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Background In recent years, studies have demonstrated the use of ultrasound speckle tracking techniques for the early evaluation of subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, long-term exposure to hyperglycemia severely damages the microvascular system. However, the interaction between diabetic microvascular complications and subclinical LV systolic function has not been fully understood. Objective To investigate the relationship between subclinical LV systolic function and diabetic microvascular complications in patients with T2DM. Methods A total of 150 patients with T2DM who were admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from June to December 2021 were selected in the cross-sectional study and all underwent conventional echocardiography, pulsed tissue Doppler echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE). The 2D global longitudinal strain (GLS) of LV was obtained to assess the subclinical LV systolic function. Diabetic microvascular complications were defined as combined diabetic retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease or peripheral neuropathy. The subjects were divided into the T2DM alone group (T2DM alone group, n=76), the T2DM with 1 complication group〔T2DM+C (1) group, n=37〕 and the T2DM with 2 to 3 complications group〔T2DM+C (2 to 3) group, n=37〕 according to the cumulative number of microvascular complications. The general demographic characteristics and biochemical indices of patients in the three groups were compared. The relationship between microvascular complications and subclinical LV systolic function was assessed by using Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis. Results GLS was lower in the T2DM+C (1) and T2DM+C (2 to 3) groups than in the T2DM alone group (P

Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, threatening the health of millions of people. Herein, we explored a blood glucose independent function of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. A diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg). Coptisine treatment (50 mg/kg/day) retarded body weight loss and reduced blood glucose. On the other hand, coptisine treatment also decreased kidney weight and the levels of urinary albumin, serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen, indicating an improvement of renal function. Treatment with coptisine also mitigated renal fibrosis, with alleviative collagen deposition. Likewise, in vitro study showed that coptisine treatment decreased apoptosis and fibrosis markers in HK-2 cells treated with high glucose. Furthermore, after coptisine treatment, the activation of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NRLP3) inflammasome was repressed, with decreased levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-18, indicating that the repression of NRLP3 inflammasome contributed to the effect of coptisine on diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, this study revealed that coptisine mitigates diabetic nephropathy via repressing the NRLP3 inflammasome. It is indicated that coptisine may have the potential to be used in the diabetic nephropathy treatment.

Conventional oxidation processes for alkyl aromatics to ketones employ oxidants that tend to generate harmful byproducts and cause severe equipment corrosion, ultimately creating critical environmental problems. Thus, in this study, a practical, efficient, and green method was developed for the synthesis of aromatic ketones by applying a bis(2-butoxyethyl) ether/O2 system under external catalyst-, additive-, and base-free conditions. This O2-mediated oxidation system can tolerate various functional groups and is suitable for large-scale synthesis. Diverse target ketones were prepared under clean conditions in moderate-to-high yields. The late-stage functionalization of drug derivatives with the corresponding ketones and one-pot sequential chemical conversions to ketone downstream products further broaden the application prospects of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-permittivity Ba(Eu1/5Sm1/5Nd1/5Pr1/5La1/5)2Ti4O12 (BESNPLT) high-entropy ceramics (HECs) were synthesized via a solid-state route. The microstructure, sintering behavior, phase structure, vibration modes, and microwave dielectric characteristics of the BESNPLT HECs were thoroughly investigated. The phase structure of the BESNPLT HECs was confirmed to be a single-phase orthorhombic tungsten-bronze-type structure of Pnma space group. Permittivity (εr) was primarily influenced by polarizability and relative density. The quality factor (Q×f) exhibited a significant correlation with packing fraction, whereas the temperature coefficient (TCF) of the BESNPLT HECs closely depended on the tolerance factor and bond valence of B-site. The BESNPLT HECs sintered at 1400 °C, demonstrating high relative density (>97%) and optimum microwave dielectric characteristics with TCF = +38.9 ppm/°C, Q×f = 8069 GHz (@6.1 GHz), and εr = 87.26. This study indicates that high-entropy strategy was an efficient route in modifying the dielectric characteristics of tungsten-bronze-type microwave ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-k Ba4Sm28/3Ti18O54 ceramics with improved microwave dielectric characteristics were successfully fabricated using the one-step reaction sintering (RS) route. The sintering characteristics, microstructure, crystal structure, infrared reflection spectrum, and microwave dielectric characteristics of Ba4Sm28/3Ti18O54 ceramics prepared by the RS route were systematically investigated. Samples prepared by the RS route exhibited single-phase orthorhombic tungsten–bronze structure and dense microstructure at optimum sintering temperature. Compared with the conventional solid-state (CS) process, the Ba4Sm28/3Ti18O54 ceramics fabricated by the RS route presented a smaller temperature coefficient (TCF), a higher quality factor (Q × f), and a higher permittivity (εr). The improved microwave dielectric characteristics were highly dependent on the theoretical permittivity, atomic packing fraction, suppression of Ti3+, and Ti-site bond valence. Excellent combined microwave dielectric characteristics (TCF = −7.9 ppm/°C, Q × f = 9519 GHz, εr = 80.26) were achieved for Ba4Sm28/3Ti18O54 ceramics prepared by RS route sintered at 1400 °C, suggesting the RS route was a straightforward, economical and effective route to prepare high-performance Ba4Sm28/3Ti18O54 ceramics with promising application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dimensional wide bandgap semiconductors demonstrate great potential in the large-scale fabrication of new-generation ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) with an excellent combination of the integration level and easily tunable response spectra. However, the thickness dependence on the defect density and light absorption negatively affects the carrier photogeneration and transportation in photoactive layers, hindering the simultaneous realization of high sensitivity and low noise during detection. Herein, artificial resonance nano-cavities of 0D/2D ZnO quantum dot (QD)/MXene nanosheet (NS) composite thin films on a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) are proposed toward high-performance UV photodetection. The uniformly distributed MXene NSs can concentrate incident photons within the composite thin films via boosted near-surface electromagnetic fields, and the extraction and transfer processes of photoinduced carriers are subsequently accelerated as experimentally and theoretically evidenced. The spatial light coupling between MXene NSs and the DBR with well-balanced periods of two dielectric layers further compensates for the unfavorable light–matter interaction within the 0D/2D composite thin films induced by the noticeable light transmission, and the comprehensive enhancement in the whole photocurrent generation procedure instantaneously endows the device with outstanding EQE (489.1%) and D* (1.7 × 1013 jones), which opens a practicable route for the fabrication of UV photodetectors with exceptional optoelectronic response and long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative-stiffness damper is a promising device to mitigate cable vibrations effectively. In contrast to traditional rigid supports, recent study has found that flexible supports are actually beneficial for enhancing the performance of negative-stiffness dampers. This study extends the understanding of the impact of support flexibility under nonlinear condition, followed by an optimization process to obtain required negative-stiffness dampers and corresponding supports. First, taking damping nonlinearity into account, a unified model is established for the negative-stiffness damper with flexible support. Theoretical equivalent negative stiffness and damping are obtained for a linear case, followed by numerical verification. Thereafter, equivalent parameters under a friction case are presented. Experiments are conducted to validate the analytical derivation. Then, problem formulation is developed for the controlled cable. Optimization process is proposed to determine the required negative-stiffness damper and support for multimodal cable vibration. A series of numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the design process. Moreover, nonlinear examples are presented to show the potential for improving control performance. As indicated by the research results, a flexible support is capable of amplifying the equivalent negative stiffness and damping under linear and nonlinear conditions. For multimodal cable vibration, it is sufficient to determine the optimized negative stiffness and support by only considering the highest mode. Nonlinear negative-stiffness dampers exhibit superior performance due to the leakage of vibration energy toward high-order modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of this research was to assess the relationship between the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and indexes of left ventricle (LV) structure and function in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods. Retrospective analysis of 790 patients with T2DM and preserved LV ejection fraction. Retinopathy stages were classified as no DR, early nonproliferative DR, moderate to severe nonproliferative DR, or proliferative DR. The electrocardiogram was used to assess myocardial conduction function. Echocardiography was used to evaluate myocardial structure and function. Results. Patients were divided into three groups based on the DR status: no DR group (NDR, n = 475), nonproliferative DR group (NPDR, n = 247), and proliferative DR group (PDR, n = 68). LV interventricular septal thickness (IVST) increased significantly with more severe retinopathy (NDR: 10.00 ± 1.09 ; NPDR: 10.42 ± 1.21 ; and PDR: 10.66 ± 1.58 ; P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the significant correlation of IVST persisted between subjects with no retinopathy and proliferative DR (odds ratio = 1.35 , P = 0.026). Indices of myocardial conduction function were assessed by electrocardiogram differences among groups of retinopathy (all P < 0.001). In multiple-adjusted linear regression analyses, the increasing degree of retinopathy was closely correlated with heart rate (β = 1.593 , P = 0.027), PR interval (β = 4.666 , P = 0.001), and QTc interval (β = 8.807 , P = 0.005). Conclusion. The proliferative DR was independently associated with worse cardiac structure and function by echocardiography. Furthermore, the severity of retinopathy significantly correlated with abnormalities of the electrocardiogram in patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 2 years, three earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 and above occurred consecutively in Qinghai province, China, i.e., the 22 May 2021 Ms7.4 Maduo, 8 January 2022 Ms6.9 Menyuan, and 26 March 2022 Ms6.0 Delingha earthquakes. The hydrological observation instruments set up by the China Earthquake Administration allow us to study the dynamic processes in the well-aquifer systems during the establishment of criticality. Particularly, the observations played an important role in the prediction of the 8 January 2022 Ms6.9 Menyuan earthquake that was approved by the People's Government of Qinghai province. This work presents the hydrological data recorded by 7 stations to show the short-term anomalies before these earthquakes. To explore the performance of the hydrological observations in detecting earthquakes that occurred on different active tectonic blocks, we calculate the relative amplitudes of the pre-seismic changes. Results indicate that markedly pre-seismic change is found if the observation station and the detection earthquake are on the same block, and moderate change is found if they are on the adjacent blocks, while the precursor is hard to be identified if they are on the separated blocks. The variations in the hydrological responses may be caused by the strength weakening (or dilatancy) of source media. And the increased volumes in the crust can be evidenced by the changes in the geodetic time series in the same neighborhoods and during the same period, augmenting stress loading between the blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Studies have shown that cancer progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is related with metabolic alterations. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical roles of metabolic alterations in HNSCC. Materials and methods: Metabolism‐related genes associated with HNSCC were searched in public databases. A predictive and efficacious LASSO model was fabricated to optimize the diagnosis that was based on these genes. Meantime, ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole/orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐Q‐Orbitrap HRMS) was used to compare patients with HNSCC (n = 73) with healthy controls (n = 51) for serum metabolites. Potential biomarkers and alterations in serum metabolites were analysed and evaluated using t test analysis, principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least square‐discrimination analysis. Results: Overall, 21 differential metabolites were probed in serum, of which eight metabolites had potential for clinical uses. Transcriptome analysis showed that four genes in the constructed LASSO model were found to be associated with seven differential metabolites. Metabolic pathway analysis by MetaboAnalyst showed that the biomarkers that were related with HNSCC were closely related to four metabolism pathways (p < 0.05). Conclusion: To conclude, future research on HNSCC should be directed towards multi‐omics to provide treatment, intervention or diagnosis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Diabetes is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Efficacious utility of fugacious photons within a limited dimension of photoactive semiconductor thin films provides a facile approach to break through the obstacle for the sensitivity improvement of photodetection. Herein, we demonstrate a facile way to fabricate ZnO quantum dot (QD)/MXene nanoflake photodetectors by uniformly blending various ratios of two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2Tx nanoflakes into ZnO QD thin films, which can establish a carrier transportation highway and light confinement centers within the photoactive layers. The light absorption of hybrid thin films is obviously enhanced because of the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of MXene nanoflakes, resulting in an expressively enhanced external quantum efficiency by 35 times for the device with 0.1 mg/mL 2D Ti3C2Tx nanoflakes (150.0%) in comparison with that of the pristine photodetector (4.3%). Under 350 nm light illumination (1.72 mW cm–2), the carrier transportation in ZnO thin films is significantly accelerated with the hot electron injection from the high-conductivity 2D Ti3C2Tx nanoflakes and thereby the optimal responsivity of 425 mA/W with an improved response speed at 10 V. Furthermore, ZnO QD/MXene nanoflake photodetectors also exhibit an excellent long-term stability. This work provides an efficient method to fabricate high-performance ZnO UV photoelectric devices in the military and civilian fields at low light intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have reported that diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the major cause of blindness. Berberine (BBR) is a bioactive constituent that displays effects on blood glucose; however, the mechanism underlying the role of BBR during the development of DR is not completely understood. In the present study, a rat model of DR was successfully established. The eye tissues were removed and subsequently assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the TUNEL assay. The catalase, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, glutathione and superoxide dismutase contents of the eye tissues were measured. Müller cells were chosen for further in vitro experiments. Cell apoptosis was examined by Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection and Hoechst staining, and the mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed by JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential detection. BBR decreased ganglion cell layer, cell apoptosis, reduced diabetic-induced oxidative stress and deactivated the NF-κB signaling pathway in the rat model of DR. High glucose enhanced oxidative stress and induced mitochondria-dependent cell apoptosis in Müller cells by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. BBR reversed the high glucose-induced effects by decreasing the phosphorylation of IκB, inhibiting NF-κB nuclear translocation and deactivating the NF-κB signaling pathway. The results suggested that BBR protected against DR by inhibiting oxidative stress and cell apoptosis via deactivation of the NF-κB signaling pathway; therefore, suggesting that BBR may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the mechanical behavior of Au nanomeshes (AuNMs) based on finite element analysis (FEA) simulation and deformation tests. The simulated results of mechanical flexibility indicate that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate can release the stress of AuNMs under mechanical stretching and bending, the displacement of stretched AuNMs yields a 2% promotion, and the displacement of bent AuNMs yields a 3.5% promotion under buffering of PET substrate at 5 GPa yield strength of nanoscale Au. The stress and displacement distribution of the AuNMs/PET is demonstrated and analyzed. The further deformation tests of AuNMs under compressive and tensile loading indicate that the simulation data are in good agreement with experimental results. This paper is conducive to understanding the mechanical behavior and corresponding structural response and structural fracture dynamics of AuNMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between normal thyroid function and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been a particular focus for concern. The present study determined the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in T2DM patients. A cross-sectional study (n = 633) was performed in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. Subjects were evaluated for anthropometric measurements, thyroid function, and diabetic retinopathy. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationships between thyroid hormones and DR. Of 633 patients, 243 (38.4%) patients suffered from DR. The prevalence of DR showed a significantly decreasing trend across the quartiles based on free triiodothyronine (FT3) (FT3 quartile 1 group [FT3-Q1] <4.35 pmol/L, FT3 quartile 2 group [FT3-Q2] 4.35–4.70 pmol/L, FT3 quartile 3 group [FT3-Q3] 4.70–5.08 pmol/L, and FT3 quartile 4 group [FT3-Q4] ≥5.08 pmol/L) (56.7%, 42.5%, 33.1%, 23.8%, P < 0.001). In comparison with all participants categorized in FT3-Q1, the multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of DR in FT3-Q2, FT3-Q3, and FT3-Q4 were 0.587 (0.340–1.012), 0.458 (0.258–0.813), and 0.368 (0.201–0.673), (P = 0.055 , P = 0.008 , P = 0.001), respectively. FT3 levels within the normal range are negatively associated with DR in euthyroid patients with type 2 diabetes. Further studies should be aimed at clarifying the relationship between thyroid hormones and T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the relationship between PR interval prolongation and diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Methods A total of 857 inpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), from May 2014 to March 2016 at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Xijing Hospital affiliated to the Fourth Military Medical University were selected and divided into two groups according to their electrocardiogram results: PR≤ 200 ms (Group 1, n=812) and PR>200 ms (Group 2, n=45). The demographic data and biochemical markers including the age, gender, diabetic duration, fasting blood glucose (FPG), blood lipid, albumin creatinine rate, glomerular filtration rate and the prevalence of DR, prevalence of DKD, prevalence of CIMT were compared and analyzed among two groups. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Student t test or Nonparametric Tests. Logistic regression analysis were used to study the influencing factors for PR interval prolongation. Results The mean PR interval of all patients was (162±23) ms. The prevalence of DR and DKD in patients with PR>200 ms were significantly more than those in patients with PR≤200 ms (69% vs 39%,46.7% vs 23.4%, χ²=15.75, 12.44, all P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of PR interval prolongation for T2DM patients with DR was 2.168 times higher than those with non-DR (OR=2.168, 95%CI 1.055-4.455, P<0.05), and the risk of PR interval prolongation for T2DM patients with DKD was 2.317 times higher than those with non-DKD (OR=2.317, 95%CI 1.160-4.628, P<0.05), PR interval length was not correlated with CIMT in T2DM patients. Conclusion PR interval length is positively correlated with DR, and DKD, but no correlated with CIMT in type 2 diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstracts We demonstrate that ultrathin Au nanomesh assisted in transferring pattern of hexagonal packed anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane for formation of Si nanopore arrays. In this technology, the regularity of the AAO mask was inherited by the ultrathin Au nanomesh, which was pressed into the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layer spin-coated on Si substrate. The fixed ultrathin Au nanomesh kept a close contact to the Si substrate through the PMMA layer. The pattern transfer of hexagonal packed AAO membrane to Si substrate was achieved using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and highly orderly Si nanopore arrays were prepared in this work. Our technology improves the pattern fidelity and reduces defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Central China Normal University is the property of Huazhong Normal University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We report on the synthesis, characterization and optical properties of barium strontium titanate (BST) quasi photonic crystals (PCs) through a sol–gel technique with the porous alumina template (PAT). The structure, morphology and pore-size distribution of the samples were characterized by SEM, XRD and EDS, The Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3PCs of crystalline cubic phase with uniform pore size and ordered arrange were successfully synthesized. The obtained quasi BST PCs not only show that the nanostructure has spatially periodical orderly arrangement, but also exhibit good optical transmittance properties. The advantage of this sol–gel technique with PAT to fabricate ferroelectric (FE) nanopore arrays lies in its low cost and simplicity. This study opens a pathway for the effective fabrication and studies of FE nanopore arrays in uniquely large area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Herein a useful methodology to synthesize the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanotubes via a dip-coating deposition process with anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template is proposed. The nano-porous AAO templates were produced using a controlled two-step electrochemical anodization technique. The PZT/AAO composite was formed using the dip-coating wetting technique. The prepared PZT precursor solution was driven into the nanopore channels of AAO template under the driving force of capillary action, subsequently the sintering process of the as-filled templates was carefully tuned to obtain Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 nanotubes of crystalline tetragonal phase with uniform pore size and ordered arrange. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results show that in the 1200–1900 cm −1 band, the composite structure of PZT/AAO has obvious absorption peaks at 1471.56 cm −1 and 1556.09 cm −1 , the absorption intensity of the composite structure is about six times of pure AAO template. The unusual optical properties found in PZT/AAO composite will stimulate further theoretical and experimental interests in ferroelectric nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reflection and absorption performance of orderly porous Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3(PZT) on porous alumina template (PAT) structure are investigated, PZT ferroelectric film were deposited on PAT substrate by RF magnetron sputtering process. By controlling the specifications of PZT/PAT nanopores, we could implement the amplitude modulation of absorption edge and reflection. With the decrease of the nanopore size, absorption edge are red shift and the amplitude of the reflection are lower. The wavelength drift between the reflection and absorption has been optimized by changing the thickness of PZT film and structure. This provides an excellent reference to the device of absorption edge/stripe requiring careful tuning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

[Display omitted] • We propose ZnO quantum dot (QD) / magnetron sputtered ZnO homojunction based high-performance ultraviolet photodetectors. • The intensified oxygens adsorption–desorption and carrier transportation can be simultaneously achieved with a well-balanced homojunction ratio. • The homojunction ZnO Photodetector exhibits an optimal responsivity with ∼ 55 times increases than the pristine ZnO QD device. The performance of photodetectors can be simultaneously determined by the photoinduced carrier generation and transportation, and thereby a huge challenge still remains for the fabrication of ultra-sensitive ZnO UV due to the irreconcilable contradiction between high crystallinity and additional adsorption–desorption sites. Here, we demonstrate ZnO quantum dot (QD) / magnetron sputtered ZnO homojunction photodetectors with an excellent performance by systematically varying the thickness ratios between two ZnO layers. With the well-balanced ratio, ZnO QDs offers extra adsorption–desorption sites owing to the increased surface defects, and accelerated carrier transportation is concurrently achieved with the highly crystallized magnetron sputtered ZnO layers. As a consequence, the responsivity and external quantum efficiency of the ZnO homojunction photodetector fabricated at 250 ℃ radically increased to ∼ 551 mA/W and 195.4% under 350 nm light illumination (8.58 mW cm−2) at the bias of 10 V. Depending on the annealing temperature, the responsivity of the ZnO homojunction photodetector is further increased to ∼ 1.3 A/W at 450 ℃ even with an identical ratio on account of the improved crystallinity, which paves the path to overcome the hindrance for the ultra-sensitive UV photodetection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene (C2H4) electrosynthesis from the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction process holds enormous potential applications in industrial production. However, the sluggish kinetics of C─C coupling often result in low yield and poor selectivity for C2H4 production. Herein, the performance of Cu catalysts of varying sizes is investigated, prepared via a cryo‐mediated liquid phase exfoliation technique, for the electrochemical CO2 reduction to C2H4. The activity and selectivity of C2H4 gradually increase as the size of the Cu catalysts decreases from tens of nanometers to a few nanometers. Impressively, the 5 nm Cu quantum dots (Cu‐5) achieve a maximum C2H4 Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 81.5% and a half‐cell cathodic energy efficiency (CEE) of 42.2% with a large partial current density of 1.1 A cm−2 at −0.93 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Structural characterization and in situ spectroscopic analysis reveal that the Cu‐5 quantum dots, dominated by the (100) facet, provide an abundance of active sites that enhance CO2 adsorption and activation, promoting the formation of *CO intermediates. The accumulation of *CO intermediates on the Cu active sites facilitates the CO‐CHO coupling reaction, thus enhancing the C2H4 production rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive lung disease with high mortality and limited therapy that is characterized by epithelial cell damage and fibroblast activation. Ellagic acid is a natural polyphenol compound widely found in fruits and nuts that has multiple pharmacological activities. In this study, we explored the potential effects and mechanisms of Ellagic acid on pulmonary fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. In vivo studies showed that Ellagic acid significantly alleviated bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. In vitro experiments indicated that Ellagic acid could suppress Wnt signaling and attenuate Wnt3a-induced myofibroblast activation and the phosphorylation of Erk2 and Akt. Further studies showed that Ellagic acid could induce autophagy formation in myofibroblasts mainly by suppressing mTOR signaling and promoting apoptosis of myofibroblasts. In vivo experiments revealed that Ellagic acid significantly inhibited myofibroblast activation and promoted autophagy formation. Taken together, our results show that Ellagic acid effectively attenuates BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice by suppressing myofibroblast activation and promoting autophagy and apoptosis of myofibroblasts by inhibiting the Wnt signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kisspeptin and its G protein-coupled receptor KISS1R play key roles in mammalian reproduction due to their involvement in the onset of puberty and control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. However, recent studies have indicated a potential role of extra-hypothalamic kisspeptin in reproductive function. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the physiological significance of kisspeptin/KISS1R in the peripheral reproductive system (including the ovary, testis, uterus, and placenta) and the potential role of kisspeptin/KISS1R in reproductive diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the expression, function, and potential molecular mechanisms of kisspeptin/KISS1R in the peripheral reproductive system will contribute to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of reproductive diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmittance, conductivity, and flexibility are the crucial properties for the development of next-generation flexible electrodes. Achieving a good trade-off between transmittance and conductivity of flexible electrodes has been a challenge because the two properties are inversely proportional. Herein, we reveal a good trade-off between transmittance and conductivity of gold nanomesh (AuNM) can be achieved through appropriately increasing the AuNM thickness no more than 40 nm, the mean free path of electrons in Au metal. The further flexibility investigation indicates that the AuNM electrodes with mesh structure show higher tolerance than the Au bulk film, and the AuNM electrodes with smaller inter-aperture wire width can accommodate more tensile strains than a counterpart with bigger inter-aperture wire width. The simulated results based on finite element analysis (FEA) show good agreement with experimental results, which indicates the fabrication method of versatile nanosphere lithography (NSL) is reliable. These results established a promising approach toward next-generation large-scale flexible transparent AuNM electrodes for flexible electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]