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Abstract Maltotetraose amylase (Mta) catalyzes the hydrolysis of amylaceous polysaccharides into maltotetraose, which is an important functional sugar used in the food industry. However, the lack of efficient expression systems for recombinant Mta has hindered its scale-up production and application. In this study, a codon-optimized mta gene from Pseudomonas saccharophila was efficiently produced in Bacillus subtilis by optimizing the regulatory elements. First, a plasmid library containing 173 different signal peptide sequences placed upstream of mta gene was constructed, and transformed into B. subtilis strain WB800N(amyEΔ1) for high-throughput screening. The signal peptide yhcR was found to significantly enhance the secretion of Mta, reaching an activity of 75.4 U/mL in the culture medium. After optimization of the promoters, the Mta activity was further increased to 100.3 U/mL using a dual-promoter PHpaIIPamyE. Finally, the carbon sources and nitrogen sources for recombinant Mta production were optimized, yielding a highest Mta activity of 288.9 U/mL under the optimal culture conditions. The crude enzyme solution containing recombinant Mta produced a highest maltotetraose yield of 70.3% with 200 g/L of maltodextrin as the substrate. Therefore, the present study have demonstrated a high yield of Mta produced in B. subtilis, laying the foundation for large-scale Mta production and application.

Abstract There has been a long-standing debate as to how many hydrogen bonds a peptide backbone amide can form in aqueous solution. Hydrogen-bonding structural dynamics of N-ethylpropionamide (a β-peptide model) in water was examined using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Two amide-I sub bands arise mainly from amide C=O group that forms strong H-bonds with solvent water molecules (SHB state), and minorly from that involving one weak H-bond with water (WHB state). This picture is supported by molecular dynamics simulations and ab-initio calculations. Further, thermodynamics and kinetics of the SHB and WHB species were examined mainly by chemical-exchange two-dimensional IR spectroscopy, yielding an activation energy for the SHB-to-WHB exchange of 13.25 ± 0.52 kJ mol‒1, which occurs in half picosecond at room temperature. Our results provided experimental evidence of an unstable water molecule near peptide backbone, allowing us to gain more insights into the dynamics of the protein backbone hydration.

Abstract Oxide-derived copper (OD-Cu) materials exhibit extraordinary catalytic activities in the electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), which likely relates to non-metallic material constituents formed in transitions between the oxidized and the reduced material. In time-resolved operando experiment, we track the structural dynamics of copper oxide reduction and its re-formation separately in the bulk of the catalyst material and at its surface using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Surface-species transformations progress within seconds whereas the subsurface (bulk) processes unfold within minutes. Evidence is presented that electroreduction of OD-Cu foams results in kinetic trapping of subsurface (bulk) oxide species, especially for cycling between strongly oxidizing and reducing potentials. Specific reduction-oxidation protocols may optimize formation of bulk-oxide species and thereby catalytic properties. Together with the Raman-detected surface-adsorbed *OH and C-containing species, the oxide species could collectively facilitate *CO adsorption, resulting an enhanced selectivity towards valuable C2+ products during CO2RR.

Pathological scars (PS), including hypertrophic scars (HTS) and keloids, are a common complication of poor wound healing that significantly affects patients’ quality of life. Currently, there are several treatment options for PS, including surgery, drug therapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapy. However, these treatments still face major challenges such as low efficacy, high side effects, and a high risk of recurrence. Therefore, the search for safer and more effective treatments is particularly urgent. New materials often have less immune rejection, good histocompatibility, and can reduce secondary damage during treatment. New technology can also reduce the side effects of traditional treatments and the recurrence rate after treatment. Furthermore, derivative products of new materials and biomaterials can improve the therapeutic effect of new technologies on PS. Therefore, new technologies and innovative materials are considered better options for enhancing PS. This review concentrates on the use of two emerging technologies, microneedle (MN) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), and two novel materials, photosensitizers and exosomes (Exos), in the treatment of PS.

Although various degradable gel materials have been developed for temporary plugging in oil fields, they often degrade too quickly in high-temperature environments. To address this issue, an unstable crosslinker was synthesized to prepare a high-temperature degradable gel. This gel does not degrade excessively fast at high temperatures. Temperature and crosslinker concentration are the primary factors influencing gel degradation time, followed by monomer and initiator concentrations. Increased temperature and decreased crosslinker concentration both reduce degradation time, which can be adjusted within the range of 90–130 °C by varying the crosslinker concentration. The molecular structure and thermal stability of the degradable gel were analyzed using FTIR, 13C NMR, and TG. Furthermore, the viscoelastic properties, compressive performance, plugging performance, and core damage performance of the gel were evaluated. Within the test range of 0.1–1000 Pa, the storage modulus is higher than the loss modulus. The gel prepared at 130 °C exhibited a compressive stress of 0.25 MPa at 50% strain. The plugging pressure of the gel in sand-filled tubes with varying permeabilities (538.2–2794.1 mD) exceeded 15 MPa while maintaining a core damage rate below 5%. SEM analysis indicated that the degradation mechanism of the gel may involve the collapse of its three-dimensional network structure due to the hydrolysis of amide groups in the crosslinker. The viscosity of the degradation liquid was below 11 mPa·s, enabling it to be brought back to the surface with the formation fluid without the need for further breaking operations.

The study of formation pressure holds great significance for both exploration and development. The formation pressure coefficient is a crucial parameter in geology, encompassing various aspects. Numerous models exist to explore its influencing factors, yet they remain highly controversial. Our research has gathered data on formation pressure states and tectonic movement rates from dozens of large sedimentary basins worldwide. We delved into the patterns of formation pressure changes during basin deposition, subsidence, and tectonic uplift, taking into account the permeability of formation water. The findings reveal that during the Neogene and beyond, rapid deposition or tectonic uplift can cause the infiltration of formation water to lag behind tectonic movements, resulting in overpressure. Conversely, if recent tectonic movements are slow, formation water will complete its infiltration process ahead of tectonic changes, bringing the formation pressure to a hydrostatic state. Consequently, we have concluded that abnormal formation pressure primarily depends on the rate of tectonic movements during the Neogene and Quaternary periods. This study also proposes four formation pressure models, paving the way for a comprehensive understanding of formation pressure within a unified theoretical framework.

TiO2-based catalysts with various surface heterostructures (0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D) have been widely researched owing to their cost-effectiveness, high stability, and environmentally friendly nature, and can be used for many applications in various fields, including hydrogen production and pollutant degradation. However, there are also many existing problems limiting their practical application, such as their large band gap and rapid electron–hole recombination rate. Owing to the abundance of recent achievements in materials science, we will summarize the recent structural engineering strategies which provide favorable photocatalytic activity enhancements, such as enhanced visible light absorption, stability, an increased charge–carrier separation rate and improved specific surface area. Among the various structural engineering methods in this review, we will introduce TiO2-based materials with different dimensional structures. Meanwhile, we also discuss recent achievements in synthesis methods and application of TiO2-based catalysts in various fields. We aim to display a comprehensive overview which can be a guide for the development of a new generation of TiO2-based catalysts according to their structural design for enhanced solar energy conversion.

Binary transition metal oxide complexes (BTMOCs) in three-dimensional (3D) layered structures show great promise as electrodes for supercapacitors (SCs) due to their diverse oxidation states, which contribute to high specific capacitance. However, the synthesis of BTMOCs with 3D structures remains challenging yet crucial for their application. In this study, we present a novel approach utilizing a single-step hydrothermal technique to fabricate flower-shaped microspheres composed of a NiCo-based complex. Each microsphere consists of nanosheets with a mesoporous structure, enhancing the specific surface area to 23.66 m2 g−1 and facilitating efficient redox reactions. When employed as the working electrode for supercapacitors, the composite exhibits remarkable specific capacitance, achieving 888.8 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, it demonstrates notable electrochemical stability, retaining 52.08% capacitance after 10,000 cycles, and offers a high-power density of 225 W·kg−1, along with an energy density of 25 Wh·kg−1, showcasing its potential for energy storage applications. Additionally, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled using NiCo microspheres-based complex and activated carbon (AC). Remarkably, the NiCo microspheres complex/AC configuration delivers a high specific capacitance of 250 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, with a high energy density of 88 Wh kg−1, for a power density of 800 W kg−1. The ASC also exhibits excellent long-term cyclability with 69% retention over 10,000 charge–discharge cycles. Furthermore, a series of two ASC devices demonstrated the capability to power commercial blue LEDs for a duration of at least 40 s. The simplicity of the synthesis process and the exceptional performance exhibited by the developed electrode materials hold considerable promise for applications in energy storage.

A series of quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts were applied as zeolite growth modifiers in the synthesis of hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite. The results showed that the use of methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (MTBBP) could yield nano-sized hierarchical ZSM-5 zeolite with a “rice crust” morphology feature, which demonstrates a better catalytic performance than other disinfect candidates. It was confirmed that the addition of MTBBP did not cause discernable adverse effects on the microstructures or acidities of ZSM-5, but it led to the creation of abundant meso- to marco- pores as a result of aligned tiny particle aggregations. Moreover, the generation of the special morphology was believed to be a result of the coordination and competition between MTBBP and Na+ cations. The as-synthesized hierarchical zeolite was loaded with Zn and utilized in the propane aromatization reaction, which displayed a prolonged lifetime (1430 min vs. 290 min compared with conventional ZSM-5) and an enhanced total turnover number that is four folds of the traditional one, owing to the attenuated hydride transfer reaction and slow coking rate. This work provides a new method to alter the morphological properties of zeolites with low-cost disinfectants, which is of great potential for industrial applications.

The nature of the active sites of transition metal oxides during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has attracted much attention. Herein, we constructed well-defined nickel oxide/Au (111) model catalysts to study the relationship between the structures and their OER activity using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The deposited nickel oxides on Au (111) were found to exhibit a two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) structure by regulating the annealing temperature. Combining STM, XPS and electrochemical measurements, our results demonstrated an optimal OER reactivity could be achieved for NiOx with a 2D structure on Au and provided a morphological description of the active phase during electrocatalysis.

Utilizing carbon dioxide as a carbon source for the synthesis of olefins and aromatics has emerged as one of the most practical methods for CO2 reduction. In this study, an improved selectivity of 85% for targeting products (ethylbenzene and propylbenzene) is achieved with a benzene conversion of 16.8% by coupling the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to olefins over the bifunctional catalyst “Oxide-Zeolite” (OX-ZEO) and the alkylation of benzene with olefins over ZSM-5. In addition to investigating the influence of SAPO-34 and ZSM-5 zeolite acidity on product distribution, catalyst deactivation due to coke formation is addressed by modifying both molecular sieves to be hierarchical to extend the catalyst lifespan. Even after 100 h of operation at 400 °C, the catalysts maintained over 80% selectivity towards the target products, with benzene conversion over 14.2%. Furthermore, the pathway of propylbenzene formation is demonstrated through simple experimental design, revealing that the surface Brønsted acid sites of SAPO-34 serve as its primary formation sites. This provides a novel perspective for further investigation of the reaction network.

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), maintaining data confidentiality and protecting user privacy have become increasingly challenging. End devices in the IoT are often deployed in unattended environments and connected to open networks, making them vulnerable to physical tampering and other security attacks. Different authentication key agreement (AKA) schemes have been used in practice; several of them do not cover the necessary security features or are incompatible with resource-constrained end devices. Their security proofs have been performed under the Random-Oracle model. We present an AKA protocol for end devices and servers. The proposal leverages the ECC-based key exchange mechanism and one-way hash function-based message authentication method to achieve mutual authentication, user anonymity, and forward security. A formal security proof of the proposed scheme is performed under the standard model and the eCK model with the elliptic curve encryption computational assumptions, and formal verification is performed with ProVerif. According to the performance comparison, it is revealed that the proposed scheme offers user anonymity, perfect forward security, and mutual authentication, and resists typical attacks such as ephemeral secret leakage attacks, impersonation attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and key compromise impersonation attacks. Moreover, the proposed scheme has the lowest computational and communication overhead compared to existing schemes.

A mild and efficient protocol for visible-light-photocatalyzed C5 nitration of 8-aminoquinoline derivatives was developed utilizing Cu(NO3)2∙3H2O as a nitro source. The reaction proceeded smoothly under very mild conditions, employing Acid Red 94 and a commercial household light bulb as an organic photosensitizer and a light source, respectively, making this synthetic procedure green and easy to operate. Furthermore, most products could be obtained through recrystallization, which enhanced the operational simplicity of this method.

Silicon (Si) anodes with extremely high theoretical capacities are considered indispensable for next-generation high-energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, several intractable problems, including pulverization, poor electrical contact, and continuous side reactions caused by the large volume change of Si during lithiation/delithiation, lead to a short cycle life and poor rate capability, thus hindering the commercial use of Si anodes in LIBs. Two-dimensional (2D) Si with a unique graphene-like structure has a short ion diffusion pathway, small volume change during lithiation, and efficient redox site utilization, making it more promising than bulk Si or Si with other versatile structures for use in LIBs. Theoretical analysis demonstrated that the low energy barrier on the surface of 2D Si accelerates the transport of Li+. However, the issues surrounding 2D Si, including the tedious and user-unfriendly synthesis, ease of restacking, and atmospheric sensitivity, limit its practical applications, which are discussed in this review. Furthermore, possible solutions to these remaining challenges and new directions are provided, with the aim of designing practical and high-performance 2D Si anodes for next-generation LIBs.

This paper proposes an algorithm based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) network to improve the quality of high-frequency surface wave radar current measurements. In order to address the limitations of traditional high-frequency radar inversion algorithms, which solely rely on electromagnetic inversion and disregard physical oceanography, this study incorporates a bottom-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) and towed ADCP into LSTM training. Additionally, wind and tidal oceanography data were included as inputs. This study compared high-frequency radar current data before and after calibration. The results indicated that both towed and bottom-mounted ADCP enhanced the quality of HF radar monitoring data. By comparing two methods of calibrating radar, we found that less towed ADCP data input is required for the same high-frequency radar data calibration effect. Furthermore, towed ADCP has a significant advantage in calibrating high-frequency radar data due to its low cost and wide calibration range. However, as the location of the calibrated high-frequency radar data moves further away from the towing position, the calibration error also increases. This article conducted sensitivity studies on the times and different positions of using towed ADCP to calibrate high-frequency radar data, providing reference for the optimal towing path and towing time for future corrections of high-frequency radar data.

Spatial population distribution data is the discretization of demographic data into spatial grids, which has vital reference significance for disaster emergency response, disaster assessment, emergency rescue resource allocation, and post-disaster reconstruction. The random forest (RF) model, as a prominent method for modeling the spatial distribution of population, has been studied by many scholars, both domestically and abroad. Specifically, research has focused on aspects such as multi-source data fusion, feature selection, and data accuracy evaluation within the modeling process. However, discussions about parameter optimization methods during the modeling process and the impact of different optimization methods on modeling accuracy are relatively limited. In light of the above circumstances, this paper employs the RF model to conduct research on population spatialization with multi-source spatial information data. The study primarily explores the differences in model parameter optimization achieved through random search algorithms, grid search algorithms, genetic algorithms, simulated annealing algorithms, Bayesian optimization based on Gaussian process algorithms, and Bayesian optimization based on gradient boosting regression tree algorithms. Additionally, the study investigates the influence of different optimization algorithms on the accuracy of population spatialization modeling. Subsequently, the model with the highest accuracy is selected as the prediction model for population spatialization. Based on this model, a spatial population distribution dataset of Sichuan Province at a 1 km resolution is generated. Finally, the population dataset created in this paper is compared and validated with open datasets such as GPW, LandScan, and WorldPop. Experimental results indicate that the spatial population distribution dataset produced by the Bayesian optimization-based random forest model proposed in this paper exhibits a higher fitting accuracy with real data. The Coefficient of Determination (R2) is 0.6628, the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) is 12,459, and the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) is 25,037. Compared to publicly available international datasets, the dataset generated in this paper more accurately represents the spatial distribution of the population.

Summary: Here, we present a protocol for the complete stereoselective synthesis of a molecular 51 knot. Enantiopure chiral ligands serve as the starting point, while Zn(OTf)2 acts as the template, facilitating the quantitative formation of pentameric circular helicates with 100% d.e. A subsequent sequence of ring-closing metathesis and demetalation steps transforms the structure into a fully organic 51 knot. This protocol expands the scope of strategies employed for chiral knot preparation and paves the way for more complex molecular topologies.For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Zhang et al.1 : Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a hazardous substance that poses significant risks to environmental ecosystems and animal organisms. However, the specific consequences of Cr(VI) exposure in terms of liver damage remain incompletely understood. This study aims to elucidate the mechanism by which Cr(VI) disrupts mitochondrial dynamics, leading to hepatic injury in ducks. Forty-eight healthy 8-day-old ducks were divided into four groups and subjected to diets containing varying doses of Cr(VI) (0, 9.28, 46.4, and 232 mg/kg) for 49 days. Our results demonstrated that Cr(VI) exposure resulted in disarranged liver lobular vacuolation, along with increasing the serum levels of ALT, AST, and AKP in a dose-dependent manner, which indicated liver damage. Furthermore, Cr(VI) exposure induced oxidative stress by reducing the activities of T-SOD, SOD, GSH-Px, GSH, and CAT, while increasing the contents of MDA and H2O2. Moreover, Cr(VI) exposure downregulated the activities of CS and MDH, resulting in energy disturbance, as evidenced by the reduced AMPK/p-AMPK ratio and PGC-1α protein expression. Additionally, Cr(VI) exposure disrupted mitochondrial dynamics through decreased expression of OPA1, Mfn1, and Mfn2 and increased expression of Drp-1, Fis1, and MFF proteins. This disruption ultimately triggered mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, as evidenced by elevated levels of caspase-3, Cyt C, and Bax, along with decreased expression of Bcl-2 and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, at both the protein and mRNA levels. In summary, this study highlights that Cr(VI) exposure induces oxidative stress, inhibits the AMPK-PGC-1α pathway, disrupts mitochondrial dynamics, and triggers liver cell apoptosis in ducks.

Ti-bearing blast furnace slag (TBFS) can be converted to impurity bearing TiOSO4 solution for TiO2 pigment production. However, the H2TiO3 (MTA) hydrolyzed from the solution has too high Fe/V impurity to meet the standard for TiO2 pigment. In this study, we found that Fe3+ and V3+ were easily hydrolyzed and entered the MTA lattice, and hence could not be removed by washing. Furthermore, Fe/V was hard to co-remove by the traditional reduction method. Therefore, the Fe/V non-hydrolysis condition (Ti3+ = 0.01 M, F = 3.0, T = 130 °C; Ti3+ = 0.01 M, F = 3.5, T = 150 °C) was determined by thermodynamic calculations. However, at these conditions, the Ti hydrolysis ratio was low or the reaction time was long. Therefore, a new two-step hydrothermal hydrolysis process was proposed. Step 1 (130 °C, 2 h) ensured the non-hydrolysis of V3+, and Ti was partially hydrolyzed to increase the H2SO4 concentration. Step 2 (150 °C, 2 h) ensured a high Ti hydrolysis ratio (>0.95) and short total reaction time (4–6 h). Finally, a high-purity MTA was obtained (Fe = 21 ppm, V = 145 ppm). These results provide new insights into the control of the hydrolysis of impurity ions in solutions and help to optimize the process of TiO2 pigment preparation from TBFS.

We investigated the improvement of cabbage growth through the interaction of biochar, which can promote microbial activity, with the microbes in the soil. An increase in cabbage growth could be detected in soil with biochar or soil microbes, but the fresh weight of cabbage in soil supplemented with both biochar and microbes was 8.8% and 5% higher, respectively, than that with either microbes or biochar alone. The phosphorus content in Chinese cabbage was also increased by 36.3% when compared with the control without the addition of biochar and microbes. Such an improvement on cabbage growth is closely related to the soil amelioration. The application of biochar in soil significantly stimulated the growth of soil microbes and further altered the microbial community structure in soil. When 2% biochar and microbes were simultaneously applied in soil, the content of the organic matter and available phosphorus content in soil was 36.7% and 45.5% higher, respectively, than that in soil with or without biochar. The maximal increment in the available potassium content was observed in the soil supplemented with both 5% biochar and soil microbes, which was 46.4% higher than that in soil without the addition of biochar and microbes. Both phosphatase and urease activity in soil were also increased by 61.2% and 49.4%, respectively, by applying 2% biochar in soil together with microbes, as the interaction of biochar with the microbes could promote the activity of soil microbes and enzymes which resulted in an improvement in soil fertility. The interaction of biochar with microbes in soil could promote the plant growth of Chinese cabbage by increasing the soil fertility.

We propose a quality control method based on machine learning neural networks to enhance the quality of high-frequency (HF) radar data. Unlike traditional quality control methods that rely on radar signals as indicators and involve extensive data manipulation in specialized software, our approach employs a Bi-LSTM neural network model. This method aims to improve data quality and streamline the quality control process. Through a series of analyses, we demonstrate the feasibility of using machine learning techniques to enhance radar data quality.

This study observed the characteristics and influencing factors of the carbon fluxes of the Momoge salt marsh ecosystem over four years, which behaves as a CO2 sink. The daily, seasonal, and interannual variations in CO2 fluxes in the Momoge salt marshes were observed using the eddy covariance method and were compared with various environmental factors. An overall daily “U”-shaped distribution was observed, with uptake during the day (negative values) and release at night (positive values). Annually, the carbon fluxes in the study area roughly exhibited a “V” shape. The carbon fluxes during the non-growing season predominantly showed positive values, indicating the release of CO2 into the atmosphere. Photosynthetically active radiation was the primary influencing factor affecting the hourly and daytime variations in net ecosystem exchange (NEE) during the growing season, while temperature was the main factor influencing nighttime NEE dynamics. The air temperature, soil temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, precipitation, and water level all had significant impacts on the daily net CO2 exchange. At the monthly scale, larger values of soil temperature, air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, and aboveground biomass corresponded to a stronger carbon absorption capacity of the ecosystem. Overall, temperature remains the primary factor for carbon fluxes in the Momoge wetlands.

Rail-cum-road cable-stayed bridges are widely used to span rivers, bays, and valleys. It is vital to understand the vibration behavior of the cables, which are the crucial load-bearing components of a cable-stayed bridge, as it is the leading cause of cable fatigue. First, a numerical model of cable vibration under double-end excitation was derived by neglecting the bending stiffness and was verified through a cable’s multi-segment bar finite element model, and a numerical solution program was compiled based on MATLAB R2022a software. Then, a finite element model (FEM) was established according to the design documents of a long-span rail-cum-road cable-stayed bridge. Finally, the dynamic response of the cable under the train loads was analyzed based on the FEM and numerical model. The study shows that the numerical model can accurately simulate the cable with a relative error of less than 1% for its first four frequencies compared with the FEM; the maximum displacement amplitude appears at the longest cable near the middle of the main span; the vibration frequency of the cable is approximate to the cable end excitation frequency within a 1% discrepancy; and the vibration amplitude at the center of the cable is approximately twice that of the excitation amplitude at the end of the cable.

All‐solid‐state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are becoming the crucial energy‐storage candidate in achieving both theoretical capacity and safety guarantee. However, the inherent defects of solid electrolytes (SEs) (low ionic conductivity, lack of mechanical properties, weak antioxidant capacity, etc.) and the existence of interfacial issues between electrodes (cathode/electrolyte interface and anode/electrolyte interface) hinder further practical application. To overcome these problems, many approaches have been developed, such as composite solid electrolytes, interfacial coatings, electrolyte additives, etc. Among them, fluorides and its derivatives with good chemical stability are generally believed as one of the significant materials for stabilizing ASSLMBs. In this article, the progress of fluorinated strategies in ASSLMBs is summarized from the aspects of fluorinated SEs and fluorinated interfaces. Meanwhile, the enhanced mechanisms of fluorinated strategies are emphasized from the microscopic view of the nanostructures evolution based on the discussion of emerging analysis technologies such as cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The progress of future fluorinated strategies is prospected, and this review may thus instruct the rational design of high performance ASSLMBs.

In clinical drug sensitivity experiments, it is necessary to plate culture pathogenic bacteria and pick suitable colonies for bacterial solution preparation, which is a process that is currently carried out completely by hand. Moreover, the problems of plate contamination, a long culture period, and large image annotation in colony plate image acquisition can lead to a small amount of usable data. To address the issues mentioned above, we adopt a deep learning approach and conduct experiments on the AGAR dataset. We propose to use style transfer to extend the trainable dataset and successfully obtain 4k microbial colony images using this method. In addition, we introduce the Swin Transformer as a feature extraction network in the Cascade Mask R-CNN model architecture to better extract the feature information of the images. After our experimental comparison, the model achieves a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 61.4% at the Intersection over Union (IoU) [0.50:0.95]. This performance surpasses that of the Cascade R-CNN with HRNet, which is the top-performing model in experiments conducted on the AGAR dataset, by a margin of 2.2%. Furthermore, we perform experiments using YOLOv8x on the AGAR dataset, which results in a mAP of 76.7%.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious disease with high morbidity and mortality, and its pathophysiological mechanisms are not fully understood. Increasing evidence suggests an important role of ferroptosis in AKI. Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF15) is a transcription factor involved in several metabolic diseases, but its role in AKI and ferroptosis remains unclear. In this study, we explored the potential role of KLF15 using a folic acid-induced AKI model. Our study showed that KLF15 expression was reduced in kidney tissues of AKI mice, and KLF15 knockout exacerbated folic acid-induced ferroptosis and kidney injury. In vitro studies revealed that the ferroptosis inducer erastin significantly suppressed KLF15 expression in human tubular epithelial cells. Notably, the overexpression of KLF15 attenuated ferroptosis, as evidenced by a decrease in the lipid peroxidation marker of malondialdehyde and the upregulation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), while KLF15 knockdown with shRNA exerted the opposite effect. Mechanistically, KLF15 stabilized the protein of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and subsequently increased the GPX4 level. Collectively, KLF15 plays an important role in the modulation of ferroptosis in AKI and may be a potential therapeutic target for treating AKI.

The alkylation of benzene with methanol can effectively generate high-value-added toluene and xylene out of surplus benzene, which is now achieved primarily using solid acids like H-ZSM-5 zeolites as catalysts. In this work, two H-ZSM-5 samples with distinct framework aluminum (AlF) distributions, but otherwise quite similar textural and acidic properties, have been prepared by employing tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) and n-butylamine (NBA) as organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). Systematical investigations demonstrate that AlF is preferentially located at the intersections in MFI topology when TPAOH is adopted. In contrast, less AlF is positioned therein as NBA is utilized. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the transition-state complexes cannot be formed in the straight and sinusoidal channels due to their much smaller sizes than the dynamic diameters of transition states, whereas there are adequate spaces for the formation of transition states at the intersections. Benefitting from abundant AlF at the intersections, which provides more acid sites therein, H-ZSM-5 synthesized from TPAOH is more active relative to the counterpart obtained from NBA. At a WHSV of 4 h−1 and 400 °C, the former catalyst gives a 52.8% conversion, while the latter one affords a 45.9% conversion. Both catalysts display close total selectivity towards toluene and xylene (ca. 84%). This study provides an efficient way to regulate the distribution of acid sites, thereby enhancing the catalytic performance of H-ZSM-5 zeolite in the titled reaction.

Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts are extensively utilized in methanol synthesis from CO and CO2, which is a vital industrial process and a promising strategy for mitigating CO2 emissions when renewable green hydrogen is employed. Despite the considerable efforts to study CO2 hydrogenation over Cu/ZnO, understanding the structure of active sites on Cu/ZnO has remained a major challenge. We studied a series of Cu/ZnO catalysts with various Cu particle sizes and found a volcano-like pattern in methanol selectivity with respect to the Cu particle size. TEM, XPS, and TPD measurements demonstrated the migration of ZnOx species onto the Cu particle surface and showed a correlation between the ZnOx-Cu interface and methanol yield. The size of supported Cu particles affects the migration of Zn species onto Cu particle surfaces. Our study has thus explicated the role of the ZnOx-Cu interface in catalyzing CO2 hydrogenation to methanol.

The audible noise generated by corona discharge has the N-type characteristic at the initial generation stage, and it is a typical shock wave. This shock wave usually only exists around the corona source with a tiny range, making it difficult to obtain its characteristics through experimental measurements. An electrosound-combined simulation of the corona discharge based on the shock wave theory was conducted, and the development process involving the corona discharge, shock wave, and sound wave was simulated. First, the corona was numerically simulated based on the 2D pin–plate axisymmetric hydrodynamic model. It was found that the plasma was mainly distributed near the axis of the corona field where the electric field changed violently, and the maximum value of the electric field appeared at the head of the discharge channel. Then, the plasma energy was equivalent to the explosive energy, and a plasma explosion shock model was established. It was found that the shock wave pressure had obvious positive and negative pressure zones, and the propagation velocity decays to the sound velocity gradually. Finally, the shock wave pressure derived by the explosion model was used as the acoustic source, and the acoustic wave propagation process was simulated. The simulated sound pressure waveform had the same characteristics as the relevant experimental measurement results, proving that the developed method possessed strong applicability and gave rise to a new angle for the simulation of corona-generated audible noise.

Uveal melanoma (UVM) is the most common primary ocular malignancy in adults and involves several types of regulated cell death. Cuproptosis is a novel method of regulating cell death by binding lipoylated TCA cycle proteins. There is still no research on the relationship between cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) and UVM. Here, we aimed to develop a prognostic CRG signature for UVM. After a prognostic CRG signature was constructed, we determined the relationship between the signature and immune infiltration, bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation. Finally, a prognostic cuproptosis-related three-gene (CRTG) signature was constructed, which comprised ORAI2, ACADSB and SLC47A1. The risk score of the CRTG signature was negatively correlated with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients, which revealed strong predictive ability and its independent prognostic value. In addition, we found that the risk score was negative for chromosomes 3 and 6p, and positive for 8q, and high-risk UVM patients showed an increase in protumor immune infiltrates and a high expression of immune checkpoints. Finally, experimental validation verified that the migratory ability of MUM-2B cells was suppressed by the knockdown of the identified genes in vitro. We constructed a CRTG signature that is helpful in predicting prognosis and guiding treatment for patients with UVM.

Renal fibrosis is an inevitable process in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Angiogenesis plays an important role in this process. Vascular endothelial cells are involved in renal fibrosis by phenotypic transformation and secretion of extracellular matrix. Aldosterone stimulates mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation and induces inflammation, which is important for angiogenesis. Clinically, MR blockers (MRBs) have a protective effect on damaged kidneys, which may be associated with inhibition of angiogenesis. In this study, we used aldosterone-infused mice and found that aldosterone induced angiogenesis and that endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in neovascular endothelial cells was involved in renal fibrosis. Notably, aldosterone induced inflammation and stimulated macrophages to secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A to regulate angiogenesis by activating MR, whereas EndMT occurred in response to transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) induction and participated in renal fibrosis. These effects were antagonized by the MRB esaxerenone. These findings suggest that reducing angiogenesis may be an effective strategy for treating renal fibrosis.

Photoreceptors in the retina are highly specialized neurons with photosensitive molecules in the outer segment that transform light into chemical and electrical signals, and these signals are ultimately relayed to the visual cortex in the brain to form vision. Photoreceptors are composed of rods and cones. Rods are responsible for dim light vision, whereas cones are responsible for bright light, color vision, and visual acuity. Photoreceptors undergo progressive degeneration over time in many hereditary and age-related retinal diseases. Despite the remarkable heterogeneity of disease-causing genes, environmental factors, and pathogenesis, the progressive death of rod and cone photoreceptors ultimately leads to loss of vision/blindness. There are currently no treatments available for retinal degeneration. Cyclic guanosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cGMP) plays a pivotal role in phototransduction. cGMP governs the cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels on the plasma membrane of the photoreceptor outer segments, thereby regulating membrane potential and signal transmission. By gating the CNG channels, cGMP regulates cellular Ca2+ homeostasis and signal transduction. As a second messenger, cGMP activates the cGMP-dependent protein kinase G (PKG), which regulates numerous targets/cellular events. The dysregulation of cGMP signaling is observed in varieties of photoreceptor/retinal degenerative diseases. Abnormally elevated cGMP signaling interferes with various cellular events, which ultimately leads to photoreceptor degeneration. In line with this, strategies to reduce cellular cGMP signaling result in photoreceptor protection in mouse models of retinal degeneration. The potential mechanisms underlying cGMP signaling-induced photoreceptor degeneration involve the activation of PKG and impaired Ca2+ homeostasis/Ca2+ overload, resulting from overactivation of the CNG channels, as well as the subsequent activation of the downstream cellular stress/death pathways. Thus, targeting the cellular cGMP/PKG signaling and the Ca2+-regulating pathways represents a significant strategy for photoreceptor protection in retinal degenerative diseases.

A molecular sensory science approach was used to explore the effects of ultrasonic treatment on aroma compounds of watermelon juice. Watermelon juice was submitted to ultrasonic power at 325 W for 20 min. Ultrasonic treatment reduced odor related to cucumber and green descriptors, whilst significantly improved odors related to sweet, floral, and fruity descriptors, thus contributing to the overall flavor of watermelon juice. Compared with untreated watermelon juice, the amount and concentration of volatile compounds in ultrasonicated watermelon juice increased by 82.50% and 111.84%, respectively. Notably, 22 alkene compounds were newly formed in ultrasonicated watermelon juice, which contributed to sweet and fruity aroma of watermelon juice. The findings of the present study suggest that ultrasonic treatment may be a potential method to improve the overall flavor of watermelon juice.

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. (EU) is an herb with variety of pharmacological activities. As the demand for EU as a medical source increases, its limited availability is becoming an urgent problem. The bark of EU—Eucommia cortex (EC)—was the main medicinal part of EU, whose yield has been too low to meet market requirements. The EU leaves—Eucommiae folium (EF)—obtained easily from the trees, traditionally considered less valuable than the EU bark. This study compared chemical components and metabolic regulations in different parts of EU using metabolomics to explore the potential for alternative medical sources of EU. The results demonstrated that the composition of EC differs slightly from the composition of EF, and there are some differences in the content of individual ingredients between EC and EF. Combined pharmacodynamic/metabolomics analysis showed that both EC and EF could improve the bone metabolism markers and trabecular microarchitecture of ovariectomized rats mainly by intervening in amino acid metabolism. Our data suggest that EF is a potential alternative medicinal option when EU resources are scarce, and this study provides a mechanistic framework for the benefits of EF in osteoporosis disease.

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a series of ubiquitous natural toxins in flowering plants, which are associated with serious hepatic disease in humans. However, the simultaneously fast and sensitive monitoring of different PAs are still challenge because of the diversity of PAs and huge amount of interference in complex samples, such as scented tea samples. In this study, molecularly imprinted solid phase microextraction (MIP-SPME) fibers were fabricated by using multi-template imprinting technique for selective recognition and efficient enrichment of different PAs from scented teas. MIP-SPME could be used for selective adsorption of ten types of PAs through specific recognition cavity and strong ionic interaction, including senecionine, lycopsamine, retrorsine, heliotrine, lasiocarpine, monocrotaline, echimidine, erucifoline, europine and seneciphylline. The extraction parameters were also optimized including extraction time, elution solvent and elution time. Then, ultra performance liquid chromatography- quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) coupled with MIP-SPME method was developed for fast, simple, sensitive and accurate determination of ten PAs in scented teas. The established method was validated and presented satisfactory accuracy and high precision. It was also successfully applied for simultaneous determination of ten PAs in different scented tea samples. PAs were found in most of these scented tea samples, which suggest the cautious use of scented tea for consumers.

In-depth studies of charge injection and separation processes are important in characterizing the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of semiconductor materials, but high spatial resolution observations of the charge injection yield of such materials have not yet been reported. Here, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) is used for spatially resolved electrochemical imaging of the charge injection yield for a model material (hematite). Hydrogen peroxide is introduced as a hole scavenger to reduce the recombination of electrons and holes in the material, thereby achieving a division between charge injection and separation processes during PEC oxidation. Then, by calculating the ratio between the photocurrents before and after the addition of hydrogen peroxide, the distribution of the charge injection yield in the hematite film can be obtained at the nanoscale. The co-imaging of the morphology and the charge injection yield of hematite using SECCM makes it possible to observe the inverse dependence of the charge injection yield on the film thickness, which indicates that the main influence on the photocurrent is the charge injection process. The successful development of this nanoscale imaging method could provide more information to help elucidate the mechanism of the PEC process and, eventually, to aid in the design of more effective PEC materials.

Oil-impregnated paper condenser transformer bushings are an important part of transformer equipment, and partial discharge (PD) occurred when defects exist on the condenser aluminum foil layers. Firstly, to study the PD process of the oil-paper insulated capacitance graded bushing with the defect of broken aluminum foil, a defective oil-paper bushing discharge sample is constructed to study the PD parameters and capacitance, and to discharge carbonization traces at different voltage levels. Then, in order to verify the process of condenser aluminum foil layer discharge and the space charge variation in the oil-paper insulation system of a sample model, the surface flashovers of a needle-plane discharge model based on the bipolar charge transport model and the hydrodynamic model was built. The simulation, by Transport of Diluted Species physics of COMSOL Multiphysics software, points out the discharge process of aluminum foil electrode caused by space charge action and electric field distortion under an electric field at different voltages. The results of simulation and sample bushing experiments showed that the PD process of the defective condenser foil layer is mainly divided into three stages: tip corona discharge, streamer in oil, and surface flashovers. The voltage amplitude is larger the more electrical branches are discharged and the shorter the discharge time is. The findings of the article have important implications for the discharge of the foil layer inside the oil-paper bushing.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in maintaining the balance between the rapid growth and suppression of tumorigenesis during antler regeneration. This study investigated the role of a novel miRNA, PC-3p-2869 (miR-PC-2869), in antler growth and its therapeutic potential in human osteosarcoma and chondrosarcoma. Stem-loop RT-qPCR showed that miR-PC-2869 was expressed extensively in diverse layers of antler tissues. Overexpression of miR-PC-2869 suppressed the proliferation and migration of antler cartilage cells. Similarly, heterologous expression of miR-PC-2869 reduced the proliferation, colony formation, and migration of osteosarcoma cell line MG63 and U2OS and chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353. Moreover, 18 functional target genes of miR-PC-2869 in humans were identified based on the screening of the reporter library. Among them, 15 target genes, including CDK8, EEF1A1, and NTN1, possess conserved miR-PC-2869-binding sites between humans and red deer (Cervus elaphus). In line with this, miR-PC-2869 overexpression decreased the expression levels of CDK8, EEF1A1, and NTN1 in MG63, SW1353, and antler cartilage cells. As expected, the knockdown of CDK8, EEF1A1, or NTN1 inhibited the proliferation and migration of MG63, SW1353, and antler cartilage cells, demonstrating similar suppressive effects as miR-PC-2869 overexpression. Furthermore, we observed that CDK8, EEF1A1, and NTN1 mediated the regulation of c-myc and cyclin D1 by miR-PC-2869 in MG63, SW1353, and antler cartilage cells. Overall, our work uncovered the cellular functions and underlying molecular mechanism of antler-derived miR-PC-2869, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for bone cancer.

The mechanism of maintaining myometrial contractions during labor remains unclear. Autophagy has been reported to be activated in laboring myometrium, along with the high expression of Golgi reassembly stacking protein 2 (GORASP2), a protein capable of regulating autophagy activation. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of GORASP2 in uterine contractions during labor. Western blot confirmed the increased expression of GORASP2 in laboring myometrium. Furthermore, the knockdown of GORASP2 in primary human myometrial smooth muscle cells (hMSMCs) using siRNA resulted in reduced cell contractility. This phenomenon was independent of the contraction-associated protein and autophagy. Differential mRNAs were analyzed using RNA sequencing. Subsequently, KEGG pathway analysis identified that GORASP2 knockdown suppressed several energy metabolism pathways. Furthermore, reduced ATP levels and aerobic respiration impairment were observed in measuring the oxygen consumption rate (OCR). These findings suggest that GORASP2 is up-regulated in the myometrium during labor and modulates myometrial contractility mainly by maintaining ATP production.

A machine learning neural network-based design for shipborne ADCP navigation is proposed to improve the quality of high-frequency radar measurements. In traditional inversion algorithms for HF radars, sea surface velocity is directly extracted from electromagnetic echoes without constraints from oceanographic processes. Hence, we incorporated oceanographic information from observational data into seabed radar inversion results via an LSTM neural network model to enhance data accuracy. Through a series of numerical simulation experiments, we showed improved data accuracy and feasibility by incorporating both fixed-point and navigation observational data. The results indicate a significant reduction in (related) errors. This study has implications for guiding future navigation observations.

Lithium silicate (LS) crack repairing material, working as a crystal waterproof material, could be used to strengthen concrete made from solid waste materials. This paper presents the results of water absorption and rapid freeze–thaw tests with concrete specimens coated with LS. Concrete specimens with different water–binder ratios and air content (0.35–1 and 0.55–4.5) were tested. The moisture uptake and water absorption coefficient were analyzed in the water absorption test. The water absorption coefficient of LS-coated specimens was lower than that of uncoated specimens, resulting in a lower total moisture content. The relative dynamic modulus of elasticity was calculated by the fundamental transverse frequency (Er) and ultrasonic velocity (Ev), respectively. Er and Ev exhibited similar attenuation characteristics, and the attenuation of LS-coated specimens was lower than that of uncoated specimens. A two-segment freeze–thaw damage model based on Er and Ev was employed to predict the service life of concrete. The relative errors of the service life results calculated by Er and Ev were within 10%. The two-segment freeze–thaw model could be used for the service life prediction of concrete structures. The present work provides new insight into using LS to improve the service life of concrete.

Lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation in hepatocytes are features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Garcinia biflavonoid 1a (GB1a) is a natural product capable of hepatic protection. In this study, the effect of GB1a on anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and regulation of the accumulation in HepG2 cells and mouse primary hepatocytes (MPHs) was investigated, and its regulatory mechanism was further explored. The result showed that GB1a reduced triglyceride (TG) content and lipid accumulation by regulating the expression of SREBP-1c and PPARα; GB1a reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and improved cellular oxidative stress to protect mitochondrial morphology by regulating genes Nrf2, HO-1, NQO1, and Keap1; and GB1a reduced the damage of hepatocytes by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65. The activities of GB1a were lost in liver SIRT6-specific knockout mouse primary hepatocytes (SIRT6-LKO MPHs). This indicated that activating SIRT6 was critical for GB1a to perform its activity, and GB1a acted as an agonist of SIRT6. It was speculated that GB1a may be a potential drug for NAFLD treatment.