluorocarbon surfactants on the PMMA surface are different. FAS forms interfacial aggregates before CMC, which may be attributed to the electrostatic interaction between the anionic head of FAS and the PMMA surface.

Abstract Cross-modal analysis of the same whole brain is an ideal strategy to uncover brain function and dysfunction. However, it remains challenging due to the slow speed and destructiveness of traditional whole-brain optical imaging techniques. Here we develop a new platform, termed Photoacoustic Tomography with Temporal Encoding Reconstruction (PATTERN), for non-destructive, high-speed, 3D imaging of ex vivo rodent, ferret, and non-human primate brains. Using an optimally designed image acquisition scheme and an accompanying machine-learning algorithm, PATTERN extracts signals of genetically-encoded probes from photobleaching-based temporal modulation and enables reliable visualization of neural projection in the whole central nervous system with 3D isotropic resolution. Without structural and biological perturbation to the sample, PATTERN can be combined with other whole-brain imaging modalities to acquire the whole-brain image with both high resolution and morphological fidelity. Furthermore, cross-modal transcriptome analysis of an individual brain is achieved by PATTERN imaging. Together, PATTERN provides a compatible and versatile strategy for brain-wide cross-modal analysis at the individual level.

IntroductionIn recent years, “lying flat” has emerged as a significant term in contemporary discourse, referring to the phenomenon where modern young people choose passive resistance due to a lack of motivation when facing various situations. These trends have the potential to diminish the future learning enthusiasm and holistic development of vocational high school students, thus impacting their competitiveness in the future job market.MethodsThis study employs a motivational model for vocational high school students based on self-efficacy theory and person-environment fit theory to explore whether the competitive atmosphere moderates the impact of self-efficacy and competitive attitudes on task motivation. Using a secondary data research approach, the study analyzed a sample of 944 Taiwanese vocational high school students from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) dataset with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).ResultsThe results indicate that self-efficacy and competitive attitudes positively influence task motivation. Additionally, self-efficacy not only enhances competitive attitudes but also indirectly influences task motivation through the mediation of competitive attitudes. The study also revealed that the moderating effect of the competitive environment was not statistically significant in the overall sample. Further multiple-group comparisons between male and female vocational high school students showed no significant differences in most paths, but gender differences emerged in the positive moderating effect of the competitive environment on the influence of competitive attitudes on task motivation.ConclusionThese findings suggest that in cultivating task motivation among vocational high school students, interventions should be tailored to accommodate the differing responses of male and female students. For female students, providing more opportunities for teamwork and utilizing collaborative approaches to cope with the competitive environment may enhance task motivation. Conversely, for male students, enhancing self-efficacy and stimulating intrinsic competitive attitudes may be more effective. Addressing these differences could potentially reduce the occurrence of the “lying flat” phenomenon among vocational high school students in the future.

Efficient drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier is imperative for treating glioblastoma (GBM). This study utilized the GBM cell membrane to construct a biomimetic targeted nanosystem (GMNPs@AMD/RAPA) that hierarchically releases the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 and the mTOR pathway inhibitor rapamycin (RAPA) for reprogramming the tumor immune microenvironment and suppressing the progression of GBM. By initially inhibiting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis, the tumor microenvironment (TME) was reprogrammed to enhance the infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) into the TME while suppressing tumor cell survival, proliferation, and angiogenesis. Subsequently, through further cellular uptake and degradation of the nanoparticles, the mTOR pathway inhibitor RAPA was released, further suppressing the tumor progression. This study successfully combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy, achieving effective synergistic therapeutic effects, and suppressing the progression of GBM.

Summary: Renal transporters play critical roles in predicting potential drug-drug interactions. However, current in vitro models often fail to adequately express these transporters, particularly solute carrier proteins, including organic anion transporters (OAT1/3), and organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2). Here, we developed a hiPSC-derived kidney organoids-based proximal tubule-on-chip (OPTC) model that emulates in vivo renal physiology to assess transporter function. Compared to chips based on immortalized cells, OPTC derived from the two most commonly used differentiation protocols exhibited significant improvement in expression level and polarity of OAT1/3 and OCT2. Hence, the OPTC demonstrates enhanced functionality in efflux and uptake assessments, and nephrotoxicity. Furthermore, these functionalities are diminished upon adding inhibitors during substrate-inhibitor interactions, which were closer to in vivo observations. Overall, these results support that OPTC can reliably assess the role of renal transporters in drug transport and nephrotoxicity, paving the way for personalized models to assess renal transport and disease modeling.

Abstract Over the past few decades, the number of patients with neurological diseases has increased significantly, posing huge challenges and opportunities for the development of brain imaging technology. As a hybrid imaging method combining optical excitation and acoustic detection techniques, photoacoustic tomography (PAT), has experienced rapid development, due to high optical contrast and spatial resolution at depth inside tissues. With the development of lasers, ultrasonic detectors, and data computations, PAT has been widely applied for the diagnosis of oncology, dermatosis, etc. However, the energy of light and ultrasound would be greatly attenuated while penetrating the skull, due to the reflection, absorption, and scattering effects, resulting in limited application of PAT in brain imaging. In this review, we summarized the achievements of PAT and its application in the detection of brain diseases including glioma, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. Moreover, various PAT systems and multi‐modality photoacoustic imaging are introduced for potential clinical applications. Finally, the challenges and current limitations of PAT for further brain imaging are also discussed.

Abstract The demand for low‐dimensional ferroelectric devices is steadily increasing, however, the thick substrates in epitaxial films impede further size miniaturization. Freestanding films offer a potential solution by eliminating substrate constraints. Nevertheless, it remains an ongoing challenge to improve the stability in thin and fragile freestanding films under strain and temperature. In this work, the structure and ferroelectric order of freestanding PbTiO3 (PTO) films are investigated under continuous variation of the strain and temperature using nondestructive optical second harmonic generation (SHG) technique. The findings reveal that there are both out‐of‐plane and in‐plane domains with polarization along out‐of‐plane and in‐plane directions in the orthorhombic‐like freestanding PTO films, respectively. In contrast, only out‐of‐plane domains are observed in the tetragonal epitaxial PTO films. Remarkably, the ferroelectricity of freestanding PTO films is strengthened under small uniaxial tensile strain from 0% up to 1.66% and well‐maintained under larger biaxial tensile strain up to 2.76% along the [100] direction and up to 4.46% along the [010] direction. Moreover, a high Curie temperature of 630 K is identified in 50 nm thick freestanding PTO films by wide‐temperature‐range SHG. These findings provide valuable understanding for the development of the next‐generation electronic nanodevices with flexibility and thermostability.

Abstract Great efforts are being made to develop advanced polygenic risk scores (PRS) to improve the prediction of complex traits and diseases. However, most existing PRS are primarily trained on European ancestry populations, limiting their transferability to non-European populations. In this article, we propose a novel method for generating multi-ancestry Polygenic Risk scOres based on enSemble of PEnalized Regression models (PROSPER). PROSPER integrates genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics from diverse populations to develop ancestry-specific PRS with improved predictive power for minority populations. The method uses a combination of $${{{{{{\mathscr{L}}}}}}}_{1}$$ L 1 (lasso) and $${{{{{{\mathscr{L}}}}}}}_{2}$$ L 2 (ridge) penalty functions, a parsimonious specification of the penalty parameters across populations, and an ensemble step to combine PRS generated across different penalty parameters. We evaluate the performance of PROSPER and other existing methods on large-scale simulated and real datasets, including those from 23andMe Inc., the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium, and All of Us. Results show that PROSPER can substantially improve multi-ancestry polygenic prediction compared to alternative methods across a wide variety of genetic architectures. In real data analyses, for example, PROSPER increased out-of-sample prediction R2 for continuous traits by an average of 70% compared to a state-of-the-art Bayesian method (PRS-CSx) in the African ancestry population. Further, PROSPER is computationally highly scalable for the analysis of large SNP contents and many diverse populations.

Abstract Photoexcitation of the electron-donor-acceptor complexes have been an effective approach to achieve radicals by triggering electron transfer. However, the catalytic version of electron-donor-acceptor complex photoactivation is quite underdeveloped comparing to the well-established utilization of electronically biased partners. In this work, we utilize 4-nitrophthalonitrile as an electron acceptor to facilitate the efficient π-stacking with electron-rich aromatics to form electron-donor-acceptor complex. The characterization and energy profiles on the cocrystal of 4-nitrophthalonitrile and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene disclose that the electron transfer is highly favorable under the light irradiation. This electron acceptor catalyst can be efficiently applied in the benzylic C−H bond photoactivation by developing the Giese reaction of alkylanisoles and the oxidation of the benzyl alcohols. A broad scope of electron-rich aromatics can be tolerated and a mechanism is also proposed. Moreover, the corresponding π-anion interaction of 4-nitrophthalonitrile with potassium formate can further facilitate the hydrocarboxylation of alkenes efficiently.

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an innovative biomedical imaging technology, which has the capacity to obtain high-resolution images of biological tissue. In the extremely limited-view cases, traditional reconstruction methods for photoacoustic tomography frequently result in severe artifacts and distortion. Therefore, multiple diffusion models-enhanced reconstruction strategy for PAT is proposed in this study. Boosted by the multi-scale priors of the sinograms obtained in the full view and the limited-view case of 240°, the alternating iteration method is adopted to generate data for missing views in the sinogram domain. The strategy refines the image information from global to local, which improves the stability of the reconstruction process and promotes high-quality PAT reconstruction. The blood vessel simulation dataset and the in vivo experimental dataset were utilized to assess the performance of the proposed method. When applied to the in vivo experimental dataset in the limited-view case of 60°, the proposed method demonstrates a significant enhancement in peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity by 23.08 % and 7.14 %, respectively, concurrently reducing mean squared error by 108.91 % compared to the traditional method. The results indicate that the proposed approach achieves superior reconstruction quality in extremely limited-view cases, when compared to other methods. This innovative approach offers a promising pathway for extremely limited-view PAT reconstruction, with potential implications for expanding its utility in clinical diagnostics.

This article focuses on 11 coastal provinces in China and selects relevant data from 2008 to 2021. The improved entropy method is used to calculate the level of informationization development in each province. The Malmquist index is used to calculate the marine ecological efficiency of each province. The panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model is established to study the dynamic relationship between informationization and marine ecological efficiency. The results show that: (1) There is a long-term equilibrium relationship between informationization and marine ecological efficiency, and informationization is a Granger cause of marine ecological efficiency at the 5% significance level. (2) Overall, informationization has a promoting effect on marine ecological efficiency, but with a certain lag; the improvement of marine ecological efficiency also benefits the development of informationization. (3) There is a bidirectional relationship between informationization and marine ecological efficiency, and informationization has become the main influencing factor of marine ecological efficiency.

Lightweight and high-toughness carbon fiber/phenolic ablator (CFPA) is required as the Thermal Protection System (TPS) material of aerospace vehicles for next-generation space missions. To improve the ablative properties, silica sol with good particle size distribution prepared using tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) was blended with natural rubber latex and deposited onto carbon fiber felt, which was then integrated with phenolic aerogel matrix, introducing nano-silica into the framework of CFPA. The modified CFPA with a low density of 0.28–0.31 g/cm3 exhibits strain-in-fracture as high as 31.2% and thermal conductivity as low as 0.054 W/(m∙K). Furthermore, a trace amount of nano-silica could effectively protect CFPA from erosion of oxidizing atmosphere in different high-temperature environments. The oxyacetylene ablation test of 3000 °C for 20 s shows a mass ablation rate of 0.0225 g/s, a linear ablation rate of 0.209 mm/s for the modified CFPA, which are 9.64% and 24.82% lower than the unmodified one. Besides, the long-time butane ablation test of 1200 °C for 200 s shows an insignificant recession with mass and linear ablation rate of 0.079 g/s and 0.039 mm/s, 16.84% and 13.33% lower than the unmodified one. Meanwhile, the fixed thermocouple in the test also demonstrates a good thermal insulation performance with a low peak back-face temperature of 207.7 °C, 12.25% lower than the unmodified one. Therefore, the nano-silica modified CFPA with excellent overall performance presents promising prospects in high-temperature aerospace applications.

Recent clinical studies have shown that mutation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) gene in cancer cells may be associated with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and poor response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Therefore, efficiently restoring PTEN gene expression in cancer cells is critical to improving the responding rate to ICB therapy. Here, we screened an adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid for efficient PTEN gene delivery into B16F10 tumor cells. We demonstrated that intratumorally injected AAV6-PTEN successfully restored the tumor cell PTEN gene expression and effectively inhibited tumor progression by inducing tumor cell immunogenic cell death (ICD) and increasing immune cell infiltration. Moreover, we developed an anti-PD-1 loaded phospholipid-based phase separation gel (PPSG), which formed an in situ depot and sustainably release anti-PD-1 drugs within 42 days in vivo. In order to effectively inhibit the recurrence of melanoma, we further applied a triple therapy based on AAV6-PTEN, PPSG@anti-PD-1 and CpG, and showed that this triple therapy strategy enhanced the synergistic antitumor immune effect and also induced robust immune memory, which completely rejected tumor recurrence. We anticipate that this triple therapy could be used as a new tumor combination therapy with stronger immune activation capacity and tumor inhibition efficacy.

The effects of Yttrium dosage and heat treatment process on the microstructure, inclusions, and corrosion resistance of marine steel, as well as the electrochemical parameters on corrosion behavior were studied in this work. The results show that Yttrium mainly exists in Yttrium oxide and Yttrium sulfide. In the process of the optimal heat treatment temperature (800°C-5h), the movement of grain boundaries is hindered by the nailing action of Y2O3, which makes the grain size refined. Yttrium can refine the corrosion products and improve the adhesion ability between the corrosion layer and the substrate, which can effectively improve the corrosion resistance of marine steel. The electrochemical parameters mainly affect the proportion and structure of α-FeOOH and α-Fe2O3 in the corrosion layer by affecting the ion diffusion rate or oxygen content, thus affecting the corrosion resistance property. With the increase of temperature, the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in solution increases, and the limiting current density also increases, which is not conducive to the formation of dense corrosion layer and will lead to faster corrosion speed.

Facing the challenges of data security governance in the new situation and following the technological development trends in the field of data security, in response to the prominent issue of identifying key authorized personnel in the practical application of data security governance in large state-owned enterprises, this article proposes a key authorized personnel identification technology based on graph algorithm, which can discover potential authorization influencing factors in the system and measure the weight influence of different meanings from multiple perspectives, The recognition results have strong interpretability.Aiming at the problems of user and entity behavior anomaly detection in data security governance, this paper proposes a user and entity behavior anomaly detection method based on the generative adversarial network.The experimental results show that the accuracy, recall rate and average F1-score of the proposed method are better than the comparison baseline model method.A data security platform has been designed and developed.The platform has played an important role in reducing data security risks, assisting enterprise compliance construction, promoting data development and utilization, and has been applied in multiple data centralized management projects.It can meet the needs of big data processing in security scenarios, and has good application and promotion value.

In this study, finite element (FE) simulation by the software Abaqus was relied on to investigate the roll forming process of a wheel rim made of an innovative dual-phase steel, i.e., DP590, after flash butt welding (FBW). In the simulation, an FE model was generated, including the design of the dies for flaring, three-roll forming, and expansion, and detailed key processing parameters based on practical production of the selected DP590. Combined with the microstructures and properties of the weld zone (WZ) and heat-affected zones (HAZs) after FBW, the distribution of stress/strain and the change in thickness of the base metal (BM), WZ and HAZs were analyzed, and compared in the important stages of roll forming. Theoretically, the variation in the microstructure and the corresponding stress–strain behaviors of the BM, WZ, and HAZs after FBW have led to the thickness reduction of DP590 that originated from softening behaviors occurring at the region of subcritical HAZs (SCHAZs), and a small amount of tempered martensite has evidently reduced the hardness and strength of the SCHAZ. Meanwhile, the distribution of stress/strain has been influenced to some extent. Further, the study includes the influence of the friction coefficient on the forming quality of the wheel rim to guarantee the simulation accuracy in practical applications. In sum, the dual-phase steel has to be carefully applied to the wheel rim, which needs to experience the processes of FBW and roll forming, focusing on the performance of SCHAZs.

Abstract Halide solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs) hold promise for the commercialization of all‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs); however, the currently cost‐effective zirconium‐based chloride SSEs suffer from hygroscopic irreversibility, low ionic conductivity, and inadequate thermal stability. Herein, a novel indium‐doped zirconium‐based chloride is fabricated to satisfy the abovementioned requirements, achieving outstanding‐performance ASSLBs at room temperature. Compared to the conventional Li2ZrCl6 and Li3InCl6 SSEs, the hc‐Li2+xZr1‐xInxCl6 (0.3 ≤ x ≤ 1) possesses higher ionic conductivity (up to 1.4 mS cm−1), and thermal stability (350 °C). At the same time, the hc‐Li2.8Zr0.2In0.8Cl6 also shows obvious hygroscopic reversibility, where its recovery rate of the ionic conductivity is up to 82.5% after 24‐h exposure in the 5% relative humidity followed by heat treatment. Theoretical calculation and experimental results reveal that those advantages are derived from the lattice expansion and the formation of Li3InCl6 ·2H2O hydrates, which can effectively reduce the migration energy barrier of Li ions and offer reversible hydration/dehydration pathway. Finally, an ASSLB, assembled with reheated‐Li2.8Zr0.2In0.8Cl6 after humidity exposure, single‐crystal LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 and Li‐In alloy, exhibits capacity retention of 71% after 500 cycles under 1 C at 25 °C. This novel high‐humidity‐tolerant chloride electrolyte is expected to greatly carry forward the ASSLBs industrialization.

ABSTRACT: Wenchang chicken, a prized local breed in Hainan Province of China renowned for its exceptional adaptability to tropical environments and good meat quality, is deeply favored by the public. However, an insufficient understanding of its population architecture and the unclear genetic basis that governs its typical attributes have posed challenges in the protection and breeding of this precious breed. To address these gaps, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on 200 Wenchang chicken samples derived from 10 distinct strains, and we gathered data on an array of 21 phenotype traits. Population genomics analysis unveiled distinctive population structures in Wenchang chickens, primarily attributed to strong artificial selection for different feather colors. Selection sweep analysis identified a group of candidate genes, including PCDH9, DPF3, CDIN1, and SUGCT, closely linked to adaptations that enhance resilience in tropical island habitats. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) highlighted potential candidate genes associated with diverse feather color traits, encompassing TYR, RAB38, TRPM1, GABARAPL2, CDH1, ZMIZ1, LYST, MC1R, and SASH1. Through the comprehensive analysis of high-quality genomic and phenotypic data across diverse Wenchang chicken resource groups, this study unveils the intricate genetic backgrounds and population structures of Wenchang chickens. Additionally, it identifies multiple candidate genes linked to environmental adaptation, feather color variations, and production traits. These insights not only provide genetic reference for the purification and breeding of Wenchang chickens but also broaden our understanding of the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity in chickens.

Abstract Although aryl triflates are essential building blocks in organic synthesis, the applications as aryl radical precursors are limited. Herein, we report an organomediated electrochemical strategy for the generation of aryl radicals from aryl triflates, providing a useful method for the synthesis of aryl sulfonyl fluorides from feedstock phenol derivatives under very mild conditions. Mechanistic studies indicate that key to success is to use catalytic amounts of 9, 10-dicyanoanthracene as an organic mediator, enabling to selectively active aryl triflates to form aryl radicals via orbital-symmetry-matching electron transfer, realizing the anticipated C–O bond cleavage by overcoming the competitive S–O bond cleavage. The transition-metal-catalyst-free protocol shows good functional group tolerance, and may overcome the shortages of known methods for aryl sulfonyl fluoride synthesis. Furthermore, this method has been used for the modification and formal synthesis of bioactive molecules or tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivative with improved quantum yield of fluorescence.

Abstract Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have gained considerable momentum in the past decade. Although at first the main task of the ANN paradigm was to tune the connection weights in fixed-architecture networks, there has recently been growing interest in evolving network architectures toward the goal of creating artificial general intelligence. Lagging behind this trend, current ANN hardware struggles for a balance between flexibility and efficiency but cannot achieve both. Here, we report on a novel approach for the on-demand generation of complex networks within a single memristor where multiple virtual nodes are created by time multiplexing and the non-trivial topological features, such as small-worldness, are generated by exploiting device dynamics with intrinsic cycle-to-cycle variability. When used for reservoir computing, memristive complex networks can achieve a noticeable increase in memory capacity a and respectable performance boost compared to conventional reservoirs trivially implemented as fully connected networks. This work expands the functionality of memristors for ANN computing.

Abstract Polymer nanocomposites with nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrices have attracted extensive attention due to their significantly improved overall performance, in which the nanoparticle-polymer interface plays a key role. Understanding the structures and properties of the interfacial region, however, remains a major challenge for polymer nanocomposites. Here, we directly observe the presence of two interfacial polymer layers around a nanoparticle in polar polymers, i.e., an inner bound polar layer (~10 nm thick) with aligned dipoles and an outer polar layer (over 100 nm thick) with randomly orientated dipoles. Our results reveal that the impacts of the local nanoparticle surface potential and interparticle distance on molecular dipoles induce interfacial polymer layers with different polar molecular conformations from the bulk polymer. The bilayer interfacial features lead to an exceptional enhancement in polarity-related properties of polymer nanocomposites at ultralow nanoparticle loadings. By maximizing the contribution of inner bound polar layer via a nanolamination design, we achieve an ultrahigh dielectric energy storage density of 86 J/cm3, far superior to state-of-the-art polymers and nanocomposites.

In this study, we used full-sib families to investigate the association between growth and gonad development during first sexual maturation of M. nipponense. We found that male GSI was significantly negatively correlated with growth traits (p < 0.01) and there were no significant correlations between female GSI (Gonadosomatic index) and growth traits (p > 0.05). HSI (Hepatopancreas index) in both males and females showed no significant correlations with growth traits (p > 0.05). We furthermore investigated the association between the specific allele of Mn-CTS L1 polymorphism and gonad development and growth traits. In total, 35 mutation loci were screened and 16 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) loci were obtained after validation. Four and two SNPs proved to be strongly associated with all growth traits in female and male M. nipponense separately, among which A+118T might be a candidate SNP positively associated with large growth traits. Two and one SNPs were screened, respectively, in males and females to associate with GSI, while three SNPs were detected to associate with female HSI, among which A+1379C may be applied as a potential molecular marker for gene-assisted selection to improve both reproduction speed and growth traits in M. nipponense.

Abstract Correctly capturing the spatial‐temporal correlation of traffic sequences will benefit to make accurate predictions of the future traffic states. In the paper, the methods of enhancing road spatial and temporal information representation are proposed. Firstly, the parameter matrix of each road is constructed to represent the road‐specific traffic patterns for the graph convolution neural network and the recurrent neural network. Then, the node embedding, and matrix factorization are used to reduce the scale of the parameter matrix. Secondly, the node embedding‐based Data Adaptive Graph Generation model was introduced to infer the indirect relationship of each node, and the gating mechanism is designed to control the weights of the direct spatial information and the indirect spatial information. Thirdly, to enhance the traffic sequence representation, the time tag and peak tag for the sequences are designed at each sampling moment. At last, the Enhanced Road Information Representation in Graph Recurrent Network (En‐GRN) is proposed to predict traffic speed, and the prediction performance is tested on SZ‐taxi and Los‐loop dataset. The experimental results show that the presented works are effective for improving traffic prediction accuracy.

Abstract To enable the development of all-solid-state batteries, an inorganic solid-state electrolyte should demonstrate high ionic conductivity (i.e., > 1 mS cm−1 at 25 °C), compressibility (e.g., > 90% density under 250−350 MPa), and cost-effectiveness (e.g.,

Abstract Of late, numerous microphysiological systems have been employed to model the renal proximal tubule. Yet there is lack of research on refining the functions of the proximal tubule epithelial layer—selective filtration and reabsorption. In this report, pseudo proximal tubule cells extracted from human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived kidney organoids are combined and cultured with immortalized proximal tubule cells. It is shown that the cocultured tissue is an impervious epithelium that offers improved levels of certain transporters, extracellular matrix proteins collagen and laminin, and superior glucose transport and P-glycoprotein activity. mRNA expression levels higher than those obtained from each cell type were detected, suggesting an anomalous synergistic crosstalk between the two. Alongside, the improvements in morphological characteristics and performance of the immortalized proximal tubule tissue layer exposed, upon maturation, to human umbilical vein endothelial cells are thoroughly quantified and compared. Glucose and albumin reabsorption, as well as xenobiotic efflux rates through P-glycoprotein were all improved. The data presented abreast highlight the advantages of the cocultured epithelial layer and the non-iPSC-based bilayer. The in vitro models presented herein can be helpful in personalized nephrotoxicity studies.

Endochondral ossification (ECO) is a form of bone formation whereby the newly deposited bone replaces the cartilage template. A decellularized artificial cartilage graft (dLhCG), which is composed of hyaline cartilage matrixes, has been developed in our previous study. Herein, the osteogenesis of bone marrow-derived MSCs in the dLhCG through chondrogenic differentiation, chondrocyte hypertrophy, and subsequent transdifferentiation induction has been investigated by simulating the physiological processes of ECO for repairing critical-sized bone defects. The MSCs were recellularized into dLhCGs and subsequently allowed to undergo a 14-day proliferation period (mrLhCG). Following this, the mrLhCG constructs were subjected to two distinct differentiation induction protocols to achieve osteogenic differentiation: chondrogenic medium followed by chondrocytes culture medium with a high concentration of fetal bovine serum (CGCC group) and canonical osteogenesis inducing medium (OI group). The formation of a newly developed artificial bone graft, ossified dLhCG (OsLhCG), as well as its capability of aiding bone defect reconstruction were characterized by in vitro and in vivo trials, such as mRNA sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), immunohistochemistry, the greater omentum implantation in nude mice, and repair for the critical-sized femoral defects in rats. The results reveal that the differentiation induction of MSCs in the CGCC group can realize in vitro ECO through chondrogenic differentiation, hypertrophy, and transdifferentiation, while the MSCs in the OI group, as expected, realize ossification through direct osteogenic differentiation. The angiogenesis and osteogenesis of OsLhCG were proved by being implanted into the greater omentum of nude mice. Besides, the OsLhCG exhibits the capability to achieve the repair of critical-size femoral defects.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade pathway is a highly conserved plant cell signaling pathway that plays an important role in plant growth and development and stress response. Currently, MAPK cascade genes have been identified and reported in a variety of plants including Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Triticum aestivum, but have not been identified in foxtail millet (Setaria italica). In this study, a total of 93 MAPK cascade genes, including 15 SiMAPKs, 10 SiMAPKKs and 68 SiMAPKKKs genes, were identified by genome-wide analysis of foxtail millet, and these genes were distributed on nine chromosomes of foxtail millet. Using phylogenetic analysis, we divided the SiMAPKs and SiMAPKKs into four subgroups, respectively, and the SiMAPKKKs into three subgroups (Raf, ZIK, and MEKK). Whole-genome duplication analysis revealed that there are 14 duplication pairs in the MAPK cascade family in foxtail millet, and they are expanded by segmental replication events. Results from quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the expression levels of most SiMAPKs and SiMAPKKs were changed under both exogenous hormone and abiotic stress treatments, with SiMAPK3 and SiMAPKK4–2 being induced under almost all treatments, while the expression of SiMAPKK5 was repressed. In a nutshell, this study will shed some light on the evolution of MAPK cascade genes and the functional mechanisms underlying MAPK cascade genes in response to hormonal and abiotic stress signaling pathways in foxtail millet (Setaria italica).

Summary: Mastitis, a common disease for female during lactation period that could cause a health risk for human or huge economic losses for animals, is mainly caused by S. aureus invasion. Here, we found that neutrophil recruitment via IL-17A-mediated signaling was required for host defense against S. aureus-induced mastitis in a mouse model. The rapid accumulation and activation of Vγ4+ γδ T cells in the early stage of infection triggered the IL-17A-mediated immune response. Interestingly, the accumulation and influence of γδT17 cells in host defense against S. aureus-induced mastitis in a commensal microbiota-dependent manner. Overall, this study, focusing on γδT17 cells, clarified innate immune response mechanisms against S. aureus-induced mastitis, and provided a specific response to target for future immunotherapies. Meanwhile, a link between commensal microbiota community and host defense to S. aureus mammary gland infection may unveil potential therapeutic strategies to combat these intractable infections.

Liver fibrosis remains a serious problem affecting the health of millions of people worldwide. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the main effector cells in liver fibrosis and their activation could lead to extracellular matrix deposition, which may aggravate the development of liver fibrosis and inflammation. Previous studies have reported the potential of Phillygenin (PHI) as a hepatoprotective agent to inhibit HSCs activation and fibrosis development. However, the poor water solubility of PHI hinders its clinical application as a potential anti-liver fibrosis therapy. Milk-derived exosomes (mEXO) serve as scalable nanocarriers for delivering chemotherapeutic agents due to their excellent biocompatibility. Here, we developed a PHI-Hyaluronic acid (HA) composite mEXO (PHI-HA-mEXO) drug delivery system, in which DSPE-PEG2000-HA was conjugated to the surface of mEXO to prepare HA-mEXO, and PHI was encapsulated into HA-mEXO to form PHI-HA-mEXO. As a specific receptor for HA, CD44 is frequently over-expressed during liver fibrosis and highly expressed on the surface of activated HSCs (aHSCs). PHI-HA-mEXO can bind to CD44 and enter aHSCs through endocytosis and release PHI. PHI-HA-mEXO drug delivery system can significantly induce aHSCs death without affecting quiescent HSCs (qHSCs) and hepatocytes. Furthermore, we carried out in vitro and in vivo experiments and found that PHI-HA-mEXO could alleviate liver fibrosis through aHSCs-targeted mechanism. In conclusion, the favorable biosafety and superior anti-hepatic fibrosis effects suggest a promising potential of PHI-HA-mEXO in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. However, detailed pharmokinetics and dose-responsive experiments of PHI-HA-mEXO and the mechanism of mEXO loading drugs are still required before PHI-HA-mEXO can be applied clinically.

Path planning is an essential part of robot intelligence. In this paper, we summarize the characteristics of path planning of industrial robots. And owing to the probabilistic completeness, we review the rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm which is widely used in the path planning of industrial robots. Aiming at the shortcomings of the RRT algorithm, this paper investigates the RRT algorithm for path planning of industrial robots in order to improve its intelligence. Finally, the future development direction of the RRT algorithm for path planning of industrial robots is proposed. The study results have particularly guided significance for the development of the path planning of industrial robots and the applicability and practicability of the RRT algorithm.

This paper is devoted to considering the attainability of minimizers of the $ L^2 $-constraint variational problem $ m_{\gamma, a} = \inf \, \{J_{\gamma}(u):u\in H^2(\mathbb{R}^{N}), \int_{\mathbb{R}^{N}} \vert u\vert^2 dx = a^2 \} {, } $ where $ J_{\gamma}(u) = \frac{\gamma}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{N}} \vert\Delta u\vert^2 dx+\frac{1}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{N}} \vert\nabla u\vert^2 dx+\frac{1}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{N}} V(x)\vert u\vert^2 dx-\frac{1}{2\sigma+2}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{N}} \vert u\vert^{2\sigma+2} dx, $ $ \gamma > 0 $, $ a > 0 $, $ \sigma\in(0, \frac{2}{N}) $ with $ N\ge 2 $. Moreover, the function $ V:\mathbb{R}^{N}\rightarrow [0, +\infty) $ is continuous and bounded. By using the variational methods, we can prove that, when $ V $ satisfies four different assumptions, $ m_{\gamma, a} $ are all achieved.

Abstract Magnetoelectric coupling, as a fundamental physical nature and with the potential to add functionality to devices while also reducing energy consumption, has been challenging to be probed in freestanding membranes or two-dimensional materials due to their instability and fragility. In this paper, we report a magnetoelectric coupling probed by optical second harmonic generation with external magnetic field, and show the manipulation of the ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic orders by the magnetic and thermal fields in BiFeO3 films epitaxially grown on the substrates and in the freestanding ones. Here we define an optical magnetoelectric-coupling constant, denoting the ability of controlling light-induced nonlinear polarization by the magnetic field, and found the magnetoelectric-coupling was suppressed by strain releasing but remain robust against thermal fluctuation for freestanding BiFeO3.

Space-charge layers are believed to profoundly influence the interfaces in all-solid-state Li batteries. Here, the authors provide atomic scale insights into this phenomenon, and discover that its impact could be fundamentally different from commonly believed.

An ideal positive electrode for all-solid-state Li batteries should be ionic conductive and compressible. However, this is not possible with state-of-the-art metal oxides. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of an ionic conductive metal chloride as compressible positive electrode active material.

The phase formation-transition process and microstructure evolution of Fe–3%Si steel oxide layers were systematically studied during the high-temperature oxidation process with oxidizing atmosphere when annealed at 1000–1240 °C for 200 min. The micromorphology, oxidation mechanism and crystal structure stability were characterized and discussed combining with the XRD, FESEM and XPS technology. The oxidized scale shows more and more complex multiple layers structure including single layer, double layers and three layers with the increasing of annealing temperature, which attributes to the diffusion effect and oxidation reaction oxygen anions and metal cations. The formation of SiO2, FeO and Fe2SiO4 layer also could inhibit the oxidation reaction of matrix. The oxidized scale mainly shows a single layer structure of Fe2O3 when annealed at 1000–1080 °C, which is easy to peel off from matrix. It shows a double oxide layers structure when annealed at 1080–1120 °C, the loose outer layer contains Fe2O3, and the grid inner layer contain SiO2, FeO and Fe2SiO4 compounds. It shows an outermost, intermediate and inner three layers structure when annealed at 1160–1240 °C. The outermost layer is Fe2O3, the main phases of intermediate layer are FeO and Fe2SiO4 compounds as well as some SiO2 particles, and the inner layer (joint layer) is SiO2.

Optical-based imaging has improved from early single-location research to further sophisticated imaging in 2D topography and 3D tomography. These techniques have the benefit of high specificity and non-radiative safety for brain detection and therapy. However, their performance is limited by complex tissue structures. To overcome the difficulty in successful brain imaging applications, we conducted a simulation using 16 optical source types within a brain model that is based on the Monte Carlo method. In addition, we propose an evaluation method of the optical propagating depth and resolution, specifically one based on the optical distribution for brain applications. Based on the results, the best optical source types were determined in each layer. The maximum propagating depth and corresponding source were extracted. The optical source propagating field width was acquired in different depths. The maximum and minimum widths, as well as the corresponding source, were determined. This paper provides a reference for evaluating the optical propagating depth and resolution from an optical simulation aspect, and it has the potential to optimize the performance of optical-based techniques.

Nitrogen is a crucial element that impacts rice yields, and effective tillering is a significant agronomic characteristic that can influence rice yields. The way that reduced nitrogen affects effective tillering is a complex quantitative trait that is controlled by multiple genes, and its genetic basis requires further exploration. In this study, 469 germplasm varieties were used for a genome-wide association analysis aiming to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with effective tillering at low (60 kg/hm2) and high (180 kg/hm2) nitrogen levels. QTLs detected over multiple years or under different treatments were scrutinized in this study, and candidate genes were identified through haplotype analysis and spatio-temporal expression patterns. A total of seven genes (NAL1, OsCKX9, Os01g0690800, Os02g0550300, Os02g0550700, Os04g0615700, and Os04g06163000) were pinpointed in these QTL regions, and were considered the most likely candidate genes. These results provide favorable information for the use of auxiliary marker selection in controlling effective tillering in rice for improved yields.

The Altai Mountains, located in the northwesternmost part of China, have a harsh climate and little human activity, making it an excellent location to study forest ecology undisturbed by human interference. The forest is frequently struck by lightning and experiences long-term natural fire disturbances, leading to the evolution of unique fire adaptation traits in the major conifer species. To explore the role of natural fire disturbances in the Altai Mountain forest ecosystem, we conducted a study on the fire adaptation traits of Larix sibirica, Pinus sibirica, Picea obovata, and Abies sibirica, and reconstructed the fire history of the forest area over the past 100 years. We investigated three representative forest areas with varying fire disturbance conditions and habitats in the Altai Mountains. Data on fire disturbance conditions, relative air humidity, and species composition were collected in these areas. Basal diameter to diameter at breast height, relative bark thickness, and under-crown heights were measured and counted for each of the four species, and litter, bark, and wood layers were sampled and analyzed for physicochemical properties (ash, fat, and higher heating value) for each of the four species in the plots examined. We conducted a count of the four conifer species in the forest for each fire adaptation index and analyzed the differences in fire adaptation traits among the species. Larix sibirica showed fire-tolerant traits, Pinus sibirica displayed fire-embracer traits, and Picea obovata and Abies sibirica exhibited fire-avoider traits. Through the analysis of stand composition and exposure to fire disturbance in the different forest areas, we were able to correlate the fire-adaptive strategies of the four conifers with stand characteristics under varying fire disturbances and habitats. The interaction between forests and fires, and their adaptation to each other, ultimately create the current ecosystems in the Altai Mountains.

Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) is effective for wound healing and has important applications in health care. A series of blend hydrogels was designed with BSP and konjac glucomannan (KGM) in this study to overcome the deficient mechanical performance caused by the excessive dissolution of BSP without affecting its physiological activity. The interplay between them, as well as the effects of KGM concentration on the physical properties and microstructures of hydrogels, were also explored. It was proved that the frame of the hydrogel was primarily formed by KGM. BSP was dispersed uniformly and linked to KGM through hydrogen bonding, which effectively improved the physical properties, such as increasing the water-holding capacity, improving the swelling degree, and enhancing the mechanical properties. Blend hydrogel BK2-2 (containing 1.0% BSP and 1.0% KGM, w/v) was found to be the optimal formulation based on the thermal stability and microstructure, which was used for further research. In vitro experiments revealed the L929 cell proliferative effects of the blend hydrogel, and no difference was found with BSP sponge extract after 72 h of exposure. In vivo animal studies indicated that the BK2-2 accelerated wound healing compared with the control group; however, no difference was found with dressings only made of BSP. These results demonstrated that KGM improved the physical properties of BSP-based material without negatively affecting its physiological properties. Also, the BSP/KGM blend hydrogel had good comprehensive properties and is expected to be used as a wound healing material in the future.

Previous studies revealed that changing the electrode structures of a gallium arsenide photoconductive semiconductor switch (GaAs PCSS) can significantly affect the local electric field and current density at the electrodes. Knowing the optimization of the electrode structures of GaAs PCSS can improve the withstand voltage performance and current carrying capability. In this work, we optimize the surface contact electrode structure of GaAs PCSS, and numerical simulations are performed to systematically study the electric field and current density distribution in the bulk of the device. The result shows that the maximum transverse current density and maximum longitudinal current density of the embedded 172° isosceles trapezoid electrode structure are smaller than other kinds of electrode structures, which is the most favorable for improving the withstand voltage and current carrying capability of GaAs PCSS.

In photoacoustic (PA) reconstruction, spatial constraints or real-time system requirements often result to sparse PA sampling data. For sparse PA sensor data, the sparse spatial and dense temporal sampling often leads to poor signal continuity. To address the structural characteristics of sparse PA signals, a data interpolation algorithm based on extremum-guided interpolation is proposed. This algorithm is based on the continuity of the signal, and can complete the estimation of high sampling rate signals without complex mathematical calculations. PA signal data is interpolated and reconstructed, and the results are evaluated using image quality assessment methods. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method performs better than several typical algorithms, effectively restoring image details, suppressing the generation of artifacts and noise, and improving the quality of PA reconstruction under sparse sampling.

Background: The aging-induced decrease in intestinal barrier function contributes to many age-related diseases. Studies on preventive measures for “leaky gut” may help improve the quality of life of geriatric patients. The potent anti-aging effect of Gastrodia elata and parishin, which is one of its active ingredients, has been reported previously. However, their effects on the gut remain elusive, and the effect of parishin on mammals has not been studied. Methods: We used quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemical analysis, and 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the effect of G. elata and parishin on the intestinal barrier function of D-Gal-induced aging mice. Results: G. elata and parishin prevented the decrease in tight junction protein (TJP) expression and morphological changes, modulated the composition of fecal microbiota to a healthier state, and reversed the translocation of microbial toxins and systemic inflammation. The correlation analyses showed that TJP expression and systemic inflammation were significantly positively or negatively correlated with the composition of fecal microbiota after G. elata and parishin administration. Additionally, TJP expression was also correlated with systemic inflammation. Moreover, G. elata and parishin administration reversed the decreased or increased expression of aging-related biomarkers, such as FOXO3a, SIRT1, CASPASE3 and P21, in the gut. Conclusions: These results suggested that G. elata and parishin could prevent gut aging and ameliorate the “leaky gut” of aged mice and that the underlying mechanism is related to the mutual correlations among barrier function, fecal microbiota composition, and inflammation.

Ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy (LFH) has been recognised as one of the key contributors to lumbar spinal stenosis. Currently, no effective methods are available to ameliorate this hypertrophy. In this study, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell-derived extracellular vesicles (hUCMSC-EVs) were introduced for the first time as promising vehicles for drug delivery to treat LFH. The downregulation of miR-146a-5p and miR-221-3p expressions in human LF tissues negatively correlated with increased LF thickness. The hUCMSC-EVs enriched with these two miRNAs significantly suppressed LFH in vivo and notably ameliorated the progression of transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1)-induced fibrosis in vitro after delivering these two miRNAs to mouse LF cells. The results further demonstrated that miR-146a-5p and miR-221-3p directly bonded to the 3′-UTR regions of SMAD4 mRNA, thereby inhibiting the TGF-β/SMAD4 signalling pathway. Therefore, this translational study determined the effectiveness of a hUCMSC-EVs-based approach for the treatment of LFH and revealed the critical target of miR-146a-5p and miR-221-3p. Our findings provide new insights into promising therapeutics using a hUCMSC-EVs-based delivery system for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

The pursuit of efficient C–N bond formation is a prime focus of synthetic organic chemistry. Here, the authors documented a base promoted amination between alkyl iodides and diazonium salts via halogen-atom transfer (XAT) process.

Abstract Tumor phototheranostics holds a great promise on account of its high spatiotemporal resolution, tumor-specificity, and noninvasiveness. However, physical limitation of light penetration and “always on” properties of conventional photothermal-conversion agents usually cause difficulty in accurate diagnosis and completely elimination of tumor. Meanwhile, nanozymes mediated Fenton reactions can well utilize the tumor microenvironment (TME) to generate hydroxyl radicals for chemodynamic therapy (CDT), but limited by the concentration of H2O2 in TME and the delivery efficiency of nanozymes. To overcome these problems, a dual-targeting nanozyme (FTRNPs) is developed for tumor-specific in situ theranostics, based upon the assembling of ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoparticles, 3,3’,5,5’-tetrameth-ylbenzidine (TMB) and the RGD peptide. The FTRNPs after H2O2 treatment exhibits superior photothermal stability and high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 50.9%). FTRNPs shows extraordinary accumulation and retention in the tumor site by biological/physical dual-targeting, which is 3.54-fold higher than that without active targeting. Cascade-dual-response to TME for nanozymes mediated Fenton reactions and TMB oxidation further improves the accuracy of both photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). The tumor inhibition rate of photo-chemodynamic therapy is ~ 97.76%, which is ~ 4-fold higher than that of PTT or CDT only. Thus, the combination of CDT and PTT to construct “turn on” nanoplatform is of great significance to overcome their respective limitations. Considering its optimized “all-in-one” performance, this new nanoplatform is expected to provide an advanced theranostic strategy for the future treatment of cancers. Graphical abstract

Novel methodologies for introducing sulfoxonium groups into organic molecules are desirable. Here the authors report the synthesis of an iodonium-sulfoxonium ylide reagent that enables the preparation of sulfoxonium-containing cyclic structures upon reaction with alkenes, alkynes, nitriles or allenes.