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Neuronal cell death following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a considerable contributor to neurological deficits. In our work, we explored the functions of Mammalian STE20-like kinase-1 (Mst1), a apoptosis-promoting kinase and also a pivotal bridgebuilder of apoptotic signaling, in the etiopathogenesis of an experimental rat model of TBI. We found that the phosphorylation level of Mst1 in injured area was significantly increased after TBI. Furthermore, we discovered that inhibition of Mst1 phosphorylation can effectively reduce neuronal cell death by inhibiting the activation of caspase 3 and suppressing the damage of DNA during TBI. In addition, the decreased of Mst1 phosphorylation level, not only reduced brain edema and blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage in injured region but also weakened the impairment of neurologic behavior during TBI. In conclusion, our work demonstrates that Mst1 plays an important role in TBI-induced neuronal cell death, suggesting that Mst1 is expected to be a potential therapeutic target for TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of host-guest interactions to direct the controllable self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles has aroused intensive interest in recent years. Through deliberate surface modifications of inorganic nanoparticles, the recognition between host and guest molecules drives the dynamic self-assembly of nanoparticles, leading to fascinating assembly behaviors such as stimulus-responsive and reversible self-assembly. In this review, we first briefly introduce the structures and properties of the typical host molecules, such as cyclodextrins, cucurbit[ n ]urils, calix[ n ]arenes, and pilla[ n ]arenas, and their supramolecular complexes with guest molecules, which have been frequently employed in nanoparticle assembly. Then, recent advances in the approaches toward precise control over the dynamic self-assembly processes of inorganic nanoparticles based on rational regulation of host-guest interactions are summarized with special emphasis on the assembly strategies. Furthermore, the potential applications of the self-assembly systems involving host-guest interactions in sensing and catalysis are highlighted. An outlook on future developments in this field is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adiponectin (APN) has been associated with the pathogenesis of acute brain, liver and heart injury. However, the role of APN in lung ischemia‑reperfusion injury (LIRI) in diabetes mellitus remains unclear. To investigate this, the present study evaluated the effects of APN on lung dysfunction and pathological alterations in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus via lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). The lung‑protective effects of APN globular domain (gAPN) in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus were also investigated by measuring the oxygenation index, inflammatory cytokines, lung edema, histopathology, oxidative stress, apoptosis and the protein expression levels of phosphorylated 5'adenosine monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (p‑AMPK), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The results of the present study demonstrated that the diabetes mellitus rats + I/R (DIR) group exhibited greater concentrations of tumor necrosis factor‑α and interleukin‑6, and increases in the wet‑weight to dry‑weight ratio, lung injury score, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis. These effects were accompanied by lower pulmonary oxygenation compared with the normal rat + I/R (NIR) group (P<0.05). Additionally, all of these alterations were attenuated in the NIR + gAPN and DIR + gAPN groups compared with in the NIR and DIR groups, respectively. In the DIR group, the expression levels of p‑AMPK/AMPK and eNOS were significantly downregulated, and the levels of iNOS were upregulated, compared with those of the NIR group. Treatment with APN activated AMPK, increased eNOS expression and attenuated iNOS expression. The results of the present study demonstrated that APN exerted protective effects against LIRI via its anti‑inflammatory, antioxidative stress and anti‑apoptotic activities. These protective effects of APN were eliminated in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which LIRI was exacerbated. The present study indicated that APN may be a potential therapeutic agent for LIRI in type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As in any semiconducting solids, intrinsic defects can affect the properties of ZnO, such as the electrical and thermal conductivities. Defect engineering is usually focused on optimizing the materials’ synthesis or annealing parameters, i.e., temperature, atmosphere, etc. Here we report an approach to change the intrinsic defects of ZnO by adding a small amount of ZnS. During the sintering process, ZnS was decomposed. Apart from the formation of SO 2 , the decomposed S and Zn can also be simultaneously doped onto O and Zn sites to change the intrinsic defects in ZnO. For instance, some of the S was converted to SO 2 and led to the formation of V o (oxygen vacancy); meanwhile, Zn may move to the V Zn (Zn vacancy) site and decrease the concentration of Zn vacancy. Due to the changes in these native defects, the carrier concentration increased and the thermal conductivity decreased when the content of ZnS was increased to x = 0.01. This sample had an optimal zT value, which was twice that of undoped ZnO. However, with further increase in ZnS, the carrier concentration was reduced. These results suggest a method to tune the intrinsic defects of ZnO via doping technology and bring potential opportunities to improve the thermoelectric performance of this oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, La 0.67 Ca 0.23 K 0.1 MnO 3 :Ag x ( x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) polycrystalline ceramic samples were prepared by sol-gel method, and their structural and electrical properties were systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that crystal structures of all samples were rhombohedral. Surface morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which indicated that the number of pores increased with the increase in Ag content. Elemental mapping image showed that Ag was uniformly distributed over the entire sample on macro-scale, which could create conduction channels and improve the connectivity of grains. Therefore, the resistivity decreased sharply with the increase in Ag content. Standard four-probe method was used to measure temperature dependence of resistivity ( ρ - T ). Insulator-metal transition temperature ( T P ) shifted to higher temperature when the value of x was below 0.3. Temperature coefficient of resistivity ( TCR %) decreased as Ag content increased. Fitted curves for resistivity of LCKMO:Ag x composites at low temperature range ( T < T P ) indicated that grain boundary effects, electron-electron scattering and electron-magnon scattering mechanisms were involved. High-temperature ( T > T P ) resistivity data were explained using small-polaron hopping (SPH) and variable-range hopping (VRH) models. Resistivity data over the entire temperature range (100–300 K) could be fitted by percolation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, industrial wireless networks (IWNs) have been transformed by the introduction of mobile nodes, and they now offer increased extensibility, mobility, and flexibility. Nevertheless, mobile nodes pose efficiency and reliability challenges. Efficient node deployment and management of channel interference directly affect network system performance, particularly for key node placement in clustered wireless networks. This study analyzes this system model, considering both industrial properties of wireless networks and their mobility. Then, static and mobile node coverage problems are unified and simplified to target coverage problems. We propose a novel strategy for the deployment of clustered heads in grouped industrial mobile wireless networks (IMWNs) based on the improved maximal clique model and the iterative computation of new candidate cluster head positions. The maximal cliques are obtained via a double-layer Tabu search. Each cluster head updates its new position via an improved virtual force while moving with full coverage to find the minimal inter-cluster interference. Finally, we develop a simulation environment. The simulation results, based on a performance comparison, show the efficacy of the proposed strategies and their superiority over current approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In single beam acoustic tweezers application, the development of ultrahigh frequency ultrasonic transducer is crucial for trapping particles or cells with a size of few microns. In this study, A ZnO silicon-lens ultrasonic transducer with ultrahigh center frequency was designed and fabricated for single beam acoustic tweezers application. The silicon lens with small radius was developed through isotropic chemical wet etching technique. Finite element method was used for transducer design and evaluation. The transducer fabricated has a center frequency of 330 MHz, −6 dB bandwidth of 21% and the insertion loss of −68 dB. The transducer was shown to be capable of manipulating individual 5 μm polystyrene microsphere which demonstrated the potential of this type of ultrahigh frequency transducer for biophysical and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular dynamic simulations have been performed to study the lactic acid aqueous solution of varying concentrations at 298K. The aim of this investigation is to give an introduction to the dynamics and structure of lactic acid aqueous solution. The density, diffusion coefficients, hydrogen bonding lifetime and hydrogen bonding number have been calculated to clarify dynamical properties. The interaction between water and lactic acid was promoted, which lead to the hydrogen bondings in water decrease. At higher lactic acid mole fractions, the hydrogen bonding has significant contribution toward the microheterogeneity of the systems. The radial distribution functions, permittivity, coordination number, potential of mean force and tetrahedral order parameter have been demonstrated. The lactic acid strongly destroyed the tetrahedral structures of water, and the clear hydration shells are not formed around carbon atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel potentially antifungal hybrids of 5-flucytosine and fluconazole were designed, synthesized and characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, IR and HRMS spectra. Bioactive assay manifested that some prepared compounds showed moderate to good antifungal activities in comparison with fluconazole and 5-flucytosine. Remarkably, the 3,4-dichlorobenzyl hybrid 7h could inhibit the growth of C. albicans ATCC 90023 and clinical resistant strain C. albicans with MIC values of 0.008 and 0.02 mM, respectively. The active molecule 7h could not only rapidly kill C. albicans but also efficiently permeate membrane of C. albicans . Molecular docking study revealed that compound 7h could interact with the active site of CACYP51 through hydrogen bond. Quantum chemical studies were also performed to explain the high antifungal activity. Further preliminary mechanism research suggested that molecule 7h could intercalate into calf thymus DNA to form a steady supramolecular complex, which might block DNA replication to exert the powerful bioactivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory have been performed to investigate the melamine (MEL) aqueous solution at different concentrations and temperatures. We have studied the microscopic structure of MEL aqueous solution, dielectric properties, hydrogen-bond dynamics and the transportation properties. The MEL molecules weakly distorted the tetrahedral structures and the hydration shells have not been observed, which means that water molecules in the MEL aqueous solution find themselves is not a very unusual environment from that in the pure water. The temperatures dependent on the water structure, the permittivity, hydrogen-bond numbers and hydrogen-bond lifetimes decrease with the temperatures increase, and vice versa for the diffusion coefficient. At high-frequency, the vibrational power spectrum is consistent with the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalytic systems is a promising strategy to produce hydrogen and for pollutant degradation. In this study, the direct Z-scheme CdS/Bi4V2O11 photocatalysts were synthesized via a two-step solvothermal method. The photocatalytic properties of the samples were measured by ciprofloxacin (CIP), tetracycline (TC) and rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under visible light (λ ＞ 420 nm). In addition, a probable reaction mechanism for organic pollutants over CdS/Bi4V2O11 photocatalysts was also proposed based on the analysis of electron spin resonance (ESR) and active species capture experiments. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of CdS/Bi4V2O11 photocatalysts was ascribed to the efficient electron transfer of direct Z-scheme CdS/Bi4V2O11 photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space-time structure of the Higgs boson decaying into hadron-jets (Higgs jets) is carefully studied with the HBT correlation method using $ e^+e^-$ collision events produced by the Monte Carlo generator PYTHIA 8.219 at $ \sqrt{s}=250$ GeV. The measurement of the Higgs boson radius and decay lifetime are derived from the HBT correlation of the final state pions, with an upper bound of $ R_H \le 1.03\pm 0.05$ fm and $ \tau_H \le (1.29\pm0.15)\times 10^{-7}$ fs. This result is consistent with CMS data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a pathologic process that is observed in several clinical conditions, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is involved. Diabetes mellitus (DM) results in an increased incidence of ischemia-induced organ damage. The aims of this study were to examine the effects of DM on LIRI in a rat model of DM and to explore the possible mechanisms in relation to the p38 MAPK pathway. Methods Forty rats were randomly divided into the following five groups ( n = 8 each): a control + sham group, a control + IR group (CIR), a DM + sham group, a DM + IR group (DIR), and a DM + IR + SB203580 group. The control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats underwent a sham operation or left hilum occlusion for 90 min followed by reperfusion for 4 h. SB203580 was used to inhibit the p38 MAPK pathway. The pulmonary oxygenation index, inflammatory cytokines in the serum, lung edema, histopathology, oxidant stress, apoptosis, and phosphorylated/total-p38 MAPK protein levels were measured. Results The DIR group displayed greater concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and increases in the wet weight-to-dry weight ratio, lung injury scores, malondialdehyde levels, and cellular apoptosis, and these effects were accompanied by lower pulmonary oxygenation compared with the CIR group ( P < 0.05). In the DIR group, the expression levels of p38 MAPK protein were significantly upregulated compared with those of the CIR group. Additionally, all of these alterations were attenuated in the DM + IR + SB203580 group compared with the DIR group. Conclusions Diabetes exacerbates LIRI by activating the p38 MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume of research on fast radio bursts (FRBs) observation have been seeing a dramatic growth. To facilitate the systematic analysis of the FRB population, we established a database platform, Blinkverse, as a central inventory of FRBs from various observatories and with published properties, particularly dynamic spectra from FAST, CHIME, GBT, Arecibo, etc. Blinkverse thus not only forms a superset of FRBCAT, TNS, and CHIME/FRB, but also provides convenient access to thousands of FRB dynamic spectra from FAST, some of which were not available before. Blinkverse is regularly maintained and will be updated by external users in the future. Data entries of FRBs can be retrieved through parameter searches through FRB location, fluence, etc., and their logical combinations. Interactive visualization was built into the platform. We analyzed the energy distribution, period analysis, and classification of FRBs based on data downloaded from Blinkverse. The energy distributions of repeaters and non-repeaters are found to be distinct from one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is highly desirable but challenging to realize efficient photoreforming of plastic waste over metal-free semiconductors. Here, we synthesized metal-free carbon nitride porous microtube (CNxPM) photocatalysts by carrying out a pyrolysis of the supramolecular assembly formed by the self-assembly of L -arginine (L -Arg) and melamine, the modification of L -Arg rationally engineering the microstructure and electronic structure of the CNxPM system for efficient visible-light-driven photoreforming of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) to hydrogen (H2) and high-value chemicals. In particular, the amount of formate converted from PET substrate under visible light was highest in metal-free semiconductors without any co-catalyst reported so far, presenting the first example of visible-light-driven photoreforming of PET over a completely metal-free single-component semiconductor without any co-catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SPIN1 exon 4 skipping generates a long non-coding RNA. • HNRNPK promotes SPIN1 exon 4 inclusion through an intronic splicing enhancer. • HNRNPK partially epigenetically promote cancer cell proliferation via SPIN1. • HNRNPK promotes the transcriptional activation of CCND1 partially through SPIN1. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK, hnRNP K), a multifunctional RNA/DNA binding protein, mainly regulates transcription, translation and RNA splicing, and then plays oncogenic roles in many cancers. However, the related mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we found that HNRNPK can partially epigenetically regulate cancer cell proliferation via increasing transcription and exon 4-inclusion of SPIN1, an important oncogenic histone code reader. This exon 4 skipping event of SPIN1 generates a long non-coding RNA, followed by the downregulation of SPIN1 protein. SPIN1 is one of the most significantly co-expressed genes of HNRNPK in thirteen TCGA cancers. Our further studies revealed HNRNPK knockdown significantly inhibited cell growth and cell cycle progression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells and promoted cell apoptosis. Overexpression of SPIN1 was able to partially rescue the growth inhibition triggered by HNRNPK knockdown. Moreover, CCND1 (Cyclin D1), a key cell cycle regulator and oncogene, epigenetically up-regulated by SPIN1, was also positively regulated by HNRNPK. In addition, we discovered that HNRNPK promoted SPIN1 exon 4 inclusion by interacting with an intronic splicing enhancer in intron 4. Collectively, our study suggests a novel epigenetic regulatory pathway of HNRNPK in OSCC, mediated by controlling the transcription activity and alternative splicing of SPIN1 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carbon dot assemblies with versatile morphologies are introduced. • Geometrical arrangements and interactions of carbon dot building blocks are considered. • Assembly induces attractive optical properties in supra-(carbon dots). • The underlying mechanisms in photophysical processes of supra-(carbon dots) are discussed. • Applications of supra-(carbon dots) in photothermal conversion and photosensitization are presented. Through non-covalent or covalent assembly of carbon dots (CDs), functional CD assemblies (supra-CDs) with versatile architectures can be created. Among non-covalent forces, various supramolecular interactions can be used for this purpose, including amphiphilic interactions, H-bonding, electrostatic and π–π interactions, and van der Waals forces. Among covalent ones, chemical reactions including coordination interactions and interparticle/intermolecular covalent condensation of CDs result in the formation of supra-CDs. All these different kinds of interactions of CD building blocks have an impact on energy band structures and photophysical and photochemical processes and thus endow supra-CDs with intriguing optical properties. We review the recently emerged research field of supra-CDs in terms of their synthesis, morphologies, assembly-induced optical properties such as emission quenching or enhancement, occurrence of polarized emission and optical chirality, and underlying mechanisms. Their specific advantages for applications such as photothermal conversion and photodynamic therapy are presented, in order to inspire further development of supra-CDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 samples were prepared by solvothermal method and recorded as CM-x. The potocatalytic activity of the MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 was significantly higher than MIL-53Fe, and it might be due to the successfully constructed heterojunction promoting the migration and separation effciency of photo-generated electron and hole pairs. In order to further enhance the potocatalytic activity of the MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 , peroxymonosulfate was introduced into the MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 /Vis system, and the peroxymonosulfate could be simultaneously activated by photogenerated electron and iron to form sulfate radical under visible light irradiation. Therefore, the degradation efficiency of oxytetracycline hydrochloride was enhanced obviously. Meantime, the effects of peroxymonosulfate dosage, oxytetracycline hydrochloride concentration, temperature and pH on the degradation efficiency of oxytetracycline hydrochloride were studied systematically. Meanwhile, the free radical catching experiments and electron spin resonance analysis confirmed that the main active substances were sulfate radical and hole. Finally, the mechanism and possible degradation pathways of MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 activating peroxymonosulfate to degrade oxytetracycline hydrochloride were proposed. [Display omitted] • MIL-53Fe@g-C 3 N 4 photocatalysts was synthesized by solvothermal method. • Peroxymonosulfate was activated by photogenerated e− and Fe. • The SO 4 •− and •OH mainly contributed to oxytetracycline hydrochloride degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oral propionate in the early stage improved chronic heart function deterioration after myocardial infarction. • Propionate treatment reduced the cardiac fibrosis in infarcted border area and non-infarcted area after myocardial infarction. • Propionate treatment induced the macrophages reduction and macrophage M2-like polarization on the 3rd day after myocardial infarction. • Propionate treatment inhibited the JNK/P38/NFκB phosphorylation and pro-inflammatory cytokines production on the 3rd day after myocardial infarction. The propionate (C3), the important components of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), had the effect of inhibiting pro-inflammatory macrophages. Earlier macrophages phenotypic transition from pro-inflammatory M1 to reparative M2 in early stage was a central juncture of cardiac dysfunction mitigation after myocardial infarction (MI). 160 Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to 4 groups: sham group (n = 40), sham + C3 group (n = 40), MI group (n = 40) and MI + C3 group (n = 40). The rats in sham + C3 and MI + C3 group were treated with oral sodium propionate (200 mM), and equivalent concentration of sodium chloride was administered in sham and MI group as control. After 7 days of propionate adaptive feeding, rats were anesthetized and induced the MI by coronary occlusion. The classification of macrophages, the level of inflammatory factors and inflammatory signaling were estimated at 3rd days after thoracotomy, and the extent of myocardial fibrosis was evaluated at 7th and 28th days after operation. Echocardiography was estimated on 28th day after surgery. RAW264.7 cells, stimulated by LPS + IFN-γ with or without propionate, were harvested for western blot and supernatants were collected for cytokine analysis by ELISA. Propionate administration reduced the MI-induced myocardial fibrosis in infarcted border and attenuated cardiac function deterioration compared with MI group. In comparison with MI group, propionate promoted macrophages reduction, macrophage M2-like polarization, and inflammatory cytokines decrease in infarcted border zone following MI, which partly depends on the inhibition of JNK/P38/NFκB signaling pathways. Oral propionate in early stage, as a nutritional intervention, alleviated post‐MI chronic cardiac remodeling and cardiac dysfunction at least in part by modulating macrophages polarization and pro-inflammatory cytokine, which were associated with reduction of JNK/P38/NFκB phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural evolution and late Carboniferous magmatism of the Zhongguai arc in the western Junggar Basin offer some new constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Junggar Ocean. In this study, we conducted structural analysis of seismic profiles and report new geochronological and geochemical data for the late Carboniferous borehole volcanics (basalts, andesites, dacites, and rhyolites) in the Zhongguai arc. Seismic data suggest that the upper Carboniferous lies between the lower Carboniferous and middle Permian compressional tectonostratigraphic strata. Zircon secondary ion mass spectrometry U–Pb and whole-rock Ar–Ar dating results indicate that they erupted at 309–305 Ma. The andesites are low-Fe calc-alkaline, and characterized by relatively high Mg# (3.24–6.00%), Cr (41.2–70.4 ppm), and Ni (23.3–35.6 ppm) contents, and low TiO2contents (0.69–0.83%) and TFe2O3/MgO ratios (1.48–2.08), similar to those typical of magnesian andesites. They were likely produced by reaction between slab-derived melts and mantle wedge. The basalts show tholeiitic to calc-alkaline affinity, highεNd(t) values (7.7–8.0) and Nb and Zr contents, variable enrichment in Th, U, and light rare earth elements (LREEs), and significant depletion in Nb and Ta. The felsic rocks display arc-like geochemical features with alkaline grantite, and positiveεNd(t) values (5.6–7.1). The basalts are interpreted as resulting from partial melting of a metasomatized mantle by slab-derived melt and fluids with involvement of asthenospheric mantle in an extensional setting, whereas the felsic rocks were derived from juvenile lower crust. The formation of these late Carboniferous rocks is probably related to ridge subduction. Given the widespread presence of such rock association in the area from southern West Junggar terrane to Zhongguai arc and initial southeastward-vergent thrust structures in the Zhongguai arc, we suggest that the southern West Junggar terrane and Zhongguai arc might have been amalgamated as a unified overriding plate above a northwestward ridge subduction zone of the Junggar Ocean at 309–302 Ma. The occurrences of middle Permian terrestrial sediments and thrusting reactivation in the Zhongguai arc are possibly indicative of the final welding of the Zhongguai arc and other units of the Junggar basement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For modern equipment manufacturing industries, advanced manufacturing technologies have significant impact on the production quality and efficiency. Specifically, high-speed and high-accuracy technology is widely used in aerospace, automotive, and power-generation equipment to reduce the processing costs and improve the machining accuracy. However, the traditional velocity planning methods cannot satisfy the requirements of advanced equipment in point-to-point movement occasions. To solve these problems, a novel S-curve acceleration and deceleration (Acc/Dec) control model is proposed in this study, and the discretization of the Acc/Dec process was investigated. Furthermore, the derivation of the actual interpolation periods of each segment, actual achieved Acc/Dec, and actual achieved jerk of Acc/Dec zone are addressed in detail. To ensure the positioning accuracy and reduce the computational load, discrete formulae for the deceleration displacement, maximal achieved speed, and displacement of the constant acceleration segment are derived. To satisfy the product diversification and improve the efficiency, the function of the aforementioned S-curve Acc/Dec control algorithm was extended in this study. As a result, the end-point modification and target speed modification algorithms were developed. Finally, a series of numerical simulations and a real experiment were conducted. The results show that the proposed algorithms exhibit a good performance both in terms of reliability and efficiency. Thus, its feasibility was validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing development of China's automobile market, the automotive service profits have become a major part of the industry's profits. However, the after-sale service is still on passive service mode. This mode has some limitations, such as the low service quality of the recommended service items and the lack of personalized service, which seriously affect the quality of the automotive service. In order to solve problems, such as lack of personalized service in the current automotive service mode, an inference method for personalized automotive service based on rough set and evidential reasoning was proposed. First, the information entropy reduction algorithm was used to reduce the customer's driving behavior attributes, and then, the attributes that affected the status of the major components of the automobile significantly were used as evidence. Second, the weight of evidence was measured by the calculation algorithm of attributes importance. Third, the customer's personalized service requirements were inferred by the evidence synthesis algorithm. Finally, the method's effectiveness was verified by the service data of automotive brake system of an automotive service provider from FAW-Volkswagen. Results demonstrate that the rough set method can effectively extract the attributes that have important influence on customer's personalized service requirements from many customer driving behavior attributes as reasoning evidence, the belief degree of the personalized service requirements of all samples can be calculated by using the evidential reasoning method, and the minimum and the average difference between the maximum and the second largest belief degrees are larger than 0.2. These findings indicate that customer's personalized service requirements can be inferred by the method effectively. The proposed method provides a new way for personalized service requirements inference in the filed of automotive service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pH-responsive polymer prodrugs were designed to maintain sufficient stability in the bloodstream and promptly release the active drugs when entering the acidic microenvironments, such as tumor tissue and cells. This kind of polymer–drug conjugates has become increasingly intriguing given the specific advantages over traditional drug delivery system. In our work, dextran (Dex) was oxidized into aldehyde-functionalized Dex-CHO before conjugating with doxorubicin (DOX) via efficient Schiff base reaction. The amphiphilic product Dex–DOX aggregated into uniform spherical nanoparticle in aqueous condition. The imine bond in Dex–DOX stayed tough in neutral solution yet quickly fractured when pH was lowered, in which way DOX was locally released and functioned in tumor cells. Our findings proved that the newly-constructed Dex–DOX could obviously promote the pH-dependent drug release, highlight the cell uptake efficiency, and strengthen the antitumor ability toward mouse B16F10 melanoma. In addition, it also largely averted the adverse effects to vital organs, which guaranteed higher level of security. Therefore, Dex–DOX held great potential of becoming a qualified chemotherapeutic drug delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'Industry 4.0' that covers the topics of Internet of Things, cyber-physical system, and smart manufacturing, is a result of increasing demand of mass customized manufacturing. In this paper, a smart manufacturing framework of Industry 4.0 is presented. In the proposed framework, the shop-floor entities (machines, conveyers, etc.), the smart products and the cloud can communicate and negotiate interactively through networks. The shop-floor entities can be considered as agents based on the theory of multi-agent system. These agents implement dynamic reconfiguration in a collaborative manner to achieve agility and flexibility. However, without global coordination, problems such as load-unbalance and inefficiency may occur due to different abilities and performances of agents. Therefore, the intelligent evaluation and control algorithms are proposed to reduce the load-unbalance with the assistance of big data feedback. The experimental results indicate that the presented algorithms can easily be deployed in smart manufacturing system and can improve both load-balance and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acid-sensitive polymer prodrugs have attracted increasing attention because of their selective intratumoral or intracellular drug release. Herein, two intracellular acid-sensitive dextran−doxorubicin (Dex−DOX) conjugates with similar drug binding rate were synthesized through the Schiff base reaction between the aldehyde group in the oxidized Dex with different lengths and the amino group of DOX. The amphiphilic Dex−DOX conjugates self-assembled into micellar nanoparticles in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). The micelle of prodrug with longer Dex, that is, Dex 500k -DOX, exhibited smaller size, quicker drug release, higher cell internalization, and stronger tumor suppression with upregulated security in comparison with the one with shorter Dex, that is, Dex 40k -DOX. Therefore, the molecular weight of prodrug backbone could adjust the properties, and a higher molecular weight endowed the Dex−DOX conjugate with a better antitumor efficacy in a limited number of tested samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave (MW)-assisted heating, due to its unique properties has been used for synthesis of metal, oxide, zeolite, and metal-organic framework (MOF), and even to carry out organic reactions. However, less attention has been paid to integration of two or more functional components into advanced materials by MW-assisted strategy. We report herein for the first time for controllable integration of silver nanoparticles (NPs) and IRMOF-3 as a core-shell Ag@IRMOF-3 nanostructures into highly efficient catalysts by a facile one-pot MW irradiation method. Impressively, the uniform core-shell Ag@IRMOF-3 nanostructures can be fabricated as short as 5 min and are highly active for three-component coupling reaction of amine, aldehyde and acetylene (A 3 -coupling) by MW-assisted heating strategy. Specifically, the Ag@IRMOF-3 with average size of Ag NPs of 5.2 nm and IRMOF-3 of 91.5 nm exhibited the highest turnover numbers and turnover frequencies of 3052 and 149,004 h −1 reported up to date, respectively, for the A 3 -coupling reaction. Thanks to the MOF shell coating, the Ag@IRMOF-3 can be recycled at least for 8 runs without losing any activity; furthermore, the size-selective catalysis was also successfully achieved due to the size selective for propargylamines with different sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of open architectures has been discussed extensively for many years. Software-oriented Computer Numerical Control (soft-CNC) is considered as one of the ideal solutions for open architecture CNC (OACNC). In recent years, this has become the mainstream direction for open CNC systems by employing a personal computer (PC) as the hardware platform and a real-time operating system as the software platform. However, existing CNC systems are limited in expansibility, portability, modularity, networking, and openness. In order to overcome these problems and in accordance with the characteristics and requirements of an OACNC system, a novel numerical control kernel (NCK) based on the real-time extension (RTX) and an industrial personal computer (IPC) is proposed. The implementation of the NCK is a difficult task, especially when real-time performance is desired. To compensate for the lack of real-time features in Windows NT, RTX provides a real-time software environment to implement the time-critical operations of a CNC system on an IPC by modifying the hardware abstraction layer (HAL). The proposed soft-CNC system consists of four components: the human machine interface (HMI), shared memory, the real-time subsystem (RTSS), and the device layer. This work first presents the hierarchical system architecture for developing an open architecture soft-CNC system and then describes the choices for the hardware and software platform of the soft-CNC system. Furthermore, this paper focuses on the software design and implementation of the soft-CNC system; thus, the software tasks, data flow, and the communication mechanisms are studied in detail. Finally, experiments are conducted to validate the real-time performance, the schedulability and the functions of the proposed soft-CNC system, thus verifying its feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design of a Ni/La 2 O 3 catalyst using La 2 O 2 CO 3 nanorod as a support precursor (denoted as Ni/La 2 O 3 -LOC) via a wet impregnation method for dry reforming of methane (DRM). The results showed that La 2 O 3 derived from the La 2 O 2 CO 3 precursor maintained its initial morphology upon thermal treatment and could highly disperse Ni particles on it. Additionally, the nanorod-shaped support could provide more medium-strength basic sites to facilitate CO 2 adsorption and activation on its surface. Consequently, the Ni/La 2 O 3 -LOC catalyst reached 70% of CH 4 conversion and 75% of CO 2 conversion at 700 °C after 50 h DRM reaction with a H 2 /CO ratio of 0.87. The enhanced metal-support interaction restricted the sintering of nickel particles under harsh reaction conditions. Coke evolution on the catalysts was also investigated to understand coke formation mechanism and the role of La 2 O 2 CO 3 in coke elimination. It has been found that nickel dispersion can affect distribution of coke and La 2 O 2 CO 3 on the surface of catalyst, both of which have a close relation with catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional g-C 3 N 4 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction photocatalysts have been successfully synthesized by a multi-step method. Based on the structure and morphology characterization, the as-prepared photocatalysts exhibited a nanosheet/nanosheet hybrid structure, which could provide a large heterogeneous surface area, increase the transmission route of photo-induced carriers and then suppress the charge recombination. To investigate the practical photocatalytic performance for water purification of these heterojunction photocatalysts, organic dyes such as Rhodamine B (RhB) and antibiotics including tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) have been selected as the target pollution under visible-light irradiation. The optimum photocatalyst (the weight ratio of g-C 3 N 4 to Bi 2 WO 6 is 1:0.67) was more than three times and two times than pure g-C 3 N 4 and Bi 2 WO 6 , respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of g-C 3 N 4 /Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunction photocatalysts might be ascribed to the two-dimensional structure. In combination of the experiment results, the possible photo-induced charge transfer route has been detailed illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies among men. Although chemotherapy has been an effective therapeutic approach for treating metastatic prostate cancer, serious undesired side effects have hampered its wide application clinically. In this work, a pH-responsive LHRH-conjugated hydroxyethyl starch-doxorubicin (HES-DOX/LHRH) prodrug was facilely synthesized by conjugating oxidized HES (HES-CHO) with DOX and LHRH through an acid-sensitive Schiff base bond. The resulting prodrug spontaneously self-assembled into nanoscopic micelle with a radius of about 55 nm in an aqueous environment. HES-DOX/LHRH significantly improved the in vivo tissue distribution of the drug. Compared to its non-targeted counterpart, targeted HES-DOX/LHRH demonstrated a greater in vitro anti-proliferative capability toward mouse RM-1 prostate cells. More importantly, targeted HES-DOX/LHRH exhibited higher levels of anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activities against an RM-1-xenografted mouse model, with lower systemic toxicity compared to free DOX·HCl and non-targeted HES-DOX. Hence, these results revealed that targeted HES-DOX/LHRH possesses great potential application in clinical chemotherapy of metastatic prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel substituted uracil-1′( N )-acetic acid esters ( 6 – 20 ) of camptothecins (CPTs) were synthesized by the acylation method. These new compounds were evaluated for in vitro antitumor activity against tumor cell lines, A549, Bel7402, BGC-823, HCT-8 and A2780. In vitro results showed that most of the derivatives exhibited comparable or superior cytotoxicity compare to CPT ( 1 ) and topotecan (TPT, 2 ), with 12 and 13 possessing the best efficacy. Four compounds, 9 , 12 , 13 and 16 , were selected to be evaluated for in vivo antitumor activity against H 22 , BGC-823 and Bel-7402 in mice. In vivo testing results indicated that 12 and 13 had antitumor activity against mouse liver carcinoma H 22 close to Paclitaxel and cyclophosphamide. 12 had similar antitumor activity against human gastric carcinoma BGC-823 in nude mice compared to irinotecan ( 3 ) and possessed better antitumor activity against human hepatocarcinoma Bel-7402 in nude mice than 2 . It is also discovered that 12 showed a similar mechanism but better inhibitory activity on topoisomerase I (Topo I) compared to 2 . These findings indicate that 20(S)- O -fluorouracil-1′( N )-acetic acid ester derivative of CPTs, 12 , could be developed as an antitumor drug candidate for clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been many recent advances in wireless communication technologies, particularly in the area of wireless sensor networks, which have undergone rapid development and been successfully applied in the consumer electronics market. Therefore, wireless networks (WNs) have been attracting more attention from academic communities and other domains. From an industrial perspective, WNs present many advantages including flexibility, low cost, easy deployment and so on. Therefore, WNs can play a vital role in the Industry 4.0 framework, and can be used for smart factories and intelligent manufacturing systems. In this paper, we present an overview of industrial WNs (IWNs), discuss IWN features and related techniques, and then provide a new architecture based on quality of service and quality of data for IWNs. We also propose some applications for IWNs and IWN standards. Then, we will use a case from our previous achievements to explain how to design an IWN under Industry 4.0. Finally, we highlight some of the design challenges and open issues that still need to be addressed to make IWNs truly ubiquitous for a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to bring a potential solution for improving the synthesis of liquid organic products directly from CO 2 and CH 4 by plasma catalysis under ambient conditions in terms of yield and selectivity. To do that, a composite-catalytic bed is set up in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor where iron, cobalt, SiO 2, and HZSM-5 are associated through three different configurations. The results reveal that a cobalt-based mixed granular configuration exhibits excellent potential for synthesizing long-chain products (up to C8), while iron-based catalysts produce preferentially short-chain oxygenates: acetic acid (∼26%) or methanol (∼24%), with low energy cost depending on the ratio of reactants and the configuration. This work ultimately shows that the use of a composite-catalytic bed submitted to non-equilibrium electric discharges can offer new perspectives of improvement for directly synthesizing liquid products from CO 2 and CH 4 while manipulating the distribution of the products. [Display omitted] • A composite catalytic bed composed of Fe, Co/SiO 2 , and HZSM-5 is used for plasma-catalytic conversion of CO 2 /CH 4. • Three different configurations are tested in a DBD-type reactor. • Considerable conversion and selectivity can be achieved. • Long-chain organic molecules up to C8 can be synthesized. • The work demonstrates the possibility of manipulating the product distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanozymes with enzyme-mimicking catalytic activity and unique functions have stimulated increasing interest in the biosensing field. Herein, we report a magnetic nanozyme (MNE) with integrated superior peroxidase-like activity and efficient mixing ability. This nanozymatic magnetic nanomixer is synthesized by depositing a Fe2+-doped polydopamine coating on the surface of well-aligned magnetic nanoparticles to form a rigid chain-like nanostructure. Polydopamine coating of the nanozymatic MNE allows for efficient immobilization of natural enzymes such as glucose oxidase, cholesterol oxidase or urate oxidase to produce a series of enzymes-immobilized MNE (MNE@enzymes) with intrinsic multienzyme cascade properties. These MNE@enzymes show synchronously rotating capability in spinning magnetic fields, which leads to an 80∼100% improvement in their overall catalytic efficiencies. In the on-chip detection of small molecular metabolites (i.e., glucose, cholesterol, and uric acid), the rotating MNE@enzymes lead to detection sensitivities 2.1∼4.3 times higher than those of the static ones. Importantly, the consistent performance of the rotating MNE@enzymes offers the possibility of integrating the detection of glucose, free cholesterol and uric acid into a single multiplexing microchip assay with smartphone readout, affording an improved sensitivity, good selectivity and reliability. The designed enzymes-loaded MNEs holds great promise in developing rapid and ultrasensitive measurements of diverse targets of healthcare concerns using portable devices. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation reduction is a feasible method to eliminate Cr(VI) in water, while supported noble metal catalysts are liable to deactivation. In this study, carbon nanotube supported Pt catalyst (Pt/CNT) coated by polyaniline (Pt/CNT@PANI) was prepared and applied in the liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation of Cr(VI). Characterization results disclose that after coating Pt/CNT is completely wrapped by PANI layers and active Pt particles are no longer accessible. Despite complete embedment of Pt particles by PANI layers, Pt/CNT@PANI remains highly active for Cr(VI) reduction in liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation. The catalytic Cr(VI) reduction on Pt/CNT@PANI can be described by a PANI oxidation-reduction mechanism, by which PANI is first oxidized by Cr(VI) to form Cr(III), and oxidized PANI is reduced by catalytic hydrogenation. The Cr(VI) reduction on Pt/CNT@PANI complies with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, reflecting the pivotal role of Cr(VI) adsorption. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of Pt/CNT@PANI differs with PANI layer thickness and Cr(VI) reduction is positively correlated with reaction temperature. Catalyst recycling results show that after 4 cycles Pt/CNT loses 92.4% of catalytic activity, while the initial activity of Pt/CNT@PANI slightly decreases by 11.6%, demonstrating its high catalyst stability. [Display omitted] • Pt/CNT@PANI catalysts are prepared and applied in catalytic hydrogenation of Cr(VI). • Pt particles are completely wrapped by PANI layers. • Cr(VI) reduction is implemented via a PANI oxidation-reduction mechanism. • Pt/CNT@PANI has high catalytic activity and stability for Cr(VI) reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-doped TiO 2 nanocrystals with exposed {001} facets have been synthesized by a two-step method. Firstly, we synthesized anatase TiO 2 nanocrystals with exposed {001} facets by an original hydrothermal method using HBF 4 and n -BA to coordinated the regulation of size and morphology. Then, ethylenediamine has been used as N dopant source to dope with the as-prepared TiO 2 nanocrystals. The effects of both HBF 4 and n -BA in synthesis of anatase TiO 2 nanocrystals with exposed {001} facets have been investigated. The enlarged localized profiles of the XRD pattern and XPS spectra demonstrate the existence of N element. The photocatalytic property studies showed that the N-doped TiO 2 nanocrystals with exposed {001} facets exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than that of the N-doped P25, which might be ascribed to the high percentage of exposed {001} facets. In addition, the stability study suggests that the as-synthesized photocatalyst is a promising material for the application of wastewater purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endotoxin tolerance (ET) is a complex protective mechanism against endotoxin shock. The looped CLP-19 peptide derived from Limulus anti-LPS peptide induced the ET phenomenon but the molecular mechanism has yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we confirmed that CLP-19 attenuated upon LPS stimulated pro-inflammatory factor secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 but increased anti-inflammatory factor production of IL-10 in dose- and time-dependent manners. CLP-19 also inhibited subsequent LPS stimulated expression of TLR4 on the cell membrane. Moreover, the CLP-19 inhibited degradation of the inhibitor of NF-κB (IκBα and IκBβ) and reduced LPS induced NF-κB activity, but not of effects on expression of MyD88 and TRAF-6. Finally CLP-19 significantly increased survival of lethal LPS shock mouse models with significantly less pathological injury to lung. These findings collectively suggest that CLP-19 induces ET phenomenon involved inhibition of NF-κB activation. In conclusion, this study has revealed a novel function of CLP-19 that appears to represent a potential therapeutic agent for clinical treatment of septic shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EtherCAT has been widely applied in the motion control domain due to its advantages of the fast response speed, low CPU usage and good synchronization performance. Although the built-in distributed clock (DC) synchronization mechanism exhibits strong performance between slaves, the method of clock synchronization between the master and the reference clock is left open for selection by users and there are very few studies in this area. This paper introduces three synchronization modes for EtherCAT and analyzes the reasons for packet loss in free run mode and DC mode. This paper presents a novel method to realize the master clock synchronization with the reference clock. The proposed method can eliminate the settling time which is unusual in other synchronization mechanisms. The method is implemented on Windows with real-time extension and experimental results prove its feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating ascomycete plant pathogen with an extremely wide host range. Fungicides are still the mainstay for control of this pathogen, and stimulations to mycelial growth and aggressiveness by subtoxic doses of fungicides carbendazim and dimethachlon have been reported. The present study assessed hormetic effects of the quinone outside inhibitor (Qol) fungicide trifloxystrobin on aggressiveness of S. sclerotiorum. Trifloxystrobin at 0.0001, 0.0005, and 0.001 p,g/ml exerted significant stimulatory effects on aggressiveness to potted rapeseed plants, and the highest percent stimulation were 20.5 and 24.2% for isolates HB15 and SX11, respectively. At 18 h postinoculation (HPI), initial necrotic lesions were visible to the naked eye on leaves treated with trifloxystrobin, whereas no obvious disease symptoms were discerned for the nontreated control. At 24, 36, and 48 HPI, aggressiveness stimulation was more obvious than at 18 HPI. Scanning electron microscopic observations demonstrated that no mycelia were detected on the nontreated leaves at 4 HPI; by contrast, mycelia were observed on leaves treated with trifloxystrobin at 0.0001 p,g/ml. At 8 and 12 HPI. there were more mycelia and infecting hyphae on the treated leaves than on the nontreated control. These results indicated that fungal stimulation had occurred in the first 4 and 8 HPI, suggesting that direct stimulation was likely to be the underlying mechanism for hormetic actions of trifloxystrobin. Pretreatment with trifloxystrobin did not significandy affect subsequent mycelial growth on PDA or aggressiveness to detached rapeseed leaves in the absence of trifloxystrobin. However, in the presence of trifloxystrobin, mycelial growth and aggressiveness were significantly (P < 0.05) greater for the pretreatment with trifloxystrobin at 0.003 and 0.03 μg/ml compared with the nonpretreatment control, indicating that a prior exposure to the fungicide may undennine its subsequent effectiveness. These studies will raise our awareness of fungicide hormesis and have important implications for judicious application of fungicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A composite endpoint consists of multiple endpoints combined in one outcome. It is frequently used as the primary endpoint in randomized clinical trials. There are two main disadvantages associated with the use of composite endpoints: a) in conventional analyses, all components are treated equally important; and b) in time-to-event analyses, the first event considered may not be the most important component. Recently Pocock et al. (2012) introduced the win ratio method to address these disadvantages. This method has two alternative approaches: the matched pair approach and the unmatched pair approach. In the unmatched pair approach, the confidence interval is constructed based on bootstrap resampling, and the hypothesis testing is based on the non-parametric method by Finkelstein and Schoenfeld (1999). Luo et al. (2015) developed a close-form variance estimator of the win ratio for the unmatched pair approach, based on a composite endpoint with two components and a specific algorithm determining winners, losers and ties. We extend the unmatched pair approach to provide a generalized analytical solution to both hypothesis testing and confidence interval construction for the win ratio, based on its logarithmic asymptotic distribution. This asymptotic distribution is derived via U-statistics following Wei and Johnson (1985). We perform simulations assessing the confidence intervals constructed based on our approach versus those per the bootstrap resampling and per Luo et al. We have also applied our approach to a liver transplant Phase III study. This application and the simulation studies show that the win ratio can be a better statistical measure than the odds ratio when the importance order among components matters; and the method per our approach and that by Luo et al., although derived based on large sample theory, are not limited to a large sample, but are also good for relatively small sample sizes. Different from Pocock et al. and Luo et al., our approach is a generalized analytical method, which is valid for any algorithm determining winners, losers and ties. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-defined m -BiVO 4 dendrites have been synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method without adding organic surfactant. A series of time-dependent experiments were conducted to investigate the shape formation mechanism of the m -BiVO 4 dendrites. Furthermore, the corresponding growth mechanism which involved the Ostwald ripening process has been discussed. The m -BiVO 4 dendrites showed great enhanced activity in the visible-light photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) solution which might be attributed to the special morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A poly(9,10-phenanthraquinone-alt-benzene) (PPQ) cathode is reported. • Characterizations confirm its polymer nature in Na-ion batteries. • In half cells, PPQ shows very stable 150 mAh g−1 during 300 cycles. • In full cells, PPQ delivers average ∼ 126 mAh g−1 during 150 cycles. A new organic polymer cathode namely poly(9,10-phenanthraquinone-alt-benzene) (PPQ, ∼190 mAh g−1) is designed and synthesized for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Adequate characterizations are carried out to define its polymer nature. In half cells, the discharge capacity of PPQ shows almost no attenuation, stably maintaining at 150 mAh g−1 during 300 cycles. In full cells, the PPQ II Na 3 Bi SIBs realize the stable discharge capacities of average 126 mAh g−1 cathode during 150 cycles (100 mA g−1 cathode) and average 97 mAh g−1 cathode during 800 cycles (800 mA g−1 cathode), along with the average discharge voltage of ∼ 1.5 V. To the best of our knowledge, the results of PPQ can represent the new advancement for organic polymer cathodes in SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal increases in osteoclast differentiation and activity contribute to excessive bone resorption in inflammatory bone diseases. The specific m6A-binding protein YT521-B homology domain family 1 (YTHDF1) participates in many physiopathological processes by regulating mRNA stability or translation. However, whether YTHDF1 is involved in the regulation of inflammatory osteoclastogenesis remains a mystery. This study revealed that YTHDF1 expression was upregulated during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated osteoclast differentiation. Knockdown of Ythdf1 inhibited osteoclast formation, bone resorption and the expression of osteoclast-related genes (Tnfrsf11a, Traf6, Mmp9 and Acp5). Analysis of RNA sequencing data showed that the genes downregulated by Ythdf1 knockdown were closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and osteoclast differentiation. Western blotting confirmed that Ythdf1 depletion suppressed activation of the ER stress-related PERK, IRE1α and ATF6 signaling pathways. The ER stress activator tunicamycin (Tm) partially rescued the decreased expression of Mmp9 and Acp5 caused by Ythdf1 deficiency. Meanwhile, Ythdf1 depletion inhibited the phosphorylation levels of key proteins in the NF-κB, MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways and decreased the mRNA stability of Tnfrsf11a , which is the major upstream signaling molecule that mediates the activation of these pathways during osteoclast differentiation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Ythdf1 knockdown inhibits inflammatory osteoclast differentiation and function by suppressing ER stress signaling pathways. Ythdf1 knockdown also inactivates the signaling pathways involved in osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting Tnfrsf11a mRNA stability. These findings will help shed light on the molecular mechanisms of m6A-mediated epigenetic regulation in inflammatory osteoclastogenesis. [Display omitted] • YTHDF1 was significantly upregulated during inflammatory osteoclastogenesis. • Ythdf1 knockdown inhibited inflammatory osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption activity. • The genes downregulated were closely associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress and osteoclast differentiation. • Ythdf1 knockdown inhibited inflammatory osteoclastogenesis by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways. • Ythdf1 knockdown decreased Tnfrsf11a mRNA stability and inactivated the NF-κB, MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly active and stable electrocatalysts at low cost for hydrogen evolution reaction are essential for large scale hydrogen production. The Ni 3 P-Ni heterostructure confined in 3D networks of carbon nanotube (CNT) has been successfully prepared as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrode. The morphology and phase composition of Ni 3 P-Ni heterostructure are tunable by varying the acid pickling time. The Ni 3 P-Ni/CNT composite electrode with optimized Ni:Ni 3 P ratio of 22.29 wt% demonstrate high catalytic activity and excellent stability for HER. It demonstrates a comparable HER activity to the standard Pt electrode in alkaline solution, i.e., overpotentials of 116 vs 67 mV at 10 mA·cm−2 and Tafel slops of 59 vs 37 mV·dec−1. No degradation is observed after 1000 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles or 50 h operation under constant 0.3 V overpotential. • Pickling affects the morphology of heterogeneous structure and the content of Ni. • The Ni 3 P-Ni heterostructure was anchored to the carbon nanotube network by ball milling. • The electrode was prepared by mixing with PTFE and pressing. • The results show that Ni 3 P-Ni/CNT electrode has the best hydrogen evolution activity when the Ni/Ni 3 P ratio is 22.29 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laryngeal cancer (LC) is a rare and challenging clinical problem. Our aim was to investigate the mechanism of salt‐like transcription factor 4 (SALL4) in LC. LC tissue and paracancerous tissue were collected. Relative mRNA or protein levels were measured by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. MTT, wound healing, and transwell assay were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The binding relationship between SALL4 and USP21 promoter was verified by dual‐luciferase assay and ChIP. Co‐IP and glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST)‐pull down were performed to measure the protein interaction between USP21 and YY1. Additionally, YY1 ubiquitination level was analyzed. It was found that SALL4 mRNA and SALL4 protein levels were elevated in LC clinical tissues and various LC cells. Knockdown of SALL4 inhibited epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of LC cells. USP21 was transcriptionally activated by SALL4. Co‐IP and GST‐pull down confirmed USP21 interacted with YY1. USP21 protected YY1 from degradation through deubiquitination. Furthermore, overexpression of USP21 reversed the effect of knockdown of SALL4 on YY1 and EMT in LC cells. In general, SALL4 facilitated EMT of LC cells through modulating USP21/YY1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, CHIME/FRB project published its first fast radio burst (FRB) catalog (hereafter, Catalog 1), which contains in total 536 unique bursts. With the help of the latest set of FRBs in this large-size catalog, we aim to investigate the dispersion measure (DM) or redshift () distribution of the FRB population, and solution of this problem could be used to clarify the question of FRB origin. In this study, we adopted the M&E 2018 model to fit the observed distribution of FRBs in Catalog 1. In the M&E 2018 model, we are mostly interested in the function, i.e., number of bursts per proper time per comoving volume, which is represented by the star formation rate (SFR) with a power-law index . Our estimated value of is () at the 68 (95) per cent confidence level, implying that the FRB population evolves with redshift consistent with, or faster than, the SFR. Specially, the consistency of the values estimated by this study and the SFR provides a potential support for the hypothesis of FRBs originating from young magnetars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A crack-free AlN film with 4.5 μm thickness was grown on a 2-inch hole-type nano-patterned sapphire substrates (NPSSs) by hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The coalescence, stress evolution, and dislocation annihilation mechanisms in the AlN layer have been investigated. The large voids located on the pattern region were caused by the undesirable parasitic crystallites grown on the sidewalls of the nano-pattern in the early growth stage. The coalescence of the c-plane AlN was hindered by these three-fold crystallites and the special triangle void appeared. The cross-sectional Raman line scan was used to characterize the change of stress with film thickness, which corresponds to the characteristics of different growth stages of AlN. Threading dislocations (TDs) mainly originate from the boundary between misaligned crystallites and the c-plane AlN and the coalescence of two adjacent c-plane AlN crystals, rather than the interface between sapphire and AlN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the requirements of high performance, miniaturization, low cost, low power consumption and multi-function, three-dimensional (3D) integrated technology has gradually become a core technology. With the development of 3D integrated technology, it has been used in imaging sensors, optical integrated microsystems, inertial sensor microsystems, radio-frequency microsystems, biological microsystems and logic microsystems, etc. Through silicon via (TSV) is the core technology of a 3D integrated system, which can achieve vertical interconnection between stacked chips. In this paper, the development and progress of multi-physics simulation design for TSV-based 3D integrated systems are reviewed. Firstly, the electrical simulation design of TSV in a 3D integrated system is presented, including the lumped parameters model-based design and numerical computation model-based design. Secondly, the thermal simulation design of TSV in a 3D integrated system is presented based on the analytical model or numerical computation model. Thirdly, the multi-physics co-simulation design of TSV in a 3D integrated system is presented, including the thermal stress and electron thermal coupling simulation design. Finally, this paper is concluded, and the future perspectives of 3D integrated systems are presented, including the advanced integrated microsystems, the crossed and reconfigurable architecture design technology and the standardized and intelligent design technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension, sleep disorders, and depression represent notable public health issues, and their interconnected nature has long been acknowledged. The objective of this study is to explore the interplay between sleep disorders and depression in the context of hypertension. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 42,143 participants aged 18 and above from the NHANES database across seven survey cycles between 2005 and 2018. After excluding those with missing data on depression, sleep disorders, and hypertension, as well as incomplete main variables, 33,383 participants remained. We used weighted logistic regression to examine the relationship between sleep disorders, depression, and hypertension. Additionally, we assessed the interaction between sleep disorders and depression on hypertension using both multiplicative and additive approaches to quantify their combined effect. Results: Compared to individuals without sleep disorders, those with sleep disorders have an increased risk of hypertension (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.37–1.67). Furthermore, individuals with depression experience a significantly higher risk of hypertension compared to those with sleep disorders alone (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.95–2.80). Our study reveals a positive interaction between sleep disorders and depression in relation to hypertension risk (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13). In addition, we observed the quantitative additive interaction indicators (RERI = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56 ~ 0.92; API = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11 ~ 0.46; SI = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.08–3.46) influencing hypertension risk. Furthermore, our research also identified that individuals with less than 7 h of sleep, a sleep latency period between 5 and 30 min, or a latency period exceeding 30 min experience a significantly increased risk of hypertension. Conclusions: Our research uncovered separate links between sleep disorders, depression, and hypertension prevalence. Moreover, we identified an interaction between depression and sleep disorders in hypertension prevalence. Enhancing mental well-being and tackling sleep disorders could help prevent and manage hypertension. Yet, more investigation is required to establish causation and clarify mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the physical properties of Planck Galactic Cold Clumps (PGCCs) located in the Galactic Plane, using the JCMT Plane Survey (JPS) and the SCUBA-2 Continuum Observations of Pre-protostellar Evolution (SCOPE) survey. By utilizing a suite of molecular-line surveys, velocities, and distances were assigned to the compact sources within the PGCCs, placing them in a Galactic context. The properties of these compact sources show no large-scale variations with Galactic environment. Investigating the star-forming content of the sample, we find that the luminosity-to-mass ratio (L / M) is an order of magnitude lower than in other Galactic studies, indicating that these objects are hosting lower levels of star formation. Finally, by comparing ATLASGAL sources that are associated or are not associated with PGCCs, we find that those associated with PGCCs are typically colder, denser, and have a lower L / M ratio, hinting that PGCCs are a distinct population of Galactic Plane sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]