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Titanium-based implants are often utilized in oral implantology and craniofacial reconstructions. However, the biological inertness of machined titanium commonly results in unsatisfactory osseointegration. To improve the osseointegration properties, we modified the titanium implants with nanotubular/superhydrophilic surfaces through anodic oxidation and thermal hydrogenation and evaluated the effects of the machined surfaces (M), nanotubular surfaces (Nano), and hydrogenated nanotubes (H-Nano) on osteogenesis and osseointegration in vitro and in vivo. After incubation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the samples, we observed improved cell adhesion, alkaline phosphatase activity, osteogenesis-related gene expression, and extracellular matrix mineralization in the H-Nano group compared to the other groups. Subsequent in vivo studies indicated that H-Nano implants promoted rapid new bone regeneration and osseointegration at 4 weeks, which may be attributed to the active osteoblasts adhering to the nanotubular/superhydrophilic surfaces. Additionally, the Nano group displayed enhanced osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo at later stages, especially at 8 weeks. Therefore, we report that hydrogenated superhydrophilic nanotubes can significantly accelerate osteogenesis and osseointegration at an early stage, revealing the considerable potential of this implant modification for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A glutamide gelator, 1, was synthesized,and a weakemission enhancement was observed during its gelation. In addition, 1could be an excellent scaffold for successfully embeddingan energy acceptor, 2, into its aggregate to obtain highlyefficient energy transfer. An amplification of the emission enhancementwas observed in the two-component gels compared to that of the neatgel of 1during gel formation. For example, 1induced only a 2.5-fold increase in emission intensity, whereasa 23-fold enhanced emission could be observed in the two-componentgel with only 1.6 mol % 2. Furthermore, two-componentgels had an excited proton response. In systems with low acceptorconcentrations, the hot solution red-shifted the fluorescence fromblue to yellow upon the addition of a proton, which continuously blue-shiftedwith decreasing temperature to form the gel given that the bindingof the gelator to the proton is weakened during coassembly. Moreover,the casting film formed by the two-component wet gel had an excellentresponse to volatile acids such as hydrochloric acid, trifluoroaceticacid, and so on and could be reversibly recovered by exposure to NH3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The August 2011 Higgs mass prediction was based on an ongoing six-year project studying M-theory compactified on a manifold of G2 holonomy, with significant contributions from Jing Shao, Eric Kuflik and others and particularly co-led by Bobby Acharya and Piyush Kumar. The M-theory results include stabilization of all moduli in a de Sitter vacuum, gauge coupling unification, derivation of TeV scale physics (solving the hierarchy problem), the derivation that generically scalar masses are equal to the gravitino mass which is larger than about 30 TeV, derivation of the Higgs mechanism via radiative electroweak symmetry breaking, absence of the flavor and CP problems, and the accommodation of string axions. The β and the μ parameter are part of the theory and are approximately calculated; as a result, the little hierarchy problem is greatly reduced. The heavy scalars imply that decoupling rare decays such as Bs →μ+ μ- should not deviate from their Standard Model values. This paper summarizes the results relevant to the Higgs mass prediction. A recent review [ Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 27, 1230012 (2012)] describes the program more broadly. Some of the results such as the scalar masses being equal to the gravitino mass and larger than about 30 TeV, derived early in the program, hold generically for compactified string theories as well as for compactified M-theory, while some other results may or may not. If the world is described by M-theory compactified on a G2 manifold and has a Higgs mechanism (so it could be our world) then Mh was predicted to be 126±2 before the measurement. The derivation has some assumptions not related to the Higgs mass, but involves no free parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the ferroelectric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of a dense and crack-free lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3, PZT) thick film containing micro- and nano-crystalline particles. The results show that these electrical properties are dependent strongly on the annealing temperature and film thickness. For the different-annealing-temperature and different-thickness films, the higher-annealing-temperature thicker ones show the larger remnant polarization and smaller coercive field. The dielectric results show that relative dielectric constant achieves the largest value at annealing temperature of 700°C, and increases with the increasing film thickness. For the piezoelectric properties, the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient increases linearly with the film thickness increasing and the 4-µm-thick PZT film shows the largest value of about 200.65 pC/N. Therefore, the PZT thick films present good electric properties and enlarged potential in MEMS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeCoN soft magnetic thin films are prepared by using the reactive direct-current magnetron sputtering technique. It is found that the addition of N2 can reduce the coercivity of the FeCoN film, and excellent soft magnetic properties can be obtained when the ratio of N2 flow to total gas flow is 10%. The influences of texture, grain size, and stress on the magnetic properties and the high-frequency behaviors of the films are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We argue there is a very well motivated theoretical framework (which existed before data) consistent with the interpretation that dark matter annihilation is being observed by the PAMELA satellite detector. The dark matter is (mainly) the neutral W boson superpartner, the wino. Using the program GALPROP extensively we study the annihilation products and the backgrounds together. A wino mass approximately in the 180–200GeV range gives a good description of the PAMELA data, with antimatter and gammas from annihilating winos contributing or dominating the data below this energy range but not contributing above it. We explain why PAMELA data does not imply no antiproton signal was observed by PAMELA or earlier experiments, and explain why the antiproton analysis was misunderstood by earlier papers. Normalizing the wino density to the local relic density, no “boost factors” are needed. At higher energies we expect astrophysical mechanisms to contribute, and we simply parameterize them, and check that the combination can describe all the data. We emphasize several predictions for satellite data to test the wino interpretation, particularly the flattening or turndown of the positron and antiproton spectra above 100GeV, and predictions for the Fermi detector. We emphasize that interpretations also depend very strongly on assumptions about the cosmological history of the universe, and that it is crucial to have independent criteria to define the background for any given process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Four new well-defined monodisperse linear oligofluorenes with anthracene core An-OFVn (n =1–4) have been synthesized through Heck and Wittig reaction. These conjugated oligomers exhibit good solubility in common organic solvents. It is found that the conjugation length of the oligomers can be extended and the formation of excimers can be suppressed with increasing the number of fluorene–vinylene units linked in the 9,10-positions of anthracene. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new D–π–A type gelator based on a phenothiazine derivative, which can gel cyclohexane, hexane, and ethanol/water under ultrasound treatment, has been synthesized. Because such gelators can act as twisted intermolecular charge transfer (TICT) probes, their emission in solution can be tuned by varying the polarity of the solvents. It is notable that an unusual aggregation-induced blue shift of the emission has been detected on account of the suppression of TICT in the gel phase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Satellite and astrophysical data is accumulating that suggests and constrains interpretations of the dark matter of the universe. We argue there is a very well motivated theoretical framework (which existed before data) consistent with the interpretation that dark matter annihilation is being observed by the PAMELA satellite detector. The dark matter is (mainly) the neutral W boson superpartner, the wino. Using the program GALPROP extensively we study the annihilation products and the backgrounds together. A wino mass approximately in the 180–200 GeV range gives a good description of the PAMELA data, with antimatter and gammas from annihilating winos dominating the data below this energy range but not contributing above it. We explain why PAMELA data does not imply no antiproton signal was observed by PAMELA or earlier experiments, and explain why the antiproton analysis was misunderstood by earlier papers. Wino annihilation does not describe the Fermi data (except partially below ∼100 GeV). At higher energies we expect astrophysical mechanisms to contribute, and we simply parameterize them without a particular physical interpretation, and check that the combination can describe all the data. We emphasize several predictions for satellite data to test the wino interpretation, particularly the flattening or turndown of the positron and antiproton spectra above 100 GeV. It should be emphasised that most other interpretations require a large rise in the positron and antiproton rates above 100 GeV. We focus on studying this well-motivated and long predicted wino interpretation, rather than comparisons with other interpretations. We emphasize that interpretations also depend very strongly on assumptions about the cosmological history of the universe, on assumptions about the broader underlying theory context, and on propagation of antiprotons and positrons in the galaxy. The winos PAMELA is observing arose from moduli decay or other non-thermal sources rather than a universe that cooled in thermal equilibrium after the big bang. Then it is appropriate to normalize the wino density to the local relic density, and no “boost factors” are needed to obtain the reported PAMELA rates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two porphyrins with oligo-phenothiazine arms have been synthesized by a combination of Heck and Adler reaction, and their photophysical properties have been investigated by absorption and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. It is found that the excitation energy transfer occurs from the phenothiazine units to the porphyrin core, and that the porphyrins can emit intense red light with high fluorescent quantum yields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Copper sulfides were synthesized by using the low-molecular-mass hydrogel nanofibers self-assembled from a L-glutamic acid derivative. The as-prepared copper sulfides showed a nanoribbon structure with diameter of 30–70nm and lengths of 1–10μm. The investigation of FT-IR absorption spectra and XRD pattern for the neat hydrogel and composite gel suggested that H-bonding was the main driving force to help the formation of ordered nanofibers of the hydrogel and the composite gel. The resulted mineralization indicated that the inorganic ions (Cu2+) were firstly coordinated to the carboxylate anions (COO−). With the penetration of H2S, the preformed CuS nanoparticles on the surface of the fibers acted as the growing points for the continuous growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The soft tissue sealing at the transmucal portion of implants is vital for the long-term stability of implants. Hydrogenated titanium nanotubes (H2-TNTs) as implant surface treatments were proved to promote the adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) and have broad usage as drug delivery systems. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the most abundant albumin in body fluid was crucial for cell adhesion and was demonstrated as a normal loading protein. As the first protein arriving on the surface of the implant, albumin plays an important role in initial adhesion of soft tissue cells, it is also a common carrier, transferring and loading different endogenous and exogenous substances, ions, drugs, and other small molecules. The aim of the present work was to investigate whether BSA-loaded H2-TNTs could promote the early adhesion of HGFs; H2-TNTs were obtained by hydrogenated anodized titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) in thermal treatment, and BSA was loaded in the nanotubes by vacuum drying; our results showed that the superhydrophilicity of H2-TNTs is conducive to the loading of BSA. In both hydrogenated titanium nanotubes and non-hydrogenated titanium nanotubes, a high rate of release was observed over the first hour, followed by a period of slow and sustained release; however, BSA-loading inhibits the early adhesion of human gingival fibroblasts, and H2-TNTs has the best promoting effect on cell adhesion. With the release of BSA after 4 h, the inhibitory effect of BSA on cell adhesion was weakened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of linear monodisperse vinylene-linked phenothiazine oligomers have been synthesized by alternate Heck reaction and Wittig reaction in good yields. It was found that their absorption and fluorescence emission bands red-shifted with increasing phenothiazine units due to extending of the conjugated degree. The fluorescent quantum yield increased from OPTZ1 to OPTZ6, and the Φ F of OPTZ6 was close to phenothiazine-based polymers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel monodisperse linear 3,9-linked oligocarbazoles (OCAs) were prepared stepwise using Ullmann coupling reaction in seal-tubes. The resulting OCAs were soluble in common organic solvents. The UV–vis spectra of OCAs exhibited small red shift and their intensities increased linearly with the increase of the carbazole moieties, suggesting that no intramolecular π-interactions appeared at ⩽8-mer. All the OCAs gave strong fluorescence and it was found that the conjugated degree of linear OCAs would be saturated when the number of carbazole units reaches four. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Triphenyl pyrazoline derivative, 1,3-diphenyl-5-{4-[2-(4-(phenylazo)phenoxy)ethyloxy]phenyl}-2-pyrazoline (compound III), was synthesized and its optical properties were studied by UV–VIS and fluorescence spectroscopies. The UV–VIS spectrum showed that the electronic transition bands of azobenzene and triphenyl pyrazoline groups were overlapped at ≈350 nm. The fluorescent emission band appeared at 450 nm, which was located at the range of n–π* transition band of azobenzene. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of pyrazoline moiety could be modulated by irradiation with UV and visible light due to the reversible trans–cis–trans photoisomerization reaction of azobenzene moiety. It indicated that the intramolecular electronic energy transfer from pyrazoline moiety to azobenzene one happened and the degree of energy transfer was determined by the content of cis-isomer of azobenzene moiety. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new hydrogel based on a substituted phenyl glucoside with a Schiff base in the aglycon was synthesized, and the self-assembling characteristics was studied. FTIR spectra, UV–vis absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that π–π interactions between the Schiff base moieties, hydrogen bonds, and the interdigitated interactions between hydrophobic chains had effects on the formation of the self-assembling hydrogel. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation showed that the three-dimensional hydrogel network was constructed from nanotubes with inner diameters of ca. 75 nm and wall of ca. 20 nm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report on the synthesis of an azobenzene-containing inimer 6-{4-[4-(2-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy)hexyloxy)phenylazo]phenoxy}hexyl methacrylate (I) and used it to prepare hyperbranched homopolymer and copolymers by self-condensing vinyl polymerization (SCVP) and copolymerization (SCVCP) with its precursor 6-{4-[4-(6-hydroxyhexyloxy)phenylazo]phenoxy}hexyl methacrylate (M) using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Depending on the comonomer ratio, γ=[M]0/[I]0, branched polymethacrylates with number-average weights between 8000 and 20,000 and degree of branching (DB) between 0.08 and 0.49 were obtained by SCVCP, as evidenced by GPC and 1H NMR analysis. In addition, the photochemical properties of the polymers were also studied by UV–vis spectra and found the structure of polymers affect obviously the trans–cis isomerization properties of the branched polymers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The interfacial-dependent self-organization of a chiral amino acid amphiphile was observed on various substrates with different surface hydrophobicity. Three kinds of organizations are induced at different substrates, which appear as helical aggregates on hydrophobic surface (e.g. highly oriented pyrolytic graphite), molecular flat layer on hydrophilic surface, (e.g. mica) and a transition state between them on silicon wafer. The strength of the interactions between the helical aggregates formed in solution and the substrate is the key factor to the self-organization of the chiral molecule. The results reported here provide insight into how the surface hydrophobicity of substrates affects the self-organization of chiral molecules. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel photochromic nanocomposite film containing polyoxotungstoeuropate K12[EuP5W30O110] entrapped in polyvinylpyrrolidone has been prepared through a spin-on coating technique. Thus-obtained amorphous nanocomposite film was characterized by IR spectra, UV–vis absorption spectra, XRD, SEM, TG-DTA, and ESR. Results show that polyoxotungstoeuropate interacts with polyvinylpyrrolidone strongly and disperses homogeneously in the matrix. The composite film exhibits good photochromic properties. When irradiated with UV light, the transparent film changes from colorless to blue. Then, bleaching occurs when the film is in contact with ambient air or O2 in the dark. The photochromism of the composite film is due to charge transfer by reduction of polyoxotungstoeuropate and oxidation of polyvinylpyrrolidone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Levan is a type of fructan with β-(2, 6) fructosyl linkage. In recent years, levan has been used in the medicinal, food and chemical industries for its excellent physicochemical properties of good thermal stability, low viscosity, pseudoplasticity, and non-swelling in water. The levansucrase is key enzyme responsible for biosynthesis of levan from substrate sucrose. In the present study cell lysate of Escherichia coli was used as support for convenient immobilization of Ba-SacB (i.e., Ba-SacB-Cell-Lysate) under the action of dopamine. Compared with the free Ba-SacB, the Ba-SacB-Cell-Lysate showed surprisingly enhanced pH stability in the pH range 6–9, and improved relative activities in the pH ranges 4–5 and 7–10. With the presence of 10% (v/v) butyl alcohol, 5mmol/L Fe3+, and after vortex for 90 min, the Ba-SacB-Cell-Lysate showed up to 14.32 times, 4.63 times, and 9.2 times higher relative activities than the free Ba-SacB. The Ba-SacB-Cell-Lysate kept nearly 81% of the residual activity after 9 cycles of reuse. The fructo-oligosaccharide syrup (FOS) was efficiently produced through the catalysis of levanase with the substrate of levan produced by Ba-SacB-Cell-Lysate, and the preparation conditions were optimized by Box-Behnken response surface methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu-coated Al 2 O 3 substrates which can be used for power modules are prepared via sintering and reduction of CuO–SiO 2 film onto the surface of Al 2 O 3 ceramic without precious metal brazing filler or high-vacuum equipment. This method has a significant cost advantage over the existing technology. Effects of oxygen partial pressure from sintering atmosphere and SiO 2 content on microstructure and mechanical properties of Cu/Al 2 O 3 interface are systematically investigated. Phase compositions and morphologies of sintered Cu 2 O layer, reduced Cu layer and reactive layer are characterized via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, physicochemical changes within CuO–SiO 2 during sintering are characterized by thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimeter. It is found that oxygen and SiO 2 can promote the generation of Cu 2 O–CuO–SiO 2 eutectic phase with low melting point upon sintering, which increases the thickness of reaction layer and the densification of Cu layer. The shear strength between the Cu layer and the Al 2 O 3 substrate is enhanced with the increase in Cu layer densification degree, while varying in irregular manner with the thickness of reaction layer. In particular, the highest shear strength of 62.70 MPa is obtained at oxygen partial pressure of 0.02 atm and SiO 2 content of 1.5 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the ability of propolis‐coated ureteric stents to solve complications, especially urinary tract infections (UTIs) and crusting, in patients with long‐term indwelling ureteric stents through antimicrobial and anti‐calculus activities. Materials and Methods: Polyurethane (PU) ureteric stents were immersed in the ethanol extract of propolis (EEP), a well‐known antimicrobial honeybee product, and subjected to chemical, hydrophilic, and seismic tests. The antimicrobial activity of the EEP coating was then examined by in vitro investigation. Proteus mirabilis infection was induced in rats within uncoated and EEP‐coated groups, and the infection, stone formation, and inflammation were monitored at various time points. Results: The characterisation results showed that the hydrophilicity and stability of the EEP surface improved. In vitro tests revealed that the EEP coating was biocompatible, could eliminate >90% of bacteria biofilms attached to the stent and could maintain bacteriostatic properties for up to 3 months. The in vivo experiment revealed that the EEP‐coating significantly reduced the amount of bacteria, stones, and salt deposits on the surface of the ureteric stents and decreased inflammation in the host tissue. Conclusions: Compared with clinically used PU stents, EEP‐coated ureteric stents could better mitigate infections and prevent encrustation. Thus, this study demonstrated that propolis is a promising natural dressing material for ureteric stents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structurally ordered soft materials that respond to complementary stimuli are susceptible to control over their spatial and temporal morphostructural configurations by intersectional or combined effects such as gating, feedback, shape‐memory, or programming. In the absence of general and robust design and prediction strategies for their mechanical properties, at present, combined chemical and crystal engineering approaches could provide useful guidelines to identify effectors that determine both the magnitude and time of their response. Here, we capitalize on the purported ability of soft intermolecular interactions to instigate mechanical compliance by using halogenation to elicit both mechanical and photochemical activity of organic crystals. Starting from (E)‐1,4‐diphenylbut‐2‐ene‐1,4‐dione, whose crystals are brittle and photoinert, we use double and quadruple halogenation to introduce halogen‐bonded planes that become interfaces for molecular gliding, rendering the material mechanically and photochemically plastic. Fluorination diversifies the mechanical effects further, and crystals of the tetrafluoro derivative are not only elastic but also motile, displaying the rare photosalient effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structurally ordered soft materials that respond to complementary stimuli are susceptible to control over their spatial and temporal morphostructural configurations by intersectional or combined effects such as gating, feedback, shape‐memory, or programming. In the absence of general and robust design and prediction strategies for their mechanical properties, at present, combined chemical and crystal engineering approaches could provide useful guidelines to identify effectors that determine both the magnitude and time of their response. Here, we capitalize on the purported ability of soft intermolecular interactions to instigate mechanical compliance by using halogenation to elicit both mechanical and photochemical activity of organic crystals. Starting from (E)‐1,4‐diphenylbut‐2‐ene‐1,4‐dione, whose crystals are brittle and photoinert, we use double and quadruple halogenation to introduce halogen‐bonded planes that become interfaces for molecular gliding, rendering the material mechanically and photochemically plastic. Fluorination diversifies the mechanical effects further, and crystals of the tetrafluoro derivative are not only elastic but also motile, displaying the rare photosalient effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P2Y 14 nucleotide receptor plays important roles in series of physiological and pathologic events especially associated with immune and inflammation. Based on the 3-amide benzoic acid scaffold reported by our group previously, a series of 5-aryl-3-amide benzoic acid derivatives were designed as novel P2Y 14 antagonists with improved pharmacokinetic properties. Among which compound 11m showed most potent P2Y 14 antagonizing activity with an IC 50 value of 2.18 nM, furnishing greatly improved water solubility and bioavailability compared with PPTN. In MSU-induced acute gouty arthritis model in mice, 11m exerted promising in vivo efficacy in alleviating mice paw swelling and inflammatory infiltration. Mechanistically, compound 11m notably blocked pyroptosis of macrophages through inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. This work may contribute to the identification of potential therapeutic agents to intervene in acute gouty arthritis. [Display omitted] • A series of 3-amide-5-aryl benzoic acids was identified as novel P2Y 14 R antagonists. • Compound 11m demonstrated greatly improved aqueous solubility and excellent pharmacokinetic properties. • Compound 11m showed potent anti-inflammatory effect in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have synthesized two new two-photon active dendritic molecules with tetraphenylmethane core with four phenothiazine-based arms. They show good solubility in organic solvents, including dichloromethane, chloroform, toluene and tetrahydrofuran. It is found that the two dendrimers display strong two-photon absorption and two-photon excited up-conversion fluorescence at 800 nm. • Two new phenothiazine-based dendrimers with tetraphenylmethane cores have been synthesized. • The dendritic molecules display two-photon absorption activity. • The two-photon absorption cross section increased with the increasing of the conjugation degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell fusion is a fundamental biological process that is involved in the development of most eukaryotic organisms. During the fusion process in Saccharomyces cerevisiae , cells respond to pheromones to trigger the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) cascade to initiate mating, followed by polarization, cell-wall remodeling, membrane fusion, and karyogamy. We highlight the applications of the yeast mating signal pathway in promoter engineering for tuning the expression of output genes, as well as in metabolic engineering for decoupling growth and metabolism, biosensors for sensitive detection and signal amplification, genetic circuits for programmable biological functionalities, and artificial consortia for cell–cell communication. Strategies such as exploiting rational engineering of modular circuits and optimizing the reproductive pathway to precisely maneuver physiological events have implications for scientific research and industrial development. The mating response of yeast gives deep insights that facilitate the application of cell fusion to gene transfer, antibody production, and cell reprogramming. Components of the yeast mating-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, including scaffolds, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and pheromone-responsive promoters, constitute a toolbox for the rational design of artificial systems. The yeast mating signal pathway has significant synthetic biology applications, including tuning the outputs by promoter engineering, decoupling growth and metabolism through metabolic engineering, detecting and amplifying signals in biosensors, programming biological functions in circuits, and manipulating cell–cell communication in artificial consortia. Advances in synthetic biology tools such as omics, microfluidics, CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9), and machine learning have significantly boosted cell-fusion studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rigid boomerang shaped triphenylamine functionalized bis-β-diketone-boron difluoride without alkyl chain and H-bonding unit exhibits good gelation ability in some mixed organic solvents directed by optimally balanced π–π interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first rigid dendritic gel with strong emission based on oligocarbazole was reported. It is interesting that the second generation of dendron exhibited gelation ability under ultrasound, and two-component gel could be formed from the first generation of dendron assisted by 1,6-diaminohexane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the SU(3) simplest little Higgs model, a characteristic particle is the light pseudoscalar boson e, it can leads to interesting signals in the LHC/ILC and has been studied in the literature with different parameterizations. We show that these different descriptions for e particle are equivalent up to some SU(3) rotations as long as we suitably redefine the pseudo-Goldstone boson fields. We evaluate the necessary SU(3) rotations and build up explicit expressions for redefined fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Modified titanium substrates with titanium dioxide nanotubes have broad usage as implant surface treatment and as drug- delivery systems. Their performance in most of these applications is highly dependent on there morphology. Macrophage behavior was thought to be regulated by nanostructured titanium which has been considered as a very promising candidates for dental implants. Aim/Hypothesis: To investigate effects of hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes on macrophage behavior, secretion and expression of pro- inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Material and Methods: Macrophage- like J744A.1 cells were cultured on three types of Ti surface- hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes, unmodified TiO2 nanotubes, and Ti substrates (as control) for 4, 24 and 48 hours. Macrophage adhesion and proliferation were assessed using CCK-8 assay. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF- a, IL- 1b and IL- 6) and chemokines (MCP-1 and MIP-1a) secreted into the supernatant were measured using the Cytometric Bead Arrays kit. TNF-a, MCP-1 and MIP- a gene expression were quantitatively analysed by real- time PCR. Results : These show that TiO2 nanotube surfaces, especially hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes, benefited macrophage adhesion and prolifera-tion, and reduced protein secretion and mRNA expression of pro- inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Conclusions and Clinical Implications : TiO2 nanotube surfaces, especially hydrogenated TiO2 nanotubes, reduced inflammatory response in vitro, which might induce rapid osseointegration in implants with hydrogenated TiO2 nanotube surfaces in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of organic contaminants from water poses a significant challenge that can be tackled by integrating adsorption and photocatalytic degradation functions in a single architecture. However, traditional powdery nanomaterials face challenges in separation and lack synergistic function, hampering their practical application. This study presents a one-step hydrothermal synthesis of a convenient recyclable Bi 2 O 2.33 /Bi 2 O 3 @ECNF (electrospun carbon nanofibers), which combines both adsorption and photocatalytic performance. The Bi 2 O 2.33 /Bi 2 O 3 exhibits high adsorption removal of methyl orange (MO), reaching 94.56 % and a maximum capacity of 213.13 mg g−1. Additionally, the Bi 2 O 2.33 /Bi 2 O 3 shows a high charge transfer rate, strong redox ability, and efficient removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) at 83.01 %. Loading the Bi 2 O 2.33 /Bi 2 O 3 on lightweight carbon fibers allows for easy recycling. The Bi 2 O 2.33 /Bi 2 O 3 @ECNF demonstrates excellent stability and reusability, with a removal rate of 87.37 % for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) at high concentrations. This work presents a promising solution for the practical application of photocatalysts by overcoming the limitations of single photocatalysts and minimizing secondary pollution from single adsorbents. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, social networks have been regarded as auxiliary information to mitigate the data sparsity issue in recommender systems. However, most existing social recommendation methods fail to effectively capture the relations between multiple behaviors, resulting in the correlated behaviors being unable to make semantic complements to the target behavior and sparse behavior data features. To alleviate the above problems, we propose a novel method based on graph neural network, namely Multiple Behavior Interactive Enhanced Social-aware Recommendation (MISR), which can dynamically acquire more fine-grained relations and differences between different behaviors and combine features of temporal sequences to capture potential interactions. In addition, we develop a global enhanced module to fully learn the enhanced user representation, empowering MISR to capture jointly the heterogeneous strengths of global social context and social relations. Extensive experiments on three real-world recommendation datasets validate the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, the potential reactive "olefin pairs" in the molecular crystals satisfying Schmidt's criteria could undergo topological [2+2] cycloaddition. In this study, another factor that affects the photodimerization reactivity of chalcone analogues was found. The cyclic chalcone analogues of (E)‐2‐(2,4‐dichlorobenzylidene)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐inden‐1‐one (BIO), (E)‐2‐(naphthalen‐2‐ylmethylene)‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐inden‐1‐one (NIO), (Z)‐2‐(2,4‐dichlorobenzylidene)benzofuran‐3(2H)‐one (BFO), and (Z)‐2‐(2,4‐dichlorobenzylidene)benzo[b]thiophen‐3(2H)‐one (BTO) have been synthesized. While the geometrical parameters for the molecular packing of the above four compounds did not exceed Schmidt's criteria, [2+2] cycloaddition did not occur in the crystals of BIO and BTO. The single crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analyses revealed that interactions of C=O⋅⋅⋅H (CH2) existed between adjacent molecules in the crystal of BIO. Therefore, the carbonyl and methylene groups linked with one carbon atom in carbon‐carbon double bond were tightly confined in the lattice, acting as a tweezer to inhibit free movement of the double bond and suppressing [2+2] cycloaddition. In the crystal of BTO, similar interactions of Cl⋅⋅⋅S and C=O⋅⋅⋅H (C6H4) prevented free movement of the double bond. In contrast, the intermolecular interaction of C=O⋅⋅⋅H only exists around the carbonyl group in the crystals of BFO and NIO, leaving the C=C double bonds to move freely and allowing the occurrence of [2+2] cycloaddition. Driven by photodimerization, the needle‐like crystals of BFO and NIO displayed evident photo‐induced bending behavior. This work demonstrates that the intermolecular interactions around carbon‐carbon double bond affect the [2+2] cycloaddition reactivity except for Schmidt's criteria. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of photomechanical molecular crystalline materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regeneration serves as a self-protective mechanism that allows a tissue or organ to recover its entire form and function after suffering damage. However, the regenerative capacity varies greatly within the plant kingdom. Primitive plants frequently display an amazing regenerative ability as they have developed a complex system and strategy for long-term survival under extreme stress conditions. The regenerative ability of dicot species is highly variable, but that of monocots often exhibits extreme recalcitrance to tissue replenishment. Recent studies have revealed key factors and signals that affect cell fate during plant regeneration, some of which are conserved among the plant lineage. Among these, several members of the ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR (ERF) transcription factors have been implicated in wound signaling, playing crucial roles in the regenerative mechanisms after different types of wounding. An understanding of plant regeneration may ultimately lead to an increased regenerative potential of recalcitrant species, producing more high-yielding, multi-resistant and environmentally friendly crops and ensuring the long-term development of global agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant roots possess remarkable regenerative potential owing to their ability to replenish damaged or lost stem cells. ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 115 (ERF115), one of the key molecular elements linked to this potential, plays a predominant role in the activation of regenerative cell divisions. However, the downstream operating molecular machinery driving wound-activated cell division is largely unknown. Here, we biochemically and genetically identified the GRAS-domain transcription factor SCARECROW-LIKE 5 (SCL5) as an interaction partner of ERF115 in Arabidopsis thaliana. Although nonessential under control growth conditions, SCL5 acts redundantly with the related PHYTOCHROME A SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION 1 (PAT1) and SCL21 transcription factors to activate the expression of the DNA-BINDING ONE FINGER 3.4 (DOF3.4) transcription factor gene. DOF3.4 expression is wound-inducible in an ERF115-dependent manner and, in turn, activates D3-type cyclin expression. Accordingly, ectopic DOF3.4 expression drives periclinal cell division, while its downstream D3-type cyclins are essential for the regeneration of a damaged root. Our data highlight the importance and redundant roles of the SCL5, SCL21, and PAT1 transcription factors in wound-activated regeneration processes and pinpoint DOF3.4 as a key downstream element driving regenerative cell division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether people believe their romantic relationship quality can be improved or not could largely influence the relationship consequences. However, relatively fewer studies have focused on the potential factors that account for the association between such beliefs and romantic relationship satisfaction (RS). In the current research, we aimed to investigate the relation between implicit theories of relationships (ITRs) and RS and the potential moderating role of perceived partner responsiveness (PPR) in such relation. An online survey was administered to 300 Chinese young adults (aged 18–35) who were currently in romantic relationships, measuring their implicit beliefs about romantic relationships, PPR, and RS. Results indicated that (a) growth beliefs of ITRs and PPR were positively associated with RS, respectively; (b) destiny beliefs of ITRs were not significantly associated with RS; and (c) PPR moderated the relation between growth beliefs of ITRs and RS. Growth beliefs were significantly positively correlated with RS in lower PPR conditions but not in higher PPR conditions. We further discussed the theoretical and practical implications of these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the classification efficiency of using texture feature machine learning method in distinguishing solid lung adenocarcinoma (SADC) and tuberculous granulomatous nodules (TGN) that appear as solid nodules (SN) in non-enhanced CT images. 200 patients with SADC and TGN who underwent thoracic non-enhanced CT examination from January 2012 to October 2019 were included in the study, 490 texture eigenvalues of 6 categories were extracted from the lesions in the non-enhanced CT images of these patients for machine learning, the classification prediction model is established by using relatively the best classifier selected according to the fitting degree of learning curve in the process of machine learning, and the effectiveness of the model was tested and verified. The logistic regression model of clinical data (including demographic data and CT parameters and CT signs of solitary nodules) was used for comparison. The prediction model of clinical data was established by logistic regression, and the classifier was established by machine learning of radiologic texture features. The area under the curve was 0.82 and 0.65 for the prediction model based on clinical CT and only CT parameters and CT signs, and 0.870 based on Radiomics characteristics. The machine learning prediction model developed by us can improve the differentiation efficiency of SADC and TGN with SN, and provide appropriate support for treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three groups of chalcone derivatives and their analogues involving halogen atoms (X=F, Cl, Br) have been synthesized. Firstly, the nearly planar acyclic chalcone derivatives were inclined to undergo photo‐induced stereospecific [2+2] cycloaddition, which triggered the crystals to exhibit macroscopic motions of bending or cracking. In particular, the single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal transformation happened upon UV irradiation of the crystals, which was helpful for the understanding photomechanical effects. Cyclic 3,4‐dihydronaphthalene‐based chalcone analogues possess a more twisted conformation, and they tend to undergo trans‐cis isomerization. No photomechanical effect was observed for the crystals of the cyclic chalcone analogues due to the lower isomerization rate. The twist degree of chroman‐based molecules was in between of the first two, [2+2] cycloaddition and trans‐cis isomerization simultaneously took place in crystals. Photo‐induced bending and twisting were observed for the crystals of chroman‐based chalcone analogues. Therefore, the differences in molecular dihedral angles in α,β‐unsaturated ketones were responsible for their photochemical characters and in turn to tune the photomechanical effects. In this work, a bridge between the molecular structures and solid‐state photochemical reactions triggered photomechanical crystals is built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacillary dysentery caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella is a significant public health problem in developing countries such as China. The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological pattern of bacillary dysentery, the diversity of the causative agent, and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. for the purpose of determining the most effective allocation of resources and prioritization of interventions. Methods: Surveillance data were acquired from the National Infectious Disease Information Reporting System (2004-2014) and from the sentinel hospital-based surveillance system (2005-2014). We analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of bacillary dysentery, age and sex distribution, species diversity, and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Shigella spp. Results: The surveillance registry included over 3 million probable cases of bacillary dysentery during the period 2004-2014. The annual incidence rate of bacillary dysentery decreased from 38.03 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2004 to 11.24 cases per 100,000 person-years in 2014. The case-fatality rate decreased from 0.028% in 2004 to 0. 003% in 2014. Children aged <1 year and 1-4 years were most affected, with higher incidence rates (228.59 cases per 100,000 person-years and 92.58 cases per 100,000 person-years respectively). The annual epidemic season occurred between June and September. A higher incidence rate of bacillary dysentery was found in the Northwest region, Beijing and Tianjin during the study period. Shigella flexneri was the most prevalent species that caused bacillary dysentery in China (63.86%), followed by Shigella sonnei (34.89%). Shigella isolates were highly resistant to nalidixic acid (89.13%), ampicillin (88.90%), tetracycline (88.43%), and sulfamethoxazole (82.92%). During the study period, isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime increased from 8.53 and 7.87% in 2005 to 44.65 and 29. 94% in 2014, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence rate of bacillary dysentery has undergone an obvious decrease from 2004 to 2014. Priority interventions should be delivered to populations in northwest China and to individuals aged <5 years. Antimicrobial resistance of Shigella is a serious public health problem and it is important to consider the susceptibility profile of isolates before determining treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the mechanism of microwave response properties of SiCp/paraffin nanocomposites and propose a microwave absorption model of nanocomposites based on the conservation law of energy and the theory of electromagnetic scattering. Using the model we calculate the reflectivity of SiCp/paraffin nanocomposites ranging from 2 GHz to 18 GHz. The calculated results are very consistent with the experimental data in the frequency range investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface topography, protein adsorption, and the loading of coating materials can affect soft tissue sealing. Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising candidate for improving material surface functionalization to facilitate soft tissue integration between cells and biomaterials. In this study, TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were prepared by the anodization of Ti, and TNT-graphene oxide composites (TNT-GO) were prepared by subsequent electroplating. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of TNTs and TNT-GO surface modifications on the behavior of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Commercially pure Ti and TNTs were used as the control group, and the TNT-GO surface was used as the experimental group. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were used to perform sample characterization. Cell adhesion, cell proliferation, cell immunofluorescence staining, a wound-healing assay, real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blotting showed that the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and adhesion-related relative gene expression of HGFs on TNT-GO were significantly enhanced compared to the control groups, which may be mediated by the activation of integrin β1 and the MAPK-Erk1/2 pathway. Our findings suggest that the biological reactivity of HGFs can be enhanced by the TNT-GO surface, thereby improving the soft tissue sealing ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequential Recommendation systems play a crucial role in predicting users’ preferences based on their behavioral history. However, the existing methods ignore the extrapolation nature of sequences and do not make deep use of item provider information. This oversight limits the model’s ability to fully utilize relevant external properties. To alleviate these limitations, we design a recommendation model that incorporates Position encoding and external reinforcement (Item -Provider), named DPSRec. Specifically, we design an Embed Encoding layer, in order to distinguish the Position Embedding of previous sequence models, we combine the time variability with the position encoding with extrapolation property, and encode the item and item provider sequences accordingly. Meanwhile, to avoid the noise that the initial item embeddings might cause with Position Encoding, we calculate the position Encoding separately from the item embedding. In addition, we design a Cross Propagation layer to capture implicit higher-order dependencies between item sequences. Extensive experiments on three real-world datasets demonstrate that the proposed model generally outperforms the baselines by about 1–12.5%. Our source code will be published after the paper is published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New dimesitylborylthiophene derivative with terminal tetraphenylethene TPETB has been synthesized. It was found that TPETB exhibited aggregation-induced emission behavior and reversible mechanofluorochromism. For instance, the emission intensity of TPETB in THF/H 2 O with water fraction of 90% was ca. 21 times higher than that in THF. In addition, grinding the as-prepared crystal of TPETB the emitting color changed from sky blue to yellowish green. Meanwhile, the ground powder could recover to crystalline structure with sky blue emission when it was exposed to CH 2 Cl 2 vapor. It was suggested that the transformation between crystalline and amorphous states led to the changes of solid emitting colors in response to external mechanical forces. It should be noted that TPETB could detect F − selectively, and the detection limit was 1.67 × 10 −8 mol/L in CH 2 Cl 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND This research compared four new apple selections with 16 established apples using descriptive analysis ( DA), instrumental analyses and preference mapping, in order to identify suitable selections for commercialization and further research. RESULTS DA revealed that the new apple selections ( PARC1, PARC2, PARC3, PARC4) were very similar in texture/mouthfeel (T) but differed in their flavor (F) and appearance (A) characteristics. Preference mapping revealed that consumers' T preferences were driven primarily by crispness, juiciness and lack of skin toughness, while F preferences were driven by sweetness, lack of tartness and presence of fruity flavor. Consumers' A preferences were driven by a high percentage of red color and degree of striping. The majority of consumers had similar T (82-85%) and F (88-92%) preferences for the early- and mid/late-harvest apples. In contrast, consumers' A preferences were differentiated into three subgroups (60%, 24%, 16%) for the early-harvest apples, but not for the mid/late-harvest apples. The new apple selections were among those most liked for T, F and A. CONCLUSION This early-stage consumer research confirmed that the new apples were comparable, if not superior, to the established apples. As such, it provided the necessary feedback to industry to proceed with commercialization and optimization of cultural and storage practices. © 2015 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photomechanical effects of crystals of halogen‐substituted 9‐anthracenecarbonitrile were investigated. The needle‐like crystals of 10‐fluoroanthracene‐9‐carbonitrile (FCNA) bend rapidly under irradiation with 365 nm, 410 nm light and even white light, and the bent crystal could almost recover to its original shape upon exposure to 254 nm light or heating. The reversible photo‐induced mechanical behaviors originated from [4+4] cycloaddition and the reverse reaction. This type of photoactuator, in response to light irradiation over a broad wavelength range from UV to the visible region, might have important applications in biomimetic systems, biomedicine, artificial muscles, and smart microrobotics. The rapid photo‐induced mechanical movements of the crystals inspired us to fabricate a hybrid polymer film of polyvinylidene difluoride incorporated with the microcrystals of FCNA, which not only showed bending toward or away from the light source depending on the initial bending direction of the film, but also could lift small objects induced by remote light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prepare soluble polyimides with high temperature resistance, two new diamine monomers, namely, 2,2′-(4,4′-oxybisphenylene)-bis(1-phenyl-5-aminobenzimidazole) (5a), and 2,2′-(4,4′-hexafluoroisopropylidene)-bis(1-phenyl-5- aminobenzimidazole) (5b), were synthesized and exploited to prepare three series of poly(benzimidazole imides)s (PBIIs) by a conventional two-stage synthesis. The resulting PI films were flexible and tough, possessing high glass-transition temperatures (Tgs = 311°C–390°C), improved optical transparency, and excellent solubility. Moreover, the effect of different configuration on performance was revealed, and these data provided a feasible method to enhance both Tg and solubility of PIs by incorporating N-phenyl benzimidazole and corresponding functional moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring of glutathione has attracted considerable attention owing to its biological and clinical significance. An eco-friendly, economic, simple, biocompatible probe with excellent sensitivity and selectivity is very important. Herein, FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY nanocomposite was fabricated from one-step synthesized FeOOH quantum dots (FeOOH QD) and commercial boron-dipyrromethene-conjugated adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP-BODIPY) for glutathione (GSH) sensing in solutions and living cells. Three fascinate merits of FeOOH QD were confirmed: (a) as fluorescence quencher for ATP-BODIPY, (b) as selective recognizer of GSH and (c) with carrier effects and membrane permeability. The construction and response mechanism of the nanocomposite was based on the competitive coordination chemistry and redox reaction of FeOOH QD between GSH and phosphate group of ATP-BODIPY. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limit for GSH was as low as 68.8 nM. Excellent linear range of 0.2–400 μM was obtained. Furthermore, the chemical response of the nanocomposite exhibits high selectivity toward GSH over other electrolytes and biomolecules. It was successfully applied for GSH determination in human serum samples. The MTT assay exhibited FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY nanocomposite own good biocompatibility. FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY respond to GSH in living cells in situ was also proved via fluorescence imaging. These suggested that the FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY nanocomposite had potential application in biological and clinical applications. Construction and response mechanism of the FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY nanocomposite for the GSH detection and intracellular imaging. [Display omitted] • FeOOH QD as an efficient fluorescence quencher and carrier for BODIPY-ATP was proposed. • FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY was developed for GSH fluorescent sensing based on the stronger affinity and redox reaction. • FeOOH QD@ATP-BODIPY own good excellent biocompatibility and potential application was proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), converted by proprotein convertase 1 (PC1/3) from proinsulin and proglucagon, are associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study is to investigate the association of PCSK1 gene, which encodes PC1/3, with the risk of CAD in Chinese patients with T2DM. Methods: We selected and genotyped 5 haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at PCSK1 gene (across 39873bp locus) in a case-control study of Chinese Han population involving 425 diabetic patients (62.1% male, mean age 63.2 years) with CAD as positive cases and 258 diabetic patients (44.2% male, mean age 62.0 years) without CAD as controls. Results: The allele frequencies at rs3811951 were significantly different between cases and controls (30.7% vs. 37.2%), with the allele G associated with decreased risk for CAD (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.59–0.94, p = 0.013). In recessive inheritance mode, the carriers of GG had a lower risk (OR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.31–0.82, p = 0.005), even after adjusted for gender, age, BMI and smoking (OR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.24–0.77, p = 0.004). The carriers of the minor allele A at rs156019 had a higher risk (OR = 1.66, 95%CI = 1.10–2.50, p = 0.016 after adjustment) in dominant inheritance mode. The SNP rs6234 was also significantly associated with CAD risk in women, with the carriers of the minor allele G at rs6234 associated with a reduced CAD risk in recessive inheritance mode (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.18–0.95, p = 0.036 after adjustment). Conclusions: Our results found that common genetic variants in PCSK1 were associated with CAD in Chinese patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]